Ecclesiastes 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

There are so MANY scriptures that teach that we have a spirit within us. Jesus Christ showed this in His miracles where he cast out evil spirits and restored the body to the rightful spirit owner. Remember the story, about the herd of swine? Those evil spirits were willing to have ANY body, and Jesus suffered them to do it. It shows that there is a spirit world, we are all a part of that. When we die our spirits go back to God and to the Spirit World, and await our resurrection. The Book of Mormon makes this clear:

Alma 40:11 Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection--Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life.

12 And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.

13 And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of the wicked, yea, who are evil--for behold, they have no part nor portion of the Spirit of the Lord; for behold, they chose evil works rather than good; therefore the spirit of the devil did enter into them, and take possession of their house--and these shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, and this because of their own iniquity, being led captive by the will of the devil.

Jesus too, when He died, went to this World of Spirits. It is taught in the Bible:

1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

1 Peter 4:6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

Some things take time, and sometimes they don't take much time (miracles). But we can't dictate the time tables to the Lord, and if it happens sooner or later that is up to the Lord. We have to feel that way about it to be right with the Lord (His will be done...).

The resurrected Jesus taught the Nephites:

3 Nephi 13:7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen, for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

8 Be not ye therefore like unto them, for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him.

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

11 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

12 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

13 For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

I knew a person that was in much debt, and was over-extended in a very nice home, and with real estate prices dropping, could see nothing but financial ruin. He prayed, specifically, that the Lord would help him get out of debt. He prayed for it. He had faith. A buyer came along, paid the full asking price which was above market value, and another home was provided. Debt eliminated. But it took time.

In my case, I learned from this experience and decided to pray, specifically, that I would be able to get out of my debts, especially in light of the prophet's recent counsel these past few years. I was struggling in business, debts mounded, no end in sight. Then I got an opportunity to SELL my business during that year. It did, and while I was employed by the buyer, there was money coming in from a very unlikely/unexpected source to buy my business. After working with them for a year, and then collecting all that was due for the buyout as well, I started my own business again upon receiving promptings from the Lord to do so. It turned out to be very good, as a certain client came forward with much work to do, and contracts for work are backed up a whole year! It truly was a miracle. I prayed in faith, as did all of my family. I asked my wife and kids to pray, fast and pray too. Months went by, then this opportunity with the new business.

Sometimes it just takes time, but I knew it would all happen, somehow. In fact, while praying about it personally, the Lord reassured me by the Holy Ghost that all would be alright. I believed Him, and it was. In ways that I NEVER dreamed possible. A miracle. Windows of heaven opening. It was amazing.

The debts are nearly gone now, and the bank account is growing. A GREAT feeling of deliverance. The devourer was rebuked for my family's sake. Jesus commanded the following words to be written in the Nephite record:

3 Nephi 24:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house; and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the fields, saith the Lord of Hosts.
(see also Malachi 3:10-11)

The devourer was rebuked for our "fruit" and "flocks" of our family's livelihood.

Faith, nothing doubting. It WILL happen, but in the Lord's time. Just believe and know that He will always keep His promises. I am here to testify that He did for me, and it was after I had prayed and fasted with faith, and waited on the Lord and in His due time, it happened. James 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

Elder Packer, who was named to the Council of Twelve last April, spoke in the Tuesday morning session of the General Conference. He said that in the past year since being a member of the Council of Twelve, he has occasionally been asked about his qualification to stand as a witness for Christ.

"The question they ask is, 'Have you seen him?'

"That is a question that I have never asked of another. I have not asked that question of my brethren in the quorum, thinking that it would be so sacred and so personal that one would have to have some special inspiration, indeed some authorization, even to ask it."
(source:The Church News, Conference Issues 1970-1987, p.13)

Some Book of Mormon prophets openly claimed to have seen Jesus Christ, in their written record:

2 Nephi 11:2 And now I, Nephi, write more of the words of Isaiah, for my soul delighteth in his words. For I will liken his words unto my people, and I will send them forth unto all my children, for he verily saw my Redeemer, even as I have seen him.

