rameumptom

Sounds like you don't have frigginaphobia....

It sounds like the 1st realtor was not being honest with you. They are licensed and expected to treat sellers and buyers equally. I would go to the real estate company that she works for, and tell them that she has been unethical and insulting. You do not want anyone else being ripped off by her, because you said nothing.

Sounds like much ado over starchy items.... Open one up and try it out. If it is rancid, then toss it. Be aware that it may lose some of its nutritional value, although the list you gave us does not really sound nutritious. There are other items that will last much longer. I would suggest replacing with long term storage items. These 5 year items (MREs also included) are great for your 72 hour kit, but not long term storage, as you suddenly have to eat a bunch of MREs at the 5 year mark to keep from losing them all.

1. Do not contend, for contention is the doctrine of Satan (3 Ne 11). You cannot be filled with the true Spirit of God, if you are filled with contention. 2. Pick your battles. Some are not winnable on a logical level. Also, if you are not perfectly speaking the Lord's words, you may be as wrong about it as those promoting homosexuality or other sin or belief. 3. It is more important to testify of Christ and his atonement, than to pick fights over homosexuality or any other issue. If you lead people to Christ, then you are leading them to the Spirit, which will teach them the truths of all other things in their own time and place. If you seek to fight, then you only introduce contention, and they cannot hear the Spirit over your fighting words.

In D&C, the term "heathen nations" is often used to describe China, India and other similar nations that do not worship God/Christ/Allah/etc. From a Jewish standpoint, they are Israel and all others are Gentiles. From an LDS perspective, LDS are spiritual Israel and all others (including Jews) are spiritual Gentiles.

