Hard to be a Mormon?

[Jarbar]

I just feel like something is missing. Some commandment. Some principle. I don't know, just something. Why? Because when you look at it, is being a Mormon hard? No. Not today, anyway. When you look at the early days of the church, yes. They were constantly running for their lives!! They were being threatened to be tarred and feathered everyday. Then when you look at today, it is simple. We're not being threatened. We're not being tarred and feathered. Is it because there is more law and order? No. Because when the majority group has a deep hatred for the minority group, law and order won't be able to stop it. Thoughts??

[laronius]

Since the Saints first arrived in Utah the Church has been in a different phase of its existance. Sure, they still had trials but nothing to compare with earlier on. Ever since then the Church has for the most part enjoyed peace as it has flourished and spread across the world. While we are still in that phase we are beginning to see signs that this peace may be short lived. We don't need any new commandments. The ones we have now will soon be sufficient to draw the attention of a sick and depreaved world. But until then make good use of the time while we have it. There is so much to be done. If our trials aren't wearing us out, then our service to our fellow men should.

[AussieOi]

Yep.
we've embraced Babylon buddy.
we wanna be popular.
doesn't mean this isn't the lords mechanism to provide authorised baptism or contain his authority I may add.

[davedan]

Mormon pioneers ran for their physical lives from mobs and persecution.

Today, modern LDS run for our spiritual lives from addiction and immorality that has become the social norm.

[Jarbar]

Good point. But today, Mormons are not persecuted nearly as bad as they were before

[uglypitbull]

Good point. But today, Mormons are not persecuted nearly as bad as they were before

patience young grasshopper, we have been told that our future trials will be worse than the pioneers. Prepare every needful thing.

[MsEva]

Good point. But today, Mormons are not persecuted nearly as bad as they were before

I guess for the most part people are not trying to kill us-Yet....that is going to be coming back. Growing up I had a great deal of my peers telling me how bad Mormons are and that I was in a cult. Some people still do treat Mormons poorly, and some people do not.

[drjme]

maybe being a Mormon isn't hard nowadays,

though trying to be a disciple of Christ is. It's not about going through the motions of doing "the stuff" it's about changing the core Character of who we are, battling the tendencies of the natural man.

I found the motions of being a 'worthy mormon' quite easy. though The daily battle with my insecurities, weaknesses, fears, self worth while trying to love and respect others regardless of how they treat me. Trying to live in faith and positivity despite harsh circumstances, So challenging that I have nothing to rely on and run To except God alone, while still wanting to take things into my own hands -while being prompted to leave these things in HIS hands- so that he can show me His miracle, His wisdom and prove to me his Amazing Glory. It's one of the hardest things for me to do, as I am results focused, independent, action oriented, 'take care of things and be in control' kinda guy. to leave it in His hands and Trust absolutely and completely, goes against the natural prideful man that I am. Daily I have to ask forgiveness 'for mine unbelief' even though I believe.

These types of things IMHO are the challenges he wants us to face, not what we do as much as who we are.

[ldsfireguy]

It's a circle, and it's coming back around. Don't be too impatient for it - cherish the relative physical peace while you have it, and use the time to store up reserves. When the tide turns, the evil will be crushing in its power and intensity, and you will long for the days of goodwill.

[jimmy]

If one is just going through the basics of being Mormon ( attending church and calling, Temple attendance and reading scripture) that's not to difficult and the world doesn't care as it's not affecting them and satan and his gang aren't to worried about it either.
Go the extra mile and try to stand up against things that are morally wrong in this world, visit the sick, look for opportunities to bear your testimony of Jesus Christ and His church to whom ever you meet, things might then seem to get Hard as you will get the attention of the world and satan and his followers.
Things might get hard physically but the spiritual pay that accompanies the hard work is truly amazing.

[natasha]

maybe being a Mormon isn't hard nowadays,

though trying to be a disciple of Christ is. It's not about going through the motions of doing "the stuff" it's about changing the core Character of who we are, battling the tendencies of the natural man.

I found the motions of being a 'worthy mormon' quite easy. though The daily battle with my insecurities, weaknesses, fears, self worth while trying to love and respect others regardless of how they treat me. Trying to live in faith and positivity despite harsh circumstances, So challenging that I have nothing to rely on and run To except God alone, while still wanting to take things into my own hands -while being prompted to leave these things in HIS hands- so that he can show me His miracle, His wisdom and prove to me his Amazing Glory. It's one of the hardest things for me to do, as I am results focused, independent, action oriented, 'take care of things and be in control' kinda guy. to leave it in His hands and Trust absolutely and completely, goes against the natural prideful man that I am. Daily I have to ask forgiveness 'for mine unbelief' even though I believe.

