Anddenex

He is wherever he feels he needs to be at that time. If that means he is visiting a member who is either inactive, or cannot leave home due to age. He is giving shorts talks in primary. He is visiting with the young men, especially the young men seeing he is the President of the priest quorum.

I would agree.

I should point out something with regards to this. If I was a rich man, believe me, I wouldn't mind purchasing a really nice ring for my wife. It just really bothered me when I heard young women say, this was another women I worked with, "If a man doesn't buy you a ring over $2k, then he doesn't really care about you." I think it is wonderful, your fiance was willing to do this, however, in my opinion, you acted with class. You were willing to accept whatever ring he was able to afford, and was willing to afford. This one is for you Bini * This is solely Anddenex's thoughts

Anon16, I am not sure if someone already shared this with you, however I would recommend that you learn now, and at such a young age, to distinguish the church from its members. One of my favorite scriptures in the Book of Mormon is when we are told pride entered into the church, better said, it wasn't pride in the church, but it was pride entered into the hearts of members of the church. What you hate, is not the church. What you hate, is the weakness of men/women within the church, as we all do. The sooner you learn, we go to church not because of people, but because of our love for Christ, the easier it is to deal with these types of situations, even though it still hurts.

Yes. Remember the church believes in repentance (Isaiah 1: 18).

I may take some slack for this comment, however this was an important one for me, seeing my first desire was to be a Seminary Teacher, and I knew I wasn't going to be rich. "What type of ring do you want?" I worked with a young lady whose fiance had saved up about $6K. He used all of his money to buy her an expensive, nice, godly ring. One day a woman came in with a bigger ring. As I was talking with her she said, "Andrew, do you think my ring is big enough, or should I have him take it back and buy me another one?" I couldn't believe the arrogance, it infuriated me inside. If I knew this young man better, I would have had a quite conversation with him and told him to run, and run as fast as he could. I heard other women say, "I won't accept a ring unless it is $3K or more." These women I quickly ignored and never cared to date. They made it clear that a righteous priesthood holder wasn't what they desired most. They desired material wealth, more than a honorable priesthood holder. I am glad I met someone who was glad to have a ring, it only cost $300, because that is what I had in savings at the time.

Vort, would you please use smaller words, my brain is hurting, and I don't need to feel dumber than I already feel because I need to have a..... what is that called again.... oh yes, a dictionary at my side to understand your post. P.S. For those who may have missed the motivation behind my post, yes, it was meant to be funny/sarcastic. P.P.S. Yes, I realized, if I needed to point out it was sarcastic, then it wasn't probably funny anyway, but it was worth a try :)

I am sorry MomInBabylon, I am not into these shows, however I have many friends who are. My guilty pleasure: Person of Interest The Walking Dead Any of the CSIs Falling Skies I am actually watching one of my guilty pleasures right now.

I am currently going back to school at 35 years old. I have discovered the same thing Vort did, I am a better student now verses then.

Nathan93, applepansy has provided great advice.

Remember you are set apart as a missionary so the missionary standards and rules apply to you. If your father isn't there, then you have your grandpa (I am assuming you have grandpa still since you said grandparents). Do not be around any young woman alone. My advice, if you keep the missionary rules you will be fine. Congrats and may you serve honorably and faithfully. Remember, it is not you that converts anyone to the gospel of Jesus Christ, it is the Lord's spirit, learn to listen to it.

Wow...and I thought having 36 tomato plants was a lot. You had tomatoes coming out of your ears, your cellar, your windows.... everywhere.

Hehe... my garden is 45 feet wide and 70 feet long. It is great! I have already picked 4 tasty cantaloupe. The funny thing is, I really dislike: tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries, peppers, and cucumber, however my family loves them. So I get to do all the work to prep something I don't like so that my family enjoys them.

