Manners Matter

My counsel would be to search out better news sources. 

Say what you will about Trump, he does indeed have many distasteful qualities. But at the end of the day the left promotes policies that are far more destructive of the family, society and the Constitution. Some of which are flat out EVIL. I personally cannot justify voting for that.
There are no good options right now (at least not viable ones) so we just have to decide, policy wise, what matters most. If we can't have it all, what is at the top of the list? For me there are a few deal maker/breakers, including:
They must support religious freedoms.
They must not support elective abortions.
They must be supportive of parent's rights in the education of their children.
They must be supportive of policies that strengthen and promote the nuclear family.
I'm sure there are others but these immediately come to mind. There are also many that aren't deal breakers but I still really really want.
But in each of these instances Trump is far more likely than Biden (or those who pull his strings) to support these types of policies. I didn't vote for Trump the first time because of the kind of person he is but I have to admit that he acted more Conservative than any other president since Reagan and actually fulfilled some campaign promises that others only promised. 

Scary how?  Look at the last 4 years, then the 4 years before that.   It's not that scary.  They just want you to be scared.

You may not have chosen it but I know of someone who did. (Nothing lasting was coming from dating the opposite sex so they decided to date amongst their own.) I know of someone else that has seemed to always have a rebellious streak that has said they're gay but I won't be surprised if that doesn't last. 

You may not have chosen it but I know of someone who did. (Nothing lasting was coming from dating the opposite sex so they decided to date amongst their own.) I know of someone else that has seemed to always have a rebellious streak that has said they're gay but I won't be surprised if that doesn't last. 

It was April Fools Day.
A = April,  I = 1

It was April Fools Day.
A = April,  I = 1

Something occurred to me a couple years ago. Since parents should have a year's supply for every person under their roof, when the kid marries, they pass a year's supply on to the kid. If they're in a small apartment, it might take some ingenuity to store it but better to be safe than sorry.

I'm still unvaxxed and unafraid.
 
I had covid at least twice, probably several more times.   Around exposure number six or seven at work we all quit tracking how often.  I would guess I easily clear a hundred exposures that I know of while working.  Only reason I didn't go to work when I tested positive was the mandatory quarantines that outlasted my symptoms by days.  Worst symptom?  A weird headache for a day or so and one of the times for about 7-10 days I got winded easily.  That completely went away after about 2-3 weeks back at the gym. 
 
I think there was a lot of shady business going on with the whole thing.

I actually woke up crying in the middle of the night during 2020 because I was having to parent my parents who weren't handling the lockdown very well, this on top of my increased duties at work and in the community. 
My dad and I both got sick with something in the wake of the 2021 blizzard here in Texas. I fought it off within a week, but dad was down for the better part of a month. This sent my mom into hysterics to the point that when the local Comic-Con came around she made it clear that if I didn't get a vaccine then she and dad wouldn't be going with me; I can't drive long distances on my own due to some health issues, and one of my all-time favorite individuals was a guest, so I had no choice. Turns out that the vaccine I got - the Moderna vaccine - was under investigation in Scandinavia at that point for possible cardiovascular side effects, and my health has *not* been the same since I got the first two shots. Yes, my blood pressure has been spiking a bit more often, and I actually redlined the same day I got my second shot as I was also doing manual labor for my dad that day; by the time it was over I could barely walk. 
Adding insult to injury is that mom also demanded that we all wear fabric masks for Comic-Con even though she knows that I have trouble breathing in masks due to how damaged my sinuses are. Sure enough, the minute we got back to the truck and I took my mask off my nose just *exploded* in blood because the strain of breathing through my nose for several hours through a mask destroyed everything. It wasn't until mom saw that blood that she realized she'd goofed. 
For all intents and purposes I now feel that the Moderna vaccine is nothing more than poison and that had I known better (it wasn't until after all of this that US sources reported on how the Moderna vaccine was under investigation in Scandinavia) I would have pushed back harder. 

