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I have noticed in a few responses that people reference the beginning of their faith as "X" many years ago. Were you (now LDS members) faithless before or did you come from another faith altogether? What attracted you to this specific belief as opposed to another? This is just an attempt to understand, I will not question your answers.

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Good question, do you have an hour? My father was the first male to be baptized into the Church in my country and I, the first eight year old (the age of which one can be baptized and confirmed a Member), so basically we are pioneers. Church services were held at my home while growing up. Before that we were all catholics and my mother was even head of the Legion of Mary at the local Parish, I went to a Catholic school, etc. As a teen I always loved to study religion and that is how I became engrossed in the Doctrine of the Church, but you can always read that in the two books I wrote: https://www.ttgospel.com

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I was baptized into the LDS church when I was 8 years old. So I guess you could say that I have been a member all my life. I was born and raised in the church. Although this was the case, that does not mean I just stayed a member because of my upbringing. There came a time in my life (as I am sure with most people) where I had to decide for myself what I believed and where I was headed in life. Soul searching if you will. I have studied other religions as well. I can honestly say that I am a member of the LDS church not just because I was raised that way but because I firmly believe in the teachings. That is what is attractive to me. In my case it really does make sense while other religions did not.

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I was christened as an infant in the Congregational Church, but many of my family members were Catholic so I had a great exposure there as well. As an adult, I began a spiritual search and attended many different churches. None really felt right. I joined the LDS Church in 1984, but after about five years I fell away. I then chose to become Catholic. However, I realized that my LDS beliefs never really left me...I just found it easier to be a good Catholic than to be a good Mormon.

After about 12 1/2 years I decided to go back to the LDS Church because I knew it to be where I belonged. I prayed for about 6 months before making the decision. I have no doubt about it because it wasn't a decision I made arbitrarily and because it wasn't an easy decision to make. It required a lot of lifestyle changes. However, for me, I know it is right.

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My mother's family is LDS, and she managed to have all my sisters and I baptized (at our respective ages of 8 years old) before she fell away from the church nearly 40 years ago. So I was not raised in the church, but always knew I was Mormon, and defended it whenever I heard someone talk badly about it (even though I didn't really know much). Occasionally, over the years, I visited other churches with friends, but never felt anything particularly special or inviting. I was not living anything like a religious or spiritual lifestyle.

After a long tedious time I won't detail here, I found my way to church. About 4 or 5 years ago I had a major "conversion" and I've been solidly in the church ever since.

Some say it's not the easiest lifestyle to live; however, I feel so freed from my previous addictions and bad habits, and so grateful to know where I belong and who I am, that I don't feel it's really difficult. There are some time constraints and a few other issues, but overall it's a wonderful, loving, uplifting "place" to be.

There are several very specific things:
1. The Priesthood. I have felt the power of God in men's hands as they laid their hands on my head and blessed me.
2. Modern-day revelation and scripture. Not just the Book of Mormon, but other scriptures too, for my benefit and learning. A Living Prophet and Apostles to guide and direct the church.
3. Answers to prayers. (I know that everyone can have this, but I've heard the Spirit whisper to me more since my conversion than at any other time in my life.)
4. Spiritual confirmation that where I am and what I'm doing is right.
5. Eternal families. We can be "sealed" to our family members and live together in the hereafter as family groups -- no one gets left behind!
6. Focus on the family as the most important "unit" on earth.
7. Understanding of the mysteries of the scriptures. Wonderful, in-depth studies by men who understand the scriptures through revelation, not just "book learning." A wealth of information to help each individual seek out their own salvation.

I could go on, but this should suffice as my main points.

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I know I already said what led me to be LDS, but I want to further say that FarSeer has expressed it beautifully. It is exactly how I feel and felt. I wasn't baptised as a child, but I still fell away. Yet while away, I never said anything negative about the Church or its members. I never could bring myself to have my name removed from the Church membership records even though I had joined another church. My prayers were still said in the manner I learned as a Latter-day Saint and not in the manner taught to Catholics - the Church I had embraced as my new belief. My belief in the structure of the Godhead was still in line with LDS teachings and very different from the teachings of other Christian churches. I was a Mormon in hiding so to speak.

I had found the truth. I just needed to come to a more full acceptance of it before deciding to live it's teachings. When you fully accept and believe it's teachings, it isn't hard to live and isn't restrictive. However, if you don't have a strong belief in it's truthfulness it can be, or seem to be, difficult to live. The standards are high, but I believe they lead to the utmost level of happiness available to any human here on earth on in the hereafter.

Edited: funbikerchick on 12th Aug, 2005 - 11:37am

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My mom joined the Church about 2 years before I was born, and my dad's parents joined the Church in the 50s, so I was raised with it. Unlike some people, I can't put my finger on one experience that made me KNOW at that moment that everything was true, and the clouds parted, and the planets aligned, and BAM I was converted. I suppose I never seriously doubted the truthfulness of the gospel, because I could recognize calm, content feelings (which I later understood were promptings of the Holy Ghost) that left me as soon as I strayed from the path in any degree. I never had a real desire to let it go or rebel against it. Of course my faith had to be tested, and it is still tested from time to time, but when it comes down to it, I have always known to some degree that this was true.

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Since I was a little boy I have allways known that God existed. I have an uncle and aunt who are officers in the Salvation Army. So in my childhood I spent much time with my cousin (their son) and I guess that's some of the reasons as to why christianity has allways been natural for me.

It's very difficult to shortly explain what made the difference and made me want to become an LDS. But when I met the missionaries and were taught their message it felt like a puzzle being completed before my eyes.