Wednesday, May 19, 2010

WANTED: Mormons Willing to Share

Are you Mormon? Does your faith bring you happiness, peace, and joy? Would you like a non-scary way to share the joy the gospel brings to your life with others? Well I have just the thing for you!

I am betting that at least 90% of the Mormons who read the above said "Yes. Yes. And Um YES!" 

If you have spent any time reading this blog you know that I am Mormon (or in other much longer words, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.) I didn't start this blog as a way to share my beliefs with others. But when Camille died, my faith and beliefs were the driving force for getting me out of bed and keeping air going in and out of my lungs everyday. So when I began blogging about my journey through grief, I had to include some aspects of my faith. Without this my "story" would be incomplete. 

In the process of my sharing I have answered many questions about what we crazy Mormons believe. :O) These questions have come from the good faith curiosity of readers who asked them. We have had some really good discussions along the way in comments that has been uplifting and informative for everyone involved. 

The church has seen that many people are more comfortable asking questions and getting answers from someone they feel they know (even an internet friend) than asking missionaries on the street. So they are creating a new site where we Mormons can go create a profile page of our own and give our answers to questions like "Why Am I A Mormon?" or "How do we feel about Joseph Smith" or "Do Mormons practice Polygamy?" 

There are tons of questions and you choose which ones you want to answer. You share a little information about yourself (nothing to compromise your privacy though) and you can even link your profile page to your blog, Twitter, or Facebook account. 

This new website won't be active and going online for everyone to explore for a while, but it is open for Mormons to upload their profiles right now! I just uploaded my profile last night. The goal is to get as many profiles uploaded by as many different people as we can before the site goes live. 

SO..... If you are Mormon and want to share ... Go to new.mormon.org and Sign in if you have an LDS Account (the one you use to check your ward website) or Register to get an LDS Account (you will need your membership number from your temple recommend or ward clerk and your birthday to register.) It will take you to your own Profile Page and you can start uploading your information and answers. 

Then tell every Mormon you know to follow your lead and do the same! Old and young, male and female, every ethnicity! We want to show a true picture of how diverse a group we Mormons really are.

You should know that this is SUPER EASY to do. You do not need to be a computer guru. I am seriously technically challenged. But if you know how to go to the link above and click a mouse you should be able to create a page. Oh and it might help to know how to select a photo to upload. If you have trouble getting into the site just keep trying. Sometimes I have had trouble and yet it has worked out if I just tried again a little later. If you do it I would love to hear about it! Leave me a comment!

For those of you who are not Mormon and are still reading this post (boy are you a faithful reader!) Please let me know if you have any questions you want to see my answers to and I will make sure to answer them on my profile page. Thanks!

14 comments:

Here at home said...

I'm on it! What a cool website. How fun. I'm excited to share my testimony with others.

Michelle said...

Thank you for sharing this. I hadn't heard about it. I think I'll go create a profile right now. I mean, right after I warm up my Macayo's leftovers and grab a fork so I can have an excuse to sit at the computer a wee bit longer. :)

Correen said...

I'm not a mormon, but am very curious about the religion. So here are a few questions for you:
1. Do Mormon's believe in using birth control?
2. How does Joesph Smith compare to Jesus? Are both prophets? Is Smith the most recent prophet?
3. Are there certain rituals that occur inside the temple?
4. Are there varying degrees of observance?
5. What does being sealed mean?

Susan Anderson said...

What a cool idea! I will go check it out.

=)

PS. I'm involved with a website called Mormon Women (http://www.mormonwoman.org) that is dong a similar thing. Different LDS women post their "stories" on there, answer questions, share thoughts and beliefs, etc. It's pretty neat.

Rhoda said...

Just completed my profile. Thanks for the heads up I find it exciting to be apart of this! I'll post something on my blog soon!

i said...

how exciting!!!!!! thanks for sharing. ;)

Susy said...

I will.... I will....

a.k.a. Jack said...

Correen-

I am mormon and a friend of Stephanie's (we grew up on the same cul-de-sac that our parents built together). I have a blog:

http://discussitwithamormon.blogspot.com/

that I use to answer questions and as a discussion forum about eternal principles. I am a busy mother and my family comes first, but I try to answer any questions posted by readers as soon as I can possibly get to them.