Book of Mormon Lesson 16: “Ye Shall Be Called the Children of Christ” Mosiah 4-6 King Benjamin’s discourse continues in this lesson. After declaring to the people that all of them are fallen and not worthy of anything, and then explaining the atonement of Christ, we find that the people are converted. “...behold they had fallen to the earth, for the fear of the Lord had come upon them. And they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust of the earth. And they all cried aloud with one voice, saying: O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified; for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven and earth, and all things; who shall come down among the children of men. And it came to pass that after they had spoken these words the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ who should come, according to the words which king Benjamin had spoken unto them” (Mosiah 3:1-3). Here we see the pattern to change and convert ourselves to a spiritual life. First, we must humble ourselves, seeing ourselves as “less than the dust of the earth.” Without such an attitude, our pride will always prevent us from having a full spiritual experience. We cannot fully repent, as long as we hold onto any sin or belief that binds us to the material world. Instead, we must see ourselves as unworthy of anything we have received. We cannot think that the world or anyone owes us a living, because the Lord has already given us life and agency. For forgiveness, mercy and at-one-ment to occur, we must surrender our hearts to God. Anything less will not give us the entire blessing. And what is that blessing? As Benjamin’s people repented, they were filled with the Holy Spirit, which testified to them that their sins were forgiven, filling them with exquisite peace and joy. This was a free gift to those who fully accept the gift and do not resist receiving it through a lack of faith. As with them, it required “exceeding faith” to obtain a clear conscience and to be redeemed from the Fall. “For behold, if the knowledge of the goodness of God at this time has awakened you to a sense of your nothingness, and your worthless and fallen state— I say unto you, if ye have come to a knowledge of the goodness of God, and his matchless power, and his wisdom, and his patience, and his long-suffering towards the children of men; and also, the atonement which has been prepared from the foundation of the world, that thereby salvation might come to him that should put his trust in the Lord, and should be diligent in keeping his commandments, and continue in the faith even unto the end of his life, I mean the life of the mortal body— I say, that this is the man who receiveth salvation, through the atonement which was prepared from the foundation of the world for all mankind, which ever were since the fall of Adam, or who are, or who ever shall be, even unto the end of the world. And this is the means whereby salvation cometh” (Mosiah 4:5-8). Here are the steps to salvation: 1. recognize we are nothing and are fallen from the grace and presence of God, 2. recognize that God is good and wishes to save us if we believe and trust in Him, keeping his commandments until the end - not as a way to earn salvation, but as our way of showing faith and repentance enough to receive his grace and not defy it. In verses 9-10, Benjamin reiterates his stance. We must believe in God and that he is all powerful. Then we must repent, and repentance means leaving sin behind and following Christ demonstrated by keeping the commandments. In following this course, Benjamin notes, “And behold, I say unto you that if ye do this ye shall always rejoice, and be filled with the love of God, and always retain a remission of your sins; and ye shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true” (Mosiah 4:12). As such, the Nephites did not receive a remission of sins because they were already keeping the commandments nor trying to earn heaven, but because they truly believed and repented. Then, as the Holy Spirit fell upon them, we find it changed them forever. “And they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually” (Mosiah 5:2). The mighty change of heart they experienced caused them to want to do good. Not because the Mosaic Law demanded they follow a checklist of rules, but because the Spirit had filled them. Pharisees tried keeping every rule in the Mosaic law, and then some. They were excellent at minutiae. Where they failed was they did not have the right faith nor humility to repent. Some modern Christians (including some Mormons) mistake keeping a checklist of rules with having been changed through the atonement of Christ and to now desire to obey for they no longer desire evil. While we are saved only in faith and repentance, our works are still very important. Our future works determine if we are continuing in the grace of Christ, or are drifting back toward the natural man, which is an enemy to God (Mosiah 3:19). Only in casting off the natural man, and then putting on the man of Christ, can we ever hope to obtain the presence of God. Benjamin notes ways in which we should “desire to do good continually.” He lists the importance of teaching the gospel to our children, providing for the sick and needy, and doing good to all mankind. For those who deny helping out the beggar, thinking the person obviously deserves his poverty, the prophet-king proclaimed: “But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God. For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind?” (Mosiah 4:18-19). Could God not determine that we deserve the struggles we go through, and not provide, for the same reasons we judge those around us? The Ghost of Christmas Present mocked Ebenezer Scrooge, using his own words against him: “Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses? “ Imagine if God were such a scrooge with his charity and grace! None of us would get out of this world alive. “And behold, even at this time, ye have been calling on his name, and begging for a remission of your sins. And has he suffered that ye have begged in vain? Nay; he has poured out his Spirit upon you, and has caused that your hearts should be filled with joy, and has caused that your mouths should be stopped that ye could not find utterance, so exceedingly great was your joy. And now, if God, who has created you, on whom you are dependent for your lives and for all that ye have and are, doth grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith, believing that ye shall receive, O then, how ye ought to impart of the substance that ye have one to another” (Mosiah 4:20-21). We would not give an addict more heroin. But if he were to ask for something that could actually help him, is it not our responsibility to do so? If we wish to be true Christians, then yes. And in doing so, the Lord will then shed upon us his grace, salvation and Spirit, filling us with exceeding joy and peace, even in such a troubled world as we live in. The Covenant Again, in Mosiah 5, we find that the people are completely changed. They no longer desire “to do evil, but to do good continually.” Their disposition was now towards following Christ. They were now ready to enter into a covenant with God. “And we are willing to enter into a covenant with our God to do his will, and to be obedient to his commandments in all things that he shall command us, all the remainder of our days, that we may not bring upon ourselves a never-ending torment, as has been spoken by the angel, that we may not drink out of the cup of the wrath of God” (Mosiah 5:5). As with the Doctrine of Christ (2 Ne 31, 3 Ne 11), we follow a pattern: Faith in Christ, Repentance, Making a Covenant (often tied to an ordinance like baptism), and Receiving the Holy Ghost. In the modern LDS Sacrament/communion prayer, we covenant to “ take upon [us] the name of thy Son, and always remember him, and keep his commandments which he hath given [us], that [we]may always have his Spirit to be with [us]” (Moroni 4:3). This, of course, is the eternal round or the cycle of progression. When we develop faith in Christ, or even begin to desire to believe (Alma 32), we then determine we are unworthy and require rescue. That rescuing comes through repentance and making a covenant to live a Christ-like life for the remainder of our days. On making such a covenant, symbolized by ordinances like baptism, sacrament, ordination, endowment or sealing, we are filled with the Spirit of God, which imbues us with new spiritual life. We enter into the presence of the third member of the Godhead, the Holy Ghost, and have begun our ascension into the presence of the Lord. As we exercise ever more faith, we desire more change, and so we repent of more weaknesses we recognize in ourselves, commit or renew a covenant, and are imbued with even more of the Holy Ghost. Eventually, we receive the great promise: “...then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven. The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever” (D&C 121:45-46). The Holy Ghost is our constant companion and we can stand with confidence in the presence of God. With the covenant we make at baptism, we receive a new name, even as King Benjamin’s Nephites received: “And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters” (Mosiah 5:7). Through Christ, the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh, we become spiritually reborn as His children. We become “heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17). Bibliography “Christmas Carol”, Charles Dickens: http://www.stormfax.com/dickens.htm

