scottyg

Please don't do that.  It's how I was elected to something I wasn't even running for.🤮

YES

..."in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost."
"If we are to have any hope of sifting through the myriad of voices and the philosophies of men that attack truth, we must learn to receive revelation."
Why do we need the influence of the Holy Ghost? Why do we need to receive revelation? Is it so we can be guided and directed...or is it so we can become converted? There is great power in receiving revelation. Although receiving an answer to a heartfelt prayer is great, the conversion that takes place when one spirit converses with another is greater. I like getting spiritual promptings to do things, but the foundation of faith that comes from it is greater than the actual small bit of instruction. If we (and especially our youth) have spiritual experiences with the Holy Ghost, we will over time become truly converted. Gone are the days when you can just follow the crowd...because the crowd is going the other way. Even if an entire ward was doing the right thing, an individual who does not have real faith will not be able to follow them as he will lose his desire to be a part of the church.
We know that Covid-19, the alphabet soup community, and church finances have been a trial for many in various ways, but other trials are on the way that will worsen the sifting. We must learn to receive revelation.

This was my point - people leave the Church because they are not converted to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.  That's the reason.  Everything else is just what they say to justify leaving.  Yes, many these days are or will be deceived, others will decide they like sin better (though they won't likely put it in those terms), others will say it's too hard, etc. etc.  But the reason they leave is because they have not been converted.  The way to address the problem is as Alma taught: with the preaching of the Word.

The First Presidency send out this letter encouraging members to participate in the political process (not just vote) around every election.  It seemed obvious to me that the recent change in the letter was because of increasing wickedness in the world.  No longer will you be able to find the best options by voting party lines - nor even the least awful options.  You now have to study more than ever, the individual's history and policies, and choose to support individuals who seem to have integrity and whose views on issues support your own beliefs.
Also, the parties have flipped in at least one way - Democrats now support big pharma and Republicans are highly suspicious of them - it used to be the other way around before COVID.  Who knows, this may continue.
Finally, I suspect that President Oaks now has increased influence over this letter and his insights have tweaked it a bit.
IMO, those who leave the Church would leave regardless of politics or social policy.  These things are the excuse, not the reason.  (Not that we shouldn't do all in our power to ensure we don't increase their excuses or act as the reason - as Paul said to the Romans in our reading this past week, don't put a stumbling block in front of others - but we also should look to the real causes of departure and address those, not just the excuses.)
The good news is that one day, hopefully soon, the world will end.   (In the meantime, I have a cat demanding cuddles.)

I know more people that have left because of the vaccine than I do who left because a leader supported Trump.  

That article can also mean those stubborn liberal families that vote straight ticket without actually bothering to see what their conservative neighbors actually believe in. I viewed the church counsel very different from the writer in that all of the young liberal people are ruining everything by not actually looking into the candidates, and just voting with the crowd.
Simply voting straight ticket with no thought is foolish and irresponsible.

Many miracles taking place there. Here is an awesome picture of one of the church buildings in Laihana. I can't seem to find the zoomed out one, but the fire scorched all of the buildings and cars leading up to the chapel...but stopped right at the property line. Even the trees next to the building didn't get burned down. It is now being used as a shelter and resource center. Pretty cool.

Many miracles taking place there. Here is an awesome picture of one of the church buildings in Laihana. I can't seem to find the zoomed out one, but the fire scorched all of the buildings and cars leading up to the chapel...but stopped right at the property line. Even the trees next to the building didn't get burned down. It is now being used as a shelter and resource center. Pretty cool.

Luke 9:49-50 is appropriate here. Some people just don't want to let go of their control or influence I guess.

My earthly Mother still loves to receive my phone calls.
And I dearly miss my Father who passed 4 years ago. I wish I could call him.
 
Im sure our Heavenly Father and Mother are not any different.  
Worship is a complex word with many connotations.  
God does love us.  And he most likely appreciates our love, heart felt prayers, and when we try to follow his recommendations and example.

This says it better than I can:

Source.

Whether or not I agree with them, they aren't arbitrary.  They are all ideas floated or used in the past to decrease fraud and/or require the voter to be a stakeholder.

He's not saying they have to own property, he's saying they have to have a residential address (aka live) in the voting district - not be transient.  The why for this should be obvious - we elect people to represent the people in a geographic area.  If you can't prove you live in the geographic area, why should we let you vote on who represents said geographic area?

Guess how many level one studies there are for performing surgery or giving hormone therapy to transgender patients.
 
 
I think it is a positive indicator that they are considering the review.  

Those girls are all smiling and clapping for him...no pushback at all that I've heard. This is what they asked for, so this is what they get. Feminists never cared about women's rights...it was all about power and exerting influence, just like the blm movement.

I'm always surprised at endowed members who look for reasons to not wear their garments.

They know whose drugs they are, they just are not going to tell us.

Whether you like Glenn Beck or not, he is pretty much spot on with this one.
 
 

The movie is a fictionalized story, based on a true story.  The movie's value is not in how accurately it portrays any particular events, but instead in how it raises awareness about certain types of child sex trafficking.  
Operation Underground Railroad put up this page to help people sort through what's fact and what's hollywood: https://ourrescue.org/blog/sound-of-freedom-based-on-true-story
Especially this item:
 

@Diana Hone With regards to temple work, a baptism is to be performed for every person who has lived on Earth (with the exception of children who died before reaching the age of accountability). Whether or not to accept said baptism is up to them, but they will be offered the opportunity.

Just a friendly reminder to everyone that the left operates on facts.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/ilhan-omar-roasted-saying-earth-broke-heat-record-last-set-117977-bc?utm_source=Newswav&utm_medium=Website
 

I forget all the time. I typically make it up on the following Sunday when I do.

I wear the garment anytime an activity can reasonably be done while wearing it...which is pretty much all the time. Ultimately, we are to seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit regarding personal questions about wearing the garment.