Suzie

What are your personal definitions of" sustaining" and "questioning"? I'm trying to follow your line of reasoning but I'm confused. How exactly if someone prays to ask for confirmation to the Lord means you lack a testimony and do not sustain your leaders?

I suppose because often times, the victim does not receive the same level of support than the offender perhaps? Or what is worst, the victim is often time blamed partially for what took place? And of course (and please allow me the hyperbole), I suppose no one wants to hear about a serial child rapist or serial killer who happens to discover "God" inside prison after spending years raping little children or dismembering bodies because in our own rationalization, people like that are beyond forgiveness.

Occupation: Amazon Warrior Princess. Duh.

Now on a serious note, that's very true. I actually agree with everything you wrote on this post, I suppose because I believe in balance in all things. One thing for sure: We are all trying very hard to do what is right, we are perhaps just using a different approach, taking a different reasoning or using a different method to achieve it but I want to believe there are more things that unite us than separate us.

Just_A_Guy, dude where are you? All this time I thought you was probably one of the most ultra-conservative Mormons on this board but you have been dethroned by church.

I was a Sunday School teacher for quite a few years and when I taught about the translation process, I taught the hat account because this is how it happened and I believe there is a lot of historical accounts to back it up. Also, I think there is a clear consensus among scholars that Smith used this medium to accomplish the translation. And by the way, nobody left my class crying, the class was not visibly shocked or disturbed by the teaching (and they were many who did not know). I think we need to give members more credit. I also taught about the Urim and Thummim being used to translate the first 116 pages and then a seer stone. Having said that, I do understand how some members may feel when they find out this was the process or why the "hat" is so particularly highlighted by Church critics. If Smith had his face completely buried inside the hat, it means he did not use the plates directly at all in order to translate. They were physically present, yes and yet not directly used for the translation. Why was it necessary to preserve the records for so many years if they were not going to be directly used to accomplish the translation? (rhetorical question) Is the seer stone Smith used to complete the translation the same one he found at the well of Mason Chase? (also rhetorical question) And if indeed, one of the stones used by Smith is the same one, then we can perfectly understand why the hat and seer stone account isn't popularly taught. In 1825, Josiah Stoal hired Smith to help him find a Spanish silver mine after hearing that Smith possessed a method in which he could discern things invisible to the "natural eye". He hired him for five long months. Of course, Smith did not find anything. Stoal's family was not impressed and one of the nephews of Josiah's wife laid charges against Smith as an imposter. There are many accounts also that describe Smith having a seer stone and carrying it around along with his hat and burying his face in the hat (same method of translation of the BOM) to find things as trivial as the pin that Harris was using to pick his teeth. It is not really unreasonable then to realize why the Church would prefer not to emphasize this particular method of translation.

I can live perfectly okay without meat of any kind. But you see cheese...now that's another story. LOVE cheese.

Wondering if anyone can guess mine. lol Be gentle lol

Yes, there is. I know for a fact that people with Aspergers or High Functioning autism are exempt from serving a full time mission. I know two members with Aspergers one is a college professor and the other has a degree in law. They both served a full-time mission when they did not have that limitation and both reported that their mission was a nightmare, they did not enjoy it at all. Anyone who is familiar with Aspergers would perfectly understand why. I am grateful the Church made that sensitive change and instead has local/serving missions for our members with disabilities.

Okay? I thought it was AWESOME!

DrT, I am very sorry to hear about your mother in law and health issues. It is great to see you back, positive and cheerful as always! We missed you too and your updates about the Lakers.

Stveater, I am very sorry to hear about your struggles. Hope the Lord blesses you with strength so you can deal with all the issues that seems to be haunting you. I do not have much to say really other than hope things work out for you. About starting a new relationship, I would kindly suggest not to do it at this time. I think this is the ideal time for you to think about yourself and get better. I believe starting a new relationship when you still working out issues could cause some serious problems but I understand what you are coming from. This is of course just my opinion, wishing you all the best. :)

On a serious note, Elder Jensen said once in Conference that he heard one of the Seventies say about humility that "if you think you have it, you don’t." and suggested we should try to develop humility and be sure we didn’t know when we got it, and then we would have it. But if we ever thought we had it, we wouldn’t. I thought it was a pretty awesome way to describe it.

So cute:

Reading some of the posts on this thread reminded me of something that happened many years ago in Sunday School, true story and sorry in advance for the offtopic. The teacher opened the class with a simple yet profound question. She said: How many of you are humble? Please raise your hand. More than half of the class raised their hand (no kidding) and they weren't joking.

JAG, I can make a list of things the Prophet asks each one of us to do and we do not do it, I suppose then we are not good enough because we undermining counsel or is your comment referring only to this particular issue? To be honest, IMO it would be very hypocritical and judgmental for any LDS member to think that another member isn't as good as any other just because they think differently. Do we really need that in the Church? Seriously asking.

Hi Eowyn. Yes, I saw the sentence that says "Just as those who promote same-sex marriage are entitled to civility, the same is true for those who oppose it" and right after it says "The Church insists on its leaders’ and members’ constitutionally protected right to express and advocate religious convictions on marriage, family, and morality free from retaliation or retribution." I was wondering if the first sentence also includes members who do not oppose gay marriage.

And what sin is that? Using marijuana for medical purposes? Did you have a prescription?

From the statement: Some questions that come to mind: What about those members who either support gay civil marriage or those who are not for or against and they don't feel the need to fight against it? Do they also have the right to express their views on the matter free from retaliation?

Yes, the correction is right but it doesn't change the meaning so it is not that important IMO. I think you mean asemejé.

Oh, also known as...the C-H-I-C-K-E-N syndrome. Just playing with ya.

Eowyn, glad that you are feeling better! Dental work is expensive!

1. What was it about Pres Hinckley that you admired? His candidness. 2. How would you compare / contrast the styles of Pres Hinckley vs Pres Monson? President Hinckley was a straightforward speaker, no melodramatics involved or too many cute stories but straight to the point. President Monson favorite style of speech seems to be the three points with alliteration and touching stories as a child or as a young Bishop. 3. What, if anything, were the central themes of the Hinckley presidency? The Monson presidency? Hinckley, all about temple building and Monson service to the poor and afflicted.

I have my own passwords, etc and my better half as well. It doesn't mean we are not "open" or "transparent". If needed, we access each other's computers, phones, etc but to be honest I personally do not feel the need to do so and I find it weird that any spouse would just be checking their spouse computer and phone or texts for no reason, that's a huge red flag that something isn't right IMO.

Radio contests might lead to addiction and no-no to Solitaire..really folks? What do some of you do for fun? Hoop rolling?