Experience is a rich learning tool, which is why the Lord gives us trials.

Some people believe that mistakes are a good learning tool, perhaps because they have learned so much from them. I don't deny that you can learn from sin, but I do believe that there is a better way. Certainly if you saw someone try and pet the aligator and get eaten, you wouldn't want to try it yourself "just to see for yourself".

Learning from others is more efficient and leaves you less scars. Some argue that the learning isn't as deep, and tehy are correct I am sure. But there is something else that they may not understand and that is the Spirit. If there were no God, if we really were left to our natural states, then one would never be enlightened by being "sheltered" into always choosing teh right. But God does exist, and the Holy Ghost is sent to enlighten our minds beyond our natural reasoning, but only if we're choosing the right. I have personally felt this light, and it's envigorating. I still don't understand teh benefits of being sober contrasted with the woes of being drunk, but I am convinced that I understand more from the Spirit in other things because I have chosen the right in choosing the right by not drinking.

A God needs to understand what a drunk person goes through, so that he can help the drunk. God doesn't sin to understand the sinner, he pays an atonement. I believe in that he experiences, in proxy, but in excruciating detail, what it is that the sinner experiences. More so, God somehow aquires the ability to erase the scars on the sinner, so that they can remember the sin, but not carry the scar. God aquires teh ability, but only uses it if teh sinner really chooses to be cleaned. How many people really want to part with their sins?

Back to trails. Trials are difficult experiences that are not a result of sins (although can be complicated by sins). They are the experietial learning that we can learn in this life. There are scars here too, but they also can be erased through the atonement. Forgiveness is the key. I've often wondered how the Saints could live such happy lives despite the terrible persecution they went through. I now think this is the answer.

I didn't realize that My Fair Lady was such a long movie!

I liked it too J, and, like you, I found Professor Higgins tiresome. I wished Eliza could have found someone better. It's an example of a nice woman making a poor choice because of relationships.

Kohlberg found six stages of moral development from studying boys at a boys school in Eastern US. He found that the boys fit into a bell curve (he was a psychologist) of pre-conventional (few people) of doing things primarily because of fear or greed, conventional (most people) of doing things primarily because of pride or popularity, and post conventional (few people again) of doing things primarily because of logic or love.

He tried the same study on girls in a girls school.

No luck. They went all over the map and fluctuated all the time. Kohlberg eventually said that girls make decisions differently than boys. He noted that relationships play a key role.

I think that's why Eliza came back to professor Higgins even though he didn't come close to deserving her affection. She loved him.

Oh that somehow my daughters could fall in love with good men! Sometimes I wish we practiced arranged marriages like they did in the old days.

When I was a young university student I tried to learn how to play Fur Elise. I stopped piano lessons (after about 6 of them) back when I was 10 or so, and now I was 18, so I couldn't learn it properly by site reading, I had to learn it slowly, and only one part. But I got it, kinda. I practiced where ever I could. J plays it a lot better than I ever did.

And how about those Nana birds in Toodooha? What do they look like I wonder? I wonder if A will post a picture of them?

And what are the top 10 cities in the world (population wise) I hope C posts them, in order of biggest to smallest.

I want to look through the microscope that E made!

And where is V's blog?

I once saw a movie called Pi about a guy who had inadvertently found the ultimate number. I can't remember how it related to Pi, but throughout the movie he cited the warning he heard as a child that he shouldn't look into the sun. He did, and it eventually lead him to this great number. It's a pretty cool movie, even if it is all in black and white.

The Urim and Thummim (or seer stones) were ancinetly given to specific prophets. The borther of Jared had one, Moroni had one (or two?) and so did Joseph Smith. We're promised one according to D&C 130:10 if we're righteous. The question I have is: when. Is it after this life? Could it be during this life.

I personally believe that the prophet has one, and maybe the entire first presidency and quorum of the twelve? After all they have the title of seers. I think Ammon implies in Mosiah 18:13 that the title of seer means that they have the stone.

It's an important thing.