MissKitty

I think the quote is still relevant today. Perhaps on not such a wide scale as shes a black girl hes a white guy (even thought I can appreciate that kind of mindless racism is still apparent in societys). But if you. look, for exmple, at the Hazara people of Afghanistan and the native Pahtuns, or Rowanda and the Hutu and Tutsi tribes, oh Zimbabwe with the Shona and Nbele. (I've probably miss spelt) but even though these people are of similiar skin tone, there can be a lot of violence towards others who are not of the same tribe. Children who have a parent from different tribes would not actually "fit" into either and could be highly discrimated agaisnt so I don't think the counsel in the priesthood manuel is out of date though maybe it would be more tactful of them to replace the word race with cultural background. ALso the local people could cause a great deal of hostility to the family because the father married a girl from a different tribe for example. Or she stole one of our men. Those kinda things.

A little more information would be helpful - pretty please?

Traveler I couldn't have put my feelings any better than that first line. God created one world - we stuck all the boundries in it! I have actually prayed a few times and felt positive feelings. Thanks Priho also that makes sense because there was a time that a white person marrying a black person could have potentially caused a lot of friction and contention and to avoid that I can see why church leaders may have cautioned agaisnt it. Still my mums friends opinion didn't have a great deal of impact on her daughter as the two of them got married

Theres no such thing as the most important calling sorry but there isn't. Callings with greater responsibilities - granted there are those with more responsibility to them like bishop but a helper in nursery has in themselves a great responsibility. The tiny little insects may seem very insignificant in the great web of life but by decomposing (sorry thats probably not the right word but bear with me im tired) !! By discomposing of the dead carcasses they create the soil that creates the oxygen. So the bigger animals are not nescasarily the most important animals, if it wasn't for the little creepy crawlers we all wouldn't be able to breath!! :) Every one has a crucial purpose - a cog in the mechanics that make the church work. Without them things wouldn't run as smoothly.

Hello every one not been on in a while. Not a lots changed a part from I've met a very nice young man. He is African and my mother mentioned, though not racistly, that some one in the church had mentioned to her when her daughter was dating an African guy that we are counciled not to mix the races. The only scripture reference I found was in Alma (I think it was Alma) when he councils the tribes not to corrupt their seed by mixing but I can hardly see how that is important now? I feel strongly we are all children of God so what does it matter if hes pink white orange yellow purple from timbuktoo or outta space (well ok if hes from outta space that might be a bit tricky) ! :) Can anyone tell me anything more about this?

With respect reading that I could not help wondering if these feelings are infact reflections of your own inner negative feelings of self worth and inadaquecy? No one can be perfect. What is perfect? The answer would surely be some thing different for each individual. Surely perfect is over coming ones own imperfections and becoming the very best we can be. It is the acceptence of the inperfect and the finding of joy in the journey of fulfilment. It is not having this or having that. Really it doesn't matter what you have in this life. A big house, a fancy car, a posh dishwasher. The two most important things here in this life are family and education as those are the two things you can take with you into the next life. So do the very best you can and you are far from faultless. I know for me I can be over critical with myself, "I could have done better", "maybe I could have done it a bit neater" etc. the thing is that is my achievement that I am talking about and I should be pleased with that! One thing to remember, don't worry about other peoples attitudes. Remember you are a latter day saint on the lords business not in the entertainment business!! :) And I am almost certain you are excellent at all the things you are doing already - you are a choice spirit daughter of the creator of this amazing and glorious universe remember!! I would suggest to reach out to Heavenly Father really prayer on your own and read your scriptures set a side a little time each day. If we feel inadequate and "not good enough" it can be very hard to accept the atonement and the eternal and pure love the Saviour and our Father in Heaven has for us - so much so we do not reach out to them wich leads us to doubt their very existance. Please pray and read the scriptures you are more precious than you realize. Remember also you are of equal value to every one else in the eyes of God, because you have the same potential as every one else. Some of us can access that potential in some areas quicker than others - some a little slower but either way we all get there eventually you just got to keep working at it and don't let the pace of every one else distract you. This is your journey!

