Martain

What of Michael the Archangle who came to earth as Adam the father of mankind? Are we to say that a child lead heaven's army against Lucifer? That he was not a mature adult? What of our Savior? He who was the God of the Israelites, who showed himself to Moses and the brother of Jared, who spoke with Enoch as a man speaks with a man. Was he a child? Was he immature? Was he not also like us one of our heavenly father's spirit children? While yet a spirit, Jesus progressed in the pre-mortal world and eventually received the divine investeture of authority from the father to act in his name. While yet in the spirit he was Jehova, God of the Old Testement. I do not think we were children in the pre-mortal world or that we were limited in our groth and the perfection of divine characteristics and qualities. We did not know pain or sorrow? D&C 76:26 And was called Perdition, for the heavens wept over him—he was Lucifer, a son of the morning We did not know joy? Are we to say that the Angels who sang at his birth and who bore these tidings of great joy knew nothing of what they spoke? That all our singing was joyless? We did not know temptation? Are we to say that in the great war in heaven over the souls of God's children, Lucifer did not tempt others? That you and I were not tempted by those who had joined him? We knew joy and we knew sorrow. We knew temptation though I expect nothing like what we've faced here. There were at least some there who were mature adult spirits. Why not you and I as well? We came here to get a body for without it we could not progress. Without a body we could not have children and procreate. We came here to be tested to see what we would do with these new powers. We came here to prove ourselves. To gain experience.

I drew such conclusions after comparing their definitions and the words considered synonymous with them. Test and it's synonyms : try, examine, prove, try out, assay, essay Tempt and it's synonyms: lure, seduce, allure, inveigle, attract. To me they are different and so are their currently accepted definitions. (courtesy of googling "definition of ___") I guess I'll approach it a different way. Based on James 1:13, your take on 1 Kings 13 must be incorrect or incomplete. God does not tempt man and thus he would not command one of his prophets to tempt someone. God does test man and thus he could command one of his prophets to test someone. Therefore, Prophet B did not tempt Propeht A but tested him.

Haha.... oops. Thanks!

The book Morman Doctrine wasn't pubished by Elder McConkie while he was an Apostle but rather while he was a General Authority. More information can be found under a wiki document regarding the book found here. There are other books that have been printed with the full approval and authorization of the first presidency other than the four standard works listed above. While I have not heard of the book you mention, should you obtain a copy, read the preface. If it is authorized and approved by the first presidency then it will have a statement from them indicating so. Otherwise you might see something like this: The Miracle of Forgiveness By Spencer C. Kimball While President of the Church "I accept full responsibility for the contents of this book. Specifically, the Church and its leaders are totally absolved from the responsibility for any error which it may be found to contain". Is it doctrinal? It was spoken by the Prophet while in his office. I say yes.

By this definition, having faith indicates a lack of sure knowledge. When one bears their testimony, they express two things. They indicate what they know, or have a sure knowledge of, and what they believe, or still take on faith. If a man has obtained through faith, a sure knowledge, by the power of the Holy Ghost, the truth of this Gospel, I declare such knowledge can not be lost save through sin. Shall we say that here that Satan immediately came and took away the faith that was sown in his heart? No. Shall we say that he did not nourish his faith? No. A man who teaches and read the scriptures daily, attends Sunday worship, and faithfully magnifies his callings is not one for which I would say there are a lack of nourishing works. Is it any wonder when someone concludes that thorns of sin have grown up around him and are choking his faith to death? I more than anyone else here know my own ignorance and lack of wisdom. Those who disagree, please unfold the scriptures to me that I may learn wisdom. You came here asking advice. What shall I do? Will you let things remain as they are, professing with lips that which the heart does not believe? Though you may try, this is not a lie you can live forever. This will eat at you, fester at you until either you confess or your conscience becomes seared as with iron to the point where it feels nothing about lieing and deceiving the very ones you love most. Lance this wound now and it may heal but let it fester and it will infect and cause illness to the entire body.

Another quote of interest.

