seashmore

I’m hoping for better-quality Portuguese translations.  My recollection of my time with the Portuguese hymnal is that the translators were aware of roughly 10-15 rhyming sets of words in Portuguese; and so they re-worked the text to make the rhyming scheme somehow work within those parameters.  Even with my terrible language skills, I could tell that the resultant Portuguese translations were stylistically very unnatural and stilted, and in substance quite shallow. 

A month ago, I moved from a branch where communications slipped through the cracks instead of getting to me, so I have no idea how RS and EQ were handling the change.  I feel like it had been decided to just have people minister to their HT/VT routes, but there were also a lot of families that moved out.  So I really honestly don't know if the offers of friends to help me move were because they were my friends or intentional ministering.
I haven't been active enough in my new ward to know.  (Of the five Sundays I've been here, I've only stayed past sacrament twice due to either other arrangements or illness.) 

Here are the exceptions to ministering assignments from a May 11, 2018 Notice from the Priesthood and Family Department to General Authorities; General Auxiliary Presidencies; Area Seventies; Stake, Mission, and District Presidents; Bishops and Branch Presidents; Elders Quorum Presidencies; Stake and Ward Relief Society, Young Men, and Young Women Presidencies (Subject: Additional Frequently Asked Questions about Ministering with Strengthened Melchizedek Priesthood Quorums and Relief Societies"):
"Because stake presidencies and bishoprics are responsible for all members of the stake or ward, these brethren are not generally assigned as ministering brothers to specific individuals or families. High councilors and functioning patriarchs may be assigned, based on local circumstances, as determined by the stake president. If they are assigned, it would be by their elders quorum president under the direction of the bishop of their wards."

Our ward is being EXTREMELY thoughtful on how to get things done to best meet what folks want to receive and want to give in the way of ministering.  We've talked a lot about it in 3rd hour like "how do you folks want this to look like?"  Comments included things like "I want an older lady who I can look for guidance", "I like visiting during kid playdates at the park- a peer I can relate to", "I'm an older lady, my kids are all moved away, and I need to feel needed."   
Upon hearing all these comments, the RS leadership said-- "hold on, let us get paper and pass them out-- please write your responses down and your name, so we can best serve you and have you serve."  Someone pointed out that many of the sisters were not in the RS classroom that hour, and the RS leadership said "you're right, we'll figure out questions here, hear your responses in class, and then send out questions to all the sisters in the ward-- including the YW."  And the email survey went that afternoon and linked on the FB page.   It (and the followup one afterwards) asked need/want, logistics, timing of visits, what we've found works best (including for less actives), etc.  
I feel like the RS leadership is being SUPERB in their listening and considering of things to do what best works for us as individuals and a ward.  I'm really floored with them actually.   They're still making their decision, consulting with the men's leadership etc, but I have no doubt they'll make an excellent choice.  People are actually quite excited about it.
 
 
Oh yeah, what are we doing in the meantime.  The order was "until we make a ministering decision, please visit the same ladies you did during VT and minister to them."

If you can only afford to save for retirement, then that’s what one should do first.   You can’t borrow for retirement, but you can for College.
Its nice if one has the resources to take care of their kids education.    While we have had that ability, my kids will pay for one year of the four, and all past that.   They have to have some skin in the game.   It’s 100% more than I got from my parents and they definitely had the means available to them.

Start saving now, average cost of 4yr university in state school is around 20k/yr.
So just a 4yr degree runs about 80k.
You can save, do a couple of years at community college, and live at home so maybe you can cut that in half.
The reality is that most kids aren't going to earn 40-80k working summer jobs.  
Starting real life looking up at a mountain of debt is no way to go.
 

Commercial message: There are some deals out there. State schools can be inexpensive. Some Ivy League schools seem to have a quota for low income earning families. 

Why would you be sending your child to a college that can't save its own money?  I mean, if they haven't mastered basic accounting practices, do you really want to trust them to educate your kid?

My parents paid for my first year.  After that I paid for the rest.

My mom losing her job and taking a paycut to make a paycheck my junior year of high school really helped get us some good locked interest rates on loans, if that counts.
My college roommate's degree was paid for on the condition that any of the bonuses she earned her first few years as a nurse would be turned over to her parents.  She was able to buy a house in late 2008.
I think it's one of those things where you should if you can, but don't break your back over it.  And don't pay for all of it if they aren't going to be grateful or responsible.
Legitimate question: what happens to the money if the kid decides not to go to school?  Or dies before graduating high school?  Do you get the money back and pay taxes on it as income?

