Celestial Life

On 2024.09.01, I bore my testimony. Based upon handwritten notes used as a memory crutch, this reconstructs (imperfectly, but satisfactorily) that testimony. I usually avoid posting personal events, but as this ties closely with posts that have already gone live and others not yet completed, this will provide substantial insight and context for those topics. > > Read More …

The Need for The Veil From the additional assumptions listed below, we might further observe: the veil strongly influences/enables our ability to develop the power of independent discernment by being outside the perceived view and influence of our Heavenly Parents and their host of servants. Dare we say that it is the norm for us > > Read More …

Let us presume that: God had to learn to be God Mortality is a time for us to become more like God. God has given us means to help us determine good from evil. God has given us opportunities to exercise discernment. So, why doesn’t God always stand at the ready to tell us what > > Read More …

The boy fidgeted. His Mom and Dad were holding his hands while deeply contemplating the magnificent treasure map on display before them. Then he got “the look.”  “Dear, you know how important this map is.” “Yes, Mom.” He knew that there was great symbolism, but none seemed to know what it all meant. Curiously, that > > Read More …

Yesterday I attended two Sunday School lessons. The second was filled with truth and light. At one point during the first, my arms and hands were shaking uncontrollably. I had to take a time out, unnecessarily heading to the restroom. It wasn’t anger. It wasn’t sorrow, grief, guilt, or regret. Nor was it pain, or > > Read More …

Implicit in agency is the need to discern between good and evil. I used to believe that one could get this right simply by listening to the Spirit. That might require faith in the form fasting/prayer, study and other efforts, and a lot of patience. That’s the easy answer, but it doesn’t take much thought > > Read More …

One can hardly have anything to do with Mormonism and not find oneself regularly pondering polygamy, especially when it is the Sunday School topic du jour. As an aside, I skipped out. I’ve been thinking about this “lesson” for two weeks, and just can’t imagine listening to the “narrative.” Nevertheless, as I was in Sacrament > > Read More …

One can hardly have anything to do with Mormonism and not find oneself regularly pondering polygamy, especially when it is the Sunday School topic du jour. As an aside, I skipped out. I’ve been thinking about this “lesson” for two weeks, and just can’t imagine listening to the “narrative.” Nevertheless, as I was in Sacrament > > Read More …

Soon after posting the prior, a rather obvious question that I somehow previously missed came to mind: which church/Church is that? The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints? The church/fellowship that I regularly worship with? The group of friends (AME, Baha’i, Christian, Muslim, etc.) with whom I regularly have meals and discuss politics/religion/race? The > > Read More …

There is a certain sublimity in the succinctness of “that voice” that makes it readily identifiable. Rarely has it come with an imperative. Comprehension usually distills over time. Nevertheless, my knee jerk response was to ask, effectively, “what does that mean?” “I gave you a country, own it.” Immediately the mind begins to fill in > > Read More …