Sadliers

" And I said unto them: Have ye inquired of the Lord?" (1 Nephi 15:8)

Just because there is a difference in belief of characteristics it does not change the fact that in each of our hearts we are believing in the same God. The Evangelicals worship the God that sent His only Begotten to be the Savior for all humans - that's the same God we believe in. An Evangelical that diligently strives to obey the commandments will not be cast off at judgment day for failing to believe in the true identity of God.

Let's say you don't know what an apple or any other fruit is. You have never seen one in your life. I ask you to go out into an orchard and pick me an apple. I tell you that the apple is red, crispy, has seeds in the center, is sweet, and grows on a tree. You go out, pick what seems to match the description, and bring it back. It is red, sweet, grew on a tree, and has a seed in the middle... but it's a red plum. The "crispy" was overlooked and the "seeds" was misconstrued as "seed". They are both fruits but not the same. The exactness of the description was necessary to get the right fruit. The "fruit" of the Spirit is a unique feeling that encompasses all 9 of those attributes just as the apple (also a fruit) was given 5 distinguishing attributes. Just like if the apple being sought was missing one of the attributes then it was the wrong fruit and wrong tree, so also it is with the Spirit. Notice how assuming that Paul meant to say "fruits" will create confusion as to how the Spirit feels. If Paul meant "fruits" then when a person feels love then it is the Spirit. When a person feels joy then it is the Spirit. If I am emotionally moved by a song then it is the Spirit. The problem is that it is not the Spirit based on one single attribute. If I feel love and joy but no patience then it is guaranteed to not be the Spirit that is being felt yet a misreading of that verse may cause me to think otherwise since I feel two of the attributes. Every single attribute will be present when it is the Spirit and if any attribute is missing then it is not the Spirit but rather a normal human emotion.

The question was how the Spirit feels. Feeling the Spirit is one thing, being inspired and receiving revelation is another. There is only one feeling associated with the presence of the Spirit just like there is only one smell for the original Old Spice deodorant. Paul said: "22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance:" (Galatians 5:22-23) Notice that Paul used the word "fruit", not "fruits". That means that the one feeling associated with the Spirit consists of all of those attributes, not just one and not just some. If it is one then it is not the presence of the Spirit. If it is some or most then it is not the presence of the Spirit. ALL of those will be felt if it is the Spirit that is being felt. That's also where apostates greatly err. They suppose that the feeling of enlightenment is the Spirit. Nope. They think that some of the attributes of the fruit is the Spirit. Nope. They think if they studied it, cross referenced it, and made logical sense of it then it must be truth and from the Spirit. Nope and nope. Again, the question was regarding how the Spirit feels, not how the Spirit communicates. How the Spirit communicates is a different chapter.

