laronius

@Fether, I found this in an old Ensign article. Maybe something to chew on:
The Hebrew family was also known as a house. The founding of a family was to build a house. The use of the term house was very flexible and could include the entire nation (the house of Jacob or the house of Israel) or a segment of the people (the house of Judah or the house of Joseph).
https://www.lds.org/ensign/1972/05/hebrew-manners-and-customs?lang=eng

Perhaps we draw too much of a distinction at times between the temporal and spiritual. The Lord has made it clear that ALL things are spiritual to him and so it would make sense that any commandment we receive that appears to be temporally related ultimately would have a greater spiritual purpose to it. Perhaps the idea of Zion is the ideal example of this. It is the creation of oneness among people that is manifested through having all things common among them temporally but is rooted in a condition of a oneness of heart and mind.

@Fether, I found this in an old Ensign article. Maybe something to chew on:
The Hebrew family was also known as a house. The founding of a family was to build a house. The use of the term house was very flexible and could include the entire nation (the house of Jacob or the house of Israel) or a segment of the people (the house of Judah or the house of Joseph).
https://www.lds.org/ensign/1972/05/hebrew-manners-and-customs?lang=eng

Remember it is according to our WANTS and NEEDS. I want a drumset... most people don't. My friend wants a road bike and bike racing equipment... I don't.
I know in the eternities that I will want a strong sounding, easy to tune, 4 piece pearl drumset with either Evans or aquarian drum heads, zildjan cymbals (and maybe 2 wuhan chinas), and a nice crisp high hat. All worth around $3000-$5000 in the US. If I were living in a small community with the law of consecration in full swing, I would settle with a small, 4-piece travel drum-kit, worth $400-$600 approx. If the whole church were doing it, maybe a regular sized stock pearl set worth around $700-$900
(I just want to note that the cheapest drumset you can buy on the market is around $300).
If I saw my buddy Rob (who is infinitely better at all things percussion) running around with a $2000 drum set while I only had a $700 one, I would be fine  he would want it more and would likely use it for his career.
The Law of consecration does not entail all of us having the same clothes, same food, same house, and same car, but rather is a community of people with a desire for their neighbor to be well off and happy. Everyone in such a community finds more joy in their neighbor's success than their own.
the personality trait that prescribes the thinking "Why does he get more than me!?"  Is one of the main reason we can't live the law today.
Also, dealing with your question about equal in Heavenly things, take this quote into consideration:
"A Saint who is one in deed and in truth, does not look for an immaterial heaven, but he expects a heaven with lands, houses, cities, vegetation, rivers, and animals; with thrones, temples, palaces, kings, princes, priests, and angels; with food, raiment, musical instruments, etc., all of which are material. Indeed, the Saints’ heaven is a redeemed, glorified, celestial, material creation, inhabited by glorified material beings, male and female, organized into families, embracing all the relationships of husbands and wives, parents and children, where sorrow, crying, pain, and death will be no more. Or to speak still more definitely, this earth, when glorified, is the Saints’ eternal heaven. On it they expect to live, with body, parts, and holy passions; on it they expect to move and have their being; to eat, drink, converse, worship, sing, play on musical instruments, engage in joyful, innocent, social amusements, visit neighboring towns and neighboring worlds; indeed, matter and its qualities and properties are the only beings or things with which they expect to associate"
- Orson Pratt
I think Heavenly equality is much like earthly equality. You may also add spiritual gifts and Christlike attributes.
 

I believe Job is the story of a real man. Otherwise, I don't believe the Lord would have used it in D and C 121:10 when talking to Joseph Smith about the blessings he still has when he is in Liberty Jail. It would be rather unfair of the Lord to compare Joseph's suffering to a fictional man, and so I believe the story is more or less true. I do believe it is a very metaphorical way of discussing an event (Satan and God don't make wagers with each other) which fits the Jews ancient eastern thought processes a lot more than our literal 21st century ones. And while I believe the other stories as well, I think our discomfort with some of the stories can be helped by remembering these 3 things.
1. I already mentioned this earlier but cultural differences with the ancient Israelites make it exceedingly difficult for us to understand some of their teaching methods. 
2. We hold it as an article of faith that the Bible is correct as far as it is translated correctly. There are places where large chunks of the story are missing or have been misinterpreted and copied incorrectly for generations. This would lead to obvious confusion. The Lord told us when the Bible came forth from the Jews it was clear and perfect (1 Nephi 13:23-26) but parts of it have been corrupted by evil and designing men.
3. I figure if God can make the universe from formless matter he can make a donkey talk, or keep a guy alive in a great fish, or cause the Earth to stand still☺.
Interesting topic discussion.

@Scott your post made me think of this scripture:
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Don't pigeon hole yourself into a way the Spirit needs to communicate with you. God communicates with us in those ways we best understand. Perhaps with your unique set of circumstances God is reaching out to you differently than most. What ever you may lack in the workings of the gift of the Holy Ghost you definitely enjoy the light of Christ in your life, otherwise you would be dead to such things as loving ward members and desires to serve them. Maybe you need to reverse engineer those positive feelings and desires you do have and try to trace them back to their source. Perhaps there you will find your answer.

