Letrell
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Posts posted by Letrell
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Excellent point, Dahlia!!! (My guess though is that bingo is in there as well. I would think it would be. You are still paying money to take a chance to win more.) I played bingo once. I had one card and was sitting across from a really really old lady, crypt keeper age...I mean OOOOLLLLDDD. She had like 12 cards in front of her. Each number called, holy cow, you should have seen her stamping her cards! BAM BAM BAM BAM...and I'm casually just looking at my card trying to find the ONE number; when I see the hand appear over my card and BAM, she hits the number and says something like...gotta be fast, dear. I believe I was humiliated into following the guidance of not gambling. My roommate was next to me...her laughter can probably still be heard hanging over that building!!! LOL. It was hysterical.
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Kat,
Everyone that has responded has had excellent comments. It's nice to see the true concern and caring that is directed toward you. Good people on here.
There is one topic, however, that I don't see addressed. I could have skimmed over it and for some reason didn't see any comments; this is the basis of my thoughts.
Darlin, you have to go to the Bishop before you dare enter the Temple. Your thought process, although understandable, is not accurate. Getting married outside of the Temple is all good. It's legal. It's a good decision. Especially knowing the trouble you are having with your self-control. Being married will take so much pressure off of you. This is a good thing. However...and this is a HUGE however, Hon, you have got to take it to the Lord and repent before you enter the Temple. It's an entirely different ball game, so to speak.
Honestly, your fiance probably wants the intimacy as much as you do. Nothing wrong with that. It's just this other thing...entering the Temple...thinking all you have to do is pray and it will be okay.
I remember going through a session once when something was weighing on my mind. I knew I really needed to speak to the Bishop first, but decided it was too embarrassing to admit I had work to do before I really was worthy to go through that particular session. I went anyway. I had a horrible, terrible headache all the way through the session. I felt dirty. Not that I was, but that's how I felt. To top it all off, during the session, the Brother presiding over the session actually stopped the session.
He said (and I QUOTE), "There is someone here unworthy to be within the walls of the Temple. Please leave and return when you have handled your situation."
I started to cry. I was so humiliated. As I started to stand, a brother stood up on the other side of the room, nodded to the brother in the front an walked out of the session. The brother then simple said, "We will continue".
It wasn't ME! You can't imagine the relief I felt. What I thought was so horrible, was not. It was a weakness I had to work on. I did speak to my Bishop. He was kind and loving and the glint in his eyes told me he was probably finding great humor in the situation.
I learned so much that day. The biggest lesson...trust in the Lord and confess it all. Nothing is ever so bad that we can't deal with it. I made myself physically ill for no reason. (Is fear a valid reason? Nope) It will all work out and be okay in the end. And if it's not yet okay, it's not over yet!
You can do it, Darlin. We are with you!!!
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Chaplain,
Do you remember the name of the song? I'd love to listen to it!!!
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I'm still new, so I have a lot of catching up to do.
1-2 hours most days.
But not every day.
And some WEEKS its nada.
But 1-2 hours most days.
At this rate, I'll have the basic knowledge of our youth hitting seminary in a few YEARS.
I wish there was seminary-for-converts.
Wolf,
Follow this link to the church website. Institute
That link takes you to manuals. They are the ones I used at BYU many years ago and still use them. They are used in Institute now. (Adult version of Seminary.) As a convert I was able to have 1 year of seminary (my senior year in high school). I was blessed enough to go to BYU that next year but when I finished up at BYU, I was on my own. Institute was such a blessing for me. Check with your Bishop or Home Teachers to find out if there is Institute near you. You would probably love it! I know I always have.
This was a great poll, Doctrine. Thanks so much for thinking of it.
Take care,
Letrell
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I admit to not reading the Scriptures that often. However, I do listen to Church music, read articles, read LDS sponsored FaceBook pages, catch interesting shows about the Church on BYU TV, etc. Maybe 'cause I'm a convert. I feel there's a whole cultural thing going on that I need to know about in addition to the Scriptures.
I admire people in Sunday School who can quote chapter and verse, but I fear my chapter and verse quoting days are over. I could read Scripture from now until Doomsday and not remember the number of the verse I read, I think they call it middle age.
Dahlia,
It's not about being able to "quote" scripture. It's just about knowing scripture. HUGE difference. Anyone can quote. It takes a good spirit to learn and live. I encourage you to at least read a few verses a day. I, too, am a convert...granted I have been in the church since 1974, but I know how you feel. I've been there. And let me tell you...every single day, every time I open the scriptures, it's a learning experience. If you haven't read the Book of Mormon cover-to-cover yet, you really should just do it. One chapter a day. Force yourself. I promise you, it will go from you forcing yourself to you anticipating it and you finding that you are snatching that Book up throughout the day because you just don't want to put it down! I promise you, that will happen.
