scottyg

https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/president-nelson-gratitude-message

https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/president-nelson-gratitude-message

It was a hard movie to watch, but the message is very much needed. First movie I have seen in theaters in 6 years.
Also interesting to see which groups are taking shots at it, and saying it is an exaggeration of the truth...almost as if they were trying to hide something.

Almost all faiths will lend something of benefit to their followers. The biggest difference between Buddhism and Christianity is that Buddhism doesn't teach that there is a God. There are "divine spirits" of sorts who can help guide others along their path of learning over the course of their existence (they also believe in reincarnation in various forms), but no God that has a figure, personality, or character.

I'm sure you're mistaken. Godless has assured us that almost no one is transgender. Just an insignificant, tiny little percentage. It's all just conservative panic. Conservatives just need to respond to actual facts like the leftists do, and not invent false things out of whole cloth and observation of what's going on around them.

This is easily the most bizarrely false and backwards statement I have heard in recent memory. Simply not true, period.

This is easily the most bizarrely false and backwards statement I have heard in recent memory. Simply not true, period.

This is easily the most bizarrely false and backwards statement I have heard in recent memory. Simply not true, period.

This is true. Lawsuits cannot stop the blessings of God. Rebaptism is possible for you, and your local leaders have the keys to return you to church membership. A previously endowed person who is rebaptized is eligible to receive a full and complete restoration of all previous priesthood and temple blessings (with First Presidency approval) after at least one full year from their readmission/rebaptism. It is often a difficult road, but the end result will be better than what you have now would it not?
The only time our blessings are truly gone is when we choose turn away from them. You can change your life, and you can feel that peace again. Far more who have done far worse than you have returned to the church, and have been blessed greatly afterwards. I would encourage you to seek a meeting with your local Bishop to get the process started. After a 1 on 1 with the Bishop, he and his counselors will need to meet with you, later followed by a meeting with the Stake President and his counselors before baptism can occur. At the very least, having a talk with him will help you feel better about yourself, and the vast potential your life still has.

I am not exactly certain why I am writing this but I do have a story that I feel compelled to share. I was born in NYC but at a young age my family  moved to Utah. I spent ages 13-30 in Utah, primarily Provo. I did all the things, I joined the army at 17, went on a mission later and then graduated from BYU. I got married and sealed in the Temple, served EQ secretary, taught on Sundays. I had a very quintessential Mormon life. At around 29 however things got wonky. My wife had an extramarital affair with another woman. At that moment I felt like a "sucker" and decided I'd seek out my own adventure. In what might seem like a manic episode I left the church formally, divorced and at 30 moved to NYC to pursue my dream of drama school. I church hoped for a bit but then ditched that for pleasures of the flesh. It was a great time, I indulged in alcohol for the first time in my life, was in constant excitement and best part is I met a woman who also shared my hedonistic desires. We get married then COVID happens. She gets introspective one day and decides to revert back to the church she was raised in. I have never seen a 180 like this in anyone. The church is evangelical in nature and very contentious critical and in my opinion uses a lot of shame and guilt. 
The cautionary part of this story boils down to when you leave the bounds of the church for the world there is no guarantee where you will end up. I married again for superficial purposes and ended up in fairly weak marriage in a church environment I didn't truly choose because the waves of life and even Satan will take you in any direction if you don't already have one.  Is the church true? Maybe I am a relativist but the joy I felt in the church, the priesthood power experienced and the immense love of Christ feels real to me. I am no longer a member of the church as I withdrew my records in 2019. The saddest part is that the priesthood lineage I got as a young man, my callings, temple endowment are all gone. Due to lawsuits that had taken place in the 2000's when you request your name withdrawn from the church you can not have records restored. The only way back would be rebaptism as essentially a new member. Feels sad like I cut off my "Mormon lineage". I still love the church and miss it dearly now. 
Thank you to anyone who is reading this as I realize it's quite long.

You are mistaken, my friend. To come back, you only need to be rebaptized -- the same requirement that has always existed. After you have been rebaptized for a year or so, the stake president will interview you and review your time since rebaptism. If you have a testimony of the gospel and a true desire to follow Christ, and if your actions over the previous year confirm this, he will notify the First Presidency, asking that your blessings be restored. Upon approval, he will lay his hands on your head and restore your blessings. Your original baptismal date will still show. Your original line of authority will remain unchanged. Your original covenants, including the date you received them, will be restored. You have lost nothing except the decades that you lived beneath your privileges. Come back and start claiming those blessings.

