THIRDpersonviewer

We can bring the spirit into a class with purer doctrine. The closer to doctrine, the greater the spirit. Other apostles have said that we are responsible for bringing the Spirit into the meeting as students, not the teacher which is what Elder Packer was making a point at(who is also responsible). The Spirit works both ways. The teacher must have it and the students must have it. Everybody is responsible. Also the teacher has authority to lead the lesson as he is impressed by the spirit. If the desire to spread the true gospel of Jesus Christ is there, then we will do what the Spirit directs, which missionaries know will not be the same for each lesson. It doesn't matter how it's done, just that it is done. Elder Packer is giving advice on how to improve the spirit in lessons because oftentimes it is usually only the teacher who comes in with the spirit of learning, so he must siphon that onto everyone else.

Problems only become problems by giving it attention. Same thing with good things, they become good when they are used or nourished. If you discipline your self to keep those things out, then you won't have those thoughts(they eventually go away). The temptation then is removed. Just think the opposite. Do not doubt it. Say "I like whatever is the opposite gender". You like them only. In no way are you attracted to the same sex(or both). Desire what is right, or the true doctrine, and there is nothing to worry. This won't work though if you have planted a seed of sin. Then you will have to go to the Bishop to remove the seed. Then this process will work. Overall, the devil wants you to doubt yourself, he wants you to fear and to feel anxious or guilty or unworthy. He wants you to feel down. Don't go down that road. Feel the joy of the gospel. Feel the Savior's Love. Seek the Spirit. Find peace and rest with God. He will sustain you. He will not fail you. He truly loves you!

I guess what I was saying, was that the spirit is what is going to get a person involved in a meeting. That is how it works in Sacrament meeting. Also, having the Spirit with you is predicated on your desire to have it with you, and the desire to learn.

Bingo. This is why I taught that way for the lesson I had. There was one way as the doctrine states(Salvation is in Christ and no other way), and discussion opens speculation. NOT what you want. Some topics discussion is good. However the point of these lessons is to learn doctrine and apply them to our lives. Which if we are in tune to the spirit, we will receive a prompting as we're listening. It allows us to drink constantly, instead of thinking to add to a discussion. It doesn't matter attendance, doesn't matter how pleasing it was. It just matters if the lesson was taught by the Spirit, which that meeting was. It did begin as a discussion it just ended up turning into pure presentation of truth. It is NOT the responsibility of the teacher to keep interest in a meeting by involving them. His responsibility is to teach the doctrine and keep interest with the Spirit. Which means it is a two part participation in the Spirit. The listener is in tune, and the teacher is in tune. We teach truth by presenting it and allowing the Spirit to touch the hearts of others. Not by telling them for them. We allow them to make the choice to accept it themselves.

Dallin H Oaks said : As we approach 2008 and a new course of study in our Melchizedek Priesthood quorums and Relief Societies, I renew our caution about how we use the Teachings of Presidents of the Church manuals. Many years of inspired work have produced our 2008 volume of the teachings of Joseph Smith, the founding prophet of this dispensation. This is a landmark among Church books. In the past, some teachers have given a chapter of the Teachings manuals no more than a brief mention and then substituted a lesson of their own choice. It may have been a good lesson, but this is not an acceptable practice. A gospel teacher is called to teach the subject specified from the inspired materials provided. The best thing a teacher can do with Teachings: Joseph Smith is to select and quote from the words of the Prophet on principles specially suited to the needs of class members and then direct a class discussion on how to apply those principles in the circumstances of their lives. This is the crux in our teaching. Balancing the use of the book. Don't go overboard with reading, but don't under use the book. What I did was read the chapter with the Spirit, underlined quotes that I felt impressed to underline. Then I just got up on Sunday and gave a lesson. I used all but one quote and I talked for twenty minutes. I didn't go chronologically either, it was just as the spirit directed. I talked about the doctrine involved(which is the most important thing to talk about). There are times discussion is good, but there are other times when it is better to just sit back and listen. For instance, if a general authority came to teach us. I think I would sit up and listen and wouldn't discuss it. It is an opportunity to drink deeply the words of life. We have to be spiritually in tune for these moments. Keep attention by speaking truth, and do not cause debate and contention with the discussion.

