KevlarH

I don't know where to put this, move it if you must, but this thread seemed like a good place. I just wanted to say how proud I am of my nephew. He is 21, and for a long time was into goth, and many odd ideas. He dressed in black, wore eye shadow, didn't really care about religion or did anything to prepare him for life. I often worried even that one day he might do something terrible to himself. This last year he decide to go to college and started taking classes, and we thought this was a big breakthrough. However, this past holiday season, he stayed with us during the holidays and had a neat haircut, no makeup and nice clothes. He acted more "normal" than I have seen him since he was younger. My brother, (his Dad) had a great time during his visit, and we felt so good about him.My brother took him with him on a split with the missionaries, and gave him his old missionary pocket hymn book. We had no idea what effect this had on him. He started reading the hymns and looking up scriptures when he went back home to his Mother, my brothers ex-wife. All on his own, he started talking with missionaries and the bishop and becoming excited about the gospel. Now he says he has gained a testimony, and has sent in papers to go on a mission himself! Never give up on a wayward child, you never know how the spirit may touch their hearts one day.

I think everyone is restating the same points over and over. I think we should respect the views of other denominations regarding the symbol of the cross. They see it as a symbol of being a Christian and that is wonderful. I hope they in turn respect LDS views in that most of us prefer images of the Living Christ. The important thing is for all of us to try and live a Christ-like life.

Ah! I see. Well, I'm a guy raised in the south.

Like you, I also have no musical talents. I coudn't carry a tune in a bucket. LOL! So, I read along while listening to others sing it, ( I sing along in my head) and try to ponder the words. My favorite hymns for this is Oh My Father, Oh How Lovely Was The Morning, Master, The Tempest is Raging, and the Christmas hymn I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day. By the way. Grits should not be tough. They should be smooth like cream of wheat. Yes, I'm from the South. LOL!

I pray that the victims recover. I hate that it happened at all, but to be anywhere near such a sacred place, sad.

Hey CTR4life. It is a common thought all of us at some time in our life think about. If you listen too much to those without faith, it can be a real downer and make you feel soulless as you put it. I could quote scriptures, but I'm sure you have heard most of them. The best way to know if their is a God, "is" to read the scriptures however, and do as the Bible and Book of Mormon states. That is to ponder the things you read, and come to a conclusion about it. Then to actually try to ask God (Believing he is there and will answer you) in prayer to let you know if he is (as you believe) real. Then ask him to let you know that the things you have heard and read are true. If you do so with real intent, having faith that you might receive an answer, I am sure you will get it. It will be a loving comforting feeling, beyond anything you have previously experienced, that will envelop you. If you get that, that is the Holy Ghost confirming it to you. Now, as for a temporal answer. Just go someplace peaceful and look around you as you ponder that question. Look at the wonders of nature. The trees, plants, and animals and ask yourself these kind of questions: Could these things really have come to exist by some big bang in the cosmos? Our bodies so perfectly suited for life. Our hands so perfectly suited for accomplishing tasks. Our hearts so full of feeling. Our minds able to comprehend and learn. Does it really make more sense to think we are part of an accident of the universe that somehow came perfectly together? Or are we part of a divine plan by a Heavenly being? Did the earth just happen to be in the only possible spot it could be in to sustain life, or was it placed there? I can't possibly see any other explanation for the wonders of life than that a God with powers beyond our understanding made all this possible. The idea that all of these perfectly placed things was just a fluke is to me what would make me feel soulless.

Well, I viewed a number of those videos. I guess the location of Book of Mormon events will remain unclear, except that it happened somewhere in the Americas. Thanks for responding everyone, at least now I am more informed than I was before. The important thing, is that I know the Book of Mormon is true. It would be nice to know where things occurred, but I guess we will know in time.

