The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints corner

[Thaidakar the Ghostblood]

11 hours ago, Ranryu said:

Lol you guys my ward has 50+ active youth. Sometimes they try to cram us all in the YW room. It doesn't work so well.

that's basically one of the wards in my stake... apache...

[The Paradoxical Phenomenon]

On 2/18/2023 at 9:21 AM, TheAlpha929 said:

Today is going to be very long. I’m in youth, and we’re going to drive a few hours to the nearest temple, do some baptisms, and then we go to lunch somewhere. But that’s not the end of it. There’s also a dance. Which will take forever. And will be an hour drive back. 

Update: at the dance I met some fellow Sanderson fans. The only reason they noticed me is because I was wearing a “Hoid for President” t-shirt.

[S. Stormy]

4 hours ago, Robin Sedai said:

Ngl that's a bit creepy.

Wait a minute what are you doing here?   

Just kidding, glad to have you here.

[Morningtide]

I don't want to go back and quote everybody talking about the number of youth so just consider yourselves quoted

My ward is a statistical anomaly. We have a ton of youth, but it's super unbalanced. We have a grand total of 20 young women and a grand total of 50 young men! We don't know how they outnumber us by that much. And the ages are crazy unbalanced too. Half of all of the youth are in our oldest group and the rest are split between the younger groups. A bunch of the young women were gone today, so I was one of three in sunday school today, along with about 20 young men! 

It's just very odd in general.

[Robin Sedai]

3 hours ago, Shallan Stormblessed said:

Wait a minute what are you doing here?   

Just kidding, glad to have you here.

Ha, I'm an agnostic but I occasionally read this thread because there's a really nice sense of community here. And thanks!

[The Bookwyrm]

9 minutes ago, Robin Sedai said:

Ha, I'm an agnostic but I occasionally read this thread because there's a really nice sense of community here. And thanks!

Let us know if you have any questions!

I was just at a mission prep class, so my mind is still kind of in "teach about my religion" mode...

[S. Stormy]

1 hour ago, The Bookwyrm said:

Let us know if you have any questions!

I was just at a mission prep class, so my mind is still kind of in "teach about my religion" mode...

Ooh, new signature?

Completely hypothetically, if you were to have a typo in your signature, would you want to know?

[The Bookwyrm]

1 minute ago, Shallan Stormblessed said:

Ooh, new signature?

Completely hypothetically, if you were to have a typo in your signature, would you want to know?

Yes, please tell me.

...Did I spell perceiving wrong?

....Nevermind. Found it.

Edited February 20, 2023 by The Bookwyrm

[S. Stormy]

Just now, The Bookwyrm said:

Yes, please tell me.

In the first quote, it should be "its", not "it's". And in the D&C one, it says "daughers" instead of "daughters." That's it, as far as I can tell.

[The Bookwyrm]

Just now, Shallan Stormblessed said:

In the first quote, it should be "its", not "it's". And in the D&C one, it says "daughers" instead of "daughters." That's it, as far as I can tell.

....I'm ashamed of myself.

Fixed now.

[S. Stormy]

Just now, The Bookwyrm said:

....I'm ashamed of myself.

This makes the oops okay.

[Morningtide]

4 hours ago, Robin Sedai said:

Ha, I'm an agnostic but I occasionally read this thread because there's a really nice sense of community here. And thanks!

I think that one of the best things about organized religion and just this religion specifically is the sense of community. I've found some of my best friends through the church! 

[Lord Gregorio]

14 hours ago, The Bookwyrm said:

Let us know if you have any questions!

I was just at a mission prep class, so my mind is still kind of in "teach about my religion" mode...

How's your mission prep class. I have a teacher who goes and tracks mountain lions in other countries/states and tags them so they can track how they're doing in the wild and stuff so we get a lot of guest speakers. He also tells A LOT of stories so the first half is kinda listening to funny stories. I haven't gone a lot for the past couple months, but that's how it was going for me. What's your teacher like Bookwyrm?

