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How to Go About Converting to Mormonism

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Related Tags: mormons | church | mormonism | missionaries | christ

Instructions

Make Sure You Agree With Mormon Beliefs

Step 1:
The first thing you should know is that every Mormon is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It's the exact same thing. Look how fast you learn!
It is important that you check out all available resources before you decide that converting to Mormonism is a good idea. For you computer literate readers, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' official web page (see Resources) lists all of the church's stances on controversial issues, such as abortion and homosexuality. Compared to other religions, Mormonism is pretty strict, so you should be aware of some basic beliefs you'll be expected to share.
Accept Joseph Smith as a Prophet
This is a really big one for Mormons, since the whole religion is founded upon his teachings. The story of Joseph Smith is one every convert needs to know. Here's the book-jacket version: At the age of 14, Joseph Smith was confused as to which church he should join. As he was praying for guidance on this decision, he saw a vision in which God, the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him. Rather than joining a church that was already in existence, Joseph was instructed to restore the true church of God. To convert to Mormonism, it is essential that you accept this vision as truth and accept Joseph Smith as a true prophet of God.
Thirteen Articles of Faith
When investigating Mormonism, this should be one of your first stops. Pretty much everything Mormons believe can be found in the Thirteen Articles of Faith, written by Joseph Smith. While any convert under the age of 18 will most likely never have to recite these from memory, it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with these principles. Some beliefs expressed in the Articles are that Mormons do not believe in original sin (Article 2), do believe in modern-day prophets (Article 7) and do believe that the Book of Mormon is the word of God (Article 8). The 13 articles are:
1. We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
2. We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression.
3. We believe that, through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
4. We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
5. We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.
6. We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church--namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists and so forth.
7. We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues and so forth.
8. We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.
9. We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
10. We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the Earth; and, that the Earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.
11. We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where or what they may.
12. We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers and magistrates, in obeying, honoring and sustaining the law.
13. We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul--We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.
Pay a tithing
In a Mormon ward, you'll never see a collection plate being passed around. This isn't because the Church worries about sticky fingers, but rather because most members have already given a tithing. A tithing is a sum of money a member pays that goes to help in the running of the Church. A general rule of thumb is that 10 percent of everything earned should be paid in tithing. Obviously, this varies by person, but you will be expected to contribute something. This goes for all members--even children, who often contribute parts of their allowances. What is all this money used for? While there isn't a specific area to which the money is allotted, much of it goes into a fund used for members who have fallen upon hard times. The Church tends to frown upon accepting welfare from the government. Instead, money received from tithing will be used to help a financially strapped family get back on its feet.
Baptism
Mormons believe in baptism by immersion, which is just a fancy way of saying you'll be dunked from head to toe. Also, a person has to be at least 8 years old before she is eligible to be baptized. The reason for this rule is to make baptism a decision of the individual and not of his parents. Once a person has decided to be baptized, she will have to meet with a bishop for an interview session. The purpose of this meeting is to make sure you have good reasons for wanting to convert, and aren't just looking for a way to drive your parents crazy. While baptisms can vary, some general rules must be followed: The baptism is performed by an "Elder" (these need not be old people--in the case of converts, it is usually the missionary who introduced them to Mormonism), and at least two Mormons must witness the event.
Body as a temple
Mormons believe that the physical body is sacred and shouldn't be contaminated. This means no alcohol, no tobacco in any form, no use of recreational drugs and no caffeine (e.g. tea or coffee). While Mormons don't have to be vegetarians, they are encouraged to eat meat sparingly.
Another way Mormons show respect for their bodies is through conservative dress. Anything "revealing" is frowned upon, so now would be a good time to donate your hot pants and Speedos to the Salvation Army. These restrictions are often difficult to adjust to, but you will be expected to uphold them, especially if you are planning a trip to the temple.
While the above beliefs are very important in Mormonism, they are by no means all-inclusive. Like all religions, Mormonism has many levels that can only be understood through effort on your part. Conversion isn't for the lazy. You'll be expected to attend services, participate in Church activities and meet with the missionaries before you're allowed to be baptized. Oh, and don't be alarmed if, at meetings, members refer to you as Brother or Sister So-and-so. They don't think you're a long-lost relative; they just use the terms as signs of familiarity.

