StrawberryFields

Makes perfect sence to me. :) One more thing I would like to add is the feeling that follows the initial high for me. It's been during these times that have been the easiest for me give my will to my Father In Heaven and walk by faith. That is such a great place to be!

It could be anyone from any walk of life you just need to be in tune with the spirit, so what ever you need to do to get you there...DO IT. It could be reading the scriptures, offering a heartfelt prayer, or something as simple as getting quiet.You mention the term a significant spiritual message from God and that is where to confusion might come into play. What is significant to me might not be significant to you. I believe that I receive messages that apply to me and those who are close to me or in my family. I don't believe that the general population of the church receives messages that will change the lives of those who are in the church as a whole. I believe that kind of message will come from the prophet.

The scouting program has worked great in our family but my boys like that kind of stuff. I think a lot depends of the scoutmaster and how much he gets into scouting. We had a terrific Scoutmaster and both of my boys achieved their Eagles with Nick just getting his since his accident. My older sons job application was pulled and placed at the top of 500 other applications because of his Eagle ranking and he was hired for a great job. I have also heard that if you go into the military with and Eagle award that you automatically get to start at a higher class. FYI: In addition to the girls of the church having the Personal Progress Program the also have Girls Camp. Just an observation about boys in the scouting program in church... I have to really wonder how many boys would stick with a program that worked at developing their spiritual qualities. There is a family in our ward where they struggled with the "fun activities" that the church offered for their children. The mother of this family is a friend of mine and she would be frustrated when the young women would go swimming explaining that her daughter just wasn't interested in that. Other times when the girls would do a service project some of the girls who would go swimming wouldn't come to the service project. As a young women presidency we tried to keep the activities varied enough to allow all of the girls to feel comfortable. Half of the battle was getting them to show up, if they are not there they lose touch and then it is really difficult to get them to come. It¡Çs has been a delicate balance to keep most of them happy but one that finds great rewards.

I have a friend who lives in my ward and she has been here for about 8 years. From Travelers description it appears that things have lightened up since the time that she has been here. She told me that they had to meet in total secret at the time when she lived there.

How can any of us be responsible for the money given by the US? I am an American Citizen and I have donated money to this cause. I can only be responsible for what I do.

I believe this has been the case since the 1800's Can you say thin ice? Amilla, I am with Spencer on this. It wasn't your question that was "off" it was Tridents reply. Trident has a history of bashing the LDS Church and it goes back long before you joined us.

I believe that many people do get these experiences but they choose to think of them as a phenomenon, or as something strange or the like. I believe in order to take something as a spiritual experience you have to know that there is a lesson to be learned here for our own betterment and that the lesson is coming from Him.Just a little off topic for a minute if I may... I also believe that life has a way of teaching us all lessons. If we choose not to take what we learned from a specific lesson we will most likely repeat that mistake and have that lesson brought to our forefront once again. Simple example, fire will burn you. A tougher one is what you give out to others will come back to you. If you want kindness you first have to give it.

We have different opinions on this.I don't believe an obedient person is more inclined to receive a BIG sprigtail experience then someone who is living in sin. I believe that life changing experiences happen to everyone. Whether we take note to what they are determines our outcome. Say a drunk in the streets of any town USA staggers into the street and a driver from an on coming car notices him in just enough time to hit the breaks. The drunk falls into the road from his delayed reaction of jumping back from the car and saw his life flash before him. He realizes that he didn't actually die...just almost. He has had a potentionally life changing experience but will he see it for what it is and change? Who needs these experiences? I think we all do no matter where we are on the fence. I believe that the lord loves and blesses us all, what we do is up to us. I received an awesome plague for Christmas. "It is not our abilities that show what we truly are; it's our choices." We can choose to act upon these experiences or not no matter where we are on the fence.

Why? Is it relevant to this thread? The reason I felt it was relevant is because you denounced the method I described and you classify it with the majority of Christians. You said that you were looking for spiritual experiences that are way above the normal spiritual experiences and I felt that you must have something specific in mind based on your own spiritual experience.I can sense that I am causing you frustration so I will allow you to have your discussion the way in which you have laid it out.

