Suzie

Presently, I am working with four pre-teens with serious cognitive and psychological issues and even though I will not go as far as to state that we should blame their smartphones for these problems because of course, their issues are of a different nature and source, these smartphones aren't helping and the parent's reluctance in taking them away is making their recovery process a very difficult task.

Roseslipper, first of all let me say I admire you for your strength and compassion. I do not have much advise to give because I live a very stressful life myself but what helps me is taking a little break every day and doing something I enjoy like singing or writing. I also watch movies like "The Road" or "12 years a slave" that a lot of people will find depressing or hard to watch but it helps me realize that despite the many serious challenges I face daily, there were people and there are people going through similar things or worse in their lives. It helps me put things into perspective.

I notice that when we discuss this particular issue we usually go into extremes, we either discuss about "blind obedience" or the extreme of "questioning every single piece of counsel". I suppose we should define blind obedience as well as the word questioning. Having said that, sometimes it isn't about "blind obedience" or "questioning" every single piece of counsel we receive, but about doing what we are supposed to do which is listening, pondering the counsel in our hearts, taking it to the Lord in prayer and receiving confirmation of the Lord through the Spirit.

I'm doing really bad. No time!!!

Praying for them, listening and taking into consideration their words and counsel and by helping if they ask me to (and of course, if I am also able to fulfill such request).

Of course not, because our faces are uncovered. I can bet that a lot of posters who have so much to say here are the ones sitting quietly in the back of the class during Sunday school.

Singing opera. Not sure if it's a bad habit but I am obsessed with the color pink.

It all depends on the type of information. If I cannot keep the secret, I tell them that I am very sorry and that I am not able to do so, other than that I am very good at keeping secrets.

Sometimes people forget or sometimes they just want to say it that way, what I usually do is kindly ask the poster for the source of the information provided, if I have one that contradicts their statement then I bring it into the discussion for analysis, if they cannot provide one because they heard it "from an uncle who told his cousin who told a missionary that a general authority once said in their ward that..." then I point out it is just a rumor, speculation or just their opinion. But you are just a stranger on the internet so people should still search if what you are sharing is doctrinally correct.

Bini, I tried this recipe and was delicious! The garbanzo beans are the perfect match for those potatoes.

I would like to post this scripture, NOT with the intent to offend anyone or refer to ANY particular post within this thread. I think this scripture of Christ talking to the pharisees is quite eye-opening for me and that's how I feel about the whole "interest", "income", "gross" and "net" discussion:

JAG, I was just thinking that Church history actually agrees with his point, back then was the surplus but the verbatim as well as the procedure dramatically changed once the saints settle down in Utah.

When Smith wrote the account of the First Vision for the first time he was not writing it as a prophet of God but just a regular guy who was really trying very hard to understand what exactly took place, he didn't know or understood or comprehended the magnitude of what he saw and witnessed and the consequences that it would have in the future generations to come, hence the many versions of the same event. I can think of a few instances in my life where if I have to tell the story about a particular event, I would share it in different ways and add things to my account over the years as I learn more about it and as I try to understand what exactly happened. Am I lying if I add a few things as I learn more or change a few things as I remember them? I don't think so. It is clear that Smith was not interested in the attention he could receive from it, he shared the account with only few people, perhaps because he was fully aware that he was just a teenage boy with little formal education and was reluctant to share knowing fully well the kind of comments he would receive if he decided to share such information. Hence, it is not surprising in the least that as he got older and his confidence level grew and as he received revelations and teachings from the Lord, he felt the need to share the account in a more detailed way, not as a simple narrator anymore but as someone who believed and understood the purpose of such magnificent experience. It was only when Smith fully understood his role as the Prophet of this dispensation, we received the last known account of the First Vision.

I am kind of lost/confused about what exactly seems to be the issue and what exactly people disagree with GB-UK. Anyone can please explain?

Just curious, those who believe interest means income, do they feel the same way about presents? If you all get a cash present, do you also calculate tithe from it? What about if your rich uncle gives you a car worth $100,000 for Christmas, do you tithe? What about if your mother decides to leave you a house that has a lot of sentimental value and she doesn't wish for you to sell it? Do you tithe as well? What about if you do not have the $10,000 tithe from your fancy car or the tithe money from the house? Do you sell the car and the house to get the money to pay tithes?

Congratulations, but for the record we did not forget who you planned to call: http://www.lds.net/forums/general-discussion/44335-if-you-were-bishop-lds-net-ward.html

I want to be Nelly Oleson. You can be Laura Ingalls. lol On a serious note, I would love a house near a lake.

The key word is "ought" that clearly indicates the duty to do what is right, obviously Smith's enemies did not think the same.

I think MOE's point is that sometimes the Lord can have different set of answers for different people. I believe the official quote of the Church with regards to how many children a couple should have clearly states it should be left to them and the Lord and it's indeed a great example to illustrate the point. And yes, the phrase is many times abused to justify sin or any other sort of behavior. I think is perfectly fine to say we disagree once (if we feel to do so) but other than that, I think we (average members) should keep our noses out of it unless of course we have super-powers abilities that allow us to see everything they see, hear every little thing they hear, know every little thought, know all intentions of their hearts and so on and because I doubt any of us can do that, I believe that's between them and the Lord.

Eowyn, the point is when does the warning becomes judgment? I respect fully those who oppose gay marriage in the strongest terms and at the same time I respect fully those who do not. Personally, I don't think it is my place to hint or imply in any shape or form that those who believe differently as I do are not good members of the Church, I am speaking in general and not specific about this thread. I find those sort of tactics to be unhelpful.

Andy, I would love if you post in the Church history board here on this forum. :) My kind pal JAG is the only one who tries to participate.

Why both sides get so upset if the other believes differently? So what if a Church member support gay marriage? So what if a Church member opposes gay marriage? So what if some people believe the law should allow it and at the same time let religious bodies choose who they want to marry? I think we need to stop trying to force the other side to believe as we think they should. We have to accept once and for all that people are different, members and all.

Very happy with this idea! :)

Eowyn, I want to thank you for this thread! I NEEDED this today.

I hope not to offend the OP, but reading several of those messages specially the last one indicates to me that there are issues that need to be resolved through a good therapist that can help guide and offer insight as to why the OP doesn't seem to be fully aware of what is happening even though she seems to think she knows. There are more than clear indications of emotional immaturity that need addressing.