Jacob his younger brother, saw Him too...as did their father Lehi in the first place.

King Lamoni saw Him:

Alma 19:13 For as sure as thou livest, behold, I have seen my Redeemer; and he shall come forth, and be born of a woman, and he shall redeem all mankind who believe on his name. Now, when he had said these words, his heart was swollen within him, and he sunk again with joy; and the queen also sunk down, being overpowered by the Spirit.

Many, if not all, of the prophets in scripture, have seen their Redeemer either in vision, or by personal visitation. Consider the Brother of Jared, who, over 2000 years before the birth of Jesus Christ saw and spoke to Him:

Ether 3:9 And the Lord said unto him: Because of thy faith thou hast seen that I shall take upon me flesh and blood; and never has man come before me with such exceeding faith as thou hast; for were it not so ye could not have seen my finger. Sawest thou more than this?

10 And he answered: Nay; Lord, show thyself unto me.

11 And the Lord said unto him: Believest thou the words which I shall speak?

12 And he answered: Yea, Lord, I know that thou speakest the truth, for thou art a God of truth, and canst not lie.

13 And when he had said these words, behold, the Lord showed himself unto him, and said: Because thou knowest these things ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my presence; therefore I show myself unto you.

14 Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold, I am Jesus Christ. I am the Father and the Son. In me shall all mankind have life, and that eternally, even they who shall believe on my name; and they shall become my sons and my daughters.

15 And never have I showed myself unto man whom I have created, for never has man believed in me as thou hast. Seest thou that ye are created after mine own image? Yea, even all men were created in the beginning after mine own image.

Consider the words of the Hymn sung to God:

We thank thee, O God for a prophet To guide us in these latter days.

Prophets do more than just "prophesy." They guide, give counsel, and make statements on current issues, etc. If the Lord has a need for us to have more scriptures, He will have His prophet of that time prophesy some more things, and we will have more scripture. But for now, we have plenty. There are so many prophecies and teachings in the Bible, Book of Mormon, D&C, and Pearl of Great Price to study right now... we should ask ourselves if we have learned them all. I know I haven't yet. Lots more work to do in that department!!

Alma 40:11 Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection--Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life.

12 And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.

13 And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of the wicked, yea, who are evil--for behold, they have no part nor portion of the Spirit of the Lord; for behold, they chose evil works rather than good; therefore the spirit of the devil did enter into them, and take possession of their house--and these shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, and this because of their own iniquity, being led captive by the will of the devil.

14 Now this is the state of the souls of the wicked, yea, in darkness, and a state of awful, fearful looking for the fiery indignation of the wrath of God upon them; thus they remain in this state, as well as the righteous in paradise, until the time of their resurrection.

So we see that there is a time after death, and before the resurrection and final judgement, where the spirits of the wicked suffer in a hell, a place of darkness, unless they repent and come out of that.

D&C 138:57 I beheld that the faithful elders of this dispensation, when they depart from mortal life, continue their labors in the preaching of the gospel of repentance and redemption, through the sacrifice of the Only Begotten Son of God, among those who are in darkness and under the bondage of sin in the great world of the spirits of the dead.

58 The dead who repent will be redeemed, through obedience to the ordinances of the house of God,

The King James Bible on the other hand, was not complete until the 1600's when it was first published. Many people don't realize this, and so they apply Revelation 22:18 incorrectly.

As to your decision on marriage ceremonies, that is a question that is between you and the Lord. You have your choice. But let me offer some advice. If you have a civil ceremony to appease your non- member friends and family, you take away an opportunity to teach what is most important to you, to them.

We had similar circumstances, I think most everyone does: there is someone in the family who can not go to the temple to participate. But that will always be the case. Why not marry where you should in the first place?

You might want to consider this, when you have a baby, and if your extended family was Catholic, would you have the baby baptized with their ceremonies, and then have the child baptized again at age 8 in the LDS ordinances? I know you wouldn't. Why would you want to do this to your marriage ceremony?

