bytebear

I love Halloween and used to get really into it, but it's also the day my dad died, so it's bitter sweet.  I think God took him that day so I would never forget the anniversary.  But, I also really like Thanksgiving too because it's a mini family reunion, from several branches of aunts, uncles, grand parents, cousins.  I just love having everyone together. 

I love Halloween and used to get really into it, but it's also the day my dad died, so it's bitter sweet.  I think God took him that day so I would never forget the anniversary.  But, I also really like Thanksgiving too because it's a mini family reunion, from several branches of aunts, uncles, grand parents, cousins.  I just love having everyone together. 

When I was on my mission, we used "The Visitors" on occasion to correct misconceptions.  I considered it a positive, honestly, because the Spirit clearly taught that his works were not of God.  And it was free publicity. 

My temple president is at least 85 years old. I watch him serve as a greeter. He stoops to pick up a microscopic piece of paper up off the carpet. I am also a greeter but I am allowed to sit if there are no people so I am slumped in a chair. He is standing. We have over 400 volunteers in the temple. He instituted the practice of having all of the volunteers pictures because he tries to learn everyone's names. He asks me how my family history work is going because he knows this is important to me. I am one of 400 but he tries to remember something that makes me happy. He is on his feet pretty while continuously for about 6 hours. He works on his feet filling almost every priesthood position. I sometimes serve on my feet for an hour then I have to beg for a break. Before the temple opened he waited by the door for a half an hour to let in the workers. I asked him if I could take his place but he said that he likes to greet the workers. I have never known such a person before and I doubt that I will ever meet such a man again.

I dressed up as a scarecrow kind of thing, stuffed magazine roles down my pants and stuffed my shirt with newspaper, and put a paper bag over my head with some kind of mask.  I definitely looked like a fake thing sitting on the porch.  I loved listening to the conversations of 'is it real" and then doing the startle jerk which always make them jump.

Not only is it worse in regard to policy; she is a corrupt crook. She is a criminal, she broke the law and is above the law.

So yesterday morning I took my kids to the church so they could practice for a Primary program that's going on today.  I didn't really have much to do so I was sitting in one of the pews working on my Kings of War army list in preparation for a game I had later in the day (which I won by an embarrassing margin, I might add.  Maybe building my list in the chapel should be my standard approach from now on...). 
At one point the kids were taking a break and I was asked to go along with the boys' group because there was only one male adult to take them and I could be of help.  So no problem, I tagged along to  take these kids to the mens' room.
But... we had to have them use the little bathroom off the nursery room.  Why?  Because this was also chapel cleaning day and the Bishop was in the mens' room cleaning it.
This kind of thing really strengthens my faith in a weird way.  Humility is one of the most important characteristics of Church leaders at all levels, and here was our Bishop in there scrubbing toilets just like anyone else would.  I gotta say I really liked our Bishop before this, and now I positively love the man.  I feel like he taught me something really valuable without even knowing he was doing it.
I don't mean to make it sound like I was surprised.  If you had asked me a week ago if the Bishop's family ever had a turn cleaning the chapel I'd have said of course they do... But I had never seen it for myself and had a chance to contemplate what that meant.  This is just another thing I'm super grateful for in this Church and I'm thinking about talking about this experience at the next Fast & Testimony meeting. 

Aside from the obvious hugging my dad, I'd like to meet ancestors I have heard about but never met.  I also would like to meet those why my work on Earth helped (maybe temple work, maybe ancestors of those I have introduced to the church).

Quite right - this was me misquoting the problem a bit. I believe in the original he asked the king for a "chance" to marry her. My bad.
Yes, this was my solution. I cannot imagine any way of improving the odds any further. (Other than sneaky putting the gold on top or pitching jars through windows; the sort of thing James T. Kirk got commended for when he was at Starfleet Academy ;).)

one gold coin in jar A, and 49 gold coins and 50 copper coins in jar B.
You have roughly a 2/3 chance of winning.
If she picks jar A, you win outright.
If she pics jar B, and a gold coin (49/99 chance) you win.
If she pics Jar B, and a copper coin (50,99) you lose.

I would say, if you really want an exposure of the D/R corruption, you vote for the outsider.  Hillary is eyeball high in corruption, and is probably the most blatant at being unable to hide her corruption.  The media is right there along with her. And i agree there is a clear movement to turn the world into a global government, and the US just another player.  But to do that, you have to destroy what has made America unique and great.  We are actually talking about censoring "hate speech" and punishing those who mock sacred cows?  When did our freedom of speech come with limitations based on offensiveness?   I see these calls for censorship on college campuses, but I also notice a single trend.  All of the sacred cows also happen to be voting blocs of the Democratic party.  The sad truth is, the progressive movement, while chiding us for being offensive to Muslims, Hispanics and gays has no problem being offensive to Catholics, Christians and Mormons.  You won't see posters telling people that dressing up like missionaries is wrong.  And in fact, you will see it praised.  Selective outrage is simply a tool of cultural Marxism, and that is why Trump is popular.  People are tired of it. 

