The Folk Prophet Posted July 30, 2014 Report Share Posted July 30, 2014 Serving a mission is a priesthood DUTY not a commandment. We are counseled that we SHOULD serve a mission but everyone's life takes a different course and for some the decision to not serve a mission may be the correct one. There are no consequences for not serving because you have not disobeyed. Even if you fail to understand that commandment and duty are synonymous, and even if others agreed with you on that, the bottom line is that we are, clearly, commanded to do our duty. D&C 107:99-100"Wherefore, now let every man learn his duty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence. He that is slothful shall not be counted worthy to stand, and he that learns not his duty and shows himself not approved shall not be counted worthy to stand. Even so. Amen." Duty is synonymous with the commandments/requirements of God: Ecc 12:13"Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man." D&C 105:10"That they themselves may be prepared, and that my people may be taught more perfectly, and have experience, and know more perfectly concerning their duty, and the things which I require at their hands." And, finally, if you really want to understand what duty means in the gospel:https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/04/willing-and-worthy-to-serve?lang=eng Of particular note:"The call of duty came to Adam, to Noah, to Abraham, to Moses, to Samuel, to David. It came to the Prophet Joseph Smith and to each of his successors. The call of duty came to the boy Nephi when he was instructed by the Lord, through his father Lehi, to return to Jerusalem with his brothers to obtain the brass plates from Laban. Nephi’s brothers murmured, saying it was a hard thing which had been asked of them. What was Nephi’s response? Said he, “I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palerider Posted July 30, 2014 Report Share Posted July 30, 2014 My son served a mission and I sure wish I could have influenced my three daughters to serve. I did try...:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omegaseamaster75 Posted July 31, 2014 Report Share Posted July 31, 2014 You would think that. Honestly, what church do you belong to?The one were it's not a sin to not go on a mission. Many our leaders did not serve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Folk Prophet Posted July 31, 2014 Report Share Posted July 31, 2014 The one were it's not a sin to not go on a mission. Many our leaders did not serve A. Being unable to serve is very different from choosing not to serve. B. Repentance is repentance. Even if one of our leaders simply blatantly chose not to obey, they have just as much right to have repented as anyone, whereupon their sins are washed clean as if they had never been. C. Then you must belong to some other church. Are you FLDS? They don't believe missionary work is mandatory (as long as you live "the principle"). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omegaseamaster75 Posted July 31, 2014 Report Share Posted July 31, 2014 A. Being unable to serve is very different from choosing not to serve. B. Repentance is repentance. Even if one of our leaders simply blatantly chose not to obey, they have just as much right to have repented as anyone, whereupon their sins are washed clean as if they had never been. C. Then you must belong to some other church. Are you FLDS? They don't believe missionary work is mandatory (as long as you live "the principle").A. There are those that are able to serve (meet age requirement/ otherwise healthy and normal) and choose not to or are not ready spiritually to serve. The mission field is better off without these individuals. No one should serve because their mommy and daddy expect them to or because of cultural pressure, and trust me there are plenty that do just this. They should serve because they have a righteous desire to. B. Repentance for what? It is not a sin to not serve a mission. If I choose to not serve do I need to make an appointment with my Bishop and go through some sort of repentance process? No absolutely not and it is ridiculous to say that it is a sin C. Nice one FLDS funny..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Folk Prophet Posted July 31, 2014 Report Share Posted July 31, 2014 A. There are those that are able to serve (meet age requirement/ otherwise healthy and normal) and choose not to or are not ready spiritually to serve. The mission field is better off without these individuals. No one should serve because their mommy and daddy expect them to or because of cultural pressure, and trust me there are plenty that do just this. They should serve because they have a righteous desire to. Agreed. Irrelevant to the point though. There are those who are not spiritually ready to be baptized. Doesn't mean it's not a commandment to be baptized. And so forth... B. Repentance for what? It is not a sin to not serve a mission. If I choose to not serve do I need to make an appointment with my Bishop and go through some sort of repentance process? No absolutely not and it is ridiculous to say that it is a sin Already addressed in post #26. C. Nice one FLDS funny..... Why thank you. Thank you very much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Folk Prophet Posted July 31, 2014 Report Share Posted July 31, 2014 B. Repentance for what? It is not a sin to not serve a mission. If I choose to not serve do I need to make an appointment with my Bishop and go through some sort of repentance process? No absolutely not and it is ridiculous to say that it is a sin Oh...and I forgot to add this: The need to go and see your bishop has no bearing on the qualifications for what constitutes sin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omegaseamaster75 Posted July 31, 2014 Report Share Posted July 31, 2014 Already addressed in post #26. This is based on your premise that it is a commandment to serve a mission, one of which I disagree with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Folk Prophet Posted July 31, 2014 Report Share Posted July 31, 2014 This is based on your premise that it is a commandment to serve a mission, one of which I disagree with. *sigh* If that's the best you're capable of understanding... I'm done here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzie Posted July 31, 2014 Report Share Posted July 31, 2014 Let me add another point for discussion. What about when Church leaders counseled you not to serve a full time mission? Should you listen to them and do as they counseled you? (I am interested specially in the reply of those who strongly believe we should follow the counsel of our leaders at all times). The example that comes to my mind about this particular scenario are the Osmonds. According to Donny, they were counseled by family and Church leaders to continue performing and living their religion rather than going to a full time mission. http://donny.com/my_beliefs/did-you-ever-serve-a-mission-and-were-you-born-in-the-church-2/ Now, don't get me wrong, I am not picking on the Osmonds. They were so popular all over the world that probably serving a mission would have become a distraction for everyone around them but I am also thinking that we tend to worry so much about going to a mission than trying our best to be missionaries, wherever we are. Backroads 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Folk Prophet Posted July 31, 2014 Report Share Posted July 31, 2014 Let me add another point for discussion. What about when Church leaders counseled you not to serve a full time mission? Should you listen to them and do as they counseled you? (I am interested specially in the reply of those who strongly believe we should follow the counsel of our leaders at all times). The example that comes to my mind about this particular scenario are the Osmonds. According to Donny, they were counseled by family and Church leaders to continue performing and living their religion rather than going to a full time mission. http://donny.com/my_beliefs/did-you-ever-serve-a-mission-and-were-you-born-in-the-church-2/ Now, don't get me wrong, I am not picking on the Osmonds. They were so popular all over the world that probably serving a mission would have become a distraction for everyone around them but I am also thinking that we tend to worry so much about going to a mission than trying our best to be missionaries, wherever we are. Since it's the Prophet who calls you on a mission, then he certainly has the right to not call you. In Donny's case, it's fairly easy to view it in terms of his mission being to stay in the public eye. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omegaseamaster75 Posted July 31, 2014 Report Share Posted July 31, 2014 *sigh* If that's the best you're capable of understanding... I'm done here.Yeah that's the best......we are not commanded to serve. I'm not so bright please show me where a GA said it's a commandment? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 1, 2014 Report Share Posted August 1, 2014 Yeah that's the best......we are not commanded to serve. I'm not so bright please show me where a GA said it's a commandment? Omega, I think the miscommunication between you and TFP here is your understanding of the word "commandment". So, let me try to bridge this gap. If you think that paying Tithing is a commandment, then going on a Mission is also a commandment. If you don't think Tithing is a commandment, then going on a Mission is also not a commandment... Note that not everybody can pay Tithing and there are some whose full tithes is $0.00. And note that not all failures to comply to commandments revoke our temple recommends. What do the GA's say about Tithes? Plain and simple. It is a commandment. So, as far as a talk given... here's one from Pres. Kimball: I was asked a few years ago, “Should every young man who is a member of the Church fill a mission?” And I responded with the answer the Lord has given: “Yes, every worthy young man should fill a mission.”<snip>Certainly every male member of the Church should fill a mission, like he should pay his tithing, like he should attend his meetings, like he should keep his life clean and free from the ugliness of the world and plan a celestial marriage in the temple of the Lord.<snip>One young man spoke tellingly of this when he recently said, “I hope that when I am called to go on a full-time mission, I am called and told that the Lord wants me to go, and that it is my duty, rather than just being told that a mission would be a good thing for me if I wanted to go.”<snip>Our work is to preach the gospel to the world. It is not self-imposed. We are under divine commandment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omegaseamaster75 Posted August 1, 2014 Report Share Posted August 1, 2014 Omega, I think the miscommunication between you and TFP here is your understanding of the word "commandment". So, let me try to bridge this gap. If you think that paying Tithing is a commandment, then going on a Mission is also a commandment. If you don't think Tithing is a commandment, then going on a Mission is also not a commandment... Note that not everybody can pay Tithing and there are some whose full tithes is $0.00. And note that not all failures to comply to commandments revoke our temple recommends. What do the GA's say about Tithes? Plain and simple. It is a commandment. So, as far as a talk given... here's one from Pres. Kimball: I was asked a few years ago, “Should every young man who is a member of the Church fill a mission?” And I responded with the answer the Lord has given: “Yes, every worthy young man should fill a mission.”<snip>Certainly every male member of the Church should fill a mission, like he should pay his tithing, like he should attend his meetings, like he should keep his life clean and free from the ugliness of the world and plan a celestial marriage in the temple of the Lord.<snip>One young man spoke tellingly of this when he recently said, “I hope that when I am called to go on a full-time mission, I am called and told that the Lord wants me to go, and that it is my duty, rather than just being told that a mission would be a good thing for me if I wanted to go.”<snip>Our work is to preach the gospel to the world. It is not self-imposed. We are under divine commandment.This is were you are incorrect If you think that paying Tithing is a commandment, then going on a Mission is also a commandment" Paying tithing is a commandment, if you don't you can't go to the temple. If I don't go on a mission I can still go to the temple and receive my endowment. Per Kimball's talk every worthy young man SHOULD fill a mission. He didn't say I command you to he said should. His last line is also applicable, We are under divine commandment to preach the gospel. I agree with this "every member a missionary" absolutely! Note he didn't say We are under divine commandment to serve a mission. Every utterance from the mouth of the prophets is not a commandment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 2, 2014 Report Share Posted August 2, 2014 This is were you are incorrect If you think that paying Tithing is a commandment, then going on a Mission is also a commandment" Paying tithing is a commandment, if you don't you can't go to the temple. If I don't go on a mission I can still go to the temple and receive my endowment.Per Kimball's talk every worthy young man SHOULD fill a mission. He didn't say I command you to he said should. His last line is also applicable, We are under divine commandment to preach the gospel. I agree with this "every member a missionary" absolutely! Note he didn't say We are under divine commandment to serve a mission.Every utterance from the mouth of the prophets is not a commandment.I don't understand you. The Prophet does not give commandments. Only God can give commandments. Therefore, all commandments are Divine Commandments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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