Which angel visited Alma? Was it a comfort for him to come again? Alma 8:15
Hey, it's almost like the same person was asking these questions; I seemed to have had a lot of questions about angels last year. It turns out that I already found the answer to this question here.
Alma is visited by a heavenly messenger to put him on the repentance path. Later, he's a missionary preaching the gospel to the city of Ammonihah where he is rejected because the people are wicked. He feels depressed, leaves the city, and is visited again by the same angel who came to him before.
Answer:
We do not know the identity of the heavenly messenger. We do know it was the same one. I am certain that it was a comfort to Alma to see the same angel again, because obviously that angel had a huge impact on his life and was a being of great importance to him. Perhaps it was one of his family members. Or Nephi - a person from his historical and spiritual heritage who would have had great importance. The "founder" of their civilization, really. Or maybe it was a woman. Who knows. I guess someday we will know.
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
Sunday, November 3, 2019
What are "dead works"? Moroni 8:23
What are "dead works"? Moroni 8:23
Moroni is adding a few additional things to his father Mormon's life's work - the abridgment of the ancient records, compiled into a book (cough cough hence why it's called the Book of Mormon). He is just biding his time before the Lamanites find him and murder him.
He adds some thoughts about infant baptism. Latter-day saints do not baptize infants. In order to become a member of the church, you must be baptized and then confirmed. This is done after you are at least 8 years old. You also can't just call up the missionaries and schedule to be baptized the same day. You actually have to go through a series of lessons and interviews in order to prepare for and qualify for baptism. If you have committed certain very serious sins, you will not be allowed to be baptized until those are resolved through the process of repentance, which can involve talking to your bishop. For example, if you murdered someone. There are others, but I don't know them. The missionaries conduct some of these interviews, I believe, except for children who are born to parents who are members of the church.
All that stuff if subject to change because it squarely falls into the "policy" section of my church.
What will not change is the stance towards baptism. Because it is a covenant with God, it is considered "solemn mockery" before him to put an infant through the motions of making a covenant that they obviously are powerless to conclude. It is a serious sin to baptize infants.
Though, I'm fairly certain that this twisted doctrine has been far more beneficial in the end, since it was one of the main reasons to preserve the birth records of many devout Catholics: to keep a record of their baptism, and also of their birth. I personally do not feel like my Catholic ancestors were vile sinners for baptizing their children. Nor do I feel like devout Catholics today are willfully doing something deeply, disturbingly wrong.
Though, it does deeply disturb me, the idea that without baptism, everybody - including innocent children who die - is totally lost and will not be able to enter God's presence again. That does not sound like the plan of a loving God to me.
God does love us. And baptism is essential for all people who died accountable for their sins. Little children are automatically saved through the atonement of Jesus Christ. Everybody who died after the age of 8 will get an equal chance to receive exaltation. How? Through proxy temple work.
That is why I spend so much time and effort involved in family history and temple work.
To say that infants need to be baptized is mockery before God because doing so denies the mercy of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Ghost by putting trust in "dead works" instead of in God himself. It's like believing that the baptism itself is what causes someone to be saved rather than Jesus Christ's power. It's not the act of being immersed under the water that actually matters for our salvation, it's God's power blessing us for being willing to be strictly obedient to his commandments! The covenant had to be something, why not being immersed in water?
Doctrine and Covenants 22:2 says that if a person is baptized a hundred times, that isn't going to make him cleaner or more saved. It's not about following some specific set of laws perfectly. The only way to be saved is through Jesus Christ's atonement. Keeping the commandments shows that we value and believe in his power and atonement.
Other dead works might include some of the newly-retired programs in the church such as BSA and some of the other weird YW's things. They were good for a time, but when that time has passed, if we are focused to heavily on medallions or merit badges and lose sight of Jesus Christ himself, it's so useless, it's as if it were "dead." It is not through mere participation in the motions of church service and worship that we gain a testimony, but through actually developing a real relationship with our Savior. The two are connected, but they really are not the same.
