As individuals, this is an admirable trait that I've observed many devout Mormons seeking to attain. However, like Colofornian observed, I would have expected an LDS hierarchy that professes to be led by Living Prophets, would likewise have received, announced, and canonized modern revelations on a more consistent basis. As an outsider, I observe a huge disconnect between their "living" and their "professing", and this is one of the reasons I disagree with those professions and doctrines they do make. Like the cop in the joke, I have reasons to believe the vehicle is stolen.
I like that definition--it's refreshing.
How would I sum up distinctions between how Mormons tend to live the faith they profess vs. Evangelicals/Protestants/born-agains...failings within each of our camps?
Mormons:
...tend to focus on living responsibly--the heart of stewardship; they focus on the myriad of precepts and ordinances woven from multiple sources; they focus on the policies, advice, counsel and dictums of general authorities; they focus on doctrines & covenants; they focus on principles; they focus on the 16 things you need to do to become eligible for exaltation [without ever putting it together as a single list]; they focus on serving via missionary ventures.
But servants don't always know the Father's business purposes, as John 15:15 indicates: "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business."
Mormons misstep here, making it their ultimate purpose in life--and thinking it's God's primary purpose for them--to one day approach Elohim and say, "I'm glad you've welcomed me to the neighborhood; you may refer to me as Lord XYZ...when's the next godhood council meeting?"
When godhood is riding upon performance that translates into worthiness, then even most good things done on behalf of others is ultimately self-centered & thereby self-defeating in the quest...Can you imagine if Jesus Christ did not share the Father's glory from eternity (John 17:5)? Were His goal merely manhood to godhood, then even the cross would have been a self-centered stairway to heaven, wood constructed more for His divinity than for our sins.
Evangelicals, born-agains & Protestants...
...tend to misstep on the previous verse--John 15:14--a verse many Mormons probably know by heart but one our encampment so easily forgets: "You are my friends if you do what I command."
We tend to engage in licentious behavior, so easily forgetting that obedience is a natural by-product of friends who know their father's business purposes.
We also tend to forget the warning Jesus gave us long ago: "You search the Scriptures for you think that in them, you have eternal life. But I tell you they testify to me." The book is not eternal life--His words are not--He, Himself is eternal life.
We are like Mary when we tell Jesus, "Yup, we'll rise again at the last day" (see John 11:24). Jesus gently rebukes us by reminding us that He, Himself is the resurrection and the life (v. 25)...a resurrection and new life we can encounter now! "He who believes in me will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
We think heaven is primarily a place when in actuality what is the place is the Person: "I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almight and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its Lamp." (Rev. 21:22-23).
We think of eternal life as being future tense when we die when the Bible describes it as present tense (John 3:36; John 5:24)...because Jesus defined eternal life as knowing Him (John 17:3), which is a now relationship.
Jesus is looking for new wineskins to pour Himself--the Holy Spirit--into...will our traditions & religious tenets stand in the way?