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According to Elder Jeffry R. Holand of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, in a Conference talk that he spoke in October 2013, he has suffered from a mental illness. "Like a Broken Vessel" (October 2013) https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/like-a-broken-vessel?lang=eng&media=video#watch=video According to Elder Holland, the latter-day prophet George Albert Smith was a kind and gentle man, yet he had a recurring mental illness as well. Also according to Elder Holland, even the prophet Joseph Smith, Jr. may have sufferened from the metal illness that is now called "Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)". In Joseph Smiths own words he described his mood as going into the "abyss". I accept Elder Holland's words as being true, as I accept him as a prophet, seer, and revelator that all of the members of the First Presidency are and that all of the members of the Quorum of the Twelve are. I respect Elder Holland for being open about his mental illness and for asking us all to show compassion for those who have a health problem as serious as mental illness is. I have a mental illness myself. A lot of people do. I believe that attitudes about mental illness would change if more people were open about their own mental illnesses as Elder Holland was in his conference talk. I have more faith in God and in the LDS Church after hearing Elder Holland's talk. I have more faith that I will be permanently healed in heaven and will be judged by an all-knowing God who can take everything into account.

May I also add, that your comments fail to consider a large portion of people who have experienced abuse, especially sexual abuse as children. Abuse changes the sexual experience in ways, unless you have worked with abuse victims, in ways you could begin to understand. I have never heard of, studied or worked with clients who in these cases just "figured it out". In fact, in these situations, its often the husband I end up having to work with in depth because he has this idea that if he just tries hard enough, has enough faith they will just figure it out. That then create a lot of other problems. Additionally, Women who biologically have issues with orgasms or generally feeling little or no pleasure during intimacy which is very common. Over 40% of women have NEVER orgasm! Also men although less frequently, who have issues biologically too. Its comments like yours that over simplify the issue and unintentionally communicate the wrong messaged.

FolkProphet is Church. NeuroTypical is Loudmouth. DHK is Skippy. And me? I'm Batman.

Good Afternoon LiterateParakeet. I hope you've been well! =) There is a scripture that I have found meaningful and helpful to me as a survivor of physical and sexual abuse. It is found in the Jacob 5 from the Book of Mormon. While working in the vineyard (the world) the servant thought to counsel the Master of the Vineyard (Jesus Christ). While those who struggle with mental illness and emotional health might feel at times that their lot in life has been unfair, God knew the ground in which he planted all of His children. But, look how God said that He has continually nourished the plant that was planted in the poor and even the poorest spot. God has not and will not leave us alone in our struggles. I guess my point in all of this is that despite our individual "little hells" we can be fruitful and grow. In many cases it is precisely the fact that we were planted in the poorest spot that has allowed us to blossom and grow so that we bring forth much fruit. We can have joy in our suffering. God has been and is there. He has always been there and He is not ignorant of the suffering that we suffer. Yet, He asks us to live like the Son lived who did all that was asked of Him even in the midst of the worse suffering of all. The Son has descended all things so that we can overcome all things. EDIT: I just wanted to add that further in to the chapter of Jacob 5 there is this observation... Being planted in the good spot of ground doesn't guarantee that we will bring forth much fruit, even though God nourishes all the same as He does others. -Finrock