[Eran of Arcadia]

On 2/19/2023 at 9:42 AM, Robin Sedai said:

Ngl that's a bit creepy.

You're probably right . . . at any rate, I eventually found one particular pretty girl in the congregation and after 13 years of marriage I just look at her.

[Lord Gregorio]

38 minutes ago, Eran of Arcadia said:

You're probably right . . . at any rate, I eventually found one particular pretty girl in the congregation and after 13 years of marriage I just look at her.

 I mean, if it works...

[S. Stormy]

This... song? Medley? Whatever. Anyway, it's absolutely gorgeous.

 

 

[The Bookwyrm]

17 hours ago, Shallan Stormblessed said:

This... song? Medley? Whatever. Anyway, it's absolutely gorgeous.

 

 

Oh! I've heard this before!

Two of my favorite songs.

I love this.

Edited February 22, 2023 by The Bookwyrm

[Lord Gregorio]

I've heard that song, it was good.

[Immortal Platypus]

i'm putting it as a bookmark so when I need support it's there.

[S. Stormy]

I had a really spiritual experience two nights ago.

I haven't really mentioned this on here before but, since I'm the youngest in my family, I'm the only sibling at home. 

And... it sucks sometimes. I miss my siblings so much. It's a big gap between me and my next youngest sibling... but we're close. And... it's really hard, knowing that to some/one of my siblings, my home... their home, once... will never be their home again. My brother... has a home of his own. And I barely remember the time before he left home. 

And that hurts.

And hearing in books about sibling rivalries and among friends... they don't seem to care about their siblings. They don't seem to care, when their brothers and sisters leave home, that the people they've grown up beside aren't there anymore. It feels, sometimes, like I'm the only person in the world who misses my siblings. I just felt... alone in feeling this kind of pain. I was curled up in the corner of my bed when I felt like I should go to the window.

And then I looked out the window, and saw the moon and thought "we've been on that!" And it reminded me of this video:

Spoiler

 

It was unthinkable, unimaginable that we could be on the moon.
And it was unthinkable, unimaginable that...
Jesus suffered for us. For me. He knows every kind of pain. He's experienced what I'm experiencing right now. He knows what it's like to have siblings move away, and I am in no way alone. 
And I realized that He knows the deepest, darkest, stupidest parts of our souls. And he loves us, wholly, purely, and completely, anyway. 
The Spirit was washing over me, and I knew that Jesus knew exactly what I was feeling. I imagined Him sitting next to me and wrapping his arms around me and holding me.

I have a testimony that He knows us. All of all of us. And He loves us. All of all of us.

Edited March 1, 2023 by Shallan Stormblessed
formatting and adding stuff

[Shadowed]

idk if this is the right place to come but

i’ve been thinking a lot about religion lately.

I was raised atheist by firmly atheist parents who were/are very dismissive of ‘spiritual nonsense’ etc. And I always thought ‘yeah, I have a super logical analytical skeptical brain, I can never be religious’. And especially since I’ve been struggling with anxiety/stress and other things, I thought there couldn’t be a God who would let this happen. But recently… idk, I just feel like something, somewhere was watching over me, guiding me, loving me when no one else was.

and I only just realised that I might be able to put the name Jesus to that feeling.

so, any of you wise experienced LDS peoples - if you have any advice, or help, or general words to the effect of ‘it’s not just in your head’ - it would be greatly appreciated.

thank you for reading :))

Edited March 1, 2023 by Shadowed

[InfiniteInsanity]

3 minutes ago, Shadowed said:

idk if this is the right place to come but

i’ve been thinking a lot about religion lately.

