JohnsonJones

He was not sent to the Gentiles, but to the House of Israel.  How often did He even interact with them?  Very infrequently.  His primary mission (in His preaching) was not to preach to or condemn or convert any Gentiles.  His primary mission was to bring the House of Israel into the new dispensation.
Did he ever offend Gentiles?  I don't know.  If I searched, I'm sure I could find something.  But if His only reason to condemn or offend (if you can call it that) was when he was specifically preaching about obedience to the Law of Moses and how it was a preparatory law for the New Covenant.  He condemned Jews for not realizing what the true meaning of the Law was.
Gentiles wouldn't even understand what He was saying.  He wasn't talking with them.

I thought it was Vermont? 
Last count I saw had 11 "uncommitted" delegates heading to Chicago from Minnesota. Which isn't a lot, but it's significant because Minnesota is purple at best, and Dem discord could turn us into a swing state. Combine that with last week's results in Michigan, which already IS a swing state, and we're looking at a very interesting convention.
Does this show that there's a liberal bias in higher ed? Or that people with college degrees tend to vote more liberal?
This perfectly encapsulates the phenomenon I outlined earlier, I believe in this thread, that party oversaturation can lead to elected officials with bipartisan disdain towards them (Lightfoot, Cuomo, Adams).

Daniel Peterson has a few personal anecdotes to share about the CoC.  It's a pretty interesting read.
https://www.patheos.com/blogs/danpeterson/2024/03/a-few-more-thoughts-on-the-kirtland-temple-deal.html
 

The CoC SHOULD BE A WARNING about the dangers of trying to go with mainstream Christianity.
The Churches that are staying with their more traditional teachings and values are (in general) staying stronger with their membership (though most are also still declining if it is a larger church) than those that have tried to "modernize" and "mainstream" their various religions.
I think the Temple in Missouri (theirs) will be one of the last things they would let go, and 190 million will keep them going for a good while at least. 
Interestingly enough, this is similar to one of the original divisions within the Islamic religion.  The question of whether the successor to Mohammad should be his son Ali or a council of others.
This caused a division in the religion that has animosity between the both sides from back then during the division to the present day.
At least we are not angry and violent towards each other like the divisions of Islam caused.

I have heard about the cave with the records.  I think there could be MANY explanations.
WE have probed the Hill Cumorah and also done sonic and radar on the hill (from what I understand) to show that there is no chamber inside the Hill.
Now, I do NOT think we've probed DEEPER (and how deep it could be how far...who knows.  It could be a chamber under the hill...thus in the hill...by hundreds if not thousands of meters!).
It could ALSO be various other explanations other than a physical location in the Hill Cumorah itself.
For example, there is an idea that this Earth is where the Telestial and Celestial Kingdoms are.  It is also where the Spirit World is. 
Some who have this idea also have a belief of something akin to multiple dimensions, where you have several different dimensions occupying the same space at the the same time.  Hence, the Spirit world is also here in the same spot, but in a different dimension (or way of existing) than ours.
Hence, in that light, there could be a chamber in the Hill Cumorah but you will only be able to see or enter it via spiritual means until we have a higher spiritual existence as it resides in the same location, but a different existence (if that makes sense with what I said above).
Another idea is that it is there, but just as the plates (which were in the Hill for hundreds of years and yet no one had discovered them) lay hidden, that the Lord concealed the plates from normal individuals and people...and in this same way the chambers with the other records are also concealed.
 
There are many different ways it COULD work with a chamber or cave being within the Hill Cumorah, but if this is where the records are or how they are concealed for now is obviously not revealed to the general membership of the church. 
 

The CoC SHOULD BE A WARNING about the dangers of trying to go with mainstream Christianity.
The Churches that are staying with their more traditional teachings and values are (in general) staying stronger with their membership (though most are also still declining if it is a larger church) than those that have tried to "modernize" and "mainstream" their various religions.
I think the Temple in Missouri (theirs) will be one of the last things they would let go, and 190 million will keep them going for a good while at least. 
Interestingly enough, this is similar to one of the original divisions within the Islamic religion.  The question of whether the successor to Mohammad should be his son Ali or a council of others.
This caused a division in the religion that has animosity between the both sides from back then during the division to the present day.
At least we are not angry and violent towards each other like the divisions of Islam caused.

The CoC SHOULD BE A WARNING about the dangers of trying to go with mainstream Christianity.
The Churches that are staying with their more traditional teachings and values are (in general) staying stronger with their membership (though most are also still declining if it is a larger church) than those that have tried to "modernize" and "mainstream" their various religions.
I think the Temple in Missouri (theirs) will be one of the last things they would let go, and 190 million will keep them going for a good while at least. 
Interestingly enough, this is similar to one of the original divisions within the Islamic religion.  The question of whether the successor to Mohammad should be his son Ali or a council of others.
This caused a division in the religion that has animosity between the both sides from back then during the division to the present day.
At least we are not angry and violent towards each other like the divisions of Islam caused.