I was born in the Church, but not necessarily raised in it.  The missionaries found my parents in the seven years between their marriage and my birth.  My mom has since told my sister she never really had a testimony.  My dad was excommunicated for cheating on my mom, they divorced, and I have a sister from another mother.  (Her parents never married.)  He was rebaptized my senior year of high school.  Growing up, church was something we did if we had nothing else better to do.
I ping ponged between being active and inactive until the spring my junior year of college.  One of the reasons I liked my college campus was that, even though it was a Catholic school on a hill, there was an LDS stake center at the bottom of it.  Growing up, it had been a thirty minute drive to church; now it was a fifteen minute walk.  Even so, I struggled acclimating.  There were no single's wards, and I was young.  I moved into the dorms on my 18th birthday, so my first Sunday in RS was in a ward where I didn't know anyone. The winter of my junior year, my depression got the best of me and I was struggling with a lot.  Probably in March, one of the girls on my floor came down the hall and said someone had called her room phone looking for me.  She lived in the room I had lived in my freshman year, which was the phone number I used on Church records, so I knew that it had to be someone calling from there.
Turns out it was the ward mission leader.  I guess they were doing a directory clean up (my name would have been towards the top) and he asked if he and the missionaries could come over and visit me.  My dad had been a branch mission leader for a time (and is one now) so I had a hard time saying no to missionaries.  They invited me to General Conference (the next weekend) and to read the Book of Mormon.  I went to the afternoon session on Sunday and kept going, and was called as a secretary in the Relief Society before school let out for the summer, which played a large role in my deciding to stay on campus that summer instead of going back home (where I would have lived with my mom and not gone to church).
About a year into being back at Church, we had this lesson, which starts with President Spencer W. Kimball feeling motivated to read the whole Bible.  While reading that lesson on my break at work, I realized "I've never read the whole Book of Mormon, either."  I decided to start.  I made incredibly slow progress in my reading, but prioritizing the Church, I decided to move to Omaha instead of back home after college.  I started attending Institute, and it was following President Monson's admonition to make Institute a priority that really helped me learn to make the scriptures my own. 
I'm a tough sell, though.  The Swede and the Irish in me fight over who's more stubborn, and I don't always read and do the simple things I'm supposed to.  Even though I know with both sides of my brain that doing so brings blessings in my life.  Not only because the prophets say so, but because I've noticed and felt it when I was doing those little things.

Tax free 529 plans all the way baby!  Anything that keeps $$ out of the hands of government is a good idea!

I loved reading all your stories, thank you all so much, its really encouraging.  I adore how those raised in the mormon church still consider themselves converts, it really speaks to my heart and I think its a wonderful way to approach faith, not just accepting everything because its what you were born into.

I was born in the Church, but not necessarily raised in it.  The missionaries found my parents in the seven years between their marriage and my birth.  My mom has since told my sister she never really had a testimony.  My dad was excommunicated for cheating on my mom, they divorced, and I have a sister from another mother.  (Her parents never married.)  He was rebaptized my senior year of high school.  Growing up, church was something we did if we had nothing else better to do.
I ping ponged between being active and inactive until the spring my junior year of college.  One of the reasons I liked my college campus was that, even though it was a Catholic school on a hill, there was an LDS stake center at the bottom of it.  Growing up, it had been a thirty minute drive to church; now it was a fifteen minute walk.  Even so, I struggled acclimating.  There were no single's wards, and I was young.  I moved into the dorms on my 18th birthday, so my first Sunday in RS was in a ward where I didn't know anyone. The winter of my junior year, my depression got the best of me and I was struggling with a lot.  Probably in March, one of the girls on my floor came down the hall and said someone had called her room phone looking for me.  She lived in the room I had lived in my freshman year, which was the phone number I used on Church records, so I knew that it had to be someone calling from there.
Turns out it was the ward mission leader.  I guess they were doing a directory clean up (my name would have been towards the top) and he asked if he and the missionaries could come over and visit me.  My dad had been a branch mission leader for a time (and is one now) so I had a hard time saying no to missionaries.  They invited me to General Conference (the next weekend) and to read the Book of Mormon.  I went to the afternoon session on Sunday and kept going, and was called as a secretary in the Relief Society before school let out for the summer, which played a large role in my deciding to stay on campus that summer instead of going back home (where I would have lived with my mom and not gone to church).
About a year into being back at Church, we had this lesson, which starts with President Spencer W. Kimball feeling motivated to read the whole Bible.  While reading that lesson on my break at work, I realized "I've never read the whole Book of Mormon, either."  I decided to start.  I made incredibly slow progress in my reading, but prioritizing the Church, I decided to move to Omaha instead of back home after college.  I started attending Institute, and it was following President Monson's admonition to make Institute a priority that really helped me learn to make the scriptures my own. 
I'm a tough sell, though.  The Swede and the Irish in me fight over who's more stubborn, and I don't always read and do the simple things I'm supposed to.  Even though I know with both sides of my brain that doing so brings blessings in my life.  Not only because the prophets say so, but because I've noticed and felt it when I was doing those little things.

