seashmore

I almost never read the articles, because of stuff like this.
I have enjoyed this forum because of the forum rules which frown upon anti material and discussion.  So many people that I have enjoyed conversing with seem to be vanishing for one reason or another.  Carborendum, TFP, Zil, and others.  If people keep fleeing from this forum, why isn't someone doing something about it?  I have found myself to be participating much less frequently as well, if for no other reason than lack of engaging discussion.
What is to be done?  And who will do it?

You know what's sad to me. This is such a pointless hill to die on. Maybe it's because I'm in the Midwest, but this isn't even an issue in the church where I live. No one pays attention to the type of clothing someone wears out here, unless it's obvious they may need some help because they are new or struggling. You wear your Sunday best, and that's enough. It's just so hard for me to understand why anyone cares so much about whether a woman wears pants or a skirt. Every Saint I've ever met is happy to see someone at church, no matter their clothing (within reason obviously). Is there someone, somewhere who gave a sister a hard time for wearing pants? Undoubtedly, but those are certainly few and far between and this whole dumb issue seems like the poster child of making a mountain out of a molehill just so you can seem "woke".
 Now as a caveat, I think joining in any protest day at church is dumb and reeks of apostasy. Church is for worshipping the Lord, not pushing some agenda so please don't misunderstand this as a post supporting that pants movement.

Here's an example of a great article to skip. "I think it's a wonderful idea to use a sacred communal worship service in memory and recognition  of our Savior and his Restored Kingdom as a platform to air my social opinions."
If Sister Coppersmith's managing editor activities have been for TH, that would explain a lot.

I've done this in the past, but I'm seeing it so frequently that I feel the need to let them know it's NOT ok on an LDS dating site. People get 
"ghosted" for so many reasons these days that ghosting them does not send any message.

Be brutal.  Examples:
”In thirty words or less—what does ‘THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY” mean to you?”
”In thirty words or less—what does “I’M NOT THAT KIND OF GIRL” mean to you?”
”Do you actually wait until you’re bored with your wife before you start cheating; or do you commit adultery even when you think your marriage is going well?”

If you were a gal on the dating site: if a man asking you out is still married (divorce not final), then tell him to take a hike.
If you're anyone else... honestly there's not much to be done.  

Funny...
Maybe something happened on this forum where this wording was used (or perhaps I used it and forgot), but I have been contemplating this very saying off and on all week trying to make sense of it.
Is the correct term “few and far between”? 

My (very pregnant) wife and I crashed our new ward's trunk or treat, a few months before we moved in to the ward.  It was our way of introducing ourselves to the new ward, and it was a hoot.   

I will only attend if the new president can't make it, and I have permission.  Hanging over someone else is not a good way to show that you have faith in their abilities. The Lord chooses those who are needed at a particular time for a particular reason.
  The new president will be WAYYY better than I am.  The girls run the program and are amazing.  
 
Back to Grief Society for me....... It was hard enough being in adult Sunday School after being released from primary.  My place is NOT with the adults in the ward!!!
So I plan on moving to my new ward, figuring out who the primary president is and being UBER friendly/helpful until someone gets the hint!!!  

In situations like these, take the spitefully faithful approach.
Say “those girls are doomed, they can’t run the YW program without me. I AM the YW program!” then Wash your hands of the calling, pop open a cold can of Diet Coke, turn on the most recent episode of ‘Brooklyn 99’, and await your next calling (all the while fulfilling your other duties as a member of course).

Hi chaps, just need a safe place to vent tonight.
I am moving out of the ward at the end of August.  I informed the Bishopric a couple of weeks ago so that they had plenty of warning. So last night I get a text from the 1st counselor asking if I can meet early on Sunday "for a chat". Today at a ward activity the 2nd counselor grabs me "for a chat" and I am being released tomorrow. 
I am NOT ready,  we have Beehive camp, the girls have fun activities planned over the summer I was looking forward to and as a teacher I will finally have time not to be running around like a headless chicken.....  *pouting like a small child*
So tonight I am making notes for the next YW pres, so that there can be a smooth handover....... and plan to approach the primary president offering my services for the next month
Trying to find the positive....BUT.... Really still just pouting.....

The two things that kept me from pursuing a career in medicine:  blood, and calculus.

I'm sure you jest a bit about Chick-fil-A, but seeing a GA twice in your youth is 2 more than I ever did. I have grown up and lived in Utah most of my life, and I never met or saw a GA as a youth. The only times I have seen an Apostle were at the MTC when Elder Scott came to speak (I was way back in the nosebleed section) and 2 years ago when Elder Christofferson spoke at a multi-stake training in the Ogden Tabernacle. (again, 3rd row from the back) I have never been to General Conference. I do work alongside the church now, and frequently see members of the Seventy around Temple Square, especially at conference time, and have talked to a few on occasion. I actually interviewed with one for a job last year. Never an apostle though. I admit that I would want my kids to see him too...it isn't the kind of thing that happens every day around here.