These types of things IMHO are the challenges he wants us to face, not what we do as much as who we are.

Thank you, drjme...very inciteful and accurate.

[AGStacker]

We should welcome persecutions but we don't. Instead of being peculiar we are trying to conform with the world. We want to be called "Saints" while enjoying some of the pleasures of Babylon. (myself included but I've been trying)

It just doesn't work like that. We should be odd, different, strangers and wanderers to this Earth. It isn't our home. Hugh Nibley's "Approaching Zion" will put things into perspective. Heck, chapter 1 of that book does just that.

[laronius]

We should welcome persecutions but we don't. Instead of being peculiar we are trying to conform with the world. We want to be called "Saints" while enjoying some of the pleasures of Babylon. (myself included but I've been trying)

It just doesn't work like that. We should be odd, different, strangers and wanderers to this Earth. It isn't our home. Hugh Nibley's "Approaching Zion" will put things into perspective. Heck, chapter 1 of that book does just that.

I've thought about reading that book in the past, but his books are definitely not light reading so I have to have the right mindset before I start. Maybe its time to pick it up.

[tmac]

The real question shouldn't be whether being a "Mormon" is hard.

The real question should be whether being a true follower and disciple of Jesus Christ is hard, including understanding and living the Fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

On that score, I can't really see that we're doing one iota better than our forbearers -- if anything, we "Mormons" are slowly gravitating farther and farther away from Zion.

So, by that standard, there must be something hard about it -- or we're simply not trying very hard.

[Jarbar]

Well let's read this....

The Standard of Truth has been erected. No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing. PERSECUTIONS may rage, MOBS may combine, ARMIES may assemble, calumny may defame. But the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and dependent till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, until the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the Great Jehovah will say, ‘The work is done.'

Let's look at pre-1890 when blacks couldn't hold the priesthood and polygamy was taught. Persecutions did rage. Mobs did combine. Armies did assemble around the Salt Lake Temple. And what happened? We caved in. We gave up what we knew to be true to be more popular with the world. We gave up what we knew to be true so the persecutions would stop, so the mobs would divide, and so the armies would disassemble.

Let's look post-1978 where now blacks can hold the priesthood and polygamy is not taught. Do persecutions rage? Ehhh... Maybe. Only on the issue of gay marriage and that was only during Prop 8... But keep in mind that many of the other churches were persecuted too.. (Catholic) Do mobs combine? No. Mobs do not combine to tar and feather members of the church in the middle of the night. Do armies assemble against us? No.

Since these are the last days, the most trying of times, where Satan is trying his absolute hardest to stop the work from progressing, wouldn't he be working through temporal (mobs, persecutions) and spiritual (pornography, drugs) means to get to the members of the church? Not unless we have changed to the point where the temporal means are not needed.

I fear that when Satan unleashes his temporal means to get to the members of the church, it is going to be a lot harder than what people want to believe.

[bbrown]

While blacks and the priesthood and polygamy may play into this to some extent, the greater issue is whether we are living up to the gospel we've been given. The scriptures (D&C 84, 124, etc), President Benson, Elders Uchtdorf, Packer, and Bednar, among many others (Nibley, Denver and Pontius too) suggest or even boldly state that we do not. We are as the man on the cruise ship eating beans, crackers, and powdered lemonade when there is a great feast offered for free. We have the authority of the priesthood but not the power of the priesthood. We are under condemnation as a church and that condemnation has not been lifted because we still won't believe the Book of Mormon and D&C.

We call it scripture in word, but do we in deed? Are we likening the scriptures to ourselves and living by what they teach? If we did that, the persecution would rage. The only reason we are in a "lul" of persecution, really, is that we as a people haven't stepped up to inspire the persecution that such righteousness would bring (not that we actively seek it, but it will naturally come). It isn't a "blessing" because of our righteousness, it is a condemnation upon us. We as a people are fully engaged in babylon.

At the day when great evil and persecutions rage, there will be an equal and opposing force for good --great manifestations of the spirit, a Zion-worthy people who have received the fullness of the gospel and will righteously weild actual power in their priesthood. The more we live the gospel and seek further light and knowledge, the more we will be directly persecuted, starting from within the church. It is happening now, and there are countless people on this forum alone that can testify to being persecuted for living by the further light they've received --or even mentioning it. It wasn't the Romans that saught to crucify Christ, but those who "followed" the laws of the gospel.