I know we should look for God in all things but I've never considered crabs and lobsters as being especially symbolic, perhaps I need to take a look at that...
Yeah, I don't think it means everyone having the exact same of everything, even the law of consecration doesn't work that way. I think the "sufficient for our needs" principle is the general idea.

I know we should look for God in all things but I've never considered crabs and lobsters as being especially symbolic, perhaps I need to take a look at that...
Yeah, I don't think it means everyone having the exact same of everything, even the law of consecration doesn't work that way. I think the "sufficient for our needs" principle is the general idea.

I've already made a few comments on this forum so I guess I ought to introduce myself formally. I'm a life long member of the Church. I can't recall a time I did not have a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, it just always seem to be there from my early years. In fact the time I did pray about the truthfulness of the BofM in my teens I got the response back "You already know its true" and I guess that is how it has always been for me with the Church in general. I served a mission stateside and have tried to be diligent in whatever callings have come my way. But lest you think translation is right around the corner for me I freely admit I have a LONG ways to go in getting where I need to be in this life. I enjoy studying/discussing the doctrines of the Church in depth and hope to find like minded people here as well.

Yes. It reminds me of the story of Heber C Kimball and his wife Vilate. My great, great grandfather only consented to something similar after he had a dream (never recorded what he experienced) but I think the Lord is very mindful of our weaknesses and will provide sufficient witness to meet the command being given us.

I think it was this part: the majority either fought with Michael, or at least refrained from active opposition, thus accomplishing the purpose of their “first estate”...
Maybe a stretch but it seems to me that he was implying that there may have been those who opposed God's plan but for some reason chose not to take an active part in Satan's rebellion. I guess my main point was that not all who come to earth do so because they wholeheartedly supported God's plan. Like I said this was my interpretation of his interpretation.

I think it was this part: the majority either fought with Michael, or at least refrained from active opposition, thus accomplishing the purpose of their “first estate”...
Maybe a stretch but it seems to me that he was implying that there may have been those who opposed God's plan but for some reason chose not to take an active part in Satan's rebellion. I guess my main point was that not all who come to earth do so because they wholeheartedly supported God's plan. Like I said this was my interpretation of his interpretation.

My wife and I have a very good friend who’s first husband died in an accident shortly after their being married and sealed in the temple.  She later married a very good guy and together they have had 5 children.  Interestingly this second husband has been a bishop but his family is sealed to someone else.  He confided to me that he has fasted and prayed about his not being sealed but never given a complete answer or understanding but he feels strongly that his prayers have been (will be) answered in that he has been given the understanding that all things will turn out for good and he, as he remains faithful, will be sealed and receive Celestial glory.  Although he does not know exactly all the details of the sealing yet to come – he is assured no one, not him nor his wife’s previous husband will have any regret.  I believe him.
 
The Traveler

Following the apostasy, or should I say during it, one of the very first doctrines of Christ that Satan attacked was man's understanding of who God is. Why? Because as Joseph Smith pointed out, if we do not comprehend God we cannot comprehend ourselves. That isn't to say we know everything there is to know about God but we do understand who he is and knowing who he is tells us who we are. The result of the post-apostasy skewed idea of God is a belief that cheapens and degrades all of mankind. We are majestic beings with so much potential we can scarcely even begin to comprehend what awaits us in the eternities if we stick to the path God has laid out for us. Raise your view of who you are and can be and the majesty of God our Father takes on epic proportions.

In Jesus the Christ, Talmage seems to imply this may have been the case. (at least that is my interpretation of Talmage's interpretation)

This concept of requiring approval from the prior wife/wives before marrying another wife, is probably the "Law of Sarah" mentioned in D&C 132.  It goes both ways--prior wives are supposed to consent to the action, if done in righteousness; but if no consent is given, that's the end of it and the wedding can't go forward.  D&C 132 gives one exemption to the "Law of Sarah", and that's in the case of a man who holds the keys of the sealing power (i.e. the President of the Church, and arguably members of the Quorum of the Twelve)--in that case, the Law of Sarah doesn't apply.

Technically, doctrine simply means a teaching. It can be a true doctrine or a false doctrine. In Church lingo though the word doctrine by itself is understood to mean a true doctrine and one officially recognized by the Church as such. But like @zil pointed out not all truths, even gospel truths, are recognized as official doctrines of the Church. Generally speaking these unofficial truths are not meant for public consumption and should not be taught, as a rule, over the pulpit. Perhaps this talk by Elder Christofferson will help.
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/04/the-doctrine-of-christ?lang=eng

This is exactly what I'm doing right now. I have found that I need to become much more conscientious in everything I do in terms of how blessed I truly am. It's too easy to just got about our day doing whatever and totally miss the divine influences that surround us at all times.

Following the apostasy, or should I say during it, one of the very first doctrines of Christ that Satan attacked was man's understanding of who God is. Why? Because as Joseph Smith pointed out, if we do not comprehend God we cannot comprehend ourselves. That isn't to say we know everything there is to know about God but we do understand who he is and knowing who he is tells us who we are. The result of the post-apostasy skewed idea of God is a belief that cheapens and degrades all of mankind. We are majestic beings with so much potential we can scarcely even begin to comprehend what awaits us in the eternities if we stick to the path God has laid out for us. Raise your view of who you are and can be and the majesty of God our Father takes on epic proportions.