askandanswer

How was Abel able to deal with being alone in the spirit world?  Perhaps the place was empty and Abel kept busy by building a house with a gable. Perhaps Abel had an adorable pet sable (they would have shorter lives, so some may have died before him) and told it parables while he made a table to sit at and a chair to sit on.  Perhaps Abel built a stable stable in which to keep his friends the sables.

disavow: deny any responsibility or support for

@LDSGator talkin' like he ain't got this inspirational poster hanging in his bedroom.
 

 

This is clearly a sin.  Jesus commanded that our i be single.

(230-220)/2=5
230-220/2=120 because Mr. Bigglebaggle told me about the order of operations in like 6th grade. 

I see what you did there.

Living in different states, thankfully!

In another thread it was suggested that there might be some problems in the church. Maybe there are, maybe there aren't, I don't know. But what I do know is that if there are problems in the church they're not my problems, they're God's problems, because its His church, and its for Him to solve them, not me. I just need to keep doing what I've always been doing, but do it more and better because I still see the occasional hint of an imperfection in myself (an almost imperceptible hint ). I feel no need to get engaged or involved in whatever problems there might be. They're not my problems. 

This.  I have a list of problems I have in the Church.   I don't have any with the Church.

*shrug*
I never fail to get amazed at the endless number of folks who get ticked off by a human or humans, and have that translate over into "I'm leaving the church".   So many people are here because they want a supportive friend group, or a good environment in which to raise kids, or want to feel belonging.  Those are all important human things, but if you're not here because you believe God wants you to be in this church, you're gonna get blown about when your other reasons for being here waver.
Whenever I hear the latest horrible thing that some Mormon did to someone else, I'm reminded of my wife's wise words: 
"I trust God to act like God, and man to act like man."
Probably some of the wisest words I know.
 

Problems in the Church (among the members) is not the same as problems with the Church (see next paragraph).  We members are imperfect.  We're all the Lord has to work with.  Satan has agents within the Church - wolves in sheep's clothing.  Perhaps some don't know or believe they've been recruited to Satan's ranks, yet do his work.  There are problems to be found everywhere in mortality.  Better to focus on doing what works of righteousness you can manage and yes, let the Lord figure out the rest: "Minister to 'em all, let God sort them out."  I can minister to a wool-clad wolf without harming God's kingdom just as much as I can minister to a lamb - assuming my ministering is true ministering, including both sharing the gospel and doing works of service and kindness.
If there are any problems with the Church (the organization, authority, priesthood, keys, covenants, ordinances, teachings, laws), I don't know them, and they are truly the Lord's to solve, not mine.  Really, my only problem is how to live my covenants.

In another thread it was suggested that there might be some problems in the church. Maybe there are, maybe there aren't, I don't know. But what I do know is that if there are problems in the church they're not my problems, they're God's problems, because its His church, and its for Him to solve them, not me. I just need to keep doing what I've always been doing, but do it more and better because I still see the occasional hint of an imperfection in myself (an almost imperceptible hint ). I feel no need to get engaged or involved in whatever problems there might be. They're not my problems. 

In another thread it was suggested that there might be some problems in the church. Maybe there are, maybe there aren't, I don't know. But what I do know is that if there are problems in the church they're not my problems, they're God's problems, because its His church, and its for Him to solve them, not me. I just need to keep doing what I've always been doing, but do it more and better because I still see the occasional hint of an imperfection in myself (an almost imperceptible hint ). I feel no need to get engaged or involved in whatever problems there might be. They're not my problems. 

The Stake President's actions here are entirely consistent with one of my all-time favourite talks, given by President Benson at BYU in 1980 when he was President of the Quorum of the Twelve.
https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/ezra-taft-benson/fourteen-fundamentals-following-prophet/
Here is part of that talk:
Second:The living prophet is more vital to us than the standard works.
President Wilford Woodruff tells of an interesting incident that occurred in the days of the Prophet Joseph Smith:
I will refer to a certain meeting I attended in the town of Kirtland in my early days. At that meeting some remarks were made that have been made here today, with regard to the living oracles and with regard to the written word of God. The same principle was presented, although not as extensively as it has been here, when a leading man in the Church got up and talked upon the subject, and said: “You have got the word of God before you here in the Bible, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants; you have the written word of God, and you who give revelations should give revelations according to those books, as what is written in those books is the word of God. We should confine ourselves to them.”
When he concluded, Brother Joseph turned to Brother Brigham Young and said, “Brother Brigham, I want you to take the stand and tell us your views with regard to the living oracles and the written word of God.” Brother Brigham took the stand, and he took the Bible, and laid it down; and he took the Book of Mormon, and laid it down; and he took the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and laid it down before him, and he said: “There is the written word of God to us, concerning the work of God from the beginning of the world, almost, to our day. And now,” said he, “when compared with the living oracles those books are nothing to me; those books do not convey the word of God direct to us now, as do the words of a Prophet or a man bearing the Holy Priesthood in our day and generation. I would rather have the living oracles than all the writing in the books.” That was the course he pursued. When he was through, Brother Joseph said to the congregation: “Brother Brigham has told you the word of the Lord, and he has told you the truth.” [In Conference Report, October 1897, pp. 18–19]
It always surprises me that people are more willing to give heed to the words of prophets from thousands of years ago in totally foreign cultures, than they are to the words of prophets living here and now. 