Though it will take a little while to transcribe, I have an answer for you. The book is "The Miracle of Forgiveness" by Spencer W. Kimball and the text is taken from pages 313-315. This book was authored and published while he was the President of the Church. Although those who died in Noah's flood are unable to obtain a Celestial glory. There are still the Terrestrial and Telestial Kingdoms for them to seek after and qualify for. There is a point in every soul's life where they have had sufficient opportunities to learn and follow the Gospel of Christ and should they die in their sins, forfeit a Celestial Glory. It is God who ultimately determines who had the fullness of opportunities and wasted them and who did not. Those who have not had any opportunity will of course be given full opportunity in the Spirit World and if they endure to the end they will also receive Celestial Glory. So as to answer your question, why can't we wait to repent in the spirit world? Because in doing so we risk forfeiting exaltation. This is my understanding.

There appears to me to be a rather large distinction between the definitions of the words test and temptation. While God does not entice or tempt men to sin, he does indeed test them. D&C 98:14 Therefore, be not afraid of your enemies, for I have decreed in my heart, saith the Lord, that I will prove you in all things, whether you will abide in my covenant, even unto death, that you may be found worthy. John Taylor, the third President of the Church, said: “I heard the Prophet Joseph say, in speaking to the Twelve on one occasion: ‘You will have all kinds of trials to pass through. And it is quite as necessary for you to be tried as it was for Abraham and other men of God, and (said he) God will feel after you, and He will take hold of you and wrench your very heart strings, and if you cannot stand it you will not be fit for an inheritance in the Celestial Kingdom of God.’ … Joseph Smith never had many months of peace after he received the truth, and finally he was murdered in Carthage jail.” (Reference)

Why are the Apostles to be Judges at that great day with Christ? Because they have been or will be, called and set apart, by priesthood authority, authorized to administer in such a position. While this does not mean that a Bishop in this world will be extended such a calling, neither does it preclude the possibility. Suffice to say, we do not know and I agree that to say we do, either way, would be opinion. Although if you find something conclusive to prove the point either way, I'm more than willing to reverse my statement.

I find it indisputable that different people interpret the bible in different ways to mean different things. If this were not so, there would not be the plethora of christian churches that we have today. This is why God called Apostles/Prophets. When disputes arose and doctrines clashed, the Apostles/Pophets were there to determine, through divine revelation, the correct interpretation. When all the Apostles/Prophets of the early church had been lost, so was the means to settle doctrinal disputes. Lacking this, what did they do? They voted. In my mind, Prophets are required. Inspired men called empowered and authorized by God with the gifts of prophecy and revelation. Where such men are, there you will find the Church of God.

I see someone already mentioned K9 webfilter. Personally, I use it and it's great! If you use it, make sure to also check the category for image searches. However, this is a two fold issue. On one hand you have the pornography which leads to masturbation. On the other hand you have masturbation which leads to pornography. Like a hydra, cut off one head without cutting off the other, and it will simply just grow back. A deadly poison, more addictive than alchohol, your son is playing with liquid fire that will burn him hotter and more deeply than you know. Also, just like smoking and alchohol are gateway drugs into a wider field of terror, unchecked, these too will lead to those sins which if committed are second only to murder. If he hasn't already, he needs to confess what he has done to his bishop. He needs to understand the seriousness of what he has done and go through the repentance process. Ultimately though, it will be upto your son whether he truely repents or not. What you must make sure of though, is that he has a complete understanding of the atonement process because once these chains bind him, there is only one power in the universe which can free him. That is the power of the atonement of Jesus Christ. Definiately remove all potential for him to access such material in your home lest some of the responsibility of his sins be visited upon your own. I like the suggestion above about having him read the heartbreaking stories of the women whose marriages have been destroyed because of these things. In thinking about his situation though, I thought to say something that I otherwise might not. Please prayerfully seek and rule out the possibility of an external individual have sexually interacted in some way with your child. Prayerfully because if someone has, children will often disassociate or repress the memories of such events. Though repressed, such events are not forgotten and unresolved, like a seed, similar to how violence begets violence, hatred begetting hatred, will often give birth to more sin. If such an event has occurred, and you are able to bring it forth through the light of personal revelation, based on your rights to receive such due to your responsibilities of stewardship, and you do what you can to resolve it now, you will save your son untold suffering and sorrow.

You can get into trouble with the above statement. Not because the statement above is not true, but because our reports of such sermons are not always accurate. So and so said that so and so told them that the Prophet Brigham Young said such and such. Have you ever played the game Phone? It is very easy for the original message to get altered the more mouths it passes through. Now if you find it in our current LDS church database found on LDS.Org, you can accept that the report has been validated as correct to the original. If you find it in a church publication that has gone through the correlation department, you can accept that the teachings are correct and in harmony with church doctrine. The following is also a quote from the speech "Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet" given by Ezra Taft Benson while he was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on February 26, 1980. How is the question as to whether it is his opinion or not relevant? Either way, the Lord will bless us for obedience and we've been promised not to be led astray. If you haven't read the talk I reference above. It's still waiting for you.

