LOSTONE

I have been off line for a while as my life has gotten very involved and demanding. I am always on the go and busy. Some for my own personal needs and some for others, but always a 24/7 life these days. One thing I have discovered is that I am not being challenged to learn or grow as a Christian or in my faith. It doesn’t seem to matter where I turn, the challenge to grow and learn is simply not being found. From church involvements ( services, classes, groups, volunteering, so on and on ) to family and friends, to community service and volunteering, to so many other endless things, I am not challenged at all. I am actually very bored and feel stagnate. This I do not like and it makes me feel like a robot only going through the motions as needed. I want to learn and grow, but unable to find the opportunities to do so. Even if I could slow down my life, I doubt I will find such opportunities. I am feeling frustrated.

What is our purpose in the after life? Not where we are going when we are dead, but what meaning or purpose will we have in the after life? We will be there for ever and ever and ever so what will we do with all that endless time?

Your sarcasm is unwarranted and unfair. We have asked you to clarify what you believe are conflicts between the 2 Testaments so we can better answer your question. 

There was no "Sarcasm" intended in my last post on this matter. I was being thankful to all and honest in the help all was giving me. I am sorry you saw it a different way.

Thank you all ! You guys are awesome ! The insights being shared on this matter really is helping me better understand things. I just wish I was smarter so I wouldn’t have to post such 1st grade stuff. Thx again.

They answered that both are testaments to follow, even I got that!

What happens when the old testament and new testament have conflicting statements towards each other? Than what do we do?

They answered that both are testaments to follow, even I got that!

Got what???

Not trying to be rude or offensive here, but did I somehow not ask my question clearly or made it misleading into another direction? My question was what testament to follow, the old one or new one. Thx.

What do or should we follow? The old or new testament? My first thought would be to follow both, but there are cases where they don’t match each other and open up a situation of what one to follow. Any thoughts?

“ Walk Upon The Earth ”
( Part I )

Do not walk with me for I walk in the valley of the dying and dead damned. Do not walk with me for I am on a path leading to the deepest depths of pain that hell has to offer. Do not walk with me for I will live nightmares no man has the ability to create or face. Do not walk with me for I am Christopher and my walk is a path set upon me alone.

Look back upon where I have walked and hold fear. Look back upon the path I have walked and understand. Look back upon the path I have walked and learn. Look back upon the path I have walked and stop. Look back upon the path I have walked and run. Look back upon the path I have walked and never look back upon my path again.

Someday the sun will set and the night will come. Someday the darkness will rise and stay. Someday the living will die and be reborn. Someday the world will be destroyed. And someday there will be a massive amount of endless joy. In someday beginning today so don’t walk with me. Don’t walk with me. You will not like what there is to be. Don’t walk with me. Don’t walk with me.

And this is who I am. This person of modern man. Forgotten in the lost Heaven. Doomed and forever damned. Slaughter is the lamb of who I am. And so you have been told. This story of newest old. The life I live as it holds a breath ever so ice cold. So don’t walk with me. Don’t walk with me.

Written by: Christopher **** ~ April 9th, 2015

I am the Lostone.

Could you explain more by what you mean about limitations? And I agree that wards may become insular at times or don't just have straight out ministries built up at the local level.

It just feels like when I want to learn more, there isn’t as many opportunities or people to help as I would like and thus, I am forced to bother my few Mormon friends again. The opportunity for educational support seems limited as well as those who are willing to help non-Mormons understand and learn. They are friendly, but to a point of greeting and not much more it seems. I am proactive in my faith daily and so I seek knowledge and opportunities that don’t seem to really be there in my local meeting house nor people carrying about this.

