On Obedience

This post has been a few weeks in the making.  Probably longer, really... but a few weeks ago i read a post on the blog of a woman in my Ward (church group).  There are many things i greatly admire about this particular woman, i am glad, as with almost all the women in my church, to call her Sister.  She has some very different perspectives and political positions from me, but, for the most part, i really respect her.

Unfortunately, my respect did diminish slightly when i read the post about which i'm thinking and have been pondering.  My concern is for her, a little... mostly, though, i feel greater concern for/that any youth in our Ward or the Church at large may find her blog, admire her, read this particular post and then make wrong and detrimentally life changing choices as a result of her and their admiration of her and potential acceptance of her ideas (particularly the one about which i'm thinking and preparing to write about now).

My blog is not popular or well visited, for the most part, so i'm relatively certain that she does not read here, but if she does (you do), please forgive any offense.  Truly, my intention is not to offend or pass judgement or be mean or anything like that.  My hope is to correct in love - but not necessarily the Sister (you?) who wrote the blog, but more specifically: the ideas presented therein.  It seems unlikely that anyone who reads her (your) blog would also read mine, but i rather hope that if there are any youth that read hers, they will also stumble upon this particular post.

The topic of this post is rated R movies.

This is the topic my Sister addressed in her blog.  It saddens me to say that i almost desperately disagree with the dangerous position she presented, which is, basically, that she's smart enough to ignore our Leaders' direction, suggestion, warning... that we should NOT watch rated R movies.  This direction is not age specific.  I do believe the warning pertains to all members of the LDS Church.

One thing i know is that the R rating currently is much worse than it was years ago.  When the Leaders of my Church began to warn against viewing movies of this rating, the contents were bad enough, but as our society descends ever farther and faster into thinking and practicing evil ways as a matter of course, the rating goes right along with it.  Today, PG-13 is comparable to the rated R of years ago.

Confession.  I am ashamed to say that i went against a decision i made when i began to attend church again to avoid rated R movies and watched one a few months ago.  Another confession: while away from the Church, i was exposed to pornography.  These two confessions come together because there was nothing soft about a particularly graphic scene that was also pornographic in the rated R movie i watched.  My regret over having this particular scene now in my mind with all the other crud i have there available for replay at completely inappropriate times, is tremendous.  The movie was neat... but to me, at this time in my life and Spiritual progression, it is and was not worth the price i pay.

Perhaps the Sister whose blog i keep referencing doesn't have such a brain as mine.  A brain that has such issues with images and recall (especially the random remembrances).  But i believe there will be someone who does who is or will be influenced to do what will harm them by her position, which is put and argued eloquently (as is basically all of her writing).   Perhaps watching the movie to which i refer would not be a trouble or a harm to this particular Sister... but that doesn't mean the choice to watch it is right.  Disregard of direction is still a form of disobedience, isn't it?

Bad stuff is still bad stuff regardless of how the world may esteem it.  My position and arguement is not cool.  It's not popular.  It's not pleasing unto the eyes and minds of men.  But i truly believe it is what the Lord would prefer for us.  He has our VERY best interests at heart.  He wants only the best for us.  If we ingest poison - whether into our body or mind - it will harm us eventually.

While watching the rated-R movie i confessed about above, i was very uncomfortable sitting alone during the pornographic scene. Given my recent history and experiences, i would have probably violently turned the movie off and run away crying if i'd watched it with my husband. As it is, it sickens me to know he saw it at another time.  If my Savior had been visible to me, sitting next to me as i watched that movie, i would have been VERY uncomfortable to watch the pornographic scene.  Who am i kidding?  i would've never turned it on if he was visibly next to me!  (Thus my guilt over my wrong choice.)  The most important of these discomforts is how i would feel watching it with Jesus Christ, of course.  I should not have done it.  Knowing this (and i really knew it before i watched), i yearn to "preach it" to others... that YOU may avoid the guilt and necessary repentance and that you may completely avoid the potential replays you'd not prefer to have in your head.

Please be wise!

