Spartan117

No they can not. If you and your wife aren't sealed, your children can't be either. Not to only one parent. And if you don't want to go into your issues with the church then I respect that. As far as raising kids in the church ... there was an article recently in Newsweek talking about how the Mormon church produces "winners" in society today. You aren't the first person I've heard say they would raise their kids in the church even though they don't want to be members themselves. But being LDS isn't a Sunday activity. It's a lifestyle. It's that lifestyle that produces the qualities in a person that make them successful. Your kids would wonder why they are being raised in the church and living a certain lifestyle that you aren't. They will follow your example (not to say you would be a bad example by not being LDS) but there would be a conflict for them. I sincerely hope you and your wife work things out. I know anyone here will be more than happy to answer any more questions you have. Hope I was able to help. EDIT: I'm a newish convert to the church myself, you can PM me if you'd like if you want to discuss anything privately. I converted about a year and a half ago and I may have some insight or perspective on some things. If not, no pressure. Just throwin it out there.

My first question is what are you hung up on concerning the church has ended your interest in joining? My second question is why would you want your children raised in a church you don't believe in? My last point is just an observation, I can understand being at the breaking point over religious differences. But telling her you think there is another way to have an eternal family outside of the temple is a pretty big deal. The sealing is the highest ordinance we will do in this life. There is nothing more sacred to a Latter-day Saint. By telling her you have a loophole somewhere is almost insulting, from an LDS point of view. Especially if you say you'll raise your children in the church. Honestly I think she's probably sorting through batches of mixed feelings and mixed signals. You give her an ultimatum but you've thrown in small scraps of hope too. I think she's confused and she thinks you're confused as well. I think you might be too, just going by what you've said. If you force her to choose tomorrow your marriage will likely end. I can tell your frustrated but I'd like to get more info if you'd be willing.

My brother-in-law is a cop and he had his gun on him in during my sealing. We live in Utah, I guess the laws here are a bit different than other places. He can pretty much bring his firearm wherever he wants. He wears it at all times, on or off duty no matter where he goes.

The only thing I would like to comment on is the attorney part of your dilemma. And the court stuff. I have no clue if that will be cause to lose a recommend or any of that, but as far as asking a ward member for legal advise, I think it would depend on your relationship with that person. If you know them well and feel comfortable confiding in them as a friend, yes. If you want to ask strictly on a professional level and you don't know this member very well, what I would recommend is going to your bishop and seeing if he can introduce you to someone who can help. He may approach that member or someone else entirely but I would trust your bishop to find the right person to help you out or answer questions. In essence, you're asking this attorney to work for free. And if you aren't close with this person then there could be an issue regarding that. Or of him talking to someone about your situation who you don't want to involve. Confidentiality could become tricky. Let your bishop figure this out for you. Hope this helps, and best of luck. Also your cousin will not end up in jail if he has no record. Even if he did, they will just fine him. They absolutely will not send him to jail over this. Trust me, I lived a very colorful life before joining the church. I won't go into details, just trust me that I know what I'm talking about right now. They will plead this down and your cousin will get a fine at best and he may be delayed in getting his license now. Let your bishop know ASAP as well. Don't wait. Let him know you all learned your lesson and your life of crime is over.

I think one of the reasons it bothers me is that I look over in Sunday school and can't help but noticing her skirt covering next to nothing and her garments are hanging out and I feel "bad" or guilty because I even noticed it. Which says some things about me, maybe. But I still don't know where that line is. I don't judge or make assumptions about what kind of person she is because of this either. It's just awkward.

At this point I feel like I should be paying $2.99 a minute to be reading this thread. If I can move away from breasts and cleavage for a minute .... So I have noticed women who wear skirts that are so short when they sit down their garments are not only "showing" but coming out well past the bottom of their skirts. Now I think there is a "culture" to dress and appearance aside from what is actual policy, and I accept that. When I first converted I wore jeans at times because I had no church clothes and I'm a firm believer that it is no one's business what other people wear to church. That being said, I kinda have a problem with this. Thoughts? Advice? Personal experiences?

You can't be serious.

The individual I was talking about was not a young man, but that isn't really the point. Like I said in my earlier post "I only meant to convey what I've seen to be as "the norm" for the church. There was no intention to go beyond that. " My perspective of the "norm" being very limited, but that's been my experience so far.

Tell them to watch season 1 of Sister Wives.

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The church practiced polygamy openly for about 50 years during a time when the Mormon pioneers were being persecuted and driven from state to state. At one time there was an extermination order making it legal and lawful to murder Mormon's. Once the early Saints made it to Utah and were relatively safe, the church discontinued practicing it. Fun facts you can throw in there ... *It was started through revelation, and ended by revelation from God to his Prophet. *At the end of it all the total number of men who had plural wives made up 5%-20% of the total church. *Members who DIDN'T obey the church and kept practicing polygamy were excommunicated and spread out into all these little compounds you see on TV now a days. They NO affiliation with our church whatsoever. *Warren Jeffs has no ties to our church in any way. *Stress to them this is a part of the church's history, ancient history. It's not practiced anymore.

Here is what I've learned answering questions to my friends and family after I converted, the only one in my family. They ask about polygamy and the temple and the garden of eden and all kinds of stuff. Here is how to handle this. First, ask them "Do you believe Joseph Smith was called a prophet of God?" and if they so "no" then tell them "then the answers to any other of your questions about the church don't matter." The church makes some bold claims for sure and has a very interesting history. But the road starts with Joseph Smith being a prophet. If they can't get by that, then there isn't anything else to say. But if you MUST give a short answer, say "revelation"

Are you in a singles ward or a family ward?

I did miss that post. Apologies. Have you seen the Palmoni scrolls?

Me too, mostly. I was baptized last year. You should actually be getting somewhat regular visits from different people/leaders who will want to get to know you and make sure you're transition into the ward is going good for you. You may not, but if your RS president and one her counselors is visiting it sounds like you've got good people around you. So how new are you?

Callings are offered by a member of the Bishopric at the ward level.

Hey we took all the heat for prop 8 for all those other church's. They have to like us now. At least until one of us gets in the White House. Then we'll be satan's church again.

No one knows except the Father. That is pretty clear. You're getting awfully excited over is. Speculation is great, I read all kinds of crap about this stuff and it is fascinating. But claiming you "know" and trying to convince other people that you "know" might be looked down upon. By the only person who really does know. Just sayin.

Don't be by yourself right now. I don't know about legal proceedings or any of that, but I've been in a situation like yours but we weren't married so no where near as bad I imagine. This was looong before I joined the church, I was living with this girl and I walked in on them. I know you have kids and alimony and all that to worry about in addition to the betrayal and that sucks. Just find someone who you can talk with and visit with right now.

Very often if your ward is firing on all cylinders.

Puppets are of the devil? Well I am burning my Muppet Babies collection!

Glad you had a good time?

Corinthians is a perfecting example of how hard it was for the original apostles to keep the church from slipping into practices that were not in harmony with the gospel. Even when the apostles still lived the original church was heading towards apostasy.

Hello Adele, welcome to the board. So there's a quote by J. Golden Kimball concerning St George ... "I believe if I had a house in hell and a house in St. George I'd rent out the one in St. George and live in hell I really would." I've never been that far south, is Golden correct? :)

Welcome, I live in Provo. And I had no idea there were presidential candidates for other countries who are members of our church. This is good news indeed. Maybe the church has a classified operation going where they are slowly and inconspicuously trying to plant members into high ranking political offices all around the world in a scheme for global domination! Just like that episode of Pinky and the Brain I saw once.