Search the Community

The Plan At last, it was time to be born To willingly pass through unknown I was there, with you, that first morn Vowed never to leave you alone We parted and you left in trust Of the plan we all had agreed Formed of spirit, water, and dust With a pledge, my voice you would heed Others were forced down to earth Not willing to listen to love A third who would never be birthed In Heaven rebelling above Shadowed by a charming deceit A son of the morning who fell Embracing a massive conceit To drag all to a mis’rable hell Then into this world you will live But absent your previous fief To make your own choices, I give To face opposition with grief I promised to help you along Be with you through all of your trials Ceaselessly forgiving your wrongs Embracing all heaven’s exiles Eventually I will come down And free all the prisoner’s caught Lifted up, I will certainly crown All children my voice who have sought So brief was my visit on earth I came down to satisfy laws To show you all traits of high worth And enlist you in heavn’ly cause I give you a higher path option If you will conceive to believe And treat each other with caution All children of Adam and Eve One day, when life will have ended Return and report of your deeds Judgement will then be extended Based on the fruit of your seeds I will embrace all the willing Who chose to do good the long day To life everlasting fulfilling The promise to those who obey Aeglyn May 2020

I've been reflecting upon the plan of salvation and how, as part of this, animals will be taking part in the resurrection. As we know, for mankind, there will be resurrection unto eternal life, and resurrection unto damnation. Salvation unto eternal life means eternal progression and an eternal increase. Damnation in this context will mean limited progression due to not attaining the highest degree of glory. Animals, on the other hand, seem to be locked into where they are as far as I can tell. Wouldn't this be damnation? Some additional thoughts I have on the topic are the idea that resurrection for animals seems troubling. As you recall, when Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden, cherubim and a flaming sword were placed before the Tree of Life lest Adam and Eve partake of its fruit and "live forever in their sins." Again, this sounds akin to resurrection unto damnation, but would be immortality unto damnation. So would resurrecting a lower level of intelligence stop its progression? When humans were only intelligences, were we still different from animals, or are animals part of the progression? Lastly, I feel that one piece of the puzzle could be related to the beasts in the revelation of John. We learn in D&C that these beasts are not merely symbolic, but actual animals. Do animals maybe have a different path of progression than humans do, serving different roles in the kingdom than man? (Which wouldn't be far-fetched, considering that is the case in mortality.) I'm interested in your ideas and experience on this subject!

JAIL HOUSE RELIGION Some say that God must live inside the walls of prisons since so many seem to find him there. Is it really surprising that the Creator reveals himself in dark places? Both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible contain great stories of jailhouse religion. Joseph’s prison experience demonstrates that the God of the Old Testament is the same loving and faith-inspiring one found in the New Testament. Joseph was the head slave in Potiphar’s household. The master’s wife tried to seduce him, but he fled the scene. The woman claimed that Joseph tried to rape her, and her husband believed the tale. As a result, he spent approximately 10-12 years in jail—labeled as a sex-offender. Despite the injustice of it, Joseph was a model prisoner. Both his fellow inmates and the prison’s staff respected him. God gifted Joseph with the ability to interpret dreams. Despite the justified anger he might have felt towards Egypt, and its rulers, he used his gift to help Pharoah’s staff, and then the king himself. The apostle Paul, and his partner, Silas, went to prison frequently. They dared proclaim what they had seen and heard—that Jesus is risen from the dead! Their boldness led to tremendous church growth, and it angered Rome’s leaders. So, they were beaten and jailed. Like Joseph, they were model inmates. They sang praises to God late at night. Then an earthquake shook the prison, resulting in open doors. Nevertheless, Paul and Silas stayed in their places, as did all the prisoners. The head jailer was so amazed that he and his whole family converted to faith in Jesus. Why did Paul and Silas stay put? Why did Joseph use his supernatural gifts to help Egypt? These prisoners had faith. God showed himself inside those walls, so they could believe that all would end well. The results vindicated their faith. Joseph correctly predicted that a severe famine would hit Egypt, and then administered stock piling and rationing. Ultimately, he saved his own family, and his “host country” from starvation. Similarly, Paul and Silas received apologies from the magistrates, and were publicly escorted out of the jail, completely exonerated. Christians believe in life turn-arounds. We welcome those releasing back into our churches. Some have even turned from lives of crime to full-time service in gospel ministry. Why not? Adam and Eve committed the original sin, yet taught their children to sacrifice offerings to God. Moses killed a man, yet led Israel out of Egypt. King David committed adultery, lied about it, then had the woman’s husband killed. Nevertheless, God declared him a man after his own heart. In much the same way, Paul was the Christian church’s most zealous opponent, yet he becomes author of over half of the New Testament. “Jailhouse religion” is a phrase oft-spoken with cynicism. This prison chaplain enthusiastically endorses the kind of faith found during incarceration. After all, were we not all captives of our own sins and follies? Listen to the audio presentation of this message at: http://www.anglelake.org/resources/online-sermons/?sermon_id=382

