Midwest LDS

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Everything posted by Midwest LDS

  1. The Bishop holds the keys for his ward and is authorized to act as he sees fit via revelation, but the Stake President has keys for the whole Stake including the Bishop's ward. His direction can and does supercede the Bishop's authority when necessary. And it goes all the way up the chain. The Prophet holds the keys for the whole church. If President Nelson said no further Sacrament is to be administered until I say otherwise, all priesthood holders no matter what keys they hold, would be bound by that statement.
  2. You're not the only one who's concerned. I'm a historian, and frankly I see disturbing parallels to the political situation just prior to the Civil War. The issues are different of course, but the general attitude of contention and the refusal to cooperate with the other side that pervaded the country during that period is very similar to what we are going through now. Politics have always been contentious, but after the yelling and screaming during the election, we (all pronouns from here on out are generic and I recognize exceptions exist to my generalizations) buckled down and got things done together (Johnson's Civil Rights Act was passed with Republican and Northern Democratic support, Reagan and Tip O'Neill battled in public, but got things done behind the scenes and were friends etc.). Even as recently as 9/11 we came together as a nation. After the terrorist attack we were all Americans at least for a little while, and Democrats joined Republicans in persecuting the terrorists who attacked us. But we can't seem to do that now. We are in the middle of a crisis right this second and are we coming together? No, each side is so consumed with blaming the other side for all the country's problems, and are so obsessed with weird conspiracy theories that we can't even admit the other side has a right to exist, let alone work with them to fix the problem. We are like a married couple who's about to get divorced and can't see the good that attracted us to the other person in the first place, we can only see the faults. Now please note I hope I'm wrong. I hope I'm just seeing patterns where none exist, and that we will continue along just fine. But I'm concerned.
  3. Actually as a teacher, let me say this may be intentional. I can usually tell when a student used a thesaurus to write out their answers because they almost never use the word they've found correctly. It just sounds "smart" to them so they throw it in.
  4. That's true (I assume you mean Pakistan and India). But there hasn't been a major conflict yet. The fighting was bad enough as it was I don't mean to downplay it. But neither Pakistan nor India was trying to completely defeat the other. No armies were marching towards Islamabad or New Delhi the fighting was all on the border. But it's still taking a risk. All it takes is one side making the wrong kind of mistake or having the wrong kind of arrogant leader in charge who thinks he's got a plan that's sure to work and mushrooms clouds could easily start appearing. Therefore I prefer no active conflict between nuclear armed foes (I know you aren't arguing for conflict either I'm just clarifying my point.)
  5. The idea of a war between any nuclear armed nations is too horrifying to consider. God willing, and I mean that as a sincere prayer, it will never happen as the death toll would be nightmarish.
  6. Oh I know, I was speaking specifically about the United States (I should have specified that, we are an international church). Secondly, I should mention that I hated being single and my marriage day was one of the happiest days of my life. Meeting my wife was one of the best things that has ever happened to me, up there with finding the Gospel of Jesus Christ, or watching the birth of my child. I wouldn't have wanted to wait even one extra second to marry her, so I would've married her with my bishop presiding even if it was just the two of us rather than wait until the temple's opened up again. That's just me though, and I understand some people would have waited.
  7. I was super happy to see this, and I agree I bet a lot of couples are excited and ready to get sealed. However, I bet a lot of people took advantage of the fact that you can get civilly married now and not have to wait on getting sealed, to tie the knot while they waited for the temples to start to reopen. I remember being engaged and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have been able to wait to be married if I'd already planned on being married when everything closed down lol☺.
  8. Yep nonessential businesses are opening up today in Indiana. Restaurants at 50% capacity next week. We are also still observing social distancing, hand washing etc, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited to get back to my beloved bookstores.
  9. That makes sense and I agree that some of these traditions really do seem like they are trying to "put a hedge around the law" so to speak (I also agree that most if not all are well meaning). I can't imagine having to put both arms to the square while blessing the Sacrament. I'd do it if my local leadership asked me too of course, but it seems somewhat cumbersome.
  10. I don't know, it must only be a thing in certain parts of the church. I've never kneeled on two knees, it's a comfort thing as it's a lot easier to kneel on one knee than two, and no one has ever said anything to me when I bless the Sacrament that way. But most of my church experience has been in Indiana and Tennessee so maybe it's a western thing.
