Traveler

What I do not understand is why someone has the need to discuss their sexual orientation when buying a cake, tires or just about anything.  The only industry I think should care is the insurance industry – but only because they keep copious statistics on risks and life styles.  And then they should only be interested in a lifestyle that increases or diminishes their risk?
I think I am more in line with the “don’t ask” “don’t tell” concept.  It is like that guy that says – every time I hit my thumb with a hammer – it hurts.  Then the logical solution for that guy is to quit hitting his thumb with a hammer????  Telling the world changes nothing.
 
The Traveler

Something that has helped me with my prayers.  It came as advice from a seminary teacher in my youth very long ago and was mainly about dating.
The advice was that before doing anything you felt was important (at the time the teacher was talking about dating) take time to have a personal prayer and outline, in specifics, what you plan to do.  The teacher’s recommendation was even so specific that he advised us young men that if we wanted to kiss our date that we should include that in our prayer – even to disclose our plan leading up to the kiss.  As we disclosed our plan we should enquire the opinion of our L-rd and ask for his assistance and help to accomplish our plan.  This may sound ridiculous but it is very effective – your will know in your core what you should and should not be doing.  Then he recommended; that when we have completed our important task that we again, while the whole event was fresh, return in personal prayer and review – report in if you will – what happened, how things turned out, what we learned and how we felt about what happened.
I learned so much from this method of prayers that I still employ this method on a daily basis – in the morning I review what I have planned for the day and every evening I report on what occurred and how my plan for the day turned out.  One very unexpected discovery has occurred on several occasions when things have been humorous that I have felt a friendly closeness as though we laughed together.
This is not the only method of prayer I use but it is the method that I use and it has helped me remove that notion of prayer as a ritual without meaning.
 
The Traveler

Everytime I'm asked to say the prayer in Sacrament Meeting or at special occasions like a Baptism, etc., I write my prayer and read it at the podium.  It's a habit (crutch?) I learned from my Catholic days where I pray using a Prayer Book.  I've had several of these prayers sitting in my iPad that I could make a Prayer Book out of them.  I've never really thought of composing a prayer without the special occasions.  Thanks for this post.  I'm gonna try to do that now that @zil got me to buy 12 different colors of fountain pen ink and I need to find reasons to use them. 
 

While we are still on the subject of prayers – I have found that on a few rare occasions I have been prompted to sit and compose a prayer.  When I say compose – I mean I sit at my computer and compose it similar to creating a blog or post.  This means I review it several times – making additions and corrections.  I keep a record of these prayers in my personal Book of Remembrance (family history).
 
The Traveler

Perhaps there is a deeper reason, but to me it was  because that was the natural state in which they were created ( Moses 3:25, Abr 5:19)
What I find curious is that prior to the fall, Adam and Eve were not ashamed of their nakedness (ibid.), but after the fall they felt the need to make aprons, and were afraid and hid themselves. Evidently they were not ashamed that they were naked because the didn't see that they were naked until after partaking of the forbidden fruit. (Moses 4:13,16-17)
One may reasonably wonder if their inability to see that they were naked prior to the fall, is what Lehi meant when he called them "innocent" (2 Ne 2:23)--i.e. an infant state (D&C 93:38), and what may have impeded or prevented them from obeying the command to be fruitful and multiply and become one flesh? I believfe so.
Thanks, -Wade Englund-

Read the scriptures I previously posted.

Something that has helped me with my prayers.  It came as advice from a seminary teacher in my youth very long ago and was mainly about dating.
The advice was that before doing anything you felt was important (at the time the teacher was talking about dating) take time to have a personal prayer and outline, in specifics, what you plan to do.  The teacher’s recommendation was even so specific that he advised us young men that if we wanted to kiss our date that we should include that in our prayer – even to disclose our plan leading up to the kiss.  As we disclosed our plan we should enquire the opinion of our L-rd and ask for his assistance and help to accomplish our plan.  This may sound ridiculous but it is very effective – your will know in your core what you should and should not be doing.  Then he recommended; that when we have completed our important task that we again, while the whole event was fresh, return in personal prayer and review – report in if you will – what happened, how things turned out, what we learned and how we felt about what happened.
I learned so much from this method of prayers that I still employ this method on a daily basis – in the morning I review what I have planned for the day and every evening I report on what occurred and how my plan for the day turned out.  One very unexpected discovery has occurred on several occasions when things have been humorous that I have felt a friendly closeness as though we laughed together.
This is not the only method of prayer I use but it is the method that I use and it has helped me remove that notion of prayer as a ritual without meaning.
 
