What Is It About The Church That Makes You Want To Be A Member ?

[Rylee]

Hi i dont know how to find out alot of info about the church where are some good sites to go look at ?

[Duncan]

LDS.org, mormon .org. One thing I love about the Church is a sense of global community. if you go anywhere in the world and you happen to run into another member you have this instant bond and its great! I know that happens in other faiths and whatnot but it applies to us as well. Also I have become more aware of how other members of the Church live where they live and gain faith in Christ in their community so it has given me a global perspective else I would become self absorbed

[Bill “Papa” Lee]

Hi i dont know how to find out alot of info about the church where are some good sites to go look at ?

Here with the knowledge that not all agree, nor that all are not members.

LDS.NET

Mormon.org

LDS.ORG

[Garden Girl]

I love the fairness of the Plan of Salvation/Happiness.... we rise to the level we are comfortable with. When we understand the Plan, we see that it is our choice and that Heavenly Father wants to bless us to the greatest extent possible.

GG

[Calm]

I vote for mormon.org for beginning. If you want to look at the basic manual of basic beliefs, you can find that here:

http://www.lds.org/m...ciples?lang=eng

LDS.org is the website that members go to in order to read conference talks and articles that have been published, also has resources for various callings in the Church such as music and manuals for the various classes so you can see what we teach in class. There is also a Gospel Topic list that has short information about many topics, but mormon.org was developed to teach people who don't have a clue about the faith what the faith is all about.

The Gospel Topic list: http://www.lds.org/topics?lang=eng

Edited December 26, 2012 by calmoriah

[rpn]

And, in the course of your looking, if you come across controversial material about the LDS faith, you may want to see what fairlds.org has to say on the same "facts".

[ERayR]

It is the only vehicle that has the authority to administer the saving ordinances.

[altersteve]

There are so many things I love about the Church, but the most of all is the emphasis on Jesus Christ, family, and loving our fellow human beings. The Church brings out the best in me and inspires me to try to be even better. That's why I'm a member of it.

Edited December 27, 2012 by altersteve

[Damien the Leper]

It is the only vehicle that has the authority to administer the saving ordinances.

We are saved by Grace through Faith, which Faith is perfected by our works. There is nothing we can do to earn merit or favor with God. Salvation is the gift of eternal life granted to all humanity by Jesus' Atonement and Resurrection. Jesus was and is the saving ordinance.

From a non-LDS perspective, at least.

[Damien the Leper]

What I love about the church, as a former member, is that I can still connect in community and heritage with LDS in other places and on this board. They help to make Mormonism still relevant to me and my life.

[Tacenda]

What I love about the church, as a former member, is that I can still connect in community and heritage with LDS in other places and on this board. They help to make Mormonism still relevant to me and my life.

Though still active, I 100% agree! Once a mormon, always a mormon. Very difficult to be cut off from your people I would imagine.

[Damien the Leper]

Though still active, I 100% agree! Once a mormon, always a mormon. Very difficult to be cut off from your people I would imagine.

Being cut off from Mormons would be like taking a chunk of my heart. I'd rather die than not have Mormons in my life.

[ERayR]

We are saved by Grace through Faith, which Faith is perfected by our works. There is nothing we can do to earn merit or favor with God. Salvation is the gift of eternal life granted to all humanity by Jesus' Atonement and Resurrection. Jesus was and is the saving ordinance.

From a non-LDS perspective, at least.

I said nothing about earning salvation or exhalation. I have an understanding of grace and works. I firmly believe in King Benjamin's words in the BoM Mosiah 2, culminating in verse 21.

[Damien the Leper]

I said nothing about earning salvation or exhalation. I have an understanding of grace and works. I firmly believe in King Benjamin's words in the BoM Mosiah 2, culminating in verse 21.

