LDS Member-missionary question: We are counseled to be member missionaries. What of those who reject it?

Question

For example, when I was a very new convert I tried to share my beliefs with my family. They are Christian, but didn't just say, "No, we don't believe what you're saying." but they said, "No, we don't believe what you're saying, and we don't believe you know what you're saying. We don't want it even discussed in our presence." They rejected the message, and almost the messenger.
Since all who haven't had the opportunity to hear the Gospel on earth will have the opportunity to hear it on the other side, wouldn't it have been better if I had never said anything to my family? I mean, what's the point of risking someone's eternal future? If they hear it here, and don't accept it, but accept it on the other side, they aren't eligible for the Celestial Kingdom anyway, right? So what's the point? At least if they accept it on the other side without ever having heard it here, they could attain the Celestial Kingdom. Members, what do you think?

Those who are not LDS: You can answer, but the question is really an LDS question.

I'm happy with just planting seeds. I feel comfortable doing that. But what of my family. Yes, they will be able to hear the Gospel again, but as I understand the relevant sections of D&C, they won't have the opportunity for the Celestial Kingdom because they heard it here and didn't accept it. They'll be eligible for the Telestial and Terrestrial, but not the Celestial. And if (and I'm not assuming I will be, but if) I qualify for the Celestial Kingdom, and we somehow get sealed together, I won't be able to see them because they'll be in one kingdom and I in another, right?

Thanks rac.

Answer 1

Good question and I am happy to help you. The essential question is when have they "heard the message". Your family has not heard the message yet. In order to make an educated, intelligent choice to accept or reject the Gospel, you have to hear, learn and understand before you can say yes or no. Your family is like my mother's family. When my mother was baptized, the rest of her family were very upset. They have tried over the years to "save" her from those awful Mormons. Eventually they gave up because they realized that Mom was not going to be swayed from her belief. They also realized that we weren't as bad as their churches said we were. On the other hand, we have continued to talk to them about what we do in Church and endeavor to interest them in our message. They have been nearly as adamant in their position as we have been in ours. Will they ever join the Church in this life? Probably not. Will we stop talking about it? No. Have they heard enough, learned enough or understand enough to have already made their choice to accept or reject? I think not. Their minds have been so closed these many years that they still have not learned or understood enough to make that decision. Therefore, they are not condemned to a lesser kingdom. They will hear the message on the other side and they will accept it because they will realize that we knew what we were talking about. My grandparents and the three oldest sons have all passed away. Mom has done the temple work for them and has felt spiritual reassurance that they have accepted that work.
Don't give up. Continue to be a good family member and show forth your love for them as Jesus would want you to do. Don't be obnoxious with your efforts to teach them the Gospel but you don't have to apologize for what you believe either. Talk to them matter-of-factly about what you are doing as part of your casual conversation. This will tweak their curiosity and interest on some level or other. Mention your family history work, your cannery assignments or whatever else you're involved with doing. Talk about your membership visits and church callings. They will eventually realize that the Church has made you a better person and that maybe there is something to this belief system that they did not realize before. They will soften. Have faith and continue to move forward. Pray for them and for yourself and the Spirit will direct you as to what you should do to help your family.
Love, Rex

Answer 2

You are looking at it a little too judgemental...how do you really know what their "chance" is to hear it here on the earth? You don't and none of us do. That is why we are supposed to share our testimony. If they don't want to hear it, don't push it on them. The BEST thing you can do if they are not interested is just be an example.
I have found that most Christians have so much against the Mormons or LDS church because that is what they are taught. They never listen to any of the GOOD of the church, they and their pastors just focus on what they think is wrong with the church. Most people who say "oh the Book of Mormon contradicts the Bible have NEVER EVEN READ IT" they are just going on what others say...

So anyways, good luck and like I said, just be an example and if they become interested, help them all you can. If not, just pray for them and be an example. Thats about all you can do.
My own personal belief is the people who don't accept it here most likely will not after this life, so it would be better if they did here.

Answer 3

I don't know that if people don't accept it here but accept it on the other side aren't eligible for the Celestial Kingdom. We can't really judge if people have received enough knowledge and testimony to be kicked out of the Celestial Kingdom forever. I think this issue came up in the misson field and our mission president told us to not judge and that we can't "dust our feet."

Just do your best to share the gospel. Maybe leave the subject aside with your family for a while, and see if the spirit prompts you to share it later if or when they're ready.

