askandanswer

No doubt Cecil's heart is also quite cold by now.

There was a lion who was feeling fion then someone shot him and now he's rotting. The guy who did it Wished he didn't Cause the social media Blew up with hysteria

Perhaps this is why - Jesus had no living room wall Matthew 8:2020 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

I'm pretty sure that he still is, although with some small differences. Perhaps not as lively as previously.

So Capitalist Oinker, Literate Parakeet and Str8tshooter all have children in the MTC together? An interesting coincidence if they are all in the same MTC.

I don't know much about computer games, but can you play them together, either with or against each other? Even if you don't really want to? Lots of solo time in front of a screen, a lack of interest in human interaction, and a lack of interest in intimacy could be symptoms of depression. Just my own opinion, as long as no one is being physically hurt and he continues to fulfill the role of provider, even if he is not fulfilling other roles, 9 months seems to be a little short for a temple marriage. I think the temple deserves longer than that. I understand that your tired. What are your sources of strength? Whatever and whoever they are, it sounds like you need to be drawing more from them than you are at present. Perhaps it might be useful for you to temporarily be a little selfish for a while and spend more time than you have been on things, and with people, that make you feel good. Hopefully doing that will give you more strength to continue with an uncomfortable situation. I would suggest that you do what you can to continue with an uncomfortable situation for the time being, and when it becomes too uncomfortable, withdraw a little to those things and people that enable you to renew your strength, and once it is renewed, then back to the marriage. I'm not talking about moving out and then back in and then out and then back and so on, I'm talking about where and how you spend your time and where you focus your efforts, attention and emotions - sometimes on him, sometimes on your marriage, and sometimes, when needed, on yourself. This is not a solution, it is a survival strategy that will hopefully allow you to buy some time while you work out a longer term answer.

My RM daughter left last Saturday for a job in Japan. It could go anywhere from 1 - 5 years. Dropping her off at the airport was a completely different feeling from when she went to MTC. Going to MTC we knew that she'd be doing the Lord's work for the next 18 months, she was in the capable hands of a Mission President, and she'd be coming home at the end of it. Now it feels like shes' left the nest, and is all on her own in Japan. The upside is that we can skype with her whenever its convenient, and we are tremendously proud that she's earned this opportunity for herself but there is a still a lot of sadness that she's gone.

I recall in various Conference talks, although none of them recent, apostles telling anecdotes of receiving home teachers, but I have never heard them talking about being home teachers. However, there are also a great many stories of them doing other kinds of visits, particularly to those in hospital. As to the idea of serving in Primary when you don't have kids of your own, I once heard it said that it gives you an opportunity to make mistakes on other peoples' kids so that you don't make them with your own. :)

I haven't seen or heard much of this in my ward in Australia. Both major political parties in Australia have been debating within their parties and with each other on the question of same sex marriage but so far both parties seem to be reluctant to come out in support of same sex marriage, although several senior officials from both parties have made very public statements in support. What has been quite noticeable, and of some concern, is the three divorces and one separation in the last 18 months in the one ward when there had been none in the previous ten years.

In Western Australia mining engineers who have no faith in God spend their whole working lives working on the moving of mountains, and to a large extent, succeeding. These mountains are moved, bit by bit, at a rate of more than 100,000 tonnes per day through the use of enormous trains that transport iron ore from Australia to China. I suspect that works is playing a much greater role than faith in this process, but I'm confident that if those engineers did not at least start with the faith that those mountains could be removed, then they would not have started out on the process. I'm not sure if the Lord's will that something be done is one of the main things that enables faith to bring about a result. Sometimes, it might be sufficient, not so much that the Lord is agreeable to something being done, but simply that He is not opposed to the doing of that thing.

There are lots of possibilities here. Perhaps you were being protected from too much misfortune until the time that you joined the church, and now that you have greater faith than what you had before, you are less in need of that protection. Or perhaps because Satan was unsuccessful in preventing you from joining the church he is now focussing his efforts on getting you to leave by placing misfortunes in your path. Or perhaps now that you have joined the church you have fulfilled your main purpose in life and now have more important things to do elsewhere. Or perhaps it is entirely coincidental and random. If I was a new member of the church, and the only member in my family, I would put all my efforts into a) preparing to go to the temple; b) preparing to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood; and c) doing as much family history as possible. As the only member in your family, you have a huge responsibility on your shoulders and there are generations of people who have died who are waiting for you to release them from bondage. I would like to hope that you will be preserved long enough to accomplish at least the first and second goals, and to have made a substantial start on the third. I'm sorry to hear about your medical issues. I pray that you will be accurately diagnosed and correctly treated, and be given strength to accomplish that which you most need to do. Best wishes and I look forward to continuing to read your posts.