I was born in 1952 - in a Quonset Hut *hospital*. Until I was a junior in High School, we only took a bath once a week. Saturday evening right after dinner was the start of the baths. We washed our hair once a week - in the kitchen sink before we went to take our baths. When I was a junior, I started washing my hair every third day, and I took a bath every other day. I didn't fill the tub up all the way either. The water was to only be deep enough to come to my wrist when I put my hand in, fingers touching the bottom of the tub. We washed our hair with Breck Shampoo, and did a second rinse with Rinse Away or I preferred vinegar in water. My hair was thick and to my waist. Getting all of the shampoo out was important. We didn't have a hair dryer, so I sat on the floor in front of the natural gas furnace so that I could brush my hair while it was running. Then I put my hair up in curlers I made from small frozen juice cans. Dad helped me poke holes in them, so there would be air circulation. Every morning after I ate breakfast and before I walked to school, I sat cross legged on the dining room table so I was up high enough for Dad to braid my hair. Yep, I slept in those huge *curlers* all night, then he braided my hair. Did a braid off to one side, then wound it in a figure 8 at the back of my head. Held it in place with a huge leather 'saddle' over a chignon. When I had headaches I didn't bother with the curlers, Mom would then braid my hair and weave and wrap it around my head like a proper Norwegian peasant girl. Then cover the lower portion with a chignon. We also wore our skirts to just below the knee cap. The fashion trend during the last two years of high school was for shorter hems. By the time I graduated, the hems were halfway between the tops of our knees and 'Possible'. Not at all comfortable for me. Too much skin exposed to the wind and rain. In my 20's I took to wearing pantyhose. Thought I would like them because there was no garter strap getting caught on chairs and snapping me when I stood up. Wore them for years before I finally grew to detest them. Went back to *Real Nylons* held up with garters. Learned that if I wore Pettipants (http://morningsprinklesandeveninggunfire.wordpress.com/2013/09/22/ms-slips/ ) instead of slips that ending the 'snapping'.

but it can be taken as insulting to just tell someone to get over it and go to church (I'll use that as an example) when they have anxiety and social problems. It is the wrong way to approach someone like that and comes off as uncaring, what works for you doesn't work for me.

Last night's episode reminded me of you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r--XaPsLHqU

Haha! We laughed pretty hard at that. I'm now calling Dravin "Kardashian."

It is NOT selfish to desire wholeness in sexual experience, absolutely not. You know, I use to work with a bishop who use to say "in principle" all the time. In principle, if he had enough faith, if he was righteous enough, if he loved Father enough, IF HE WAS MORE SELFLESS! he could be happy, serve the word more, meet his members needs more, be happy with his wife. The type of language you use is one that I have to constantly break people of. Its self defeating, self betrayal and a type of spiritual manipulation. A question I often ask is, well then how selfless do you need to be to be happy? (I want to be clear, I am not accusing you of any of these things.) We are talking about being whole, not craving more or being selfish! Big difference. "In principle" we could be happy without legs, arms, without hearing, without voice, without sight. Is it "selfish" to desire to be whole again? NO. Its silly to suggest having a car or house is like being sexually whole or rather, whole as a person. I have heard multiple times from husbands, its not a big deal, we can be happy. We have the gospel and have faith. Believe me, Hollywood doesn't need to misguide or inform women to know they are not whole. "My comments are meaningless." Thats interesting. "and when I do speak my opinion on a public forum there are those like you to correct me." Yah, because, unfortunately, their are those who don't perceive your comments as meaningless.

Yeah, I don't doubt for a minute that its hard, but you know what? most worthwhile things are. Cravings whether its porn, cigs, booze, etc hit hard for a while, then with time they get to be less and less. I gave up smoking long before joining the Church, man that was rough, but I've been smoke free for 27 years now and let me tell you, I have not had a craving for a long time (at least 25 years) and in fact I can't stand to be near a smoker. Cravings are strong for a few months, may be even a year but then come further and further in between. It'll eventually be the same with your porn issue, just hold to it. As my tagline says: Worship, without sacrifice, is just words. We all have our favorite sins, but we can rise above them, its not always easy but its worth it. I wish you well.

Maybe I am misunderstanding your usage of the word "sacred". But the church doesn't teach "proper sexuality" because its between the couple and Father. It may be different for different couples. Not because its sacred, we teach and talk of sacred things reverently and respectfully in the church frequently. Therefore I agree with your last sentence above. This is what I am concerned with. Its common in the church to treat something so "sacred" its secret. With your analogy, there is much more we can say about the temple then we ever do. For this fear of saying something wrong or not treating it sacredly. NO sex discussion should not stay in the bedroom. No if what you are referring to is issue and details specific to the relationship, absolutely. They should stay between husband, wife and qualified therapist. However, in general its important to have a reverent, but open dialog with your children and others about intimacy. Again, I am not suggesting sharing details about your couples relation but intimacy in general.