I assume you are referring to this one: "So you are the self proclaimed expert on feeling the spirit? If you didn't feel the spirit then no one did? That's pretty arrogant. Do you think we all feel the spirit the same way? or that we should? Or that if it is not your interpretation then we must be wrong? That we don't know God? My faith and repentance has not been sufficient" One at a time. "self proclaimed expert"? LOL! That is definitely secular mentality and grossly prideful! Either a person receives from God or they don't. And if they receive then it may be anywhere from seldom to continually. In God's world there is no "expert" except Him - we are all just babes in knowledge and, therefore, have no grounds to conclude that one is above another since He is the standard. If you knew the Spirit then you would have realized that. "If you didn't feel the Spirit then no one did?" That question reveals a lack of knowledge regarding the Spirit. The Spirit is the same yesterday, today, and forever. It is the same Spirit that inspired Adam clear down to every believer today. There is one way that the Spirit feels, not numerous, and that feeling will vary in intensity. Human emotions and false spirits will not feel the same. Apparently you did not understand what the Lord was saying in D&C 50 regarding how those that listen by the Spirit will receive that which is preached by the Spirit. When it is not preached by the Spirit then it cannot be received by the Spirit and the Spirit will reveal why. If you knew the Spirit then you would have known that. "That's pretty arrogant". If we're dealing with secular learning then the claim is valid. But we're not dealing with secular learning but rather with God. It is not arrogant to state what God has revealed. And it is not arrogant to observe when the Spirit is not testifying when others speak. If they want the Spirit to testify then they need to take that matter up with God, not the listeners. Once again, your comment reveals a lack of understanding of the Spirit. "Do you think we all feel the spirit the same way?" I don't think we do, I know we do. If you knew the Spirit then you would have known that the answer is an unmistakable "yes". If you're feeling something else then it is not the Spirit. "Or that we should?" If it is the Holy Spirit then absolutely! Why would you think otherwise unless you don't know the Spirit? "If it is not your interpretation [...]" Again, you reveal that you don't know the Spirit. What is received from God is not my interpretation. And that isn't just me but applies to everyone. If one is so prideful as to suppose that it is their idea or interpretation then that is pride and the Spirit withdraws, thus they are only left to their interpretations. If you knew the Spirit then you would have known that, too. "[...] then we must be wrong?" If it is not of God then is it right? Why do you suppose that God will give different answers? "That we don't know God". How can one know God if they don't know Him? The Spirit is God - if one doesn't know the Spirit then how can they know God? If they don't receive by the Spirit then everything is only belief and there is no knowledge. You have taken the course of attempting to learn God as though God is a secular subject but that is not how one comes to know God. Knowing God comes through faith and repentance. Even that must be revealed by the Spirit so failing to know the Spirit greatly hinders the ability to even get the basics down. I don't know why you are fighting against the Spirit but I would invite you to learn the Spirit and to come to God. Galatians 5 and D&C 50 is a great starter unless the pride continues to be a hindrance. But as for me I do know in whom I have trusted.

She needs to have faith that God is fair and just. She will not be held accountable for circumstances beyond her control. Paul addressed that very issue to the early saints: "12 But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. 13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. 14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. 15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace. 16 For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? Or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?" (1 Corinthians 7:12-16)

Just going by this statement: "Well Conference is this weekend I expect to see someone of your spiritual strength and closeness to God to be called to at least the quorum of the 70. I guess they missed you for the last one you could have been in the 12." For some reason it seems to come off as condescending and implying that one is called to positions of such authority based solely on righteousness.

Yes, you're correct about the RS President being set apart. Thanks for the correction. So it is arrogant to receive a witness from the Spirit? Would God or Satan spawn such an idea? Go go back and study D&C 50:19-22... One will know when a lesson is taught by the Spirit. It doesn't do any good to argue with God about it - that's gross arrogance and pride. You do not understand the Lord's organization. One is called to the leadership positions in the church because of their leadership abilities, not solely on righteousness. An uncle had that same mistaken idea and while on his mission had the opportunity to meet the prophet. He asked the prophet a question that revealed the misperception. The prophet replied that he was called to that position to be a leader, not because he was the most righteous person in the church. As far as he knew the most righteous member in the church may be in a far away branch and without a calling except for Home Teacher. Now how about sharing your witness of the Spirit. Do you think it surprises me that you did not and will not?

When one loses their pride they are readily teachable. The OP expressed being offended in being asked to do the lessons a certain way. Pride causes one to feel their dignity and ability has been attacked. A sign that one is not prideful is they are teachable which means they do not take offense when someone asks them to teach a different way. Yes, I did not feel the Spirit. I know the Spirit very well and know when the Spirit is present and when the Spirit is not. What makes you think you know the Spirit well enough to challenge God and the witnesses He gives? Since you feel to challenge the Spirit's witness to me on it, it gives me a personal witness that you don't know the Spirit. The Spirit I know is the Holy Spirit. That same Spirit is the Spirit that witnesses of God to all and does not change from one person to the next. By challenging and doubting the Spirit I know with a certainty that you are among those that don't know the Spirit. It is a common problem with those that think they can learn God through a secular manner - they think they know God but they don't. And they can't know God because they don't know the Spirit - Father, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost are One which also means a person can't know one without knowing the other. Failing to know the Spirit is a result of failing to understand and practice the first two principles of the gospel: Faith and repentance. I recommend that you go back and work on those in order to come to know the Holy Spirit. Yes, you will declare me as wrong. So let's just go to the next. Perhaps you can prove me wrong by sharing your witness of what the Spirit is, how to identify the Spirit, and how to distinguish between the 3 sources of revelation: the Spirit, ourselves, or Satan. Add to it your testimony of how you came to know the Spirit, what you do to feel the Spirit's presence, and how often you feel the Spirit's presence. The RS president is ordained to the calling and, if she is seeking the Spirit, will receive directions on what needs changed. Why do you suppose that you're in a position to also challenge what the RS President received from the Spirit?

