#2 Nephi 9:28

[mindfulldsliving]

Understanding the Fear of God: Impact on Faith and Wisdom

It is vital to rest in God's love, but that love is best understood when seen against the backdrop of His awe-inspiring greatness and our own need for His mercy. This perspective doesn’t just comfort us; it transforms us, grounding us in true wisdom that

Photo by Jr Korpa on Unsplash Introduction Proverbs 9:10-12 provides profound insights into the interconnectedness of the fear of God, faith, wisdom, and God’s love. These verses emphasize that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and that understanding leads to a fulfilling life. To fully grasp the depth of these concepts, it’s essential to explore related scriptures and their…

[kiramarien]

Holy crap!

So I was just gonna comment that and then move on, but I suddenly realized that this seemed very familiar.... and I remembered this scenario was in the Book of Mormon.

"10 Now king Mosiah had no one to confer the kingdom upon, for there was not any of his sons who would accept of the kingdom."

 "1 Now when Mosiah had done this he sent out throughout all the land, among all the people, desiring to know their will concerning who should be their king.

2 And it came to pass that the voice of the people came, saying: We are desirous that Aaron thy son should be our king and our ruler.

3 Now Aaron had gone up to the land of Nephi, therefore the king could not confer the kingdom upon him; neither would Aaron take upon him the kingdom; neither were any of the sons of Mosiah willing to take upon them the kingdom."

Mosiah 28: 10, Mosiah 29:1–3

I just thought that was funny.

Technically, the reason they gave their Dad was that they wanted be missionaries to the Lamanites and didn't have time to be king. But this also happened right after the people of Zarahemla finally translated the plates that had been found in the land of bones and found out the HORRIBLE things that had happened to them. -> (8... having traveled in a land among many waters, having discovered a land which was covered with bones of men, and of beasts, and was also covered with ruins of buildings of every kind, having discovered a land which had been peopled with a people who were as numerous as the hosts of Israel. 9 And for a testimony that the things that they had said are true they have brought twenty-four plates which are filled with engravings, and they are of pure gold.) Mosiah 8

So my headcannon is they were like "King? Nah, Dad, we don't want to be king. Did you read those plates the found in the land of bones? They had kings, and those rulers were a big reason they all died. You remember King Noah? You remember all the death and suffering that happened because of him? None of us want to be king. Just go set up a system of judges or something.

All the heirs are doing their best to avoid inheriting the utter mess that is the kingdom.

[bookoformon]

3 Nephi Chapter 28, Part 2. "The Twinkling of An Eye."

Jesus speaking as the Spirit of God says we must pare away the sins of the world if we want to find righteousness. The thirst and hunger for salvation cannot be quieted without the removal of the causes of sin. Lest one does this, one shall not transfigure or see God.

From the Book of Matthew we know once this leaves behind the Three Unknown Disciples, "handsome behaviors, graciousness, and the spirit of intelligence".

6 And he said unto them: Behold, I know your thoughts, and ye have desired the thing which John, my beloved, who was with me in my ministry, before that I was lifted up by the Jews, desired of me.

7 Therefore, more blessed are ye, for ye shall never taste of death; but ye shall live to behold all the doings of the Father unto the children of men, even until all things shall be fulfilled according to the will of the Father, when I shall come in my glory with the powers of heaven.

8 And ye shall never endure the pains of death; but when I shall come in my glory ye shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye from mortality to immortality; and then shall ye be blessed in the kingdom of my Father.

9 And again, ye shall not have pain while ye shall dwell in the flesh, neither sorrow save it be for the sins of the world; and all this will I do because of the thing which ye have desired of me, for ye have desired that ye might bring the souls of men unto me, while the world shall stand.

10 And for this cause ye shall have fulness of joy; and ye shall sit down in the kingdom of my Father; yea, your joy shall be full, even as the Father hath given me fulness of joy; and ye shall be even as I am, and I am even as the Father; and the Father and I are one;

11 And the Holy Ghost beareth record of the Father and me; and the Father giveth the Holy Ghost unto the children of men, because of me.

12 And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words, he touched every one of them with his finger save it were the three who were to tarry, and then he departed.

Jesus says He is just the Spirit of God, all is the Spirit of God. There is nothing that exists that does not originate nor return to the Spirit of God. The rest is idolatry, including the Christ. Christ was born of the Virgin, He ministered to the people, He was crucified, dead, and buried, and He rose again, and He ascended into Heaven. He dissolved into the Spirit of God, as the Book of Mormon said. He is gone. If one deigns to know of Him, one can read the Scriptures. To know Him Personally, one must abandon Him.

One must be able to apprehend reality such as it is and forsake all graven images and idols if one is to fully understand why all this talk in all the holy books that states idolatry is not good for us was published.

The Values in Gematria for the above verses are:

v. 6: And He said unto them. The Value in Gematria is 15963, י״הטו‎ג‎, Y'Hatog, "we are relabeled."

The verb חיה (haya) means to live or have life, to give or restore life; to quicken or revive, nourish or refresh.

v. 7: Therefore more blessed are ye. The Value in Gematria is 8583, חההג‎ ‎‎, hahag, "the Holiday" = Shabbat.

v. 8: And ye shall never endure the pains of death. The Value in Gematria is 10372, אאֶפֶס‎ג‎ז‎ב‎, aepszb, "the Island Passage."

There is an eddy in the Black Sea that connects the earthly plane and the Heavenly. To cross it one needs the help of God and the angels. If you are a shmuck, they won't bother and off into the void you go.

v. 9:  And again, ye shall not have pain while ye shall dwell in the flesh, neither sorrow save it be for the sins of the world. The Value in Gematria is 13312, יגג‎א‎ב‎, Yagga Ab, "become young again."

The process of Transfiguration and Translumination requires Presentation in the Temple. There must signs and then effort the world is ready for the turning of the age away from sin towards salvation and a new era must begin if one wants to be guarantee absolution.

One cannot reside on a planet with rampant terrorism, gunfire, and the terror titties ranting and raving about people's human rights, causing trouble and discord all day long. If one really wants to go to heaven one needs to put an end to hell on earth first. All hypocrisy has to end.

v. 10: And for this cause ye shall have fulness of joy.  The Value in Gematria is 13831, יג‎חג‎‎א‎, will rejoice. As to how to rejoice properly, the Rab recommends Psalm 147:

1 Praise the Lord.[a]

How good it is to sing praises to our God,     how pleasant and fitting to praise him!

2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem;     he gathers the exiles of Israel. 3 He heals the brokenhearted     and binds up their wounds. 4 He determines the number of the stars     and calls them each by name. 5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power;     his understanding has no limit. 6 The Lord sustains the humble     but casts the wicked to the ground.

