skalenfehl

A funny email my dad sent me. I modified it a little to make it appropriate for this forum: You kids today think you got it hard?? When I was a kid, adults used to bore me to tears with their tedious diatribes about how hard things were when they were growing up; what with walking twenty-five miles to school every morning ... uphill BOTH ways .. yadda, yadda, yadda And I remember promising myself that when I grew up, there was no way I was going to lay a bunch of nonesense like that on kids about how hard I had it and how easy they've got it! But now that... I'm over the ripe old age of thirty, I can't help but look around and notice the youth of today. You've got it so easy! I mean, compared to my childhood, you live in a freakin' Utopia! And I hate to say it but you kids today you don't know how good you've got it! 1. When I was a kid we didn't have The Internet. If we wanted to know something, we had to go to the library and look it up ourselves, in the card catalog!! 2. There was no email! ! We had to actually write somebody a letter ... with a pen! Then you had to walk all the way across the street and put it in the mailbox and it would take like a week to get there! 3. There were no MP3's or Napsters! You wanted to steal music, you had to hitchhike to the dang record store and shoplift it yourself! Or you had to wait around all day to tape it off the radio and the DJ would usually talk over the beginning and screw it all up! 4. We didn't have fancy stuff like Call Waiting! If you were on the phone and somebody else called they got a busy signal, that's it! 5. And we didn't have fancy Caller ID Boxes either! When the phone rang, you had no idea who it was! It could be your school, your mom, your boss, your bookie, your drug dealer, a collections a gent, you just didn't know!!! You had to pick it up and take your chances, mister! 6. We didn't have any fancy Sony Playstation video games with high-resolution 3-D graphics! We had the Atari 2600! With games like "Space Invaders" and "asteroids" and the graphics were horrible! Your guy was a little square! You actually had to use your imagination! And there were no multiple levels or screens, it was just one screen forever! And you could never win. The game just kept getting harder and harder and faster and faster until you died! . Just like LIFE! 7. When you went to the movie theater there no such thing as stadium seating! All the seats were the same height! If a tall guy or some old broad with a hat sat in front of you and you couldn't see, you were just screwed! 8. Sure, we had cable television, but back then that was only like 15 channels and there was no onscreen menu! You had to use a little book called a TV Guide to find out what was on! And there was no Cartoon Network either! You could only get cartoons on Saturday Morning. Do you hear what I'm saying!?! We had to wait ALL WEEK for cartoons! 9. And we didn't have microwaves, if we wanted to heat something up, we had to use the stove or go build a fire .... imagine that! If we wanted popcorn, we had to use that stupid JiffyPop thing or a pan with HOT oil and Real popcorn kernels and shake it all over the stove forever like an idiot. 10. There was no texting!! When we were on the phone with our friends and our parents walked-in, we were stuck to the wall with a cord, a 7 foot cord that ran to the phone - not the phone base, the actual phone. We barely had enough length to sit on the floor and still be able to twirl the phone cord in our fingers. If you suddenly had to go to the bathroom - guess what we had to do.....hang up and talk to them later. That's exactly what I'm talking about! You kids today have got it too easy. You're spoiled . You guys wouldn't have lasted five minutes back in 1980! Regards, The over 30 Crowd

When I go home teaching I always make it a point to get to know the person or family better and learn about them, help where necessary if I can. You gotta be able to build a relationship and by that I mean a relationship of trust. Find common ground and build on that. Be tuned in to their potential needs. It all begins with service. Sometimes if you catch them outside pulling their weeds you can swing by and say hello and strike up a small conversation and just start helping. It's always a little awkward at first but that's called breaking the ice. After a few visits or a few months of being comfortable around each other and they know you genuinely care about them they will begin to open up. That's when the Spirit can really come in. Bringing cookies or a fresh baked loaf of bread is a nice treat too. Another thing that really works and I kid you not is to sincerely pray on your own for opportunities to build that relationship. Before you know it, you'll catch them at the store with more groceries than they can handle and might need an extra hand carrying them to the car. That was just an example, maybe not good but simple enough to illustrate my point. The Lord will create those opportunities if you seek them. You're doing His work and He will do what is needed for you to accomplish His work. I promise you.

