during some relaxing pool time with my family i became engaged in conversation about miscellaneous things with a stranger. i learned that she is a teacher at the baptists school around the corner. i talked to her about enrollment and how they do excepting outside religions. she responded by saying it is a grueling process of many questions and background check. i then pushed it one question further and asked how a member of the church of Jesus Christ of LDS would be accepted. she very politely answered, 'oh i'm sorry, but they would not be excepted at all.' i was taken back a little and asked, 'well why?', her response was, ' our views on salvation are too different.'
this TOTALLY sparked my interest and i unfortunately did not have a response. oh how i wish i could go back and ask her what she thinks our views of salvation are..... i would be interested to see what her response would be. now i have the information i need to proceed with that conversation.
i went home and looked up the definition of salvation and then i looked up the churches definition of salvation (plan of salvation) and came up with a much more in-depth answer. i also emailed my mother-in-law to tell her about my experience and ask her what the difference between our views and others views are. her answer was simple....
Salvation means different things to different people. The most general term that everyone agrees on is being saved / being able to live in God's presence. The means to get to that point vary. Some people believe that all you have to do is raise your hands, say "I believe" and you're saved. ..in an instant. We believe that by their terms, yea we can say we are saved also because we have faith in Christ. We regard him as our Savior...but the broader meaning for us is 3rd article of faith...
3 We believe that through the aAtonement of Christ, all bmankind may be csaved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
MAY is a key word there...salvation is contingent on our faith in Christ, repentance etc.
4 We believe that the first principles and aordinances of the Gospel are: first, bFaith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, cRepentance; third, dBaptism byeimmersion for the fremission of sins; fourth, Laying on of ghands for the hgift of the Holy Ghost.
Faith in the Atonement of Jesus Christ and in his grace (ability) to do so....is where salvation lies.
Our works prove our intent and improve us but at the end of the day, Christ is the only way and means to salvation (entry in the Lord's kingdom). 2 Ne 25:23
Christ showed us the way of salvation. He said "Come follow me" He sought out John the Baptist, known to have the authority to baptize, explained the importance of that ordinance, he modeled the proper mode (immersion), and then by his life showed the way to live and love deferring to the will of the Father in all things.
i am so grateful that we have this plan and that we have the opportunity to live with heavenly father again as long as we live obediently and follow the commandments! i hope next time i am faced with a 'missionary moment' i will be better prepared!
6 comments:
Shanna, your awesome! That would have taken me off guard too. I taught a missionary lesson in YW on Sunday- and we had that very discussion. It would be great if I had prepared responses - which I need to work on. But even if I had a prepared answer, it's hard to explain and defend something we care so deeply and intimately about. Thanks for the mini lesson!!!!!And....chin up my friend. You will make the best decision for all your kids, especially Jakob. I really admire the sweet mom that you are-really you are much more capable, knowledgeable, talented, ad beautiful than you realize! XoXo
I would add also a saying I heard and think hits the nail on the head, "there are no perfect people in heaven, only forgiven ones." Love, your mother-in law.
I would like to know what the woman thought also. People are mostly wrong regarding our beliefs and go to wrong sources for info..sigh
Great experience. Most members wouldn't even as what you did. I guess it all comes down to WE need to be prepared to answer questions, even very simply.
shanna only you would spark an conversation with a stranger. lol i could never do that and espacially about religion, because i might not be prepared! we had this same dicussion on sunday too in YW.
shanna you need a vacation bring ollie and fly up here. it'll be so fun.
oooh- help find me a good ticket and i will be there so fast!!! the gas to get there is more than the actual ticket!
i love talking to people i don't know, but it is usually because they start talking to me and asking me questions about jakob or about how many kids i have. especially at the pool when all i do is sign to jakob and they are curious about his condition. jakob is an amazing source for making friends!!!
Hi this is Katie from Matie Kay I beleive what it is trying to erase is the 'blog list' which is a new element blogger has added and I don't have that in the html. If you will email me at matiekay@gmail.com and tell me what template you are trying to use I will add the element into the html and then email when I have done so and you can try it out again and see if it says it is going to delete anything. Thanks :)
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