ElderBigDawg

I'm currently on Alma 33.

Yes, and Alma 32 further expounds on that. I know that. I was just telling it from their point of view. A lot of non-LDS people don't seem to get the "conversion by the Spirit" principle.

Welcome to the site! What's been happening in Afghanistan lately anyways? I'm happy that you have come to love the church. Don't worry, it will be here when you come back.

Yeah, I'm single and twenty years of age. However, I'm currently not looking. I'll worry about stuff like that after my mission.

Microwave

Sorry, I didn't really know where to place this.

I mostly avoid rated R movies. They're rated R for a reason. I've seen some that really mess with my mind afterward, like Final Destination. Luckily, newer movies here in the U.S. have subtitled reasons behind the rating if you look at the back of the case. For example: "Rated R for drug use and sexual content." However, there are two rated R movies that I can't let go of, and watch every once in a while: The Patriot, and The Last Samurai. Both are beautiful movies of much historic significance, and are only rated R because of some violent battle scenes.

"his part in the Nauvoo City Council's decision to suppress a newspaper that had published accusations against Smith led to his assassination by a mob of non-Mormons." Something here doesn't feel right.

I just read through Alma 32 this morning. It jumped out at me more this time than any other time I have read it, which I find very interesting. It might have to do my mission call to Argentina since I heard that the people there are impoverished and humble. Also, I have heard complaints from some people as of late, who say that taking advantage of humbled people and converting them is evil. To top it off, I have an agnostic friend who claims the only real way he could believe is he'd have to be given some sort of sign. This chapter covers all three. In Alma 32, we learn that those who are humbled are in preparation to hear the word of God. Pretty much the opposite of the natural man, who are too stiff-necked and puffed up in their pride to really learn anything. When you are humble, you are in a state that allows the Spirit to testify the truthfulness of the word unto you. Could you imagine the joy of those poor Zoramites, who, being impoverished, were cast out of the synagogues they built with their own hands? Can you imagine the joy they experienced when they learned that 1, they can pray anywhere they please and don't need a synagogue in order to do so? And 2, they could pray to God any day of the week and not just one day? They were so lowly of heart, due to the afflictions cast upon them, that I could imagine that their joy was full when the impoverished Zoramites learned of such glad tidings! This shows that the Lord truly loves us and will gladly accept us back into the fold if we but let Him convert our hearts. Being humble gives us that chance. "And now, because ye are compelled to be humble blessed are ye; for a man sometimes, if he is compelled to be humble, seeketh repentance; and now surely, whosoever repenteth shall find mercy; and he that findeth mercy and endureth to the end the same shall be saved." -Alma 32:13 (This chapter also deals a bunch with some truths about repentance, but that's not what I'm focusing on right now) Now, why doesn't God convert everyone in the world simply by giving signs and maybe even showing Himself unto all? Firstly, He does give plenty of signs all the time, as evident in the scriptures and modern day prophecy (personally, I find my complex body, the earth, and the entire cosmos evidence enough). But people can be too puffed up to notice. Secondly, it is revealed that God would rather we humble ourselves through faith than to seek a humbling experience. In other places in the Book of Mormon, it is said that we receive witness to the truth after our trial of faith. It also says in this chapter that Heavenly Father would rather have it for one to have faith through the word instead of having to receive a sign. Laman and Lemuel had plenty of signs, and look where it got them. But through the word, you gain your own testimony and the Spirit reaffirms it to you. So yeah. This is basically my thoughts. I also view this chapter as further proof that the Book of Mormon contains the fullness of the gospel.

I had to lose a lot of weight.

My grandmother got me the Book of Mormon-D&C-PGP combo in Spanish! Awesome! She also purchased a Spanish bible for me too. I found out that there are no LDS-Spanish versions because the Catholic church has a copyright on it or something. Weird. Christmas at the MTC? Wow, that will be very lucky!

To help prepare, I'm going to get a copy of the Book of Mormon in Spanish and compare it with my English one, and also check out some Spanish 101 websites. That way, I'll be better prepared to learn Spanish at the MTC. I want to be as fluent as possible.

If you start thinking too deep, things can get way too complicated for my brain to wrap around. That's why I just want to focus on the church and the gospel, then worry about all that other stuff in the next life.

I never intended to use The Work and the Glory as a replacement for church doctrine and history. It is for my entertainment only, with all the stuff I mentioned in the opening post as an added bonus.

Visa? What is visa? It was in my packet, but I didn't understand what it meant. I thought it was taking about a VISA card or something.