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!!!
Showing posts with label are mormons Christians. Show all posts
Showing posts with label are mormons Christians. Show all posts
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Friday, June 29, 2012
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. :)
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. :)
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Testimony
I didn't get to go to church today because of illness among us. So, instead of going up in front of my Ward Family, I'm going to bear/share my testimony here. :)
I know God lives and loves me, and you, and everyone... and loves us all the same... for being just who we are. I know that Heavenly Father is truly the Father of my Spirit, and your Spirit, and everyone here on earth who has a Spirit. I know that He loves us simiarly to, just WAY more than, the way I love my children.
When I was pregnant with Ria I didn't "feel" love for her... not really. I was excited, nervous, even scared. But I didn't FEEL love for her. I didn't even know she was a she until she was born (we're funny like that... no checking on gender in utero, thank you! ^_^). But as soon as she was born I knew I was in love forever! You see, I was absolutely sure that I would be horribly dissappointed if I had a girl instead of the boy I thought I wanted; I would cry. Well, I didn't cry a single tear after Ria was born. Not a tear of disappointment, not a tear of joy... not a single tear. But I did feel this amazing and full-to-the-top-and-bustin-over feeling of elation. I found that the little person I'd been growing was a girl and I was full and overflowing with JOY! Pure, unadulterated JOY and LOVE. I knew that she was perfect and that I couldn't have loved a boy more than I loved who I had. And that, my friends, is only a fraction of the way God loves us! How AMAZING!!! If you haven't had a child, I cannot convey to you how amazing and wonderful this is. If you have... well, you know it! :) What a gift to be loved Perfectly MORE than THAT by our Father in Heaven, right!!?
And no matter what my Ria does... sure I get frustrated and feel disappointed and even angry at times (I'm imperfect!)... but no matter what she does (or Kat, or Tea, or Jimmy, or anyone else who may join our family)... no matter WHAT, I'm always going to love her/them! How could I stop? I love them just because! I mean, as soon as they came forth out of my body I was in love! And this amazing feeling has helped me understand the truth of the phrase in the Bible that says, "and we love him because he first loved us (though this is probably not a perfect quotation)." My children love me because I first love them... so similar to God's Love for us... yet SO much less. It's awesome, though, isn't it!??
So, I know that Heavenly Father is the literal Father of our Spirits. I know a tiny fraction of how He loves me. I do not yet comprehend, though, the magnitude of His sacrifice in allowing Jesus Christ to fulfill His purpose in the Atonement. I cannot imagine having to leave my child (ANY of them) when they are in the most gruelingly painful part of their life.... But God did that for us. He allowed and enabled Christ to fulfill the Atonement so that we may be One. So that we may return to His presence to live for eternity. What an awesome and amazing gift! I can think it, but I cannot understand! God so love us....
I'm grateful for the Atonement. I have committed some doozies... I am a horrible sinner. But Heavenly Father is always there for me... for us. No matter what we do. He loves us and is willing and ready to allow the Atonement to clean us of our stain. What a tremendous gift and blessing! I'm so grateful. I'm SO grateful to KNOW it!!!!
Heavenly Father has restored the fullness of the Gospel of Christ on the earth today. The Apostacy foretold by the Apostles in the Bible occurred. The fulness of Christ's Gospel (including Priesthood authority) was removed from the earth. Joseph Smith was the instrument through whom God the Father and our Savior Jesus Christ restored the fullness of the Gospel of Christ to the earth. We are blessed to live in a day when we have the Bible so easily accessible; so readily available. AND we have the Book of Mormon to confirm the truths in it... we are not reliant upon man's interpretation (which could go in SO many directions) of the Bible alone. The Book of Mormon adds another witness to the truths taught us and available to us in the Bible. What a gift! It is true! It testifies of Jesus Christ, born in Bethlahem to Mary. Joseph acted as his mortal father, but God was and is the Father of His Spirit AND body! God has said by the mouth of two or three witnesses He will establish His truth. So, it makes perfect sense to me that He would use the words from prophets originating in two totally seperate peoples (but of the same house, originating from the same people of the Covenant) to verify what He would have us know. And what a gift and blessing it is to see how totally true it is that He is the same and speaks the same truths regardless of WHERE the people are to whom He speaks!