I was born in the Church, but not necessarily raised in it.  The missionaries found my parents in the seven years between their marriage and my birth.  My mom has since told my sister she never really had a testimony.  My dad was excommunicated for cheating on my mom, they divorced, and I have a sister from another mother.  (Her parents never married.)  He was rebaptized my senior year of high school.  Growing up, church was something we did if we had nothing else better to do.
I ping ponged between being active and inactive until the spring my junior year of college.  One of the reasons I liked my college campus was that, even though it was a Catholic school on a hill, there was an LDS stake center at the bottom of it.  Growing up, it had been a thirty minute drive to church; now it was a fifteen minute walk.  Even so, I struggled acclimating.  There were no single's wards, and I was young.  I moved into the dorms on my 18th birthday, so my first Sunday in RS was in a ward where I didn't know anyone. The winter of my junior year, my depression got the best of me and I was struggling with a lot.  Probably in March, one of the girls on my floor came down the hall and said someone had called her room phone looking for me.  She lived in the room I had lived in my freshman year, which was the phone number I used on Church records, so I knew that it had to be someone calling from there.
Turns out it was the ward mission leader.  I guess they were doing a directory clean up (my name would have been towards the top) and he asked if he and the missionaries could come over and visit me.  My dad had been a branch mission leader for a time (and is one now) so I had a hard time saying no to missionaries.  They invited me to General Conference (the next weekend) and to read the Book of Mormon.  I went to the afternoon session on Sunday and kept going, and was called as a secretary in the Relief Society before school let out for the summer, which played a large role in my deciding to stay on campus that summer instead of going back home (where I would have lived with my mom and not gone to church).
About a year into being back at Church, we had this lesson, which starts with President Spencer W. Kimball feeling motivated to read the whole Bible.  While reading that lesson on my break at work, I realized "I've never read the whole Book of Mormon, either."  I decided to start.  I made incredibly slow progress in my reading, but prioritizing the Church, I decided to move to Omaha instead of back home after college.  I started attending Institute, and it was following President Monson's admonition to make Institute a priority that really helped me learn to make the scriptures my own. 
I'm a tough sell, though.  The Swede and the Irish in me fight over who's more stubborn, and I don't always read and do the simple things I'm supposed to.  Even though I know with both sides of my brain that doing so brings blessings in my life.  Not only because the prophets say so, but because I've noticed and felt it when I was doing those little things.

