Well, God must love you. :) I've been growing in my understanding of the necessity of trials for growth - the more trials we are given, the greater chance we have to grow. We cannot assimilate Light into our nature without trials - physical trials, trials of faith, trials of emotion, trials of mind - without trials, we'd never grow, and the plan of salvation would be frustrated. "The purpose of life it so increase our resolve to choose good over evil" i.e. to choose Light/Truth. I've really been growing to know this for myself."are there times when [we have to do things on our own]?" Yᴇs. Absolutely. We cannot learn to walk like our Father without Him setting us on our own feet. The plan of the devil was to be carried the entire way - we wouldn't learn, we would merely move. The purpose of life is to learn to apply light, even when it's not evident, therefore, we need times in which we can't see the light, and are left on our own.At least, those are the first thoughts that come to mind.We rely on God too much when we fail to seek and follow inspiration, and desire for him to carry us. My baby sister would often cry: Up! asking us to carry her - but she must learn to walk on her own! Yes, she must be carried and lifted sometimes, but we cannot force inspiration - if God's not pointing the way clearly, we must act in faith. Without acting in faith, our resolve to follow Light would never grow! Thus God must leave us to our own sometimes, else our faith would not grow. Faith is living, like every Christlike attribute, and therefore must be exercised, not merely given.
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I'd say the bottom line with relying on God is this: Always ask Him first for guidance, but don't stand paralyzed if you don't get a clear answer.Also, just like a tree needs {water, sun, dirt}, we need {application, inspiration, scriptures (including past revelations to ourselves)} If we don't apply, the leaves have insufficient water, and will shrivel in the sun. Without studying past inspiration, we'll have no root, and will be tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine. Balance the three.
1. Acts 2:37-38 - the people were willing to do anything. If baptism weren't necessary for salvation (remission of sins), then why in the world would he preach a physical act, if faith were enough?!2. Why would God ask us to contract in marriage? ... just like we have a promise to our wife which God requires, so too does he require a contract to our church (which often the relationship is related to marriage).
Elder Holland taught the priesthood leaders that they are not to see themselves as administrators or managers of the Church but they are to be first Disciples of Christ and then Ministers to the spiritual needs of the people. He talked of the coming growth of the church and said; "Whatever the miracles of the past have been, they are nothing to what we will see in the future – the work has only begun in these islands!" He said that the scripture quoted by Moroni to the Prophet Joseph 4 times from Joel 2 "has scarcely begun to be realised" and that this generation would live to see the manifestation of it – he also said; "We've only seen the beginning" – and he repeated that statement twice for emphasis. I have taken from his message that there are many people out there for us to find, teach and baptise.