And they are known to the state of California to cause cancer.

I didn't recognize the pronunciation either.  I've never heard it pronounced until this video.  I've only read it (about 100x).  And in my mind, I certainly didn't pronounce it that way.

This whole Wagner Group thing doesn't smell right. Something is going on that is not what it seems.

Sorry, Kennedy said pistol braces were made to allow one-handed pistol use, and were developed for disabled folk.  I'd never heard that before, so that's why I was asking.
Yeah, there's never a shortage of gun-regulatin' lefties making total fools of themselves and making ignorant comments about firearms and how they work.  The media helps.
 

I accepted a job 6 years ago that the Lord led me to. It was a step down in salary, and yet one of the top 3 decisions I have made in my life.

That's kind of like saying, "The larger Mafia has been hijacked to forcibly incorporate al Qaeda."

I currently work for a health insurance company, and we have had people who identify as animals try and get us to cover all kinds of cosmetic procedures stating that it is a form of affirmation surgery (which we also do not cover).
One girl who used to be in our ward doesn't fully identify as a cat, but her parents lament because she likes to dress up as one and attend animal parties where food bowls and "litter boxes" are used...disgusting. (seriously)
And I have said the same thing about the sicko pedos for about 2 years. The pedophilia acceptance and promotion is here now...most folks just don't realize it.

The fundamental problem with pushing for gospel scholarship is that the true Saints and angels are not always scholars. Academic scholarship per se forms no part of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Truth does not come from careful scholastic analysis, but always and only from the Spirit of God.
I understand your concern, and I would be lying if I pretended I hadn't shared it. But upon reflection, I believe that the testimony from God comes from the Spirit and is granted to all those who earnestly seek. For some, scholarship might be a part of that seeking. But the kingdom of God must teach the fundamentals of knowing God to a wide, diverse Church that includes all kinds of Saints, including many who neither know nor care about academic scholarship. I love and miss the Nibley touch, but in the end it is a particular vantage point from which to observe and analyze gospel truths, and frankly a vantage point from which comparatively few Saints will actually see things.

Years ago, shortly into my career as a teacher, I made a decision to not tie kids' shoelaces. Why? Someone mentioned loose laces in the bathroom and I have since been permanently disgusted.
Today, one of my wigglier CTR 5-year-olds inexplicably untied his shoes to show his friend, started licking the shoelaces, and then asked me to tie them. This was all during the scripture and talk in sharing tie them.
My refusal to tie shoes came into play, especially with the licking. 
Finally, one of the presidency comes over to tie his shoes. I don't know if she noticed me refusing. I also did not inform her of the shoelace licking.
No one said anything to me or even looked at me like I failed, but I kind of feel like a heel.
Yet I stand by this kid gross shoelace boundary.
 

I accepted a job 6 years ago that the Lord led me to. It was a step down in salary, and yet one of the top 3 decisions I have made in my life.

I accepted a job 6 years ago that the Lord led me to. It was a step down in salary, and yet one of the top 3 decisions I have made in my life.

Also, this guy: 
 

The difference between a "good catch" and a "creep" is whether the woman finds him attractive.
 
Truman Madsen wrote (and said in a lecture words to the same effect):
Joseph Smith made many prophetic statements that last to our day. Some of them seemed preposterous at the time. Lillie Freeze recalls one such. "He said the time would come when none but the women of the Latter-day Saints would be willing to bear children."
It's inevitable that some of the world's ethos will leak over into the thoughts and actions of the Saints.

I had an interesting conversation with my wife about our children reaching marriageable age.
My children have tons of cousins.  Of those returned from their missions, half have found a spouse.  The rest are looking.  But the pickings are slim.
Of all the cousins, I see very attractive, smart, hard working, faithful, charismatic, fun-loving, dedicated, capable individuals that anyone would be glad to marry.  But they are seeing an interesting trend.
For the women, the few men that are a "good catch" are snapped up pretty quickly.  Most of the others are "creeps" as they put it.  Only a few are remaining. And they're... (meh).  There really aren't any in the mid-upper strata.
For the men, they see plenty of women.  But all too many of them don't want to get married. 
If even the LDS women are refusing to get married, and/or refusing to have kids, what can we do to change the population demographic?