Still_Small_Voice

Latter-Day Saint doctrine teaches Jesus is the Son of God. Christ created all things so in this truth He is God. He and His Father are separate individuals. When Jesus lived on the earth in flesh and blood He was a unique individual. In His flesh He was the literal Son of His Father. He had power over life and death. Jesus was subjected to many different kinds of temptations from Satan but never yielded to any of these. His death on the cross was voluntary. He willingly gave up His life as recorded in scripture. After His resurrection, He received a glorified, immortal body.

Have you counseled with your bishop about this subject?

I was also a video game addict as well in the past. If someone doesn't want to get over an addiction they definitely won't. The best thing you can do is pray for him and love him. I think you are doing the right thing by making him pay rent, bills and also making him get a job. Someday he will see that video games are unproductive and a distraction from the eternal important things of significance. Hopefully he will figure this out soon in his life.

When I was nineteen I was definitely a reclusive and shy individual. I served a mission and it really helped me get beyond my own shy comfort zone. Serving and helping others helped me see the world in a whole new way. Perhaps some good medicine for your son would be to get out and do something good. You might want to go with him to a soup kitchen or do some other type of service work with him.

Music has such a power to edify. Other selections (music if it can be called such) that has lack of harmony, screaming and yelling accompanied with foul language is repulsive to me. When I have control of what music I listen to I am usually very selective. One artist I like is Enya. I also like some of Celine Dione's music. Beethoven, Bach and Mozart have many good selections. Good music can also be downloaded from LDS.org here: Download a Song (MP3) - LDS Church Music

Might I also add clarification on one point of doctrine. Some outside the church will stress the point that we believe Jesus has a body of flesh and bones. What they do not teach is we believe His body is a perfect, glorified, immortal body of flesh and bones. When Christ appeared to His apostles He said to them: "handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have." Luke 24:39

Reading thru this thread I am under the impression that someone said the pistol Joseph Smith had when he was murdered was merely loaded with just black powder and no balls. I believe that his pistol was loaded with lead balls and powder. It only fired three times out of five from what I remember when he used it.

You are correct. It was a symbol Christ and Alma were speaking of these scriptures. We are to take upon us the responsibility of walking in the Spirit and not the flesh. One of my favorite passages in the New Testament also speaks of this subject. Romans chapter 6 1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

God knows everything. He set up His plan and wanted Adam and Eve to enter a probationary state that they might have joy by choosing good over evil. I find it amusing that some false teachings about the fall of Adam seem to teach that God was shocked when Adam and his wife partook of the forbidden fruit. God had Plan A but man messed it up so He had to go with Plan B. The Fall was planned as was the Atonement Christ would make. The Lord also knew many men would exercise their freedom of choice and choose to be wicked. Modern day revelation teaches that Adam and Eve were righteous and walked with God but many of their children chose to reject the commandments of God and be evil.

I am Latter-Day Saint and don't wear a cross but when I hear people speaking of the cross I sometimes think about this scripture: Luke chapter 9 23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. We can also cross reference this scripture with another in the Book of Mormon. Alma chapter 39 9 Now my son, I would that ye should repent and forsake your sins, and go no more after the lusts of your eyes, but cross yourself in all these things; for except ye do this ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God. Oh, remember, and take it upon you, and cross yourself in these things.

I find it interesting that verses 9 and 10 of chapter 29 speak of the people staggering because the Lord hath covered the seers and prophets. This is written right before Isaiah speaks of a sealed book. Isaiah chapter 29 9 Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. 10 For the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered.

I do know of one way to increase my gasoline mileage. I drive 60 miles per hour instead of 65 coming home from work. Keep your gasoline tank more than half way full. I get about 3 miles per gallon better mileage doing the above. That adds up after a while.

How do companies get away with this claiming to improve gasoline mileage dramatically when in reality increases are almost unnoticeable? I hope the guy you know reported them to the Better Business Bureau.

Did you take a look at the website and what they have presented?

Those who have able bodies and are of a sound mind who refuse to work for their own bread are not in the right way. Doctrine and Covenants Section 68 17 Wo unto you poor men, whose hearts are not broken, whose spirits are not contrite, and whose bellies are not satisfied, and whose hands are not stayed from laying hold upon other men’s goods, whose eyes are full of greediness, and who will not labor with your own hands! 18 But blessed are the poor who are pure in heart, whose hearts are broken, and whose spirits are contrite, for they shall see the kingdom of God coming in power and great glory unto their deliverance; for the fatness of the earth shall be theirs.

