Love not Contention
When we discuss differing opinions, it should be remembered that all are welcome to their beliefs in all matters. We cannot expect one's beliefs to override the witnesses and testimonies another has received from God.
When we discuss differing opinions, it should be remembered that all are welcome to their beliefs in all matters. We cannot expect one's beliefs to override the witnesses and testimonies another has received from God.
In order for there to be unity, we must be conservative about our judgments, and allow others to come to know God on their own terms.
What is love? Is there a difference between God's love and mankind's ideas of love? Does God ever stop loving us? There is an idea out in the world that God will only love us "if." What must we do then to earn God's love?
The most important thing we can each learn in this life is how to love. We need to learn how to love ourselves, how to love our families, siblings, how to love our spouses, our children, neighbors, coworkers, friends, enemies, strangers and anyone that we come in contact with.
All holy books have truth and wisdom in them; yet we do not accept all holy books as scripture the way we do the Bible and Book of Mormon.
Faith crises and transitions can be scary. Making the decision to walk away from a faith community can be a traumatic and life altering experience.
If we want to build Zion we must move from the Church to the Kingdom.
"And it came to pass that as many as did believe him did go forth to a place which was called Mormon, having received its name from the king, being in the borders of the land having been infested by times, or at seasons, by wild beasts..." (see Alma 9:28-37 RAV, 18:1-7 OPV)
"For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward." -Mark 9:41
“I give unto men (and women) weakness, that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men (and women) that humble themselves before me." -Ether 5:28a RAV, 12:27a OPV
The entire message of the Book of Mormon is that Jesus is the Christ and that we can have a personal relationship with God.
"...the fear of the Lord had come upon them; and they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust of the earth."