That's not necessarily true.
I've wavered a bit, but I still hold true to my values. I just had to clear out the cobwebs so I could see what I actually believe. I believe that I should of never left California, but since I did, I need to either stay in Utah, or at least not return to live permanently in California. I can't go back to the way things used to be.
I should of never married Jessica, but since I did, I should of stayed married to her. I should of worked it out still. I shouldn't had settled for the easy way out. But now that I've divorced her, I can't go back to her. I can't go back to the way things used to be.
Things must change. It is time for a new face.
I believe strongly in the church and that's where I'll begin. My belief is not a result of ignorance, but a desire to seek after peace. God is peace and he created me to be peaceful. It is whenever I stray from Him that I lose my sense of peace.
I've decided then that every Sunday I will reflect on what I am learning from church. I will try to be objective as possible in my approach.
Today began the discussion of the Old Testament; it is inclusive of the Peal of Great Price since the Pearl of Great Price elaborates the stories of both Abraham and Moses that are found in the Old Testament scriptures.
Some Christians may consider this addition of scripture to be an "adding of" that is in violation to the words spoken in the book of Revelations by the disciple John:
For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. (Revelations 22:18-19)
It is apparent, however, that John was speaking specifically of the book of Revelations and all the prophecies found therein. To argue that God did not visit others beside John, nor endue them with visions and prophecies similar to John's, is ridiculous. Of course we are talking about Moses, a great prophet who saw much more than what was recorded in the book of Exodus. I would argue that he too saw what John saw, but it was required of John to write of it. Through the canker of time the Old and New Testament scriptures through multiple translations would lose some of the truths written about therein. But if you believe in the book of Revelations, then you will believe in these other books of scriptures found in the Pearl of Great Price. I would argue that we have received a little amount of the totality of scriptures that had been written. We should be grateful for what God has entrusted to us, for those who are without will surely fall into apostasy.
The first chapter of Moses records the account of the vision that Moses had in the desert when he saw God "face to face," and elaborates the account found in Exodus. Other chapters of Moses further elaborate scriptures that have been written in Genesis, and for that reason, the book of Moses is placed before the book of Abraham in the Pearl of Great Price.
Some things to note in this account are:
- our godhood status as children of God
- the role of Jesus
- the reality of Satan
- the purposes of God
In church today we also talked about new year resolutions, and gleaned from a talk given by President Henry B. Eyring, titled: Help Them Aim High ( http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/help-them-aim-high?lang=eng). In his talk Eyring addressed the importance of rearing children up in the gospel and shared how he personally helped his children see their growth in gospel principles. It was a touching talk that I read all the way through to myself as the other brethren talked about their own personal experiences. I felt envious and thought: where are my children? And would I be able to implement to them the same thing that Eyring implemented to his children? I am a son of God; I am a son of Jimmie Alvin Nelson; but who is a son of me?
