sister_in_faith

Yep. Understand me. I demand it. Did it work?

This is so wonderful. I'm so glad we can all come together as brothers and sisters and have a good little talk like this. I'll have the braised beef, with a side of contention, please.

Absolutely. Everyone feel free to pray, feel the spirit, worship, go to church, do whatever, however you want to!!! Sister_in_faith doesn't mind! As long as you feel you are doing what is best for you, and aren't hurting anyone else in the process... I don't care!!! Do. Not. Care.

I am so glad this thread is still open, so we can still enjoy this wonderfuly uplifting 'discussion'. Anne, are getting as much spiritual edification out of it as I am?

Anne, go home and work on your reading comprehension. Geeze!

I'm glad it didn't make you uncomfortable Vort. I am still entitled to my feelings.

AND the bickering.

I think that we are now stepping all over sacred ground. People admitting that they can't, or don't feel the spirit in the temple is a little too personal to me. I don't want to have been responsible for this thread if it continues to spiral downward.

will someone PLEASE close this thread? it is waaaayyyy off topic.

who has problems with reading comprehension? I'm sorry what was that part again?

In my first post I said that I now agree with the policy of not kneeling. I still don't have a clear answer as to why we shouldn't, but I accept it.

I am actually a little shocked by some of the responses to this... I can't believe that there aren't others out there who have been so moved by coming into the Celestial room, and being in the temple that you were literally driven to your knees in prayer and worship. I fight the urge, now, and go somewhere else to do it, but, I remember the first time I did fall to my knees (again, alone in the Celestial room, no one else around - I didn't get caught the first 30 times I did it - hee hee hee) in prayer. What an amazingly wonderful feeling. To be as close to God as I can possibly be, on my knees, giving thanks, and listening to what promptings he gave me. It was a truly beautiful thing. No one else has ever felt this? In fact some think it is 'vulgar'?!? Wow. I must be going to a different church than the rest of you. I have NEVER suggested that elderly people should be forced to pray on their knees, and would never imagine suggesting that. If someone is not physically able to pray on their knees (in the temple or at home) then I hope that they choose not to. I do not care to tell ANYONE how to pray. If you want to pray on your knees, or not on your kness, I don't really care. That is between you and God. As for putting a heavy work load on temple workers, I do everything I can not to. I go out of my way to help the temple workers out. I have asked the temple matron about sitting in the Celestial room, and how long I could stay, just to make sure that I wasn't doing anything wrong (didn't even DAWN on me that kneeling could be inappropriate). If my being a the temple is putting too much of a burden on the temple worker's backs, then some thing is wrong, and I don't think it is with me. I have heard many times a call from our Prophet to GO to the temple. If the temple is understaffed, or staffed with fragile temple workers who can't deal with the burden of me sitting quietly in the celestial room (as I have been taught by the matron, I stopped kneeling a long time ago), then the church needs to change some policies. Or perhaps I am wrong, and I should try to only go every other month rather than once a month, to try to ease the temple worker's burdens?

Here are some quotes on the Celestial Room... I added the bold. Your Path to the Temple - Ensign Oct. 2010 - ensign “Inside the temple is a beautiful, peaceful room called the celestial room. In the celestial room we feel close to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, and we feel a little of what it will be like to live with Them in the celestial kingdom.” Questions and Answers about the Temple - Friend Oct. 2009 - friend “After you receive your endowment, you go into the celestial room. The beauty and reverence help you feel close to Heavenly Father.” Closing Remarks - general-conference “Every temple, large or small, has its beautiful celestial room. This room was created to represent the celestial kingdom. When the Mesa Arizona Temple was extensively renovated some years ago and was opened for public tours, one visitor described the celestial room as God’s living room. So it well might be. It is our privilege, unique and exclusive, while dressed in white, to sit at the conclusion of our ordinance work in the beautiful celestial room and ponder, meditate, and silently pray. Here we can reflect on the great goodness of the Lord to us. Here we can reflect on the great plan of happiness which our Father has outlined for His children. And so I urge you, my brothers and sisters, do it while you have strength to do it. I know that when you get old, it becomes extremely difficult to get up and down. But what a great blessing it is.” The temple gives us many blessings in many ways. One set of blessings is attached to recieving ordinances there, and then also doing proxy work for others who did not recieve those ordinances while living on earth. Another set of blessings is attached to being able to come to the temple for ourselves, as a refuge from the world, and to be able to commune with our Heavenly Father. I have heard it said that the Celestial Room is where the veil is the thinnest on this Earth, and I think that I have to agree. Why, when we have such a wonderful opportunity to be in "God's living room" wouldn't we want to take that opportunity to pray and be close to Heavenly Father? Vort, I would be very interested to see any evidence to back up your position on the issue. And if you can't find any, I really do suggest that you take a second look at the beauty of the temple, and start to enjoy what you have been missing out on!!!