My mom had engagement parties for us kids (maybe just the daughters - ettiquette?) and it wasn't at all about getting gifts. It's a chance for the families to meet. My mom kept it small and simple but meaningful. As far as giving a reason for the decline - it depends on the situation/person for me.

I suspect a limited flood. I don\'t know to what extent the flood covered earth and for how long, but apparently it was significant enough that survivors believed it to cover EVERYTHING, as per certain records of old times. So, no, I don\'t believe the entire planet was covered in water and one arc alone (with x people, animals, plants maybe) replenished the earth to what it is now.

Absolutely true, but only a part of the problem. Sure, people lived without Dr. for many years, their life expectancy was also much lower. Sure people lived without sexual education for many years, but there was also a sexual repression, shaming and a plethora of misconceptions. Beliefs that some sexual activity resulted in insanity, and so forth. Not sure what that means? So education isn't needed? "...in principle." Well, that can very well be said with anything, when you qualify it with "in principle." Oh, the problems were around long before movies and television, this is a gross over simplification. But I agree, its not helped. However, I will tell you I have seen repeatedly in my practice and association families/couples, good, faithful members who do not indulged in the media and would for all intense and purposes have a very healthy relationship. Have very unhealthy and poor sexually lives. This is very common. Perception IS reality. Period. I don't know what this means.... Telling someone or a group of people, generally is not the "healthy" approach. Its what most members and to a degree the "church" did between 1963- about 1990 or so. You can go back to many of the leaderships writings in the late 60's and 70's dealing with the sexual revolution and all topics related to it. I by no means criticize the leaderships attempt to educate and compare the upsurge of promiscuity. However, it was a very less effective approach. As a result, when we focus on how others are doing it wrong we inadvertently dilute and confuse the message that its bad. As was pointed out in another related post. Although, the "church" never taught sex is bad its members by focusing on preventing the promiscuity inadvertently communicated a message that sex is bad, should only be done for procreation and most importantly ignored the idea that intimacy is a beautiful and wonderful experience. Focusing on the bad does not teach the good. It only gives more attention to the bad. I assure you, I think it would surprise you. The majority of unhealthy ideas about sex come from messages communicated in the family and at church. NOT Hollywood.

We've covered this topic before, but I'll respond as I always do. I try to be tactful in my wording while making my point. I would also agree with, Classylady, that it's not worth battling back and forth with someone that must have the last word in. I could name some threads now where I've left the discussion hanging because I didn't feel it necessary to squeeze in the last word. While this decision can be frustrating at times, because no resolve has been met, I can't help but assume that "last word in" from the other person was at least satisfying to them. I understand the language barrier thing but not personally, as to the extent that Anatess says she experiences. English is my first language, I speak and read French very well, and I can muddle my way through Tagalog and Spanish. I can't say that I've noticed any major cultural differences when participating in my Frenglish forum. Sure, there are some blunt posters, but overall I haven't experienced cultural clashing. Now... off the internet I head butt my husband's side of the family a lot, they're native Netherlanders and just tend to be outspoken people, and don't flinch with their tactless approach. I've learned that this is a cultural difference. They're not intending to be rude, but in my cultural, their "tone" can certainly come across as such or even arrogant. I have no idea how I would come across if I attempted typing in Dutch in a Dutch forum to Dutch people. Possibly, I'd come across as the rude and arrogant one? Hard to say.