I want to present my reasons for why baptism is required for salvation. In my most recent blog post Kingdoms of Salvation, I used a quote from President Uchtdorf in this past General Conference to show that baptism is required for salvation, even for salvation in the telestial kingdom. In summarizing this I say, "Salvation is entrance into any of God's kingdoms within His kingdom... Baptism is required for salvation. Baptism is required to enter the kingdom of God. Therefore, baptism is required to enter the telestial kingdom of salvation because it is part of the kingdom of God." This logic is simple and scripturally sound. Read it and let me know what you think.

"FULFILLING OUR DUTY TO GOD" Below are some important topics pertaining to the church. These topics are from the book, "For the Strength of Youth." Fulfilling Our Duty to God ------------------------------------- *AGENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY Your Heavenly Father has given you agency, the ability to choose right from wrong and to act for yourself. You have been given the Holy Ghost to help you know good from evil. While you are here on earth, you are being proven to see if you will use your agency to show your love for God by keeping His commandments. While you are free to choose for yourself, you are not free to choose the consequences of your actions. When you make a choice, you will receive the consequences of that choice. The consequences may not be Immediate, but they will always follow, for good or bad. Wrong choices delay your progression and lead to heartache and misery. Right choices lead to happiness and eternal life. That is why it is so important for you to choose what is right throughout your life. You are responsible for the choices you make. You should not blame your circumstances, your family, or your friends if you choose to disobey God's commandments. You are a child of God with great strength. You have the ability to choose righteousness and happiness, no matter what your circumstances. You are also responsible for developing the abilities and talents Heavenly Father has given you. You are accountable to Him for what you do with your abilities and how you spend your time. Do not idle away your time. Be willing to work hard. Choose to do many good things of your own free will. *GRATITUDE The Lord wants you to have a spirit of gratitude in all you do and say. Live with a spirit of thanksgiving and you will have greater happiness and satisfaction in life. Even in your most difficult times, you can find much to be grateful for. Doing so will strengthen and bless you. In your prayers, before you ask for blessings, pour out your heart to God in thanks for the blessings you have already received. Thank Him for your family, for friends and loved ones, for leaders and teachers, for the gospel, and for His Son, Jesus Christ. You can also express gratitude to the Lord by the way you live. When you keep His commandments and serve others, you show that you love Him and are grateful to Him. Express appreciation to everyone who helps you in any way. *FAMILY Being apart of a family is a great blessing. Your family can provide you with companionship and happiness, help you learn correct principles in a loving atmosphere, and help you prepare for eternal life. Not all families are the same, but each is important in Heavenly Father's plan. Do your part to build a happy home. Be cheerful, helpful, and considerate of others. Many problems in the home are created because family members speak and act selfishly or unkindly. Concern yourself with the needs of other family members. Seek to be a peacemaker rather than to tease, fight, and quarrel. Remember that the family is the most sacred unit of the church. Honor your parents by showing love and respect for them and by being obedient. Be willing to help in the home with chores that need to be done. Participate in family activities and traditions, including family prayer, family home evenings, and family scripture reading. These traditions strengthen and unify families. Set a good example for other family members. Strengthen your relationship with your brothers and sisters. They can become your closest friends. Support them in their interests and help them with problems they may be facing. *DRESS AND APPEARANCE Your body is God's sacred creation. Respect it as a gift from God, and do not defile it in any way. Through your dress and appearance, you can show the Lord how precious your body is. You can show that you are a disciple of Jesus Christ. Prophets of God have always counseled His children to dress modestly. The