They have aspects of the truth but not all of the truth(fullness of the truth). There is only one true Church with the power and authority given by God to men, to administer the Gospel of Jesus Christ in its fullness to the children of men.

Pray for the strength from the Lord to get through the day, to wake up and to get all the rest you need as you sleep. You will feel a lot more energized and refreshed every day. Make sure you also read scriptures at night. Doesn't matter where or how much but a little bit helps every day.

Christianity was started by Christ. Salvation through a belief in Christ. That is His Church. That process of gaining Salvation by believing in Him(Christ's Church). The Roman Catholic Church did not exist till 328 Ad, or something like that. When Emperor Constantine made Christianity the official state religion and MEN met to determine the "true doctrines of God." This is where we get the creeds such as Nicean. This is when the Roman Catholic Church formed.

Also, this might not necessarily happen in this life. We may or may not have the opportunity to marry in this life. However we have to strive for it. If we don't work towards a Celestial Marriage, then we will not receive one.

Marriage is ordained of God. That is part of the life He lives. The crowning blessings of the gospel come from a sealing of marriage into the eternal family. Thus it is right only for those that choose to obey God. Only right for those that accept Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world. It is only for those that choose a Celestial Inheritance, which is not for everyone because it is only for those who abide that Law.

Their interpretation of wine at the time of Christ could have been grape juice. Wine is fermented grape juice, right? They probably did not distinguish between fermented and non fermented. Besides this is modern revelation. The Priesthood for instance was not given to blacks so they could not receive the fullness of the Gospel. Yet Jesus commanded us to spread the Gospel to everyone. But how could that be done when they couldn't participate in the blessings of Priesthood?

They way I have understood the difference between faith and works and grace is as follows.(I am Mormon) We are saved by grace without works. That means we receive a kingdom and are resurrected. Those things are guaranteed(unless we commit the unpardonable sin). They are given as a free gift. However as D&C 132:5 says, 5 For all who will have a blessing at my hands shall abide the law which was appointed for that blessing, and the conditions thereof, as were instituted from before the foundation of the world. That means laws have been appointed to receive blessings. Laws that must be obeyed to accept the blessings. Now, there are degrees of blessings as gained through the position of the heart. For instance, I might pay my tithing, but try to withhold some money, though I don't. My heart wasn't in it, I cannot reap the full benefits because I doubted. So it is with the Atonement. It is given as a free gift, but we have to show we accept His sacrifice given(there were sacrifices before Christ of animals). Meaning my Dad can make my a plate of Nachos, I say thank you, but then I just throw them in the trash. Did I really want them? Did I accept his service? Did I show I accepted his time and effort in the form of food? No. This is where faith and works comes in. We have to believe in Christ to be saved into the higher kingdoms.(terrestrial, celestial) The telestial kingdom is for those who reject Christ in this world and the world to come. We have to believe what he has taught and those whom He hath sent, the apostles and prophets. Now faith is a belief of things which are true but not seen, but faith without works is dead. Meaning there is no power or strength in the faith to bring blessings unless there are works. Works are the fruit of true faith. They are the shield against the adversary. We do things to represent our faith or belief in Christ, such as reading scriptures, such as praying. When we truly believe in Christ, then we will do what he has commanded because we believe it to be right, or if you have received a witness that it is true, because you know to be true. We obtain faith through righteousness, or righteous living. Now if we obey all the laws of God, then we receive, or accept the fullness of the Atonement. All the blessings gained through the Atonement, or everything, are given to men. However they can choose what they want to accept. Our free agency. Thus we choose the kingdom we want by obeying or accepting into our hearts the laws of God. The Celestial kingdom is gained by receiving the fullness of the Atonement, by obeying all the Laws of God given to you. If there are Laws that you know God has commanded, and you choose to make no effort to conform to that law, then according to the scriptures, you will receive a terrestial inheritance. Your heart wasn't fully devoted to the Lord for which the Celestial Kingdom is reserved for. We are not perfect. We make mistakes but if our heart is innocent and pure in desire and we sincerely are trying our best, then we have no need to fear. So grace, faith, and works? Depends on what you want. I'll tell you, any of the three kingdoms are better than this life. And nearly all men will gain a kingdom. Except those that commit the unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost. Which a simple test is, do I know all things pertaining to God? No, so I do not have a perfect knowledge. We choose how much grace we want, but it is all offered to us and given without works on our part. It is our faith and our works that tells and shows the Lord what we want to have for an inheritance in the kingdoms of glory.

