Orangeshift

I think possibly Az is feeling ignored or neglected by his ward. That could be at the heart of this. It's tough to go from being a new convert to a regular Joe. Everyone is always trying to get to know the new person, trying to help, etc. It's hard when the honey-moon wears off. I think it's time to get this guy a new calling. Something he can feel inspired about. People will return service for service, love for love, etc. Az might be needing a chance to show how he feels about his ward members TO his ward members. If they knew, they would love in return. That's the beauty of service and fellowship in the Church.

Oh WELL SAID, VOLT!

Dear Azriel- I am so glad you paid your tithing! Good for you! Please don't think that bad circumstances won't get you down. They will! The worse they are, the worse they feel. That's the human condition. Getting close to God, despite all conditions-- that is the path to Godliness, which is after all the entire purpose of the Restoration of the Gospel. Getting close to God is what feels good in this whole mess of things that feel bad. Your depression will work against you. It will separate you from the Spirit sometimes. I have the same. MANY people suffer this way. President Hinckley called it the plague of our generation. Whatever biochemistry exists between us and our food and environment has been messed with in the last days and many people suffer. But that doesn't mean you can't feel God's presence. You will get revelation from time to time, as you are obedient. You will get that expression of love, too. In fact I would be very surprised if you did not get more than your share of spiritual experiences, and I would be very surprised if those experiences did not end up being extremely powerful-- far above what others might experience around you. I can't explain this, but I have seen it time and time again with people who suffer depression. You will probably always suffer the emotional pain that comes from depression, but you will also experience the rebirth...if this is what you truly wish for, truly desire with all your heart. Get yourself to the Temple, if you can. Don't let anything stand in your way. In the Temple you can feel closer to the Spirit of God, and even to Jesus Christ. There you will see the truth-- that it is Jesus Christ Himself who introduces you to the Father. Getting your introduction to the Father is something that seldom happens while in this life, but happens to all the faithful eventually, whether here or in the next world. Getting to know Jesus is the key, He is the gate and passage way to the Father. I, too, have realized that even though I addressed the Father in my prayers, it was the Savior who was allowed to answer them for me. I think this is the correct way, I believe it is also what the General Authorities experience, for their testimonies ring out with love and affection for the Savior. They can truly say they know Him, and how else could this have happened save they'd learned of Him through their prayers? We address the Father when we pray, but Christ it is who frequently is able to converse back to us. Perhaps it has something to do with his place as mediator between us and the Father. I don't know. But I agree with you-- this does seem to be the way it actually takes place when we pray. Don't let members in your ward teach you false principles. Carefully make your way, and let the spirit be your guide. Church members can be wrong sometimes. Study it out, get some more opinions, pray your way through it. Azriel you will be completely fine. You will be great, better than fine. Trust yourself, and don't be afraid to get it wrong sometimes. That's ok, too. No worries. God already knows it will work out. Keep at it! He called you out of the world for a reason. All you have to do is keep striving to learn what that was. You were not put into this world to fail. Never forget that. Pain is part of the experience, sadly enough, as is loss and hardship. But even pain can be lifted, through Jesus Christ. His love (the "fruit" spoken of by Lehi) is glorious and sweet. It never runs out. Come to the tree and partake. Kind regards- Orangeshift PS- anti-depressants can also sometimes skew your reception of the spirit. Just something to be aware of as you pray. If you're not getting a lot of input from the spirit daily, you might have to try several times, over a period of days or even weeks, to get really important answers. Sometimes the drugs can mute the spirit, leave a feeling of deadness in the person. I can't tell you what action to take for this. It can be deadly to go off the medications, for some people. I can only suggest you be aware that this happens, and recommend you ask the Father for direction, and possibly also ask your Bishop for priesthood blessings. Fasting, if you get into a pinch, is also particularly powerful. Fasting can shake off the shackles with nothing else can. Fasting for two days instead of one can sometimes be good, too, if you're healthy and able. Just a thought.

I've always wanted to see those references. You don't happen to have them handy, do you?

You don't want to be mixing your allegorical parts with your real ones. The beauty of the Book of Mormon (Alma included) is that it is stripped almost completely of allegorical tales. It's very modern, in that respect. Even the "tower" account is missing (by design, but still missing). The ancients used mythical elements common to all cultures back in those days, as teaching tools. Even John the Beloved even uses them to teach his audience in Revelations. His audience had no trouble understanding him then because those were stories they knew really well. Long story short- Brigham Young meant what he said. He was seconded by Elder Pratt. I have no doubt this viewpoint was supported by the rest of the 12. This is not to say there was no Adam and Eve. This is only to say that they are figures in a play where Genesis is concerned. The garden story is not an historical tale. It is an allegorical teaching tool.

Didn't Brigham Young say that the notion of Adam being formed of the dust was an allegorical tale? An allegory, in this case, means a fiction used to teach a spiritual truth. We have several allegorical characters and objects included in the narrative: a fiery, turning sword, a talking snake, two trees with magical properties, and two or more winged, symbolic or mythical creatures. We have the knowledge, via modern revelation, that mankind was formed in the beginning as they are formed today. We have the knowledge that it is experience that bestows knowledge, and covenant making/obedience to God's commandments that gives us eternal life. Trees didn't have much to do with it. So...we don't really know what Eve may have thought or said, or if even this exact scenario was ever enacted. Not really. All we do know is that in the general outline, we are to consider ourselves as Adam and Eve. That means their story is our story. Their "trees" are our "trees", their temptations are our temptations, and the choices facing them then are the choices facing us, now. Just my thoughts.