There is a problem with both parties (they are in bed together).  But folks, I am really worried, more worried than my entire life that if Hillary gets in, it will be no kidding the end of the Republic. I have never in my life talked like this or thought like this about an election (and I've been around for plenty).
Quite frankly, if I have the choice between the end of the Republic and someone who has stolen kisses and who may sexual assault women.  I will 100% take the sexual predator over the end of the Republic every day of the week.
Guys, I have not come to this conclusion based upon news media, upon conspiracy websites, pro-Trump websites, etc.  While I have defended Trump in the past, I have said I would vote Johnson (up until recently). Please stop with the partisan politics for just a few minutes-leave it out and think!
There is some very weird crap going on, stuff that if we as Americans saw it going on in say Chile you'd immediately know what is going on. . . .it's so obvious with a corrupt government.
Based upon what I have personally read in the wikileaks e-mails (again not from conspiracy websites).  I think if Hillary is elected, we will see an end to the Republic. I think this is a no kidding watershed moment in US history.  Take out Trump, take out R/D (yes they are both in bed together), but do we as a nation want to continue as an independent Republic or not?  I used to think the people on the news media saying this were just simply saying it to promote Trump this election cycle . . .no now I think it is absolutely real. This election isn't Trump vs. Clinton, this election is one for all the marbles.  This is a battle for the heart and soul of the Republic.  Heaven above, I pray that I am really seriously wrong on this.
If you will notice, I did not really start posting like this up until the past week (until I started reading the e-mails, most are innocuous, but several make you go what the .. .???).
Quite frankly, I think there is a likelihood that if she is elected in my lifetime (and probably in the not to distant future) and time frame we will see the United States join a European Union like organization but for North America. 
If Trump is elected will it still happen maybe . . .heck if I know, but I am willing to take that chance. Maybe McMullin (even though I think he is in bed too) is the answer.  I don't know . . .all I know is from what I've read, heaven help us if she is elected.
 

And that is the real story here.  The vast majority of what we see, think and feel is shaped by the peddlers of news and except for the conspiracy theorist no one thinks the news media is that corrupt. Yet wikileaks proves otherwise, the system is corrupt, journalism in bed with politicians letting the politicians write their own story and read the script (verified by wikileaks that Clinton does this).  Anyone who doesn't become part of the corrupt system will be trashed. 
The news media is the first line of protection for the Gaddianton Robbers and power elites.

There is clearly a double standard when it comes to the infidelities of Democrats vs. Republicans.  Frankly, I am surprised they didn't try to smear Romney, although I am sure they tried to find something.  That's far more telling about Romney really, since you should live a life so that if you are accused of wrong doing, your character will win out.  Trump is taking heat because it's probably true that he was a masher.  But I do find it hard to swallow the notion that some random woman comes forward after 30 years to complain about his behavior.   And for the NYTimes to actually run with this story as if it has even an ounce of verifiability, just tells me the deep dishonesty of the media.  Journalism is dead. 

The same difference between sacred and secret for when it comes to other things.  
For example, my husband and I engage in very sacred acts together which strengthen our relationship.  It is not secret that these acts occur, but due to their sacredness I'm unwilling to discuss the details with a public audience.  I'm happy to discuss the broader concepts with everyone: things like love, commitment, and having an open heart.  I wish that someday everyone else will be able to experience this joy in the appropriate place/time/readiness.  
It's 100% the same with the temple.