My best to you.
Letrell
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Sorry, wyarwehere, I never got in on the mental illness issue. It is way beyond me. I was addressing the "age old question", why do bad things happen to good people. I am not a physician in any way, shape, or form; therefore, I do not discuss medical conditions of any type.
Sorry for the confusion.
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Yanno...just because one person believes something was a lie doesn't make it true. The definition of a lie was quoted for what MAN says a lie is. I don't believe the Lord had anything much to do with writing our modern dictionaries.
If you want to believe Abraham lied, hey, go for it. I for one, think you are treading on thin ice here. But, it is your opinion, just as it is mine that following a direct command of the Lord is just a tad more important than symantics.
Sorry...I just can't keep reading over and over people trashing the honor of Abraham. It brings out something inside of me that actually aches.
Please stop with the calling Abraham a liar. It truly, truly is not right.
And quite honestly, I don't think the Lord really cares if we approve of what He commands or not. He commands and we obey. Or have I totally lost site of what the Gospel is?
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I often dream about how cool it would be to get hit by lightning and survive. I would have a cool scar to show people.
I've got a far, far, far better chance of realizing my dream, than you people do. Like 5000% better chances, or something like that.
My grandfather was struck by lightening and did not live. Why in the world you would want to gamble with your life is beyond me. Okay, so you are struck...and if you die? You just gonna feel ridiculous cuz you ended your life on a gamble? We "people" are talking about spending $2 on a ticket...a chance to win some money. You on the other hand are talking about gambling with your life.
LOL...I'll take the Lottery anytime! I'm not quite ready to face the Lord.
LOL.
Thanks for the laugh!
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I agree with you, Traveler. No respector of persons as I have always been taught it and how I believe it to be is that we are indeed all the same in the eyes of the Lord. We have to obey laws to receive blessings. We all have the same Gospel presented to us. No one above the other. Again, what we do with it is what defines us, not what has been given us. If the Lord treated everyone differently then He would not be a consistent God; therefore, He would cease to be God.
And now I'm getting into discussing doctrine and this is where I have to stop. I am not good at conveying gospel fact on paper...so with this, I will bow out and just read a bit. I'm finding this conversation fascinating! And truly enjoying it.
:)
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Chaplain,
You are speaking on two different subjects, as I see it. And I am not stating the result of "sin" in all cases...simply bad choices.
It is indeed defined in Gospel Principles. It is not the fault of the child that he/she was born addicted to crack. That was the horrific choice of the parent. However, our basic beliefs include that we have indeed lived before in spirit form and the great Plan is that we come to this earth, a veil placed over our eyes, and it is for us to find our way to the truth. It is for us to choose right from wrong, etc.
A child born in such horrible circumstances...am I more valuable than another? Not even close. We are all the same. You are looking at it differently than I see it. Let's say a little girl is born, only one arm, addicted to cocaine. This little special girl fights with everything inside of her to live and she overcomes the cocaine and learns to live and live well with only one arm. She spends her life fighting her own battles and becomes a great athlete...say...in cross country. Thousands of children around the world watch her grow up, see what she can accomplish; they set out to make something of themselves. They realize their own greatness and potential...and they in turn help others who help others who help others. My goodness, what an effect this one little baby had on the world and those in need.
Then look at me...I have my own little crosses to bear, nothing I care to make public. But physically, I look just fine. What inspiration have I been? What great strides have I made? What motivates me to keep going when I see my life has only...ONLY (LOL)...3 wonderful children and a good man of a husband.
Which of us has had the better life? Nothing "bad" happened to the baby. She was just born that way. And she overcame. The only "bad" things that have happened to me have been from my own poor choices and at times, stupidity. We are all the same in the eyes of the Lord. But as I see it...that little baby grew up to do one heck of a lot more than I ever could.
So truly...do "bad" things really happen to "good" people...or is it just life and how the Lord has given it to us to overcome?
Just my thoughts....
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I'm not sure how the LDS view--that this life is a valiant test of our agency--interprets mental illness and some of the horrific unfairness in the world. It's an age old question--why do bad things happen to 'good' people
I suppose I am simple-minded. All I see out of all of this is that we always attempt to judge others (not really in a bad way...just try to foretell their judgments); what I firmly believe to be just the way our minds work. What if...what if...what if...
Rather than begin typing on that accord and appear a total fool I have a simple comment about the "age old question". I KNOW I'm right on this one.
