carlimac

There are all sorts of situations in life and even biological aberrations that could cause us to feel  traumatized, depressed and even suicidal. I think my brain would light up too if I could do all the things my “natural woman” would like to do and be told I’m not breaking a commandment. But that’s just not how life works. That goes against the way the Lord has set this world up.  I believe it’s a fantasy that LGBT folks should expect to respond to their passions and not be breaking the most fundamental of God’s laws. 
I’m sorry for the hurt that so many feel. I’m sorry they get so despondent that life doesn’t seem worth living. But here's an observation.  I have several male friends from high school who are single. I don’t know if they are gay but they are active members of the church. They have never been married and at this point (we all turned 60 this year) and chances are getting slimmer every year that they would marry if they aren't gay.  But they find joy in just life itself. One of them is the most generous, happy persons I know. He has the means to travel extensively and goes to theater and extravagant dinners often. But it’s clear that his greatest joy is in giving to others and trying to bring happiness to his friends and family. He’s gone through lots of tragedy with several brothers dying of a genetic disease. And he gets in there, rolling up his sleeves at fundraisers to find a cure. He has found some things to live for that have nothing to do with his love  life or lack thereof. . 
I appreciate that mental health workers feel so much sympathy for LGBT people who are suicidal. But maybe instead of trying so hard to coddle them as well as convince society that we have somehow betrayed them,  and let them do their thing without judgment, their patients would be better served with a plan to get the focus off their sexual orientation, off of the way they think people are oppressing them and turn it around. They could enable them to find other sources of happiness,  find service opportunities for them, find ways for them to forget about themselves. We know that true generosity and losing ourselves in the service of others lights up the brain and warms the heart in the best way. 

There are all sorts of situations in life and even biological aberrations that could cause us to feel  traumatized, depressed and even suicidal. I think my brain would light up too if I could do all the things my “natural woman” would like to do and be told I’m not breaking a commandment. But that’s just not how life works. That goes against the way the Lord has set this world up.  I believe it’s a fantasy that LGBT folks should expect to respond to their passions and not be breaking the most fundamental of God’s laws. 
I’m sorry for the hurt that so many feel. I’m sorry they get so despondent that life doesn’t seem worth living. But here's an observation.  I have several male friends from high school who are single. I don’t know if they are gay but they are active members of the church. They have never been married and at this point (we all turned 60 this year) and chances are getting slimmer every year that they would marry if they aren't gay.  But they find joy in just life itself. One of them is the most generous, happy persons I know. He has the means to travel extensively and goes to theater and extravagant dinners often. But it’s clear that his greatest joy is in giving to others and trying to bring happiness to his friends and family. He’s gone through lots of tragedy with several brothers dying of a genetic disease. And he gets in there, rolling up his sleeves at fundraisers to find a cure. He has found some things to live for that have nothing to do with his love  life or lack thereof. . 
I appreciate that mental health workers feel so much sympathy for LGBT people who are suicidal. But maybe instead of trying so hard to coddle them as well as convince society that we have somehow betrayed them,  and let them do their thing without judgment, their patients would be better served with a plan to get the focus off their sexual orientation, off of the way they think people are oppressing them and turn it around. They could enable them to find other sources of happiness,  find service opportunities for them, find ways for them to forget about themselves. We know that true generosity and losing ourselves in the service of others lights up the brain and warms the heart in the best way. 

There are all sorts of situations in life and even biological aberrations that could cause us to feel  traumatized, depressed and even suicidal. I think my brain would light up too if I could do all the things my “natural woman” would like to do and be told I’m not breaking a commandment. But that’s just not how life works. That goes against the way the Lord has set this world up.  I believe it’s a fantasy that LGBT folks should expect to respond to their passions and not be breaking the most fundamental of God’s laws. 
I’m sorry for the hurt that so many feel. I’m sorry they get so despondent that life doesn’t seem worth living. But here's an observation.  I have several male friends from high school who are single. I don’t know if they are gay but they are active members of the church. They have never been married and at this point (we all turned 60 this year) and chances are getting slimmer every year that they would marry if they aren't gay.  But they find joy in just life itself. One of them is the most generous, happy persons I know. He has the means to travel extensively and goes to theater and extravagant dinners often. But it’s clear that his greatest joy is in giving to others and trying to bring happiness to his friends and family. He’s gone through lots of tragedy with several brothers dying of a genetic disease. And he gets in there, rolling up his sleeves at fundraisers to find a cure. He has found some things to live for that have nothing to do with his love  life or lack thereof. . 
I appreciate that mental health workers feel so much sympathy for LGBT people who are suicidal. But maybe instead of trying so hard to coddle them as well as convince society that we have somehow betrayed them,  and let them do their thing without judgment, their patients would be better served with a plan to get the focus off their sexual orientation, off of the way they think people are oppressing them and turn it around. They could enable them to find other sources of happiness,  find service opportunities for them, find ways for them to forget about themselves. We know that true generosity and losing ourselves in the service of others lights up the brain and warms the heart in the best way. 

