It's interesting, the comments range from:
A. I wish I were a convert, because then, I would have a real testimony, not just something that was forced on me
B. Why didn't I have the chance to know about this church when I was young, it would have made life so much easier having clear direction. Does God not love me as much?
C. I love the church I go to now, but I wish I joined later in life so I could sow my wild oats and then settle down and live a clean/virtuous life.
Pretty wide range. We paraphrased obviously, but you get the gist. We have our own opinions about each of these sentiments but...
What are your thoughts? How would you respond?
xoxo
Gwen
ps. if you want to submit a question for discussion: askangela.dn@gmail.com
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ReplyDeleteI love being a convert! And I have no dissatisfaction or complaints about when or where I learned about the church. I think to do so is to be (at the very least) mildly ungrateful for the most wonderful gift in the universe.
ReplyDeleteWhere in real life could we look at a gift giver and say "Hey, this is the best thing I've ever been given, but I don't like your timing and therefore, your gift is tainted by my dissatisfaction." No one would ever say that even about terrible gifts, much less something this awesome.
Also, I think that to have these sentiments is to deny the reality that God is always on time. He's never late. Whenever we join the church is the right time for us. I know that that is definitely true for me. To deny this is to deny the very omniscience of our Eternal Parents. Maybe we are stubborn or stray or fight against it, in which case WE are the ones responsible for altering the timeline, not God.
And being born in the church does not mean a testimony was forced on you. There are very few things that irk me more than hearing this. Testimonies aren't forced, that is completely opposite to their very nature. The Holy Ghost doesn't work that way--it doesn't FORCE itself into our hearts. It comes "unto" our hearts and it's our decision to have an open heart for it to enter into.
Seriously...If I could just force people to know this is true, my whole family would be sealed in the temple. Testimonies are earned and desperately sought by those who possess them. Maybe church attendance and activities were compulsory during childhood, but having a real testimony is a completely individual matter.
And the waiting to join until you get your worldly satisfaction...I'll admit I've though that would be easier. But I think the fundamental philosophy of that sentiment is wanting to serve both masters, whether they will admit that or not. I think it also denies happiness that comes from following the commandments--that breaking eternal laws somehow could bring you more happiness than following Jesus Christ. It kind of makes a "clean, virtuous life" sound like a prison sentence. It doesn't recognize that being clean and virtuous is something so awesome...instead it just conveys the feeling that being clean and virtuous is something we're supposed to do, like chores.
I don't know if any of this made much sense. This is something that I obviously care a lot about. I am SO indescribably grateful to have a testimony of the Restored Gospel. I am so grateful to KNOW Jesus Christ and to be counted among His people. I know that the timing of my conversion was perfect and I have no complaints or regrets. I know that being clean and virtuous brings great happiness, even if it is hard. I love God and want to make Him happy, so I have no desire to go on a Mormon "rumspringa" and then come back in order to fulfill some bipolar plan of happiness.
We must let the beauty and truthfulness of the gospel help us to become all we can be, no matter what stage of life we are in. The truth and blessings that flow freely from the Restored Gospel help to overcome our worldly desires and our disappointments. In this way, we can become true disciples and men and women of God. The Atonement transcends all that the world has to offer, and it shouldn't discourage us to think of the timing of this realization in our own personal lives.
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