thoughts

JS and Sister Bednar may have stewardship over young women. The OP does not and it is NEVER up to somone else to avoid doing things that you find problematic. It is soooo very easy for people to make everything someone else's problem when we have to accept that God didn't put us here to fail. He expects us to be in charge of ourselves even if every beach in our country is a nude beach, and even if people wear clothes that make it harder for us to look into their eyes. It is up to all of us to control ourselves. Any conversation or discussion about others clothing or actions being responsible for our challenges is just plain wrong. I hate what we do in the church when we speak to and about how young women and women dress. It is so sexist and so uncalled for. And, frankly, so none of anyone's business but them, their parents, and the Lord.

You need to go to him and tell him about your ill feelings towards him for how he hurt you. Ask him to be sure not to do those things again. Then, if he continues doing that sort of thing, then you should report it to the SP. But don't leave the ward ---- imagine it like this: teh ward needs you so badly precisely because He called the demeaning bully as bishop. He needs you to be able to go to him and clearly tell him how bad actions are perceived, and help him learn how to do it differently. And God needs you to forgive the guy (not because of the guy, but because your feelings are still causing you so much pain you'd consider attending another ward to avoid him). You cannot do that if you move out. God set up the church so that people had to learn to grow by working things out with each other. It is possible that after two years, the man has grown and is no longer what you perceived him to be. But at least it should mean neither you nor your dh will ever be called to something that will take a lot of your time:) BTW, even if you attend another ward, he will still be your bishop, and you will still need to go to himi for your TR and tithing. You won't be able to have a calling in the other ward unless you can persuade your bishop, the SP and, if you are in Utah, apparently the First Presidency, that God wants you to change wards.

You need to ask yourself how and why? Why this now, when you've been able to resist before? You need to really understand not just what you did, but where you are and how you got there in order to know whether you should continue with your mission papers or not. And whether you should continue to see the person you are involved with. I do not believe that people generally are required to confess sexual sins short of all the different ways there are to be intwined. But yours is a different case since you have represented yourself as ready for a mission, when you do not appear to be, so you need to correct that impression so the bishop can help you figure out whether serving a mission is right for you now. The other big advantage of confessing to the bishop is that he can help hold you accountable for whatever you and the Lord figure out you need to change in order to avoid the temptation again. (I'm not so sure you will feel relief and love when you confess this to the bishop ---- you may not be yet far enough in the repentance process to have had the mighty change of heart. When you confess and you aren't yet there, that can still be good for you, but it isn't always a kumbaya moment. Repentance can be pretty hard. OTOH, you did stop short of the sin you have previously committed, so you have made some progress.)

I think there are good trails almost anywhere, but you do not want to be treking from california through nevada, or even across all the southern states. Even in the winter months day time temperatures and wide spaces between watering holes make ti somewhat unsafe.

The question of whether the church would be legally negligent, absolutely is calculated based on what the church (and specific ward) knew about any need for protection before it took place. But I think the reason why this is required of men is not just because they are men, and most pedophilia is by men (not all, 2000 study put 12% women for under 6 years, and 6% 6-12, with 19% non-relatives). It is also because in the church men hold the priesthood and some members (and a lot of non-members) think that gives them more righteousness or more authority meaning a child might be more willing to do what they suggested rather than to scream bloody murder. And it is because men are more likely to be falsely accused such that they need the protection of 2 deep leadership (BSA is materially different in my view because they are going away from a building into the wilderness or outside activities and on overnight things.) I think the counsel is not just to eliminate all possibilties, but also to protect men who serve in teh church. I would not change the handbook.

One of the things you will eventually understand about people is that you need to believe what they tell you. And you will learn that you must make decisions that are about what you think is best for you (and at some point your spouse and children, when you actually have them), with God's help. It will never be helpful to you or them for you to do what you think someone else needs you to do. Your girlfriend does not sound the least bit ready to make any marriage commitment, and she needs to concentrate on herself and getting better, not you. By all means, if you think she is at risk of self-harm, tell her parents, tell her teacher or bishop, or best friends. If you think the self-harm threat is immediate (and after you break up it is highly likely she'll call you at some point very distraught) then call 911 and report her address, her phone number and her address. But do not go to the hospital or go yourself to rescue her --- that doesn't help her, it merely teaches her how to manipulate others. If this is where she is, she needs professional help, not you. And let's say, you finally have a healthy relationship with her someday and marry her, your missionary service will help you become a better husband and father than you can be at this point, if you go and obey the rules and serve with all your heart and no distractions. Much better for you (and her if you eventually get together) for you to serve the mission on schedule and work on you for the two years.

You aren't seriously suggesting that we should identify anyone with a problem but the person who is unable to discipline his own eyes and appetites and desires, are you? Strengthen your control over yourself. Don't fault or point out or describe what you seek to avoid (partly because every time you do that, you make it harder for yourself).