Answer 4

the conception of each and every Member a Missionary in basic terms ability that as LDS contributors we may be able to or might want to face as a witness of Christ in our daily lives and testify each and every time we may be able to of the truths that we've come to carry close & believe are authentic. it is appropriate to all who've such an affidavit of those truths. It doesn't advise we'd want to continually all be going out and serving a 2 year challenge overseas like the more youthful 19 year old youthful adult males do.... it signifies that on a daily basis we do stand as an get mutually of both solid or evil by technique of ways we stay our lives because for some reason human beings DO seem at mormons LDS and how they stay, what they say, what they do or fail to do more advantageous than they seem to be conscious others of different faiths. SO it applies to all persons, even if we adore it or no longer.

Answer 5

There is always so much more to sharing the Gospel than meets the eye. Sometimes it has to come in a very different format from what you think it should be. Sometimes you just have to wait and see what life experiences will bring to people until they are more open-minded. I have heard that it takes at least 7 invitations to warm up someone to even think of coming to a church activity. But that is probably the average. So it might be 1 or 2 invitations for some people, and 700 invitations for another. Those 700 invitations might not be spoken. It might be as simple as being a good example for a few years until things start to change. It's timing for everybody as well. I know people who are the only members in their family for years. Don't give up, but don't be in a hurry. Some people have to come at the Gospel after a life-changing experience, some have to come at it through months or years of study, some have to learn other principles first, and the most important thing is to go where your blessings are. Here is a scripture that might give you hope: John 18:9, where Jesus Christ is trying to emphasize what His mission in life is (the Atonement): "That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none." At some point in time all people in the world will find the Gospel of Jesus Christ so appealing that unless they have deliberately chosen to follow Satan, all of them will come unto Christ. It is comforting to know that God does not want to lose any of His children, and Jesus Christ is also 100% dedicated to the same cause. We just have to trust in the mercy and patience of God and let Him take care of the education of His children on His own timeline, but keep being good examples. Have a happy day.

Answer 6

I'd say that I left the Catholic Church because of that exact question....Even if that whole concept is true (which I don't believe it is), I know that I would never, ever want to worship a god who puts people into jeopardy....at least the LDS don't think that someone who doesn't get into the Celestial Kingdom is going to inherently qualify for eternal torture; but personally, I think that you've asked yourself a very good question. My suggestion is to think long and hard about what YOU think about it.

Answer 7

If they didn't hear about it from you, they would have heard it from somebody else. Sooner or later, everyone will have a chance to learn about the gospel. Personally I think everyone recieves multiple chances. Just because your family was hostile, doesn't mean they can't change in the future. It was better that you began the process.

Answer 8

Sometimes you are just planting seeds. This will not be their only chance to hear the gospel.

Answer 9

As a former LDS missionary, I spent two years trying to convert other people to a religion I wasn't even sure of myself. When I got back from my mission, I left the church for good, started using my brain to reason instead of taking what church leaders told me at face value...and my life is much better for it.
If being LDS brings you comfort and happiness, that's good for you. However, you really need to look carefully at what you converted to, in order to understand why many others want no part of it. Your religion was started by a man who was a treasure hunter, who told people's fortunes by putting magic stones in a hat and looking into it, and was always looking for a new con to pull on people. He claimed to be visited by god, find golden plates, translate them from an unknown language by the use of more magic stones, and present a whole new history of people in America to the world, as well as restoring the "true" gospel of jesus. His "true" gospel included plural marriage, strange temple rituals based on masonic rites and that include "ways that death can be taken" if you reveal them to the outside world, concepts of gods once being men and men becoming gods, spiritual sex with resurrected bodies in heaven (with multiple wives) to make spirit babies, etc. His church refused to allow blacks to hold the priesthood because they bore "the mark of Cain" and were cursed, until the late 1970's when suddenly they were no longer cursed. I could go on and on...

Basically, it's strange even by fundamentalist christian standards, and to non-believers it's completely illogical. The "history" told in the book of mormon bears no resemblance to REAL history of the peoples of the americas as science has outlined it. There's no evidence to back any of it up, and to many people it's clear that the whole thing was just Joseph Smith's best con ever, the only one that really worked out for him.

Hey, I was deceived too. I grew up a mormon and did a mission, and it wasn't until I went through the temple that the reality of what this religion was hit me, and how illogical it all was began to dawn on me. If you really look at all sides of the history of your church, and use reason, you'll arrive at the same conclusion. Best of luck.

Answer 10

Someone sure did a number on your head. they get an "A" in brainwashing. There is no hell. God would never do that.