I admit that I've been curious to know regarding adversarial opposition in the spirit world as well. As far as adversarial opposition and interaction with those in spirit prison, I've found nothing supporting the statement that they either do or do not. As far as I can tell, this is something that simply has not yet been revealed. Do you have any doctrinal support to back your statement that the adversary has no power to tempt spirits in the spirit world? While opinions may abound in regards to the operations and laws in the spirit world, I really haven't been able to find any revealed doctrine on the subjects. As to Satan being bound in the millenium, I found the following section from the D&C Institute Manual from section 43:31 which sheds light on the subject. __________________ How Will Satan Be Bound During the Millennium? In speaking of the millennial era, Nephi said that “because of the righteousness of his [the Lord’s] people, Satan has no power; wherefore, he cannot be loosed for the space of many years; for he hath no power over the hearts of the people, for they dwell in righteousness, and the Holy One of Israel reigneth” (1 Nephi 22:26). President Joseph Fielding Smith taught concerning the binding of Satan: “There are many among us who teach that the binding of Satan will be merely the binding which those dwelling on the earth will place upon him by their refusal to hear his enticings. This is not so. He will not have the privilege during that period of time to tempt any man. (D. & C. 101:28.)” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:192.) These two statements at first may seem to be at variance, but in reality they are not. It is true that the result of the righteousness of the Saints is that Satan cannot exert power over them. The restrictions that will come upon Satan will be a result of two important actions by the Lord: (1) He will destroy telestial wickedness from the earth at His Second Coming; and (2) He will reward the righteous by pouring out His Spirit on them to such an extent that Satan’s power will be overwhelmed. Satan will not have the power to tempt or negatively influence the Lord’s people. Both the righteousness of the Saints and the operation of the Lord’s power are necessary to bind Satan: if the Saints do not give heed to God’s word, He will not give them His Spirit. And without the Spirit, they on their own cannot withstand the force of the adversary. President George Q. Cannon explained: “We talk about Satan being bound. Satan will be bound by the power of God; but he will be bound also by the determination of the people of God not to listen to him, not to be governed by him. The Lord will not bind him and take his power from the earth while there are men and women willing to be governed by him. That is contrary to the plan of salvation. To deprive men of their agency is contrary to the purposes of our God. . . . “Satan only gains power over man through man’s exercise of his own agency; and when Satan shall be bound, as the Lord says he will be for a thousand years, one of the great powers that will help bring this to pass will be man’s agency. The Lord has never forced men against their will to obey Him. He never will do so. If Satan, therefore, has power with man, it is because man yields to his influence. . . . “The time is not far distant when great judgments will be poured out upon the wicked inhabitants of the earth. Every Prophet who has looked forward to our day has seen and predicted that the wicked would be destroyed. Their destruction means the destruction of Satan’s power. The righteous will be left, and because of their righteousness the Lord will have mercy upon them; they, exercising their agency in the right direction, will bring down His blessings upon them to such an extent that Satan will be bound.” (Gospel Truth, 1:86–87; see also 2 Nephi 30:18; Ether 8:26.) _________________________

The following below is a quote from the speech "Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet" given by Ezra Taft Benson while he was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on February 26, 1980. These words were later reconfirmed in the 2010 October Conference under the speech Obedience to the Prophets. In addition to having more content per each section, the original has some other interesting promises and prophecies and is well worth reading.

