Fether

Discord. Sounds like a great place for Gospel discussion.

Exactly. 
You’ll never find a forum (or a community) where you agree with everyone and everything 100% of the time. We should be grateful that the More Good foundation keeps this one going. I know I’ve been incredibly blessed by the people I’ve met here. 

I disagree. It doesn't mean "make no provision for tomorrow" but "spend your day so that if tonight you find you must lay your life down, you will have no regrets"

I made the decision a while ago to stop believing politicians are evil and the government is corrupt. I may be wrong or I may be right… who knows? But what I do know is that I’m happier and feel a LOT less anxiety

This, so to speak, is equivalent to the Jews when Christ lived among them. They believed in the scriptures, they taught the scriptures, and yet they couldn't recognize when the Savior walked among them.
We have modern day spiritualist who believe in all scriptures, or in anything that teaches a better way of living; however, although they believe in scriptures (truths they feel are important) they deny the existence of Christ as Lord and God. They accept Christ as a great teacher, and that is as far as it goes.
Deist so to speak could easily fall into this realm. They believe in a Supreme being. They believe the teachings that are taught in the scriptures, but do not believe in the deity of the scriptures themselves.

Behind the school by the flag pole? Or is this an in the garden park with flintlocks type fight? …BYOF of course.

Today we have the Jewish people and the Jewish Faith.  We  have Islam.  We have other faiths and religions.
We know we have a Savior and that the Messiah came and fulfilled his mortal ministry and the atonement, but we also have many who do not believe this.
They interpret their scriptures in a different way than we do, even when they may have the same scriptures and same stories as we do. 
Some look for a Messiah to come, but others of them look for a different type of millennial arrival or may even believe in something different completely.
Sherem's case was different though, as he was purposefully trying to overthrow the doctrine of the Lord.  When it came to the end he stated
This indicates that he knew the truth, that he knew what he was doing, but had fallen to temptation and sin. 
We have some similar today that know the gospel, have testimonies of it, and yet deny it.  They are not necessarily just of our religion, but of Christianity.  They find a sin that they love or desire try to find a justification for it.  They may even say that the scriptures support them, even as they turn away and deny the scriptures and Christianity.  We have a growing population that are ex-christians today that now claim to be atheist or lean atheistic agnostics.  Some of them are very well versed in the scriptures, but use it to try to convince people that Christianity is not true, or that our belief in our Lord and Savior is incorrect. 
In many ways, Sherem can be seen as a type and a Shadow of similar arguments and situations of our day (as many things in the Book of Mormon can be seen and used).

Possibilities:
1) He interpreted the scriptures differently.
2)  He lied about accepting the scriptures because he knew no Nephite would take him seriously if he openly denied them.  
3) He didn’t actually know what was in the Nephite scriptures (which is my personal favorite—when Jacob actually presents him with scriptural content, Sherem doesn’t engage; he just jumps to “show me a sign”.  It’s not like every Nephite had their own personal copy of the scriptures the way we do—let alone Sherem, who may have been a Lamanite, a Jaredite, or a member of some other indigenous group).

I honestly believe in this life that is the case, and when we immediately return after death we carry with us our same desires and thoughts. In that light, yes, there are people who will initially think "nah."
In the end though, when light and knowledge is given (the purpose of our creation known) I believe these individuals will recognize what they missed and how ignorant that belief was. This is part of the "burning" in hell so to speak. Looking at what could have been and knowing that you (general) rejected it.

So my question is just based on whether or not we think there are people who look at those blessings and say “nah”
numbers 2 and 3 I can see people being ok missing out on. Don’t know about 1 and 4