J6 just made life weird.  I'm used to being online interacting with lefties and atheists and church critics, and sometimes it seems like the sky in their world just isn't the same color as the sky in my world.   And here in a post-J6 world, I encounter a constant slew of folks on the right, my people, folks who think and vote like me, just saying such weird stuff about J6, that I wonder if the color of their sky is the same color as my sky.
@Jedi_Nephite, of course many of the horrible things that happened on J6 were "done by right-wing extremists".  I'm amazed that anyone could possibly argue against such an obvious set of facts.  Q-anon, Proud Boys, and Oathkeepers are 100% the dictionary definition of "right-wing", and a crapton of them fit the "extremist" definition like a glove.   1200 folks arrested, ~730 guilty pleas, ~165 convicted at trial.  Each one of 'em more red-blooded right wing American than the last one.  An awful lot of convictions for seditious conspiracy from those folks.   
I mean yes, there were also neo-nazis and white supremacists and neo-confederates and kkk folks and that Mormon cosplayer guy who showed up dressed like Captain Moroni with his Title of Liberty.  Those people can't be called "right wing", although the media sure pushes that narrative on occasion.  But holy crap - how can anyone who has given even a cursory scan of the facts, claim that "what happened was not done by right wing extremists"?
 
There I was - sitting in my basement office during Covid remote-work lockdown.  On one screen, I was doing my work.  On the other screen, I was watching Trump's "stop the steal" rally.
Holy, holy, holy, HOLY CRAP was Trump, and Guliani, and especially Trump's son yelling crap into their microphones.  Stoking outrage.  Claiming foul.  Demanding action.  Whipping up the crowd into marching on the capitol with inflammatory phrases like "go march and demand justice", and "take back our government".  Not so much Trump, but yes Guliani, and especially Trump's son.  
About an hour before we started seeing the news of people breaking in and doing damage, I came upstairs and expressed serious concern to my wife.  "I don't understand what the crap Trump is doing.  Doesn't he realize that the most mentally-ill and the fringe-est of the fringe are listening to him and getting ready to start hurting people and get themselves arrested?"
Trump was charged for "incitement of insurrection" by the house, (who impeached him over it and the senate acquitted him of it after he had left office).  So yeah, nobody got convicted of insurrection.  Just seditious conspiracy.  And not Trump. 
"Donald Trump never said anything even remotely close to inciting an insurrection."  Ugh.  What an impossible opinion to defend. 
 
He did indeed begin instructing people to be peaceful, but not until after all the horrible had happened.   The march hit the capitol a little after 2PM.    Pence and the Senators, engaged in certifying the election, had to stop certifying the election, and started getting evacuated around 2:13.  The peaceful transition of power, a founding cornerstone of our great republic, was interrupted by the people who hit the capitol.  These people had been whipped up into action by Trump, Guliani, and Trump Jr. 
This didn't happen until 2:38 PM.  Look at the time stamp on the tweet, and do the math to convert to Eastern Standard Time:
 
Trump's later appeal for calm happened at 3:13 PM. 
His video for calm happened even later.  
 
I'm a fan of fiery protests.  I'm a fan of people swarming the streets and demanding change.  I'm a fan of  "the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances".  
I'm not a fan of this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bodycam_video_taken_at_US_Capitol,_January_6,_2021.webm
I'm not a fan of this (34:20 is when Ashley Babbit begins getting herself shot):
https://archive.org/details/nYiFQbNc65jwFYCWY?start=1993
 
Look, my fellow conservatives.  Our side screwed up royally on J6.  If we're gonna have problems with Antifa and BLM riots, and defend what happened on J6, then we're just as hypocritical as the folks who defend Antifa and BLM riots, but have problems with J6.  
Don't be like that.

I had to do some serious googling here to decipher these acronyms.  @Phoenix_person, let me know if I get anything wrong.
DFL: The democrat party in Minnesota.  Usually Democrats call themselves Democrats, but for whatever reason, the Democrats in MN is the "Democrat Farmer-Labor Party".
DSA: Democratic Socialists of America.  These ain't liberals, they're lefties.  If you don't know the difference, it's about time you went to the two wikipedia pages to hear how they describe themselves. 
So, a bunch of Minnesotan old democrats are mad because [insert crotchety old lady Minnesotan voice] a bunch of commies are showin' up and pretending to be old democrats, but they're really commies! [/colMv]
Dems are happy with Biden.  Leftie socialists tend to be mad at him because of his "soft stance on Israel".  

