Michael_Newman

Why? It is because the Holy Ghost does not communicate on the internet. The Spirit is only present in person. And it is the Spirit that needs to bear testimony to a visitor and not rhetoric, debate, or factual texts. Last night I was home teaching one of my families (the brother is also my priesthood leader). When I mentioned the wonderful service offered by this site, he was cautiously grateful to hear of it. But he also said the presiding priesthood is not present on a web site - only in person. He did encourage me to encourage others to actively seek out and take part in the local activities and church resources where the Spirit and the Priesthood is present. I agreed. If this forum can lead visitors to attend a local activity which can lead to Missionary discussions, and to have the Holy Ghost present - then this forum will serve a greater purpose. (Perhaps your moderators and administrators can discuss this further in your Moderators Clubhouse). Thank you so much for bringing up this subject, Michael, http://www.lds.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=9&pictureid=79 Encyclopedia of Mormonism Link

Here is an idea, Maya, On the other forum I work on, we found several years ago there were a lot of members who started posting comments about how wonderful our moderators were and how grateful they were for the forum we established to serve them. Rather than let these comments and posts go into off-topic discussions, we opened a new forum titled: Testimonials: Forum Members who enjoy The **** Forums! . The byline description read: "Unsolicited comments by forum members who have enjoyed the many resources contained in the ***** Forums. We then had our Sr. Moderators begin to move the threads and comments to the new forum so that they were altogether in one place. Since then, the new forum has become one of the favorite areas of our forum site where members can post their gratitude to the Administrators and Moderators. Moderators and Administrators who volunteer need to see some sort of gratitude when the day seems to be hard for them. By taking a few moments during those tough times to read the forum testimonials, we are all reassured that our service is worth the effort and that there are members who are supportive in our endeavors. (You might post this idea in your Moderators Clubhouse) Thank you for your service, Michael

Hello Marcel, Thank you for the question. SMF (Simple Machines Forum software) is the best FREE software for those who have a small site and are limited on funds. SMF is actually a php Bulletin Board software (See their biographical origin link). It is one of many, many generic and often free BB softwares that came about after UBB (Ultimate Bulletin Board) chose to go in a different direction in the late 1990's. VB (VBulletin forum software) is the best PAID software for those who can afford the one-time purchase of $180, and a $60 Annual Support fee for unlimited support and free version upgrades. In my browsing of the SMF Support Forums, I found requests from ex-VB owners asking for help in making their transition from VB to SMF. Most of the ex-VB webmasters were making the transition because their web sites were small and they wanted a BB software that is free every year. In my browsing of the VB Support Forums, I found ex-SMF owners whose SMF forums had grown and they wanted more features in managing the growth. Whenever you have a free software, you get the basics and very little beyond that - because the developers are volunteers and not paid. When you look at VB where the developers are paid, you will see an enormous and powerful software that has grown over the last 10 years, and becomes more integrated into other web features that a free software does not. I suggest you sign up for a free Guest Password at vBulletin Community Forum - Powered by vBulletin and start navigating the site (which is running VB Version 3.81, their latest upgrade). There are screen shows of the Admin Panel, and many other features you may be interested in. If you are looking at Goggle Ad-words to promote your site, you will see that VB now has a nice interface. The other difference is security. Be prepared for your site to get hacked, as there have been numerous security breaches for forums using PHIP. Bulletin's team are paid professionals, and they have stopped the breaches over the past years by coming out with new patches to make the fixes. In the end, after your initial investment, I feel that $60 a year is a very reasonable insurance premium to keep the best paid forum software current and ever growing. Let me know if I can help you further, Michael http://www.lds.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=9&pictureid=79 Encyclopedia of Mormonism Link

Oh my gosh, that is great. Seattle is on my top 3 favorite cities! I'm not sure if you are near the University of Washington, but that waterfront campus boasts nearly 70,000 students - it's a great community of bright minds. If not, I am sure you will have many, many choices! The nice thing about Seattle is that there are plenty of single wards to choose from. Some buildings are designated for singles with three different wards meeting in the same building at different times.And you are so fortunate to have a Deseret Book Store nearby. In fact, there may be more than one in Seattle. Thank you for sharing, Michael

