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Elizabeth
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Re: Signs of Our Times.

Post by Elizabeth »

It is the tares that are gathered up first and burned, not the wheat.
Elizabeth
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Re: Signs of Our Times.

Post by Elizabeth »

An Epistle from an Apostle:

"There are two powers in the universe: one invites us to choose the right and experience eternal joy and happiness, and the other invites us to choose the opposite, bringing sadness and regret. Our doctrine teaches us that life is a test—a time to see which invitation we will accept.
I remind you of Jesus’s prophecy regarding the last days in which we now live: “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect” (Matthew 24:24). We are saddened when we witness some of the “very elect” deceived, as Jesus warned."
Elizabeth
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Re: Signs of Our Times.

Post by Elizabeth »

What do we know about the final judgment? Video from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints illustrates that all of us will return to the presence of God to be judged. As the video description elaborates, "This judgment will come only after they have a complete understanding of God’s plan and have had an opportunity to repent of their sins, which is possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. . . . God makes sure that all His children will have a fair understanding of His commandments and the consequences of our actions, whether we learn those things in this life or as spirits after death."

Learn more about God's love and how we can live with Him again in the video below:

YouTube
¥akaSteelhead
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Re: Signs of Our Times.

Post by ¥akaSteelhead »

wait - somebody got an actual video of somebody being judged by god?
Elizabeth
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Re: Signs of Our Times.

Post by Elizabeth »

https://www.lds.org/ensign/1974/01/unde ... t?lang=eng


“Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones;

“And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born.” (Abr. 3:22–23.)

There we are told that the Lord promised that those who were faithful in that premortal world would be added upon, by having a physical body in this second estate of this earth’s existence and, furthermore, if they would keep the commandments as God taught by the revelations, they would have “glory added upon their heads for ever and ever.” (Abr. 3:26.)

Now, there are several precious truths in that scripture. First, we have a definition of what a spirit is, as it relates to our physical body. What did it look like in that premortal world (if we could see it apart from our mortal body)? A modern Latter-day prophet gives us an inspired answer:

“… that which is spiritual being in the likeness of that which is temporal; and that which is temporal in the likeness of that which is spiritual; the spirit of man in the likeness of his person, as also the spirit of the beast, and every other creature which God has created.” (D&C 77:2.)

The next truth we learn from this scripture is that you and I, having been spirits and now having bodies, were among those who passed that first test and were given the privilege of coming to earth as mortal individuals. If we hadn’t passed that test, we wouldn’t be here with mortal bodies, but would have been denied this privilege and would have followed Satan or Lucifer, as he came to be known, as did one-third of the spirits created in that premortal existence who were deprived of the privilege of having mortal bodies. These are now among us, but only in their spiritual form, to make a further attempt to thwart the plan of salvation by which all who would obey would have the great glory of returning to God our Father who gave us life.

So the Old Testament prophets declared with respect to death: “Then shall the dust [meaning our mortal bodies] return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” (Eccl. 12:7.)

Obviously we could not return to a place where we had never been, so we are talking about death as a process as miraculous as birth, by which we return to “our Father who art in heaven,” as the Master taught his disciples to pray.

A further truth is clearly set forth in that scripture [Abr. 3:22–23], that many were chosen, as was Abraham, before they were born, as the Lord told Moses and also Jeremiah. This was made still more meaningful by the Latter-day prophet, Joseph Smith, who declared, “I believe that every person who is called to do an important work in the kingdom of God, was called to that work and foreordained to that work before the world was.” Then he added this, “I believe that I was foreordained to the work that I am called to do.” (See Documentary History of the Church, vol. 6, p. 364.)

But now there is a warning: Despite that calling which is spoken of in the scriptures as “foreordination,” we have another inspired declaration: “Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. …” (D&C 121:34.)

This suggests that even though we have our free agency here, there are many who were foreordained before the world was, to a greater state than they have prepared themselves for here. Even though they might have been among the noble and great, from among whom the Father declared he would make his chosen leaders, they may fail of that calling here in mortality. Then the Lord poses this question: “… and why are they not chosen?” (D&C 121:34.)

Two answers were given—First, “Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world. …” And second, they “… aspire to the honors of men.” (D&C 121:35.)