I've been searching websites and feeling a bit confused so thought I'd just ask here for any pointers. I am 22 and live in Leeds England. I have no qualifications a part from my secondary school grades so I'm not qualified to work in a specific sector. I also don't know any one in America. The reason I want to live there is because I want to live near the prophet. I know that might sound a bit silly and unessacery but I just feel strongly that is what I want.more than anything. My life is at a comfortable plod at the moment and I am young. I suppose maybe I want a bit of adventure and there is nothing keeping me back here in Englland. My family are here and we are close but I have not lived with them since I was 19. I will be going a lone. I'd get a job rent a room some place. I just need to know about visas. I also have not got a pass port never been abroad. Will be going to the post office to get a passport I will be living in Utah. I want a fresh start. I want to leave this old life behind and fly away some places new, new people, new oportunities. I'm under no illusion how hard it will be but I have a strong desire to work hard and make things work out for myself.

The more I'm thinking about this this evening. I thought about the times I've spent with children in nursery. Children love to be part of things, they love to be included. So anything to do with our savior (especially some thing so important as the sacriment)!!! can only be a good thing. :) I love the sacriment !!! :) :)

No children but I do have a cat who paws everything I pick up to eat.. along with a constant "Meowmy" (I swear thats how he sounds)! lol fair point !!! :)

I really have no objection to the little ones taking the sacrement but at church on Sunday I wondered, do children need to take the sacrement? Children are unaccountable until the age of eight. They are spotless and perfect. So why do they need to take the sacrement before eight? They have no sin. I think I might be missing a major some thing but I can't put my finger on it! :)

I feel strong empathy with what you are saying, witch is why I wanted to reply earlier. Though probably not as disabled my father is seriously affected by dyslexia. It affects his judgement and awareness. He finds it hard to make desicions and can be tactless at times. I some times look back on my childhood with some resentment. Why couldn't I have been the little girl who was a princess in her daddys eyes? Why couldn't he treasure me and protect me like "fathers" do? Why did he have to lash out at me when I was a teenager and not give me the father daughter heart to heart that I craved when I was running around screaming? Why couldn't he catch me when I fell off those monkey bars in the park when I was a little girl? Why at sixtreen when I left with the social worker to go into a foster home did he just wave and say "bye then" (major point I didn't leave because of my dad, my dad wasn't a violent father but he did smack me a few times when I got upset, however the memory is still sore in my head hence i mention it) The thing is dad sees it all differently to how I see things. He isn't as aware as I am. Perhaps his world is more black and white to him. Good and bad. I'm not so sure, I want to go to an evening class at college on understanding dyslexia to try and understand how dad views the world. Only recently, a few years after leaving home, I feel I am starting to get to know my dad. We are actually quite a like me and dad! We both love classical music in particular shostakovich and when he comes over to my flat we listen. We discuss the scriptures and our beliefs and I have found out that dad is a very spiritual man. One day when he came round he started to cry and he asked me "Have I been a good father to you? I some times think I havn't been there enough". I replied "That times had been hard for our family but life is very good now" and I told him how I love him and loved spending time with him. For all the mistakes he's made I do love him and it does make me sad to think I must have hurt him also as at night he will ask mum, "Does Kathleen love me?" I think I must have just been too caught up in the dillusion that dad wasn't normal and found it hard to accept him but dad is my dad.. and for all his short comings he has such a clear knowledge and love of our savior and the gospel and and such a deep love for me.

Though not answering the question you asked, I wanted to say this. Your mother though perhaps not perfect and perhaps her ability te parent is marred by her past is still your mother. I am certain that she loves you, with a love that is more perfect than any other love that this world can possess, that love is the love of a parent to a child. Perhaps your mother finds it difficult to show this love to you perhaps even she finds it hard to comprehend that she has these feelings for you but one day your mother, a long with all of us, will return to Heavenly Father and will be complete and will be perfect. I want to say to you treasure your mother, the lady who carried you for nine months of her life. I would say look at your mother for the lady she is now. Focus on the positivs and all the things she can and has done. A lot of joy can be found in looking for perfection in the seemingly imperfect. With all due respect, I feel, when we look at others and judge them and say they are inperfect we must also look at ourselves. After all no one is "perfect". I feel perfection is being the very best one can be. Perhaps your mother, though limited in her ability, is striving to do her very best though this may not be comparable to say an average able mothers ability. I'll will also add that yes i do believe there is a Heavenly mother and I am sure she is wonderful too :)