Unfortunately, Maxel, many female homosexual couples do want and do have children through sperm banks, especially with the new science available to them that was not available a generation ago. We have men surgically becoming females, and females surgically becoming men. It will not surprise me to see that someday - before the Second Coming - that science will be able to implant into a male the ability to give birth. All of this perverse experimentation with God's gift sickens me. And as more and more homosexual classes of people take advantage of immoral scientific crusades, we will probably see more constitutional challenges to accept their "species" as a protected group to have equal rights. Although OctaMom (the young woman who gave birth to eight children last month through embryo implantation) is not a known lesbian, she is a self-proclaimed single woman who now has 14 children of her own choosing with no intentions of seeking a heterosexual relationship. And although I agree that most homosexual couples cannot contribute as much in a heterosexual community, you may find there are, in fact, homosexual communities that contribute quite a bit to each other. The entertainment industry is one such community where homosexual relationships flourish. A sad moment for many of us, Michael

Hello Katrina, If you live in a large city, ask your local Bishop if their is a Singles Ward in your area. The Singles Ward is geared toward young adults such as yourself. Also, if there is a nearby University, there is also our church Institute Class (group). It will help you get to know some of the other students in the area. You need friends in the Gospel right now, and although married couples can certainly help you - there is a special kinship within the tens of thousands of singles we have in the church. Most of the large cities have a Deseret Book Store too. It is a remarkable environment to visit and browse the inspiring titles. Maintain your hope. I know you are not looking for a replacement relationship right now, but there are many, many LDS who would like to share their "group time" with such an inspiring person such as you. All my best, Michael http://www.lds.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=9&pictureid=78 (First LDS Romance Novel I read as a new convert)

To keep it real simple: The Bishop is not over the Elder's Quorum. The Stake President is over the Elders Quorum. The Elder's Presidency extends callings for teachers within the Elder's Quorum. If you are sustained as a Elder's Quorum teacher, it will surely bless you personally. I have served as a substitute teacher for the Elder's Quorum, and it is very special. I wish you the best, Michael

Let's not forget that our church leaders in the mid 1800's excommunicated members for personal apostasy, which included not doing their callings and not upholding their oath and covenants. Imagine if we returned to excommunicating members who do not home teach, visit teach, attend to their meetings, callings - and are temple worthy and attending the temple. I pray that we can all avoid personal apostasy in the least, Michael

Thank you for your view.You may wish to read the quotes I posted above from our prophet, President Benson. He also mentions that Joseph Smith said the same thing, that our Constitution would hang by a thread. None of he prophets have said the thread would be broken, or the constitution would be destroyed. Our Heavenly Father will prevent that. What President Benson did say, was to encourage all to prevent the Constitution being destroyed (to prevent the thread from being broken). We have seen evidence of that in the passage of Proposition 8. We also see evidence of that in the defeat of the ER amendment in the past. A wise man once said, "If you drifting in a canoe with one paddle, don't wait until you are 50 feet from Niagara Falls before you yell for help! There may not be enough time to gather the forces to help you." Again, thanks for you post, Michael

You were one of the few who welcomed me when I first joined a few days ago. And I thank you for that. As for the time spent on the forums, I am fully aware of a term known as Screen-Sucked. A good web site can have the tendency to screen-suck me into hours on the site, while my other responsibilities get put on the side burner. I am constantly looking at that little clock on my Start bar, and am amazed at how time flies on this site. I have to literally close the windows and reboot my computer. In the early days of Prodigy, I used to have to pay for the long distance Internet connection. When my first phone bill came, the shocking reality of how many "minutes" I had spent online in an LDS group had a sobering effect for me. It wasn't the money so much, it was the "time" - which added up to 40 hours a week online. Yes, there are 168 hours in every week, but 40 hours is just too much when it comes at the cost of so many other responsibilities. Thank you for your post. I am encouraged (again) to invest a nominal amount of time here, without getting screen-sucked into leaving my other responsibilities wanting. My very best, Michael http://www.lds.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=9&pictureid=78 (First LDS Romance Novel I read as a new convert)