I hope I haven't already used up too much forum space with my previous post, but I'll try to give you a shorter synopsis of the "mechanics" of my conversion.  
I was about to turn 19 and I worked at on the shipping dock of a big factory.  It was my first job out of high school.  As I said earlier, I had drifted away from Christianity and had an interest in eastern religions.  One day I was assigned to work at a different loading dock location with a guy I later found out was LDS.  I didn't know anything about the Mormons and I relished the opportunity to ask some questions.  I thought the answers he had were interesting.  As I mentioned earlier, one of my chief objections to Calvinism specifically and Christianity in general were the notions of predestination, free will, and what happens to people who die without a knowledge of the gospel.  The teachings of the Church about the gospel being preached by Jesus in the spirit world were surprising to me.  It just seemed so fair!  I always figured that God would have a way that would be fair to those who didn't have a shot in this life.
The guy offered me a copy of the Book of Mormon.  I accepted his invitation to read it and he brought be a copy the next day at work.  This was on a Friday.  
At day's end, I was waiting on my ride and I began to peruse the pamphlets that he gave me along with the book.  I read them in this order: Joseph Smith's Testimony, The Plan of Salvation, and Read the Book of Mormon, It Can Change Your Life.  I remember being strongly impressed at the earnestness of Joseph Smith's account.  It was clear that he wanted to present an extraordinary experience in a sober, direct manner without sensationalizing it.  I reserved judgment because I thought the guy could have just been delusional or something, but I kept an open mind.  I felt that, if he were so, it would become manifest in the stuff he had written.  A was also impressed about the angelic visitations of Moroni, John the Baptist, Peter, James, and John.  It made the connection about the keys of the kingdom and authority that I had believed to be lacking.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Plan of Salvation.  It was the most reasonable Christian explanation of those topics I had ever read.  I was, up to that time, more Hindu/Buddhist in my thinking, believing in Karma, reincarnation, etc.  I also appreciated the selections from the Book of Mormon in the last pamphlet because it gave me some insight into what I'd be reading about, and it contained the critical reference to Moroni's promise.
Moroni's promise struck me profoundly.  Everyone had previously answered my questions either with just Bible verses (which people interpreted differently) or with a claim that one needed to just believe without question.  The promise of a personal revelation was unprecedented.  NOBODY had the cojones to say that before!  I have to say that I was somewhat astounded by that.  The guy had essentially said that, if you read this and ask if it's true, you can ask God with the expectation that you'll get an answer.  
I took the Book of Mormon home and began to read it.  I read it most of Friday night and most of the day on Saturday.  There were certain things that challenged me.  I think they are placed there by God to dissuade those who are unwilling or too biased to get past them.  The killing of Laban by Nephi bothered me, but I had read enough of the Bible to know that God had ordered Joshua to kill men, women, and children in conquering some cities in the Promised Land.  There was the ingrained prejudice that the Bible could not be "added to," but Nephi's arguments about God adding to his own word made sense to me.  The dark skin thing about the Lamanites was a bit troubling, too.  I was the product of a liberal 1970s education at the time and that was a little worrisome.  Then I considered that a book written thousands of years ago might not share the same views on race that our more "enlightened" times would.  An ancient record that had a more "politically correct" presentation might be even more suspect, I thought.
By Sunday afternoon, I came to realize that I really couldn't find any flaws in what I had read up to that point.  I was near the end of 2nd Nephi or thereabouts.  I realized that, much like Joseph Smith, I was too young and unacquainted with "men and things" to figure it out on my own.  Moroni's promise was still hanging out there so I decided to make the attempt.  I had only really prayed one other time in my life where I felt that I had received an answer.  I mustered up the same degree of sincerity and faith that I had exercised at that time.  I understood that you couldn't be trifling with God.  You can't fake him out or play him.  He knows if you're for real or not.  There's no sense it trying to be insincere about faith.  So when I prayed, it was kind of like KIng Lamoni's prayer: "God, if there is a God, and you're God..."  I resolved that I would accept whatever answer came.  I think that was the key to me getting the answer I did.  I knew that, if this would be true, it would require a commitment.  I would have to do what God directed.  If it was true, I'd have to commit my life's path to that truth.
When I prayed, I didn't immediately feel anything.  I prayed for several minutes and then stopped.  I resolved, "Well, I'll just keep on reading then.  Maybe I'll find out later after I've read more."  Within minutes, a warm glow enveloped me.  I can't really describe it, but I went from not knowing to knowing.  I marveled that there were people holed up in caves in the HImalayas, meditating, trying to find truth and there it was in my hand.  I had found it.  (I had actually thought about going to India to find a guru, but a book I read told me that, when you're ready, the guru comes to you.)  I didn't realize my "guru" would be a 19 year-old Mormon guy.
I have to mention that there was a logical "domino effect" that sort of rewired my understanding.  The answer was that the Book of Mormon was true and that Joseph Smith indeed saw God.  That led me to conclude that God indeed did exist and that Jesus Christ was his Son.  That was a big hurdle.  In a moment, with this exciting new information, I had to consciously decide that I would accept Jesus Christ as my Redeemer.  I thought, "Dang, I'm a Christian, now!"  That realization made me determine that I truly had some things to put aside in my life and repent of them.  The the flood included, the need to be baptized, priesthood authority, keys of the kingdom, revelation, apostasy, restoration, and a million more things.  All this seemed to happen in just a fraction of a second.  It was exhilarating!
I went back to work on Monday and around lunch time the guy came and asked me what I thought of the Book of Mormon.  I told him that I though it was true and asked if I had to be baptized or something to follow through.  I could have pushed him off the loading dock with a feather!  He asked how I knew and I tried to explain to him what I had felt.  He responded, "That's the Holy Ghost!"  When he said that, I felt it all over again.  I learned in that moment how the Spirit speaks.  
I had not met a missionary or even been to a Church meeting at that time so he hooked me up with some elders to take the discussions.  I went through all seven discussions in three days.  The next week was the Hill Cumorah Pageant in Palmyra.  I gladly went along on the 14-hour trip from Virginia to upstate New York to experience it.  I can't tell you how great it felt to be an unbaptized investigator walking around those Church sites.  Everyone was so friendly and for two days, if felt like the heavens were opened to me.  There was so much I didn't know and new information came pouring in like Niagara Falls.
For example, we'd been on the road about 4 hours, leaving after work on a Friday evening.  I'm in the car devouring, A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, by LeGrand Richards.  Somebody said something about the Prophet, and I asked if he meant Joseph Smith.  He said, "No, Spencer W. KImball--the current prophet."  Imagine my excitement to find out in that moment that the Church still had a prophet and 12 apostles leading it!  Then about 10 minutes later, we pass the Washington Temple.  You can imagine how mind-blowing that was and the discussions about baptism for the dead.  The whole weekend was like that.  
I was baptized the next weekend.  It was an amazing experience.  I left for a mission 20 months later.  When I came back from my mission, I had been a full-time missionary longer than I had been a member before my mission!  It was a great experience and I grew a lot in my testimony.  Shortly thereafter, I met my wife-to-be and we married.  Now we've been together 33 years.  We have five kids, and very soon our 10th grandchild will be born.  We've had many adventures and many trials.  I have never regretted my decision to join the Church and I still enjoy teaching the gospel today.  

