#Nephi teachings

[mindfulldsliving]

Exploring the Fullness of Joy Through Christ

In 3 Nephi 17-19, we explore the remarkable teachings and actions of Jesus Christ during His visit to the Nephites in the land of Bountiful. This passage is filled with profound insights into His ministry, emphasizing themes such as joy and compassion

Exploring the Fullness of Joy in 3 Nephi 17–19: Embracing Christ’s Teachings We find ourselves captivated by the profound message in 3 Nephi 17-19, where joy is expressed in its fullness. In these chapters, Jesus Christ’s interactions with the Nephites reveal a poignant blend of ministering, prayer, and divine love. He affirms, “Now behold, my joy is full” (3 Nephi 17:20), illustrating a depth…

[mormonforgetmenot]

In February of 2003 President Nelson gave a talk called Divine Love talking about the idea of God's love being not unconditional, but conditional. Let's just say I have a lot of feelings on that talk. I do think it is an interesting topic of discussion though, so I wanna share my feelings on this since I'm thinking about it again thanks to my current religion class bringing it up.

A while back I made a quick post on this topic after my religion class last semester had a lesson on this talk and oh boy they did not do it well. I'm sure my professor meant well, but it was going into "God only loves you if you keep His commandments and if you don't obey Him He stops loving you" territory and I very much did not like that. I realized after I posted it the way I worded it was a bit off and saying "blessings" could have been misinterpreted as the flawed idea that good things happen if you are good and bad things happen if you are bad. Luckily, as far as I know no one interpreted it that way and it was just a quick little vent post to get the frustration out so it didn't really matter. Since a teacher brought this up again (though in a muuuuuuch better way that wasn't icky) and I am thinking about it, I want to share more thoughts on this.

To start out, I think Pres. Nelson's wording was flawed. He had an idea but it came out a little weird and now some teachers are presenting it in a very gross and inaccurate way. God's love is perfect, divine, and yes, unconditional. There is nothing you can do to stop God from loving you. There is nothing that you can't repent and come back from. Even if you fall away that love will still be there. God loves everyone in a way that surpasses time and space and nothing will ever change that. Now, what related to love is conditional? Our relationship with God.

In relationships, there are conditions. Take marriage for example. When you marry someone you make covenants and agreements and conditions. You stick together and help each other out. If one person is doing all the work, the marriage won't last and it certainly won't be a happy one. You have to check in on each other, split responsibilities, be willing to work with them, make promises and keep them, all these things in order to make a marriage work. You have to work for marriage to work. While our relationship to God isn't romantic, it has some similar things. You make covenants, follow His teachings and guidelines, and be willing to listen to Him and act. In return, you will receive extra blessings and a close relationship with Him. By making covenants, you are opening the doors to better communication with the spirit, the priesthood, a closer relationship with God, and much more. When you make covenants with God, He is bound to His promises. If you don't keep your promises or not make them in the first place, things will fall apart. If you make no effort to keep up a relationship with God, it will fall apart. This doesn't mean God stops loving you, it just means you can't really expect Him to reach you if you aren't making yourself available and putting in your own effort. Your relationship with God and all the wonderful things that come with it are conditional.

God wouldn't just stop loving you. He gave His Only Begotten Son to you so you can be saved. That gift is there for you whether or not you take it. Jesus already atoned for you and nothing can change that. It is simply up to you whether you choose to accept that gift or not. If God's love is truly conditional, why would that happen? Christ's atonement happened for Everyone. He didn't leave anyone out because they were too evil or He knew they wouldn't accept it, it is still there for you. Someone who'd stop loving you if you did something wrong wouldn't do that.

In 1 Nephi 8, Lehi had a vision of the tree of life. On that tree there are fruits that represent the love of God. Some went up to the tree and took the fruit, some left the tree out of embarrassment or shame, and some stood in the great and spacious building and mocked those who ate from the tree. Not everyone ate the fruit, but that didn't stop the fruit from being there. The fruit was still there. God's love was still there. It was there for you, but if you don't want it, you don't have to accept it. God lets you make the choice to accept His love or not because He loves you. He won't force anything on you. Not His love, not His atonement, not His commandments, and not his exaltation. It is a kind of love that is always open to you and will do anything to save you but still leaves you to make your own decisions and be your own person.

That kind of love is quite beautiful.