The most important thing about the Word of Wisdom is the principle involved. That is, the body is a temple. And as such no unclean thing should enter into it nor be written upon the walls thereof. Now we as children of God, know that it should also be filled with good things. Not to demean the "real" temples, but they are worthless if they are not used. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is almost of no worth, IF not accepted individually. So, we must fill our temples with good and righteous things to make it of benefit and to preserve it. So the word of wisdom outlines a few things. BUT NOT ALL. For instance, Arsenic is not mentioned but will put irreparable loss of feeling to your body.

Not entirely true from my point of view. Science is not truth. It is a process of gaining truth.(as you said) A method of learning by a process of man. Men are not perfect and are thus subject to the devil's influence. Truth can still be obtained through science, it is just way more difficult, and there can be errors in them. For the record, Evolution does not account for a created terrestrial world, Fall of Adam, among others. So there may be aspects of truth in evolution, the assumptions and opinions taken by men are taken to an extreme, beyond what is really there. There is truly no scientific evidence to support millions of years of changes and mutations in the world that lived in perfect harmony so that when humans came along, our changes to the world caused the extinction of other animals. Which supposively wasn't happening along the way. When we look a religion perspective, there was no death or sickness in the world before the fall. So there could be no evolutionary process, prior to the Fall. Which fits in with the scientific improbability above. I hope I made sense with this, I'm kinda tired. The other method of learning is God. He has given the gift of the Holy Ghost based on faithfulness. We learn eternal truths from this source, and this source only.

I didn't read too much, so I don't know what all has been said, but here is something to think about. There are multiple people foreordained to callings in this life. For instance the Prophet. What happens is there are multiple people that are foreordained to the same calling. This is because not all will choose God. Some of the very elect will fall. Now when the time comes for the call to be extended, it will be one person not all. So the ones that have not fallen, will be the of the remaining pool to be chosen. It just symbolizes the necessity to be prepared for all things in your life. You have been given a blessing. That blessing becomes individual when you accept it as yours. It is advice and a revelation of the possibilities in your life based on faithfulness. To be honest though, there are blessings that are repeated to all the faithful members of the Church. It is not predicated on the wording being "different." On another note. The Patriarch has the right, privilege, power and authority to make whatever necessary changes to your blessing based on what the Lord wants you have, AFTER the physical blessing has been given. When I got mine, the Patriarch went and made some minor corrections, as impressed by the Spirit. A possibility is that he might have been impressed to alter your blessing so that it was the same as your brother's. It doesn't mean that your given blessing is invalidated. It just means that the Lord knew something like this would happen, would test your faith, and so gave you a blessing that also applies. You said your brother wouldn't be going on a mission which was in his blessing.(forgive me if I'm wrong.) Not to be judgemental but his blessing won't come to fruition if he is not faithful. Meaning that the blessing could have originally been "yours." This is the blessing the Lord wanted you to have. He still loves you just the same. He wants you to succeed. He desires you to trust him. To trust his mercy. He is your advocate. He will not fail you.

Seek the Spirit. Recognize the Spirit. Heed the Spirit. This decision is yours, try to stand on your own two feet. You will reap the blessings for making the effort, and humbly obeying the Spirit in all things. Your faith will increase and your testimony will grow further.

If what they preach can be brought back to the "standard," meaning the Bible and Book of Mormon and so on, then it is in line with revealed truths. Anything that will be revealed to us by the prophet has already been outlined in the scriptures at least somewhere. It is also really the things that they unify in, that we should believe in. However we are men and we can choose what to believe.