How about I just start a new thread? I'm guessing others might be interested. (Plus my PM says you can't receive messages.)
In the old troop that I was scoutmaster for 8 or 9 years ago, our committee was actually staffed with good-hearted, willing people who were good scouters. To be bluntly honest, our problems were two-fold: (1) An old, out-of-shape scoutmaster (Yours Truly) and (2) a severe lack of funding. But I'm probably misspeaking; the main problem was really a lack of senior scouts. Scouting was basically restricted to the 12- and 13-year-olds of the deacons quorum. No senior scout leadership at all. I tried hard to implement a boy-led program, but without senior scout support and examples, that more or less meant that, left to their own devices, the scouts wouldn't do anything. Which meant that the adults had to provide all the leadership. Naturally I complained to the bishop, who had been the scoutmaster a few years before. He basically told me that that's how scouting operated in the Church troops, and that things would not get any better. And he was right. I'm glad I had some really good assistants to help me. Between the lot of us, we managed to do some really fun things and have a halfway decent, if anemic, scouting program.
In the current troop (which, fun fact, managed to keep the same troop number as my old troop), the folks on the board are charged up, not simply willing to serve and put in the time, but motivated. Our scoutmasters are not in their 50s; they are young guys in their 30s, in one case possibly early 40s, who really enjoy scouting and are dedicated to helping the boys have a good experience. And it's HELPING the boys, not doing everything for them. My 15-year-old is currently the assistant senior PL, and since the SPL is sort of, let's say, not exactly dedicated to the position, my son is the functional SPL. Just as an example, last court of honor, my son planned and then ran everything. (And he did a fantastic job, btw. I had several people comment on how nicely—and quickly—the court of honor was run.) He got information he needed from the scoutmasters, but other than that, he ran the show. Same at the weekly meetings; the PLs (we actually have two patrols, and it makes sense to have them, which is awesome) run their specific shows, the SPL and ASPL handle training or otherwise help out, campouts get planned, duties get assigned, and it's all by the boys themselves.
I have four sons and three Eagle Scouts plus a Life who plans to get his Eagle rank six months after the aforementioned court of honor. But only the Life scout has really known a top-notch program. All of my sons have benefited from engaged, caring men (and women) who taught them scouting skills and helped them move forward. But only my youngest has seen and been a part of a honest-to-goodness boy-led program. As I wrote before, the whole experience is night and day.

Here's the best I can do.
"And, if you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God."
"...eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him..."

Will the differences between kingdoms be beauty, delicious foods, party games, internet connection, health care? Or will the differences be duty, and with duty comes further capability? Perhaps something else?
I know plenty of people who have no desire for callings and would be happier not involved in that. They also feel little pain in the fact that they aren’t involved in stake high counsel meeting.
What could they possibly miss out on that would make them wish to be there?

The only thing we know for sure are these items:
1) We dwell with the Father and receive all the Father hath
2) We remain "bound" (sealed) to our eternal companion
3) We have the continuation of seed
4) What Christ said in mortality remains true in immortality, what the Father doeth we do. (This is the only ambiguous statement regarding eternal life, exaltation)

Because our understanding of Hell is that it is temporary is what lead me to peg us with the universalist tag. Everyone will be in some joyous form of paradise by the end of it all.

In the MTC on my mission when Elder Holland he spoke, he addressed this concept with these words (paraphrased as I don't remember his "exact" terminology), "I understand some of you are concerned here in the MTC if you could qualify as a son/daughter of perdition. To put your minds at ease there is probably only one in this room who could qualify."
To become a son of perdition, seems pretty small, and even Judas who betrayed Jesus Christ is not solidified that he became like Cain as there are different quotes from prophets that highlight a different meaning.

I am also of the opinion that it is rather hard to become a son of perdition.  You must have seen the sun and then deny it while it is still shining upon you.  It is to make a specific choice to fight against that which you KNOW is true.
This is why they cannot accept a kingdom of glory.  They will deny it.  They would rather suffer for all eternity than to accept such.  It isn't because the LORD wishes it, but because THEY CHOOSE this path.
That said, Spirit Prison is also a type of Hell.  When other religions talk about hell, most of the time they are referring to the same place we refer to as Spirit Prison.
I feel  (this is different than beliefs or faith) there are different areas in Hell with various experiences.  There may be areas of grave harshness where people suffer tremendously in relation to choices they made in this life.  There may be other places where there is not as much suffering. 
We are told that many, before they can receive their reward, will need to suffer eternal punishments.  We are told that there are those that go to the Telestial Kingdom that will suffer.
Doctrine and Covenants 76 talking about some who inherit the Telestial world
This is before they receive Telestial bodies, so it indicates that this is Spirit Prison, but this is not a NICE prison, this is one where they are in hell and suffering. 
In that sense, we could not be seen as universalist. 
HOWEVER, we ALSO believe that, except for the Sons of Perdition, all will be saved into a Kingdom of Heaven.
Furthermore, we ALSO believe in a physical resurrection which saves ALL MEN from Death. 
These are views NOT shared by most other Christian religions (though, most of them ALSO only believe to the extent of the Spirit world where the good go to Paradise and the Wicked to Hell, not going into a further restoration of glory or physical redemption).  Many would not believe that men can be redeemed from the punishments or sufferings of Hell after they have passed on to the afterlife..
We do.  This is a STARK difference in many ways between how we view the afterlife and others view the afterlife. 
There are many other differences between how we believe and others believe as well (which I don't think I'll list all in this post), but once we get past the temporal judgement of the Spirit World, the divergence of beliefs between our religion and others begins to be quite wide.
 

