mentalgymnast wrote:I know you said that you and your wife have read the Book of Mormon multiple times.
I know you quoted my response, but who are you talking to here... me, the OP, or someone else? (I'm not married and my fiancee is a nevermo, I lost count of the times I'd read the Book of Mormon on my mission, though I was in the low 20s) I guess I'll have to assume it's me at the risk of
4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.
6 And whatsoever thing is good is just and true; wherefore, nothing that is good denieth the Christ, but acknowledgeth that he is.
7 And ye may know that he is, by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore I would exhort you that ye deny not the power of God; for he worketh by power, according to the faith of the children of men, the same today and tomorrow, and forever.
I think we need to look at Moroni's promise contextually. First, what are "these things"? Answer? The words in the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon says that we should "feast upon these things".
Thanks for the missionary lesson. Would you like to show us all the 4 steps of prayer as well? D&C 9 also says you must study it out in your mind first. Do you think that a couple dozen readings, 23 years of Sunday School and Primary, and digesting volumes of commentary by Talmage, McConkie, Fielding Smith, etc. counts?
"Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.
"Wherefore, now after I have spoken these words, if ye cannot understand them it will be because ye ask not, neither do ye knock; wherefore, ye are not brought into the light, but must perish in the dark.
"For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do" (2 Nephi 32: 3-5).
Second...what should we expect from the Holy Ghost? That will vary from person to person. It's not one size fits all.
You're right, it isn't one size fits all. Different people are willing to accept different levels and forms of limbic system and/or temporal lobe self-stimulation before they are convinced that they have had a spiritual experience or received a message. At that point, if they want to believe that what they are praying about is true (a pretty good bet if they've finished the Book of Mormon and are spending time praying about it) that tends to be confirmed.
Does the Book of Mormon deny Christ? No. It testifies of him. That should tell us something.
Like what? That it has roots in a Christian culture, like, say, early 19th century America? I suppose the idea that "everything that testifies of Christ is good" has a certain attraction if you believe in Christ. I personally don't.
How long to wait. Depends I suppose on whether all we're doing is waiting and living the gospel somewhat haphazardly. I know you said that you and your wife have read the Book of Mormon multiple times. Apparently you've feasted upon the words of Christ as Nephi taught.
Or have you?
I suppose only you can answer that question to your own satisfaction.
Best wishes,
MG
I actually don't take that question as condescending. It's exactly what I would have said a few years back. It's impossible to really know whether someone else has put forth all the effort and faith they need to, and so stories of people leaving due to unbelief naturally fall under that suspicion. Everyone in the church lives the gospel somewhat haphazardly, but in my case, I tried as hard as I could on my mission, and I tried as hard as I could for 2 years when I came back home. As doubts built up, I read the Book of Mormon more, prayed more, attended every class I could at Institute, fulfilled my callings, attended the temple, everything I could think of. At a certain point, though, I had to be internally honest, and that involved accepting that there were multiple possible responses to my prayers: yes, no, and silence being among them. I prayed extensively, with a sincere heart, with real intent, having as much faith in Christ as I could muster, but willing to accept any of the possible responses that God could send me.
I got silence.
"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!" Nothing beside remains.
Ah, lil penguin. You can still make me laugh!
The only reason people didn't believe David Koresh was a true prophet was because they didn't pray hard enough, or fast long enough, or devote their lives diligently enough. If people were less hard hearted they would have a sure testimony that Warren Jeffs has the true authority of God, and holds the keys to administer the true gospel on earth.