Questions: 1. Can you tell us a bit about yourself such as your age, ethnicity and education? 52, Caucasian, MA in Teaching/History 2. Where were you born? Can you describe where you grow up and what was it like there? Washington state. Grew up in Western Montana. Mountainous, small towns, lots of wilderness. 3. What is your religion? Mormon 4. Were you born into this religion or did you come about it later on in life? If so, what made you choose or stay in the religion you are in? I became a Mormon at age 16. Friends introduced me to the church, and spiritual experiences brought me and kept me in. 5. Do you practice your religion on a daily basis? Yes 6. Can you tell us key ideas from your religion? See the Articles of Faith. Mainly, we believe in the Resurrection and Atonement of Jesus Christ, modern revelation, and living prophets. 7. What are your views on your religion? How strong are your beliefs? Are you strict with your religion? I believe my religion to have some of the greatest revealed truths today. I strongly believe in its core teachings. I strongly adhere to the commandments, etc. 8. Do you believe it to be the only religion worth following? I believe it to be the best religion worth following. There is much truth and goodness in other faiths, and I often learn wonderful things from studying their beliefs, as well. 9. Is your religion open to other religions; is it similar to other religions? Mormonism believes that there are many people who have been inspired to bring light and truth to the nations, including Christian Reformers, Buddha, Mohammed, etc. We are similar in most ways to other Christian religions, but believe in continuing revelation. 10. How do other religions view you or your religion? Many view us as good people, but non-Christian, because we have some tenets that are different than traditional Christianity. 11. Does your religion affect your personal life? Interaction with others? If so how? Yes. I seek to exemplify a good Christian life, and hope that it will help others return to faith in Christ. 12. What do you find most rewarding about your religion? Hope of a glorious resurrection through Christ, and being with God and my family throughout the eternities. 13. Have you ever questioned your faith? I have often questioned some teachings or practices. However, I strongly adhere to the core doctrines. 14. What are your views on modern society? "It was the best of times. It was the worst of times." 15. What are views on politics in general? I think there are too much politics and government. 16. Would you consider yourself conservative, liberal or centrist? I am a Libertarian. I believe we should eliminate most of the federal government, thus increasing freedom everywhere. 17. What are your views on Canadian politics? How about international politics? Isn't Canada just a suburb of the United States? I believe in the concepts set forth by George Washington: no meddling in others' affairs unless there is a clear impact on the USA itself. We should strive to be friends to all nations, and be a city on a hill for others to aspire to, not be forced to follow. Also, no lasting alliances, as balance of power attempts tend to lead to wars. 18. How do you feel about religion (in general) being used in politics or religion used in politics? I believe as did JFK that politics must be fair and equal to all people. History shows that religions that control governments have a tendency to have both corrupted in the end. Should religion influence politics? To some extent there is no avoiding it, and it may help establish a moral base for the nation. But beyond a moral base, religion should not be involved heavily in politics. At the same time, government has no business messing with religion, either. 19. Does your religious beliefs and practices influence your political views? How and why? Yes. I look at how a politician is going to support morality in the nation. Religion can help establish a moral base. Many nations without any moral code end up like Somalia - in utter violence and chaos. That said, a person should not be a one-issue voter (abortion, homosexuality, etc). I try to see who will offer the greatest freedom, so that individuals may choose for themselves and be responsible for their own choices. Perhaps the worst thing a government/politician can do is pamper the people so much that they no longer can think nor care for themselves. Morality demands that people have freedom to succeed or fail, and government should only be there to prevent one person or nation from impeding upon the freedom of another.