We had an interesting discussion in Sunday School last week about Luke 23:34 (New Testament | Luke 23:34) 34 ¶ Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. This scripture seems to suggest that those who Christ was asking to be forgiven did not know or understand the sinful nature of the conduct they were involved in, but that they still needed to be forgiven. I’ve always understood that there was some sort of relationship between knowledge and culpability, and that you couldn’t have culpability if you didn’t know that what you were doing is wrong. See for example (Book of Mormon | Alma 29:5) 5 Yea, and I know that good and evil have come before all men; he that knoweth not good from evil is blameless; but he that knoweth good and evil, to him it is given according to his desires, whether he desireth good or evil, life or death, joy or remorse of conscience. (New Testament | James 4:17) 17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. (New Testament | 1 Timothy 1:12 - 13) 12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. So are we culpable and responsible if we did not know that what we were doing was wrong? And if we are not, why did Christ ask that they be forgiven when they acted without knowledge?

What kind of changes are you talking about Pam?

By way of information Talmage and McConkie on Peter walking on the water: Talmage "Over the vessel's side into the troubled waves he sprang, and while his eye was fixed on his Lord, the wind might toss his hair, and the spray might drench his robes, but all was well: but when, with wavering faith, he glanced from Him to the furious waves, and to the gulfy blackness underneath, then he began to sink, and in an accent of despair—how unlike his former confidence!—he faintly cried, 'Lord, save me!' Nor did Jesus fail. Instantly, with a smile of pity, He stretched out His hand, and grasped the hand of His drowning disciple, with the gentle rebuke, 'O thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt?' And so, his love satisfied, but His over-confidence rebuked, they climb—the Lord and His abashed Apostle—into the boat; and the wind lulled, and amid the ripple of the waves upon a moonlit shore, they were at the haven where they would be; and all—the crew as well as His disciples—were filled with deeper and deeper amazement, and some of them, addressing Him by a title which Nathanael alone [as far as the written record shows] had applied to Him before, exclaimed, 'Truly Thou art the Son of God.'" (Farrar, p. 313.) Continuing, Farrar gives this aptly expressed application of the miracle here recounted: "So then if, like Peter, we fix our eyes on Jesus, we too may walk triumphantly over the swelling waves of disbelief, and unterrified amid the rising winds of doubt; but if we turn away our eyes from Him in whom we have believed—if, as it is so easy to do, and as we are so much tempted to do, we look rather at the power and fury of those terrible and destructive elements than at Him who can help and save—then we too shall inevitably sink. Oh, if we feel, often and often, that the water-floods threaten to drown us, and the deep to swallow up the tossed vessel of our Church and Faith, may it again and again be granted us to hear amid the storm and the darkness, the voices prophesying war, those two sweetest of the Savior's utterances. 'Fear not. Only believe.' 'It is I. Be not afraid.'" McConkie Relieved by these assuring words, Peter, impetuous and impulsive as usual, cried out: "Lord, if 25 it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water." Jesus assenting, Peter descended from the ship and walked toward his Master; but as the wind smote him and the waves rose about him, his confidence wavered and he began to sink. Strong swimmer though he was, 26 he gave way to fright, and cried, "Lord, save me." Jesus caught him by the hand, saying: "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" From Peter's remarkable experience, we learn that the power by which Christ was able to walk the waves could be made operative in others, provided only their faith was enduring. It was on Peter's own request that he was permitted to attempt the feat. Had Jesus forbidden him, the man's faith might have suffered a check; his attempt, though attended by partial failure, was a demonstration of the efficacy of faith in the Lord, such as no verbal teaching could ever have conveyed. Jesus and Peter entered the vessel; immediately the wind ceased, and the boat soon reached the shore. The amazement of the apostles, at this latest manifestation of the Lord's control over the forces of nature, would have been more akin to worship and less like terrified consternation had they remembered the earlier wonders they had witnessed; but they had forgotten even the miracle of the loaves, and their hearts had hardened. 27 Marveling at the power of One to whom the wind-lashed sea was a sustaining floor, the apostles bowed before the Lord in reverent worship, saying: "Of a truth thou art the Son of God." 28 Aside from the marvelous circumstances of its literal occurrence, the miracle is rich in symbolism and suggestion. By what law or principle the effect of gravitation was superseded, so that a human body could be supported upon the watery surface, man is unable to affirm. The phenomenon is a concrete demonstration of the great truth that faith is a principle of power, whereby natural forces may be conditioned and controlled. 29 Into every adult human life come experiences like unto the battling of the storm-tossed voyagers with contrary winds and threatening seas; ofttimes the night of struggle and danger is far advanced before succor appears; and then, too frequently the saving aid is mistaken for a greater terror. As came unto Peter and his terrified companions in the midst of the turbulent waters, so comes to all who toil in faith, the voice of the Deliverer—"It is I; be not afraid."

He has been rebaptised but has not yet received his Priesthood. I should have known the answer to this question without asking. I was uncertain because I thought the two different names by which this ordinance is known - priesthood blessing and father's blessing - might have been referring to two different things.

Thanks Oinker, this is exactly what I was looking for. It confirms what I thought was the case but now I know for sure and now I have a reference. I will make sure this reaches the brother who has the question.