It seems much better to just please the Lord first, and be married in the right place at the right time.

Here is a speech from a General Authority in General Conference in 1965:

The original Word of Wisdom (Doctrine and Covenants 89) does not list all of the specific things that are bad for us. It does not state, for instance, that man must not drink poison. It does not state the myriad of other bad substances that we could take into our bodies, but wouldn't/shouldn't because we know it will harm us.

If we take into our bodies things like caffeine and say, "I know it is bad stuff, but I don't care, I like the way it wakes me up" or some other excuse, then we have to deal with our conscience which tells us that our body is a temple, a gift of God.

Taking harmful substances into our body is something that we can avoid. It is a choice. To ignore wisdom, and the fact that our bodies are sacred, and to "defile" the body with substances that "kill" it is to actually disrespect God who gave it to us. It is like being ingrateful to let our bodies get out of shape, or to become unhealthy because of what we are taking into it.

The Book of Mormon has given me a stronger testimony of Jesus Christ, what He expects of us, and this because of the many numerous accounts that deal with the subject of Jesus Christ specifically.

What a great book! What a treasure that God designed to be held back for our modern day, so that we could get additional strength and help specific to our trials and challenges of this day.

It is because the Three Nephites were "as angels" and were no longer mortal in the same way you and I are. Here is what the record states:

3 Nephi 28:25 Behold, I was about to write the names of those who were never to taste of death, but the Lord forbade; therefore I write them not, for they are hid from the world.

26 But behold, I have seen them, and they have ministered unto me.

27 And behold they will be among the Gentiles, and the Gentiles shall know them not.

28 They will also be among the Jews, and the Jews shall know them not.

29 And it shall come to pass, when the Lord seeth fit in his wisdom that they shall minister unto all the scattered tribes of Israel, and unto all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, and shall bring out of them unto Jesus many souls, that their desire may be fulfilled, and also because of the convincing power of God which is in them.

30 And they are as the angels of God, and if they shall pray unto the Father in the name of Jesus they can show themselves unto whatsoever man it seemeth them good.

They can show themselves implies that they can hide themselves too. They truly are as the angels of God, like the scriptures say. Apostasy among the general mankind can take place even when there are angels trying to help the earth. And if the Three Nephites are as angels, not subject to death, if they were to be known as "regular people" in this earth for any length of time, they would eventually become worshipped, and that would be against the plan and their desires, but it seems obvious that they "move on" and minister to many different souls in different places in the world.

What a fun job that would be! Alma wished that he could be an angel, so we see that these Three Nephites (and John the Beloved too) got the wish of all wishes for the disciples of Christ. They got to participate in bringing as many souls unto the Lord as possible.

I believe that they stick together in their ministry. We have many accounts where people have had dealings with "three" who miraculously appear, and then are gone, but lives are touched. Alma wished:

Alma 29:1 O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!

2 Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth.

JST Mark 8:12 Verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation, save the sign of the prophet Jonah; for as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so likewise shall the Son of man be buried in the bowels of the earth.

This does not prove that he was a prophet, but it does make one wonder why he changed that verse back to its original form, which makes perfect sense.

Personally, I know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God. He was great in his life, obedient to the commands of God, and despite all the trials and persecutions that he received, Joseph remained true to his calling of the Lord. He even had to have his life taken over it.

You are welcome for this site, I am very glad that you are beginning to feel the kinship and belonging to that which is true and good. I wish I could testify to you in person how much this gospel is true, and how wonderful it makes life when you live it. True happiness, despite our weaknesses.

I have heard many times that we should not trust our feelings. You make mention of relativism, and I would agree if this were just a personal thing. There are many times that we should trust our feelings. If someone hits me in the head with a 2x4, I'm gonna trust that feeling... I'm going to get out of the way next time, and I'm going to take some aspirin. If I get burned, same thing. I will trust in that experience and learn from it. When I feel heat, I will think of getting burned. If I see a 2x4 swinging at me, I am going to duck. If I get hungry, I'm going to eat. I will trust in that feeling too, or starve.