TLDR; I’m right, you’re wrong

I will concede that universalist is a poor word for what I am trying to say. I now recognize that it comes with the mindset of procrastination and casual worship. In my somewhat recent experience, I have 3 siblings who all left the church. Two of which never really had a strong testimony despite being raised in the same home as me and the other. My mom spent a long time beating herself up by thinking she failed as a mother and that it is her fault there will be “empty chairs at the table” in the celestial kingdom. We have spoke on this often and are confident happiness of some sort awaits them. A never ending boiling cauldron of lava is not their destination and I choose to believe Joseph Smith when he says “the glory of the telestial kingdom surpasses all understanding”. I’m not saying some amount of misery will not be experienced, I’m simply stating they will be happy where they are at. Perhaps happier there than anywhere else.
 
Brigham young was quoted to have said;
“Some might suppose that it would be a great blessing to be taken and carried directly into heaven and there set down, but in reality that would be no blessing to such persons; they could not reap a full reward, could not enjoy the glory of the kingdom, and could not comprehend and abide the light thereof, but it would be to them a hell intolerable and I suppose would consume them much quicker than would hell fire. It would be no blessing to you to be carried into the celestial kingdom, and obliged to stay therein, unless you were prepared to dwell there”
But my thoughts on this still stand, everyone is saved (except sons of perdition, which I will get to in a second). I just do t wish to include in that any sense of apathy toward missionary work.but rather an understanding that not all are elect. There seems to be some acknowledgement in scripture that only a few are elect and desires of exaltation:
“Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen?
Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men” (Doctrine and Covenants 121:34-35)
“Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matt 7:14)
“ye are called to bring to pass the gathering of mine elect; for mine elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts;” (Doctrine and Covenants 29:7)
“gather mine elect from the four quarters of the earth, even as many as will believe in me, and hearken unto my voice” (Doctrine and Covenants 33:6)
search “elect” in the gospel library and you will find references to finding the elect of God in virtually every general conference. Not everyone is elect and that is ok.
Lastly, before I hop topics. John 14:2 says “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” mansions is cross referenced to “telestial kingdom”. Ether 12:32 say God has prepared house for man among the mansions of our fatber. I have to believe God has prepared a place for everyone regardless of what truth they decide to follow. Despite not everyone being elect and fit for exaltation, there is a glories place awaiting all his children. I deliberately leave out the * that should say “except sons of perdition” because so believe that is a negligible number and not worth discussing
 
I will also concede that my thoughts on the sons of perdition being small in number is an opinion. I’ll add more context to why I think this:
“The sin against the Holy Ghost requires such knowledge that it is manifestly impossible for the rank and file to commit such a sin” (The Miracle of Forgiveness).
”What must a man do to commit the unpardonable sin? He must receive the Holy Ghost, have the heavens opened unto him, and know God, and then sin against him. After a man has sinned against the Holy Ghost, there is no repentance for him. He has got to say that the sun does not shine while he sees it; he has got to deny Jesus Christ when the heavens have been opened unto him, and to deny the plan of salvation with his eyes open to the truth of it; and from that time he begins to be an enemy. This is the case with many apostates of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” (Joseph Smith, History of the Church, 6:314)
“Those who enter into the telestial kingdom, where their glories differ as do the stars of heaven in their magnitude, and who are innumerable as the sands of the seashore, are the ungodly, the filthy who suffer the wrath of God on the earth, who are thrust down to hell where they will be required to pay the uttermost farthing before their redemption comes. These are they who receive not the gospel of Christ and consequently could not deny the Holy Spirit while living on the earth.
“They have no part in the first resurrection and are not redeemed from the devil and his angels until the last resurrection, because of their wicked lives and their evil deeds. Nevertheless, even these are heirs of salvation, but before they are redeemed and enter into their kingdom, they must repent of their sins, and receive the gospel, and bow the knee, and acknowledge that Jesus is the Christ, the Redeemer of the world” (Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 2:22).
To me, it seems clear that the message trying to be conveyed is that it is extremely difficult to become a son of perdition. It’s not merely rejecting the gospel (the last quote makes that clear) but rather having received the highest of all blessings and being shown the truth in a way that removes ALL uncertainty, and THEN refusing it. Again, I’ll concede this to be opinion, but I doubt anyone I know is capable of this. One has to climb to the highest rungs of righteousness, see God, and then reject him. Knowingly reject the reality of the situation after having been made known of it.

