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[500daysofsunny]

If you still need the Liahona wifi password it’s alma3738

i just opened my inbox for the first time in way too long and realized that i do indeed need this so a very belated thank you

[500daysofsunny]

whenever you’re going to judge someone over something (clothes “not modest enough,” not obeying the WoW, not always wearing their garments, having tattoos or piercings, being LGBTQ+, literally anything else) ask yourself if it would seriously matter to Christ.

He healed the ear of a man wounded by one of His adherents, He fed thousands (i doubt 100% of them were faithful), He welcomed prostitutes, disabled people, the poor, the outcasts of society into His flock and made them the most valued members — see the story of the poor woman who gave a small about of money among the rich giving their money, and Christ said her contribution was the most valuable because she gave all she had.

you don’t have to give a million dollars in tithing, or be perfect in every commandment. you don’t have to fit the molly mormon mold. we say “perfect gospel, imperfect people” but then hold each other to the standards those very people have set. hold yourself to the standard of CHRIST, not what anyone tells you His standards are.

Jesus Christ loves you the way you are, and He loves other people the way THEY are. mind your business <3

[500daysofsunny]

Lolol sometimes it’s so funny reading peoples posts about “Mormon” theology that is based on Exmo stories, tradition/culture but not doctrine, and like random statements by some church leader 200 years ago that was not put into doctrine/canonized, or that he was corrected/reprimanded on, and all of us look back on like “well that guy was racist/sexist. Anyways moving on…” like tbh it just makes me laugh. Like I know our theology is a bit different than mainstream Christianity but y’all don’t need to make it sound like we are out here truly believing half the stuff you say about us.

[500daysofsunny]

Obligatory "bad mormons exist" disclaimer but I love us, I love mormons. Cheesy but sincere thought: I love the way we love each other. I love feeling embraced by a ward, I love feeling like the other ward members around me look forward to seeing me, that they make an effort to include me. I love the concerted effort we put towards sincerely fellowshipping. I love ward members who text me to check in or say hi. I love how enthusiastically one senior elder has been waiting for me to try his favorite ice cream place. I love leadership who are awkward but really trying to make conversation so you feel comfortable. When mormons fuck up, they fuck up bad, but when they get it right, it WORKS. Truly the dream at rhe heart of mormonism is a tight community of people socialistically trying to improve each other's lives and idk it just makes me feel really good to see it. There is so much good in us as a community. I just love mormons.

[500daysofsunny]

Happy Restoration Day! Here is my Book of Mormon Testimony

Blessings everyone, I am @not-so-superheroine, and this is my testimony of the Book of Mormon.

I am a convert to the restoration. So the Book of Mormon was new to me. I had heard about it. I had held one before that I saw in the drawer of a Marriot hotel room, I didn’t open it until I took an interest in the Restoration. 

At that time, I was sort of agnostic. I grew up in a mainline protestant denomination but had grown disillusioned. I was introduced to Mormonism through people who were deconstructing from the belief. Naturally, the first things I saw about it were debunking it’s location and historicity. But my mind was being opened to possibilities I hadn’t considered before. When I was younger, it didn’t make sense to me that there would be no more scripture from God. That the author of Revelations could say “that’s it.” for scripture, as I heard some argue. I wondered why God interacted so directly with those in ancient times and why such things wouldn’t occur with us now.  

Eventually, I was curious enough to acquire a Book of Mormon. I was admittedly cautious. I knew what the book said about a “skin of Blackness” and how that had lead to mistreatment of Black and Indigenous persons in different parts of the Latter Day Saint Movement. I was also fairly certain it was a 19th century text. I knew neither of these things discounted the Book as scripture. 

So I went into the scripture without the burden of historicity or author authenticity.  Not to see if the book was “true”, but to seek after the truths within. I approached the text and I looked for the presence of God. I prayed and asked God to guide me in my reading of the scriptures. Millions before me found these precious truths and Divine Inspiration in this book and I thought perhaps, if i went in openly, I could find it myself. 

And did I. And I am glad that I did. 

The Book of Mormon provides further light on issues the Christian community was facing at the time. It seeks to heal and to unify. A theme throughout the scripture and the bringing forth of the Book of Mormon speaks of Continuing Revelation. The heavens were open then and are open now. From what I learned, there is no reason why God wouldn’t provide us further light or would limit who God delivers Divine knowledge too. In fact, I learned that God does just that. It’s just up to us to ask, listen, and discern. 

The Book has also strengthened my relationship with my Creator. When I was a child, I thought deeply about, and questioned, the theology and doctrine I was taught in Sunday School. Sometimes this questioning was not always welcomed. I learned that for some, Ignorance is preferable to doubt. That doesn’t work for me. The Book of Mormon encourages me to be a diligent seeker. My time spent studying the Book of Mormon has been filled with questions. Questions without shame that I encourage to seek after God’s truth. 

Much like Nephi, I Was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God to all those who diligently seek him, as well in times of old as in the time that he should manifest himself to the children of men; for he is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

(more from 1 Nephi 3) 29 For he that diligently seeks shall find; 30and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded to him by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in this time as in times of old; 31and as well in times of old as in times to come.

This scripture inspires me and shows me that God wants me to seek after God’s mysteries and the mysteries in the universe God created for us. That thought is absolutely liberating. We should not fear knowledge, God wants us to grow and understand. And my faith is stronger now with this understanding. Questioning and Seeking is needed for spiritual growth.

