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So last night I went to do my very first home teaching. It was great. We visited the 2 girls in my ward know the best. My companion did most of the teaching though he says next month I'm teaching something from General Conference. I really enjoyed it. Hopefully I can do a good job with this!

This was a very powerful Latter-Day Saint video to me. I want to share it with all who would watch it. The name of the video is: The Savior Wants to Forgive http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=3446112587001

Oh yes it was. It falls under "what others think about it." So there.

I second the idea of talking to a lawyer in your jurisdiction. First, because knowledge is power; and second, because you're going to need a court order to establish custody, parent time, child support, etc. sooner or later (and if you do try to push the adoption thing without his consent--that's possible, depending on the states involved; but it's a legal minefield and you shouldn't trust an agency to walk you through it).

I agree with this. Especially with the attitude, "I can be forgiven so let me do it anyway." One of the big questions is...Could you forgive yourself if you did this?

We had Stake Conference this weekend. One of the speakers challenged us to find out "Who" in our family was the first person to join the church. I was trying to figure out who that would have been on my Mothers side. I have been a life long member and on my Mothers side they have been members since the beginning of time. I could not figure out who this was. I asked my sister and she told me that I have the book in my home that would provide that answer. I have a hard back book titled The Lake family History. Started reading and found out it was a man named James Lake. Seems he was friends with Brigham Young when they lived in Canada. Was taught and baptized in Canada and he and his wife moved to Kirtland. He helped build the Temple. Received their endowments in the Nauvoo Temple before going west. Stayed in Council Bluffs for 2yrs and served as a Bishop there. When they went west they ended up settling around Ogden. Was later called as a Patriarch for the area. They were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple by Pres Heber C Kimball. Pretty awesome stuff. How about you....who was the first convert in your family ???

You know, whenever I hear someone going on about "organic" food, I always want to ask if there's any inorganic food.

This was read over the pulpit yesterday: Per our Family History Consultants, if you now are signed up at FamilySearch, and your email address is current, then you will receive the invitation. Husband and I have been trying to figure out how we can afford to subscribe to any of these - what we must do without. Then this announcement came. Great, last night we made sure our email address's are the correct on Family Search. Now to wait for our invitation. We also made sure we have the same email address's on our lds.org Ward/Branch Directory, just to be on the safe side.

I would suggest enlisting the parents: "Parents, due to the messes usually made during our activities, we ask that you not leave with your youth until we have finished cleaning up. Thank you." This way you have additional authority figures making sure the kids are doing what they're supposed to do in a timely manner. The parents want to go home, too!

When I was inactive (20+ years) I had the same HT/VTeachers. Husband and wife - for 20 years she sent me letters and he added the spiritual message (my then husband would beat me down if any religious people visited me). When I left him, my HT/VT helped me to move, they found me furniture, cleaned out their storage and gave me cookware, knick-knacks, etc. Then they started visiting me. I was ecstatic - finally I could have religious people IN MY HOME!! The only thing was, there was no more spiritual lessons. 5 years go by, I remarry, move. For 6 years husband and I never see out HT. I got visits regularly from my VT, but we never saw a HT. In early Nov 2010 we move back to my old town. We are assigned HT and I am assigned VT. My VT come regularly, but the HT seldom come to the house. They claim they visited - we talked with them in passing each Sunday - but they only visited the house once in 2.5 years. Our new HT is our Branch President and his oldest son. They visit regularly - we spend a good deal of time talking about our trials and tribulations. The good and happy events. Then the last 10 minutes is hurried spiritual lesson. His son told us how he does the lawn care for the sister who lives next door to them. Our yard is a mess - so we hired him to do our lawn. At 14, he is a darn good worker! When they come next month - I feel comfortable enough to ask for the spiritual lesson first - then we can go over the emotional highs and lows of Hubby and my life. My VT don't always give me a spiritual lesson - which is okay - once the time was spent listening and conversing about the emotional highs and lows of one of my VT. That was okay too - - - she is like a second mother to me, and I am always there for her to cry on my shoulder, to bounce worries off of. To hug her and to sometimes just help her to cry. AndyPG - Before you join your companion, kneel in prayer for Father to Walk With You. Your HTeachee's will definitely feel His Spirit that will surround you. You don't always have to give a spiritual lesson. But you do NEED to always have the Spirit walking with you. Oh, and my VT in the other state - she brought the conference issue with her and asked me to pick a talk - then we BOTH taught from it. I didn't want her to think I hadn't watched the conference (sometimes I didn't), so I made sure I did - and as I was watching I made note of the talk that hit me the hardest. THAT is the one WE taught to each other. You will do fine. Walk with His Spirit, pay attention to your teachee's, observe their surroundings and don't hesitate to act when the promptings and nudges come.