I'm grateful for the knowledge I have been blessed with about Christ's Gospel. I'm grateful for the Grace Father God has given me which enables me to do all that I do which is right. I'm grateful to know the truth about the duality and Oneness of God the Father and Jesus Christ... and to know that the Holy Ghost is a part, yet not, of the God head. I'm so grateful for the witness of the Holy Spirit that I have felt about all these truths and continue to feel about other aspects of truth associated with the Gospel of Christ as taught in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! I'm so grateful for God's Love. I'm so grateful for the Atonement our Savior made for me... for you... for us! I'm SO grateful!
I share this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
I know God lives and loves me, and you, and everyone... and loves us all the same... for being just who we are. I know that Heavenly Father is truly the Father of my Spirit, and your Spirit, and everyone here on earth who has a Spirit. I know that He loves us simiarly to, just WAY more than, the way I love my children.
When I was pregnant with Ria I didn't "feel" love for her... not really. I was excited, nervous, even scared. But I didn't FEEL love for her. I didn't even know she was a she until she was born (we're funny like that... no checking on gender in utero, thank you! ^_^). But as soon as she was born I knew I was in love forever! You see, I was absolutely sure that I would be horribly dissappointed if I had a girl instead of the boy I thought I wanted; I would cry. Well, I didn't cry a single tear after Ria was born. Not a tear of disappointment, not a tear of joy... not a single tear. But I did feel this amazing and full-to-the-top-and-bustin-over feeling of elation. I found that the little person I'd been growing was a girl and I was full and overflowing with JOY! Pure, unadulterated JOY and LOVE. I knew that she was perfect and that I couldn't have loved a boy more than I loved who I had. And that, my friends, is only a fraction of the way God loves us! How AMAZING!!! If you haven't had a child, I cannot convey to you how amazing and wonderful this is. If you have... well, you know it! :) What a gift to be loved Perfectly MORE than THAT by our Father in Heaven, right!!?
And no matter what my Ria does... sure I get frustrated and feel disappointed and even angry at times (I'm imperfect!)... but no matter what she does (or Kat, or Tea, or Jimmy, or anyone else who may join our family)... no matter WHAT, I'm always going to love her/them! How could I stop? I love them just because! I mean, as soon as they came forth out of my body I was in love! And this amazing feeling has helped me understand the truth of the phrase in the Bible that says, "and we love him because he first loved us (though this is probably not a perfect quotation)." My children love me because I first love them... so similar to God's Love for us... yet SO much less. It's awesome, though, isn't it!??
So, I know that Heavenly Father is the literal Father of our Spirits. I know a tiny fraction of how He loves me. I do not yet comprehend, though, the magnitude of His sacrifice in allowing Jesus Christ to fulfill His purpose in the Atonement. I cannot imagine having to leave my child (ANY of them) when they are in the most gruelingly painful part of their life.... But God did that for us. He allowed and enabled Christ to fulfill the Atonement so that we may be One. So that we may return to His presence to live for eternity. What an awesome and amazing gift! I can think it, but I cannot understand! God so love us....
I'm grateful for the Atonement. I have committed some doozies... I am a horrible sinner. But Heavenly Father is always there for me... for us. No matter what we do. He loves us and is willing and ready to allow the Atonement to clean us of our stain. What a tremendous gift and blessing! I'm so grateful. I'm SO grateful to KNOW it!!!!
Heavenly Father has restored the fullness of the Gospel of Christ on the earth today. The Apostacy foretold by the Apostles in the Bible occurred. The fulness of Christ's Gospel (including Priesthood authority) was removed from the earth. Joseph Smith was the instrument through whom God the Father and our Savior Jesus Christ restored the fullness of the Gospel of Christ to the earth. We are blessed to live in a day when we have the Bible so easily accessible; so readily available. AND we have the Book of Mormon to confirm the truths in it... we are not reliant upon man's interpretation (which could go in SO many directions) of the Bible alone. The Book of Mormon adds another witness to the truths taught us and available to us in the Bible. What a gift! It is true! It testifies of Jesus Christ, born in Bethlahem to Mary. Joseph acted as his mortal father, but God was and is the Father of His Spirit AND body! God has said by the mouth of two or three witnesses He will establish His truth. So, it makes perfect sense to me that He would use the words from prophets originating in two totally seperate peoples (but of the same house, originating from the same people of the Covenant) to verify what He would have us know. And what a gift and blessing it is to see how totally true it is that He is the same and speaks the same truths regardless of WHERE the people are to whom He speaks!
