Hala401

This is a challenge for me. In the past, if someone made me feel like I feel with him, that would be it, and I would just walk away; never talking to him again. Let me be clear, he is married and I am almost old enough to be his mother, so there is nothing going on there. So, looking at Heavenly Father's higher purpose, and taking in mind what Jesus said, the realisation that we are to emulate his conduct even when we do not wish to do so. Surah 49 from the Qur'an also comes to mind and the realisation that Heavenly Father is calling me to something higher is unavoidable. So, pleasing Heavenly Father is the goal, and the fact that he is leading me to a whole new way should not have been surprising, but it was. It is with some trepidation that I promise Heavenly Father to try to follow his will

Without wishing to sound impertenant, I think that perhaps it is all explainable with science, but most of that science may be beyond our present understanding. A physicist once told me that the theoretical folks postulate 16 dimensions at present, yet all we can explain right now is 4 of them, and really comfortable with Heavenly Father knowing more than me.

Yes, thank you. I can not argue with your point of view because you have the intellectual high ground here. It does however generate just lots of questions for me. So, the creator of the universe is running around in a flesh and bone body. How does he then get to other Galaxies at will. He stopped the rotation of the Earth. (Joshua 10:13) and I think Heavenly Father did it more than once. I am saying that I believe what the Bible says, but how can one who has only one form do all these things? Please do not see me as a questioner because of lack of faith, but simply one who quests to more fully understand Heavenly Father.

The "Flesh and Blood" part was my mistake. Sorry. After praying and talking to some of the other Sisters, we have decided that I could learn much by continuing with being taught by him.

Please do not let yourself feel somehow "less than" because of your brain injury. Heavenly Father will help you to be everything you need to be in spite of that. Because of my own past, I have spent just lots of time reading about Neuro Science and Early Childhood Development. I just so hope that you are in a nurturing environment, because the love of Heavenly Father and others can overcome so much. Please do not sell yourself short.

I do not know if I can grow into the LDS shoes. Mormons have shown me love like no one else in my life. Thank you Heavenly Father...

Sigh. So, I have a choice to make peace with him, or lose Heavenly Father's blessings.

Thank you. I am searching for Heavenly Father's will in this. My experiences with men early on were abusive and traumatising. Then as I aged I met both good men and abusers, so while I learned to relate to the good ones, those who feel abusive to me feel awful and frightening. Last night I thought I stood up to him fairly well but then after I cried, and today I cried, and I just feel a wreck. Maybe it is as simple as Heavenly Father wanting me to learned to not be so frightened of forceful men. I definitely am praying about this. Much Peace Gwendolyn

Thank you both. This situation has deeply upset me. I won't be harshly confronting him, because Heavenly Father has been so good to me, and now I wonder if this is some sort of learning experience, so I'm going to pray a lot about it. One thing I do not understand is D&C 130:22 does say, "The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as any mans's; the Son Also... I agree with that, and in the case of God, I think he can assume any form that he wishes. I am not God, and do not know everything about God, and for me to say that Heavenly Father can only have one form, to me is presumptive and arrogant, to put it mildly. In the past I would have simply left and gone home and he would never see me again. However, I feel like Heavenly Father is wanting me to learn something here, so out of obedience I am going to pray a lot and take it. This is so upsetting that I am actually physically ill over it, and I have never had anything affect me like this. I don't know what I'm doing wrong but I certainly want to stop it. Gwendolyn

I am really ashamed to tell this but right now I just don't know what do to. So I finally got Baptised last month, and am really thankful for that. Heavenly Father has blessed me so much. So, now we are starting the New Member Lessons and what happened last night felt like the Spanish Inquisition. The man was blunt and rude and it felt like he tried to force me to believe just a certain thing. It started with The Articles of Faith, and I belive them and will obey them. Then he moved on to D&C 130:22-23. He practically forced me to say that God has a body of flesh and blood. Well, fine, I agree, but I also assert that Heavenly Father can take pretty much any form he wants to. He seemed really upset by that, and really pushed me to the point that I really wanted to just get up and go home. Today, another sister, and a good friend, said that i missinterpret what he says and see him as another abuser. Yalllah !!!! So, right now I am not in a good place. I want to please Heavenly Father, and will be praying and trying to find a way to cope with him. I would really appreciate some sage advice and prayer. Much peace Hala

Thank you, and now I would like a calling; to be put to work; doing for others what so many have done for me! It all still rings in my soul! I feel like I have been rung like a bell, a happy one! :) Gwen Ellen Boucher

Wow, I can hardly believe this is happening! Heavenly Father is being so kind and loving to me, I "scarce can take it in". I won't go into it, but just think of me as a person that was judged and rejected most of my life. It is imposible to express how this is all affecting me. Maybe someday, but not now.