I also remember not too long ago hearing at church that visual aids were discouraged. Irony is my wife and I are in a new ward (stake boundaries recently split) and she's planning on using some, but I'm happy that she's quite enthusiastic (or at least agreeable and not nervous) about preparing a message.

I used to know a guy named Nephi and another named Moroni. Nephi Angues is definitely unique. Don't think he'll share a classroom or go to the same school with another Nephi Angus.

I've been in your shoes (well in the presidency). The best you can do is your best and to set the example. My recommendation is to strengthen the strongest of your quorum until they are strong enough to strengthen others. I believe Christ told his apostles when they were converted to strengthen their brethren. Through your example and the example of those who catch the spirit, the momentum will begin to grow. The best way to strengthen those that need it is through the longsuffereing principle of service. Visit your elders and tend to their needs. When their cups are filled they will be strong enough to fill the cups of others. My two cents.

Let me answer the easy question first: I served in the Germany Munich Mission. I believe the entire German mission area has changed in boundaries and divisions and the old mission boundaries are completely different. Essentially my mission ranged from the Souther area from Munich up to Nurenburg. I was there when the wall fell. I have some interesting stories if anyone is curious. The other question. Construction is a tough racket and will spoil you or will chew you up and spit you out. Some questions for your husband to consider, especially in today's weak housing market/mortgage industry: 1. Does he have a ton of capital? 2. Can he afford to sit on land/property/unsold houses for any period of time while they're for sale? 3. How well does he understand the construction process? If he doesn't know his stuff, he can get taken by distributors, salesmen, etc and his budget can get eaten up very quickly on a project causing him to eat the investment, lose profit and pass on the cost to the consumer who is on the prowl for the best deal. 4. Does he have a year supply of Tums or Rolaids? Dealing with people and being on top of everything takes a serious understanding of the building process. Otherwise a subcontractor can have him convinced of something that isn't true costing more money. Then there are also acquiring accurate bids from contractors and multiple estimates from suppliers and distributors who pad up their prices with unnecessary or superfluous materials. 5. Does he know a good accountant? I have learned the hard way that a good/trustworthy accountant is worth his weight in gold. 6. Is he prepared for fierce competition? These are just a few of the things from the top of my head. I know how to build a house from the ground up and I know if someone, especially a sub is feeding me some lines and blowing smoke up my skirt, so to speak. If not I gotta do the research to make sure. The thing that has been difficult for me is the capital. Life has been extremely tough for me and I've had to deal with other things that have taken up precious time and energy from my company. Another important thing to consider is location, location, location. Where do you guys live? How's the market/industry in your area? Are there a LOT of unsold houses sitting? Where I live there are and many contractors are starving and going bankrupt and foreclosing on unsold homes. The bottom line? If your husband knows his stuff and the market is good in your area and he has the capital I say go for it. He'll need to guard and protect every penny earned. Profit is precious and building a company is like nurturing a child so that it grows. I know I've given you a lot to think about. This is what I have learned in my 17 years of construction. I just wish I was more careful about my money and had the foresight to predict the ups and downs of the economy. Let me know if I can help further.

Welcome!

Very well said, Misshalfway. That was wonderful.

Been listening to Metallica lately?

No worries, tree. Best wishes!

I heard this song about twenty or thirty years ago. Oddest little song. I've never heard it since.

While I try to live every day as if it were my last, I will never feel ready. I can always do more.

Aside from continuing to network, perhaps researching scriptures and church history for women who might have gone through some of those experiences might give you some inspiration.

I mentioned this to my wife, because she has had at least one miscarriage, tubal pregnancy and many complications in between before having the "big" surgery, I forget what it's called. I'll find out if she's interested in sharing her thoughts and feelings of the entire experience.