I cannot express what your inputs have meant to me - they teach me things I have not otherwise considered. Thank you for who you are. I am not sure that we can make a choice that does not bring about a change and at the same time I do not believe that without a change that we have really made a meaningful choice. Like your daughter - she may think about leaving at 21 but until she leaves she has not actually made the choice to leave. Saying you will do something or thinking you will do something is not the same as the choice to do that something. As to being alive in Christ or one with G-d: I wish I could tell you that I have experience and I know about such things. Though I have had some small insights I have always come to realize that I am yet a long way from my home of such things. This is why I have the handle “The Traveler”. It is because I am a stranger traveling in a strange place far from my home. Though from time to time I find some comfort but then only to realize this is not where I belong. If you or anyone has found our home – I am most interested.

A diplomat knows a woman's birthday but not her age. Since I'm not a woman, I guess it's ok you're not a diplomat

I am.

It sure makes ancestors seem more real and not just a name with born and died dates. I thought it was interesting in my family history to see place of burial as just "on the plains."

It makes you think .....I know I was curious and had to find out.

I thought I was the only Mormon in my whole family until I started doing serious genealogy work about 4 years ago. I made a mistake on something that I entered and this person, whom I never heard of sent me an email to tell me that who I had as my Great Great Grandmother was actually named Sue and not Elizabeth. Come to find out this person is an LDS relative of mine going back on my mother's side. I am not sure how far back my family has been involved...but, at least I know that there are a few of us converts. I was baptized in 1971 and my parents never mentioned anyone else in the family being LDS... so I just don't have a clue.

Wow I would have to do some research on that. I know my mom's side of the family goes back to the very early days of the church and that some of my ancestors came across the plains.

Just for clarification. the reference to garments is in the clothing ordinance, not the washing or anointing ordinance. It is instructive to remeber they are three seperate ordinances..

My one interest in the article would be the opportunity to say "See? Mormons aren't a bunch of fuddy duddies in such matters!" if the difference really is significant. Though I think the tendency towards large families is enough of a clue as it is...

First, hugs for you. This must be terrifying for you. Indeed, find yourself a good support network and counsel both religious and secular. And get that prenatal care! You have some big decisions facing you. My thoughts: Yep, take the abortion topic off the table. Don't even consider or the possibility of forgiveness.I, quite frankly, support states who support the rights of biological fathers. This is also your boyfriend's baby. He may not be marriage material for you, but that doesn't mean he doesn't deserve to be in his child's life. If you don't feel you should marry him, don't! But as soon as you can, bring up the pregnancy as well as your desire to break-up. The father should hae say.And, my goodness, take care of yourself. I can't stress the importance of a support network enough.

Woah, I thought this thread was really active because you guys were just discussing the article, hence why I didn't look into this thread at all. Had I known, I might have been able to be of some help here. I've just finished reading "A Perfect Brightness of Hope" by Phil Simkins. Perhaps some of you know it. It's one LDS members story about how he lost everything he cared about because of his drinking addiction. It, of course, also describes how he finally gets out of it almost completely. There were three very important things about dealing with addiction that I learned from this amazing story. 1. You must first admit that you are POWERLESS over your addictions. Some will know this as the first step of AA. 2. In order to truly fight this addiction, you must submit to God EVERY DAY. Every day, you pray to have the Lord help you overcome any temptations that you might run into. Every day, you renew your commitment to rely on the Lord. 3. No matter how much time has past, you must ALWAYS be vigilant. The day you stop relying on the Lord for any reason is the day that you become incredibly vulnerable. Your addiction can and will strike again, no matter HOW long it's been since you've last given in, no matter how much you've repented. BUT as long as you rely on the Lord, you can overcome it completely every day and find true happiness. Hopefully that will be of some help to you guys. Maybe not. In any case, feel free to ask me any question you guys would like, keeping in mind my current history.