[rucbarthatbowtiesarecooldw]

Saturday Morning Session

Conducting: President Henry B Eyring

Press Forward Saints

Sustaining Vote

I Will Follow God’s Plan

Elder Niel L Anderson

Faith + Hope + Charity

Sacred and Eternal Hopes

Confident Expectations

Hope brightens the darkened room so we can see the glorious future

Hope is a precious blessing

If you have faith, then you have hope – faith is the substance of hope

Joy comes in Jesus Christ as we triumph over the challenges in this mortal life

Alma 32:21 – or just all of Alma 32

Nothing can darken our hope as we believe and hold tightly to our covenants

Every righteous person can receive every blessing

“The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives.” President Nelson Oct 2016

His Joy is constant

As you trust in the Lord His peace will come

Our Hope is the Savior Jesus Christ, He is our Hope and our Triumph

President Emily Bell Freeman YW General President

In order for an ordinance to manifest the power of God in our lives it must be done with authority from the Son of God

We don’t just make covenant promises, we must keep them

Do you recognize how God’s power works within you? D&C 25

Women can fully access the gift of God’s power through priesthood ordiances

Emma was given revelation about how priesthood ordiances would work in her life

Who she was, and whose she was – her place in His Kingdom

Invited to walk the paths of virtue

You are an essential participant in the Restoration

Set apart to expand scriptures and exhort the church

Daughter in the Kingdom-> elect Lady -> Queen

The restoration and the Lord’s counsel to Emma will guide and bless us

We all get a chance to witness and use God’s power. 😁

Times we get to participate in the ordinances of the Gospel

Sacrament

Passing the threshold of the temple

Power of Godliness is manifest

Elder Karl D Hirst 70

He feels Heavenly Fathers love through the love he feels for his children

It’s wonderful that at times we can feel so fully and personally loved and noticed

If Nephi can call Jesus “His Jesus” we can call Him that too

God’s love is where we all overlap on the circles of the Venn diagram

What circumstances help you to feel God’s love?

We’re all Jesus’s favorite and we should all be our parents’ favorite, each of us.

Broken people, perfect love

However misshapen we might feel His arms are not shortened.

You are not beyond the reach of God’s love – He will never stop loving us

When you can’t feel God’s love, we shouldn’t consider the possibility that it’s because God has stopped loving us until after the mountains and hills have gone.

There are different ways of feeling and receiving divine love.

Looking at the starts

Feeling the rain on your skin, or a breeze

Music

Keeping a journal

Ask people you trust to share how they feel divine connection

If you could choose a place for you and Jesus to meet – He may have already found you there.

If you are waiting for Him to come, He may already be there within reach

Hold onto God’s love as effectively as a sieve full of water. When you share it, this can help you feel joy.

Joy is our purpose not the gift of our circumstances.

How Firm a Foundation

Elder Dale G Renlund

The story of Nobel and nitroglycerin turning it into dynamite

Undiminished explosive power

The Gospel provides powerful and transformative benefits for us

The combination of Christ’s Gospel, and the Church of Jesus Christ

The church is not a location or a building – it’s the people

The church is an instrument

Keeping our covenants provides us access to God and transforms us

The church is special only if it is built on His gospel.

The church enables access to God’s power because it’s authorized by Him to teach His gospel and offer His ordinances

Jesus Christ wants nothing more than for us to repent and come unto Him so He can sanctify us. He is relentless and unwavering.

Immerse yourself more fully in the church and the gospel – this is God’s dynamite and with it He will transform us

Elder David P. Homer 70

We have a loving Father in heaven who will care for us wherever we are no matter the circumstances

The boundaries between right and wrong are not for us to define – they were already established by God

While some things may depend on context, not everything does.

Don’t be surprised if our personal views are not initially in harmony with the teachings of God’s prophets. – in time you will receive more spiritual clarity

If we heed God’s word, we will receive more. If we ignore God’s counsel, we will receive less and less until we have none. This does not mean that God’s will is wrong, just that we have lost the capacity to understand it.  

D&C 6:36

Look unto the Lord before acting; our faith will overcome our concerns.

Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith.

Don’t let doubt stop us from seeing God’s divine gifts in our lives.

God loves us wherever we are, whoever we are. In any circumstance you can cry out to Him “oh God, help thou mine unbelief”.

The submission of one’s will, is one of the only uniquely personal things we have to bring to Christ

Our agency is not diminished by staying with Christ it is magnified.

We can be of good cheer as we trust Them more than anyone

Elder Gregorio E Casillas 70

What does our Heavenly Father desire from us?

It is crucial for us to learn to be disciples of Jesus Christ

He uses us to help bring His children to Him

Service shows us charity

Story of the mother who had had chemotherapy the day before and so did not have the energy to take care of her disabled son

Your spiritual abilities are unique and personal

Follow the impressions of the Spirit – God will bless your life, he will bless your family, he will bless his children that you encounter

We have the privilege to watch over people who need a helping hand, and embrace a feeling of comfort, or simply for us to be with them in silence

The Savior always reminds us as oft as we repent and seek forgiveness with real  intent, we will be forgiven.