7 Sing to the Lord with grateful praise;     make music to our God on the harp.

8 He covers the sky with clouds;     he supplies the earth with rain     and makes grass grow on the hills. 9 He provides food for the cattle     and for the young ravens when they call.

10 His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,     nor his delight in the legs of the warrior; 11 the Lord delights in those who fear him,     who put their hope in his unfailing love.

12 Extol the Lord, Jerusalem;     praise your God, Zion.

13 He strengthens the bars of your gates     and blesses your people within you. 14 He grants peace to your borders     and satisfies you with the finest of wheat.

15 He sends his command to the earth;     his word runs swiftly. 16 He spreads the snow like wool     and scatters the frost like ashes. 17 He hurls down his hail like pebbles.     Who can withstand his icy blast? 18 He sends his word and melts them;     he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow.

19 He has revealed his word to Jacob,     his laws and decrees to Israel. 20 He has done this for no other nation;     they do not know his laws.[b]

Praise the Lord.

v. 11: And the Holy Ghost beareth record of the Father and me; and the Father giveth the Holy Ghost unto the children of men, because of me. The Value in Gematria is 4996, ו‎דטט‎ ‎and dtt "be religious."

v. 12: And he touched every one of them. The Value in Gematria is 12904, יבטאֶפֶסד‎‎‎, yebatapesd, "and you will lose."

To be touched by the Spirit of God is to cut ties to the material world and all delusion and attachment we have to it. As the scripture says, the Spirit will explain the rest once it is allowed to drive.

The Jews gave birth to Christ and as the Book of Mormon raised Him, presented Him to the Temple and many attempted to follow Him. But without peace on earth, there is no evidence of a Messiah, and without a Messiah there shall not be peace.

The process failed because we simply do not accept how this works, and therefore must as the scripture says continue to persevere within the Spirit of God.

[awideplace]

I just found out a girl i follow is "lds" what is that? There is a latter day saint church in my town but are they mormans? Why do people have to be apart of a denomination? it just seems confusing and divisive, isn't there only one bible?

LDS = Latter Day Saints = Mormons.

Mormonism is a cult. Yes, there is only one Bible - the inspired word of God. This is also why Roman Catholicism is so wrong - we are not to add human teaching/"revelation" to Scripture. LDS breakdown:

The following from this link: The Mormon religion (Mormonism), whose followers are known as Mormons and Latter-day Saints (LDS), was founded less than two hundred years ago by a man named Joseph Smith. He claimed to have received a personal visit from God the Father and Jesus Christ (Articles of Faith, p. 35) who told him that all churches and their creeds were an abomination (1 Nephi 13:28; Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith – History 1:18, 19). Joseph Smith then set out to "restore true Christianity" and claimed his church to be the “only true church on earth” (Mormon Doctrine, p. 670; 1 Nephi 14:10). The problem with Mormonism is that it contradicts, modifies, and expands on the Bible. Christians do not have a reason to believe that the Bible is untrue or inadequate. To truly believe in and trust God means to believe in His Word, and all Scripture is inspired by God, which means it comes from Him (2 Timothy 3:16).

Mormons believe that there are in fact four sources of divinely inspired words, not just one: 1) the Bible “as far as it is translated correctly” (8th Article of Faith). Which verses are considered incorrectly translated is not always made clear. 2) The Book of Mormon, which was “translated” by Smith and published in 1830. Smith claimed it is the “most correct book” on earth and that a person can get closer to God by following its precepts “than by any other book” (History of the Church 4:461). 3) Doctrine and Covenants, containing a collection of modern revelations regarding the “Church of Jesus Christ as it has been restored.” 4) The Pearl of Great Price, which is considered by Mormons to “clarify” doctrines and teachings that were lost from the Bible (Articles of Faith, p. 182–185) and adds its own information about the earth’s creation.

Mormons believe the following about God: He has not always been the Supreme Being of the universe (Mormon Doctrine, p. 321) but attained that status through righteous living and persistent effort (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 345). They believe God the Father has a “body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s” (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22). Brigham Young taught that Adam actually was God and the father of Jesus Christ—although this teaching has been abandoned by modern Mormon leaders. 

In contrast, Christians know this about God: there is only one true God (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 43:10; 44:6–8). He always has existed and always will exist (Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalm 90:2; 1 Timothy 1:17). He was not created but is the Creator (Genesis 1; Psalm 24:1; Isaiah 37:16). He is perfect, and no one else is equal to Him (Psalm 86:8; Isaiah 40:25). God the Father is not a man, nor was He ever (Numbers 23:19; 1 Samuel 15:29; Hosea 11:9). He is Spirit (John 4:24), and Spirit is not made of flesh and bone (Luke 24:39).

Mormons believe that there are different levels or kingdoms in the afterlife: the celestial kingdom, the terrestrial kingdom, the telestial kingdom, and outer darkness (Mormon Doctrine, p. 348). Where mankind will end up depends on what they believe and do in this life (2 Nephi 25:23; Articles of Faith, p.79). 

In contrast, the Bible tells us that after death we go to heaven or hell based on whether or not we had faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. To be absent from our bodies means, as believers, we are with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:6–8). Unbelievers are sent to hell or the place of the dead (Luke 16:22–23). When Jesus comes the second time, we will receive resurrected, glorified bodies (1 Corinthians 15:50–54). There will be a new heaven and new earth for believers (Revelation 21:1), and unbelievers will be thrown into an everlasting lake of fire (Revelation 20:11–15). There is no second chance for redemption after death (Hebrews 9:27).

Mormon leaders have taught that Jesus’ incarnation was the result of a physical relationship between God the Father and Mary (Journal of Discourses, vol. 8, p. 115; Mormon Doctrine, p. 547). Mormons believe Jesus is a god, but that any human can also become a god (Doctrine and Covenants 132:20; Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 345–354). Mormonism teaches that salvation can be earned by a combination of faith and good works (LDS Bible Dictionary, p. 697). 