There are many things we need to do to obtain salvation and a strong relationship with Christ is one of them indeed. I guess you could think of it like this.. Your father has a beautiful mansion. One day you maybe able to go and live there with your father. If you speak and listen to your father daily (that would be reading scriptures and praying in the spiritual sense!) you would have a bond with your father. However if you havn't shown your father you willingness to do as he says, an eagerness to obey him and to love and honor him. Would your father allow you to live with him? Believing and conversion are two seperate things. Believing is the knowladge that Jesus Christ lives, conversion is the change in one self to strive to lead a Christ like life and walk in His foosteps. It is a commitment given to following Christ and God completely and utterly. You need to both belief and conversion to achieve salvation.

Hi!!! People seem to have split opinions on playing games with dice/cards as far as I know due to the gambling aspect. I say there is no harm done playing card games (I love solitaire) and using a dice in a game as long as long as it is only a game and you are not playing for money. Second well I say thats totally personal choice! You root for who you think are the better team. Though I think its important to bear in mind for all the worldy things we believe in we first and formost believe in God and his kingdom ^-^

Thats another thing I've been thinking too. A career in childcare is pretty clear cut I progress through the CACHE lvls when I've done LVL 3 I'm a qualified nursery nurse and on completion of LVL 5 I'm qualified to be a manger of a nursery. Politics I would take GCSEs followed by A levels then a degree in politics but where it would go from there I am not so sure.... and the more I'm thinking about it now I'm feeling more inclined to do childcare hmm hard choices !!! :) I think I need to pray !

I just thought I'd think aloud and maybe get some opinions. I'm at that great big moment in my life when I'm thinking career and which path to take. I've narrowed down my interests and passions and am stuck with two of my great interests and loves. Politics and Childcare. To me the most important things in life are families and education and taking the route of childcare would lead to a job involving both of those. (I'm thinking nursery manager eventually). But then theres politics, human beings are political beings. Each day we make descisions based upon pros and cons. I guess when I ask myself, whats more improtant, childcare or politics? It seems a no brainer that children are more important than current affairs! But this is my career and both are hugely fascinating to me. One day I want to be a mum and that was another reason I took an interest in childcare. I also like to read books about the political instability of the middle east.. I'm going round and round in circles in my little head and well.. I just don't know what to do so thought I'd make a post and see what other people think !! :) Thanks Kitty ! x

First off well done for taking those steps to be baptised !! Your story reminds me a little of my mothers. My mum is a convert to the LDS church also, she met my dad who was a mormon and then got baptised. Her sister didn't want anything to do with her a few years later and the pair did not speak to one another for about twenty years. Her sister didn't want anything to do with her and mum sort of accepted it. It took their dad dying (my grandad) for them to start speaking and seeing one another again. When they did oh how they laughed and shared memories of their childhoods it was so nice to see them together, it felt to me they are ment to be together after all they are family! (I might be missing a crucial point in this story as to why they didn't speak for so long but this is what I see has happened). It doesn't have to be like this! What I'd say is keep writing to your sister! Don't stop showing her you love her even if she tries hard to hate it. I also think it would be good to pray to our Father in Heaven and ask that she softens her heart to you and to fast for your sister also would be a good idea. Please don't just never speak to her again. Please at least keep trying and trusting in Heavenly Father. I grew up without knowing an Auntie and a Grandad because two sisters wern't talking. Not to mention the contless happy occasions and memorys, even problems ! my mum could have shared and my auntie also. Now thats what I call crumby !!!

Yay!!!!!!!!!!! Great news !! And isn't it amazing the changes we see in others when they come unto Christ *big grin* =D

