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Pretty much all active LDS parents would be absolutely delighted that their children are planning to be married in the temple, and, I believe, would generally do all they could to bring about such an outcome.

There's a Korean saying that goes back a generation: Easy to marry, easy to divorce. Hard to marry, hard to divorce. This is one area where I do have a bit of holy envy.

Parents: it's pretty much the same process as any other group that prizes marriage. You don't actually need your parents approval, but having goodly parent's wisdom & guidance is a great thing. Plus it makes the whole post-wedding life easier to have good relationships with the parents ;). Bishops in regards to civil marriage: a bishop is actually certified to do legally marry a couple- I was married by one. There's no super formal process here, we just asked my parent's bishop (whom was a long term friend of mine) to come to the place we were having our wedding and officiate. He was quite excited, offered us good guidance, and did a fantastic job. Bishops in regards to a sealing: you do need to have a special interview and recommend before you have your marriage sealed. It's very similar the 'normal' recommend interview, except that there's more talk about the importance of a sealing and what this means-- the desire to make sure the couple understands the promises are they are about to make. It's the same process for all couples: those just now getting civilly married & sealed at the same time, those which have already been civilly married a long time, etc.

I would guess that active and believing LDS parents are about as picky as your average loving, religious parents. The fact that a so-called temple marriage implicitly requires both spouses to be LDS makes cross-faith sealings impossible, so that removes what would otherwise doubtless be a big potential impediment. The bishops do not "grant approval" in any formal sense, but they are required to issue the special temple recommend allowing their respective young marriage partner to be sealed. They offer counsel, of course, and may choose to voice their concern about a potential match, but as long as they find the partner(s) worthy to enter into the covenant, they don't otherwise have a voice in whether that couple marries.

Thank you.... you're completely right, just putting it into words really helped. In fact, I came back and re-read what I'd written... and it's like reading about a stranger - I can't believe I'm in this predicament. Moreover, I can't believe I'm still in this marriage. I think that's a really good idea to journal - I did that all those years ago... that journal carries a lot of pain and one day I planned on burning it. I started keeping a journal again recently but have always tried to keep it uplifting. But perhaps I need to start writing again about what's going on - even if just for my own benefit - and sanity. I appreciate you acknowledging my emotions.... sometimes I've considered the option that perhaps I'm overreacting - my husband has often said that if the shoe was on the other foot, and I had texted a guy I had had an emotional affair years ago with, he would just laugh it off. But he's also told me that if I had done what he did years ago - he wouldn't have stayed with me. But I truly appreciate your comments on this one... because you're right... my mind goes a million miles an hour... I need to just pause, and breathe. Thank you for noting this down - it's helped me more than you can ever know. It's hard to feel like I have control. Time to pause. And breathe. Ahhh this is something I'm REALLY struggling with right now. I was doing super well up to early December... when my husband and I had a chat after church one day, as he didn't seem happy. He just seemed really down and unhappy and almost angry (well not angry, but intolerant) all the time. I tried to push for answers then, but got none. Instead, I got told that I push us too hard with spiritual things (I am a big advocate for reading scriptures, praying every night - and personal development through books on Deseret Bookshop etc) - so yes I'm always mentioning things I'm learning and trying to open up discussions etc. But I never thought I was pushy....I lead but I didn't drive. It's just if I don't lead, it doesn't happen and it's imperative to me that our kids have this in the home (they are 14 and 15 yrs). But since that talk, it really made me second guess myself.... I stopped 'leading', backed off, read the odd thing myself... stopped reading and praying as that conversation really hurt me. I didn't understand then. I still don't. Perhaps all this that I have learned now was on his mind then..... who knows. So yes I'm active in the fact that we go to church... but we have no temple near us (it's 6 hours away), and it's closed for 3 years for refurbishment and making it earthquake proof - I think it's open in another 2 years (I'm down in New Zealand). But you bring up valid points - that I need to pray, that I need the Spirit with me.... but I'm really struggling with it because I feel so let down. I feel like I opened my heart again... and it's been trashed. Again. Yet, my husband seems to minimise his actions, and make me think that texting her last April is almost not a huge deal. I think I'm truly scared of letting go. For me, 18 years is extremely hard to let go of - even if a lot of it has been heartbreaking... because if I'm honest, that's how it's been. For 18 years he's been my future... my eternal companion. It's extremely hard to consider that changing. I think that's why I find it near impossible to let go. But yes I think I DO believe I deserve better... my husband has even said this to me.... but I guess what I'm waiting for is for him to BE that better person. I would love this to work out... but in order for it to work out, I need him to make some serious changes. And I just don't think that will happen - at least, not until it's too late. That makes me deeply sad. I think sometimes the best thing we can do is remove our presence from them... perhaps that's what I need to do - at least for now. Perhaps that will kickstart something within him. I just want to say @NeedleinA, thank you so very much for your time.... for your thoughts... for your kind words. It is uplifting in such an awful time. Sometimes we think we're going crazy when we're in situations like this.... I consider "am I overreacting".... but no... I don't think I am. I believe that if your eternal companion is hurting, then you should be there to help them, love them, support them... and make it right. I'm not getting that from my husband unfortunately. In fact, he told me today that he loves me and wants to be with me, but this is over. That the kindest thing he can do is let me go because I deserve better. I wanted HIM to be that 'better'... but I guess at this stage, that isn't going to happen. Again, thank you so much for bearing up a stranger in need at this time.... your words are more powerful than you might realise xo