Now then, to make a summary of what I have just read, may I ask each of you again the question, “Who are you?” You are all the sons and daughters of God. Your spirits were created and lived as organized intelligences before the world was. You have been blessed to have a physical body because of your obedience to certain commandments in that premortal state. You are now born into a family to which you have come, into the nations through which you have come, as a reward for the kind of lives you lived before you came here and at a time in the world’s history, as the apostle Paul taught the men of Athens and as the Lord revealed to Moses, determined by the faithfulness of each of those who lived before this world was created.

Hear now the significant words of that powerful sermon to “The Unknown God” preached by the apostle Paul, to those who were ignorantly worshipping images of stone and brass and wood, and I quote:

“God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

“And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth [now mark you this], and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

“That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us.” (Acts 17:24, 26–27.)

Here then again we have the Lord making a further enlightening declaration to Moses as recorded in the Book of Deuteronomy:

“When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.” (Deut. 32:8.)

Now, mind you, this was said to the children of Israel before they had arrived in the “Promised Land,” which was to be the land of their inheritance.

Then note this next verse: “For the Lord’s portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.” (Deut. 32:9.)

It would seem very clear, then, that those born to the lineage of Jacob, who was later to be called Israel, and his posterity, who were known as the children of Israel, were born into the most illustrious lineage of any of those who came upon the earth as mortal beings.

All these rewards were seemingly promised, or foreordained, before the world was. Surely these matters must have been determined by the kind of lives we had lived in that premortal spirit world. Some may question these assumptions, but at the same time they will accept without any question the belief that each one of us will be judged when we leave this earth according to his or her deeds during our lives here in mortality. Isn’t it just as reasonable to believe that what we have received here in this earth life was given to each of us according to the merits of our conduct before we came here?"
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Re: Signs of Our Times.

Post by Elizabeth »

We should keep in mind that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has members, Chapels and Temples world wide... including Germany, Ukraine, and Russia.
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High Spy
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Re: Signs of Our Times.

Post by High Spy »

Elizabeth wrote:
Fri May 13, 2022 6:17 am

“Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones;

“And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born.” (Abr. 3:22–23.)

There we are told that the Lord promised that those who were faithful in that premortal world would be added upon, by having a physical body in this second estate of this earth’s existence and, furthermore, if they would keep the commandments as God taught by the revelations, they would have “glory added upon their heads for ever and ever.” (Abr. 3:26.)

Now, there are several precious truths in that scripture. First, we have a definition of what a spirit is, as it relates to our physical body. What did it look like in that premortal world (if we could see it apart from our mortal body)? A modern Latter-day prophet gives us an inspired answer:

“… that which is spiritual being in the likeness of that which is temporal; and that which is temporal in the likeness of that which is spiritual; the spirit of man in the likeness of his person, as also the spirit of the beast, and every other creature which God has created.” (D&C 77:2.)
If I recall correctly the LDS Bible Dictionary once defined the soul as the body and spirit together. Perhaps that doesn’t work with this scripture, which should come as no surprise considering Backyard Professor’s latest videos on YouTube.
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Re: Signs of Our Times.

Post by Moksha »

¥akaSteelhead wrote:
Thu May 12, 2022 5:26 pm
wait - somebody got an actual video of somebody being judged by god?
It was more like a PowerPoint presentation on the LDS plan of salvation.
Cry Heaven and let loose the Penguins of Peace
Elizabeth
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Re: Signs of Our Times.

Post by Elizabeth »

Statement by Bishop Daniel Fernández Torres

TO THE PEOPLE OF GOD WHO ARE PILGRIMS IN THE DIOCESE OF ARECIBO

When you receive the news of my replacement as bishop at the head of the Diocese of Arecibo, I want you to know that it is not up to me to explain to you a decision that I cannot explain to myself, although I accept it with the patience of Christ for the good of the Church. Nor is it up to you to judge what only God and history will do at the proper time.

In reacting to what has happened, I feel blessed to suffer persecution and slander (cf. Mt 5:10-11) for proclaiming the truth of man's dignity in circumstances like the present in which "it is uncomfortable: it is opposed to our actions..." (Wis 2:12). (Wis 2:12).

