Fether

My fam splits the services. I pay for amazon, my parents got Netflix, and my sister pays for Hulu. We all have access to eachother’s Accounts. Hulu and Netflix are the only ones I really watch though.

I do think that there is something to be said about the seeds planted But hear me out. When a missionary feels like a failure because they see no baptisms, little baptisms, or their baptisms leave the church, they are beating themselves up because they are basing their “success” on baptisms and conversions. They then tell themselves two things: 1) ”Baptisms are not indicators of success” And 2) “Maybe I’ll be like Abinadi and never see the success of my seeds.” The latter is a Freudian Slip of the initial statement. They are still seeing actual baptisms as their success indicators. Nothing changed, they just told themselves “maybe I’ll be successful later”. I baptized a good amount of people on my mission. Not an immense amount, not a tiny amount, but a good amount. But when I look back on my mission, I see it as a success because of my repentance, faithful service, and the fact that I did what God asked me to do. That is success in God’s eyes. Putting our basis of success on an indicator we cannot control is like playing emotional and mental roulette. Lastly, I would challenge any with this question. Would Abinadi have been a failure if Alma did not convert?

But in all honesty, a pretty good article. A classic struggle from many. The only thing I would disagree with is the notion of planting seeds could lead to future success. I feel like that is just a cop out response to one’s sense of failure. I think a much healthier approach would be to see the actual service of the mission as the success rather than the fruit (or lack of). ”let him contend earnestly for the redemption of the First Presidency of my Church, saith the Lord; and when he falls he shall rise again, for his sacrifice shall be more sacred unto me than his increase, saith the Lord.” Doctrine and Covenants 117:13

so rude, how do you know they identify as an elder. Perhaps your short sighted mind was actually looking at sister who just chooses to wear clothes that society pegs as masculine!?

Leading discussions is my jam 😁. It came naturally so I don’t really know the specifics of why I am so comfortable doing it (perhaps my pride keeps me blind to how bad it really is) but I’ll give it a go. 1. I never stick with the talk. I read the talk and pull out the two main over arching topics (typically it is a problem and a solution). Yesterday when I taught, we read the first 5ish paragraphs and talked about the theme. 2. I only ask questions and demand responses. Once I waited a good 30 seconds (felt like longer) for a response. I may have just gotten lucky with the quorums, but every time I lead it goes like this: me: 5-10 second question quorum member: 1-5 quorums members give 1-3 minute answers me: validate each response and ask follow up questions to get to the heart of the matter. Then repeat. 3. No expectations. If I fail it is because there is some weakness that I either didn’t know about or didn’t prepare for and allows me to learn and grow. If I succeed, then great.

I completely agree. you are spot on. It’s all about progression. It’s about becoming, not proving. Who I am now is vastly better than who I was 10 years ago, and presumably, better than who I was in the spirit world.

I’m not sure what you mean by your use of the word “true” and the end, but after rereading my comment, Ya I think my wording was off. It’s not enough to choose good, but we have to BE good. This life is where we choose good and become good. Adam and Eve were perfectly innocent which meant they were neither good nor evil, nor were they perfect. Mortality was the vehicle that took them from innocence to being good and eventually to exaltation.

I was just reminded if this quote by Pres Spencer W Kimball ”There is a good verbal test to apply to determine the depth of one’s conviction of sin and hence of his start on the road to repentance… Do you wish to be forgiven? Could you accept excommunication for the sin of deemed necessary? Why do you feel you should not h excommunicated? If you were, would you become bitter at the church and its officers? Would you cease your activities in the church? Would You Work Your Way back to baptism and restoration of former blessings even through years? What have you done to prove your repentance? How much did you pray before the sin? How much during? How much since your admission of it? How much did you study the scriptures before your trouble? How much since? Are you attending meetings? Paying tithing? Have you told your wife or parents? Have you confessed your total sins? Are you humble now? Is it a result of being forced to be humble? Have you wrestled with your problems as did Enos? Has your soul hungered for your soul’s sake? Did you “cry unto him” a day-long prayer and into the night and raise you voice high that it reached heaven, as did Enos? How much have you tasted? How much suffering have you endured? Is your guilt “swept away?”

I see. Well correct me if I’m wrong, but the two year timeline was given by someone here and not by the Bishop right? It comes down to this. Regardless of who is wrong or right, you should follow the counsel of your bishop or the temple won’t even be an option

You won’t be stuck, personal progression has little to do with temple ordinances. For example, I have partaken in all the ordinances available to the average adult in the church. But right now I’m working on having more meaningful prayer and scripture study. I have changed so much more over the past 6 months in trying to work on on that than I did in the 3ish hours that made up my temple endowment.

