georgia2

Me too.

You should watch the film. All kinds of scientist are interviewed. The interesting thing is in their answers.

My sister's "Country" ward has a division between the new move-ins and the families who have lived there all their life. This is the case in my Ward. The key: Do not be easily offended. Just do your best. Be of service, cheerful, friendly, etc. It is amazing what one person can do over time to change a "ward" attitude. After a year of feeling invisible and not wanting to go to church, I began again to be myself and not let it get to me when people would not speak or did not include me when I was standing right next to someone that they did "see". Now, three years later, I just smile and speak to them just as if they treated me the same in return. I find it comical to see the look of surprise on their face when I am so friendly to them. STILL. They don't offend, but it is still irritating.

I agree whole heartedly. I just heard this exact analogy yesterday as I was listening to a talk on BYU. The speaker said that children born into homes where the parents are active members are raised in a home that has that spirit of light and comfort in their home already. When they get older they don't realize that they have been feeling it their whole lives. He stated that people who were not raised in the in the church are able to recognize that spirit because it is so overwhelming and new to them. Not to say that people who are not members can't or don't have the spirit with them. BUT, as members who have received the GIFT of the Holy Ghost have the blessing of having him present at all times. of course I felt the Spirit before I was a member, but as I learned about the church and began to pray and ask for revelation and answers to "IS THE CHURCH TRUE?" I had miracles happen in front of my eyes in answer to prayers and that sweet overwhelming feeling I hadn't had before. When I visited the church I also had experiences that were overwhelming. If I had been raised in the church, I might not have been able to recognize them so acutely.

I am a very unusual member of the church because I did get 2 blessings! Same thing happened to me! I asked the patriarch who was also a member in my ward if such a thing could happen. He told me as long as my Bishop gave me a recommend. I asked my Bishop and he told me as long as the patriarch said he could. SO, I did ! When I got the second one he told me that this new one would replace the first. After the blessing and as I walked out of the office, he called me back and said,"No! It is a continuation!" So even though i have 2, I put them together to get a more complete one! Good luck on your quest! It can be done!

You sure had to work to get where you are! I feel sorry and sad that you had to go to another church to hear the scriptures actually taught in a whole form. i guess you never made it to the adult Sunday School class. That is one of my favorite classes because we do read the chapters and study it in it's whole concept. I used to be Baptist and converted to LDS when I was in my 20's. I too have read other translations of the Bible and have found and can see how in "modern" translations, some of the original meanings do not come through. We also don't use words and they don't have the same meaning and implication as they did when they were written. Hence the need for modern revelation not modernizing of the ancient scriptures. Today in Relief Society our lesson was on Joseph Smith, the first vision, and what other prophets have said about him. The other prophets are not just the modern prophets but also consist of ancient prophets describing a prophet that would be raised up in the latter days even to the point of saying his named would be Joseph. Anyway, the main underlying truth of our lesson is that a person HAS TO have a testimony of Joseph Smith actually seeing Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ or their belief in the churches other teachings could not stand. I fear that when kids are raised in the church by parents who were raised in the church, sometimes that very basic concept is forgotten. A book I was recently reading by another member said, "Sometimes we look at and insist on things such as clean cut looks, attendance in meetings, serving a mission, as the most important things instead of what that clean cut kid actually feels inside!" Is it so terrible if a kid has a tattoo but also has a testimony? Personally I would much rather have my kids with a tattoo and a testimony instead of the outward appearance with no inside commitment! Best of luck and blessings on your new family and your new found peace!

When you put your heart and soul in to a calling, it always hurts to let it go. It is your mind set. It has been your responsibility and now it isn't. This is hard. But as you know, you will soon have another responsibility that you can study about and learn and grow in another capacity. Sometimes we get released as other changes are about to happen so that we will be ready to accept that challenge also. We are on an exciting journey! A journey back home!

From what I understand, we knew our family, we knew what circumstances we would be born in to. The children to a family could be older spirits in the spirit world. WE actually were formed in to family units and loved and cared for each other very much. One thing we didn't know was just how hard it would be! Just like anything you want to do but have never done it before, you think you will be able to handle it with no problem. This is one of the main reasons we had to come and get a body and get mortal experience. You can't get it any other way!

I totally agree but it seems people in my ward think you are stepping on their toes, butting in on their calling instead of accepting your effort as what it really is, you supporting them in THEIR calling. I come from a city ward, where it wasn't this way, now I live in a country ward where the attitudes are entirely different.

cool, Let us know what you think!

I hear what you are saying. This is why I recommend to everyone on here to watch the movie. All I knew about the film was that it interviewed scientist regarding the evolution theory. Some of the topics it leads in to are very unexpected, interesting, and worth contemplating. YOu may be very surprised as you watch this that your opinions take on new depth and scope of what you have previously had been lead to think.

What do you think is magnifying your calling? When I get a calling, I get the information out of the general handbook and see what exactly the calling entails, what I am supposed to do, am responsible for. Then I try to do it. In the ward I am now in it in seems like no one else does this. It seems like people do the minimum or don't really know what their calling really is. It is frustrating to me because all of the callings reflect on each other and create an organized well functioning machine. If some don't know what they are supposed to be doing, they won't be doing it which causes a domino effect which ends up affecting everybody. I know I should be worried about what I am responsible for and make sure and do that. How do I keep from letting what others don't do affect me so much? When you know how good it can be?