TLDR; I’m right, you’re wrong

I will concede that universalist is a poor word for what I am trying to say. I now recognize that it comes with the mindset of procrastination and casual worship. In my somewhat recent experience, I have 3 siblings who all left the church. Two of which never really had a strong testimony despite being raised in the same home as me and the other. My mom spent a long time beating herself up by thinking she failed as a mother and that it is her fault there will be “empty chairs at the table” in the celestial kingdom. We have spoke on this often and are confident happiness of some sort awaits them. A never ending boiling cauldron of lava is not their destination and I choose to believe Joseph Smith when he says “the glory of the telestial kingdom surpasses all understanding”. I’m not saying some amount of misery will not be experienced, I’m simply stating they will be happy where they are at. Perhaps happier there than anywhere else.
 
Brigham young was quoted to have said;
“Some might suppose that it would be a great blessing to be taken and carried directly into heaven and there set down, but in reality that would be no blessing to such persons; they could not reap a full reward, could not enjoy the glory of the kingdom, and could not comprehend and abide the light thereof, but it would be to them a hell intolerable and I suppose would consume them much quicker than would hell fire. It would be no blessing to you to be carried into the celestial kingdom, and obliged to stay therein, unless you were prepared to dwell there”
But my thoughts on this still stand, everyone is saved (except sons of perdition, which I will get to in a second). I just do t wish to include in that any sense of apathy toward missionary work.but rather an understanding that not all are elect. There seems to be some acknowledgement in scripture that only a few are elect and desires of exaltation:
“Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen?
Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men” (Doctrine and Covenants 121:34-35)
“Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matt 7:14)
“ye are called to bring to pass the gathering of mine elect; for mine elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts;” (Doctrine and Covenants 29:7)
“gather mine elect from the four quarters of the earth, even as many as will believe in me, and hearken unto my voice” (Doctrine and Covenants 33:6)
search “elect” in the gospel library and you will find references to finding the elect of God in virtually every general conference. Not everyone is elect and that is ok.
Lastly, before I hop topics. John 14:2 says “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” mansions is cross referenced to “telestial kingdom”. Ether 12:32 say God has prepared house for man among the mansions of our fatber. I have to believe God has prepared a place for everyone regardless of what truth they decide to follow. Despite not everyone being elect and fit for exaltation, there is a glories place awaiting all his children. I deliberately leave out the * that should say “except sons of perdition” because so believe that is a negligible number and not worth discussing
 
I will also concede that my thoughts on the sons of perdition being small in number is an opinion. I’ll add more context to why I think this:
“The sin against the Holy Ghost requires such knowledge that it is manifestly impossible for the rank and file to commit such a sin” (The Miracle of Forgiveness).
”What must a man do to commit the unpardonable sin? He must receive the Holy Ghost, have the heavens opened unto him, and know God, and then sin against him. After a man has sinned against the Holy Ghost, there is no repentance for him. He has got to say that the sun does not shine while he sees it; he has got to deny Jesus Christ when the heavens have been opened unto him, and to deny the plan of salvation with his eyes open to the truth of it; and from that time he begins to be an enemy. This is the case with many apostates of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” (Joseph Smith, History of the Church, 6:314)
“Those who enter into the telestial kingdom, where their glories differ as do the stars of heaven in their magnitude, and who are innumerable as the sands of the seashore, are the ungodly, the filthy who suffer the wrath of God on the earth, who are thrust down to hell where they will be required to pay the uttermost farthing before their redemption comes. These are they who receive not the gospel of Christ and consequently could not deny the Holy Spirit while living on the earth.
“They have no part in the first resurrection and are not redeemed from the devil and his angels until the last resurrection, because of their wicked lives and their evil deeds. Nevertheless, even these are heirs of salvation, but before they are redeemed and enter into their kingdom, they must repent of their sins, and receive the gospel, and bow the knee, and acknowledge that Jesus is the Christ, the Redeemer of the world” (Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 2:22).
To me, it seems clear that the message trying to be conveyed is that it is extremely difficult to become a son of perdition. It’s not merely rejecting the gospel (the last quote makes that clear) but rather having received the highest of all blessings and being shown the truth in a way that removes ALL uncertainty, and THEN refusing it. Again, I’ll concede this to be opinion, but I doubt anyone I know is capable of this. One has to climb to the highest rungs of righteousness, see God, and then reject him. Knowingly reject the reality of the situation after having been made known of it.

