Este usuario ha contribuido 149 artículos. Para ser un super usuario, tiene que presentar por lo menos 44 comentarios, preguntas, respuestas y/o testimonios. Si está interesado, echa un vistazo a esta lista de todos los super usuarios. Aquí están los 50 artículos más recientes:6/9/2011, 11:47 am: Nathan, The church has stated that *any* sexual activity outside of the bonds of marriage between a man and a woman is sin. You have been celibate for five years. I see no reason why you would not be eligible to any blessings that are available to any other single, celibate adult within the church. For example, an openly gay male - his own words - who has been celibate for a year was just called as a Ward Executive Clerk. He apaprently net with church officials and made the commitment to remain celibate and chaste, which is exactly the same commitment heterosexual members make when they accept callings. 9/8/2011, 1:15 pm: I, too, investigated the church for several years before I made that decision to be baptized. I had so many questions. I had to know that the church was true. One day, it suddenly dawned on me that I was already a member of the Church in my heart - albeit one who had just not gone through the formal act of being baptized. I knew that Joseph Smith is a prophet. I knew the Book of Mormon is scripture. I knew that there is a living prophet. I knew that I believed in the importance of temples. I was already obeying most of the commandments, such as the Word of Wisdom. The Holy Spirit had affected great change in my life; now it was time for me to take that one final step toward beginning to be the person that Heavenly Father wants me to be. I knew that when I had a testimony of these things I have listed that there was no turning back. I knew that this was the right thing to do. Some people I knew were against it, but my response to them was simple: I was joining a church where we are taught to love each other, not drink or smoke or do drugs or have premarital sex, to eat well and take care of our bodies, read scriptures, pray, and do nice things for others. I would suggest that if you feel these things are good, and that you also believe in Joseph, the Book of Mormon, living prophets and temples, then you should pray about it with your whole heart. Perhaps you should ask not if you should be baptized, but if there is any reason why you should not. The Spirit will guide you.25/7/2011, 1:04 am: Maybe you are overthnking things. :) Actually, you are correct - Joseph could have just retranslated those pages. But, Heavenly Father told him not to because it would not serve any useful purpose and would enable unbelievers to disrupt the work that Joseph was appointed to do. How? Several ways. First, if Joseph or his scribes misspelled or miswrote even one letter, they would have been called liars and forgers because the the second copy was not the same as the first. Second, even if it had been retranslated and rewritten exactly the same as the first, the people who stole it could have easily changed the pages they had, thus making it seem like Joseph was a charlatan. As it turns out, Heavenly Father knew that there was a possibility that these pages would be stolen. Hence, the same information was found elsewhere in the Book of Mormon. A God but brief explanation can be found here. http://www.fairwiki.org/Book_of_Mormon/Translation/The_lost_116_pages25/7/2011, 12:56 am: Sometimes 'facts' are not what they seem. What this 'fact' states is a gross oversimplification and misunderstanding of a beautiful and sacred doctrine. I would invite you to read the section called "Kingdoms of Glory" at lds.org for an explanation of what we believe. http://lds.org/study/topics/kingdoms-of-glory?lang=eng25/7/2011, 12:47 am: First you would need to meet with the missionaries and hear their message. They can then arrange a meeting with a local Bishop who will interview you to make sure that you do have a testimony. If he satisifed that you do, then a date can be set for your baptism. You can check out mormon.org to find missionaries near you.25/7/2011, 12:45 am:
The San Diego Mormon temple in San Diego, California.
Things that happen in the temple are highly symbolic and can take some time to understand. I spent six years of my life worrying about the bad information I received before I was baptized, instead of focusing on what the Holy Spirit was telling me and what I knew to be true. Going to the temple is a sacred privilege, a beautiful way to learn about Heavenly Father's teachings.25/7/2011, 12:39 am: Hello, Fernando,
Yes, Joseph did appparently say those words, assuming they were recorded correctly by Thomas Bullock who was a clerk aboard the steamer 'Maid of Iowa'. But they are out of context. Joseph had just come from a three day conference where mobs, led by leading men in the county, had persistently disrupted the proceedings. When he gave his address or sermon the following Sunday, he was really addressing those dissenters who were causing such problems by allowing the Saints to worship Heavenly Father. His talk began with the reading of 2 Cor. Ch. 11, in which Paul says, "Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?" and then continues with examplesof the trials he has endured. Joseph's comments were related directly to this. Thus, he did not say that he was better than Christ - what he says is that Christ's followers denied him and corrupted the gospel, leading to the Great Apostasy, but that despite the persecutions he and the Saints had endured, there were still many who believed the true church had been restored by a modern-day prophet through the will of God. Following the quote you mention, he said, "The followers of Jesus ran away from Him; but the Latter-day Saints never ran away from me yet.... I am in the bosom of a virtuous and good people. " He then goes on for three pages outlining all the wrongs committed against him in recent days, stating that despite this, "I have nothing in my heart but good feelings." Joseph was not claiming that he was better than Christ - he was stating that despite the enemies that surrounded him, he knew that the Saints possessed some of the strongest testimonies there ever was of Jesus, and was assuring them that he loved them. He said, "As I grow older, my heart grows tenderer for you.... I have set your minds at liberty by letting you know the things of Christ Jesus.... I love you for your reception of me."23/7/2011, 1:58 pm: We believe that because people turned away from the principles of the Gospel and the teacings of Christ were corrupted, that Heavenly Father withdrew the authority of the priesthood from the earth. The church website tells us that "During the Great Apostasy, people were without divine direction from living prophets. Many churches were established, but they did not have priesthood power to lead people to the true knowledge of God the Father and Jesus Christ. Parts of the holy scriptures were corrupted or lost, and no one had the authority to confer the gift of the Holy Ghost or perform other priesthood ordinances." http://lds.org/study/topics/apostasy?lang=eng
The authority to act in God's name was restored to the earth by Heavenly Father through the prophet Joseph Smith, and we have been promised by God that this authority will never again be removed from the earth.
That being said, we also believe that there is much good to be found in many churches, and we state in our Articles of Faith that "If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things." http://lds.org/study/topics/articles-of-faith?lang=eng In fact, our church works with many other religious and secular organizations to do charitable works. More information about the church's humanitarian efforts can be found at http://lds.org/service/humanitarian/church?lang=eng.
