classylady

I had no problems with streaming from LDS.org. Watched all 5 sessions of conference.

When my husband and I were first married, all the married children would often gather at my in laws for Sunday dinner. It was much like your family where it was not required, but a standing invitation. Over the years as families got larger it seemed to gradually occur less often. I think that is natural. Some families moved further away, and as some of the grandchildren became teenagers they had other interests. I believe, Backroads, that as your family changes and grows, that includes your siblings too, your weekly dinners at your parents will gradually diminish. It is okay to decide to not attend every week. There shouldn't be any offense taken. It's not like you're completely cutting yourself off from your family--just one Sunday a month for now. In the future that could change to two Sundays, and then eventually, perhaps, only occasionally during the year. That is the natural progression of family dynamics.

In my family, it's just the opposite. Of our 7 children, we had 4 boys and 3 girls. Out of my 12 grandchildren we only have 3 granddaughters. From what I have studied there typically are more male births to female births by about 105 males to 100 females. I found the following study: "In a scientific paper published in 2008,[20] James states that conventional assumptions have been: there are equal numbers of X and Y chromosomes in mammalian sperm X and Y stand equal chance of achieving conception therefore equal number of male and female zygotes are formed, and that therefore any variation of sex ratio at birth is due to sex selection between conception and birth. James cautions that available scientific evidence stands against the above assumptions and conclusions. He reports that there is an excess of males at birth in almost all human populations, and the natural sex ratio at birth is usually between 1.02 and 1.08 (102/108 male to 100 female ratio). However the ratio may deviate significantly from this range for natural reasons." Study after study seems to confirm the data that there are more males born than females worldwide even when factoring for female infanticide in certain populations.

Hey, I would be willing to fly out for a get-together in Texas. I need to use my flight benefits more often! The easiest city to get to, for me, is Houston since United has a hub there. But, I could connect there and fly pretty much any where in Texas. I also have family in the Houston area.

I love a good broccoli/chicken casserole. My Aunt had a great recipe, but when I asked her about it, she couldn't remember ever fixing it. If anyone has a great recipe for a broccoli/chicken casserole please share it. I'm trying to find a good recipe.

You're in a tough situation. You obviously love your younger siblings and your mother. Moving out isn't an easy decision, not only because you feel like you may be what's keeping your younger siblings on the right path, but you are dependent on your mother, to some extent, financially. Living at home, may indeed, be enabling your mother's behavior. But, you may be the stability your siblings need. My only advice is to fast and pray about it. Your answer may be to stay and be that stabilizing factor in your siblings lives, even though it's enabling your mother. Your answer may be to leave home and get your own place. My feeling is that unless you move far away your mother will still depend on you to come home for the weekends to watch the kids. Hope you can find the answer to help bring peace into your life.

I've never been on a cruise. I'd like to do that someday. I'd like to take a road trip and visit all the National Parks. Now that I'm 62 years old I can get the Senior National Parks Pass. Yay! My husband already has one, but I want my own. I want to visit Ireland, Scotland, Denmark, China, and Central/South American ruins. I want to see a Broadway show in NYC. I want to visit New Orleans.

My mother passed away three weeks ago. Last night my mother-in-law passed away. These were wonderful, faithful, stalwart women. I have been so blessed to have known them. They are no longer in pain. They both missed their sweethearts and are now with them. They both lived good, long, righteous lives. Knowing this, I am not grieving too hard, but yet, at the same time, it is so hard. Simply put: I will miss them. I will miss the advice they gave me. I will miss their love for me. I will miss them at future family events, and so on. Knowing they are better off, and with the faith I have, I'm wondering why I'm so physically stressed about this. I haven't been feeling well since my mom died and am having indigestion problems because of the stress. I don't feel terrible emotional stress, but my physical pains are telling me "I'm stressed!" Just wish I felt better and the knot in my stomach would go away.

Aw, Bini, I'm so sorry. <hugs>.

The bishop had so much wisdom.

There are so many wonderful museums in Paris. Several years ago my sisters, my mother, and I did a girls trip to Paris. We went to the Louvre, Musee d' Orsay (yes, it is in a beautiful old train station), the Rodin Museum, and Musee de Orangerie, to name a few. I had been to Paris several times before, but this one was special--one of the last trips made with my mother before her Alzheimer's set in. I'd go back in a heart beat!!

Yes. It was because of her gender. The bank explicitly told her the only reason she was being refused the loan was because she was a woman. This was probably late 60's, and in a small town. Feminism probably hadn't reached there yet.

Again, I really appreciate all the good advice I was given. The talk has been given. I did not cry or sob, but I did get choked up a time or two. I didn't break down and cry until after I was finished talking and all the grandchildren were singing "Love at Home" for a musical number. I couldn't help but wonder if my daughter, who passed away when she was 19, was there singing with the other grandchildren. That's when I lost it.

I have not had the time to read all the posts, so I'm sorry if I'm off tangent. I'm grateful for some of the protections that are out there. My mother was a widow. She was employed and earned an income. She was refused a small loan due to the fact that she was a woman and there was no man that was the provider. The bank told her that was the reason. That was in the late 60's or early 70's. I'm very grateful for the protections that would hopefully not allow that to happen today.