Vort I have to heartily disagree with you on this. We have been told many times that we should go the temple to pray and find answers to our problems. Here are just a couple of quotes from articles off LDS.ORG... Finding Joy in Temple Service - Ensign Oct. 1994 - ensign “The temple with its blessings helps us “come unto Christ” (Moro. 10:32). We can find knowledge, understanding, and joy when we attend the temple: first, through sacred priesthood ordinances for ourselves and then as proxy for our ancestors; and second, through personal revelation.” “Peace and Personal Revelation In addition to being the place where we perform temple ordinances for ourselves and our ancestors, the temple is a place where we can receive comfort and personal revelation. “When members of the Church are troubled or when critical decisions weigh heavily upon their minds, it is a common thing for them to go to the temple,” wrote Elder Boyd K. Packer. “It is a good place to take our cares. In the temple we can receive spiritual perspective. There, during the time of the temple service, we are put ‘out of the world.’ … There is something cleansing and clarifying about the spiritual atmosphere of the temple” (The Holy Temple, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1980, pp. 180–81).” “President Ezra Taft Benson has set the example for us: “Temples are places of personal revelation,” he says. “When I have been weighed down by a problem or a difficulty, I have gone to the House of the Lord with a prayer in my heart for answers. These answers have come in clear and unmistakable ways” (Ensign, Aug. 1985, p. 8).” “Bring your personal challenges with you to the temple, meditate upon them, and seek answers. Solutions can come to you through personal revelation in the temple.” The Doctrine of Temple Work - Liahona Aug. 2002 - liahona “The temple is a place of revelation, of inspiration, meditation, and peace—a place to restore ourselves, to clear our minds, to find answers to our prayers, and to enjoy the satisfaction of worship and service.” Preparing for Your Temple Endowment - Liahona Aug. 1988 - liahona “A temple, he said, is “a place of priesthood instruction, of peace, of covenants, of blessings, and of revelation. … All faithful members of the Church are invited and urged to make use of the temple and to enjoy its privileges.” Salt Lake LDS (Mormon) Temple Dedicatory Prayer This is from the dedicatory prayer for the Salt Lake Temple! “Heavenly Father, when Thy people shall not have the opportunity of entering this holy house to offer their supplications unto Thee, and they are oppressed and in trouble, surrounded by difficulties or assailed by temptation and shall turn their faces towards this Thy holy house and ask Thee for deliverance, for help, for Thy power to be extended in their behalf, we beseech Thee, to look down from Thy holy habitation in mercy and tender compassion upon them, and listen to their cries.” Frequently Asked Questions “The temple is a peaceful, sacred place, set apart from the cares and turmoil of the world. All areas of the temple are beautifully and carefully maintained to preserve a spirit of reverence. Because it is the Lord’s house, and because of the sacred work performed there, in the temple we can feel the Spirit abundantly and feel close to the Lord. There we can receive personal revelation and spiritual strength to help us overcome our trials. This is part of the reason we are encouraged to attend the temple regularly.” I added the bolding to the various quotes. I could keep going and going. There are so many quotes proving that the temple is also a place for us to come and be close to Heavenly Father and pray for ourselves. If you truly don't believe this, then I am very sorry for you, because you have been missing out on one of the biggest blessings temple service brings us!!! I hope that you will rethink your position, and come enjoy these blessings with me!

I doubt that the sister who asked me to not kneel was worried about fire codes. I was alone in the celestial room, she had to have peeked in thru the door and seen me and rushed in. She told me that they had been told that it was inappropriate to kneel in the celestial room, and would not leave until I had stood up. My knees had gone numb by then and I had a hard time with my big flowy dress, but she didn't offer to help she just pointed to a near by chair and told me to sit down. Traveler it is funny you bring up just listening. Because AT THE TIME I had asked HF if I was doing the right things in my life, and I was waiting for his answer when she came a bustin in. It was actually kind of funny. I guess it was important enough to her that she felt the need to very rudely interrupt a very special prayer in the celestial room (something I wouldn't have the guts to do unless the sister's dress was actually ON fire). I was only wearing whites, and I was silently praying at a chair in a corner. Now I'm not really sure what the reason was. I had been told because we are not supposed to pray in public (which didn't seem right because we all pray in the celestial room)... Humm, I don't know. Anyone have the REAL answer as to why we can't?