The Traveler

It is my understanding that prayer is not so much to make G-d aware as it is that we become aware of G-d.  Whatever method we utilize to turn our hearts from what burdens us to what burdens G-d is the success of prayer.  For myself I find that even though my prayers become more desperate and longing with my burdens – that I remain unsettled until I listen and become aware of G-d.  I only wish that I could have an eye single to G-d and get over the constant worry of myself.
 
The Traveler

When we say the fall was necessary there is a companion question – necessary for what?  The obvious answer is – the fall was necessary to have the knowledge of good and evil.  There is more involved because this knowledge means something in eternity – but I leave that question to the student specifically to ensure that pearls are not cast before swine. 
We also talk about transgression.  There is no transgression without law.  So then, there is another question – what law was broken? 
There is so much good “stuff” to learn from this story of Eden.  Why would G-d forbid that the fruit of the tree be tasted?  Actually, he specifically says why he forbids anyone partaking of the fruit.   Besides what he forbade – there were other consequences or results – some of which appear to have not realized until after the choice was made and “things” were changed seemingly unexpectedly.  The specific narrative was that “eyes were open” and things were beginning to be seen.
Besides questions about benefits in eternity – why did Satan intervein?   And why as a serpent?   But there is another conundrum – how was it that Satan had access to Eden?  Who let Satan in Eden (who was responsible) – what eternal law had to be broken for that to happen?  How was it possible that G-d was unaware of Satan in Eden or what he had done?  Why was Adam and Eve naked? And is there any significance to “fig leaves”?   And then the greatest untold mystery – What is the Cherubim and a flaming sword?  What is interesting to me is that in all the art there is only one Cherub with a flaming sword – doesn’t anyone know the ancient Hebrew term for “Cherubim” is the plural of Cherub?  Again, I will leave the exercise to search other places in scripture where mankind will encounter swords and flames wielded in relationship to “The Tree of Life”.
And this thread goes on and on – and as it continues – what is learned?  What has this thread accomplished?  One last thought I leave – what are the differences in the Creation and Eden epochs in scripture and what “additions” do we learn in our sacred temples?
 
The Traveler

It is my understanding that prayer is not so much to make G-d aware as it is that we become aware of G-d.  Whatever method we utilize to turn our hearts from what burdens us to what burdens G-d is the success of prayer.  For myself I find that even though my prayers become more desperate and longing with my burdens – that I remain unsettled until I listen and become aware of G-d.  I only wish that I could have an eye single to G-d and get over the constant worry of myself.
 
The Traveler

Just a word of caution for @lostinwater and @changed or anyone else giving umbrage to this thinking – before you judge G-d as being unworthy (something you consider undesirable) you should take a step back and rethink your position - realizing that with every good thing or attribute of G-d you reject that there are both severe consequences as well as eternal blessings of liberty and freedom that are forever lost.
Also, it is my belief that when Jesus said, “suffer the little children to come unto me – for of such is the kingdom of heaven”.  That he was not so much speaking of little children as being of the kingdom as he was speaking of himself and those that love and care for little children – it appears to me that you are rejecting any possible responsibility over little children (and others in spiritual or other need).  Taking responsibility to love others in a caring way (as an attribute of G-d) should not be discarded so easily.
 
The Traveler

Just a word of caution for @lostinwater and @changed or anyone else giving umbrage to this thinking – before you judge G-d as being unworthy (something you consider undesirable) you should take a step back and rethink your position - realizing that with every good thing or attribute of G-d you reject that there are both severe consequences as well as eternal blessings of liberty and freedom that are forever lost.
Also, it is my belief that when Jesus said, “suffer the little children to come unto me – for of such is the kingdom of heaven”.  That he was not so much speaking of little children as being of the kingdom as he was speaking of himself and those that love and care for little children – it appears to me that you are rejecting any possible responsibility over little children (and others in spiritual or other need).  Taking responsibility to love others in a caring way (as an attribute of G-d) should not be discarded so easily.
 