Thank you! (I'm trying to figure out your User Name of LesterTheeMT). The MT may be Montana, and maybe the Lester is your husband!) I found your profile encouraging, especially if I am ever in need of emergency help. I wish I had the skills for such a calling, as it serves many when they are in their darkest hour. As for children, my callings have been with the youth - and I have found that the youth can always use another voice from an adult who cares and nurture. I hope you callings include the youth and the primary. Leaders are many times a surrogate mom and dad. Thank you for stopping in, Michael

Jasmine, Thank you so much for posting that! It is wonderful to hear of how people choose the morally correct course because of the influence our church. You may not know it, but our church leaders generally have no official position on political measures unless they are inspired by God to warn the people in a public manner. In this case, it was definitely a warning. And for me - I am glad you were made aware of this important issue. If ever you need help in any other area, please feel free to ask. (I was born and raised in Southern California before moving to the mountains, and became a member of this church when I was an adult). My very best, Michael http://www.lds.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=9&pictureid=78 (First LDS Romance Novel I read as a new convert)

Thanks for the welcome, Jolee! I looked at your profile and was very touched by your testimony. I got the feeling you were blinded by our Saviour for three days (like the Apostle Paul was when he was converted). (Well, maybe you were not blinded - but I figured it was something that you would never forget and never deny). :) My received my first testimony when I was 13 years old (as non-member in those days). Then later when I was an adult, I received another testimony two weeks before I was baptized. We all have a uniqueness with our Father and our Saviour. We are touched in a way that is special to us where there is no denying it. Each testimony is special (and often few in terms of numbers). By the way, does your husband or family participate on the forums? Michael

Hi True-Grits! (That's a good name) Thank you for the welcome. I took a look at your profile (I still have to do mine). I am happy to see you and your husband chose to look after your parents. That is something very few people choose to do these days. Please tell your husband (when he is not on he "road") that at least one guy here gives his hats-off to the sacrifice both of you are doing. Parents don't stay around on this planet for very long, and I cam sure when they are gone you and your husband will know you have done a godly service to those who helped you along in the early days. My best to both of you, Michael

Hello, Maya!Luck: When opportunity meets preparation. Don't be too hard on yourself. Sometimes the spirit directs worthy people to call those to serve in a great cause, regardless of their skills at the moment. I am sure there are plenty of skilled internet types who know more than any of us, but are they worthy to be called? Prior to when I was called to be a Moderator in 2000, I spent the previous 4 years from 1996-2000 on Prodigy and other groups. I learned quite a bit by watching good and bad moderators in those early days. The software back then was UBB (which is another generic version of the LDS software (VBulletin), and the learning curve for me was difficult. But as we carry on day by day, we learn by doing. I am sure you will become an expert! Time does fly when we are having fun. Do you have a private Moderators Forum where you and other moderators have access to? That would be a wonderful area to share ideas, tips, and other skills when it comes to the latest forum software version. You are a member of a unique team, and I am sure there are many new features you can learn to enjoy. (I know each time I see a new version on the other forum site I work on, it becomes special week for me while I browse all of the new options). If you ever have a question about the software, let me know. From what I see on this site, Heather has certainly put a lot of work into having a great menu of features available to the members. My very best, Michael http://www.lds.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=9&pictureid=78 (First LDS Romance Novel I read as a new convert)

