Isa 29:13 "The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouths and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worhsip of me is made up only of rules taught by men"
Personal Note: Isaiah 29:13 makes it clear why God is going to by-pass the wisdom of men. It is because they were only going through the motions of serving God but their hearts were far from Him. They knew about God intellectually, but they didn't know Him personally.
The need to know it all is a stumbling block. All those classes I took at BYU education week never brought me closer to God. It was not until I found him with my heart, that my eyes were finally opened, I am now beginning to understand what I could never come to know through years and years of attending classes. To understand God's ways and be born again, you must believe with your heart (Rom. 10:10). I now, finally, understand this concept.
Christians are not supposed to be mindless. God gave us our brains and wants us to use them. But we need to factor in to every evaluation the truths of God as revealed to us in His Word. The Bible gives us all we need to know. This is God’s final truth. For some man to come along and feel like he has the right through new revelation to add to God’s word is spreading false doctrine. Why people feel it is necessary to know more than God wants us to know is a mystery to me. I tried it for many years, and it just doesn’t work. To grow close to God and to really get to know Him and Jesus Christ is to read His word (the Bible) and to let the Holy Spirit work within him to reveal what the words on the page are saying. There is no mystery to what the Bible is trying to teach us. There is nothing missing that God wants us to know. Joseph Smith was preaching his own agenda, not God’s.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
My Story
Since becoming a "born again" Christian a little over 2 years ago, I have had the strong desire to try and reach out to others who are walking in much the same footsteps as I am. It has weighed heavy on my mind that I should start this blog. I hope others will find it and feel comfortable to share their feelings with me and others who struggle in many areas of their lives as they come to the realization that the LDS religion is not based on God's Word and they want to have a real personal relationship with Jesus Christ, which the LDS faith teaches against.
Over the past 2 years I have had many conversations with other "Mormons" who feel trapped in their religion, most of them women, but I am sure there are many men out there who feel the same way. When I have talked to these women I can feel the frustration and struggle they are facing. They want to leave the LDS faith, but the pressure from other family members, friends, and neighbors, keeps them from making that break. At this point I must mention that I live in "Utah County" Utah. Often referred to as "Happy Valley". I think that about 80-90% of the people who live in this county are Mormons. It is not on faith that drives them, but tradition, routine, and pressure from those around them. Another reason I have been told that it is called"Happy Valley" is because of the high percentage of women who are on Prozac, but that is another story for another time.
At this time I would like to tell you my story and how I came to call myself a "Born Again" Mormon.
I grew up in a Catholic home. My parents were not very strong in their faith or at least they didn't attend church very often, but they did make sure that I and my brothers attended cathecism and mass and so I learned memorized all the things that good Catholic children memorize so they can be received their confirmation and start taking communion. I have always been a person who wants answers to things. The cathecism classes didn't satisfy my need to really know about God and Jesus Christ. When I was young the Bible wasn't used much, only what readings were heard on Sunday at Mass. I would stop the priest or nun occasionally and ask questions about God, but when they didn't know the answer or want to discuss it with me, they would just say it was a mystery and leave it at that. I can remember even as young as 6 years old asking God questions and telling Him I wanted to feel Him inside of me. By the time I was in my 20's so many changes had been made in the Catholic church that my faith began to waver and I started a journey to find a church that taught from the Bible. I wanted to understand the Bible.
I went to many different churches, but none on them felt right. Then 1 day a man came to my door and talking to me about the Mormon religion. I was very hesitant at first because I had heard they were a cult and that they worshipped Joseph Smith. This man asked me what I was looking for and I said I wanted to learn about what God was teaching us through the Bible. I had a strong feeling that the answers to my questions were in that book. The gentlemen told be that the LDS faith was very Bible based and had the answers I was seeking and if I couldn't find them there, this church also had other scriptures to get the information from. I though that this might be what I was seeking. Also, at this time I was a single mom, struggling to raise a daughter by myself and so many people from the this man's church came to my aid and helped me both financially and emotionally, that I thought I found the place where I belonged. I wasn't taught the normal missionary lessons, and before I knew it I was baptized.
Right after that I was given a Book of Mormon. I was told to read it and the Holy Ghost would witness to me the truth of that book and that the LDS religion as the only true religion on the earth. They painted so a glorious picture of family togetherness forever, and temples, and being like God. About that same time I started dating an LDS man and we got married. I was already starting to have problems excepting that the Book of Mormon was from God and I was really struggling with Joseph Smith and his life, but I was in love and didn't want to do anything that would ruin my marriage.
