Church pleads for more senior missions, why are people ignoring the Lord’s call?

[I Have Questions]

It's a disingenuous comment, since he already admitted that Interpreter paid for their transatlantic airfare and for part of their initial hotel stay (and meals). We can probably safely assume that their return airfare is getting billed to Interpreter, too.

The Proprietor has lied with such consistency for so many decades that telling the truth would probably short-circuit his nervous system.

For me, the “lie” to which this thread pertains, is the lie seniors make when they vote to sustain the Apostles but refuse to sustain them in faith and action.

Sustaining the Apostles also means “acting in faith” and following the direction of the Apostles because one believes the Twelve are communicating the counsel of God.

By not taking the leap of faith required to serve a senior mission of the Lord’s choosing, and instead spending one’s time galavanting around the globe on cruises and tours, one is actively demonstrating that they do not sustain those Apostles. Words are easy, actions take courage.

[I Have Questions]

Posting this here so that it can be answered without dragging the other thread off topic…

Gad,I checked a church source and see a senior mission is an invitation not a commandment. That is a part of why I keep feeling puzzled over people giving out condemnation for not going.

First of all, I’m not condemning people for not going, I’m calling LDS apologists and message board protagonists hypocrites for not practicing what they are preaching. For being two faced. They portray themselves as staunch church believers in their words, but when it comes down to actions, they show they don’t really believe the Lord is working through the Apostles. If they did, they would acknowledge that when an Apostle pleads with them to stop living their lives of convenience and personal pleasures, and to sign up and serve a senior mission, it’s their Lord and Saviour pleading with them. It’s Him they are ignoring.

Go globetrotting on nice cruises etc if they want to spend their retirement that way. By all means participate online instead of answering the call. I’ve no problem with that. But don’t bang on online about the importance of the gospel and of covenants and of faithfulness etc when in they aren’t prepared to back those words up with actions. Their hypocrisy is making a mockery of the Atonement they claim to believe in (but really they don’t, it’s just an angle they can use to try and have an argument in which they can portray yourself as superior).

Serve or don’t serve. But don’t try and claim that you serve God without actually putting your money where your mouth is.

[Gadianton]

By not taking the leap of faith required to serve a senior mission of the Lord’s choosing, and instead spending one’s time galavanting around the globe on cruises and tours, one is actively demonstrating that they do not sustain those Apostles. Words are easy, actions take courage.

I totally agree. The way it was explained to me, by other uber TBMs, is this: the Telestial mind is motivated by fear, the Terrestrial by duty, and the Celestial by love. Huck's point that it isn't a commandment -- fine. "It is not meet that I should command in all things". When the Lord suggests something but allows it to be optional, it's a much better test of our agency than holding a knife over us over every little thing. This separates the wheat from the tares. I'm sure Dan only budging on inconveniences should he be dictated directly will get him somewhere between the Telestial and Terrestrial kingdom.

[Limnor]

By not taking the leap of faith required to serve a senior mission of the Lord’s choosing, and instead spending one’s time galavanting around the globe on cruises and tours, one is actively demonstrating that they do not sustain those Apostles. Words are easy, actions take courage.

I totally agree. The way it was explained to me, by other uber TBMs, is this: the Telestial mind is motivated by fear, the Terrestrial by duty, and the Celestial by love. Huck's point that it isn't a commandment -- fine. "It is not meet that I should command in all things". When the Lord suggests something but allows it to be optional, it's a much better test of our agency than holding a knife over us over every little thing. This separates the wheat from the tares. I'm sure Dan only budging on inconveniences should he be dictated directly will get him somewhere between the Telestial and Terrestrial kingdom.

It’s kind of sad, really. After a lifetime of sacrifice and obedience, for MG to have stumbled at the finish line is actually tragic. To come so close to the celestial kingdom, only to discover in his twilight years that he wasn’t quite willing to give the Lord everything.

But I suppose that’s the consequence of exercising one’s agency when the Lord has something else in mind.

[yellowstone123]

By not taking the leap of faith required to serve a senior mission of the Lord’s choosing, and instead spending one’s time galavanting around the globe on cruises and tours, one is actively demonstrating that they do not sustain those Apostles. Words are easy, actions take courage.