You are worth so much, so much more that you realise. You deserve so much more too. I have been in a similiar dark situation so , you meet a person and you want to feel loved important special cherished only it doesn't happen. Your left feeling dirty, empty, and of less worth than before the enounter happened. So what next? On to the next person, it'll be better next time won't it? You hope and then the same feeling. It's like an endless circle and the only one that can brake this circle is you but not YOU a lone you need the strength that comes from the love of our Father in heaven. Heavenly Father wants to give you the strength to over come this addiction as you are such a precious daughter of His if only you could see. He wants good things for you, he wants you to have a partner who will love and cherish you not these strangers who abuse you and take from you and leave you with nothing. It makes Heavenly Father so sad for you, some thing so beautiful he created not aware of how very precious and beautiful you are. The way to over come this addiction is to have a greater understanding of who you are (a daughter of God) and to not be afraid. You deserve His love as much as any of us do. You don't deserve to be used by strangers. You need to open your heart to the Lord and ask for strength. You must believe you are worth it, you must believe you are a precious daughter of God (these things are hard to accept especially when your self esteem is already so low) pray often and openly, strive to feel the love of Heavenly father and Jesus Christ. The love of our father and Jesus christ is so much more powerful and meaningful then any of these people you have encountered. Other good things would be to develop yourself, find hobbies and things you feel a sense of achievment in, develop your inner most feelings of self worth. If you want to talk to me at any time please send me an IM and I'll come back to you. Thank you for being brave enough to ask for help and remember when you realise you've got a problem your half way to finding the solution :)

Hi there !! My dad said some thing to me that really stuck, the church is a perfect place full of inperfect people. And it is so true!!! Far too many people loose faith because of what he said or what she did. I'd have a talk to your boyfriend discuss with him what missionairies should and shouldn't be doing. Don't make the decisions for him but just inform him, it sounds as though he doesn't know any better. As for the stake president well, some times I hear people say things that strike me but arn't really intednded to be about me. I'd say do not dwell on the mistakes your stake president has made but look for good qualities in him and you might be suprised. Well done for coming back, I also came back to church and life is so much better for it !!!

I was in a similiar situation to you. I thought it was too late for me. Hay you might have done "worse" things than me but who knows maybe I've done worse things than you. But you know that doesn't really matter as Jesus Christ died for the sins of all man kind me, you, the next person regardless of wether in our eyes they "sinned more or less than ourselves". My bishop said some thing that really helped, when we realise we've done wrong and feel true sorrow and guilt and remorse then we're half way there!! The other hardest thing to do is being able to truly forgive yourself and to accept that Christ loves and forgives you (this is usually hard if your feeling low after all why would Christ want to forgive you especially if you cant find it in your own heart to forgive yourself?!) But the fact is Christ DOES want to forgive he DOES love you regardless of whatever terrible thing it is you've done. I suggest speaking to your bishop and being as open as you can be, also have a real heart to heart with your father in heaven. You don't even have to start by asking for forgivness the process can begin with a simple aknowladgment and confession and a question if you can ever be forgiven for these terrible things, (thats how I began and I personally, had an overwhelming feeling that I could be forgiven but I must never repeat what I had done). Please speak to your bishop, please prey, please read your scriptures daily, the amazing feeling of freedom when the chains of guilt are released by the love of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ is so beautiful and you deserve that just as much as me and as much as any one.

I just read your story and tho I can't offer any advice as such, I just feel very sorry for all involved.

Thats a good point Shadow and thinking about this the past hour, I'm sure a church authority said "The internet is a tool, its how we use it that can be negativ" or some thing a long those lines. The same can be said for TV too.

I guess thinking about it, its ok if theres a balance, I guess I'm just a little fed up with myself tonight cos I'm full of cold but wasted the whole night watchin pointless (to me they feel that way) reality tv programmes. Got to admit to loving my disney movies tho there in lies my weekness... Still it definatly has a lot to answer too that big screen in the living room me thinks...

TVS, They eat time, are mind numbing and in my opinion the worst invention of the twenty-first centuary. Think what the world would be like if TVs hadn't been invented. Families would be left with no choice but to spend time together doing some thing "fun" on an evening People would have lots of spare time on their hands and would have to pursue new hobbies and learn new skills! And shock of shock we all wouldn't have brainless advertisement songs stuck in our heads. Nor would we have to sit through mind numbing TV for the sake of doing some thing instead we'd have to consider the alternatives. Oh and there wouldn't be a great huge dark screen dominating our living space ! Perhaps I'm just bad at managing my time, perhaps I lack the strength to do constructive things and avoid pursuing ambitions and go for the easy option. But arn't we all a little guilty of those things from time to time? I got a letter through the post today asking me to renew my TV licence and it made me stop and think, do I even want a TV? Really the answer for me is no and I wondered if I am a lone in this descision?