A brother in our ward is asking questions about giving one of his children a father's blessing. It's something he wants to do today. This brother cannot use his Priesthood at this time. I haven't come across the concept before. Is it a "legitimate" thing to do and what might be said in such a blessing? I don't imaging that he could say, as is usually said in Priesthood blessings, I bless you that............Can someone please refer me to some teachings on this topic?

It might not be irrelevant to note that in the days of ancient Israel, the only criterion for being able to hold the Priesthood was being a descendant of Levi. All other tribes and races were denied the opportunity to hold the Priesthood solely because they were of a different race, and of a different descent from that tiny group to whom this blessing was made available. To deny a blessing solely on the basis of race and descent may look and sound like a form of racism, as the world, today, understands the term, but that is not a call that I would be prepared to make. And if it is indeed a form of racism, then I would ask so what? God is free to do as He wishes and it is not for us to condemn His actions and decisions. I don't think God is racist, but if He is or was, it should make no difference to us. The fundamental and eternal principles of the gospel hold true, and it is adherence to those principles, and living in accordance with them, that will save us. Whether or not God, or His church, or His servants were or are racist, in the way the world currently uses that term, should have no bearing on our pursuit of salvation. That is a matter for the church and His servants and not something that we need to be distracted by. If we are tempted to be distracted by it, then that is the time to rely a little more on our faith.

I have'nt read the whole discussion. But it seems to me that any account of racism and religion would need to take into account the situation of the ancient Israelites, and there behaviour that appeared to be racist and xenophobic and their vehement rejection of any kind of association with any other racial group and their firm religious belief, probably inspired by what they believed they had been told by God, that they were a superior, chosen race race.

I ended up concluding that the two things that are most helpful in enabling us to move forward at a greater rate are greater faith and greater love of God and our fellow man. I think that with greater faith and love, most of the situations that currently prevent us from moving forward faster will become less of an obstacle. We have four children - two RMs, another son aged 17 and a daughter 15. Its mostly the older two children and my wife who participate in these discussions while the younger two mostly listen and occasionally comment. The older two quite enjoy thoughtful discussions, although its still a bit hit and miss as to exactly what questions they will enjoy discussing.

Over the last few months our family home evenings have merged more into discussions than set lessons. Here are the notes that I prepared for our family home evening discussion last Monday. I thought I’d post them here, partly because I think they are good questions for all of us to ponder about, and second, because I’m interested in peoples’ responses. In future, if I’m better organised, I might try to post my notes several days prior to Monday in the hope that I might be able to incorporate any posts that may result into our family discussion. Theme setting scriptures Matthew 5:48, D&C 103:36, D&C 59:23, D&C 76: 50-70, 1 Corinthians 9:24 Central question: What is stopping us from being better than we are What is stopping us from moving forward at a faster rate? Are we too tired, or too busy, coping with too many other demands? Do we think that we are good enough as we are and don’t need to change Do we like ourselves as we are and don’t want to change Do we consciously reject the idea of being better Are we being asked for too much? Are we procrastinating, saying that we’ll put it all off for later Have we given up after repeated failures Is the motivation, or the reward, not great enough to inspire us to greater efforts Are we enjoying things too much as they are at the moment to change? Is God so good that He will give us the blessings anyway, without having to do what He has asked of us? Are we already as good as we think we can be? Are we feeling discouraged and disheartened and don’t really care? Are we currently trying to “consolidate” the good changes we have recently made before we begin our next step? Are we temporarily resting on our laurels, and just taking a bit of a break for the moment? If the answer is none of the above, what is the answer? What is holding is back, or preventing us, from becoming a better person? And what do we do about it? How do we overcome this problem? Lets look at the other side of the coin. How did we become as good as we are? What are the decisions that we made and the actions that we took that had the most effect on us becoming the person that we are now? Will doing more of the same help us become better, or will doing more of the same just keep us from falling behind?

I think that a close consideration of the questions of why Christ rebuked Peter when he had just showed great faith, and praised others for showing what seemed to be a smaller amount of faith, and why we focus more on Peter's apparent failure than his great success still has the potential to produce understanding that might be useful.

Yesterday in Sunday School there was an interesting discussion about Luke 23:34 during which it was noted that at the time Peter denied Christ, only he, and none of the other apostles, were present during this time of great danger. He was physically closer to Christ than any of the other apostles at that moment, and he had exposed himself to significant risk to be so.

Just as a humorous aside, I note that the time will come when Christ will show us His body piercings as a sign of the sacrifice He made for us, and we will gaze upon His piercings with reverence and gratitude. :)

I'm not seeking to counsel Christ, I'm seeking for understanding. One way of getting understanding is by asking questions because the questions often lead to a search for answers and explanations, and then understanding can often arise from those answers and explanations. As a general rule, in my posts, I try to state facts and occasionally my own ideas and beliefs, without offering any kind of judgements. I think that in these posts about Peter, I have followed that rule. It seems to be a fact that Christ rebuked Peter when he showed great faith and praised others for showing a lesser amount of faith. Asking why, and finding the right answer, is likely to lead to greater understanding. I'm not saying or suggesting that Christ did anything wrong, I'm simply asking why.