I was born in the Church, but not necessarily raised in it.  The missionaries found my parents in the seven years between their marriage and my birth.  My mom has since told my sister she never really had a testimony.  My dad was excommunicated for cheating on my mom, they divorced, and I have a sister from another mother.  (Her parents never married.)  He was rebaptized my senior year of high school.  Growing up, church was something we did if we had nothing else better to do.
I ping ponged between being active and inactive until the spring my junior year of college.  One of the reasons I liked my college campus was that, even though it was a Catholic school on a hill, there was an LDS stake center at the bottom of it.  Growing up, it had been a thirty minute drive to church; now it was a fifteen minute walk.  Even so, I struggled acclimating.  There were no single's wards, and I was young.  I moved into the dorms on my 18th birthday, so my first Sunday in RS was in a ward where I didn't know anyone. The winter of my junior year, my depression got the best of me and I was struggling with a lot.  Probably in March, one of the girls on my floor came down the hall and said someone had called her room phone looking for me.  She lived in the room I had lived in my freshman year, which was the phone number I used on Church records, so I knew that it had to be someone calling from there.
Turns out it was the ward mission leader.  I guess they were doing a directory clean up (my name would have been towards the top) and he asked if he and the missionaries could come over and visit me.  My dad had been a branch mission leader for a time (and is one now) so I had a hard time saying no to missionaries.  They invited me to General Conference (the next weekend) and to read the Book of Mormon.  I went to the afternoon session on Sunday and kept going, and was called as a secretary in the Relief Society before school let out for the summer, which played a large role in my deciding to stay on campus that summer instead of going back home (where I would have lived with my mom and not gone to church).
About a year into being back at Church, we had this lesson, which starts with President Spencer W. Kimball feeling motivated to read the whole Bible.  While reading that lesson on my break at work, I realized "I've never read the whole Book of Mormon, either."  I decided to start.  I made incredibly slow progress in my reading, but prioritizing the Church, I decided to move to Omaha instead of back home after college.  I started attending Institute, and it was following President Monson's admonition to make Institute a priority that really helped me learn to make the scriptures my own. 
I'm a tough sell, though.  The Swede and the Irish in me fight over who's more stubborn, and I don't always read and do the simple things I'm supposed to.  Even though I know with both sides of my brain that doing so brings blessings in my life.  Not only because the prophets say so, but because I've noticed and felt it when I was doing those little things.

I was born in the Church, but not necessarily raised in it.  The missionaries found my parents in the seven years between their marriage and my birth.  My mom has since told my sister she never really had a testimony.  My dad was excommunicated for cheating on my mom, they divorced, and I have a sister from another mother.  (Her parents never married.)  He was rebaptized my senior year of high school.  Growing up, church was something we did if we had nothing else better to do.
I ping ponged between being active and inactive until the spring my junior year of college.  One of the reasons I liked my college campus was that, even though it was a Catholic school on a hill, there was an LDS stake center at the bottom of it.  Growing up, it had been a thirty minute drive to church; now it was a fifteen minute walk.  Even so, I struggled acclimating.  There were no single's wards, and I was young.  I moved into the dorms on my 18th birthday, so my first Sunday in RS was in a ward where I didn't know anyone. The winter of my junior year, my depression got the best of me and I was struggling with a lot.  Probably in March, one of the girls on my floor came down the hall and said someone had called her room phone looking for me.  She lived in the room I had lived in my freshman year, which was the phone number I used on Church records, so I knew that it had to be someone calling from there.
Turns out it was the ward mission leader.  I guess they were doing a directory clean up (my name would have been towards the top) and he asked if he and the missionaries could come over and visit me.  My dad had been a branch mission leader for a time (and is one now) so I had a hard time saying no to missionaries.  They invited me to General Conference (the next weekend) and to read the Book of Mormon.  I went to the afternoon session on Sunday and kept going, and was called as a secretary in the Relief Society before school let out for the summer, which played a large role in my deciding to stay on campus that summer instead of going back home (where I would have lived with my mom and not gone to church).
About a year into being back at Church, we had this lesson, which starts with President Spencer W. Kimball feeling motivated to read the whole Bible.  While reading that lesson on my break at work, I realized "I've never read the whole Book of Mormon, either."  I decided to start.  I made incredibly slow progress in my reading, but prioritizing the Church, I decided to move to Omaha instead of back home after college.  I started attending Institute, and it was following President Monson's admonition to make Institute a priority that really helped me learn to make the scriptures my own. 
I'm a tough sell, though.  The Swede and the Irish in me fight over who's more stubborn, and I don't always read and do the simple things I'm supposed to.  Even though I know with both sides of my brain that doing so brings blessings in my life.  Not only because the prophets say so, but because I've noticed and felt it when I was doing those little things.

