The Unauthorized Investigator's Guide to
The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints

Lesson 5

Endure to the End

The Missionaries Will Teach...

By living the gospel we grow closer to God and to His Son, Jesus Christ. Our minds and spirits are enlightened with feelings of peace, joy, and love.  Our hearts are changed.  Our spirits become sanctified.  The atonement of Jesus Christ becomes effectual in our lives.

By continuing to obey the gospel, continuing to have faith, continuing to repent, and continuing to renew our covenants through the sacrament, the Holy Ghost becomes our constant companion and guide in life.  If we are true to our covenants and endure to the end, we will be saved.

Occasionally, a few members don't remain fully active in their Church participation.  But enduring to the end is a personal responsibility.  Our responsibility is to work out our own salvation and give love and service to the members who have weak faith and are less active in their church participation.

Some Additional Thoughts...

Since this section raised the issue of the people who choose not to endure membership in the church to the end, I thought it would be nice to share a few links that offer the perspective of this sometimes-maligned group.

Losing My Mind, Bit by Bit by Pam Kazmaier.  Pam recollects her 20 years in the Church and the effects it had on her mental health. 

Marriage, Church, Adultery and Online Recovery.  Discovering the truth, or lack thereof, about the church is, in many ways, analogous to discovering the truth about an adulterous spouse.

When a Loved One Has Let Go of the Iron Rod  by Michael Felix. Allow me, then to offer some advice, from a skeptic's point of view, to all faithful believers who have never had the singular experience of waging a long and losing struggle with doubt.

My Journey to the Truth.  A deep thinker's path.


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If you have a question or would like to discuss these topics, I suggest that you go to a Mormon-related bulletin board (here are some recommendations). If you'd like to contact me with comments or feedback, you may send an email to analytics@lds4u.com.