National Review is good for conservative commentary and insights. What I like about the WSJ is that it's news section is rated as moderate, while its editorial section is moderately conservative. It hasn't joined the Trump Train, but still leans into a pro-America, pro-free enterprise perspective. It's faith friendly, though not specifically religious. I just searched and found out that The Weekly Standard still exists (editor = Bill Krystol). It's conservative, but I'm sure Trump would label it Globalist. I always remember one colleague saying that I cheated when it came to news because I read (rather than listen/watch). 😉

Stop! Says the Constitution,
Before you break the law,
Think it over
....

I have been pondering this thread and decided to post some more thought about spiritual influences.  I avoided using the term visitations because I believe the connotation of the word visitation is misleading.    I can only speak of my own experiences – realizing that there are differing spiritual gifts (Moroni 10) – it is possible to some do not recognize ministering of spirits. 
There are two distinct kinds of spirit influences.  One being the influence of light and the other that of darkness.  I believe it is extremely easy to decipher certain dark spirit influences of anger.  Some may say “you make me angry” but I strongly believe anger only comes through the ministering of a dark spirit.  I also believe that such influences are limited and that we as individuals must give ourselves over to anger before anger can be realized.  We cannot be forced to be angry – only tempted, influenced or coerced. 
I believe in the subtle influences of spirit.  Sometimes listed as whisperings.  For me such influences come as distinct thoughts.  I have learned to identify thoughts that are uniquely my own and thought beyond my understanding and abilities.   Jesus talked of eyes that cannot see and ears that cannot hear.  I believe he was spinking of spiritual influences and ministering.  It is my experience that the subtle influences of a spirit of light are most difficult to recognize if someone is not loyal to their covenants.  It is also my experience that anger is a unmistakable indication that someone is being influenced by a dark spirit.  As a side note there is a poster on the forum ( @prisonchaplain ) that I have never seen influenced to anger.  This is a strong witness to me of his devotion to be faithful to his promises and covenants to G-d.
In the Book of Mormon, the brother of Jared, because of his faith, saw the finger of G-d during an occasion of spirit influence.  This indicates to me that visual encounters are rare compared to strong spirits of light ministering.   Preceding his first vision, young Joseph Smith encountered a powerful influence of a dark spirit the bound him and caused great fear.  Yet, Joseph did not see what was binding him.
My point is that we can be visited by spirits, both spirits of light as well as darkness and not see or hear anything with our physical eyes and ears.  I do not think I can even count the times that I have felt the influence of a spiritual being in my presents, but only twice have I seen and heard anything with my physical eyes and ears.  One such occasion was while I was in the Celestial room of a temple during the dedication of that temple.
Many of us are worried about the influences of darkness in the world around and about us.  My main purpose for this thread is to raise the awareness that there are more and greater influences of light on the side of those that see light during these last days before the return of the Messiah.  If this is hard or difficult for anyone reading in that you are not experiencing comfort – I would suggest you recommit yourself (through behavior) to covenants of righteousness.
 
The Traveler

There are two things that come to my mind.  The first is that it is possible that there are individuals alive today that know where artifacts associated with the Book of Mormon are.  They may even have access to them.  However, if such is the case that knowledge is as carefully guarded as the artifacts themselves.  
The second I would relate to a spiritual manifestation I received as a youth concerning the divine origin of the Book of Mormon.  For much of my life I have thought that experience to be sufficient testimony.  More and more I am realizing that this sacred work (marvelous work and a wonder) is not an end in and of itself.  That it is necessary to study and ponder the Book of Mormon to be spiritually ready for things happening currently in our day.  Study and ponder does not mean to read and read hundreds of times.
Our prophets have testified on many occasions that we need to (as individuals) carefully study and ponder the revelations and prophesies in the Book of Mormon – including the inclusions in the Book of Mormon from the great prophet Isaiah.  Though there are many good people with good intensions is all the religions I have encountered – there is nothing on earth like or comparable to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  No other society or individuals have greater access to divine purpose and calling than the Latter-day Saints.  Key to our calling and mission as Saints in preparing for the coming Messiah is the Book of Mormon.  We ought to and must become spiritual experts in the great secrets and revelations contained in the Book of Mormon as well as all our standard works and words spoken by our prophets.  But the Book of Mormon is paramount.
This year under the instructions of “Follow Me”, all the saints worldwide are encouraged to study, ponder and openly discuss with one another what we are gleaning in our study.  In all honesty I do not believe that speculations of where artifacts are currently located is contributing to anything useful.
 
The Traveler

There's also the fact that Laban betrayed the brothers, offering to sell them the record then ordering them slain after getting their possessions. 
Even if we assume he was just that furious over them coming in the first time around and asking without any thought of compensation, what he did was inexcusable even by the standards of the day and could well have been the final sign that he was not worthy of the responsibility. 

Correct.  It's the financial term.  An "endowment" is a big pile of money that sits in income generating investments.  You spend the income generated, not the endowment.  And there's usually respect and praise for whoever donated the big pile of money.  You can endow a college, and get a chair (or even a building) named after you.

