jayanna

Jezebel, what is a rota? I know that comments can sting, especially when you are trying to help and when you don't expect it from your sister in Christ. At what point does it become a sin to allow it to continue? I asked this question of priesthood authorities recently....my SP counseled me to let those with authority handle this, (once I had spoken up) and for me to move on. He said that anytime something very wrong is said, I should make a note of it and go home and study everything there is to study about it. That way when it is my turn I will know better and will be able to see before I make the same mistakes. You should make this a growing experience for you, so that good comes of it somehow...that way when it comes your turn to teach or be in a leadership calling you will know how other sisters feel when they don't feel welcome or cared for, or are afraid to speak or approach others because of comments like those. These things will give you experience and depth, and will be to your good. That is what I have learned very very recently.

Dahlia, do you live near a temple that has clothing rental available? If so, you can get one from there the first few times and see how the fit is...also there is one temple near me that has a distribution center in it...could you maybe visit one like that? If there is one near you, you can try on dresses there. The first temple dress I bought was really really long (okay, I'm 5'2"). You might need to have it hemmed before you can wear it in the temple if you are a shorty like me :) Just to warn you, I borrowed a dress from someone my size to get my endowments, and then a week or so later went to another temple to the dist. center to buy a dress hoping to wear it right away...didn't really work out, it was like a foot too long!

Hi joecool! I am so glad that you have found some one that you love. I don't know why you say maybe you should forgive? What do you need to forgive her for? Was she dating you when she committed those sins? If not, I'm afraid I'm a bit confused....I was married and divorced before meeting my dh and I did not require 'forgiveness' from him. I hope you care for her regardless of any past sins, as she will love you in spite of any past sins you have committed.... Also if you do marry her, know that you are not 'marrying down'. It takes quite a strong person to overcome and become active again, especially if she feels she is being judged by others. My advice to you is, if she did these sins long before she started dating you, and has repented of them, then let go.

Snicker, try to stop us!!

He would make bank on writing books on self improvement :)

As an adult convert, I have found them very helpful and instructive...but when a sister mentions to me a question or problem they don't understand with the gospel, if I tell them something I read from one of those manuals they act like I've gone off the deep end. I tell them to look in them, but they don't have a copy. Most of my ward are adult converts, so I think it would be useful to recommend them. I just wanted to make sure I was using current doctrine though

Okay, so I love the Latter-Day Saint Woman manuals, part a and part b. They are cool. I can find them on LDS.org and sometimes read a lesson or two. However, I have never been taught a lesson out of either one of them at church....are they current manuals for RS? Would it be appropriate to use the information in a lesson for a talk or RS lesson? Is the material in them considered current doctrine? I am just wondering because there is a lot of info in them that I think would be very helpful to a lot of sisters in my ward that have questions and struggles directly addressed in those manuals, but they have never been used, so I am thinking maybe that is why?

Yeah!!!!

You might also want to think about deciding who you want to go with you when you get your endowments. They are called an 'escort' it is usually someone you know...they have to be the same gender, and endowed obviously, but if you can't decide on someone the temple will provide one for you. An escort can help you prepare some of the little things that need to be done, and answer questions for you. A lot of people have a family member do this, I had my home teacher's wife and she was really nice and got a lot of things ready for me beforehand that I knew nothing about...she was a big help. :) If you need to purchase temple clothing, (some temple areas it's necessary) I believe they still have half price discount for newly endowed members, well, in my area anyway. Some temples have laundry facilities so you can 'rent' the clothing basically for the cost of laundering it, so it is very inexpensive. When you buy the white pants, they are really long, so they can be hemmed to your height...dresses are that way too. Snicker, I didn't know this and bought a dress planning to wear it....lol I am such a shorty you could hear me walking around and dragging that skirt Luckily I was at a temple that had rental available so like a buck later I rented one.

My parents had a really really hard time when I joined the church. They were so worried about me, they had heard a lot of rumors. Well, it has been 11 years now, so...I have a husband now who joined the church and I've been raising by kids according to gospel principles and teaching them....and I like to think that it shows. My folks have come to a couple of important events at church and my mom likes to do famiy history with me. They love my husband....we just don't talk about the gospel much at all My hubby's family though, are really getting intrigued. His mom, especially asks questions all the time. Every situation is different. But I do think that maybe at first they might be freaked out a little, but being nondenominational I would think would make them a bit more open-minded...

