Dianne Hanks – Queen of Makeovers

Ask Me: “Puzzled Beyond Point of Believing”

Good day to you BookofMormonReader, I hope you are doing fine. Since I do not like to beat around the bush I will ask you the questions that have been on my mind for a long time. First I wish to tell you I am a sinner, and a Catholic, and I never go to church anymore. I do believe strongly in the Lord God, his son Jesus Christ and also I pray veryday to them and to the Holy Virgin Mary. I hope to gewt old enough to still do a lot of things the Lord approves, because I know I have done so many unrightfull and sinfull things
Now at the age of 48 my faith is only growing stronger, but I have these unanswered questions on my mind, and have long wondered where and or from who to find the answers. How can I believe that what is said in our modern/day Bible is truly all the Lord wants us to read and know, and how do I know that it is te right interpretation .How do you know or feel for sure that the Book of Mormon is the truth, and why not the Bible – my questionmarks are not available, keyboard acting up, maybe a sign…do not question the Truth…For instance it seems that scientists have discovered the Gospel of Thomas, and presumably the Vatican was not happy about this discovery.Could you at least give me a link to the best online Book of Mormon available and try to explain to me why you are a devout Mormon?is that the same as the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints ? See, found my question-mark now. Be assured, though I have the same name as the doubtfull apostel, I have no doubt in the believe in the omni-presence of the Lord and Jesus Christ. I recovered from a 28/year long marihuana/addiction recently- clean and sober and happy now for 102 days now- and have no doubt Who helped me there. Sorry to take up so much time, but I would very much appreciate some guidance. May the Lord bless you, be safe and sincere greetings from ToM

Hi Tom,

Doubting or not, haha, you are God’s glorious creation and loved infinitely by Him–of that I am certain. Everything else is superfluous to that. Here’s why–if there’s distance between you two, YOU put it there. He will do everything to bridge the distance, so consider it a compliment all the wretched feelings you’ve had concerning your desire to do better. First of all you’re a sinner? No, first of all, you’re a son of God. We’re ALL sinners, that’s why we need a Saviour, Jesus Christ. I’m a sinner too.

So, good day to you, too, Tom, and yes, I am doing well. I’ve been better and I’ve been worse; I continue to sojourn along life’s path of thorns like the rest of my fellow travelers, of which you are one. That being said, not sure I’m the one to answer your questions, but perhaps I can point you to some resources that I have felt most grateful for along my path.

The scriptures are what the Lord wants us to have as a roadmap back to His presence, I’m sure He has more for us, but think of how many souls don’t even read those. A guy in church this week said that on the Tonight Show, Leno went out on the street and found people who didn’t know who Moses was, they just said, “The guy that parted the Red Sea” HELLO, it was MOSES. Anyway, the shortest distance from questions of truth to a confirmation of their divinity is a straight line on your knees and pray directly to your Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ. Ask Him your questions.

Your issue of correct translation is a valid one, the very reason our church has deemed the King James Version the closest to the truest translation, we do believe it to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly. Joseph Smith, the modern day prophet who restored the church in these latter days, through revelation, prepared corrections to the translation, including omissions, which are available in the LDS version of the scriptures. Designing men deliberately took out parts of the Bible, so I’m grateful for this resource.

The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ from records found in the Americas, which support all the truths of God’s law and takes them to another level. I study the Bible, too and love it. All things have been testified of and are coming true as time passes, the prophets are real, and we continue to receive revelation today through living prophets, why would God change His pattern of communicating? He didn’t. We still have living prophets today.

As for The Book of Mormon, my opinion or testimony of it was forged in hours of study, years probably, and witnesses of the Holy Spirit confirming its truths about Jesus Christ. I simply asked God if it was true as admonished to in Moroni 10:4 where it simply states, ” And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.” Children of light recognize it when they see it and the Lord will not withhold it from a seeker, that is what He wants for us– to come unto Him.

The link I used to do my online reading, sort of like a poorman’s teleprompter was this: http://scriptures.lds.org/en/bm/contents.

Mormon is the same as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, excellent question.