Over the past few years, Kristi and I, love the fruit of our garden. I don't mean to brag, however I am going to brag, our garden is awesome. Yes, I will repent after this post for my hubris. Our cantaloupe are thriving. I believe we will have over 30 cantaloupes. Fortunately for my neighbors, my selfish bone, ends at about 10 cantaloupes. Our corn is doing extremely well this year. I believe we will have over a hundred ears of corn to feast upon. Neighbors will be happy as well. Our honeydew are finally growing this year and what is crazy we have watermelon size honeydew, although not sure if that is good for the taste. ** Anybody know when a honeydew is ready? Cantaloupes are easy to recognize when they are ripe and tasty. Our tomatoes have been doing well like the previous years also. I believe, if the weather doesn't change and we have a longer season, we will probably pick over 700 tomatoes. Kristi loves (I use love cautiously, and thank goodness she doesn't read this) canning tomatoes. Last year by the time mid August we were picking around a hundred tomatoes a week. Neighbors love this too. I am very disappointed in my watermelons, only one this year compared to 32 last year. Our golden and red potatoes are also doing well. It will be nice to have those fresh from the garden for the first time this year. What do my LDS.net friends like in their gardens?

That's awesome. If you remember them would love to teach them to my children. :)

I am going to provide a different thought pertaining to God and His perfect plan. I am in the belief that if all of God's children had followed God's plan, from the beginning, I wouldn't be surprised if all of us would have had an average life span. Let me explain why I share this. The city of Enoch probably had a different life style, culture, and happiness as never experienced by any other human. They had the faith to be taken up and translated, a whole city, due to their righteousness. I think a lot of what we have faced as children here upon this earth is a direct result of disobedience to God's plan. I think you have already answered the majority of your questions by saying we obey God's laws and we obey the world's laws. When cultures develop they create their own rules and their own set of laws. I read once, that in Delaware (if I am remembering correctly), that it was legal to marry a 7 year old. At least one of the 50 states at some point, I am thinking it was Delaware. In light of faith God does not interfere with the choices of men, unless they seek Him out. I agree with other statements specifying our culture has babied adolescents. I read one study that was saying the adolescent years have extended to the age of 25-26, when I was growing up, it was 18, and then teens were expected to be adults. Now we have 30 year olds still living in Mom's basement. If we expected more from our children, instead of just playing video games, kids would probably grow up quicker. I think the children who crossed the plains, especially those who lost a father, a mother, or both parents grew up pretty quick. I knew a lady who was married at 15 years old, her husband was 18. This was only 30 years ago. She received permission from her father, or she eloped, I don't remember her story as well anymore. In some states, unless laws have changed, the rightful age, via permission of the parents, for marriage is 14. If a 14 year old wants to get married all they need is a parental permission. *These are solely Anddenex's thoughts.

