Madriglace

As LDS we believe we are to be anxiously engaged in a good cause. So to take a page from your book "Relax. You either believe or you do not. Which one is it." or Believe and work to move the work of the Lord forward ... find the 1 that has strayed ... love your brother ... ease the suffering ... bear each others burdens .... Which one is it??? So little time so much to do .... I think I will serve the Lord as a sign of my gratitude.

The atonement of the Savior in the Garden was absolute ... as LDS we belive that when we reach the age of accountability (at 8 yrs or when we choose to enter the waters of baptizm) we choose accept that atonement and then become accountable for how we use it. Forgiveness is the the Lord's job ours is to forgive ... however we believe that with our choice to sin come consequences and those we must deal with no matter what ... they just do not go away. When we in our imperfect journey choose to comitt that which we know is sin we are obligated to begin the repentance process to bring us back in tune with the Savior which includes recognizing our sin, asking forgiveness, making restitution, forsaking the sin, having a complete change of heart and enduring to the end. We as LDS believe that our leaders in some instances are called as Judges in Israel and by authority are called to preside when the sin is such that our own repentance needs assistance. Some things that would jeopardize our standing in the Kingdom are beyond what we can do on our own. The word discipline does not accurately portray what happens in a discipline proceeding. This is about love and helping the person move forward with the repentance process. The Savior came to save us FROM our sins not IN our sins. Prisionchaplin is correct when he says that this process is more unique to us than other deniominations. Respect for what is our understnading of what is required is appreciated.

Welcome to the site ... we a kindred spirits (55 & never married) ... Life id Great!

What a wonderful epiphany to have. Jesus Christ did atone for the sins of the world ... which sounds huge and so incomprehensible. Bringing it down to the first person makes it so much more wonderful. He went into the Garden and sweat blood to take upon Himself our sins, pain, and sorrows so that we wouldn't have to suffer for them IF we would only follow Him. He was the only one who could do it ... there was no PLan B. The atonement and His subsequent crucifiction to over come temporal death and His resurrection were gifts freely given to everyone who had or will walk the earth. He ask nothing except that if we loved Him we keep his commandments ... it is up to us to accept the gift and realize that once accepted our responsibility is to be the very best we can. He loves us, He knows our names and who we are. We each have the agency to accept or reject His gift. He didn't qualify His atonement ... it was for everyone.

If Jesus is coming we better do more than look busy ... we better be busy. As excited as I am about His coming I have way to much to do. Like the country song say ... we all want to go to heaven ... just not today ... please!

Healthy competion is possible even with scores etc. I show dogs in conformation competitions. Dog people are basically nuts and can be very nasty. For some it's all about the win and winning no matter what they have to do. Years ago I decided that that just wasn't me. I have tried to make an effort to compete in a way that would please my Savior. I offer to help groom the competition, help with handling, congratulate others when they win and keep the whole shooting match in perspective ... this isn't life it's just a dog show. Mostly for me it's about pushing myself to be the best I can be and still remember what's important. I even have my Catholic partner (our agnostic friend doesn't ride with us anymore because we pray) praying before we leave for shows and the one thing that is always asked is that we have help remembering who we are and competing in manner that is please to Him.

Where is it assumed that it all took place in Central America? I love to travel .. my passport burns a hole in my pocket. Peru is one of my all time favorite places .. the ruins there are amazing. The civilization covered the entire North and South American continents. If it only happened in Central America what was Moroni doing up in the New York region? Also a personal speculation of mine ... have you seen the clifs dwellings in the southwest US? If you don't know they are there you can't see them .. looks like people running and hiding to me.

I have never watched this program and don't have HBO because so much of the content is just garbage but I came up with a question this morning ... if this about an FLDS family why use the LDS endowment ? Why not theirs? Sorry to go of topic ... just asking.

Miracles happen every day ... most are small personal ones that really never get heard about. One of my personal favorites is a story about early missionaries setting out with just a small amout on money and many weeks into their journey being over heard discussing their finances and how they still had exactly what they had left home with even though they had used their funds over and over to support themselves (wish I could remember the names ... will have to look it up). Many times in my life small miracles have made my faith and testimony so much stronger like 3 months of food storage lasting for a year when I was out of work or paying tithing and having funds for unexpected things just turn up. I know for sure the most profound miracle in my life is the Atonement. the love that was shown to me takes my breath away.