Contrary to this, Christians historically have taught that no one can achieve the status of God—only He is holy (1 Samuel 2:2). We can only be made holy in God’s sight through faith in Him (1 Corinthians 1:2). Jesus is the only begotten Son of God (John 3:16), is the only one ever to have lived a sinless life, and now has the highest place of honor in heaven (Hebrews 7:26). Jesus and God are one in essence, Jesus being the only man who existed before physical birth (John 1:1–8; 8:56). Jesus gave Himself to us as a sacrifice, God raised Him from the dead, and one day everyone will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:6–11). Jesus tells us it is impossible to get to heaven by our own works and that only by faith in Him is it possible (Matthew 19:26). We all deserve eternal punishment for our sins, but God’s infinite love and grace have allowed us a way out. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

Clearly, there is only one way to receive salvation and that is to know God and His Son, Jesus (John 17:3). Receiving salvation is not done by works but by faith (Romans 1:17; 3:28). We can receive this gift no matter who we are or what we have done (Romans 3:22). “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Although Mormons are usually friendly, loving, and kind people, they are deceived by a false religion that distorts the nature of God, the Person of Jesus Christ, and the means of salvation.

(Editor’s note: many of the references in our articles on Mormonism are Mormon publications, such as Mormon Doctrine, Articles of Faith, Doctrines of Salvation, History of the Church, Doctrine and Covenants, and so forth. Others are from the Book of Mormon itself, e.g., books such as 1 Nephi, 2 Nephi, and Alma.)

[karlyanalora]

The Fear of God

Different from but related to the fears we often experience is what the scriptures describe as “godly fear” (Hebrews 12:28) or “the fear of the Lord” (Job 28:28; Proverbs 16:6; Isaiah 11:2–3). Unlike worldly fear that creates alarm and anxiety, godly fear is a source of peace, assurance, and confidence.

But how can anything associated with fear be edifying or spiritually helpful?

The righteous fear I am attempting to describe encompasses a deep feeling of reverence, respect, and awe for the Lord Jesus Christ (see Psalm 33:8; 96:4), obedience to His commandments (see Deuteronomy 5:29; 8:6; 10:12; 13:4; Psalm 112:1), and anticipation of the Final Judgment and justice at His hand. Thus, godly fear grows out of a correct understanding of the divine nature and mission of the Lord Jesus Christ, a willingness to submit our will to His will, and a knowledge that every man and woman will be accountable for his or her own sins in the Day of Judgment (see D&C 101:78; Articles of Faith 1:2).

As the scriptures certify, godly fear “is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7), “the instruction of wisdom” (Proverbs 15:33), a “strong confidence” (Proverbs 14:26), and “a fountain of life” (Proverbs 14:27).

Please note that godly fear is linked inextricably to an understanding of the Final Judgment and our individual accountability for our desires, thoughts, words, and acts (see Mosiah 4:30). The fear of the Lord is not a reluctant apprehension about coming into His presence to be judged. I do not believe we will be afraid of Him at all. Rather, it is the prospect in His presence of facing things as they really are about ourselves and having “a perfect knowledge” (2 Nephi 9:14; see also Alma 11:43) of all our rationalizations, pretenses, and self-deceptions. Ultimately, we will be left without excuse.

Every person who has lived or will yet live upon the earth “shall be brought to stand before the bar of God, to be judged of him according to [his or her] works whether they be good or whether they be evil” (Mosiah 16:10). If our desires have been for righteousness and our works good, then the judgment bar will be pleasing (see Jacob 6:13; Enos 1:27; Moroni 10:34). And at the last day we will “be rewarded unto righteousness” (Alma 41:6).

Conversely, if our desires have been for evil and our works wicked, then the judgment bar will be a cause of dread. “We shall not dare to look up to our God; and we would fain be glad if we could command the rocks and the mountains to fall upon us to hide us from his presence” (Alma 12:14). And at the last day we will “have [our] reward of evil” (Alma 41:5).

As summarized in Ecclesiastes:

“Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

“For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13–14).

My beloved brothers and sisters, godly fear dispels mortal fears. It even subdues the haunting concern that we never can be good enough spiritually and never will measure up to the Lord’s requirements and expectations. In truth, we cannot be good enough or measure up relying solely upon our own capacity and performance. Our works and desires alone do not and cannot save us. “After all we can do” (2 Nephi 25:23), we are made whole only through the mercy and grace available through the Savior’s infinite and eternal atoning sacrifice (see Alma 34:10, 14). Certainly, “we believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel” (Articles of Faith 1:3).

Godly fear is loving and trusting in Him. As we fear God more completely, we love Him more perfectly. And “perfect love casteth out all fear” (Moroni 8:16). I promise the bright light of godly fear will chase away the dark shadows of mortal fears (see D&C 50:25) as we look to the Savior, build upon Him as our foundation, and press forward on His covenant path with consecrated commitment.

-An excerpt from "Therefore They Hushed Their Fears" By Elder David A. Bednar Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

[nerdygaymormon]

How many women are named in the book of Mormon? All I'm remembering right now is Isabel

I’m sad to say that there’s only 6!

Biblical Women Named in the Book of Mormon

Eve gets mentioned twice. First she’s mentioned along with Adam (see 1 Ne. 5:10–11). Second in a passage about the forbidden fruit, being kicked out of Eden, which ends with the moral “Adam fell that men might be, and men are that they might have joy” (see 2 Ne. 2:18–25).

Mary is named twice as the mother of Christ (Mosiah 3:8; Alma 7:10.) Plus twice she is talked about but not by name  (1 Ne. 11:14–21,  Alma 19:13.)

Sarah, wife of Abraham, is mentioned once (2 Ne. 8:2.)

Non-Biblical Women Named in the Book of Mormon

Sariah is the first, she’s the wife of Lehi and mother of Nephi. It seems that Lehi wouldn’t be successful without her and that she had a job of trying to temper him  (1 Ne. 5:1–9)

Isabel, who you mentioned, is the first Lamanite woman to be discussed in the Book of Mormon. She’s described as a harlot (Alma 39:3–4, 11). 

And finally, Abish, who is a servant to a Lamanite queen and has a role in helping Ammon convert a large group of Lamanites. (by the way, the Faithful Feminist podcast joined the Beyond the Block podcast this past week for episode 60 titled Transgressive Heroes and they discuss Abish at the 37 minute mark and it’s really good)

Individual Women in the Book of Mormon without Name

The unnamed wife of Nephi, she is distraught and tries to save her husband’s life (1 Ne. 18:19) and she may have been the daughter of Ishmael who earlier had pleaded for Nephi’s life (1 Ne. 7:19 )

A maidservant of Morianton who was beat by him. She escaped and ran to Moroni’s camp with information that helped Moroni defeat Morianton’s plans (Alma 50:31–36)

Three different Lamanite queens get a spot. The first being the queen to King Lamoni and Abish was her servant (Alma 19:1–11; Alma 19:28–30)

The second queen is wife to Lamoni’s father (Alma 22:19–23)