Get rid of destructive thinking. Keep hope!

Give someone hope enough to try once more ourselves.

Be the reason someone has hope in crappy situations

The Lord Jesus Christ is your savior and knows you personally

The Holy Spirit will revive us

God’s Gracious Love

President Dallin H Oaks

Come Follow Me

Following Christ is not a casual or an occasional practice

Obey what He defines as the great commandment in the Law: Love the Lord thy God with all they Heart, love thy neighbor

If you cut the string off a kite it will not fly. That string is our covenants – keeping them enables us to soar to celestial heights

Keep you connection to your celestial ties.

We covenant each Sabbath during the sacrament to always remember and keep His commandments

Faith, repentance, baptism, enduring, and becoming as a little child (trust the Lord)

Temporary commandments are for the needs of the Lords church to be set aside once the need has come to pass

Pioneers

While still in force these commandments are still to be obeyed

Law of Tithing

Needed re-emphasis

Proclamation to the Family needed re-emphasis recently

Avoid contention

Jesus’s doctrine is not one of contention

Matthew 5:44-45

Show unselfish love for all

Blessed are the peacemakers – true disciples of Jesus Christ are peacemakers

What are you going to choose? Contention or reconciliation?

Sermon on the Mount

Follow the golden rule

Love and do good to ALL

Does not mean to compromise our principles and priorities, but to STOP ATTACKING PEOPLE FOR THEIRS!!!!

Will you allow His voice to take priority above any other?

Let us seek to be holy like our Savior

While we advocate for our positions let us qualify for the blessings of Jesus Christ as peacemakers

Teach Me to Walk in the Light

[nottskyler]

I disagree with the belief that reproduction of divine beings will look anything like the unequal burden that exists here and now in our fallen world. From Mary conceiving the Savior by the power of Gd rather than sex to Adam being formed from the dust and Eve from a rib, there seems to be a precedent for creating life outside of cis-straight sex even in this fallen world. Yet somehow the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has decided to ignore all these evidences in the scriptures and hang new doctrines on the sandy foundation of a revelation that contradicts itself: Doctrine and Covenants 132.

(I acknowledge that I wrote a post about 132 being the law of polyamory, but the section I read to write this post was not the same section I read when I wrote that post. Whether that is because of the Mandela effect or I had my “JST” glasses on, I do not know.)

I want to start out with why I believe the unequal division of reproduction labor is a characteristic of the fall because it is better to start from a place of faith than disbelief. When we talk about the fall in Sunday School and list the characteristics of a fallen world, we usually end up with a list that looks like this: illness, death, disability, weeds, work to survive, and (if you have an enthusiastic feminist) painful pregnancy and childbirth. The purpose of the fallen world is given when we look at what these things all have in common.

When you are sick, someone else needs to do the work you normally do or the sickness will spread. When someone passes away, people need community to help support them in their grief. Disabled people need support to do some things while needing others to completely take over other tasks. Basically, all the effects of the fall are things that make us need to help and support each other. A world designed as a perfect test to see if we will help people who need it.

What happens when we fail these tests? When we abuse the possibility of death we get murder and war and genocide. When we ignore the consequences of sicknesses, we get pandemics. When we abuse the need for labor to survive, we get wealth inequality, slavery and racism, and dangerous working conditions. But abusing painful pregnancy and birth doesn’t seem to be all it takes to get sexism, rape, and sexual violence. Adding lust brings us closer, but I think the true root of sexism and sexual violence is the unequal division of reproductive labor because the benefit of making more humans without having to do the labor yourself is ripe for exploitation.

If you look at teachings of modern day prophets, you will find lots of teachings that allude to the fact that the way reproduction works on this earth is how it will work in the eternities. It is the teaching that is foundational to rejecting gay marriage and polyamory that isn’t polygamy. But when you look at the scriptures, you have section 132 and Abraham 3 who teach contradictory doctrines to each other. D&C 132:63 teaches “for they [multiple virgins] are given unto him to multiply and replenish the earth according to my commandment...and for their exaltation in the eternal worlds, that they may bear the souls of men” whereas Abraham 3:22 teaches of “intelligences that were organized before the world was;” which were the souls of humans before we were born on this earth. What do we do when scriptures contradict themselves?

Ten years ago, I likely would have told you to pray and listen to what the prophet has to say. Now I know that everything spoken by Christ or His servants can be tested so you can know for yourself whether it is true (John 7:17 and many other places); just remember that not every commandment has immediate consequences and sometimes have consequences that are a problem on an aggregate level (for example: pollution). When it comes to things we can’t know here and now for ourselves, we are best to look at the fruits to know the truth (3 Nephi 14:20 and Matthew 7:20).