I'm grateful for the knowledge I have been blessed with about Christ's Gospel. I'm grateful for the Grace Father God has given me which enables me to do all that I do which is right. I'm grateful to know the truth about the duality and Oneness of God the Father and Jesus Christ... and to know that the Holy Ghost is a part, yet not, of the God head. I'm so grateful for the witness of the Holy Spirit that I have felt about all these truths and continue to feel about other aspects of truth associated with the Gospel of Christ as taught in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! I'm so grateful for God's Love. I'm so grateful for the Atonement our Savior made for me... for you... for us! I'm SO grateful!
I share this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
What If...
What if...
What if life is a test?
What if God is with us every step?
What if change is the path to Godliness?
What if pain is simply a fire on the way to purity?
What if suffering is necessary to understand who God truly is?
What if torment is merely a synaptical firing in the brain that I can choose to ignore?
What if being broken enables Larger Hands to create what was meant to be in the first place?
What if becoming who we are meant to be means leaving behind who we already thing we are?
What if drowning in despair opens eyes and unstops ears and births a new-to-Spirit being?
What if struggle is really the point because THAT is what will make us strong enough?
What if relationships are all that really matter in this experience we call life?
What if knowledge is the only thing we can take with us to the next?
What if endings are merely doorways into new beginnings?
What if hopes must die to birth the truth?
What if I had to end to be His?
What if...
What if life is a test?
What if God is with us every step?
What if change is the path to Godliness?
What if pain is simply a fire on the way to purity?
What if suffering is necessary to understand who God truly is?
What if torment is merely a synaptical firing in the brain that I can choose to ignore?
What if being broken enables Larger Hands to create what was meant to be in the first place?
What if becoming who we are meant to be means leaving behind who we already thing we are?
What if drowning in despair opens eyes and unstops ears and births a new-to-Spirit being?
What if struggle is really the point because THAT is what will make us strong enough?
What if relationships are all that really matter in this experience we call life?
What if knowledge is the only thing we can take with us to the next?
What if endings are merely doorways into new beginnings?
What if hopes must die to birth the truth?
What if I had to end to be His?
What if...
Monday, October 10, 2011
A Cult Like Any Other
Some numerous persons I either KNOW or have heard of through experiences of those I know have heard that I (we LDS folks) are members of a Cult. Well... to determine the truth or fallacy of such a supposition, one would have to first define CULT.
So, according to the Merriam-Webster Free Online Dictionary, I think I am. WHAT???!! Well, are you? I mean, if you're a religious person... then, by this definition you are. And I am. And we are! YEAY!!!
Moving right along. (Yes, I am going to require you to do a little bit of "extra" reading if you want to understand what I'm saying and where I'm coming from. I'm not doing the spoon-feeding. IF you want to believe I'm just agreeing with your fallacious assumptions, so be it. You'd probably find a way to twist what I have to say about my heart and mind to make it fit what you believe anyway. While I'm sorry about that... for you... I can't really do anything to change YOU... I can only (and only want) to change me!)
Just as a note on the #4 from the above link, I'm thinking of orthodox being the majority of Christians.... We LDS do, indeed, have some beliefs that seperate us from the group because Joseph Smith, Jr. actually saw God the Father and our Savior Jesus Christ, he knows (and I know) that they are two individuals who are one in purpose. This differs from "orthodox" Christianity because the majority adhere to the definition of God agreed on in the Nicene Creed. About that Creed... I'm so grateful that Heavenly Father has give us the tremendous gift of Agency... but just because a bunch of us punny humans get together and agree on something... regardless of how inspired it is, if it's not God, it's not. Seeing God with our Savior... that is something irrefutable.
