bytor2112

I am not a hunter and candidly feel much more sympathy for the cute little deer than the big cat. Cecil likely brutally killed anything that was weaker and smaller that came in his path and ripped it to shreds and ate it. Cecil met someone smarter and more powerful than Cecil. Such is the code that animal lived by....
 
It may have been illegal to kill Cecil, but as I understand it it is not illegal to hunt big game in Zimbabwe and it is not illegal to kill lions. 
 
What really is stunning, is what issues people want to get all disturbed by versus the ones that are truly horrific that they mostly ignore or somehow justify. The fact that people want to see this dentist extradited to Zimbabwe and have his life destroyed and perhaps his families for killing a lion is pretty twisted. 

What truly sickens me is the mob mentality of social media. So let's say this guy killed an animal illegally. Sure, he should pay a price and that price should hurt enough that he doesn't do it again, but that should be determined by the country that this happened in first off. 
 
This guys life might be ruined because of the media on this. So now the internet will serve justice to this man (which affects his family) without any rules of law being followed, we judge and destroy people on minimal facts. Social justice seems to be in full affect in the US. 
 
I truly hope that I or anyone I love never makes a mistake that ends up on social media. Cyber bullying at it's worst!!

I am not a hunter and candidly feel much more sympathy for the cute little deer than the big cat. Cecil likely brutally killed anything that was weaker and smaller that came in his path and ripped it to shreds and ate it. Cecil met someone smarter and more powerful than Cecil. Such is the code that animal lived by....
 
It may have been illegal to kill Cecil, but as I understand it it is not illegal to hunt big game in Zimbabwe and it is not illegal to kill lions. 
 
What really is stunning, is what issues people want to get all disturbed by versus the ones that are truly horrific that they mostly ignore or somehow justify. The fact that people want to see this dentist extradited to Zimbabwe and have his life destroyed and perhaps his families for killing a lion is pretty twisted. 

To off set my near excessive consumption of diet soda, I mix it with a bit of non diet soda. So, that way some nosy and more righteous member can't judge me for drinking too much diet soda.

To off set my near excessive consumption of diet soda, I mix it with a bit of non diet soda. So, that way some nosy and more righteous member can't judge me for drinking too much diet soda.

When I drink soda that's how I have always consumed it .... Mix it half Pepsi and half diet Pepsi. When I really feel crazy I put a couple of hits of Mt Dew in it. Lol

Did you hear the one about the doper who got LSD mixed up with LDS?
 
He went on a mission instead of a trip.

Is it okay to swallow some water after brushing my teeth on fast Sunday.  I just hate the texture of toothpaste post brushing.

It's not big news because most Americans don't care *who* gets hurt--or how--so long as they, and their friends can continue on with their sex lives unimpeded by such humdrum concerns as "parenthood".
We are a society of the damned.

Too bad the church and other major supporters didn't abandon the BSA sooner....maybe they would have gotten the message. 2.5% of the population claims to be homosexual....I wonder how small a number of homosexuals want to be involved in scouts? Homosexuals IMO are the most selfish, self centered people and sadly, the silent majority has allowed it all to happen, from ss marriage to this to......

Too bad the church and other major supporters didn't abandon the BSA sooner....maybe they would have gotten the message. 2.5% of the population claims to be homosexual....I wonder how small a number of homosexuals want to be involved in scouts? Homosexuals IMO are the most selfish, self centered people and sadly, the silent majority has allowed it all to happen, from ss marriage to this to......

Thought this quote from Elder Maxwell is spot on:
 