The most important advice I can give you is to give yourself permission to love your baby. I used to work with teen parents and saw that many times in an unplanned pregnancy women would feel that if they expressed love for the baby before he/she was born that others would think she tried to get pregnant. Women with religious backgrounds had difficulty seeing that loving their baby didn't mean they were unrepentant for the sex outside of marriage. Fornication is a sin, but being pregnant is not sin. Your options are adoption or raising your child alone. Even if you don't marry, the baby should still have the father in his/her life. Children raised without a father have a greater risk of dropping out of school, being imprisoned, becoming teen parents, living in poverty, etc... It is hard work raising a child in typical circumstances and even more difficult as a single parent. Adoption can bless another couple, but you will deeply grieve the loss of your baby and sometimes adopted children (sometimes, not always) wonder if they were unlovable or if their mothers didn't love them enough to keep them. Please get counsel from a reputable counseling center. Some agencies that provide adoption tend to push adoption through emotionally coercive means. Try to find a pro-life agency that will walk you through the decision process in an unbiased way. http://pregnancydecisionline.org/ will refer you do a crisis pregnancy center. God does love you! Through the Bible we see that Christ had a very special love for women in difficult situations like this. May I encourage you to read through Mark and John? This will bring you a ton of peace,

Stop! You're making me blush! And with great power comes great.... AWESOMENESS!!!

Spirit Dragon - are you talking GMO or Hybrid? Hybrid seeds vs. GMO seeds 1/16/2013 The term “hybrid,” which you’ll often see in seed catalogs, refers to a plant variety developed through a specific, controlled cross of two parent plants. Usually, the parents are naturally compatible varieties within the same species. This hybridization, or the crossing of compatible varieties, happens naturally in the wild; plant breeders basically just steer the process to control the outcome. Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/hybrid-seeds-vs-gmos-zb0z1301zsor.aspx#ixzz300rVWOtZ Unlike hybrids, which are developed in the field using natural, low-tech methods, GM varieties are created in a lab using highly complex technology, such as gene splicing. These high-tech GM varieties can include genes from several species — a phenomenon that almost never occurs in nature. “With GM varieties, genes are transferred from one kingdom to another, such as bacteria to plants,” Navazio says. A corn variety developed by Monsanto, for instance, includes genetic material from the bacterium Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis), which kills European corn borers. So far, only commodity crops with GM traits — such as corn, soy, alfalfa and sugar beets — have been approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for use, primarily in processed foods and animal feeds. The exception is GM sweet corn, which is now available at your grocery store. (For more on foods in your grocery store that contain GM ingredients, see How to Avoid Genetically Modified Food.) The trouble is that nobody knows how these unnatural new organisms will behave over time. The seed companies that develop these varieties claim intellectual property rights so that only they can create and sell the variety. In some cases, companies — such as Monsanto — even refuse to allow scientists to obtain and study their GM seeds. For some crops, such as corn, wind can carry the pollen from GM varieties and contaminate non-GM varieties. And there is no mandatory labeling of GM content in seed, says Kristina Hubbard, advocacy and communications director for the Organic Seed Alliance. (To read about other issues surrounding GM crops, see The Threats From Genetically Modified Foods.) Though few vegetable seeds are GM now, they may be soon. One way to avoid GM seeds is to buy certified organic seed, which, according to the National Organic Program, must not be genetically modified. If a seed catalog doesn’t say a seed has been tested, ask the supplier. In a nutshell: Hybrids are the product of guided natural reproduction, while GMOs are the result of unnatural, high-tech methods used to create untested organisms that would never emerge in nature. — Vicki Mattern, Contributing Editor Above: Many processed foods contain GM ingredients, even though the long-term effects of GMOs are unknown. Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/hybrid-seeds-vs-gmos-zb0z1301zsor.aspx#ixzz300se9aU4 The above article is from 2013 - since then the gmo foods have been dumped onto the human population for human consumption. Additional if you really want to know what gmo's are and why they are so bad - go to the link below. This is a long read - scroll down and click on GMO Health Dangers -http://www.responsibletechnology.org/ You can also go to http://www.rodalenews.com/search/gmo and read through the 10+ pages of related articles. And one more link: http://geneticroulettemovie.com/ rent the movie - it is only $2.99 and it explains it all.

