A
aquabatix
Guest
Since some questions were not answered before the original thread was closed by the moderators when some posters began to get a little too zealous, I wanted to pick the conversation back up with a question I was asked but did not get to answer. Unfortunately I am unable to quote it because the thread is closed.
I was asked by sablouwho as to my conversion to the LDS church and what I was told as an “investigator”. When I explained that I was not told about the nature of the Mormon godhead and felt this was unfair, especially due to the fact that my missionary teachers knew my religious traditions in my past and how I would understand the things that they were telling me, primarily the account of JS’s “first vision” account, the question arose as to whether I had a testimony about the truthfulness of the BOM, if so if I lost it and etc…
The truth is, I had difficulty with the concepts and the teachings of the BOM and the missionaries. I prayed the Moroni prayer very fervently, but received very little answer. I was told that my testimony would come over time and that the best way to develop it was to bear it. My acceptance of the BOM and JS took on more of the guise of rationalisation. I told myself repeatedly, “well, names such as Moses, Isaiah, Luke and John were only names until I learned of them, so maybe this is another name that will turn out to be the truth too.” The same principal was applied to the BOM as well.
I was told to bear my testimony (that I didn’t have yet) repeatedly and asked to talk at church and other meetings. After a few years, I decided (with a good deal of pressure socially as wee which is a topic for another time) to go on a mission for the church. I figured that I should study as much as I could about the church before I would go out to convert others and spread the word. In studying, I revisited my old apprehensions and tried to put the at ease. Needless to say I was unsuccessful. I could not solve the problems, and a flood more came in. I felt betrayed and lied to. The things that I was told were biblical were not or were only valid in a slided sideways view that was out of context. Many other things were kept from me as I was learning and these I consider to be lies of omission. Yes the internet was around when I was an investigator, but I never know to look for these things. Later on my search for the truth, the net did assist me then. If I knew at the beginning what I ended up knowing, I never would have joined. This case of “milk before meat” became a case of “milk about to curdle, before something you shouldn’t eat that hopefully we won’t have to give you.”
I hope this answers the questions in a light way. If this helps anyone or poses anymore questions please post.
I was asked by sablouwho as to my conversion to the LDS church and what I was told as an “investigator”. When I explained that I was not told about the nature of the Mormon godhead and felt this was unfair, especially due to the fact that my missionary teachers knew my religious traditions in my past and how I would understand the things that they were telling me, primarily the account of JS’s “first vision” account, the question arose as to whether I had a testimony about the truthfulness of the BOM, if so if I lost it and etc…
The truth is, I had difficulty with the concepts and the teachings of the BOM and the missionaries. I prayed the Moroni prayer very fervently, but received very little answer. I was told that my testimony would come over time and that the best way to develop it was to bear it. My acceptance of the BOM and JS took on more of the guise of rationalisation. I told myself repeatedly, “well, names such as Moses, Isaiah, Luke and John were only names until I learned of them, so maybe this is another name that will turn out to be the truth too.” The same principal was applied to the BOM as well.
I was told to bear my testimony (that I didn’t have yet) repeatedly and asked to talk at church and other meetings. After a few years, I decided (with a good deal of pressure socially as wee which is a topic for another time) to go on a mission for the church. I figured that I should study as much as I could about the church before I would go out to convert others and spread the word. In studying, I revisited my old apprehensions and tried to put the at ease. Needless to say I was unsuccessful. I could not solve the problems, and a flood more came in. I felt betrayed and lied to. The things that I was told were biblical were not or were only valid in a slided sideways view that was out of context. Many other things were kept from me as I was learning and these I consider to be lies of omission. Yes the internet was around when I was an investigator, but I never know to look for these things. Later on my search for the truth, the net did assist me then. If I knew at the beginning what I ended up knowing, I never would have joined. This case of “milk before meat” became a case of “milk about to curdle, before something you shouldn’t eat that hopefully we won’t have to give you.”
I hope this answers the questions in a light way. If this helps anyone or poses anymore questions please post.
the 2 sites I looked at for the video say this