ColoradoGuy

Not without my Delorean and the Flux Capcitor! Now if I can just get up to 88 miles per hour.

om·nis·cient –adjective 1. having complete or unlimited knowledge, awareness, or understanding; perceiving all things. I would say yes.

Great point...thank you for sharing!

Funk Town - I have to admit I read your post a bit too quick. I've spent some time reading - re-reading and pondering and I think you are absolutely correct. Our actions are not irrelevant even though Heavenly Father knows what we will do. It is the heart of the person and their desire to improve and become better people. So if I set my sights at the Celestial kingdom and always try to improve myself (along with my choices) with that goal in mind I can achieve it someday......right?

Right....my bad....Martin Harris.

Great question......I wish I had a good answer!

Sure and I totally see your point. But in the instance of Joseph giving the plates to Oliver. He had multiple choices each with there own series of outcomes. For instance: Give the manuscript to Oliver - and we saw what happened. Don't give the manuscript to Oliver which would have deviated down another path. Tell Oliver he's being replaced as scribe and get lost - yet another path. Do you see what I mean? Joseph could have chose to do any of these or other options, each with their own set of time lined events. So while I know God is infinite living beyond the scope of time as we know it, he does see all of this - these different time lines that are based upon the choices we make. Your example of Judas is a good one too. Judas had a lot of choices to make, betray, don't betray, just leave town - each of these choices have significantly different outcomes. So does Heavenly Father know the choices we'll make, or does he just plan for the worst case scenario as the example of the lost manuscript and ensure other accommodations are made for that eventuality. I mean I could decided to walk out to my car right now and drive 18 hours to my moms house in Ohio or I could stay at work, keep my job and continue supporting my family. Each of these choices have significantly different outcomes and the ability to change the outcome of my life and the lives of my loved ones. To say that Heavenly Father knows the choice I'll make before I make it speaks to me that my destination in this life (Telestial, Terrestial or Celestial) is already determined and judgment day isn't even here yet!

So did Heavenly Father know that Joseph would make the choice to give Oliver Cowdry the lost portion of the Book of Mormon?

OK, so because heavenly father knows me better than anyone, he will automatically know what I'm going to do in any given situation? I was trying to think of a Gospel instance and the only thing I could come up with was when Jesus told Peter he would deny him 3 times before the day was done. So what about my example of driving home (I know - very deep spiritual example - haha - just want to keep this simple). Driving home I could decide to take a left instead of going straight to get home.....does this make sense?

This is not an easy question in my mind. My wife is of the opinion that he does, but I'm not so sure. I do believe that Heavenly Father knows every outcome of decisions made and the chain of events that follow. But saying that he knows the choices I'm going to make before I make them seems counter to the his plan in the first place. He knows in any given situation the choices available to me and how each would play out, but does he really know the choice I'm going to make? What is the purpose of coming to this earth if he already knows the choices I'm going to make? For instance when I'm driving home today, I can take one of 4 or 5 different routes home. I haven't made up my mind which one I'm going to take. As I'm driving I could change my mind at any point and take a different route. I know this is deep, but if anyone has any council from any talks they've read or heard I would appreciate info on this topic. Thoughts anyone?

Look - mission or no you're still a righteous member of the Church and if soem of the women you've been trying to date can't see that then have faith - she's out there. I'm a convert to the church (1997) and I never served a mission. I'm married in the temple to a wonderful woman and she saw me for who I was. Never give up my brother - endure to the end! Take this opportunity in your life to meet as many women (member and non member) as possible and become good friends with them. Just make sure that the non-member women you meet are clear that your faith is a huge part of your life. If they cannot accept the LDS faith or at the very least listen with an open mind to the missionaries, then she's not the one for you - still be her friend but keep it just friends. You'll find that the one for you will appear when you least expect it. Keep the faith brother!