TLDR; I’m right, you’re wrong

I will concede that universalist is a poor word for what I am trying to say. I now recognize that it comes with the mindset of procrastination and casual worship. In my somewhat recent experience, I have 3 siblings who all left the church. Two of which never really had a strong testimony despite being raised in the same home as me and the other. My mom spent a long time beating herself up by thinking she failed as a mother and that it is her fault there will be “empty chairs at the table” in the celestial kingdom. We have spoke on this often and are confident happiness of some sort awaits them. A never ending boiling cauldron of lava is not their destination and I choose to believe Joseph Smith when he says “the glory of the telestial kingdom surpasses all understanding”. I’m not saying some amount of misery will not be experienced, I’m simply stating they will be happy where they are at. Perhaps happier there than anywhere else.
 
Brigham young was quoted to have said;
“Some might suppose that it would be a great blessing to be taken and carried directly into heaven and there set down, but in reality that would be no blessing to such persons; they could not reap a full reward, could not enjoy the glory of the kingdom, and could not comprehend and abide the light thereof, but it would be to them a hell intolerable and I suppose would consume them much quicker than would hell fire. It would be no blessing to you to be carried into the celestial kingdom, and obliged to stay therein, unless you were prepared to dwell there”
But my thoughts on this still stand, everyone is saved (except sons of perdition, which I will get to in a second). I just do t wish to include in that any sense of apathy toward missionary work.but rather an understanding that not all are elect. There seems to be some acknowledgement in scripture that only a few are elect and desires of exaltation:
“Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen?
Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men” (Doctrine and Covenants 121:34-35)
“Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matt 7:14)
“ye are called to bring to pass the gathering of mine elect; for mine elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts;” (Doctrine and Covenants 29:7)
“gather mine elect from the four quarters of the earth, even as many as will believe in me, and hearken unto my voice” (Doctrine and Covenants 33:6)
search “elect” in the gospel library and you will find references to finding the elect of God in virtually every general conference. Not everyone is elect and that is ok.
Lastly, before I hop topics. John 14:2 says “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” mansions is cross referenced to “telestial kingdom”. Ether 12:32 say God has prepared house for man among the mansions of our fatber. I have to believe God has prepared a place for everyone regardless of what truth they decide to follow. Despite not everyone being elect and fit for exaltation, there is a glories place awaiting all his children. I deliberately leave out the * that should say “except sons of perdition” because so believe that is a negligible number and not worth discussing
 
I will also concede that my thoughts on the sons of perdition being small in number is an opinion. I’ll add more context to why I think this:
“The sin against the Holy Ghost requires such knowledge that it is manifestly impossible for the rank and file to commit such a sin” (The Miracle of Forgiveness).
”What must a man do to commit the unpardonable sin? He must receive the Holy Ghost, have the heavens opened unto him, and know God, and then sin against him. After a man has sinned against the Holy Ghost, there is no repentance for him. He has got to say that the sun does not shine while he sees it; he has got to deny Jesus Christ when the heavens have been opened unto him, and to deny the plan of salvation with his eyes open to the truth of it; and from that time he begins to be an enemy. This is the case with many apostates of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” (Joseph Smith, History of the Church, 6:314)
“Those who enter into the telestial kingdom, where their glories differ as do the stars of heaven in their magnitude, and who are innumerable as the sands of the seashore, are the ungodly, the filthy who suffer the wrath of God on the earth, who are thrust down to hell where they will be required to pay the uttermost farthing before their redemption comes. These are they who receive not the gospel of Christ and consequently could not deny the Holy Spirit while living on the earth.
“They have no part in the first resurrection and are not redeemed from the devil and his angels until the last resurrection, because of their wicked lives and their evil deeds. Nevertheless, even these are heirs of salvation, but before they are redeemed and enter into their kingdom, they must repent of their sins, and receive the gospel, and bow the knee, and acknowledge that Jesus is the Christ, the Redeemer of the world” (Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 2:22).
To me, it seems clear that the message trying to be conveyed is that it is extremely difficult to become a son of perdition. It’s not merely rejecting the gospel (the last quote makes that clear) but rather having received the highest of all blessings and being shown the truth in a way that removes ALL uncertainty, and THEN refusing it. Again, I’ll concede this to be opinion, but I doubt anyone I know is capable of this. One has to climb to the highest rungs of righteousness, see God, and then reject him. Knowingly reject the reality of the situation after having been made known of it.