The Traveler

There are many principles that I have attempted to reconcile from scripture.  Foremost are the principles of the Plan of Salvation.  The 3 great principles of the Plan of Salvation are #1 – The Creation, #2 – The Fall of man and #3 – The Atonement.  We are taught by Isaiah that the things of G-d are brought to man – “line upon line upon line and precept upon precept upon precept”.   We are also taught in scripture that when man (somebody) refuses to accept revelation (in essence, think they know all the answers and do not need to learn additional “things”) that they will lose understanding of sacred revelations that they previously understood.  I believe that the things of G-d (things revealed in scripture) cannot be understood except that such revelation come through the Holy Ghost.
What am I trying to say?  I am saying that; what people call a literal interpretation of the scriptures and especially the most critical understanding of the Plan of Salvation cannot be understood by the literal thinking of “the natural man”.  I will even be so bold as to suggest that those that rely on the literal (natural man) will find themselves in opposition to the spirit and purpose of G-d.  There is more to the Eden epoch than why Adam and Eve were driven from the presents of the Father.  I suggest that the Eden epoch is to be understood spiritually in order to explain why man (including you and I) have been driven from the presents of the Father and must be saved by the Christ through the Atonement.  Because we have chosen to partake of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil – we must be redeemed by the Christ – the very “Son of G-d the Father”.
Without the understanding that we are partakers of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil we will not understand the Atonement and without an understanding of the Atonement we will not understand anything in scripture – or at the temples of G-d or any other revelation from G-d.
 
The Traveler

@Sunday21
I think you made a mistake in giving a title to this tread - It should have been called how the Saints of G-d make decisions.
 
The Traveler

https://ldsmag.com/when-prophets-of-god-disagree-president-eyring-on-the-nature-of-church-decision-making/
Pres Eyring describes the decision making of the quorum of apostles lead by a prophet.

@Seeker of truth,
One of the great problems in understanding and relating to the “Plan of Salvation” is that so many are concerned with doctrine – thinking that salvation comes from understanding doctrine.  The problem is that salvation is not a mental exercise – there is more to salvation than thinking and doctrine.  The essence of salvation is what is called in scripture as “A Change of Heart” not a change of mind or ideas or impressions of doctrine. 
Part of understanding a change of heart is the modern Hollywood concept of what our heart is.  Because many think in terms of the heart as the organ that pumps blood we have this idea that our heart is where love comes from and therefore a change of heart is all about feelings and emotions.  Ancient reference to heart meant the core of an individual and that is much more than emotions and feelings – our heart is the essence of who we are.  So, in essence a change of heart is a complete change of who we are.  Contrary to those that think only in terms of doctrine – repentance is more than getting rid of sins.  In scripture we are told that we are “spiritually” reborn through repentance.
The other part of salvation most often overlooked is what the scriptures call the law.  It is by the law that there is justice.  Mercy can forgive sin but mercy cannot cause a heart to change.  A change of heart comes only through obedience to the law.  Obedience to the law comes in two parts – the parts are called ordinances and covenants.  Thus the first step in obedience to the law is a submission to the ordinances.  Those that do not submit to the ordinances in this mortal life will have opportunity in the spirit probation and time between death and the resurrection.
Thus, by ordinance and covenant we will all stand before G-d to submit and validate our individual plan for eternity.  Those that have prepared for Celestial law will be ready and have all things (ordinances and covenants of the law) prepared for their Celestial resurrection.  We are told of three divine laws that we can change our hearts to receive.  If our hearts are not changed and prepared through divine law we cannot abide that law and if we cannot receive a law of glory we become subject of, or in bondage to; the law in which there is no divine glory.  We are warned that Satan is the master of those that cannot abide any of the laws of glory.  In essence we become “subjects” of Satan and his law.
I have come to understand that the first step to freedom is discipline.  The first step to bondage and captivity is indulgence.   The first being an act of sacrifice of self the second is an act of sacrifice of others or act of selfishness.
 