May it happen rather than the "may not" since the "may not" will be worse according to Jesus: "20 For it shall come to pass, saith the Father, that at that day whosoever will not repent and come unto my Beloved Son, them will I cut off from among my people, O house of Israel; 21 And I will execute vengeance and fury upon them, even as upon the heathen, such as they have not heard." (3 Nephi 21:20-21) We have heard of some really bad things (Nazi Germany, mass starvations, hyperinflation). The vengeance He will take upon the wicked of this land will be worse than what we have heard. A reading of the chapter places that event right before the building of the New Jerusalem. One may think that they are in the clear because they are not of the heathen. Those that think that are not familiar with Bible prophecies including those which Nephi painstakingly transcribed for us. There are specific prophecies against members of the church because of wickedness. Isaiah 5 and 6 detail some of the sins of the covenant people (which means us - we are the ones making the covenants in these latter days). One that really hits the heart is Isaiah 28 in which it is foretold how the members will seek the deeper doctrines of the gospel but without the Spirit. And because the members will stray away from learning by the Spirit God will set a 'trap' so that all those that fail to follow the Spirit will be ensnared and fall. That falling will consist of being placed in bondage and smitten by an invading army.

If you don't mind me being blunt, a pride issue is in play. One is not teachable when there is pride. A few years ago I worked out of town for the summer. On Sunday I was free to attend church wherever I felt. One Sunday I felt a good place would be to attend a branch in an area where an ancestor had settled. It was only about an hour drive so that's where I went. The one thing that was most remembered was attending the Gospel Doctrine class. I always read the lesson beforehand as part of the Sunday preps so I knew the lesson. Another prep, which was done every day, was to ensure that the Spirit was with me in a recognizable manner. Class started and the instructor went right to it. From her skills it appeared that she was a school teacher. She told us what the lesson was on and that's about as far as she went according to the manual. She did research and presented her research rather than presenting what the manual provided. None of the quotes were from the manual but rather from her research. She would follow the topics in the manual and read a quip here or there but from then on it was a matter of presenting her learning and studies. Not a single bit of it was by the Spirit but rather the whole time was tackled as though it were a school classroom. When class was over I literally felt like I had been spiritually starved. I came for a spiritual uplift and was most willing to do anything on my part to achieve it but the class was taken on with a secular approach and it caused spiritual starvation. I attended a couple of weeks later and it was the same thing: a secular learning environment with a resulting feeling of spiritual starvation. Instructors have the commission, and command, to teach by the Spirit. Teaching by the Spirit is not done in the same manner as is done in school. No offense to you since I don't know you, but I have observed something that is unsettling: When a school teacher teacher teaches a class in church (seminary and institute teachers excepted) the teaching is never done by the Spirit but rather in a secular manner - they teach as they know how but they don't know how God has commanded it to be done. When teaching by the Spirit the goal is to first get the Spirit present: "And the Spirit shall be given unto you by the prayer of faith; and if ye receive not the Spirit ye shall not teach." (D&C 42:14) I have yet to attend a class where that command was strictly adhered to. At times when the Spirit was not present the instructor would move forward in presenting the lesson anyway. I would be ok with the instructor staring down the class if need be until the Spirit is present. If the Spirit isn't present then maybe a hymn needs sung or some scriptures read. Maybe a second prayer is needed to be offered in which the instructor says "I'm not feeling the Spirit here, let's beg Heavenly Father for the presence to come". Something must be done except to move forward