Help for my friend who is Mormon

[PattyPryor]

I didn’t know if I wanted to post this but I just feel I have to. my Friend joined the Mormon church about 3 years ago. She joined because when I was getting Missionary discussions she started joining in. After I left the church I tried telling her how it was a cult and had tons of info on the problems with the church.

She ignored me and later never told me she got baptized. When she told me I felt like the Mormon church truly took my friend away… and in some ways it is true. My time with her is limited because she does so much Church activities.

I blame myself for her joining the church. I really led the way and I didn’t do enough to get her out. I long for her to come to the Catholic Church.

I feel I have failed. Sometimes I feel if I had some exmormons talk to her or give thier testimony it would help.

Sometimes I think I shouldn’t even be her friend because it is so hard. I just can’t give up on her though. I showed her this movie the Mormon Delemmia and The Bible Vs the Book of Mormon but nothing happened. She thought I was nuts for showing her this.

I know Mormons are going to post here telling me just to leave her alone but honestly I can’t

I just don’t know what to do. It really pains me everyday…

any advice

 

[RebeccaJ]

I am sure you will hear from former mormon missionaries who converted more than one person to that faith. I know one man who left the mormon church, and went back to the people he converted and apologized to them for leading them to a false belief.

Your friend’s choices are her own. Even if you believe you had a part in her mormon conversion, she has the same free will that God gave you.

If you want to remain friends with her, you are going to have to accept her choices. That doesn’t mean that you can’t invite her to mass, or to pray the rosary and daily prayers with you.

 

[Annie_B]

I didn’t know if I wanted to post this but I just feel I have to. my Friend joined the Mormon church about 3 years ago. She joined because when I was getting Missionary discussions she started joining in. After I left the church I tried telling her how it was a cult and had tons of info on the problems with the church.

She ignored me and later never told me she got baptized. When she told me I felt like the Mormon church truly took my friend away… and in some ways it is true. My time with her is limited because she does so much Church activities.

I blame myself for her joining the church. I really led the way and I didn’t do enough to get her out. I long for her to come to the Catholic Church.

I feel I have failed. Sometimes I feel if I had some exmormons talk to her or give thier testimony it would help.

Sometimes I think I shouldn’t even be her friend because it is so hard. I just can’t give up on her though. I showed her this movie the Mormon Delemmia and The Bible Vs the Book of Mormon but nothing happened. She thought I was nuts for showing her this.

I know Mormons are going to post here telling me just to leave her alone but honestly I can’t

I just don’t know what to do. It really pains me everyday…

any advice

I am Mormon and I am not going to tell you to leave her alone . I find it extremely sad when friends stop being friends because of membership in a particular church.

I actually remembered something similar that happened to me - in reverse. About 30 years ago I had a good friend that was taking the discussions and considering joining the LDS church. I talked him out of it. Years later when I joined the LDS church I felt so guilty for doing so .

We are not responsible for how others choose to lead their lives. The fact that she joined was HER choice - not your fault. We all have choices put in front of us every day, and every day we make decisions about them. We are all responsible for our own choices.

Please do not stop being her friend. You can still be friends and not agree on church/theological issues. If you approach your relationship in love and not judgement, God will take care of the rest.

Annie

 

[PaulDupre]

I am sure you will hear from former mormon missionaries who converted more than one person to that faith. I know one man who left the mormon church, and went back to the people he converted and apologized to them for leading them to a false belief.

Your friend’s choices are her own. Even if you believe you had a part in her mormon conversion, she has the same free will that God gave you.

If you want to remain friends with her, you are going to have to accept her choices. That doesn’t mean that you can’t invite her to mass, or to pray the rosary and daily prayers with you.

Bless you, Rebecca! That is exactly the right answer. I have also felt guilt over leading my older brother to the Mormon church. I got out, but he is totally brainwashed. Unlike me, he never made the effort to really research and understand Mormonism. He just “knows how he feels” and that’s enough for him. It is tragic because he is truly miserable, and though it’s obvious to everyone else, he will not admit it.

But as you said, he has his free will. He can use it as he wishes.

Paul

 

[PattyPryor]

Bless you, Rebecca! That is exactly the right answer. I have also felt guilt over leading my older brother to the Mormon church. I got out, but he is totally brainwashed. Unlike me, he never made the effort to really research and understand Mormonism. He just “knows how he feels” and that’s enough for him. It is tragic because he is truly miserable, and though it’s obvious to everyone else, he will not admit it.

But as you said, he has his free will. He can use it as he wishes.

Paul

Paul do you ever wish in just a little way you could turn back time? Thats how i feel

 

[RebeccaJ]

Paul do you ever wish in just a little way you could turn back time? Thats how i feel

I wish I could turn back time and stop my crazy ancestors from converting to Mormonism to begin with! (c. 1837)

 

[PaulDupre]

Paul do you ever wish in just a little way you could turn back time? Thats how i feel

No, not really. I would not be the Catholic I am today had I not gone through the painful Mormon experience. Mormonism taught me what religion should NOT be.

But I sometimes grieve for the 11 years of my young adult life that I lost.

Paul

 

[RebeccaJ]

No, not really. I would not be the Catholic I am today had I not gone through the painful Mormon experience. Mormonism taught me what religion should NOT be.

But I sometimes grieve for the 11 years of my young adult life that I lost.

Paul

ditto