Jenamarie

I have the book of Mosiah on my Zune (Microsoft's knockoff of an iPod), as well as the Conference talk I'm doing my lesson from next Sunday. I listen to a couple of chapters, and the talk, while working out at the gym. No worrying about my toddlers trying to grab the book/magazine from me and ripping the pages! Multi-tasking is my forte.

My first time through, as a teenager, the Aslan/Christ theme was the only one I picked up on too, but now I'm picking up on all sorts of themes! Although The Horse and His Boy still has me stumped.

I had a Stake President and Institute teacher who used to quote him all the time! Almost every lesson had at least one C.S. Lewis quote. That's why I refered to him as Brother Lewis in my original post. My Institute teacher always refered to him as that. :) I wonder if he ever met with any missionaries...

They're great books, Pam! (seven in all) They're grade school reading level, so they're a quick read too, although I'm taking my time this time, to try and glean as much from them as I can. :)

I'm currently re-reading The Chronicals of Narnia, and am picking up on a lot more of the religious themes within it, especially several LDS themes. While reading the talk I'll be basing my R.S. lesson off of this week, this quote stuck out to me: "The path to eternal life is not on a plateau. Rather, it is an incline, ever onward and upward. Hence, ever-increasing spiritual understanding and energy are required to reach our destination." Now, while Elder Hilbig is talking about our progression in this mortal life, it obviously reminded me of the part of The Last Battle, where those who were on the Right Side of Aslan went "onward and upward" to their reward (Heaven). I wonder if Brother Lewis had an understanding of Eternal Progression in Heaven. Ever-increasing spiritual understanding and energy to reach our final destination.

Here ya go. :) Three Presiding High Priests

I recall this! Off to lds.org to see if I can find it. I know Elder Talmage also touches on it in Jesus the Christ (Peter, James, and John being the first First Presidency)

I'm sorry I don't have any great words of wisdom for you, other than what's already been stated. Pray. Pray for wisdom in communicating with your boyfriend, for knowledge of the truths you are trying to embrace, and for courage to make the very difficult choices it looks like you may be facing. I'll keep you in my prayers as well. *hugs*

The bolded sentence stood out to me. I wouldn't exactly call myself spiritually depraved, but just today I had a very recognizable (in hindsight) "spirtual prompting" of the Advisary, trying to lead me into a trap, and it scared my spiritual pants off! It was amazing how quickly he acted on my weakness and tried to take me further from the Spirit! This is from my blog today: My husband and I had a rather heated disagreement before church started this morning. I was filled with all sorts of negative feelings about him, and a look he gave me during Sacrament meeting had me trying to come up with a list of grievances to throw at him when we got home. When it came time for Sunday School I felt really really strongly that I needed to leave. My emotions were high, and the idea of just going home and having a good cry sounded really appealing. But I thought about how it's most likely not what the Lord would want me to do, so I tried to calm myself down as best I could and sit through the lesson. The very first thing the teacher said was "What are some truths you take to be hard?" Some of the people mentioned things like "you need to read your scriptures", while others mentioned being told by their kids that they're doing the very things they've told their kids not to do. The teacher then went on to explain how defensive we sometimes get when we're told things we don't want to hear. Which was essentially what I was planning to do to my poor husband when we got home. Throw a bunch of "truths" at him about all the things he was doing wrong, and probably setting us up for another huge argument. I don't remember much of the lesson past that point, I was too busy thinking of how to more lovingly express to my husband the concerns I had about our marriage, and dropped several things from my "list of things to mention" that he was doing wrong, because it would only put him on the defensive and would not be productive at all. I recognize now that that prompting to leave Sunday School was the adversary trying to catch me in my anger, and prevent me from having my eyes opened to a better way of dealing with my angry feelings towards my husband. He would like nothing better than to see my marriage fail!

