Sunday21

I know how you feel. Firstly my parents were from working class Scottish backgrounds. This ethnic group is famous for being truly aweful cooks. Surely the worst cuisine in the world. Ever seen a Scottish restaurant in North America? Me nether! Next my mother cooked the same 7 dishes in the same order every week. I cannot even describe these classic Scottish dishes without feeling ill. Liver was part of the rotation. And liver is high in cholesterol so is not even good for you! Pair it with turnips boiled into submission. Ugh!

@anatess2 Love this idea! I once had a fund raiser auction. I got donations from: Hotels (free night or free use of gym for a day) Tim Horton’s coupons Sandwich shop coupons Walmart gift card.

I don’t know if this would work where you live but...shoveling driveways is a popular fund raising idea here as is washing cars. I think @MarginOfError ideas of moving beyond church membership is a good idea but I would email your bishop first to check. Best way to raise money quickly here is to sell hamburgers outside of supermarkets. Here, the big chains loan you all the supplies, barbarcue etc. But they may not allow church groups so check. One massive fund raiser here sold home baked cookies in the Canadian Tire. 😬 I bought tons...to hand out in Relief Society. How many lasted till Sunday? Zero. Shame. Shame. Shame. They were good though!

I think it is possible to attend Lds church and activities and gradually move more into Lds culture. Baby steps. I think that you can hang around, enjoy the fellowship and even pick and choose where you participate without actually becoming Lds. Even members have different levels of time commitment. It might be easier for your family and your life to attend what you can and to utilize aspects of church life gradually increasing when you feel comfortable. A no-drama approach may help your family feel more comfortable.

@hamillerIII You have a tender heart. I admire you for your righteous striving. I should be more like you. There is a lot to be said for sticking in the game even if you don’t feel like you are excelling. Good for you!

Build a decision tree. Step one: Picture a series of events like the ‘make your own story’ books. At each step, you make a decision, one is a good choice, another a better choice, one is a best choice. You draw a tree which branches on it to represent the decisions. Eg you want to attend a party but your mom wants you to babysit. What is the right choice? You draw your story on some cheap paper before drawing the final tree story.

Where I live you can call the police and if you know the time of the potential conflict, ask for ‘escort to keep the peace’. The police come and just stand there looking at the two of you. I have done this myself. The police officer was a big help, gave good advice and came to visit latter to see if I was ok. You can tell the person that you would be happy to meet them in the lobby of the local police station.

Dear Carb, I am so sorry! A shock, I am sure.

Thank you! How nice of you to think of doing this! ❤️

Kim Chee overload!

So pleased for you! This change in circumstances is a great deal better!

Dungeons & Dragons was evil? Really? I had assumed that D &D had many opportunities for rescuing the frail and for team building for the greater good. Am 😮

@NannieLaurie Pleased to meet you! Welcome! 🙏

Had Togo for major magnification but found the kitty eyes!

Thanks! I am considering giving myself n Xmas present. Love ❤️!

https://www.amazon.com/Moronis-Guide-Surviving-Turbulent-Times-ebook/dp/B0787FYL9X/ref=pd_typ_k_ba_3_6361631011_4/141-6087395-0869100?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=0X9F1FRMEM20YD889N6V This book looks intriguing! John Bytheway.

I understand the Op’s Point. For some people teaching a lesson is about projecting love. These teachers mean well but ‘projecting love’ is sometimes only meaningful to those who share your small world. To the speaker the words selected and the body language have a deeper meaning that signals to their tribe but to outsiders the result can be meaningless or variously misinterpreted. As an early convert I found many talks to be uninterpretable. I can now guess at the meaning of some of these talks. The speaker was expressing love and gratitude. Talking about feelings and how happy you are about ‘how well your life is going’ is not generally helpful to the audience. Inside jokes and references to private times with friends in the audience can be alienating. I try not to talk about feelings, and especially not my own feelings, in talks and lessons because...why would anyone care if I am having a good day or a good life? If teaching a lesson or giving a talk, I try and find something useful for the audience.

A lot of people fear teaching, especially converts.

My doctors suggested these states but I think they are mistaken. I need to look at the research but I think most people with migraines are affected by heat and to a lesser extent changes in barometric pressure.

I gave up the book wen it claimed that members were more likely to commit business fraud.

Apparently in Old Boston, the social elites would not wear clothing immediately imported from Paris. Such clothing was left in the attic for a few seasons until it was no longer fashionable and only worn once out of fashion.

Apparently a subset of us ‘parade’ at church in jewels and new clothes. Really? Can’t you think of anything worse than to say that some of us are snappy dressers?

More lunacy: The motto of Deseret Books apparently is : ‘Bringing values home since 1866’. Deseret Books was formed in 1919 Apparenlty, we had a Mormon Reformation period, that we do not like to talk about, in which we ran around killing each other.

Blessed be the Wicked by Bartley I never realized how completely nuts you have to be to hate us! This is a detective novel that is set in Utah and is anti. It tries so hard to find reasons to hate us. The idea is that the church has declared that there are ‘unforgivable’ sins. Well, yes. There is one but no one I have ever met, understands it! Okay, back to the plot: So as some sins are unforgivable, this is so nuts, you have to kill the sinner! Can anyone follow that logic? I can’t! Next: Apparently we have a committee that monitors all the communications including emails of suspected apostates. That would have to be a huge committee! I picked this book up with no suspicions and it just started in on this lunacy! I have to keep reading and find out how we are these cold hearted murders!

Not necessarily participation but fluctuations in barometric pressure. If anyone is aware of an area with low fluctuation, I would really appreciate you letting me know.