VaxSpyder Posted November 10, 2016 Posted November 10, 2016 Hi everyone. A recent health crisis which turned out to actually be a mental health crisis (I'm improving slowly but surely) has inspired me to think hard on my spiritual identity. Officially, I have none, but over the years I have been repeatedly drawn to the LDS church but never committed to joining. Frankly I find a lot of the lifestyle changes required intimidating and I'm not sure I would fit in. but I am reaching out in hopes that God will direct me to my proper path. I look forward to making friends here :-) Morgan from SoCal
Okrahomer Posted November 10, 2016 Posted November 10, 2016 1 hour ago, VaxSpyder said: Hi everyone. A recent health crisis which turned out to actually be a mental health crisis (I'm improving slowly but surely) has inspired me to think hard on my spiritual identity. Officially, I have none, but over the years I have been repeatedly drawn to the LDS church but never committed to joining. Frankly I find a lot of the lifestyle changes required intimidating and I'm not sure I would fit in. but I am reaching out in hopes that God will direct me to my proper path. I look forward to making friends here :-) Morgan from SoCal Welcome, Morgan! I love how you express your "hopes." I think you've come to a good place to find folks who will be happy to lend friendship and support in your journey. Regarding your feelings of intimidation: Love casteth out fear (1 John 4:18)
rpn Posted November 10, 2016 Posted November 10, 2016 When you fully understand the Atonement, then you'll understand that it doesn't matter where you are on the path to objective perfection. It only matters that you've been baptized, that you are doing your personal best to desire and live consistent with God's will in each moment of each day, and quickly repenting of the sins you may commit in the process. The atonement ---the grace of Jesus's sacrifice fills the entire gap between your personal best and objective perfection, so that you are perfect in Christ (even when you are nowhere near where you know you should be, where you want to be, where He is, yet). And if you are worried about temporal things like smoking or living on coffee instead of sleep and good nutrition, or even porn, or watching the super bowl and skipping sacrament meeting to do so, etc., just know that while some are able to commit to living those commandments and meeting that commitment forever, it takes others years of personal best and sometimes medical interventions to finally succeed, and sometimes longer than that before there is no real risk of relapse. You are, after all, teaching your spirit to control all your bodily parts, functions, desires, and appetites in submission to God's will, and that is a process, made somewhat more difficult when the habits of years of living have been engrained. Don't let fear stop you from taking the first step of baptism. Your personal best and quick repentance is ALWAYS good enough for God. 2
Jeanne Posted November 10, 2016 Posted November 10, 2016 Welcome!! The idea that you seek and yearn for something spiritual and recognize that need is a first step too any journey. Best to you and welcome again!
waveslider Posted November 14, 2016 Posted November 14, 2016 Welcome, RPN gave some good advice! I also suggest trying your best to listen for, recognize and learn to differentiate between your inner voice, the voices of temptations, the Holy Ghost. If you can learn to recognize that Holy Spirit of truth, and obey it. you will be led right to where you are seeking; "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth:...." (John 16:13). The rest will just fall in line for you as you change to become more like our Savior, one little bit at a time. Remember you don't need to compare yourself to others, since we are all somewhere along this path somewhere and none of us are at the end of it. Just nurture your own personal relationship with your Heavenly Father, and you can't go wrong.
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