with the lesson. D&C 50 contains the golden key to coming to God for those that can find it. It also reveals how teaching by the Spirit is done: "17 Verily I say unto you, he that is ordained of me and sent forth to preach the word of truth by the Comforter, in the Spirit of truth, doth he preach it by the Spirit of truth or some other way? 18 And if it be by some other way it is not of God." (D&C 50:17-18) Secular teaching is not by the Spirit but rather by one's wisdom, learning, understanding, and ability to maintain attention. But it also is not of God. The only God-approved teaching method is by the Spirit and if the Spirit is not present then it doesn't matter how skilled one is the method is not of God. In God's church the teaching must be by God's method. When teaching by the Spirit the presence of the Spirit is clearly felt. The Spirit will prompt what to say and what not to say. When the instructor speaks the Spirit will bare witness, and of approval, of what is being said. Sometimes we may want to say something that we think is of importance or value but that isn't an automatic right just because we're called as the instructor - if it isn't from the Spirit then it is wrong to say and saying it will detract from, if not outright offend, the Spirit. When teaching by the Spirit the listener also has a duty. They are not to just sit back and say "teach me, and do it well"! It is the listener's responsibility to listen by the Spirit: "19 And again, he that receiveth the word of truth, doth he receive it by the Spirit of truth or some other way? 20 If it be some other way it is not of God." (D&C 50:19-20) If the listener is also approaching the class as if for secular learning then it is not of God either. They must come with the Spirit and listen by the Spirit. Those that follow that counsel will know if the instructor is failing to teach by the Spirit. When they receive by the Spirit and the instructor teaches by the Spirit then a true form of communication takes place: "21 Therefore, why is it that ye cannot understand and know, that he that receiveth the word by the Spirit of truth receiveth it as it is preached by the Spirit of truth? 22 Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together." (D&C 50:21-22) That edifying and rejoicing must be the goal for every class in the church otherwise there was a breakdown in the method of teaching/learning and it was not of God. Preach My Gospel goes into detail about teaching by the Spirit. If the lesson is taught by the Spirit then there will not be any complaints from the RS presidency. If the lesson is tackled as done in the school classroom then the Spirit will pressure the RS President to change and improve the method so that it is of God.

The scripture says to seek knowledge by learning and also by faith (D&C 88:118). Thus there are two ways to gain knowledge, by learning or by faith. What is knowledge? Isn't knowledge a knowing of a truth? And doesn't it start out as a belief? That's what Alma taught in Alma 32. Alma likened the word to a seed wherein one starts with a belief then nourishes it until it becomes a knowledge in that one thing. Another option to learning knowledge is if we have faith in God then we can trust that a witness from God is truth thus yields knowledge. Alma taught us how to gain knowledge by learning while the Spirit gives us knowledge through faith - just as D&C 88 provides. But short of those ways, all of our studies yield belief, not knowledge. We don't gain knowledge in college, we gain beliefs. Scientists don't gain knowledge from working the scientific method, they gain beliefs. And members do not gain knowledge by studying books on doctrine, they gain beliefs unless the Spirit bares witness. And the same applies to all beliefs - a witness by the Spirit, coupled with faith, will turn the belief into knowledge. D&C 50:19-22 tells us how to gain knowledge by faith.

"15 ¶ So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. 16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep." (John 21:15-17) It is a command from Jesus to nourish others in the gospel. Wouldn't it be hard to do that without the fellowshipping? Once a person has made a commitment to baptism Satan does a full-court press to dissuade them. But it won't just stop at baptism, it will continue for the first little while afterward, too. Might that irritability feeling be a subtle attempt to stop you?