As Elder Sorensen said in 'You Can't Pet a Rattlesnake' back in a April 2001 General Conference address, "Don’t allow the poison to touch your souls, brethren. Remember, “He that is righteous is favored of God."  Those words, 'brethren' and 'he,' by the way, are as readily applicable to women as men.  It's universal in the context of the talk even though he was speaking to men... it's not just for the Brothers of the church and/or world.

i pray you will receive this in the Spirit in which i have written it.  Love.

What a Wonderful Day!

Today was March on Monsanto.  What a GREAT day for it!!!

This day has been JUST such an amazing and wonderful day! It SURE does feel good to KNOW i'm not alone in this fight against the bondage of poisoned food!!

We were blessed with two local places to march.  I chose the bigger city because a Temple (otherwise also known The House of the Lord) is also there.  The MARCH started at 2pm, but we left home at 10am so that we could make it to the Temple FIRST.  God first, of course.  :)

Our first stop found us waiting along with a rather large wedding party... why?  Because my girls wanted to see a bride.  Unfortunately, we were only able to catch a glimpse as we drove away, but, thankfully, my three were satisfied.  :)  It was sweet and wonderful to hear their exclamations of pleasure in seeing her and their admiration of her beauty (and the dress's).  ^_^  My girls are SUCH girls!  i'm glad.  I sure wouldn't want them to be stuck like me.

While at the Temple i happened to see a woman from my previous Ward (church group).  She seemed genuinely happy to see me, which was very uplifting.  :)  It was very good to see her, too.

Our second stop: MARCH ON MONSANTO, lasted all of about three and a half hours.  Part of that time spent looking for the parking garage in which i'd left the van.  Yes, this misplacement was only realized at the end when i was trying to depart the downtown area.  See, here's the thing: i DO actually know how to walk away from places when traveling (always look back so the return trip is familiar and you'll recognize where you're going), but it did NOT help me this time!!!  *sigh*  Chalk it up to preggie brain and fatigue.  (Kat reminded me, a bit later, when i felt especially frustrated about my fatigue that i DID wake up really early today.  She's right, of course... 5:45am is pretty early, though, amazingly enough it is NOT earlier than i have awakened for my walks of late, but it is still early AND THEN to also be out in the hot sun.)

As a RARE treat for the wonderful behavior of my children during the hour of speeches and then the 2+ mile march, we went to Chick-Fil-A for dinner.  Thankfully, i really do NOT have to worry about their behavior in restaurants much!  I know, my choice of "treat" is pretty ironic given that many items on the menu there have GMOs as part of their composition... not on purpose, but because it's sorta just THERE (gmos, I mean) when you buy something already prepared.  And, if one should be so blessed as to find that there are NO GMOs... well, unless it's organic, you can bet your bottom dollar that it was treated with man-made fertilizers and/or pesticides.  BOTH of which are decidedly HORRIBLE for the human system.  *sigh*  We still had a LOT of fun!  We stayed extra long so the children could play in the playground.  It was SUCH a pleasure for me to watch Ria and Kat help Jmy get through the playground so he could slide and hide and peek through a window to wave.  I sure do LOVE my children!!!

The baby may have enjoyed the playground time, too....  When the girls were helping and playing so nicely with Jmy the baby was just bouncing around in my belly as if to say, it seemed to me: "Oh, please let me out to play, too!"  i couldn't help thinking a response to my baby, "Yes, you will love playing with these siblings of yours!  You sure are blessed to come into this family with THEM!"

I actually DID take some pictures.  But i'm WAY too tired to upload them at this time.  Sorry.  I'll try for it sooner than later.  Yes, i could be more ambiguous, but i'll refrain.  ;)

Have (or hope you HAD) a SUPER wonderful Memorial Day Weekend!  Stay safe and be GOOD.

If you don't know about GMOs, March on Monsanto, or the dangers to our Food Supply, please take time to learn.  March on Monsanto is also on Facebook and in the beginning stages of planning ANOTHER march for October 12.  It's such a great opportunity to become politically active about something that REALLY matters!  If you care about your family and/or children and their future (especially their ability to be healthy and choose their own food), you really MUST learn about this issue)!!!

Live Local?