It is very tempting to completely throw out D&C 132, seeing how the sealing power had been revealed before and likely has a written record elsewhere that could be put in its place (refer to section heading), especially with how many parts contradict scriptures. Jacob, in Jacob 2:23-24, condemns David and Solomon for practicing polygamy where D&C 132:38-39 extols them both for polygamy except for the murder of Uriah. Then verse 61 says “if any man espouse a virgin, and desire to espouse another, and the first give her consent” (D&C 132:61) while verse 52 commands Emma to accept polygamy, which is not consent in case you were never taught what consent it. Then, of course, D&C 132:63 where it claims polygamy is to bear souls of men in the eternal worlds whereas Jacob 2:30 states that polygamy is a temporary law when Gd needs to raise up a righteous seed.

But this is simply setting up the stage of contradictions, we can’t know truth without looking at its fruits. And honestly, there were terrible consequences in Joseph Smith’s time. Emma Smith is considered by many to have fallen away and some polygamist marriages were of dubious consent, but, other than that, wives of Church leaders were counseled on affairs of the Church, women performed what would be considered priesthood blessings today, girls passed the sacrament. While there wasn’t an office of prophetess like the wife of Isaiah had, women and men were more equal in the Church than they are today.

The full effects of oppression came later when it was not only followed but considered doctrine to build upon. I’m not a Church historian and so I can go into the specifics to how it got to be this way, but I can look at what has been built on this foundation and the consequences in our day: The belief that women are and will be the ones responsible for reproduction has created the idea that men and women are separate beings and have separate spheres of work and influence; that women are holier and more divine because they have part of their eternal powers now and their socialization to be kinder and more nurturing is part of their divine nature instead of a result of our cultures a societies that punish girls and women from deviating from this norm; that there are only two genders which are the presumed sexual ability from looking at their bodies at birth; that the ability to procreate is so holy that scientifically trying to alter the natural way it occurs is evil, except for when it is forcing intersex people to more closely fit into the only two genders; that Gd created some of His children unsuited for exaltation due to characteristics they cannot control and so if they choose to be lonely in this life they can be a ministering angel to others who were not born that way.

I hope everyone can reject that last statement as definitely not being of Gd and realize it the same idea that led to the Priesthood and Temple Ban for people of African descent. This similar belief is why I believe the Church hasn’t fully repented for the priesthood ban. Obviously there is a different faulty foundation than the role of men and woman in the eternities that supports the priesthood ban, but I am not writing about it today.

Back to the false foundation on the ideas of eternal polygamy, rejecting gay eternal marriage based on the idea that creation will look like it does here in the fallen world actually runs contrary to the command: ���Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.” (Mosiah 4:9) Christ was born without being conceived by sex, Adam and Eve were created without sex, and John the Baptist taught “that Gd is able of these stones to raise children unto Abraham” (Matthew 3:9 or Luke 3:8) , and modern day science is also almost at the point where cis lesbians could conceive and have a child without a sperm donor (but with the help of a lab). Believing that the power of creation is more limited than our scientific ability in ten years feels more heretical than believing that women are not tools for men to use to achieve their exaltation.

As for the other false teachings, I have experienced how dehumanizing it is to be treated as holier but not equal, I have seen the issues my mother had from devoting her life to be obedient to being a stay-at-home mother instead of tempering her child care responsibilities with her own interests and ambitions, I had a visiting teacher who could not go a conversation without mentioning her fertility issues because she felt so unholy and broken for her inability to have children due to these teachings, I have experienced gender dysphoria and the joy from doing something leaders in the Church would consider desecrating my holy vessel, and I have listened to LGB people to learn how sexuality isn’t a choice and thus was able to accept my own bisexuality as an innate part of me instead of satan tempting me to do evil. And above all, my husband and I only conceived and had a child after my legal transition via iui and so we have experienced creating life without cis-straight sex. All things in my life point to the fact that our loving Heavenly Father did not make a plan where His children will be unequal for all eternity.

However, I am not a prophet and so I don’t know how the Lord wishes for the Church to repent and when that repentance will actually begin. What I do know is that the idea that creation will emulate the unequal reproductive burden in the eternities is false and that Gd has already told His current prophets and apostles “to treat homosexuals the same as heterosexuals” to begin the process of undoing this false doctrine. Gd weeps for His daughters’ exclusion and that He is running His Church at half-revelation capacity. He is with you as you suffer the effects of this false doctrine and He will not stand for His will to be ignored forever. But our time scales are significantly smaller than His, all I can do is hope this change comes in my lifetime and pray for patience until it does.

[latterdaydaisy]

I don’t have the greatest testimony of the prophet as I should, not for any particular reason I just kind of forget he’s there.