On a personal note, I investigated the church for about six years before I decided to become a member. I was also investigating many other churches in my search for a church where I believed all the doctrine. Without fail, I *always* found things that I believed in every other church I researched, but it was only this church that I felt brought together a fullness of what I personally believed already. Many good people come from other faiths, and we appreciate them for trying to live God's commandments according to their own understanding.11/7/2011, 10:48 am: Latter-day Saints refer to a Great Apostasy, not a *complete* apostasy. The word 'apostasy' is commonly believed to refer to the level of belief or faith of the people. In some regards, this is true. But the word also has a deeper meaning, wherein it refers to the *consequences* of corrupting of the teachings of Jesus, namely, the removal of the keys of the priesthood from the earth. This meant that although many people believed in Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, there was not a fulness of truth. Many good people have lived good lives by following one faith or another over the 1800 years between Christ's death and the restoration of the church, but they were not blessed by having the authority of the priesthood. Since Joseph Smith's day, that divine authority has been reestablished on the earth, never to be removed again by God. What a wonderful blessing that we are living in a time when the fulness of Christ's teachings is available to us again.10/7/2011, 10:34 pm: Your bishop should not talk to your parents. You are not a Young Woman anymore, but a sister in Relief Society, an adult.3/7/2011, 3:25 pm: Hi Tiffany,
When a family member changes their religion, there can often be discord within a family, no matter which religion is being left behind or embraced. The best thing to do is to to be honest with your family, tell them you are interested in exploring another religion and ask for their support. Be sure to tell them that you do believe in God and in Jesus Christ, and that you are grateful for them for instilling that in you. God bless.3/7/2011, 3:22 pm: Hello Victor,
Callings (unpaid positions) and most employment in our church are offered to people who are already members, people who have received a testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ and believe that this is His true restored church. If you do believe this or would like to learn more, then I would invite you to contact the missionaries either by calling your local church or visiting mormon.org.
Members are encouraged to stay in their home countries and continue spreading the Gospel. However, if you felt the need to move to the U. S., you should contact Homeland Security and follow the proper process to begin immigration proceedings.6/6/2011, 11:03 am: As 'out of touch' as it may seem to many people, love is not something one should fall in or out of, but rather something that develops through service to another person. Many people who have had marriage difficulties in the church, according to the relationship books authored by LDS counsellors and psychologists that I have read, arecounselled to serve their spouse more in order to regain a love for them. What the modern world so often calls 'love' is actually just a physical attraction or lust for another person.
You are correct in your beliefs about the difference between having sexual urges and acting on them.
I'm not sure what you mean by "but do every else", since many prophets and apostles have counselled us to not even engage in passionate kissing outside of marriage, or anytyhing else that arouses the senses.
I don't think the issue of the nature of the gender of the person committing the offence is the larger issues, but rather the number of times the offence has reoccurred. Repentance means 'go and sin no more', not 'repent until you feel like doing it again. '
I'm not trying to hurt your feelings just presenting my honest opinion of your questions.6/6/2011, 10:52 am: My general rule of thumb for myself is that if I think I *might* need to see the Bishop about a transgression, I probably do need to see him. However, you sholdn't feel ashamed with yourself - disappointed, maybe, but not ashamed. Your Bishop and the Lord know that we are human beings, with human weaknesses. The Bishop's counsel and Christ's grace are there to help us overcome our weaknesses so that we can return to our Heavenly Father with a clear conscience.6/6/2011, 10:48 am: No. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints do not engage in any such practice. Intimacy between a husband and wife is a very private act, between the two of them and no one else. There are some who believe that other self-styled 'Mormon' cultures do engage in such practices, such as the FLDS, but that church is not affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in any way.6/4/2011, 1:49 pm: Dear Erika,
A few questions for you, in a spirit of love and kindness:
You say that you "have attempted to pray." What does that mean? Have you have approached Heavenly Father in a spirit of meekness and humilily, earnestly seeking answers after pondering your questions of "something beyond this earth"?
You have read the scriptures. Have you *studied* them? Have you earnestly sought answers to your questions within those pages and within the covers of the church magazines and other worthy books? Have you read and studied all the Sunday School, Priesthood, Relief Society, Young Men and Young Women manuals? The ones for Seminary and Institute?
Why do you think you do not have a testimony? You have said, "I love the church and the members", "I try to follow the commandments, I go to church, and I want to live a life in the church and marry someday", "I feel that if any religion were true it would be this one", "I feel that there is so much good in the church, and all I want for my life is to become the best person that I can", "I have read the scriptures", and "I have on so many occasions attempted to pray." That sounds like a testimony to me!!! (smile)
I'm not trying to be harsh or hard on you - as I said, I have questions for you in a spirit of love and kindness. But this is what I think - you and I are very much alike in that we don't trust feelings and look for rational, logical answers to everything. Here is a hard lesson I had to learn - it doesn't always work that way! I spent six years investigating the church before I became a member because I just had to 'know' the answer to every question. There was always one more 'but' that I had to put forth.
That's not the Lord's way. At some point, I just had to look at everything I believed and decide if that was enough. For me, it was. And since my baptism I have continued to learn and to grow as a person, and to develop deeper understandings of the doctrine and what I personally believe. After my first marriage ended in my ex-husband's excommunication, a counsellor at LDS Family Services said to me, "I know so many people who have left the church over smaller things that have happened to them. I just don't understand why you are a still a member." My response was simple. "Where else can I go? I know Joseph Smith is a prophet. I know the Book of Mormon is scripture. And I have a firm belief in the sealing ordinances of our temples. So where else can I go?" Logically, rationally, the church should have been the last place on earth that I sought refuge. And indeed, my first instinct was to trust my negative feelings and run far from the church and everything it stood for. But that would have gotten me nowhere. Instead, I ran toward the church, embraced those things that I still had a testimony of with my whole heart, and gradually the rest has followed.
Finally, you may be interested in this article called "Keeping in Touch with Feelings" by C. Richard Chidester. It helped me understand where feelings fit into the whole scheme of things.28/2/2011, 9:17 pm: In addition, when horse remains *have* been found in ancient American sites, they are often passed off as being 'contaminate' material because archeologists do not expect to find thiose remains where they find them.
Other excellent article can be found here and here.
Tithing: tithing means donating 10% of your income to the church. What you do with the rest of your money is really up to you, but we are asked in the temple recommend interview if we support or are affiliated with anything that is against the doctrines of the church. I tithe, but I also donate 1% of my income to whatever school I happen to be teaching in, either directly or through fundraisers or through the purchase of classroom materials. And when I take my grandmother to her Anglican Church, I always put a few dollars in the collection plate as Anglican ministers are paid clergy and if I am partaking of their services then I feel I should support their work on the days I am there. I also donate when they have memorial hymn sings and flower services, in memory of my deceased loved ones who were Anglican. There are also several other charities that I contribute to, but it is over and above what I pay in tithing.
