Admittedly I have not written much lately, my typing fingers have been in remission. Don’t let yourself think though that weighty things are not on my mind. For this post I though I’d give you another piece of quotes dredged from our muddy history, now concerning the ‘true’ order of prayer (begging the question, what are the other forms of prayer called?). Prayer being an attitude, we are given a mode of doing it.

The first thing we are commanded to do, as we enter the lone and dreary world, being respectively Adam and Eve, is to build and Altar and offer prayers unto God. The authority seems to have been given in the Form of a commandment to all.

” How is it in families? How many men are there that can take their families, and gather round the family altar. And all of them bow before the Lord without a jar of feeling, with one perfect unity, everyone willing to submit with the most perfect submission to the will of the Lord, as clay in the hands of the potter? How many families, I say, are there in Israel where this union exists in this style, in all it’s purity and power? How many men would be permitted to rear a family altar of this kind even in his own house?” – GA Smith, JD 2:366-

“Let the principles of union and faith be observed at your homes; and if you are men having families, let there be a daily incense arise from your family altar.” -John Taylor- JD 9:13

“Let there be an altar in every house, and let the sacred fire burn on that altar. Seek to implant in the heart of your youth principles that will be calculated to make them honorable, highminded, intelligent, virtuous modest, pure men and women, full of integrity and truth, who will represent you correctly, and if not, that will represent, at any rate, the principles pf truth which you profess to believe in, that they with you may have an inheritance in the kingdom of God, and inherit the earth for Jesus says it is the meek that will inherit the earth.” -John Taylor. JD 15:275

“…have been full of hope, expectation and desire, and their constant prayer has been, before the family altar and in the public congregations, that the redemption of Zion might be brought about soon.” -Orson Pratt. JD 17:292.

“It is a duty, it is the word of the Lord to the Saints, that they should meet with their families morning and evening, and call upon God in His name. This principle is part of the Gospel, it was taught by the Savior on the eastern, and also on the western continent: and, simple as it may appear, it is absolutely necessary that the Latter-day Saints should come together in the family capacity, and kneeling around the family altar, call upon God for his blessings morning and evening. And they need not confine themselves to morning and evening prayer, for it is their privilege to enter into their closets and call upon Him in secret, that He might reward them openly.” -Joseph F. Smith. JD 22:47

“Now, I am sanguine that there are many who call themselves Latter-day Saints, who have neglected their duty in this respect, and many a son is permitted to grow to manhood, whose father has never asked him to bow with them at the family altar. This is a serious neglect upon the part of those who have named the name of Jesus, who have come up to these mountains to taught in the ways of the Lord. It is a sad neglect, and those who have done it in the past should guard against it in the future. ” John Henry Smith (apostle) JD 22:273

“God will not hold us faultless if we do. He requires us as Elders, as Apostles, and Presidents, as Bishops, as Seventies, as parents, to teach (wherever it is our prerogative and duty,) correct principles, and observe them ourselves and seek to enforce them upon others. And it is not alone the duty of High Councils and Presidents of Stakes, and of bishops and their Counselors to labor to correct the errors of the people, but it is the duty of every Elder, High Priest and Seventy- and especially the Priests, Teachers and Deacons that are appointed and called to be standing ministers in the Church, to visit the house of each member and become familiar with every family, and every individual member of the family, and their daily walk and life and conversation; and ascertain whether they are living as Saints should live; whether the heads of families preside in righteousness in their houses; whether their houses are set in order; whether they have an altar erected whereon are offered up their daily, morning and evening devotions; whether every member is taught to reverence and respect that altar; whether each individual prays in secret as well as responds to the calls made upon him to pray in the family circle and in public; whether…” Erastus Snow (apostle) JD 24:72

“We want to put ourselves and our families in order, And then let us learn to acknowledge the hand of God in all things and obey His law and keep His commandments in everything; not in one thing only, but in everything, that the Spirit and blessing of God and the power of God may be with us, that we may be the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation; that we may be full of joy, peace and thanksgiving to God our Heavenly Father that we may be true to our devotions at the family altar, and every morning and every evening bow before the Lord with our family and all that pertains to us.” -John Taylor JD 23:326

” I would like our children when they go from the family altar to go into a school where they would hear the same God addressed, the same blessings sought, the hand of the Eternal acknowledged in their education, as well as to ask that His blessing might be upon them when they surround the family altar…And when your husbands are away gather them around your family altar.” George Teasdale (apostle) JD 24:326

Another video, more rights questioned, policies changed.

Sorry for formatting issues.  I don’t think they effect anything, so I am going to leave them as they are and not fret over it.  Below are a few of my favorite Eternal lives quotes, in my favorite color.  Enjoy, and tell me what runs through your mind.