I agree with you completely, Vort! Which Pres was it that had a heart condition, and had surgery on his throat? I'm too new to know, but his illness had nothing to do with not being spiritual enough (obviously) Also, Paul describes a thorn in his flesh....while Christ did often heal people, and forgave sins, it is not without our own agency that we are restored to the path of righteousness leading us back to our Heavenly home. I believe that the 'wholeness' being spoken of is just that...not only relieved of a physical illness for that leper, and forgiveness, but a change of heart, and on the path toward becoming what he was created to be. The healing and forgiving from the Savior, the change of heart on his own part. We can be whole without being healed I think as well. I know it sounds odd, but sometimes illness can help us to be better spiritually. We hang on to the rod a little tighter. It changes things for family members, giving them an opportunity to serve and learn things that otherwise might be done for them by that ill family member. The important things become more precious, and the little things more dim.

Not so fast, Loudmouth, I made you YW president!!!

Thanks, seminary, but it really isn't brave at all when it's anonymous :\ I wish I didn't feel so alone about it. I wish I could share it... Oh, listen, I don't know how to explain it, you, mister, you are draggin me down You could ask, "How did you look if you didn't have eyes?" You could ask, "ooo ooo what did you get to see?" You could ask, "Do men wear dresses in Heaven?" But noooo, you gotta say, he told you and then you did it.....Listen to me when I say He speaks and it exists, he speaks and it happens, no wait that's it.....sigh....you're just gonna hafta wait see...I give up...you got me you win Are you happy now?

That is really cool!!! I don't remember feeling like I was moving very fast, but then I was there in spirit, I think. I also remember no sound at all, none. When he spoke it was like when the Holy Spirit speaks, not hearing it with my ears, only a bit deeper voice, not the same voice, very short not usuing extra words, mostly like, "look" and I couldn't help but look. the seeing was more than just watching. When you saw someone it was as if I SAW them, like their very nature of their heart/intent was there. I think that is why Nephi could look at Mary and know that she was a virgin just by the sight of her. I also don't remember feeling anything like hot or cold or wind or even gravity. I keep thinking surely I'm not the only one, come on there are 14 million of us now, somebody tell me I'm not crazy

The early church we actually refer to as the "Early" Church and we are the Latter-Day Church, same church, different times. We do believe it to be restored, with prophets, apostles, a seventy which you can find in the NT, bishops, etc. We also have the priesthood of Aaron, and Melchizedec priesthood which you can find in Hebrews of the King James Bible. It is mostly quite a bit like it. We have two types of offerings, one of tithes and one for the poor as described in the NT, we have fasting, etc. Some of the differences are due to size and demands of the times we are in such as the church educational system, primary, a plethora of womens callings (in an organization called the Relief Society). The organization is changed in some ways to greater meet the needs of the members, for example recently an activities leadership calling was done away with in the ward organization due to a need to place that responsibility on the ward council. The gospel itself has not changed, nor the purpose of the church. I would not know if the Catholic church changes any dogma, and am not particularly concerned if it is changed. I don't think I have ever made a harsh comment about the Catholic church concerning the change in dogma. I don't know why I would be bothered by it. It would seem strange to me as well to read it coming from a Latter-Day saint. Of course we believe in modern revelation, God is not dead, Christ lives. The purpose of sending the Holy Ghost on the day of pentacost was to give the church leaders a means of communication from their Heavenly Father on how and what to do concerning the leading of the sheep. He did not leave them helpless then, and He does not do that now. Here is an excellent talk somewhat about what you are asking about apostles and the early church compared to present day if you would like to read something more official than my lil ole opinon on a forum: ?And He Gave Some, Apostles? - Liahona Sept. 2001 - liahona

Maybe he has a friend who is interested?