I totally agree. The way it was explained to me, by other uber TBMs, is this: the Telestial mind is motivated by fear, the Terrestrial by duty, and the Celestial by love. Huck's point that it isn't a commandment -- fine. "It is not meet that I should command in all things". When the Lord suggests something but allows it to be optional, it's a much better test of our agency than holding a knife over us over every little thing. This separates the wheat from the tares. I'm sure Dan only budging on inconveniences should he be dictated directly will get him somewhere between the Telestial and Terrestrial kingdom.

I agree: per copies of first-century Christian documents, Jesus said perfect love casts out all fear. But then why were the LDS youth so afraid in the 70s and 80s? Likely because love was conditional, not unconditional. And some might say it was because it was the only tribe they knew and they didn't want to be cast out if they were found unworthy in their interviews. In my view, nobody lied more than the LDS youth in the 70s and 80s because the consequences were so severe.

I always remember sitting in the opening of priesthood meeting between the ages of 12 and 17, when the bishop would dismiss the Aaronic priesthood from the chapel at the beginning of priesthood meeting. We all knew what was happening. When I stayed seated after being ordained an elder and the deacons, teachers, and priests got up and left the chapel, he announced an excommunication of a ward member. It was the times—Kimball, Packer, McConkie, and their thousand mini-mes, presided over their pedantic, holy reign of terror

[Doctor Scratch]

It’s interesting (or telling?) that a “commandment” like “don’t drink coffee” is seen as this crucial metric for assessing someone’s faithfulness and/or propensity for apostasy, and yet senior missions are dismissed with a wave of a hand. When was the last time that avoiding coffee was stressed at General Conference?

[MG 2.0]

It’s kind of sad, really. After a lifetime of sacrifice and obedience, for MG to have stumbled at the finish line is actually tragic. To come so close to the celestial kingdom, only to discover in his twilight years that he wasn’t quite willing to give the Lord everything.

But I suppose that’s the consequence of exercising one’s agency when the Lord has something else in mind.

Sheesh. I don't even know where to go with this.

Hell?

Regards,
MG

[I Have Questions]

It’s interesting (or telling?) that a “commandment” like “don’t drink coffee” is seen as this crucial metric for assessing someone’s faithfulness and/or propensity for apostasy, and yet senior missions are dismissed with a wave of a hand. When was the last time that avoiding coffee was stressed at General Conference?

Here is the relevant temple recommend question

Do you sustain (support) the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the prophet, seer, and revelator and as the only person on the earth authorized to exercise all priesthood keys? Do you sustain the members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as prophets, seers, and revelators? Do you sustain the other General Authorities and local leaders of the Church?

“Sustain” doesn’t mean pick and choose which Apostles words to take seriously and which to dismiss out of hand. It’s easy to not drink coffee when you’ve been brought up not drinking coffee. It’s much less easy, and is therefore more of a wheat/tare test, to sacrifice your retirement years to the service of the God you claim to believe in, by supporting (sustaining) Church Leaders when they please for you to serve an official Church senior mission. According to the data, many senior members are failing that test, and so will be condemned to a “less than” eternal existence. TK Smoothie anyone?

[Limnor]

Hell? Good heavens, no! I was thinking more along the lines of the terrestrial kingdom, where your institution’s teaching has led me to understand will be filled with honorable people, certainly, but unwilling to give quite everything the Lord required. Still, the glory of the moon is nothing to sneeze at.

You may look wistfully to the higher kingdoms, as we do here, but the hell on the other side will be felt in some such way. This will be a torment to you, and in that sense it will be hell.

[I Have Questions]

Hell? Good heavens, no! I was thinking more along the lines of the terrestrial kingdom, where your institution’s teaching has led me to understand will be filled with honorable people, certainly, but unwilling to give quite everything the Lord required. Still, the glory of the moon is nothing to sneeze at.

You may look wistfully to the higher kingdoms, as we do here, but the hell on the other side will be felt in some such way. This will be a torment to you, and in that sense it will be hell.

Here’s the thing, by failing to serve a senior mission, he will be ensuring that he only attains a lesser kingdom in the eternities. And it will be the same kingdom that we are allocated. The eternal schadenfreude will be delicious.