maiku

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Everything posted by maiku

  1. I would also like to know if there is an official position from the church on this. When I asked my new bishop if I should stop referring to our recently released bishop as "bishop", he replied, "no, you can keep calling him bishop because it's a way of confirming that everything you may have discussed with him is still confidential". I would still like to know if is any official position out there either way about what to call our released leaders
  2. If you are going to read The Miracle of Forgiveness, might I suggest also reading "Believing in Christ" to balance out the messages.
  3. Thanks for the comments everyone. Let me made something clear, I haven't questioned the BP's authority or decision, it's not even my issue, it's my friend's. I was simply curious to see if anyone else has heard about paying tithing for a previous year if one has already declared "partial" in tithing settlement. I'm fully aware the bishop or BP has full authority to make such calls. In fact, the first piece of advice I gave to my friend's was to do what the BP says, even if at first you don't like it, because doing so will bring blessings. Again, my OP was to see if anyone has seen or heard of an experience where they've had to wait six months to renew their recommend over tithing AND/OR been asked to pay a previous year's tithing if one has already declared "partial" in their settlement.
  4. what about the other question? If they were declared "partial payer" in 2011, would they have to pay up 2011 to get the recommend?
  5. Hi all, I had a long conversation yesterday with another family in my branch, some really good friends of mine. I'll paraphrase the crux of what was said to see what you all might have to say: They went in to see the Branch Pres. to renew their temple recommend the other day and as the interview went on, tithing came up. They admitted to me that in 2011 they missed a few "payments" on tithing due to some emergency circumstances, and that's what they told the BP as well. The BP answers with this: "pay your tithing up to date, including everything that you missed in 2011, then continue paying your tithing in in SIX months, come back and we'll have this interview again". They as well as I know that you've got to pay a full tithe to get the recommend. The BP not renewing the recommend for that was a good thing, a good lesson for the husband since (according to him) he's always had a problem giving the full 10%. All that aside, I'm seeing two issues here: 1) Why is it required for him to pay 2011 if that year is already done and he declared himself a partial payer in settlement? 2) Why should he have to wait six months? I don't consider this to be an addiction issue like WoW or pornography where a waiting period is needed to aid repentance and overcome addiction. He isn't addicted to paying partial tithes. I told him to be up to date THIS year and talk to the BP again, express his testimony on tithing and his desire to go to the temple, and repent. What do you all say?
  6. According to the article, cougar is a term for a hot older woman, when did that happen?
  7. My absolute favorite talk on this is from Elder Bednar. He explains why the obtaining of the gift of the Holy Ghost is so vital in this life. Receive the Holy Ghost - general-conference
  8. As a Sunday School teacher, I found the OT lessons in the church manual a little...bland (I said it!) To be honest, just a few. Some of them seemed to not have a focal message but rather a plethora of scriptures of various topics. The NT and of course the BofM share a more linear approach, like a story.
  9. According to the responses I've read so far, am I to understand that man without a body is a god? I've seen maureen and madeline post this. BTW, happy new year
  10. I've been preparing tomorrow's Sunday School class for a few weeks now (I'm really excited to be starting the Book of Mormon) and I want to print bookmarks for the class. I was looking for either a scripture or a quote related to scripture reading or the blessings of reading the Book of Mormon but they're either too long to print on a bookmark or just don't seem to go right. Does anyone have some ideas on what to put on the bookmark? P.S. I know this is SUPER late but it just now occurred to me to post this. thanks
  11. my point is this. If God is happy without a body, and He desires our happiness, why would He give us a body if He is perfectly happy without one? Your answer: because He loves us My response to that: I agree He loves us, and because He loves us He wants us to be happy. How does giving us a body make us happy is He is perfectly happy without one Himself? Do you see where your logic breaks down? If you don't know, or if this is another "mystery" not yet explained, then I'm OK with that answer.
  12. I don't know if it's wrong but here's a thought: Heavenly Father, by keeping someone alive, seems to think that this person's earthly trial is not yet over. Who are we to question Him?