way you dress is a reflection of what you are on the inside. Your dress and grooming send messages about you to others and influence the way you and others act. When you are well groomed and modestly dressed, you invite the companionship of the Spirit and can exercise a good influence on those around you. Never lower your dress standards for any occasion. Doing so sends the message that you are using your body to get attention and approval and that modesty is important only when it is convenient. Immodest clothing includes short shorts and skirts, tight clothing, shirts that do not cover the stomach, and other revealing attire. Young women should wear clothing that covers the shoulders and avoid clothing that is low-cut in the front or the back or revealing in any other manner. Young men should also maintain modesty in their appearance. All should avoid extremes in clothing, appearance, and hairstyle. Always be neat and clean and avoid being sloppy or inappropriately casual in dress, grooming, and manners. Ask yourself, "Would I feel comfortable with my appearance if I were in the Lord's presence?" Someday you will receive your endowment in the temple. Your dress and behavior should help you prepare for that sacred time. Do not disfigure yourself with tattoos or body piercings. If girls or women desire to have their ears pierced, they are encouraged to wear only one pair of modest earrings. Show respect for the Lord and for yourself by dressing appropriately for Church meetings and activities, whether on Sunday or during the week. If you are not sure what is appropriate, ask your parents or leaders for help. *DATING In cultures where dating and courtship is acceptable, dating can help you find lasting friendships and eventually find an eternal companion. Date only those who have high standards and in whose company you can maintain your standards. A young man and a young women on a date are responsible to help each other maintain their standards and to protect each other's honor and virtue. You must honor the sanctity of the priesthood and of womanhood. Do not date until you are at least 16 years old. Dating before then can lead to immortality, limit the number of other young you can meet, and deprive you of experiences that will help you choose an eternal partner. Not all teenagers need to date or even want to. Many young people do not date during their teen years because they are not yet interested, do not have opportunities, or simply want to delay forming serious relationships. However, good friendships can and should be developed at every age. When you begin dating, go in groups or on double dates. Avoid going on frequent dates with the same person. Make sure your parents meet those you date. You may want to invite your dates to activities with your family. Plan dating activities that are positive and inexpensive and that will help you get to know each other. Do things that will help you and your companions maintain your self-respect and remain close to the Spirit of the Lord. *SEXUAL PURITY Physical intimacy between husband and wife is beautiful and sacred. It is ordained of God for the creation of children and for the expression of love between husband and wife. God has commanded that sexual intimacy be reserved for marriage. When you obey God's commandment to be sexually pure, you prepare yourself to make and keep sacred covenants in the temple. You prepare yourself to build a strong marriage and to bring children into the world as part of a loving family. You protect yourself from the emotional damage that always comes from sharing physical intimacies with someone outside of a marriage. Do not have any sexual relations before marriage. Satan may tempt you to rationalize that sexual intimacy before marriage is acceptable when two people are in love. That is not true. In God's sight, sexual sins are extremely serious because they defile the power God has given us to create life. The prophet Alma taught that sexual sins are more serious than any other sins except murder or denying the Holy Ghost. Before marriage, do not do anything to arouse the powerful emotions that must only be expressed in marriage. Do not participate in passionate kissing, lie on top of another person, or touch the private, sacred parts of another person's body,with or without clothing. Do not allow anyone to do that with you. Do not arouse those emotions in your own body. In cultures where dating or courtship is acceptable, always treat your date with respect, never as an object to be used for your lustful desires. Stay in areas of safety where you can easily control your physical desires. Do not participate in talk or activities that arose sexual feelings. *REPENTANCE The savior gave His life for us and suffered for our sins. This great sacrifice is called the Atonement. Through the Atonement, you can receive forgiveness and be cleansed from your sins when you repent. When you do what is necessary to receive forgiveness, you will know for yourself the power of the Atonement and the love God has for you. You will feel the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ, which will bring you great strength. Satan wants you to think that you cannot repent, but that is absolutely not true. The Savior has promised you forgiveness if you will do what is required. The sooner you repent, the sooner you will find the blessings