I know of a list of 10 for sure

I was 17, the summer of my 18th birthday. I weighed the thoughts of my parents, my teachers, and Christian friends who told me I was going to hell because I was a member of the LDS faith (Even though I lived a more Christian life than they did morally and physically). However, the first week on my mission I read a verse in the Doctrine & Covenants which specified truth is witnessed by a "burning in the bosom" (at least that is the way I interpreted it back then). I heard Branch Presidents, and other teachers express this overwhelming feeling regarding their witness. In light of this verse and these testimonies I assumed I did not have a testimony, I only thought I did. For two months I fasted twice a week, in hopes the Lord would deliver this witness as he had done with others. I had decided, if I didn't receive an answer I would go home from my mission (It wasn't honest for me to bear witness of something I did not know). The last time I prayed and fasted, I didn't receive a "burning in the bosom"; I received a swift rebuke from our Heavenly Father. In short, the Lord through his still small voice said to me, "Andrew, stop asking me what you already know. Build upon what you already know." I recognized from this answer, the Lord had already provided me His witness back when I was 17, the summer of my 18th birthday. I recognized, I had confused myself, because I expected this amazing feeling to witness to my heart. As a result, I became past feeling, because I demanded a witness from the Lord, which wasn't my place to do so. I have, since that loving rebuke, did as I was told --- I have built upon the testimony I had received. As a result of my service, my prayers, and fasting I have been provided other witnesses which have confirmed and verified the answer I received at 17. This statement confuses me. If you had a testimony, how did you loose it? I always find items I have lost under couch cushions. In all seriousness, if you had a testimony, why are you choosing to forsake it? I understand the second sentence, because I also knew that God was real, Jesus was His son, and the Holy Ghost was a testator, but did not know myself if Joseph Smith was a Prophet. I am reminded of a verse in scripture, Book of Mormon 2 Nephi 33: 11: If you believe in God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, then you will believe in these words also. In light of these verses, continue to read, continue to pray, and continue to ponder the words in the scriptures. The Book of Mormon compliments the Bible, however unfortunately we live in a day where others have tried to paint the Book of Mormon as a contradiction. Yes, there are family members which will still have family members in a kingdom of glory. There could be whole families in the Telestial and Terrestial kingdoms, however if you want to obtain the highest degree of glory, and within the highest degree of glory, the highest tier, then you will need to choose to be sealed. As others have said, God does not divide or separate His children, the choices and decisions of His children is what ultimately divides or separates us. God is definitely not heartless; He definitely is bound by His words and those who keep their covenants obtain his promise. I enjoy this scripture in this case, D&C 130: 20-21: Thus, if you want specific blessing from God, a person must obey the law which provides this blessing. I wish you the best in your endeavors. P.S. I am sorry for the longer post. I am not as adept as others in short to the point statements. Not a strength of mine.

It is more like this. If God interfered with free will, or our moral agency, then his plan would be purposeless. I love the story of Alma the younger, that even with an Angel's rebuke, Alma still had free agency to choose for himself. Alma decided to change, not because he was forced, but because he chose.

If it wasn't for the expectations my parents set, and two young ladies, I would have never gained a testimony and I would have never served a mission. I am thankful for these two young ladies who desired ONLY to marry a returned missionary. At the age of 15, I had decided I would be whatever religion my wife was. As an ignorant young teen, I was unable to distinguish between my parents love, their discipline, and the gospel. As a result of honoring expectations, I decided I needed to discover for myself if the church was true. The two ladies: my best friend in High School, the other was the young lady I dated my senior year. The first young woman, helped me solidify the importance of serving a mission (I thank God for her friendship), the second was a woman I actually thought I would marry. I knew also, she wouldn't settle for anybody, but a returned missionary. This sealed the deal for me, if any doubt remained it was quenched, because I wanted to marry her, or to marry someone of her class, spirit, and intelligence. Although, I went on my mission with mere seed of a testimony due to my honoring of my parents expectations, and desiring to marry someone like this young lady. I went and served. My testimony blossomed, and the Lord provided me experiences on my mission that solidified my testimony. Even the prophets counsel, to have expectations, solid expectations because children will want to live up to them. As Elder D. Todd Christofferson said,

I was. My father counseled me the moment I returned home from my mission to ONLY marry a woman who also returned home from her mission, and she should be at least 2 years older than me. Is my father wrong in his counsel? No. He was counseling me in what he felt was best for me. I married a woman 4 years younger and not a returned missionary. A mission is not a duty, or requirement, for a woman. It is solely their choice. Whereas, as Vort pointed out, to serve a mission for a young man it is a priesthood responsibility. However, the question, if it follows suit with this thread, should be, "Is it right for a young men to choose ONLY to marry a sister who has returned home from a mission?" The answer would be YES, if that is what the individual feels is best for him, just as it is right and ok for a young woman to decide ONLY to marry a returned missionary.

This is probably the most important quote any young woman should be introduced to. I will be sharing something like this with my two daughters when they are of age.

