amigo108

LOL My thoughts exactly! I did recently see the documentary on Walmart. Bad Walmart bad... (the following is a joke)You're letter should read: Dear evil Walmart, I am sorry I stole items from your store a couple of years back. I was going to send a Money order for the cost of the items I stole, but after viewing a recent documentary about your store, I decided to give the moeny to the poor. PS, I stole the pen, paper and envelope to write this letter from your store. Seriously, I wouldn't send a check, they might try and prosecute you.

The people who can simply and easily believe are truly blessed, for the rest of us I recommend the following: Do all the things that the church leaders advise i.e. pray daily, live a righteous life, read and ponder the scriptures, stay away from people/things that destroy spirituality like immoral people, pornography etc. pray to know if God exists. Then have patience. If you do the above you will eventually get your answer. It might be quick, it might take more time, but you will know. Also, keep in mind that most of us have times when our faith and spirituality feels very low. During those times, think of this analogy. Two men are at dinner and both reach for their glass of water. The first picks up his glass and easily takes a long drink. The second who is very old, slowly picks up his glass with shaky hand and with much effort, manages to get a drink from the glass. He says to the younger man, Oh how I wish I had the strength to grip my glass and drink as easily as you. The younger man replies "the important thing is that you did reach out and try to drink and, like me, you were able to get water" The point is... sometimes it may feel as though your just going through the motions and that you don't have the faith to receive His holy water (the Holy spirit), but if you are diligent, you will receive the same holy spirit as those whose faith and testimony are strong. Remember, just be diligent in doing what we are taught and what we know is right and good, then the time will come when you receive your answer. That is a promise (not from me!)

What would be funny is if your sister was also black! I am assuming you two are white? I'd be mainly concerned with the type of man he is. Will he be able to be sealed in the temple to your sister. Could you attend (maybe you need to focus on YOU more). Is your sister an idiot or a horrible judge of character or makes bad choices in men? Why not let her decide? BTW, your not a bad person cause you care. I'd think every good brother should care who his sister ends up with. And just because the vast majority of black men are bad, it doesn't mean THIS guy is bad. That last line was a joke... just seeing if your paying attention LOL.

Vinny I too struggle and fail with controlling my thoughts. Add to the list of things to do 1. listen to the conference talks at LDS.org 2. Find a friend(s) from your ward and start hanging out/doing things more often 3. Talk to your bishop (sometimes just openly admitting that you're having a problem will kick start the solution) 4. listen to uplifting spiritual music when in the car 5. get a blessing 7. Invite the missionaries for dinner and share testimonies 6. If your home teachers aren't visiting call them up and say you need them to come and are there any days that work for them. Good luck, you and I are in the same boat my friend. Remember, your spiritual strength is often like waves in the ocean. You may be riding high and strong one day but don't ever slack off cause the next day you could be low and vulnerable. It goes up and down so be ready for the down. Also, be aware of the triggers that can cause these spiritual lapses or weak points. Most of us are vulnerable after an argument/fight or a really bad day at work. Finally, don't get too discouraged if you have bad days, just keep plugging away doing what's right and you will prevail and have fewer bad days. It takes time. Here's a story/analogy: A guy says to his elderly father "Dad, I am not very spiritual and my faith is weak. You have always had a faith as solid as a rock. Can you give me some advice as to what I can do to have more faith and be a better Christian?" The father says "first let me get a sip of water then I'll tell you my secret" He reaches his arm out and being very old and weak, he shakes a lot as he puts a cup of water to his lips. "You see Son. I can't get a sip of water very easily and my had shakes a lot, while for you, getting a sip from a glass is effortless. But the important thing is that we both can get a drink. If your dying of thirst, it doesn't matter if your hand is shaky, what matters is that you can reach out and get a some water. So even though you feel your faith and testimony are shaky, the important thing is that you keep reaching out and do the best that you can. Don't be discouraged, just keep doing what is right. That is the most important thing." So I say this story as an example to just keep doing what you know is right and this time of hardship or spiritual weakness will eventually pass if you sincerely work and do all that you are counseled to do by the church leaders and the scriptures and follow any promptings of the Holy Ghost. Good luck.