The modern feminist movement can be likened unto a person falling asleep at the wheel. When they wake up and find themselves drifting off the highway instead of simply making a measured correction to put themselves back on course they pull hard to the left and go careening off the highway altogether. While some have taken a more measured approach (such as yourself) Satan has largely co-opted the movement to serve his purposes as he seeks to destroy the family unit.

My recollection of the training was that those in the bishopric (bishop and counselors only) are to call the Church's abuse hotline. The hotline connects bishopric with social workers and lawyers who consult on the legal issues specific to the jurisdiction of the local ward. 
The lawyers will discuss whether the bishopric has clergy-penitent privilege and ask if the bishopric can or wants to waive it in this case. It is the clergy-penitent privilege that is at the heart of the difference. The only leaders who have that privilege are the bishop and his counselors.
My understanding is that it isn't so much that a Catholic priest can't report a crime that is confessed to him, but that he doesn't have to. Depending on local law, of course. And there could be legal implications of waiving that privilege. 

It has something to do with the laws. From what i understand, Most clergymen of any religion are not allowed to testify in court against someone who spoke to them in confidentiality. A father in the Catholic Church cannot report a crime confessed to him for repentance purposes.

What is the exact line where one should be deemed mentally unstable?  Who makes that determination?  Can such a designation be appealed and/or rescinded and what would be necessary to do so, and how long would it take?

Your list is still very superficial because you forgot to include the two greatest commandments.
Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:36-40)
M.

I think you've described Mary Poppins (practically perfect in every way).
But seriouly, your list sounds like you are describing a robot. I'm not clear on the Latter-day Saint's definition of elect of God but to me it doesn't seem this elect has a heart or soul. Does this elect cry or laugh or fall ill or even require help or friendship themselves. Your list of do's and don'ts seems superficial, there's no humanity or love behind either.
M.

Only the LORD judges those who are to go to heaven or not.  I have a hope that many will be there, but I only know that I can try my hardest.
For those who are the elect of the Lord...I don't think waking early or going to bed early necessarily have anything to do with who gets to go to heaven and who does not.  Nor do I feel that list necessarily has much that describes those that accept the Lord or not.
I'd say more likely it has to do with two great commandments...
Those who love the Lord with all their heart, might, mind and strength...
and
Those who love their neighbors as themselves.
With the first, I think it will guide those who strive to follow the commandments to show their love of the Lord...and in this, I think sometimes it WILL be the intents of the heart and what was intended more than what is shown...
but with the second...
I think it may be able to be seen in the actions of those who truly care for others and what happens to others that will reflect on what one really thinks and feels and believes.
Hopefully we will ALL meet together in the Kingdom of Heaven, but I think we will be judged more on how much like the Lord we become and emulate rather than just simply following the instructions of other men or leaders, or simply following along.  I think it deals more with our hearts and minds and deeds, how we think and why we think what we do, than simply just what we do in relation to the church or church callings and such.
I DO think that we tend to be judgmental in our observations and thoughts on who is the elect and who are not at times.  We may be very surprised at who attains the Celestial rewards in heaven.  Some who may the be greatest among us may be those who we felt were the lowest of us, and some of those the world holds in high regard may not be some of those that are of the highest standing when we reach heaven.  Man seems to have a very different valuation in regards to judging those who are the best and the worst than that of the Lord.  I just hope that I myself will be able to reach heaven and find joy, and that my children will also be able to join me there.
Hopefully we will also find many of our loved ones and friends, and hopefully all of you will find yourselves in a joyous occasion in heaven as well.

Didn't Russell Nelson say,"men are that they might have joy, not guilt trips."

One observation:
1) Someone always complains about people making “conference rumors” every 6 months when the topic comes up
I mean that in the most light hearted way possible of course
but an honest response to this. Correct me if I’m wrong... but God doesn’t really wait for the unfaithful to catch up (Matthew 25:1-13), he just goes forward with his plans and the faithful follow. Additionally, Pres Nelson did say a lot of changes are coming.
I see nothing wrong with speculation of things to come, but I do see something wrong with people getting excited about future changes when they haven’t applied recent changes into their lives (I’m looking at you @Fether).

I thought about this for a few days.  Then caught a cold and slept for 2 days.  But now I'm back and still thinking about this.
I consider it possible that the 1stPres didn't lose any argument, but that they were appraised of everything by everybody, thought/pondered/prayed, concluded unanimously the notion had merit, and ran with it.  No reason to assume that just because it's lawyerly that it would be instantly opposed by the brethren.  The brethren have stewardship over the church's temporal matters too, and all that.

It bothered me as an investigator.  Once I received a testimony of the Book of Mormon I stopped caring.  There are so many things I don't understand and need to learn.  
It's scripture.  Whether it was dropped off by aliens or translated through a rock in a hat is irrelevant to me at this point.  There are so many things that I need to do and learn for myself and my family.  I may never have time to get to things lower on my list. 