There is something else you ought to know. When the children of Israel had left Egypt and wondered for "40" years; Joshua brought them to the river Jordan and there he washed them. This was a symbolic ordinance to prepare them for the promised land. This washing was similar to baptism but for a slightly different purpose. Before a person is endowed in the temples with power from on high - they are washed and anointed as a symbolic ordinance similar to Joshua washing Israel before entering the promised land. Sometime later Jesus went down to the Jordan river to be baptized by John the Baptist. As a priest authorized to baptize I also theorize that John knew about the washing of Joshua that according to Jewish tradition took place at the same place of Jordan where Jesus came to John. I believe it is important to note that the Hebrew name of Jesus was the same as that Joshua - Jesus being more associated with the Greek. Note that John thought he should be washed by "Joshua" even though John has already been baptized himself. I believe it was because he was referencing the ancient Joshua preparing Israel for "greater" worship. In the temple - this ordinance of washing is necessary before receiving the covenant of higher worship we call the endowment - which is "power" from on high. It has been said that part of the temple ordinances is the covenant to wear the sacred garment but the garment should not be worn until one has been washed by ordinance (first performed by Moses and Aaron at the Tabernacle). If you were to visit Israel today and be taught by the Jews concerning the temple - you will learn that anciently those that came to the temple would be washed by ordinance and then they would put away their "normal" attire and wear white linen to present themselves for worship before G-d at the temple. It is prophesy that before Christ returns a "New: Temple will be constructed in Jerusalem (Ezekiel). The Traveler

An old troll / sock puppeteer.

Sealings of the living children to parents can be done regardless of age. All kids can participate in their own family sealing. Kids born "in the covenant", that is, born to parents who are sealed, are automatically sealed under that covenant of the parents. Adopted kids can also be sealed to their adoptive parents, regardless of age. The marriage sealing is a separate ordinance than parents to child(ren) sealings.

I'm a Dune fan. Quite honestly though part of me is excited about the upcoming Dune movie, and part of me is afraid, very very afraid.

Remember, if it gets too bad, the Dune fandom will welcome you with open arms. Well, except for this guy.

Yes, in that if we can become what God is then God is no longer exclusively God. Alternatively, if God is also continuing to become more (thus we will never 'catch up'), then He is not all-powerful-knowing-presence now. LDS might argue that of exaltation is not possible then God is not who they understand Him to be either.

This is a very in-depth conversation. I'll To try to give a short version answer here, it’s going to be VERY imperfect. There’s a LOT of depth to go into here. Official Creedal Cristian theology: You and God are different species* of creatures (*for want of a better word). God has existed forever, if perfect, and is defined as God due to the species He is. You are a different species, less than a century old, and will forever be inferior to God. The end. Official LDS Cristian theology: God the Father is literally the father of your spirit. You are the same type of being He is. You obviously make mistakes and sin, and hence are lesser than God. God is perfect in all of His actions, knowledge, motivations etc. Through the atonement of Jesus Christ, you can ultimately become as clean and perfect and like the Father. This is called exaltation, and is taught throughout scripture and modern revelations. Good resources on this: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-principles/chapter-47-exaltation?lang=eng https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics-essays/becoming-like-god?lang=eng Now onto speculative** LDS ideas--- **Again, for want of a better word. We LDS Christians readily acknowledge that there is much about God and His kingdom / wonders we don’t know right now (see Article of Faith #9). The topic of any of the Father’s past is in the bucket of stuff we don’t know much if anything about. The King Follet discourse does exist, but actually focused on man’s potential and it’s never been canonized as “thus saith the Lord”. Yes, LDS Christians do have a process of canonization and emphasizing things through time, it’s not “oh one leader said something, that makes it automatically Thus Saith the Lord”. The King Follet Discourse, while interesting, lacks this canonization or repeated emphasis, hence my placing it in this zone. Anyway: to actually talk about the discord: it essentially boils down to speculating that if we can become like the Father, then perhaps this may of worked in reserve before- that the Father maybe once was a child.

From what I understand, the only exception is sealings. You can do sealings as a vicarious spouse before you've done that yourself.

Pretty much the rule is once you can do it yourself (for the living) then you can also do it for the dead.

After getting baptized, I immediately had the opportunity to interview for a limited temple recommend. This is good for baptisms and confirmation only. After 1 year, I was given the opportunity to interview for a full temple recommend to get my endowments (which includes the covenant to wear garments) afterwhich I was eligible to get sealed to my husband. After being endowed and sealed for myself, I could get endowments and sealings for those that have already passed. I went to do baptisms and confirmation for the dead a lot. At least once a month until I was eligible for endowments. I found that doing this service allows me to better re-affirm my own baptismal covenants. When I went to get my endowments I was 3 weeks from giving birth to my first child so I was ginormous, hot, and uncomfortably waddling around. I was separated from my husband and I simply followed ushers around and the symbolism went whooz over my head. I was feeling very lost until my husband came out of one door in his ceremonial clothing and when I looked at him, his very blonde hair looked like a halo over his head and his white clothes made him look like he was backlit with sunshine - he looked like one of those Catholic saints that I adored since a little kid - and I immediately felt this sense of peace and comfort. The rest of the day was just awesome especially when we got sealed with my husband's first bishop who he loved dearly performing the ordinance.

Uh-oh...

MrShorty lives in Opposite Universe.

When I think I'm clear in my communication about the chores my kids need to do, and 2 minutes later they are playing outside, or reading books. They were underly compelled.