Connie

Well, considering the fact i'm already married (poor guy) coupled with the fact that i was completely joking.... i'd better leave said Mr. Fraser to someone else. Polyandry would certainly raise some interesting questions, such as: which of the husbands' names does the woman take, the first, the "favorite"? or do we get rid of that custom and make the husbands take the woman's last name? then do all the kids have the last name of their father, thus having different last names or just have everyone take the name of the mother?

Isaiah 4:1 And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach. This verse suggests, to me, that there will not be a nice, clean 1:1 ratio. And, unfortunately for me, it does not suggest that there will be more men than women. This suggests that there will be more women than men. Wouldn't you say? (I guess i'll have to give up on my Brendan Fraser idea.... sigh)

does that mean i don't get dibs??

Ohh yeah, bring it on!! I get dibs on Brendan Fraser!

I must have missed that and still can't seem to locate it, could you point out a post number, i would really like to read the McConkie stuff. She has said some pretty outlandish stuff IMO. I, for another, would also like to see some sources for these.

Are we talking divorce now?? Boy, this thread has come a bit off topic. Oh well, here's a talk by Dallin H. Oaks from the April 2007 General Conference on divorce: LDS.org - Ensign Article - Divorce

Welcome, i hope you find some good and helpful information here. :)

Welcome, glad your here! I turn the big 30 this year. I will try to take your advice and remember that it is only a number.

The below is from this resource put out by the Church: LDS.org - Family Table of Contents - True to the Faith “Patriarchal Blessings,” True to the Faith, (2004),111–13 Patriarchal blessings are given to worthy members of the Church by ordained patriarchs. Your patriarchal blessing declares your lineage in the house of Israel and contains personal counsel from the Lord to you. As you study your patriarchal blessing and follow the counsel it contains, it will provide guidance, comfort, and protection. To find out how to receive a patriarchal blessing, talk with your bishop or branch president. Declaration of Lineage Your patriarchal blessing includes a declaration of your lineage, stating that you are of the house of Israel—a descendant of Abraham, belonging to a specific tribe of Jacob. Many Latter-day Saints are of the tribe of Ephraim, the tribe given the primary responsibility to lead the latter-day work of the Lord. Because each of us has many bloodlines running in us, two members of the same family may be declared as being of different tribes in Israel. It does not matter if your lineage in the house of Israel is through bloodlines or by adoption. As a member of the Church, you are counted as a descendant of Abraham and an heir to all the promises and blessings contained in the Abrahamic covenant (see “Abrahamic Covenant,” pages 5–6). Learning from Your Patriarchal Blessing Once you have received your patriarchal blessing, you should read it humbly, prayerfully, and frequently. It is a personal revelation from your Heavenly Father, who knows your strengths, weaknesses, and eternal potential. Through your patriarchal blessing, He will help you learn what He expects of you. Your blessing may contain promises, admonitions, and warnings. As time goes on, you will recognize the power of the revelation in it. As you follow the counsel in your blessing, you will be less likely to stumble or be misled. If you do not follow the counsel, you will not be able to receive the promised blessings. While your patriarchal blessing contains inspired counsel and promises, you should not expect it to answer all your questions or to detail all that will happen in your life. If your blessing does not mention an important event, such as a full-time mission or marriage, you should not assume that you will not receive that opportunity. Similarly, you should not assume that everything mentioned in your patriarchal blessing will be fulfilled in this life. A patriarchal blessing is eternal, and its promises may extend into the eternities. Be assured that if you are worthy, all promises will be fulfilled in the Lord’s due time. Those that are not realized in this life will be fulfilled in the next. Your patriarchal blessing is sacred and personal. You may share it with immediate family members, but you should not read it aloud in public or permit others to read it or interpret it. Not even your patriarch or bishop or branch president should interpret it. Treasure in your heart the precious words in your patriarchal blessing. Ponder them, and live so that you will be worthy to receive the promised blessings in this life and in the life to come.

This is a good little resource you could also check out: LDS.org - Family Table of Contents - True to the Faith It discusses some of the basic and not so basic gospel issues by topic. It's put out by the Church.