“Make no mistake about it, brothers and sisters, in the months and years ahead, events are likely to require each member to decide whether or not he will follow the First Presidency. Members will find it more difficult to halt longer between two opinions. (See 1 Kgs. 18:21.) President Marion G. Romney said, many years ago, that he had ‘never hesitated to follow the counsel of the Authorities of the Church even though it crossed my social, professional or political life’ (in Conference Report, Apr. 1941, p. 123). This is a hard doctrine, but it is a particularly vital doctrine in a society which is becoming more wicked. In short, brothers and sisters, not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ includes not being ashamed of the prophets of Jesus Christ! We are now entering a time of incredible ironies. Let us cite but one of these ironies which is yet in its subtle stages: We will see a maximum, if indirect, effort made to establish irreligion as the state religion. It is actually a new form of paganism which uses the carefully preserved and cultivated freedoms of western civilization to shrink freedom, even as it rejects the value essence of our rich Judeo-Christian heritage.”
“Your discipleship may see the time when such religious convictions are discounted. M. J. Sobran also said, ‘A religious conviction is now a second-class conviction, expected to step deferentially to the back of the secular bus, and not to get uppity about it’ (Human Life Review, Summer 1978, pp. 58–59). This new irreligious imperialism seeks to disallow certain opinions simply because those opinions grow out of religious convictions. Resistance to abortion will be seen as primitive. Concern over the institution of the family will be viewed as untrendy and unenlightened.”
“Before the ultimate victory of the forces of righteousness, some skirmishes will be lost. Even in these, however, let us leave a record so that the choices are clear, letting others do as they will in the face of prophetic counsel. There will also be times, happily, when a minor defeat seems probable, but others will step forward, having been rallied to rightness by what we do. We will know the joy, on occasion, of having awakened a slumbering majority of the decent people of all races and creeds which was, till then, unconscious of itself. Jesus said that when the fig trees put forth their leaves, ‘summer is nigh’ (Matt. 24:32). Thus warned that summer is upon us, let us not then complain of the heat!”
Elder Neal A. Maxwell
 

The internet would be such a lonely place if people did this.

LGBT freedom will be pitted against religion that still refers to their lifestyle as sin.....except of course Islam. Christianity will be seen as acceptable once it conforms to the image of the world and the liberal agenda.

LGBT freedom will be pitted against religion that still refers to their lifestyle as sin.....except of course Islam. Christianity will be seen as acceptable once it conforms to the image of the world and the liberal agenda.

Thought this quote from Elder Maxwell is spot on:
 
“Make no mistake about it, brothers and sisters, in the months and years ahead, events are likely to require each member to decide whether or not he will follow the First Presidency. Members will find it more difficult to halt longer between two opinions. (See 1 Kgs. 18:21.) President Marion G. Romney said, many years ago, that he had ‘never hesitated to follow the counsel of the Authorities of the Church even though it crossed my social, professional or political life’ (in Conference Report, Apr. 1941, p. 123). This is a hard doctrine, but it is a particularly vital doctrine in a society which is becoming more wicked. In short, brothers and sisters, not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ includes not being ashamed of the prophets of Jesus Christ! We are now entering a time of incredible ironies. Let us cite but one of these ironies which is yet in its subtle stages: We will see a maximum, if indirect, effort made to establish irreligion as the state religion. It is actually a new form of paganism which uses the carefully preserved and cultivated freedoms of western civilization to shrink freedom, even as it rejects the value essence of our rich Judeo-Christian heritage.”
“Your discipleship may see the time when such religious convictions are discounted. M. J. Sobran also said, ‘A religious conviction is now a second-class conviction, expected to step deferentially to the back of the secular bus, and not to get uppity about it’ (Human Life Review, Summer 1978, pp. 58–59). This new irreligious imperialism seeks to disallow certain opinions simply because those opinions grow out of religious convictions. Resistance to abortion will be seen as primitive. Concern over the institution of the family will be viewed as untrendy and unenlightened.”
“Before the ultimate victory of the forces of righteousness, some skirmishes will be lost. Even in these, however, let us leave a record so that the choices are clear, letting others do as they will in the face of prophetic counsel. There will also be times, happily, when a minor defeat seems probable, but others will step forward, having been rallied to rightness by what we do. We will know the joy, on occasion, of having awakened a slumbering majority of the decent people of all races and creeds which was, till then, unconscious of itself. Jesus said that when the fig trees put forth their leaves, ‘summer is nigh’ (Matt. 24:32). Thus warned that summer is upon us, let us not then complain of the heat!”
Elder Neal A. Maxwell
 

Thought this quote from Elder Maxwell is spot on:
 