Next, I've found a definition on Dictionary(.)com, which site I like and turn to often for definitions. I'll address each one here (they are almost the same as those found in the previous... so I'm doing it once now). #1: Yes. We have that, do that. #2: Yes, if you realize that Jesus Christ is that person/idea (if you don't think He's a person as I do). #3: Christ is the object. The one born in Bethlehem, of course. #4: Um... yep. Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. #5: Yes, we do this too. The Catholics do. The Baptists do. The Lutherans do. The Seventh Day Adventists do. The Muslims do. The Jews do. Do you get my point?
Moving right along.
I like this NEXT one. Perjoratively... LOVE that word! Sounds so... funky and cool. ^_^ Anyone can use the word "cult" to mock us LDS, or demean, or attempt to mislead others about our beliefs, but such use doesn't change the object/person of our devotion. The members (like me) of The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-Day Saints worship Jesus Christ, son of Mary and God (Joseph being his eathly father, but God being the Father of Christ's body). We live to submit to His Will, the Will of the Father and the Son. We live to return to their presence to live for eternity... This is our hope.
Yes, we "Mormons" are a minority in any given society (unless you narrow it down to localities and then "we" may be the majority in various parts of the West).
As far as the kind of 'cult' characterized (or opposed in anti-cult movements) by "brainwashing" and mind control or other agency removing efforts; we of the LDS Church and Faith are not a part of that group. We know that angency in all its forms (the ways people choose to do good OR ill) are given of God and we would not remove it from anyone!
My Mom once said, many years ago, something like, "Oh, someone might think Jessie was brainwashed!" I was too shocked to respond (which was usual for me at the time). She paused for a moment, thought, and then said, "Well, I suppose that's not such a bad thing if his brain needed some cleaning!" We do not attempt to exert control over anyone... though we DO encourage ALL to get to know God and then submit to His Will, which should anyone strive to do with their whole heart, might, mind, strength, and soul... such would result in those people who so strive to do similarly... to become ever more and more alike. And this is the point. To become one with Christ, even as He is one with God. To be in Him as He is in our Father and the Father in Him; so then to be in God and God in us. But this is all documented much more poetically in the Bible (and Book of Mormon), should anyone desire to read it and understand with spiritual eyes and ears.
Next and final... okay, so reading this page is good. I'll direct you to where I begin to share about my religion based on this article's statements about "cults." If you will scroll down to the fourth paragraph under the first bold title area of the article (within the article): Looking at the bold area of this paragraph I have to respond: ummm... this is all Christian denominations to one degree or another. I mean, especially those denominations named the name of the man who originated the principles of the subgroup!
I like and prefer that next the Bible is invoked. I definitely believe the part about defining Jesus differently than the Bible does. Thankfully, you'll NOT find this problem with me and my religion since we believe the Bible to be the word of God so long as it is translated correctly (I read the KJV of the Bible).
Thankfully those of us of the LDS Faith do NOT do the second: proclaim salvation by workds. We know, just as all Christians, that the good we do is by the Grace of God and that He, by Grace, overcomes the lack between that which we can do (carried in an by His Grace) over the chasm between what we can do in Him and what is required to live in His presence. Praise the Lord for Grace and the Atonement!!!
Finally (of the three points) we of the LDS Faith believe in the Bible fully and strive to live the principles and precepts laid our for us all within it. Deep doctrine in my church always aims us back to Christ and His doctrines. We experience the testament of truth by the Holy Spirit of God. I know the Bible to be the Word of God in the same way I know the Book of Mormon to be the Word of God to a disparate group of people who were once of the Jews in Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit that witnesses the truth of these things to my mind and heart (and in my body at times) is the same that will witness these same truths to all other groups of Christians. "By their works, ye shall know them." I'm not perfect. The other Mormons I know are not perfect, but we are trying to do good and to live as Christ would have us live. If we are being led by the deceiver to do and live in this way, then he is a house divided against itself as Jesus described when He (Jesus) was said to be doing things by the power of the deceiver. All good comes of God. Nothing good comes of the devil. Not one bit.
It's funny to me that the next paragraph describes the problem of religious extremism. God said, Himself, in the Bible that He wanted us to be either hot or cold. He will spit us out otherwise. I'll not be spit out. So, if someone declares I'm in a cult because I am Zealous for Christ, so be it.
