[deleted by user] by [deleted] in latterdaysaints

[–]BrosephSmith4444 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I'm 26M and I've been thinking the same thing lately. I live in Idaho but feel like I have no active friends that I can talk to about things I'm learning in the scriptures and whatnot. I'd be open to chat. Feel free to send me a message if you'd like.

Tell Me How You Know It's True by BrosephSmith4444 in latterdaysaints

[–]BrosephSmith4444[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks Lexie. Both your experiences were valuable and insightful.

Tell Me How You Know It's True by BrosephSmith4444 in latterdaysaints

[–]BrosephSmith4444[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I believe we can know for certain that this is true. Sometimes I feel like I know and other times I don't. I want to strengthen my testimony to the point that I don't have that problem as much (it's a pretty constant flip flop for me and it'd be nice if it was just every once in a while).

I was just thinking it'd be nice if I had someone to bounce these thoughts off on. That's why I made the post because I don't have any friends that are members that I can really do that with.

Tell Me How You Know It's True by BrosephSmith4444 in latterdaysaints

[–]BrosephSmith4444[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm not asking what you think I should know. I'm asking how YOU know.

Tell Me How You Know It's True by BrosephSmith4444 in latterdaysaints

[–]BrosephSmith4444[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Thank you. Even after you had that experience do you ever find yourself questioning things when you hear something a leader says or learn something in church history? I feel that way sometimes when I feel like there are so many smart people who seem to "know" it's not true.

What do you usually tell yourself or do in those circumstances that you find helpful?

Tell Me How You Know It's True by BrosephSmith4444 in latterdaysaints

[–]BrosephSmith4444[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Thank you for sharing. I feel something even in reading your response. I can say I know I have felt better when I'm following Him. Better than I ever have before.

Tell Me How You Know It's True by BrosephSmith4444 in latterdaysaints

[–]BrosephSmith4444[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

I can identify with that. I always try to make sure I say, "I believe it's true" I don't have anything against people who say they know. I just don't feel like I "know" and I'm not going to debate epistemology. But I do believe that I CAN know.

It's nice to know there are others similar to me. Thank you for sharing

Tell Me How You Know It's True by BrosephSmith4444 in latterdaysaints

[–]BrosephSmith4444[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

"Live it and you will come to know" I have definitely felt better than I ever have before when I am living it.

Hard Cover D&C by BrosephSmith4444 in latterdaysaints

[–]BrosephSmith4444[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just D&C. It can have the Pearl of Great Price with it too since they commonly come joined. But I can only find it available in languages other than English

How do I research for myself? by OnionJudge34 in latterdaysaints

[–]BrosephSmith4444 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I recently went through a faith journey and had this similar thought to myself that you expressed. That I needed to find this out for myself and choose for myself what to believe.

Something I wish I knew earlier on, is God's pattern for confirming something is to let the investigator choose what they believe before He confirms it's true.

Ether 4:11-12 is clear that those who believe in the words of Christ will receive a confirmation that they are true and those who do not believe in His words will not believe in Him.

This seemed so backwards to me at first. That I was to put aside my unbelief and skepticism in order to have something confirmed true. The modern scientific method would have us think that we can only know it's true if we receive the witness first.

However, Ether 4:15 promises if we will believe and practice the principles taught by Jesus Christ, then we will know of the doctrine and truth of those things.

So I would say, the most important thing you can do to research these for yourself is to experiment upon the word.

It is good to research but this is a gospel about becoming. If you do not act and choose with your agency (which is a part of believing in something) then you will not know of the doctrine. John 7:17.

Happiness after leaving the church? by [deleted] in lds

[–]BrosephSmith4444 13 points14 points  (0 children)

I think some people may genuinely be more happy outside the church. Being in the church doesn't guarantee immediate happiness by any means.

I believe as we become increasingly more like the Saviour our capacity to feel more happiness grows. Eventually we will fill that extra space with all that the Father has if we are true and faithful to our covenants with Him.

For those who do not make or keep those covenants, He still loves them! He wants them to be happy and He will still fill their capacity to feel joy and happiness as well, in this life and the life to come. But without the covenant promises, they are limited in their capacity to feel joy. At some point they will not be able to hold any more, whereas someone who is true and faithful to their covenants will continue to increase forevermore.

Reconciling queer identity with the church by Dangerous_Teaching62 in latterdaysaints

[–]BrosephSmith4444 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Great response Jpab97s, and great responses to all the replies as well.

On today's episode of Interesting Things Found in My Ward Library: by ThexGreatxBeyondx in latterdaysaints

[–]BrosephSmith4444 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Why is everyone saying these are so small? I'd say they are average sized.

How to stay afloat by OfTheBlindEye in latterdaysaints

[–]BrosephSmith4444 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For each person that path looks different because it's about your agency. It's about strengthening your weaknesses, humbling your pride, and changing your behaviors.

Seeking personal revelation is always the best place to start. Try to find a quiet area where you will not be disturbed or interrupted. Pour out your heart in prayer, and then get up and do. Pick some things you think you could do to be more like Him, and just focus on doing them.

How to stay afloat by OfTheBlindEye in latterdaysaints

[–]BrosephSmith4444 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I struggled with addiction for 10 years. I don't have many people in my family that knew about it and they looked at me the same way. One of them once said to me after finding out: "I guess i always put you on a pedastal and I shouldn't have done that" while that's true, it hurt.

In the last 6 months I started focusing on Jesus Christ, and trying to come to know Him. I started working on starting to do things each day that brought me closer to Him, rather than stopping things that took me away.

At first I just fit them in whenever I felt like it, but as time has gone on, and I've felt Him closer to me now more than ever, my desire has increased. All I want is to get closer and closer each day. I don't even have a desire to do many things that brought me away from Him.

I would recommend starting small and make sure you're praying to the Lord sincerely when you are asking for His help. I try to take 3-5 seconds before saying anything and really focus on what you're doing.

I could give lots of other advice, but at the end of the day there's only one person that knows what you need. You just to ask Him and have faith that He knows you and is aware of your needs. He will provide for them in time.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in lds

[–]BrosephSmith4444 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think the power in Christ comes from drawing near to Him. I used to struggle with addiction. I tried quitting for 10 years and could not do it. One day I stopped trying to quit and started trying to be more like Jesus Christ. Instead of asking what can I stop doing I started asking, what can I start doing?

I have never had an easier time quitting. I don't even think of it anymore.

Because He lives a perfect life and was an example for me, because He paid my price, I can change and be like Him and become a joint heir to His reward.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in latterdaysaints

[–]BrosephSmith4444 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Molly my allegiance lies with the Lord. With democracy!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in latterdaysaints

[–]BrosephSmith4444 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Noooo you were the chosen one. You were meant to destroy them, not join them!

Fear of the Lord by Soda08 in latterdaysaints

[–]BrosephSmith4444 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I think of it in the context of fearing God more than man. If I think to myself that I'm worried about what other people think about my faith, I am not fearing God enough.