LDS Doctrine

[Bensalem]

Thanks JudoMinja for the wise counsel. I suppose having been warned of pride I should demonstrate some humility by admitting that I am surely flawed in words and deeds. I do not imagine that I know more than the Church leaders or any other member on any specific topic, with the exception of my own testimony.

Even as Joseph Smith dealt with the uniqueness of his personal testimony, so too must I. Be assured, I share it judiciously as my own knowledge grows of what my brothers and sisters may be willing to accept or otherwise contemplate of my presentations. Neither do I wish to fall short of total disclosure of all that was shown to me during the time of my conversion to the LDS Church when I walked with the Spirit and He with me.

In my defense, I can only remind you of the confidence Paul testified of:

"Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;" (Timothy 1:6-8)

As for a disclaimer, I should parrot that which Bruce R. McConkie left us in his book Mormon Doctrine. For my work and my words, I assume sole and full responsibility.

[skippy740]

Seriously, I would never think to be so rigid. Still, I believe I present correct doctrine.

Teaching out of the manual should be done with the teacher's own stories and style. You don't have to read each lesson 'word-for-word'.

Adding "your own doctrine" (as referenced above) is where we can get into trouble.

For example - in a testimony meeting, we had one brother go up and share about 'multiple Holy Ghosts'. This is not our doctrine, but he had some ideas about it that he wanted to share. As you can guess, this is a meeting where a member of our Stake Presidency (who is in our ward) also came to the stand and nicely corrected what was previously said.

Adding personal stories is what can make a good lesson become more personal to us. Adding 'your own doctrine'... is where things get interesting.

[Bensalem]

Teaching out of the manual should be done with the teacher's own stories and style. You don't have to read each lesson 'word-for-word'.

Adding "your own doctrine" (as referenced above) is where we can get into trouble.

For example - in a testimony meeting, we had one brother go up and share about 'multiple Holy Ghosts'. This is not our doctrine, but he had some ideas about it that he wanted to share. As you can guess, this is a meeting where a member of our Stake Presidency (who is in our ward) also came to the stand and nicely corrected what was previously said.

Adding personal stories is what can make a good lesson become more personal to us. Adding 'your own doctrine'... is where things get interesting.

I don't think I said adding your own doctrine is appropriate. I spoke of testifying boldly according to the Spirit of God in you.

Early in my conversion I was prompted by the Spirit to testify that Mary (the mother of Jesus) was my mother also. When I left the stage the bishop took the microphone and said, no one knows for certain their celestial mother. Nothing else was ever said, so I was left to contemplate why I had ever said such a thing.

Over time I began to understand how it could be so. My faith in the spirit of my testimony led me to this:

Jesus assigned his mother to John at the cross; my own journey from Catholicism to the LDS Church paralleled my march from salvation, symbolized by the cross, to exaltation, symbolized by the love John had for Jesus. I was leaving the cross and entering a love for the Word and obedience to the gospel.

My testimony was further reinforced when I went to the temple to receive my endowments and learned that Peter, James, and John are grouped together as messengers of our Lord at various dispensations. Of course, Peter presided over the first Church and James was key to the restoration of that church, taking the form of the LDS Church today. John being the author of the Book of Revelation ushers in the final resolution in the end times.

As I learned more about the exaltation of families in Israel, of eternal families, and of the creation of spirit children by exalted pairs, my testimony of Mary was magnified. As I learned of how we join the family of Abraham by adoption in Christ, I accepted Abraham as my father in heaven.

Of course, I was begotten of my earthly parents not of Abraham or Mary, so I had to make one more connection. My earthly mother, who was obedient to the law of chastity, was of the spirit of Mary. And my earthly father, also obedient to the law of chastity, was of the spirit of Abraham. I was born of a humble earthly pair who were the begotten spirit children of Abraham and Mary.

Now that both my parents have died, it is only a formality of temple work to offer them a fatherhood the likes of Abraham's and a motherhood the likes of Mary's. Their glorification in Christ glorifies me in Christ as I am sealed to them as an eternal family.

Being born of baptism in the LDS Church makes me part of the spirit of John in my love of Christ demonstrated by obedience to His gospel. I belong to Mary even as John became her son at the command of Jesus.

I do not claim any of this to be the doctrine of the Church; I only share it as my testimony.

[skippy740]

Thank you for sharing! You have a unique perspective.

It may not be "official doctrine", but we can appreciate a unique perspective woven between experiences and knowledge that we can all relate to.

Thanks!

[Bensalem]

Thank you for sharing! You have a unique perspective.

It may not be "official doctrine", but we can appreciate a unique perspective woven between experiences and knowledge that we can all relate to.

Thanks!

You are very kind. Thank you.