The third is a widowed Lamanite queen whose husband was killed because Amalickiah, a Nephite, ordered him killed. Amalickiah tries to get her to marry him as a way to lend credibility to him as the new Lamanite king (See Alma 47:32–35). She was widowed again when the Teancum killed the sleeping Amalickiah. (Alma 51:34)

The only Jaredite woman identified is a daughter of Jared. To help her dad get to be king, she agrees to marry Akish if he kills her grandfather (Ether 8:8–12.) She was quite influential in that she got her father & her husband both to create secret combinations (Ether 8:16–18). Akish later has her father murdered and imprisons their son (Ether 9:4–7)

Groups of Women in the Book of Mormon

Nephi had sisters (2 Ne. 5:6)

The daughters of Ishmael

The 24 Lamanite young women kidnapped by the priests of King Noah, and who later married them (Mosiah 20:1–5; Mosiah 23:33–34)

The Ammonite mothers of Helaman’s 2,000 young warriors (Alma 56:47–48)

Women as part of the General Population

Beyond these specific groups, there are times when women are mentioned as part of a larger group of people. For example, 5,400 men, their wives and children migrated north from Zarahemla or Hagoth’s boats included women and children on board. 

[alliluyevas]

Following the near extermination of the Anti-Nephi-Lehies, Ammon and his brothers enjoy another period of success among the Lamanites (25:13-17). Overjoyed, Ammon glories in the “great work” which he and his fellow missionaries have accomplished (26:1-9). Aaron chides him: “Ammon, I fear that thy joy doth carry thee away unto boasting” (26:10). This was a weakness that Joseph Jr. had. Levi Lewis of Harmony [Emma Hale Smith’s first cousin] said “he heard Smith say he (Smith) was as good as Jesus Christ;—that it was as bad to injure him as it was to injure Jesus Christ.”25 His wife, Sophia Lewis, said she “heard a conversation between Joseph Smith Jr., and the Rev. James B. Roach, in which Smith called Mr. R[oach]. a d—d fool. Smith also said in the same conversation that he (Smith) was as good as Jesus Christ.”26 Hezekiah McKune, also of Harmony, said that “in conversation with Joseph Smith Jr., he (Smith) said he was nearly equal to Jesus Christ; that he was a prophet sent by God to bring in the Jews, and that he was the greatest prophet that had ever arisen.”27

While one cannot know how much hyperbole has been added to these quotes or what was intended—what could have elicited such statements, for instance—the observers were alarmed at what they perceived to be the disparity between Joseph’s claim of piety and his boasting of it and other behavior that was out of keeping with a religious life including lying, drinking, and the use of “profanity,” according to their statements.28In Ammon’s lengthy defense of his boasting, there may be an apology on Smith’s part for his critics in Harmony. “I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom,” Ammon declares. “But behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God” (26:11). Upon further reflection, maybe Joseph’s enthusiasm had been excessive. “Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things. … Now if this is boasting, even so will I boast” (vv. 12, 36).

...

Alma continues: “Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth” (v. 2). Alma, like Ammon, must curb his hubris: “I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy” (v. 9). The quick repetition of this theme, which readers would not otherwise think to ascribe to Alma, shows that the author is defensive regarding the charge of pride and arrogance.

inch resting

[bookofmormondaily]

2 Nephi 9:28

“28 ​O that cunning ​​​plan​ of the evil one! O the ​​​vainness​, and the frailties, and the ​​​foolishness​ of men! When they are ​​​learned​ they think they are ​​​wise​, and they ​​​hearken not​ unto the ​​​counsel​ of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their ​​​wisdom​ is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish.”

[mormonmonastery]

How do you reconcile the imperfection of the Jewish conception of God, a God who can be wrong, with the inerrability of the Christian one, a God whose ways are higher than man's without exception, since we Christians claim we worship the same God as Abraham and Isaac and Jacob?

A good question and one where I can do no better than attempt to answer it. Joseph Smith once said that “by proving contraries, truth is made manifest” and I’ll stand by that--in all cases where it is possible, we should aim for a higher synthesis that comprehends both perspectives. So here with the concepts, both present in scripture, of God corrected and God in-correctible.

One of my guesses is that this divergence comes from the necessity of our knowing God in a fallen and mortal state. Like Hagar in the desert, our God is El Roi, “god who sees” and specifically the god who sees us where and how we are (Genesis 16:13). The importance of covenant cannot here be overstated. We know and interact with God through a relationship and that relationship is set up as a give-and-take (”I promise this, God promises that”) despite the apparent absurdity of a fallen human having anything to give God. And yet, in another way, the freedom of our souls and our divine potential means we have everything to give to God: we can choose to return our love to the very source of love, or we can not; we can choose to progress closer to our potential as God’s own children, or we can not. In each case, the choice is ours and the choosing is our end of the covenant. Because of this, I think that God is willing to appear to us in the form that is at any given time most conducive to our spiritual growth and most beneficial to our relationship with Them. And sometimes, to grow spiritually, we might need to correct someone, to argue our case out, to maintain our belief in one truth at the expense (for the time being) of the other--I think of Noah convincing God to spare some life from the flood, or of Abraham talking God down to saving Sodom and Gomorrah for the sake of ten righteous souls, or Moses interceding with God to not destroy Israel. If God must seem fallible in some way in order for us to realize our highest capacity or desire for mercy, justice, charity, or any other virtue: well, then I think God is willing to sacrifice the appearance of infallibility in order to help us achieve that virtue. If Paul, a mere man, is willing to be all things in order to win more people to the gospel, then I would expect an even greater willingness to do so from God (1 Corinthians 9:19-23).

I think the same basic idea I laid out above could apply more broadly to an entire cultural view of what God is like. We learn in scripture that the Lord teaches us “line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little” (2 Nephi 28:30). A historical study of the Hebrew Bible convinces me pretty well that Abrahamic monotheism as we know it--the belief that the God of Israel is indeed the only God who exists--only really took form in the period surrounding the Jewish Exile through the inspiration of prophets like Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Habakuk, and those whose writings have been collected together in the book of Isaiah. The trauma of that historical era led the Jewish people to cast off what was likely their previous belief--that their God was one national god among a host of gods belonging to the other nations and that so catastrophic a defeat said something negative about the Lord’s capability as a god--to a more expansive revelation that saw all history and creation as elements of the Lord’s providence. I think the implications of the Lord’s fallibility we see in the Hebrew Bible are often historical remnants of an earlier worldview that remain preserved in the text despite the revelation of the later prophets. 

