Not Mormon but … Mormon-ish?

Welcome! Would love to get your insight and perspective.

Welcome. I look forward to your unique insights.

I am interested in the scripture analyzer you mentioned. Can you share a link?

Welcome — one thing I didn’t get — you said the world gave a pull and you responded. Are you still a member of the church? Do you attend church at all? The answers to those questions in no way affect your fitting in here (many here are less active, some are no longer members), but it helps me understand where you are coming from…

Thanks for the welcomes…Technically, I may still be a member since I didn’t ‘undo’ anything. A year or so ago, I had the thought to see if the previous baptism was still in effect; however. it was half-hearted because I knew I could never be ‘all-in’ – I just very much wanted to be around like-minded seekers and attend study blocks. A couple of years ago, missionary sisters came by three or four times and I visited the stake. Only saw them once more after that.

Speaking of the stake visit…after watching the Joseph Smith video, the sisters and two brothers took me to a corner of the Meeting Room. After a bit, one of the sisters asked me (twice) if I “felt anything”. I hadn’t. But the second time I was asked, my antennae went up and I asked what feeling they were looking for exactly? A light shrug of the shoulders in answer, and we left the area soon after. Knowing that some level of Masonic practices are part of Mormonism, I was curious as to whether there could be a ‘testing area’ of ‘applicants’. Perhaps far-fetched, but if anyone has any thoughts on this experience, I’d appreciate the info. Was it hoped I would experience the ‘burning in the bosom’? Don’t know.

Anyway, after finding this site, I became content with ‘being on the fence’ between the two worlds of spiritual study, so to speak. My ultimate quest is to experience being Filled with Holy Spirit.

Welcome — one thing I didn’t get — you said the world gave a pull and you responded. Are you still a member of the church? Do you attend church at all? The answers to those questions in no way affect your fitting in here (many here are less active, some are no longer members), but it helps me understand where you are coming from…

Thanks for the welcomes…Technically, I may still be a member since I didn’t ‘undo’ anything. A year or so ago, I had the thought to see if the previous baptism was still in effect; however. it was half-hearted because I knew I could never be ‘all-in’ – I just very much wanted to be around like-minded seekers and attend study blocks. A couple of years ago, missionary sisters came by three or four times and I visited the stake. Only saw them once more after that.

Speaking of the stake visit…after watching the Joseph Smith video, the sisters and two brothers took me to a corner of the Meeting Room. After a bit, one of the sisters asked me (twice) if I “felt anything”. I hadn’t. But the second time I was asked, my antennae went up and I asked what feeling they were looking for exactly? A light shrug of the shoulders in answer, and we left the area soon after. Knowing that some level of Masonic practices are part of Mormonism, I was curious as to whether there could be a ‘testing area’ of ‘applicants’. Perhaps far-fetched, but if anyone has any thoughts on this experience, I’d appreciate the info. Was it hoped I would experience the ‘burning in the bosom’? Don’t know.

Anyway, after finding this site, I became content with ‘being on the fence’ between the two worlds of spiritual study, so to speak. My ultimate quest is to experience being Filled with Holy Spirit.

If you didn’t have your name removed and weren’t excommunicated you are still on the records as a member. If you want to find your record a ward clerk can help with that. A good bet is that it’s hanging out at the last place the church knew you lived, but there is a “lost file” maintained at church HQ – they do tend to cycle them back to the last known place, though.

I’m not exactly sure what you’re referring to as the “stake” (there are stakes, of course, but they’re not objects or places). Either way, you didn’t give the missionaries the answer they expected because you were supposed to feel something (from their point of view). Something similar likely happened the very first time or two you met the missionaries, only then you apparently did say you felt something or you likely wouldn’t have progressed to baptism. Essentially, yes, they expected you to have felt the “burning” or some similar manifestation of the Holy Ghost, which does vary from person to person. Telling them you felt nothing stymied them.

tblue, Welcome to the party. You said:

What is bringing me out of lurker mode? A couple of recently read posts that gave me a strong ‘pull’. I know that I don’t have an intimate experience of Mormon life, but I hope you won’t mind if I share where our experiences meet up.

