Thoughts stemming from Elder Nelson’s talk
Neither the man without the woman nor the woman without the man in the Lord. New interpretation (or something) – progression gets to a point beyond which it is limited by continued singleness. I may be approaching that limit.
Stalling analogy – a plane is not a spirit or a soul or an individual, it is a life. Life may change (start a mission, get married, retire etc.) to change the vital statistics. (Vital statistics are stall speed, takeoff speed, max altitude, runway length, glide ratio etc.) As we go about in our plane of life trying to do greater and greater things we eventually come to the limit of the plane that we are flying (like my single life) and if we want to do still greater things we must get a plane with the capability to do those things. If I want to go higher I must choose a plane which can go higher than I have gone before. If I want to glide more I must choose a life that will allow that lifestyle. If I want to go faster I must choose accordingly. If the new plane that I want to fly requires a longer runway I must build that foundation before I will be able to take off.
Elder Nelson said that he is sure that the Lord’s inspection of his apostolic ministry would take a back seat in stewardship to His inspection and care for how Elder Nelson performed his duties as husband and father. Even the holy apostleship is second to fatherhood. I began to see how deep the separation between the gospel and the church truly is and that the gospel is so much more important. No wonder it is truly impossible for us to judge accurately how other people are living the gospel. That is the test for people – to recognize that there is a difference between gospel and church (sometimes that is painfully obvious). The real challenge is to be able to accept the results as imperfect people attempt with varying degrees of success to live the divine laws of Zion.
Sunday School notes
- Nephites were those who followed the prophets. Hel. 15:17
- Promises: Keep the commandments and prosper in the land.
- Warnings: Turn from God and be destroyed.
- Lamanites (and gentiles) were taught false traditions Hel. 15:16
- Promises: Accept the truth and be numbered among those of the covenant.
- Jews were God’s covenant people
- Promises: All nations of the earth blessed through you.
- Warnings: Forget God and be trampled and scattered.
The Lord’s covenant people are the righteous and they always reach out to bless the world.
Samuel the Lamanite was told “Prophesy whatsoever things shall come into your heart” (Hel. 13:3) He did not just tell the people to repent, he gave them something to hope for.