HaggisShuu

We have a few RMs in my ward who make a big song and dance about how everyone should serve a mission in priesthood and Sunday school. In my opinion these people are akin to the hypocrites who pray on the street corners who Jesus bashed in the sermon on the mount. If you are concerned about your stake devolving into what you describe, then that cruelty needs to be challenged and rebuked. According to D&C 20, this is also a priesthood duty:

I think the presiding bishops conference message of "compensating blessings" can be used in many situations, especially this one. I think that somebody who had a righteous desire to serve, left, and came home early under good faith circumstances, will not miss out on the blessings. A member from my ward watched his companion be stabbed in front of him while serving. Nobody blamed him for coming home early.

I could do something about this, but it's not making me hate my job. Christ never tried to bring a lawsuit against the Romans or Jews after all. But I do take note of who tends to mock, and I avoid them, and mutter obscenities Christ like messages of love and unity when I realise I am on shift with them. Also, since creating this thread I discovered that the Church website actually sells pass along cards. So I plan on using them to try something a little more uplifting.

I didn't serve a mission, I will admit I was unworthy at the time, and chose a marriage over a mission. Recent come follow me material has had me pondering. D&6 36 to me reads like, if you are a man, who is ordained to the priesthood, you must "go forth to preach the gospel" (most easily achieved through serving a mission.) Despite shirking a mission once, I still intend to serve 2 missions, a service mission when I've settled into a long term career and I'm not doing extra training/degrees. I will probably be able to do this in my late 30s. And an away from home senior mission when I retire. There is still time for me to fulfil this requirement and I intend to. As for judgement for not serving a mission, nobody would dare say anything directly to me now that I'm creating babies for our dying ward.

Thank you, that's cleared alot up for me.

I've been studying Isaiah for the last 2 months, and alas, most of it is still going over my head. So I would like to share some thoughts and gather some thoughts on Isaiah 49:8 To start off with, the header for this chapter seems to suggest that this chapter is describing the Latter-Day gathering of Israel. Verse 2 has some interesting commentary attached to it in Church textbooks: It is suggested that the "polished shaft" is in fact Joseph Smith. As this is how Joseph Smith described himself in this famous quote: So if we are running with the assumption that this particular chapter is discussing the Latter-Days, I think the prophecy in verse 8 is being fulfilled through covenant making and patriarchal blessings. Making covenants in the Church allows us to partake of the blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant, which is one way the "earth is being established" and one way we become part of the extended family of Israel. What I find most fascinating though is how covenant making allows us to "inherit the desolate heritages" and I think this is fulfilled when we are declared to be part of a particular lineage in our patriarchal blessing. This may of course be a bogus interpretation, but I find the parallels quite striking.

I think I see where you are leading. An eternity in Eden would mean exaltation would not be possible, frustrating the plan.

I will admit, I likely only see it this way, as I am missing a part of the puzzle. I'm just trying to the find the piece which makes it make sense.

I think Satan ruined it, I know I sin loads, and I am not in a position to judge Eve for transgressing. But from what I remember last time I went to the temple, the wording is like "and if they Sin I will then provide a saviour". If the saviour was more a precautionary measure, then it seems like staying in the garden could have been viable. The fall to me therefore seems like more of a tragedy, than a necessity.

I like to (jokingly) picture that when we die some kind of angel will hold up to us a geiger counter of sorts, The more we rejected christ in our life, the more radioactive our spirits are. Those who pass the check get to go to spirit paradise, and those who fail fall through a trap door into spirit prison, for decontamination. These 2 verses of scripture picture the dynamic between justice and mercy nicely. D&C 19: If you do not accept Christ, after the way he suffered for you, your punishment is to experience it for yourself. D&C 45: If you have done your best to accept Christ, after the suffering Christ went through, in order to spare our saviour more suffering, God relents. This is the justice and the mercy. Being merciful to us, is being just with his only begotten, as adding on to Christ's suffering by making his atonement pointless, would be very unjust indeed. As for the fall, I have my own confusions with this topic I'm yet to have a clear explanation for. Why is Eve venerated as brave and righteous? The way I see the story, Eve was tempted, partook, realises she will now be cast out. In order to fulfil the commandment to multiply and replenish the earth, Adam now has no choice but to fall. The fall seems avoidable, but due to Eve's choices, Adams fall was necessary. This makes more sense when you consider: The traditional telling of the story is that both were brave and righteous and that their transgression was necessary for the plan of salvation. I just struggle to understand this in all honesty. Perhaps I am just a bit daft.

It's all good. No hard feelings here.

I think some of it comes from fear of disfellowship or disciplinary or whatever. Hard to know as they don't speak openly about it, but absolutely horrific tales can be heard from ex-members.

Sorry for using the wrong word and thanks for the lecture. I was remarking on something I miss from previous faith based experiences. Not trying to attack the church. I attend the temple as often as I can too, and it's not the same. Also, a beautiful place and experience though.

That is a dangerous looking wild beast! I can't help but feel all those heads may be a bit impractical though.

The only thing that depresses me about our church is how iconoclast it is. I adore high churches, their architecture and interior design. They are beautiful spaces to gather and worship in. My local Anglican Church which I attended before being baptised is often open during the day, all week round for personal prayer and contemplation and I have been known to visit from to time.