S2LR

Dale, you're right. And thanks to the joint efforts of the Community of Christ Church, the LDS Church was able to complete the critical text project of the Book of Mormon which is an invaluable resource. They could not have done it without the help of your faith...

I agree with what is said here. From modern day scripture we get more clarification with what Paul is teaching in 1 Corith. 15 (see D&C 88:20-31). IMHO, the Bible teaches quite clearly that Christ resurrected with a glorified body of flesh and bones (see Luke 24:39) and that he will return in a like manner with this same glorified body (see Acts 1:11 and Zech 13:6). To assert that Christ dumped his glorified body off after he cleared the clouds during his ascension is absurd. Such an assertion would suggest that he died twice since dying, by definition, is a separation of the spirit and the body. It's more plausible to believe that Christ dwells in heaven with his glorified body of flesh and bones and that he will return with this body at his second coming.

If you have questions about the LDS Church, I strongly suggest that you discuss them with someone who IS LDS and not follow the advice of those that may persuade you to do otherwise. Discussing the matter with those who are not LDS will give you a distorted view of what Mormons really believe. Just my .02...

The textual change of interest is not part of the Book or Mormon in the literal sense. It involves a change in the preface, not the translated portion. It is true that the Book of Mormon has over 3000 textual changes since its inception which may bother some and give incentive for critics to cry foul. However, if one studies the critical text project of the Book of Mormon which tracts the changes from the original extent manuscript and printer's manuscript to the current edition, those changes actually turn into gems of evidence that Joseph Smith did indeed translate the Book of Mormon by the gift and power of God...

The beauty and hope that is taught through the Atonement of Christ is that we can always come back and be forgiven of the sins that we have committed. Christ built the bridge. All he requires from us is to have the faith to walk over it. It may not be easy but it will be worth it in the end. As a child of God, always remember that the Lord loves you unconditionally! He waits with open and loving arms to receive you back.

D&C 130:22 implies that the Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit so that he may dwell in us. In reality his personage can only be in one place at one time. It is his influence that we are all able to enjoy concurrently.

Seattle, While I don't really have anything meaningful to add to the discussion at hand, please give serious consideration to a prayerful and honest study of the Book of Mormon along with your other studies. It is the keystone of our religion for a reason. It is my personal belief that it will give you an answer to the truth that you seek. If the Book of Mormon is true, then the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the Kingdom of God upon the earth. The truth of this religion rests on the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. Good luck in your quest and happy Valentine's day...:)

Absolutely! I think we as Mormons have many things in common with members of other faiths that we can all leverage to foster better relationships. I think we all believe in strong morals, strong families, the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman, just to name a few. We believe in the Bible, in God and Jesus Christ much like the rest of our Christian brothers and sisters. Sure, there are differences in certain doctrinal points but we shouldn't let those things get in the way of practicing the teachings of Christ as given in the Bible, namely of loving our neighbor as ourselves. I for one, hold members of other faiths in high regard. I respect them for what they believe. In the world in which we live, I believe we can collectively strengthen each other by our faith no matter what Church we may belong to. Christ's teachings and example apply to all and is the common bond that binds us together as believers in Christ. Thanks for your questions...:)

In answer to the first two paragraphs, we must appeal to scriptures that Latter Day Saints hold sacred just as the Bible. If you have access to the Perl of Great Price, please read Moses 1:30-40. In these scriptures, you will notice that God's creations are numberless to man but numbered to him. In other words, God's creations are not infinite in the mathematical sense. They are, however, numberless to man...even computerized man! (see Neal A. Maxwell "O Divine Redeemer" November Ensign 1981) As for life on other worlds, in our Doctrine & Covenants we read "That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God". The reference to "him" is referring to Jesus Christ who we believe created the universe under the direction of God, the Father. We know from the aforementioned scripture that there IS life on other worlds. The scientific community with its current technology will not fully substantiate this fact. The current state of the art in physics and astronomy is trying to prove that there are other planets that "could" have life sustaining properties. They have found a few as potential candidates but they are a far cry from "proving" that life exists on these worlds. Even if we were able to see or detect that life exists on other worlds, the images or detections we would get are really relics of a distant past and have nothing to do with our present time since it takes light or any other form of electromagnetic radiation hundreds or even thousands of years to reach the earth! That creates another host of problems and questions. The best science could hope for is to conclude that life "did" exist on a world a long time ago, far, far, away. For the time being, we will have to have faith and go off what the Lord says in modern day scriptures that life has existed and does now exist on other worlds. As for your last question, this is a good one and one that has perplexed many and caused much confusion. The usage of the word "eternal" is synonymous with the term "God". In other words, eternal life is God's life or the kind of life that God lives. Endless and eternal are synonymous as well. The word "God" as used in the scriptures is also used as a title and in many instances is not referencing a single individual. When we hear that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are one "God", it does not mean that they are one and the same in substance. It means rather that they are one in purpose and presidency and that they hold the same office or title as members of the Godhead. As Latter Day Saints, we do believe that God the Father was once as we are now and is an exalted man who now dwells in yonder heavens. So how do we resolve this idea with what is taught in the Bible that God is "eternal" or has existed forever? There are a couple ways to look at this. The first way to think of this is that when God came to be God, he "spiritually" created you and I and that was the beginning of us in eternity. In other words, when the scriptures speak of eternity, they speak of eternity on our own understanding. In this context, God is eternal from our point of view. A more complex view of resolution on this subject involves the doctrine of the eternal nature of intelligence as viewed by Latter Day Saints. God's intelligence (just as man's intelligence) has existed forever and there is no creation about it (see D&C 93:29-30). In this sense, God as an entity of intelligence has always existed forever, albeit in different states of progression. In fact, man is co-eternal with God himself when viewed in this light (no pun intended)! I believe these two explanations adequately resolve the apparent conflict. I hope this hasn't muddied the waters too terribly. Hopefully it will give a further desire for thought on the subject...:)

Ok...when you said Powder Ridge Village, that makes more sense. Powder Ridge Village is associated with the Power Ridge Mountain Ski resort. Eden is the city below. If you're staying at the resort which is sounds like you are, then, yes it would be much higher than the city. Basically you drive 7 miles up the mountain from Eden to get there. The city Eden itself is 5000ft elevation. You'll see what I mean when you get here...:)

Eden, Utah is not 9000ft elevation. Probably more like 5000ft. I cycle up on Trapper's loop which goes up to Snowbasin ski resort from the valley where Huntsville is located. Eden is in the same valley on the north end. Snowbasin at it's base is around 8000ft and goes to about 9500ft. at the top. I spend quite a bit hiking in the Wasatch mountains (my backyard) which average around 10,000ft elevation. For those who aren't used to high altitude, you will be short of breath and will probably have a headache initially. Your body should adjust fairly quickly though. You will tire more quickly too but that will go away as well...