This thought reminds me of a recent experience I just had with my 5 children. We were camping and two of my boys had slingshots. The younger one, 5 years old, lost his slingshot and was very sad. He looked all over and even invited his older siblings to look for the slingshot. All energies had been exhausted by my children to assist their younger brother. When all their energies were exhausted, I pulled all my children in the tent. I asked them if they remembered a time when the Lord had helped them find something they had lost. I had them share the experience. I then shared my testimony that if we pray, after exhausting all our energies (as they had done) that the Lord would answer their prayer. I reminded them though, that while searching the still small voice would speak to them so they needed to pay attention. After we prayed, we went searching. Within 10 minutes the slingshot was found by my oldest son. In his words, "Dad, I went this way, in my heart I felt the words to go back and check over here, even though I was headed in a different direction, I listened, and there was the slingshot." After the slingshot was found we thanked the Lord, personally, and I had my son who lost the slingshot to say a special prayer of thanks by himself. I am hoping this will have a lasting affect on my children, however, I know it will have a lasting affect on my oldest, who came to realize that a still small voice does speak to the mind and heart and if you listen, blessings usually result. Thanks for the reminder.

I am not surprised by this in the least, because I went through it as well. I am so thankful for answered prayers, which kept me on my mission. In saying this though, do not think I was being selfish or homesick, because I was neither. I honestly felt, I wasn't doing any good on my mission. My lack of charisma, my lack in this, all I could do was focus on my weaknesses, until one day praying, and then reading my scriptures the Lord answered me, and I am thankful for that answer. I also taught at the MTC and was able to be an instrument in keeping 3 missionaries on their mission. One day while teaching, I shared this experience, and I had no clue why I was sharing this experience, except that I knew my spirit was telling me to share it. At the end of class an Elder approached me and said, "I know why you shared that experience." I thought, really, enlighten me. He then said, "It is because I needed to hear it." This Elder wanted to go home because of a girlfriend he had been dating for a couple years. He was so worried she was not going to be available when he returned home. I had long discussions with this Elder after class. Unfortunately I didn't see him the last week, because my teaching scheduled switched and I wasn't the main teacher in that class. Every month I couldn't stop thinking about this Elder and how he was doing. I don't believe in coincidences, at least these types. I was visiting my cousins in Farmington Utah. They had a baseball tournament in Lindon. On the way home, my cousin asked if we wanted to get a bite to eat. We stopped at Wendy's. As I was walking to open the door, this young missionary was walking out. I asked him how he was doing, and this was his reply, "Brother Exon, I love my mission. I do not know why I even thought about going home. And guess what? I Dear Janed my girlfriend. This was the best decision of my life, I love my mission." It was awesome! Sorry to support a hijacking

In the young women's manual, paraphrased (Young Women Manual 3, lesson 36), young women are counseled to establish standards for themselves. Young women are to pray and counsel with their parents and the Lord as to what those standards would be, for her. I would be cautious in calling a young women narrow-minded, or isn't making a right choice by deciding for herself that she wants to marry a returned missionary. It assumes you have a right to personal revelation for the standards of another in using their moral agency. 1. If a young women through prayer and counsel decides to marry a returned missionary, by which she feels has been confirmed by the Lord, isn't in narrow-minded. For some young women a returned missionary is the exact person they need to help them fulfill their mission on earth, and to have a happy and fulfilled marriage. 2. There are young women whose patriarchal blessing counsels them to marry a returned missionary. Should this young women disregard this counsel because others may think her narrow-minded? Heck no! 3. Young men and young women are counseled to attract a companion who they will be "equally yoked" with. Some young women will probably be more "equally yoked" with a returned missionary then without. The doctrine specified, "equally yoked." If a young women decides or determines a returned missionary, or a non-returned missionary, is "equally yoked" with her, then that is her right and her right alone, not for anybody else to make a judgement call against her. For me, I am thankful for young women who wouldn't marry a non-returned missionary, otherwise my father would have married another woman, and would have never met my mother. I wouldn't want any other mother in the world, other than my own mother. For young men who chose not to serve a mission, if you come across a young woman who wants to marry a returned missionary (a standard she set for herself using her divine moral agency), then this is a consequence for a young men who didn't choose to serve will have to endure. *These are solely the views of Anddenex.