“Joseph always told us that we would have to pass by sentinels that are placed between us and our Father and God. Then, of course, we are conducted along from this probation to other probations, or from one dispensation to another, by those who conducted those dispensations.” (JD 6:63)

“If you do not cultivate yourselves, and cultivate your spirits in this state of existence, it is just as true as there is a God that liveth, you will have to go into another state of existence, and bring your spirits into subjection there. Now you may reflect upon it, you never will obtain your resurrected bodies, until you bring your spirits into subjection. I am not talking to this earthly house of mine, neither am I talking to your bodies, but I am speaking to your spirits. I am not talking as to people who are not in the house. Are not your spirits in the house? Are not your bodies your houses, your tabernacles or temples, and places for your spirits? Look at it; reflect upon it. If you keep your spirits trained according to the wisdom and fear of God, you will attain to the salvation of both body and spirit. I ask, then, if it is your spirits that must be brought into subjection? It is; and if you do not do that in these bodies, you will have to go into another estate to do it. You have got to train yourselves according to the law of God, or you will never obtain your resurrected bodies. Mark it! You do not think of these things, you only think of to-day… You are talking about heaven and about earth, and about hell, &c.; but let me tell you, you are in hell now, and you have got to qualify yourselves here in hell to become subjects for heaven; and even when you have got into heaven, yea will find it right here where you are on this earth. When we escape from this earth, we suppose we are going to heaven? Do you suppose you are going to the earth that Adam came from? that Eloheim came from? where Jehovah the Lord came from? No. When you have learned to become obedient to the Father that dwells upon this earth, to the Father and God of this earth, and obedient to the messengers He sends—when you have done all that, remember you are not going to leave this earth. You will never leave it until you become qualified, and capable, and capacitated to become a father of an earth yourselves. Not one soul of you ever will leave this earth, for if you go to hell, it is on this earth; and if you go to heaven, it is on this earth; and you will not find it anywhere else. Is it not hard to bring these truths home to you. I tell you I am at home now, and I am in heaven; but the heaven I have to enjoy is the heaven I make myself.” (JD 1:355-357)

Joseph Smith (by Joseph Lee Robinson)
We also heard him [Joseph Smith] say that God had revealed unto him
that any man who ever committed adultery in either of his probations
that that man could never be raised to the highest exaltation in the
Celestial Glory and that he felt anxious with regard to himself and he
inquired of the Lord and the Lord told him that he, Joseph, had never
committed adultery. This saying of the Prophet astonished me very
much. It opened up to me a very wide field of reflection. The idea
that we had passed through probation prior to this and that we must
have been married and given in marriage in those probations or there
would be no propriety in making such an assertion and that there were
several exaltations in the Celestial Kingdom of our God, the highest we
supposed to be the Godhead and we conclude that there are several
grades of exaltations in servants to the Gods. Be as it may, this is
what he said. We will know the truth of the matter some day. (History
of Joseph Lee Robinson, pg. 12, in Special Collections at the Harold
B. Lee Library at B. Y. U.)

Orson Pratt
And thus, all the different portions of the earth have been and will be
disposed of to the lawful heirs; while those who cannot prove their
heirship to be legal, or who cannot prove that they have received any portion of the earth by promise, will be cast out into some other kingdom or world, where,
if they ever get an inheritance, they will have to earn it by keeping the law
of meekness during another probation.
JD1:332-333

Heber C. Kimball
Then, of course, we are conducted along from this probation to other
probations, or from one dispensation to another, by those who conducted
those dispensations.
JD6:63

Heber C. Kimball
Still, I believe the greater part of the inhabitants of the earth will be
redeemed; yea, all will be finally redeemed, except those who have sinned
against the Holy Ghost or shed innocent blood; and they never can be
redeemed until that debt is paid. And I do not know any way for them to pay it,
unless they are brought back again to a mortal existence, and pay the debt where
they contracted it.
JD6:67

The principle opposite to that of eternal increase from the
beginning, leads down to hell; the person decreases, loses his knowledge, tact,
talent, and ultimately, in a short period of time, is lost; he returns
to his mother earth, his name is forgotten. But where, Oh! where is
his spirit? I will not now take the time to follow his destiny; but
here, strong language be used, for when the Lord Jesus Christ
shall be revealed, after the termination of the thousand years’ rest,
he will summon the armies of heaven for the conflict, he will come
forth in flaming fire, he will descend to execute the mandates of an
incensed God, and, amid the thunderings of the wrath of Omnipotence,
roll up the heavens as a scroll, and destroy death, and him that has
the power of it. The rebellious will be thrown back into their native
element, there to remain myriads of years before their dust will again
be revived, before they will be reorganized. (Journal of Discourses:
Vol. 1, Brigham Young 1853/02/27, pg. 118)

