SilentOne

And yet, in His abject, hopeless loneliness, He prayed for the forgiveness of others. While He sensed what it was like to have the divine Spirit withdraw, He was still a divine Spirit in and of Himself. To me that is the epitome of atonement.

Jesus was perfect. There wasn't a time in his life that he wasn't "one" with the Father (even as a child growing grace for grace). Even as a young boy he was about his Father's will and had to gently, frankly, remind his mother who his Father was, and the work he was called to do. The soldiers were forgiven.
Jesus was perfect. This prayer was similar to all other prayers he offered, excluding Gethsemane and Jesus asking the Father if there was any other way, but not mine but thine will be done. I find the prayer intriguing because he was addressing an alternative option already knowing there was no other way. The notion of "in spirit" also means a recognition of two wills, and an obedience to Father's will -- thus he suffered it and partook (he came to do the "will" of him who sent him). The flesh yields to the Spirit of truth.
Yes, the soldiers were forgiven as requested by Jesus.
This conclusion puzzles me a little as the reason for this statement is not clear. These scripture verses are both true. If we ask according to the will of God, or "in the Spirit," then what is requested will be given. Forgiveness was given to these soldiers for the work they were commanded to do by their superiors.
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When I read Doctrine & Covenants 46: 30 pertaining to asking in the spirit my mind begins to reflect on the experience of Nephi in the Book of Mormon (Helaman 10). Nephi received a wonderful promise from the Lord, which was predicated upon Nephi's desire's to do God's will and his obedience, "And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in eed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will."
Nephi received a promise that anything he requested of the Father would be done because he would not ask anything, "contrary to [the Father's] will." Nephi's first and foremost desire was the Father's will. He had become like the Son, "not mine will, but thine be done," and "Here am I, send me."
This reminds me of my first experiences with giving priesthood blessings. I was so anxious, nervous, that I would say something that was contrary to the Spirit and it would not come to pass (thus effecting the faith and hope of the individual). After around 4-5 years I finally started to feel comfortable, confident, because I felt like I was finally beginning to understand God's will through blessings, and I could feel his guidance as I spoke words.

IMO, asking in the Spirit means the Spirit is guiding your words.  If you've never tried it, try asking what you should pray for, and then wait to be guided in your words.  IMO, we are taught this pattern somewhere or other...
(PS: I don't think it's possible for Christ not to be "in the Spirit".  When he requested this forgiveness he was acting as the Savior and Redeemer and Mediator he is - he was doing for them (who were ignorant of their sin) what he will do for you, if you sincerely repent.)

I think #2 comes closest. Asking in the Spirit entails an attitude that the Father’s will be done. Jesus knew His atonement covers those who work against life (both temporally and spiritually) due to a lack of knowledge. As their Mediator and Advocate, He could rightly call upon the Father to forgive them. Some synonyms for forgive include make an allowance, acquit, exculpate and commute, each taking into account extenuating circumstances the offender has no control over.

You are misreading or misunderstanding.  I care very much.  But I don't base my belief in its stories needing to be factual or non-factual.  I base my belief in God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ and I recognize that all these stories are there to teach me truth, not fact.  If God wanted us to learn fact, He would have instructed the prophets to write differently.  Therefore, because I cannot factually prove either way, I'm good with any way (though I believe the literal interpretations as at least possible, and I think probably true in at least some degree, if not entirely - that's what my second paragraph was for).  One day, God will tell us whether Job was real, how the Red Sea was parted, how to walk on water, etc.  In the meantime, I have no trouble whatsoever believing that these things really happened - and I don't give two hoots whether scholars think Job was real (I think they're being presumptive and we don't have nearly sufficient to establish fact about his story).  I think Job was real.  But if it turns out his was a story meant to teach me truth, my faith won't be shaken.  I won't be disappointed.  I won't be angry with God for tricking me.
Yes!!!!  It matters very much.  It is my current personal study, and has been for most of this year, and will be into next year.  I read it because there are beautiful truths therein, things which I did not discover in previous readings because I was too caught up in the immature and inaccurate descriptions by others of it being hard to understand, boring, and / or all about a cruel God.  It is nothing of the sort.  It is the word of God to his people.  It is mercy and generosity and the love of God evidenced and testified to over and over.  Its different-ness helps me to see ideas differently.  That is why I read it.

In my humble, non-LDS, opinion the Bible is best understood as mostly literal, mostly historical. There are a few occasions where allegory, poetry, and hyperbole are clearly employed. However, I'm a firm believer in the KISS principle of biblical interpretation:  Keep It Simple Silly.  The more a teaching/understanding needs explaining the less certain it is.

I didn't think of that.  I wish I had.  Sometimes I'm short-sighted, but just a tad.
(And unless someone wants to force "wad", we've now used up all the 3-character words ending in "ad".)

So when did you get your peanut butter?

