Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Hello, friends. I'm Elder Reel, and welcome to Discussion #3.
So far, we've talked about God's plan for humanity and the Restoration of the gospel through Joseph Smith. But before anyone considers baptism, I believe there's another important question we should answer:
What will actually be expected of me if I become a Latter-day Saint?
Joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints involves much more than attending church on Sunday. In this discussion, we'll talk openly about weekly participation, Church callings, ministering, tithing, the Word of Wisdom, the Law of Chastity, fasting, temple worship, garments, missionary service, expectations for children, and the amount of time active membership can require.
Many Latter-day Saints find these commitments deeply meaningful. They provide structure, community, opportunities for service, spiritual discipline, and a sense of purpose. But they can also require significant amounts of time, money, sacrifice, and changes in lifestyle.
As missionaries, we naturally hope you'll find the restored gospel meaningful. But we also believe you deserve to understand the life we're inviting you into before you agree to baptism.
That's what informed consent means.
We aren't trying to talk you into joining before you understand the commitment. We're trying to give you enough information that, if you do choose to join, you can honestly say:
"I understood what was being asked of me, and I chose it freely."
If you haven't watched Discussions #1 and #2, I encourage you to begin there, because each discussion builds upon the previous ones.
Thank you for joining me. Let's begin.
DISCLAIMER: The LDS Missionary Discussions: If the Church Was Honest is an independent educational project and is not affiliated with, produced by, sponsored by, or endorsed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. "Elder Reel" is a fictional missionary character used to explore what LDS missionary discussions might look like if they emphasized informed consent, transparency, and a fuller presentation of LDS beliefs, history, expectations, and commitments before baptism.
Hello, friends. I'm Elder Reel, and welcome to Discussion #3.
So far, we've talked about God's plan for humanity and the Restoration of the gospel through Joseph Smith. But before anyone considers baptism, I believe there's another important question we should answer:
What will actually be expected of me if I become a Latter-day Saint?
Joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints involves much more than attending church on Sunday. In this discussion, we'll talk openly about weekly participation, Church callings, ministering, tithing, the Word of Wisdom, the Law of Chastity, fasting, temple worship, garments, missionary service, expectations for children, and the amount of time active membership can require.
Many Latter-day Saints find these commitments deeply meaningful. They provide structure, community, opportunities for service, spiritual discipline, and a sense of purpose. But they can also require significant amounts of time, money, sacrifice, and changes in lifestyle.
As missionaries, we naturally hope you'll find the restored gospel meaningful. But we also believe you deserve to understand the life we're inviting you into before you agree to baptism.
That's what informed consent means.
We aren't trying to talk you into joining before you understand the commitment. We're trying to give you enough information that, if you do choose to join, you can honestly say:
"I understood what was being asked of me, and I chose it freely."
If you haven't watched Discussions #1 and #2, I encourage you to begin there, because each discussion builds upon the previous ones.
Thank you for joining me. Let's begin.
DISCLAIMER: The LDS Missionary Discussions: If the Church Was Honest is an independent educational project and is not affiliated with, produced by, sponsored by, or endorsed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. "Elder Reel" is a fictional missionary character used to explore what LDS missionary discussions might look like if they emphasized informed consent, transparency, and a fuller presentation of LDS beliefs, history, expectations, and commitments before baptism.