I had my first child by this marriage about 11 months later and then when I was pregnant with our second child my husband and I decided to go to the temple and be sealed as a family. Even my daughter from a previous relationship was allowed to be sealed to us. I was so excited. That all ended the day I went to the temple. From the time I walked in there until the end of the ceremony I knew I had made a terrible mistake. I cried all the way home. I know this was not of God, but what was I going to do. My husband is so committed to his religion. I went an talked to the Bishop and over the years several other men in high positions. The answer was always the same. There was something wrong with me that I need to fix. Not enough faith, trying to hard, some unresolved issue in my life, etc, etc.
So I plundered along. Some time I was more active then other times. I went back to the temple again and again, seeing if I could feel what everyone said I should feel. It never came. Our kids grew up. Our son walked away from religion completely. Our three daughters all married in the temple. I was getting more and more depressed and stressed over church and religion and God.
Then I decided to start on a Bible study for myself. No using "other mormon writings". Just me and the Bible. One day I was sitting in a chair reading and my eyes were opened as I read some paticular passage of scripture. I can't even remember what it was anymore, but God through the Holy Ghost revealed to me in that very instance that what I was searching for was not in the LDS. That the Bible was His word and nothing else. That he loved me just because he loved me, not because I was perfect in this or perfect in that. He just loved me.
As the days went on I began to search for a church to go to. I found a non-denominational Bible Church near my house. I listened online for a couple of weeks at the Pastors sermons and I knew that this is where I needed to go. I began to attend that church over 2 years ago and I committed my self to Jesus Christ. In that moment of commitment I found the feelings and answers I had been searching for since I was 6 years old. How come it had taken so long, I don't know. I only know that I have never been happier spiritually. I love knowing that Jesus Christ is part of me now and that the Holy Ghost is my constant companion. When I read the Bible now the words open up to me and I can understand why they were written and what I need to do to feel closer to God.
The reason I call myself a "born again" Mormon is because I haven't yet asked to be removed from their membership rolls. My decision about leaving the LDS faith did not come easily for my family and for a while I wondered whether it would end my marriage. Since then, my husband, has come to support my decision and I love him so much for that. I told him one day that I could not choose between God and him. I think he knew then that I was serious. I want so much to completely break ties with the LDS church, but I am moving slowing in that direction, because of my husband. In the meantime I will leave well enough alone.
In Phil 4:13 it says "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength" and He does, everyday of my life. He is my friend and now I have a personal relationship with Him. I also know that I will go to Heaven no matter what I do from here on out, although because of my love for Him I choose to follow His teachings. I know that no longer do I have to do deeds to win God's love, it was there all the time for the taking. How I wish I could bring my whole family to this knowledge.
I know there are others out there struggle with the same feelings, because I have talked to many of them face to face. I hope I hear from so others out there in cyperspace who feel they want to share their stories with me.
Over the past 2 years I have had many conversations with other "Mormons" who feel trapped in their religion, most of them women, but I am sure there are many men out there who feel the same way. When I have talked to these women I can feel the frustration and struggle they are facing. They want to leave the LDS faith, but the pressure from other family members, friends, and neighbors, keeps them from making that break. At this point I must mention that I live in "Utah County" Utah. Often referred to as "Happy Valley". I think that about 80-90% of the people who live in this county are Mormons. It is not on faith that drives them, but tradition, routine, and pressure from those around them. Another reason I have been told that it is called"Happy Valley" is because of the high percentage of women who are on Prozac, but that is another story for another time.
At this time I would like to tell you my story and how I came to call myself a "Born Again" Mormon.
I grew up in a Catholic home. My parents were not very strong in their faith or at least they didn't attend church very often, but they did make sure that I and my brothers attended cathecism and mass and so I learned memorized all the things that good Catholic children memorize so they can be received their confirmation and start taking communion. I have always been a person who wants answers to things. The cathecism classes didn't satisfy my need to really know about God and Jesus Christ. When I was young the Bible wasn't used much, only what readings were heard on Sunday at Mass. I would stop the priest or nun occasionally and ask questions about God, but when they didn't know the answer or want to discuss it with me, they would just say it was a mystery and leave it at that. I can remember even as young as 6 years old asking God questions and telling Him I wanted to feel Him inside of me. By the time I was in my 20's so many changes had been made in the Catholic church that my faith began to waver and I started a journey to find a church that taught from the Bible. I wanted to understand the Bible.