Many state and national parks have cabins to rent. Often they do not care how many people are in the cabin, just that it is paid for. You could also rent a RV, and camp in style along the way. Again, no one cares how many sleep in the RV.

If not a "bad" person, Traveler, would you agree that she's an "evil" person? Would you say that Hitler was not a bad person? How about Cain? Was Hitler a good person who just did some stupid things? Was Cain just having a stupid moment when he ignored God's warning, loved Satan and slew Abel? Yes, sometimes good people do stupid things. I work in a prison, and have many of those types in here. But there are many who are truly evil/bad as well. Can we not agree that there is bad/evil in the world, and it is caused by those who choose bad/evil things? Sleeping around with a married man is not a stupid act. A one nighter might be a stupid thing done by a generally good person. But having a relationship with a married man is not. It is a choice that stares a person straight in the face, forcing the person to decide whether they will be chaste (or at least not sleeping with a married man), or following their animal lusts. I have no doubt this girl was charmed by money more than by charm. That was her choice. And it is an evil one to make.

As a hearing officer inside a state prison, I hear that term frequently. "I'm not a bad person." I always respond, "compared to whom?" If compared to Hitler, then yes, they probably are not a bad person. If compared to Mother Teresa, then they do not look so angelic....

You'll mostly see the ladies passing out flyers and stuff in the evenings. And Dravin, almost everything goes on at the strip. You want a hotel, most likely on the strip. Want to see a show? On the strip. Nice buffet? On the strip. Yes, there are some neat things to see on the strip. There are several free shows and activities going on both inside and outside the casinos. But, again, you have to walk past all the garbage to get to the neat stuff.

Going to Vegas means you walk past/through gaming casinos, and see the half naked ladies advertising their "shows" on the sidewalks. You can find a family friendly cruise that does not present bad things to your kids.

A testimony isn't necessarily an all or nothing thing. It may be that you have a testimony of certain things already, such as some of the commandments or teachings. Alma 32 is a great chapter for finding a testimony. Most testimonies do not occur all at once. They are grown, just like a plant. Begin by planting the word in your heart, and believe in the parts you now are able to believe, even if you can only desire to believe. Then nourish it by prayer, scripture study and meditation. Little by little, you will have moments of clarity that will strengthen the spiritual experience you seek. Occasionally, you will have strong experiences, but for most of us, those only occur infrequently. For most of us, it is the Spirit that moves within us that makes a difference. Then, as with growing any plant, be patient. It will take time for it to begin growing and being visible.

The Book of Abraham is more than just a collection of papyri regarding the Book of Breathings. There are a variety of theories regarding the papyri itself. 1. That there are other papyri Joseph described (including a roll over 20 feet long that we do not have) suggests that Abraham may have been on part of the lost fragments. 2. There is a Jewish/Egyptian theory, where Jews that had Abrahamic traditions took Egyptian scrolls and made them their own, creating a new translation. Abraham's name has been found in some other papyri from the same time period as the JS papyri. 3. The Catalyst Theory. Joseph Smith used whatever document at hand, and received a revelation on ancient things. The Book of Mormon plates were translated while the plates sat closed on the table. The Book of Moses and JS Bible "translation" came about from reading a regular Bible, adding things that one cannot find in any Bible manuscript known to man. D&C notes a document written by the apostle John and hidden under a rock that Joseph "translates" without having the document present. And the papyri could easily have been a Catalyst to bring about the Book of Abraham. That the text of the document bring up many ancient concepts that Joseph Smith could not have known in his day, is something that virtually every person who attacks the BoA neglect to discuss. Why? Because it is so much easier to attack a straw man than to truly engage in the text itself.

