A Peaceful Warrior now enters........

Allen, 30 married, wife Chuk Nyion,Chinese from Malaysia, 2 boys, Was working for Earthlink/Dell Technical support, now playing with the kids, re-molding myself, and just started a Teaching Cert. Program, member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints. Expert Martial-Artist in multiple disiplines, have also taught, studied and practice much in Zen, Toaism, Yoga, etc.... Excellent light songs & opera singer, also a song writer, instrumental creationist (piano, flutes, drums, predominately, not much of a music reader though, & somewhat poetic. Was a foster child whole life, lived in many different homes and city's. Lot of bad experiences, but lots of good too, especially through the Church and the Lord. Attended and studied many different religions. State champion in football and wrestling. 15 times martial arts champion in kumite and forms, only one loss in kumite and three losses in forms. United States Marine Corps Veteran (Security Forces & Infantry) Interdisciplinary degree in Information Systems, and Exercise & Sports Science from BYU-Hawaii. One associates (at least equivalent) degree in Criminal Justice, UNR, NV. Certifications in Private Investigation, Security, and completion of Religious studies at BYU-Hawaii and Institute of Religion. Study many philosophical and relgious texts and practises, especially the scriptures these days. Used to love reading action novels (Mack Bolan, The Executioner, Able Team, etc.), now I read mostly Church materials, I just love it. The Lord is also my every bright Light, Hope, and Truth Eternal. He is my Savior, my friend, my brother, and my exemplar.... My life in a nut shell. Essentially, a seeker for perfection in all it's forms..... Here's the Family:


Isaac Midian Lee - Born March '99


Jared Reuel Lee - Born Dec '00 

 Sealed May '98 - Hawaii Temple


Here's my testimony:

First I will share my basic conversion story, and then give some thoughts: -----Quote---- Ya, I remember one time, I was like 18, and I was helping a friend in my ward with building a hand crafted light aircraft. I was interested in learning to fly, and so I helped him out a few times. He was also a High Priest in our ward. One night I spent like four hours arguing with him about certain so-called controversial subjects related to the church. Funny, at the time, I was also big into eastern religions and philosophy's. So basically, I had previously known the church was the best out of all the organized religions out there, that's why I became a member at 10 years of age, but I wasn't always a part of it the whole time growing up. I went to many religions, before, during and after that period, also being born and baptised Catholic. However, I never had a testimony that it was completely true. I was even especially against all religions, even the Church for a time when I was in my late teens. I saw too many inconsistencys..... At least what I perceived at the time to be inconsistencys, or things wrong in the doctrine, history, or how to know what was true. My favorite non-religous philosophy was Zen..... Anyway, later on after time in the Marine Corps during the gulf war, and before I got out, I decided to just read the Doctrine and Covenants from beginning to end, and not judge it or give my own opinion about anything I was reading. To humble myself to the deepest depths imaginable. And that was when the light bulb finally went off. The Spirit taught me that it "was" true. I got out of the military and then went on a study spree of anti-mormon and mormon literature, and went to every meeting and activity in the church that I could. I even went to stuff that I didn't have to go to, or even was technically not required to go to. I thirsted for the truths that would put it all together.... After a few months.... I realized that all the anti-mormon stuff was pure garbage. It was frought with half-truths, lies, deception, or just plain ignorance of the facts. Though of course, some of it was by sincere people, and even very well done and convincing, thus the trap many fall under. But it was still not the real truth. Then one day, I had finally discovered that the church "was" true. It was literally of God, and not another man made church. My testimony and faith was validated by God, through His works with man. That same High Priest ended up ordaining me an Elder, and my life has never been the same. You know the old saying, "The truth shall set you free"... So learning is a two fold process..... We must gain the knowledge and see how it works in real life, by doing that which the knowledge is about. Study is great, but we wont really know until we get out there and be "sincerely" involved. Until we know personally, of the power for which all truth eminates... -----End Quote----- Basically, even though I have known this concept, it just hit me in a different way today, and I thought it might help some folks here. To make it simple..... The key to understanding all the truths of God, and especially, in knowing wether or not the church is true; is that as my story indicated, by completely letting go of all previous perceptions and supposed knowledge, and humbling ourselves completely to the point of an empty cup (as much as possible anyway), in otherwords to be truly teachable as a little child........ We must say to ourselves, that I'm NOT going to tell God what "I think" is true; but I'm going to let God "TELL ME" what is true!!! To give an example: I see ex-mormons, anti-mormons, searching mormons, non-mormons, etc. here at this forum, continuosly trying to point out the flaws in every principle of doctrine or historical aspect of the Church, and doing so under the guise of "I'm trying to understand or learn", or "this is what the church really believes and teaches"..... More or less...... You know what I'm talking about? The point I'm trying to make, is that, unless we empty our cup of whatever that's already in it, "IT WILL NOT TAKE ANY MORE INPUT".... So we cannot, no matter how hard we try, figure things out. Even though we may be sincerely trying.... The Lord taught us the way. That we are to be humble and teachable as little children. Inotherwords, we can't be taught, if we already have our own mindset about something. Because what we see and believe becomes reality for us, instead of what reality actually is. As I gave in my experience. Until we say and believe that we aren't going to make any kind of judgement until we have went through all the facts, and let the spirit teach us. We aren't going to get it no matter what we want to know to be true. Satan works in this area, it's that pride thing..... That means when we learn, say how the church views The Trinity for example. We would be in the habit of saying "so the Church believes this because of this, but this is not what I have been taught all my years and know to be true because of this, and this, and this, so I know that my belief is correct, and them mormons are retards, they don't know what the Bible says". The above demonstration is an example of how we put our own spin on reality or truth, instead of what is really true. We essentially cut ourselves off from truth.... Because of our own perceptions and pride. No matter if we think those perceptions are of God or not. Because man is imperfect, Satan can do all kinds of things with perception. What one person believes may be 99.9% true, but then there's that 0.1% that is not true, and thus when it concerns God and His true doctrines or His Church, that 0.1% ends up making the other 99.9% all untrue or a lower law. After all, we all know Satan is the master deceiver. There's a scripture in the Bible that say's something to the effect that "they kill the prophets, and think they do God a service"...... So in the end, to know truth, we must be humble enough to accept it, and put away our present perceptions. Indeed though, I know it is a hard thing to do. For me, if someone has reached that point of humility in learning, they should not even post at this board for example. Because they are then not humbly watching, listening, and studying, in earnest prayer. They are becoming the teachers, and by what authority do they teach the sacred truths of God? In fact, didn't the Lord admonish us that we should not teach unless we do so by authority and by the Spirit? However, I know without a doubt, that when it is fully done in the way the Lord teaches, the mystery's of the Kingdom shall flow forth like running water. And our cup shall runneth over.......... The POWER of revelation will surge through our minds and ALL that was unclear, or cloudy will be disipated, and because of revelation, connections will be made that NEVER could be made before, because of our pride and lack of faith. A "SURE" knowledge will be gained that can NEVER be lost nor taken away, save one CHOOSES to become a Son of Perdition and DENY the truth that IS KNOWN, thus rebelling against God as Satan did, because one DOES have the knowledge, and it is NOT SIMPLY belief any longer. Too often many believe that a "Testimony" IS NOT based on knowledge, but this IS WRONG. A testimony is based on the HEART "and" on the KNOWLEDGE OF GOD and HIS FRUITS. When I first joined the Church, I had a "basic" testimony of what I knew of God's Fruits according to the worlds interpretations and what is actually in Scripture. Thus I had a "testimony" and "believed" that the Church WAS the most correct thing out there, and WAS GOOD. This was a "simple" testimony based on "simple" but CLEAR facts, as well as what I "felt" being a part of it. It was a "beginning", and ONLY later did the Knowledge bestoed become "TRUTH" of the divine. Both sides of my "real" family are multi-generational Catholics, Irish and Italian, and as such, I have NO-DOUBT that I was also destined to be a part of the Lords TRUE CHURCH, and that there are MANY GREAT THINGS to come. I look forward in joy and gratitude for the Love of God and His Mercy unto me, for being able to KNOW both HIM "and" His latter-day Work, and be a part of it. With ALL my Mind, Body, and Soul I KNOW this is the Lord's Work in the Last Days, without one single doubt. I TESTIFY to this with FULL KNOWLEDGE and sincerity in Mind and Heart, NOT simply Belief, but in Truth, before God and man. Spirit and Knowledge within my being has become "ONE" with power and divinity from God. This is the ONLY way...... we can FULLY be His and KNOW His Truths. With full confidence, I say these things in the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

Tell me, I Forget. Show me, I Remember.
Teach me, I Learn. "Involve Me", and I BECOME !!!