Hi, I'm Searjasub Lopez
I'm a Software Developer, Father of 4, love sports and I was a mormon.
About me
I love computer science and anything tech related. I'm a proud husband and father of 4 little ones, we do have the perfect match since we have boy, girl, boy, girl. We are done with kids as well 😅. I love playing any kind of sport, I do prefer soccer from time to time.
I love playing video games as well. Currently playing Lost Ark, Destiny 2 and Warzone 3.
I was born into the church, my mother was a convert around 26 yo and my father was also born into it although he did had a few years of sabbatical no church (he says his bishop helped him get back to it). I did everything that was expected of a brainwashed kid that didn't know anything else but what the church fed me almost daily. Baptized at 8, did 4 years of seminary, got both "priesthoods", served a mission in Peru Huancayo, and wen't all the way to "get sealed in the temple" with my wife. Also held a variety of positions within the Church.
On my shelf
On the Mormon Spectrum
# Why I left More stories of 'Why I left' the Mormon church
Everything started when my wife and I made a 2021 new year's resolution to get closer to Christ. Also Covid was around so we were not able to attend to church thus leaving us at home reading and learning more about Christ and eventually the church history. As we started to learn more about Christ (reading from the bible more than the book of mormon) we noticed how it seem like we were going to a different direction than the church had taught us.
The breaking point was GRACE. Reading in the book of mormon that Grace only comes "AFTER" all you can do (2 Nephi 25:23), made no sense when the bible is teaching that Grace is a gift (Ephesians 2:8-9) and not a result of our works. The bible also teaches that we don't deserve it but Christ gave it to us and it doesn't matter what we do, we will still have God's grace. Paul is saying in the Bible that our salvation comes COMPLETELY from the grace of God, and is not dependent on works.
After learning this, it started to trickle all the questions we had about the church that were "put up in the shelf". It was hidden right in front of our eyes. A contradiction between the book of mormon and the bible, and a very big one. To illustrate it in simple terms.
Mormons believe in: Faith + Works = Salvation
Christians believe in: Faith = Salvation + Works
After covid was a little bit more calm. We started going to a non-denominational church (at that time we were living in Provo, UT) that was also a key in the reason why we left. SMCC, South Mountain Community Church helped us a lot in deconstructing our faith and build it back again on the true gospel of JesusChrist. We took a few classes about the bible and we learned so much more about our savior and true nature of God.
We learned that there's only one God, eternally existing in three persons - Father, Son (Jesus Christ) and Holy Spirit. Contradictory to mormon beliefs that there are 3 Gods with 1 purpose and that's their view of the trinity.
After almost a year of rewiring our brains from the brainwash caused by the mormon church we took one of the most important steps in becoming a true disciple of Christ. We got baptized!! This time we got baptize into Christ and not any church. Which is contrary to mormon teachings since you have to be baptize to be a member. We used the facilities of another non-denominational church in TN where we lived to perform our baptism. Being baptize and being member of a church are two separate things also contradicting LDS view of baptism.
There's so many thing I've learned about the church that I had no idea I was in the wrong for so long. A few issues previously mentioned are only the tip of the iceberg.
Finally my wife and I decided that after all the fact the mormon church is not true at all and we started our journey as faithful and true Christians.
Questions about Mormons My Answers to Questions about Mormonism
#Link to this answer of 'Did you receive a patriarchal blessing? What did the experience mean to you?' by Sear Did you receive a patriarchal blessing? What did the experience mean to you? See more answers about 'Did you receive a patriarchal blessing? What did the experience mean to you?'
I did, if I remember correctly I was about 16 years old. The experience at that moment was great because you will learn what God has planned for your life and if you remain truthful to the mormon church everything should be accomplished.
This was also a big issue when learning that the mormon church is not true at all. Once I learned that there's one God and as Isaiah 43:10 says: There's no other God, there never has been, and there never will be (NLT) this was shocking to me because my patriarchal blessing said that I was going to be a God and create my own worlds in the afterlife.
So at that point I also realized that the "patriarch" who gave me the blessing had 100% no clue in what Isaiah 43:10 said.