Ezra Taft Benson, Prophet (President Benson also served under President Dwight D Eisenhower as Secretary of Agriculture.) "I am grateful that the God of heaven saw fit to put his stamp of approval upon the Constitution and to indicate that it had come into being through wise men whom he raised up unto this very purpose. "He (God of Heaven) asked the Saints, even in the dark days of their persecution and hardship to continue to seek for redress from their enemies "According," he said, "to the laws and constitution . . . which I have suffered to be established and should be maintained for the rights and protection of all flesh." (D&C 101:77.) "And then He made this most impressive declaration: "And for this purpose have I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the shedding of blood. (D&C 101:80.) __________________________ "In connection with the attack on the United States, the Lord told the Prophet Joseph Smith there would be an attempt to overthrow the country by destroying the Constitution. Joseph Smith predicted that the time would come when the Constitution would hang as it were by a thread, and at that time, "this people will step forth and save it from the threatened destruction." (Journal History, Jul 4, 1854.)" "Modern-day prophets for the past several decades have been warning us that we have been rapidly moving in that direction. Fortunately, the Prophet Joseph Smith saw the part the elders of Israel would play in this crisis. Will there be some of us who won't care about saving the Constitution, others who will be blinded by the craftiness of men, and some who will knowingly be working to destroy it? He who has ears to hear and eyes to see can discern by the Spirit and through the words of God's mouthpiece that our liberties are being taken. " "The warning of this hour should resound through the corridors of every American institution—schools, churches, the halls of Congress, press, radio, and TV, and so far as I am concerned it will resound—with God's help. "Wherever possible I have tried to speak out. It is for this very reason that certain people in Washington have bitterly criticized me. They don't want people to hear the message. It embarrasses them. The things which are destroying the Constitution are the things they have been voting for." Source link _______________________ No one can deny we live in the times as our prophets have warned of. Yes, the California Constitution is but a small reservoir which is upheld by the will of good and moral people. Poke a hole in it, and this small reservoir will spread across the country - state by state - to jeopardize our US Constitution. We need to rally our supporters in defending what our Heavenly Father has deemed for us to defend. The battle is in California and any other state which is in jeopardy. My prayers to all to recognize your calling, Michael http://www.lds.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=9&pictureid=77

As prophets have said, "The Constitution will hang by a thread" in the latter days. One such state, California, seems to be ground zero in one such cause. May the California Supreme Court be inspired to uphold the will of the people who righteously voiced their vote through the passage of Proposition 8. My very best, Michael http://www.lds.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=9&pictureid=77

