clbent04

I received a warning in my Patriarchal blessing I review occasionally. The warning says "you must also avoid materialism, for that will be a temptation you will face." To back up a little, I received this blessing when I was 19 years old during my first year in college. I remember the Stake Patriarch who gave me this blessing was an older man probably around his late 70's early 80's. He and his wife were the kind, humble type, and I enjoyed my time visiting with them. Before the blessing, the Stake Patriarch asked me what I wanted to do career wise. I had no idea. I still had yet to declare a major. I answered something to the effect of anything where I can make money, and explained to him I had enjoyed making money whether it was from some of my first jobs or some small businesses I ran as a kid. After talking for 45 minutes or so, I remember he proceeded with the blessing. He came to the part I quoted above, and I thought, wait, does that have anything to do with the information I just provided him, or is this really a warning from the Holy Spirit? I wondered afterwards if I would have received the same warning if I didn't tell him before the blessing the part where I enjoyed making money. I thought maybe the Stake Patriarch was taking what I said in our conversation too seriously. The warning seemed odd to me as a 19-year old since I never obsessed about money or material possessions. For one, I didn't have much of either, although I was blessed with parents who did a great job providing for us. So even though I told him I enjoyed making money, I didn't place an emphasis on it or anything I owned. I was more focused on experiencing life and being with friends even if we were doing nothing but bonfires in the middle of the night, or driving out to the hot springs. Although I was slightly skeptical about this one part in my Patriarchal blessing, I still took it seriously. I do a self-inventory check every now and then to honestly access the value I put on my material possessions among other things. Interestingly enough, the older and more advanced I become in my career, the more I find this warning pertinent. My first job out of college was as a tax consultant with a mid-sized private firm. I made decent money for a first year corporate tax consultant, but still, when I did my next self-inventory check I really didn't have many possessions or place too much of an emphasis on money or belongings. Back at the beginning of my career, I drove a Kia, bought a 3-bedroom starter home, and didn't own anything of interest other than my childhood basketball card collection (which I valued 2 years ago with an online price guide and found out is worth a whooping $75 altogether. so much for all those MJ cards I thought were gonna be thousands someday lol). I never knew how my career was going to turn out, or what I would amount to, but as time went on I discovered I had a high aptitude in my profession. I never anticipated becoming as successful as I am. From the time I had started my first job out of college, I was promoted to a manager position within 3 years, a director position 3 years after that, and then, somewhat recently, I was promoted to VP of Tax for a Fortune-500 company. I have a large network including other corporate tax professionals across the nation, and only 3 others I know of have been promoted to a VP level tax position under 10 years. To put this in perspective, within a 9 1/2 year period, my annual tithing contribution is now equal to my entire salary I made working that first year out of college. And so, with the advancement in my career and increase in salary came the possessions. I bought the cars I always wanted to drive, the big house with the zip code (mostly for the better school district and shorter drive time to work), and the pricier basketball cards I could never afford as a kid. We're blessed to live debt free having paid off all our auto and home loans, and we save roughly 50 percent of our income. But then I find myself going back to my Patriarchal blessing and asking myself how I'm doing. I find myself more than ever spending money on possessions. And admittedly I like these possessions. I'm a car guy. I love the modern, high-end, exotic sports cars. I love the designs, the performance, participating in the car clubs and auto shows, the weekend roadtrips... We have a barn-sized, two-story garage with a hydraulic stacking system that allows the cars to be stacked three high. It's a common hang out area where we go be it friends or family. We'll either take one of the cars out for a joyride, shoot pool, or just lounge around near the kitchenette and TV area. I was hanging out in "the barn" as we call it by myself last night looking around and then reflecting on my Patriarchal blessing once more. I thought how much enjoyment from my possessions is too much to where it becomes materialism? I suppose any enjoyment from my possessions could constitute materialism. To be honest, I love the cars, but I'd be happy without them too. I get a certain amount of enjoyment from having them, but as long as I can say I'm mostly fulfilled through my relationships rather than possessions, I think that's the test for me. As others who rely on their Patriarchal blessings have come to learn, what may not have made sense to you at one point can become prophetic later.

This week and next week will be bye weeks for FANTASY-FOOTBALL THIRD HOUR. I will possibly be hosting another FFTH event in two weeks if we get at least 2 other users again who respond with 5 draft picks. Please reply with your draft picks anytime starting now until 12/23/2018 8PM MST.

Did your vacation involve you doing nothing but post on this website? I thought @Grunt was going to turn out to be my Tom Brady, but my hats off to you, sir. Well played.

Results are in. And the winner is..... drumroll please...... @clbent04!! It was a good matchup over these last 2 weeks. Honorable mention to the top 5 users/potential draft picks with the most likes over this last 2-week period: @zil @MormonGator @Carborendum @anatess2 @Vort. These 5 users combined got an impressive 825 likes over the last 2 weeks, the highest possible amount of points to be achieved for this Fantasy-Football Third Hour. Special notice to @Carborendum and @zil who each broke the 200 mark at 231 and 201 likes. Results from 11/25/18 to 12/9/18 Draft Pick Results from 11/25/18 to 12/9/18 @mirkwood @person0 @clbent04

Fantasy-Football Third Hour 11/25/18-12/9/18 has officially ended. Results to be posted momentarily.