Thank you. I finally got home last night and went almost straight to bed and slept 10 hours, something I seldom do, and I feel really happy today, but as limp as a wet rag. Wow, such an emotional experience and wow, so many well wishers and wow, I hope that I can measure up. This isn't just a religion, but a whole intelectual culture, and so into... inclusive and now a calling and how do you all absorb it? :)) Baptised... Gwen Ellen Boucher

OK, wow, I was baptised on Sunday, 1/29/2011 at the Colonial Heights Ward, in Portland Oregon. Wow !!!! It was something that I never believed was going to happen until just a few days ago. WOW ! So now, when it seems like the weather has moderated, I think in late March, the two sisters that taught me when I was in Kirtland and I want to meet for Breakfast. After that, on my way home on Monday, I'd like to take a few, or several, hours to tour the Area around the Temple in Salt Lake. One of the first things I notice about the area around the Temple, Is there does not seem to be parking. OK, I do not mind walking; I even thought of brining my bike to ride around, and I can do it in a skirt, except I'm thinking that they probably don't allow bikes in the area and I respect that. So, being freshly baptised what areas can I walk in? This is really exciting !!! And to think I was Muslim less than one year ago !!!!

''I don't know the date yet, but in a couple weeks! Someone pinch me!!!!

Though at times I worried it might not happen. I am getting baptised! Yaaayyyyyy!

I am very sorry I started this thread.

Um, are you playing a joke on me?

Oh, I most certainly learned much about myself and God in Islam. I could just never resolve the Jesus Christ question in Islam to my satisfaction. And, for a white American woman who does not know Arabic, it is pretty hard for various reasons. As I have said before, I first admired someone who obeyed the first commandment, and then found that the Prophet Muhammad PBUH and his revelation of the Qur'an seemed quite reasonable. So, then when I encountered the LDS in Kirtland, and they were so absolutely, unreservedly, undeniably, loving, it sort of bowled me over. AND, unlike so many other faiths, they said that I could bring what I learned into the church! No one ever asked me to not wear my Hijab, and I mostly stilll dress like Muslim woman. They will not attack another religion. Wow, gag me with a spoon! I'd still be Muslim if they accepted Jesus as the Christ...or maybe LDS/Muslim, um or something. :) Salaam Hala

Sorry.

One of my pet peeves is I just wish opposing parties would at least tell the truth about each other ! Grrrrrr:mad: When I was yet Muslim, those guys were telling some real woppers about Muslims. Then when I was an evangelical, a long time ago, they were lying about Mormons and Muslims. Gosh ! And then when I was Muslims, those guys didn't really know anything about Christians!!!!!! Gahhhh~!!!!! It just makes me want to pull both my remaining hairs out!!!! Sigh... I just wish that people would do good research and verify it with their opponents before spreading it. Most of what I read now is as bad as used to come off the back of the manure spreader on the farm.

Hi: I know it is probably against the rules to talk about politics here, so can someone tell me where I can go to find information?

Yes, this should keep us humble. :)

Ironic? I think it is criminal! Many of us struggled greatly because we thought critically about things, I did. And then we get to college and the Profs want to stamp out the critical thinking and make us think just like them. It makes my head spin.

But what do we do if evolution has a major flaw? I just don't like it when a bunch of people stand around yelling at each other over things that we do not know everything about. And I just don't care if God, Jesus, or an Angel comes to visit in a planet sized space ship or just pops out of a dimensional rift. I don't care if he looks like a Corporate President, or a homeless man. Though, it might be fun if he came on a big white horse carrying a huge sword.