BREAKING NEWS QUOTE: Proposition 8: Justices seem to be leaning in favor of Gay Marriage Ban Amendment SAN FRANCISCO -- The California Supreme Court, which last year declared the right of gays and lesbians to marry, appeared ready Thursday to uphold the voters' decision to overrule the court and restore the state's ban on same-sex marriage. "There have been initiatives that have taken away rights from minorities by majority vote" and have been upheld by the courts, said Chief Justice Ronald George. "Isn't that the system we have to live with?" George wrote the majority opinion in the court's 4-3 ruling in May striking down California's ban on same-sex marriages - which voters, in turn, reversed in November by approving Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment defining marriage as being only between a man and a woman. Another member of last year's majority, Justice Joyce Kennard, said the challenge to Prop. 8 brought by advocates of same-sex marriage involved "a completely different issue" from the court's ruling that the marriage laws violated gays' and lesbians' rights to be treated equally and wed the partner of their choice. "Here we are dealing with the power of the people, the inalienable right, to amend the Constitution," Justice Joyce Kennard said. Speaking to a lawyer for same-sex couples, she said those who want to overturn the voters' decision "have the right to go to the people and present an initiative." Backing for couples There were some indications of divisions among the justices on the validity of Prop. 8 during the hearing, which lasted more than three hours at the court's San Francisco headquarters. But on a separate issue, all seven appeared to agree that the 18,000 same-sex couples who married before Prop. 8 passed would remain legally wed. "When the highest court of the state declares that same-sex couples have the right to marry ... how can one deny the validity of those marriages?" asked Justice Marvin Baxter, who dissented from the May ruling throwing out the opposite-sex-only marriage law. Relying on that ruling, thousands of gays and lesbians "upended their lives, changed their property responsibilities with their spouses," said Justice Ming Chin, another dissenter from that decision. "Is it really fair to throw that out?" If the justices' questions were any indication, the court will allow Prop. 8 to ban same-sex marriages as of Nov. 5, the day after it passed with 52 percent of the vote. A ruling is due within 90 days. The initiative, sponsored by conservative religious groups, amended the state Constitution to declare that "only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California." That was the language of a previous law that the court struck down last year as a violation of the state Constitution. Plaintiffs' case Prop. 8 was challenged by two groups of same-sex couples and by a group of local governments led by San Francisco. They argued that the measure, though drafted as an amendment to the Constitution, violated that document's core principle of equality and exceeded the voters' initiative powers. "A guarantee of equality that is subject to exceptions by the majority is no guarantee at all," said Therese Stewart, San Francisco's chief deputy city attorney. Opponents argued that Prop. 8 was not merely a constitutional amendment, which can be circulated as an initiative for voter approval, but was a revision of the Constitution, which requires approval from either two-thirds of the Legislature or delegates to a constitutional convention to reach the ballot. Taking away rights Pressed to define the difference, Shannon Minter of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, lawyer for one group of same-sex couples, said that when a majority repeals a fundamental right from a group "historically subject to discrimination," that's a revision. But George said voters had done just that in ballot measures that restricted school busing for integration and banned affirmative action based on race or sex in government programs. Kennard said the right to life is at least as fundamental as the right to marry. She noted that the court, after declaring the death penalty unconstitutional in 1972, upheld an initiative that year overturning the ruling. Minter countered that the death penalty didn't single out one group for different treatment. Justice Carlos Moreno, whose questioning suggested that he might vote to overturn Prop. 8, said the death penalty case "didn't deal with the elimination of constitutional personal rights." Kenneth Starr, lawyer for Protect Marriage, the sponsor of the ballot measure, argued that Californians have a virtually unlimited power to amend their Constitution. "Rights are in the power of the people," said Kenneth Starr, law dean at Pepperdine University and formerly the special prosecutor in the impeachment of former President Bill Clinton. He said past rulings have classified initiatives as constitutional revisions only if they would cause a "far-reaching change in the basic structure of government." 'New to us' But Justice Kathryn Mickle Werdegar said no previous case had presented the question of whether an initiative could be used to take away fundamental rights. "This is new to us," she said. Starr also argued that Prop. 8 was a modest measure that left the rights of same-sex couples undisturbed under California's domestic-partner laws and other statutes banning discrimination based on sexual orientation. The initiative "does not erode any of the bundle of rights that this state has very generously provided," he said, but merely "restores the traditional definition of marriage." Several justices seemed to agree. Kennard said the voters arguably "took away the label of marriage, but ... left intact most of what this court declared," including unprecedented constitutional protections for gays and lesbians. Christopher Krueger, a senior assistant in Attorney General Jerry Brown's office, also urged the court to overturn Prop. 8, saying the equality and individual liberty at the heart of last year's ruling were "inalienable rights" that should not be subject to a majority vote. The court seemed unconvinced. Justice Carol Corrigan said Krueger appeared to be arguing that people may amend the Constitution "unless they do it in a way that this court doesn't like." The lead case is Strauss vs. Horton, S168047. Heard at the hearing "A guarantee of equality that is subject to exceptions by the majority is no guarantee at all." - Therese Stewart, San Francisco chief deputy city attorney, arguing that Prop. 8 violates equal-rights principles in the state Constitution "The people established the Constitution. As judges, our power is very limited." - Justice Joyce Kennard "Is it for this court to limit the people's power to amend the Constitution?" - Chief Justice Ronald George "Proposition 8 does not erode any of the bundle of rights that this state has very generously provided" to same-sex couples. - Kenneth Starr, lawyer for Protect Marriage, the sponsor of Prop. 8 "If you're in the marriage business, do it equally. If you're not going to do it equally, then get out of the marriage business." - Michael Maroko, a lawyer for same-sex couples, replying to a question about whether the court should reserve the name "marriage" for religious ceremonies and convert existing civil marriages to civil unions "It would exceed the power of this court." - Starr, answering the same question END QUOTE: Source Link ________________________________

