WE Sometimes Forget What We Have

[seeking_peace]

When you grow up in the Church, or have been a member for a long time, gospel truths sometimes become ordinary. A concept becomes so ingrained in you that it becomes like breathing. You know it, but you forget that it is truly amazing.

I took a friend to the Atlanta Temple open house last night. She was very appreciative of the beauty of the building and the grounds. She commented on the woodwork, the chandeliers, the carpeting, the paintings, and the gardens. She said that she understood why we call it sacred ground because there was a peace there.

But the thing that she was most impressed by, the room that she hung back in and felt the spirit of, was not the most stunning or the most opulent. The place that touched her the most was the baptistery. She was amazed that we have in place the means to do ordinances for the deceased. I think that she was struck more by baptism for the dead than sealing or endowment, because that was an ordinance that she understands. But she did comment on the concept of sealing as well. This morning, she remarked that she loves the concept of people being tied in both this life and the next.

She wondered why other religions don’t offer a proxy option and said that the next time she sees her priest, she is going to ask him why Catholics don’t practice baptisms for the dead (should be an interesting conversation).

Do you ever take our beliefs for granted?

[JudoMinja]

I used to take our belief in the premortal existence for granted. I just didn't realize that other religions don't teach something similar. Then, I was having a religious conversation with a college friend where this topic came up. She seemed very surprised, and as I explained our belief she looked confused. She just did not believe that we are "spirit children of our Heavenly Father". To her, we are created body AND spirit through copulation.

The concept seemed so very foreign to me, but then premortal existence was clearly a foreign concept to her.

[Guest]

Being devout Catholic for the first 30 years of my life, I can tell you, you can look at Catholic vs LDS doctrine - say baptisms for the dead - and make a very wide chasm between them - or you can make the chasm narrow that you can almost bridge them... I'm on the 2nd road. And I already know what her priest is going to say. :)

I don't know if I can ever say I've taken any doctrine for granted - not as a Catholic nor as an LDS. I am in constant search for ways to progress - even sometimes having to go back two steps before I can move one step forward.

[rameumptom]

The restored gospel is wonderful. I wonder if her priest will explain to her that they do not practice it. The Eastern Orthodox do have it in their beliefs, but they also do not practice it today.

Sadly, without revelation on it, the Catholic Church struggles with the concept of grace and salvation. St Augustine stated that infants who are not baptized would burn in hell. So difficult of a concept was this that earlier Church leaders invented Limbo as a place for infants and decent people to go to, rather than hell. Of course, with their new Pope who focuses on stricter Bible interpretation, they have eliminated Limbo as non-biblical, and now do not have an answer for those concerned with infant deaths.

[rameumptom]

One other thing, it is easy to appreciate the baptisms for the dead and sealings of families. However, endowments often get short shrifted. It is because we often do not understand its importance. In the endowment, we practice having a theophany. IOW, we are practicing returning into the Presence of God and being like Him. This is perhaps the key portion of the temple ceremony that existed prior to Jesus' death. Jacob, Abraham, Lehi, Enoch, and many others had theophanies. We prepare for our own by attending to the endowment (not just physically, but mentally, emotionally and spiritually) and preparing to enter into the presence of the Lord.

[Jennarator]

Thanks for the reminder!

I think each ordanance in the temple is amazing. Just thinking about the blessing we recieve in each area is amazing.

Thanks again, for the reminder!

[Guest]

The restored gospel is wonderful. I wonder if her priest will explain to her that they do not practice it. The Eastern Orthodox do have it in their beliefs, but they also do not practice it today.

Sadly, without revelation on it, the Catholic Church struggles with the concept of grace and salvation. St Augustine stated that infants who are not baptized would burn in hell. So difficult of a concept was this that earlier Church leaders invented Limbo as a place for infants and decent people to go to, rather than hell. Of course, with their new Pope who focuses on stricter Bible interpretation, they have eliminated Limbo as non-biblical, and now do not have an answer for those concerned with infant deaths.

Rame, rame, rame. Somebody needs to strike this statement out of LDS.net records. It is exactly the same thing as a Trinitarian trying to explain the Godhead and missing by a mile. It is wrong, ungracious, and serves no purpose but to insult a wonderful religion.

[dahlia]

Do you ever take our beliefs for granted?

I don't know if women in RS take their beliefs for granted, but I have frequently heard that my comments and those of the other recent convert are especially appreciated because they make the born Mormons think about their beliefs again.

I'd say that taking things for granted happens in a lot of situations where people do the same things year after year and there is no one or no situation that makes them stop and take stock of what they do and why.

[Bumperpants]

Do you ever take our beliefs for granted?

It could depend on where you live or what your circumstances are.

"The last thing a fish learngs about is water."

Let me illustrate this saying by comparing LDS members who live in dense Mormon populations with those who don’t. When you are submersed in our beliefs and everyone around you is practicing then yes, it is easy to take your beliefs for granted. There would be less incentive to question why you do and believe the things you do and you would probably feel alien if you did. Though I did not grow up in a heavily Mormon populated area I would assume that without the adversity poured on you by those of other religions you would be less likely to question your own beliefs or compare them to others.

The area I grew up in (Austin Texas) consisted primarily of Baptists who seemed to rival the LDS church. The youth of the church, who would never have associated in interests otherwise, often banded together at school and at outside activities to support each against the peer pressure of others to do things contrary to our covenants. These challenges and others brought on by non-LDS members of our community encouraged us to stay alert in our gospel knowledge and stand for our beliefs. We knew there were reasons for our beliefs and often had to explain them to non-LDS friends. I’m sure there were still some things we took for granted though.