Speaking as someone who has been there, is there and will probably always be there it isn't a matter of "not going to do anything about it" it is a matter of "can't do anything about it". Until you have lived it you just don't know. My dear sweet mother's standard statement is "Handle it". She doesn't know ... she has never been there. Living with depression (and this is depression) isn't one day at a time ... it is one minute at a time. I have a window of opportunity in the morning ... if it passes I am done for the day. I have to grab that opportunity and keep running until I drop. You sit an look at a filthy disgusting house and know you need to do something but it is just impossible. You know you need to loose weight but when a project takes effort you have none to spare ... just being takes it all. I fight for every step every day of my life. I have a family I love, animals I love, a great job I love, 2 church callings I love and it is all work and effort. My brain doesn't fire the same way as others. 2 dear sisters in our ward helped me out of the hole the last time I failed ... if not for them I still wouldn't be moving, they never judged, they just came in and helped and loved me enough to over look the mess. I manage pretty well right now .. at least I don't walk around in tears all the time. If it weren't for my animals needing me I would have absolutely no reason to get out of bed ... they save my life every single day. About 2 years ago I was in such a horrible place and I knew I needed help. I begged Heavenly Father to help me ... His answer was the birth of a single puppy who at 4 weeks was diagnosed with megaesophagus (this is where the cannot eat without help). For the next year I cared for this baby 24/7 ... he needed ME. He saved my life. After I got passed the place I was in he was called home. I miss him so much but he came for a reason. Funny how our prayers are answered. If you can't handle your friends problem that's fine and understandable but if you can then that is what is needed more than anything. People like us need to know we are loved and needed ... the feelings of being alone and worthless in a crowd are overwhelming. So what if she gets angry ... give her a hug and tell her you love her and that you are going to help no matter how much she screams. Tell her you need the blessings. I consider this one of the minor trials the Lord has given me and I do my best to be worthy of it ... I may never beat it but by golly I plan to make a whole lot of lemonade!

The Elder who said that the sister missionary was a "hungry husband hunter" was and probably still is a bonehead. An Elder in the mission office told my folks they weren't really missionaries ... my dad pointed out that his name plaque said the same thing as the one the elder wore. Then there was the Elder that told them that senior missionaries in the mission were like fresh milk on cereal ... dry was good but the fesh milk just made it perfect. The different types of missionaries are out there for a reason. Different people in the world need them. An elderly sister in my folks first mission said she had had the lessons 7 times and she finally understood when they taught her. The thing is to go and serve the Lord with all your heart. Who cares what a "dippy" Elder thinks ... it's what the Savior thinks of your service that counts. I tried to go on a mission many years ago and was turned down because I was to "fat" ... I found out years later that my papers never left the stake office. I missed being able to serve and am not in a position to serve now ... someone took that away from me and that is something they will have to answer for. I just pray that someone found the person that was waiting for me.

Everyone has to decide what works for them. A family with a car load of kids would certainly do better to pray in the car before dinner ... something about an outing winds kids up and getting them unwound to pray could be a problem. I have patterned what I do after my folks ... they have served 5 missions and pray everywhere. They are so good at praying in restaurants sometimes I even miss it. It is personal and humble and no less special for the place. They have prayed all over South America and continue here at home. I know that there were many reports after 9-11 of missionaries on their knees in airports and what a comfort it was to the people around them. In our town we have a community dinner the last week of the month for those that have more month than money. It is an interdenominational thing. At first they decided not to pray before dinner so as not to offend people ... our RS Pres felt it proper to pray in this setting and said so and ask why if they didn't want to pray in the public room they couldn't bless the food in the kitchen before it went out. This is now standard procedure. No one should ever be condemed for how, when or where they choose to pray ... that is between them and the Lord.

I have just read throught the entire thread .... very interesting. A couple of things came to me as I read .... BTW I don't do caffine at all aside from a serious pain problem it causes me it also gives me a very crawly feeling. Chocolate I love but do rarely for the same pain problem. I agree with following the spirit of the law ... we know what's bad for us ... science adds new stuff all the time. I don't understnad why people put so much effort into what the WoW means and what can be used etc. It is what it is and it can be very different for everyone. This is an easy choice .. like I tell my kids in SS (14-16) make the easy choice and save your energy for the hard stuff. Like the counsel to only wear one pair of earrings ... I LOVE earrings and have 3 holes in my ears. It was an easy choice no big deal ... done ... on to the hard stuff. Now if we were counseled no earrings at all I would cry alot but again an easy choice. The other thing for me is a matter of respect for the wishes of the Savior ... we should not have to be "counseled in all things" ... we have to work out what is right for us ... and that's between each of us and our Lord. The WoW is one thing I can do and not add to the Saviors pain ... the rest not so much. Maybe my view of the gospel is too simple for some ... but it works for me.

Many years ago someone compared the church to a great race horse standing in a field. The horse may be bitten by a fly but it is still no less a great race horse. The Adversary is getting really desperate to think this is going to cause more than minor upset. The work will roll forward until it fills the whole earth ... we have been promised this. We have way to much to do to let something like this even cause a momentary pause in the work. There will be people that investigate the church and join us because of this ... we need to use it to our good where we can. Follow the lead of the Prophet and we can never go wrong. JMHO

One of the great things about th BofM is the footnotes that cross reference the entire book to all the other scriptures. Get yourself a copy of the Doctrine & Covenants and Pearl of Great price as well as your Bible and Book of Mormon. All these together will give you a good coverage for your questions. One thing to remember is that many many books have been left out of the various versions of the Bible. Many "plain and precious things" have been lost or hidden in the effort to make the Bible comform with the teachings of man at the time of compilation. Just because it isn't in the Bible doesn't mean it isn't true or that it wasn't addressed. My suggestion ... humbly read the Book of Moromon, study the cross references and then follow the counsel to go to the Lord in prayer and ask if it is true. He will answer you ... He loves you, He knows your name and He knows your heart ... and is only waiting for you to ask.