Today I can hold my head up high and, even though I am imperfect and a sinner, know that I have done the right thing, and this gives me great inner peace. I am also comforted by the Hebrew meaning of the name Daniel, which I providentially received at my baptism, "God is my judge".

I regret very much that in the Church where mercy is so much preached, in practice some lack a minimum sense of justice. No process has been made against me, nor have I been formally accused of anything and simply one day the Apostolic Delegate verbally communicated to me that Rome was asking me to resign. A successor of the apostles is now being replaced without even undertaking what would be a due canonical process to remove a parish priest.

I was informed that I had committed no crime but that I supposedly "had not been obedient to the Pope nor had I been in sufficient communion with my brother bishops of Puerto Rico." It was suggested to me that if I resigned from the diocese I would remain at the service of the Church in case at some point I was needed in some other position; an offer that in fact proves my innocence. However, I did not resign because I did not want to become an accomplice of a totally unjust action and that even now I am reluctant to think that it could happen in our Church.

This personal experience, on the other hand, has helped me to realize in a new way the grave responsibility that all of us bishops have in the governance of the Church, which is apostolic and not pyramidal, synodal and not autocratic. I believe that for quite some time many of us bishops have been watching with concern what is happening in the Church and have been reluctant to believe what is happening. Today more than ever we must remember our call to be prophets. These are difficult times, but let us not lose hope.

The words of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, when he was a priest, can encourage us: "It seems to me certain that very difficult times await the Church. Her real crisis has barely begun. We have to reckon with strong shocks. But I am also absolutely certain of what will remain in the end: not the Church of political worship, already without soul, but the Church of faith. It will certainly never again be the dominant force in society to the extent that it was until recently. But it will flourish again and become visible to human beings as the homeland that gives them life and hope beyond death."

I humbly celebrate what we have been able to do together from the Diocese of Arecibo, in these almost twelve years, in youth and vocational ministry, in the struggle for the dignity of human love, the family and respect for life, in the freedom of the Church against political interference, in the formation of holy priests and in having given a "House" to the Virgin in our diocesan Shrine.

If by trying to be faithful to God I am replaced in office, it is worth it, because as a bishop I can be useful to the Church with my own witness. I remember the words of St. John of Avila: "how honored we are to be dishonored by seeking the honor of God". I manifest my communion in the Catholic faith, with the Pope and my brothers in the episcopate, despite my perplexity in the face of an incomprehensible arbitrariness. And if, from now on, I can be of any service to you, I declare my full availability.

Today and always my greatest gratitude to God and to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, our patroness. Thanks also to all the priests for being good and faithful clergy. Thanks to all the faithful of my beloved diocese of Arecibo for your love and prayers. Thanks to all the staff of the bishopric for being an extended family. Thanks to my family for their unconditional support always. Thanks also to my brothers and sisters of different Christian denominations for the times when together we raised our voices in defense of the family.

God bless you all.

In Christ dead and risen,

+Daniel.
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Re: Signs of Our Times.

Post by Elizabeth »

"This was followed by instructions concerning the covenant people, Israel, of whom the Nephites were a part, and of the relation they would bear to the Gentile nations in the future development of the divine purpose. Jesus declared Himself to be that Prophet whose coming Moses had foretold, and the Christ of whom all the prophets had testified. The temporary supremacy of the Gentiles, whereby the further scattering of Israel would be accomplished, and the eventual gathering of the covenant people, were predicted, with frequent reference to the inspired utterances of Isaiah bearing thereon.The future of Lehi’s descendants was pictured as a dwindling in unbelief through iniquity; in consequence of which the Gentiles would grow to be a mighty people on the western continent, even though that land had been given as an ultimate inheritance to the house of Israel. The establishment of the then future but now existent American nation, characterised as “a free people,” was thus foretold and God’s purpose therein explained: “For it is wisdom in the Father that they should be established in this land, and be set up as a free people by the power of the Father, that these things might come forth from them unto a remnant of your seed, that the covenant of the Father may be fulfilled which he hath covenanted with his people, O house of Israel.”

https://abn.churchofjesuschrist.org/stu ... 1652422858
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