I've already spoken about Agency and will move along to what comes next in the article. So, my Church is directly, yet indirectly named within the article as a cult... *sigh* You'll have to decide for yourself, obviously! ^_^ One thing about how you make a decision... hopefully you already know how the Holy Spirit communicates Truth to you. If you don't, then this is more difficult. But if you DO know, then all you have to do is read the Bible, read the Book of Mormon, ponder on the Truths found validated from one (the Bible) in the other (the Book of Mormon) and then pray about it. If you find, as I have, that the Holy Spirit witnesses TRUTH to you, too, then keep learning. The deeper you go, the more full the hole in your heart that Jesus made just for Him to fill WILL be filled! I know this to be true. I've lived it. I'm living it. I will live it.
Some GREAT talks by some of oure church's leadership about the Book of Mormon and other truths:
The Power of Scripture
The Book of Mormon - A Book from God this is why I believe the Book of Mormon is necessary now
Personal Revelation and Testimony
You Matter to Him
A Witness
Teachings of Jesus is this a different Jesus than the one you know??
The Priviledge of Prayer
If you liked these and would like to watch more of the General Conference from which I took these, click HERE. ^_^ I'd love to know what you think after you watch the first two, especially. :)
So, according to the Merriam-Webster Free Online Dictionary, I think I am. WHAT???!! Well, are you? I mean, if you're a religious person... then, by this definition you are. And I am. And we are! YEAY!!!
Moving right along. (Yes, I am going to require you to do a little bit of "extra" reading if you want to understand what I'm saying and where I'm coming from. I'm not doing the spoon-feeding. IF you want to believe I'm just agreeing with your fallacious assumptions, so be it. You'd probably find a way to twist what I have to say about my heart and mind to make it fit what you believe anyway. While I'm sorry about that... for you... I can't really do anything to change YOU... I can only (and only want) to change me!)
Just as a note on the #4 from the above link, I'm thinking of orthodox being the majority of Christians.... We LDS do, indeed, have some beliefs that seperate us from the group because Joseph Smith, Jr. actually saw God the Father and our Savior Jesus Christ, he knows (and I know) that they are two individuals who are one in purpose. This differs from "orthodox" Christianity because the majority adhere to the definition of God agreed on in the Nicene Creed. About that Creed... I'm so grateful that Heavenly Father has give us the tremendous gift of Agency... but just because a bunch of us punny humans get together and agree on something... regardless of how inspired it is, if it's not God, it's not. Seeing God with our Savior... that is something irrefutable.
Next, I've found a definition on Dictionary(.)com, which site I like and turn to often for definitions. I'll address each one here (they are almost the same as those found in the previous... so I'm doing it once now). #1: Yes. We have that, do that. #2: Yes, if you realize that Jesus Christ is that person/idea (if you don't think He's a person as I do). #3: Christ is the object. The one born in Bethlehem, of course. #4: Um... yep. Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. #5: Yes, we do this too. The Catholics do. The Baptists do. The Lutherans do. The Seventh Day Adventists do. The Muslims do. The Jews do. Do you get my point?
Moving right along.
I like this NEXT one. Perjoratively... LOVE that word! Sounds so... funky and cool. ^_^ Anyone can use the word "cult" to mock us LDS, or demean, or attempt to mislead others about our beliefs, but such use doesn't change the object/person of our devotion. The members (like me) of The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-Day Saints worship Jesus Christ, son of Mary and God (Joseph being his eathly father, but God being the Father of Christ's body). We live to submit to His Will, the Will of the Father and the Son. We live to return to their presence to live for eternity... This is our hope.
Yes, we "Mormons" are a minority in any given society (unless you narrow it down to localities and then "we" may be the majority in various parts of the West).
As far as the kind of 'cult' characterized (or opposed in anti-cult movements) by "brainwashing" and mind control or other agency removing efforts; we of the LDS Church and Faith are not a part of that group. We know that angency in all its forms (the ways people choose to do good OR ill) are given of God and we would not remove it from anyone!
My Mom once said, many years ago, something like, "Oh, someone might think Jessie was brainwashed!" I was too shocked to respond (which was usual for me at the time). She paused for a moment, thought, and then said, "Well, I suppose that's not such a bad thing if his brain needed some cleaning!" We do not attempt to exert control over anyone... though we DO encourage ALL to get to know God and then submit to His Will, which should anyone strive to do with their whole heart, might, mind, strength, and soul... such would result in those people who so strive to do similarly... to become ever more and more alike. And this is the point. To become one with Christ, even as He is one with God. To be in Him as He is in our Father and the Father in Him; so then to be in God and God in us. But this is all documented much more poetically in the Bible (and Book of Mormon), should anyone desire to read it and understand with spiritual eyes and ears.