But something I’ve been thinking about lately is this quote from President Nelson:

“Whatever questions or problems you have, the answer is always found in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.“

One of my favourite verses in the scriptures is 3 Nephi 13:22 (which can also be found in Matthew 6:22) which reads:

“The light of the body is the eye; if, therefore, thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.”

I particularly appreciate the JST version of this verse which is:

“The light of the body is the eye; if therefore thine eye be single to the glory of God, thy whole body shall be full of light.”

I just really love the simplicity of what President Nelson and these scriptures have conveyed. It’s seen all throughout scripture, Jesus Christ is the light and all we have to do is look and keep our focus centered on Him. And everything else follows.

Now this may seem like some overly simplistic idea that’s easy to brush off. But hear me out. Why would it be hard? Sure, it feels hard. But Heavenly Father is not a God that wants to forbid us from returning to Him and having all He has in store for us. Isn’t that the whole point of Christ coming to earth and atoning for our sins? So He can redeem us?

So this is your reminder and my testimony that if you look to Christ in all things, at all times, and keep your focus centered on Him only- you will be filled with light. You can be changed, you can be healed, you can be forgiven, you can be redeemed. You can have joy. All you have to do is look. I know that, because when I stopped worrying about treating my faith like a checklist to avoid damnation and started just looking to Him- things got so much simpler, I became happier, and I started to make so much more progress. So be still, all is well. You know in whom you’ve trusted. Just look to Him, and continue to do so in all things, at all times, moment by moment, step by step. Jesus loves you, and I love you too. Take care 💛

[salubriousbean]

Smaller notes for Sunday Morning bc I woke up at 8, decided to rest a bit more, and then apparently didn't wake up for music and the spoken word >:/

It's hard to be different but God trusts us to be different!!!

"He sees you as you really are" and sees where you can go. "You are loved and you are trusted"!

"Don't trade everything for nothing. Don't let the world change you."

You know how we all know of Nephi and Helaman and how they're up in the spirit world rn? Well if they have so many "fans" on Earth, who's to say that we don't have "fans" in the spirit world? Maybe they gather together and watch us and frown when we're sad and celebrate when we're happy. Do you think they'll welcome us when we die and say, "I've been wanting to meet you for forever!" just like I've been wanting to meet Helaman and Nephi forever?

I LOVE THIS SONG! ITS SO SOOTHING! "My shepherd my supply my need" Wait why is shepherd spelled so weird anyways

"Teach simply"

YAS QUEEN WRITE THAT LETTER

🦅🦅???

SOLOIST(S)!!! YAASS I LOVE THIS SONG

I love hearing the men sing ♡♡

AWW YEAHHHH WHEN THEY ALL START SINGING!!!! I LITERALLY LOVE THE TABCHOIR (AND ORCHESTRA) SO MUCH!!! how do you get into the orchestra

OAAAHH YEAHH THE HARMONIES 🤌🤌🤌🤌🤌🤌🤌

[wmb-salticidae]

Let's Read "Teachings of the Book of Mormon" by Hugh Nibley (and consider Mormon Xianxia)

Directory to other posts at end of this one.

What is this and why is this?

This is a Let's Read of a series of lectures on the Book of Mormon by Hugh Nibley, who was probably as unorthodox and outspoken about Mormonism as you could get without being excommunicated. It's been more than a decade since I left the LDS Church and I want to remember what I've forgotten, because I have plans to write a xianxia/cultivation story inspired by Mormon cosmology, with an emphasis on the really weird stuff that I love about it, like the animism (quarks have souls! every alligator is a Mormon!). Each post will cover a single lecture, probably some notes at the end about any thoughts that the lecture has started brewing for the Mormon Cultivation Story (hereafter "MorCult"). Feel free to ask tangential questions.

Who was Hugh Nibley?

Hugh Nibley was, in my estimation, the last great Mormon scholar, at least among the scholars of Mormonism who were, themselves, Mormons. He was born in 1910, just in time to see the Mormon Church sacrifice the last of their virtues — environmentalism, socialism, and a sort of tikkun olam spirit — in favor of turning into Evangelicals who can't drink coffee. So far as I can tell, he died mad about it, and he might have been the last person to die as that kind of Mormon: in the past couple of decades since he died (in 2005) most of the people like him have either been excommunicated or left the Church before that could happen. Along the way, he wrote some really interesting stuff. One of the reasons that I like Hugh Nibley is that, at bottom, he's just a guy who's really excited to tell you about Homestuck The Book of Mormon, and he somehow swindled the Mormon Church's flagship university into letting him tell people about his special interest for four semesters. (I mean, they were not tricked into hosting a Book of Mormon class per se, but his lectures are unlike anything that I and my peers experienced: when I went to Mormon School, my professors did not go on a wild tangent about the alphabet, and if they mentioned Egypt, it was not to talk about Ancient Egyptian literature for a quarter of an hour, but just to complain that Egyptologists are all Marxists.)