Mostly, I have used the blog to discuss general eternal principles that are not necessarily specific to any one religion, but about which my understanding has been enhanced by the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. But, I am also happy to answer any questions specific to our religion.

So, if you would like answers to your questions before this wonderful new website Stephanie referred to is up and running, feel free to post your questions on my blog in any "comments" section, and I will get to them ASAP.

Or, I'm sure Stephanie will address them as well when she gets time.

Jennifer

P.S., I will post another comment with some immediate quick answers to your questions.

a.k.a. Jack said...

Correen-

Here's some quick answers to your questions:

1. Do Mormon's believe in using birth control?
That's simply up to the individual, but the Church does not tell us whether or not we should use birth control. I do, personally, use birth control.

2. How does Joesph Smith compare to Jesus? Are both prophets? Is Smith the most recent prophet?
I could go into much more depth on this one if you are interested, but the quick answer is that Jesus is a prophet, but even more than that, He is our Savior and Redeemer. It is through His atonement that the demands of justice are satisfied and we are able to return to live with our Father in Heaven after we die.
Joseph Smith, though not our redeemer, was a prophet like other prophets we read about in the scriptures (Moses, Noah, David, etc.). He, however lived more recently than those prophets of ancient times. There was a period of time we refer to as the great apostasy, when the world lost the the true teachings of Jesus Christ and when all those with priesthood authority had died, thus leaving the world without the fullness of the truth or any priesthood authority. Joseph Smith was a modern day prophet who received revelations from the Lord that returned the truth and the priesthood authority to the world. Since his death, there have been more prophets that hold that same sacred calling. We have a prophet today. Like I said, this question really deserves much more depth to it's answer. But that's the quick version.

3. Are there certain rituals that occur inside the temple?
Yes. The temple allows us to perform sacred ordinances both for ourselves as well as act as proxies for those who have died without the opportunity to perform such ordinances for themselves. Again, this is another question that can be answered in much greater depth if you are interested.

4. Are there varying degrees of observance?
I am not sure exactly what you are asking here so feel free to add to it if you like. The best way I can describe this is that we are taught eternal principles both through lessons and interaction with one another (as you would expect in all churches) as well as through personal revelation (I have a post on my blog about personal revelation). As we learn these eternal truths, we apply them to our lives. As we are all different individuals with unique experiences, we learn in different ways and at different paces. Thus, our "observance," as you put it, is correlated to how well we understand eternal principles and haw far we have progressed in our faith (I also have a few posts on faith). I would assume this is true of all religious seekers. I guess I would say that everyone tries to do their best. Our "observance" is a way of life that is molded and formed by our understanding of true principles.

5. What does being sealed mean?
This applies to families. When one is "sealed" to their husband/wife, they are married to them, not only for their time here in this earthly life, but for eternity. Then, any children born to a couple who has been sealed are "born in the covenant". Or, in other words, they are born already sealed for eternity to their parents, as an eternal family. If a couple is married, have children, and is later sealed to one another, the children are sealed to them at that time. Natural as well as adopted children can be sealed to their parents.

I hope this gives you some immediate answers to your questions. Feel free to elaborate or ask me to elaborate more if you are interested or have any more questions.

Jennifer

Daughter of God said...

thanks for sharing. I also have a testimony type blog, I am LDS. I woud love to be apart of this new church one too!
his-tender-mercies.blogspot.com

Correen said...

Thanks for answering my questions. When I get more than a minute I'll go and check out the blogs. And thanks for answering my questions. I'm a Methodist, but am very curious about what other religions believe and how they practice. There are so many misconceptions about mormons I really want to know what is fact vs. rumor.

a.k.a. Jack said...

Correen-

You're most welcome. Let me know if you have any other questions or would like any more detail on anything. You're so right about the misconceptions and I really appreciate it when people ask questions instead of just assuming that whatever they hear is correct.

My mom used to be Methodist before she became LDS. In fact, you might find it interesting that Joseph Smith actually came from a Methodist family. Our religions are actually very similar in their teachings, so you may find that alot of what we believe is what you already know for yourself. Anyway, just thought you may find that interesting. :)

Jennifer

Anonymous said...

What is a Mormons stand/position on Freemasonry?

Robyn

Natalie Jane said...

Hope you don't mind, I linked to this post from my blog :)