That's great Writer_Chick! When will the date be?

Thinking of something different is always welcome. Your description may be accurate for the majority of Christians but I'm trying to get a handle on significant, way above average spiritual experiences. I feel your view is of steady progression in the right direction, I'm thinking along the lines of visits from angels, seeing the face of Christ, etc, completely life changing experiences, not really additions to existing experiences. Big step changes from previous experiences. Although I have not yet seen the actual face of Christ, I have had life changing experiences based on my spiritual experiences. I don't believe in placing people into categories like these and that is the reason I chose not to slide into one of those categories. I believe that placing people into certain categories limits their progress. Still it comes back to opposition in all things to me. Yes, and I also believe in the line upon line, precept upon precept, way of progression in the gospel. You mention a way above average spiritual experience...Have you had this?

I believe this has been the case since the 1800's Can you say thin ice?

<span style=\'color:blue\'>Okay CUTE!I think. My Daughter has a LIGER Sweatshirt, Nick had a t-shirt that has VOTE FOR PEDRO! on it and his Friend has a shirt that has Napoleon and the word SKILLS on it! It took my computer a minute to load the site above....YESSSS!! it will be stored as a favorite!!!!

When I first read the question I thought of something different. I believe in opposition so in order to have spiritual highs you need to have had spiritual lows. As I see it in my life it is somewhat of a stairs pattern with me climbing forward. Occasionally I might have to go down a step before reaching the next level but when I do I have a strong foundation supporting me.

Thanks Buddy!

This was my favorite part of this comedy! Such words from someone who says there is no God and compares the scriptures to a mother goose tale. "Jesus is comming! Look busy!" Yes I agree but those were not my words they belonged to Pushka. Just a qoute glitch.

Out of Catnip?

AWESOME!

I agree. Never discount the power of a heartfelt prayer. :)

And?

What you have written above strikes me as pretty powerful stuff and something that I would like to reflect upon. I remember not too long ago a friend was asking me why I believe so strongly in a church he found to be false. I told him that it was something I feel so strongly and that I can't deny. He said, "Don't worry; there are a lot of people who "feel" as I do. Whenever I have something that I was struggling with I would seek for knowledge...I would search for an answer to make sense. One of the valuable lessons that I learned in that first week while Nick was fighting for his life is that in matters of FAITH, knowledge was secondary. I have witnessed situations where people will use doctrine to confuse others. If we take a moment to think about ourselves and where WE reside it is in our hearts, and that is where we feel.

This may be old news to some but I did not first understand why getting the people clean drinking water was so important. When the tsunami hit it destroyed the sewer systems and their water all became polluted. The water inland is still okay I think. Another think that is so sad is that in addition to those who have already died, even more will die from disease.

Okay this is what I am gathering thus far from this discussion. Some say these disasters are not Gods fault but because of the signs of the times nothing is done to prevent them. Some say that we have had signs of the times for nearly 150-200 years so relax. I hesitate to dive into a discussion like this because I am not as well versed as others but I would like to learn. My general knowledge of the Second Coming is that there will be signs that lead up to this. Weather Disease Wickedness Wars And I am sure I have left some out. Maybe even Mad Cow Disease (muttering to myself) nah, that was something completely different. Maybe it is just me and the past two years I have gone though, but I feel that many people¡Çs lives are becoming more difficult and complex. Life is nothing like it was 35 years ago and I was playing in a sand box. Life was even easier 10 years ago and then I was way into adulthood. I feel very deeply that things are changing and it isn't just happening "in my world" either. I have talked about these things with people who are not even members of the church. If these things are not signs of the times then what is?

I am so sorry, that is just the attitude that many smokers die with. Smoking SINCE HE WAS EIGHT? How old is he now? Writer Chick, now I know more details I would say "Stay in touch with him". If he lives so far away you can still be there via letters asking about how he is feeling and things like that without being committed to him. I watched my mom die of lung cancer and it was very fast for her. She was diagnosed with it February 21 and she died March 20. Hers had already spread all over her body before they caught it.

Hey didn't you move to another State?It is a GREAT show and I would love to see it again. :) It's so good to see you posting!