scottyg

As I was reading D&C 3 this week (specifically verse 2) I was reminded of a past experience. About 7 years ago, my wife and I had our 3rd child. After the child was born, I received a strong spiritual impression that my family was complete - that 3 children were what was being sent to me by the Lord, and that our family as presently constituted would be my family for my duration on the earth. The impression was very specific, comforting, and clear - it was not my own thoughts. I was a bit taken aback by this as my wife and I hadn't ruled out having more children. We took each potential pregnancy one at a time, and had talked about possibly having up to 5 kids. Later, after talking with her about this she also said she felt like we were done having children, and that our family was complete. We were both happy with the impression and life was great. Fast forward 5 years, and we ended up having a 4th child. We never felt like we needed another one, and we weren't trying to have one, but we also weren't preventing it per se. Now, I love my youngest, and we're very happy to now have 4 kids, but I have always pondered that impression I received. Does anyone have any thoughts as to why the Lord would send me a clear spiritual impression about my long-term family if He knew that our situation would be changing in a few years? Why not just let us continue our lives, and give us the impression to have another kid when the time was right if our family needed one? Neither of us were against having another child, and if that impression came, we would have done it wholeheartedly. Yes, God's ways are not our ways, but He also doesn't say one thing and then do another. I have thought about if for a couple of years now and it still befuddles me; God is omniscient, so why would I receive an impression from Him that was contradictory to, or inconsistent with what would ultimately happen?

It still boggles my mind how people can downplay CHAZ/CHOP as a big nothing burger, and yet view other things like the Canadian Trucker Protest as an act of rebellion worthy of military force.

As far as I can see, only the Catholic Church is more valuable in monetary terms. Others like Novo Nordisk or the Gates foundation are both less than the LDS church, but those are foundations...not charities. Not much of a difference by definition, but still less.

If that's true they need to take a long look in the mirror.

In less than 2 years we will be seeing the advocacy for early childhood sexual encounters with "experienced adults". Parents will also leave their kids at daycares that openly state they will have practical sexual education with the kids. The progressives will say "how else will our children know at an early age that they are gay or transgender? We need them to have sexual encounters with others of the same gender as early as possible so their transformation be more effective...because we all know from "science" that transitions are more effective the earlier it is started." Children being allowed to live with pedophiles as a "civil union" will soon follow. Folks can scoff at this all they want, but if Barak Obama openly campaigned on the left's current platform in either 2008 or 2012, he wouldn't have won a single electoral vote in any state. Now almost half the country advocates for (or at least turns a blind eye to) this madness. Mankind's morality falls very, very fast.

I'm another that never heard of it until today.

Bingo.

A family in our previous ward from around 8-9 years ago was like that about Harry Potter. They were very verbally outspoken about how evil it was, and how it would lead children down a path that would eventually take them away from the church. These people were always the ones who brought up deep doctrine and gave philosophical answers to basic questions in church because their "grandfather's brother's neighbor was a second cousin to Hugh Nibley's sister in-law" (so of course they would know more about the church than all of us peasants do). Their kids (ages 4-10) never seemed happy...because their parents never seemed to let them play or have fun with other kids. It was pretty sad.

Since when is an optional loan of 5% predatory? I'm an RN with a masters degree. I also graduated with zero student debt as I cash flowed my entire education. I didn't sign up for school unless I could pay for it myself upfront. It can be done as long as kids pay attention, make smart financial decisions, and don't live off of their loans. College for most is just a big party, and then they graduate with a worthless degree in communications or liberal arts that doesn't translate to real world employment. You want to look at predatory interest rates then take a gander at most credit cards with 19-25% interest...I don't see our politicians saying anything about that.

Yes...that too.

I know many great men who refuse to get involved in politics or civic leadership for this very reason. They do not want to be put in compromising situations.

The general feedback was actually pretty straight across the board...very few patrons liked those videos, or even thought they were okay. Although we are to focus on the teachings being presented, the great majority of people complained that the acting was just so bad that it took them out of the moment. (this is from a member of the temple presidency who was told by an area presidency member) I must admit that ofttimes I would just close my eyes and listen because several of those actors seemed to be trying way too hard. I didn't mind one of the versions, but the others didn't sit well with me. If a large amount of people are disliking what is being presented, the spirit will not be present as it should be, hence the change to a slideshow. I agree. I like my temple experiences to be as simple as possible. Many felt the new videos were quite pretentious.

Yes...unfortunately there are. It's a good reminder for me to not be overly critical of insignificant issues.

Not yet implemented in my temple, but we have heard about it and it is coming next week I believe. That is a stressful temple assignment to say the least...you would be surprised how many people complain to temple presidents about officiators not doing little insignificant things exactly the way they want them to.

I had a mission companion from there that was scared to death to do it. He truly thought we would get in trouble by pumping it ourselves. Then, once he knew it was normal, and that it was his area of the country that were the outliers, he still wouldn't do it because he "didn't want to smell like gasoline all day", and something to the effect of "it takes a professional to work with flammable substances".

Correct. It's important for all to remember that the Endowment itself hasn't changed at all...just the presentation of the Endowment.

" I do not know that things were worse in the times of Sodom and Gomorrah." “Nothing happened in Sodom and Gomorrah which exceeds in wickedness and depravity that which surrounds us now." Personally, I think there are some things that our world is doing today that those people would have found abhorrent. It is remarkable how quickly and how far man can fall.

Ah, good ol portland. The land of soy boys, people afraid to pump their own gas, and "mostly peaceful riots". Gotta love Portland.

It is sad to see so many people say that the church has problems with their members who ask questions, and you aren't allowed to ask them...and yet every question is answered by the church. I see no organization as open about their history and addressing the hard topics as our church does. Then, when they don't like the answer given, they say that it isn't true, that things are still being hidden, and they keep asking the same question over and over. Then, those same people have the gall to rake anyone over the coals that dares question the only tried and true covid treatment...the "vaccine". "It is the brazen serpent on a pole, and members are showing their lack of faith by not taking it!" Remember Ivermectin? It was ridiculous that it was roundly and soundly defeated as a therapy BEFORE anyone did any studies on it. What was more bizarre is that so many with the ability and resources to test it refused to do so for months and months..."just take the vaccine" they said. "Do what we say...because we say it". "If you don't take this shot that we say is best then you hate your fellow men". Maybe Ivermectin had a secondary effect that damaged or slowed the virus...or, maybe it wasn't effective in the slightest. But we don't know if we aren't allowed to ask the question. It all comes down to what question you're asking, and since the majority of celebrities and mass media lean left, your questions better forward their platform, or be considered unacceptable.

I work in healthcare admin, and sadly the numbers and money are substantial. There is a reason greed is classified as one of the seven deadly sins.

It is interesting seeing the similarities and differences between a firm foundation and a sure foundation, and how they can be used together.

The Lord will tell it to go back to the way it was. If He can change the nature of water to wine, He can change rust back to natural metal. (or, we'll just do the whole process by hand all over again)

I have already ordered 20 more, and they should arrive late next week. We have also ordered an incubator in case our hens aren't feeling broody when we need them to.

I would be very surprised if we don't see a Supernova, or some other cosmic event, before the second coming. It could also be a tool used by the adversary. Whatever signs are coming, one will need the Holy Ghost to correctly understand them (and those who attempt to interpret them) for what they really are.

Several years ago as EQP, after an initial meeting with families, my Bishop had me or the RS pres. fill out the food orders our ward needed, and he would later sign them. We were newlyweds at the time in a ward with a lot of other newlyweds, and many of them (with kids) truly had no food in the home...nothing. It was sobering.