Although Christ-the Firstborn in the spirit and the Only Begotten in the flesh-is the Son of God the Father, and as such is a separate and distinct personage from the Father, yet there are three senses in which Christ is called the Father. These are clearly set forth in a document entitled, "The Father and the Son: A Doctrinal Exposition by the First Presidency and the Twelve." 1. Christ is the Father in the sense that he is the creator, the Maker, the Organizer of the heavens and of the earth, and all things that in them are. 2. He is the Father of all those who are born again, who "are begotten sons and daughters unto God" through his atoning sacrifice who are "spiritually begotten" through faith, thus becoming "his sons and his daughters." 3. He is the Father by what has aptly been termed divine investiture of authority. That is, since he is one with the Father in all of the attributes of perfection, and since he exercises the power and authority of the Father, it follows that everything he says or does is and would be exactly and precisely what the Father would say and do under the same circumstances. Accordingly, the Father puts his own name on the Son and authorizes him to speak in the first person as though he were the Father. This is similar to the situation in which Christ puts his name on an angel so that the designated heavenly ministrant can speak in the first person as though he were Christ himself. Thus it is that our Lord can begin a revelation by saying, "Listen to the voice of Jesus Christ," and shortly thereafter speak of "mine Only Begotten," such latter expression being made by Christ, but under that divine investiture of authority which permits him to speak as though he were the Father. -Elder Bruce R. McConkie Mormon Doctrine(2nd edition) "Christ as the Father"

The Spirit CANNOT lie. So, if the speaker is under the influence of the Holy Spirit, he will not lie. He will speak the truth. He will speak sound doctrine. How do you know when he does so by the Spirit? I gave it to I think. Galatians 5:22-23 If the listener is in tune with the Spirit(under the influence), and the speaker is speaking by the Spirit, then both the hearer and giver will understand each other, not completely, but the core message will get across. So how do you know if what you are feeling is the Spirit? 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. If you feel these things, most notably peace, as you read the scriptures or listen to a speaker speaking with the Holy Ghost, then YOU WILL KNOW that the words are true. It is not always immediate. But depending on your faith, depending on your desire to hear truth, the quicker the Spirit will come to testify.

I think you are right. However, most people tend to put science over God. "Since, God cannot be proven, He must not exist." People see the works and fruits of Science and think it is super great and everything. However, it cannot replace God as the source of truth and knowledge. And most people will put the discoveries of men first, above those of God. When God is displaced from the Supreme Ruler of the Universe to anything lower, then we have a problem.

Only if He does so by the Spirit.

See, this is the issue here. Logic. Logic doesn't work for finding God. Look back to the time that you remember, when you realized that God truly exists. What was your feeling? What were your impressions? What was your reasoning? Now, there was no reasoning, was there? You just knew, unmistakably. You go one moment of not being sure, then all of a sudden you realize as you are reading the Bible that God is real. That He has given you a Bible to seek Him. You remember being told, in your mind, to use the Bible to find God, and to learn for yourself His word. So that is what you are doing now, you are learning His word by studying the Bible and going to different sources that might have interpretations for scriptures. I think with a lot of logic. However, for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith. Logic didn't really work. I thought about it and thought about it, but I didn't truly believe anything until I gained faith and tried to learn it through faith rather than my brains and my logic. When I started to exercise faith, I was given the truth from the Holy Ghost, in small degrees. I'll tell you now, there is no way to learn the will of God through logic. You learn it through revelation. Revelation from the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and ultimately the Holy Ghost. Believe me, I tried and it didn't work. If you truly want to understand us, then use your faith and ask God if these things are true. That is the only way we know them to be true. At some time in your life, you got the same impression about the Bible that we did about the Book of Mormon(and Bible). Galatians 5:22-23, If you feel these feelings(probably not the first time. You have to demonstrate that you are serious when you are askng) then they are true. It is very simple. Men can be proven wrong with logic, because men reason and use logic to gather their conclusions.. God cannot be proven wrong or false because He is, and He reveals, He does not reason with men, He reveals to men. There is nothing greater in this whole system of revealed religion, than the pure, unadulterated fact that it is true. Because it is true it will save a Human soul, Because it is true, it will prevail. It's true because it's true.