Windseeker, recognizing your weakness is the beginning of healing. The way to stop judging them, is to love them more. Pray with all the energy of heart that God will fill you with Christ-like love and charity; and he will give you that gift freely (Moroni 7:48). Satan's doctrine is contention (3 Ne 11), which usually begins with someone making unrighteous judgments against others. We need to pray for ourselves and others. In praying for ourselves, seek forgiveness for being judgmental, and asking to have that love which does not judge unrighteously. Then we should pray for those we love that they may feel God's and our love for them. (see Enos). We shouldn't necessarily pray that God will change them in ways we want them changed, but to fill them with God's love and forgiveness and mercy, so they may change in God's time and manner.

BTW, the Book of Mormon is available online as both text and audio at lds.org There's no reason to wait for a physical copy, when you have internet access. I now use the the Internet and my Kindle's scriptures as much or more than my hard copy. Remember, the love of Christ casteth out all fear. He is just waiting for us to stop rebelling against the atonement and embrace Him. Just as Alma the younger went around rebelling, he had to surrender to Christ. Once he did, he was immediately brought into God's presence and the joy of the atonement, forever changed. Are we ready to begin believing and embracing the atonement? Or are we just too stubborn to believe, to repent, to accept what he is offering us?

Bini, Your fears are normal. They come from our fallen state. Because of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, we all know there are risks, dangers and death awaiting us. We know that life is filled with light and darkness, happiness and sadness, pleasure and pain. When we exercise faith and hope (which go together), we partake of the Tree of Life. The fruit of this Tree is the atonement of Christ. We must learn to have faith that his atonement is sufficient for us, even with our weaknesses. And then have hope that we will be lifted up by him and brought back with our family back into God's presence. The world will try and distract us into fearing what we know. God wants us to take the leap of faith and trust what we believe. Therein lies the peace, comfort and joy of the gospel. When I can say, "yes, there are many tragic things in the world, but Christ will heal all things", then we can be at peace even through the toughest things. He can then empower us with miracles and wonders, and the Comforter. You do not have to be perfect, as it is not an all or nothing event. It is a process of perfection. You start with faith (or even a desire to believe - Alma 32), which allows you to plant the seed of faith and the Word into your heart. Then as you nourish it by repentance and faithfulness and partake of the ordinances (baptism, Sacrament, temple), it begins to grow in your bosom as you feel the Spirit work within you. You become converted to a higher level of faith and faithfulness and joy. Then the cycle starts over, lifting you to ever higher levels of faith, peace and joy. Eventually, the Holy Spirit becomes your "constant companion" as you grow more Christ-like in faith. The only question for any of us is: are we willing to let go of the Tree of Knowledge long enough to partake of the Tree of Life?

The Church policy is, if a person can prove they are a direct descendant of Aaron (not just a Levite) can be a bishop without holding the Melchizedek Priesthood. However, he is still under the requirement to be called of God to that position by the Prophet. Just because a person has met one criteria does not mean he has met all criteria, such as worthiness. That being said, it is very likely that a descendant of Aaron that was called would also be ordained to the MP, so that he could have full access to the blessings of the temple. He would not be able to do temple interviews for endowments or sealings without the MP. He could not direct the priesthood in ordaining MP, confirmations of the Holy Ghost, or a variety of other things. He basically would have one hand tied behind his back, or those responsibilities would have to be delegated to the high priest group leader or elder's quorum president.

I think it is a complicated case that is only made more complicated by mobs trying to impose their will on the system. We need to allow the process to work, watching to make sure that any mistakes or bad practices by police and prosecutor are corrected along the way. But we should not hang the suspect before his trial begins. He is innocent until proven guilty. As for the Church, it should keep totally out of it. No, it would not be nice if they commented. It is a criminal issue, not a moral issue.

You are very welcome. My hope is to help others understand the scriptures better, and in ways they may not have considered before. For me, it helps keep the scriptures alive. I've learned a lot through my own studies and ponderings in preparing these, so I've also grown also.