From all this, I guess you could say I lean towards what you call the Christian perspective: God may seem fallible to human beings at times, but that is because Their ways are higher than ours without exception and to appear wrong can sometimes be useful from that vantage. That’s a fair enough summary, but I would like to complicate it. Mormonism thinks about God very differently from most other Christianities: 1) we do not view God as absolute and place some limitations on Them (for instance, we do not believe that God created our cosmos out of nothing, which is the normative Christian position, and that gives us a very different idea of what it means for God to be Creator), 2) we view God in very anthropomorphic terms, as our Heavenly Mother and our Heavenly Father, as the same essential species of being as us. From those accepted differences, several questions arise about the nature of God, including about fallibility. Even if we accept that God will never make a mistake in regards to us and our mortal probation, the question of if God continues to learn and progress eternally becomes a difficult mystery, mainly because it is so far beyond our pay grade as mortals (you should find the Eugene England and Bruce McConkie correspondence on this question quite intriguing if you’ve bothered to read this far through; it will not surprise you to hear that I find England far more convincing in this debate).    

I also think there is much to admire and that is worth emulating in the Jewish perspective that allows for God to be wrong. I do not think that our Heavenly Parents have much interest or use for children who are blindly obedient and entirely questionless, for disciples who are only interested in “just following orders” and who fail to understand the broader picture. I think argument and debate and questioning and interrogation can be positive actions to bring with us into prayer and our study of the scriptures, provided they are also balanced by humility, love, and patience (a balance that many rabbis strike). I don’t think we should ever take a spiritual question as fully settled, but should go through the effort to seek after an answer for ourselves. The Jewish tradition often provides me with great examples of what it looks like to truly engage with and commit to one’s faith at the highest level--to the point of being willing to argue with God about how best to apply it! Now that is a worthwhile and vital faith, the very sort I pray to have.

In conclusion: God only knows the answer, but asking the question is always valuable and worthwhile.

[thyfaithfailnot]

Essay #1: When You Think All is Lost

Disc.: All talks and scriptures in this essay belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Biblica, Inc. No copyright infringement intended.

John Chapter 9 tells the story of a man who was born blind. This is a very familiar story to most people, and one that I have heard many times and always enjoyed.  It used to make me reflect on the fact that sometimes things just happen and we need to make the most of them. Unfortunately, however, most people who read this story stop after those first few verses and miss the rest of the chapter where some great truths can be found.  

The scriptures are filled with truths that can help us in our everyday lives. Nephi teaches us to “liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit  and learning”  (1 Nephi 19:23).  

“I urge you to stretch beyond your current spiritual ability to receive personal revelation, for the Lord has promised that ‘if thou [seek], thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and the peaceable things--that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal’ [D&C 42:61].” 

~President Russell M. Nelson, “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives”, General Conference April 2018

  I love that! I can testify of the truths contained within the pages of the holy scriptures. I know that The Lord is waiting to fill our minds with His truths! How great are His desires to unveil these mysteries to us!  

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I’ve been thinking a lot about John Chapter 9 recently. Specifically because of the line, “Master who did sin, this man or his parents?”  A couple of things sprang quickly to my mind as I read this chapter for the first time: 1) The word “parents” comes up six times; and 2) This entire chapter is devoted to this story of this family. Yes, the story is centered around this one man, but the whole family is involved.  

I’m not a strong reader, so when I read any book (and especially scripture), I look at every word, and when a word is mentioned multiple times, it causes me to take a longer look. And when the word “parents” comes up six times, it feels like The Lord is saying to me: “If you're a parent, then pay attention -- there is something for you to learn here.”  

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Right in the beginning of Chapter 9, we learn about this man’s birth. When a couple becomes pregnant, their visions are grandiose; they assume that everything will go according to plan. But that’s not always the case. In this instance, for example, the child is born blind, and he grows up begging for his daily sustenance.

In verse 4 it says: “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.”   

This is the King James Version. That’s the Bible I prefer to use, as I appreciate the reverence of the language and find it easier to understand. I felt impressed to see how the Christian Standard Version read this chapter (and I was glad that I did, by the way). Comparatively speaking, it seemed to be almost the same as the King James Version, except for this verse:

“We must do the works of him who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. 

~John 9:4 (CSB) 

 The difference is subtle, but I see it clear as daylight: in the King James Version, the first word is “I”, but in the Christian Standard Bible, it’s “we”. The concept of “parents” signifies the importance of the word “we”. We have work to do. I repeat: we have work to do!  

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The subject of parenting has come up on two separate occasions in my ward’s Sunday School this year. The first time, we were studying Doctrine & Covenants 68:25-28 (I can't remember the other time). During this section, my wife tearfully asked anyone in the class who had inactive children to raise their hands. As I scanned the room, I couldn’t find a single hand that wasn’t raised. It troubles my heart to know that so many people in The Church -- even those in our own ward -- have raised children to be firm believers, only for them to be led astray. Try as we may, today’s screaming, societal voices seem to attract the ears of our children.  

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Getting back to the story of the blind man, Jesus spat on the ground, made some mud, anointed the man's eyes, and told him to go to a pool called Siloam (lit. “Sent”). The man did as Jesus asked him and was immediately cured. 

What I find interesting is the fact that this story is repeated two more times throughout this whole chapter. Why do we need to hear this story three times? I think maybe it’s because there’s something we need to learn from the blind man.

The first time the blind man tells his story, he’s talking to his “neighbors” and other acquaintances. Those people take him to a group of strict law-abiders called the Pharisees. The Pharisees ask the formerly blind man to tell them how he regained his power of eyesight. The Pharisees' big problem with this miracle was that it was done on The Sabbath Day. 

“This man is not of God, because he keepeth not The Sabbath Day,” says one member.

“How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles?” say others (verse 16).  

The topic of miracles fascinates me. Why are miracles given to some (albeit deserving) people? And some presumably undeserving people get those longed-for miracles. The blind man was obedient: he did exactly what Jesus had told him to do. But the most important thing he did was he believed. I am confident that with each unsure step and stumble he took to get to Siloam, his steps became more sure and less stumble-y. Though his physical sight was still impaired, his spiritual vision became more certain of who it was that sent him to the pool.

“What sayest thou of Him, that He hath opened thine eyes?”  the Pharisees asked cynically of the blind man.

This blind man answered their question with nary a hesitation: “He is a prophet.”

The Jews did not believe that the man was blind in the first place so they called for the man's parents and asked them how could it possibly be that their son could now see?

“We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind,” the blind man’s parents answered (I LOVE their answer!), “But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.”  

Parents are also someone else's child. We were children, teenagers, and even young adults before we became moms and dads. Mom and Dad did not know about some of the things we experienced when we were growing up -- we did what we did, and we experienced what we experienced. Perhaps unfortunately, parents are sometimes the last ones to know what goes on in their children's lives. Perhaps instinctively, children keep things from their parents for fear of disappointing or hurting them. This is certainly true in my case: the last thing that I ever wanted to do was hurt my mother in any way, shape, or form.  

