I'm under 16, and I recently read Revelation. I was often puzzled and trying to understand something.
("What in the world does that mean?")
The same is true for many of Christ's parables; some seem to have no connection with his previous teaching, or seem to have no meaning at all. But there are still places to go for help, people who can make heads AND tails of it all.

What a very inspiring learning process, thank you.

You have interesting and insightful thoughts regarding the way in which revelation is given to the mind and heart and that we or a prophet envelop that revelation into words on a page. The next time you have an opportunity to teach regarding Revelation you may want to refer to the Doctrine and Covenants Section 77 wherein the Lord revealed to Joseph that the seven seals represented “the revealed will, mysteries, and the works of God; the hidden things of his economy concerning this earth during the seven thousand years of its continuance, or its temporal existence.” This part of Revelation is not just about the end of the World but rather about the entire history of the world with each seal representing 1,000 years of earth’s history. In fact earth’s history can generally be categorized into these various general figurative descriptions. Chapters 5 and 6 in Revelation regarding the book with seven seals gives order to what is revealed in the following chapters. The word apocalypse does not have the meaning the world today has given. From the LDS Bible Dictionary “the English word “revelation” is translated from the Greek word “apocalypse”, meaning to make known or uncover.”

This is very well put:

"those who refuse to perform the experiment will never know the result of the test. "With a sincere heart, with real intent," those are the conditions of the experiment, and those who will not meet the conditions will always stand outside and declare that the believers have deluded themselves."

And this is exactly why there is so much hot disagreement about Mormonism. If you've never received pure revelation, why would you believe it exists? On the other hands, once you have, how can you be persuaded by non-believers.

People unwilling to submit to the test conditions scoff at those that have submitted and have experienced pure revelation.

Thank you for the thought provoking and inspiring article.

Thank you for using the gifts with which God has blessed you.

THIS IS TO DAVE
I am not anti-mormon, don't mistake me for it! I'm in YW, a good participater. But I do have questions about the truth of the D&C. I have trouble with things I have read about Joseph Smith . . . things I can't reason out or find an answer to. For that reason, I prefer, when I come to a diffucult passage, to think about it a lot (not to say that always works!).

I can appreciate the deep thought that went into this article, but I think that by reading too much into the passages in question, we can lose the important message within them.

To SC sharpshooter,

I have to say that I completely agree with everything Dave wrote. I know that there are things about Joseph Smith that may make you uneasy, but I feel that you can find that surety you're looking for through the Lord. I too had questions and the Lord led me to the answers that I was looking for.

I would recommend that you pray and work to find the answers in the scriptures with faith that he will guide you. The key is to go with an open mind and no preconceptions about the answer you will receive.

The gospel is all or nothing. You can't believe it is true without accepting a key component of it. That doesn't mean that we have all the answers, it just means that we accept that there are things that we aren't ready to know and understand.

I truly hope that you find the comfort you're looking for!

Thanks!

This passage explains so well the difficulty of trying to communicate one's spiritual experience to someone else: "The human brain cannot contain pure knowledge, and so all that is left is a translation."

Often in my discussions with people about the LDS religion, I have realized that all I can do is (1) testify from my own experience and (2) try to convey through my life and my attitude enough love towards them that they may someday be touched to want to try the "experiment" for themselves.

To SC Sharpshooter:

You can't spend any time on line anymore without being confronted with all kinds of anti-mormon comments and claims. Most are biased, taken out of context, or flagrant lies.

Most troubling though is that some anti-mormon comments are based on fact. Please don't let church history weaken your testimony. Joseph Smith and others were mortal men. Even Lehi doubted and murmured.

I find great spiritual reserves come from daily reading the Book of Mormon. Partaking of the sacrament provides a weekly renewal, but scripture study provides the daily communion with the Holy Spirit.

It's been prophesied that the day would come when those without their own testimony based on witnesses of the spirit would fall away. That day is upon us.

Those that persevere do so by clinging to the rod of iron. Simply walking the strait and narrow path is not enough. Holding on to the iron rod is not enough. We must be clinging to it. Experience has taught me that nothing brings the spirit into our home more than reading the Book of Mormon.

My testimony in the Book of Mormon let's me set aside all unanswered questions and doubts that might arise.

Rev.6:12-17 is quite poetic, filled with symbolism. Other scriptures tell the meaning of symbols such as the sun, moon and stars equated to things celestial, terrestrial and telestial (1Corinthians 15:40-41, D&C 96-98), a star of heaven equated to a person (Revelation 9:1), a mountain equated to a kingdom on earth (Isaiah 2:2-3, Daniel 2:34-45, D&C 109:72), and a rock equated to the gospel (D&C 11:24, D&C 65:2). What John is describing as an earthquake is a great movement in the earth of people, not land... the migrations of multitudes after the discovery of the Americas. It was a time of spiritual darkness (sun became black, heaven departed as a scroll) before the restoration of the gospel, after which many saints (fellowservants) were killed (moon became as blood). It was a time when political kingdoms (mountains) were rearranged (moved out of their places) as the stronger ones conquered foreign lands (islands). Also a time when the fear of the Second Coming caused men to enter the chapels and sanctuaries (dens) of the various religious kingdoms (mountains), searching the gospel and doctrine (rocks) for a way to obtain forgiveness and mercy and gain favor (hide, fall on us) from God.

the church not only wants but needs to keep their people so close; in the same circle of friends, encouraging not to date non members, so busy with church callings you don't have time for anything else, scouts, byu, etc. The church doesn't want people to venture forth and learn anything the church doesn't teach because they know what would happen. It's always said that it "passes the test" but the test is rarely taken and when it is, that's where you will find the ex-mormons.

Orson Scott Card is brilliant, wise, and an amazing writer. He is at BYU the next three days attending the LTUE Conference. Check out their website!!

To Becca: Park City is still filled with wonderful members of the LDS faith, and even though our faith is tested, we still believe!! No where in Utah is the anti-mormon sentiment more prevalent. Try out what Orson Scott Card means, how can you deny what is true?