tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8454812.post1318184465456096233..comments2023-06-29T08:09:41.576-06:00Comments on Smurf yourself: K, Time for some Joseph SmithJokey Smurfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07260745084772557524noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8454812.post-43706167279372610402008-10-27T18:59:00.000-06:002008-10-27T18:59:00.000-06:00That's a zinger, mom! My scripture study seems to...That's a zinger, mom! My scripture study seems to reaffirm my faith in these concepts every night lately. Here's last night's soundbite:<BR/><BR/>Alma 13:2 (and really all he surrounding verses were great)<BR/><BR/>"And those priests were ordained after the order of his Son, in a manner that thereby the people might know in what manner to look forward to the Son for redemption."<BR/><BR/>I love that it so clearly ties our obedience to the words of our leaders to the role of the atonement in our lives, which is the most important aspect of the gospel to me.Robert Anthony Piercehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17495863747621041414noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8454812.post-70904863000580293542008-10-27T18:41:00.000-06:002008-10-27T18:41:00.000-06:00It all comes down to faith. I have struggled with...It all comes down to faith. I have struggled with this issue myself, but your posts and my recent scripture study has confirmed in my soul that I don't know everything, and somethings I have to take on faith. 1 Nephi 8:31-34<BR/>"And he also saw other multitudes feeling their way towards that great and spacious building. And it came to pass that many were drowned in the depths of the fountain; and many were lost from his view, wandering in strange roads. And great was the multitude that did enter into that strange building. And after they did enter into that building they did point the finger of scorn at me and those that were partaking of the fruit also, but we heeded them not. These are the words of my father; For as many as heeded them, had fallen away."Mustardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07405411190348156639noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8454812.post-21215512005479874342008-10-24T00:20:00.000-06:002008-10-24T00:20:00.000-06:00I understand what you're saying and think more peo...I understand what you're saying and think more people understand than it may seem. I've proclaimed the same thoughts in years past, and as well worded, if I do say so myself. ;-)<BR/><BR/>Something else happens, though, when you finally run into something that you CAN'T reconcile and aren't convinced is more right than the alternative. It's no longer a matter of "they will never ask us to do something that's not right". Now, perhaps an almighty God needs an army which responds immediately to each command in order to carry out his work, and this is one way of proving us (I fail). But it all seems so much simpler until you run into a case where you truly can't convince yourself that obedience is the right course. Suddenly, obeying counsel with a shrug simply to earn your spiritual insurance policy (sleeping soundly and getting blessings for obeying) seems insufficient and disingenuous, and comfort is then found in the dearth of statements saying that to DISobey a "wrong" command carries no condemnation or withholding of blessings (though the blessings may come differently or for different reasons).<BR/><BR/>But then, I'm no spiritual authority, so I'm probably just out of touch with inspiration and hitting a brick wall because of my own distance from the Spirit. That's the convenient explanation, anyway.<BR/><BR/>But an important reminder, on a personal level, is to work it out for ourselves and work to lift each other where we can and forgive one person for voting "no" on prop 8, forgive another for obeying blindly without thought or conviction, forgive another for unfairly slapping their child, forgive another for disobeying the Lord's counsel given through many prophets to avoid R-rated movies or have more than one piercing in an ear, forgive yet another for having a homo-romantic relationship against the apostles' counsel, forgive others for thinking themselves more righteous than others because they don't drink caffeinated beverages...<BR/><BR/>That's not to say we shouldn't really work through our questions raised by situations like this, but maybe sometimes, while we're upset and in turmoil over our spiritual angst and cognitive dissonance, it is helpful to step back and let ourselves refill with love, patience, forebearance, charity, kindness...Original Mohomiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12887614143300677214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8454812.post-28702551382781854592008-10-23T16:01:00.000-06:002008-10-23T16:01:00.000-06:00Thanks for all of your recent posts on Prop 8. It'...Thanks for all of your recent posts on Prop 8. It's nice to find someone who believes and obeys for the same reasons I do, but who can articulate his thoughts much more clearly than I can mine!Audreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01185015123864889283noreply@blogger.com