Contents

1:1 The Book of Mormon—Like Nothing Else || Introduction

1:2 Nephi's Heritage || Introduction

1:3 Geopolitics and the Rule of Tyrants, 600 B.C || Introduction

1:4 Setting the Stage, 600 B.C. || Introduction

1:5 Insights from Lehi's Contemporaries || Jeremiah

[paragonofnothing]

CHARACTER RANT‼️‼️‼️‼️

I’m sitting at the dentist rn so I have time on my hands until they tear my jaw open like when I crack open your mum’s legs. Lemme introduce you to the main character and POV, Echo!

Art is supplied by @corvidknights

So, Echo. What’s their story? Well, you see, they are a native-born Nephian, born on planet Nephis. Their father, Captain Vignar of the Avanderists. Basically the Andromeda Galaxy’s version of the Avengers. They wield the Varium, sentient, organic armor. You know Blue Beetle? Imagine that, kind of.

So, Vignar’s obviously very busy all the damn time. You know what that means!!!! Child neglect!!!!!!! Echo has a lot of beef with their dad over that, but they take solace in their brother, Vix. Vix kind of stepped in as a parental figure, teaching Echo to care for themself and was someone for them to confide in. But he can’t always be there, due to training to be the next Captain.

“Where’s their mother?” I hear you ask. “Dead,” I answer. You see, (as far as they know) Echo’s mother was killed by the armor —Hagem— that Vignar wields. So, no mother figure aside from the picture on the shrine Echo has dedicated to their mother.

They navigate all this on top of being forced into the role of being the new Captain of the Avanderists due to their father being paralyzed early in the story, and having to have the Varium passed on to them to save their life after a fatal injury. So they’re thrust into a dangerous galaxy, a new threat on the rise, and an axe to grind with the guy who nearly killed them and paralyzed their father.

So that’s their story for book oneee :3333

[nerdygaymormon]

Are you willing to condemn the racism the Mormon church has taught you?

The church has been wrong on Racism, Patriarchy, Misogyny and Anti-queerness.

One message that is given in scriptures in different ways is that God loves us all and treats us the same, and we should do likewise.

Deuteronomy 10:17 - For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes.

Mark 12:31 - The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

John 13:34 - “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

Acts 10:34 - Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism

Romans 2:11 - For God does not show favoritism.

Romans 10:12 - For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,

Galatians 3:28 - There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 3:11 - Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

2 Nephi 26:33 - ...black and white, bond and free, male and female; … all are alike unto God

Furthermore, the Book of Mormon can be seen as a cautionary tale about a group of violently racist misogynists who wound up getting annihilated explicitly because they would not stop being violently racist misogynists. It also teaches that pride and wealth inequality doom civilizations. Too many Mormons view the Nephites as the heroes of the Book of Mormon and want to be like them, but D&C 38:39 warns us, "lest ye become as the Nephites of old."

[suau-raised-by-corrupted-gems]

Welp! This has been coming. Here's what our gem gals look like in the future. A.k.a, uncorrupted!

Fair warning, they may not look the way you intended/may not be completely accurate, but I can always fix em up later on!~

First up, Fluffy!

Or (name) (gem) in the future~ [default name; Cloudy Quartz]

Like I keep saying, she's basically a (Y/N) character, so her build, colors and appearance can be interpreted however, but by default, she's built like a quartz and is grey and white.

In the future, she's the chief of the Feral Gem pack of the Delmerva Woodlands and Principal of Little Homeschool on Earth. She's still very maternal and humble, yet, overtime, her leadership skills have become stronger and she is a very no nonsense gem. She still loves her Lil Quartz immensely, and is willing to do anything to ensure he's of a sound mind. She inwardly worries about the previous events he experienced in his childhood and scheduled therapy to ensure he remains stable. She also makes sure to work at herself.

Next up, Tri-T!

Or Indicolite or Teal Tourmaline in the future~ [occasionally called Tortilla by Amethyst or double T, Tour or just T]

Yeah, we never saw it, but she apparently had a concept design to her uncorrupt form. Of course, I just re-vamped it to something that would fit her, but admittedly her gemstone gave be some trouble because I didn't know where it would fit best-

She runs a "gym" course at Little Homeschool, where she allows gems to work off any sorts of frustrations or just burn energy with any free time they have. Still a bit of a loose cannon, she general just runs around, occasionally causing a bit of mischief with Lil Q or snacking on all sorts of junk with Amethyst. She's also a bit of a comedian, always cracking jokes, though sometimes she may not be able to read the room. However there are times where she questions if she's truly okay with herself.

Lastly, Centi!