One thing that I do make sure to do is really examine the purpose of the organization that I donate to. For example, I do not support any religious organization that defames my own Mormon faith. I support food banks in areas where there is no LDS church or bishop's storehouse, but even then I closely examine who is running the food bank. In one place I lived I did not support one food bank because the organization also supported abortion on demand. I do not donate to the united way, as I have no way of determining where my funds are being channelled, preferring instead to donate to specific charities individually.
Fasting and health issues: I, too, have health issues that make a total fast difficult. The bishop and stake president that I counselled with made it very clear that we are not to fast if it endangers our health. Instead, they suggested a partial fast, which can be done in several ways. One way is to only partake of the neccessities that will keep, in your situation, your blood sugars normal: no junk food, no condiments, the smallest amount to stay regulated, etc. A second way is to fully fast from all fruit, for example. A third way is to fast for as long as possible, and only eating when absolutely necessary. In my situation, through trial and error, I found that I could eventually abstain from eating as long as I had access to milk, which for me, regulated my blood sugars. In these sorts of situations, the *intent* of the fast will be considered by the Lord, as long as we are doing all we can to keep the spirit of fasting. I would urge you to consult with your bishop about this.
Book of Abraham: according to wikipedia, there are many collections of surviving papyrii:
*Amherst papyri this is a collection of Lord Amherst of Hackey. It includes biblical manuscripts, early church fragments, and classical documents from the Ptolemaic, Roman, and Byzantine eras. The collection was edited by Bernard Grenfell and Arthur Hunt in 19001901. It is housed at the Pierpont Morgan Library (New York).
*Bodmer Papyri this collection was purchased by Martin Bodmer in 19551956. Currently it is housed in the Bibliotheca Bodmeriana in Cologny. It includes Greek and Coptic documents, classical texts, biblical books, and writing of the early churches.
*Chester Beatty Papyri collection of 11 codices acquired by Alfred Chester Beatty in 19301931 and 1935. It is housed at the Chester Beatty Library. The collection was edited by Frederic G. Kenyon.
*Colt Papyri it is housed at the Pierpont Morgan Library (New York).
*Egerton Papyrus 2 it is housed at the British Museum
*Martin Schøyen Collection biblical manuscripts in Greek and Coptic, Dead Sea Scrolls, classical documents
*Michigan Papyrus Collection this collection contains above 10 000 papyri fragments. It is housed at the University of Michigan.
*Oxyrhynchus Papyri these numerous papyri fragments were discovered by Grenfell and Hunt in and around Oxyrhynchus. The publication of these papyri is still in progress.
*Princeton Papyri it is housed at the Princeton University
*Rrylands Papyri this collection contains above 700 papyri, with 31 ostraca and 54 codices. It is housed at the John Rylands University Library
*Washington University Papyri Collection includes 445 manuscript fragments, dating from the first century bc to the eighth century AD. Housed at Washington University Libraries.
*Yale Papyrus Collection Numbers over six thousand inventoried items and is cataloged, digitally scanned, and accessible online for close study. It is housed at the Beinecke Library.
This site contains an excellent and scholarly look at recent developments in the understanding of how hieroglyphics are read, and how Joseph's translations are actually in accord with currently accepted translations of the texts. In my humble opinion, Joseph was even more inspired than he is given credit for. At the time, hieroglyphs weren't able to be read by hardly anyone, as they had just been started to be able to be read in 1822. Joseph made these translations around 1835, and was subsequently called a fraud ever since then. Now, egyptologists are just discovering that heiroglyphs can have many different meanings as they often portray a feeling or a sense of what is meant instead of a literal translation, and many of them can be read the same way or very similarly to how Joseph translated them.
29/11/2010, 9:37 pm: The church has no official policy or doctrine on vegetarianism or veganism. In fact, the church owns several beef operations and apparently a hunting facility as well. However, some LDS, myself included, are vegetarians of one sort or another. Here's some reasons why:
The Word of Wisdom says that we are to use flesh sparingly (see D&C 89: 12-13).
The ten commandments states that we should not kill. Most religious denominations take this to mean "Thou shalt not kill *people*". But "people" is not there.
We know that in the millennium carnivores will not eat herbivores (Isaiah). Therefore, in one sense, being a vegetarian is one way of living a millennial lifestyle now.
Personally, I feel that if I am not willing to kill it, I shouldn't be willing to eat it.
Genesis says that animals are for our 'use'. That doesn't necessarily mean we have to kill them for food - eggs, milk and cheese are all animal 'uses' that do not require killing. Similarly, animals can be used for clothing (wool) without killng them (leather).
A previous prophet of the church (Jospeh F. Smith? ) was, for all intents and purposes, a vegetarian. As well, president Lorenzo Snow related in his journal the change of heart he had concerning hunting shortly after his baptism: While moving slowly forward in pursuit of something to kill, my mind was arrested with the reflection on the nature of my pursuitthat of amusing myself by giving pain and death to harmless, innocent creatures that perhaps had as much right to life and enjoyment as myself. I realized that such indulgence was without any justification, and feeling condemned, I laid my gun on my shoulder, returned home, and from that time to this have felt no inclination for that murderous amusement.
We know from journals of the early saints that they ate very little meat. There is even a church produced movie short that shows an old grandmother with her grandchildren gathered around her as she related to them that when she was their age Joseph was still alive and the saints ate grains, fruits and vegetables. Meat is not mentioned.
There are two excellent chapters on vegetarianism in the book "Joseph Smith and natural foods" by John Heinerman: "Milk is a natural" and "better than meat".
We are admonished to eat flesh only in times of winter or famine. Since most of us can easily access available produce at any time of year and few of us live in famine, there is no need to eat flesh.
Ultimately, being a vegetarian is up to the dictates of one's own heart. For example, I personally don't feel that veganism is scripturally sound. But again, that's just me.
If you are not a vegetarian of any sort, there are still things you can do to honour God's creation and demonstrate righteous dominion over all the creatures of the earth:
Be thoughtful about the meat you are eating. Does it come from factory farms where there is tremendous overcrowding and the animals have little quality of life? Or does it come from free-range animals that have plenty of space?