Jesus Christ - the Tree of Life and Mercy Mosiah 3 So, how do we escape the fact that we will all suffer and die, both physically and spiritually? We cannot find the answer with the Tree of Knowledge. Its reach is only to this material world, and no further. It requires only those things we can commonly experience. The Tree of Knowledge is not evil, but it is the source of knowledge of good and evil things. It offers no way out. We will die. Period. Man has not found a way through his science, math, literature, history, nor any other accomplishment to permanently bring men back from the dead. From before the days of Nimrod with the Tower of Babel, mankind has sought its own methods and purposes to acquire heaven and eternal life, and failed. Only the fruit from the Tree of Life can bring mankind back to life and into the Presence of God. Benjamin is awakened by an angel, a messenger who is to lead him through a vision of things to come. “For the Lord hath heard thy prayers, and hath judged of thy righteousness, and hath sent me to declare unto thee that thou mayest rejoice; and that thou mayest declare unto thy people, that they may also be filled with joy. For behold, the time cometh, and is not far distant, that with power, the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all eternity to all eternity, shall come down from heaven among the children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay...” (Mos 3:4-5). The king has told the people they were no more than the dust under their feet. But now, there is a new reality, one of hope in the future. The Lord would come down among men and lift them from dust. God would change frail mortal men into children of God. “And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people. And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and his mother shall be called Mary.... also his blood atoneth for the sins of those who have fallen by the transgression of Adam, who have died not knowing the will of God concerning them, or who have ignorantly sinned. But wo, wo unto him who knoweth that he rebelleth against God! For salvation cometh to none such except it be through repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Mos 3:7-12). Suddenly, those who died without knowing God have or who have sinned out of ignorance have a way out. Even little children are saved through Christ (Mos 3:15).They do not have to be under the pain of original sin and death, but are rescued by the Savior. Imagine the billions of people who lived and died having never heard of Jesus Christ or the Bible, but sought to live decent lives, and now being rescued from eternal death and hell! “...whosoever should believe that Christ should come, the same might receive remission of their sins, and rejoice with exceedingly great joy, even as though he had already come among them” (Mos 3:13). Here we see what activates the Tree of Life in our lives. Alma taught that planting and nourishing the seed of faith in our hearts causes the Tree of Life to grow until it bears fruit (Alma 32). Where the Tree of Knowledge gave mankind information and experience, including that given through the Law of Moses (see Mos 3:14-15), the Tree of Life rescues us through faith in Christ and repentance. This belief also required hope of future things, the resurrection and atonement, which will save all mankind who will but partake of the fruit of the Tree of Life. “...men drink damnation to their own souls except they humble themselves and become as little children, and believe that salvation was, and is, and is to come, in and through the atoning blood of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent. For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father” (Mos 3:18-19). The natural man is the man who only believes the experiences before him. He has never seen a person resurrect, and so refuses to believe. He sees no need to believe or repent, because for him there is no merit in doing so. Only in yielding, or repenting and believing, can he receive the Spirit into his heart, and allow the great change from natural to spiritual man to occur. As with Lehi, one must walk to the Tree of Life and then partake. Otherwise, as in his vision, mankind will find itself forever lost in mists of darkness. The day will come when all people will be judged according to their faith and faithfulness to Christ and God. “...if they be evil they are consigned to an awful view of their own guilt and abominations, which doth cause them to shrink from the presence of the Lord into a state of misery and endless torment, from whence they can no more return; therefore they have drunk damnation to their own souls. Therefore, they have drunk out of the cup of the wrath of God, which justice could no more deny unto them than it could deny that Adam should fall because of his partaking of the forbidden fruit; therefore, mercy could have claim on them no more forever. And their torment is as a lake of fire and brimstone, whose flames are unquenchable, and whose smoke ascendeth up forever and ever. Thus hath the Lord commanded me. Amen” (Mosi 3:25-27).. In the resurrection, all will be brought back into God’s presence for the judgment. Those who refused to believe and repent will shrink from God’s presence. They will receive another kingdom, simply because they refuse to repent. Joy is only found in the light and joy of Christ. If one refuses that light and joy, what else is there but the darkness and damnation? Adam was forbidden to partake of the Tree of Life while in the Garden. He needed time to learn the gospel, believe and repent. But he did not have forever to choose to symbolically partake by believing God and his Christ. We also must partake of the living fruit of Jesus Christ and live. Bibliography Festival of Tabernacles/Booths: http://joelsmonastery.blogspot.com/2011/04/new-testament-gospel-doctrine-lesson-15.html “An Experiment on the Word: Reading Alma 32”, editor Adam S. Miller: http://www.saltpress.org/