In many ways I think you are right -- in the same sense that we might say that \"most\" people don\'t need to use insulin to manage blood sugar or \"most\" people don\'t need anti-depressants/therapy to be reasonably happy. I saw a statement by Michelle Weiner-Davis suggesting that only about 1/3 of couple really struggle with \"desire discrepancy\". Other studies suggest only 15-20% of marriages are clinically sexless (10 or fewer sexual encounters per year). It seems to me that you are correct in that a majority of couples probably don\'t need a lot of \"educational material\" to come together and figure out what a healthy and satisfying sexual relationship looks like. I also agree that Hollywood (and other media: porn/romance novels/etc.) has contributed a lot of incorrect teachings around sex and relationships. On the flip side of that, though, is how the way we tend to teach about sex and relationships in the Church/religious people in general also contribute to sexual dysfunctions (what Laura Brotherson has called \"good girl syndrome\"). Ideas like \"sex is a necessary evil to be minimized\" or \"true love does not have a sexual component to it\" or \"sex is only for procreation\" show up in many different within our Church/religious culture. Some of us need real help to understand the \"truth\" that seems to be somewhere between what Hollywood seems to teach and what the Church often seems to teach.

When a quite smart, highly intellectual person resorts to foul language to convey emotion or weight, s/he has lost my respect and attention pretty much forever. Both of my Mom's brothers were Marines. In their own homes they had incredibly foul mouths. One was a cop, the other a long haul truck driver. In our non-LDS home foul language was NOT allowed. Nor was it allowed around myself and my siblings. Disrespectful talk/comments were not allowed either. example: Uncle Younger commenting about his very pregnant, very miserably uncomfortable wife: "If she doesn't drop that kid soon - I am moving out, can't take any more of her tossing, turning, and pacing through out the house." Dad corrected him. Cows drop calves. Women give birth. Uncle was removed from our house and not allowed back until he apologized to all of us. Mom, us kids, his own mother (who lived with us) AND his wife. I owned a tavern - my customers were loggers, truck drivers, fishermen, motorcycle riders ( Gypsy Jokers, etc.) Foul language was not tolerated in the tavern either. I didn't like it and the Oregon Liquor Control Commission Rules and Regulations stated that the bartender/ bar owner must maintain control - No foul language. No lewd behavior. Etc. The manual was nearly 2 inches thick. Cutting the offender(s) off and turning them out of the bar for the night, worked. After just once, they kept a clean mouth. Foul language just is not acceptable or appropriate at any time. It chases the Holy Spirit away. https://www.lds.org/youth/for-the-strength-of-youth/language?lang=eng Ephesians 4: 29 Let no corrupt acommunication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Do not use profane, vulgar, or crude language or gestures, and do not tell jokes or stories about immoral actions. These are offensive to God and to others. A highly intellectual person will use words that convey emotion without lowering her/him self to base language. As will a moderately intellectual person. The loggers, truck drivers and fishermen were mostly high school drop outs - but in my bar they refrained from cursing, cussing, & foul language.

I don't understand the reasoning behind having Engagement parties. Is it to get gifts?? If I politely declined an invitation, in writing, to anything (such as a RSVP note) - and then was asked why by the person inviting me, I think that I would say that Husband and I will be busy that day/ evening. If the person continued to pursue the questioning, again: We have committed to another invitation. If the person is so tactless as to ask a third time, then my response would be: Enough - asking once was rude of you, continuing to ask is beyond bad manners.

My only commitment for scripture reading is to read at least something every day, even if it's just one verse. To some of you this may seem so insignificant. But, it is a commitment, and I can say I have read something every day in the scriptures without fail for I don't know how many years now. For me, a commitment is more than just a goal. It is an absolute of what I will do. I can do a minimum of one verse a day. Now, it is rare that I only read one verse. But, there are times when I've been sick, or family crises that have happened. I can still do my one verse. And, because I haven't broken that commitment, I don't feel negative about myself, for I do feel awful if I ever break a commitment. And once broken, the next day comes, and it's too easy to say, well another won't hurt, I'll read later. Eventually, that can turn into weeks, months, or even years. I will stick with my minimum commitment, because I know it is one I will and can keep.

