MORMON NO MORE: Christian

I was introduced to the little booklet that is pictured below by a Christian man, who had a family member living at the nursing home that I was working at. He gave me a copy of this booklet that he had written and I read it several times. I was able to identify with what it was saying. It was hard, at first, for me to believe, or accept, the idea that a little book with few words could touch my heart. The beliefs that I was taught through Mormonism were never able to speak to me as the words in this little booklet could. The printed words spoke to me personally. It said that there was love, and truth, and that I don't have to DO anything to be with God. All I have to do is know that it is not by my own strength that I can get to heaven, but by believing in a Savior, and through Him I would be able to go to heaven to be with God. The booklet helped me see the name 'Jesus' in a whole new perspective. The booklet also said that God is love, and that's what I had been looking for. For a long time I've searched for someone to love me without having any conditions put on me. I needed to be accepted by somebody for who I am, not for what I can, or must, do. I saw for the first time after all these years, that I had been searching for the love of a true God.
This same Christian man introduced me to a bible that wasn't printed by the Mormon Church. He showed me passages in the bible that were able to speak to my heart. He (I'm gonna call him Christian) loaned me his personal bible to read. [I had a Mormon bible, it looked like Christian's bible, but my bible was written by Joseph Smith, who changed a few things in his bible.] I read passages of scripture in different areas of the bible, and they seemed to talk to only me. I didn't feel as though I was being told to do this or that, or be cast into "outer darkness". I felt a peace inside while I read the scriptures.
I spent more and more time with Christian. He explained a lot of aspects of belief, love, truth, grace, Jesus, and the list goes on. I felt as though I was waking up from a horrible dream (my life), and I was introduced to a huge dose of something real.
I also needed Christian to help me understand the 'King James' style of writing. I grew up with that particular style of scripture, because Joseph Smith used 'King James' style of writing in all of his works. However, I always had a hard time understanding most of what was written. Christian helped me pick out a bible that was written in the 'NIV' translation. I was able to understand more clearly what the bible, and God, was saying to me. The Mormon church does not recognize any translation other than the 'King James Version', and that version must be from Joseph Smith. I remember as a teenager seeing Christian book stores in Detroit and thinking how those stores don't have the right scriptures for sale. I never considered Christian book stores to have anything for me. All the books I read came from the Deseret Book Company in Salt Lake City, UT.
For the first time in my life I realized, that it doesn't matter how much doing I do in this life, it will never get me into heaven. I found out that good works will never get rid of the bad deeds. Jesus Christ is the only one that can forgive sins. Through belief and faith in the saving grace of Jesus and trusting in Him only, will I get to heaven.

Handmaidens Creed

1.I believe in God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit as one God without beginning or end.
2.I believe the Bible to be the Holy Inspired word of God with full truth and righteousness. No other writing is.
3.I believe that the work of the Lord comes first. Before any temporal thing or person.
4.I believe that grace is a gift and Christ gives that gift freely to all who believe.
5.I believe that the beauty of a woman is contained inside of her and not by what she looks like on the outside.
6.I believe that marriage is sacred and represents the Godhead on earth; two are one just as three are one.
7.I believe that love is more powerful than any other power. Remember, God is love.
8.I believe that tithing is not a part of God's new covenant, free will offerings are. And that doesn't mean just money.
9.I believe that the Aaronic, Levitical, and Melchizedek priesthoods are abolished and Christs Holy Priesthood whom Christ is the "Great High Priest" is eternal.
10.I believe that every believer is a priest in the "Priesthood of Believers".
11.I believe that when two are one, nobody is to separate the one.
12.I believe that Christ is the only way to heaven.
13.I believe that our bodies are temples, not man made buildings.
14.I believe that liars make fools out of others and the liar hates the fool.
15.I believe that all believers are in authority to preach the gospel.
16.I believe that the word 'organization' to describe Christs body is evil and has no place with God.
17.I believe the Americas are not the land of Zion and Christ will return to His origonal land-Israel in the Middle East.
18.I believe that God has set out correct ways of worshiping Him, not man.
19.I believe in holding to the truths of the Bible and not mans understanding of it.
20.I believe that the world is full of evil and Satan can easily gain control over the minds of those who do not profess Christ of the Bible to be their only Messiah.
21.I believe that Saints are those who know the real Savior, Jesus Christ, of whom the Bible speaks of; not the jesus of a cult.

3 comments:

Obi-Dave Kenobi May 10, 2007 at 2:08 PM: Amen. ('Nuff said.) :) :)
Al Jordan May 13, 2007 at 11:18 AM: I haven't read the booklet you mentioned in your post, but I have read another booklet entitled: "How Good Is Good Enough?" By Andy Stanley (a Christian author) and it was a key stepping stone for me on the path that ultimately led me out of the LDS church.

It was an extremely effective wake-up call for me to realize that I could stop worrying about all the "works" the LDS church told me I needed to do to earn my way to heaven.

I could finally stop killing myself trying to please God.

Good luck to you on your quest!
Anonymous February 11, 2014 at 4:34 AM: The Holy Spirit kindled new life in your heart and brought Christian into your life at the same time in order that you would be made a new Creature in Christ, the old self being put to death. May God be glorified!