inthearmsofsleep

I've been looking for new lds-related places online, mostly forums.. and found this one. I'll be serving a mission soon...just gotta get dental/doctor stuff done. Anyway, that's all.

I was never sure what that "other" line was for. We got our manuals and this one is pretty good. I spent about an hour reading it yesterday and it's very interesting so far... I didn't get to finish the last one, though. I've never heard of anyone donating money for those. How much do you think they cost to make?

The answer is simple. We don't believe (nor have ever believed) that Mormons will rule an existing planet/planets after we die. This is just misleading phrasing. We believe that we can become like God, in that we become creators of planets/beings just as He is... but not that when we all die we'll go off and rule a planet. I think that has already been established in this thread.Elphaba Well I'm happy to be here to reinforce whatever was established.

The answer is simple. We don't believe (nor have ever believed) that Mormons will rule an existing planet/planets after we die. This is just misleading phrasing. We believe that we can become like God, in that we become creators of planets/beings just as He is... but not that when we all die we'll go off and rule a planet.

I'm not going to answer your questions directly, but I'll tell you what I think/believe. Everything from this point on is purely opinion. Anyway, I think that it shouldn't be a goal, specifically to see Christ, but to be pure enough to withstand His presence and to continually strive to draw closer to Him. Having the special occasion of seeing Him would be a great blessing to add to the witness that He lives. This would only be after a sure testimony was established in that person's soul. There was a time when I showed a certain close relative a painting of Christ and they commented "His eyes are different." This didn't surprise me, even if they didn't mean that they've really seen His eyes... because they're one of the most loving and selfless people I know. I believe it's a very rare occasion, but one that should be spoken of with great care. We are never blessed with any amount of knowledge unless we are responsible enough to use it righteously.

Thanks for all your support. It's weird how when you're in the middle of the repentance process it seems like there will never be an end to it... but there always will be as long as we hold on and keep a big-picture perspective. Life just feels better than ever now. We must always remember to never take the sacred things of this church lightly or casually.

Today, through much prayer and fasting... my prayers were heard and answered. My bishop arranged to meet with me, and told me that I could enjoy all the blessings of full membership in this church. I can't believe it's been 1 1/2 years since I took the sacrament... one more week until next Sunday seems so long now that I know I can take it. I'm so happy... he also said he'd talk to the stake president about me going on a mission soon. Today is a GREAT day.

Thanks for your answers sixpacktr!

I'm preparing to serve a mission as well.. and I'd like to know the answers to these questions too. I can't answer any of them, but thanks for making this thread.

I used to have regular meetings with him, but we changed bishops and I've only met a couple times with the newer one. You must understand that I don't want to seem self-righteous or like I know better than the bishop, which is why I'm nervous about asking if I can take it before the 2 years are up. I don't know how much advice I'm really looking for, I just wanted to discuss it openly in hope of finding encouragement to talk to him soon, or to feel that maybe I'm not crazy for feeling worthy before the end of this probationary period. Thanks for your reponses, though. : )

2 years ago, I spoke with my bishop about some bad things I did and changed the way I live. It was in preparation for a mission, and he said I'd have to wait 2 years before I could go. Things have come far and gone well, but I still haven't taken the sacrament since then. I'm wondering if I should wait until the 2 years are up, which would be in May of next year, or ask the bishop if I can take it sooner. I feel completely ready, like I've changed entirely and have been living differently for quite a while. I'm also wondering if these time restrictions are totally concrete and cannot be changed (sort of like how a prisoner would be freed for good behavior, as opposed to fulfilling the sentence regardless of how much they've changed). I feel like I'm ready to serve a mission... and I've gone to everything from CES Institute, Choir, Missionary preparation, to less important activities like sports just to make sure that I'm being as active as possible. Maybe I should just be patient, but May seems very far away for how long I've been waiting and preparing myself for this. I know I should talk to my bishop again soon, but I just want your advice anyway.

Very awesome. Yeah, tell me about it!

I can tell you what I know from my own experiences. I began dating a girl at 14, who was a non-member. This opened up a door to a lot of hurt, a lot of confusion, and began leading me my way down the road to an unhappy and sin-ridden life. Tell her father.

I thought I should come on here and update you guys on my situation. I spoke with the bishop today (somehow he always knows when I'm meaning to talk to him.... he asked me first) and found out that it was okay! In fact, he said I'm allowed to pray in any other circumstance that a person asks me to. I was so overjoyed at that news, I forgot to ask him when I'd be able to start taking the sacrament again, though I'll ask him when I get the chance. As someone else said, it's not limiting your communication with God, it's limiting your position to be speaking for others to God. Also, it's not often that one feels worthy to give a prayer but is told not to do so. The guidelines that a bishop provides are always for our benefit to prevent further sin and help us on our way back to righteousness. There is a way back!.. and it's wonderful feeling like I'm actually getting there.

