@BlackBlessedLDS@stackerco Yeah. I too sometimes like interaction on X... only sometimes... π€£ it always me to write out my thoughts and breakdowns of what I understand and comprehend... without it, I forget to record it. Then I get to keep it and use it when I need it, like you did. Good stuff.
Baptism is not just the ceremony. I wrote you the 4 elements of ordinances. Baptism is something we do everyday. So yes it does. If you know what the elements of ordinances are, you will understand.
Continual observance of the baptism retains that remission. Sacrament helps us remember how it works. So yes it does.
Here are 4 reasons for ordinances.
#1 the ceremony. This allows for both God and the Individual accountability that they have accepted and have entered into a specific path that leads to a particular outcome. Example baptism.
#2 provides teaching. The root word for ordinances is order. Order is a pattern that the person immerses themself into so that they can learn and acquire knowledge about the covenant that they make. It's Gods way of teaching us. Example baptism is learning Christs way of life (serving others, loving others, forgiving others, blessing others, ministering to others, bonding with others, lifting eachother, teaching other, and supporting each other.
#3 the promised blessing. The ordinance provides the Individual real blessings of change, transformation, freedom, joy, abundance, happiness, eternal life now not later, oneness, being saved from carnal nature and being saved from temptation.
#4 - the reminder. Ordinances are the outward expressions of the internal intimate covenant we make with God... it keeps us in the path with God and to maintain an eye single to Gods glory.
Everyone who lives in the celestial kingdom must obtain all of the ordinances as a way for God to maintain just judgement... no one can live in a celestial glory and say, "I didn't know" "I'm going to do it my way" " I can do this myself" " I don't need you" and so on.... those who do not have these ordinances, God cannot judge them for what they don't know, so he has other kingdoms where they can dwell until they obtain them...
Best doctrine ever.
Salvific Ordinances
- baptism
- Holy Ghost
- priesthood
- endowment
- marriage
All of these ordinances have their ceremonies, all have their teachings and Knowledge development, all have the blessings associated with it.
You only see the first reason for ordinances as a license only... please recognize the other 3 reasons that they are for development and then you will understand.
Why the dead? Because all people possess a potential to be humble and say, I will do it. God must allow everyone the chance to participate... that's why learning is forever ongoing... if a person elects not to participate, it's all good, there's a place for that person and it's a beautiful place.
This is all possible because Christ shows us the way and how to do it... Christ comes down in the mud with us and brings us along and stays in the mud with us.
Beautiful huh!!!
Ordinances are not extra or different. They are a symbol of a persons declaration and a recognition for God to see our desire to follow the order by which we can and will abide in His glory.
Everyone can live in heaven and choose not to be in the highest exaltation of Glory. And that's ok... it doesn't mean you go to hell... remember though, we're not forced to. We're invited to. You will be happy anywhere in Gods kingdom.
LDS focus on being transformed because of dwelling and following Christ and learning his way and order.
That's why we focus less on destination and more the opportunity of transformation.
It's the best understanding of who we are to God as his children.
Great faith! Great prayer! If I may share that has helped our family... Now help your family choose to live in the hope of Christ. What does that look like? It means to live as if your daughter has and is already healed. How would the family be if the very prayer and blessing you desire comes to pass? Maybe joyful, cheerful, grateful, thankful and relieved? Living in the hope of Christ is living as if the blessings have already come to pass. This type of hope in Christ will lighten your burdens and lessen the heaviness of the circumstance. This will help you be more charitable and obtain perfect love... this will allow you the privilege to know that you don't have to wait for the circumstances to change but that you can feel the joy you desire today. God bless you all!
The Sacrament is not for forgiveness. The sacrament is a reminder of how sins are remitted. Sins and the desire for sin is in remission when we remember our covenant with Christ.
We remember to keep his commandments, take upon Christs name, which means we do what he would do if he was here (bless, minister, teach, help, love, forgive others, care, be kind and help the poor and needy, and then we always remember Christ... when we do this, we will have Christs spirit with us always and more abundantly.,, thus suppressing the desire to sin or separate ourselves from God.
Sin is like cancer or a disease... without the proper treatment, the cancer or disease will consume us and eventually kill us... sin is similar, without the proper treatment - Christs treatment - sin will consume us and kill us and our spirits, which keeps us separated from God.
The sacrament is a reminder of our relationship... kind of like check up appointments with a doctor each week... it's a beautiful thing!
If we need to be forgiven, we ask Christ. Forgiveness repairs our relationship with Christ and we continue with the treatment... repentance maintains our relationship with Christ... that's why it's called "retain a remission of our sins...
asking for forgiveness can happen anytime we need it... but the sacrament is not asking for forgiveness... it's remembering our relationship with Him.
@abbythelibb_ My question to you is - what do you want from the gospel of Christ? If you have that answer, you may be able to discover what to do. Good luck.
It's seems like obedience is only a manifestation of the real problem that some missionaries are having.
Most of the time I learn that youth and missionaries struggle with their acceptance of who they are from family, friends and church community and going on a mission becomes a decision out of spite. So now their resentment of what they are doing can show up by being dismissive to the rules because they want to express freedom in a place where they are away from the family, friends, and community who make them feel less than.
My personal opinion, Mission presidents and companions need to spend more time in nurturing and loving these missionaries. Help them discover their trauma and inadequacies and help them over come them through the power of Christ and feel the Holy Ghost. The mission would now become a focus on saving these internal investigators and worrying less about external investigators.
Mission presidents should bring them closer to them instead of treating them like a problem. Being less judgmental is the key and help these missionaries feel less judged and show them what true love looks like without the measuring stick of being a "good missionary"
Imagine if we focused more on our missionaries helping them become converted.
Jesus told a Phoenician woman, (I'm paraphrasing here) I don't have time for you yet, I have to focus on the children of Israel first.
What if the mission president said "let's not worry about "new friends" let's focus on us, our missionaries, our sons and daughters who we have now, and we'll get to the others later...
Wouldn't that be an awesome mission president and a fantastic mission to witness.
The way my son described it in his homecoming talk 3 weeks ago, was that he had to cut away the brush of the jungle in order to see the beauty of the jungle... because he was focused on the wrong things.
Seems like everyone this sister described was focusing on the wrong things including the mission president and the other missionaries besides the ones who were disobedient.
Progress not perfection. Patience not expectations.
I think the greater question is why do you pay tithing? If you do it because you think God will give you blessings, so be it. If you do it because you recognize Gods love for you and want to show your gratitude, so be it. Either way, it may be hard, but are you changing because you pay tithing is probably the lesson behind the principle.
@Kintsugijin If our view of commandments is based off of do/not do... we are in danger of falling away. You're probably joking, but I think the majority of our members have the same thought process.
The secret is to love genuinely regardless of behavior. When someone can feel that kind of love they will turn to you for help when they are ready.
If they are your child, the tricky part is to discipline and show love at the same time. Executing the consequences from breaking rules is just as vital and important to the child's development as unconditional love. Both are equally required.
@TheOfficerTatum@beetsandplenty When my son was driving in his first year, he was so nervous that when he got pulled over by a police officer, my son pulled over into the median of the road instead of the shoulder. Lol.