Zion should exist right now but does not. The scriptures tell us that things will get very ugly before Zion will be redeemed and the New Jerusalem is built. Go with the Spirit for personal direction.

In John chapter 7 we see some interesting examples of how not to study scriptures. The example is from the religious leaders of the day. They were devoted to studying and understanding the scriptures but their method was obviously failing them because it led them away from Jesus Christ. After hearing Jesus teach some said: "Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is." (John 7:27) What made them think that they would not know from where the Christ would come? Because they read the scriptures and used their own wisdom to interpret the scriptures. Thus they came to the conclusion that nobody will know from where the Christ will come, and since they knew from where Jesus came then He could not be the Christ. Just how wrong could their interpretations of scripture be? But the misunderstanding of the scriptures didn't end there: "Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee? Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?" (John 7:41-42) They were not ignorant of the scriptures - they studied them well and knew what the prophecies said. But, again, they relied on their own wisdom for interpretations rather than God. There was one verse in the Old Testament that they formulated that belief from. It says: "But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." (Micah 5:2) Hindsight is 20/20 but they didn't have that advantage. They ended up interpreting the scripture to mean that the Messiah would be born and raised in Bethlehem. Once again, the interpretation was based on their own wisdom which came from their studies. We now know that the Christ would only be born in Bethlehem, not reared there, but they would not believe it because they believed they interpreted the scriptures correctly. Because of that misinterpretation of prophecy, which was a result of relying on their own wisdom in interpreting scriptures, they ended up failing to recognize the Messiah as He actually stood before them and preached. The Jewish leaders were the ones that set the example in using their own wisdom to interpret the scriptures. They believed that knowledge was gained by study and that if one failed to study then they didn't have "knowledge". And, of course, the ones that spent a good deal of time studying were the scribes and Pharisees. That was why it boggled their mind that Jesus, who was neither a scribe nor Pharisee, would have knowledge: "And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?" (John 7:15) Remember that when Jesus was only 12 they were surprised that He would have such a great understanding of the scriptures when He obviously didn't have decades of study under His belt: "And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, and they were hearing him, and asking him questions." (JST Luke 2:46) This pridefulness among the leaders, which was a result of their believing that they knew more than others, is plainly observed when they sent officers to arrest Jesus. But as they came to arrest Him they heard Him speaking and was drawn in to what He was saying. When the officers didn't return the rulers went to find the officers. They found them and asked why they didn't arrest Jesus. They admitted that they were taken in by His teachings. That didn't set well with the rulers! "Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed." (John 7:47-49) This is so revealing! The Pharisees believed that they couldn't be deceived because they relied upon their own wisdom as they studied the scriptures therefore they are wiser and smarter. Notice how their wisdom was foolishness (2 Nephi 9:28 ). But their own "wisdom" which came from relying on their own interpretations of scriptures actually caused them to be the most deceived among them. They were blind yet thought they could see better than the rest. Ever hear of safety in numbers? Notice that the leaders relied on that as part of their proof that Jesus was not the Christ. "Have any of the rulers or Pharisees believed in Him?" In essence they were stating that if one uses their own wisdom to misinterpret scriptures it is ok as long as they do a lot of studying and can somehow back up their misinterpretations. And if most the leaders are misinterpreting scriptures the same way then that is no longer a misinterpretation but rather "proof" that they are right. Security in numbers - nope, even large numbers can be wrong. Also notice that the rulers and Pharisees, in their pride, proclaimed that the people that failed to study as they did, and failed to devote their lives as they did, just simply did not understand the scriptures and, therefore, they are cursed. But how wrong was that?!? The Savior was the one teaching them truth and bringing salvation to the lost yet the Parisees and rulers declared His followers to be cursed. That misjudgment was a direct result from their misinterpretation of the scriptures. How twisted is that? There was one ruler that did believe in Jesus. He was Nicodemus. He pointed out that perhaps the rulers are misjudging because they never brought Jesus before them and heard Him out. It was the custom that they had to directly hear what one was saying, not by rumor, before judgment could be passed yet here they were passing judgment without first hearing Jesus. In defense of themselves they then took Nicodemus to challenge by pointing out that the evidence is so obvious that they don't need to hold a hearing before passing judgment: "They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet." (John 7:52) Once again their "wisdom" was based on their interpretation of scriptures. They had the scripture which they believed said the Christ would be raised in Bethlehem and they had no other scriptures to say otherwise (which actually wasn't totally correct, either). So they challenged Nicodemus to prove otherwise by the scriptures. He couldn't thus their challenge stood. In reality, even though nobody was able to disprove their challenge it didn't mean their interpretation of the scriptures were correct. If there's one thing that the chapter brings out is how one can be totally wrong in their interpretation of scriptures yet be firmly convinced that they are right. It happens when we rely on our own wisdom and understanding to interpret scriptures. But in that same chapter Jesus told us how we can, and should, learn truth: "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." (John 7:17) Jesus left it totally open on the conclusion. Either His doctrine is of God or it is of His opinion. They viewed Him as a mere man thus the intention was to let them know that they can distinguish whether it was of man or of God by being obedient to God. Undoubtedly the rulers and Pharisees believed they were already doing God's will and certainly no Jesus would convince them otherwise! But the people weren't so steeped in pride and they could discover it! Notice that Jesus said that one "shall know" the doctrine. He didn't exaggerate and didn't say "might know". When one is doing "His will" they are obeying all of His will, not just some or most. What is "His will"? Jesus actually reveals that answer while He was finishing His 40 day fast and was being tempted by the devil. Notice the challenge and response: "And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:3-4) We are to obey every word from God, not just the convenient ones and not just the commandments. Once we do that we will have the Spirit with us and it is by the Spirit that we will know the doctrine. Until it comes from the Spirit it is only a belief. Once it comes from the Spirit then we know it. The rulers of that day and the Pharisees thought they knew because of their studies. In reality they not only failed to know - their "knowledge" was only a belief - but they were also seriously incorrect in some key elements and it worked to their condemnation. This principle still applies today. If we think we know something because we studied it from the scriptures, prophets, or apostles, then we are mistaken. It is only a belief, not knowledge, until the Spirit testifies. And in order for that to happen we must be devoted to obeying every word from God and then we will finally be able to move from belief to knowing.

Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are One though three distinct individuals. A person cannot know one without knowing the other else they would not be One. If one really knows the Spirit then they will know Jesus and Father. Communication from Jesus and Father will take place less frequently than from the Spirit, but does and will happen. Those that really know the Spirit will be able to differentiate their voice as easily as the difference between their own children. It all starts with getting to truly know the Holy Spirit. Jesus tells us how that happens: "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." (John 7:17) We will "know the doctrine" is not an exaggeration or mincing of words. It is never obtained through a secular type of study but rather only through dedicated obedience to Him. That will foster the Spirit and will result in us coming to know Him and His will. As for praying directly to Jesus, we are commanded by Jesus to pray to Heavenly Father. Is it wrong if we periodically have a one-on-one with Him? Of course not. Notice what happened with the Nephites. He visited them the first day and gave them the commandment to pray to Father. The next day He appears again, as promised, and commanded them to pray. They obey but rather than praying to Father, as directed just the day before, they begin praying to HIM! How did He respond to that violation of the previous day's command? "19 And it came to pass that Jesus departed out of the midst of them, and went a little way off from them and bowed himself to the earth, and he said: 22 Father, thou hast given them the Holy Ghost because they believe in me; and thou seest that they believe in me because thou hearest them, and they pray unto me; and they pray unto me because I am with them." (3 Nephi 19:19, 22) Notice that Jesus did not stop them and rebuke them for failing to comply to His previous command but rather looked on their heart and was pleased with what was there.