We have so many feelings that we now trust completely in and learn from. It is our experience. Why would anyone say that we should not trust in our feelings?

When we get a revelation that the Book of Mormon is true from God, that is accompanied by a certain set of feelings too, powerful feelings, and it is not a "gut" feeling. It is a powerful enveloping feeling, nothing like the other feelings we have felt throughout out lives. It is a new and distinct thing, and it is wonderful and can not be mistaken as anything else but coming from God. It's like you know! You feel it is right when the Holy Ghost does that to you, what He does, which causes the burning in the bosom and the enveloping feelings of the love of God. Make no mistake, this is a miracle, and the people who have had this experience know that it is much much more than a gut feeling. It can't come from Satan either, for he can't do anything good like that. Give credit to God for good things and blame the devil for evil.

The Holy Ghost is special. His sacred impression lasts for years! When we get the repeated impressions and feelings, our testimony is strengthened and grows, and then we know. The Book of Mormon prophet Alma taught:

Alma 32:28 Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves--It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.

29 Now behold, would not this increase your faith? I say unto you, Yea; nevertheless it hath not grown up to a perfect knowledge.

30 But behold, as the seed swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, then you must needs say that the seed is good; for behold it swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow. And now, behold, will not this strengthen your faith? Yea, it will strengthen your faith: for ye will say I know that this is a good seed; for behold it sprouteth and beginneth to grow.

31 And now, behold, are ye sure that this is a good seed? I say unto you, Yea; for every seed bringeth forth unto its own likeness.

32 Therefore, if a seed groweth it is good, but if it groweth not, behold it is not good, therefore it is cast away.

When Christ comes to rule personally upon the earth, people will still have their agency. People are who they are. God knew in advance to which Kingdom of Glory that each would go because of their level of obedience, yet He lets it unfold here in this life. If someone is destined for the Terrestrial Kingdom, they will not fully come unto Christ. They will be of these other "faiths" that reject the fulness. It will be what they want. What they are comfortable with. What they choose.

Now, does the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints confess that Jesus Christ came in the flesh? Then this test is done. We pass. You now need something more. Yet another test. Like Moroni 10:4-5

4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.
(Moroni 10:5)

Now that's a true statement! Who can or would dispute it?

You know, we use and believe the Bible. Fully. If it contradicted our faith, we would not use it. So I am not sure what you mean. I love the Bible, and believe every verse, but I have doubts that every believing Christian who claims to also believe the Bible believes everything that is in it. Even with the plain and precious truths that have been removed from it (see 1 Nephi 13:26-29), sometimes it seems that some Christian people wouldn't mind if additional parts of the Bible would/could go away, because it presents a challenge to the status quo beliefs. Such as the prophecy about the Book of Mormon in Isaiah 29:11-16 and Ezekiel 37:15-28

Or the doctrines of the Pre- Existence where we lived before we were born, (see Num 27:16, Eccl 12:7, and Jer 1:5)

Not to mention some temple ordinances (which can only be hinted at in the general scriptures) in 1 Cor. 15:29

These scriptures and many others will never go away.

Now, I would love to know what parts of the Bible are indeed in contradiction to my faith, for there are none...I believe it all, even these kind of scriptures which I quote above. Indeed, we believe the entire set of doctrines contained in the Holy Bible, and not just the parts which match our faith. It all does.

3 Nephi 14:1 AND now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words he turned again to the multitude, and did open his mouth unto them again, saying: Verily, verily, I say unto you, Judge not, that ye be not judged.

At this site is a document called Gospel Principles, which states what we believe in great detail. It is interesting reading.

http ://www.lds.org/en/3_Gospel_Principl es/00_Contents.html

We are the children of Heavenly Parents.

