***Keep trying. My son, the missionary, has baptized two this year.***
Did they become Mormons because they realized they were lost in SIN and needed a Saviour, or was it just for the social programs and church dances and get togethers.
I have never met a Mormon who joined because they felt they needed a Saviour.
Mormonism is a works based religion. ‘Savior’ is a self-made job to them.
I have never met a Mormon who joined because they felt they needed a Saviour.
I joined because I felt the need to have a “church”. The LDS view of salvation by works (exaltation) appealed to me. I grew up believing I could do anything I set my mind to, logically that led to believing I could save myself by my works, then if I fell short Jesus would “make up the difference”. I liked the focus on family, since my parents were divorced and I hardly ever saw my father (his choice). In some ways I was looking for a family.
I also found out a lot of the doctrines AFTER I joined. I had to do a lot of swallowing. I was also Biblically Illiterate (which made me a target).
I was self-righteous: “we have the TRUTH, no one else does”, “we have the AUTHORITY, no one else does”, “we have the TEMPLE like in the OT, they don’t”
I remember sitting in Sacrament, singing hymns and being so proud of myself that I was so reverent.
I have posted this story before but this experience is still seared into my mind as a reason I joined:
When I was 17 a college professor (the same one that later cautioned me against “thinking myself out of The Church”) invited me to General Conference. After I had dinner with his family. We went for a walk and as we were coming back he placed both hands to his chest, looked up at the sky and said “The Church is my life!”. I wanted that, I really did.
And I had it, a year later, right after my 18th birthday, I joined the LDS Church. And it was my life for several years. Church callings, Family Home Evening, Daily BoM reading, evening prayers kneeling in a circle. All of it.
By all accounts I was a good Mormon, but I wasn’t a Christian. Even though I really thought I was one.
Then the Lord did a wonderful thing in my life. He truly humbled me. I rented a room from a woman who was unrealistically demanding. Due to various reasons, I was unable to move to another location. She nagged me about everything, I had to do things perfectly, whether it was housecleaning, schoolwork, cooking, eating, even at church. I did my best to please her for years, I went above and beyond what I thought she wanted. It was never good enough, NEVER.
Then I realized if I could not please this woman who was so HUMANLY demanding, how could I please my Heavenly Father, who demanded so much more? If my best effort wasn’t good enough for this woman, how could it ever be good enough for God?
After I became a Christian, I found out what being a true Christian was. No “church” is my life.
Christ is my life! He is my EVERYTHING. And I love Him more and more every single day.
Me.
My wife.
A bunch of other people I know.
Give it up.