Wiley, Welcome to the forum, I am new here also (actually you've been here a lot longer than I). I recommend that if it does not magnify your spirit, then don't partake in it (I try to do that but I'm not perfect) With that said, I would stay away from or at least tread very carefully at an anti-LDS site. You may find your own testimony eroded. The fact that your the only active member who has stuck around there and the only one currently there should tell you something. I have no ideas of the topics you've discussed or what goes on there. But from the tone of your initial post It would seem that you feel somewhat special over there and maybe that is appealing to you. Maybe if they tell you things like it's refreshing to be able to speak to an LDS member and not feel like they're trying to convert them or tell them they are wrong etc. it is flattering. I'm just guessing here as to what the appeal might be. Bottom line, you need to evaluate your reasons for being there and then evaluate how wise it is to stay. I'm not saying we should cast a blind eye to any criticisms of our church and our faith, but you need to be smart about it and stay true to your faith. I'm all for religious discussions with people who are earnestly seeking a better understanding, but I stay away from close minded people who are only out to prove their point and there is no serious open discourse. These types of people are not interested in learning and they often take pleasure belittling you for beleiving something contrary to their own beleifs. Also ther are people who are very jaded by their own bad experiences with the church. BTW, this is true of groups that leave any church, there's always a bunch who were mistreated and even austracised and who feel that their religion was ruining their lives. It's a shame but it happens.

I'm not aware that there was ever a scripture saying that the PH should be denied to Blacks, Just that it wasn't church policy to bestow the PH to blacks. I assumed that came from the prophet at the time. I don't know all the details of how/why and weather it was a revelation of some sort or not.

Hi Emma. I'm saying that Polygamy is OK when commanded by God and wrong now. And that denying the priesthood to blacks is OK when commanded by God and wrong now. It is my belief that there were circumstances that existed 150 years ago that no longer exist and thus, polygamy and denying PH to blacks is no longer necessary. BTW, I do not know for sure what God's motives or reasons were for the practice of polygamy and for denying the PH to blacks. These statements are just my opinion of possible reasons. And I'm not saying that women should be given the priesthood. :)

A-train...We are definitely being tested not punished. But we must remember that the majority of hardships we face, the VAST majority, are a direct result of us hurting or even just not loving each other. Imagine a world we we were all reasonable followers of Christ. A world where if I told you that my brother had died, you would react the same as if you got a call that YOUR brother had died (if you have a brother). A world where we couldn't imagine why one would need locks on doors because there is no crime and where welfare was handled on a local level and never abused. In this make believe world there would still be sickness and injury but those things, when they happened would be eased by monumental outpourings of love. And there would be no third world or starvation or war. My point is that God our father is not putting most of the things that people would THINK are punishments in our path. We are like children who fight and hurt ourselves. And the true obstacle that we face are in our own hearts and minds, the thing that keeps us from being better children, servants and saints is ourselves.

I believe that the restoration occurred (and is continuing) as God planned. I think of the restoration as a leaf floating down a river. Whether it goes a foot to the left or the right is of no consequence, the final destination will be the same....downstream. When it gets hung up on a rock or trapped in a stagnant pool, then intervention (revelation) is needed to get us back on track. We saints are human, imperfect, and have free will. So that will cause the leaf (the church) to move at varying speed and course, but always downstream fueled by the power of the Holy Spirit. With that said, He knows us and our limitations and imperfections so I'm sure things are going as He planned. In the end, I don't think the restoration could have been thwarted, but I do believe that it could have been delayed and slowed down. We do have free will so we can choose to be disobedient if we wish. Keep in mind, this is all my opinion and I could be partially or completely wrong. I have doubts about the mark of Cain doctrine (not necessarily the part about denying priesthood to blacks but the explanation as to why), but I take comfort in the belief that if a prophet were to err, the Church has a system for correcting itself, namely continued revelation. Time has proven that we are not capable of just taking scriptures and correctly interpreting and living them without continual guidance. Although what's right and wrong does not change, what is most correct for the times obviously does. Polygamy is a good example of that fact. Although denying priesthood to worthy males and having multiple wives is clearly wrong. There were times when the negative results of doing what is right made it more wrong to deny the blessings of the priesthood to many women or loose an incalculable number saints because the population was not ready to accept the full truth of the Gospel. The fact that all secrets and mysteries have not been revealed to us is just further evidence that we are not ready. It reminds me of the line from the movie a few good men "you want the truth?? You can't handle the truth!".

I'm definitely no authority but I think that if there wasn't a ban on blacks holding the PH the church might not have survived the times. It's a miracle they survived the persecution as it is, can you imagine if they were fully integrated. It would've been more fuel in the anti-Mormon fire. I don't know whether or not this had any bearing on why God didn't allow it but I wouldn't be surprised. Good thing for continual revelation huh? Otherwise we still might not have PH of color and that would drive many people away (including me).