No one's natiive language is the way all others who speak the same one sound. Find some community service opportunities within your brazillian community and invite them to serve with you.

So why not purchase one pair so you'll know sizing if you ever need to buy more.

If you are speaking recently, some saints are having trouble with what they have learned about the history of the restoration, and it leads them to believe that it cannot be the restored gospel at all. Some are simply tired. They seek a rest from their labors and financial stresses. Some didn't go one day, and never got dressed to return again. Some are struggling with fitting into ther congregations because they do not accept church doctrine on marriage or something else, or because they feel unaccepted by them because they have different political or social positions. Some quit paying tithing because they don't like how the brethren spend (or how they think the brethren spend) what they donate. Bottom line, they've quit hanging onto the iron rod for one reason or several or another.

The Jerusalem Center and BYU's Semester Abroad has been famous for presenting a very ballanced and fully inclusive description of both Palestinian and Jewish modern views and history. Until travel was so severely curtailed, the Center also employed both Palestinians and Israeli's who worked together quite peacefully and well. With the restrictions it is currently indeed harder to produce that fair and complete perspective. But you cannot fairly use the Jerusalem Center to argue that Mormon's support the modern state of Israel's political positions.

Get her a hymnbook in her native language and invite her over with you singing in her native language and her singing in english? Feed her the food of her place of origin. Don't overlook her while you are speaking with her companion. Find some investigators who speak her language (which she will then be able to teach in her native language to her heart's content). Help her find community service opportunities to work with others who speak her native language.

If you travel a lot, then you may really enjoy looking up the meetinghouse wherever you are going to be on a sunday and attending there. There are chapels almost everywhere in the world. And, you will be welcome (our chapel is just off an interstate and we get truck drivers who pull in on Sunday for a couple of hours to attend, even in their work clothes, from time to time). https://www.lds.org/maps/#ll=2.445113,-0.879551&z=7&m=google.road&tools=help And in many cities with colleges, there is an institute which you can identify here, who will be able to tell you about any activies for twenty year old single people that might be occuring where you are. http://institute.lds.org/find-institute You will also find Family History centers https://familysearch.org/locations/ which are staffed at various times during the day that might fit your availability. All of these places will allow you to talk to church members about the LDS Faith. In the United States, there are also Church history sites that are commonly staffed with missionaries whom you can talk with. http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/historic-sites And, if you look up your assigned congregation in your residence, you can talk to the bishop about asking a missionary to contact you through facebook or email , or about identifying a family you can get to know who might be willing to allow you to drop in when you are in town. If I were in your place, I would prioritizing reading the Book of Mormon, and listening to general conference talks you can find at lds.org that we consider to be the scripture the Lord is giving us today on various subjects. (There will be another one October 3-4 (first session for women a week earlier) and you can listen to prophets and apostles teach us about the things of God for two full days (available on the internet). Welcome to the board and to the Church of Jesus Christ, when you get baptized.

*Johnsen, T. J., & Friborg, O. (2015, May 11). The Effects of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as an Anti-Depressive Treatment is Falling: A Meta-Analysis. Psychological Bulletin. DOI: 10.1037/bul0000015 Here is the link: http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/2015-20361-001/ And it is worth the read before you discard CBT. Yes this study reports falling effects, but that may be because of the quality of the treatment delivered, rather than CBT not being effective. Many therapists claim they do it, but few actually do it. PP, please post the research proving any other intervention is effective for depression and/or anxiety, or teen depression.

I suspect that the sisters think that an elderly invalid man is not a "man" in the sense of they shouldn't be in the home alone with him. I don't know that their Mission President would agree with them. They can freely accept meals from anyone who is willing to feed them. And they shouldn't be questioning how much it costs (though if they weren't so young, they would absolutely should pick up on whether the extravagance more than they should accept). While there are no rules about accepting money or gifts, the sisters should know better than to accept more than a very occasional $20 (to pay for a meal), or to accept jewelry. I think you should report this to their Mission President immediately. Missionaries do not collect any funds for any reason from anybody. (The church may send teen boys to collect fast offerings used in each locality to help the poor, on the first sunday of each month. Everyone who appears on the rolls of the church, whether they ever attend church are given the opportunity to contribute to this effort.) Yes, you have a right to be concerned about what these sisters are doing. It is not typical, and although not expressly prohibited by rule, it is at least somewhat unseemly. (Though, to be fair, we do not know the whole story and if we did, it might not be that way.) If you google latter day saint mission home and the nearest big city, you should get the direct number. You might even know the official name of the Mission and get the info that way.

It is useful to read "Abraham Divided" by Daniel Peterson. You'll learn that the political state of Israel is NOT the same as the Lord's covenant people. We should no more look uncritically at all of what Israel does politically, than we should look upon what the United States does with such eyes. As I look at this, I think Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories is overstepping. I think the way Israel treats Palestinians who are not involved in terrorist activities is reprehensible. Both things in my view risk losing any protection from God.