I like the meeting house I have visited a few times and have gotten a good impression of the people there. I have a few good friends. However, I find that in general, the meeting house and ward is kind of limited on what is offer to help grow in the faith and community involvement. That I don’t like. I love to learn and grow, but I also love helping others out. This is a huge plus for me and not having a ward or meeting house that really seem to offer these things push me away and makes me seek elsewhere. Friendly the meeting house I have visited a few times before I would say yes, but improvements can be made to be more inviting and supportive to all. Something I just don’t see happening and that puts me in a mode of looking elsewhere.

Simple title engulfing so much. I am not happy with life. I am not happy with my life. I am bored and feel empty and so unfulfilled with my life that I dread everyday I have ahead of me despite being grateful for all I have. It seems like the things I want the most are the things I have the least of and I have to question myself as to why that is. Is it normal to feel this way? Is it me and something I am not doing right? Is there any hope it will get better if I change what I am doing or work harder at doing something? I honestly don’t know beyond not being happy with life, with my life.

I have asked myself in true honesty, what makes me happy? What really makes me feel alive and happy in everyday average life? I took deep time alone in thought about this question and after sometime, I have concluded it’s family. Sounds stupid maybe, but family is what is at the heart of my happiness. It’s what I crave the most and have none to speak of. Hmm, family. People who actually care and love you because you are who you are and you love them back for the same reasons. No games or hidden agenda or stupid meanness. Just the love of family. Amazing...

Money is great, but a tool that has limitations of true happiness. Physical property is pretty much the same thing as money. Money and property are not what is going to make me happy with my life. Hmm... Anyways... Just me venting here and I think I am done so I’m closing this out.

What are you seeking? What limitations do you want to go beyond? Shouldn't faith be more about God's truth than about what we want to seek?

I think you are under the wrong impression of me and of this post. I will not debate this matter further with you. Have a bless day.

I am not interested in Mormonism because my friends or any popularity influence. I am finding more interests in it because I am finding more of what I am seeking in it compared to other faiths I have been connected to and know from first hand experience. I joined my current church for all the right reasons, but found limitations that I seek to go beyond. Mormonism might be what I am seeking, but I do not want to say for sure at this time. I need more time to explore and learn before I decide.

Hi and welcome. I am not a Mormon either. Like you, I have many questions. Some of which have been insightfully answered and some that can not be answered. There is no religion that holds all the answers to all our questions, including Mormonism. This is where trust in our faith comes in and helps us.

What I have done was to take out time to talk with fellow Mormons and open up to them on my thoughts. I also have taken time to explore their meeting houses and other aspects. This has been a true help to me and a blessing from those who have taken the time out for me. I am not saying I will become a Mormon, but I am finding more of what I am seeking from Mormons and the LDS than other places I have explored. Time and faith will show me the way to go on all of this for me.

I hope you take time to explore and ask and enjoy all that is here. There are some truly amazing people and insights here. Again, welcome.

You seem deeply touched by mormonism and your friends here.  Do you see yourself in the future taking missionary lessons?

If it wasn’t for my wife’s uncomfortably with exploring the LDS, I would like to go further in exploring and active in the LDS. My wife means alot to me and I am not willing to mess with her or our marriage so I am unable to go to the next step in my interests in LDS / Mormon.

Oh, and it there more to do during the week with the LDS church than just weekend services? I am one who like to get involved and be active in my faith.

I’m sorry if this post does not belong here and I fully understand if it gets locked. I just feel so frustrated and need a safe place to release it out. This site seems to be the safest I have at this time.

Today I was at my church. It’s a non-Mormon, Christian church. I like the church and people alot. I serve ( volunteer ) in a ministry. Always have from the time I have been apart of this and other churches. I kind of lost my composure with someone I was serving with today. In general conversation as we all have at church and social situations, the person brought up negative remarks about Mormons and their believes and life style and so on. I am a little touchy when it comes to people being negative about Mormons or the LDS if they don’t know nothing about them other than their bias assumptions. I asked this person if they knew anything about Mormons or the LDS from first hand experiences? They said no and I kind of told them to shut up in a less than polite way for talking like an ignorant ( bleep ). I lost my cool and did go back and apologize to the person. They seem to be so so about my apology. I understand and can’t blame them. I should of been more mature and respectful in my response to them. I kind of did a similar reaction at my home Bible study group Thursday evening. I just get so tired of hearing people bad mouth something they have not made effort to explore or learn about. I get tired of hearing lies and insults about something people have not made effort to explore or learn about. It gets on me after a while cause I have made the efforts and learned alot I never knew, but even so, I don’t go around bring it up. Only if it is brought up or asked to me first. Sorry, but I get frustrated and annoyed.

