tefor

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Everything posted by tefor

  1. I found that out a few years ago when our ward had a "Willy Wonka" chocolate party where each member consumed more caffeine than you'd find in a gallon of Lipton. (It felt awfully weird sitting through the blessing on the refreshments.)
  2. Stephen Robinson has said that part of the confusion is due to the way Paul used the terms "faith" and "works". His argument is as follows: 1. People today interpret "faith" as meaning "expression of belief" ONLY; 2. People interpret "works" as meaning anything that we do ourselves; 3. However, Paul meant faith in a broad sense (to include an expression of our good faith as manifested in our works), and works narrowly, to refer to the rituals of the Law of Moses. 4. It is therefore more accurate to say that we are saved by faith (the grace of God PLUS our works, however feeble the latter may be) rather than by rituals which in themselves have no saving power.
  3. Bumper Sticker Alert: "Don't Blame Me--I Rent!"
  4. Yesterday I found myself wondering once again about this issue and pleading with my Daddy in Heaven for understanding--why I was born with my limitations, and why my children were as well. I went to the LDS disabilities website and found this gem from Joseph Smith: Does knowing this make the trials of mortality ("lifestuff") any easier? Not necessarily. Does it make it easier to put my trust in "Daddy" and to let His arms encircle me in safety? Immeasurably.
  5. I agree in principle--unfortunately, our basic living expenses come to about 150% of my take-home! (We're talking low income, folks.)
  6. Being Asperger myself, and having 12-year-old twins on the spectrum (an AS son and a low-functioning daughter), I have become extremely familiar with the various elements of autism. At times I find myself envying my daughter. Even though she has her screaming fits and becomes extremely agitated and frustrated, she is continuously "in the moment". On the other hand, my son and myself are both aware that we are different, and we experience all sorts of philosophical dilemmas, especially in the context of the LDS church: we will never be entirely self-reliant, so how does that fit with the emphasis on self-reliance? To what extent will we be held accountable for the sometimes serious errors of judgment that we commit due to the difficulties in thinking clearly? Will we be judged by the same criteria as our more "normal" peers? How do our limitations affect our agency and ability "to act, and not to be acted upon"? (I find that I am frequently being "acted upon" by my autism.) These questions and concerns have caused me a great deal of anxiety and anguish, and at times it is all I can do to "be still, and know that [He is] God. Even after writing an article for Meridian Magazine on the subject (accessible here), I find myself wondering if the progress that I am (presumably) making is acceptable to the Lord. Thankfully, youth leaders are far more understanding and patient toward people on the spectrum today than they were when I was my son's age.
  7. I recently came very close to going inactive myself. I never felt like I fit in with any of the other guys--I don't play sports (basketball is the social center for the men in our ward), I don't make a lot of money (we've been living in apartments for the entire 16 years we've been married), and have trouble talking to people. I spend much of the time roaming the hallways at church. After staying home last week, I went to church yesterday mainly on faith. I sang in the ward choir during sacrament, then during 2nd hour talked with the EQ president about getting up a "Menrichment" activity. He invited me to join the guys for volleyball (which I just might do). Then I went into EQ, met a new ward member who lives down the hill from us, chatted with a friend (we swap books), and participated in the Quorum. Then I went home and felt good for the rest of the day, glad that I went to church.
  8. tefor

    Harry Potter

    I've always enjoyed Harry Potter, but I gained a new appreciation and increased respect for them when I read "Looking for God in Harry Potter" by John Granger (no relation to Hermione), which discusses the various philosophical and religious themes in the books. He concludes that the books are actually very Christian through and through; the magic is merely a backdrop for the important ideas of the books.
  9. tefor

    New Nibley!!!