Often we speak of diversity.   It seems to be that some that claim diversity is a good thing – use diversity to destroy all that is good about it.  A short story of a segment of my life.  I went into the army having never met or talked to a “black” person.  I had images (prejudices) just from ignorance.  My best friend in the army turned out to be a “black” person.  We had many personal one-on-one discussions.  My friend was a college grad that could not get any other job to support his family.  Being young and stupid – I could not understand that as smart as he was and hard as he worked, that it was hard for him to find a job.  I, being a “Mormon” and he being “black” we were both kind of outcasts and so we became friends.  He said something to me that has had a very big impact.  He said, “As long as we see differences in each other we will never see things the same.”
Every individual is different from every other individual – that is what makes us individuals.  But we are also the same type and race.  We are more alike than we are different.  In the doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – we are not just all children of our Father in heaven but we are brothers and sisters.  So we are more than just the same race of living creatures – we are family.
Jesus commanded that we be of one heart and mind.  However, even in a family there are differences of opinion.  Jesus never said to be of one opinion.  I had a debate teacher in high school that stood by the notion that if you cannot take the other opinion and argue it at least as well as your opponent – you have not business in debating that topic with them.  The only logical reason to believe there is a difference of opinion on anything is because of two possibilities.  #1. That one knows something that the other does not.  Or #2. That one has experience that the other does not. 
Please note that there is not a lot of “difference between #1 and #2.
Now to the purpose of this thread.  I submit that those that tout diversity in our world (country or society) are intent on destroying both our world, country or society as we know it but strangely enough are as intent on destroying the diversity.  In short substituting their own definition of unity without accepting anything diverse to it.  Forcing everyone to conform.
When force is used to make other conform – freedom and liberty are lost.  The reality the forced diversity is a lie intended to usurp freedoms and liberty.  And so it is that the forces intent on taking away agency, liberty and freedom do so through focus on diversity.  Exaggerating differences so that similarities are forgotten and discorded.  And so it begins that some difference is deplored and all qualifying individuals are ostracized and made subservient to the greater good.
It is true that some individuals commit crimes and that others who are innocent need to be protected from those committing crimes.   It is true that some come to this country disrespecting our laws.  It is true that there is a lot of diversity – but despite all the diversity let us not forget what makes us family.  And do not create violence in our family.  That is not to say do not respond to violence – what it means is not to create violence on individuals that are not themselves violent.  At this point I almost am willing to say to reject those that divide us and see diversity.  But that is exactly the point.  We need to see the individuals and not the types or classes.  We need to see the diversity as part of who we are.
 
The Traveler

My other question about this is would you have to prove that in that situation you would have indeed been able to pull your gun out and actually hit the perp? In a stressful situation how many would actually turn into a wobbly Barney Fife who couldn’t hit the side of a barn? (raises hand)

It makes me sad that there are so many members that think they need to have a gun to feel safe.  I have never ever carried, nor have I ever had the desire to carry.  How many mass shootings have there been?  How many have been stopped by people with a concealed weapon?  Next to zero.
If someone open fires in sacrament meeting, the chance of you hitting an innocent person when trying to shoot the gunman are tremendously high.  Then the next thing that happens is that people won't know if you are part of the mass shooting either.
The best option is to rush the person and tackle the person.
I am not anti-gun.  I don't care if they are in the church or not.  But I feel sad for those who think they need to carry.  It is not a lens through which I would want to view life.
God knows what is going to happen.  If God wants that gunman stopped, that gunman is going to be stopped.

To me, this seems similar to the arguments that some BYU students make when they complain that the Honor Code restricts their agency.

I'm not a lawyer, but I imagine it would be a pretty silly lawsuit.  You aren't required to be on private property. 

This American does, and so do many others.

Looking at the statistics that were shared, the chances of getting killed by a gun jump significantly when a Brit comes to the US.  I can understand the hesitance. It's like swimming at one beach and then going to swim with friends at another beach where shark attacks are 3-4 times more likely.  Still very small, but worth noting.

I pray on it and look at the consequences of each choice, both short and long term, the likelihood of those consequences, then decide whether to sustain and Prophet or not, accepting whatever consequences that may come as a result.
I can't think of a time I've chosen not to follow the Prophet, but I've only been a member for 613 days, so what do I know.

Oh, I don't necessarily think it's bad policy.  But the Handbook is absolutely from Man, seeking to do God's will.  It's not scripture, it is not comprised of words breathed from the mouths of prophets who are saying "thus saith the LORD - guns are prohibited in church".  New scripture like that gets revealed over the pulpit at General Conference and submitted for a sustaining vote.  
I don't usually struggle between stuff our church leaders say, and my own opinions about how to do right.  The last fifty times they were in conflict, the obvious answer was for me to bend and change.  This one is slightly less obvious.  I mean, I really, REALLY think I'm right this time.  So I'm struggling.

If I identify as an off-duty cop does that mean I can still carry at church?