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Regarding your position on works.....how many are needed? Do you do just those in Matthew 25? How do you know you’ve done them correct?

It's not about a count. It's about a pattern. It's a witness to God of our obedience. The more we are obedient to God the closer we grow to God.

Until eventually,
Job 1
8 And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

Because eventually God will pronounce us perfect. And bless us in the next life to be a join-heir with Christ. To receive everything the Father has. Notice that once Job was pronounced perfect, the devil couldn't touch Job with out God's permission. Because Job was truly God's own at that point. And Job was blessed in this life. This is an eternal law.

Gen 22
18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

Same thing with Abraham. Abraham was blessed because the Lord said he "obeyed my voice". In other words, he was obedient.
Now obedience is important... however, it's only half the picture. The goal is to develop a Christ like character. Christ was perfectly obedient to the Father. We have to develop a Christ like character in order to live with the Father. If we don't, we can't.

Belief alone doesn't get you there. By serving others and through Church service we lose ourselves in the service of God. We start putting off the natural man and start taking on the divine attributes of God. When you serve people you can begin to love them.

Honestly, that's the goal of all the works. It's not a numbers game. It's not about obedience just the law either. It's about becoming like Christ so that we can actually live with God.

How do you know you're doing the right thing? Well if you're following a true prophet, you know like those John saw in the last days in Rev 11, then you're on the right path. If you don't know them, you're on the wrong path. Pretty simple.

I don't disagree with the overall thrust of your post. I agree that the true believer is doing the things of the Lord.

The clarification I'd make though is that our faith in the Lord is what saves us apart from the works. Paul noted this in Ephesians 2:8-10.

The faith saves us. The works are the evidence of the faith as James would note.

8For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Eph 2:8-10 NASB

Some seem to equate the works as what saves, or what keeps you saved, which is not the case. The works come about as a result of the faith.

The believer is secure because he/she is sealed by the Holy Spirit as noted in Ephesians 1:13-14; Ephesians 4:30; 2 Corinthians 1:22.

Faith leads to salvation and the works follow as an outflow of the faith. The writers of the NT clearly indicate it is about faith in Christ that leads to salvation. Then the works result.

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>> “It’s about becoming like Christ so that we can actually live with God.” <<

Well said.

Well if you're following a true prophet...

In conclusion let us summarize this grand key, these “Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet”, for our salvation depends on them.

1. The prophet is the only man who speaks for the Lord in everything.
2. The living prophet is more vital to us than the standard works.
3. The living prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet.
4. The prophet will never lead the church astray.
5. The prophet is not required to have any particular earthly training or credentials to speak on any subject or act on any matter at any time.
6. The prophet does not have to say “Thus Saith the Lord,” to give us scripture.
7. The prophet tells us what we need to know, not always what we want to know.
8. The prophet is not limited by men’s reasoning.
9. The prophet can receive revelation on any matter, temporal or spiritual.
10. The prophet may advise on civic matters.
11. The two groups who have the greatest difficulty in following the prophet are the proud who are learned and the proud who are rich.
12. The prophet will not necessarily be popular with the world or the worldly.
13. The prophet and his counselors make up the First Presidency—the highest quorum in the Church.
14. The prophet and the presidency—the living prophet and the First Presidency—follow them and be blessed—reject them and suffer.

I testify that these fourteen fundamentals in following the living prophet are true. If we want to know how well we stand with the Lord then let us ask ourselves how well we stand with His mortal captain—how close do our lives harmonize with the Lord’s anointed—the living Prophet—President of the Church, and with the Quorum of the First Presidency.

Ezra Taft Benson

(Address given Tuesday, February 26, 1980 at Brigham Young University) http://www.lds.org/liahona/1981/06/fourteen-fundamentals-in-following-the-prophet?lang=eng

We have to develop a Christ like character in order to live with the Father.

Oh?

Then WHY isn't this listed on the TR Question Form?