If you are hunting or fishing, make the kills quick and clean so that the animal doesn't suffer any more than it has to.
Eat all parts of the animal that is edible. Do you regularly eat chicken centres, thighs, legs wings and backs, or do you only eat chicken breasts? Do you eat all parts of the cow including the organs, or do you only eat top sirloin?
Don't kill things needlessly. If you are not going to eat it, wear it, sell it or study it, and if you are not in mortal peril because of it, you probably don't need to kill it. Use humane traps. Put the bug outside instead of squishing it.
Just my two cents. :)21/11/2010, 1:13 pm: Hello webmaster, Just read Phillip Vietri's comments. You may interested in knowing that where I live in Newfoundland, Canada, religious education is still taught. One of the guiding principles is the following statement:
Because religion plays significant roles in history and society, study about religion is essential to understanding both the nation and the world. Omission of facts about religion can give students the false impression that the religious life of humankind is insignificant or unimportant. Failure to understand even the basic symbols, practices, and concepts of the various religions makes much of history, literature, art, and contemporary life unintelligible. (Warren A. Nord, Charles C. Haynes, Taking Religion Seriously Across the Curriculum. Alexandria, va: ascd, 1998, p. 36.)
This year I am teaching grade 3 religion, for example, and some of the topics include Islam, Buddhism, the United Church of Canada, Christianity in general, Sikhism, Ba'hai, and the Jewish faith. You can find more information here.
El Santo Gringo: Very interesting, Pamela, especially since here in the U.S. the desire to talk about religion in schools would generally be seen as a "conservative" position, and Canada is generally seen as being politically left of the United States (whether right or wrong who knows). For the record, religious education is also common in public schools in Brazil where I served my mission. It's a little bit concerning to me, frankly, that a country as militarily and politically powerful as the United States should be composed of people who are so generally uneducated about the cultural beliefs and practices of others. I think it's fantastic that you're teaching your 3rd graders about religions like Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism, etc.
By the way, I just noticed your new blog! I'm very happy to see you start this project! The answers you post on my site are always so well reasoned. Keep up the great work! :)21/11/2010, 1:02 pm: As latter day saints we are taught to keep the sabbath day holy. This includes not working on the sabbath. Many latter-day saints choose professions that enable them to not have to work on the sabbath, myself and my husband included. I am a teacher; he is a university professor and writer. Some people work in professions where work is required to be done every day, such as home-care workers, nurses, EMTSs and emergency personnel. Some of these people work their scheduled shifts because without their work, other people's lives are in danger or severe discomfort. Others are fortunate to be able to make arrangements with their employers so that their shifts do not fall on a Sunday. Others do not have any of these options and therefore must make decisions as to whether their careers or jobs are acceptable for the sabbath day and then be at peace with themselves for the decisions they have made. Many LDS also strive to not do any activities that cause another person to have to work on the sabbath day, such as going shopping, visiting amusement parks, eating at restaurants, etc. Again, this is a personal choice but is highly encouraged by the church, as shown in elder Tingey's article "The Sabbath Day and Sunday Shopping". As the prophet Joseph Smith once said, "I teach them correct principles, and they govern themselves" (The Organization of the Church, Millennial Star, nov. 15, 1851, p. 339). The correct principle is that the sabbath day is to be kept holy. We are given guidelines. It is up to each of us to determine our own conduct.15/11/2010, 11:54 am: Dear anonymous grandmother,
It's unfortunate that you were unable to find anything that you would consider doing with your grandson from the list I posted. Nothing that was posted was specific to our religion, and many things did not necessarily have a religious connection at all. Yet, all would allow you to spend time with your grandson on the sabbath day while not forcing you to do things you are opposed to nor forcing your son or grandson to compromise their beliefs. Unfortunately, not being the child's parent, you really do have to abide by the wishes of your son when it comes to your grandson. If this continues to be an issue for you, then I might suggest that you reserve time with your grandson on days other than Sunday, when shopping and playing outside align more with your son's wishes.
As for food, latter day saints follow the "Word of Wisdom." The very basics of this simply means not drinking tea, coffee or alcohol, not smoking and not using illegal drugs. I don't see any of these being an issue with your two year old grandson, so it's really not something to worry about right now.
It sounds as though you and your husband should sit down with your son and daughter-in-law and have a heartfelt discussion about ways you can be involved in their and your grandson's lives while respecting their rights to raise their son in the LDS faith. You do not have to agree with what they tell you, but you should strive to support them as they live the lifestyle they have chosen.6/11/2010, 2:35 pm: Latter-day saints have a lot of different ways of looking at just about every aspect of life that is sometimes different from society in general. So, it's understandable that you would have some confusion and frustration when suggesting activities where you and your grandson can spend time together. As a general rule, anything that would be considered everyday activities, boisterous play, or would cause someone else to have to work on the sabbath day should be avoided; anything that fosters togetherness, reverence, respect and a sense of who we are could be acceptable. Even then, while some things are definite no-nos, many things are left up to the discretion of individual members. For example, I rarely change out of my church clothes when meetings are over, but my husband always changes out of his suit into soomething more comfortable. With those things in mind, here are some suggestions that your son may find appropriate:
Instead of going to the park to play, go for a nature walk or walk through a cemetery where loved ones are buried while telling their life stories.
Instead of shopping on Sunday, shop on saturday for quiet craft activities that you can do with your grandson on Sunday. Not all would be appropriate, but anything to do with scriptures, learning about God and Jesus Christ, genealogy or family history should be okay - things like making picture frames, singing or recording gospel songs together, looking through photo albums or copying pictures from them to make scrapbooks should be okay. There are also many 'grandma and me' style make-your-own books that would be appropriate.
Read spiritual books together or play spiritual games together. There are some great spiritual books and websites out there. Livingscriptures is one such site. A search of any LDS book store will yield many children's books and other materials that would be appropriate.
Do service projects together - maybe you could visit the local seniors' home or bake cupcakes for a family that does foster care or make a sabbath day box with quiet activities for a family with young children.
Visit other older relatives and make sure that your grandson knows them and how they are related. Take along a tape recorder or other audio or video recording equipment and record their life stories for posterity.
