Read on Twitter
My thoughts on activity in the church and my experience with it,
A thread:
A thread:
I was born in the church, but between the ages of 13 and 17, I would say that I didn& #39;t believe any of it, and I made every excuse to my parents so that I didn& #39;t have to go. I didn& #39;t believe in God at all during these times. It was about the time I was 17 that I created a Twitter.
At first, like everyone on Twitter, I had no idea how to use it. But I started following people I knew, friends from Facebook, etc. And some of my friends were members of the church.
I discovered a whole world on Twitter called #TwitterStake. Which at the time was a fairly new thing on Twitter. I was intrigued that "Mormons" would have created their own space on Twitter to share testimony and uplift each other. (TwitterStake was about that then).
I decided to linger in TwitterStake, and I met some people. I felt the need to ask them why they believed in God at all, and the answers I got were profound.
These people were just like me. Bullied, pushed around. But they managed to have faith. And I was interested.
These people were just like me. Bullied, pushed around. But they managed to have faith. And I was interested.
Some of these new found friends were soon to leave on missions. And I asked them to share their thoughts and testimony with me on why they were going on a mission. One testimony from a friend (let& #39;s call her Millie) made me feel like I needed the church. So I went that week.
That Sunday was amazing. Every talk was like it was written for me. I felt comfortable. I felt home. And, in an instant, I knew there was a God. And I knew that I had to serve him. I decided to go on a mission.
2 years of preparing later, I left on a mission. On my second day in the mtc, I learned from Elder Bednar a harrowing statistic.
Of every 10 missionaries. 5-6 will eventually go inactive. And 3 of those will leave and never come back.
Of every 10 missionaries. 5-6 will eventually go inactive. And 3 of those will leave and never come back.
How was this possible? How could it be that missionaries, the ones who were most focused on serving God, could fall into apostacy and inactivity?
He shared it was because the lacked charity, and faith.
He shared it was because the lacked charity, and faith.
He shared with us Lehi& #39;s vision of the tree of life, and talked about those who made it to the tree first, but they looked around as if they were ashamed.
He explained that many people live righteous lives but hold jealousy for the lifestyles of non members.
He explained that many people live righteous lives but hold jealousy for the lifestyles of non members.
And that, as they justify their way into partying as the world does, to thinking as the world does, they fall into forbidden paths, and are lost.
This was very sobering to me.
My mtc district all talked about it later. And we all promised that we wouldn& #39;t be the half that goes inactive.
But I was still in disbelief. How could this be that people who testify of Christ every day abandon him?
My mtc district all talked about it later. And we all promised that we wouldn& #39;t be the half that goes inactive.
But I was still in disbelief. How could this be that people who testify of Christ every day abandon him?
Flash forward. I& #39;ve finished my mission. And I come home. After a while I log into Twitter. I find TwitterStake has become full of people who complain against God and the church.
And I find many of my friends, who had helped me come back to the church, have left it.
And I find many of my friends, who had helped me come back to the church, have left it.
Remember millie? She& #39;s left the church and hates it now.
And many of my other friends have gone the same way.
Many of my real life friends have left the church as well. And mission friends of mine. And members of wards back in my mission that seemed so solid and strong.
And many of my other friends have gone the same way.
Many of my real life friends have left the church as well. And mission friends of mine. And members of wards back in my mission that seemed so solid and strong.
I found out so many people left the church. And I couldn& #39;t believe it.
I went around asking many why they had left. And they all left over what seemed like arbitrary reasons to me.
I went around asking many why they had left. And they all left over what seemed like arbitrary reasons to me.
So I stepped back and said to myself, "I will not become inactive. I know God is real".
And here& #39;s something I learned.
And here& #39;s something I learned.
We& #39;re not special.
At least, not in terms of inherent strength to believe and have faith. Like a fire, it has to be built and if you don& #39;t, you will fall.
We are all like Peter, or David, or the young ruler. We all have temptations and we all fail.
At least, not in terms of inherent strength to believe and have faith. Like a fire, it has to be built and if you don& #39;t, you will fall.
We are all like Peter, or David, or the young ruler. We all have temptations and we all fail.
I became lazy for a while. And I found that I started making excuses not to go to church. I was tried. I worked late. I& #39;m not feeling well. I don& #39;t know anyone at church.
I still knew it was true. But I began to go less and less.
I still knew it was true. But I began to go less and less.
I started noticing even on days where I felt fine, I was not going because I decided I just didn& #39;t want to that day.
And I found myself living a life I never wanted to. And I was unhappy.
And I found myself living a life I never wanted to. And I was unhappy.
Well then I had a kid. And I knew I had to be active. I had to be a righteous father for him. I had to be clean so I could take care of him, and bless him daily.
Life is hard. And you& #39;ll find reasons to not go to church if you don& #39;t have the desire. You& #39;ll make excuses to yourself. You& #39;ll lie to yourself.
It is not worth it.
It is not worth it.
Jesus is real, and the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is His church.
And you will find real, lasting joy within it. But you need to work at it. You need to put effort into your faith.
And you will find real, lasting joy within it. But you need to work at it. You need to put effort into your faith.
Going every week is not enough.
Sitting in sacrament meeting is not enough.
You must go and do. You must live your faith every day.
Or you will fall away. I promise you that will happen if you& #39;re not putting Christ first all the time.
Sitting in sacrament meeting is not enough.
You must go and do. You must live your faith every day.
Or you will fall away. I promise you that will happen if you& #39;re not putting Christ first all the time.
Friends, I promise you, no matter what pleasures you can find outside the church, they will not give you lasting joy. They will lead you to the next pleasure, and then to the next, and on and on. You will not find lasting joy and contentment.
You won& #39;t find real happiness behind drugs, behind alcohol, behind one night stands, behind pornography. You won& #39;t find it behind addictions, behind meaningless joys of the flesh.
You will only find happiness, true, lasting happiness, with Jesus as your focus.
I promise you this.
Go to church.
Be the church.
And live with full faith and conviction.
/end.
#DezNat
#churchofjesuschrist
I promise you this.
Go to church.
Be the church.
And live with full faith and conviction.
/end.
#DezNat
#churchofjesuschrist