“Make no mistake about it, brothers and sisters, in the months and years ahead, events are likely to require each member to decide whether or not he will follow the First Presidency. Members will find it more difficult to halt longer between two opinions. (See 1 Kgs. 18:21.) President Marion G. Romney said, many years ago, that he had ‘never hesitated to follow the counsel of the Authorities of the Church even though it crossed my social, professional or political life’ (in Conference Report, Apr. 1941, p. 123). This is a hard doctrine, but it is a particularly vital doctrine in a society which is becoming more wicked. In short, brothers and sisters, not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ includes not being ashamed of the prophets of Jesus Christ! We are now entering a time of incredible ironies. Let us cite but one of these ironies which is yet in its subtle stages: We will see a maximum, if indirect, effort made to establish irreligion as the state religion. It is actually a new form of paganism which uses the carefully preserved and cultivated freedoms of western civilization to shrink freedom, even as it rejects the value essence of our rich Judeo-Christian heritage.”
“Your discipleship may see the time when such religious convictions are discounted. M. J. Sobran also said, ‘A religious conviction is now a second-class conviction, expected to step deferentially to the back of the secular bus, and not to get uppity about it’ (Human Life Review, Summer 1978, pp. 58–59). This new irreligious imperialism seeks to disallow certain opinions simply because those opinions grow out of religious convictions. Resistance to abortion will be seen as primitive. Concern over the institution of the family will be viewed as untrendy and unenlightened.”
“Before the ultimate victory of the forces of righteousness, some skirmishes will be lost. Even in these, however, let us leave a record so that the choices are clear, letting others do as they will in the face of prophetic counsel. There will also be times, happily, when a minor defeat seems probable, but others will step forward, having been rallied to rightness by what we do. We will know the joy, on occasion, of having awakened a slumbering majority of the decent people of all races and creeds which was, till then, unconscious of itself. Jesus said that when the fig trees put forth their leaves, ‘summer is nigh’ (Matt. 24:32). Thus warned that summer is upon us, let us not then complain of the heat!”
Elder Neal A. Maxwell
 

Thought this quote from Elder Maxwell is spot on:
 
“Make no mistake about it, brothers and sisters, in the months and years ahead, events are likely to require each member to decide whether or not he will follow the First Presidency. Members will find it more difficult to halt longer between two opinions. (See 1 Kgs. 18:21.) President Marion G. Romney said, many years ago, that he had ‘never hesitated to follow the counsel of the Authorities of the Church even though it crossed my social, professional or political life’ (in Conference Report, Apr. 1941, p. 123). This is a hard doctrine, but it is a particularly vital doctrine in a society which is becoming more wicked. In short, brothers and sisters, not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ includes not being ashamed of the prophets of Jesus Christ! We are now entering a time of incredible ironies. Let us cite but one of these ironies which is yet in its subtle stages: We will see a maximum, if indirect, effort made to establish irreligion as the state religion. It is actually a new form of paganism which uses the carefully preserved and cultivated freedoms of western civilization to shrink freedom, even as it rejects the value essence of our rich Judeo-Christian heritage.”
“Your discipleship may see the time when such religious convictions are discounted. M. J. Sobran also said, ‘A religious conviction is now a second-class conviction, expected to step deferentially to the back of the secular bus, and not to get uppity about it’ (Human Life Review, Summer 1978, pp. 58–59). This new irreligious imperialism seeks to disallow certain opinions simply because those opinions grow out of religious convictions. Resistance to abortion will be seen as primitive. Concern over the institution of the family will be viewed as untrendy and unenlightened.”
“Before the ultimate victory of the forces of righteousness, some skirmishes will be lost. Even in these, however, let us leave a record so that the choices are clear, letting others do as they will in the face of prophetic counsel. There will also be times, happily, when a minor defeat seems probable, but others will step forward, having been rallied to rightness by what we do. We will know the joy, on occasion, of having awakened a slumbering majority of the decent people of all races and creeds which was, till then, unconscious of itself. Jesus said that when the fig trees put forth their leaves, ‘summer is nigh’ (Matt. 24:32). Thus warned that summer is upon us, let us not then complain of the heat!”
Elder Neal A. Maxwell
 

After my heart attack I  promised....no more doing my own yard, pool, etc. Well, now that I feel so good again, I am back doing everything :-)
 
Thought I would post some thoughts on a new toy I acquired today. First of all, I did buy a riding mower after my kids went off to BYU, missions etc and that has been nice. It is a Snapper...(think Forest Gump) and it has a mulching blade which is really nice. I think I started a trend as two neighbors bought the same Snapper after me. I also have a Honda push mower and a really old Murray that I have had for 25 years.
 
I have a straight shaft Echo weed eater that I have owned for several years and it it is awesome, never, ever had a problem with it. I also have a really old Craftsman that hangs in the pool house and would probably start if I worked on it a bit. 
 
I have a Toro electric blower and a Stihl gas blower as well as a Stihl chainsaw....oh and an Echo gas hedge trimmer.
 