I find the Book of Mormon to be empowering in reminding me of my moral agency, encouraging me to grow my faith, and work with God to hone my Spiritual gifts to be used in service to the Divine and to my community. The Book of Mormon affirms the Living Christ, Christ’s love for all humankind, no matter where and who they are, and that people of all nations receive light from the Divine and are a part of God’s sacred story. And there is so much more. The Book of Mormon speaks to me about the effects of poverty and addressing wealth inequity. This matches with Christ’s mission to tend to the poor. The Book of Mormon goes into how we should live amongst each other and on building sacred community, on how to be Zion as a people. There are so many lessons packed in there that I believe God wants us to ponder on and to take action with. The Book of Mormon is responsible for changing the way I read and apply sacred scripture to my life. This has changed my life for the better and changed my life outlook. I see myself as an active part of God’s plan carrying out Christ’s mission. 

I thank God for the Restoration

I thank God for continuing revelation and the Book of Mormon

And I thank God for my community, the people of Zion

[500daysofsunny]

[500daysofsunny]

sometimes i see things on this website that remind me that our concept of angels is wildly different from most people's

[500daysofsunny]

Hoo boy come follow me for institute this week is a landmine

[500daysofsunny]

is he... you know, 𐐘

[500daysofsunny]

I recently got the Oxford "Annotated Book of Mormon" from the Library, and I love it

Reading "Come, Follow Me" this week, I found an interesting polarity "Faith-Skepticism"

In Alma 30, we read about Korihor, in 31, the Zoramites. And, in the original chapters, 30 & 31 were in the same chapter, indicating a connection between them

Korihor represents Extreme Skepticism (yes, I know, he never disbelieved, but that was his philosophy), while the Zoramites exhibit Blind Faith

This may be controversial, but Skepticism isn't a bad thing. God created us as rational beings, to think about things. He didn't create rationality so we could ignore it. Science is rooted in skepticism (I'm not sure if this is right, so I'll test it vigorously)

Skepticism is only negative when it prevents one from actually applying Faith. The Lectures on Faith make it very clear that Faith is an Action, not merely a belief. Next Week, we read one of the most important sermons in the Book of Mormon (Alma's Parable of the Seed). He makes it clear that we can only see the affects of the seed if we nurture it, and let it grow

Many Scientists were also Men of Faith (such as Heisenberg, or Newton). Even those who weren't religious didn't outright deny the possibility. For example, Darwin was active in his Church while writing "On the Origin of Species," said until his death he didn't know if God was real or not, but wasn't going to assume he's not there (and he once told a group of atheists that it was folly to say God didn't exist, because you can't know)

The idea of Science being anti-god is only so popular nowadays because of people such as Dawkins, who (like all too many people, religious & atheistic) don't understand what Faith actually is

On the other hand, there is Blind Faith. The Zoramites had faith, that is for sure. The Zoramite Prayer only consists of Thanks, and no requests. But what did that Faith lead them to? It led them to Pride (we're unconditionally saved, you're unconditionally damned). It led them to neglect & even condemn the poor (similar to the "Seed Faith" we see, especially with Televangelists). It eventually led them to War, because of their blind hatred for an "other" they had created (which is sadly too common in the Modern Church, be it with the LGBT Community, Liberals, or even Beards (yes, there is a story behind that. And yes, I do have a glorious beard))

So, what did Mormon want us to learn? We have 1% of the records he had, and even then, they're abridged. Everything in the Book of Mormon has a reason to be there.

I think he wanted us to acknowledge that humans have Polarity inherent in us. We have to learn how to balance that polarity if we are going to be healthy & happy. We can't let either Skepticism or Faith lead us. We need to test the "Seed of Faith," and see if it is good. We can't let Faith overrule us (and inadvertently let Wicked Seeds infest us), and we can't let Skepticism overrule us (refusing to test any seeds)

If we see a beggar on the street, Skepticism can lead us to help him ("what's God going to do for him"). If we are that beggar, Faith can allow us to accept the charity they need ("God sent that person to help, so I'll accept their help"). These are two opposing forces, but they both lead to God's Will being done (charity being given). We need to learn how to balance, and when to express each attribute

[500daysofsunny]

in the fast sunday sacrament meeting. straight up sharing it. and by it i mean.. haha well let's just say.. my testimony

[500daysofsunny]

why are people all like "plan of happiness" and "men are that they might have joy" and "god wants us to be happy" until its about queer people and then suddenly "its not about being happy"

[500daysofsunny]

Obligatory "bad mormons exist" disclaimer but I love us, I love mormons. Cheesy but sincere thought: I love the way we love each other. I love feeling embraced by a ward, I love feeling like the other ward members around me look forward to seeing me, that they make an effort to include me. I love the concerted effort we put towards sincerely fellowshipping. I love ward members who text me to check in or say hi. I love how enthusiastically one senior elder has been waiting for me to try his favorite ice cream place. I love leadership who are awkward but really trying to make conversation so you feel comfortable. When mormons fuck up, they fuck up bad, but when they get it right, it WORKS. Truly the dream at rhe heart of mormonism is a tight community of people socialistically trying to improve each other's lives and idk it just makes me feel really good to see it. There is so much good in us as a community. I just love mormons.

[500daysofsunny]

I rarely use this account and just came back to a bunch of church reblogs

Tumblr is such a safe space because ohhh boy was I expecting a whole load of hate. I'm a queer convert Mormon girl and I get it from every end of the spectrum so it was super fun coming on here and seeing people who have the same views and experiences as me.. God loves us all as we are and he made us as we are and he knows and loves that we do what makes us happy even if that's what people like to hate others for. And I know that and I wanted to share that with u all. Anyway I just came back from girls' camp it was awesome

[500daysofsunny]

"Mormons are bad" Sorry that I'm having whimsical fun and doing joyous activities at my church 😢 yay volleyball yayy slime making yayy snacks yay temple visits yay fast and testimony day yay people at my church being very nice to me yayyy book of mormon !! Yay!! Yoohoo!! 😁 ^_^ :3 :DD