    I was just over at the FARMS website and I saw that there is a new Hugh Nibley book out--a collection of his essays on various topics such as the temple, society, Joseph Smith, history, and what not. It appears to consist of stuff that either didn't fit into his other collected works, was overlooked by the editors, or was written after the previous volumes appeared. There's a fairly good write-up on this book (along with a new book on temples by Truman Madsen) here. Even though I'm already juggling a good two dozen books and can't afford this one, my mouth is watering already!
  10. In addition, Pres. McKay was the first prophet since Joseph Smith not to have a beard, and it was seen as leaving behind the polygamist image for good. I suspect that while the desire to avoid the hippie image was a factor, the need to distance the church from its past may have been as much a factor, if not more. (See David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism by Gregory A. Prince for details on Pres. McKay's dramatic effect on the Church's image.)
  11. I just found out that there's an organic co-op here in St. Louis; you buy 1 share of stock for $10.00, put down a $20.00 refundable deposit, and work there for 4 hours a month. I'm not sure what the terms are for taking away food--whether you exchange labor for food or pay a small price, or how much you can take, but it sounds worth looking into. I can see more of these springing up around the country in the near future.
  12. How about Isaiah 3:16-23? Two thoughts on the above: First, it seems to cover a LOT more than body piercings and reads more like a Macy's catalog; Second, had it been written today, it probably would have included the sons of Zion as well. (Particularly the more metro-inclined.)
  13. The HTML version of the entire set can be accessed here. Hope this helps.
  14. I'd like some more information on starting a home business. My only concern is that I'm not quite sure what talents I have that would have any value in the marketplace--I like to read and I'm pretty good at making comments in Gospel Doctrine and Elders' Quorum, but that's about it. Do you know of any resources to help people figure out what their strengths and talents are and how to cash in on them?
  15. We cancelled our newspaper, cable (basic and all; we're doing the Netflix thing instead), and cell phone. We're going with the prepaid cel and are looking to downgrade our land line--I found something that charges about $20.00 a month. Any more cutting back, and we'll be down to the 2 soup cans and string!
  16. There are always people in the Church that have their own particular hangups that they think everybody should adhere to: one might really be into Scouting but know nothing about the doctrines; another might be a doctrinal scholar but have no life skills at all. One might be heavily into investing but detest home teaching, while another is obsessed with politics but has no faith in the Atonement. And so it goes... The wise person will keep the various elements of gospel living in balance and in perspective, remembering that each one shifts in and out of prominence as the current need dictates. Most of all, the wise and charitable person will realize that we are all works in progress and that "man shall not judge." (Yeah, I'm the scriptorian with no life skills.)
  17. I just finished listening to an amazing series of sermons called "Money, Debt, and Your Stuff: Why the Devil Takes MasterCard." It has a lot to say about "affluenza", greed, and the joys of giving. Even though the speaker (Tim Lucas) isn't LDS, nearly everything he has to say on the subject is right on the money (pun intended). He's REALLY big on tithing, and makes a very good case for paying on the gross rather than the net. (He's also one of the most dynamic speakers I have heard in a LONG time and is loads of fun to listen to. He's also highly thought-provoking.) You can access the series at www.liquidchurch.com by going to Media Library, clicking on Message Archives, and scrolling toward the bottom. Alternately, you can get them on iTunes by searching for "Liquid Church."
  18. I first came across the statement in a talk which President Hinckley gave in 1990, when the Church changed the way ward budgets were done (provided by Church HQ rather than by ward members' contributions). Because less affluent wards would be receiving more than previously, more affluent wards, who had been accustomed to more lavish activities and outings, would be receiving less (and, presumably, would be required to scale back and simplify their activities). Perhaps anticipating a bit of backlash from the latter, President Hinckley said the following by way of clarification: In other words, while fellowship is important to the spiritual life of church members, it is not the purpose of the church to provide social activities. At about the same time that President Hinckley gave these remarks, Boyd K. Packer very wisely stated that it is the responsibility of the family to provide recreational activities for children and each other. In addition, I would add that there should be no shame in having many social contacts outside the church. In fact, Elder Ballard has strongly encouraged us to do so with increasing frequency and urgency, stating that we were never intended to be cloistered and huddled together in our insular church groups. If we are truly to be a light unto the world, it would seem that more of our social activities would need to be outside the church and in our communities. (Meetup.com lists various gatherings relative to every interest imaginable.) Hopefully this helps explain a few things.
  19. I have had these promptings over the last year or so, even though I didn't consider myself in much of a condition to do much with them. These promptings have been increasing in both frequency and intensity over the last couple of months, especially with regard to getting out of debt and building up whatever food storage we can cram into our small apartment. I'm the only one working right now, trying to support a family of 5 on around $25,000 annual take-home with $13,000 in debt (about 1/3 medical, another 1/4 car loan). We rent our apartment, have cut down everything to a survival budget, and still have trouble making ends meet. Our bishop won't help us, as he says we need to be more self-reliant, so we're thinking that we might just have to do a bankruptcy and put what we would have spent on bills into food storage. (I've been looking for night work and have applied for some jobs, but haven't heard back from anybody yet.) We have 2 (perhaps 3) autistic children who are pretty high maintenance, so my wife can't really work to help out. I keep hoping that as we continue to pay tithing and have faith, the Lord will sustain us and help us get things ready; I just hope it isn't too late for us.
  20. tefor