I wish there was a  LDS camp I go run away to sometimes cause I get so annoyed at people who talk trash. Even if there was, my wife wouldn’t go so I couldn’t go. Ugh... My Mormon friends seem to get it, but others seem to not get it. Why are people so willing to judge? Are they so lazy that it’s easier to judge than learn? I have got to do a better job at being more composed.

Ok, sorry again if I shouldn’t of posted this here. It was a bit of a vent release.

What songs inspire you? Can be faith based songs or not. What ever songs inspire you...

Alot of converts join because of this very reason, it's like a second family. I think you'd have a good experience joining the LDS church. And if your friends or family judge you, that's their problem, and more than likely will come around. And maybe even try to compete for your attention, haha!

Don't feel obligated to answer my nosy question, but have you sought out your birth mother?

It’s all good that you asked about my bio mom. I had searched years ago about my bio parents. My bio parents both died in the mid 80s at separate times and separate places. My bio dad was apparently pure evil and my bio mom was just one of many victims of his. They are both long gone and there was no other bio family connected to either of them I ever found. Other than my daughter, I have no bio family that I am aware of. I made peace with this years ago and moved on from it ( mostly ).

Some do. The woman the missionaries and I taught today does. But then from your description it may be that we are talking about the same thing.

Most of the Book of Mormon is straightforward and easy for me to understand (though I am constantly finding more in it), but I was raised with it so it feels natural. For others just learning about it, it can feel not so natural.

I can thinking of a number of things you may be describing. Is there any chance you can remember an example of what you were explaining so maybe one of us can help?

Thanks for the offer to help. I think it's my mind set. Maybe I need a true clear moment just to read the Book of Mormon to understand it. I think I should talk to one of my Mormon friends and see if I can sit with them and work on this matter. Can't hurt. Thanks again.

I have been treated like an outsider all my life by the family I was raised with. I am adopted and my so called siblings all hate me. I am use to being treated less than human without justification. Plus the world in general is sometimes harsh for no apparent reason. So I am not really concern about what ( if any ) look downs or shunning I may get from whom ever.

The only time I really ever felt belonging or loved is at church with church friends ( Mormon friends included ). Funny how this has worked out. Anyways....

God can do miracles I'd you have faith

I am alive... That is such a mircale given I can be such an idiot.

I'm sure some Word of Wisdom thread would tell you a thing or two about the evil of donuts. Mormons don't believe in penance, by the Catholic definitions, but we could say it necessary to run a mile after a donut binge to be forgiven of the evil.

 

Having been raised Catholic, I give up donuts for Lent. It is a difficult feat, to say the least. I figure that all the penance I need for the year.

Oh no.... Donuts can’t be evil. That would not fit in my world of lustful pleasures, lol.

I am what most Christians would call an ex-Catholic. I know alot of Christians that are called ex-Catholic. I know the Catholic faith all to well. I dare not make a sound when I sneeze. That would be a sin and my super tight perfect shoes would only get tighter for such sins. No disrespect to Catholics, but I grew up as one and have no issues with not being one anymore.

Was it the language used that you didn't understand? Would an overview of it help you?

No, I fully understand the language used. It's how some of the words are structure and how some of the sentences are structure that give me multiple impressions of the same statement that is causing me an issue. Almost to be saying different things in the same wording.

Do you think I would have problems understanding the language?