inthearmsofsleep

I think the reason Gospel Doctrine classes have the potential to explode in controversy is because they're often full of men who think they know the Gospel from beginning to end, and they're not humble like the teenagers and children who are still learning. They're so set in their ways that they feel it's their place to argue what's OFFICIAL doctrine, while much of what they know could just be popular Mormon mythology. My dad has told me a couple things that I took to be true because I figured he knows everything about the Gospel since he was once bishop, but then later I found out it's not official church doctrine and is actually something we do not believe to be true. The Gospel Doctrine class I'm in right now is actually fairly peaceful... we have a very knowledgeable teacher who used to be a college professor and (seemingly) knows the ins and outs of every scriptural story.

There was a hymn sung at President Hinckley's funeral that was written by him and set to music written by Janice Kapp Perry, and here's the story behind it (recieved this in an email):

I'm glad that you are the ones experiencing this and not those who are easily shaken in their faith. Bishops aren't perfect (obviously) and his judgements may have been misguided, but as others said... you should see your stake president about the issue. It sounds like your bishop is saying that your husband doesn't NEED to coach on Sunday because you don't depend on that for income. If he was getting paid it wouldn't mean that it's okay, but if you needed the money to maintain a stable lifestyle then it would be understandable. I'm in no place to say that his judgements are wrong... but your concerns should be heard by someone who has the authority to make those judgements.

Yep, right there on the left of the page. It's a good thing to use for family night or for home teaching... and of course for personal study.

I can't wait!!!!

Awesome... I think I'll take that challenge! I could use another refreshing of the Book of Mormon, especially since I'm going on a mission. I read it twice but it's hard to get all the events straight.

Study the teachings of this church straight from the scriptures or for a more brief introduction go to mormon.org. If you want to learn more and really want to know if it's true, read the Book of Mormon and pray about it. Ask our Heavenly Father if it's true, and if you don't get an answer right away, don't worry about it. Pray often and as much as you need until you find the answers you seek... God is always there : )

This isn't LDS music, but have you heard of India Arie? I have some of her stuff on my iPod, but today when I was taking my walk I heard this song called "Wings of Forgiveness". You should check it out... it's really uplifting.

Well-put.

I never met him, but his challenge in 2005 to read the Book of Mormon affected me greatly. I read it, and read it again... and my testimony has grown so much. Well, before I read it I couldn't say that I really had a testimony. I didn't KNOW that the Book of Mormon is true, or many of the things we teach... I believed it, but I didn't have a surety of it. It's because of this newfound testimony that I decided to serve a mission (which I should be soon) and I've never been happier in my life than I am right now.

Bishops have to be married, correct? I remember when my brother asked my dad if he thought they'd call him as bishop after the current bishop left (my dad was first counselor at the time, I think) he said "I wouldn't be called as bishop because I'm not married." ... which, sadly, was sort of his way of telling us that him and my mom are officially divorced.

All you'd have to do is take the sacrament with faith and knowing what it means to you

Oh, I see what you mean. I was baptized at age 8 as well, and I didn't feel like I knew much about Christ or this gospel, but I did it anyway. Since then I've grown to know so much more and more about the purpose of baptism. Since it was done under proper authority and I understood what I could for the age I was, it wasn't done in vain. Every week we renew our baptismal covenants when we take the sacrament, so even if we didn't understand it as well as we should have when we were first baptized, we have the chance to be sort of "re-baptized" and renew those same promises.... to always remember Christ and keep his commandments.

Actually, right now the "leader" of the church is the Quorum of the 12 apostles. The first presidency has been dissolved, therefore there's no one leader. I guess in a sense Thomas S. Monson is the leader because he's the president of the 12 apostles. After President Hinckley's funeral they'll meet and decide who will be president, and at that point it will most likely be Thomas S. Monson because he's the senior apostle. I used to think it was weird that it wasn't a huge matter of prayer and revelation (I mean, in some parts it is) but God has set an order to the way this church is run, and these men have been foreordained for their positions in the church... He knows who should be what and at what time.

HECK YA! Actually, no. Here's a segment from mormon.org: So basically, children are innocent because they have no knowledge of right and wrong until they reach a certain age. This makes it impossible for them to sin, therefore needing no repentance and no baptism until a certain age when they are more aware of the consequences of the decisions they make.

Yeah, it's true that you cannot be baptized unless you give it up, but that 7 day program is possible and you could be on your way to living smoke-free soon. Good luck!

Just wanted to add my two cents... this is some stuff I got out of "Jesus The Christ" by James E. Talmage on the subject of Adam & Eve: I think it's important to note this because there are many people who see the fruit they took as something symbolic, when in fact it was a natural process that changed them from immortal to mortal.

I found out about this an hour after it happened... before the deseretnews.com story had any comments... but I took my time coming to this forum. I'm going to miss him very much... I love him and I feel like I know him even though he doesn't know me personally. If it weren't for him and his challenge in 2005 to read the Book of Mormon before the year's end, I wouldn't have a testimony of its truthfulness, and I probably wouldn't be an active member right now. I definitely wouldn't be thinking about going on a mission... and today I got my mission papers from my bishop. It's kind of like it came full-circle for me. On the other hand, I'm happy for him! He's been reunited with his wife and all those he missed.... and he's lived such a fantastic life.

Yes. Exactly. Debating over how you know it's true is a complicated thing..because it's not something you can really explain. It's something you can only understand once you've received that witness for yourself.

Thanks for all your great, long responses in so many of these threads Grant!

How do you know if something is of God? Its teachings lead to happiness and doing good to others. Something can be 99% right and 1% false, thus making the whole thing false and incomplete. So far, the basic doctrinal teachings of the LDS church have been 100% for me, and errors have only been the fault of misguided members. The Holy spirit is the only thing that can tell you what is truly right and what isn't without the errors of man, and the LDS church would have gone nowhere if it weren't for the witness that it bears to its faithful members. To feel its witness you have to be in the right frame of mind, right environment, with the right intentions. Some things that are good can distract from things that are better. How do I know that it's true? I haven't researched all the churches of the world. I haven't studied the histories of each nation to find out what is fact and what is not... I haven't looked into what most people stumble on in their search for God's truth... but an UNDENIABLE witness of the holy spirit has told me that it's right. It spoke to my soul without any of the barriers of what being human is all about, with pure feeling and knowledge. It sounds silly, but the reason it's "true"...is because it's true.

From a greater scope of this world and the eternities, the physical death of a wicked man is nothing compared to the spiritual suffering of millions that would affect their eternal lives. There's a reason why people wonder about the flood that killed so many in Noah's time, and many of the other catastrophic events that were acts of God in the history of our Earth... but if we could know what He knows, we would understand. Sometimes it's an act of mercy, to prevent those people from committing further sin that would bring them to a spiritual death, or to bring about greater purposes such as preserving history. We don't always know why, but God commanded it, and we can now see the effects of it.

What can we expect of ldsseedsoffaith?

I view the word "personage" as more of an entity, a living being with a mind and spirit... whereas a "person" being the same but with flesh. This is strictly my opinion and the way I use the word... for example, I would say that the Holy Ghost is a personage, while you and I are persons/people.

Music can touch our souls in a way that a lot of other things can't, and I think that's why He sort of led you to that song before you went on to more "serious" stuff. God knows our capacity and what we're ready for (and when we're ready for it.) I never heard that song but I can definitely relate to how I've heard other songs with "new ears" or a new, religious perspective.