Today I bought a Stihl Kombi system...which is basically a power head and a shaft that you can attach various tools. I bought the edger and the pole saw (basically a chain saw on a stick) and I am thus far very pleased. Stihl makes excellent equiptment and I must say the edger is amazing and has literally turned a 30 minute job into a 5 minute job. I was using an electric edger and as you can imagine, it is a process hauling around extension cords etc.
 
The whole purchase today was about $600.00...but oh so worth it! My son would say, Dad, you could have hired someone for the entire summer for what you paid for that tool .
 
I live in the South and have a big yard with lots of azaleas and things that need lots of attention and of course it rains nearly every day and the grass grows like mad...so, yeah, I am happy with my purchase.
 
What do u use?

Thought this quote from Elder Maxwell is spot on:
 
“Make no mistake about it, brothers and sisters, in the months and years ahead, events are likely to require each member to decide whether or not he will follow the First Presidency. Members will find it more difficult to halt longer between two opinions. (See 1 Kgs. 18:21.) President Marion G. Romney said, many years ago, that he had ‘never hesitated to follow the counsel of the Authorities of the Church even though it crossed my social, professional or political life’ (in Conference Report, Apr. 1941, p. 123). This is a hard doctrine, but it is a particularly vital doctrine in a society which is becoming more wicked. In short, brothers and sisters, not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ includes not being ashamed of the prophets of Jesus Christ! We are now entering a time of incredible ironies. Let us cite but one of these ironies which is yet in its subtle stages: We will see a maximum, if indirect, effort made to establish irreligion as the state religion. It is actually a new form of paganism which uses the carefully preserved and cultivated freedoms of western civilization to shrink freedom, even as it rejects the value essence of our rich Judeo-Christian heritage.”
“Your discipleship may see the time when such religious convictions are discounted. M. J. Sobran also said, ‘A religious conviction is now a second-class conviction, expected to step deferentially to the back of the secular bus, and not to get uppity about it’ (Human Life Review, Summer 1978, pp. 58–59). This new irreligious imperialism seeks to disallow certain opinions simply because those opinions grow out of religious convictions. Resistance to abortion will be seen as primitive. Concern over the institution of the family will be viewed as untrendy and unenlightened.”
“Before the ultimate victory of the forces of righteousness, some skirmishes will be lost. Even in these, however, let us leave a record so that the choices are clear, letting others do as they will in the face of prophetic counsel. There will also be times, happily, when a minor defeat seems probable, but others will step forward, having been rallied to rightness by what we do. We will know the joy, on occasion, of having awakened a slumbering majority of the decent people of all races and creeds which was, till then, unconscious of itself. Jesus said that when the fig trees put forth their leaves, ‘summer is nigh’ (Matt. 24:32). Thus warned that summer is upon us, let us not then complain of the heat!”
Elder Neal A. Maxwell
 

I have served as Elders Quorum President for just over five years and will be released this Sunday. I am happy......and sad all at the same time. I taught Gospel Doctrine a couple times lately and lot's of folks told the Bishop how much they enjoyed my lessons. I jokingly told my wife that I would be released soon and called as GD teacher....well, sort of jokingly. I had the feeling that it was going to happen.
 
Sunday, our Bishop asked how I felt about being called as.....Gospel Doctrine teacher. I of course said, whatever the Lord would have me do Bishop.
 
As I ponder my stewardship of the EQ....I am feeling kinda blue thinking about being released. Anyone else feel that way after being released from a long time calling?

Thought this quote from Elder Maxwell is spot on:
 