EEEKKKK!!!!! :eek: I got called, to RS? o my Sunbeams are easier! Well, I'll need counselors so Volgadon for 1st counselor and Beefche for 2nd...she can be the one to keep the chatter clean

Beefche made a great suggestion. One thing my hubby has been working on lately in our ward, he says the church has really been pushing for fathers to fully participate in blessings as much as they can, even changing some of the restrictions in the handbook and leaving decisions up to the bishop on who can do what...if he can't do the blessing part himself, holding the microphone is a great idea! IF he isn't too shy, which is understandable, in front of all those people and everything some just aren't ready to jump up front and center. That is such great news! You'll have to tell us how it goes :)

Thanks, guys, I'm actually starting to regret complaining...I worry about investigators/less actives that might read this and not want to go. The church really is true, it is lead by Christ, and I know that there is a reason for all of this, I just don't know what it is. Maybe I need to fast for them more, maybe I don't know I just need to keep going, but I can't think of anything...I'm just gonna try to make sure this doesn't happen to someone else. I wonder how many times I've said something I shouldn't have, or was not there when someone needed me, I wonder if I've ever made someone feel how I feel and I hope not. As far as the sisters in the ward, I know the Lord loves them and I'm sure they learn more about the gospel all the time. I do wish more would go to the temple so they can feel there what I feel, the peace, the individuality, and yet equality...the completeness of the gospel. Temple work is truly the least selfish thing I can think of. It's great and I want to share that with others, especially these new investigators/members...Sigh, I think I'm done venting. I would love to work in the temple some day.

Thanks, judo, I think I might work up the courage and just do that. I keep getting hope that things will be different with a change of leadership, but it seems to be the same people rotated around, or members of the same clique rotated around. For a few months, I don't know if anyone on here noticed, but I didn't get on the website....I was having this huge struggle. I hadn't gotten a new calling in so long, I asked for one and have been told no, no, no, and no. My hubby started to avoid talking with me about anything concerning church. He was gripey and reluctant to talk to me, and I couldn't figure out why. He even avoided going to the temple with me. Finally he did go to the temple with me, and I asked him why he thought the Lord didn't want me to have a calling, did I do something wrong or offend someone? I had asked the bishop that and his wife got extremely offended with me, she said that I didn't trust him, so I had not approached the topic again. This time I spoke about it with my husband and that's when I figured it out...it was because somebody married to somebody didn't like me, and they were not going to give me any calling. He didn't say anything at first, it was the silence that told me really, but he said, "What if it isn't the Lord?" I tried to swallow that one, I really did. I thought, well, I'll try waiting it out, eventually I'll be forgivable and this will blow over. I tried being more helpful, going to every activity and helping out, cleaning the church building when someone else forgot their turn, inviting others to ride to the temple with me, etc. Still no calling. I asked for a calling again, still no. Could I have the assignment to clean the buildings? No Just the bathrooms then? no. I made bread for sacrament, they wouldn't use it. Finally, my hubby said he didn't want to go to church any more, he wanted to be released, and he wouldn't talk to anyone about it. I said I wanted to call the bishop and he forbade me. So while he was out, I called the Stake Pres. and asked for a meeting. We went. He was great, really great, he helped me to love my bishop again, and helped me feel better about myself. All my hubby would say was, "My wife hasn't had a calling for two years," and the Stake Pres looked at him and knew exactly what was going on. Enough said. He helped me feel better, because For a while I didn't feel temple worthy, like I was dirty or something and everyone knew why but me. I thought things would get better, and they have a little bit, not a lot, but a little. There have been some changes in callings lately, same rotation though. STill bad for people that are seen with me, still bad for investigators, and still no calling. Maybe I should go talk to him again, but maybe I'm being impatient.

Irrigated ha ha ha ha As in 'all wet' or 'peed on'?

No Prisonchaplain, I didn't put you in with the more experienced crowd because of bad reasons! LOL! It is because they tend to get weary in well doing, and sometimes forget they are still capable of a lot of great service! HEHE I think you could get them and keep them going....it's a compliment BTW my hubby is a high priest, and so is the Bishop of the ward. When my hubby became a High Priest he made a joke (at the podium in Sacrament meeting no less) that he was in a bishopric meeting and they heard someone's baby boy crying in the hall way. The baby cried on and on and would not be consoled by his mother. He said the bishop left his office and the crying stopped after a moment, and he returned and sait down to continue the meeting. My hubby said that he and the other counselor asked what he did to make the baby stop crying....and that the bishop replied, "I ordained him a High Priest and he fell right to sleep" LOL He is part of that group now, and I know it is more important than ever that these worthy priesthood holders keep their chins up and continue on with the works the Lord has for them to do. I think you would be great at that PrisonChaplain!

