What happens if you do not get an answer

[Serviteur du seigneur]

@JohnsonJones would you mind telling me your experience of how you met Christ ? It can be on private. I believe in you and i am really interested.

[Guest Gomezaddams51]

17 hours ago, priesthoodpower said:

Read the Book of Mormon from cover to cover, one chapter a day, nothing more, nothing less. I promise you, you will be a different person by the time you get to the end. Better yet, read it aloud with your wife since she is blind.

The last time I read it from cover to cover was...well, never, and Im a lifelong 44yr old member. I started this past January, missed a few days here and there. I have the worst reading comprehension and ADHD so half the time my eyes are reading the words but my mind is somewhere else, I cant even recall what I read the next day other then the lamanites and nephites and zoramites and whoever else-amites….Just have faith that you are holding a special book in your hands, open the book and the spirit will work with you, even if somedays (or most days in my case) you feel like you are just going through the motions, that's okay God sees you putting forth effort and he will eventually let you know that you are not just holding a special book but you are holding the actual words of Gods people who existed 2,000+ yrs ago.

I am in the middle of the book and have had 3 spiritual answers come to me that I wasn't expecting because God saw me trying so he blessed me. 

For example. When I first started reading the book my mind kept thinking..."man, Joseph Smith has a crazy imagination to be writing these storys....man, Jospesh Smith repeats a lot of the same words in each verse...man, science today cannot prove nor disprove this book so Joseph must have done something right". It wasn't till this week as I got into the book of Alma that Joseph Smith has taken a back seat, God opened my mind and has given me the perspective of Mormon, the Prophet who transcribed the actual plates 1,800 ish yrs ago?. I feel as if Mormon is talking to me directly through the spirit. So if this is Gods way of telling me that Mormon compiled these storys from ancient plates, well then, Joseph must have really had the plates, and Joseph must have really restored the true church and the LDS church is true. I wasn't even seeking for that answer but it came and its probably what I really need to know at this point in time of my life.

You are already blessed Gomezaddams51, by coming to this forum and seeking advice, God sees you putting forth effort and will reward you.

When the missionaries started coming over and talking to my wife, they had us read the BoM.  My wife listened to it since she is legally blind and has trouble reading.  I read it a couple of times on my kindle.  I am glad you got answers...so far nothing happening on this end...

[anatess2]

12 hours ago, Gomezaddams51 said:

When the missionaries started coming over and talking to my wife, they had us read the BoM.  My wife listened to it since she is legally blind and has trouble reading.  I read it a couple of times on my kindle.  I am glad you got answers...so far nothing happening on this end...

Just wondering if maybe you're in a situation like the shipwrecked guy waiting for rescue. 

You might already be familiar with the story - the guy was shipwrecked floating in the middle of the sea on a board.  He prayed that God would save him.  An old frail fisherman came by on his rickety boat and asked him if he needed help but he said that it's ok because God is coming to save him.  After a few days he drowned.  He railed at God for not answering his prayers and God told him - I sent you a fisherman.  This is a story about not recognizing God's hand in our lives.

There's this other story - this man was praying to God that he can move this mountain.  God sent a prophet that told him the mountain will move but he will have to do very specific things - he will have to dedicate 2 years of his life pushing on the mountain then the mountain will move.  The man made the covenant and so the next day, he eagerly woke up right at sunrise and started pushing on the mountain.  Nothing happened.  But it's ok, he was still very motivated to do his covenant because he still believed God will bless him.  He woke up the next day and the next day and the next day spending the entire day pushing on the mountain.  After the first year, nothing has happened - the mountain stayed where it's at.  The man was getting very frustrated because he is starting to feel that the prophet lied to him and that there's no God and if there is, he doesn't answer prayers.  But he promised to dedicate 2 years of his life to push the mountain so he continued to do so even as he doesn't believe anymore that anything will come out of it.  Nothing has happened the past year so why would it be different this year.  At the end of 2 years, he cried out in despair - there is no God!  Nothing has changed!  But then the prophet showed up and asked him if he has been blessed.  And the man said Nothing.  There is no God.  The prophet then pointed to his arms - your arms are now very very strong that it can lift people's burdens, your legs are now corded with muscles that it can carry people to safety, your bones have become denser, your heart has become stronger, and you have proved that you can be trusted with a promise.  You can now be trusted to serve God's people.  Now, step aside while God moves the mountain.  This is a story about not recognizing blessings and answers to prayers and God's will for our lives.

[JohnsonJones]

17 hours ago, Serviteur du seigneur said:

@JohnsonJones would you mind telling me your experience of how you met Christ ? It can be on private. I believe in you and i am really interested.