I just want to say that a grew up in Utah and am very much a Utah Mormon. Aside from my mission, I have only ever seen a GA once in my life. And that was when Elder Nelson came to visit my stake. It was a very pleasant experience because there were only about 500 people there and he spoke to us personally as a collective stake. and we were all able to shake his hand (he is pretty short btw).

Somehow it strikes me that if being in the presence of the apostle is the priority rather than the message(s) then there's a problem with focus. In the time of Paul the only way to really hear him speak was to be there in person. That just isn't the case any longer. I'm not against being in person when possible, and I understand the sort of hero worship we tend to have. But there's no greater potential for the Spirit and conversion and all in person than there is via the internet and/or television if we are willing. We have such amazing access to the apostles now.
Need some Bednar in your life?
Here:
 
 

I blame no one (specifically, not mikbone) for taking his children to see an apostle of Jesus Christ, or simply for going himself. But in general, I subscribe to the quaint and probably naive notion that I will be more blessed for obedience to my leaders than for fulfilling my own desires.

Ya, and you better not let him find out you are there in spite of local leaders telling you not to. Of all the apostles, he would be the first to crack the whip.

An apostle coming to visit a ward/stake can quickly become a nothing more than a circus attraction for all members in a 100 mile radius. GAs attend stakes with specific needs and they give specific counsel to those in the stake. This seems to be one of those cases.
I imagine Paul and the other early apostles had many private meetings that were held specifically for locals and leaders. But like us today, there is a time and season for all sorts of meetings. For example, not sure if you heard of this, but all the apostles speak to the whole world twice a year. And then there are the face-to-face events, Christmas devotionals, roots tech, and others. What great missionary opportunities they allow us.
And of course the occasional occurrence when one comes to your own stake. How awful would it be if an apostle of the Lord came to speak to your local, small congregation of only 200-500 acquaintances only to find out 2,000 - 5,000 people from across the western USA showed up.
Which brings up another major issue with allowing as many people as they want attend. I don’t know what the capacity is, but there is a definite fire hazard to having so many people in one church building. Perhaps this is the main reason to limit who is invited. They need to adhere to local fire code.

Thanks for all the kind thoughts and prayers. 
Update: his leukemia is the most common kind, therefore the most treatable. They are keeping him in ICU to help him deal with the reactions to the chemo he started yesterday, and will be in the hospital a minimum of two weeks. 
I also found my patriarchal blessing. It was in the same document holder as the folder, but in a different slot.

Thanks for all the kind thoughts and prayers. 
Update: his leukemia is the most common kind, therefore the most treatable. They are keeping him in ICU to help him deal with the reactions to the chemo he started yesterday, and will be in the hospital a minimum of two weeks. 
I also found my patriarchal blessing. It was in the same document holder as the folder, but in a different slot.

Cows urinate, Mozart composes, Texans brag.

First I need to admit to not having read all of the posts in this thread.  But thought I might give you some perspective on fuel prices.
In the UK we are currently paying about £1.35  a litre = @3.8 litres per US gallon = £5.10 per gallon. Conversion for currency = ~ $6.60
And we are enjoying a fall in prices over the last 3/4 years, I can remember prices up to £1.60 a litre.  A large percentage of the fuel cost is tax - Fuel duty is currently levied at a flat rate of 57.95p per litre , whilst VAT (value added tax added to all purchases except for a few exempt goods in the UK) at 20% is then charged on the total price (the product price + the fuel duty).  Retailers have a very small margin and make more money on goods and produce sold in the shop. The taxes are obviously a significant government income stream and rises are lobbied for on environmental grounds.
The bottom line is we pay because we have to, and suck it up because there is no other choice. OH and drive small cars
 
Enjoy your cheap fuel

Based on the last time I visited the moat, I figure you're going to need way more than a gallon. 

For most of my working travel - I commuted on a bicycle.  For many years I commuted 25 miles one way.  With the heavy traffic I added about an hour a day in commute time but since I did not have to exercise (because I have a desk job) commuting by bicycle saved me time, money and significantly improved my health.   Any area of high density travel should have public transportation.  It should be part of our infrastructure as much as a freeway is - and if properly designed would be even faster and cheaper for everyone.
I believe that using public transportation or commuting by bicycle (especially bicycle 😎) should have tax incentives - if we as an nation are serious about pollution.
 
The Traveler

We also have it pretty good compared to Europe, where gasoline is often two or three times as expensive.
The thing is, because  the U.S. economy relies so heavily on cars and trucks, a price increase affects us much more than it does to Europeans.  The majority of Americans drive to work, while the majority of Europeans use public transit.  We have a lot more trucks to move goods over much longer distances.  Not to mention railroads, which are almost entirely diesel powered in America while many European rail lines are electric.  
So we do have cheaper prices, but we're also more sensitive to market fluctuations.