Jenamarie

We got our church magazines today (Ensign and Friend) and both mentioned the new Behold Your Little Ones lesson manual designed especially for Nursery aged children! I am SO going to buy one of these to use for FHE! The current FHE manual is so difficult to adapt to nursery aged kids. Under "adaptations for younger children" it usually has "Have an older sibling [do such and such with younger child]" Doesn't really work too well when the young child IS the older sibling. Just thought I'd pass along the word! You can order it from lds.org for $5.50!

I think I want to visit Moksha's ward.

Well that article was a whole lotta nothin'. How many times did they had to repeat it was a "spiritual crisis" that lead him out of Mormonism? At least he still seems respectful of the church, even if he's left it. No cries of "deception!" or anything.

You know, for someone who claims to be LDS, your comments about the church thus far on these boards have been remarkably derogatory. Might I ask why?

Ahhhh, it's so refreshing to hear that!

"What do you mean they've reinstated polygamy??"

I just looked up that quote about his father online, and he doesn't say the full church name. Here's that paragraph: and the link to that chapter online: LDS.org - Melchizedek Priesthood Chapter Detail - Baptism and the Gift of the Holy Ghost

I just lost my appetite for this chocolate. And that's saying a lot.

YES!! I'm the 4th Sunday RS teacher (so I teach from the Ensign) but I see a HUGE difference in how well my lessons go depending on how many in the class read the article (and we post it in the bullitain for two weeks prior to the lesson, plus it's printed on a little lesson schedual that the Presidency glued inside the cover of every manual they hand out!) If nobody read it the lesson ends up being boring and not filling up the time. If people DID read it then I have a hard time cramming everything into the time I have, and the Spirit has a much stronger presense in the room.

Last month's issue of the Friend has the updated version. I think Monson is probably the last Prophet they're going to be able to squeeze into it.

When we're Sealed, we're Sealed into the family of Christ. During the Millenium Temple work will be done so that everyone is Sealed, all the way back to Adam and Eve. It will be generations of husbands and wives, all Sealed to Christ, and being heirs with him. Remember the words/promises of the Sealing ceremony. It's about claiming our inheritance, in addition to being a solemn commitment between a man and a woman (since that's one of the requirements for claiming that inheritance). We claim it as a family.

True dat.

The B'hai faith (I'm sure I spelled that wrong) believes in Eternal Marriage.

I would not call Rough-Stone "anti" at all. Those who do are those who would rather gloss over all of the uneasy parts of the church's history. Bushman faces them head on, and is very fair (IMO) in his approach to them. He also addresses "No Man..." in his book.

I think the assumption is that a young woman is getting married that young because she's craving sex in a bad way, but doesn't want to break the law of chastity. I've had the unfortunate "opportunity" to run into people who think like that, having been engaged myself at 19. (people who assumed I was getting married out of lust, rather than love)

Pres. Monson served in the military during WW2, and didn't serve a mission. I guess they made a mistake when they called him.

Is he recieving any sort of therapy right now? THAT, more than pills, is what helps people with Autism. Is he in the Special Ed. program at his school? That could really be beneficial to him, and it'd be completely free for your family. ETA: And if it's too difficult to keep him away from the pulpit, then don't take him to church. In his condition, it's possible he's not getting anything out of it anyway, and all the stimulation around him may be overwhelming for him. He may not be capable of a Testimony right now, depending on how severe his Autism is.

Beauler... Beauler...

One thing that has always bugged me about parents' paying for weddings is that they feel that automatically gives them the right to any 'say' in what happens at the wedding. If they are truely doing this to celebrate YOU and to make YOUR day special, then they should be willing to do whatever it takes (within budget ) to make it the best possible celebration for YOU. If you are uncomfortable with alcohol, and feel it would put a damper on your enjoyment of the celebrations, then don't have it at your wedding.

The reason it's different in the UK is because the UK government doesn't recognize Mormon clergy. If that were to ever change I wouldn't be surprised if it the church changed the policy in the UK to match the policy in the US. And a temple marriage *is* a "proper wedding". I think the ideas you have for your ring ceremony so far sound wonderful. :) I had a friend who did a ring ceremony, and she and the groom each carried a handkerchief into the Temple that they'd had embroidered with the date, and then presented those to their parents afterwards (both bride and groom were converts) so something that was with them during the ceremony was given to the parents. Also, when my SIL married my brother (she's another convert) the Sealer came out of the Temple afterwards to speak to her mother, and shared with her his observations of her daughter and new husband, how they'd looked at eachother during the ceremony, and little intimate details like that. I thought it was a very sweet gesture, and you might talk to your Sealer about doing something like that as well if your families intend to be at the Temple during the ceremony.

The Quorum of the 12 hold the Keys when a Prophet has died, and confer them upon the new Prophet when he is chosen by laying on of hands. (I don't know *how* many hands though. ) There IS a special room in the Salt Lake Temple where they go to pray about this. I believe they even have a special Sacrament Meeting during the process, and Fast leading up to that meeting, to further invite the Spirit.

I've had traditional Christian friends tell me, with surprise in their voice, how well versed in the Bible I seem to be! It's an unfortunate misconception about Mormons that we know little to nothing about what is said in the Bible.

Bwhahahaha!!

Wow. Well, now we know why you're here. Perhaps the people attending a fair don't want to discuss religion, because that's not what people typically go to a fair to do?? I would much rather ride the tilt-o-whirl than get into a debate with someone who's intent is "uncloaking" my religion for me. I've engaged with enough people of that ilk to know that even starting the conversation is pointless. They won't accept the fact that I truely know my religion, and they won't accept the fact that they don't. I've never been in one of those conversations where outright lies, misinterpretations, and/or twisted truths weren't used by the "uncloaker" to try to shake my faith, and when I try to point out their error, I'm accused of "not knowing the truth", even if, where I to have my Scriptures with me (which I typically don't when these conversations occur, and I have a terrible memory for memorizing scriptures) I'd be able to SHOW them what I believe, as spelled out both in the Book of Mormon, AND the Bible. They turn into yelling matches, where the Spirit of the Lord is unable to dwell.

ktfords: I find nothing to dislike about 2nd Nephi 25:23. I am on my third run through the Book of Mormon, and have been paying very close attention to what I've been reading. I can see how someone unfamiliar with the Book of Mormon might come to your conclusion as to it's meaning, but I also see my interpretation of it as being valid. A thought that popped into my head as I contemplated your interpretation of the verse. How would you interpret something like this? For it is by God that we are ultimately saved from illness, after all the medical treatments we can do. I personally wouldn't interpret that as meaning that God doesn't expect us to go after medical treatment for our illnesses, but rather that, we can do our part, but the power to Save never leaves the hands of God. God blessed us with medical science, just as He blessed us with the Holy Spirit to help Sanctify us. We must "do", even if our "do'ing" doesn't have the capability to Save us. "Do'ing" is how we show our love and faith in our Father in Heaven. It feeds our faith. Something that might be of interest to you. One of the footnotes for that verse leads to the book of James. I followed it and found the scripture it linked the 2nd Nephi verse to to be very interesting. Here is what the Bible says. I believe we're both agreed that this was written with the authority of God: James 20: 20-26 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son up on the alter? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead. Mormons and traditional Christians are in agreement that it is through Faith in Jesus Christ that we are Saved. It would appear from this Biblical verse that if we have no Works, then it can be concluded that we have no Faith, it being dead. And without Faith in Christ, where do we go?