askandanswer

I know this post is kind of old, but I just came across a teaching from President Packer relevant to this topic that I thought was worth sharing. It gives the rationale for the Word of Wisdom. “The habit-forming substances prohibited by that revelation—tea, coffee, liquor, tobacco—interfere with the delicate feelings of spiritual communication, just as other addictive drugs will do. (in Conference Report, Oct. 1994, 78; or Ensign, Nov. 1994, 61).

I like it when what the judges take 50 or more pages of complex verbiage to say can be reduced down to a few points that are easy for everyone to understand. Thanks JAG :)

Ophelia, you are new here, so you don't really know these people who have responded to your question. But I've been reading their posts and watching their discussions for several months now, and I can tell you that they are strongly rooted in the gospel with excellent insights into a broad range of matters, and their responses to your question are well worth listening to.

I've never come across any restriction on post-baptismal refreshments. I agree with those who have said its for the Ward Mission Leader, with the approval of the bishop, and not the RSP to decide how baptisms should happen. In our ward, the question of whether or not there will be refreshments is usually up to to organiser of the event. In the case of convert baptisms, that's usually the WML, and he sees post baptismal refreshments as a great way for any non-members the baptismal candidate may have invited to mix with the members. In the case of member baptisms, then its usually up to the parents, and most, but not all parents, will organise for refreshments. Even when the baptism is taking place on a Sunday at a time when the other ward is using the chapel, there will still be post baptism refreshments.

Who would prepare the medication?

If you're not contemplating your coming wedding with joy and excitement, something is wrong. And most of the time there is nothing too wrong with over analysing a situation (other than the lost time it takes, and the stress and confusion it can generate) as long as you then humbly, sincerely and faithfully seek for divine confirmation of whatever conclusion you come to, and are willing to abandon that conclusion if no divine confirmation is forthcoming.

The Lord's preferred method of cleansing is baptism by full immersion. This should take care of your whole computer, not just the screen. If you let it soak for a while, you'll probably never need to clean that particular computer again. :)

Just to clear up the possibility of any uncertainty, I want to state here that I completely agree that the Book of Mormon was written for our time. The OP was asking about a possible book that could be written for some future time, based primarily on latter day sources.

Just out of curiosity, I'd be interested in hearing how these chapters have influenced you and what important lessons you have learned from them that isn't taught equally well or better in other scriptures?

An interesting question, Yes, my OP assumed that whoever might read this latter day book would also have read the Book of Mormon. I'm not talking about a future book that replaces the Book of Mormon, but a latter day Testament of Christ made up of teachings from latter day prophets, just as the Book of Mormon is made up of teachings from ancient American prophets, with a few additions from Isaiah and Zenos. So, what to include in the latter day Testament of Christ, from existing standards works? hmm, The Sermon on the Mount. Nephi's prophecies in 1st and 2nd Nephi. Sections 84, 88, 20, 107, 134, 135, JS-H, most of Moses, Abraham 3, Mormon 8 and 9, Mormon 7 and 10.

Well done david. You've made the right decision, and if you stick with it, you and your posterity will be eternally blessed.

There are a few parts of it that don't quite ring true with me either, but I haven't taken the time to nail down my questions. I still think its a really helpful talk and I made several references to it in my lesson. My dad thinks it contains some doctrinal inadequacies but I haven't asked him what they are. My daughter loves the talk and says it has helped her a great deal.

It sounds like a good idea in principal, but our bishopric members are often close to the last to arrive for opening exercises, and things would be even further delayed if we then had to wait longer while they wrote the announcements on the board.

I agree with you - hence my use of the quotation marks around the word "refined" in my post. perhaps I could have used the more twisted or distorted, but I did not want to be disrespectful to Elder McConkie. I'm more inclined to believe the way Joseph Smith used the word salvation than the way Elder McConkie did.

This is only a side issue, and doesn’t address your main point, but I’m guessing that somewhere in between the time of Joseph Smith and the time of Bruce R McConkie, our understanding of the term salvation may have been “refined” a little. Verse 59 seems to suggest that those described, or referred to in verses 58 and 59 are “heirs to salvation.” McConkie defined salvation in the following terms: 1. What is salvation? It is both immortality and eternal life. It is an inheritance in the highest heaven of the celestial world. It consists of the fullness of the glory of the Father and is reserved for those for whom the family unity continues in eternity. Those who are saved become as God is and live as he lives. https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/mcconkie-bruce-r_think-ye-salvation-grace/

That's not how you spell my name!

