Grunt

Welcome!

When I was investigating the Church, my stake president visited us and as he was leaving asked if he could bless our home.

We don't watch Simpsons, either.

We don't watch it in our home.

Sure. I celebrate Halloween also. I don't have an issue with those who are stricter in their beliefs than I am.

Sure. It takes reasonable people. As a counselor, I don't ask my bishop what he talks to my children about. Were I bishop, I'd ask the counselor if it would be an issue.

Maybe "schism" isn't the right word, but I can't think of a better one. Recently the news reported a group of religious folks from various sects (including Latter-day Saints) who staged a peaceful protest at a library hosting a drag queen reading hour. Later the Stake President released a statement: Where is the line? Is this something they would be disciplined for? Does the Church actually have a position on whether drag queen library hour is good or bad? What are your individual thoughts? https://www.idahostatejournal.com/freeaccess/members-of-local-christian-congregations-hold-sit-in-protest-against-pocatello-drag-queen-reading-program/article_e00393e2-abfb-11ed-823a-db574748bf88.html

The bishop should absolutely keep it confidential. You can ask him outright if he intends to before you talk to him. That said, feeling the spirit is tricky for me, too. At one point I realized I'd been feeling the spirit and didn't even know that's what it was. I try to be in tune to it, but I don't pretend to be the best. Based on outcome, I think my decisions are based on guidance from the spirit even if I can't key into the specific time the thought came to me. I act in faith and I believe He guides me as long as I do. I believe that more because of the times I've been punched in the face by the spirit for not following.

The problem is "DezNat" isn't a thing as much as it is an idea. As such, anyone can claim it. It's difficult to draw a line around what DezNat is or isn't because that line is pretty blurred.

I've had discussions with the Stoddards. While I don't necessarily take things to the level they do in some areas, their reasoning for not celebrating some holidays seemed pretty sound to me. Other members of JSF talk about it more than Hannah and Leah seem to, so that's where most of my understanding comes from.

I disagree. I didn't have to believe the Church was true in order to have the Holy Ghost confirm it. I just had to be open to the possibility and act in faith. They are very different things. My conversion process was FULL of things that I didn't believe, but acted in faith upon and received confirmation. It also had many instances of getting punched in the face with truth while heading in the wrong direction.

It's important to note when discussing unemployment rates that the size of the willing workforce matters. Unemployment rates will drop when people leave the workforce, but that doesn't mean that actual employment rates are up. It's a shell game.

Oddly, being in the Church seems easier when you're new. I'm not sure if it's the callings or the expanding knowledge of the ramifications of my actions, but it seems more difficult as time goes on.

Seek Christ-like things in places Christ-followers go.

That explains a few things. We have chickens and give away extra eggs. People have been actively looking for them and asking if we have extra chickens.