When I'm driving to work I see girls texting while they're steering. They rest their hands on the wheel so they can steer, text and sort of see what they're doing while trying to do both. Unbelievable! I agree with a-train about letting them pay for it themselves. As for me, a cell phone is a must in my line of work. It is my life line, but I hate texting. Sometimes it does have its uses/benefits, but I'd rather just call, say what I gotta say, hang up and move on. Sorry, a little off topic...

Welcome! I think you will find this a nice place to kick your feet up. Everyone is friendly regardless of faith and we have good moderators. I'm sure you'll enjoy it here.

Good point Adeipho, although I ended up being in construction because nothing in college simply appealed to me. I studied math, chemistry, law, and more thinking I might be a professor, a pharmacist, a lawyer or an engineer. I just couldn't do it despite my fascination in those fields. Not until I found construction did I discover my talent. I've always been good at working with my hands, building things and doing an exceptional job. My self esteem comes from being able to contribute to society, enjoying the process and making as much money to provide for my family as possible. The "work" came in when I went into business for myself to try and make top dollar, not for the sake of loving money, but for improving my ability to prosper and prepare for retirement. It's still a tremendous struggle, but if I was doing this as a pharmacist or something else, I might have been coming home a different and possibly disgruntled/bitter/resentful man. Who knows?

My wife works at Wal Mart so that we can have health insurance. It's not much, but better than what I could provide as a contractor.

Wow, so this site has been around since 2003 or longer?

The church's official view of other religions can be found among our Articles of Faith Article of Faith #11: "We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may." Every Sunday we attend Sacrament meeting, where we partake of bread and water (wine not used), which we do in the remembrance of Christ's ultimate sacrifice, as his disciples did at the last supper. Through this ordinance we renew the covenants that we made when we were baptized members of the church, namely to take upon ourselves the name of Christ, follow Him and obey his commandments. While we stumble in life and sin, if we repent sincerely and try our best, renewing those covenants enable us to continue in life so that the Holy Spirit accompanies us according to our faithfulness. That is what the sacrament means to us and how we partake of it. As mentioned above, the gold plates were taken back by Moroni, who was the last prophet in the Book of Mormon. As a resurrected person he visited with Joseph several times so that Joseph could be ready to take the plates, translate them, show them to the three witnesses and eight further witnesses so that they could testify to the world that they did see and hold the plates. Afterwards Moroni took them back unto the Lord. I'm not sure about the other questions, though.

Adeipho, ease up, bud.

Probably Mormon or LDS suits me fine. I've been asked "are your Mormon?" or "are you LDS?" Mormon is most common and perfectly acceptable.

You know, I've wondered on occasion what it would be like not to exist after this mortal life. The closest I've ever come to succeeding is when I've been under anesthesia when I went through surgery after a head on collision. When I was carted into the operating room I was conscious, coherent and "aware". When I awoke in the recovery room I was conscious, coherent and "aware", though a little groggy. But I have absolutely no recollection of the time in between. I didn't even dream. I wasn't aware that I existed. There was simply nothing. I couldn't even claim, 'I think therefore I am'. I guess from your point of view, this must be what it's like. I'll just never know the difference if I cease to exist after I die and it will never matter anyway. I can't help but feel that it is a total waste of my life and the world and all the goodness therein. That must be why there are those that live for the moment for tomorrow they will die.

Heather with these new reference sites being collected including those in your signature, may I recommend a sticky thread somewhere for posting such "online resources" for quick and easy access? Kinda like this one that has a sticky of the online scriptures. Just a thought. :)

I believe it to mean submissive as a child, who willingly and eagerly does what his or her father asks without question. I remember once on my mission eating at a member's home (he invited all the missionaries in the area). After lunch he was talking to his little girl, then about 5 years old. He asked her to bring something from the window sill. She hopped off his lap, walked directly over to the window and picked up the item without a second thought. She brought it back to him and I marveled at the moment. A loving father asked his child do something for him and she did so without question or hesitation. If we can be the same way with all the commandments instead of being like teenagers (I was one too!) who seem to have a will of their own and sometimes make all the wrong choices, how much happier would we be and blessed by our Father in Heaven?