One of the toughest parts of the repentance process is having to show that true repentance has taken place. It is difficult to want to go to the temple, or take the sacrament, etc, and not be able to because a sufficient period of time has not passed to show that a change of heart has occurred. In my opinion if tithing is not paid, simply paying the "owed" or "back" tithing does not constitute repentance. I feel this way because tithing is not a debt or a bill that we can miss a few months then make up for it by paying a lump sum. Tithing is a demonstration of humility and faith and if we slip up, we need time to show the Lord that we have truly changed. This does not only apply to tithing, but virtually all other commandments. The advise that I give you is to humbly listen to the counsel of your Bishop and hang in there. The time will pass really fast. You can do it.

Well its even worse than by law. It is a mathematical fact that in order for our modern economy to run, it must take on more debt. If the all debt were eliminated, pretty much all of our currency would vanish. The actual #s that one sees in their bank account really isn't there because it's been loaned out. It's a shell game/ponzi scheme. What most people don't realize is that paying off the national debt or even not going further into debt is impossible. So, I'm not sure the ability to pay the interest with revenue is the catalyst. In effect we are already doing that. 4 Trillon budget (of which say 500B is interest) and 1 Trillion is financed, how much different is that from 4T budget and 1.5T financed? Now if the budget was 4T and we needed to finance 4T, that could still work for a while, until interest rates rose and or the debt-to-GDP ended way up there. Right now and for the last 40+ years the US has a very unique position as being the issuer of the world's reserve currency and this a reason why the US will always have a trade deficit. We export dollars to the world and they give us stuff, they take those dollars and use them as their backing for their currency. Because of that reason, the US can abuse their currency more-so than any other country can and get away with it longer. Even though the Fed has pumped trillions to the banking system, other countries are stuck with an inflating monetary base until something better comes along. Just like SS is a ponzi scheme that works as long as there are more workers paying in than people taking out (with a built-in assumption that the working population will always be larger than the retiring population), the national debt is based on the assumption that future earnings of increased GDP will pay for the larger current debt. Both work as long as the ratios between the two don't get too out of whack. The main trigger is debt-to-GDP ratio. At some point your economy becomes too over leveraged compared to the amount that it is producing and the debt it is taking on. At that point, there are really only a couple of options 1) Hard default on the debt and start over. 2) Soft default by inflating away-which is what we do by taking on more debt. 3) Pay it off and naturally deflate. What is interesting recently is the Feds QE and buying of Mortgage Backed Securities where they are basically trying to lower the leverages by directly buying loans and supplying banks with currency. So it's a mix of hard default and soft default. The banks were overleveraged on loans and couldn't pay them back so the Fed bought those loans and supplied them with cash even though the loans were worthless. I saw direct affect of this in 2010 when I was purchasing a house. I can't tell you the number of records I looked at that had the foreclosure for say 100k to bank A, the bank sold the house to bank B for 100k and then to Fannie and Freddie for 100k, even though the note was worth 50k. The most insidious part of the whole process is that this is what causes the rich to get richer and the poor to get poorer, except no one knows it. The uber rich are rich b/c they are the most connected to the banking industry and the Fed. It ends whenever the US economy becomes too overleveraged, and other countries refuse to use the dollar standard, maybe 5 years, maybe 50 years. When that happens, 2 things will most likely occur, we'll get a massive inflation shock followed by a massive deflation shock and possibly a new currency. What will happen then, pain and a whole lot of it-maybe even a revolution. One of the better videos on the this subject:

Uplifting and edifying

mine will be burned along with me lol

I will track that down.

Did I get the letter right ??