Or Nephrite in the future~ [Nephi for short]

Nephrite is Fluffy's "Deputy" or sorts, never straying too far from her during down time. She's essentially an assistant teacher at Little Homeschool, but also teaches flight classes on the side. She's still a bit skittish, but is very professional and straightforward. She still shows great admiration towards Fluffy, helping her with whatever troubles she might have. She also worries a bit about Lil Quartz, or Steven, since she also knows that no normal human child would be normal after the experiences he faced.

No, I don't know why I gave em all jackets, but like I said beforehand; I can always revamp and show them in different outfits later on.~

Hope this suffices for now, Feral kin!

[mindfulldsliving]

Understanding 3 Nephi 12:3: The Richness of Spiritual Humility

When it comes to understanding the scripture in 3 Nephi 12:3, the idea of being "poor in spirit" can sometimes be confusing. What does it truly mean to be "poor in spirit"? It's more than just a passing phrase—it's a deep spiritual state

Understanding the Blessings for the Poor in Spirit In today’s ever-evolving journey of faith, many of us grapple with moments of spiritual inadequacy. We find a profound invitation in 3 Nephi 12:3: “Blessed are the poor in spirit who come unto me.” This verse isn’t a call to wallow in despair but rather a promise of hope and belonging to those who humbly reach out for divine assistance.…

[yanderefarm]

In an attempt not to go feral and devour Ajax and Achilles(I am THIS close to mentally biting chunks from the both of them to swallow whole stg)

How would Nephy be if I tried to drag him into my hippie bluegrass cult? That is honestly barely an exaggeration, it's really a music festival but it feels like an otherworld. Like stepping into a beautiful version of humanity where you are totally welcome to stumble into someone's camp and play music with them. A place where parents can let their kids run about while they themselves get heavily intoxicated cuz it's completely safe, everyone takes care of each other and everyone is so very high, waxing poetic about love and personhood. (Case and point me tiredly waxing poetic about love and personhood. I love my hippie bluegrass cult)

-🪼

you can eat them its ok

is it like... crunchy mom organic types? bc like i think he'd really get along with them and love it.

he really loves like all the loving sweet parts of his religion and actively tries to push away the more mean scary parts from his head so i think being surrounded by a lot of loving happy hippie types would be great for him. he would probably like be a little bit of a stickler about some things at first but very very quickly lose himself in it. like he'll end learning a bunch of songs and teaching people hymns and just having a blast. those kinds of people are his vibe.

also about actually getting him there: his dream is to see the world. he'd be so happy to go anywhere you're willing to take him.

[mightyflamethrower]

BOISE, ID — A still-ongoing 27-hour stalemate ensued after two Mormon missionaries knocked on the door of a family of Jehovah's Witnesses.

"I'm Elder Young from the Church Of Jesu--," said Mormon missionary Timothy Young, before he was quickly interrupted by the man at the door asking if he'd heard of Watchtower Magazine. "We believe all members are missionaries and it's our duty to prea--," said Jehovah's Witness Don McVey, before Elder Young's companion Elder Henderson handed him a Book Of Mormon and asked him to read 3 Nephi chapter eleven, verse three.

"See, this is where Christ comes down to teach the people on the American continent," Elder Henderson explained, before McVey cut off the young missionary and asked him if he'd heard of the righteous 144,000.

The conversation went on over the course of the afternoon and in the next day, before each party decided it might be time to move on. "Would you mind if we got your information and chatted with you another day?" each member of the group said in perfect unison. Sadly, neither side could understand the other due to speaking simultaneously, and the standoff continued.

At publishing time, all parties could be heard commenting about how grateful they were that they don't belong to such a weird church.

[swiftlance]

[ WHISPER ]:     the sender gently whispers "hey" to the receiver to discreetly get their attention without drawing the attention of others.

"hey! nephie!" dorothea doesn't wait for permission to shorten the name—she figures they’ve been friendly enough for that by now. it is with some mirth that she sidles up to the knight, linking her arm through nephenee’s with ease. her smile is bright, maybe a little imploring, but mostly sincere. "have i caught you at a good time?" her head tilts slightly toward a distant figure, voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "i was wondering if you'd help me out with a lance lesson or two. you see, they’ve asked me to train with them in a few days, and... goodness." she raises her hands, clasping them together exaggeratedly. "i’m not sure i’m nearly skilled enough to leave a lasting impression on them."

She's on her way to the greenhouse when she hears her nickname. Her brows knit in confusion; her brothers are usually the only ones ta call her Nephie.

Not that she minds--nor does she feel much like she's got a choice, given how Dorothea latches onta her like a cocklebur to wool. Nephenee's frown melts into a smile. This means they're friends, right?