that come from forgiveness. Some people knowingly break God's commandments, expecting to repent before they go to the temple or serve a mission. Such deliberate sin mocks the Savior's Atonement and invites Satan to influence your life. Repentance for such behavior is difficult and can take a long time. If you sin this way, you may lose years of blessings and spiritual guidance. You may become trapped in the sinful behavior, making it difficult to find your way back. You always need to confess your sins to the Lord. You should also confess your sins to those you have wronged. If you have committed serious sin,such as immortality, you need to confess them to your bishop. *HONESTY Be honest with yourself, others, and the Lord. When you are honest in every way,you build strength of character that will allow you to be of great service to God and others. You will be blessed with peace of mind and self-respect. When you are honest, you will be trusted by the Lord and by those around you. Dishonesty hurts you and usually hurts others as well. When you lie,steal,shoplift, or cheat, you damage your spirit and become less able to do good things. Be honest in your job, giving a full amount of work for your pay. Don't rationalize that wrong is right, even though many people around you may think there is no harm in being dishonest. Being honed requires courage and commitment to do what you know is right. *TITHES AND OFFERINGS The law of tithing is an important commandment that you should obey throughout your life. A tithe is one-tenth of your income. Paying tithing shows your gratitude for all that God has given you. It is a way to help build God's kingdom on earth. Tithing is used to build temples and meeting houses, translate and publish the scriptures, provide Church materials to members, do missionary work, perform temple and family history work, and support seminaries and institutes. Your attitude is important in paying tithing. Pay it because you love the Lord and have faith in Him. Pay it willingly with a thankful heart. Pay it first,even when you think you don't have enough money to meet your other needs. Doing so will help you overcome selfishness and be more receptive to the Spirit. At the end of each year, schedule a time for tithing settlement with your bishop. This is a meeting in which you review your contribution records and declare whether you have paid a full tithe. Obey the law of the fast by fasting once each month (if health permits), usually on the first Sunday of the month. A proper fast day observance includes not eating or drinking to help care for those in need. Begin and end your fast with prayer, asking for special help with a specific need. *PHYSICAL HEALTH The Lord has commanded you to take good care of your body. To do this,observe the Word of Wisdom, found in Doctrine and Covenants 89. Eat nutritious food,exercise regularly, and get enough sleep. When you do all these things, you remain free from harmful additions and have control over your life. You gain the blessings of a healthy body,an alert mind,and the guidance of the Holy Ghost. Never use tobacco products, such as cigarettes, snuff,chewing tobacco, cigars, and pipe tobacco. They are very addictive and will damage your body and shorten your life. Also, do not drink coffee or tea,for these are addictive and harmful. Any form of alcohol is harmful to your body and spirit. Being under the influence of alcohol weakens your judgement and self-control and could lead you to break the law of chastity or other commandments. Drinking can lead to alcoholism, which destroys individuals and families. Any drug,chemical, or dangerous practice that is used to produce a sensation or "high" can destroy your physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. These include hard drugs,prescription or over-the-counter medications that are abused, and household chemicals. Never let Satan or others lead you to think that breaking the Word of Wisdom Wil make you happier or more attractive. *GO FORWARD WITH FAITH The standards presented in this article (pamphlet) will help you make correct choices. Review them often and ask yourself, "Am I living the way the Lord wants me to live?" To help you become all that the Lord wants you to become, get on your knees each day and express to Him the desires of your heart. He is the source of all wisdom, and you need His help. He will hear and answer you. Read the scriptures daily. They are a powerful strength to your testimony. Remember and keep the covenants you made when you were baptized and that you renew each week when you partake of the sacrament. You young men should keep the covenants you made when you received the priesthood. Keeping these covenants now will help you prepare for the temple covenants you will make in the future. Be true to the Lord and to His Church in all circumstances. The authorities of the Church will lead you in paths of happiness. Be grateful for your membership in God's great kingdom. Be humble and willing to listen to the whisperings of the Spirit. Place the wisdom of the Lord above your own wisdom. Above are some of the most important principles and practices of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. This article was designed to teach new-comers the central teachings and beliefs of the church as well as the lifestyle and cultural backgrounds. It should also