If you live local to this article http://www.palmcoastobserver.com/news/palm-coast/Neighborhood/081520125003/The-100-dresses-project , or you want to send a dress by snail mail (Postal Service), I'm sure they would be overjoyed to accept your donation.  What a great service project!!!

A Quote From Elder Holland

“Who is it that whispers so subtly in our ear that a gift given to another somehow diminishes the blessings we have received? Who makes us feel that if God is smiling on another, then He surely must somehow be frowning on us? You and I both know who does this—it is the father of all lies.. I am convinced the commandment not to covet is meant to keep us from hurting ourselves… Brothers and sisters, I testify that no one of us is less treasured or cherished of God than another. I testify that He loves each of us—insecurities, anxieties, self-image, and all. He doesn’t measure our talents or our looks; He doesn’t measure our professions or our possessions. He cheers on every runner, calling out that the race is against sin, not against each other. I know that if we will be faithful, there is a perfectly tailored robe of righteousness ready and waiting for everyone, ‘robes … made … white in the blood of the Lamb.’ May we encourage each other in our effort to win that prize is my earnest prayer..”

More on Doctrines (some deep-ish) of My Church

Susanne asked some really GREAT questions on a blog belonging to a friendly aquaintance of mine.  I loved the questions so much, especially after the challenge and joy of responding to some questions my friendly aquaintance posed as queries others might have (on her blog), that I decided I just needed to answer Susanne!  I hope you don't mind, Suzanne, assuming you ever read them.  ^_^
Your questions are in italics, unaltered.  I'm totally happy with any comments or questions you may have, too.

"Aren’t we good enough to be in heaven without having to adopt extra gods?"
I'm not really sure why you think we have to adopt extra gods.  Certainly Mormons believe in only God the Father, Jesus Christ and The Holy Ghost which three constitute our One God.

"or being sealed forever?"
Being sealed to one's spouse for eternity is not a matter of being good enough.  The sealing ordinance performs the unification of two into one for longer than life.  Marriage under man's law makes the union for life, sealing carries it through death.  So, the sealing ordinance has really nothing to do with being "good enough," except that both parts of the union must be striving to be "good enough" to be exhalted.

"or having to accept Joseph Smith as a prophet?"
I would ask a question in return: Aren't we good enough to not need Moses as a prophet?  Or, weren't the Israelites good enough that they didn't need Moses for a prophet.  I think the answer is both yes and no.  Yes, certainly they could return to Father's presence without Moses.  But no because they could not escape the captivity of their generation.  And for generations afterward (and Jews still today) who practiced the ordinances of the Mosaic Law.  These are performances that are meant to sanctify and bring those who do them unto the Lord.  So too, for the contemporaries of Joseph Smith through the generations to the present day.

"or having to do good works?"
So, would you refute the Bible?  Faith without works is dead, it says in the Holy book.  But you would argue that we are 'good enough' without good works to get into Heaven.  1+1=2 whether we like it that way or not.  :)

"What if we simply want to accept Jesus’ work on the cross as the only thing necessary for salvation and realize our good works stem from abiding in Him not as a means to earn a higher level of heaven?"
Such a desire is perfection.  Our good works DO stem from abiding in Him.  They do not "earn" us a higher degree of heaven.  By abiding in Him (doing good works), we are sanctified and purified and perfected (not made perfect in this life, but moved ever nearer to perfection).  This sanctification and purification and movement toward perfection enable us to endure a potential eternity nearer His presence.  No unclean thing can enter His presence, so surely no unclean thing can abide His presence for eternity.  No one of us will ever attain perfection in this life.  So we must rely upon Grace.  However, let's say there are two people who profess Jesus as their Savior on the same day.  Then one of them spends the rest of life abiding in Christ, performing good works under inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and loves to and years to abide in His presence always, then dies.  While the other falls into lustfull living, doing all manner of evil in the sight of the Lord, and lives in a manner so that this person feels GREAT discomfort at the thought of being among believers and cannot even contemplate entering God's presence for the shame of the life this person led....  Would it be justice for our Father in Heaven to force this second person into the same place as the first?  Would it be justice in God to force the first to endure eternity in the environs that second would feel comfortable in?  This is where the Degrees of Glory come in, you see.