CB

[tmac]

Spot on CB.

What many "Mormons" don't realize is that persecution is already very alive and well right within the Church. I would venture to say that the vast majority of Church members are is serious spiritual slumber. Satan has already won major battles on that front and lulled many completely to sleep to the point that they don't even begin to understand what the Fullness of the Gospel really means, or the opportunities that it offers.

Those who are awakening to this reality are being persecuted by those who can't see the forest for the trees and don't even begin to understand what is going on and where things stand.

Satan has been very, very successful, without the need for much overt persecution from outside the Church, and most members don't even realize it.

The pattern is much like what has happened in this country as a whole. The adversary has been very successful.

[nosurprise]

I believe in some ways being a Mormon today is harder than it was in the early church. Many
Mormons today don't know church history or early church doctrines/practices. Things were done/established
in a different time period. Any one reading early church history can see a dramatic difference between how Smith
led the church and how Young led the church. Smith was kind of like Johnny Apple Seed, establishing the church here and there
with persecution and apostates making things difficult. But Young was like a soldier armed and ready to protect every
seed Smith had planted and by force if necessary.
Today, being a Mormon means to directly and indirectly support the practices/doctrines of the early church and sometimes
that can be really mentally stressful to a point of falling away from the church and becoming inactive or sometimes, becoming
so upset one turns against the church.
Mormons today are constantly having to explain the train of thinking of early Mormons over a century ago and how can one logically
do that in a way to sound reasonable and plausible? You really can't explain the thinking of early Mormons any more than trying to explain the thinking of your own early ancestors.
I think it's hard to be a modern Mormon because you have to think like an early Mormon to explain modern thinking. And that's
not easily done.

[JohnnyL]

Good point. But today, Mormons are not persecuted nearly as bad as they were before

patience young grasshopper, we have been told that our future trials will be worse than the pioneers. Prepare every needful thing.

+1

Remember that before the siege of the Gadianton robbers in 3 Nephi, the "righteous" were busy preparing, storing both physical and spiritual reserves.

Hard to be a Mormon? Yes.
Harder to not be a Mormon? Eventually, yes. Much more so.

When you're rock climbing, you're doing it to get to the top. Your muscles get sore, you get scratched, etc. When you get to the top, though, WOW!!!
You could, at any point, give up, let go, and lie back. It would be a WOW! experience for a while--until you hit rock bottom.

[Benjamin_LK]

I believe in some ways being a Mormon today is harder than it was in the early church. Many
Mormons today don't know church history or early church doctrines/practices. Things were done/established
in a different time period. Any one reading early church history can see a dramatic difference between how Smith
led the church and how Young led the church. Smith was kind of like Johnny Apple Seed, establishing the church here and there
with persecution and apostates making things difficult. But Young was like a soldier armed and ready to protect every
seed Smith had planted and by force if necessary.
Today, being a Mormon means to directly and indirectly support the practices/doctrines of the early church and sometimes
that can be really mentally stressful to a point of falling away from the church and becoming inactive or sometimes, becoming
so upset one turns against the church.
Mormons today are constantly having to explain the train of thinking of early Mormons over a century ago and how can one logically
do that in a way to sound reasonable and plausible? You really can't explain the thinking of early Mormons any more than trying to explain the thinking of your own early ancestors.
I think it's hard to be a modern Mormon because you have to think like an early Mormon to explain modern thinking. And that's
not easily done.

What I often find is that most, but not all, of those who really want to find the church at fault or call it bad, can't really be satisfied with the doctrinal explanations you give to them, and for those who at least have an interest, it can be a different story as well. Being a young adult convert myself, I found it fairly unobtrusive to know the whole polygamy or additional scripture in the Book of Mormon issue, why? Because the real answers that the church had about the prayerful confirmation of the Book of Mormon, the more conclusive answers from the Plan of Salvation, and so on, are more important. I worry sometimes that people in the church let the rejections of the Gospel sometimes cloud their judgements and turn bitter to the idea that certain kinds of people can join the church, or should be offered the gospel. This is my real concern as a young-adult convert to the church, because I worry that people in church can be tempted to get to proud to feel like sharing the gospel with others. I may be just rambling on, and this probably is just an extension of "All is Well in Zion", but I hope this message has some clarity. Don't let the fact that some things aren't always a winning explanation make you feel down. The spirit is the real source of conversion, and imperfect people share the gospel all the time.

-Benjamin