I love that talk and the story it recounts.  I whole-heartedly agree with it.  IMO, when someone teaches in this vein (whether the SP in question or back in Joseph Smith's day), it is because the people within their stewardship are not giving heed to the living prophet, and the teacher in question feels the need to address this failing with strong emphasis.  It is not because scripture is of no worth.  If someone is trying to use scripture to justify themselves in ignoring living prophets, they understand neither the scriptures, nor the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Lord values the written scriptures - significantly.  He wants us to have them and learn from them.  He does not ask us to pick one (living prophets) or the other (scripture) - he gives us both.  Further, I have yet to encounter the teaching of any prophet that is contrary to scripture.  Expands them? Yes.  Alters my understanding of them? Sure.  But contradicts truths* they teach? No.
*As opposed to recounting the cultural norms of the people of the time.
If someone really needs me to provide the evidence of how much the Lord values written scripture, just let me know, I'll compile some examples (but it seems like anyone familiar with scripture would know them already).

The Stake President's actions here are entirely consistent with one of my all-time favourite talks, given by President Benson at BYU in 1980 when he was President of the Quorum of the Twelve.
https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/ezra-taft-benson/fourteen-fundamentals-following-prophet/
Here is part of that talk:
Second:The living prophet is more vital to us than the standard works.
President Wilford Woodruff tells of an interesting incident that occurred in the days of the Prophet Joseph Smith:
I will refer to a certain meeting I attended in the town of Kirtland in my early days. At that meeting some remarks were made that have been made here today, with regard to the living oracles and with regard to the written word of God. The same principle was presented, although not as extensively as it has been here, when a leading man in the Church got up and talked upon the subject, and said: “You have got the word of God before you here in the Bible, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants; you have the written word of God, and you who give revelations should give revelations according to those books, as what is written in those books is the word of God. We should confine ourselves to them.”
When he concluded, Brother Joseph turned to Brother Brigham Young and said, “Brother Brigham, I want you to take the stand and tell us your views with regard to the living oracles and the written word of God.” Brother Brigham took the stand, and he took the Bible, and laid it down; and he took the Book of Mormon, and laid it down; and he took the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and laid it down before him, and he said: “There is the written word of God to us, concerning the work of God from the beginning of the world, almost, to our day. And now,” said he, “when compared with the living oracles those books are nothing to me; those books do not convey the word of God direct to us now, as do the words of a Prophet or a man bearing the Holy Priesthood in our day and generation. I would rather have the living oracles than all the writing in the books.” That was the course he pursued. When he was through, Brother Joseph said to the congregation: “Brother Brigham has told you the word of the Lord, and he has told you the truth.” [In Conference Report, October 1897, pp. 18–19]
It always surprises me that people are more willing to give heed to the words of prophets from thousands of years ago in totally foreign cultures, than they are to the words of prophets living here and now. 

I remained active in the church because in my mid teens I prayed for and received a spiritual assurance that the church was true. I like to think that it would take a similar experience for me to leave the church - not a change in teaching or doctrine or leadership or communications directors - but a spiritual experience, as clear and as reliable as the experience that first led me to continue coming to church.  Anything less would be open to questioning and doubt.

The Stake President's actions here are entirely consistent with one of my all-time favourite talks, given by President Benson at BYU in 1980 when he was President of the Quorum of the Twelve.
https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/ezra-taft-benson/fourteen-fundamentals-following-prophet/
Here is part of that talk:
Second:The living prophet is more vital to us than the standard works.
President Wilford Woodruff tells of an interesting incident that occurred in the days of the Prophet Joseph Smith:
I will refer to a certain meeting I attended in the town of Kirtland in my early days. At that meeting some remarks were made that have been made here today, with regard to the living oracles and with regard to the written word of God. The same principle was presented, although not as extensively as it has been here, when a leading man in the Church got up and talked upon the subject, and said: “You have got the word of God before you here in the Bible, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants; you have the written word of God, and you who give revelations should give revelations according to those books, as what is written in those books is the word of God. We should confine ourselves to them.”
When he concluded, Brother Joseph turned to Brother Brigham Young and said, “Brother Brigham, I want you to take the stand and tell us your views with regard to the living oracles and the written word of God.” Brother Brigham took the stand, and he took the Bible, and laid it down; and he took the Book of Mormon, and laid it down; and he took the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and laid it down before him, and he said: “There is the written word of God to us, concerning the work of God from the beginning of the world, almost, to our day. And now,” said he, “when compared with the living oracles those books are nothing to me; those books do not convey the word of God direct to us now, as do the words of a Prophet or a man bearing the Holy Priesthood in our day and generation. I would rather have the living oracles than all the writing in the books.” That was the course he pursued. When he was through, Brother Joseph said to the congregation: “Brother Brigham has told you the word of the Lord, and he has told you the truth.” [In Conference Report, October 1897, pp. 18–19]
It always surprises me that people are more willing to give heed to the words of prophets from thousands of years ago in totally foreign cultures, than they are to the words of prophets living here and now. 

FREAKING AUSSIE!!!

Well I think the latest data from the James Webb telescope is that every 487 years, on Thursdays, there is a brief moment of transubstantiation when the moon actually turns into cheese, although the coloUr is still a bit uncertain. And interestingly, the person who made this discovery, actually was a wife in her early 60's. 

It is NOT made of green cheese!!!  Don't let your eyes fool you.  It's just an old wives' tale.
 

It’s an alligator bro. Big difference you Koala bear lovin’ Aussie.

😜