I have never used it. I haven't needed to. Haha. There are those who irritate me at times. But, I'm just too curious to see what they will post next.

Sorrow for sin is one of the steps towards repentance. Heavenly Father sent us to earth knowing full well we will make mistakes and sin. That is why we have Christ who is our Redeemer. He died for our sins. Put your sins at his feet, and feel the peace that brings. Heavenly Father and our Savior will only be disappointed if we don't repent. It is often so hard to forgive ourselves. Please forgive yourself. And, then let the healing power of the Atonement work in your life. You will find peace. It may take some time, but it will come. Talking to your Bishops will bring you and your fiancé' so much relief.

My understanding: We were all Intelligences before we became spirit children of our Heavenly Father. Joseph Smith taught that light or intelligence is at the core of each human soul and "was not created or made, neither indeed can be." Lorenzo Snow coined the phrase "As man now is, God once was: As God now is, man may be." Not much has been revealed about the first half of that phrase. Gordon B. Hinckley told a reporter: "that gets into some pretty deep theology that we don't know very much about." He further stated: "Well, as God is, man may become. We believe in eternal progression. Very strongly." Joseph Smith taught the Saints, "You have got to learn how to be a god yourself... It is not all to be comprehended in this world. It will take a long time after the grave to understand the whole." We can speculate all we want about how things will be, very simply, we don't know. Read the Essay in LDS.org on "Becoming Like God". Very good information.

I have six other siblings. Two of my brothers will also be speaking. My youngest brother will be speaking first. Because of his emotions, he said the only way he could speak was if he spoke first. I will be speaking second, and then my oldest brother will talk. My other three sisters declined to speak--too emotional, and my other brother probably would have spoken, but he struggles with expressing himself. I've spent hours reading through my mother's journals and history. I'm trying to find nuggets of her own personal thoughts to share. She was a prolific journal writer, but, most of her entries are about her daily activities and not her personal feelings. Right now, most of my thoughts have no order to them. I need to somehow find a way to order them and get it written down. I appreciate all the comments. They have been very helpful.

I try to get mine done on a monthly basis, but some of my challenges in the past and present have been: Phone phobia. I have a very hard time making phone calls and asking for an appointment. Partner isn't as concerned as I am about getting it done. I've been out of town and ran out of time. Sisters I teach don't/won't make the time for a visit. Conflicting schedules either with my partner or with the sisters I visit. Illness Those are some of my issues that I've had. There's probably other issues but I'm not remembering them right now. For the last several years I've had a partnership that has worked really well. Whenever we've had our VT interviews we ask not to be split up. She understands my phone phobia. I understand her reluctance to give the lesson. We don't judge each other for our failings, but work together to get it done. Whenever, I just can't bring myself to make the phone calls to make appointments she will do it , even though it's my turn. The same goes for when she feels inadequate in giving the lesson (every General conference lesson), and I will teach those months. We work well together and know our shortcomings are forgiven.

I will be one of the main speakers at my mother's funeral next weekend. One of my main concerns is being able to stay emotionally in control. I don't think I'll break down and start sobbing, but what if I do? Maybe, I'm stressing over a "what if" scenario, and shouldn't be so overly concerned. Do any of you have tricks you use when you start getting emotional and want to get back in control?

I hope all will be well.

@zil, do you do calligraphy? Just wondering what you use your fountain pens for? I personally have a hard time with any pen or ink that bleeds. I can't seem to write neatly when a pen or ink bleeds. ?

I thought pyramid schemes were illegal. My understanding, MLMs are not pyramid schemes or they would also be illegal. I know quite a few people who have made it big with MLMs. When I look at their personalities I can see why. They are usually charismatic and enthusiastic and don't give up when the going gets tough. They plug away at it and know how to discipline themselves to be their own boss. I don't have the personality for it. I've tried several MLMs. It's just too easy for me to say "I don't want to make sales calls today". I fear being turned down and I can't seem to get beyond that fear.

As per the bolded part of Jane_Doe's reply: The baby blesser is required to be a Melchizedek Priesthood holder. A Priest holds the Aaronic Priesthood not the Melchizedek. From Handbook 2 : General Guidelines “Every member of the church of Christ having children is to bring them unto the elders before the church, who are to lay their hands upon them in the name of Jesus Christ, and bless them in his name” (D&C 20:70). In conformity with this revelation, only Melchizedek Priesthood holders may participate in naming and blessing children. Priesthood leaders should inform members of this instruction before their children are named and blessed.

I have always loved the snow. The more, the better! I could always dress for the cold--put on layers etc. Driving in snow didn't bother me too much, unless it was white-out conditions. But, this year, I am having a harder time with the cold temperatures. Maybe I'm getting too old to tolerate it any longer? I'm eagerly anticipating Spring--not Summer. I have never liked hot Summer temperatures. I just seem to melt when it's hot outside. Last August, we were visiting Canyonlands National Park, and I physically got ill from the heat. When I was a teenager living in St. George, UT, I would on occasion get ill from the heat. I remember walking outside one day, and nearly fainting as the heat hit me. I literally had to grab onto the porch railing or I would have dropped to the ground. I have a son moving to Southern Utah in the next few months. He tells my husband and me to move with him. I wouldn't mind, except I can't handle the heat.