There is the straight and narrow path found in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which leads back to God the Father, or the Celestial Kingdom for those that are valiant in the testimony of Christ.

There is also a path that leads to the Terrestrial Kingdom of God, which is ministered to by Jesus Christ, but not the Father, and this is also a Kingdom of Glory, an alternative to the Celestial Glory which differs like the moon (Terrestrial) compared to the sun (Celestial). Since Jesus Christ, or God, will minister there, this is also a path back to God. These are they who accepted Christ, but conditionally, not being obedient to his laws and ordinances, and they were not valiant in their testimony.

Finally, there is the broad gate back to God, or the Telestial Kingdom, which is ministered to by the Holy Ghost, but not Jesus Christ or the Father. Those that go to this place are those that did not accept Jesus Christ. They will still have the presence of God via the Holy Ghostand ministering angels:

D&C 76:88 ...the telestial receive [the Holy Ghost] of the administering of angels who are appointed to minister for them, or who are appointed to be ministering spirits for them; for they shall be heirs of salvation.

Many people make the mistake of thinking that God reveals something and that it will never change for us. Yet the scriptures are complete with many examples of how God makes changes through his prophets. That is why we have so many books in the Bible. God has revealed many things at different times through the prophets (Amos 3:7)

D&C 27:3 Wherefore, a commandment I give unto you, that you shall not purchase wine neither strong drink of your enemies;
4 Wherefore, you shall partake of none except it is made new among you; yea, in this my Father's kingdom which shall be built up on the earth.
5 Behold, this is wisdom in me; wherefore, marvel not, for the hour cometh that I will drink of the fruit of the vine with you on the earth, and with Moroni, whom I have sent unto you to reveal the Book of Mormon, containing the fulness of my everlasting gospel, to whom I have committed the keys of the record of the stick of Ephraim;

This revelation came three (3) years before the Word of Wisdom (in 1833).

In the Word of Wisdom, we get another clue as to why this was not to be used:

That was then, and I believe Brigham Young was accurate in his assessment of the situation then. That was 140 years ago.

This is now. We worship Jesus Christ, and this term, Christian, has evolved in a much more tolerant society, to where even we, the Latter-day Saints can call ourselves Christians because we believe in Jesus Christ as the Savior of the World. It is wonderful to live in a more tolerant society where homes are not burned down, people killed, driven out of towns, etc. because of one's religion.

Alma 34:33 And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed.
35 For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your repentance even until death, behold, ye have become subjected to the spirit of the devil, and he doth seal you his; therefore, the Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you, and hath no place in you, and the devil hath all power over you; and this is the final state of the wicked.

Good Christian people sometimes attach different meanings to some key gospel terms like saved or salvation. If we answer according to what our questioner probably means in asking if we have been "saved," our answer must be "yes." If we answer according to the various meanings we attach to the terms saved or salvation, our answer will be either "yes" or "yes, but with conditions."

I like the way that the Latter-day Saints typically use the word "saved," as a future event, and it is taught in the Book of Mormon.

1 Nephi 22:31 ...Wherefore, if ye shall be obedient to the commandments, and endure to the end, ye shall be saved at the last day. And thus it is. Amen.

2 Nephi 9:23 And he commandeth all men that they must repent, and be baptized in his name, having perfect faith in the Holy One of Israel, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God.

24 And if they will not repent and believe in his name, and be baptized in his name, and endure to the end, they must be damned; for the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has spoken it.

Being "saved" in the majority of the scriptures speaks of a future event that we hope for.

We will all be saved from death. Jesus Christ was the first to be resurrected, and because of His leadership and atonement and victory over death, we will all receive the same blessing. So in this sense, we will all be saved, from death.

Salvation comes in three degrees, Celestial, Terrestrial, and Telestial. Our assignment to those kingdoms of glory is forever. So you are right, we are all going to be saved to one degree or another (except the few sons of perdition who get nothing except resurrection).

We have the chance to prove ourselves in this life, and it suffices to determine where we belong for all eternity.