I understand. However, I'm stating there is not a to-do list in order to receive salvation. Faith in Christ Jesus allows His Grace and Atonement to take effect thereby saving us from evil and ourselves. For me, even from an LDS perspective, the temple ordinances are not part of what saves us but are works that perfect faith.

[ERayR]

I understand. However, I'm stating there is not a to-do list in order to receive salvation. Faith in Christ Jesus allows His Grace and Atonement to take effect thereby saving us from evil and ourselves. For me, even from an LDS perspective, the temple ordinances are not part of what saves us but are works that perfect faith.

Your own words (We are saved by Grace through Faith, which Faith is perfected by our works.) I believe is what King Benjamin is saying in verse 21 of Mosiah 2. The "to do list" as you call it is in place to separate the sincere from the profane.

[Kenngo1969]

It is the only vehicle that has the authority to administer the saving ordinances.

This, and it seems the best path to make it back to what Sister Eliza R. Snow called "the more exalted sphere" from whence I feel I have wandered. I feel buffeted by, and estranged from, the world. I feel at home among my brothers and sisters in the Church and the Gospel of Jesus Christ

Edited December 27, 2012 by Kenngo1969

[Damien the Leper]

Your own words (We are saved by Grace through Faith, which Faith is perfected by our works.) I believe is what King Benjamin is saying in verse 21 of Mosiah 2. The "to do list" as you call it is in place to separate the sincere from the profane.

I went back and re-read Mosiah 2:21 and the following verses. I get what you're saying and I agree. Thanks for the insight Ray.

[ERayR]

This, and it seems the best path to make it back to what Sister Eliza R. Snow called "the more exalted sphere" from whence I feel I have wandered. I feel buffeted by, and estranged from, the world. I feel at home among my brothers and sisters in the Church and the Gospel of Jesus Christ

I am very familiar with the feeling expressed in this phrase "Yet ofttimes a secret something Whispered, You're a stranger here,"

[Kenngo1969]

I am very familiar with the feeling expressed in this phrase "Yet ofttimes a secret something Whispered, You're a stranger here,"

Just goes to show, we're spiritual beings put on this earth to have a mortal experience; we're not mortal beings put on this earth to have occasional spiritual experiences.

[Bill “Papa” Lee]

Hi i dont know how to find out alot of info about the church where are some good sites to go look at ?

To answer your thread question...everything! But "community" is what I love the most...in Church I am "Brother Lee"...to the rest of the world I am "hey you".

[The Nehor]

It gives the ordinances of salvation. Other then that it is a mixed bag.

[Damien the Leper]

Salvation is attained by faith. The Bible makes that explicitly clear. The D&C and BoM do not correct the Bible.

[ERayR]

Salvation is attained by faith. The Bible makes that explicitly clear. The D&C and BoM do not correct the Bible.

But that faith must be perfected by our works. First comes faith then works follow. Both are required. John 10:37, James 2:18. I could go on. It is the faith that saves but the works are also part of it. I don't think there can be a separation.

[Damien the Leper]

Paul and James are not at odds. Eph. 2:8-9 is 100% correct. James tells us that our faith motivates us to do good works otherwise it is dead. But the things we do don't save us. They never have and they never will. James argues against complacency and I agree with him. But as I said, there is nothing we can do to earn or merit salvation. Works are expressions of faith.

Edited December 30, 2012 by Valentinus

[blackstrap]

If I do nothing to merit salvation and CAN do nothing to merit salvation, what is my motivation to do anything at all in a spiritual sense?

If I must have faith to be saved then that is some action/work. I think it takes an effort to have faith particularly in today's faith-repudiating society.

If I say I accept Christ as my Savior and by doing so I am saved, I cannot see how that is not considered some action through the which I 'merit' salvation.

Paul says that without charity we have nothing and intimates that we cannot enter into the Lord's presence without it, and yet to have charity requires some effort on our part,unless you feel that having charity is a gift from God and only certain people will get that gift and so only certain people will be able to merit salvation because they were given that gift by grace.