Prayers sent.
If you haven't already, you may want to get in touch with a naturopath (they look at the body as a whole) and/or someone that does biomeridian testing. Regarding the latter, I knew someone that had health issues that the doctors weren't able to figure out but biomeridian testing (painless by the way) provided answers. These are just two options but there are others. Oh - as you call around, ask if they know of other resources. You may be surprised. 
Hope things improve for you and your family soon.

A young man named Marcel is a BYU-I student from Jamaica.  During his high school years, he was an exchange student with a family in our area.  Due to Visa/immigration stuff, he really couldn't go back to Jamaica for a couple weeks.  So, he came here to Texas to spend the time with his host family.
He apparently had a heart condition that no one knew about (including himself or his family).  He's now in the hospital on life support.  His doctors say his heart is at 2% capacity.  He is so bad that he cannot be transported without dying in transit.  And they can only keep him on life support for so long.
His mother is trying to come here to be with him at his last moment.  But flight cancellations due to weather have made it difficult for her to arrange a flight from Jamaica.
There really is no hope of recovery at this point.  But I'd ask for prayers for his family.

One of our sons (teenager) has been struggling with health-related issues for the past few months and we still cannot get a proper diagnosis. It has been exhausting for him and our entire family. Honestly, I feel quite shaky emotionally and I'm not that kind of person but it has been so overwhelming and frustrating to see our own child like this and even do we are doing everything we can, we still cannot get proper answers. I'm not sleeping well and I'm not able to do my best at work either.
Having said that, I know the power of prayer, I have been fasting and praying constantly. I  know the Lord doesn't abandon us when we most need him but can I please ask you to keep my family and our son in your prayers today? I believe when we unite as brothers and sisters in prayer, anything is possible.
Thank you all in advance, I truly appreciate it.

@JohnsonJones First, I'm sorry for the situation you describe. Second, good job on being a safe avenue for her even though it's uncomfortable. Third, I applaud your granddaughter for not applying to BYU when she's not feelin it. Too many are there just to take advantage of the tuition. Fourth, you're not to blame or 'not strong enough'.
A couple thoughts:
 - sometimes people innocently stumble upon negative things on social media 
 - sometimes they search it out because they're annoyed about something and 'misery loves company' (the hope is they quit doing that sooner than later)
 - sometimes they've sinned and turn away instead of repenting (I know of a family who's oldest decided they're atheist but this was after they got pregnant)
My point is is that there might be an underlying cause and the social media was just the outlet. It's always best to get to the root of the issue and deal with that if you can.
Anyway, I just read* Sheri Dew's remarks at a devotional Nov. 2. Her audience is college kids and it may help your granddaughter.
Hope some of this is helpful and that you and your granddaughter can find your way through this.
 
*you can also listen to it here - Prophets Can See Around Corners (byuh.edu)

@JohnsonJones First, I'm sorry for the situation you describe. Second, good job on being a safe avenue for her even though it's uncomfortable. Third, I applaud your granddaughter for not applying to BYU when she's not feelin it. Too many are there just to take advantage of the tuition. Fourth, you're not to blame or 'not strong enough'.
A couple thoughts:
 - sometimes people innocently stumble upon negative things on social media 
 - sometimes they search it out because they're annoyed about something and 'misery loves company' (the hope is they quit doing that sooner than later)
 - sometimes they've sinned and turn away instead of repenting (I know of a family who's oldest decided they're atheist but this was after they got pregnant)
My point is is that there might be an underlying cause and the social media was just the outlet. It's always best to get to the root of the issue and deal with that if you can.
Anyway, I just read* Sheri Dew's remarks at a devotional Nov. 2. Her audience is college kids and it may help your granddaughter.
Hope some of this is helpful and that you and your granddaughter can find your way through this.
 