Alma 34:33 33 And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed.

There is no advancement to other kingdoms of glory in the next life. D&C 76 makes this clear:

A good question, makes us really think! We are who we are, and God knows who we are, but most of us don't really know yet who we are. God knows where we will "end up," whether it be in the Celestial Kingdom, Terrestrial, or Telestial, or even Son of Perdition in outer darkness. He knows.

But this is no reason to suppose that this means we do not have our free agency. Personally, I do not know the future, so I don't know what I will have yet to go in life, but I sincerely hope in Christ for a wonderful place in the highest heaven after its all over. Anything else would make me extremely sad. I've got to make it back to the Father with all of my family, and help all I can so that others want to get there too! That's what I feel compelled to do.

Don't you think that life is very interesting because we don't know the future like God does? I think it is fascinating that He lets us discover and experience and test our wings in this life of living by faith. It is very exciting when good things happen. I am grateful that God our Father has allowed us to discover ourselves, and to really see how bad we want something good in the next life or how much we really didn't want it afterall. Either way, it is entirely up to us and we will be able to live with the final judgement! If we really want to live with the Father bad enough, we will be obedient enough and faithful enough. If not, we will show our love of the things of the world more. Either way, we choose it, and that is what makes the final judgement so perfect. All things will point directly at our own actions in this life, not some predestined actions, for we are choosing it and have control, but the actions that we completely chose all by ourselves.

I can predict fairly accurately what my little children will do under certain very simple circumstances. Leave a bowl of treats out in a room that they frequent, and I can tell you they will eat the treat and make a mess. Leave the front door open, and they will walk out into the front yard. Do not wash them, and they will stay dirty. Announce that you are going to change their diaper, and they will run away. Etc. Etc. Some things we can predict well even in our ignorance.

God our Heavenly Father can predict us perfectly in all of His intelligence. That does not take away our free agency, because He is so intelligent. We write our future, not God. We do it. So let's make the best choice! Choose what we want in the eternities.

Alma 30:8 For thus saith the scripture: Choose ye this day, whom ye will serve.

Moses 6:33 Say unto this people: Choose ye this day, to serve the Lord God who made you.

You say that God is limited because of His body, and only being able to be in one place at a time. Would you say that Jesus Christ was "limited" in His ability during His earthly ministry because of His body? I wouldn't. To say that is to say He made a mistake by taking on flesh and blood. God has the power to shake the earth, speak with a loud authoritive voice as thunder so that all living today could hear, and He could let us all know if His power and glory, but we are supposed to live by faith, so it doesn't happen that way. He works through the weak things of the world. He works through His children.

He made sure that ALL would have the opportunity to hear and accept or reject His gospel. Do you recall that after the death of Jesus Christ, His Son, that Jesus went to the World of Spirits?

1 Peter 3:19 By which also [Jesus] went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 1

Peter 4:6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

...and here is how the Lord accomplished that "feat" while in the world of spirits...the prophet Joseph F. Smith had a revelation of God and saw the scene and describes the event:

D&C 138:29 And as I wondered, my eyes were opened, and my understanding quickened, and I perceived that the Lord went not in person among the wicked and the disobedient who had rejected the truth, to teach them;

30 But behold, from among the righteous, he organized his forces and appointed messengers, clothed with power and authority, and commissioned them to go forth and carry the light of the gospel to them that were in darkness, even to all the spirits of men; and thus was the gospel preached to the dead.

31 And the chosen messengers went forth to declare the acceptable day of the Lord and proclaim liberty to the captives who were bound, even unto all who would repent of their sins and receive the gospel.

32 Thus was the gospel preached to those who had died in their sins, without a knowledge of the truth, or in transgression, having rejected the prophets.

33 These were taught faith in God, repentance from sin, vicarious baptism for the remission of sins, the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands,

34 And all other principles of the gospel that were necessary for them to know in order to qualify themselves that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

Those righteous yet unresurrected spirits in that place included Adam, Seth, Eve and her faithful daughters, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Isaac, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Moses, Malachi, etc. etc.

