askandanswer

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  1. Haha
    askandanswer got a reaction from Sunday21 in Would You? Abraham/Isaac, Nephi/Laban, Saul/Amelikites   
    For me to do it, it would have to be something like this:
    An angel (not an apostle or a prophet) shows up and asks me to kill someone
    We then start a negotiation session about the details of the task, eg, who, how, when, where, and how much flexibility there was in each of these. I wouldn't ask why as I don't think I would need to know that in order to do what was being asked. I would ask if there was anybody else who could do the task, and if there was any compelling reason why I was the person who had been asked to do it and if I had the option of delegating the job.
    We come to an agreement as to the details of the task - what must be done, what must not be done, and the other stuff about who, when, where and how. 
    I ask the angel to put the agreement in writing, with five original copies, one for me, one for the angel, one for the Prophet, one for the police, and one for my family
    I carefully consider the agreement to make sure it accurately reflects what we have discussed and agreed to
    Next, I carefully consider if I will follow the agreement, and if so, then I sign it.
    Finally, I start doing my research and preparation, trying to find a way to do what had been asked in a way that is most likely to be successful, while avoiding being apprehended and arrested.
    If it was anything less than this, I'd be inclined to hesitate and think it over pretty carefully.
  2. Like
    askandanswer reacted to anatess2 in Heavenly Mother & Mother Mary   
    The Genealogy in Luke is Mary's.  The Genealogy in Matthew is Joseph's.  Note that Matthew is a Jew and would therefore have expertise in the manner of genealogy which is evident in the manner by which he wrote the account, yet he has several non-traditional insertions/ommissions in his account.  This may be because Matthew was not trying to prove Jesus is of the house of David through Joseph (because Jesus would not be his bloodline) but rather as the fulfillment of other prophesy.  Luke, on the other hand, is a Gentile, yet his genealogy is written in the traditional Jewish custom.  This is the genealogy that shows Jesus as having the bloodline of the House of David.
  3. Like
    askandanswer reacted to Blossom76 in Heavenly Mother & Mother Mary   
    But Heavenly Mother is God the Fathers wife right? And I guess our spiritual mother like he is our spiritual father.  I wish there was more information about her, I really like the idea of her, it's a beautiful concept.
  4. Like
    askandanswer reacted to Jane_Doe in Heavenly Mother & Mother Mary   
    (Adding my voice to the choir)
    First of all Heavenly Mother is NOT the virgin Mary.  They are completely separate people.
    Heavenly Mother: it is known that She exists, but that's about it (remember, LDS believe that God has many more wonderful things to reveal to us).  Here's official essay summing up the little that is known https://www.lds.org/topics/mother-in-heaven?lang=eng  
     
     
    The Virgin Mary: was a human woman, highly favored of the Lord, but not divine or perfect like Christ.  LDS don't believe in The Original Sin, so Mary's immaculate conception isn't really applicable at all.  She was a virgin when she conceived Christ through the Holy Spirit, as described in Luke.  She later married Joseph and the two of them had children together.  When Christ died He asked John to look after her.  LDS do not believe in the ascension of Mary nor praying to her for intercession (or anyone else for intercession).  She's talked about in the Bible obviously, but also in the Book of Mormon like: 
    Mary was a virgin, most beautiful and fair above all other virgins, 1 Ne. 11:13–20.
    Christ’s mother was to be called Mary, Mosiah 3:8.
    Mary would be a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, Alma 7:10.
    More verses: https://www.lds.org/scriptures/gs/mary-mother-of-jesus?lang=eng
  5. Like
    askandanswer reacted to zil in Heavenly Mother & Mother Mary   
    The first entry here summarizes what we know of Mary, referencing scriptures.
    And this is an essay about our Heavenly Mother, also with references.
  6. Like
    askandanswer reacted to Jane_Doe in Getting lost in the right path...   
    "If you will really try and will not rationalize or rebel—repenting often and pleading for grace—you positively are going to be “good enough.” "   --- By Elder J. Devn Cornish Of the Seventy, General Conference October 2016 
    https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2016/10/am-i-good-enough-will-i-make-it?lang=eng
     
  7. Like
    askandanswer reacted to zil in Getting lost in the right path...   
    Welcome, @Noel T. Batac!
    This example highlights the fact that "membership" is not "the right path".  It is a tool provided to help one find and follow the right path, but it, in and of itself, does not represent the right path - that path is found and followed in one's heart and mind.  The Lord has given us many tools to help in that process (including teachers and leaders), but the tools aren't the path.
  8. Like
    askandanswer reacted to Grunt in .   
    Ahhh.  That's understandable, then.  
    Sorry for the sidetrack.  Thank you for setting me straight yet again.
  9. Like
    askandanswer got a reaction from my two cents in Joys of scripture study   
    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?
     
  10. Like
    askandanswer got a reaction from Blossom76 in A Compromise!   
    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
  11. Like
    askandanswer reacted to mirkwood in Let's talk Moore   
    Starting?  Have you read your posts?
  12. Haha
    askandanswer got a reaction from zil in Let's talk Moore   
    @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  
  13. Like
    askandanswer got a reaction from BeccaKirstyn in Joys of scripture study   
    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?
     
  14. Like
    askandanswer reacted to zil in Let's talk Moore   
    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.
  15. Like
    askandanswer reacted to Blossom76 in Confession Questions   
    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.
  16. Thanks
    askandanswer got a reaction from Blossom76 in Confession Questions   
    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.
  17. Like
    askandanswer got a reaction from zil in Confession Questions   
    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. 
     
  18. Like
    askandanswer got a reaction from Sunday21 in Confession Questions   
    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. 
     
  19. Haha
    askandanswer got a reaction from Jamie123 in Lame Jokes, the Sequel   
    Vegans think that people who sell meat are gross
    But butchers think that people who sell fruit and vegetables are grocer
  20. Like
    askandanswer got a reaction from Sunday21 in Can evil spirits read?   
    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. 
  21. Like
    askandanswer reacted to The Folk Prophet in Can evil spirits read?   
    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.
  22. Haha
    askandanswer reacted to brlenox in Can evil spirits read?   
    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".
  23. Like
    askandanswer reacted to An Investigator in Temple   
    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
  24. Like
    askandanswer got a reaction from Sunday21 in Lame Jokes, the Sequel   
    Vegans think that people who sell meat are gross
    But butchers think that people who sell fruit and vegetables are grocer
  25. Haha
    askandanswer got a reaction from mirkwood in Am I the only aware member with alarm bells going off in his head?   
    lol, there you go again, pretending you can learn. Looks like @mirkwood is not the only one being dishonest on this thread,