"The Soul's Remembrance" by Roy Mills. Here's a portion: "One of the most interesting and important parts of my education was being shown the Life Books. The young angels were the first to take me to see one. I wasn’t sure what the Life Books were, but when I entered the room where I was to learn about them, they were impossible to miss. A heavenly light shown in the room, flowing from every corner, even from the Life Book itself. The book was very large and thick, as big as a small suitcase. It had an ornate cover and sat on a table about five feet tall. Just looking at it, my excitement grew. I sensed the importance of the Life Book and how special it would be to my training. The angels were always careful not to let me or anyone else touch the book. When one of the angels spoke, the book opened by itself to reveal pure white pages. In an excited voice, my instructor asked me what I saw. I replied that I did not see anything except blank pages. He told me to stare into them and concentrate. I did as he said, and watched in amazement as the book revealed events that would happen in my earthly life. Each page showed me one part of my life, much like a television, and then the page turned by itself. Later on, the angel who had brought me to meet the young male guides returned. She took over for them and stayed with me for the rest of my education. I sensed from the way the young male guides acted around her that she was an important supervising angel. She showed me the Life Book on several more occasions, and each time, I grew in knowledge. The angel only let me see a few pages at a time, and then we would discuss what I had seen. I learned all kinds of details about my physical life: who my mother would be, where I would go to school, who I would marry, even when I would buy my first car. I had wondered what my physical body would look like in my earthly life, so when I saw it in the Life Book for the first time, I got very excited. “Look! There I am!” I kept shouting. “There I am!” Each time I visited the Life Book, it went further into my life. I was interested in seeing my physical body as it grew older, and that made my angel guide smile. Finally, I barely recognized my body, because it had grown so much older and gained a lot of weight. Although I saw many events in my life from the time I was a baby until the time I was old, my guide did not let me see my own death or anyone else’s. I’m not sure why such things are kept hidden, but I believe it may be because mortal men would be inclined to try and avoid death if they knew when it was coming. Each time we finished looking at a portion of the Life Book, the angel asked if I had any questions. I always had a lot of them, and she was always very good about answering me. If she knew the answer, she gave it to me very directly; this guide did not soft-pedal or sugar-coat the truth. And if she didn’t know the answer, she took me to other angels who did. The only questions she would not answer were ones about other people in my life. She told me that it was not my concern at that time. I suppose I could have asked more questions about world affairs, but at the time, I was not thinking about other matters because I was so intrigued with my own upcoming life."

There is a guy on earth right now that did not have the veil of forgetfulness placed on him. He remembers the pre-earth training. He described the room where the Book of Life is kept and first being introduced to it. The Book of Life would show key times in his life and then his guide/teacher would discuss the events. By no means were all the events shown and nobody was ever shown their death. The Book of Life was very sacred and a premortal person simply was not permitted to freely open and view it. It was only through the Book of Life that one could see their future.

You're right and I apologize. I was coming back to delete my comment but you had already replied.

If they truly repent then you're absolutely right!!! But the guy appears to have killed himself before repenting and that is likely what allowed an evil spirit to take control which led to the suicide. One does not commit suicide that is filled with the Spirit and one is filled with the Spirit when they truly repent. Those that die in their sins are not exaltation bound. If one will not be exalted then the temple sealing is of no benefit or purpose. The wife's false hope, borne in love, may not be in her best interest.

Why would one need to write in Lucifer when all they need to do is vote for an evil? Evil... Lesser of two evils... Both are doing the bidding for Lucifer. Why not vote against Lucifer? Oh yes, it's because most think they shouldn't since if they vote for him (i.e. lesser of two evils) that will prevent him from having power. I'm still trying to see how putting him in power will stop him from having power...

One is voting for evil if they vote for the lesser of two evils. Since when is it wise to vote for evil? Let's say the lesser of two evils wins every time - will the bondage be more pleasant? Will the death be sweeter? Isn't the lesser of two evils the same mentality the establishment uses that backstab the voters? A wasted vote is when one is voting for the lesser of two evils, not when one votes for principles and morals.