"'Without me you can do nothing,' Jesus tells us. He tells us to abide in Him and He would bring forth good fruit in us. Why do we need to accept LDS doctrines?"
We believe... I believe that the Doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are the fully restored Doctrines Jesus Christ taught when He was in His ministry on earth among the Jews.  We/I believe many plain and simple truths were lost through the Great Apostacy, which Jesus and Paul (I think) prophesied.

"I’m curious why the need for LDS missionaries – is this not a waste of time and resources that could be used to feed the poor or fight sex traffickers or provide clean water or mosquito nets that would save thousands of lives?"
We believe it is the duty of every person who learns truth to share it with their spirit siblings.  We believe we have the most complete truth about the nature of God and His Way for His Children, and desire to share these truths.  Missionaries are full-time sharers of these truths.

"Maybe you believe you are encouraging people to marry and be sealed for all time and that idea is worth going into all the world and preaching to every creature? Is this why Mormons are all over the world?"
Missionaries teach about those things, it is true.  And yes, this is part of the message we are striving to share all over the world.  But it is only a part.  We also teach about the true nature of God, the truth of our Father speaking to and visiting His lost sheep, and more.

"My mom’s family has several missionaries so I try to understand the missionary mindset, but it makes more sense to me when I feel like they want to tell people about Jesus so HE can save them from hell. But if there were no hell (by the way, I’d love for y’all to be right about this!! truly!) then I wouldn’t bother. If most everyone is OK just as they are, why leave family, go to another land and tell people their faith isn’t good enough (which can be insulting if you think about it)? Maybe “going to hell” is a bad reason to share your faith and yours is better? But what is it? You have to be LDS in order to have the BEST heaven? I’d join LDS just because their hell is so small, but what if you are wrong about that and hell is bigger than we think?"
We do teach that Jesus Christ saves us from evil and the result of sin.  If we sin with knowledge, we are exiled from God's presence.  As "nice" as the Tilestial (lowest degree of heaven) is, it's NOT eternity in God's presence.  And I'm pretty sure there is reference in the Bible to the idea that living out of God's presence is no treat, regardless of how nice it is.  The only way to attain eternity in God's presence is in and through and by Jesus Christ.  For, as you know, He is the way, the truth and the light.  And only in and through Him can we be saved.

Being able to attain the Celestial Kingdom (the BEST heaven, as you put it) is determined more by sanctification and whether all of the necessary ordinances to obtain the presence of God have been performed.  Since The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the physical manifestation of the RESTORED fullness of Christ's Gospel, we have the most truth and part of that truth is the ordinances necessary to obtain the Father's presence.

Whether we (Mormons) are right or wrong about the number of folks who may be exiled to outerdarkness (hell) or not should really not be a concern for any good Christian.  For if we, Christians, are leading lives Led of the Lord we don't have to worry about hell... and focusing our attention there avails us less ability to focus where we should be focused.  If we only do good to avoid hell, then we're running away from something, rather than focusing on Christ and being sanctified.

"I always heard Lucifer wanted to be like God and this was what caused his fall. You have to understand why it’s difficult for someone like me to accept the notion that Mormons *want to be like God.* Or be gods…how is that different from Lucifer?"
This is different from the devil because we Mormons do not desire to take our Father's Glory.  We strive and work and live and love (just as all Christians do) to Glorify our Father.  The deceiver wanted to perform a form of the saving work Jesus Christ actually did, but instead of doing it the Lord's way (which Christ did do), the devil wanted to do it his own way AND obtain God's Glory for his own.  Jesus Christ was our exemplar when He said by His life and death, "Thy Will be done, not mine."  I believe that by becoming a god with my eternal mate I will always be a child of my Heavenly Father's and that any Glory I may attain will also be His... so, in the way that my earthly parents are always older than me, God the Father will always be "ahead" of me.

"Or maybe you believe Lucifer isn’t so bad and we have wrongly pegged him when he, too, will really be in that big wonderful heaven. Do you?"
Lucifer is the pre-existence name of him who is now known as the devil.  He is the father of lies.  He is the evil one.  He is the great deceiver.  He is miserable and desires all of us to be miserable as he.  We, Mormons, know these truths, as do you.