The below is from this resource put out by the Church: LDS.org - Family Table of Contents - True to the Faith “Abrahamic Covenant,” True to the Faith, (2004),5–6 Abraham received the gospel and was ordained a high priest (see D&C 84:14; Abraham 1:2). He later entered into celestial marriage, which is the covenant of exaltation (see D&C 131:1–4; 132:19, 29). In connection with the covenants he made, he received great promises from the Lord concerning his family. Among these promises were the following: * • His posterity would be numerous (see Genesis 17:5–6; Abraham 2:9; 3:14). * • His seed, or descendants, would receive the gospel and bear the priesthood (see Abraham 2:9). * • Through the ministry of his seed, “all the families of the earth [would] be blessed, even with the blessings of the Gospel, which are the blessings of salvation, even of life eternal” (Abraham 2:11). Together, all the covenants and promises that Abraham received from the Lord are called the Abrahamic covenant. It is an everlasting covenant that extends to all of Abraham’s seed (see Genesis 17:7). To be counted as Abraham’s seed, an individual must obey the laws and ordinances of the gospel. Then that person can receive all the blessings of the Abrahamic covenant, even if he or she is not a literal descendant of Abraham (see Galatians 3:26–29; 4:1–7; D&C 84:33–40). As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you are a child of the covenant (see 3 Nephi 20:25–26). You have received the everlasting gospel and inherited the same promises given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You have the right to the blessings of the priesthood and to eternal life, according to your faithfulness in receiving the ordinances of salvation and keeping the associated covenants. Nations of the earth will be blessed by your efforts and by the labors of your posterity. It also says this under the 'Patriarchal Blessing' section: Many Latter-day Saints are of the tribe of Ephraim, the tribe given the primary responsibility to lead the latter-day work of the Lord. The Bible dictionary says this: Ephraim was given the birthright in Israel (1 Chr. 5: 1-2; Jer. 31: 9), and in the last days it has been the tribe of Ephraim’s privilege first to bear the message of the restoration of the gospel to the world and to gather scattered Israel (Deut. 33: 13-17; D&C 133: 26-34; D&C 64: 36). And this: Being an heir to the Abrahamic covenant does not make one a “chosen person” per se, but does signify that such are chosen to responsibly carry the gospel to all the peoples of the earth. Abraham’s seed have carried out the missionary activity in all the nations since Abraham’s day. (Matt. 3: 9; Abr. 2: 9-11). To fulfill the covenant God made with Abraham - having particular reference to the fact that the literal seed of his body would be entitled to all of the blessings of the gospel (Abr. 2: 10-11) - a number of specific and particular things must take place in the last days. The gospel must be restored, the priesthood must be conferred again upon man, the keys of the sealing power must be given again to mortals, Israel must be gathered, and the Holy Ghost must be poured out upon the gentiles. All this has already taken place or is in process of fulfillment. Hope these help. :)

Holy cow, people! What's the big deal? Some people like Sunstone, some people don't. So what!? Let's not get our underwear all in a bind because of it.

I rather like where this discussion has gone. Not that there are many truths but that there is one truth and we, each of us, possess different amounts or degrees of that truth. (Or at least that's what i'm getting out of it.) And we need to be on a constant search for truth. It reminds me of something Joseph Smith said, “It is not wisdom that we should have all knowledge at once presented before us; but that we should have a little at a time; then we can comprehend it.” It also reminds me of D&C 93 where John the revelator talks of Christ: 11 And I, John, bear record that I beheld his glory, as the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, even the Spirit of truth, which came and dwelt in the flesh, and dwelt among us. 12 And I, John, saw that he received not of the fulness at the first, but received grace for grace; 13 And he received not of the fulness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fulness; 14 And thus he was called the Son of God, because he received not of the fulness at the first.

"Anywho, what's your name, fruit-head?" Meet the Robinsons

Mr. Darcy looks at you a great deal, Lizzy. Pride & Prejudice

I've been a member all my life and can't think of a time when i did not know this doctrine. The Church, of course, does not focus on the "God was once a man" part of it, which IMO is what Pres. Hinckley meant in his interview. We focus on the "man can become like God" part of it and that is what is taught and taught quite extensively i think. Why in our current Pristhood/Relief Society manual it is taught on pages 52, 221-222, 481 and 531. And even on page 40 it mentions the first part of the couplet. "God Himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens!" (of course, as many members will know, we are studying the Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith which you can read here, LDS.org - Melchizedek Priesthood Table of Contents - Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith) How many times do we sing "I Am a Child of God"? How many times is it mentioned that we can become like Him? I can't think of a doctrine that is not taught more openly! Please do all read this thread, http://www.lds.net/forums/share/17806-lorenzo-snow-couplet.html This has what i found in the Ensign magazine posted on it and many other good thoughts.