I would repeat, as often as necessary. "She is a level headed, spiritually in-tune person. I'm sure she considered all our feelings in her decision and decided what she believed she should do. Why are we thinkng that we know better than she does what her spiritual path should be? Yes, it is different. Yes it was quick. But I'm going to just love and support her. And I'm not going to participate in any trashtalking about her or her dh. I would like to believe that our family would always be warm and accepting to new family members despite how unconventionally they come to our family." You do not have to defend her position, to defend her right to make her own decisions.

If you are excommunicated, it will be because the HC determined that it was in your best interests to do so. You have made temple covenants which you are not living, and drinking (using mood altering substances that deprive you of your agency) and having sex will not help you work out your doubts. The official church position is that it has no position on evolution, except that Adam and Eve are the first humans. And you can resign rather than be excommunicated, but I cannot tell you that would be in your best interests either. Repenting (which likely requires giving up your girlfriends or marrying her since it is really difficult to quit being intimate with someone you still care about and have regular contact with).

For the OP's specific example, the reason that mormonsandgays.org is heavy on call to repentance is that BEING GAY IS NOT A SIN, as declared by the prophet. And therefore it is entirely inappropriate to beat people up emotionally, in language, or in how we act, because they experience same sex attraction. And how is it useful to beat up people verbally or in our hearts because they commit sin, anyway. Homosexuals certainly do not have any questions that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints thinks sexual relationships of any kind outside of marriage is a sin. And that all sexual behaviors (at BYU even holding hands and kissing) between homosexuals is sin. Why do we have to belabor the point so that OP thinks we having quit "crying repentance"?

IME, spiritual gifts come as we use the gifts we have appropriately. It is absolutely all right to ask for a gift in the course of completing some task we are either assigned or need to do some individually desired good work. I don't know that I would ask for a gift for the sake of having that gift (and I also don't know that I'd get it in those circumstances.

Well there are the three Nephites who would fit in that category. Maybe Elder Talmadge misunderstood his own revelation. That too is possible. Or maybe he made assumptions about the literalness of the 7,000th thousand years which were faulty (so he was thinking the second coming would have already happened by now).

Yes the videos are awful. And yes, in most states, abortion is a major part of the PP services. But Sen. Reid is correct that PP is also a very big provider of other women's health services, and shutting them down would matter, particularly to poor women. We don't have to vilify those who see things differently than we do. And while the church does NOT approve of abortion, it has determined it will not take any church disciplinary action against women who get one when they are pregnant through rape or incest, or when the life of the mother is at risk. So the church would not facially oppose those women getting abortions through PP, either.

If the only things we do to worship God are about getting blessings in return, and ones we can see and feel in immediate ways, how can it be worship or submission of our will to His? When we get to a place where we want to do what we are asked to do, doing things that are not immediately pleasant to us, gets a whole lot easier.

Whatever their SP assigns. Generally one or more is assigned to a specific ward, and they attend their once a month and observe and discuss with the bishop any concerns they have about how things are being done compared to the handbook. HC provide or arrange for training that appears to be required. One day a week they attend a meeting where stake issues are discussed, and assignments for various things (like who attends what camp on behalf of the stake leadership, and who works with which groups to do which projects) are determined and given out. The HC are the disciplinary council for melchezedik priesthood holders and these are generally held on a date and at a time when no one else is likely to be in the building. One sunday a month, they speak in an assigned ward (if your stake has 8 wards, it will be 8 times a year) on behalf of the SP (if I were you, I'd be lobbying the SP to allow Stake auxilliary leaders to speak during that sunday on the SP's behalf too.) There may also be training at other times that you have to attend. And you may be assigned to extend stake callings, specifically within the wards you are assigned to supervise or visit.

I'm not trying to offend. I'm speaking from my own experience with addiction and marijuana and alcohol. Doctors are allowed to prescribe it, it may be legal federally someday as it is in your state today. But that doesn't change that it is a mood altering drug, with little scientific proof (except with the charlotte web versions that don't have the mood altering effect and epilepsy) of any medicinal value (and yes I am aware that it changes mood and helps some people get through the day, much like alcohol which is also completely legal if you are old enough). It doesn't mean that it is a good idea to fill any such prescription. (There are new drugs that are really effective at eliminating alcohol cravings.) As I said, we do believe in following competent medical advice. So having a prescription may make it all okay theologically, if your bishop/SP so determine. But I cannot agree that it is a good idea. As for your Heavenly Parents, They and your Savior will accept you whatever way you present yourself to Them. You always have access to the atonement through repentance. But whether you can access Them so long as you are using intentionally mood altering substances is a question as your agency will be affected by the marijuana. As your fellow member, that is none of my concern, of course. If I were in your ward, I'd welcome you.