This also led to learn that mormons are actually polytheist. Because they think God was a man like us, this is an actual principle of mormonism taught by president Lorenzo Snow “As man now is, God once was: As God now is, man may be.”
Meaning that when God was a man he probably had his own God, and if that's true then mormons believe in an infinite amount of gods. We get to this eternal regression issue where that God was a man and had a God which was also a man and had a God as well etc....
Also learning how my wife's patriarchal blessing was super vague taught me that is literally whatever the "patriarch" says and believes that's what you get. Plus a sprinkle of whatever conversation you had with him before hand, he will use that too to guide that "blessing"
#Link to this answer of 'Are Mormons Christian?' by Sear Are Mormons Christian? See more answers about 'Are Mormons Christian?'
The answer is simple.100% NO, it's impossible.
Mormonism is not Christian because it denies the basic and essential doctrines of the Christian faith such as the teaching that there is only one God, that God has always been God, and that forgiveness of sins is by faith alone.
Instead Mormonism teaches:
• God is an exalted man from another world and that people have the potential of becoming gods
• Christ is brother of Lucifer and us (since God the father created Christ and us)
• Christ is one of three Gods
Christianity teaches (according to the bible):
• There is only one God in all existence (Exodus 20:1-4; Isaiah 43:10; 44:6,8; 45:5; Psalms 90:2)
• Jesus is divine (John 1:1, 14; 8:24; Col. 2:9) and the creator of everything (including lucifer)
• Forgiveness of sin is by grace alone without works (Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 3:28; 4:1-5)
• The gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (1 Cor. 15:1-4)
So again, nope, Mormons are NOT Christians. Their version of Christ is a totally different one, mormon Christ will not be able to save them (Matthew 7:22-23).
#Link to this answer of 'Has the church been dishonest with its own history?' by Sear Has the church been dishonest with its own history? See more answers about 'Has the church been dishonest with its own history?'
Oh yeah, they always change the church principles to adjust to the current world situation. Also it's pretty much up to the current president of the Mormon church to dictate what's the new standard. There's plenty of examples of this going on throughout church history.
Also the fact that when missionaries teach other people about Mormonism they always leave crucial details outside. "Preach my gospel" does not tell missionaries to share about 30+ wives Smith had and as young as 14 years old, nor the 50+ wives Brigham had. They don't teach you about the actual reason why Smith was killed. Nor that he burned down a press. They don't teach that Joseph Smith was a known treasure digger. All this details are just the tip of the iceberg and will show red flags to anyone trying to join this cult.
So yeah the church is dishonest by not being upfront with everyone, members and not members about their past.
#Link to this answer of 'Is the term Mormon a major victory for Satan?' by Sear Is the term Mormon a major victory for Satan? See more answers about 'Is the term Mormon a major victory for Satan?'
I find this quite funny 😂 a few years back president Hinckley was all about being proud to be called Mormon, there were flyers everywhere saying "I'm Mormon" there was a series about people, there was the website mormon.org similar to wasmormon.org were people will share their experiences.
Fast forward today were president Nelson says that being called Mormon is a victory for Satan? Like are you kidding me. We now have the most clear example of how the church is just about fitting the current president's agenda and disregard whatever previous "prophets" have said.
If you want to look at this funny debate here's the link youtube.com/… or search "A Mormon by any other name..." on youtube.
#Link to this answer of 'Is the Mormon church a cult?' by Sear Is the Mormon church a cult? See more answers about 'Is the Mormon church a cult?'
The word cult is Latin for worship. Webster dictionary defines it as an Orthodox or spurious
the simple answer is Yes, and there are reasons why. First we need to look at the characteristic of all major cults:
• Disbelieve in Jesus Christ is god, they reject the trinity/his Deity (only 1 God).
• The may say good thing about Jesus but undermine his true Deity either lowering him to the level of a man or raising man to his level.
• They believe that ALL Christian churches are wrong.
• They claim to believe the Bible but distort teachings to suit their own view and doctrine. The source of this is usually their leader.
• Denial that people can be saved by faith in Christ alone. i.e. good works.
• Skillful of using Christian terminology but different semantics (bit.ly/…)
As you can see all the characteristic of a cult are present in the mormon church.