I was talking about your snarky comments you’ve admitted you made in other threads. What you post in other threads affects how people fill in the blank for things you leave unsaid. I already said thanks for clarifying my misunderstanding on your “as for me and my house” reference. So why are you still talking about it?

Or we’ve just outright acknowledged we both have made snarky comments. This is me respecting your request to give you the benefit of the doubt for any future misunderstandings between us, and to dial down the snarkiness.

Since not everything you write is clearly innocuous, you might see why I was confused. Maybe the more I get to know you the better I'll understand the things you leave unsaid. I'll take your word for it. Thanks for clarifying.

I'm not sure if your acting naive, or if you really didn't mean to try and take another dig. Let me give you the benefit of the doubt by asking for clarification. It seemed obvious to me what you were insinuating when you responded with that quote. I asked at what point do we stop choosing sides in reference to the biased and preferential treatment some users exhibit on this site. You responded that as for you and your house, [you serve the Lord]. What's left unsaid here but implied? That you serve the Lord and I don't? Even if you weren't implying that (which I believe you were), how is your response helpful to what I was actually asking?

Not your place to judge. Quit acting like you're the authority on who's sincere and not sincere with what they post. Just let the bitterness and resentfulness go. It's toxic. You'll be a better person finding a more positive center with how you respond to those you deem less worthy than yourself. Focus on lifting others up who might hang lower than you rather than gripe about how some aren't as faithful as you. Not trying to be mean. I just want you to hear yourself speak and realize what you're saying. It's toxic.

You're good in my books, @SpiritDragon. I like what you post and your respectful manner of communication. You and I had a brief disagreement in the new LDS Hymnal thread, but I believe we were both respectful while helping each other understand our different perspectives. And I can tell at the heart of everything you post that it's coming from a positive place.

Again. Why? What value does this add other than trying to divide us further?

@JohnsonJones I absolutely agree you post unbiasedly. You’ve called me out on some stuff, but you’ve also bolstered me up through some of your other responses. Thank you for being a good example of that. I really mean that. I would say the following users are also good examples of responding unbiasedly: @Vort , @NeuroTypical , @CV75 , @Carborendum (95 percent of the time), @person0, @Sunday21 , @SilentOne , @Midwest LDS , @LiterateParakeet , @Snigmorder , @Just_A_Guy, @Anddenex , @Mike , @mirkwood , @Fether and probably 2 or so others. I really would like to say a sincere thanks to you guys for making this forum a more positive place by leading by example. There is no bias to your criticism, you critique on content alone, and that helps me want to stay more engaged in the gospel as I really do value your perspective and my involvment on this forum. You don’t respond based on your imagined opinions of someone else’s level of worthiness, you just respond based on the content and quality of the post. I’d like to make particular note of @Vort since he’s called me out quite a few times, but everything he does it’s from a positive place, and I’ve sensed it’s out of love and genuine care for others. I’ve always really appreciated that as with the rest of you I mentioned.

I mean, come on. Why am I the only one acknowledging this issue of constant mad dogging, preferential treatment, and choosing sides on this forum? Why does there have to be sides? If somebody posts something of quality, I respond favorably even if I may disagree with something else they've said in the past. Why are grown adults picking teams? Some of you are worse than middle school, high school teenage girls. Aren't we all members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? This really should be a larger discussion if this many people are turning a blind eye to these issues. If @Grunt and I had of switched roles on who originally posted this thread and who was responding to it, I would still be getting backlash for having posted such a ridiculous thing. How quick would it take one of these select users to blow me up for me commenting on my disdain for those less faithful than me? It's just a silly, ridiculous thing to post in the first place, and I've been called out and harassed for far less. I would've gotten no likes for the OP, and Grunt's subsequent reply to my post calling me out on it would have received 5 likes by now.

@anatess2 this is my all-time, favorite response from you. It actually got me excited going back to church with my daughter.

Bunch of sharks in the water smelling for blood. How about instead of constantly trying to take digs at each other, we give everyone the benefit of the doubt for what they write? Would it be so hard to consider what others posted more thoughtfully like @Carborendum did just now? Honestly, if I wanted to, I could be mad dogging you guys a lot more for the things you say. @Carborendum gave a great example of how @The Folk Prophet‘s words could’ve been twisted around on him just as easily. Here’s another example: does anyone actually read what @Grunt writes? This whole thread is about the guy’s intolerance for those less faithful than him. Maybe a little self-righteous, close-minded, anyone, anyone? I understand the guy is the darling of this forum with his conversion story, but at what point do we stop with the preferential treatment? At what point do we stop picking sides, start treating everyone as equals, and just focus on sharing more in the common love we have for the gospel? I’ve actually exhibited restraint by only selectively responding to the more ridiculous statements by some users. But why do some users feel the need to pounce on EVERY. SINGLE. LITTLE. THING? I’m just tired of all the digs. It’s making me want to treat everyone else the same.