I normally don't go too much into it.  Much of it would be too hard for people to accept.  Some of the things that day took me almost 20 years to understand myself.  The basic is to say that the things of the Lord, his morals and his ways, are NOT the same as the morals or culture of our Western Society.  However, to truly understand why, you have to understand more of a different way of looking at things and what the Lord sees in people and our actions.  One has to understand that there are things that are eternal and there are eternal principles, while this life is but a moment in comparison.  It's hard to explain, and if I said some of it as it was, many would be unable to accept it, including other members.

Thus, I don't tell people everything. The more I know them, and the closer they are to the Lord, makes it so that I can explain more to them. 

I imagine it was a LOT like that with Joseph Smith as well.  He had the first vision, but if he blatantly told people at first that he had seen TWO individuals, both the Father and the Son, as well as being told many other items, I think people would have reacted even more terribly.  They would have cast his ideas aside blatantly, even more than many did already.  Later, as people learned more (his family, friends, and others) he was willing to say more in what he talked about, until finally when there were firm members in the church who believed in his revelations, he was far more willing to open up about the vision he had.

In that light, I can say some simple things that people probably can understand, even if they don't accept it.  When I first saw the Lord, the thought on my mind was not a happy one.  I became WELL aware of my sins and my sinful nature.  All I wanted to do was to dig a hole and pile up as many rocks on top of it in the hopes that I could hide.  I was extremely ashamed.  I even tried digging, but no one can dig that fast with their hands to hide themselves.  He came up to me, and said that my sins were forgiven.  Immediately, I had a massive amount of joy fill me.  It was exuberance to match any I have ever felt and I was extremely grateful.  I no longer really had a desire to hide, but to bow myself at his feet to thank him.

That's probably enough for now, but I think just that can has told me a great deal about those who also have seen the Lord, how to tell whether one actually saw the Lord or not, and the shared experiences an individual can tell about others who also have had a similar experience.

I will say that Joseph Smith's experience with seeing the Lord appear to me to be the CLOSEST and truest explanations of HOW these visitations work.  If nothing else, the similarity between his descriptions and what I experienced would be enough to convince me he actually experienced what he said he experienced. 

From my experience above, I know that the Lord lives.  I know he has a resurrected body and I know he is far kinder than anything we really understand in this life.  it can be reassuring in some ways, but it HAS a price.  With more knowledge comes more burden of responsibility in some areas.  At the same time, knowledge also means that you do not have some of the other difficulties those who do not have this knowledge have, but there come problems that may be even harder to deal with to replace them.

In some instances, ignorance, or just having to rely on faith rather than having knowledge is actually easier.  Many people think KNOWING something beyond a shadow of a doubt would make things much easier, but I can attest, it does not.  It actually makes it even harder, but to explain that is also difficult.

 

[Serviteur du seigneur]

37 minutes ago, JohnsonJones said:

I normally don't go too much into it.  Much of it would be too hard for people to accept.  Some of the things that day took me almost 20 years to understand myself.  The basic is to say that the things of the Lord, his morals and his ways, are NOT the same as the morals or culture of our Western Society.  However, to truly understand why, you have to understand more of a different way of looking at things and what the Lord sees in people and our actions.  One has to understand that there are things that are eternal and there are eternal principles, while this life is but a moment in comparison.  It's hard to explain, and if I said some of it as it was, many would be unable to accept it, including other members.

Thus, I don't tell people everything. The more I know them, and the closer they are to the Lord, makes it so that I can explain more to them. 

I imagine it was a LOT like that with Joseph Smith as well.  He had the first vision, but if he blatantly told people at first that he had seen TWO individuals, both the Father and the Son, as well as being told many other items, I think people would have reacted even more terribly.  They would have cast his ideas aside blatantly, even more than many did already.  Later, as people learned more (his family, friends, and others) he was willing to say more in what he talked about, until finally when there were firm members in the church who believed in his revelations, he was far more willing to open up about the vision he had.

In that light, I can say some simple things that people probably can understand, even if they don't accept it.  When I first saw the Lord, the thought on my mind was not a happy one.  I became WELL aware of my sins and my sinful nature.  All I wanted to do was to dig a hole and pile up as many rocks on top of it in the hopes that I could hide.  I was extremely ashamed.  I even tried digging, but no one can dig that fast with their hands to hide themselves.  He came up to me, and said that my sins were forgiven.  Immediately, I had a massive amount of joy fill me.  It was exuberance to match any I have ever felt and I was extremely grateful.  I no longer really had a desire to hide, but to bow myself at his feet to thank him.

That's probably enough for now, but I think just that can has told me a great deal about those who also have seen the Lord, how to tell whether one actually saw the Lord or not, and the shared experiences an individual can tell about others who also have had a similar experience.

I will say that Joseph Smith's experience with seeing the Lord appear to me to be the CLOSEST and truest explanations of HOW these visitations work.  If nothing else, the similarity between his descriptions and what I experienced would be enough to convince me he actually experienced what he said he experienced. 