I stumbled across this site that had a series of video clips about the Book of Mormon geography. It suggested that it mostly took place here in the United States, rather than in Central or South America, like I've always thought. After listening to these, I'm about convinced he is right, based on things Joseph Smith said. I was wondering if some of you would view these videos, (they are about 10 minutes each in length and there are about 14 of them) and tell me what you guys think: BookofMormonEvidence.org View the 2nd through the 15th video clips.

Well, bottom line is other faiths use the cross as a symbol of their faith. We use symbols too, as I had an Angel Moroni placed on my Fathers grave to show that he was LDS. I have no problem with those faiths who use it, but as a member of the LDS faith, I am comfortable that we do not use that symbol. If we used a symbol at all to represent the atonement, I'd rather it be Christ by the tree in Gethsemane. A more powerful symbol in my opinion.

LOL! That is an Auburn University Tigers National Championship ring from the 2010 season, from when we defeated Oregon. I'm a big Auburn fan if you couldn't tell.

Lol! :)

Agree jedi-Nephite. I have the same understanding, although I will add the death on the cross was part of it too. It had to be, so that Christ could rise again and overcome death. Gethsemene (The Atonement) made it possible for us to overcome spiritual death, and the rising from his death on the cross, to make it possible for us to overcome physical death. The most important part was that he overcame all these things for us. To focus on the cross and death would be focusing on only one part of it, and not the most important part - That he lives, and that he made it possible for us to overcome sin and death.

I can see why it looks like a cross, but honestly I think it is just a decorative door. I have seen this same type of design on lots of doors. They have two smaller squares on the top part of the door and two rectangular designs from the middle to lower part of the door. It is just a coincidence that they resemble a cross. Sorry, but that's all it is. I am looking at my closet doors right now, and they have almost the same design, but it isn't a deliberate cross.

Why are pants always measured in even increments? sizes 32,34,36 etc. I'm always an odd number inbetween and they never fit perfectly. Also, when you are certain waist size, why do they always think your legs must be a foot longer than they are?

I thought it would be humorous for everyone to tell some of the crazy /funny questions you may have thought of before. LOL! For instance: We were all spirit children of our Heavenly parents in the pre-existance. Did we ever take a family photo? Could we find ourselves in it? LOL! :)

My parents allowed us to think there was a Santa Claus when we were young children, and it didn't scar us. LOL! We were still taught the true meaning of Christmas, about Christ. I remember seeing a picture that had a Santa Claus on his knees worshiping the Christ child. That kind of put it in perspective for me at an early age. Actually what may have effected me more was an Elf that my parents put at the top of our Christmas tree, named Alvin. They said Alvin kept watch and would tell Santa if we were being naughty or trying to sneak and see what was in some presents. That was kind of unnerving. LOL!

I guess I'm lost in this conversation. I thought the point of the original post was whether it was inappropriate to bring your gun into Church or a fellow members house. Not whether guns should be banned or not. I'm all for the right to bear arms, but I think there are a few places you should not bring it in.

No, I said I would be worried about the waiting and explained why; not that I would question whether they were right. Mostly the latter part of my answer was dealing with why I thought it would be not a good idea to wait. That was just my own feelings on that. I understand what you are asking, but I am sure the policy has been in place for a reason. Perhaps you should ask the bishop to find out exactly what the reasoning is.

We had a little difficulty with property lines with my neighbors too. They thought that the line should be to the other side of their mailbox. Instead the line went straight, (as they should) so technically their mailbox was on our side. So many feet from the road belongs to the county though, so no big deal. However because they thought that, they believed a tree that was in our yard was theirs. We showed them a survey proving that it was clearly in our yard but they held a grudge afterwards. They also were parking cars partly in our yard. We then built what is called a friendly fence to solve the problem of where the line was. We got some white pvc pipe and made two foot high posts and caps. Then we got white plastic chain and looped it through holes cut in the pipe and draped it about a foot and a half off the ground, the entire length of the line. You might have seen this kind of thing at car lots only they use metal pipes and metal chain. Anyway, It looked really nice, and showed the boundary clearly. It also kept their cars off our lawn, and placed our tree clearly on our side. Problem solved. LOL!