The Traveler

You're talking about 2015...
There are fewer opportunities for people because jobs moved out of the USA.  With USA having one of the world's highest corporate taxes and burdensome regulations, who would want to open jobs there? This, of course, affects the lowest qualified people as they get edged out in competition.  There is only one solution to this problem.  Attract more jobs to the USA to create an employee market so employers have to compete for employees instead of the other way around.  This was proven by North Dakota during the energy boom, but because of US regulations, OPEC was able to simply drop their prices, shutting down the energy boom in the US.
The past year is a new era in the US.  Jobs are coming back to the US, energy is once again competitive (well positioned to be a net energy exporter!), burdensome regulations got slashed 4 to 1, trade agreements re-balanced, and illegal immigration stifled to prevent them from competing in the marketplace of American workers.  The result is a jobs market with the lowest unemployment rate.  And this just started.  The US' reception in Davos Summit shows a worldwide excitement for the US market.  Trudeau got a smile for his duck socks and a yawn for his ideas.
Canadians and Fins find it easy to say "give a guaranteed income to people even without commensurate work".  They always do not consider where that income is going to come from.  They think - oh, the rich will pay it.  Yeah sure.  If Canada or Finland was the only place to be rich.  They don't consider that heck, they're just gonna move to the USA!  By the way - that has been proven time and time again in Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, and Norway.  That's why Denmark and the Netherlands moved away from their Democratic Socialist experiment 20 years ago.  Sweden is ailing as they hang on to the last vestiges of the failed experiment being propped up by IKEA. 
In any case, guaranteed income does not guarantee anything.  You're basically just base-lining the cost of living.  When somebody gives people money, they end up competing for what to spend that money on - which means prices are going up.  Also, it is baselining entry-level work.  With people getting X guaranteed income it will take a whole lot more to attract them to work.  As work is subject to return-on-investment, it will then require a whole lot more qualifications to work at McDonald's because the automated burger flipper and cashier is cheaper to hire.

There is forgiveness... and there is being able to endure a Weight of Glory... They are not the same thing but we often conflate them.
All but those that commit the unpardonable sin will be forgiven, by Christ through the power of his atonement, and be cleaned from sin. And thus be able to enter Heaven.  However in Heaven there are three degrees of Glory.  Which Glory we get depends on what kind of person we became. 
 

Getting baptized in 2 different churches is like serving 2 masters - baptism is a covenant that one fulfills.  Being baptized in 2 churches makes it difficult to fulfill one or both of the covenants.
If the wife insists on raising the kids Evangelical and getting them baptized then the best option is to have the kids baptized at the Evangelical church, continue to take them to the LDS Church whenever possible and continue to teach them the restored gospel (unless the wife objects) and have them decide when they become adults if they want to be baptized in the LDS church.  If the wife objects to the children being taught LDS doctrine then I suggest the teaching be focused on loving God and diligently and humbly and honestly seeking the truth of God's kingdom.
Just my 2 cents.

The big bang theory doesn't start with nothing. It starts with everything packed into a singularity. Lemaitre compares it to something like the "universe atom" to aid the layman in understanding. Hawking and others have modified it (there's a paper from the 70's where he shows that the big bang singularity is not the sole origin of the universe, and he played around with the idea that the universe cycles through expanding and collapsing), but in all of these there's not an instance of starting with nothing.
Ex nihilo is not the foundation of the big bang theory.

This is instructive, thank you.  This is not something that I have put much serious study in and I only engage for the hope that I will learn something from someone more steeped in science than I have ever been. I appreciate your distinctions on empirical evidence.  Perhaps if we backed away from the life contingency, we can still observe that even the existence of inhabitable planets was not accepted until recent decades.  Nonetheless, again we run into the issue of empirical evidence that any other orb is actually proven inhabitable. 
Nonetheless, perhaps on the same force of acceptance of scientific theories without empirical evidence, which still are treated with an empirical status to the best perceptions of most non scientific individuals, we can observe that science is moving in the direction of a worlds without number  conclusion.
I agree as to the difficulty of science and religion.  The foundational premises are essentially polar opposites.  On the one hand we have an expectation of a priority of faith to believe and on the other we have an expectation of adequate proof , or empirical evidence if you will, before one should believe. Inherently the differing rules make integration of information difficult.
 