Thanks for both of your input, it means a lot to me. I plan on speaking to the bishop about it, just to refresh my memory on what I can and can't do until I become a full member again. It's all very confusing at the moment because we changed bishops, and I haven't spoken very in-depth to the new one concerning my past problems. However, before the old bishop left, he told me that I'd have to wait another year until I could become a full member again and the end date for that would be next May. I suppose it makes a greater difference because I want to serve a mission, and the probation period is probably longer than if I wasn't to take on such a position to represent Christ and our church so directly. I said from the very beginning that I'd be willing to do anything to obtain forgiveness, and that's the attitude I'll maintain until I do.

I went to a family home evening tonight at another member's house, and it was all young single adults. They asked me to give the opening prayer. Backstory: I'm on church probation, and my bishop said I'm not to give prayers in certain situations. I can't give prayers in Sunday school, and I've refused to on several (very awkward and uncomfortable) occasions. However, he said that I could give a prayer if they asked me to at the missionary preparation class that I have yet to attend (tomorrow). I think he also said it's okay if I give the prayer while I'm on team-ups with the missionaries. I was stunned.... didn't know what to say.... and I said "okay." There were only 7 people there, and I felt for a second that it wasn't wrong. My sister whispered "can you?" and I nodded "I guess so". I gave the prayer, shaky and stumbling on my words, and wondering if I was committing a serious sin. I feel worthy, and I feel like I'm nearing being ready to take the sacrament again and be a full member of the church. I honestly don't know if what I did was wrong. That being the case, I assume that it won't be held against me for this instance, but that I should ask the bishop what to do if I'm in that situation again. I'm just checking to see what you people think, and what you really would have done in my position.

Alaskagain: Thanks, I didn't get to look at the link much but I think that's right one : ) Guess what? Today I got a calling! It's nothing spectacular, but it's obviously something I need to do. They (or rather.. God) made me a ward activities representative, which is sort of going to "force" me to go to church activities (aside from normal church).

Thanks, all of you for your kind hearts and caring for a stranger you don't know all too well. Sorry I sounded so down in my last message, but that's how I was feeling at the time. I found a really good job opportunity today and applied online, and friends that I haven't seen in ages have been showing themselves (no doubt as an answer to my prayers) and being there for me. I DO want to serve a mission, with an incredible passion, but I have to go through the repentance process completely before I can do so (I've already met with the bishop 1 year and 4 months ago). Anyway, I found out that you can help transcribe old records from scanned-in documents and enter the data online to help with genealogy work. My uncle has been doing it but I have to get the link from him, cause that sounds like something I'd be crazy about doing with all this extra time. Thanks again, it's so comforting to know that I can post my problems here and get real feedback and real advice from people who care.

Guess what? We broke up officially (again.) No, we're not one of those couples that does that all the time, but I guess she just didn't want to be with me anymore. For some reason, it hurts more than it did last time. I'm having trouble finding things to do (still), because I have no friends here to hang out with, no job, and no school. Here's what I have to work with: Young-Single-Adult Institute class once a week Church on Sunday Personal scripture study A small pool we just bought, it's pretty fun Online multiplayer games (Counter-Strike: Source, Day of Defeat: Source) Playing guitar Making music when I can and hanging out with my family occasionally. So, basically... every day is almost the same. Also, I don't know if this is a "girl thing" or whatever, but why do people (my ex) insist on staying friends after a breakup? It hurts terribly, and yet I can't refuse it because I don't have any friends but her.

Thanks for all the input, though we ended up getting back together The couple of days of breakup were pretty rough though. It took me a year to get over my first girlfriend, I guess just because I had to see her every day with her new boyfriend.

To answer your question, I'm 20. The biggest problem right now is that I'm out of a job and not going to college at the moment, so it's harder to find distractions.

My girlfriend and I just broke up. We were together for 3 years, and I loved her very much, but there were many things that started coming between us and things that I couldn't really take anymore. She's a non-member and it always got to me that we would probably never share the same beliefs. Anyway, from your experience, what is the best way to deal with a break-up? I think I'm still in shock, and haven't really felt the sad part of it yet, but I've been reading my scriptures and feel very much comforted.

I didn't read your entire post, because it was rather lengthy, but I read the mirror experiment part. Sometimes I can't bear looking in the mirror for too long because I feel like I'm going to lose my mind, seeing something/somebody that isn't "me". It blows my mind that everything i've ever consciously experienced has been within the bounds of this physical body... and there's no running from it. Every one of us is a stranger to ourselves, it's very unusual.

I waited in line at midnight to get a Wii with my girlfriend... and own a nintendo DS as well as a very decent computer... but I haven't used it for any gaming for a while. Right now I'm mostly into the Wii, but there aren't too many good games out for it yet.

Thanks, I did miss it... I had to work tonight.