theplains

In addition to the Word of Wisdom, Gospel Principles says "Our prophets have told us that we should not shop, hunt, fish, attend sports events, or participate in similar activities on that day." I'm not LDS myself, but if I were, I'd say it is important to follow the guidance given by prophets if it is supported by the scriptures. But personally, I would go on a Sunday fishing trip to share the gospel with a non-believer if that opportunity arose. Jim

Her question looks ordinary and non-attacking to me. @CV75 provided a good explanation. Jim

From what church teachings I have seen, God's plan for Adam and Eve was for them to disobey Him in the garden; otherwise the Plan of Salvation would have been frustrated. Apparently God chose disobedience as the means to start their progression. Or maybe, despite Him telling them not to eat from the forbidden tree in the garden, He really wanted them to eat from it and the Fall is not viewed as a transgression from heaven's point of view. One thing that is not clear is whether all the heavenly hosts were rejoicing the moment Adam and Eve partook. Jim

Yes. Thanks.

1] Page 6 of the 1997 Gospel Principles has this image of the pre-mortal life. Does Heavenly Father have a spirit body like his children are depicted as having in the picture (as they are believed to be created in His image)? 2] I believe there is only one God, anywhere, and He was never a man who progressed into becoming a God. 3] brotherofJared said Heavenly Father became God the same way Christ did. How do you believe these two became Gods in the same way? Thanks, Jim

The Religion 430-431 - Doctrines of the Gospel Student Manual said Jesus became ranked as a God when he reached a pinnacle of intelligence in the pre-mortal life. The Book of Mormon mentions that Jesus, as God, took on human flesh; whereas Heavenly Father is taught (by Joseph Smith) to have been a man who became a God; and this God was not from everlasting. This doesn't sound like the same way that you mentioned. Thanks, Jim

In 12 Facts About The Gathering, #11 says, "Those who have been baptized can later receive a patriarchal blessing, which declares their lineage in a tribe of Israel." If this is a reference to a physical lineage, does this mean that there are no baptized members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who are not physical descendants of Abraham? Thanks, Jim

In the context of you being an "eternal being", how is Jesus considered the Eternal God when he is taught to have become a God in his pre-mortal life? Thanks, Jim

Do you disagree with anything taught in the KFD? If yes, which? Thanks, Jim

Exodus 4:22 says, "And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn." Speaking of David (verses 20), Psalm 89:27 says, "Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth." Jeremiah 31:9 says, "They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn." What does firstborn mean in the above three verses? Thanks, Jim

Just wondering if you believe she thought God had deprived her of the wisdom she sought when she ate from the forbidden tree (Genesis 3:6). I think that Moses 5:10-11 (if true) would be a little 'dig' by Eve towards God like Adam apparently did to God when they had this exchange: And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. Adam, instead of taking responsibility, blames the woman - but I see an indirect blame placed on God by Adam in his response. Eve follows the blame-game and does likewise and blames Satan instead of taking responsibility. Our fallen nature leads some to also say, "It wasn't my fault, the blame is on someone or something else." Eve knew the command not to eat from the forbidden tree and she voluntarily disobeyed it. Is that what you meant by your question? The reason why I posed my question was based on what Gospel Principles mentions in chapter 6: Great Blessings Resulted from the Transgression • How does the Fall provide opportunities for us to become like our Heavenly Father? Some people believe Adam and Eve committed a serious sin when they ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. However, latter- day scriptures help us understand that their Fall was a necessary step in the plan of life and a great blessing to all of us. Because of the Fall, we are blessed with physical bodies, the right to choose between good and evil, and the opportunity to gain eternal life. None of these privileges would have been ours had Adam and Eve remained in the garden. After the Fall, Eve said, "Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed [children], and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient" (Moses 5:11). Were these blessings on Adam and Eve due to obedience or disobedience? Thanks, Jim

I don't see that any change (fear, shame, knowledge of nakedness) came upon Eve even though she ate first but this only occurred after Adam had also eaten. Do you see it this way too? Regarding Moses 5:11 - And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying: Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient. Since Eve is said to have attained this knowledge of good and evil after eating from the forbidden tree, what do you believe she thought about God for forbidding them from partaking of it? Do you think she felt thankful to Satan and a resentment towards God who withheld this from her and Adam (when he commanded Adam not to eat from it and then reminded him again that it was forbidden - Moses 3:17)? Did Eve believe "having seed" and "knowing good and evil" were the result of obedience or disobedience? The reason I ask is because of the phrase "which God giveth unto all the obedient" which supposedly was applicable to them too. Thanks, Jim

When I add 2 Nephi 25:10 plus the introductory notes for 3 Nephi 1, it seems the destruction of Jerusalem happened roughly in the first year of Zedekiah's reign. Jim

What do you mean by a "state of innocence" in the pre-earth life? Thanks, Jim

Did spirits have agency (the ability to choose between good and evil) in that pre-earth state? Thanks, Jim

The 1997 version of Gospel Principles says, Our heavenly parents provided us with a celestial home more glorious and beautiful than any place on earth. We were happy there. Yet they knew we could not progress beyond a certain point unless we left them for a time. Since we could not progress further in heaven, our Heavenly Father called a Grand Council to present his plan for our progression The 2009 version has only the later part: Our Heavenly Father knew we could not progress beyond a certain point unless we left Him for a time. What do you believe allowed them to progress to a certain point in their celestial home which was missing from their time before the Fall in the Garden of Eden? Thanks, Jim

2 Nephi 2:26 says, "And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given". What is the punishment of the law at the great and last day for those redeemed from the fall? Thanks, Jim

In relation to Zedekiah's years of rulership, when was Jerusalem destroyed? Thanks, Jim

From 2 Kings 23, I see that Jehoiakim reigned for 11 years and then his son Jehoiachin became king. He reigned in Jerusalem for 3 months (2 Kings 24:8) and then Nebuchadnezzar came and besieged the city of Jerusalem, took away many captive to Babylon, and plundered the house of the Lord (verses 13 and 14, before Zedekiah was made king). Lehi was supposedly still in Jerusalem (as the Babylonians had already come to conquer Jerusalem in the reign of Jehoiachin).

Is 2 Nephi 1:4 a vision of Lehi expecting to lose his life by the hands of the wicked Israelites in Jerusalem or by the Babylonians? Thanks, Jim

One part of Mr. Benson's speech said, "If the early Saints were rebuked for treating the Book of Mormon lightly, are we under any less condemnation if we do the same?" After reading some church literature, it seems they started to put less emphasis on the Book of Mormon and other standard works, and instead focused more on what was being said in the present. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/bc/content/shared/content/english/pdf/language-materials/36481_eng.pdf?lang=eng Jim the_words_of_prophets_today.pdf

Does this mean that at some future time, the LDS Church may teach that Heavenly Father was not a man who became a God? Or is this an LDS doctrinal truth that cannot be forsaken by its members? Thanks, Jim

Does this indicate that everything said at General Conference by a servant or printed in a manual to record a previous teaching of an LDS president is really the voice of the Lord and that it must be viewed as a true gospel principle or doctrine. Thanks, Jim

Let me rephrase my question on your earlier post: "I believe Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Peter, John, etc. were familiar with the endowment; and certainly the concepts of the endowment covenants turn up all over the scriptures." What specifically is the endowment and these endowment ceremonies they were familiar with and would you mention a few of the scriptures you are referring to? Thanks, Jim

Which scriptures indicate they were familiar with the endowment ceremony? Thanks, Jim