Read the Sacred Texts

Step 1:
Go ahead and admit it. You've seen the commercials for the Book of Mormon and always kind of wondered what they were talking about. Well, if you're serious about converting, now would be a good time to order a free copy. While Mormons use many aids in the teaching of their religion, there are four texts you must read to understand the fundamentals of Mormonism. Combined, these books make up the sacred texts of Mormonism. They are:
King James Version of the Bible
Book of Mormon
Doctrine and Covenants
Pearl of Great Price
King James Version of the Bible
Yes, Mormons do believe in The Bible. This is a frequent question you'll be asked, so be prepared to answer it. (We'll get back to some other questions you'll be asked later.) For now, you should know that Mormons believe The Bible to be the Word of God. However, they also recognize that errors could have been made when The Bible was being translated.
Book of Mormon
People usually consider this to be the "Bible" of the Mormon church. In truth, it is another testament of Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon tells of the prophecies of Christ and explains how Christ revealed himself in the New World after his resurrection. The history of The Book of Mormon goes something like this: Decades before Joseph Smith was born, a prophet named "Mormon" wrote the prophecies down on Golden plates. Many years later, Joseph Smith was given these plates to translate. Joseph Smith was never formally educated, so Mormons point to his ability to translate these plates into texts as a sign that the book was inspired by God.
Doctrine and Covenants
The Doctrine and Covenants book is a series of 138 revelations from God. As Mormons believe in modern prophets, this book can be updated depending upon new revelations from God. For example, in 1890, then-Prophet Wilford Woodruff received a revelation reversing the Church's stance on polygamy. Rather than taking a series of wives, a man was now instructed to have only one wife, so as to be in accordance with the laws of the land. What does this mean? It means that Mormons no longer practice polygamy.
Pearl of Great Price
Pearl of Great Price contains revisions to the King James Version of The Bible (revisions based upon divine revelations from God). This book also contains a listing of other names Jesus Christ may be known by, such as Beloved Son, Lord, Lord God and Messiah.
Before joining the Church, you will be asked to read all of these works, especially The Book of Mormon. You will also be asked to pray for an answer as to whether The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the true Church. Once you receive your answer (take a wild guess what it is), you take another step toward converting.

Find a Couple of Good Missionaries

Step 1:
If you're like most people, you've probably encountered Mormon missionaries and didn't even know it. They're the people you see in suits traveling in pairs, going door-to-door spreading the gospel. Anyone who has been baptized can become a missionary, though they usually tend to be young men and women ages 18 to 24.
The life of a missionary is not an easy one. Men and women volunteer to spend 2 years away from their families, and have little (if any) control over where they are sent. Missionaries live in sparse conditions and pay for everything themselves throughout their missions. Given that they are always expected to be in church attire and have little access to entertainment, you might think that missionaries wouldn't be like most other young people. Don't worry: They're not boring, humorless people. In fact, most missionaries tend to be very outgoing, as they have to approach (often hostile) strangers day in and day out.
Before converting, you'll want to check into the missionaries available in your area. The easiest way to do this is to call the local Mormon Church and request a meeting with the missionaries (or, if you ordered your free copy of The Book of Mormon online, you can have missionaries deliver it to you personally). The missionaries will then come to your home and teach you lessons of the gospel upon which the Mormon Church is based. If at any time you decide Mormonism isn't for you, simply tell the missionaries. Don't worry: They won't rough you up. Instead, they'll simply thank you for your time. One word of warning though: There aren't formal schools for missionaries, so some of their opinions may not be exact church doctrine. If anything sounds strange to you, verify it through the ward's bishop. Missionaries like to answer questions, so never be afraid to ask.

Understand the Role of Family

Step 1:
So you've done a ton of research (See? We told you it was important) and you keep coming across all of these proclamations about family. Mormons are focused on family. It's that simple. The roles of the family are clearly defined to new members:
* Men are the spiritual head of the household and are responsible for financially providing for the family.
* Women are considered the moral backbone of the family and are expected to care for the children. That's no small feat, since many Mormon families form their own baseball teams.
Now, before the feminist readers get ticked off, the Church makes it clear that a husband and wife are equal partners. The Church also instructs Mormon families to spend at least one evening a week together, for what is creatively called "Family Home Evening." While these evenings are not structured by the Church, most families use this time to play games, listen to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and do genealogy (a very popular Mormon pastime). It's very Beaver Cleaver-esque, but Mormons believe it helps keep a family bonded.
Another way the family is emphasized is through practices that can only occur at a Mormon temple. Mormon families believe that, by going to the temple, they can make and keep sacred covenants that will allow a family to be sealed together. This means that, even in death, a family will remain together. It is very difficult to get a sealing reversed, so even if a husband and wife ultimately divorce, there is no guarantee that the Church will break the seal. Sealing is a very serious practice in the Mormon Church and, like baptism, should never be undertaken as a whim.

Be Prepared to Deal With Prejudice

Step 1:
As a Mormon, you should be fully prepared to tackle people's questions. However, you should never be expected to accept bigotry. Unfortunately, Mormonism seems to attract adamant detractors in large numbers (with entire books written about how to scare approaching missionaries away from your house). The best way to deal with people who challenge your faith is to be well-informed. Aren't you glad you did all that research before converting? The Church has taught that violence is not an answer to any verbal attacks to which you may be subjected.
Now, don't panic: Being Mormon isn't like signing up for battle. You won't have to be on guard 24/7, but it is helpful to know the answers to some common questions:
Q: I've heard that Mormons believe that water is of the Devil. So are they forbidden to swim?
A: Mormons can swim. (Well, if they learn how...otherwise, they sink.)
Q: Do Mormons believe they are gods?
A: Mormons believe they are the spirit children of God and that they came to this Earth to learn.
Q: Do Mormons believe in the Trinity?
A: No. Mormons believe in God, the Father; his son, Jesus Christ; and in the Holy Ghost. They believe that these are separate entities.
Q: Do Mormons plan to overthrow other religions?
A: No. Mormons expect to have religious freedom and believe that right should extend to other religions as well.
We hope you now have a better idea what being Mormon is all about. Read, research and ask as many questions as possible.
If you have more questions about Mormonism, find answers on Answerbag (see Resources).