  11. How else are you supposed to keep the peasants in line?
  12. I enjoyed this discussion immensely, and just thought I'd add something related to the above point. I think part of the issue is some, members and non members alike, confuse faith and Grace. I've listened to members bear witness that we are saved by Christ through Grace and works when they meant to say faith instead of Grace. It complicates things, because then people think we don't believe we are saved and exalted by the Grace of Christ, but rather our own efforts and his Grace. The idea that there is some mystical amount of works we have to complete before the Lord's Grace kicks in, in other words. I try to make sure I clarify that we gain access to Christ's Grace through our faith and our works or, as you stated, that is the "price" we pay to be saved by Christ's Grace.
  13. Individual freedoms must be protected, and I'm a strong literalist when it comes to the Constitution. That being said that woman was practically begging to be arrested.
  14. It's a 1.34 where I live. With my grocery store points I actually paid 66 cents a gallon the other day. The lowest I had ever seen gas in my life, when I was a young child, was 1.00 a gallon. While I love cheap gas I am concerned about the economic fallout this will cause.
  15. I can't speak to these two individuals personally as I never knew them well or followed them, but both options are a possibility. Latter-day Saints are firm believers in moral agency. Articles of Faith number 3 answers this question 3: We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel. The Grace of Jesus Christ can and will heal even the vilest sinner so long as he repents of his sins and begins obeying the laws and ordinances of the Gospel. In our view, faith in Jesus Christ and works are not at war with each other, but are both necessary to partake in exaltation. Therefore if a man ceases following the commandments or loses faith in Christ (or both) he will lose his exaltation if he does not repent. Now we do believe that all men, save those who commit the unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost, will achieve some degree of salvation hence the three degrees of glory in the world to come. So it could be said that we fall a little bit into both categories.
  16. In addition fast offerings are different than tithes. Tithes go to the upkeep and running of the church. 100% of fast offerings go to the poor, needy and hungry.
  17. Hey you were the one who insisted you needed to try to conquer Russia. I pointed out that you weren't a Mongol and that everyone else has a bad track record with that goal but you insisted. Don't expect me to testify at your Hague trial.
  18. I had never heard of this term until I saw you and JAG talking about it in the other thread. Honestly, I think it dovetails in very nicely with President Nelson's prophetic direction to set up family centered church supported worship. I hope we have not gotten to the point that Christians were in during the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. Part of me, if I'm honest, loves the American Empire as I've always pictured it, stalwartly standing against the evils of Nazism, Imperial Japan, and Communism. Of Ronald Reagan standing in front of a waving American flag. But part of me also recognizes that that America is rapidly disappearing. I hope it doesn't get to the point in my lifetime where the Benedict option is the only path forward for us as faithful disciples of Christ, but the realist in me says we are almost there. I hope I'm just being cynical, but I don't think I am.
  19. Agreed. Those really surprised me. Especially the one in Shanghai.
  20. I have to admit, I love the new symbol President Nelson introduced. What a perfect way to show everyone that we worship the living Christ. What a great announcement!
  21. Amen! Jesus Christ is the Master Healer. I'm excited to unite my faith with everyone else and plead for his succor and mercy in regards to this illness.
  22. Amen brother. I've been super excited to see General Conference. Whether it's earthshaking new revelation, or just the soothing message of comfort from Christ in these times of uncertainty and fear, I am really looking forward to it. I've been blessed with a lot of spiritual growth over the last six months, so either way it's been unforgettable to me☺.
  23. I'm sorry this is tough for you. I think one of the most important discoveries I've made in life is realizing that God wants me to be 100% honest with him. I know that sounds silly, because why lie to God he already knows everything, but I tried to pretend I wasn't angry or upset with him when important things I really needed were not provided. All burying my anger did was prevent me from being healed and learning to appreciate how God was guiding me and building me up. So I say, I understand sister. I've felt the same way as you before, and I will probably feel that way again. But I do know, as Nephi said in 1 Nephi 11, that "God loveth his children." God be with you in your time of trial, whatever it may be.
  24. Considering everything else going on this does not surprise me, but I'm saddened by the news nonetheless. I never thought I would live to see the day when temple work would ever cease even temporarily. https://www.deseret.com/faith/2020/3/25/21194822/coronavirus-mormon-church-temples-closed-coranavirus-covid19-lds-latter-day-saints