Sometimes I miss that laugh button

My intent is to discuss other's thoughts on GMO labeling. My thoughts being that if GMO labeling were to take place it should certainly only refer to those products made in a lab with novel gene sequencing. I could care less to find out that a specific breeding process brought me broccoli, cabbage, and kale from the same plant, or that by retaining only certain seeds from plants with certain properties that others of their kind don't exhibit (or at least not as strongly) we found a way to have wheat that withstands harsher climates with a shorter growing season. I do wonder if people should have a right to know if the food they are eating has been manipulated on the genetic level in a lab. Simply put if we were talking about humans I wouldn't be worried about selectively bread Aryans or interracial offspring, but I would like to know if I was going to eat my neighbour if they had fish genes spliced into their genetic code so they could breathe underwater. Or even more succinctly I believe the answer to your question is YES, I am only concerned with biotech-man-made-novel foods as a potential candidate for labeling. Good question though, just what GMO's would be labeled. Because if selectively bread crops were to require labeling it is true that there is no such thing as non-gmo and the label would be useless. Indeed, I have a bias toward assuming more spraying with round-up/(insert other) ready crops because I live in ag-country and that is what we get here. Plus it makes the most sense for biotech from a money perspective to sell products that are adapted to use chemicals that they also stand to profit from. Call me cynical.

For personal reasons and via personal study I would very much like to see GMO labeling. For the same reasons I advocate 100% truth in advertising and truthful labeling of all ingredients in a product, I likewise advocate GMO labeling. I prefer being given the Agency to choose for myself, and alow others the same privaledge, whether I eat such foods or not.

I just changed my mind. Ban GMOs.

I tend to agree. Monsanto is a vile organization and is better shut down for their business practices, but the GMO's themselves are a boon. I liked this article on it. If you're anti-GMO, you're objectively pro-starvation of the poor.

Everything will be ok, really. Heavenly Father is ready and willing to bless you and the little life you're growing. Be open to inspiration and take care of yourself! Being a single parent isn't the end of the world, and adoption isn't, either.

MOE may need to update his signature...

Maybe it's just me, but the OP seemed pretty clear about not getting an abortion. The extent of her mention of it was that it makes her sick, despite what she's been taught. I don't think she's entertaining the idea at all. To the OP: I'm going to take a different tactic here. (1) Are you taking a prenatal vitamin yet? The early weeks are the most important for getting adequate folic acid (as well as iron and other vitamins). (2) Have you seen a doctor yet? You should see one for the first time around 7-9 weeks at the latest. The doctor can also help counsel you (non-spiritually) on your options, and will likely (hopefully) respect your wish not to abort. (3) Educate yourself. My favorite pregnancy book is Your Pregnancy Week by Week, by Glade Curtis and Judith Schuler. (4) Make sure you have an adequate support network. Family, friends, church leaders. Don't try to isolate yourself and be alone in your trouble. Do your penance in other ways...you will need support. When you see your doctor, ask about local groups affiliated with the hospital.

Everyone has a bishop. Regardless of where your records are, you can talk to your local Bishop. Bishops have stewardships over their AREA... not just their ward. Find a Bishop near you. Don't worry if he'll be 'your' Bishop or not. Let him help you figure that out. You need someone to talk to, in person, and to discuss possible options with LDS Adoption Serivces. https://www.lds.org/maps/?lang=eng#ll= Here's another GREAT website I'd recommend reviewing: https://itsaboutlove.org/ial/ct/pregnant?lang=eng Apparently free pregnancy counseling is available. Just contact them.

I would stick with your original plan - break up and get back to church. I also suggest prayer and fasting that he'll have a change of heart and sign off on adoption.

From the point of view of someone in a marriage where we have infertility issues, I can't help but wonder why giving the child up for adoption is not on your potential list?

I'm so sorry to hear about this... especially for young children. As someone who is seeing this from a distance with a few other families that have had sudden losses, I hope I'll have some ideas for you. First, please don't "bury her" before she's gone. What I mean is to enjoy life as best as you can. Be happy while you are still together in this life. Take lots of pictures! Capture everything. Compile photo albums of memories of the past... and maybe do them with your children too? Consider it a legacy in photography. If you have a really nice photo of your wife, get it framed for each of your children to put into a corner of their room. This way they can "talk with mom" when they want. As I've been following the facebook posts of a young widow (who remarried 6 months after her 1st husband passed in a car accident)... I'm not sure how I feel about visiting graves after someone has deceased. If we truly believe as we believe... then we know they aren't there. They are in spirit paradise... free from the cancer and moving forward the Lord's work. So, unless the kids want to go, I'm not sure I would volunteer this as a place to visit regularly. Have a few FHE, in particular about the Plan of Salvation. While I'm not a big fan of it, I think that "Saturday's Warrior" might be a fun one - particularly when Pam (the oldest sister & twin) passes away and is reunited with her "sister in heaven waiting to be born". Lots of doctrinal inaccuracies... but still a good family film with a message that your KIDS may need.