"some people without brains do an awful lot of talking." The Wizard of Oz

The below is from this resource put out by the Church: LDS.org - Family Table of Contents - True to the Faith “Original Sin,” True to the Faith, (2004),110–11 Because of the Fall of Adam and Eve, all people live in a fallen condition, separated from God and subject to physical death. However, we are not condemned by what many call the “original sin.” In other words, we are not accountable for Adam’s transgression in the Garden of Eden. The Prophet Joseph Smith said, “We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression” (Articles of Faith 1:2). Through the Atonement, the Savior paid the price for the transgression in the Garden of Eden (see Moses 6:53). He has given us the assurance of resurrection and the promise that, based on our faithfulness, we can return to dwell in the presence of our Heavenly Father forever. I would also recommend reading these chapters in the Book of Mormon: Alma 42, 2 Nephi 2

Thankfully, they have all been deleted. The minute i saw that username I knew something was up and reported him.

Thank you, both, those are some good insights. :)

"A bald monkey!?" E.T.

“The harsh reality is that mankind must choose between opposites, between light and darkness, between truth and falsehood, between righteousness and unrighteousness, between happiness and misery. All of these choices are really simple. How delighted the adversary is when he can divert men from deciding about these first things and keep them busy with second, third, and fourth things.” -Neal A. Maxwell “We cannot practice one principle of Jesus Christ, apart from all his other principles, and have full happiness. -Neal A. Maxwell “One may well ask if it is necessary to choose between such absolute extremes, and wonder if there is not some more moderate approach to the problems. By the very nature of things, there is no third way – as the early Jewish and Christian writers remind us repeatedly in their doctrine of the Two Ways. According to this oldest and best-established of teachings (though quite unpopular with the conventional Christianity and Judaism of our time), there are Two Ways lying before every person in this life, the Way of Light and the Way of Darkness, the Way of Life and the Way of Death; and every mortal every day of his life is required to make a choice between them. Unfortunately for our peace of mind, any compromise between the Two Ways is out of the question, since they lead in opposite directions. As the wise Heraclitus pointed out long ago, “The up-road and the down-road are one and the same.” Which one you are on depends entirely on the way you are facing.” -Hugh Nibley “Satan's masterpiece of counterfeiting is the doctrine that there are only two choices, and he will show us what they are. It is true that there are only two ways, but by pointing us the way he wants us to take and then showing us a fork in that road, he convinces us that we are making the vital choice, when actually we are choosing between branches in his road. Which one we take makes little difference to him, for both lead to destruction.” -Hugh Nibley “There is a clause in the will stating that if the heir neglects any of the franchises, he will forfeit them all. What am I doing with genealogy, temple work, Sunday School, priesthood, home teaching, scripture study, and all my meetings? I simply can't do them all; I cannot begin to do justice to them. Why not? Because I am, as my grandfather used to say and not entirely in jest, too taken up with the cares of the world...” -Hugh Nibley “The whole tenet of the dualism of Babylon and Zion, the Two Ways, is that one does not move gradually and easily from a sinful to a righteous life. One forsakes sin completely, or one does not forsake it.” -Hugh Nibley “(we can only think of one thing at a time) It is precisely this limitation that is the essence of our mortal existence. If every choice I make expresses a preference, if the world I build up is the world I really love and want, then with every choice I am judging myself, proclaiming all the day long to God, angels, and my fellowmen where my real values lie, where my treasure is, the things to which I give supreme importance. Hence, in this life every moment provides a perfect and foolproof test of your real character, making this life a time of testing and probation.” -Hugh Nibley These quotes would seem to suggest, to me, that it is "all or nothing," "black and white." And yet i'm hesitant to define the telestial kingdom as "nothing." Does anyone have any thoughts or insights on this?

“Indeed, evil is not only erotic; it is erratic, since it must entice so many in such a multitude of ways. Thus, persuade a man possessed of one truth that he has all truth. Convince another that there is no truth whatsoever. Let another believe that all truths are of equal importance to man. Notice that the result is the same in all cases: the searching for truth stops. Allow one person to think that no matter what he does, it is not wrong. Tell another that he has done wrong, but it is not serious. Persuade another that he has erred so gravely that there is no hope for him. Again, the result is the same: the sinning continues. The devil is a liar and a cheat!” -Neal A. Maxwell

Oooooo. I like it!! You rock, Maxel! I'm in total awe!

I know that word, competition, is mentioned a lot in this talk: LDS.org - Ensign Article - Beware of Pride Such as here: "The proud make every man their adversary by pitting their intellects, opinions, works, wealth, talents, or any other worldly measuring device against others. In the words of C. S. Lewis: “Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man. … It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest. Once the element of competition has gone, pride has gone.” (Mere Christianity, New York: Macmillan, 1952, pp. 109–10.)" I know one of my brothers who was on the swim team in high school was encouraged to only "compete with himself" as it were. Not sure how helpful that is.