From my experience above, I know that the Lord lives.  I know he has a resurrected body and I know he is far kinder than anything we really understand in this life.  it can be reassuring in some ways, but it HAS a price.  With more knowledge comes more burden of responsibility in some areas.  At the same time, knowledge also means that you do not have some of the other difficulties those who do not have this knowledge have, but there come problems that may be even harder to deal with to replace them.

In some instances, ignorance, or just having to rely on faith rather than having knowledge is actually easier.  Many people think KNOWING something beyond a shadow of a doubt would make things much easier, but I can attest, it does not.  It actually makes it even harder, but to explain that is also difficult.

 

I understand and i have read extensively about this. Well, you've seen him, it would be a terrible sin to deny him now. According to church literacy you have a much bigger risk of going to the darkness, so you have to be much more brave now.

[Guest Gomezaddams51]

3 hours ago, anatess2 said:

Just wondering if maybe you're in a situation like the shipwrecked guy waiting for rescue. 

You might already be familiar with the story - the guy was shipwrecked floating in the middle of the sea on a board.  He prayed that God would save him.  An old frail fisherman came by on his rickety boat and asked him if he needed help but he said that it's ok because God is coming to save him.  After a few days he drowned.  He railed at God for not answering his prayers and God told him - I sent you a fisherman.  This is a story about not recognizing God's hand in our lives.

 

Well I have been looking for any kind of help no matter what source and still have not had any come across my path.  Trust me, if someone came up to me and offered help I would take it no matter what it is.  SO far have not had anyone offer me money or to work on my car for free...

[Emmanuel Goldstein]

If you don't get an answer you probably just missed it. You will just need to move forward with your best guess. Life is about learning, usually by making our own choices.

[Guest Gomezaddams51]

2 minutes ago, Emmanuel Goldstein said:

If you don't get an answer you probably just missed it. You will just need to move forward with your best guess. Life is about learning, usually by making our own choices.

LOL Yeah that is what I have been doing my whole life making my best guesses..unfortunately I tend to always pick the wrong path...

[Still_Small_Voice]

1 hour ago, Gomezaddams51 said:

Yeah that is what I have been doing my whole life making my best guesses.  Unfortunately I tend to always pick the wrong path.

It's easy to pick a wrong path.  As Christ said:  "Enter ye in at the strait gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be who go in thereat.  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."  -- Matthew Chapter 7 verses 13 and 14

I have to check myself all the time.  My flesh wants to take me to wrong and selfish paths all the time.  You need daily guidance from the Holy Spirit to keep you in the way the LORD wants you to walk.

[anatess2]

21 hours ago, Gomezaddams51 said:

Well I have been looking for any kind of help no matter what source and still have not had any come across my path.  Trust me, if someone came up to me and offered help I would take it no matter what it is.  SO far have not had anyone offer me money or to work on my car for free...

Well, if these are the things you consider "help", then I can see why you haven't recognized a single one of your blessings.

[Still_Small_Voice]

22 hours ago, JohnsonJones said:

From my experience above, I know that the Lord lives.  I know he has a resurrected body and I know he is far kinder than anything we really understand in this life.  it can be reassuring in some ways, but it HAS a price.  With more knowledge comes more burden of responsibility in some areas.  At the same time, knowledge also means that you do not have some of the other difficulties those who do not have this knowledge have, but there come problems that may be even harder to deal with to replace them.

In some instances, ignorance, or just having to rely on faith rather than having knowledge is actually easier.  Many people think KNOWING something beyond a shadow of a doubt would make things much easier, but I can attest, it does not.  It actually makes it even harder, but to explain that is also difficult.

The price is worth it in my mind.  Gaining a knowledge of the reality of our Eternal Father and His Beloved Son has helped me in my life to not walk away.  Many abandon their discipleship with Christ because they have not received their witness. 

But, when you receive knowledge be prepared to act upon it.  If you do not act upon spiritual knowledge you receive it will be to your condemnation.  Faith without works is dead. 

[Guest Gomezaddams51]

1 hour ago, anatess2 said:

Well, if these are the things you consider "help", then I can see why you haven't recognized a single one of your blessings.

I go by what I need.  Any "blessings" that I get other than these are nice I suppose but if they do not fill a specific need I don't necessarily need them.  I think I posted this before,  back when I was a kid I would watch my parents pray for something they desperately needed and if they didn't get an answer they justified it by saying god did not want them to have it.  If something happened, no matter what, usually not something they prayed about and needed, they would praise the lord for answering their prayers.  I never understood the logic of that.  Either you got what you prayed for or you didn't, and of course most of the time they didn't.  The whole purpose of god is to take care of the things you cannot.  You do and go as far as you can and then turn it over to god to take care of it.  If god doesn't answer your prayers then why worship he/she/it?