Book of Mormon Lesson 15: “Eternally Indebted to Your Heavenly Father” Mosiah 1-3 Background Most of the books in the Book of Mormon begin with a colophon, an introduction by the author. So, we get “I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents....” (1 Ne 1:1) as a colophon. However the Book of Mosiah does not have one. Why? LDS scholars believe that it has to do with the 116 lost manuscript pages story. While translating the first portions of the plates, Martin Harris asked Joseph Smith if he could take the manuscript to show to his wife and a few others. Joseph was told “no” by the Lord on a few occasions, but then was allowed to do so with strict requirements. Martin Harris became complacent, and allowed the 116 pages of manuscript to be stolen. The lost manuscript would begin with the writings of Lehi, and it seems, end with the first chapter or two of Mosiah. So, where we have Mosiah chapter 1, was probably chapter 2 or 3 in the original. The small plates of Nephi, appended to the back of Mormon’s abridgement, would then become the first portion of our modern scripture, possibly with some missing information, such as the first portion of Mosiah. In Mosiah, we see the aged King Benjamin preparing for what would possibly be his last great sermon to the Nephite and Mulekite peoples. The gathering equates to the ancient Middle Eastern Year Rite. In the Year Rite, the king proclaims the wonderful things he has done for the people in the previous year, protecting them from enemies and crop failure, among other things. Often, the Year Rite would contain a symbolic crowning or anointing of the King. The king would either symbolize God (the King of Heaven) or as with the Egyptians, the Pharaoh-King would be god! In this instance, Benjamin would proclaim Mosiah as his successor in the divine right of Nephite kings, but as we shall see, will teach the people to focus not on Benjamin or Mosiah, but on the real King. This Yearly Rite would also be a Festival of Booths/Tabernacles, where the followers would set up tents facing the temple. In the Mosaic tradition, the Festival of Booths represented Moses coming down from Sinai (the temple) with the plans for the Tabernacle, a mobile temple. Israel recognized that their little tents symbolized the Tabernacle of Moses, wherein was the Presence of the Lord. This was symbolic also, because each man was Lord of his own Tent, bringing his family to be in the presence of the king, who represented God. Benjamin’s Sermon Mosiah 2 As mentioned, the Year Rite was a time to present the king to the people, so he could show all the wonderful things he has done for them. But Benjamin changes the Year Rite to remove himself out of the center of the picture. “I have not commanded you to come up hither that ye should fear me, or that ye should think that I of myself am more than a mortal man” (Mosiah 2:10). He quickly explained that he is just as frail and weak as the rest of them, even though he has sought to serve them all his days. Interestingly, most ancient Middle Eastern kings did not see themselves as servants of the people, but as divine sons of the gods, with the expectation that the people serve and worship them! The people clearly loved Benjamin for his service. Yet, Benjamin does not want their praise. “And behold also, if I, whom ye call your king, who has spent his days in your service, and yet has been in the service of God, do merit any thanks from you, O how you ought to thank your heavenly King!” (Mos 2:19). Where many kings saw themselves as divine mediators between heaven and earth, Benjamin only sees himself as a messenger boy. He is not mediating anything. At most, he has sought to be an example for the people of service and humility. But the thanks and glory will go to God the king, and not to a mortal man acting as a king. This must have especially been a significant concept for the Mulekites, given their people had spent centuries under the Jaredite yoke of oppressive kings and their wars, before escaping south to the place they named Zarahemla. The Grace of God And here is where Benjamin’s teachings get very interesting: “I say unto you, my brethren, that if you should render all the thanks and praise which your whole soul has power to possess, to that God who has created you, and has kept and preserved you, and has caused that ye should rejoice, and has granted that ye should live in peace one with another— I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants” (Mos 2:20-21). Benjamin gives us a reason for worshiping God, but also how useless we are in trying to do