Midwest LDS

Yeah this was upsetting. I'm glad Admiral Richardson is launching a full investigation of training regimines, because it's humiliating that the world's greatest navy can't stop running into ships. Not to mention the tragedy of lives needlessly lost.

I really don't like the way the article is phrased. To me, it sounded more like the author was arguing that church leaders are imperfect which I agree with. But I think its been pointed out in earlier posts that the Church is seperate and distinct from the people who run it. That means to me the saving ordinances, priesthood authority, scriptural accounts etc. Those are perfect so I'm content to continue saying the church is perfect even though the people aren't I think that's pretty clear.

I remember my astronomy teacher at BYU always ended his lectures by saying, no matter what we were talking about, "Remember don't look at the sun."

This is a difficult subject because it's one of those few instances where it really depends on the people making the decision. My stepfather started dating my mom 3 months after the wife he is sealed too passed away. Two weeks into his eternal marriage my stepfather and his wife were told she had terminal cancer. They had less than one agonizing year together as she slowly died. She insisted he remarry quickly and since he had spent all of his time caring for her he had been very lonely when he reached out to my mom. She is also a widow, and both of them have helped each other heal. Do some people jump in too a new marriage too quickly after a loved one's death? I'm sure they do, but the correct amount of grieving time is different for each person and it's hard to tell what the right answer is until it happens to you.

I absolutely agree with @prisonchaplain. It's one thing to disagree on the Confederacy in a polite and friendly way, quite another to shout people down with cries of racism. Incidentally I hope I haven't offended. I have many friends and family who disagree with my view on this issue and I have nothing but respect for them. Including some of the people in that room that I jokingly said would beat me up (sometimes it's hard to convey humor and good vibes on the internet☺)

@AnthonyB2Thats actually a good idea, I could support that.

@clbent04That's great welcome back!

@Grunt Yeah having a set time I usually pray does help me remember to pray a little easier (although I also pray frequently throughout the day when it occurs to me too.)

Daily conversations with my Heavenly Father. I find nothing strengthens my testimony more than really talking to God on a daily basis.

@NeuroTypical I absolutely agree. Any statue that comes down should only be brought down according to law. If a mob tears one down it should be replaced and the mob punished. I also despise what ISIS has done with historical artifacts in the Middle East, I consider it cultural barbarism. I somewhat disagree with Dr. Peterson. The Confederacy is not equivalent to Nazi Germany or Stalinust Russia. But their govermental system did not work (just like the Articles of Confederation didn't work) and they tried to destroy our country by ripping it apart so it's hard for me to see them in a positive light.

I suppose the only thing I would change with the church is on the ward/branch level rather than church wide and this is something we all can affect personally. We have to stop being embarrassed by the Law of Chastity lessons and teach them openly and frankly. Open discussion between members would help combat this and we can do this in our own wards. In addition, always include a discussion about the saving grace of Jesus Christ in these discussions. Too many give up hope when they are consumed with this addiction, and a focus on how there are so many avenues of help available to them through His power would be very helpful.

I think the church is doing a lot to combat this. Not only do you have an entire addiction recovery book designed around combating this evil, you have addiction recovery groups, bishops and stake presidents to speak with, general conference talks, stake conference talks, priesthood meetings on the subject, ppi's etc. I think the real change has to come from parents in my opinion. We can't assume our children won't be exposed to pornography. We have to discuss this problem with them in depth much earlier because if we don't the world will. We need to monitor their internet connections because curiosity can lead to an all consuming habit very quickly if we don't. Finally we need our kids to be able to talk to us if they do slip up so we can help them repent before it becomes an entrenched addiction. I think that's the best way to combat this plague. Pornography thrives in darkness. By throwing it into the light we can cause it to wither and die but as long as we are too ashamed to discuss it openly, Satan will use that darkness to ensnare the hearts of our men and women with these chains.

@Grunt It's forbidden by modern revelation. Here is one example (among many) from the handbook duties and blessings of the priesthood https://www.lds.org/manual/duties-and-blessings-of-the-priesthood-basic-manual-for-priesthood-holders-part-a/gospel-principles-and-doctrines/lesson-34-moral-cleanliness?lang=eng&_r=1. Essentially it's the abuse of the sacred powers of procreation.

@prisonchaplainThis is a pernicious problem in this country. We are plagued by a tide of presentism. Judging the past by the standards of the 21st century. It makes me ill to think of heroes like Washington and Jeffferson lumped in with Confederates. They built this nation. Did they have problems? Of course they did (Jefferson far more than Washington in my opinion) but without them we would never have had a nation that has eliminated so many of the very evils decried by the left. What's next? Removing statues of Lincoln because his views were racist by our standards even though without his heroic sacrifices getting the 13th Amendment passed slavery wouldn't have been abolished? Unfortunately I won't be suprised when it happens. But I believe I won't be alone in defending our founders and other heroes and hopefully many others will as well.

I'm somewhat in the middle of this issue. First of all, nothing should be touched on any battlefield or historical site. It's important to remember our history, especially the painful parts. But I really don't like the Confederacy. (I almost got a mass beat down in a Tennessee high school room once when I was young. I said that firing on Fort Sumter was treason against the United States lol☺.) I still hold to that view, so if a city removes a statue in a non historic spot, and does it according to law (no vigilante mobs) I'm ok with it.

