bytebear

When I was a kid, the toe of the stocking was always an orange. And I always got a new toothbrush. Right now, the Avengers are a big thing, so it's easy to find small toys. I found these little containers with stretchy rubbery characters that are a big hit, so I will probably get more of those. I found them at Michael's, and it seems that you can find cute little plushies all over. They have other popular franchises too, so I just get what I know will be liked.

I think the French version says Ciao.

Some thoughts. Stakes are called stakes because they are what keeps the church's tent up. They are for stability and the more stakes we have the more stable the tent is. And I LOOOOOOVE this video as it shows how the gospel truth has grown. And the music is awesome. The lyrics are particularly significant. And lastly, two words: Road Shows.

I can't even.

Number of wards and branches: 29,621 Number of missionaries: 85,147 So, you are looking at an average of 2.87 missionaries per ward/branch. So, it looks like high density areas give up missionaries to areas that need more missionaries.

I have downloaded several of the Talmage books using Google Play (books) for free. I am sure most of the older books are available there too. The church manuals are great too, and are all online for free at lds.org. Resources are pretty much everywhere at your fingertips. I have found though that if I want to annotate, I have to have a real book.

I grew up in Salt Lake, and we never had missionaries. Maybe once every 5 years, the missionaries would give a talk in church, but that was it. When I was on my mission in New England, we had at least two sets of missionaries per ward, and a set of missionaries for a branch. Some wards had 6 missionaries, and since two wards met in a building, that meant there were really 8 to 10 missionaries to a building. So, I guess it just depends on how dense your Mormon population is, how many stakes your mission covers, and how many missionaries are in your area. You can probably guestimate it if you find out how many wards/stakes are in the mission area, and assume there are about 200 missionaries covering the area.

We don't live in a caste system. That affects culture immensely. If we did, the Lord would provide revelations to His leaders to best support those of a lower caste, including slaves. So, do I think the prophets were fallible because they taught things we find deplorable today? Nope, God works within his means. And even He denied the Israelites higher blessings because of their circumstances and because there is a season and a time for everything.

Do you feel anything? No, Are you sure. Rub harder. Are you sure you don't feel anything? No, Not even a little foolish?

When I read this post, I was reminded of conversion stories, and one in particular, because fame makes it well documented. http://ldsmag.com/article-1-12092/ If you read the story, each person introduced to the church were introduced because they had a light that attracted people to the truth. “Since I joined the Church, I desire to be more and more obedient to God. As I do so, many people say to me, ‘I see a light in you more than ever before. What is it?’…During one performance at Disney world…[a member of the audience asked,] ‘Could you please tell us…how you got that light?’ “the question was direct. so I gave a direct answer: ‘I have become a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” I think this is what is meant by letting your light shine.

Do you ever notice that every time they do a mass resignation, it's the same people resigning (again).

Yes, but if one disagrees with a creed, what then? Are they apostate? So in that sense, aren't creeds at least pseudo-scripture?

The way I see it, Christ paid for my sins 2000 years ago. I can't change that through faith or works. But I can benefit from it, or reject it through both faith and actions (works).

I have found that the church has a very good method for people who cannot abide by the gospel principles will leave the church. The faithful will stay regardless of politics.

And in the Cavuto interview, the girl inadvertantly demands that the 1% (people making 250,000) a year pay 90% in taxes. So, apparently, she thinks the rich can live on 25k a year.

Every time I hear about students demand that the 1% pay for everyone's college, I think,"can we start with math."

I asked this in the other thread, but thought I would throw it here too. Is the resurrection universal, or is it tied to salvation?

From the Bible Dictionary. "Baptism in water has several purposes. It is for the remission of sins, for membership in the Church, and for entrance into the celestial kingdom; it is also the doorway to personal sanctification when followed by the reception of the Holy Ghost." https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bd/baptism?lang=eng I believe many people will be baptized but not accept the ordinance or live up to their covenant, so just because one is baptized (either in life or by proxy), there is no guarantee of salvation.

Another question on the resurrection. LDS believe that all people born will also be resurrected. Do non-LDS Christians believe in a universal resurrection, or is it contingent on being saved? I have seen1 Cor 15:22 used by LDS as evidence for a universal resurrection: "For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive."

What does it mean to be a Mormon? I think this is answered in our 4th article of faith: "We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost." We are a covenant people. Believe in Jesus is the first step in becoming one with God, but one must repent and covenant with God through baptism, thereby entering into the body of His church. Only then are we his sheep and counted as His people. It sounds like you have 1 and hopefully 2 down, and we invite you to explore and pursue the next steps.

The basics to me are understanding the covenants of the gospel, entering into those covenants and living them. That seems sufficient to me.

I wonder if it will make the children's songbook. I actaully loved the "Happy Happy Birthday" that I grew up singing in primary. I hope they keep it. It always made me feel special knowing we had a special happy birthday song just for primary.

Reading the headline, I got to thinking. I don't think it's so much that you need a temple recommend, but perhaps you need a spouse.

You're welcome. Thank my Seminary teachers who were big on alternatives to secular music at the time. :)

I always understood that the perfection of man is not meant to in the modern meaning of the word "perfect", but to mean more complete. Jesus was always morally perfect, but his mission was not complete until after the atonement and after the resurrection. He had do become perfect (complete). And, we know he did not begin his life with a pefect knowledge or even a perfect desire (desiring that the cup be taken from him), but he did have a pefect will. I like the notion that we are all "gods" until we are not, because the definition of "god" is one who continues forever. And we, right now are continuing. Perfection and exhaultation comes when our continuation is assured forever.