These are good activities for you to do with your grandson because you don't have to believe in what we believe in order to be able to do them with him. There are even more activities listed elsewhere. Good luck!27/10/2010, 5:14 pm: Charles Scaliger is the nom-de-plume of a prominent and prolific writer for the New American magazine who is LDS.17/10/2010, 4:22 pm: According to the church newsroom at lds.org, at the end of 2009 there were 13,824,854 members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worldwide. If one counts anyone else who believes that Joseph Smith was a prophet and/or that the Book of Mormon is scripture, there are about 200 000 to 275 000 other people in the world from various offshoots of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who could be counted as mormons, but not latter day saints.11/10/2010, 2:37 pm: Dear Clarissa,
Please don't feel that you are a 'fake' mormon because you experience the promptings of the spirit differently from some others. This is quite normal. Pres. Eyring told us in 2003 that "... We can promise those we love that they will feel joy and peace as the spirit confirms truth, if they ask for that blessing in faith" (An Enduring Testimony of the Mission of the Prophet Joseph, Liahona and Ensign, November 2003).
The Family Home Evening resource book has a great lesson on learning to recognize the spirit. (Lesson Fifteen: Learning to Recognize the Spirit, Family Home Evening Resource book, (1997), 64.) One part of the lesson says:
... Some signs of true promptings of the spirit, BESIDES A BURNING IN THE BOSOM (capitals mine)... Might include
The promptings do not violate any gospel principles, such as the free agency of another.
The promptings are in harmony with the teachings of the scripture and of the prophets.
The promptings are in harmony with the order of the church.
The promptings bring peace to the soul.
The promptings do not raise doubts and questions.
The promptings result in lasting happiness when we follow them.
The promptings may be contrary to our desires when we have asked for the wrong things.
As you can see, some of these do not even mention any sort of emotion, but are quite logical in their manifestation of the spirit.
The most important thing, sister, is to listen for those promptings from the spirit. "Listening is an essential part of praying. Answers from the Lord come quietlyever so quietly. In fact, few hear his answers audibly with their ears. We must be listening so carefully or we will never recognize them. Most answers from the Lord are felt in our heart as a warm comfortable expression, or they may come as thoughts to our mind. They come to those who are prepared and who are patient (Conference Report, Oct. 1973, p. 13; or Ensign, Jan. 1974, p. 19.)
Heavenly Father knows that all of his children have strengths and weaknesses and that they all learn and experience mortality differently. Because of that, he has provided numerous ways for his children to be in tune with him. Tears and burning bosoms are just two of the myriad ways we can feel his power and his love for us. A lack of a burning in the bosom is not a question of worthiness - it is merely one way that we can feel the spirit. In fact, if you look closely at your question and the list above, you will see that number 4 appears to describe your situation, and is a perfectly acceptable and normal way of feeling the spirit in your life.
El Santo Gringo: Excellent answer as always, Pamela. Thanks for your inspired words.8/10/2010, 1:58 pm: Dear Clark, Here's the thing: we know from true teachings that one of the adversary's greatest tools is to mix scriptures and the thoughts of men, thereby creating falsehoods that mask true teachings. That is exactly what the maker of this cartoon has done. Is he completely wrong in everything he claims? No. But he is not completely right in everything he claims either. Some of his statements are taken out of context. Some are based on the teachings of off-shoots of the mainstream LDS church. Some are correct in words but the pictures are misleaading. Some are oversimplified. Some are based on anti-mormon literature instead of church doctrine. The list goes on.
Here's one example. As the cartoon states, some early church leaders did state that Jesus was married or even married to several women, but there has never been any official church doctrine regarding this belief. As Harold B. Lee stated, "If the president of the church has not declared the position of the church, then you shouldn't go shopping for the answer (Harold B. Lee, teachings of Harold B. Lee, 1996, p. 445).
Cartoons like the above, as well as other anti-mormon/anti-latter day saint media are why the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued the following statement in 2007: Not every statement made by a church leader, past or present, necessarily constitutes doctrine. A single statement made by a single leader on a single occasion often represents a personal, though well-considered, opinion, but is not meant to be officially binding for the whole church. With divine inspiration, the first presidency... And the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles... Counsel together to establish doctrine that is consistently proclaimed in official church publications. This doctrine resides in the four standard works of scripture (the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price), official declarations and proclamations, and the Articles of Faith. Isolated statements are often taken out of context, leaving their original meaning distorted (LDS Newsroom, "Approaching Mormon Doctrine, " lds.org, 4 May 2007).
I would encourage your friend to visit mormon.org and/or meet with your bishop and the missionaries to have his concerns clarified as I believe that the interweaving of truth, half-truth, myth, and conjecture in this cartoon is staggering.27/9/2010, 1:49 pm: Dear Zoe,
No one has come out and officially said that we can't dye our hair. May people do, both men and women. As with many things, we are expected to search out information, make a decision about what is best for us personally, and then pray for confirmation.
I used to dye my hair - nothing too out of the ordinary, but certainly highlights. I decided to stop doing it, though, for several reasons.
One of the reasons I was doing it was because "everyone else is". We are cautioned to not be consumed with following fads.
Our bodies are temples. God gave me the hair colour I have, so I no longer feel the 'need' to change it.
We have been cautioned to be frugal, especially during times of financial duress. With this in mind, I can't personally justify my spending money to dye my hair that could be used to reduce my debts now and/or save for the future. My daughter dyes her hair, but she uses home dye kits rather than go to a salon. She also uses her own money to do so, as hair dye is not an essential item or need that I have to meet.
The spirit of the word of wisdom is to encourage us to do all we can to enhance our health and prolong our life. With all the health dangers and health risks associated with hair dye - not just for the user but for children in the household, too - I can't justify it personally. In fact, the European Union has banned 22 common hair dye ingredients because of the associated health risks, including various cancers, Hodkin's disease, reproductive issues, etc.
We are encouraged not to be vain about our looks and not to be idle. For me personally, the time spent dying my hair and the subsequent upkeep is better spent doing other things.
We are encouraged to be conservative in dress and appearance. With this in mind, if one were to dye one's hair, it would seem to me that 'natural' hair colours would be more acceptable than 'unnatural' colours.
All of this is, of course, just my own personal opinion. Everyone is free to choose what is best for them.
Ultimately, I would think that if one felt the need to dye one's hair, that one would research it thoroughly. For example, there are alternatives to synthetic and chemical dyes: "There is a safer alternative that so far produces no health concerns. One can use vegetable-based rinses which act by coating the hair shaft with botanical extracts such as blackberry, boysenberry, licorice root, chaparral, nettle, red sorrel, black walnut and other color pigments. These substances do not penetrate the hair shaft, plus they give the hair more shine and make it feel thicker and fuller. The coating action may also aid in protecting the hair from environmental elements such as sun, salt, chlorine and assorted pollutants. Safety tests have found that these rinses contain the least amount of synthetic chemicals of any hair dyes."28/8/2010, 2:08 pm: He has two degrees from BYU. Probably a good sign. :) (*)22/8/2010, 9:53 pm:
The Recife Mormon temple in Recife, Brazil.