Temple Recommend Questions

1 Do you have faith in and a testimony of God the Eternal Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost?

2 Do you have a testimony of the Atonement of Christ and of His role as Savior and Redeemer?

3 Do you have a testimony of the restoration of the gospel in these the latter days?

4 Do you sustain the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the Prophet, Seer, and Revelator and as the only person on the earth who possesses and is authorized to exercise all priesthood keys? Do you sustain members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as prophets, seers, and revelators? Do you sustain the other General Authorities and local authorities of the Church?

5 Do you live the law of chastity?

6 Is there anything in your conduct relating to members of your family that is not in harmony with the teachings of the Church?

7 Do you support, affiliate with, or agree with any group or individual whose teachings or practices are contrary to or oppose those accepted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

8 Do you strive to keep the covenants you have made, to attend your sacrament and other meetings, and to keep your life in harmony with the laws and commandments of the gospel?

9 Are you honest in your dealings with your fellowmen?

10 Are you a full-tithe payer?

11 Do you keep the Word of Wisdom?

12 Do you have financial or other obligations to a former spouse or children? If yes, are you current in meeting those obligations?

13 If you have previously received your temple endowment:

Do you keep the covenants that you made in the temple?
Do you wear the garment both night and day as instructed in the endowment and in accordance with the covenant you made in the temple?

14 Have there been any sins or misdeeds in your life that should have been resolved with priesthood authorities but have not been?

15 Do you consider yourself worthy to enter the Lord's house and participate in temple ordinances?

We have to develop a Christ like character in order to live with the Father.

Oh?

Then WHY isn't this listed on the TR Question Form?

Temple Recommend Questions

1 Do you have faith in and a testimony of God the Eternal Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost?

2 Do you have a testimony of the Atonement of Christ and of His role as Savior and Redeemer?

3 Do you have a testimony of the restoration of the gospel in these the latter days?

4 Do you sustain the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the Prophet, Seer, and Revelator and as the only person on the earth who possesses and is authorized to exercise all priesthood keys? Do you sustain members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as prophets, seers, and revelators? Do you sustain the other General Authorities and local authorities of the Church?

5 Do you live the law of chastity?

6 Is there anything in your conduct relating to members of your family that is not in harmony with the teachings of the Church?

7 Do you support, affiliate with, or agree with any group or individual whose teachings or practices are contrary to or oppose those accepted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

8 Do you strive to keep the covenants you have made, to attend your sacrament and other meetings, and to keep your life in harmony with the laws and commandments of the gospel?

9 Are you honest in your dealings with your fellowmen?

10 Are you a full-tithe payer?

11 Do you keep the Word of Wisdom?

12 Do you have financial or other obligations to a former spouse or children? If yes, are you current in meeting those obligations?

13 If you have previously received your temple endowment:

Do you keep the covenants that you made in the temple?
Do you wear the garment both night and day as instructed in the endowment and in accordance with the covenant you made in the temple?

14 Have there been any sins or misdeeds in your life that should have been resolved with priesthood authorities but have not been?

15 Do you consider yourself worthy to enter the Lord's house and participate in temple ordinances?

HEAVEN-The Mormon church teaches there are three levels of heaven (three "degrees of glory"):

Celestial - for Mormons who have kept ALL of the laws and ordinances of their church. (Where the Father lives. Only about 15% of Mormons have a VALID TR card.)

Terrestrial - for religious people who aren't Mormons and for Mormons who have not met the requirements of the Church. (Where approximately 85% 0f Mormons will end up)

Telestial - where unbelievers go

The Doctrine and Covenants

Section 76

92 And thus we saw the glory of the celestial, which excels in all things—where God, even the Father, reigns upon his throne forever and ever;
93 Before whose throne all things bow in humble reverence, and give him glory forever and ever.
94 They who dwell in his presence are the church of the Firstborn; and they see as they are seen, and know as they are known, having received of his fulness and of his grace;
95 And he makes them equal in power, and in might, and in dominion.

Those who inherit terrestrial glory will “receive of the presence of the Son, but not of the fulness of the Father. https://www.lds.org/topics/kingdoms-of-glory?lang=eng (click view more)