I think that the current church, which is the same church as the Apolistic (sp) church has to have revelation to guide it that are current for the challenges of the times that we are facing. Peter changed the Sabbath day to Sunday, for example, and new apostles were called when the then council of the twelve were no longer twelve. In our day we need certain changes to meet our needs. The church, like the Sabbath was/is created to help us, not the other way around, so as our numbers grow (14 million I think) and our trials change (God raising up a people through plural marriage for a time, as well as meet the temporal/spiritual needs of the adult members) the prophets and aposltes are here to guide us through. As far as the Didache is concerned, no it is not included, as far as I know, in the church's cirriculum of study in the church educational system. It is not considered scripture. I don't believe it is discounted altogether, we can recieve learning and wisdom out of the best of books. What I feel that a lot of people don't understand, not necessarily speaking to the OP, is that our church does not look at the New Testament, or even the Book of Mormon, trying to glean from the scriptures clues and interpretations to guide how the church should be organized and operated. It is through direct, continual, and present day communication, through the Holy Ghost that decisions on organization, lines of authority, and operating procedures are given from Jesus Christ. He leads the church now, as well as He did in New Testament times. This special gift of communication is not just given to church leaders in some far away town, but is given to each individual member, through this gift we are able to hear the counsel from our leaders and can recieve an answering confirmation from the Holy Ghost ourselves. The church is not organized or led by anyone's 'best guess', it is by a living Christ. Any similarities to the church as it was organized in New Testament times exist because it was given from the same source. The differences would, I think, come from meeting different needs of the people who are members of the church at this time, both on this side of the veil and beyond. Great Question!

Sorry that was so long, maybe I should just focus on the good experiences and continue bobbing and weaving at church.