I went to many different churches, but none on them felt right. Then 1 day a man came to my door and talking to me about the Mormon religion. I was very hesitant at first because I had heard they were a cult and that they worshipped Joseph Smith. This man asked me what I was looking for and I said I wanted to learn about what God was teaching us through the Bible. I had a strong feeling that the answers to my questions were in that book. The gentlemen told be that the LDS faith was very Bible based and had the answers I was seeking and if I couldn't find them there, this church also had other scriptures to get the information from. I though that this might be what I was seeking. Also, at this time I was a single mom, struggling to raise a daughter by myself and so many people from the this man's church came to my aid and helped me both financially and emotionally, that I thought I found the place where I belonged. I wasn't taught the normal missionary lessons, and before I knew it I was baptized.
Right after that I was given a Book of Mormon. I was told to read it and the Holy Ghost would witness to me the truth of that book and that the LDS religion as the only true religion on the earth. They painted so a glorious picture of family togetherness forever, and temples, and being like God. About that same time I started dating an LDS man and we got married. I was already starting to have problems excepting that the Book of Mormon was from God and I was really struggling with Joseph Smith and his life, but I was in love and didn't want to do anything that would ruin my marriage.
I had my first child by this marriage about 11 months later and then when I was pregnant with our second child my husband and I decided to go to the temple and be sealed as a family. Even my daughter from a previous relationship was allowed to be sealed to us. I was so excited. That all ended the day I went to the temple. From the time I walked in there until the end of the ceremony I knew I had made a terrible mistake. I cried all the way home. I know this was not of God, but what was I going to do. My husband is so committed to his religion. I went an talked to the Bishop and over the years several other men in high positions. The answer was always the same. There was something wrong with me that I need to fix. Not enough faith, trying to hard, some unresolved issue in my life, etc, etc.
So I plundered along. Some time I was more active then other times. I went back to the temple again and again, seeing if I could feel what everyone said I should feel. It never came. Our kids grew up. Our son walked away from religion completely. Our three daughters all married in the temple. I was getting more and more depressed and stressed over church and religion and God.
Then I decided to start on a Bible study for myself. No using "other mormon writings". Just me and the Bible. One day I was sitting in a chair reading and my eyes were opened as I read some paticular passage of scripture. I can't even remember what it was anymore, but God through the Holy Ghost revealed to me in that very instance that what I was searching for was not in the LDS. That the Bible was His word and nothing else. That he loved me just because he loved me, not because I was perfect in this or perfect in that. He just loved me.
As the days went on I began to search for a church to go to. I found a non-denominational Bible Church near my house. I listened online for a couple of weeks at the Pastors sermons and I knew that this is where I needed to go. I began to attend that church over 2 years ago and I committed my self to Jesus Christ. In that moment of commitment I found the feelings and answers I had been searching for since I was 6 years old. How come it had taken so long, I don't know. I only know that I have never been happier spiritually. I love knowing that Jesus Christ is part of me now and that the Holy Ghost is my constant companion. When I read the Bible now the words open up to me and I can understand why they were written and what I need to do to feel closer to God.
The reason I call myself a "born again" Mormon is because I haven't yet asked to be removed from their membership rolls. My decision about leaving the LDS faith did not come easily for my family and for a while I wondered whether it would end my marriage. Since then, my husband, has come to support my decision and I love him so much for that. I told him one day that I could not choose between God and him. I think he knew then that I was serious. I want so much to completely break ties with the LDS church, but I am moving slowing in that direction, because of my husband. In the meantime I will leave well enough alone.
In Phil 4:13 it says "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength" and He does, everyday of my life. He is my friend and now I have a personal relationship with Him. I also know that I will go to Heaven no matter what I do from here on out, although because of my love for Him I choose to follow His teachings. I know that no longer do I have to do deeds to win God's love, it was there all the time for the taking. How I wish I could bring my whole family to this knowledge.
I know there are others out there struggle with the same feelings, because I have talked to many of them face to face. I hope I hear from so others out there in cyperspace who feel they want to share their stories with me.
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