Moroni is adding a few additional things to his father Mormon's life's work - the abridgment of the ancient records, compiled into a book (cough cough hence why it's called the Book of Mormon). He is just biding his time before the Lamanites find him and murder him.
He adds some thoughts about infant baptism. Latter-day saints do not baptize infants. In order to become a member of the church, you must be baptized and then confirmed. This is done after you are at least 8 years old. You also can't just call up the missionaries and schedule to be baptized the same day. You actually have to go through a series of lessons and interviews in order to prepare for and qualify for baptism. If you have committed certain very serious sins, you will not be allowed to be baptized until those are resolved through the process of repentance, which can involve talking to your bishop. For example, if you murdered someone. There are others, but I don't know them. The missionaries conduct some of these interviews, I believe, except for children who are born to parents who are members of the church.
All that stuff if subject to change because it squarely falls into the "policy" section of my church.
What will not change is the stance towards baptism. Because it is a covenant with God, it is considered "solemn mockery" before him to put an infant through the motions of making a covenant that they obviously are powerless to conclude. It is a serious sin to baptize infants.
Though, I'm fairly certain that this twisted doctrine has been far more beneficial in the end, since it was one of the main reasons to preserve the birth records of many devout Catholics: to keep a record of their baptism, and also of their birth. I personally do not feel like my Catholic ancestors were vile sinners for baptizing their children. Nor do I feel like devout Catholics today are willfully doing something deeply, disturbingly wrong.
Though, it does deeply disturb me, the idea that without baptism, everybody - including innocent children who die - is totally lost and will not be able to enter God's presence again. That does not sound like the plan of a loving God to me.
God does love us. And baptism is essential for all people who died accountable for their sins. Little children are automatically saved through the atonement of Jesus Christ. Everybody who died after the age of 8 will get an equal chance to receive exaltation. How? Through proxy temple work.
That is why I spend so much time and effort involved in family history and temple work.
To say that infants need to be baptized is mockery before God because doing so denies the mercy of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Ghost by putting trust in "dead works" instead of in God himself. It's like believing that the baptism itself is what causes someone to be saved rather than Jesus Christ's power. It's not the act of being immersed under the water that actually matters for our salvation, it's God's power blessing us for being willing to be strictly obedient to his commandments! The covenant had to be something, why not being immersed in water?
Doctrine and Covenants 22:2 says that if a person is baptized a hundred times, that isn't going to make him cleaner or more saved. It's not about following some specific set of laws perfectly. The only way to be saved is through Jesus Christ's atonement. Keeping the commandments shows that we value and believe in his power and atonement.
Other dead works might include some of the newly-retired programs in the church such as BSA and some of the other weird YW's things. They were good for a time, but when that time has passed, if we are focused to heavily on medallions or merit badges and lose sight of Jesus Christ himself, it's so useless, it's as if it were "dead." It is not through mere participation in the motions of church service and worship that we gain a testimony, but through actually developing a real relationship with our Savior. The two are connected, but they really are not the same.
What is a "garb of secrecy"? Helaman 9:6
What is a "garb of secrecy"? Helaman 9:6
Seantum murders his brother Seezoram by stabbing him with a "garb of secrecy." A garb is a piece of clothing.
Answer:
It really sounds like Seantum designed his outfit in such a way that it would include something sharp and pointy (or at least conceal it) with which he could stab and murder his brother.
I guess this is the kind of thing that the TSA worries about with underwire bras and nail clippers and stuff.
Seantum murders his brother Seezoram by stabbing him with a "garb of secrecy." A garb is a piece of clothing.
Answer:
It really sounds like Seantum designed his outfit in such a way that it would include something sharp and pointy (or at least conceal it) with which he could stab and murder his brother.
I guess this is the kind of thing that the TSA worries about with underwire bras and nail clippers and stuff.
Is this similar to Czech people? Alma 26:24
Is this similar to Czech people? Alma 26:24
Ammon is talking with the sons of Mosiah, reminding them of their mission call to serve the Lamanites. It is one of the most powerful parts of the Book of Mormon, to me.
Ammon is talking with the sons of Mosiah, reminding them of their mission call to serve the Lamanites. It is one of the most powerful parts of the Book of Mormon, to me.