*you can also listen to it here - Prophets Can See Around Corners (byuh.edu)

@JohnsonJones First, I'm sorry for the situation you describe. Second, good job on being a safe avenue for her even though it's uncomfortable. Third, I applaud your granddaughter for not applying to BYU when she's not feelin it. Too many are there just to take advantage of the tuition. Fourth, you're not to blame or 'not strong enough'.
A couple thoughts:
 - sometimes people innocently stumble upon negative things on social media 
 - sometimes they search it out because they're annoyed about something and 'misery loves company' (the hope is they quit doing that sooner than later)
 - sometimes they've sinned and turn away instead of repenting (I know of a family who's oldest decided they're atheist but this was after they got pregnant)
My point is is that there might be an underlying cause and the social media was just the outlet. It's always best to get to the root of the issue and deal with that if you can.
Anyway, I just read* Sheri Dew's remarks at a devotional Nov. 2. Her audience is college kids and it may help your granddaughter.
Hope some of this is helpful and that you and your granddaughter can find your way through this.
 
*you can also listen to it here - Prophets Can See Around Corners (byuh.edu)

@JohnsonJones First, I'm sorry for the situation you describe. Second, good job on being a safe avenue for her even though it's uncomfortable. Third, I applaud your granddaughter for not applying to BYU when she's not feelin it. Too many are there just to take advantage of the tuition. Fourth, you're not to blame or 'not strong enough'.
A couple thoughts:
 - sometimes people innocently stumble upon negative things on social media 
 - sometimes they search it out because they're annoyed about something and 'misery loves company' (the hope is they quit doing that sooner than later)
 - sometimes they've sinned and turn away instead of repenting (I know of a family who's oldest decided they're atheist but this was after they got pregnant)
My point is is that there might be an underlying cause and the social media was just the outlet. It's always best to get to the root of the issue and deal with that if you can.
Anyway, I just read* Sheri Dew's remarks at a devotional Nov. 2. Her audience is college kids and it may help your granddaughter.
Hope some of this is helpful and that you and your granddaughter can find your way through this.
 
*you can also listen to it here - Prophets Can See Around Corners (byuh.edu)

@JohnsonJones First, I'm sorry for the situation you describe. Second, good job on being a safe avenue for her even though it's uncomfortable. Third, I applaud your granddaughter for not applying to BYU when she's not feelin it. Too many are there just to take advantage of the tuition. Fourth, you're not to blame or 'not strong enough'.
A couple thoughts:
 - sometimes people innocently stumble upon negative things on social media 
 - sometimes they search it out because they're annoyed about something and 'misery loves company' (the hope is they quit doing that sooner than later)
 - sometimes they've sinned and turn away instead of repenting (I know of a family who's oldest decided they're atheist but this was after they got pregnant)
My point is is that there might be an underlying cause and the social media was just the outlet. It's always best to get to the root of the issue and deal with that if you can.
Anyway, I just read* Sheri Dew's remarks at a devotional Nov. 2. Her audience is college kids and it may help your granddaughter.
Hope some of this is helpful and that you and your granddaughter can find your way through this.
 
*you can also listen to it here - Prophets Can See Around Corners (byuh.edu)