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 Verse 22 is probably one of the most critical verses in this story for parents to pay attention to: “These words spake his parents, because they feared…”  

 I think that a lot of times we are motivated or driven by fear, try as we might. I do believe that fear can motivate us to a certain point, but fear isn't the right tool for us to use in the long run. Faith cannot abide where fear exists -- I have always believed that. The phrase “fear not” (or at least the word “fear”), pops up in The Gospel Library 1,410 times. I think The Lord is trying to tell us that we needn't fear.

 “And, lo, the angel of The Lord came upon them, and the glory of The Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”  

~Luke 2:9-10

 I take great confidence in these words! We usually hear them at Christmastime, but it can be applied year-round, like most scriptures. The declaration was to “fear not, I bring you good tidings of great joy”!  I want to to put an exclamation point there to emphasize that these tidings ARE of great joy; this blessed angel was announcing the birth of Jesus Crist, He who was to be the long-awaited Messiah, The Great Deliverer, our Physician, our Blessed Savior, He who would pay the ransom for our very souls. Why then, would anyone have any need to fear? The message that He would share with the world was that He would voluntarily lay down His life so that we could ALL return to our Father’s presence.  Because of the great sacrifice He committed in His Earthly life, we can ALL be cleansed from sin as we repent, change, and try to be better each day. The message that he would share would fill our minds and hearts with love, peace, and hope.  

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 I think there’s often a real fear attached to parenting. We fear saying or doing the wrong thing with regards to our children. We fear whether or not we’ve done enough or too much. We fear that our parenting skills are insufficient and will lead to our failure as parents. We fear what others may think because of our childrens’ behaviors. The list of fears goes on and on -- I daresay it is endless. Every family has a different personality and set of group dynamics. Regardless of the situation, the fear (whichever one it is) is real and potentially paralyzing. But again, we need not fear, as the story of the blind man illustrates. I can testify that God is real, and God is love (1 John 4:8).

 ***

Back to the story: the Jews accuse Jesus of being a sinner because He healed the blind man on the Sabbath. 

 “Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not,” the blind man says, “One thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.” (Verse 25)  

 What a powerful testimony! Then those faultfinders asked again, what did he do? How did he open his eyes? The man had already told him the story twice and was beginning to lose his patience.  

 He answered them: “I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?”  

 As the story progresses, you can see the man's confidence begin to increase.  

 He asks the Jews and Pharisees in this verse, in the vernacular of today: “Are you going to be one of his followers too?”  

 I love that! 

 The Apostle Paul said in his letter to the Hebrews: “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward” (Hebrews 10:35).  

 Gaining confidence is a valuable thing, particularly when we build and strengthen our own testimonies, our faith, and our trust in God and His Plan.  

 Eventually, the blind man was “cast out”. Jesus heard about this and went to go find the man.  

 Then, Jesus asked the man if he “believed on The Son of God?” (Verse 35)  

 Said the blind man to Jesus: “Who is He, Lord, that I might believe on Him?”  

 “And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen Him, and it is He that talketh with thee” (verse 37; my favorite part).  

 What a precious and tender moment this must have been! This man had never before seen Jesus with His physical eyes. This man did the work he was asked to do, he followed the Savior’s instructions, he boldly stood against the scoffing Jews and Pharisees. His parents took him, as far as they could, and then left the man to stand on his own.  

 The following verse makes me cry: “And he said, Lord, I believe.  And he worshipped Him” (verse 38). 

 The story isn't clear on whether or not the parents were present, but can you imagine what would’ve happened if they were? Such a sweet moment for any parent who desires that their child be a disciple of Jesus Christ.  What a thrill for any parent to hear those words from their child's lips, “Lord, I believe.”  In the words of the Apostle John, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”   ( John 1:4)

 Final thoughts

There’s no doubt in my mind that being a parent is a difficult thing to be. There is no official instruction manual telling you what to do or not do. We learn how to parent by watching other parents or asking our own. We learn by trial and error, trying different things and making/correcting mistakes. There are no guarantees, but hope, trust, and grace are available.

 My favorite part of the story of the blind man is after Jesus sends him to Siloam. He doesn't hold his hand and show him the way, He doesn't provide an aid to help get him there. He just tells him to go. I can see in my mind's eye the blind man stumbling, bumping into things, falling, and grappling along the way. Yet still, the man pushes along firmly and steadfastly. This represents parenthood as well: as we walk down that challenging road, we bump into things, we stumble, and sometimes fall.  We show our faith not only in the Father's Plan and The Savior’s strengthening/enabling power, but also in our children being ok. Even though they may stumble onto a dangerous road, we trust that they will eventually see that that road leads to nothing but sadness and despair. As much as it pains us to see that our precious babies may seem lost, alone, and blinded by the deafening shouts of this world today, it is important to remember that our children are also God's children.  

 Elder Jeffrey R. Holland reminds us that “God loves ALL His children with ALL His heart, might, mind and strength.” What a powerful truth that is! In spite of all the mistakes we may make as parents and as individuals, God still loves us with all His might, mind and strength.

 We were never meant to walk through this life alone or in the dark, blindly moving from one obstacle to the next. 

 Shortly before Jesus’ ascension to His Father, He told His disciples: “I will not leave you comfortless, I will come unto you.  Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more,  but ye see me, because I live, ye shall live also.” 

 We have the precious, unspeakable gift of The Holy Ghost (see Doctrine & Covenants 121:26). God is ever-ready and ever-willing to help us in our times of need. I can testify that He hears every prayer uttered, that each tear that rolls down our cheeks is seen by His “all searching eye” (see 2 Nephi 9:44). He knows all our heartbreaks and all our heartaches. He knows us better than we know ourselves, and He still loves us all the same. I believe that this life was meant to be joyous. Where can we find joy, happiness, and peace in a world that is filled with stress and despair? 

 I like the words of President Russell M. Nelson: “When the focus of our lives is on Jesus Christ and His Gospel, we can feel joy regardless of what is happening—or not happening—in our lives.” 

 I believe this to be true!  May God bless us all in our efforts to improve our lives a little bit more each and every day!  God is a real and loving God and Jesus is the very Christ -- He lives and He died for all of His Father’s children so that we could all return to live with Him someday.

[bookoformon]

3 Nephi, Chapter 13. "One Thought."

Jesus teaches the Nephites the Lord’s Prayer—They are to lay up treasures in heaven—The twelve disciples in their ministry are commanded to take no thought for temporal things—Compare Matthew 6. About A.D. 34. "Glared."