The problem in the quest for truth is not so much in what people see - as it is in what they will not see.  Or as Jesus said – eyes that see but see not and ears that hear but hear not.  The difference between light and darkness is that in the light we see all things more clearly but in darkness the truth can be hidden. 
And then I took the concept one step further.   Satan and his lies will be brought to everyone – it is the default condition – there is no effort necessary to encounter falsehoods.  But to find truth one must seek, knock and ask (with a pure heart having real intent).  Misunderstanding and false belief is the natural standard default – the natural thinking of the natural man.  Truth is the exception that must be sought for and earned.   Thus, a Saint is disciplined or as the scriptures account – a disciple of the master.
 
The Traveler

No - you are wrong - it is why (for thousands of years) those of religious stripe are so willing to go to war and murder one another in the name of G-d and religion and what they think they see as evidence that G-d favors them and their belief that they are right.  A prime recent example is the effort to use the scripture and interpretations of scripture (without Science) as an excuse to establish the “Third Reich” by Hitler and the Nazis.
I am convinced that someone has a screw loose when they say they can prove science (empirical evidence) is wrong and they can prove it – then attempt to use or provide empirical evidence to say science and the use of empirical evidence is wrong.
 
The Traveler

Proving once again that one does not have to use common swear words to put a point across of great or strong significances.
 
The Traveler

What is it we think we want to possess in order to be sure of something so we know it to be true?   Can anyone say with pure clarity that they know anything to be true?  If we see something and hold it in our hands so that we feel it – can we say that its existence is true?  Then, what about a year or two later; can we know that what we remember is both true and complete?  Sometimes I go to get a tool from my tool cabinet – only to get there and I cannot remember what tool I came to get.  I am skeptical when anyone thinks they never forget something.
For me the first effort to know if something is true is to first determine form myself if I know anything to be true and then the process by which I came to know that truth.  I am very sure about quite a few things but I am not sure if I can honestly say I know anything completely to know it to be true.  In addition – a great many things I am quite sure about – I have discovered that I cannot “prove” (even to myself) that anything I think to be true is actually true.  I am a mathematician and engineer and I cannot say that even mathematic proof conclude truth – even though the conclusions are consistent and reassuring.  Many things are so consistent and unwavering (unwavering includes spiritual unwavering) over so long periods of time, that I have concluded that such things are true – but it is my conclusion.
For me the Book of Mormon is one of the most consistent and unwavering (including spiritual unwavering) influences in my life that I continue to study and have concluded to be true – many times over and over and over.  I cannot say the same about the Bible.  But there is another dimension to my thinking and understanding – that is that I have discovered that from time to time others that I converse with concerning what I understand to be true – seem to have come to quite different conclusions.  For example; some say they know the Book of Mormon to be true and yet they seem to understand principles of the “truth” that is very much different than mine.  Though this sometimes happens with the Book of Mormon I must admit that it happens on a much larger scale with the Bible.   In all cases that it would seem the Book of Mormon (for me) to not be true it must contradict another consistent and unwavering influence that I am sure is true.
Thus, concerning the Book of Mormon – I can give anyone many reasons and experiences (including profound spiritual experiences) why I believe it to be true.  However, in all my efforts I have not encountered anything to impress me that the Book of Mormon is false; that remains consistent.  As an example, I have encountered many that claim the Book of Mormon to be false that think they have the proof.  Interestingly, most that claim to know such a thing also claim the Bible to be true but yet their supposed proof that the Book of Mormon is false also disproves the Bible.  Thus, my conclusion that such that disparage the Book of Mormon and believe the Bible – I just do not believe they know or understand their own claims to know truth from folly.  Others that have claimed proof the Book of Mormon is not true (that do not believe in the Bible) but then again, they do so in contradiction of something else that they claim to be true.
 
The Traveler