I was hoping some of you would be willing to share your conversion stories with me?  
I've only just started reading The Book of Mormon so I'm not ready for conversion yet but I would really like to hear how joining the church has changed your life, how you knew it was the true church and what its like living a mormon life.  Did your family join with you (or joined later after you?). Were you in another faith when you found the mormon church? Anything you are willing to share with me about your conversion story.
I appreciate all who reply
Thank you

I totally see where you are coming from. I look at it this way: the LGBTQ group is a very sensitive group of people (at least IMO). I think the church is appealing to their sensitivity, as this may be the best route for them to find some kind of peace with the LDS church. I don't think the Church is looking for their validation, but I think we are playing to their weakness in a sense so that we can try to find some kind of ground for them to actually learn and understand what we teach.
Many non-lds (and even lds) people think that the LDS church despises gays/LGBTQ individuals, and that we believe that they're going to Hell. Obviously this is incredibly false. But, if we don't open a path for them to see our beliefs, they'll continue to think that way. And this is just one of those scenarios that I think it is in our favor to "show our hand", if you will, in order to have at least one person sincerely look into our beliefs as an LGBTQ individual.
Hopefully that made sense...

I can understand.  However, as @estradling75 showed, only the willfully blind will think the Church is / will look favorably upon homosexual behavior.  One could instead see this as Matthew 5:43-44 (love your enemy) in action.  Further, I see in this something I used for my RS lesson on ministering last Sunday - "The worth of souls is great in the sight of God."
Compare how the Nephites (in the days of the sons of Mosiah) viewed the Lamanites, as described here:
...now compare that to how the sons of Mosiah viewed the Lamanites as described here and here:
What if MoTab's performance creates enough good will in exactly one person such that this one person turns from sin.  Is that a good enough reason for this performance?  I'm thinking it is.

I do not see it as courting...  I see it as the church practicing what it preaches and following the commands God has given.
MoTab has always been a Good Will Ambassador for the Church.  Homosexual acts and/or behavior have nothing to do with being able to conduct music.
As for the church following commands I give you D&C 121
43 Reproving betimes with sharpness, (Anyone who thinks the church has not done this on the subject of homosexuality is not paying attention) when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy; (And this second bit is what I say we are seeing now... The problem is that we are so primed to view things in terms of friends and enemies that we fail to see that the Lord requires more from us.)

Unfortunately, I never really got on with my late husband's family so after his passing I cut contact with them. Occasionally, they try to reach out with me on Facebook to find out how my kids are but I ignore their requests. I don't want to invite them into my home. 
I may try to have a family home evening with them. I did like the missionaries coming to see my children they brought a warm feeling with them that felt familiar. 

My sister-in-law was widowed the day her son was born and she distanced herself from everyone except me (we were really close) for a long time. She even distanced herself from my parents but they understood that she needed time alone to figure things out without anyone else's influence. After 3 or 4 years she started speaking to my parents again and my mother didn't hold a grudge she was just happy to have her grandson in her life. My sister-in-law did also go back to the same ward for a while but she never resettled there and eventually moved away. She felt like people didn't treat her the way they did before her husband died and didn't like the sympathy or pity. I don't blame you for not wanting to go to that ward and I understand the constant struggle you face because I care for my nephew now and I constantly feel like I am letting my brother down. 

@Star I know you mentioned not wanting to go to your late husband's ward because his sister attends there.  I assume that means you live geographically close to them.  Would you consider letting your children's aunts/uncles/grandparents teach them the same things the missionaries were?  It would be a double dose of allowing your children to feel close to their father, since the family could also share stories about his youth that he isn't able to share with them.  If you see them over a holiday or birthday party, just mention that you would like the children to know more about what their father believed and ask if they would be willing to have the kids (and you, if you're comfortable) over for a Family Home Evening, which are just dinner, age-appropriate religious discussion, and an activity/game (that may or may not be related to the lesson taught).
Even if you don't find a way to provide other LDS people to come teach your children, you've already done a lot in showing them that you are open to discussing it and having them know more about it.  Odds are, they'll meet another Mormon in their life, have questions, and won't feel like they're betraying you if they ask someone else those questions or embarrassing you if they ask you and you don't know the answer.  I am sure you are doing a great job at being their mother.  Love and prayers to you and your family.

That is adorable, I lose my father when I 9 and when I was missionary I took my father badge with me. 
 
 when my dad die I wanted to do everything I knew he would tell me to do when I was growing up. I alway feeling like failure and he will be disappointed with me but I decide if I try my best then he will be happy with me if he were alive.