    Good Books

    I'm always juggling about a dozen books at one time. I'm up to about 2 dozen now. Here are some of my current favorites: The Mind and the BrainAuthentic HappinessLearned OptimismDavid O. McKay and the Rise of MormonismEternal Values and Personal GrowthRemembering JosephHugh Nibley: a Consecrated LifeA New Witness for Christ in AmericaAbraham in EgyptWhen I'm in the mood for some light fiction, I usually pick up an Agatha Christie.For a more complete listing of what else I am reading, go to Mormon Aspie.
  21. I am also Asperger but was (mis)diagnosed as BPD nearly nine years ago. After being placed on numerous medications, which more or less left me with the personality of a slug, I was briefly diagnosed as ADD and placed on more medications before being officially diagnosed with AS and taken off all of the medications. My biggest challenge remains church, where I have never felt like I fit in socially, and where I tend to roam the halls most of the time because I feel so overwhelmed by all of the people. I don't make friends easily, if at all, and have frequently run into trouble with some of the more rigid members who insist on conformity. I believe that AS is much more of an issue in the church than many people suppose and am working to help educate church members about this condition. (I am finishing up an article for Meridian Magazine and have also been invited to write two articles on AS for Sunstone.) My heart goes out to those who feel marginalized in the church due to this and other conditions. Tony Attwood has stated that AS shares many symptoms (anxiety, depression, isolation, and often some degree of paranoia) with BPD as well as PTSD.
  22. Not too much up just yet (it was just launched last Monday), but it already looks pretty sensational! http://www.bookofmormononline.net/
  23. My home teacher's wife told us that when she was 16, she gave a talk in sacrament meeting in which she quoted from MD. Afterwards, her bishop really called her on the carpet and told her that she was not to be quoting from that book. The focus seems to be on using the scriptures and RECENT general conference talks (as opposed to those from the 1960s and 1970s). On a related note, when my mother-in-law was teaching seminary, she came across the statement in the Miracle of Forgiveness that "your virtue is worth more than your life." She was troubled by that and asked her stake president about it. He told her that it was not doctrine, and that she was not to teach it under any circumstances. (Makes you wonder why Distribution continues to carry MOF...seems like "Believing Christ" is much more in line with current LDS thought.)
  24. A few months ago I was going through a personal crisis (dealing with abuse issues) and I asked my home teacher for a blessing. He came over and told me that he had heard that I had received a blessing a week before. He said his mission president told him that a blessing was good for a month and that therefore he wouldn't give me one. He did, however, encourage me to pray (something which I hadn't done regularly for a LONG time--due to my perfectionistic tendencies, I had given up on my prayers because I didn't think they were long enough or eloquent enough and that therefore the Lord wouldn't listen). While I am grateful that my HT helped me get back to saying my prayers again, and on a more effective level than before, I don't agree with the bit about a blessing being good for a month and refusing to grant one on that basis. First of all, I know of nothing in the scriptures or the teachings of the prophets to justify such a stance, and to my mind what another person's mission president used to tell his missionaries just doesn't cut it as doctrine. I MAY have needed the guidance at that time to be more spiritually self-reliant, but I hope my HT would realize that all blessings don't have a standard "expiration date" and that peoples' needs may differ at various points and according to their circumstances. I am not in the habit of asking for weekly blessings, but when things get intense, I do realize that a blessing may be needed on a more frequent basis than would normally be the case.
  25. Hi all--I just found my way hear from MADB, and I'm glad to find everybody. I live in St. Louis, MO, with my wife of fifteen years and three children. I am currently employed with Graybar Electric, where I work in the National Accounts Receivable Group as an A/R Specialist but am looking to move to Human Resources so that I can exercise my writing skills--that seems to be my life calling. (I have just finished the first draft of an article which I am going to submit to the Ensign and am also writing a book.) I presently serve as an Elders Quorum Instructor and Family History Consultant, which involves training ward members in the new FamilySearch website (which is VERY cool). I love reading (juggling about a dozen books right now), and I expect to (finally) receive my four-year degree in December. I look forward to chatting with you all.