[Jane_Doe]

41 minutes ago, Gomezaddams51 said:

I go by what I need.  Any "blessings" that I get other than these are nice I suppose but if they do not fill a specific need I don't necessarily need them.  I think I posted this before,  back when I was a kid I would watch my parents pray for something they desperately needed and if they didn't get an answer they justified it by saying god did not want them to have it.  If something happened, no matter what, usually not something they prayed about and needed, they would praise the lord for answering their prayers.  I never understood the logic of that.  Either you got what you prayed for or you didn't, and of course most of the time they didn't.  The whole purpose of god is to take care of the things you cannot.  You do and go as far as you can and then turn it over to god to take care of it.  If god doesn't answer your prayers then why worship he/she/it?

Do you treat your earthly parents like this too?

That they're only worth having a relationship with if they give you all the stuff you want and whisk all of your problems away?

Edited May 8, 2020 by Jane_Doe

[Guest Gomezaddams51]

3 minutes ago, Jane_Doe said:

Do you treat your earthly parents like this too?

That they're only worth having a relationship with if they give you all the stuff you want and whisk all of your problems away?

Well since we were dirt poor when I was growing up I really didn't expect a lot from them. Survival was about as good as it got.  Now that they are both dead (died in the 1980's) I quit expecting even that much from them.

[askandanswer]

@Gomezaddams51 would it be correct to say that you view the world, and the people in it, through a very transactional lens eg, you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours, and if you can't/won't scratch my back, then I'm not interested in you?

[Guest Gomezaddams51]

57 minutes ago, askandanswer said:

@Gomezaddams51 would it be correct to say that you view the world, and the people in it, through a very transactional lens eg, you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours, and if you can't/won't scratch my back, then I'm not interested in you?

As a teenager I listened to Simon and Garfunkels "I am a Rock" over and over again and again.  That was my like, that was me inside.  The part that really struck home with me was:

I've built walls
A fortress deep and mighty
That none may penetrate
I have no need of friendship, friendship causes pain
It's laughter and it's loving I disdain

Don't talk of love
But I've heard the word before
It's sleeping in my memory
I won't disturb the slumber of feelings that have died
If I never loved I never would have cried.

 

I learned first of all not to trust anyone and secondly, why waste time with someone if there is no reason to spend time with them.

I have built huge walls and made very think armor to protect myself from false friendships.

 

[Guest Gomezaddams51]

On 5/8/2020 at 8:38 AM, Still_Small_Voice said:

The price is worth it in my mind.  Gaining a knowledge of the reality of our Eternal Father and His Beloved Son has helped me in my life to not walk away.  Many abandon their discipleship with Christ because they have not received their witness. 

But, when you receive knowledge be prepared to act upon it.  If you do not act upon spiritual knowledge you receive it will be to your condemnation.  Faith without works is dead. 

If God has everything figured out, what is the point of praying for anything.

[askandanswer]

50 minutes ago, Gomezaddams51 said:

If God has everything figured out, what is the point of praying for anything.

Because WE haven't figured everything out.

[askandanswer]

3 hours ago, Gomezaddams51 said:

As a teenager I listened to Simon and Garfunkels "I am a Rock" over and over again and again.  That was my like, that was me inside.  The part that really struck home with me was:

I've built walls
A fortress deep and mighty
That none may penetrate
I have no need of friendship, friendship causes pain
It's laughter and it's loving I disdain

Don't talk of love
But I've heard the word before
It's sleeping in my memory
I won't disturb the slumber of feelings that have died
If I never loved I never would have cried.

 

I learned first of all not to trust anyone and secondly, why waste time with someone if there is no reason to spend time with them.

I have built huge walls and made very think armor to protect myself from false friendships.

 

I have been trying for many years now to pull down the walls I built around myself as a teen-ager. I think, but I'm not sure, that those walls served a useful purpose at the time they were built, and for a short time afterwards, but many decades ago, they outlived their usefulness and become an impediment to progress. In my experience, pulling these walls down is slow, hard necessary work, because the natural instinct is to stay safe behind our walls and to not abandon our protective shelters and to protect ourselve from whatever the world might send our way. However, such a path prevents growth and personal progression. It produces a sense of safety from hurt at the cost of crushing almost every other emotion.

In reply to Simon and Garfunkel, I invite you to consider the words of the 16th century English poet John Donne that no man is an island:

'No Man is an Island'

No man is an island entire of itself; every man 
is a piece of the continent, a part of the main; 
if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe 
is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as 
well as any manner of thy friends or of thine 
own were; any man's death diminishes me, 
because I am involved in mankind. 
And therefore never send to know for whom 
the bell tolls; it tolls for thee. 

 

 

Edited May 10, 2020 by askandanswer