What are the posts the post that gave you the ‘pull’?

Also, an intimate experience of Mormon life is not required here.

It is always good to get new perspectives & experiences.

One was a quote by William James in History and Doc. Discussions, “First Vision – God’s rant about religions”. The other personal experience with the problem Joni describes in her Intro, “Why I’m Here”. Plenty of posts are interesting and make me think, but these pushed me over the edge into wanting to share experience, strength and hope.

For instance, the post on “stupor of thought” – the phrase hadn’t caught my attention before. Did a search and think I get it, and may even have experienced it before. I recalled (more than once ) writing a reply to a topic in an AA group and suddenly no longer knowing where I was going with it, so abandoned the effort. The next day I went back and looked at the draft to try to resurrect the all-important thoughts I was loathe to discard – and saw self-will all through it. Holy Spirit is subtle, but the ‘lessons’ can pack a wallop if I’m willing to heed and see. It’s just nice to have a phrase, now, to express that kind of experience. At least that’s my take-away, thus far, and will look for other applications.

Knowing that some level of Masonic practices are part of Mormonism, I was curious as to whether there could be a ‘testing area’ of ‘applicants’. Perhaps far-fetched, but if anyone has any thoughts on this experience, I’d appreciate the info. Was it hoped I would experience the ‘burning in the bosom’? Don’t know.

There is no testing ground really for new members, although they do like you to attend church once before baptism and also be able to answer questions in a baptismal interview about your level of belief in the major doctrinal ideas in our religion. You also have to have taken the discussions. Most missionaries and bishops want to know you have a testimony. They believe this testimony comes from that burning in the bosom or from strong spiritual feelings that comes from being “filled with the Spirit”. Although you will find that missionaries and Bishops will vary on just how much of a spiritual experience you need to have had before they believe you have a testimony. Ultimately, it’s the missionaries and Mission Presidents’ call whether you have that testimony or level of belief to be baptized, although Bishops do interview potential new members at some point before or after baptism.

Feeling the spirit is the subjective litmus test of the truth of the gospel to most missionaries, mission presidents and Bishops.

So that is why they asked you those questions. It sounds like they didn’t think you felt anything or had testimony — that was why they shrugged their shoulders and didn’t proceed. Maybe they didn’t know how to handle the situation where people see the videos or have a spiritual experience and report feeling nothing, so they stopped trying? Mileage varies depending on the member or missionary…

The rod of iron was seen in a vision/dream and like so many things in Mormonism is symbolic. It is kind of a cool story, often taken too literally IMO. Most members would probably tell you the iron rod represents the scriptures, and perhaps even specifically the Book of Mormon, due to the explanation in 1 Nephi 11:25 that it is the “word of God.” Others might take it a bit more broadly and include both church and personal revelation and/or keeping the commandments. An alternative interpretation might see it as the Word of God (Jesus Christ), or following the Savior (only a very small minority probably holds such alternative views). Of note in the vision (1 Nephi , neither Lehi nor Sariah, Sam and Nephi seemed to use the rod to reach the tree and Lehi doesn’t mention seeing it until after Laman and Lemuel would not come to eat the fruit and he saw others on the path, some of whom did use the rod.

We don’t claim to be able to control the Spirit so as to have it in a specific spot at a specific time, however most members believe the Spirit can be invited by things such as hymns, retelling the Joseph Smith story, bearing testimony (witness) or otherwise being “righteous” and conversely the Spirit won’t reside in places where sin is taking place. I do believe we can do things to make our place conducive to the Spirit, but I don’t think the Spirit is restricted and won’t necessarily go certain places – the Spirit is (a) God after all. In full disclosure, I also don’t believe the church or members have any sort of monopoly on the Spirit (but many members think we do).