Bad things do not "happen" to "good" people. What and who we are today is a direct result of a lifetime of choices. Some good. Some bad. "There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—" D&C 130:20
The flip side is just as simple. We are not punished FOR our sins, we are punished BY our sins. Bad things happen because of choices we have made.
I made that comment once in Relief Society and it really offended one of the sisters. She immediately shot back with, "My dad died last week. Tell me how that was my choice." As kindly as I could, I pointed out to her that her father's death had nothing to do with her at all. It was between her father and the Lord. It was all about HIM, not her. We spoke later that day and resolved it all. Knowing the truth of situations doesn't make them any easier to handle. It just takes out the "woe is me" factor.
I think way too often we get into a mode where we think that everything that happens, when it affects us in some way, is about us, when in reality it isn't. We are just somewhere in the mix because of our relationships.
I don't believe much in that old age question, "why do bad things happen to good people".
I do believe strongly in continue moving forward...it will all work out in the end. And if it hasn't worked out yet, well, it aint the end of it yet
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LOL. I needed that this morning! LOL. Thanks!!!
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Although I burst out laughing at the $100k joke, fact is plain and simple.... It's none of our business if someone plays the lottery. The Church posts its position and everyone chooses for himself/herself if he/she is going to play.
That said, it's not a wise thing to judge others because their sins are different from ours
I'm just sayin......
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This topic is close to my heart. My niece went inactive and ended up joining another faith over this topic. Plain and simple...it's the way the Lord has set it up. I know the Church is true, that God lives, Jesus is the Christ, and Joseph Smith was/is a Prophet. I know this with no uncertainty. If I dare to doubt how the Lord has chosen in His infinite wisdom to set up His Church on this earth, I am no better than the serpent.
Even if we don't understand it, how in the world can we question it? Or try to make up reasons or excuses? I laid into my niece. She was really upset...but fact is, she had no testimony of her own. Whether she finds her way back...it is her decision, her choice, her free agency.
I will not play into her hand.
As for me and my house....
... we serve the Lord! -
Sourgirl...how are you feeling now? A lot of good comments....my 2 cents....
I took mine out at 20. I was scared to death. My RS Pres was my Escort. She was wonder! Her advice was perfect.
She said....don't worry about any of it. Feel the Spirit. Look to Christ. Just take in the beauty and relax....told me I had a lifetime to learn it all. Then she made me promise we would go back the next day...just to go through.
Never knew why until after day 2. The Spirit was strong. I knew it was right.
All was well.
Enjoy it!
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They didn't "discourage" buying the new edition. It was stated that we should not feel like we have to. Even with the low pricing at the distribution center, many people don't have the money. I took it as a "the Lord knows not everyone can afford them, so don't worry about it...the 1981 edition is just fine".In the official announcement from the Church, they actually discourage the idea of going out and buying new ones.
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anytime...it's what I do:D
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You list the additional marriages in the notes field. Place a number in a circle to the left of the additional spouse's name; to include a circled number to the left of the spouse up at the top of the group sheet...the husband and wife info. Ex: If you have been married 3 times and you are working on group sheet #2...with the 2nd wife listed as spouse. To the left of her name as spouse you put a circled 2. Then in her notes you write in "2nd marriage". You then list the first wife with a circled 1 to the left of her name and the 3rd wife with a circled 3 to the left of her name.
That is standard, old-school, family history formatting. :)
Lottery
in General Discussion
Posted
I don't see them at all as criminal. When we lived in New Mexico, I learned that 100% of their State Lottery went into education. Well, I didn't buy that at all. Living for many years in California, I learned that even though money is funded for something, crooked lawmakers and money-grubbers steal those funds to cover what they themselves want to fund. So I didn't believe it for a minute.
Then I met a college student working at the local internet office. She was studying the day I went in and we got to talking...as it turned out, she told me that 100% of her college education was paid for by lottery funds. She was on her own, her parents were not alive, and she was over 18...so received no aide. Bless her heart, she was making something of herself.
I think it is a good thing. To be a crime I think there probably has to be deception. The lottery is flat out...pay for a ticket, we draw numbers, if we draw yours, you win. Tahdahhhhh.
Although I don't play now, I used to buy tickets here and there. Always lost the big one..LOL...go figure...probably won enough $2 and $4 dollar prizes to pay for the tickets I bought. Would I do it now? No. I read the Church's policy and adhering to that policy means more to me than buying a ticket.
The criminal statement...might be a bit severe, but I do get why you are saying it. And I certainly would never slight you for feeling that way. You make valid points.
Thanks.