benefit members by strengthening their faith and reminding everyone to read the scriptures daily and to be strong as we endure to the end. FOR THE STRENGTH OF YOUTH Fulfilling Our Duty to God Scriptures related to the topics at hand: AGENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY "Wherefore,men...are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men,or to choose captivity and death", 2 Nephi 2:27). (Matthew 25:14-29) GRATITUDE ("He who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious", D&C 78:19). (Luke 17:12-19) FAMILY ("Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith,prayer,repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work,and wholesome recreational activities" ("The Family:A Proclamation to the World"). Also look up: (Ephesians 6:1-3) DRESS AND APPEARANCE ("Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?...The temple of God is holy,which temple ye are" 1Corinthians 3:16-17.) (Alma 1:27) DATING ("The Lord has made us attractive one to another for a great purpose. But this very attraction becomes as a powder keg unless it is kept under control. ..it is for this reason that the Church counsels against early dating" -President Gordon B. Hinckley (2 Corinthians 6:14) SEXUAL PURITY ("The sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and women, lawfully wedded as husband and wife")- The Family: A Proclamation to the World (Genesis 39:1-12);(D&C 38:42) REPENTANCE ("He who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more")-D&C 58:42 (Alma 36:6-24) HONESTY ("Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness")-- (Exodus 20:15-16) (Alma 27:27) TITHES AND OFFERINGS ("Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, . . .and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the Windows of heaven,and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it") -- (Malachi 3:10;3Nephi 24:10) (D&C 119:3-4) PHYSICAL HEALTH ("All saints who remember to keep and do these sayings. . .shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;and shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;and shall run and not be weary,and shall walk and not faint")--- (D&C 89:18-20) (Daniel 1:3-20) SERVICE TO OTHERS ("By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another")--- (John 13:35) (Luke 10:25-37) Hope everyone enjoys this article. Took me a full 4.5 hours to complete!!! Enjoy!!!!! ------------------------------------- ***THE END*****

i loved it..............I cried

The Bible says that there is ONLY ONE GOD (Deuteronomy 6:4). However, section 132 of Doctrine and Covenants says that "men may become gods". So which is correct? Well, section 132 of Doctrine and Covenants was written later when Smith wanted to teach Mormons to marry multiple wives. Here he added that in the next life those who followed this new covenant would become gods: "Then shall they be gods, because they have all power, and the angels are subject unto them." Doctrine and Covenants 132:20. And what does God say will happen to those who would add to His word or take away from it... "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." -Revelation 22:18,19 "ADD thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar." -Proverb 30:6 Many people today question the Bible's veracity. Do you honestly believe that God does not have the power to preserve His Word from a wicked generation? "The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, THOU SHALT PRESERVE THEM FROM THIS GENERATION FOR EVER." -Psalm 12:6,7 Know ye not that the word of God endureth forever? Where do you think the word of God was before false prophet Joseph Smith came along? Hidden? Nay, it cannot be destroyed! "For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: 1:25 But THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURETH FOR EVER. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you." -1st Peter 1:24 So which is correct? The answer is the Bible. Joseph Smith added to God‘s word; thus, he was a liar. You see, if the teachings of the Mormonism are correct now, then they were clearly wrong from 1830 until about 1842 when they thought that there was only one God and that God was not once a man. But if they were correct from 1830 to about 1842, then they are wrong now because Mormon doctrine says that there are many gods (Doctrine and Covenants 132) and that God progressed from once being a man. But from 1 Corinthians 14:33 we learn, "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints." This confusion of Mormon doctrine should make any thinking person wonder about the reliability of the rest of it's teachings. So then how can you know for sure that you are saved? The Bible says that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and not of works. There is no amount of good works or ceremonies that you can do to save your soul because salvation is a gift. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” Ephesians 2:8-9 I’ll say it again, salvation is a gift available for all who simply believe in Jesus Christ. Salvation is sure because it is a gift. Whereas, if it is a matter of works, then no one can be sure of being saved. We see in Acts 16:30-31 where the jailer asked Paul and Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ alone and you will without a shadow of a doubt be saved. “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life...” 1 John 5:13