Annabelli

Who can perform Temple Ordinances? Aaronic Priesthood/Melchizedek Priesthood and can both men and women do sealings?

What is a crowning temple ordinance?

This was a daily Gem on Oct 10/Wednesday "The crowning temple ordinance is available only to a man and a woman when they are sealed together, forming an eternal family unit. It is by virtue of this and all other priesthood ordinances that the families of the earth shall be blessed (see Abraham 2:11). This sealing ordinance is so central to the Lord's purposes that He has promised to the faithful who are not sealed in this life through no fault of their own this blessing in the life to come. No other doctrine in all of religion better confirms God's commensurate love for both His sons and His daughters." Is this a "blanket" ordinance? (an ordinance to cover all ordinances)

I don't understand how debt is being used here. (Someone offended me and now they are in my debt?; If I do not choose to be offended, they are not in my debt?)

Thanks for sharing a great game. I was just walking through the Halloween Dept at Walmart earlier. Our town is really begining to look like Halloween with a lot of neat decorations.

THE END.

I found this quote by Brigham Young to be interesting: “All I have to do is keep my spirit, feelings and conscience like a sheet of blank paper, and let the Spirit and power of God write upon it what He pleases. When He writes, I will read; but if I read before He writes, I am very likely to be wrong."

While this post has been re-inventing itself several times, I noticed from the responses of GAIA, that GAIA does not read GAIA's cut/paste/references either.

You have all been so sincere and thoughtful and I am very thankful for you. The importance of baptism and blessings are just extremely sacred.

Escrow Accounts are common practice but very lengthy to chat about here. There is much adoo about money being spent on existing school buildings at this time because there is reorganization going on with school districts. Many small school districts are being offered to consolidate their schools in order to maintain quality education. A widespread of school building was done in the early 1960's but the smaller school districts are often still operating schools in older buildings and more than likely temporary classrooms have been added in the form of trailers. School districts are not wanting to put more money into existing problems. Walking tracks are not cheap and under federal school code regulations, it more than using a tractor to clear a path and dumping some loose black rock gravel. Theater lighting constitutes a specialty company and more than changing light bulbs but a whole rewiring system. A private donor wanted the auditorium restored at an existing school that was built in the mid 1930 or 1940's. Although the gift was very generous and the auditorium was restored, parts of the building are condemned for use. There is a lot of litigation surrounding school districts so the wheels churn very slowly.

I think that my early concerns about Patriarchal Blessings and Patriarchs was an article that was written about the GA who chose a Patriarch that was not a likely prospect by that Stake. And the GA then decided that Stake Presidents would call Patriarchs. I'm sure it was something right. I just didn't understand the reason. Some Missionaries had told us that there could be curses attached to Patriarchal Blessings but I'm not sure what they meant at the time. Are there certain responsibilities that you should fulfill with a Patriarchal Blessings? Thank you for the sites onyx. I read them and I am sure that I will reread them again. They are reassuring as to the importance of Patriarchal Blessings. I was just caught off balance by all of this.

john doe: Thank you for clearing up that fasting thing. Now that I have started talking about this Patriarchal Blessing, I have become somewhat of a nervous emotional wreck and everything that was on my mind when I started this thread has just flown out the window. It's as though I have stepped into another dimension. I know that in the past that I have had some grit about Patriarchal Blessings but it seems to evade me now. Maybe I just need to wind down for a while.

While no one has been urging me to get a Patriarchal Blessing, it is more of an inspiration that it is time to do this. Of course you know that I am going to do it because it is inspired and that's where my heart is. I don't know that much about Patriarchal Blessings and the importance of same. Is there a time when it is more important to get one? What kind of information is in a Patriarchal Blessing? From what the Official LDS Church site states, a Patriarchal Blessing will not tell you what to do like get married, raise a family, become a teacher or a railroad engineer...etc. But it seems to be a form of divine personal counsel for your life? If the patriarch decides what tribe I belong to will he simply pull out a form for that tribe and give that to me as a Patriarchal Blessing? I have some concerns about fasting before I go. I will have to travel to get there and I don't want to be thinking of nothing but food while I'm getting a Patriarchal Blessing.

I'm not exactly sure what you mean by appointed. The work that we do in the Temple is not final but is submitted to the Holy Spirit of Promise to be accepted or not? Or it is accepted (or not) at the end of your mortal Temple marriage?

The Saints were able to afford land, livestock, food, clothing, etc. Their losses in Missouri were significant and created much frustration/tension and conflicts. It was not just the number of Saints that brought concern. The Saints were not looking for a "hand out." The handcarts designed by the Saints was not done so because of poverty. With the Gold Rush in California, there was a shortage of horses, oxen, wagons, etc. So determined Saints built handcarts. As the railroad was being built, it also provided a means of transportation for the Saints. People coming into the LDS Church today who have lost the financial battle are not looking for a "hand out." They are most certainly saying "I tried it my way and it did not work out." "Now I am going to try the way of the Lord."