"By the way, do you believe Jesus and Paul were married?"
No way.  I've heard a lot of out-there stuff, but that's the most out-there to date.

"Also, how do gay couples figure into Mormon theology?"
Gay marriage, in our belief, is not recognized by God.  He did not organize or intend for a homosexual couple to copulate, much less consider themselves 'married.'

"And divorced people?"
I'm not completely sure.  I believe (that we believe) there will be a great deal of Grace for those divorced during our day.  Perhaps an even greater measure of Grace, given the world in which we live.  I definitely believe (and Mormons do) that divorce is not the goal; whether you are married by man or in the temple.  We DO believe the Bible to be the Word of God, so long as it is translated correctly.  So, Paul had a few words about marriage and the use of it.  I know, at one point, he said that if one were married to an unbeliever the believer should never leave, but if the unbelieving spouse left, to let them go.  Also, I believe he also said that it was important that the believer NOT leave because s/he never could tell if they would be the way and means by which their spouse would be saved.

"And couples unable to conceive?"
They are able to enter the Celestial Kingdom if all else is in accordance to God's Commands and Expectations.  He is the ultimate judge of all, anyway!

"or couples like me and my husband who never wanted children?"
Living childless for selfish reasons is, I believe, not pleasing to the Lord (given His first Commandment in the Garden) and could potentially cause those who make such a choice to suffer more than necessary if they had kept that Commandment.  If they were able, and chose NOT to keep the Commandment (just like any Commanment)... well, there is a blessing and punishment predicated on all obedience or disobedience (respectively).

NOTE:
I did strive to declare what I believe, but I do believe what I believe is according to correct Doctrines of my Church.  :)

I Heard About a Couple Marches A Couple of Times Today...

I heard about them from a friend and then via a blog I sometimes read.  And I just feel compelled to write about it.  Mostly in answer to those Mormons who would support the D.C. March.  I mean, I could see supporting the one in SLC, but NOT the one in D.C.

So... here's what I have to say for anyone interested.  :)

Gay people certainly deserve to be loved by any and every one, just as all of us do.  This is not our reality because we live in a fallen world, of course.  But I believe they (as all of us) DO deserve love, acceptance, and agency.

As Christians, we Mormons and other Christians, we are commanded to love everyone.  Even those who practice a homosexual lifestyle!

I love them.  I accept that their life choice to practice homosexuality IS their choice and an expression of their agency.  I will not support (and we have been directed, I believe, of the Lord and our Leadership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints that we should not support) their efforts to have their union legally qualified, declared, and made marriage.  It is not.  It is a union that is NOT sanctioned by God.  There is no way to argue that it is if you believe in God, His Word, and modern-day revelation.

Whether anyone believes it or not, homosexuals ARE either born desiring those of their own gender OR come to know it during the period of sexual awakening in the tween or teen years.  This happens without any thought on the matter whatsoever by those individuals.  However, they use their agency to choose the Lord's Way or the way of the flesh.  This is the same struggle (though more intense, surely) that most humans have in various forms.  It is (surely among many difficulties they are here to overcome), a part of or the primary source of their "cross" to bear and their "natural man" to overcome.

If gay marriage is legalized across the board in our nation, one day the right of every worthy Mormon to worship in the Temple will be discontinued, at worst, and, at best, interrupted because it will be put in jeapardy by court proceedings originating within the homosexual community.  Someone will desire to be sealed to their same-sex partner and push their marriage on the LDS Church and try to push it in to the Temple for the Sealing Ordinance.

This would interrupt every Mormon's ability and legally protected right to worship as we desire and have been commanded of the Lord to do.  Thus, the reason we are directed that we must love our neighbor, but not necessarily encourage all his legal efforts toward having his or her union called the same (marriage) when it simply is not the same.

March for love, tolerance and agency (which, as I understand it was the purpose of the SLC March).  NOT for equal marriage “rights”  (as was the purpose of the D.C. march).  Oh, DANGEROUS Doctrine!