I agree with @prisonchaplain While the ideal is to obey God because we love him and want to serve him, obeying for any reason is far better than not obeying. I like the Savior's example of this in Matthew 21:28-31. "28 But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. 29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. 30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. 31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you."

I don't have a child yet, but I have one on the way so I've thought about this a lot. From my limited experience of observing other's children, I feel like it completely depends on the child. I didn't respond well to the "do this because I told you too" style of parenting. I'm willful and stubborn and telling me that would just lead to arguments and headaches for all sides. Punishing me would just lead to me digging my heals in more. But if the same thing was said to me with an explanation I would usually do it no questions asked. On the other hand, one of my younger sisters would never argue and did what she was told with no explanation every time. I think any parenting style can work you just have to know your kids and what they respond too. My opinion could change once my son or daughter is born and I get some actual experience though☺

On the other hand I also agree with @Anddenex. I completely reject the notion that the church was somehow complicit with Nazi Germany. Other than direct revelation from God, they had no way of knowing how evil Nazi Germany would become. Also I know we all believe that in this kind of situation, we would be Huebners and stand against evil. But the truth is the flesh is weak, and when we stop speaking hypothetically and actually live through an event as horrific as a Nazi goverment, I believe many of us would fall short in the same way Peter fell short, who denied Christ to save his life (and I say this with the greatest respect for Peter, he is one of my heroes as he proved with a lifetime of service). I'd like to believe I would have acted better than Zander, but I've never been in danger of my life, so I can't say for certain that I would not have fallen short. I believe it is always a mistake to assume you would do better from the safety and comfort of your armchair.

I think the story of Helmuth Huebler reveals two important fact about the Church. 1. While we are lead by revelation God does not reveal all things in this world to his prophets at all times. For example you can find a famous quote from Joseph Fielding Smith saying that man will never land on the moon. Does this invalidate him as a prophet? Hardly, he was a mighty warrior of the Lord who received many powerful revelations. But he was also a man, and was allowed to hold his own opinions and was not shown all things that would ever happen. President Grant was the same, he did the best he could for the Church in a chaotic situation without being shown how evil the Nazis would become. 2. Huebner is in good company having to suffer through a false excommunication. Our Savior himself was cast out by the man who purported to be His High Priest, although that wicked man was too spiritually dead to know it. The same is true of Huebner's Branch President. While Zander's crime was not on the level of Caiaphas's, it was in the same vein and perpetrated through the same wicked spirit. Not only did he not consult his superiors, he did not even have the courage to hold a church court "excommunicating" him on his own authority, completely invalidating it in the eyes of God. Huebner knew this in his heart, and knowing God as I do, I'm sure he gave this young man an extra portion of the Holy Spirit to help him through his martydom. The church, rightly disregarding Zander's illegal excommunication, rebaptized and did Huebners temple work so there would never be any doubt as too his final destination with God. In that respect I agree with @JohnsonJones. Studying the whole history of the event actually strengthens my testimony in the church. For me it shows that our prophets and apostles will always try to do what's right, even if it requires them to fix a mistake.

@Grunt Agreed that was my general understanding of the previous posts.

Personally I don't support Same Sex Marriage so this hasn't been a big issue for me. However, I believe there is a world of difference between a personal belief and actively teaching people that the church is wrong (apostasy). Unless the church says otherwise, I wouldn't see any reason why someone who supports Same Sex Marriage on a personal level shouldn't have a temple recommend. I think Elder Christofferson was pretty clear. Geez way to make me think this early in the morning☺

Honestly, no I'm glad the church doesn't allow drinking. My mom and I are converts, so I've been around alcohol at family gatherings most of my life because most of my family are drinkers. I can't stand it. Even when they are not completely smashed, it makes the majority of them vulgar, crude, and stupid. I'm sure there are plenty of people in the world who drink moderately, but I don't care. For me alcohol is associated with nothing but bad memories and I don't want the church to relax the commandments against it. On a lighter note I've always said " I'd rather be able to eat pork and not drink, then be able to drink and lose my bacon"☺

To me I don't think we need to worry about how many people are not going to be exalted in the Celestial Kingdom. I'm far more impressed at how many people our Savior Jesus Christ is going to save. Just look at Ether 12:27 for instance "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." Or Moses 1:39 "For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." Finally Doctrine and Covenants 18:22 "And as many as repent and are baptized in my name, which is Jesus Christ, and endure to the end, the same shall be saved" I am continually awestruck at how much good Christ has brought into my life. He is constantly helping me become better than I was before, and I am confident I will be exalted. Not because of me, but because I believe our Savior when he teaches that all who turn to him will be saved. Will many choose to turn from him and not live the way they should? Of course, but I believe when we get to the other side we will be amazed at how many men and women Christ was able to save, who we may have thought were hopeless or lost causes.

Sister I admire your willingness to put your full faith in our Savior in an incredibly difficult situation. I'm sorry you had to go through this trial, and I know the Lord will bless you now and throughout eternity for staying true to him. God bless you.

Favorite scripture Isaiah 1:18 "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." This scripture has always helped me and never fails to remind me of the great love and mercy of our Savior Jesus Christ. Favorite hymn 185 "How Firm a Foundation". This hymn never fails to pick me up especially the 3rd verse. I like the reminder that God is on my side and through him all things are possible.