Next and final... okay, so reading this page is good. I'll direct you to where I begin to share about my religion based on this article's statements about "cults." If you will scroll down to the fourth paragraph under the first bold title area of the article (within the article): Looking at the bold area of this paragraph I have to respond: ummm... this is all Christian denominations to one degree or another. I mean, especially those denominations named the name of the man who originated the principles of the subgroup!
I like and prefer that next the Bible is invoked. I definitely believe the part about defining Jesus differently than the Bible does. Thankfully, you'll NOT find this problem with me and my religion since we believe the Bible to be the word of God so long as it is translated correctly (I read the KJV of the Bible).
Thankfully those of us of the LDS Faith do NOT do the second: proclaim salvation by workds. We know, just as all Christians, that the good we do is by the Grace of God and that He, by Grace, overcomes the lack between that which we can do (carried in an by His Grace) over the chasm between what we can do in Him and what is required to live in His presence. Praise the Lord for Grace and the Atonement!!!
Finally (of the three points) we of the LDS Faith believe in the Bible fully and strive to live the principles and precepts laid our for us all within it. Deep doctrine in my church always aims us back to Christ and His doctrines. We experience the testament of truth by the Holy Spirit of God. I know the Bible to be the Word of God in the same way I know the Book of Mormon to be the Word of God to a disparate group of people who were once of the Jews in Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit that witnesses the truth of these things to my mind and heart (and in my body at times) is the same that will witness these same truths to all other groups of Christians. "By their works, ye shall know them." I'm not perfect. The other Mormons I know are not perfect, but we are trying to do good and to live as Christ would have us live. If we are being led by the deceiver to do and live in this way, then he is a house divided against itself as Jesus described when He (Jesus) was said to be doing things by the power of the deceiver. All good comes of God. Nothing good comes of the devil. Not one bit.
It's funny to me that the next paragraph describes the problem of religious extremism. God said, Himself, in the Bible that He wanted us to be either hot or cold. He will spit us out otherwise. I'll not be spit out. So, if someone declares I'm in a cult because I am Zealous for Christ, so be it.
I've already spoken about Agency and will move along to what comes next in the article. So, my Church is directly, yet indirectly named within the article as a cult... *sigh* You'll have to decide for yourself, obviously! ^_^ One thing about how you make a decision... hopefully you already know how the Holy Spirit communicates Truth to you. If you don't, then this is more difficult. But if you DO know, then all you have to do is read the Bible, read the Book of Mormon, ponder on the Truths found validated from one (the Bible) in the other (the Book of Mormon) and then pray about it. If you find, as I have, that the Holy Spirit witnesses TRUTH to you, too, then keep learning. The deeper you go, the more full the hole in your heart that Jesus made just for Him to fill WILL be filled! I know this to be true. I've lived it. I'm living it. I will live it.
Some GREAT talks by some of oure church's leadership about the Book of Mormon and other truths:
The Power of Scripture
The Book of Mormon - A Book from God this is why I believe the Book of Mormon is necessary now
Personal Revelation and Testimony
You Matter to Him
A Witness
Teachings of Jesus is this a different Jesus than the one you know??
The Priviledge of Prayer
If you liked these and would like to watch more of the General Conference from which I took these, click HERE. ^_^ I'd love to know what you think after you watch the first two, especially. :)
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
The Fire; My Fire
Burning hurts. I'm not even talking about the burns I've experienced in my tabernacle body. But I'm grateful! I'm thankful that the Lord knows my strengths and weaknessses and knows the exact temperature to which He raises my purifying fire so that He may burn out of me the dross that I've only ever thought was part of me. Part of me, it surely has been, but it should not there remain. And He knows it. I'm so thankful for a Loving Father in Heaven who is guiding my life journey and providing all. God is GREAT! He is the Master of my Story! I praise Him for His goodness, His guidance, and His tender care!!
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