What is truth? Is truth solely determined by the most articulate argument? Are our conclusions really the best way to determine truth? The question regarding authority is an excellent question but if you're striving to follow Jesus Christ then shouldn't the answer come from God rather than one's own wisdom and understanding? "Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord." (Jeremiah 17:5) Our arm is our support mechanism for the body. If we lose our balance the arms are what supports us from falling. If we fall then it is the arm that supports the body as we get back up. In Jeremiah we are being warned of using men (flesh) to be our support (arm). Accepting what others say without turning to God for validation is what we are being warned against. We need to look to God for understanding and truth, not man. Whatever man presents as truth we must take to God so we can know for ourselves. One greatly misunderstood doctrine among followers of Jesus is the Holy Spirit yet it is the Holy Spirit that is our most frequent and direct connection to Him. Since Jesus is God and the Holy Spirit is God, and since they are one, we cannot neglect the Holy Spirit without also neglecting Jesus. Just the same, if we want to listen to Jesus then we can do it by listening to the Holy Spirit. I enjoy listening to evangelical preachers and do it very regularly (almost daily). One area that we diverge from mainstream Christianity is where it comes to the Holy Spirit. The seminaries that train the preachers teach that when interpreting the Bible there is a defined process, such as comparing the verse in question with other similar verses. There are about 5 steps that are taught on how to interpret the Bible. The one step that is omitted is to rely on the Holy Spirit. In fact not only is that step omitted but they are taught specifically not to rely on feelings yet that is the most common way that the Holy Spirit communicates! The defined process involves relying on one's own wisdom or on others (authorities - flesh) in violation of the counsel given in Jeremiah 17:5. Paul identified how the Holy Apirit feels when we are feeling the presence: "22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance" (Galatians 5:22-23) Notice that it is a "fruit", not "fruits", of the Spirit. That means that all of those feelings will be present at the same time when we are feeling the presence of the Holy Spirit. If any of those feelings are missing then it is not the Spirit being felt but rather normal human emotions. All of those feelings will be felt when it is the presence of the Spirit being felt. The Holy Spirit will only testify of truth, never of a falsehood. "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth:" (John 16:13) The most basic process to receive truth by the Holy Spirit involves first being sure it is the Spirit that is being felt. Many err in feeling an emotion or two but neglect to ensure that all of the feelings are present. Once you know the Spirit is with you (and it may take prayer and a hymn to get the Spirit present) then read, hear, watch, or ponder on whatever it is that you're trying to detect as truth. If the presence of the Spirit disappears then it is not truth. If the Spirit remains or grows stronger then it is truth. It takes faith to trust that the feeling is the Holy Spirit (and God will validate for you if needed) and it takes faith to trust the answer, but isn't faith a key element in following Jesus Christ? The method just outlined is the method that Christians (at least evangelicals) are taught to never utilize when trying to understand the Bible but that is the most basic way that God reveals it to us. Failing to recognize the feelings from the Spirit is to fail to recognize Jesus. Remember the two disciples on the road to Emmaus after the resurrection? They walked and talked with Jesus but failed to recognize Him. They even invited Him into their home for the night without having realizing that they just invited Jesus in. It was not until they placed food before Him, and He blessed the bread, before their eyes were opened and they finally recognized Him, only for Him to vanish. As they reflected on the events it dawned on them that they could have recognized Him earlier but failed to because they failed to recognize one key witness: "And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?" (Luke 24:32) By relying on one's own understanding and ignoring what is felt the very presence and witness of the Savior may not be recognized. If you learn to recognize truth by the Spirit then you are literally learning truth from God rather than man's opinions. It will lead you closer to God and it will ultimately lead you to this church. But don't take my word for it, take God's word for it as it is revealed to you personally. It is a very valuable skill to have as a Christian.

Do adulterers inherit the Celestial kingdom? "19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." (Galatians 5:19-21) What good is a sealing if it is to one that will not inherit the kingdom of God?

You'd be very surprised what the Spirit will reveal! There's no secrets with the Spirit.