askandanswer

I've read these two verses, dozens, possibly hundreds of times but its only just now that I've noticed that Joseph Smith and Mormon were the same age when they first saw Jesus. It always gives me a bit of a buzz when I suddenly gain a new understanding or find a new connection between different verses of scripture. It's happened many times, but it still surprises me, in a nice kind of way, how we can suddenly gain new insights from stuff we've read or heard many times before.
(Book of Mormon | Mormon 1:15)
15  And I, being fifteen years of age and being somewhat of a sober mind, therefore I was visited of the Lord, and tasted and knew of the goodness of Jesus.
 
(Pearl of Great Price | JS-History 1:7)
7  I was at this time in my fifteenth year.  My father's family was proselyted to the Presbyterian faith, and four of them joined that church, namely, my mother, Lucy; my brothers Hyrum and Samuel Harrison; and my sister Sophronia.
 
Does anyone else have an experience about the joys of scripture study they'd like to share?
 

Well done Blossom this sounds like a real win win situation for you and your husband. Your marriage should be strengthened through the time you spend srudying together and i would expect that both your faith and his will be as well. Just keep in mind that as important as study is, the most important thing is to gain a spiritual witness/conviction as to the truthfulness of the gospel. Conversion has more to do with the heart than the head. Gospel study can help bring someone to a point where they are more ready and willing and prepared to seek for and receive that witness. However I've also seen study pull people away from the truth when they cannot reconcile their understanding of truth with God's revealed truth and their pride or stubbornness leads them to rely on their own conclusions rather than exercising humility and faith and seeking for truth from God through prayer

Starting?  Have you read your posts?

@zil for your benefit: Michael Josephson is the guy who said "An ethical person ought to do more than he's required to do and less than he's allowed to do." Now you know who he is  

I've read these two verses, dozens, possibly hundreds of times but its only just now that I've noticed that Joseph Smith and Mormon were the same age when they first saw Jesus. It always gives me a bit of a buzz when I suddenly gain a new understanding or find a new connection between different verses of scripture. It's happened many times, but it still surprises me, in a nice kind of way, how we can suddenly gain new insights from stuff we've read or heard many times before.
(Book of Mormon | Mormon 1:15)
15  And I, being fifteen years of age and being somewhat of a sober mind, therefore I was visited of the Lord, and tasted and knew of the goodness of Jesus.
 
(Pearl of Great Price | JS-History 1:7)
7  I was at this time in my fifteenth year.  My father's family was proselyted to the Presbyterian faith, and four of them joined that church, namely, my mother, Lucy; my brothers Hyrum and Samuel Harrison; and my sister Sophronia.
 
Does anyone else have an experience about the joys of scripture study they'd like to share?
 

An ethical person ought to do more than he's required to do and less than he's allowed to do.
-- Michael Josephson, quoted in "Bill Moyers' World of Ideas"
ETA: I have no idea who Michael Josephson is, but the quote is good.

Okay, I think I understand now.  LDS don't believe man can forgive sins on behalf of Jesus, because they don't beleve Jesus can forgive sins only God?  I was raised to believe that Jesus is the mediator between man and god and can forgive sins, and that he gave that authority to forgive sins to his apostles.  
Matthew 9: 1-6 says Jesus has the authority to forgive sins and in John 20: 21-23 Jesus gives that authority to his apostles (there are more places in the bible that talk about priests forgiving sins etc, this is all I can remember of the top of my head, its early in the morning here!). 
Is there a passage in the Book of Mormon about this that I could read? Its just really hard for me to understand when the bible says something completely different, I know there are times when the bible is not taken as divine in the LDS church (as far as translated correctly I think is how its worded), which is a new concept for me also, is this one of those times?
Matthew 9: 1-6
9 And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city.
2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.
3 And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.
4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?
5 For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?
6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.
John 20: 21-23
21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

Christ atoned for our sins. We bring into our lives the effect of His atonement by humbly acknowledge our sin, confesssing and apologising to the person we sinned against, and when necessary, to Priesthood leaders, asking for forgiveness from the person we sinned against, and from God, and from refraining from the sinful action in future. When these actions are done with prayer and a broken and contrite heart with a sincere desire to be forgiven, then Christ's atonement can have effect in our lives.

This comment is based on my almost complete lack of exposure to Catholicism, but I believe that a significant difference is that Mormons don't believe that a bishop can forgive sins. They can assist with the forgiveness process, and are usually an essential part of the process, but only God can forgive. 
A bishop is expected to keep confessions confidential, and almost always does, but I believe that the obligation for a bishop to do so is not quite as great as what priests are under, where it seems to be an absolute requirement. 
 

This comment is based on my almost complete lack of exposure to Catholicism, but I believe that a significant difference is that Mormons don't believe that a bishop can forgive sins. They can assist with the forgiveness process, and are usually an essential part of the process, but only God can forgive. 
A bishop is expected to keep confessions confidential, and almost always does, but I believe that the obligation for a bishop to do so is not quite as great as what priests are under, where it seems to be an absolute requirement. 
 

Vegans think that people who sell meat are gross
But butchers think that people who sell fruit and vegetables are grocer

I remember repeatedly experiencing something the same sort of thing on my mission although sometimes the crisis would occur shortly after the baptism, but whether it happened before or after the net effect was usually the same - a major obstacle suddenly appearing at a crucial moment on someone's path of progress. 

I tend to believe that emotional and/or mental disorders are probably more often rooted in evil spirits than we like to think.
I don't tend to believe that evil spirits make us physically ill typically, though they may influence in ways that lead to physical illness. I don't believe they break down cars and make tires go flat to keep us from the temple. But when the tire does go flat, they most certainly are there whispering in our ears how that means we can't make it to the temple after all.

Actually, Democrats is a ancient word that was mistranslated by a careless scribe.  In it's original proper spelling it was demonrats but the "n" was misread as a "c".

Hi 
I know I haven't been on here for a while I have been busy studying.   Just wanted to let you guys know I am starting temple prep classes this week.   So excited about it

Vegans think that people who sell meat are gross
But butchers think that people who sell fruit and vegetables are grocer

lol, there you go again, pretending you can learn. Looks like @mirkwood is not the only one being dishonest on this thread,

Well...the truth comes out.
 
 
 

Apparently he reads Psalms...

Ah, that explains the sudden influx of refugees into my latest universe.

I'm all in favour of fountain pens and inks that have a vanishing point. Hopefully we will reach that point next Tuesday. 

Sigh

I'm all in favour of fountain pens and inks that have a vanishing point. Hopefully we will reach that point next Tuesday. 

Never saw a single BYU show but this conversation just happened one second ago:
Mr. Anatess <looking at bank statements>:  Who just spent $150 on stationary?
Anatess:  I did.  It's not just for stationary, it's for my pens.  It's a splurge I know but I haven't bought anything for myself in a long time.  I tried calling you before I bought it but you didn't pick up your phone.
Mr. Anatess:  You don't have to defend yourself.  Just making sure it wasn't fraud.
Anatess Jr:  Mom hasn't gotten anything in a while... so she spends $150 on a pen... like, that's a whole pair of Michael Kors shoes.
Anatess:  The pen is mightier than the shoes.
Mr. Anatess:  That's almost a shotgun.
Anatess Jr:  I could've invested that money, wait a few years, and buy a Falcor Petra.
Anatess:  Get your own money.  I'm spending mine on pens and stationary so you can go shoot stuff while I write about it.
Mr. Anatess:  I could've gone to a football game.
Anatess Jr:  We're boycotting the NFL.  Mom, go get another pen before Dad spends the money on tickets.
Boom!  And just like that, I can buy another pen...