@Junior, here is the truth. You can change wherever you want. You don’t need this church to change and become a better person. But to become the best person and to spend eternity with our Heavenly Father, you absolutely need the church and to listen to its leaders. I had a bad pornograohy addiction growing up. Amidst this addiction I had 3 different bishops that I confessed to. The first bishop was very soft, told me that this was normal and that I should continue trying to overcome this. Nothing changed. The second bishop was absolutely appalled (and discovered later that he didn’t believe in sexual addiction or any kind). He paid for me to see a counselor and that was it. Nothing changed. The third bishop I had revoked my temple recommend, barred me from the sacrament, and met with me every week. Here is where the biggest change came from. You have that third bishop I wish I had when I had the first and second. This church isn’t meant to just make you a “good” or “better” person, but to make you like Christ in every way. In order to do that, you need to follow the leaders that are over you. The things you are arguing for are not backed up by ANY of the general authorities in the church. Your views to not match the views of the church you are trying to argue your way into. Doesn’t this bother you??? It should either 1) convince you tht you are wrong and should follow the direction of the bishop, or 2) realize you don’t REALLY believe in the church as being Christ’s true church

This line right here is incredibly revealing. The church is clearly nothing more than just a social club to you. If you REALLY believe that this was the true church and the only church that offered exaltation, you would not be saying this. Part of repentance is turn from sin and TO God. You seem to have only shift your footing away from sin and towards some moral law that allows membership on a club.

Make a 416.5 x 539 frame and have a massive oil painting of yourself done. uodate: I just realized you said pictures and not frames... maybe wall paper a room with them???

“Sometimes Mutual night can be built around a fun activity, such as having a game night, playing sports, or doing service projects. And sometimes it can be more serious, with discussions on standards.” (https://www.lds.org/youth/article/what-are-we-doing-at-mutual?lang=eng) Mutual is not meant to always be a serious lesson or service project on church topics. A spa night is a great thing to do, as is basketball and a rough match of dodgeball. But in all things there is balance. Wholesome activity with wholesome people is just as testimony building as a service project competition or visit to an elderly home. My two most memorable mutual activities were 1) playing football with the other youth and leaders and 2) practicing teaching the missionary lessons.

My mission president talked about how he too use to do this in his mission when he was 19

That your mother/father doesnt know that his/her mom’s baby daddy is her mom’s cousin.

I personally don’t mind the stereotype. When done in light humor, it’s an easy ice breaker or conversation starter. As far as how you described it. Unfair? Not really, we have more polygamists here than any other state. puerile? Perhaps a bit, but most of the time I receive in good humor and not as a jab or to make fun of. Bigoted? Sometimes, but I see it Similar to saying to people from Indian “Hoosier daddy?” Or “you married to your cousin?” To a true blood Kentuckian (which is a valid question!)

In their defense, there are a lot of polygamists here. I work with two 😁

Exactly, I can choose that I want to quit smoking... but that means nothing unless I do it.

I would second @anatess2, that chapter dives deep and plainly explains the purpose of this life, the fall, and the importance of agency. There you will find the answer to you question. Additionally, I would add a summarization of Doctrine and Covenants 88:22-31 in my own words. The Celestial Kingsin is a society of people who want to live all the laws that God has and fully accept all that he has to offer, both duties and blessings. The Terrestrial Kingdom is a society of great people who, though did not believe in god (or if they did, did not want the responsibilities of the Celestial Kingdom), still want to be good and live around good people. The Telestial Kingdom is a society of people that want to exist but not be governed by the laws of god. In pre earth life and in our mortal life, we are showing God but our decisions which kingdom we want to be a part of, and in the process qualifying for the one we want.

✋ full disclosure, I did not read the article. My frustration comes from the fact that an article that opens the way this one did was posted on this site. When saints look to the internet for answers to questions and read this opening phrase, it encourages what Vort mentioned above, To openly criticize church leaders and it be ok. I’m getting somewhat disillusioned from this site due to the content of many of the recent threads. Then I read this intro and I felt like I was listening to MormonMatters Podcast. I want a forum of saints that are mature enough in the gospel to be firmly planted in Christ and this Church and don’t try to separate the two. That when it comes to answering questions, will put recent statements by general authorities over the statements of a general authority in 1860 found in a private journal.

I’m all for debate and disagreeing with others. But when it comes to the gospel, disagreement and opposing views is what drove Joseph Smith to find the true church. Besides this, there are no open forums (that I know of at least) that are dominantly active members that believe all the church says. Go to the Reddit forums or Mormon dialogue, you will find pages after pages of people are firing the deep (or otherwise known as the embarrassingly shallow) topics of the gospel. I check out the other forums from time to time with intention to participate... but I very quickly lose any desire after seeing a dozen pages of debate between 30 people as to whether the Book of Mormon is to be taken as a literal history or a massive parable. These forums cultures feed the notion that it is ok to disbelieve what the prophets say and to question the divinity of the calling of apostle and prophet. This has brought rise to MormonStorues, MormonMatters, A thoughtful faith, and other organizations for “woke” Saints. Organizations that claim only to have open dialogue about difficult questions, but nurture an atmosphere that promotes loss of faith in Christ and his organization and to put more faith into the arm of flesh and our own ability to reason. Like Vort, I’ve asked myself a few times these last couple months as to whether this forum is where I want to be. The church websites are slowly becoming the only source of trustworthy news (I don’t even fully trust the LDSliving newspaper). This is a shame cause there isn’t a forum of open discussion there like we have here.

This doesn’t add much to the discussion, but the words from the hymn ‘Praise to the Man’ come to mind. ”Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven.”

Nah man, this is important! After we settle this I’ll start a thread about whether he is right or left handed

Whoever wrote the script to the game needs to be fired.