That's what's so great about this website. My coworkers and friends don't want to talk about the religious stuff. Even some guys from church I occasionally hang out with don't want to talk about the gospel. I tried bringing up some of the lighter topics like addressing why the church is so meaningful to me, but this one guy's eyes glazed over real quick on that one. So yeah, this website is great to connect with other people who have the same interest in discussing gospel themed topics. Where else can you discuss the gospel so freely with like minded individuals all over the US and other parts of the world?

@JoyGraceMercy you should get baptized when you are ready. Not when the missionaries tell you you’re ready. Not when or if your parents are ever okay with it. Only you can tell when you are ready. Do it for yourself, and to demonstrate your obedience to God. Don’t do it for anyone else. This is your life, and accepting what to believe in is hugely personal. No one has a right to hold you back from embracing what you believe to be true, not even your parents. In the end, if you do get baptized, most parents realize their child’s individualism is more important than whatever imagined outcome they saw for their child. You’re the one living your life, they’re not living it for you, and eventually they will have to be realistic about that. As for you not knowing if the church is true, I think you’re absolutely right to be hesitant in getting baptized. I will say this though. Some people, like me, have a very difficult time receiving answers through prayer. Everyone has the potential to receive answers through prayer, but some of us are stubborn donkeys when it comes to not humbling ourselves enough to allow the Lord to answer us through prayer. Sadly, I am a stubborn donkey. I don’t want to be. I tried praying so many times in my life to receive answers through prayer, but 9,999 out of 10,000 times it seems to have been in vain or has simply left me with the impression of listening to nothing but a dial tone on the other end of the line when it comes to praying for a specific answer. I’m not saying you’re a stubborn donkey too, but I do want you to know even though I haven’t knowingly received answers by praying in my life, I know the LDS church really is the one and only true church of God. If I had of waited to embrace the Church until I received an answer through prayer, I would’ve missed out on so many wonderful blessings in my life. I might be a stubborn donkey, but the Lord has been so merciful with me by guiding me by the hand to His church, and helping me feel the Holy Spirit in so many other instances besides prayer. So my warning to you is, if you happen to be a stubborn donkey like me when it comes to receiving answers through prayer, find another way to get your answer, because you really don’t want to risk missing out on so many amazing blessings that will unfold for you after you become a member. Ask yourself what drove you to meeting with the missionaries in the first place. Why have you taken the time to contemplate this decision as much as you have? I imagine you must have felt some kind of connection towards the Church to even be willing to consider the possibility of going through with it despite the potential backlash you may receive from your parents. Ask yourself what is that feeling that is drawing you towards the LDS Church. Focus in on that feeling. If you feel any positivity or peace, hone in and latch onto those feelings and let the Lord guide you the rest of the way. Otherwise, you might miss out on some really special blessings. Now if you’re not a stubborn donkey like me and have no issues with getting answers through prayer, ignore everything I just said and wait till you get an answer. That’s the more straightforward and preferred route.

Well said, @Tyme

Best way to not care is to not acknowledge it in the first place.

I’m someone who really appreciates good service. I remember going to this hole-in-the-wall Chinese place about 5 years ago. Just an average, run-of-the-mill Chinese restaurant. But my server was excellent. I’d be eating my food and had a couple sips of my drink, only to look over at my drink which was suddenly completely full, and the server was no where in sight. The guy was a ninja! And it happened 3-4 times with him filling up my drink unnoticed. Everything was efficient and perfect about the service, and the food turned out to be pretty good too. I think I tipped the guy $20 I was so impressed. Also, there’s an Olive Garden that’s an occasionally go-to of mine. Unlimited salad and soup. Extra pepperoncinis on the salad and a bowl of Zuppa Toscana, anyone? Good stuff. Anyway, all the servers there are excelllent. Love those guys and gals. Never had a bad experience at that particular location

I just let it go. I probably would have said something to the guy cleaning if he had of come over to our area and started disturbing the dusty vents above us. But the crazier thing that happened that meal was our 2-year old started chocking on a bite of cheesy bread. My wife said our daughter turned blue in the face as I was slamming my hand against her back trying to get it out. It finally became dislodged after what seemed like an eternity but really was probably only 15 seconds of commotion. So that left me pretty razzled, and any previous thought to the guy cleaning was completely gone at that point. As for the Costco lady, I was polite with her. I just thought it was kind of irritating. I’ve been in food service too. I always tried to find the right balance in providing efficient service and letting them enjoy their meal. I prioritized not disturbing them unless they needed my attention, not that miss Costco should share my ideals.

And a magical, little sweeper you were!

Maybe the mods can use that as a warning to users who are about to get banned from this website. ”YOUR TABLE IS ABOUT TO BE CLEARED, maraming salamat ”