1 Verily, verily, I say that I would that ye should do alms unto the poor; but take heed that ye do not your alms before men to be seen of them; otherwise ye have no reward of your Father who is in heaven.

2 Therefore, when ye shall do your alms do not sound a trumpet before you, as will hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.

3 But when thou doest alms let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth;

4 That thine alms may be in secret; and thy Father who seeth in secret, himself shall reward thee openly.

5 And when thou prayest thou shalt not do as the hypocrites, for they love to pray, standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.

6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret; and thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen, for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

8 Be not ye therefore like unto them, for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him.

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

11 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

12 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

13 For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

14 For, if ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you;

15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

16 Moreover, when ye fast be not as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance, for they disfigure their faces that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.

17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy face;

18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father, who is in secret; and thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal;

20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.

21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

22 The light of the body is the eye; if, therefore, thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If, therefore, the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

24 No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon.

25 And now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words he looked upon the twelve whom he had chosen, and said unto them: Remember the words which I have spoken. For behold, ye are they whom I have chosen to minister unto this people. Therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

26 Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin;

29 And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon, in all his glory, was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, even so will he clothe you, if ye are not of little faith.

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient is the day unto the evil thereof.

Jesus speaks of an interior light that is "Sufficient of the Day" a way of thinking that not only rids the soul of all tenebrosity of but is a pervasive thought that keeps it away:

 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin;

Jesus hated the Prayer People, along with any kind of outspokenness without Grace, any kind of demonstration of piety that was not consistent with the inner qualities of a saint. A saint He said, grows into his own nature like the seed of a plant, planted in secret and then one day, its hidden flower blooms.

So what is this interior illuminating blooming thought? Can it be prayed, does one need to go to Bethelehem or Jerusalem to ask some old person there what it is or do research in ancient languages to discover it?

Jesus, who must have been a meditator says "take no thoughts." The thoughts will come, but if one is of the same mind as the Father,Jesus said they would be pure, as with His own thoughts.

So do as He says. One does not need prayer overly much, one does not need to perform many deeds if one opens the fenestrations of the soul up to the light of the Holy Ghost. Verily as the Christ promised thou shalt become clothed, "all these things shall be added unto you."

Without the truth, without confession, sacrifice, atonement and charisma afterwards, there is nothing to hope for. To want or feel entitlted to salvation is not how things work. No matter how many times one feels entitled or forgiven, or repeats silly stories to oneself or others the path diagrammed in the scriptures is the only way to abandon wickedness and find God in Heaven.

[alexphil323]

A group of people in the Book of Mormon, many of whom were descendants of the prophet Nephi, son of Lehi. They separated from the Lamanites and were generally more righteous than the Lamanites. However, they were eventually destroyed by the Lamanites because of wickedness.

The Nephites separated from the Lamanites, 2 Ne. 5:5–17.

All those who were not Lamanites were Nephites, Jacob 1:13.

The Nephites were inspired by a better cause, Alma 43:6–9, 45.

The Nephites had never been happier than at the time of Moroni, Alma 50:23.

The Nephites were saved because of the prayers of the righteous, Alma 62:40.

The Nephites did begin to dwindle in unbelief, Hel. 6:34–35.

Jesus taught and ministered among the Nephites, 3 Ne. 11:1–28:12.

All were converted to the Lord and had all things in common, 4 Ne. 1:2–3.

There was no contention, the love of God dwelt in their hearts, and they were the happiest of people, 4 Ne. 1:15–16.

The Nephites began to be proud and vain, 4 Ne. 1:43.

Blood and carnage spread throughout all the face of the land, Morm. 2:8.

The Nephites increased in wickedness and Mormon refused to lead them, Morm. 3:9–11.

All the Nephites, except for twenty-four, were killed, Morm. 6:7–15.

Every Nephite who would not deny Christ was put to death, Moro. 1:2.

The Nephites were destroyed because of their wickedness and sins, D&C 3:18.

Beware of pride for fear you become as the Nephites, D&C 38:39.

( debunking Mormons, did that,you know spiel anyway as to polygamy,the belief that the devinizing of the flesh was an act of embodiment-some believe in abstinence ,for others it was polygamy, everyone wants to controll sexuality,with the same promise of escaping the quotidian. Mormons were demonized and set upon ,after all,they hadn’t earned better,being duplicitous by nature,remember Spring Meadows....so how did they make it from bad religion to good religion,with the seal of approval from the secular beliefs ...instead of secular versus religion,perhaps we should be asking good or bad religion,secularism is a belief system,imposed from above.

[barzidovigeei]

Yeshayah 30:9-13; Kehillah in Rome 8:33; 2 Nephi 28

😇

[bookofmormonmemes]

2 nephi 9:28-29

so these verses stick out to me pretty much every time i read it, but today they hit me with a brand new insight that i’d never considered before and i kinda wanted to share it...

28 O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish.

29 But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God.

in this Digital Age, there’s a lot of easy access to information that can attack your testimony of the Church. there’s piles and piles of articles uncovering unsavory bits of church history, there’s passionate callings-out of the sexism and homophobia and all kinds of prejudice that pervade Mormon Culture, there’s great big science vs. religion debates and people dedicated to swaying us away from the foolish traditions of our ancestors. and when you get too sucked into reading and watching and seeing these things, it can really hurt the way you think and feel about the Church.

up until recently, my strategy for keeping my testimony pure was Avoid This Information At All Costs. don’t associate with people who don’t like the church, they might say bad stuff about it. don’t listen to exmormons ever, they might make you want to leave the church too. don’t read the wikipedia articles on church leaders, there might be something that insinuates they’re not a 100% good wise awesome person.

thing is? a lot of these things aren’t bad things to know. it’s incredibly important to learn the experiences of others. it’s incredibly important to know the details of our ancestors and leaders. and it is absolutely crucial to know the things that mormon culture may have taught you that can harm others--that way you can know to not perpetuate those toxic behaviors! to be learned is good!

the danger comes when you start to believe that this information is more important than eternal truths and values and wisdom. if it leads you to having a stronger and more educated testimony of Christ’s pure doctrine, a testimony you can now share with the rest of the members in your community? that’s awesome. if it leads to you feeling like you need to separate yourself from the specific organization/institution of the church to protect your own spiritual or mental or emotional well-being? that’s perfectly fine, and more power to you for being able to make that choice. if it leads you to feeling like you’re now smarter than all these foolish sheeple blindly following these ignorant outdated ideas and you have a right to attack them for being so stupid? that’s where we have a problem.

tl;dr to be learned is good, if you hearken unto the counsels of God. to be smart is good, if you use it to improve yourself and help others and make the world a better place. to know the flaws and imperfections of mormondom is good, if you continue to be a good and kind and humble person. don’t let fear of pride prevent you from really enriching and edifying yourself.