Again, they are like the man who found a lump of gold which
weighed 100 pounds, the last that was heard of him was, he was sitting
upon it, offering a great price to the passers by for something to eat,
and swearing that if he had to starve to death, he would stick by the
gold, and die a rich man. If he had understood the principles of
life–the principles of true riches, he could have commanded that gold
in California, in England, or anywhere else; but he had no power over
it, and died like a fool, no doubt. What good was his gold to him? He
had not the power of endless life in him, particles which compose his
body and spirit will return to their native element. I told you some
time ago what would become of such men. But I will quote the
Scriptures on this point, and you can make what you please of it. Jesus
says, he will DESTROY and that hath the power of it.
What can you make of this but decomposition, the returning of the
organized particles to their native element, after suffering the wrath
of God until the time appointed. That appears a mystery, but the
principle has been in existence from all eternity, only it is something
you have not known or thought of. When the elements in an organized
form do not fill the end of their creation, they are thrown back again,
like brother Kimball’s old pottery ware, to be ground up, and made over
again. All I have to say about it is what Jesus says–I will
Death, and him that hath the power of it, which is the devil. And if
he ever makes “ of the wicked,” what else can he do than
entirely disorganize them, and reduce them to their native element?
Here are some of the mysteries of the kingdom. (Journal of Discourses:
Vol.1, Brigham Young 1853/08/14, pg 275)

Will any man ever be redeemed upon any other principle than what
we are redeemed upon? No. Men must abide the same law, or God
Almighty will never redeem them. If they violate that law, they bring
damnation upon themselves, and must suffer the consequences of it.
Still, I believe the greater part of the inhabitants of the earth will
be redeemed; yea, all will be finally redeemed, except those who have
sinned against the Holy Ghost or shed innocent blood; and they never
can be redeemed until that debt is paid. And I do not know any way
for them to pay it, unless they are brought back again to a mortal
existence, and pay the debt where they contracted it. God will make
every man pay off the debt he contracts; for a restoration must take
place, which has been spoken of by the mouth of all the holy Prophets
since the world began.
God will make every man pay off the debt he contracts; for a
restoration must take place, which has been spoken of by the mouth of
all the holy Prophets since the world began. (Journal of Discourses:
Vol. 6, Heber C. Kimball, pg. 67

If you do not cultivate yourselves, and cultivate your spirits in
this state of existence, it is just as true as there is a God that
liveth, you will have to go into another state of existence, and bring
your spirits into subjection there. Now you may reflect upon it, you
never will obtain your resurrected bodies, until you bring your spirits
into subjection. I am not talking to this earthly house of mine,
neither am I talking to your bodies, but I am speaking to your spirits.
I am not talking as to people who are not in the house. Are not your
spirits in the house? Are not your bodies your houses, your
tabernacles or temples, and places for your spirits? Look at it;
reflect upon it. If you keep your spirits trained according to the
wisdom and fear of God, you will attain to the salvation of both body
and spirit. I ask, then, if it is your spirits that must be brought
into subjection? It is; and if you do not do that in these bodies, you
will have to go into another estate to do it. You have got to train
yourselves according to the law of God, or you will never obtain your
resurrected bodies. (Journal of Discourses: Vol. 1, Heber
C. Kimball 1852/11/14, pg. 356)

Perhaps some do not really believe that when a man is thrown back
into the mill, or goes into the spirit world, that he ever will be
redeemed, but he will, if he has not sinned against the Holy Ghost. He
will be ground and worked up until he becomes passive, and then God,
through His servants, will redeem him, and make him a vessel unto
honor.
A great many will go to hell, and the very men that are preaching
to you now will visit you and offer you salvation, after you have laid
there, perhaps, thousands of years, for you must stay in the mill until
you are passive and obedient.
Jeremiah, at the command of God, went to the potter’s house where
the potter was molding the clay, and when he went to turn it on the
wheel it was refractory and rebellious; and he worked at it and sweat
over it, but after all it was rebellious, and fell down on the wheel.
What did he do then? He cut it off from the wheel and threw it
back into the mill, and after he had ground it awhile, he took it out
and made of it a vessel unto honor; so of the same lump he made a
vessel unto dishonor, and one unto honor.
Did the potter make it dishonorable? No, the vessel made itself
unto dishonor; and the next time it was pliable and passive, and the
potter made of it a vessel unto honor, because it was honorable and
submissive. (Journal of Discourses: Vol. 4, Heber C. Kimball,
1856/10/05, pg. 120)