Tithing is about doing it. It's not about doing it on a schedule or a routine. If it was, then it would be more regulated. But we are given the freedom to pay when and how we want. Paying via automatic withdrawal is still paying, regardless of whether one is in the habit of handing the bishop an envelope or not. Paying four months at once is still paying four months' worth. Paying six month's worth over several weeks or months is the same as paying six months' worth in one lump sum. The intricacies of paying are not so important as the act of actually doing it, whenever and however that gets done.

I like Bart Simpson's, "I can't promise I'll try. But I'll try to try."

My favorite response to an invitation is from Phoebe on Friends, "I wish I could, but I don't want to."

I have kept a journal every day now for the past few years. I started after my EQ president gave a lesson in it and I felt inspired to do so. I write in Word and safe the file to a cloud drive (dropbox or onedrive) so I have it backed up safely and accessible via any computer anywhere with internet. I type so much better and faster than I write that I would have a very difficult time writing by hand.

It can be premature to bring in the Stake President if you have not sat down with the Bishop and said "we don't understand why our four months of tithing are only being considered one payment simply because we forgot to bring the envelopes to church with us." and listend to what he said and the instructions and teaching he is trying to get accross. Asking such a question of the bishop is exactly the kind of thing a person should do when they don't understand, before going to the Stake President Once you have that answer then you are in a better position to determine if a visit to the Stake President might be helpful.

In the eternal scheme of things it would not have made a difference. It would have been slightly more hassle to come in and be sealed. But being born in the covenant has no eternal value over being sealed. It's about perspective. Yes, timing can matter in some ways. But in the eternal perspective, more often then not, it will not, particularly if the timing is not a procrastination. We have been carefully warned to not procrastinate the day of our repentance. Paying faithful tithing for 6 months to go to the temple is clearly not procrastinating the day of their repentance. And if the worse should happen, and somehow they died before being able to go to the temple, they would have the work done for them, they would accept it, and nothing would be held against them for following their bishop's counsel.

Again, I disagree and there's more than just 'Hollywood' that is a problem but I don't want to risk breaking the rules of the forum so will just hope that you can see that others' experience is not easy or "happy and healthy" (for various reasons).

EarlJibbs - I disagree that you just need to "get used to it again". Why not be the change for good? Also, I remember hearing Maya Angelou say that she doesn't allow certain language in her home because it affects the atmosphere, leaves a nasty residue so to speak (something to that affect) so why not at least attempt what Anatess mentioned? It never hurts to try and for all you know others may feel the same but just aren't speaking up.

Though you have some valid points, I don't totally agree with "for thousands and thousands of years people lived happy, productive lives without ever having access to doctor (or church) approved sexual education materials. They pretty much just figured it out as they went". That's quite an assumption. Unless you've been around that long and in everyone's bedroom, you have no way of knowing that. For all you know, they would have appreciated a decent book to refer to for a bit of info.

I have an "invisible" disease. Mitochondrial disease is another invisible disease. What that means is some doctors believe and some don't. Those who don't believe diagnose a psych disorder and then all symptoms are ignored. I was lucky. I had good doctors who understood a patient could be in pain without a visible cause. I have been active in online chronic pain communities for over 15 years. I found the communities while looking for anything and everything I could about what I'm dealing with. I have talked to scores of men and women who suffer for years with no relief because their doctor/s has decided he doesn't believe them. Needless suffering. Twenty years ago JACHO (accreditation for hospitals) came out with new rules regarding the treatment of pain. Attitudes started to change. Pain is now considered a separate illness when it becomes chronic, but some doctors still don't believe. If they can't see it, if they can't run a test, if they can't change it, then of course its all in the patient's head. The fact that Justina's condition has deteriorated so significantly since being in State custody says a lot about the naysaying doctors and hospital. Its wrong to take a sick child from their parents. Even if its the parents making the child sick. I say that because the correct course of treatment is Education. IF there really is neglect or abuse time will show it. Medical abuse is rare because doctors usually don't buy into the diagnoses used to abuse. In Justina's case the State and Hospital have been the abusers. P.S. what bothers me most about psychiatric care is how much its grown in the last 30 years. We now have ICD-9 codes for behaviors that aren't really a psychiatric illness. Creating the ICD-9 codes is how psychiatrist and psychologists get paid when they can't find anything to get paid for. This growth in psychiatric disorders (some of which aren't disorders) is a result of greed. I realize that some of the "progress" is psychiatric care was needed, but in my opinion, we've swung too far the other way.

