I must clarify something very important for readers:
Giving answers to people apart from teaching how to get answers is wrong. Wrong because just giving an answer alone creates dependence upon the one answering. That is not the way in which I have tried to proceed. Instead, I have tried to teach how to obtain your own answers. The whole purpose of teaching is NOT to create dependence. It is to make you independent from me, establish your own capacity to relate to and get answers from God.
I’ve tried to give answers and illustrations inside the greater context of teaching “how.” The answer is nothing. It is the “how” that matters.
Some readers on this blog have not read The Second Comforter and presume incorrectly that it is a book about me. It is not. It is a book about the reader. It is an explanation of how the reader can grow into the greater relationship which Christ promised to them. All the illustrations from my personal experience, with the exception of nine words only, are taken from my mistakes, errors, or setbacks. The personal accounts of mistakes then are followed by chapters which explain how you can do it right. That is a teacher’s role: to make the listener understand how they can do something.
It has become apparent that there are questions coming in from people who want answers completely separated from learning “how” to get an understanding of the basic process by which they can do it themselves. That was never my intention, never asked of me, and not something that I want to start.
Your development is your responsibility. I am trying to teach from my own experience how to grow. Some of you have demonstrated a remarkable capacity to grow, and have been directly benefited from my efforts. I view those people as such a triumph that I will always hold them dear. I look forward to eternal joy with these people. There are clearly others who have never realized what it means to be taught or how a true teacher is to proceed. I can help. But I cannot properly go beyond helping. I cannot be your guru, your answer-man, or your leader. Nor have I been called to preside. I teach. You must decide if you want to learn “how” to engage the Gospel of Jesus Christ and its associated blessings. You must avoid at all hazards becoming dependent upon me, or any man, as your guide. I am only here to help you in your own growth and development, and I am not here to tell you secrets, or amaze you with recitations of my personal experiences. That would be wrong for two reasons: First, it would do you no good, nor equip you with what you need. Second, it would be both prideful and arrogant, setting myself up as a light instead of pointing you to the True Light.
Questions that change the focus and which prevent me from teaching as a disciple of Jesus Christ cannot be answered. Therefore, if I cannot change the “question” into something I can use to teach, I will not answer the question.
This is a refreshing comment to hear. Thanks for posting it. I have just begun to read your site and feel this is a great introduction. Is also true that there are many ways to receive answers and direction? Also many who would say they are also teachers in the same vein.
I appreciate this very much and totally agree with what you are explaining here. And so I hope my question here isn’t asking for too much. I asked a question in a comment under the post “Repentance and redemption” and have been continuing to study this out in the scriptures, in my mind, and in prayer. What I would really appreciate from you is any leg up — i.e. any help or references you can give on the subject.
The question is about who is going to the Terrestrial Kingdom. The scriptures are seemingly endlessly contradictory on this subject and also bring into question the point of temple work for the dead for much of the world.
Abinadai in Mosiah 15: 24-25 has people who died in their ignorance not having salvation declared unto them and also little children as having eternal life.
Alma in Alma 38-42 has everyone who dies in their sins as not making it to eternal life. Now, he was before the Savior introduced missionary work into the spirit world, but so was Abinadai.
D&C 76: 72-74 has people who died without the law and who received not the testimony of Jesus in the flesh, but afterwards received it, as NOT receiving eternal life, but instead the Terrestrial Kingdom.
Then D&C 138: 57-59 has people in the spirit world who are in darkness and under the bondage of sin but who receive the Gospel in the spirit world as being “redeemed through obedience to the ordinances of the house of God, … after they have paid the penalty of their transgressions .. are heirs of salvation.” The way it is worded in no way sounds like it is referring to people who have had their callings and elections made sure and are now having to suffer for their own sins before they received their promised eternal life. It just says, “The dead who repent will be redeemed, through obedience to the ordinances of the house of God.”
So salvation isn’t necessarily eternal life, but the ordinances of the house of God are only necessary for candidates of the Celestial Kingdom.
No matter how we cut this, there are multiple contradictions. I’m working on this and continuing to read and pray, but any additional insights or references or comments from you would be much appreciated. It can’t hurt to ask, no? :)