Basically I was reading in another thread on this forum and someone said that we have posting patterns. It would seem that every time Elphaba is mentioned in a negative manner, there is a rescue party. I know many people who are not committed to a religion. It's not as though they don't have a belief or testimony of God. They do struggle in their lives without things that are associated with religion, funerals/death, weddings and divorce, money/too much or not enough, and having any structure in their lives outside of school and government. My life was very very hard before I came into the LDS Church. Every day seemed like a challenge.

It has been my understanding that in the US all one needs to from a religion is a belief of a deity. And a cult is based on disbelief of a deity and the practice of self worship of one's self. I am thinking more along the lines of the Peoples Temple and Jim Jones or David Koresh of Mount Carmel in Waco, TX.

Elphaba: You seem to feel free to come on this LDS site and other sites; however, you will not go to the Roman Catholic site to retrieve information on Pope Gregory XVI? I find it very amusing that you have a fear of crosses and holy water and what ever else the Roman Catholic Church has like Exorcist. I saw NBC Brian Williams one day last week and he made reference to the LDS Church as being the largest American Cult. There are a number of cult organizations trying to attach themselves to the LDS Church. There are also the ones who are trying to retrieve artifacts from the LDS Church that they believe hold spiritual powers like a sacred cross. I could care less what the consequences are for someone getting their bat wings anointed. Basically I opened this thread to discuss cult profiling. I read the article in the Encyclopedia of Mormonism which makes good sense. I just wanted more information on the subject and how we address the matter in our Church.

In several of the post on this thread, many have asked you to post your references. As an example of what they want: (removed) It is obvious that those who list their religious preferences are respected by others in this forum. People are just asking for some honesty.

My point is that LDS Members who believe that Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God cannot set limitations on the Restoration of the gospel or the Church. Nor can we set limitations regarding his assassination.

Alexis de Tocqueville, French political thinker and historian, known for his Democracy in America, and the influence it had on the world. Lightning out of HeavenAlexis de Tocqueville, in these same years, recorded how he “had seen ..... Joseph Smith, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, ed. ... magazine.byu.edu/viewarticle.php?a=1851 - 34k - Cached - Similar pages

Elphaba wrote: The entire US did not know about Joseph, though much of it did, and the “world,” knew nothing about Joseph, other than miniscule little blips here and there where missionaries had been. Pope Gregory XVI in particular addressed issues on both the American LDS Church and Joseph Smith and the Persia Bahai Faith and Baha'ullah.

It has been a month since Shelly made her post and I hope she has found peace in her life. I pray that Shelly will one day be able to tell us how she is doing.

Hi Snow: The Martyrdom Of Joseph Smith I have done a great deal of genealogy in and out of Missouri and Illinois. While I have not developed any LDS ancestors, there are many significant and interesting historical tracts in Missouri and also Illinois but mainly Missouri. And of course you cannot leave out the other seven states that border Missouri. This state was part of the 1803 Louisiana Purchase and was admitted as a state in 1821. During the time that Joseph Smith was organizing the LDS Church and The City of Nauvoo, many other people had moved into the area and were organizing communities and industry/farming. This area was becoming vastly populated. There was a "Run" to bring slavery into Missouri and Kansas during this time. Many Saints who immigrated into America during this time brought wealth with them as did other settlers to the area. Some of those settlers migrating especially from the southern states/territories desired to build up a status of monarchy/royalty. The state of Missouri is significant because it is the crossroads of America. It was at that time believed that those who ruled Missouri would rule America. There were many in the area who were contemplating or being influenced to become the next US President. With the state of Missouri being equally divided southern/northern, it was most certain that the Saints were sympathizers of the north. Having Joseph Smith as a US President was viewed as a political threat toward what would become the Civil War. I do not think that anyone can go any further with the LDS Church accounts that led to the murder of Joseph Smith and I don't agree that it is an isolated religious martyrdom. The LDS Church and Joseph Smith were known about throughout the U.S. and the world. But it is also the never ending story because you do have to take into account the satire of the religious movement in Missouri. The LDS Church is the only religion that has been organized on American Soil. All the others came from other countries. And you cannot neglect that at least 20 religious organizations from throughout the world have headquartered themselves in Missouri. And that a great number of religious conflicts have been fought in Missouri. I should add that there is a great deal more history that connects to the LDS Church and Joseph Smith.

That is beautifully worded a-train but what does that exactly mean?