Because with our works, it still is not enough. We have done everything we can do then grace will make up the rest. We are given grace without works but to receive the FULL benefits, we have to do some work on our part. Grace is only given to those who love Him. What did He do to earn the name of our Church. He is the Son of God! He lives! He founded this Church for saving souls! He is the Redeemer who would give his grace to all who will accept it. We SHOW we accept it by works and faith. Faith without works is dead.(James 2:17) Faith is believing in things hoped for but not seen. Your scriptures contradict. Salvation comes only by grace THROUGH faith. Grace is received after faith. Faith is a belief in things hoped for but not seen. We are saved by mercy. To RECEIVE ALL of His mercy, we have to do our part. Salvation is only part of mercy. Mercy consists of blessings and gifts and salvation among other things. However the full blessings come by obedience to God's laws. I WILL NOT receive the blessings if I go out and sin. God cannot give me blessings if I go out and lie and cheat and steal. That is against His Laws. Now, some of these blessings are given when we leave this life. They are given to us based upon the merits of our living here. I testify that this is true. For these blessings, we believe that there are different levels, or degrees, of Salvation. 1 Corinthians 15:35-41 Here is a scripture from the Book of Mormon, it should be somewhere in the Bible(by principle) too. Mosiah 13:25-32 25 And it came to pass that after Abinadi had made an end of these sayings that he said unto them: Have ye taught this people that they should observe to do all these things for to keep these commandments? 26 I say unto you, Nay; for if ye had, the Lord would not have caused me to come forth and to prophesy evil concerning this people. 27 And now ye have said that salvation cometh by the law of Moses. I say unto you that it is expedient that ye should keep the law of Moses as yet; but I say unto you, that the time shall come when it shall no more be expedient to keep the law of Moses. 28 And moreover, I say unto you, that salvation doth not come by the law alone; and were it not for the atonement, which God himself shall make for the sins and iniquities of his people, that they must unavoidably perish, notwithstanding the law of Moses. 29 And now I say unto you that it was expedient that there should be a law given to the children of Israel, yea, even a very strict law; for they were a stiffnecked people, quick to do iniquity, and slow to remember the Lord their God; 30 Therefore there was a law given them, yea, a law of performances and of ordinances, a law which they were to observe strictly from day to day, to keep them in remembrance of God and their duty towards him. 31 But behold, I say unto you, that all these things were types of things to come. 32 And now, did they understand the law? I say unto you, Nay, they did not all understand the law; and this because of the hardness of their hearts; for they understood not that there could not any man be saved except it were through the redemption of God. Where do you believe you came from before you came into this Earth?

The only time something should be said in these matters, is when you have absolute proof. And also, ONLY when it is a Priesthood holder, especially, in a position of authority, meaning a bishopric, elders quorum presidency and so on. However skalenfehl is right, it is between the Lord and the offender. The thing about the position of authority is this. Priesthood Holders are legal administrators of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Children of God here on this Earth. Qualifying for this position consists of authority and worthiness and power. Power and authority are given but the individual is responsible for his worthiness. If they are not worthy, they are no longer qualified to administer the gospel to the children of men. Echo effect: Why does this matter to you? It is funny, my sister(33) asked me this same question yesterday. Someone had called my sister and asked the same question, and she told her to ignore it because it wasn't her business(essentially). My sister called me and asked me if what she said was right. I told her yes. It has no meaning for you. Don't worry about it. To give a little insight, my Dad's in a position of authority. Once a month, he talks with the Bishop about needs of the ward, and any issues that may cause disfellowshipping or excommunication. I would assume that the counsel that he has given you about her is most likely the Stake President's. I don't know, but it is a possibility. Also, this is a confidential matter between the Bishop, the Stake President, the individual, and of course the Lord. The Bishop is NOT going to let you in on the details of what they are doing. Why? Because it is not your business. Our lives are hard enough without plaguing it with others problems. I have too many problems to worry about having to deal with.

'you are save through faith and baptism.' Think of it like this, If we understand baptism to be an act of faith, then why do we need to write it? It is enough to say that we are saved, or rather exalted, by faith. Because it is implied that baptism would be a part of it. Does not obedience add up to Salvation? A simple confession of Christ is not going to have any weight with Him will it? I say "I believe and am one of your followers, but I have lied and stolen from my neighbors whom I didn't really love and done other manner of wickedness." Those acts would be contrary to His teachings. Why will He feel a need to let you into the Kingdom of God if you did contrary to what He taught? Salvation is a blessing. There is a law(eternal) required for blessings. We have to abide the law appointed for that blessing to gain the blessing. Baptism by Spirit puts believers into Christ's Church because the Holy Ghost acts as a seal. It seals the truth of the act done(baptism) in Heaven so that it counts for us in the eternities. That is why there has to be authority. The Holy Ghost is given, by authority, to those are baptized. Acts 8:17-18 The power is also the authority. Who has the power and authority to act in heaven as well as on Earth? Not just anybody. Not just believers, but those with the power and authority given them.