I have a Bhuddist-ex-Mormon client who insists that life is so much better now that she is away from Mormon oppression.  But, you know what?  In between all her meditation, her life is an ever-loving mess:  multiple criminal charges for intoxication, multiple incidents where her minor daughter was legally removed from her custody, a divorce, another adult daughter from whom she is estranged, and--topping it all off--she faces imminent deportation in about a month.  She is utterly unwilling to pay the price it would take to get her life together--she's a "good person inside", so she says; and sooner or later the world will naturally give her what she deserves.
But as for us:  we're Mormons.  We build things; and part of that building process naturally entails stepping back to make sure you're doing it right; and some of us do get overly wrapped up in that self-criticism until we internalize the true scope of Christ's atonement and enabling power.
By the way, Utah's depression/suicide stats are of a piece with those from other Mountain West states whose LDS populations are much lower.  The causes for this are not entirely understood; but the factors already mentioned (altitude, willingness to seek treatment through medical caregivers, reluctance to immediately self-medicate with illicit substances) probably do play a role in conjunction with genetics (Scandinavians have higher suicide rates and there are lots of Scandinavians in Utah).

Do people still use pens? What do they do with them? 

Then lets try some basic math...  In the example given we have $5b to spend(the number doesn't really matter but it is what we are working with)...  But you have a choice how to spend it...
Either way the $5b is going to stimulate the economy with all the benefits related to that the question is how do you spend it?...  That is the question that when answers shows the real intent.
Now a person can by a steak dinner or a Rolex or a steak dinner or whatever... Or they could use the money buy things like food, clothes, that they donate to the poor and needy (or just directly donate cash and let whatever charity do the stimulating spending)... 
Either way the economy is stimulated and jobs are created/maintained... at the same amount...
But in the later case the person also fulfills directly and personally the command Christ has given to help the poor... the first way does not.  The first one requires one to take credit for the natural result of capitalism for money they were going to spend anyway.
So if people want their expensive doodad or whatever.. then by all means get it.. stimulate the economy.. that is a good thing.. but if they need to salve their soul because of the expense by trying to point out how good their spending does for everyone else?  Then they are fooling themselves that they are doing the right thing.
 

Really then don't buy the expensive doodad... just give them your money...  otherwise your intent is deceptive

When was the last time you got a nice steak dinner simply because you wanted to keep a company in business?   If you are like most people.. the answer is never.   the last time you get a nice steak dinner was because you were hungry and you wanted/could afford a nice stake dinner.  After all if you wanted to keep a company in business you could simply donate cash.
It is the same kind of mindset of "Well I pay taxes so the government should feed the sheep" it just downgrades a step "Well I bought a stake (or expensive doodad) so that business will feed the sheep"  That is not what Christ taught when it comes to feeding his sheep

I consider capitalism to be the best we are going to get in a Mortal/Fallen world... But the scriptures don't have Christ saying "Stimulate the Economy" when it comes to the poor and needy, and we should not equate such simulations with fulfilling the commands of God

I am more familiar with the bic (say it any way you want to, it won't sound fancy). You can buy about 10 for a dollar. That's as much as I'm willing to spend on a pen.

PS: You have not wasted anyone's time in all this, no matter what else happens from here, nor will you be wasting anyone's time going forward.

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone and give an update. I was able to pick up some Command hooks and by all indications they'll be great. the garland is hung, and one came off without harming the wall.

Someone asked me recently 'What is your religion?'. I dutifully responded, Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints. Later that day, I was reviewing my professional commitments. I do not work on Sunday and I was wondering if I should begin to work a 7 day week. I am not as productive as I should be. I wondered about my priorities in life. I reflected over the last decade and the choices that I have made. 
Based on my choices, I think I can answer the 'what is my religion? Question. When there is a choice to be made, do I choose career? Family? Church? My family are atheists so by hanging out with them on the sabbath in a restaurant, I may be choosing family over church. 
I thought through the scheduling choices that I have made in my life over the last decade. These choices answer the question 'What is your religion?'. These choices that I have made, tell me who I am and what I value. Sometimes my choices tell me things about myself that I did not know.

Meanwhile, I just realized that a bunch of Mormons have been discussing whether it's OK to eat this food, and not one of us inquired as to whether he blessed it first!  Where are our priorities!?

It depends on the order in which you ate them, and whether you bit the heads off.

What? Anatess is not reason enough for him to come back?  I'm crushed!  I love that guy!

On an unrelated note, tonight's entertainment for the compound Christmas party just cancelled, soooo....?

There is nothing that exists that is not somehow related to everything else that exists - good or evil.
 
The Traveler

Technology has made people shockingly stupid.*  I know people who can explain something verbally, but can't sit down and type what they just said - it's not that they can't type, they can, it's as if their brain shuts off when their fingers touch the keyboard and they don't know what they (would have) said.  I feel like telling them to record a voice memo into their phone and then transcribe it.
Fortunately, one day, the world will end.
* Back when assembly lines were first coming into widespread use, someone did a study, and what they found is that people will become as stupid as the job allows - not that they'll use their smarts to make things better, nope, the job lets them get stupid, so they get stupid.  I imagine school is the same way - we've beaten innovation and creativity out of the population in general, and just want good little mindless automatons.  IMO, it's a parent's job to do the hard work of training a child to rise above all that.  Unfortunately, a lot of those parents are as stupid as the world will let them be...