Anyone else notice that children are maturing faster these days as well? We've got a whole generation of kids who are walking around in adult bodies. I wonder how many people are aware of the issue regarding the growth hormone rBGH in milk. Personally I feel that milk consumption is the leading cause for why children are physically maturing and hitting puberty so much quicker. I think that if you want to help reduce the effects of sexualization of society, at least give your children, specifically your daughters, organic or rBGH-free milk and cheese. "Is it possible to do a controlled scientific study testing this theory? Such a study was actually performed on an entire nation. There is one country where milk consumption was unknown before 1946. In Japan, in every year since 1946, 20,000 persons from 6,100 households have been interviewed and their diets carefully analyzed along with their weights and heights and other factors such as cancer rates and age of puberty (the last measured by the onset of menstruation in young girls). The results of the study were published in Preventive Medicine by Kagawa in 1978. Japan had been devastated by losing a war and was occupied by American troops. Americanization included dietary changes. Milk and dairy products were becoming a significant part of the Japanese diet. According to this study, the per-capita yearly dietary intake of dairy products in 1950 was only 5.5 pounds. Twenty- five years later, the average Japanese ate 117.4 pounds of milk and dairy products. In 1950, the average twelve-year old Japanese girl was 4'6" tall and weighed 71 pounds. By 1975, the average Japanese girl, after changing her diet to include milk and dairy products containing 59 different bioactive hormones, had grown an average of 4 1/2 inches and gained 19 pounds. In 1950, the average Japanese girl had her first menstrual cycle at the age of 15.2 years. Twenty five years later, after a daily intake of estrogen and progesterone from milk, the average Japanese girl was ovulating at the age of 12.2 years, three years younger. Never before had such a dramatic dietary change been seen in such a unique population study." (Health101.org, Early Sexual Maturity and Milk Hormones)

When buying books one often will go to somewhere like Amazon.com. One problem is that every book regardless of cost has a 3.99 shipping fee. A cheaper method would be to use paperbackswap.com. You post the books you want to give out and for every one you send someone else, you get a credit good for one book. You can also buy book credits directly for less than $4 and exchange them directly for a book thereby beating amazon.com every time (so long as someone has it posted). Just a resource I've used that I thought I'd share =)

Well... We know that Murder, or the shedding of innocent blood, is the worst sin we can commit (aside from denying the Holy Ghost which is a sin the majority of us will never be capable of committing). We know that second to Murder is Adultery and other sexual sins. To me, Pornography is right on up there with Adultery in severity and spiritual damage. Is violence likewise associated with Murder? I hope not but I can easily see why you feel the way you do. Yet if I had to be subjected to one over the other, I'd take the violence any day.

I would recommend that you attend the temple weekly with your husband but I'm not certain that he is currently able to go considering his behavior. The pathway your husband on leads to adultery. From what you state, he has already committed adultery in his heart and mind previously and repented of it to his bishop. Now that he is doing so again, this becomes a worse issue. Do indeed talk with your bishop. You might also want to ask for a referral to LDS Family Services and pursue marriage counseling. My heart goes out to you.

In my eye, women are God's finest creation. We've come a long way's in regards to woman's rights. You can own land, you can vote, you can work outside the home, you can lead etc. You would not want to have been a woman in the ancient days. Without a man (father or husband brother) to look after her, culturally a woman had very few options to either protect herself or provide for herself. In that light, I think it less surprising that women turned to sin and I believe this was one reason they did. My feeling is that there was a general pervading feeling that women were special and sacred and were mentioned less because of this. After all, we know that we have a Heavenly Mother yet our Heavenly Father does not mention her. He doesn't want her name to be blasphemed or taken in vain. A lot of it was indeed cultural but you're right, women aren't the same as men and should become so. You're special. You're more pure. Women are naturally caring and loving, full of mercy and charity. Since we're not so likewise blessed, men are given the priesthood and responsibility which tutors us in these same areas. As to how often sin is blamed on the women in the scriptures, I agree that more of it should have been placed on the men. I'm glad we live in a day where this is more often the case then it used to be. As to understanding your role, here is a reference that will help. Eternal Marriage Student Manual On the bottom of this link is "Woman's divine roles and responsibilities". I also enjoyed reading the section there under "Differences Inherent Between Man and Woman" and "Equality of Men and Women" I hope they help. In His eyes you are not less. Neither are you in mine.

I'm glad to hear you have such a wonderful marriage and I'm sorry to hear what your daughters went through. As you know what the Spirit feels like why not ask the Lord? Perhaps for some wise purpose the Lord wishes you to remain in the calling your in. If so, are you willing to submit to the Lords will? On the other hand, after expressing your concerns and feelings to the Lord and indicating that you want a release, perhaps he will approve of your decision. If so won't it be a relief to know?

I'll admit, looking at the price wasn't something I'd already done... I saw that they were modest, that I liked them, and that was enough... no need to peruse through the catalog.