  13. Thanks changed and Jennerator for your responses but the question is directed toward non-LDS points of view. Back to the question at hand. The only answer I've seen so far is "God loves us". I've addressed that "answer". In previous posts I saw that if God created us ONLY in spirit form, we would be considered Gods. Is that what non-LDS believe? Do we need to have spirit AND body to be considered less? I find much fault in this logic. After we die but before the resurrection (i.e. dead people who are awaiting the resurrection) we are only in spirit form, does that mean to you that we are temporarily gods? Secondly, if God's spirit is different from ours, that would mean that creating us ONLY in spirit form would not make us gods as you earlier stated. This means that once again, the possession of a body is useless to us. Do you see how this still does not answer the question in the OP?
  14. This is all great but why didn't he just create us with a spirit w/o a body, like He is? We could still be human spirits, He didn't have to give us a body to show He loves us.
  15. Please don't misunderstand my intentions here. It's not that I don't have an understanding of God's love for me, or the plan He created for my eternal happiness. I posed the question to see how non-LDS try to reconcile this gap of logic. Even though you thought you'd answered the question, you still didn't, and I'll explain why. If God loves me, why didn't He just make me a spirit like He is? Why did He have to give me a body to show me He loves me?
  16. I have good answers for these questions but I'm still waiting for you to answer the original question, this is the fourth time I'll ask it. If God has no body, why did he give us one?
  17. That's still not an answer to my question. If God has no body, why did He give us one?
  18. I'll answer your question if you attempt to answer mine. Since God has a body, and His ultimate desire for us is that we be more like Him in order to enjoy maximum happiness as He does, He has provided us with one of the tools to become more like Him, a body. While here on Earth, we are to receive this body, learn how to bridle the passions associated with it, and resurrect in it after we die. All this is done so that we may become more like Him, and that is eternal happiness Matthew 5:48 "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." Your turn.
  19. James was killed according to the Book of Acts, so he has been resurrected (or will be). Although the Bible doesn't specifically mention Peter's death, "tradition" has it that he was killed, so he also has been/will be resurrected. John was promised that he wouldn't die until the Savior came again, so as far as I understand, he's still "alive". I.E. neither resurrected or translated.
  20. Thanks everyone for the previous responses. What I'm trying to ask the non-LDS posters here is how did God communicate with Old Testament people if the Holy Ghost was not yet "poured out"? Also, what about the instances in the Old Testament that state that the Spirit of God spoke, whispered, etc. with various men?
  21. You're missing the point of the question. This has nothing to do about becoming gods or anything like that. I do appreciate your input however so I'll reemphasize. LDS believe that God is infinitely happy, perfectly happy. He wants to share that happiness with us, so He created us and also created a plan for our eternal happiness as well. We call this plan "the plan of salvation". You and I probably agree nearly perfectly on this point so far. Now here's the question: If God is a spirit without a body, what is the point in giving us one? What is even the point in giving us corporal temptations and experiences if He Himself has no body? If God is perfectly happy without a body, and He desires our eternal happiness, there should be no point in giving us a body since He achieved perfect happiness without one.
  22. Thanks for your response skippy. I didn't think this thread would be such a dud. Is there anyone else out there that has any input into why the Book of Mormon is valid and necessary in these latter days?
  23. My question isn't about becoming God in the next life or anything to do with "mormonism". I'm sorry but I don't see how your response is an answer to the question. According to non-LDS beliefs, if God is Spirit and we are created in His image, what reason is there for giving us a body?
  24. In Sunday School classes, 2012 will be focus on The Book of Mormon. I, being the Sunday School teacher in my branch, am quite excited to be delving into the pages of this great book of scripture. Once, on my mission, I ran into someone of another faith and he asked me a good question, "Why is the Book of Mormon necessary?" "Why do we need it if we have the Bible?" I gave him the best answers I had at the time (clearness of doctrine, 2nd witness of Christ, etc.). I wanted to hear some of your input on why we need The Book of Mormon. What does it offer to you? Any input is welcome. Thanks.