"Remember how everybody told us that there was no way we could teach the Lamanites? Remember how they told us that there was no way that we could convince the Lamanites of the incorrectness of the traditions of their fathers, stubborn and bull-headed people that they be? Remember how they said that the Lamanites loved to murder people, and took pleasure in it? How they spent their days committing horribly evil sins, and that they've been this way since their father Lehi arrived in the promised land and they first stepped off the boat? Remember how they told us that it would be more effective and possibly even better for the cause of the church for us to fight the Lamanites, and totally destroy them in order to eradicate their terrible traditions and prevent them from killing us.
But we definitely didn't come here to destroy them! It was not our intent to harm them, but rather to teach them so that we could turn their hearts to their Savior, Jesus Christ, and save their souls.
When we were depressed, and we were about to turn back, remember that the Lord comforted us. He told us to go among the Lamanites, our brethren, and withstand the trials and tribulations with patience, and he promised he would give us success."
That is an awesome pep talk right there.
If I were a missionary serving a full-time proselyting mission in the Czech Republic, I would read these verses often. The Czech people have a complicated, messy relationship with spirituality and religion, and it's all tied into political and social identity. It would probably not be very easy to preach the gospel to a Czech person.
Still, the idea that it would be better to just wipe them out - wow. That's... Well, that's super disturbing. I suppose that is where the analogy ends.
It is evidence that the Nephites were pretty racist.
What does "severally" mean? Moroni 10:17
What does "severally" mean? Moroni 10:17
Moroni is talking about the gifts of the spirit. He says spiritual gifts come by the spirit of Christ, to each man "severally", according as he will.
And that final pronoun surely seems to refer to God, not to the seeker of the spiritual gift.
Answer:
Individually, each in turn.
This means that your spiritual gifts will not just all be bestowed upon you right away. Some of them may not even be closely connected to each other. They will be given based upon how you seek them, each in their own due time - a time determined by God.
Moroni is talking about the gifts of the spirit. He says spiritual gifts come by the spirit of Christ, to each man "severally", according as he will.
And that final pronoun surely seems to refer to God, not to the seeker of the spiritual gift.
Answer:
Individually, each in turn.
This means that your spiritual gifts will not just all be bestowed upon you right away. Some of them may not even be closely connected to each other. They will be given based upon how you seek them, each in their own due time - a time determined by God.
What does "wrest" the scriptures mean here? Alma 13:20
What does "wrest" the scriptures mean here? Alma 13:20
Alma tells Zeezrom that the scriptures are right in front of him, and if he "wrests" them, it will be to his own destruction.
Alma tells Zeezrom that the scriptures are right in front of him, and if he "wrests" them, it will be to his own destruction.
Peter wrote the same thing in 2 Peter 3:16, which has a handy footnote.
Answer:
To twist or distort. If you twist or distort the scriptures, it'll be your own loss. Wrest kind of sounds like wrestle, or battle - to fight. You can certainly interpret the scriptures to mean just about anything you want them to, especially by taking them out of context. That is not going to be useful for you in the end, though.
How do you acquire the "spirit of prophecy"? Alma 12:7
How do you acquire the "spirit of prophecy"? Alma 12:7
Alma and Amulek speak to this guy Zeezrom, a non-believer. The way they speak to him convinces Zeezrom that they must have power from God because they are able to discern his thoughts. Mormon interjects with the comment that indeed, yes, they were able to discern Zeezrom's thoughts because they were given the spirit of prophecy.
What is this "spirit", how does it work, and how does one go about obtaining it?
Elder Porter had a really great talk about this topic in a 1996 General Conference, which you can read here. I will share with some comments.
Because, duh, he loves us.
If you want to receive revelation, you need to humble yourself, try to seek answers both by studying and also by divine supplication, and most importantly, you need to wait until you receive answers. The answers will come. When they do, you have to be humble enough to receive them.
Alma and Amulek speak to this guy Zeezrom, a non-believer. The way they speak to him convinces Zeezrom that they must have power from God because they are able to discern his thoughts. Mormon interjects with the comment that indeed, yes, they were able to discern Zeezrom's thoughts because they were given the spirit of prophecy.