I was raised atheist by firmly atheist parents who were/are very dismissive of ‘spiritual nonsense’ etc. And I always thought ‘yeah, I have a super logical analytical skeptical brain, I can never be religious’. And especially since I’ve been struggling with anxiety/stress and other things, I thought there couldn’t be a God who would let this happen. But recently… idk, I just feel like something, somewhere was watching over me, guiding me, loving me when no one else was.

and I only just realised that I might be able to put the name Jesus to that feeling.

so, any of you wise experienced LDS peoples - if you have any advice, or help, or general words to the effect of ‘it’s not just in your head’ - it would be greatly appreciated.

thank you for reading :))

It's not just in your head. I've felt the same things before. I know that he's there guiding us. If I were to say he weren't I would be lying and I would know I'm lying. I simply can't deny it. I also know that things like anxiety, stress, depression, ptsd, all those fun mental things are really hard to deal with. I don't think I would be able to without Christ. I have been all the way at the bottom. I wanted to give up. I wanted it all to be over. And then I felt the same things you were. And not only that a very very simple plea from a prayer was answered. Someone texted me. Right as I was at my lowest right I was ready to completely and totally give up. They texted me with a reminder that they cared and they wanted to help but so did someone else. That there were my Heavenly Parents, and Christ. And that they loved me and wanted to help. And there was an invitation to pray. So I decided to try and to pray. And to just let everything out. Everything I was worried about and trying to deal with pretty much on my own. I barely started the prayer before an immense feeling of love and hope and peace just washed over me. It was like a giant hug even though there was no one there. 

The thing is I can tell you all this but I can't tell you or decide for you what you should believe. So I guess what I would say would be to try praying. I know it probably sounds and seems stupid to try and talk to something that you can't see and you aren't even sure if you believe in. But try. And after you finish just sit and listen. Don't go do something else immediately. Give time for a response. And if you don't get a response or feel anything after the first time don't give up. God answers prayers in his own time and way. Not ours. So if nothing happens the first time maybe try praying once a day for 3 days or a week. And don't try and rush anything, be slow and thoughtful. And if nothing happens after that, I don't maybe keep trying or come back and try something else. Its up to you. But always remember that we are all here for you if you need it. We love and care about you. If you need anything let me know.

[Mason Wheeler]

2 hours ago, Shadowed said:

idk if this is the right place to come but

i’ve been thinking a lot about religion lately.

I was raised atheist by firmly atheist parents who were/are very dismissive of ‘spiritual nonsense’ etc. And I always thought ‘yeah, I have a super logical analytical skeptical brain, I can never be religious’. And especially since I’ve been struggling with anxiety/stress and other things, I thought there couldn’t be a God who would let this happen. But recently… idk, I just feel like something, somewhere was watching over me, guiding me, loving me when no one else was.

and I only just realised that I might be able to put the name Jesus to that feeling.

so, any of you wise experienced LDS peoples - if you have any advice, or help, or general words to the effect of ‘it’s not just in your head’ - it would be greatly appreciated.

thank you for reading :))

You know yourself.  You know that this is not how you think; you've just said as much.  You were raised on atheist, rationalist skepticism and brought up to believe that way.  So as a rational skeptic, is it truly rational to believe that these thoughts and feelings which are so alien to the way your mind works are coming from within your own mind that does not work that way?  By the principle of Occam's Razor, which alternative seems less unlikely?

1. Your brain has spontaneously started thinking in a whole different way for no good reason, while at the same time leaving you unchanged enough to notice that this is not the way you normally think.
2. The ideas that seem like something external are, in fact, being fed to your mind from an external source, and your parents were simply mistaken about the atheism stuff.

It's perfectly possible for perfectly valid, logical reasoning to lead you to a false conclusion, if you begin from an incorrect premise.  (This is known as ex falso quodlibet, roughly translated as "a falsehood can imply anything to be true.")

If you're going to ask us, specifically, for help, probably the best thing any of us could point you to comes from the Book of Mormon.  The scriptural language may not be something you're used to, but it's not that hard to follow.  I'd like you to have a look at Alma chapter 32, particularly from verse 27 on, where it explains a process of experimentation that you can use to go from "no more than [a] desire to believe," to testing and experimenting on the principle of faith, to learning and knowing for yourself that it is a good and true principle.