There have been many threads on several subjects that MANY are interested in and have very varied opinions on them. A new movie that has just come out on dvd addresses these issues and digs down to the beginnings and backgrounds of such things as evolution, racism, Margaret Sanger, Intelligent design, scientific research and new discoveries. THe name of the movie is "Expelled" starring Ben Stein. If you check it out you probably will have to ASK for it because they will only have a few copies. I thought it was great and ties many of todays hottest issues together and is very thought provoking. Anyone else see it? check it out and let me know what you think!

Team teaching? Never heard of it. You must have a lot of people in your ward to have 2 people in one calling! That said, if I were in your situation, I would suggest you take turns every other week. When it is your off week you could go to Sunday school and Relief Society. If she doesn't want to do that, take different sections of the lesson so you would plan your section and teach your section. GOOD LUCK!

i'm also sure that there are many additional circumstances to where, when, how, so forth in our earthly birth.

the reward for making the right decision (choosing Christ's plan) was to be given an opportunity to come to earth with a mortal body and to be tested in a telestial world where there is an opposite in all things, good and evil. And as we all passed that test, we also will all be given an immortal body in the resurrection. Which resurrection we will come forth, the first or second, will depend on which path we have followed here. Someone has already stated that we were not all the same level of determination in following not only Christ, but also the entire plan of salvation. Just like armies here on earth, there are generals and then there are foot soldiers. During the pre-mortal existence and our desire and valiancy in the war in heaven, we showed to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ where we were on that scale. This is how the decisions were made to when we would come to earth, where we would be born, what family and family situations we would be born into, what talents and opportunities we would have here. Those that were more valiant are the ones that are more likely to hear the voice of the Lord and feel those stirrings in their heart when they learn of the Gospel. Our spirits and temperaments do not, have not changed since we came to earth. WE are still the same. This does not mean that stronger spirits are just born in to ideal situations. Many of the most valiant spirits are actually born in to adverse family situations. This is because they knew ahead of time what they were getting in to and actually chose to be in those situations because they can help that family and they have the strength to overcome the obstacles. During judgement, only Heavenly Father will be able to judge perfectly because He knows what each person had to deal with, what advantages or disadvantages we had. It is also why we can approach Him in prayer because He understands our problems, our temptations, our pains we had to endure here due to others unrighteousness. He even understands WHY we have the temptations that we have. THE Atonement will only be good for those who accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, repent and honestly strive to follow the commandments. Those that do not take advantage of the gift of salvation that Jesus Christ paid the price for will have to suffer for their own sins. This is one reason that a loving Heavenly Father gives us about 80 years to work at getting it right~

mormonmedia.com is a new site that is being advertised on BYU.

WE avoid this question altogether by renting the dvd when it comes out and can have all the cheap snacks we want at home! and we can wear our PJ's~

According to the talk by Elder Oaks in last conference, we are supposed to have music to invoke the spirit of worship,not performance. I'm the music chairman (woman) in our ward. I have a tough time getting any music for sacrament. What we have found to work very well for us when we do have someone to sing is to offer to them to select their favorite hymn, then sing that as a special. There can be interludes planned between each verse, last line sung twice, so forth. There are also hymns in the back of the hymnal that are arranged for specials. ANother thing I have found to VERY effective is to locate the section in the back of the hymnal that shows how each hymn can be sung to another melody. If you try this you can come up with some BEAUTIFUL arrangements. THis is helpful to cut down on practice time, especially for the pianist.

Google LDS books. There are many places to get them, even EBAY! Amazon also has them but I guess you would need to know what your looking for first. There are also MANY MANY places to get LDS music. Google LDS music too! Also of course the Church distribution centers. Welcome to LDSStores.com check here

Sorry that this happened. It is a sad thing that sometimes members get caught up in the people for the guidelines instead of guidelines for the people . If Jesus were at the desk, he wouldn't even need your recommend!

I know how powerful the anti claims can be. The father of all lies and evil is the author of these claims and of course he is going to be convincing. The only defense to this is to gain your own testimony and stay off the sites that are incorrect and so negative. YOu need to trust the spiritual experiences that brought you back and continue to trust in the TRUTH!

I know that certain changes have take place in the initiatory ordinance. I know this has changed not because God has changed, but because of the evil thinking of our society. The ordinance has not changed, or the blessings, just the way they are bestowed. I feel it is a shame that it had to happen because I feel it lacks the personal and special way it made you feel. I know why it changed and understand it due to the increase of evil and the increase of persecution on righteousness.

My son worked at a huge 24 screen theater for a while several years ago. he said they didn't care if people brought their own stuff in. They make enough profit on just the tickets. Other theaters do post signs, but when they charge $3.00 for a candy bar you can get for 50 cents at the store next door, they are just inviting people to bring in their own snacks.

Having read other Gospel Scholars Series books, I was eager to get one being sold through Deseret Books, M. Catherine Thomas. It is GREAT ! It discusses some really heavy topics, some of which some very knowledgeable people can't give good answers to. It has also been enlightening to me on several aspects because it covers ideas I have had during study revealed to me by the Spirit. It is very rewarding to find that my spiritual insights were right on. This book is also an excellent choice for women as it has a chapter on a woman's inherent tendency to feel responsible and guilty for her children and parenting skills, about past mistakes, and regrets.