I was just looking at website that I found in a Popular Mechanics magazine, March 2008. These people guarantee they can improve your gasoline mileage up to at least 50% with the technology they invented. Their technology breaks down fuel so it's burned more efficiently improving your gasoline mileage. They also claim automobile emissions are drastically decreased. I don't know if it's legitimate or not, but I took some automotive classes in and the technology seems like it could possibly work in my mind. I wanted to get an auto technician to look at it and see what he thought. The website is below. Look at the internet site and watch their video. Any opinions would be appreciated. PICC

If we read Matthew chapter seven verse seven: "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:" Jesus also said: "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." John 14:21 Whether this manifestation will be a personal visitation, a vision or a witness of the Spirit I do not know. But the Lord will manifest Himself to all who are truly humble, love Him and seek for Him. Experiences will happen to any who are truly seeking. The Lord answers in His own time and in His own way.

I like Loudmouth Mormon's scripture more than the one I came up with.

I have read through much of this thread. This is what I learned in my studies of truth and governments. One is making a large moral decision when money is forcibly taken from one and given to another. It is a curse to giver and the receiver. The giver is robbed of the blessing of giving. The receiver generally also is not grateful for what has received. Taking freedom of choice from citizens of a government of how to spend most of their money through forced taxation is not a blessing. Also when money is given to a government entity it is generally squandered wastefully. Those officials in charge of funds do not care about the money and the sweat put into earning it. People who give of their funds with freedom of choice very likely make much wiser decisions with how their resources are distributed. I am amazed at many politicians that promise giving their citizens everything. They don't want to contribute their own money to the very cause they talk about. But they do want to tax the money out of the very people they are speaking to. A government that has the power to give you everything has the power to strip it from you as well.

Double post, sorry

There are many who are dealing with your current situation. Jesus spoke on this very subject in Matthew chapter 10: 34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. I would say you pray about it. If my wife wanted me to stop attending church and have my name removed from the records of the church I could not respect her wishes.

In the end the American people only have themselves to blame for what they have done to their nation. Is it any wonder that some of the first words of the United States Constitution are "WE THE PEOPLE"? When the American people truly want their liberty they will act accordingly.

I also agree with what NateHowe has already said. After examining the Book of Abraham I believe it to be truth because of the teachings contained in it. I don't believe Joseph Smith translated any ancient manuscript the way a normal scholar would. When one attempts to understand scripture without the Holy Spirit we see what happens. Look at the hundreds of Christian denominations around the world that all interpret the Bible according to their understanding.

I hope most of what has been shared in this thread isn't normal. We have very good classes in Sunday School and Priesthood in our ward.

Here is something I like on the discerning of spirits: One of the gifts of the Gospel which the Lord has promised to those who enter into covenant with Him is the gift of discerning of spirits—a gift which is not much thought of by many and probably seldom prayed for; yet it is a gift that is of exceeding value and one that should be enjoyed by every Latter-day Saint. . . . Now, the gift of discerning of spirits not only gives men and women who have it the power to discern the spirit with which others may be possessed or influenced, but it gives them the power to discern the spirit which influences themselves. They are able to detect a false spirit and also to know when the Spirit of God reigns within them. In private life this gift is of great importance to the Latter-day Saints. Possessing and exercising this gift they will not allow any evil influence to enter into their hearts or to prompt them in their thoughts, their words or their acts. They will repel it; and if perchance such a spirit should get possession of them, as soon as they witness its effects they will expel it or, in other words, refuse to be led or prompted by it. (Gospel Truth: Discourses and Writings of President George Q. Cannon) President Stephen L. Richards, who served as a counselor to President David O. McKay, has provided additional instruction about the nature and blessings of discernment: First, I mention the gift of discernment, embodying the power to discriminate . . . between right and wrong. I believe that this gift when highly developed arises largely out of an acute sensitivity to impressions—spiritual impressions, if you will—to read under the surface as it were, to detect hidden evil, and more importantly to find the good that may be concealed. The highest type of discernment is that which perceives in others and uncovers for them their better natures, the good inherent within them. . . . . . . Every member in the restored Church of Christ could have this gift if he willed to do so. He could not be deceived with the sophistries of the world. He could not be led astray by pseudo-prophets and subversive cults. Even the inexperienced would recognize false teachings, in a measure at least. . . . We ought to be grateful every day of our lives for this sense which keeps alive a conscience which constantly alerts us to the dangers inherent in wrongdoers and sin.