Thank you for your comment. It reminds me of when I first attended a foreign language class in high school many years ago. I expected the teacher to teach us in English, but from the very start he only spoke in the foreign language. So here I was listening to something I could not understand for days and days until I started to pick up on little pieces and put them together. (I'm not sure if they teach that way anymore today).I am a convert to the church (my family was not LDS), so I understand exactly what you are saying. The missionaries which visited me in my home were very patient and understanding when I asked questions such as "what does that mean?". Thank you for reminding me how I felt back in those days. Our church defines Patriarchal Blessings as . . . Patriarchal blessings are given to worthy members of the Church by ordained patriarchs. Patriarchal blessings include a declaration of a person's lineage in the house of Israel and contain personal counsel from the Lord. As a person studies his or her patriarchal blessing and follows the counsel it contains, it will provide guidance, comfort, and protection.Also, I found this for you: Those who have received a patriarchal blessing should read it humbly, prayerfully, and frequently. It contains personal revelation and instructions from Heavenly Father, who knows our strengths, weaknesses, and eternal potential. Patriarchal blessings may contain promises, admonitions, and warnings. Those who follow the counsel in their patriarchal blessing will be less likely to go astray or be misled. Only by following the counsel in a patriarchal blessing can one receive the blessings contained therein. While a patriarchal blessing contains inspired counsel and promises, it should not be expected to answer all of the recipient's questions or to detail all that will happen in his or her life. If the blessing does not mention an important event, such as a full-time mission or marriage, the person should not assume that he or she will not receive that opportunity. Similarly, the recipient of the blessing should not assume that everything mentioned in it will be fulfilled in this life. A patriarchal blessing is eternal, and its promises may extend into the eternities. If one is worthy, all promises will be fulfilled in the Lord's due time. Those promises and blessings that are not realized in this life will be fulfilled in the next. Patriarchal blessings are sacred and personal. They may be shared with immediate family members, but should not be read aloud in public or read or interpreted by others. Not even the patriarch or bishop or branch president should interpret it. Those who have received a patriarchal blessing should treasure its words, ponder them, and live to be worthy to receive the promised blessings in this life and in the life to come. To find out how to receive a patriarchal blessing, Church members should speak with their bishop or branch president. Source Link ___________________________Although the best source for questions is with the local missionaries in your area, we can certainly help you with just about any of your general questions you have here. We are delighted to have you! On the other hand, when the missionaries visit you (as they did for me years ago) there is something extra which will be present that is not especially present on the internet. You will have the Light of Christ and the Missionaries will have the Holy Ghost. The truth can be manifested to your heart and soul in person, which is a marvelous experience to look forward to. Michael http://www.lds.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=9&pictureid=77

See this link: Protestant work ethic - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Another forum of similar size where I serve as an Administrator requires everyone to register with their first and last name along with some other criteria that verifies who they are. Although some are permitted to use a first and last pen name after they register, for the most part everyone there uses their real name and real location. The result? The overall respect for each other is one of the highest on the internet! It should come as no surprise that some forum members on some internet sites who use User Names other than their real names - may be tempted to post disruptive comments they would not otherwise say within the confines of a live person-to-person discussion. But so is the world of the internet which permits people to act out at the expense of others. Although the other forum I mention is not the most popular in terms of 500,000 members, the sustaining members of that forum (with over 40,000 members) truly enjoy the safe-harbor from the other side of the internet where anything goes. As for Moderators, some sites invest months of training Moderators in the proper management of forum members, while some sites simply appoint their favorite friend who has no clue. I am sure Heather and her group appoint their Moderators with great care, and perhaps after seeing a track record of sorts. And I suspect their is a private forum where the Moderators meet to interact over the challenges they face here. (We call ours the Moderators Clubhouse) From what I have seen since yesterday (when I joined this forum), I have been impressed. And if someone agrees to the Forum Rules, in a sense they choose to sustain the board leadership - very much what we do when sustaining our church leaders. And if a critique is needed, I am sure it is first considered in private when it can be. But in D&C, we are also asked to make public corrections if the error has offended among many (as in public). If required, we do it with tears and not glee. My very best, Michael http://www.lds.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=9&pictureid=77