What I do not to-day, when the sun goes down, I lay down to sleep,
which is typical of death; and in the morning I rise and commence my
work where I left it yesterday. That course is typical of the
probations we take. But suppose that I do not improve my time today, I
wake up tomorrow and find myself in the rear; and then, if I do not
improve upon that day, and again lay down to sleep, on awaking, I find
myself still in the rear. This day’s work is typical of this
probation, and the sleep of every night is typical of death, and rising
in the morning is typical of the resurrection.[Telestial, Terrestrial,
or Celestial, depending on what you earned.] They are days’ labors,
and it is for us to be faithful today, tomorrow, and every day.
(Journal of Discourses: Vol. 4, Heber C. Kimball, 1857/05/3, pg. 329)

Should not this thought comfort all people? They will, by-and-by, be a thousand times more thankful for such a man as Joseph Smith, junior, than it is possible for them to be for any earthly good whatever. It
is his mission to see that all the children of men in this last
dispensation are saved, that can be, through the redemption. You will
be thankful, every one of you, that Joseph Smith, junior, was ordained
to this great calling before the worlds were. I told you that the
doctrine of election and reprobation is a true doctrine. It was
decreed in the counsels of eternity, long before the foundations of the
earth were laid, that he should be the man, in the last dispensation
of this world, to bring forth the word of God to the people, and
receive the fulness of the keys and power of the Priesthood of the Son
of God. (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 7, pg. 290, Brigham Young)

I improved yesterday: I worked and made all the improvements
I could, and did the best I could; but it came night, and I laid down to
take a nap, which is typical of death. This morning I have risen up
and again commenced my labors; and I am going to improve today, and do
better than I did yesterday. But in comes another night of sleep; I
lay down, which is typical of death; and I rise in the morning, which
is typical of the resurrection, and I renew my labors. I have to begin
where I left off; but you cannot realize but that you have to take one
jump away ahead, when you come to leave your bodies and go into the
spirit world. That is not so, for you will have to commence to hoe
your row where you left off. (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 4, pg. 336,
Heber C. Kimball)

We must live by principle; and if we do, we shall attain to
perfection– to being crowned with crowns of glory, immortality, and
eternal lives. I would rather be purified here than to live ten
thousand years to attain the same point in another existence. The man
that enters into this order by the prompting of passion, and not with a
view to honor God and carry out his purposes, the curse of God will
rest upon him, and that which he seems to have will be taken from him
and given to those that act according to principle. Remember it.
(Journal of Discourses, Vol. 9, pg. 38, Brigham Young)

The Prophet Joseph Smith declared– and he never taught more
comforting doctrine– that the eternal sealings of faithful parents and
the divine promises made to them for valiant service in the Cause of
Truth, would save not only themselves, but likewise their posterity.
Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon
them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine
Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold.
Either in this life or the life to come, they will return. They will
have to pay their debt to justice; they will suffer for their sins; and
may tread a thorny path; but if it leads them at last, like the
penitent Prodigal, to a loving and forgiving father’s heart and home,
the painful experience will not have been in vain. (Orson F. Whitney,
General Conference, April 1929, pg. 110-111)

How many shapes do you suppose you are put into before you
become Saints, or before you become perfect and sanctified to enter into the
celestial glory of God? You have got to be like that clay in the hands
of the potter. Do you not know that the Lord directed the Prophet
anciently, to go down to the potter’s house to see a miracle on the
wheel? Suppose the potter takes a lump of clay, and putting it on the
wheel, goes to work to form it into a vessel, and works it out this
way, and that way, and the other way, but the clay is refractory and
snappish; he still tries [sic] it, but it will break, and snap, and
snarl, and thus the potter will work it and work it until he is
satisfied he cannot bring it into the shape he wants, and it mars upon
the wheel; he takes his tool, then, and cuts it off the wheel, and
throws it into the mill to be ground over again, until it becomes
passive, (don’t you think you will go to hell if you are not passive?)
and after it is ground there so many days, and it becomes passive, he
takes the same lump, and makes of it a vessel unto honor. Now do you
see into that, brethren? I know the potters can. I tell you,
brethren, if you are not passive you will have to go into that mill,
and perhaps have to grind there one thousand years, and then the Gospel
will be offered to you again, and then if you will not accept of it,
and become passive, you will have to go into the mill again, and thus
you will have offers of salvation from time to time, until all the
human family, except the sons of perdition, are redeemed. The spirits
of men will have the Gospel as we do, and they are to be judged
according to men in the flesh. Let us be passive, and take a course
that will be perfectly submissive. (Journal of Discourses: Vol. 1,
Heber C. Kimball, 1852/10/09, pg. 161)

I believe fully in eternal lives.  I have argued in my head incessantly over whether its once a round, once a dispensation, or continuous.   I favor once a dispensation, meaning once in Adams, once in the Lords and once in Josephs (the end times).  However vids like the one below can get a guy thinking.  What if?  why, and what is going on?  So, tell me what you think.

Child’s Nightmares and Memories Prove Reincarnation