Well, I'm glad you mentioned this...'cause it especially leads back to a key phrase I wanted to highlight in this thread's article -- and didn't...and your post prompts me to do that now:
From the article: ...those who came home because of family issues or lacked PERSONAL TESTIMONY IN THE CHURCH were less likely to experience feelings of failure...
ALL: This isn't the first time you'll hear this common Mormon phrase: "testimony in the church"
Unlike in Christianity, where if you hear the phrase "testimony in the church" -- you think somebody is talking about a Christian giving/bearing their testimony inside a given church building, what Mormons mean is that their burning bosom leads them to accept that the Mormon church itself is true (& therefore, by consequence, all other churches are false).
You see...the Mormon church substitutes itself (& often Joseph Smith) as the testimonial target in place of Jesus Christ.
We don't see the New Testament all in a tizzy trying to "testify" that the Christian church is "true" and that the early Christians needed some "personal testimony" about the Christian church! Nope...the testimonies focused on Jesus as Messiah:
* John the Baptist so testified of Christ: "6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe." (John 1)
* John the Apostle so testified of Christ: "I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.” (John 1:34)
* The Old Testament testified of Christ: "These are the very Scriptures that testify about me," (John 5:39)
* The works of Jesus testified of Christ: "The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me," (John 10:25)
* Even the Holy Spirit testified of Christ: “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me." (John 15:26)
* John says that WE are also to testify of Christ: "And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning." (John 15:27)
* And John the Apostle finishes up 1 John with a series of testimonies...including that of God the Father Himself!
"And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 9 We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." (1 John 5)
As Daniel1212 indicates, The Mormon church is there to promote the Mormon church. That's NOT our goal as Christians: People are to encounter the genuine Jesus. 'Tis a relationship with Him that saves (John 17:3); not the co-redeemers the Mormons pretend to be in their proxy-necro-baptisms in their temples.
..La grimas ...brotan de mis ojos
trato de olvidar mis
sufrimientos de amor"
roughly =
No "feelings" (dime)? Upon return from the mean ol' world...lacking a certain burning-in-the busom, personal testimony in the church? Well al-righty then. here's maybe their song...
For those who have heard it (if there are any of those around here)
don't miss one of Duane's fairly short, (2:08) solo acoustic works
which can be found in the lower right column/corner.
One of the best.
That's why they need to make their tradition equal with Scripture, which only they can authoritatively define. Too much like Rome.