I recently found this prophecy by Heber C. Kimball and was a bit blown away by it. I wrote the Church Archives and had them pull a copy of the Conference Report in question to confirm it too. Heber C. Kimball, Conference Report, Oct. 1930, p. 58-59 "After a while the gentiles will gather in Salt Lake City by the thousands, and this will be among the wicked cities of the world. A spirit of speculation and extravagance will take possession of the Saints, and the results will be financial bondage." An army of elders will be sent to the four quarters of the earth, to search out the righteous and, warn the wicked of coming events. All kinds of religions will be started, and miracles performed that will deceive the very elect, if such a thing were possible. Persecution comes next, and all Latter-day Saints will be tested to the limit. "Many will apostatize, and others will stand still, not knowing what to do. ... The judgements of God will be poured out upon the wicked, to the extent that our elders from far and near will be called home; or in other words, the Gospel will be taken from the gentiles, and later on will be carried to the Jews. The western boundaries of the State of Missouri will be swept so clean of its inhabitant that as President Young tells us, 'when we return to that place there will not be as much as a yellow dog to wag his tail.' Before that day comes, however, the Saints will be put to the test that will try the very best of them. The pressure will become so great that the righteous among us will cry unto the Lord day and night until deliverance comes." "Yes, we think we are secure here in the chambers of these everlasting hills, where we can close the doors of the canyons against mobs and persecutors, the wicked and the vile, who have always beset us with violence and robbery, but I want to say to you, my brethren, that the time is coming when we will be mixed up in these now peaceful valleys to that extent that it will be difficult to tell the face of a Saint from the face of an enemy against the people of God. Then is the time to look out for the great sieve, for there will be a great shifting time, and many will fall. For I say unto you there is a test, a Test, a TEST coming." This Church has before it many close places through which it will have to pass before the work of God is crowned with glory. The difficulties will be of such a character that the man or woman who does not possess a personal knowledge or witness will fall. If you have not got this testimony, you mist live right and call upon the Lord, and cease not until you obtain it. Remember these sayings: The time will come when no man or woman will be able to endure on borrowed light. Each will have to be guided by the light within themselves. If you do not have the knowledge that Jesus is the Christ, how can you stand?"

Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. Do you love your parents? Are they no longer your parents simply because you're married? Do you still visiting them? Marriage does indeed change things. Your spouse becomes your world. Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart, and shalt cleave unto her and none else. What of your other questions? And verily I say unto you, that the conditions of this law are these: All covenants, contracts, bonds, obligations, oaths, vows, performances, connections, associations, or expectations, that are not made and entered into and sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, of him who is anointed, both as well for time and for all eternity, and that too most holy, by revelation and commandment through the medium of mine anointed, whom I have appointed on the earth to hold this power, are of no efficacy, virtue, or force in and after the resurrection from the dead; for all contracts that are not made unto this end have an end when men are dead. Do you wish to retain your titles of brother, son, father etc in the life to come? Then you must be sealed to the ones you love. Many of your answers are found in D&C 76 & 88. And again, verily I say unto you, the earth abideth the law of a celestial kingdom, for it filleth the measure of its creation, and transgresseth not the law—Wherefore, it shall be sanctified; yea, notwithstanding it shall die, it shall be quickened again, and shall abide the power by which it is quickened, and the righteous shall inherit it. This earth will receive a Celestial glory. It will be the abode of those who receive a like glory. Shall it always remain thus or shall we be limited to this sphere only? If God is not, why shall we?

Oh May, I empathize with how you are feeling. It appears that something very painful has happened in your life. You're seeking comfort and forgiveness. Your burden feels heavy and you need help. Your Heavenly Father is there. Christ is there. They know your name and love you oh so very much. As you reach out to your Heavenly Father in your Saviors name, He will help you. He will comfort you. Continue seeking him and beseeching him in prayer. Pour our your heart to Him. Tell him everything your feeling. Your hopes, your fears, your dreams, your concerns. Ask for his help. Plead for his aid. He will help you. This is His Church. The Gifts of the Spirit are real. Pray to know what the Holy Ghost in His role as the Comforter feel like. Pray for Comfort. Pray for Strength. Pray to know his Will. Pray to desire it. Seek out your Bishop and tell him how you are feeling. Ask for his advice. Ask for a blessing. He will be hands through which the Lord can bless comfort and strengthen you.

Why do you feel lost ZorabelMay?