This is how the Lord works! He works through His servants and this is how He reaches everybody, and this is why He is NOT limited because He has a body of flesh and bone. He delegates and has billions upon billions of angels performing His work, and these angels are an extension of God, indeed, they are God. It is one and the same.

I guess it is because you don't believe that God has enough help that he is limited with His glorified perfected immortal body of flesh and bone. He is not limited at all. He has the help. His work goes forward. But if one does not believe He has enough helpers, then I guess it would be necessary to invent a different view of what God is, and speculate that He is a mass of spirit that broods over and engulfs everything throughout the whole universe, even an impersonal image that we can not relate to. That is the false God.

The true God is our Father as Jesus taught. A father looks like His children. We are created in His image as taught in Genesis. We know we look like Him. How could Jesus Christ be His Son and not look like Him? Even Jesus taught His Apostles:

John 5:37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.

John 14:9 ...he that hath seen me hath seen the Father;

John 14:24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.

25 These things have I spoken unto you, being [yet] present with you.

26 But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

See how Jesus Christ is speaking of all these different players involved? And how the Father is personally in another place, where He will go, and when He goes, He will send another comforter, even the Holy Ghost? And there is a vast vast force of angels who are completely obedient to the commands of God and the priesthood line of authority that exists _between_ every angel and God the Father, Jesus Christ being between all and over all but under the Father. This is how He accomplishes His work. This is why He is not the least bit limited. Why imagine up a God that is impersonal? I believe that this personal God in whom the scriptures teach, is the God that inspires me! Who can think of their REAL Father in Heaven as the glorified man that He is, and not feel that the words of Jesus are true and possible!!:

3 Nephi 27:5 Have they not read the scriptures, which say ye must take upon you the name of Christ, which is my name? For by this name shall ye be called at the last day;

6 And whoso taketh upon him my name, and endureth to the end, the same shall be saved at the last day.

7 Therefore, whatsoever ye shall do, ye shall do it in my name; therefore ye shall call the church in my name; and ye shall call upon the Father in my name that he will bless the church for my sake.

John 10:32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?

33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?

35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;

This is so clear! God said "Ye are gods" through the word of God (the scriptures), and this statement of God was directed towards those unto whom the scriptures came! Even us! Jesus said it, pointed this out to the wicked men who reviled Him, and yet their hearts were still hardened because they were NOT His sheep, neither did they know Him.

John 10:36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?

37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.

38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father [is] in me, and I in him.

39 Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,

Polytheism more appropriately applied to such things as believing in multiple Gods "out there" who are not necessarily united in their plan, such as the false gods of:
Zeus, the father of gods and men;
Poseidon, ruler of the sea;
Apollo, or Phoebus, the god of light, of music, and of prophecy;
Ares, the god of war;
Hephaestus, the deformed god of fire, and the forger of the thunderbolts of Zeus;
Hermes, the wing-footed herald of the celestials, the god of invention and commerce..

THAT is polytheism.

Maybe the key to understanding that God can be one yet many, is in knowing the strict obedience that He requires of those to whom He will let into His Kingdom and take on His responsibilities with Him:

3 Nephi 12:48 Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect.

Philippians 3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

Paul and Timotheus understood the goal. Be like minded. Be one, essentially, and strive for perfection, not as if they had already attained it, read his words, but pressing towards the mark of the HIGH calling of God in Jesus Christ!

Did you read this clear?! It jumps out at us: pressing towards the mark of the high calling of God...the calling of God, with a capital G. Being part of what is God, united with Him. BTW, the Hebrew word for God in this verse is not Elohim, but a general name for deity (theos {theh'-os}), kind of like a status.

It's all there. No need to think that we are "polytheists" any more than Christ was, or His Apostle Paul... we have been commanded to Be Perfect. Well, if we can attain perfection, if it is possible, why would not the Lord God make us a part of Him, what He does as God? Is He not perfect too?