Mary – Ex-Mormon

.:MARY O.

 I was drawn to the Mormon religion because it had answers to the questions I was asking. Its answers seemed logical and something I could wrap my life around. The religion was very structured and that suited my personality quite well. My husband and I were sealed in the temple. For at least 13 of my 15 years as a Mormon, I carried and regularly used my temple recommend. At one point, I even served as the Stake Young Women’s President, but when I got divorced, the Church excommunicated me. Then God got my attention, and I became a true adopted child of God.

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As a child I attended a Baptist elementary school K-6, and attended church there as well. I continued attending Christian churches until I was a young adult, at which time I was introduced to the Latter-day Saints (LDS) religion.

I was drawn to the LDS religion because it had answers to the questions I was asking. Its answers were logical and something I could wrap my life around. The religion was very structured and that suited my personality quite well.

As a natural-born “wanna be,” I climbed the LDS ladder as quickly as they would allow. My husband and I were sealed in the temple one year after our baptism. For at least 13 of my 15 years as a Mormon, I carried and regularly used my temple recommend. At one point, I even served as the Stake Young Women’s President.

When I got divorced from my second husband, my life fell apart in every possible way and I fell into sin. I was excommunicated from the Church in 1987 and they told me that my sin was greater because I had been to the temple. For the following 14 years, I avoided all contact with organized religion and kept a wide distance between God and myself.

Then in 2001, God captured my attention. At that time, I was trying to climb the corporate ladder, just as I had done in the Mormon Church. He showed me that life was not about climbing ladders. In the midst of my own personal self identity crisis, He alone called me to my knees. “Who am I? Where am I going and what am I going to do about it?” These questions rang in my heart. As I confessed my sins, my deep need for Him and submitted all my hopes, dreams and desires to His will, He began a His great and wonderful transforming work within me.

Now I am no longer a “wanna be,” but a true adopted child of God! The one thing I had prayed for my entire life was peace of mind. Oh, praise God! He has filled me with His peace and His love.

God has also given me a heart for the LDS people. The Mormon people are sincere but deceived. My heart’s prayer to the Lord for them is Romans 10:2-3: “For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”

I am taking Bible classes to learn God’s word so that I may become a more effective servant for my King and be used by Him to reach the lost for His glory. My husband and I have been attending a good Bible-believing church for the past three years. God has called me to teach the high school youth of our church. I have only been doing it for a year and have been so richly blessed. In addition to working with the youth, I facilitate women’s Bible studies and am involved in evangelism training.

God has loved me and blessed me and called me to be His own. I was grieved at having been LDS when I realized the blasphemy of their beliefs. He has granted me restoration and now I desperately want to be used by Him to help others come to know the true God of the Bible.

Grateful to serve in His Love, Mary