Royalty

In my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, there are some people that we (the members of the church) pretty much treat as Royalty.  The people we think of and treat as Royalty are the leaders of the church, generally.  Specifically, the Prophet and his councelors (also known as The First Presicency), the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and all Members of the Quorums of the Seventy as well as the other organizations' leaders, like Relief Society Presidency, Young Women's Presidency, and so forth.

This past weekend (today and yesterday) was Stake Conference, which happens every 6 months.  This time, though, regularly attending members were all abluster and excited (including me) because Elder David A. Bednar, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and Elder Cornish, an Area Authority Seventy for the North America Southeast Area were scheduled to come to our Conference.  When I birthed Jimmy a week before the first meeting of Conference, I was sure I would not be able to make any of the meetings (I'd already given up the idea of the Saturday night meeting because of Jessie's hours at work) since I would definitely NOT be able to take the girls and a new baby to church for two hours of sitting still by myself (not to mention that I couldn't drive myself!).  Additionally, I've felt impressed that I should really try to limit outside exposure to my new baby.  So, taking him in public like that seemed unlikely to be a good idea.  That thought made the fact that it wasn't really possible easier to handle.

And then my Bishop called to tell me about the meeting for New Converts and Investigators before the main Conference.  An early morning meeting specially for people like Jessie (and their partners/friends).  And I just felt super hopeful that, maybe, just maybe Jessie could get to work a little later that day than normal.  So, I asked him.  And he talked to his boss.  And... he was able to go to work for 2pm... which meant we'd be able to stay for the whole Conference!

As it happened, I couldn't stay for the whole Conference because of the messy after-effects of baby birthing.  But we made the early meeting and an hour of the main meeting, which I thoroughly enjoyed... though I honestly cannot remember much of it.  My post pregnancy brain: a sieve!

So, since I can't remember much of the Conference... why this post?  Well, I wanted to share some thoughts I had over this past week... and, in particular, last night.

Last night I was thinking.  My brain IS starting to get back in gear, so I'm starting to THINK a bit more - it's been sorta painful... the whole THINKING... rather than just starting adoringly at Jimmy and trying to call Tea Tea instead of Kat! ^_^

In the thinking, I was puzzling over why I felt so excited over the visiting leadership.  Why was it that we (the regularly attending members of the Church) feel that we're being visited by someone Royal.  Cause, really, it's a bit more than mere famousness... we treat them with more reverence? than someone of "just" celebrity would merit.  And as I pondered on my silliness over the prospect of being in a small meeting with Elder Bednar and even maybe meeting him!, I perceived some answer to my pondering.  And it goes something like this:

We are ALL of Royal birth.  We are children of Heavenly Father and sons and daughters of Christ as we take His name upon us - He is King of King, Lord of Lords and as His children we are truly Royal.  We are His/Their Heirs - in truth.  There can never be too many Princes and Princesses because our Father will have mansions prepared for everyone who has lived so as to merit, THROUGH CHRIST'S MERITS, such.  And so, we are all potentially Royal. There is something that we all regocnize in the leadership of the church.  We recognize it and honor it - and thus, we honor the individuals who posess what we recognize.  What do we recognize?  Individuals striving to live up to their potential in truth and soberness.  We recognize their Royalty because they are a bit (a bit = leaps and bounds ahead!) closer to it than we are (reference previous parenthesis and then realize that's how much farther ahead they are from ME, but this is not to my consternation, but rather inspiration!).  And we honor them for their efforts and we strive to be like them - as we recognize in them "easier" models of Christ-like behavior.  'Cause when it comes right down to it, Christ is, of course, the perfect model for everything and everyone all the time... but the perfection sometimes makes looking to Him rather difficulty - at least, for me it does.  It's often easier for me to see another person's example as they work on climbing their own ladder, as easier to emulate than the perfection that is Christ.

So, while Elder Bednar and Elder Cornish are truly "just guys"... they are also much more because they are striving to deserve, even though they know they never can or will of themselves deserve, the mansions they hope for in the Kingdom of our God.  And THAT is definitely worthy of some reverence... and some Royal treatment!  ^_^ 

Places of Interest