Look, I KNOW my husband is as much to blame. But my anger is channeling towards HER because I am trying to save my marriage. I BEGGED and BEGGED to move. I BEGGED to change wards and he will not. So do I end my marriage or threaten to leave with the kids if he doesn't do one of these things for me (and probably have him resent ME for the rest of our lives) or I just take it and deal with it and PRAY that they will end up moving sometime in the near future. To forgive her doesn't mean I need to be nice to her and be her friend again. But you can research online and find that with an affair, comes TRAUMA...and it is double the trauma, not only from my husband, but the betrayal of a close friend and I am having trouble healing from this when there are triggers (reminders) around every corner and the biggest one of all is at church every Sunday ( a place where I should be able to not think about her and find peace). And so all I'm saying is that I am STRUGGLING with moving forward with the reminders there all the time.

I realize that this probably happens more than I can see...but those people are hard to find because most likely if the marriage is to work, they are staying under the radar, like I am. That's the thing. The first day I found out the other woman said she would move if needed. but then she talked to the bishop and he said what you said...not to make a big decision while the emotions are still high. So, it's been 8 months and I feel like everything has settled and I am STILL having a terrible time of it. So I have tried talking to my husband about moving, but it's a big fat NO, not even "let's think about it". So not only am I resentful towards my husband for doing what he did and making stay here with the reminders every day, but I am resentful towards the bishop for not just letting them go when they were going to!! We are doing counseling and we are working on our marriage and I think WE will be ok. But I, on the other hand am not. I refuse to think that I should have to live in this ward for the rest of my life, alongside the woman who seduced my husband and wanted to run away with him. Let her seek forgiveness and move on with her life...people make mistakes...that is fine. But should I have to have her in my face for the rest of my life? All I want is to have distance

If your husband says he forgives you and doesn't want to know the nitty-gritty, then respect his wishes and thank God you have a husband that didn't toss you to the curb, as some might have. (Not saying that he should have or that you deserved it, just that some men would have.) If he ever changes his mind, be prepared to tell him all, or at least all he wants to know. If you feel you just must confess, talk to your bishop. If you simply feel like you have to tell your husband, approach it like this: "Honey, you have told me you don't want to hear about details. Thank you for trusting me. But I am so ashamed that I want you to know what happened. I did not have sex with him or send him nude pictures or anything, but I am ashamed at what I did. I would feel better if you knew. I know it's nothing that awful, but it's awful for me, and I feel so ashamed and sorry. Can I tell you?" Then let him call the shots.

All sins need to be confessed. Some can be confessed solely to God. It doesn't sound like sexting someone else's husband is one of them.Go see your bishop. I'm betting he hasn't.

Right or Wrong Vs. Happiness I'm a wife of 20 years to a good man. Just recently, he has reconnected through FB, to his first love, whom he is now saying he has a spiritual connection and loves differently than from me. He has said nothing physical has happened. He says he is committed to me and it would be wrong for him to leave. My heart is broken, and I'm trying to heal. He says, they could never be together because of religious covenance and how wrong it would be. Apparently, she has always dwelled in his heart through his first marriage and now ours. She had broken his heart by declining a marriage with him so many years ago and then by sending letters how regretful she was to not of married him and the life they could of had, up until we met. In my mind stringing him along. Even now breaking his heart! I'm not sure he sees it this way. I forgive him for still loving her, it was his first love. They are never forgotten. I just don't understand how this connection could be soo powerful, especially with such religious convictions. And soo much heart ache. I keep thinking to let him go and be happy. All our hearts are hurting. His hurts for her, his conflict and confusion. Mine from the betrayal and deception. It's such a tragedy. I feel as though I'm watching a movie and we all are the stars of the show. We have decided to become active with church again and place it His hands. Do I give us a chance based on the new found commitment and promises to Him? Is there such thing as a soulmate in Heavenly Father's eyes?