I inherited a bunch of religious books from my grandpa.  One of them was published in the 1930's (I think), from the church's printing press in Beaver Utah, titled something like "The succession of Joseph II".  I briefly thumbed through it, it was basically an in-depth response to a bunch of claims made that Joseph's child should be Joseph's successor after his martyrdom.  I put it with the other 2-3 dozen books in a box in my basement.
Years later, I was in Yahoo chat arguing religion with an RLDS person about who was right and who was wrong.  I ran and got the 70 year old book.  He proceeded to make a series of claims, pretty much verbatim to the claims refuted by my book, pretty much in the exact order my book was written.  I immediately was able to counter each point he made, clearly and convincingly, by citing various elements of our shared history.  Poor dude was forced to say something like "well, I don't know as much as I should about it, but I'm still sure you Brigahmites are the wrong ones."
Imagine fighting a battle, over and over again, that was pretty conclusively lost 70 years ago.  

Well, BYU is the home of various organizations that preserve and digitize records related to Judaism and Christianity, and we've been partnering with the Community of Christ's historian's office on this and other artifacts and documents for a long time.  
The original manuscript (including the 1823 Bible Joseph used in the work) is scanned and free online:  https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/the-papers/revelations-and-translations/jsppr5
But yes, it's nice to have things, and I'm very excited.  I remember in the 1980's, people with passionate opinions about when we'd finally get the temple and the manuscript.  I'm surprised the CoC has held on to them for so long, especially when we've been offering real $$$ for them for a long time.

Well, I'm glad I'm not in Texas right now, at least the panhandle considering the smoke and flames going on there. 

I generally go to the Wall Street Journal, but sometimes read the Federalist, New York Post, and Real Clear Politics. What better source(s) do you have in mind?

If we were looking at a repeat of Trump's first four years, this would be easy. A super majority SCOTUS. Excellent. The problem is that we have our judges and Trump presents as an isolationist. Further, he's driven away some of his most redeeming supporters (Pence and Barr--remember that BOP was under the DOJ during Barr's tenure--he was a solid leader). I support Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan--I'm not sure Trump will. Biden's weak--but at least he's on board. Harris? All bets are off with her. BUT Trump is an isolationist and a protectionist. He also seems to feed the worst elements--both his supporters and his enemies. Those 80% of us in between just watch in horror.

I think Angles = Angels in the original post above.
  I remember I saw part of the Cokeville miracle film a few years back.  If the film is accurate it spoke of several of the children seeing and identifying relatives that had passed away that the children had not met, but saw during the crisis that they were in.

Who needs Putin when we have Tucker--claiming that anyone who support Ukraine doesn't love America and wants Tucker's kids to die in combat. 

I attended Roots Tech here in Salt Lake City and came away quite inspired.  I have attended Roots Tech several times.  Jimmer (BYU basketball star) was there, and I had a chance to chat with him and his wife.  But that was not what inspired me.
The main purpose of Roots Tech is to inspire making connection to our ancestral roots and providing records for our posterity.   There are some things I do not talk much about.  With the emphasis on ancestral roots and posterity I thought to open a discussion about angles.  I have experienced the influence of angles.  I feel somewhat restrained and would point out that it is not uncommon that such visits are for the purposes of correction rather than congratulations.   My experiences are mostly centered on warnings.
I am the name’s sake of my great grandfather that died shortly before I was born.  There were a number of times I encountered the assistance of a guardian angel.  On one particular occasion I inquired who it was.  It was my great grandfather who’s name I carry.  That particular occasion was the last time I encountered him.  A few years later I encountered my brother that was lost to an accident a couple of months after completing his church mission. 
There are strong connections to families.  As I understand, the influence of our family members in our lives that have proceeded us is quite common despite the possibility that their influence is or may be often unrealized – including not realizing that many such influences are family relatives.   Sometimes our prayers are answered through various family relationships.
So I will stand as a witness that we do live in an age of angles.  I have often wondered if there are occasions where important encounters are with angles that we do not know other than a stranger we encounter during a time of need.  I am inclined to believe that such encounters are not limited to member of the LDS Church.
 
The Traveler

Picture from last year’s Western Australia eclipse.  Make sure you take a good pair of binoculars.  Don’t even try to setup a telescope.  

Also, the planets and constellations become visible. But not the one’s you can see in the night sky.  Picture from August 1, 2008 - China.

Remember, the Obama administration was caught wire-tapping AP reporters, Nixon had his "plumbers" to try and prevent leaks, & so on. 
As someone in the mainstream media, I can say that there are times where media outlets have either fallen down on the job or went entirely too far. 
However, in this instance I'm not convinced the judge has laid out just why they feel so compelled to force a reporter to divulge their sources.