Hello, and thank you for your honesty.Sow an idea, Reap a habit Sow a habit, Reap a discipline Sow a discipline, reap a character Sow a character, reap a destination Sow a destination, reap another idea. (We sometimes take detour from the list above, but the path is still available to us now) Although the Atonement is something to rely on from time to time, some members have been counseled to ask in prayer that our Saviour's Atonement be applied to the things we have trouble in overcoming, including all measures of inabilities to make ourselves think and act in conformity. The atonement can step in and remove feelings of unforgiveness of others and ourselves. The atonement can permanently heal when we cannot obtain the means of self-healing. By putting the atonement in the hands of the Saviour, we can find the worthy peace we all seek. In my early years before joining the church, I studied two books that had a profound affect on my life: Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon HillThe Law of Success, by Napoleon HillAlthough they are not LDS books, the author was commissioned by Andrew Carnegie (the richest man in America at that time in the early 1900's) to personally interview the most successful businessmen in the country, from a list of 10,000. The project took over ten years and evolved into the two books above. (The Law of Success is the unabridged version). What Hill found was that nearly all of the 10,000 successful businessmen shared a common testimony of believing in God.One of the chapters discusses sexual transmutation, where the natural urges are transformed into creativity and spiritual growth. Apparently, many successful people have taken the natural urges of sex and transmuted the urges (redirected them) into another path toward creativity, something worthy they wished to achieve. I believe the Saviour used a similar approach, in part, when he went through the 40 days of fasting and the several unrecorded years of his early manhood. The Saviour also uttered specific words when tempted, which expelled the tempter. Although we do not profess to have the same powers the Saviour has, we do, by His example, have the ability to utter words when tempted. I can testify to you that a short prayer sentence at the time of any unworthy urge or thought, invoking the name of Jesus Christ, does work - especially if the Holy Ghost is with you. And if the temptation persists, the repeated prayer within a few seconds will again eliminate the unworthy urge or thought. We just have to believe it, say it, and never give up on asking or invoking. It is when we do not invoke at the moment of temptation or unworthy thought that we may fall victim. Back on the books I mentioned: I personally do not believe we have to keep sexual urges inside with no where to go. I know the urges can be transformed to a creative and spiritual nature, redirected chemically and within the laws of nature. The will power is the desire to convert these urges. But once the biological process begins toward the conversion, then less will power is needed. Your creativity will grow - and the result to others will be your spiritual presence (otherwise known as enthusiasm - which in Latin, means to be with God). Your increased spirit will begin to fortify. It is not easy to start, but once you are successful and gain the early results of rechanneling the urges to a more worthy goal, you will become addicted to a worthy process. Look at the Sowing process steps I listed above, starting with an idea. Use it prayerfully in the name of Jesus Christ. And last, delete unworthy files, links, and other items from your computer. Change your home page (maybe to this site or the main LDS.ORG site) Invest in a software that unmistakably can filter out anything remotely tempting for you. The technologies today are a lot better at keeping the trash away from your view. Our church buildings were very slow in getting computers and the internet access. You may also wish to move your computer to an area in your home where it can be considered the most worthy spot. If you need more ideas, just ask. My very best, Michael http://www.lds.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=9&pictureid=77

Hello Ms Bodhi, Some day you and I will come to know about the full perspective we both enjoyed together as friends in the pre-mortal life before we came to this life. For some of us, it is the promises we received in our Patriarchal Blessings - which includes the hope and assurances we will receive in this life and beyond.For others, it is the presence of the Holy Ghost, a member of the Godhead which includes Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father. To have the Holy Ghost present in each hour of our lives is a remarkable blessing for those who need constant companionship and direction during this mortal life. There is also our Testimonials from past mortal experiences during this life, which insures that God knows we know, and that we can never deny it. And there is also the knowledge there is no fear of death, for it will be the next step into a life that is beyond our greatest dreams. (Of course, for some of us the fear of public speaking or the fear of moving is on our list of items to avoid) Some things are reserved for you to experience once you receive your own testimony from God. Other things are reserved for you after you act on the testimonies you receive from God. As a child I had many questions and hoped that I would be quickened to becoming an adult, so as to figure out why my parents were the way there were. But my parents knew they could try to explain why they were happy, but doing the journey is a better companion than just hearing or reading about it. I have no urgency. I used to, until I realized I could never get my life's work done. So I just continue along at my turtle pace, which is consistent and thoughtful. (I suspect I will have a boatload of work to do in the next life) :) Again, I think when you receive your Patriarchal Blessing at some time, your goals will be crystallized into a much shorter list of what God would be pleased to see you do. Imagine how it was when Adam lived to several hundred years instead of the shorter lifespan we have today (although 90 years is not that bad). We have several more generations of life ahead of us in this mortal life, and as we pass from one generation to another, you and I can reflect on how we put aside the importance of life and how we can improve it. My very best, Michael http://www.lds.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=9&pictureid=77

Climb Every Mountain is a favorite. There was also another one by Neil Diamond from the last film he did that I liked. Although not a "hymn", the lyrics reminded me of our relationship with the Savior. My very best, Michael http://www.lds.net/forums/picture.php?albumid=9&pictureid=77

Thanks, everyone, for the warm welcome. Hi Miss Something! A friend and teacher once said, "You never get a second chance to make a first impression"..(Hope I didn't over do it):)