I think one type of international high level "conspiracy" are the investor-state dispute settlements that are currently a feature of many multi-national trade agreements between countries. Under this process, if the government of a country changes a policy in a manner that disadvantages the investments that a foreign company has made in that country, then that company can "sue" that government. For example, the Australian government is currently being sued by the Philip Morris and British American Tobacco companies for some recent initiatives the Australian government took to reduce the level of smoking in the general population. However, these "legal" proceedings do not take place in an open court - they are held behind closed doors, in specialised trade and arbitration conferences, and do not follow the rule of law and do not even publicly disclose the reason for their decisions. The NAFTA contains these types of provisions and I believe the almost completed trans-Pacific Partnership will contain similar provisions. These provisions give unelected multil-national companies enormous power over elected governments that might choose to do something for the benefit of their people, but which is against the interests of the company, and these decisions are made in secret by unaccountable international trade arbitration centres. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Investor-state_dispute_settlement for more information.

Thanks for your input Skalenfehl and James. The lesson went as well as it could have in the 25 minutes I had available. Opening exercises went on longer than usual meaning that the lesson time was fairly compressed.

This is probably a bit of a side issue, but I note with interest that several hymns in our current hymn book seem to have some similarity with what might be considered to be political statements - I'm thinking of the nationalistic hymns and anthems that occupy the last few pages of the hymn book. Of particular interest are a few lines from hymn number 34, O ye mountains hymn, written by a former member of the First Presidency Thy deliv'rance is nigh; thy oppressors shall die; And thy land shall be freedom's abode The lyrics of God Save the King (hymn 341) seem to express a strong desire for a monarchy, which sounds a little like a political statement, and lets not forget hymn number 80, of which the last six words of each of the three verses is lest we forget, lest we forget. Of course, when these hymns are sung in a sacrament meeting, we can assume that they are sung with the approval of the presiding officer, and therefore the singing of these hymns cannot be interpreted as individuals making political statements -although it might create some interesting opportunities for a sneaky musical director.

Hi all This is my first time to try and use lds.net/forums in this way. I'm teaching about in Priesthood about grace tomorrow, using President Uchtdorf's Sunday morning conference address tomorrow. Can anyone point me to any good teachings/talks/sermons/book chapters on this topic? So far the one's I've looked at are: Bible dictionary – Grace Salvation by Grace or Works – Ensign article by Gerald N Lund, April 1981 at https://www.lds.org/ensign/1981/04/salvation-by-grace-or-by-works?lang=eng His Grace is Sufficient – talk by Brad Wilcox at https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/wilcox-brad_his-grace-is-sufficient/ What think ye of Grace – talk by Elder Bruce R McConkie at https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/mcconkie-bruce-r_think-ye-salvation-grace/ Faith Grace and Works, by Joseph F Smith in Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols., Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954–56, 2:310–11 Encyclopaedia of Mormonism – Grace Grace Works by Robert L Millet

Tess the range of topics on which you provide well informed responses continues to surprise me!

why not email it?

Its only a matter of time before a more advanced form of the cell phone becomes an essential part of temple operations :) See http://lds.net/forums/topic/56547-cell-phones-and-white-stones/

So I guess its safe to say that there are some realities that God must abide by?

I agree with you Kirkko, I believe that even God is subject to a law of justice. Where the law comes from, and how it is enforced, I do not know, but I suspect it is a universal constant. It is perhaps the same law that enabled God to progress from man to God. Two reasons why I think God is subject to law: 1. I cannot think of any other reason why God would require His Beloved Son to endure the agonies that He did unless He was compelled to, in order to satisfy some sort of externally imposed requirement. Surely God would have done all in His power to avoid the suffering His Son went through if there was a way that it could have been avoided. He did not prevent the suffering of His Son, so perhaps it was beyond His power to do so. Somebody, or something, demanded that sacrifice. It's hard to see how it was the voluntary, free-will act of a Father who loved His Son and who could have achieved the same outcome - the atonement - through a less difficult approach. I think that because God was subject to a law of justice the atonement was the only way to satisfy the demands of this law. If there was an easier way, God would have done it. This argument is supported by: Alma 42:25 25 What, do ye suppose that mercy can rob justice? I say unto you, Nay; not one whit. If so, God wouldcease to be God. Alma 42:1313 Therefore, according to justice, the plan of redemption could not be brought about, only on conditions of repentance of men in this probationary state, yea, this preparatory state; for except it were for these conditions, mercy could not take effect except it should destroy the work of justice. Now the work of justice could not be destroyed; if so, Godwould cease to be God. Alma 42:2222 But there is a law given, and a punishment affixed, and a repentance granted; which repentance, mercy claimeth; otherwise, justice claimeth the creature and executeth the law, and the law inflicteth the punishment; if not so, the works of justice would be destroyed, and God would cease to be God 2. I believe that where God lives could be described as a kingdom, possibly even the Celestial Kingdom. Every kingdom is subject to some kind of law because there cannot be a kingdom without law. It may be that this includes the kingdom where God dwells. 36 All kingdoms have a law given; 37 And there are many kingdoms; for there is no space in the which there is no kingdom; and there is no kingdom in which there is no space, either a greater or a lesser kingdom. 38 And unto every kingdom is given a law; and unto every law there are certain bounds also and conditions.