We are the spirit children of God the Father.  We are the spiritual children of Christ as he is the way to salvation.  We are the physical children of our earthly parents.  And we are spiritually sealed to our eternal earthly parents (either natural or adopted). No other persons fill those roles in the universe.  So, our spirit family (which is virtually everyone) is a bit different than our spiritual family (our ward?)  or our physical family or our potentially adopted Earthly family.

No masks and no candles.  And just like the booties at Temple tours, there are deep theological implications. Or maybe it's just practical.  One of the two.

Jesus did not have to be baptized, because He never sinned. (Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.)
Jesus was baptized to set an example for us, so it didn't matter when He did it.

Oh, and back in the 1970s, my mom was on a general board on welfare, when I was a baby, so I don't remember it.  But there is a framed picture I grew up with, where she is in a sea of men, (she and one other woman were the only females in the picture). The men in the photo were the general board as well as the First Presidency and the 12 Apostles at the time.
Of course, this was also when the church was much smaller.  The Provo Temple was just being built, and the church had a whopping 13 temples worldwide)

Growing up my Deacon Quorum advisor was husband to the General Relief Society president.  Granted he was also a former bishop, so he had that going for him.  Also, I had friends who had apostles in their wards.  And a president of BYU was from my home ward too before he was called.

It's a cultural thing.  Church General Authorities always have formal names, almost always with a middle initial.  I think because we have Joseph Smith, Joseph Fielding Smith and Joseph F. Smith as prophets, you need to distinguish, and it's become a standard.  So when someone says Thomas Monson, it's a huge cultural red flag that you aren't a card carrying member, and it really can be jarring to the ear.  You gotta have that S, or it just sounds funny. (by the way, there are tons of tell-tale signs like this in Mormondom, but I ain't giving away all our secrets).

It's a cultural thing.  Church General Authorities always have formal names, almost always with a middle initial.  I think because we have Joseph Smith, Joseph Fielding Smith and Joseph F. Smith as prophets, you need to distinguish, and it's become a standard.  So when someone says Thomas Monson, it's a huge cultural red flag that you aren't a card carrying member, and it really can be jarring to the ear.  You gotta have that S, or it just sounds funny. (by the way, there are tons of tell-tale signs like this in Mormondom, but I ain't giving away all our secrets).

It's a cultural thing.  Church General Authorities always have formal names, almost always with a middle initial.  I think because we have Joseph Smith, Joseph Fielding Smith and Joseph F. Smith as prophets, you need to distinguish, and it's become a standard.  So when someone says Thomas Monson, it's a huge cultural red flag that you aren't a card carrying member, and it really can be jarring to the ear.  You gotta have that S, or it just sounds funny. (by the way, there are tons of tell-tale signs like this in Mormondom, but I ain't giving away all our secrets).

When my mom moved into a new house, a friend remarked, "Oh, how nice, the chapel is right behind your house (literally, the parking lot fence was her back yard fence.  "Oh, no, that's not my ward building.  Mine is down the street."