Dear sister ... you are in a hard place. Like lilered said take a step back. Then ask yourself what your Savior would have you do? The first thing that will be required to start any repentance process in your case will be seperate living quarters ... this is a good thing. You say you see and talk to only him ... take a step back. I guarantee the view will be different from a few blocks away. Get some space and some time ... if you are close to a temple ... go to the grounds and let the Spirit lift you up and be sure to listen. You and only you can move you forward to where you need to be ... are you ready to take the chances that you have spoken of or are you ready to get yourself to a plce where the blessings promised to a worthy daughter of God are yours? You have to make the choice. Just remember that along with agency comes consequences ... are you ready to live with the consequences? You can't get away from them so you need to be ready to accept and live with them. Consequences or blessings? I made mistakes and went through the process and from where I stand now there isn't a choice or should I say the choice has been made ... there is no substitute for the temple. You know where you should be and what you should do ... having the horrible wants makes it hard to see the clear path but you know what it is ... do you have the testimony to follow it? Never ever forget who you are and what was done for you. You are so loved ... never ever settle.

Why does she need to replace it??? Her light is shining so brightly those around her need sun glasses!

Actually we live a little south of the flood area so we were high and dry but the floods in the Chehalis Valley were very fast ... up one day and down in another ... people were ready this time and while there was some damage nothing like Dec of '07 ... that was a mess. the flood area ia encompassed in our Stake. The out pouring of support and work was enough to have our Stake Pres floating!

Welcome Katie ... from the south 40 .... you know down in the flood land of SW Washington!

Go to your RS President and ask for help. That is her stewardship. There are many "older" sisters in each ward who would dearly love to help teach a young sister the ropes. we have a new sister in our ward from South America and she has asked for help learning the things she never had to do before she came here. The ward sisters are having a great deal of fun teaching her and learning from each other.

With out a doubt the hymn "I Stand All Amazed" has had the most profound effect on me and on my testimony .. I can very rarely get through it without the tears coming. I stand all amzed at the love Jesus offers me Confused at the grace that so fully He profers me I tremble to know that for me He was crucified That for me a sinner He suffered He bled and died I marvel that He would decend from His throne divine To rescue a soul so rebelious and proud as mine That He should extend His great love unto such as I Sufficient to won to redeem and to justify This hymn helped me to internalize the atonement. I came to realize that it wasn't about the Savior dying for the sins of the world ... it was about the Savior going to the Garden and bleeding from every pore for what I had done. This was about me because He loves me and he knows me ... it is so amzing to me to know that He knows my name and He knows who I am and He loves me anyway.

Well at least most here just read the books and saw the movie ... friends of mine loved the books so much they passed them to the whole family and then loaded up the whole bunch ... like 29 people and did a road trip to Forks ... thank goodness it's only about a 5 hour drive from here. They said they have really done the vampire thing to put Forks on the map ... Forks is basically a wide spot in the road logging town. Gotta love the Pacific Northwest ... all the little towns have gimics ... mine has a giant egg!

Sometimes the experiences can be scary and some times they are just plain funny. I remember visiting a friend and staying with her at her mothers home to house sit. During the night I sat up in bed and told someone to quit moving the bed and leave me a lone because I wanted to sleep. My friend and her husband came running in to see what I was yelling about. I told then that a man in 1800's clothing was moving the bed and wouldn't leave me alone. I guess you know they thought I had completely lost my mind. My friend later told her mother about and her mother confirmed that yes there was a spirit that regularly moved the furniture in the house ... at one time he move the baby grand piano clear across the room. Of course I couldn't resist an "I told you so!!!" The first time I remember seeing someone was when my grandmother came to visit and was sleeping in my bed and I was on the floor in the corner. In the middle of the night she sat up in bed and said "Bird is that you?" (Bird was her younger sister who had passed) I looked over at the bed and there was my Aunt Bird ... of course I did what any self respecting 12 year old would do ... I covered up my head! For me this is just normal ... my mom thinks I nuts but she knows that I see them. To me the veil is very thin and sometimes we get a glimpse of the other side. What a blessing to know for sure that this is not the end but just a small portion of the whole.

Nit picking on the meaning of sin as opposed to transgression does not dismiss the major focus of my statement. The Savior did not qualify His atonement ....

I have seen spirits all my life ... things that would freak out most people is just normal for me. i have never really stopped to wonder who or why ... for my it just is.