Any of us can tell you that yes, Jesus is real, and his love for you is real, and can be felt in your heart in the way you're describing, and most of us are quite willing to do so.  But if you ask a bunch of "wise experienced LDS peoples," our answer will be to take it one step further: to learn and acquire this understanding for yourself rather than simply taking our word for it, because that's our doctrine.  The evidence of faith is just as real, and just as testable, as the evidence of science, but there is one very significant difference: on the faith side, no one else can perform the experiments for you.  It's an intensely personal, individual matter that you simply can't get just by believing that someone else ran this experiment and got the right results.

[S. Stormy]

4 hours ago, Shadowed said:

idk if this is the right place to come but

i’ve been thinking a lot about religion lately.

I was raised atheist by firmly atheist parents who were/are very dismissive of ‘spiritual nonsense’ etc. And I always thought ‘yeah, I have a super logical analytical skeptical brain, I can never be religious’. And especially since I’ve been struggling with anxiety/stress and other things, I thought there couldn’t be a God who would let this happen. But recently… idk, I just feel like something, somewhere was watching over me, guiding me, loving me when no one else was.

and I only just realised that I might be able to put the name Jesus to that feeling.

so, any of you wise experienced LDS peoples - if you have any advice, or help, or general words to the effect of ‘it’s not just in your head’ - it would be greatly appreciated.

thank you for reading :))

It's not in your head! I've had some experiences where... I don't even remember WHY I was crying or WHY I was lonely, but I was. My mom asked if I wanted to come with her to the store. And I ended up playing a song that spoke to me so perfectly that it was as if it had been written exactly for that situation, and exactly for me. (All This Time by Britt Nicole) And I believe that Jesus knows each and every one of us perfectly. But as @Mason Wheeler said, the only way to know for yourself is to try and see if there are real results. And you can see my recent SU for my most recent strong experience, but the only way to know for sure is to try for yourself. There's more info here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist

Edited March 2, 2023 by Shallan Stormblessed

[Lord Gregorio]

5 hours ago, Shadowed said:

idk if this is the right place to come but

i’ve been thinking a lot about religion lately.

I was raised atheist by firmly atheist parents who were/are very dismissive of ‘spiritual nonsense’ etc. And I always thought ‘yeah, I have a super logical analytical skeptical brain, I can never be religious’. And especially since I’ve been struggling with anxiety/stress and other things, I thought there couldn’t be a God who would let this happen. But recently… idk, I just feel like something, somewhere was watching over me, guiding me, loving me when no one else was.

and I only just realised that I might be able to put the name Jesus to that feeling.

so, any of you wise experienced LDS peoples - if you have any advice, or help, or general words to the effect of ‘it’s not just in your head’ - it would be greatly appreciated.

thank you for reading :))

Lots of religious people, not only member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints come on here. So this is the perfect spot. I think the others covered this pretty darn well, but I wanted to say a lot of people claim we come up with these feelings because we believe it or want it to be true. I don't completely believe that and if those who do believe that, oh well.

I don't think it can be that way. There have been too many moments where I was just sitting thinking about literally nothing and I've felt the spirit. Driving down the road I've been saved from serious car accidents by little promptings telling me to slow down or get to the other side of the road a bit more. I've missed deer by a few feet and a car coming the other way because I listened to those little feelings. There is something out there. A God. And from my experience I've felt my religion is true. From study and "soul-searching". I suggest you read the Bible a bit or the Book of Mormon (Another Testament of Jesus Christ) and pray to see what you feel.

If you want any information on any part of religion or the church this thread tries to share. We are here to answer. (Sorry. I'm practicing my missionary speech )

Edited March 2, 2023 by Lord Gregorio