“Make no mistake about it, brothers and sisters, in the months and years ahead, events are likely to require each member to decide whether or not he will follow the First Presidency. Members will find it more difficult to halt longer between two opinions. (See 1 Kgs. 18:21.) President Marion G. Romney said, many years ago, that he had ‘never hesitated to follow the counsel of the Authorities of the Church even though it crossed my social, professional or political life’ (in Conference Report, Apr. 1941, p. 123). This is a hard doctrine, but it is a particularly vital doctrine in a society which is becoming more wicked. In short, brothers and sisters, not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ includes not being ashamed of the prophets of Jesus Christ! We are now entering a time of incredible ironies. Let us cite but one of these ironies which is yet in its subtle stages: We will see a maximum, if indirect, effort made to establish irreligion as the state religion. It is actually a new form of paganism which uses the carefully preserved and cultivated freedoms of western civilization to shrink freedom, even as it rejects the value essence of our rich Judeo-Christian heritage.”
“Your discipleship may see the time when such religious convictions are discounted. M. J. Sobran also said, ‘A religious conviction is now a second-class conviction, expected to step deferentially to the back of the secular bus, and not to get uppity about it’ (Human Life Review, Summer 1978, pp. 58–59). This new irreligious imperialism seeks to disallow certain opinions simply because those opinions grow out of religious convictions. Resistance to abortion will be seen as primitive. Concern over the institution of the family will be viewed as untrendy and unenlightened.”
“Before the ultimate victory of the forces of righteousness, some skirmishes will be lost. Even in these, however, let us leave a record so that the choices are clear, letting others do as they will in the face of prophetic counsel. There will also be times, happily, when a minor defeat seems probable, but others will step forward, having been rallied to rightness by what we do. We will know the joy, on occasion, of having awakened a slumbering majority of the decent people of all races and creeds which was, till then, unconscious of itself. Jesus said that when the fig trees put forth their leaves, ‘summer is nigh’ (Matt. 24:32). Thus warned that summer is upon us, let us not then complain of the heat!”
Elder Neal A. Maxwell
 

Thought this quote from Elder Maxwell is spot on:
 
“Make no mistake about it, brothers and sisters, in the months and years ahead, events are likely to require each member to decide whether or not he will follow the First Presidency. Members will find it more difficult to halt longer between two opinions. (See 1 Kgs. 18:21.) President Marion G. Romney said, many years ago, that he had ‘never hesitated to follow the counsel of the Authorities of the Church even though it crossed my social, professional or political life’ (in Conference Report, Apr. 1941, p. 123). This is a hard doctrine, but it is a particularly vital doctrine in a society which is becoming more wicked. In short, brothers and sisters, not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ includes not being ashamed of the prophets of Jesus Christ! We are now entering a time of incredible ironies. Let us cite but one of these ironies which is yet in its subtle stages: We will see a maximum, if indirect, effort made to establish irreligion as the state religion. It is actually a new form of paganism which uses the carefully preserved and cultivated freedoms of western civilization to shrink freedom, even as it rejects the value essence of our rich Judeo-Christian heritage.”
“Your discipleship may see the time when such religious convictions are discounted. M. J. Sobran also said, ‘A religious conviction is now a second-class conviction, expected to step deferentially to the back of the secular bus, and not to get uppity about it’ (Human Life Review, Summer 1978, pp. 58–59). This new irreligious imperialism seeks to disallow certain opinions simply because those opinions grow out of religious convictions. Resistance to abortion will be seen as primitive. Concern over the institution of the family will be viewed as untrendy and unenlightened.”
“Before the ultimate victory of the forces of righteousness, some skirmishes will be lost. Even in these, however, let us leave a record so that the choices are clear, letting others do as they will in the face of prophetic counsel. There will also be times, happily, when a minor defeat seems probable, but others will step forward, having been rallied to rightness by what we do. We will know the joy, on occasion, of having awakened a slumbering majority of the decent people of all races and creeds which was, till then, unconscious of itself. Jesus said that when the fig trees put forth their leaves, ‘summer is nigh’ (Matt. 24:32). Thus warned that summer is upon us, let us not then complain of the heat!”
Elder Neal A. Maxwell
 

In a beautiful decision my neighbor to the North, Canadian justice has told Nova Scotia that it cannot bar graduates of Trinity Western University's law school from practicing law in the provice, simply because the alma mater bars gay sex amongst students. The justice said it's not about LBGT vs. Evangelical Christian rights, but rather about respect, inclusion, and the true meaning of tolerance.
 
http://www.christianitytoday.com/gleanings/2015/january/canadas-first-christian-law-school-wins-supreme-court-case.html

The Lord also said in reference to the creeds, "...that those professors were all corrupt; that: “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.” I think reading it in context is helpful and helps explain why Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph. 
 
I can only imagine that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ being two distinct personages, Glorified and having bodies of flesh and bones would make the creeds and professions of belief by the various Christian sects an abomination describing them as Elder McConkie put it, "... as a three-in-one spirit essence that fills the immensity of space; it teaches that it and they are without body, parts, or passions; it acclaims that it and they are unknown, unknowable, and uncreated, and specifies, in the creeds, that unless we believe all these things we cannot be saved."
 
There purpose was to restore the Gospel and reveal Truth again to an apostate world.