so. Here is the first part of what God has done for mankind. God has given us life, protected us, given us moments of happiness and peace. He has given us air and agency, supporting us from moment to moment. After all, it only would take a moment for the Sun to erupt and eliminate the earth, for something to occur to destroy our atmosphere and have all oxygen sucked away, or to have a world of continual death and destruction in all places, with no place to escape. The king notes that even if we spent our whole lives thanking and praising God, we still would be “unprofitable servants.” “And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you. And now, in the first place, he hath created you, and granted unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him. And secondly, he doth require that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you; and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what have ye to boast? And now I ask, can ye say aught of yourselves? I answer you, Nay. Ye cannot say that ye are even as much as the dust of the earth; yet ye were created of the dust of the earth; but behold, it belongeth to him who created you” (Mos 2:22-25). He asks for obedience, and in so doing we will prosper in the land. Scriptures suggest that righteous people tend to have fewer wars, pestilence, or other tragedies. To “prosper in the land” goes back to the promises made to Lehi by the Lord. If the Nephites were obedient, they would prosper. Wickedness would bring destruction. That Lehi and Nephi symbolically equated the Promised Land as being in the “Presence of the Lord” is an important concept here. God has given us everything. If we were to keep the commandments, he blesses us more. In being paid or blessed for our obedience, we still remain in debt. Benjamin notes we are not “even as much as the dust of the earth”, referencing back to Adam and Eve (“to dust shalt thou return” Gene 3:19). While Latter-day Saints do not believe in “Original Sin”, we do believe we are in a fallen state. No matter what we think we could possibly do, we could never achieve a higher form of living without God’s help. Without God, we really are nothing but “dust in the wind”. Adam and Eve fell because they partook of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. This tree teaches that life is full of tangible, material things. We can and will all experience birth and death, happiness and sickness, light and darkness, pleasure and pain. The Tree of Knowledge only offers us what this world can offer, and no more. We literally are not worth more than the dust, as we shall all return to it someday, taking nothing with us. In such a miserable concept, Benjamin will offer us something better, something that makes the Tree of Knowledge bearable and useful to us. Benjamin notes that mankind must learn to follow God and not “out in open rebellion against God; therefore he listeth to obey the evil spirit, and becometh an enemy to all righteousness; therefore, the Lord has no place in him, for he dwelleth not in unholy temples” (Mos 2:37). The problem with the Tree of Knowledge, is that we know we fall very short of obedience to God. Each time we disobey, we are in “open rebellion against God” and are obeying the evil spirit that tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden. As with Adam and Eve, when we partake of the Tree of Knowledge, we fall from God’s presence, there is no place for God within us, nor our unholy selves within God’s holy temple. We are cast off, just as dust is swept out the door. To stay in this awful state of sin, causes mankind to “shrink from the presence of the Lord, and doth fill his breast with guilt, and pain, and anguish, which is like an unquenchable fire, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever” (Mos 2:38). There is no mercy for those who remain at the foot of the Tree of Knowledge.

lds2, Halloween is always the best time to have a ward Emergency Preparedness Fair....

You can read more on this at my blog, where I've discussed the Gospel Doctrine lesson regarding these passages. Hopefully, it will give you more to think about: Joel's Monastery: Book of Mormon Lesson 10: "He Inviteth All to Come unto Him" 2 Nephi 26-30

Get with the other mother. When she bullies a child, she has to give up one of her favorite toys to the harmed child. Suddenly, it requires more than just an apology, but she loses something of value to her. If that doesn't work, then get with the other mother and if she okays it, allow the other child to push her down, just so she can see how it feels to be bullied.