I believe you are actually referring to an ordinance called the "second annointing. " it was instituted by Joseph Smith, and is still openly practiced by self-identified Mormon fundamentalist groups. The Community of Christ (formerly known as the reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) never practiced this ordinance. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints began performing this ordinance in the 1840s, and open discussion of the ordinance continued until the middle of the last century. As it is a most holy ordinance, it is rarely spoken of and the church does not release information concerning the number of these ordinances that have been performed (I don't believe the numbers for other temple ordinances are released either) or indeed even *if* this ordinance is still performed.
As the ordinances that happen in temples are sacred, it is not meet to discuss them in detail, nor any changes that may have occurred to them. However, sometimes the ceremonies do change. The important thing to remember is that the words rarely do, the intent never does, and that changes that are made are usually so that more faithful members can access them. One small example that I do not feel would be inappropriate to share concerns the ceremonial clothing that is worn for some ceremonies: even though there are very specific guidelines as to appropriate attire for these ceremonies, people in wheelchairs often receive permission from the temple presidency to amend the clothing so that they too can participate fully. Changes that occur come from the First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles, and are conducted by temple presidencies through temple workers and matrons.7/8/2010, 1:47 pm: In addition, in many areas there are services that start at different times. Check out the local congregations (wards and branches) in your area- perhaps if you cannot attend your own ward every Sunday you may be able to attend another. For example, in one place I lived there were three wards and a branch that all met in the same building, so services started at 9am, 11am, 1pm and 3pm. Another building near me had services at 9am, 12pm, 3pm and 6pm.
Where I currently live is about a 2 1/2 drive each way from the 5 closest church buildings. I go when I can, but when I can't, I watch the sacrament service on byutv.org and read the lessons for Sunday school and relief society on my own. Perhaps this is also an option for you.
As long as you are sincerely trying to do your best to get to church and to try to make up the difference when you can't, the Lord will bless you.7/8/2010, 1:19 pm: Excellent points. In addition, as a Catholic (or any other religous affiliation) man marrying an LDS woman, you would still be able to practice all aspects of your faith. However, an LDS woman marrying a man outside of her faith has to sacrifice a lot in order to do so. Since her husband would not be able to hold the priesthood, she and their children would be unable to ask for priesthood blessings from the husband, her husband would be unable to baptize her children himself when they turn of age, the family would be unable to be sealed in the holy temple (which is in many ways our most important ordinance), and she may be unable to attend the temple if he does not give his consent. The list goes on.
Other questions arise - which church will they attend? Which church will the children go to? Will the husband allow the wife to have daily family and personal scripture study and prayer, including reading from the Book of Mormon? Will the husband take part in fanily home evening every week? Will the children be allowed to go to weekly activities for the youth? Will the husband allow his wife to do family history work for his ancestors, especially considering that the Catholic church discourages this? Will the husband drink coffee, tea, and alcohol even though the wife does not? Will he be willing to be circumspect in intimate matters, as LDS in general believe in a different standard of sexual conduct than society in general?
The webmaster was correct in his comments about the rate of divorce in such cases: "A 1993 study published in demography [magazine] showed that mormons marrying within their church are least likely of all americans to become divorced. Only 13 percent of LDS couples have divorced after five years of marriage, compared with 20 percent for religiously homogamist unions among Catholics and Protestants and 27 percent among Jews. However, when a mormon marries outside his or her denomination, the divorce rate soars to 40 percent -- second only to mixed-faith marriages involving a jewish spouse (42 percent). " (Bob Mims, "Mormons: High Conservativism, Low Divorce, Big Growth," Salt lake Tribune, 1999-Mar-6, at: http://archives.his.com/smartmarriages/)
None of this means that your relationship would not work. None of this means that you are not a great guy. It does mean, however, that there are formidable obstacles and great sacrifices to be made if your relationship continues. It would be wonderful if you were to become LDS... But if you are not prepared to do that, I think you should both meet with her bishop to discuss these issues and to seek his counsel.
I wish you all the best.31/7/2010, 4:50 am: One important thing to remember is that sexual attraction is not the same as sexual intimacy. Both can exist without the other. The expectation would be that you seek to find someone who is temple worthy to marry, that you remain temple worthy yourself, that once married you and your sppouse would decide together how many children you want to have, and that you remain faithful to your spouse. Whether one feels sexual attraction or not is a personal matter, and does not mean that one cannot have a mutually fulfilling marriage with or without children as long as both spouses are committed to each other and to the gospel.
El Santo Gringo: Pamela brings up a good point. As long as you're completely honest with your future spouse from the get go, perhaps marriage would be possible. I've received emails from people who struggle with same-sex attraction who are nevertheless in fulfilling marriages with members of the opposite sex, for example. It's not recommended if the same-sex feelings can't be kept in check, but is a possibility for those who are prepared and comfortable enough with the idea of marriage. Perhaps a similar principle applies to those who are asexual.21/6/2010, 12:38 pm: Latter day saints believe in worshipping one true God and his son Jesus Christ. So, the short answer would be that it would be incorrect to continue worshipping other Gods. However, this does notmean giving up all culturally based religious activities. For example, I grew up in the Anglican Church, and sometimes go to that church with my grandmother and my parents. When I do go, I carefully and prayerfully look at the various elements of the service. I take part in the parts that I agree with and that align with my LDS faith, and quietly omit those parts that do fit my beliefs. One such part is when the congregation recites the Apostles Creed. There is one part that mentions a belief "in one holy, catholic and apostolic church". That's not what I believe, so I leave it out. I would invite you to examine the various elements of your Hindu heritage and determine which ones you could still practice.21/6/2010, 12:33 pm: It seems complicated, but really isn't. First, sealing in the temple means that one is eligible to be together for eternity, as long as the spouses live worthily. Some people mistakenly believe that a temple sealing means that it is guaranteed. It's not. Second, once a divorce happens, the sealing promises still exist, but the relationship does not. That means that if one spouse who has lived worthily and kept all their covenants will not have blessings removed from them because of the actions or inactions of the other spouse. Third, people can be sealed to others. For men, they need the permission of the former spouse. For women a cancellation of sealing must occur, which involves some paperwork and approval by the First Presidency.2/5/2010, 2:43 pm:
A statue of Jesus Christ at temple square in Salt Lake City.