I was told to get off my knees, sit down and bow my head, and pray in silence. I still have kind of a hard time with it, because I feel the 'need' to kneel in that sacred place (only when in my whites and not wearing any other 'special' clothing). I have taken to just kneeling in my stall in the dressing rooms. Not as special as kneeling in the celestial room, but, hey, I'm still in the temple. Has anyone else found a 'fix' for the not kneeling in the celestial room problem?

That's interesting! I'll check it out! Thanks.

I've never personally seen a truly narcissictic person 'burn out' because they were ignored. They usually take it to another level because they want to be heard. I have ignored a narcissictic parent for 31 years and they are still going strong. But that is just my experience. Now if you are talking about someone who is just a bully, perhaps ignoring them would work.

I have to admit that I got caught kneeling in the celestial room. And I disagreed with the reasons for not allowing people to kneel in the celestial room when I learned what they were (keeping prayer a more private thing). But then some things recently have made me realize that it is probably a pretty good policy. I watch Survivor, and this season there is a person on there who likes to get the group involved with a group prayer, which I see no problem with, except that they are doing it in front of the cameras, which seem to 'cheapen' it some how. It's like they aren't praying for prayer's sake, but putting on a show for the cameras. Then we have the new fad of 'tebowing' (did I spell that right?). I totally appreciate that the football player wants to show his thanks to God in a public way, but it has spun out into something that people do just to be cool, and not because they love God or want to pray. I have to admit that I cringe every time I see someone do it. These things have made me appreciate how sacred prayer is. It should be something kept private, and NOT for show. I am curious what you guys think.

Oh, another thing, if they are actually saying things that hurt other people in your presence, you may want to address that with them too. Tell them how uncomfortable it makes you feel. And then if they do it again, speak up and tell the offended person that you appologize for your friend, or say, "that wasn't very nice!" and see what they say.

Music, has it ever dawned on you that maybe this person is just way better than you are, and you should be greatful that you even get to spend time around them? totally kidding. Well, the first thing that strikes me is that this person has ADMITTED that they know they do these things, so you have half the battle won. Seriously. I have a pretty light hearted personality, and I joke around with people a lot. I would probably get a routine down where whenever they started 'doing it' I would walk over and smack their hand and tell them to knock it off. And when I had a little time alone with them, have a serious mormon heart to heart about the problem and tell them how I feel about it, and give them my best arguments for changing the way they act. It is up to them to take the advice or not. But if you can pass off telling them to stop in a joking manner it allows you to do it every time and get it off your chest without it being a personal attack. At least that is what I would try.

I am definately NOT an expert in this subject, but I remember a wise person once saying that every time you leave a room you should be carrying something. Like something that was out of place, or taking something to the garbage. They said that if you make this a habit then you don't have to clean nearly as much. I tried it once. Didn't like it. Didn't do it again. That's the best tip I can think of.

That's a GOOD one! I like it. I hope that you do great!!! I want to do a dog show (with Sophie) in March. I didn't think of it as a 'resolution', but I definately want to do it!!!

I'm not sure what you mean by 'gift cards won'. I personally don't think that presents count (like, I'm not going to try to put a value on all my christmas presents and pay the church 10% of that). And really I think tything is up to each member as to what they think is fair. Pray about it, and when you get on the same page as the spirit about what you should be paying on (or counting as your increase) then do that. Others may disagree with me. That's just what I do. I guess I should say, I take 10% of what is deposted into my checking account every month and pay that for tything. I won an Ipod in a drawing once and it didn't even dawn on me to wonder if I should tythe on it or not.

Okay, it's getting to be that time of year... Time to make new year resolutions!!! I know some people hate doing this, and think they are really dumb and silly, but for those of us who think they are fun, what are you going to do? I think I am going to resolve to read scriptures EVERY night before I go to bed. I haven't been doing it as much as I should, and having done it the last couple of nights reminded me of how awesome it is. I used to be really good about it, and I want to get back to that place. So... let's bring on the good ideas!!!