I'll also share with you that I know the feeling of shame and darkness that can come from a loss of Testimony. My family has been members of the church since Nauvoo. I graduated from Seminary. I was Sealed in the Temple to my husband. Being Mormon was a HUGE part of my identity, and losing my faith was like losing a large chunk of myself. It was a dark and lonely place for me for a while. But I wouldn't go back and chance it if I could. I *NEEDED* that experience. It has been a huge blessing. I hope that will be the case for you as well. :)

I have been where you are!! Things I did: A Topical Guide scripture study, where I read all of the scriptures regarding a particular topic (polygamy, eternal marriage, etc.) and recorded my thoughts on each of the scriptures I was directed to in a Scripture Journal. After reading all of the scriptures on that topic I wrote a brief synopsis of what I felt the scriptures had said, and my thoughts on them. I also write down scriptures I found elsewhere on accident, that perhaps weren't directly about that topic, but did relate to it and enlightened my view a bit more on the subject. Bought a copy of Preach My Gospel to see what Investigators to the church were being taught, since that's what I basically was. :) Started reading the Old Testament, particularly the Prophets so I could see what Prophets of old were like. Reading about Moses really helped me to see Joseph Smith in a new light. Also, discovering that the Passover was an *ordiance*, and an ordinance that you had to meet certain requirements to participate in (!) helped me understand the sacred nature of the Temple. I'd always wondered why it wasn't open to all, but learned that the Lord has always reserved some ordinances as being only for those who are truely willing to Sacrifice to draw nearer to him. Read Jesus the Christ by James E. Talmage. A heavy read, but there's no better source to get a comprehensive look of the LDS view of Jesus Christ and who He was. It's one of the things that seperates us the most from traditional Christianity, and understanding the Church's understand of Him helped. And it also strengthened my faith in the Savior. :)

This is something I'm working through right now. I've been feeling a strong impression that my "spiritual crisis" of the past few months has been to prepare me for something like this. It literally takes my breath away to think of losing one of my children, and yet, my husband and I are currently trying to bring a third child into our family, and I just feel like this child is going to be special somehow. Perhaps a miscarriage, or a stillbirth is about to occur in my life, or perhaps this child is going to have a severe defect, or perhaps it's going to be twins. I don't know. But I feel like whatever is ahead of me in the future, I'm going to need this stronger Testimony to see me through it, and I'm trying to nudge my husband in that direction too. Built a life-time supply of Testimony, and you'll be able to survive anything.

There's a church across the street from where my husband works that always has a great marquee. "Prayer: God's wireless plan. No fees, and no roaming charges!" "Sign broken, message inside" "If God is your co-pilot you need to switch seats" And from a dentist's office marquee that also has funny sayings: "Old florists never die, they just make other arrangements"

I bookmarked this one! Thank you! I've missed the past few lessons due to sick kids, and this is a great way to get caught up! (in addition to reading the lessons myself, of course. )

That list is overwhelming. Wow.

One of the questions is if there is anything in your home and family life that is in out of occordance with Gospel teachings. I would say denying your children access to one of their parents would fall under that.

Of course they don't contradict eachother, but not everything mentioned in D&C is mentioned in the Bible, and vise-versa. They compliment eachother, and, combined, give us a larger picture of God's plan for us.

The Doctrine and Covenants is also the Word of God, given to men through His Prophets.

D&C 45:55-59 D&C 101: 22-43 LDS.org - Topic Definition - Millennium

The one about Joseph Smith. Never heard that taught anywhere.

That's a new one to me.

Whenever I hear the word "rapture" I'm reminded of the bumper sticker I see around from time to time: "Warning: at Rapture, car will be unmanned"

I have read the Bible, and I believe what it says about the last days will indeed happen, but in the past I've taken the revelations at face-value, and haven't spent much time, personally, conjecturing as to how those revelations will come to pass. And actually, now that I think of it, I think I've learned more in church about the Millenial rein of Christ (when He will personally rein on the Earth for 1000 years, and Satan will be bound) than what will happen leading up to it, other than wars, and rumors of wars, and earthquakes in diverse places, et. al. Yes I've been taught/read about the anti-Christ, and believe there will be one, and that the Temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem, but the how/where/why's of it I haven't personally studied in depth. Again, the main focus of the church, in my experience, has been on preparing to meet the Lord. He'll come when the Father tells Him to come, and the Prophet will be there to interpret the signs of His coming, as they start coming to pass.

I met my DH just two days before our first date, and he arrived (for the date) with a single red rose in hand. Creeped my right out. I made up my mind right then and there that there would be no second date. But then, less than a week later, we were talking marriage. Our ending up married is the most obvious case of divine intervention in my life to date!

When we hit those scriptures in our Sunday School classes, such as when we studied in Revelations last December, then yes we do discuss them. I guess for me it just hasn't been really recently.