Jehovah is the Old Testament name for Jesus. When Moses asked for the name of the diety to which he was speaking so that he could clarify this for his people, the response was "ehyeh asher ehyeh", which was translated as "I am that I am" in the King James version of the Holy Bible, and is a derivative of Hebrew verb meaning "I will be", and indicates a connection between a name and a being. There is also an understanding of the transcendence of Jehovah indicated here - he is beyond the attributes of language, as he is the creator of all things and his powers go so far beyond what we can describe. There are several words that attempt to describe Christ/Jehovah's true nature, but even our understanding of these words pale in comparison to their actual meaning.
He is eternal, or exists outside of time. Micah 5:2 says, "... Yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." Other titles for him also indicate this, such as "the alpha and the omega", "the first and the last", "the beginning and the end."
He is omnipresent, or everywhere simultaneously. Matthew 18:20 says, "Where two or three have gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" and Matthew 28:20 says, "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world."
He is omniscient, or all knowing. On the night Christ was betrayed, the disciples said to him, "Now are we sure that thou knowest all things", and Peter said later that night "Lord, thou knowest all things". Jehovah/Christ says of himself in Revelation 2:23 that "... I am he which searcheth the reins [greek: desires and thoughts] and hearts".
He is omnipotent, or all powerful. Philippians 3:21 says "... He is able even to subdue all things unto himself" And Hebrews 1:3 says he upholds "all things by the word of his power."
He is immutable, or unchanging. Hebrews 13:8 says he "is the same yesterday and today, and forever."
Dictionary definitions and scripture references cannot adequately explain what each of these terms mean. But one thing we do know is this: Jesus himself made at least nine definitive statements that he was the "I am"/Jehovah mentioned in the Old Testament.
And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. John 6:35
I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. John 8:12
Jesus said unto them, verily, verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am. John 8:58
I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. John 10:9
I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. John 10:11
I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. John 11:25-26
I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6
I am the true vine, and my father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. John 15:1-2
I am alpha and omega, the beginning and the ending. Revelation 1:8
In making these statements, Christ was directly refering to himself as the Jehovah who made the "I am" statements found seven times in Genesis, twenty-one times in Exodus, seven times in Psalms, thirty-five times in Isaiah, seventy times in Ezekial, and twenty-one other times in the smaller books at the end of the Old Testament. What is also interesting about these statements is that they appear as multiples of seven. The number seven in Old Testamant times had great siginificance - it was the reminder of the creator's perfection, authority and holiness, as indicated in genesis when the seventh day of the creation week was reserved for remembering his glory. Use of the number seven was also an indicator of truth. All of these things again testify of Jehovah/Christ.17/4/2010, 1:33 pm: Webmaster, thank you for responding to these comments by this journalist is such a fair way while defending truths. I wholeheartedly agree with your statements.5/4/2010, 3:14 pm: Personally I believe that Joseph was more inspired than he is given credit for by even faithful latter-day saints. The interpretation of "Golgotha" meaning "place of the skull" is a very popular theory and belief. However, it is not the only one. One has to remember that most of who read scriptures are reading translations of translations of copies of copies, so while many things may remain essentially unchanged, errors and misunderstandings and mistranslations do occur. A prime example would be the depiction of Moses with horns protruding from his forehead as painted by Michaelangelo and other artists, based on a mistranslation of a Hebrew word which could also mean "radiance". "Golgotha" in Greek does mean "place of the skull". But perhaps one should ask what this actually means: why would a place be known as "place of the skull"? Well, according to the Itinerarium Burdigalense, which was written around 330ad by a pilgrim to the Holy Land, this hilltop was littered with bones - including skulls - of the people who had been executed there. Scattering of bones by carrion could be considered a form of burial. According to the Catholic encyclopedia, the hill was so named because it was a burial place, and thus would have contained the skulls of those who had been buried there. There is also a Jewish tradition that states that Adam's skull was buried here - hence "place of the skull" not "place of many skulls", Adam being our first earthly father. This theory would seem to be supported by the Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, who do not use the plural "skulls" when referring to the place. But, again, there is reference to burial. The other theory for the name of the place has to do with a physical description of the area, which apparently has the appearance of a skull due to the rock formations. On the surface, this doesn't appear to have any reference to burial, but when one considers that Jewish burials took place in caves, the openings for eye sockets, nasal passages, and the mouth would have created ideal openings to be used as burial caves/tombs, so again, there is reference to burial in this theory. All of these theories, however, are predicated upon the notion that "Golgotha" is the correct Greek word being used. There is another theory, however, that states that Golgotha has been mistranslated, and that it actually comes from the Aramaic "gol goatha", meaning "mount of execution", and that it may refer to the geographical description of Jeresalem mentioned in Jeremiah 31: 38-39: "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord , that the city shall be built to the Lord From the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner. And the measuring line shall yet go forth over against it upon the hill Gareb, and shall compass about to Goath." The LDS Bible dictionary favours the Aramaic rather than the Greek origin of the name, and, incidentally, this interpretation does not negate any of the aforementioned theories, nor Joseph's interpretation of the word. (It is important to remember that Joseph's 'translations' of the KJV are better described as 'interpretations' to bring clarity to the text.)
