Nenad

I didn't exactly put my original question in such strong terms, although I can see how you could infer that. No, I just wanted to know to what extent is suit and tie something expected, even if not explicity asked for. I just wanted to get some feedback on this.

Thank you all for your responses!

But surely the LDS Church has trained linguists and Biblical scholars who could produce the official Church version of the Bible in contemporary language. I think this goes deeper than copyright.

I know this is probably a completely trivial, if not small minded, question, but I was wondering whether it is prerequisite to dress up for church. I come from a denominational/cultural background in which ordinary (albeit decent) clothing is practically considered a norm. I don't own a suit, have never worn a tie, and as irrelevant as this may seem in the larger scheme of things, I'm curious to find out whether a suit-and-tie Sunday clothing is a must.

Thank you all for your messages! It really means a lot. I'm looking forward to seeing you around!

If I can share a few thoughts... I come from a pretty traditionalist country, although one not hostile to new ideas. Given how small the LDS community here is, most people don't really have the first clue about its teachings or doctrines. I suspect that, as in other parts of the world, it is not necessarily for the doctrines that ordinary non-LDS folks sometimes react in an unfriendly way. To a degree, it is simply the fear of unknown. Connected with that is the way the LDS Church has been proselytizing. Needless to say, not everyone appreciates missionaries knocking on their doors. In my country tracting is seen as a most obnoxious activity and people tend not to respond well to that at all. I'm under impression that the LDS Church is not very sensitive to specific cultural differences and simply goes on preaching the gospel in Serbia the same way as it does in Colorado or Japan. It's just that people don't like strangers knocking on their door, be they Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons or people selling stuff (and missionaries are usually perceived like that, too). For those who know more about the Church, I suppose that doctrinal differences are seen as irreconcilable. Not to mention certain practices: Mainline Christians find a lot of what the LDS do simply strange, from the temple rituals to garments... It's not that they hate the LDS, they simply find some of their beliefs and practices alien and in disagreement with their own faith. And they don't like being told that the one true church is any Church other than the one they already belong to.

You've been so wonderful, all of you! Thank you!

I contacted them about a month ago and they didn't seem very concerned. I'll email them again soon. Delivery status simply says 'shipped'. I do a lot of online shopping, things usually get here in two to four weeks. Thanks for your response, I hope everything will get sorted out in the end.

I ordered some books and CDs from DB and I was wondering what has been your experience with them. The reason why I ask is that I made the order back in April; their customer service assured me that it's fairly normal to wait for a few months for overseas deliveries. But still, I's been five months...

Dear all, I've just joined. I'm Nenad from Serbia (a country in southeastern Europe), I'm 29 and I work as a language teacher. Even though I'm active in a mainline Protestant church, I've had a lively interest in all things Mormon since I was about 13. It was then that I first encountered LDS missionaries, heard about Joseph Smith Jr and the Restoration. As years go by, I find myself more and more intrigued by the LDS Church, its history, culture and beliefs. I've been an avid reader of the Book of Mormon and Mormon literature in general, and so, although I never joined the LDS Church, I feel a deep sense of connection and, to some extent, belonging. At the same time, given that I come from a liberal Christian background, with all its social and political implications, I sometimes have the impression of the LDS Church as a very conservative institution and I suppose it was that perception that has prevented me from converting. There's always been this nagging thought that if I converted I'd be doomed to stay on the fringe. Anyway, I just wanted to share that with everyone for the sake of honesty. I am really looking forward to meeting everybody! From what I've seen so far, it seems like a really great and friendly place!