Communication is interesting to me. I make my living as a consulting engineer in the field of robotics and automation. I am never contacted when a company is happy and successful in moving their products within their facilities. What is interesting is that many times companies are not ready to solve their problems – I think people are like that. One of my best customers after my first week with them had me escorted from their facilities by security. 6 months later they wanted me back. But by then their problems were so bad that they were losing over 2 million dollars a day. What I have discovered is that civility is more a reflection of internal turmoil and instability than it is external injustice (of course there are always exceptions) and many of us with difficult anger issues will not change our failing methods, if ever, until things get so bad that are no other possibilities. Anger is often an emotion that results when there is frustration and a fear of being recognized for failure. PC for example is very comfortable with his religious understanding and so he has no fear about his religion failing to achieve for him what he desires of it. Most of us however, are not as stable in knowing what we really believe and desire instead to be recognized and validated – otherwise there is no metric of intelligent progress. Perhaps the most important aspect of open discussion that I have realized is that I do not learn much in discussing things with those with whom I agree. I seem to learn much more from those that disagree with me. Except those that will stand in the direct light of the noon day sun and declare it night. For such I am convinced that any intelligent conversation is such a threat to everything they believe that anger, name calling and all other such things are absolute necessities to in order to think themselves sane and thus rhetorical logic is impossible.

I have become braver at doing this. The grocery clerk asked what I was going to do over the weekend, now that the 20' of snow has melted and the skies are blue again. I told her I was Mormon and this weekend was Coference, when we get to listen to the Church leaders, etc. It must have sounded good, because instead of just nodding, she said, "That sounds like fun." Well, yeah. : ) Then I told her about the women's meeting. I guess not hiding what we're doing, by saying up front, 'I'm going to a Relief Society activity," etc., would be 'Mormon words.' We also had a discussion in class about an activity that takes place in libraries, I forget what it's called, but they take old books that are going to be tossed anyway and black out words on a page and make a poem out of what's left. Interesting stuff. Apparently some people who see this get all bent out of shape because they are marking up books. I mentioned that I almost fainted when the missionaries opened their BOMs and there was highlighting all over. : ) I sent out a picture of a highlighted BOM, which also took the students aback. It's a librarian thing. You don't want to mark up a book, but then, it's just a book, it's a thing. Do what you want with it and don't get caught up in materialism (man, that hippie stuff dies hard, doesn't it?). Anyway, I've used LDS examples in class before, but have only 'come out' to a few people. These days, though, I'm feeling more OK about saying, "I'm Mormon..." to students. Hey, I've found some less active LDS amongst my students that way, as welll as peoplel who have questions. I just always feel I'm walking a line because it's a state school and I don't want people feeling I'm foisting religion on them.

Simply awesome!

Prophesy to the world specific to the next 6 months.

It's always great.

Sometime attending church is not about us or what we need. I personally know a young lady that has been through a great deal of difficulty, including giving birth out of wedlock. For her going to church is difficult because she feels out of place and not as worthy because of her past. Her struggles have tenderly touched me on many occasions and I cannot imagine the lost joy I would miss of not sharing her sweet spirit. I also am aware of at least 3 other young ladies that have become pregnant without a husband that this wonderful lady has been able to reach because of her experience in ways no one else could – She has made an incredible difference. We all have unique experience and if and when we allow ourselves to be an instrument in G-d’s hands can do things that no one else can. My plea is to all that may wonder concerning their contribution – You are needed and because of your unique perspective – no one else can bring what you offer. The Traveler