I don’t know that I’d go *quite* that far.
In the first place, our theology tells us that we were created/begotten/organized as children of God.  The function of children is to grow up like their parent.  Every attribute God has, exists in embryo in us, His offspring.
Now, sure, individuals can choose not to develop some of those attributes, and (probably) eternally remain in an underdeveloped state, and they may not find the experience particularly tortuous.  But it’s also not what they were designed to become.  It’s like growing up as an amputee, and then rejecting the opportunity to have a fully-functional limb re-grown when it’s offered to me.  No, it’s not hell; but I’m still being a dipweed and ultimately needlessly limiting my potential and my quality of existence.  Similarly:  My relegation to a lesser kingdom may not constitute “damnation” or “punishment” in the classical sense, but there are indeed ramifications—some quite serious—if I reject or otherwise fail to achieve exaltation.  I suppose that if I wanted to make myself really neurotic, I might ponder on the possibility that the creation and history and exaltation of incalculable billions or trillions of inhabitants of untold thousands or millions of worlds, galaxies, and even universes; are affected by whether or not any one particular person achieves exaltation (though in practice, I prefer to think that the grace of Christ will somehow cover any failure of mine in this regard!)
Second, of more immediate concern:  I do think that much of the way we approach missionary work can be myopic, in the sense that we often allow our primary motivator to become concern for someone’s eternal well-being (especially if you’re a sedentary introvert like me who, frankly, has a hard time inconveniencing myself with tangible actions for the sake of safeguarding the future metaphysical state of a complete stranger—my service as a full-time missionary was done primarily out of a sense of duty, and I think it showed).  Being a Saint is supposed to bring an abundant life—not an abundance of material goods, perhaps; but an abundance of stability and virtue and sociality and goodness and good humor (and, of course, a meaningful sense of communion with the Divine).  I find that at the times of my life when that sort of abundance permeates my very existence, missionary work becomes almost second-nature; and it’s less about openly proselytizing than about just enjoying and amplifying the various forms of goodness I see around me, articulately and informedly expressing beliefs and answering questions in appropriate venues, and trusting that eventually people’s appreciation and admiration of goodness itself will transform into admiration of the God who is the author of all goodness.
But I also agree with @Vort:  I think there are lots and lots of people who are such absolute cranks about some topic or other that, if God won’t be prevailed upon to see things their way, they would spend a couple of eternities completely away from His influence rather than be reconciled to (or, as they would see it, “subjugated by”) Him; and I think such folks form the nucleus of the Sons of Perdition.  I think it’s fair to worry that our being too casual in using the word “Universalist” to describe our beliefs, even if it has some measure of truth (and even though I think I’ve used the word myself in some contexts), risks creating/prolonging pain by giving folks an excuse to persist in destructive behaviors and procrastinate a process of repentance and improvement and reconciliation that would make their lives qualitatively better now and easier in the hereafter.  

Nothing you have offered here (except for your opinions) indicates the number of sons of perdition will be unusually small. That is the inference made by Saints who conclude that, since denying Christ requires knowing Christ, and since there are few who truly know Christ, even among the Saints, this general ignorance of the world protects them from so damning themselves. (Strangely enough, it appears not to impede them from exaltation, a condition that requires intimate knowledge of the Savior in a personal way. But I suppose that's another topic.) In any case, this idea of protective ignorance may be right. But I personally do not find the argument particularly convincing.
As a late middle-aged adult, I have found that many people crave the flesh and its desires, and seemingly care nothing for matters of the spirit. I have neither the authority nor the desire to name the condemnation such people will face, but it is not al all obvious to me that their fate can be waved off with a casual, "Oh, they're the telestial spirits." We simply do not know enough about such things to make any such determination.

Ahhhh.  Then you misunderstood my post.   What I meant was the problem exists because it's difficult/impossible to tell if your benchmarks have been met in most cases.

I don't disagree, nor did I suggest otherwise.   However, I believe that's up to the Spirit, not Fether or Grunt.   I wouldn't be a member today if several people were't pushy, even insulting, in their messaging.

Sure.  This isn't a mission.  It's a discussion and I'm curious.   If the answer is "you can't", then what's the point of the discussion or complaint?