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He got to talking religion with my parents. A few days later they attended an LDS Cottage Meeting and invited missonaries who were also there to come by and talk to us. I walked in during their presentation of the Jospeh Smith story and listened to all the discussions over time. I talked with our paster oand others and ultimately prayed to God in Heaven in the name of Christ if the message, the Book of Moromon and other issues were true. I had been given all sorts of anti-mormon literature, quotes, and sentiments by others I knew in the mean time. I attended LDS meetings and found that the people there were committed to Christ and not at all like they were represented to be by most of the literature. Ultimately, I received an answer to my prayers through the power of the Holy Ghost in the affirmative. It was a very pwoerful and personal experience in the late summer of 1970. One I have never fogotten and to which I have been true to this day.

That’s my story.

Since you are bearing your testimony - let me bear mine since it is somewhat similiar to yours.

I was in my mid-20s and doing very well by the world's standards. Life should have been good but there was a discontent in me that I couldn't identify. A Mormon co-worker consistently discuss Mormonism with me and shared a lot of LDS materials with me. Since he was (and still is) a good friend and I wasn't sure about what I was looking for, I listened carefully for a long period of time. He counseled me to pray about Mormonism which I did.

However, the Holy Spirit did not give me the answer my Mormon friend was hoping for. I never got a peace about Mormonism. Fortunately, at the same time, the Holy Spirit brought someone into my life who exhibited that contentment and peace that I longed for. She explained the true Gospel to me and helped me to understand that her source of joy was Jesus Christ. She got me plugged into an evangelical Bible Study with other committed Christians who exhibited this same joy and peace which was totally lacking in my Mormon friends. I know that the Holy Spirit was answering my prayers and I committed my life to Jesus Christ and have never looked back. The Lord has granted me the peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7).

So what does that get us? My subjective experience cancels your subjective experience. So if we are honest about our search, it means that we have to look for objective measures to determine truth. On this front, as shown repeatedly on the so-called "Anti-Mormon" threads, Mormonism fails when objective measures can be used.

The Holy Spirit reaffirmed the truth He revealed during my graduate school experience. Among the Ph.D. students, there were three committed evangelicals and a dozen Mormons including at least, five RMs. We had some spirited discussions but one thing became abundantly clear to us evangelicals: the Mormon students had no spiritual understanding at all. As Walter Martin correctly observed (paraphrasing here): "Discussing spiritual things with a Mormon is like trying to describe a rainbow to a person who was born blind." The illogical twists that these intelligent people would make were sometimes mindblowing. Looking back on the experience, I realized that these Mormon apologists were exhibiting what Reaganaut so succinently stated when she said that 'Mormons don't want truth, they want the Mormon church to be true.'

Thank you for sharing. I do not believe they cancel each other out at all...to the contrary, I believe they show the wonder of God in Heaven’s knowledge of His children, each and every one, and where He would use them best.

I certainly know my brother and so many other good Christian people I know outside of my own faith are used daily by God in Heaven and His Son through the promptings of the Holy Ghost to bring people to Christ...and that is always good, to whatever measure of His atoenment and knowledge they can.

I know from personal experience that the LDS church does like wise...I have seen it and felt it spiritually very deeply on countless occassions.

A statement that in essense says that LDS people cannnot understand or feel spirituality is, I am sorry, very opinionated and very narro on its face...and I can tell you from my own experiences that it is simply wrong. I would not make such a statement about you or any other sincere believer in Christ. He will use them as He will.

Now, we do believe that in due time, Christ will bring all of His sheep to a full knowledge of the entire truth...and you know what we believe in that regard. I know that others, conversel believe that it is another interpretation of doctrine that we will be brought to...and I am fine with that.

In the end, if we sincerely, love, accept, profess, and follow Jesus Christ, hhe will lead us where He needs and wants us to go. Guess what...if He one day appears to me, or comes back and tells me, Jeff, you need to stop attending the temple...if HE bids me do so, I will. I would hope, that in due time, should you stand before Him or as He returns to this earth in great glory and tells you that you should be attending...that you will do so. I know you will if your love for Him is true and it is He doing the bidding.

I am content to leave it there and let us each go about doing good and bringing people to Him...for that is surely what I intend to continue doing according to His witness which I have received through the Holy Ghost.

God bless you in your endeavors to do the same.