Seeking the truth, advice would be appreciated.

[hellothere]

Hello All,

 

I did not know if this was the right place to do this or whether I should have posted in the introduce yourself section. Essentially I am intrested and currently learning about the LDS faith, my questions pertain more to the social and cultural aspects of the church rather then doctrinal or spiritual. I am a 24 year old man and some questions have revolve around the acceptance and willingness to marry converts, so wholestically are members accepting to the point of marrying a convert? A question that I also have is would a convert aged 24 be looked down upon for not serving a mission, particualy in regards to a future spouse? In a more wider context would members look down upon a convert aged 24 for not serving a mission?

I have more questions, I have asked some of these questions to missionaries but I find that maybe a more wide audience may help me get some answers, obviously I understand that this has no real relevence in terms of the spirtual truths of the church I am seeking.

 

Best,

[notquiteperfect]

Welcome!  

 

As far as someone being accepting of marrying a convert - if they're not, they're not worth marrying, imo.  I would hope that this wouldn't be an issue but I'm sure you'll find some (including parents) who think otherwise. 

As far as not serving a mission and being looked down upon by a future spouse (and parents) - again, same as above. Also, I'd remind them that there are some General Authorities who are converts as well as General Authorities who didn't serve a mission. That should help them rethink their position.

 

As far as members looking down on you for not serving a two year mission - anyone who does (which I hope would be few if any) isn't worth your time and would be in need of a refresher course of some Gospel principles.  In other words, this is their problem, not yours.
 

Basically, anywhere you go there are a few bad apples but you can't worry about that.  You just need to do what feels right to you and ignore the rest.

Hope that helps.

Edited August 31, 2014 by notquiteperfect

[notquiteperfect]

One other thing - Unfortunately, not everyone who has the title of 'returned missionary' is worthy of it but there are some who don't understand that and put more weight on it than they should.

[Backroads]

From my own experience, the convert issue is not an issue and by and large people love converts. Marriage fits in here, too. Missions are more expected from those who were raised in or joined the Church at a younger age. Yeah, you might meet a few bad apples, but generally it's no big deal.

[hellothere]

Thank you all very much, obviously i'd love to serve a mission if I find it to be the true church, however logistically it may be hard with education,parents (who are not to keen on the idea of the church) and other reasons. I guess there is always the possibility of serving one  later in life. I appreciate your input :)

[Str8Shooter]

Very good advice. It does not matter where you're at, only the direction you are going. I add my opinion: If someone looks down on you for those things they probably need to be punched in the face.

Sorry. That's not very charitable but it's a sensitive issue with me and I'm not perfect.

[Str8Shooter]

Our current prophet did not serve a mission. I sure hope people don't look down on him.

I must add something too this- if you decide to become a member, you should seriously consider serving a mission if you are worthy and are able to. It will be the best two years of your life.

Edited September 1, 2014 by Str8Shooter

[notquiteperfect]

It will be the best two years of your life.

 

It isn't that way for everyone.  My husband would never say that about his.

[Str8Shooter]

It isn't that way for everyone.  My husband would never say that about his.

 

True, True.  Let me rephrase that:  It will be the best spent two years of your life.

 

I had roughly 25 companions, several of which had diagnosed mental disorders, a few that were disobedient, a few sent home, and all this while serving in rural south Alabama.  I can tell you it was not fun.  I remember vividly the first time I was screamed at by someone who proclaimed themselves to be a Christian.  I don't look back and happily reminisce about most of my mission.  Telling you it was hard does not even begin to describe what it was like.

 

My mission was not typical.  There was a need in the mission, and the Lord saw it fit for me to fill it.

 

It was the best two years of my life because I learned about charity, enduring to the end, attitude, and sacrifice.  

 

If you have the right perspective, it might not be the most fun two years of your life, but it will be the best.  :-)

[Pa Pa]

Hello All,

I did not know if this was the right place to do this or whether I should have posted in the introduce yourself section. Essentially I am intrested and currently learning about the LDS faith, my questions pertain more to the social and cultural aspects of the church rather then doctrinal or spiritual. I am a 24 year old man and some questions have revolve around the acceptance and willingness to marry converts, so wholestically are members accepting to the point of marrying a convert? A question that I also have is would a convert aged 24 be looked down upon for not serving a mission, particualy in regards to a future spouse? In a more wider context would members look down upon a convert aged 24 for not serving a mission?

I have more questions, I have asked some of these questions to missionaries but I find that maybe a more wide audience may help me get some answers, obviously I understand that this has no real relevence in terms of the spirtual truths of the church I am seeking.

Best,

Your comment about someone looking down their noise...in my experience those who do this run into objects that can be painful. Sort of like texting and walking.

[notquiteperfect]

It will be the best spent two years of your life.

 

If you have the right perspective, it might not be the most fun two years of your life, but it will be the best.  :-)

 

Again, disagree - on two fronts:

 

- the mission experience 

- marriage

 

To explain the latter, even if my husband had an amazing mission, if he still referred to that as his best two years/best spent two years I'd look at him and ask where he ranks our marriage!

 

(our marriage isn't perfect - no one's is - but church leaders have said that *nothing* can surpass that relationship - the experience or the lessons learned)

Edited September 2, 2014 by notquiteperfect

[drham3rd]

Let me say my experience of being a new convert who married a long-time member; I have experienced nothing but fully love and support from everyone in our ward!  Of course, there are always those in any group who one might call "bad apples" but my experience has been one of total acceptance!

[hellothere]

Thanks to all who have commented on this post, I have found it helpful and reassuring. :)

[PolarVortex]

Thank you all very much, obviously i'd love to serve a mission if I find it to be the true church, however logistically it may be hard with education,parents (who are not to keen on the idea of the church) and other reasons. I guess there is always the possibility of serving one  later in life. I appreciate your input :)

 

I am a convert, and I remember choking over the "only true church" thing during my long period of investigation.  I finally decided that the LDS Church was like Polaris (also called the North Star), which lies on the earth's axis of rotation and does not move in the sky as the earth rotates.  That doesn't mean that the other stars are wrong or useless for navigation, just that one star happens to be anchored at a celestial pole and is the only true north.

 

And my conviction comes mostly from John 13:35 ("By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another").  More than any other church I've known, the LDS Church lives and breathes the Gospel every day.  That's what makes it true for me.

 

The decision to serve a mission is not easy, but I hope you won't be distracted by the thought of a two-year commitment.  Two years may seem like a lot, but they're really not.  I did not serve a mission, but I did serve in the military for 4 years.  The time passed swiftly.  I felt fully alive and deeply engaged in the world during those years, and leaving the military felt like a graduation and not a release from prison.  My guess is that many returned missionaries feel the same way, although the other comments on this thread make it clear that some missions are rich in challenges.

 

But you're right, there are many opportunities to serve.  My own conversion was powered more by the Christ-like behavior of a lot of middle-aged people in my ward than by anything the missionaries specifically did (but they were lovely people, too.)

 

If you do convert, please don't make the same blunder I did.  I entered the Church all starry-eyed with expectations of endless perfection and splendor.  After a few skirmishes with reality, I found myself drifting away and am returning to the Church now only now after some years in the wilderness (see my other post for the details of my sins).    

[Pa Pa]

All of us go through phases of activity...makes us all hope we are all on the up side when Christ comes.