What is this "spirit", how does it work, and how does one go about obtaining it?
Elder Porter had a really great talk about this topic in a 1996 General Conference, which you can read here. I will share with some comments.
Speaking of the supernal glory of that First Vision, President Gordon B. Hinckley has said: “Much has been written, much will be written, in an effort to explain it away. The finite mind cannot comprehend it. But the testimony of the Holy Spirit, experienced by countless numbers of people all through the years since it happened, bears witness that it is true, that it happened as Joseph Smith said it happened, that it was as real as the sunrise over Palmyra, that it is an essential foundation stone, a cornerstone, without which the Church could not be ‘fitly framed together.’”2
I repeat: the testimony of the Holy Spirit bears witness that it is true. That testimony is the means, in most instances, by which God reveals truth to mankind. It is not a new or strange phenomenon but is as old as the human race. The scriptures are replete with examples of God communicating with man. By revelation Adam and Enoch and Noah and Abraham and Moses and all of the faithful former-day Saints came to know of sacred things.Basically: religion is all about how does God speak to man, and how can man know it. In other words, the spirit of prophecy, or revelation.
Nephi of ancient days taught this principle to his people. He said:
“And now I, Nephi, cannot write all the things which were taught among my people; neither am I mighty in writing, like unto speaking; for when a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men.
“But behold, there are many that harden their hearts against the Holy Spirit, that it hath no place in them; wherefore, they cast many things away which are written and esteem them as things of naught.”3
The Holy Spirit does not teach the proud, the unteachable, the indolent, or the doubter. A deep desire for truth and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ will prepare one’s heart to be taught spiritual things.Conversely, anyone who has a deep desire for truth and who combines that with a seed of faith - like, even the faith that you might someday possibly be able to have faith, is promised by Jesus Christ himself that he will receive answers. Ask and ye shall receive. Seek and ye shall find. Knock and the door will be opened to you. It is likely not to come in an expected way, but the promise is sure. God answers earnest prayers.
Because, duh, he loves us.
The Lord Jesus Christ directs His work on the earth by revelation through the Holy Spirit. The power of this revelatory Spirit moves and motivates an army of more than 52,000 missionaries who take the gospel message to the four corners of the earth. When they are successful in their work, it is because of the witness they bear, a witness accompanied and confirmed by the power of the Holy Ghost.At the end of 2016 there were just under 71,000 missionaries. Apparently that number has shrunk to 65,000 missionaries. I dunno exactly why, but it's probably good that some people are not serving full-time missions. It is possible that my anxiety would have disqualified me from serving a full-time proselyting mission. I guess I won't ever know, though someday I do hope to serve a mission with Danny. Especially a records-acquisition mission or something cool like that.
The Lord describes His emissaries as weak, unlearned, and despised. But He promises that through their efforts He will “thrash the nations by the power of [His] Spirit.”4
When President Hinckley returned from the British Isles last fall, he told us of an interview he had with a member of the British Broadcasting Company Radio Services. The reporter asked President Hinckley, “How do you expect people to listen to these callow youth?” President Hinckley had to explain to some of us that callow meant immature, inexperienced, and lacking sophistication. Then he pointed out to this reporter that “people do receive them and listen to them. They are wholesome. They are bright, they are alert, they are … clean.”5
And then at the general conference priesthood session held in October of last year, he said, speaking of the missionaries: “They are a miracle. … They speak out of their hearts, with personal conviction. Each is … an ambassador of the Lord Jesus Christ. Their power comes not of their learning in the things of the world. Their power comes of faith, and prayer, and humility.”6
Jesus’ commandment to preach the gospel to all nations is obeyed as the servants of God bear testimony, in humility, across the earth. And the Lord responds to their sacrifices and bears witness of their words by revelation.
If you want to receive revelation, you need to humble yourself, try to seek answers both by studying and also by divine supplication, and most importantly, you need to wait until you receive answers. The answers will come. When they do, you have to be humble enough to receive them.
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