Congratulations on your overcoming of addiction, that is not an easy thing to do-to escape the enslaving bonds of addiction, perhaps that is the reason you are being guided towards a greater light, that you are taking steps towards the real you; free and ready to be used by the Lord to become your highest self–a worthy goal. Indeed.

I saved the toughest, or most special, unique-to-me question for last: “Why are you a devout Mormon?” Any other Mormon could have answered those other questions, including the 24/7 chat online at that link I sent, but this question is only for me.

Although I consider my testimony sacred and personal to me, I have found such strength in hearing others’ testimonies of why THEY are devout Mormons, that perhaps mine can be used to prick your heart and enlighten your own inquiring mind. It’s clear to me that you have been led divinely to where you are in life, and I am no different. I have been gifted with a believing spirit and a receptive heart, I don’t find it illogical or ridiculous to believe in Jesus Christ, prophets, prophecies in the least. Indeed, most of those have been fulfilled and proven true, the rest will through time also be proven true, but then they will be facts, not faith that prove that.

The Lord requires faith and sacrifice from His disciples. Your namesake, Thomas, is the quintessential example of that principle. He believed only AFTER he saw and felt with his hands and eyes. Well, that requires no faith at that point, for it was sure knowledge once he thrust his hand into the Lord’s nailprints and kissed his feet. Jesus Christ said how much more blessed is he who believes and doesn’t see (requiring faith). Although I have not personally seen or touched Jesus Christ with my physical eyes or hands, He is as real to me as my living earthly father who I can go hiking with and eat dinner with. My other sense of spiritual discernment is just as sharp as my other senses. I have felt His influence, His spirit, indeed His loving arms in my depths of sorrow and deepest moments of despair. I know He lives. I know He loves me. I know that He wants us to love and care for each other and lift one another with our gifts in life.

That being said, I know that Satan is real also, for the same reasons. All of what has been taught by the prophets and foretold has come true and is coming true. The MORMON aspect of truth is validated with a priesthood lineage dating back to Peter, James, and John, who received their priesthood ordination from Jesus Christ Himself. I don’t know how to get it more straight from the source than that. Every origin of church has its beginnings, and if it’s the Lord’s church, it stands to reason that He would be the founder of it. Since most religions are branches of others, they would therefore be eliminated in my mind as to their validity.

That is not to say that they aren’t good, or full of lovely people, or that they don’t do good things with a good intent, I’m sure many do, that is only to say that they haven’t been authorized to by Jesus Christ Himself as The Church of Jesus Christ has. Once you know it’s true then, how can you deny it? I can’t, to do so would be folly and fatal for me. I know too much to ever be happy without it, even though its practice in my daily life may seem burdensome to some. I consider it an honour and a blessing that my Heavenly Father cares so deeply about everything in my life that He has given counsel about all areas in my life: including what to eat, wear, listen to, drink, think and how to treat other people. The commandments are the most loving gift from Him, they are not restrictive as many people believe, they are liberating.

People who break commandments have only to note how they feel about themselves when they do damage [sin] to self or to others–all of us have the Light of Christ within us and know inherently what’s right and what’s NOT. We get bogged down with horrible feelings of self-disgust, shame, guilt–all the playground for Satan’s tactics to distract us from striving towards our Father in Heaven.

I hope if nothing else, you will feel my spirit and hear my heart and know that I am not plagued with lunacy, but that I have used my most intelligent being to choose to follow my Saviour and be a member of His church. I have made covenants to build up His kingdom using my time and talents with which He has blessed me with, which is how you found me. God has a bigger plan for most of us if only we will offer ourselves as a vessel for Him. I stand all amazed at what He has done in my own life, and continues to do, let alone the countless others who offer their souls for Him. I only hope I can strive to overcome my own temptations and weakness that I can continue to be worthy to be used as a beacon of light for Christ’s sake. I am and will forever be indebted to Him for His most unselfish gift of sacrifice and atonement for all mankind, including me.

May the Lord bless you as well, Thomas. Loved and lovable are you, as are all of God’s children. Thank you for having the courage and humility to ask what you did. I hope by my response that you can tell I responded in kind.

Warmly,

Dianne
AKA BookofMormonReader
http://diannehanks.com