Sometimes I tell myself, that must be why they are in a leardership role, to give them opportunity to serve the others they are talking about and grow better feelings towards them. I do not live in a predominantly LDS area. Our ward is not very big, well, it hasn't always been as large as it is now. We are going to get a bigger building soon so we are growing. At one time I was doing 5 callings at the same time! I was a nursery leader once, but other than that I have never had a leadership calling of any kind, so I don't know what it's like, and I keep wondering if I'm being too hard on them. I have never been a counselor, and have never experienced the 'sisterhood' that many tell me that RS is about, though I have some friends in the ward that have encouraged me not to give up. I haven't had a VT partner in about 6 years now. I have asked for one a couple of times. I don't have a calling anymore, and haven't for about 2 years. I ran into one of the RS counselors this week and told her about my time issue and giving rides to sisters. I realize that my being late seems to really offend some others, though I really don't understand why. I never notice if anyone else is late, unless they are coming in the door with me and I greet them. I usually come in during opening prayer or the opening hymn. My kids are usually there before I am since I drop them off early to empty my vehicle. I really do want to stop offending them with this lateness of mine, so I asked this counselor if maybe some sisters might be able to carpool them into their own routes into church, and she rather speculated on why one of them would need a ride if she lived so close to church? "I don't know, she just asked for it and I'm doing it," is what I told her, "she is really very grateful when I pick her and her kids up, and I don't have to have carseats we use hers." Now I wonder if I made it worse for them, how will it get around now that the mill has the info that they are asking for rides....sigh, but it seems reasonable that if some certain sisters think I should be on time maybe one or two could help me? Some of them though I have found out recently have been laughing at me when I wasn't there. I caught some last Sunday laughing about me being late that day, again giving rides I don't think they knew about. One of them in particular I have spoken on the phone with and was my VT, and it never occured to me that she would talk about me that way, but I guess it should have since every time I talk to her she says nasty things about everyone that occurs to her. She is also a counselor in the RS, which is I think her 4th or 5th leadership calling in a row now, which is also why it surprises me when she does it, every time I'm surprised for some reason. Last time I actually jumped. Maybe it is a gender thing since my hubby is in the bishopric and never says anything about anyone. Sometimes he goes to meetings and I don't even know where or who with, he just goes. I know he does service that he doesn't talk about also. I think his calling might be why some of the sisters seem so comfortable talking around me about others, they assume that I already know a lot of things that I don't about others in the ward...like who smokes or who doesn't wear their garments or is getting food from welfare...no, my husband doesn't tell me. I tell them that too, but I'm not sure they believe me. It's not any of my business, and I don't feel good about myself by cutting down others. I know the church is true because the Lord told me so when I prayed. I know the Book of Mormon is truly the Word of God. I know that the service my family does in the ward has helped them grow more like Christ. I love the temple. I have learned from personal experience that those ordinances are appreciated and necessary to our loved ones on the other side of the veil. I love family scripture study and family home evenings. I love my Savior, and want to serve Him. Sometimes, though, sometimes I wonder, am I really serving these sisters by encouraging them to go to the purgatory I find myself in? Sometimes I wish we could skip RS and primary, just go to sacrament and gospel principles and then leave. The rest feels like walking through a long pit of vipers, like someone could strike at me at any moment and I am trying to carry these sisters on my shoulders to try to get through. I'm sure there are other sisters in the ward who feel the way I do, but I can't tell who they are or how to find them. I don't know who to trust anymore. The worst part is when someone says they will be glad to help with something, only to get a phone call later and they say they won't because certain sisters spoke with them about it and they don't think they should help after all. Sisters don't trust me either, what do you do when someone in leadership calls you and tells you that you shouldn't help...even suggesting there might be legal issues in helping, like their carseats are not appropriate and you might be liable if something happens on the car ride, etc? There is always some reasonable argument not to help, like, oh you shouldn't get in the middle of their issues you could get hurt picking someone up for church when someone doesn't want them to go. The live in a bad neighborhood, don't expose your children to it. You are keeping them from learning independence. You are encouraging them to expect more help from the ward, the ward is already stretched thin... You are making them a target with their neighbors when they see Mormons picking them up for church. If you help people that aren't members yet, you are actually trying to bribe them into membership and it could be in the media that the church does that. You are hurting the name of the church when you help non-members, and dragging children into it on top of that. You are not being considerate of teachers in primary and YW/YM when you bring people they are not expecting to thier classes. Our ward cannot afford spending its classroom resources on nonmembers. I have heard every single one of these from ward leaders. I even got kicked out of a classroom as a teacher of Gospel Principles once. I was a ward missionary and the ward mission leader very rarely came to church, so I was asked to teach it. I usually had 12-20 people in class, and one Sunday I was going into the room and stopped by the RS pres. She and her counselors were arguing in front of the classroom door with a counselor in the bishopric, actually 2 of them shouting at him and pointing their fingers. They said that since that room was used for RS meeting, it was 'set apart' specifically for RS and they needed it both 2 and 3rd hours to prepare the room for the Holy Spirit. Basically they wanted to decorate and play hymns in there during 2nd hour and have RS during 3rd hour. The class was standing in the hallway, since it was the only classroom that wasn't full that would fit us. It was a really nice spring day outside, so I suggested that if we could have some chairs we could have class outside that day....I got a laugh and a roll of the eyes. I also suggested that the class could finish up by helping to decorate and move chairs, etc... also not accepted. So I ushered the class further down the hallway and let them continue their argument. The class crammed ourselves into a much smaller room, with most of us standing during the class. We lost the classroom and 2/3 of the class after that Sunday. There have been some amazing experiences, though, like when there were 2 new Spanish speaking families in the ward, and I don't know Spanish, but I was trying to learn. Everytime I needed to I could give my testimony, pray and even gave a talk in fluent Spanish at a baptism. One mom told me tearfully that my accent sounded like I was from her family's home in Mexico, and that she knew I was truly a sister sent from HF. Although she had to say it through a missionary interpreting for me lol. It was great to know that that sister knew her HF loved her and He did that through me. It was very humbling and amazing. I know that HF is with me during these things, but why is it allowed to go on in His church? It is so embarrassing when an investigator/new member gets a big dose of it. Is it just to test them? Is it a test for me? Is it a test for the leaders?