[wordsmith0823]

OUR TITLE DEEDS

 I really feel the need to emphasize today the importance of recognizing that the Scriptures are our title deeds. What manifests in the spirit realm will manifest in the mortal realm. Just read Genesis. God said... and it was. We are covenant people and Gods in embryo so we can't afford to forget that and allow the adversary to rob of of our rightful inheritance as joint heirs with The Anointed Jesus. In April of 2016 I was diagnosed with two forms of stage four cancer and told I had less than eighteen months to live. What rose in my mind is "I shalll live and not die and declare the works of the LORD!" From that moment on I stood on the healing Scriptures. 2Peter 2:24, Alma 7:11, 3Nephi 17:6-9, and so on. All day I declared, "According to Dueteronomy 28:61 this sickness is a curse of the law, but according to Galatians 3:15 Christ has redeemed me from the curse of the law. My body is the temple of the Holy Ghost and greater is he who is in me than he who is in the world. Cancer is illegally tespassing in my body. Ministering spirits do your job according to Hebrews 1:14." When I took chemo I prayed Mark 16 over it, claiming by faith that no poison could harm me. I give much credit to the wonderful, nurturing people at Scarborough General Hospital. They did what they could in the natural but it was ultimately up to me since God had already done his part. Healing is IN the atonement. Once you know the title deeds Heavenly Father has given you through the Atonement you have no excuse. No matter what satan throws at you, you can fight him. Picture yourself storming over to him with those title deeds in your hand and just smacking him around the head. ( I know the sucker doesn't have a body, but pretend.) SO when satan puts sickness on you, stand on 3Nephi 17:6-9. Declare 2 peter 2:24. Declare all of Psalm 91. When satan and his band of miserable minions try to put poverty and lack on you delare Phillipians 4:19.. Make Helaman 5:12 your foundation Scipture! Best of all, when that good-for-nothing tries to tell you you're a victim of circumstance, take 2 Nephi 2:26 and cram it down his throat! That's probably one of the most imortant Scriptures you can have when you recognize it as the title deed it is, which enables you to act and not be acted upon, the title deed that allows you to be an actor in the world and not a reactor to the world. It's tempting to say "It doesn't get better than this," but the truth is, life as God wants it toi be for us is so amazing, so joy-filled, that it takes eternity to comprehend it all. This is my testimony in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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[bloojayoolie]

Blessed, Children, and Ether: loi an me the Revelation sel in t Go our eter Prologue The revelation of Jesus Christ says the Lord God, "who is, and who which God gave him to show his am the Alpha and the Omega," servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2who testifies to everything he saw-that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because was, and who is to come, the Almighty One Like a Son of Man John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trum pet, 11which said:"Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum. Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea." 12 turned round to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone "like a son of man", dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash round his chest. 14HIS head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp doubled-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance the time is near churches Greetings and Doxolor 4John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who i, and who was, and who is to come, and om the seven spirits before his throne, ind from Jesus Christ, who is the faith- witness, the firstborn from the dead, id the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us m our sins by his blood, and has made to be a kingdom and priests to serve his d and Father-to him be glory and ver for ever and ever! Amen. od oro b spbu o iob miffy ologe almg nwo hd eovlmos d od o ovbs awo d eotto 1ook, he is coming with the clouds and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him: and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. 17When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 181 am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am o b bns So shall it be! Amen. 4 NEPHI 1:38-49 Christ, (among whom were the "three disciples of Jesus who should tarry) were called Nephites, and Jacobites, and Josephites, and Zoramites. 38 And it came to pass that they who rejected the gospel were called Lamanites, and Lemuelites, and Ishmaelites; and they did not dwindle in "unbelief, but they did wilfully rebel against the gospel of Christ; and they did teach their children that they should not believe, even as their fathers, from the beginning, did dwindle. 39 And it was because of the wickedness and abomination of their fathers, even as it was in the begin- ning. And they were taught to hate the children of God, even as the Lamanites were taught to "hate the children of Nephi from the beginning. 40 And it came to pass that *two hundred and forty and four years had passed away, and thus were the affairs of the people. And the "more wicked part of the people did wax strong, and became exceedingly more numerous than were the people of God. 41 And they did still continue to build up churches unto themselves and adorn them with all manner of precious things. And thus did two hundred and fifty years pass away, and also two hundred and sixty years. 42 And it came to pass that the their exceeding riche avain like unto their Lamanites. 44 And from this tim began to sorrow for world. 45 And it came to p three hundred years away, both the people the Lamanites had be ingly wicked one like 46 And it came to robbers of Gadian over all the face of t there were none that save it were the disci And gold and silver di instore in abundancead in all manner of traffic 47 And it came to pas tthree hundred and fe passed away, (and the still remain in wicked died; and his brother did keep the record in 48 And it came to pas tthree hundred and t had passed away, 'Amm constrained by the Holy hide up the 'records dsacred-yea, even ll records which had bee down from generation to g which were sacred-even three hundred and twet from the coming of Christ 49 And he did hide then the Lord, that they mi THE BOOK OF MORMON my father into the land southward, even to the land of Zarahemi 7 The whole fae hec naron instructs Mormon con- Nohhitoe and L CHAPTER 1 the sacred records-War com wicked part of the people began again unto the remnant oft again to build up the secret oaths of Jacob, accordingtothe and the promises of the L thus is the end of the Ammaron. and "combinations of Gadianton. 43 And also the people who were called the people of Nephi began to be proud in their hearts, because of 48a Morm. 1:2 b Morm. 2:7 C TG Scripture Preservation d Hel. 3:1503 49a Enos 1:13 Morm. 5:9 Combinations. 37a 3 Ne. 28:7: Morm. 8:10 (10-12). 38a TC Unbelief, Unbelievers. 43a Hel. 16:22 44a Eccl. 3: 16 (16-17); 3 Ne. 28:9; Morm. 8: 10 (9-10). 46a Morm. 2: 8 Ether 8: 20. b Mosiah 24: 7; Ether 10:22. b Josh. 22: 18; Morm. 1: 16 39a Mosiah 10: 17. b TG Hate; Malice. 40a Hel. 5: 2 42a TG Secret PAD 245 47a 4 Ne. 1: 21. Leaving some gifts for the next bible reader staying in my room