I would be worried about it if a change like that was implemented and I'll tell you why. When I was on my Mission and we were preparing someone for baptism, we always warned them that Satan would try to stop them in some way. I found this true almost 100% of the time. Something or someone would try to put it off or cause doubts to stop it. The same would be true for marriage. If you try and put it off, then more and more things would happen to try and stop the Temple sealing from happening. It is Satan. Going to the Temple is a great blessing and strength for your family, and I don't think it would ever be wise to put it off when the spirit is prompting you to do it now. Your reasons may be good intentioned, but if you can get a Temple marriage irregardless of whether it effects non member family or friends attending, you should. It should be your number one priority. Have a ring ceremony afterwards that non member family and friends can watch you exchange rings , vows etc. and feel a part of.

You actually are making my point. Most Temples have similar styles in design and floorplan, architecturally. But, most have a few differences that are unique enough that you could name what city it is in by looking at it. The one's in the long list you mention might have only a difference in marble, or a surrounding fence that are different. Mostly you have to guess by the landscaping and surrounding area like mountains or desert, or palm trees. I was only thinking out loud that if they had just made each have say a different looking steeple, or different designed windows, just something to be able to look at it and say that one is this temple, or that one is in that city. I'm not trying to make a huge deal out of it, I know it isn't really that important as what goes on within one. I was like I said just thinking out loud some of my thoughts on the design. Even the sloped ones you mention have different brick, or spire designs or something that makes it unique to itself. Seatle and Tokyo are about the same design, but different spires and windows change the look for both. That is all I'm saying. Sorry to create a controversy over this, that was not my intent at all.

Maybe I should state again that I love our Temple. It is small but beautiful, and I'm grateful that it is here. My only point was that it looks the same as many others, and that I was just thinking (typing too) out loud that I wished we had some distinguishing feature that made it unique to Birmingham, and not also Nashville, Lexington, Columbia, Detroit, Oklahoma City, Cuidad Juarez, Edmonton, Montreal, Baton Rouge, Aba Nigeria, etc., etc., etc. Just a small difference. Utah is full of Temples and all look different. Is it really too much to wish for a small difference? I'm being bad for thinking that? Our Temple is pretty though: http://www.ldschurchtemples.com/birmingham/gallery/images/birmingham-mormon-temple28.jpg

I wasn't saying they were not special enough. I was only talking about making each one unique to itself. I mean they just redesigned the Ogden temple which was pretty much like the Provo temple. Wasn't it special enough? I really don't think you are getting what I'm trying to say, but I don't have enough word power to make my point clearer. Oh well.

I guess what I was getting at, is I was just wishing that there would be just a few differences that you could look at and say this is the Birmingham Temple, that is the Oklahoma City Temple, this one is the Nashville, or Columbus Ohio Temple etc. Right now the only way you could tell is a name on a picture, or the landscaping. Somebody humor me who knows how to do photoshop. Put like the Billings Montana steeple on the Birmingham Temple to see how it changes things.

I love that we have a Temple and understand why it is small, because membership in our state is small. (Alabama) LDS Temples - Mormon Temples - Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I feel guilty about saying this however, but I am disappointed a little in the design. What I mean is, there is many others like ours that look exactly the same except the landscaping. I know there are lots of Temples with similar designs, but all of them usually have something that differs giving it it's own unique look. When I see the wonderful Temple designs in other states, I feel disappointed that ours has no uniqueness to it at all. I know it is the Lords house and that it only matters if he is pleased, but I can't seem to just let it go. Before anyone comes down on me too hard for feeling that way, Brigham Young was disappointed in the original steeple of the St. George Temple. He felt it looked too short and squatty. The steeple was later changed to a taller steeple that it has now. Maybe, if they could just change the steeples of these smaller temples to different designs, it would give each temple a unique look of it's own too.