"I ain't doin' anythin' important, no," Nephenee replies, glancin' towards the shadowy figure Dorothea indicates. Oh. Huh. Dorothea thinks she's skilled enough to teach?

There's a pause. Lancin' isn't difficult--it's a weapon even a peasant can pick up, after all--but there's all manner of nifty things like footwork 'n hand placement 'n fancy flourishes that separate the barely-able from the truly talented.

But teachin's another way to practice, right?

"I...I'd love ta help. We can go over the basics, 'nd I'll even show ya some of the new tricks I've learned. Are ya free this afternoon?"

[nottskyler]

I remember being taught that after the restoration of the Church to Joseph Smith that the Church would never again be taken from the earth, but this teaching contradicts what was taught by Christ in 3 Nephi 16.

“And thus commandeth the Father that I should say unto you: At that day when the Gentiles shall sin against my gospel, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, and shall be lifted up in the pride of their hearts above all nations, and above all the people of the whole earth, and shall be filled with all manner of lyings, and of deceits, and of mischiefs, and all manner of hypocrisy, and murders⁠, and priestcrafts⁠, and whoredoms, and of secret abominations; and if they shall do all those things, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, behold, saith the Father, I will bring the fulness of my gospel from among them.” (3 Nephi 16:10)

This is also followed with the warning to repent or be trampled on:

“But if they will not turn unto me, and hearken unto my voice, I will suffer them, yea, I will suffer my people, O house of Israel, that they shall go through among them, and shall tread them down, and they shall be as salt that hath lost its savor, which is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of my people, O house of Israel.” (3 Nephi 16:15)

Anyway, I think this is something the Church really should be focusing on when so many members think it is okay to adopt politics of hate and go to the temple. That is exactly the behavior that will lead to being destroyed. You can’t green light the torture and murder people over imaginary lines drawn on a map, or to make believing differently than you illegal and to refuse healthcare to them for that reason, or to eradicate programs that were at least trying to relieve suffering in the world and think you belong in Gd’s presence.

And I think it is this haughty belief that you are doing no wrong because you are worthy of a temple recommend. That being commissioned by Jesus Christ to bring His Gospel to the world means the Church can do no wrong. That there is no requirement to repent because we are the chosen and elect people holier than everyone else because we have The Truth.

I know I am personally in a fully middle class ward in the middle of Utah and things go differently in other wards. But it feels like Church leadership is wrapped in the same bubble even when they go around the world and see other circumstances.

[heretical-hag]

For my entire life, I’ve been blessed.

We have been born, as Nephi of old, to goodly parents who love the Lord

A child of the covenant, an old soul saved for these difficult times.

These are the few, the warriors saved for Saturday

I was a smart kid. I knew all the right answers, recited every word by heart.

I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

Promises were made freely, the plan for my life laid out before me from the beginning.

Teach me all that I must do to live with Him someday

Baptism, endowment, mission, marriage, children, death, exaltation. I could choose differently, of course, but why would I?

My life is a gift, my life has a plan, my life has a purpose; in heav’n it began

For those who left, there was only pity. They were simply confused, deluded, and now their lives would be much harder. But they would be back.

Follow the prophet, don’t go astray

After all, there was only the straight and narrow path to happiness. Worldly things were a tragic illusion, not suited for eternal joy.

There’s a right way to live and be happy

The Path was right for everyone, even if they felt like it didn’t fit. Even when the Tree held just as many pointing fingers as the Building.

A mother's purpose is to care, prepare, to nurture and to strengthen all her children

There were times when I doubted, when I couldn’t feel anything at all. Something was wrong with me. Why couldn’t I feel it anymore?

Pioneer children sang as they walked and walked and walked and walked

And yet, I pushed through. I fought for my testimony, for the life I had been promised.

I know the Lord provides a way, He wants me to obey

Finally, the call came. Home MTC begins July 1st.

I hope they call me on a mission when I have grown a foot or two

Now, it was time to prepare. There were steps to be taken, more promises to be made.

I’ll go inside someday. I’ll covenant with my Father, I’ll promise to obey

One more box checked on the laundry list of eternal life. Only a few more promises, and I’ll make it. I’m going to make it. I’m going to make it.

He knows I will follow Him, give all my life to Him

One month later, the shelf broke.

Do You still love me now that I’ve rejected the call?

Do You still trust me now that I’m no longer chosen?

You called me elect. You said I was choice above many.

You must have known I would go this way.

Did You lie?

And where are You now? I don’t want to hear that You’re carrying me, that You’re still there, waiting for me to pick up the phone.

I don’t feel carried. I didn’t want this connection to be severed. I didn’t ask for this.

I’m not leaving to hide from You. I’m leaving to search for You.

Olly olly oxen free. You promised.