With this in mind, I think it is very important to remember that the adversary has many insidious ways of corrupting our beliefs. There are many anti-LDS people who use this example as "proof" that Joseph was a fraud. In attacking Joseph on this front, they are also attacking every other church who disagrees with their particualr point of view, albeit silently. One must ask why Joseph's teachings on this subject - and many others - are so often attacked when these same people do not attack others who believe the same thing? Well, in my quest to find a church where I could believe all the the doctrines and principles, I studied and attended countless churches and religions. Without fail, I *always* found things that I already believed in every other church. Not once did I walk away because I found no truth. Rather, I walked away because I sensed it was not the whole truth. Good people, good beliefs... But I *knew* there was more. In my nine years as a member and six years as an investigator, I have not found even one teaching of Joseph's that was not taught elsewhere. The difference? I have a strong and fervent testimony that Joseph was inspired and guided by the Lord to bring all truth together, to reunite truth in its entirety. Anti-LDS focus on 'disproving' the things they don't agree with. How many times do you hear them talk about the things we actually agree upon and share common beliefs about? In the particular example you quoted, why is that Joseph and our church is singled out, when Catholics, Jews, and some Protestant churches at the very least also have differing views from that particular detractor of the church? The answer, I believe, is that the adversary is all too aware of the power of truth and light, and therefore, seeks every opportunity to confuse and confound, to lead astray the souls of men, to cause doubt and a gradual weakening of testimony that eventually falls just short of apostasy. Was Joseph mistaken? I choose to believe he was not. I choose to believe that there are many mysteries of the kingdom which I do not understand. But I also choose to not fuel the fires lit by detractors of beliefs I hold most dear through engaging them and thereby giving credance to their work and turning my thoughts and activity from faithbuilding wholesome activities to those of contention.5/4/2010, 2:19 pm: The answer to your first question is both yes and no on several levels. Since you have been endowed and sealed, all the blessings that you are entitled to receive through those ordinances are still yours provided that you live worthily to receive them, regardless of whether your spouse/ex-spouse lives worthily. The key, however, is to live worthily, which means at the very least that you remain an active temple-worthy member of the church. It sounds from your desire to meet with the missionaries that you are willing to work your way back to full fellowship, and I hope and pray that you are able to find the support you need - both from members and from the Lord - to help you do this. I, too, have been in situations where my spouse/ex-spouse whom I was sealed to was not living worthily, so I know the angst that can arise from thinking about having to spend eternity with such a man. However, you do not have to remain sealed to him, although it is not as simple as just writing church headquarters and requesting that the sealing be cancelled. If you remarry a worthy priesthood holder, your first sealing can be cancelled after you are married so that you can be sealed to your second husband. However, since you have children with your first husband there may be other considerations to think about, and I don't know what the answers to these questions are, namely: what happens to the eternal connections between you and your current children if your first sealing is cancelled? Does this affect your eternal family line? I don't know the answers to these questions... But maybe someone else can help clarify them. Prayers to you, dear sister.29/3/2010, 2:17 pm: The regional LDS employment services for the toronto area is found at 85 Queen's Plate Drive in Etobicoke. 416-741-708810/1/2010, 1:32 pm: Hey Nicole. Oh boy, do I know where you are coming from! Personally, that's why I make a conscious effort to refer to myself as LDS, not Mormon. That way, I usually get asked "What church is that?" Instead of "Oh."30/12/2009, 1:37 pm: The caffeine found in chocolate is molecularly different from the caffeine found in coffee, though both are methylxanthines. The first is actually a form of caffeine called theobromine, which has a much smaller effect on the human body than the caffeine found in coffee or tea. As for caffeinated soft drinks, president Hinckley stated in a television interview that he did not consume caffeinated soft drinks. The church has officially left it to our own discretion.
Webmaster: Wow, Pamela! I confess that at first I doubted your caffeine/theobromine comment, but it seems you're right! Apparently there is no caffeine in chocolate. Very interesting stuff!19/12/2009, 2:19 pm: Do not despair. The Lord knows you and the trials you are going through. Stay strong in your faith, and you will receive the courage you need to not only face your illness but to learn great lessons from your struggles.
In the meantime, having gone through a period of time myself when I did not feel connected to people in the church, here are some suggestions that helped me.
1. Do not give up. Who knows why your branch president has not responded? Whether it's something that you consider to be a good reason or not is irrelevant. So... Give him a gentle reminder. Call and leave a message on the chapel answering machine asking him if he's had a chance to read your letter.
2. Call your visiting teachers and home teachers. Don't have any? Or don't know who they are? Then call the relief society president and elders quorum president. Ask for their help. Tell them you are struggling because of your illness and you really need help.
3. Call the missionaries. Ask for visits for spiritual thoughts, family home evening lessons, help getting to church, service projects in your home, and blessings. Lots of blessings. And regularly! Invite your friends and family to come when the missionaries do so that you can receive the blessings that come from performing missionary work. Ask them over for supper - it doesn't have to be fancy. A can of soup and sandwich they make themselves is easy, cheap, and won't put undue stress on you, while still allowing you to do your part.
4. If you are a sister, have you been assigned sisters to visit teach? Ask the relief society president for some sisters names. You may not be able to actually visit their homes, but you can send a letter or an email or call them each month. Serving others will also help you forget your troubles for even a few short minutes. It also gives you the opportunity to make contact with the relief society each month as you report the completion of your visiting teaching.
5. Byutv.org has an online sacrament service, ldsliving.com has Sunday lesson helps, and lds.org has all the manuals and lessons for relief society, priesthood, and Sunday school. Take advantage of technology to stay connected.
6. After a suitable time, if you still have no success with receiving a response from the branch leadership, call the stake leadership and ask for their advice.
7. Ask your branch or stake leadership if you can see a counsellor at LDS family services. They can help make sure that you remain positive throughout your illness, and can help the leadership understand what you are going through so that they can help you better.
8. Work towards getting a temple recommend, and then go as often as you can. I knew a sister in Ontario in the last stages of MS, and she went to the temple every week. Was it hard? Absolutely! But the joy and peace she found there each week shone from her like a light, kept her positive, and reminded her that in the eternities she would receive a perfect body as long as she remained strong in her testimony.
Hope that helps, and blessings to you as you work through this.
Webmaster: Fantastic suggestions, Pamela!19/12/2009, 1:58 pm: Thank you for your question. As members of the church we are taught that temple worship is sacred, and that we are not to discuss it with anyone, whether they are members or not. At the same time, there is ample information freely available from the church itself that gives a lot of information without revealing the sacred nature of temple worship. Gospel Topics: Temples also has great information, including a short video.19/12/2009, 1:49 pm: Hello, friend, Technically speaking, murder is defined as "the shedding of innocent blood" (Alma 39: 5). So, a soldier who kills someone during war for the protection of their country has not committed murder, but acted for the defense of himself and his country. Similarly, throughout the scriptures there are examples of good people who were commanded by God to kill others. Since they were following the commandment of God, they have not committed an unforgivable sin.
"Denying the Holy Ghost" does not mean good people who for whatever reason do not believe in the Christian God or who have not heard of our church. It means people who have acknowledged God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, and who later deny it, particularly church members who have received their endowments and later apostasize.
Alma 39: 6 further explains both: "For behold, if ye deny the Holy Ghost when it once has had place in you, and ye know that ye deny it, behold, this is a sin which is unpardonable; yea, and whosoever murdereth against the light and knowledge of God, it is not easy for him to obtain forgiveness..."