I took one of my grand kids out this past weekend, as grandparents do.  I suppose this one felt comfortable around me to talk to me about things they didn't talk to their own parents (one of which is one of my kids) about, and I am deeply disturbed.
Her parents have been trying to get her to apply to go to BYU, any of the BYUs.  They have met with a LOT of resistance from this child. 
My grandchild told me this weekend WHY they have been so resistant.  It was told in confidence, so with the expectation I would not tell their parents. 
It seems my grand child has lost their testimony.  They have spent a lot of time on the social media that teenagers these days spend time on and read a LOT of anti-mormon material (why is it that the anti-mormon material is so prevalent amongst the young on these platforms but the church lacks an equal type of presence?  At least that's how it seems to me).   They reiterated a LOT of the same arguments that they present (why would God not let LGBT individuals into the Celestial Kingdom if he loves them...etc). 
I tried to explain that God loves all of us.  However, the greatest rewards are for those who follow him and love him.  Those who do not love him still will be rewarded if they choose it, they just won't get all that he has to offer because they have rejected the rules that allow them to attain it.  They still will be saved in the Kingdom of heaven as long as they do not deny the Holy Ghost.
That did not appease my grandchild.  They turned very ugly for a minute there where they argued and shouted how unfair and evil such a being as our deity is.  It felt VERY dark to me. 
I love my grandchild.  It bothered me tremendously that they have listened to the detractors and feel this way about the church and even more so, about God and the gospel.  It feels as if they are turning atheistic.  I am greatly troubled and though I know they had a much harder time than I have, i can somewhat relate to how Lehi or Eli, or Alma the Elder, or other Fathers in the scriptures have felt when their children turn against the Lord. 
I have been praying, I plan on putting the grandchild's name into the temple rolls, but I am greatly bothered.  I see a lot of struggles with faith in my family these days.  It seems just a few years ago everyone was happy in the Church.  In the span of less than a decade I have had multiple difficulties in regards to my children and their children's faith appear.  I feel as if the world is in the midst of a great wave of sin and evil and even the most elect are not safe.  It seems this type of horrendous aggression can hit anyone.
I have been protected from it for so long and now, these days, it seems as if it is hitting the most elect.  This grandchild is perhaps one of the smartest and most brilliant of all my grandchildren.  I didn't show it to them, but I am devastated by how their faith has seemingly disappeared. 
I compared them to another one of my grandchildren that (at least they appear to be right now) going very strong in the gospel.  That grandchild has surrounded themselves with friends in the church, eagerly participates in church activities, and goes to the temple regularly.  They seem far happier than the grandchild I spent Saturday with. 
I wish I could send the joy of the gospel back into my grandchild's life.  I am worried.  I am worried about all my grandchildren.  We were told decades ago when I first joined the church that we were in some of the most trying times of any generation.  I think that today the world is far more perilous.  I fear for our youth. 
I pray for my grandchildren, and right now, especially this one I spent time with this weekend.  I don't feel like I am strong enough for them.  I pray, but I feel in the wave of the attacks that they get on their testimonies and morals these days, I am not even a twig in the storm.  I am simply not strong enough to save them or to help them.  I want to be, I want them to be strong in the gospel, but I keep on seeing them face these obstacles and feel powerless to help.  I can't even help myself (which is why we have the Savior), and need to pray for repentance and the Holy Ghost daily.  How can I overcome the despair I feel when I have a grandchild confide their failing testimony to me?
It bothers me and hurts.  This is a longer post because I don't know how else to express it outside of prayer (and I've done a lot of that over the past few days).  I wish I knew how to help my grandchild.  I wish I could give them an unshakeable testimony.  I told them my testimony on Saturday, but I don't think it went anywhere.  I asked them to read the Book of Mormon more and to pray more.  I don't think they will do so.  The wave of iniquity that is hitting the world so strongly has never hit so close to home.  I think this is something that is afflicting a LOT of the youth of the church, and a lot of it I feel is through the social media they now read and visit a lot on their phones. 
I wish the church could speak to our youth in the same way.  That somehow they could have an equal presence and just as strong a presence as that of the enemies of the church.  That may be just supplanting blame for my own failures though.  I am doing the best I can, but I know it's not enough, and that is where I come to the point that I don't know what else I can do.  I am simply not enough.  I am not strong enough to save them and I can't seem to guide them to have faith in the one who does (Our Lord, Jesus Christ). 
How do others cope with such failure in their lives?

This reminds me of something I did with my eldest son.  He was kind of in limbo because he didn't feel ready for a mission.  And he didn't know what he wanted to do with his life while "hanging around."
At some point, I started charging him rent at $50/month.  Every few months I'd raise the rent another $50/mo.  This wasn't meant to make him go bankrupt or make me rich, obviously.  I meant to just light a fire under him.  He slowly started realizing that his income was not going to keep up.  So, that's when he did the training for his "real job."
By the time I got to charge him about $550/mo, he finally found a profession, the folks at Whataburger were very disappointed at seeing him go to "real job."  But after a few months of hearing rave reviews from his co-workers, I realized that he was going to be fine.  The lesson had been taught.
I stopped charging him rent and explained that I just wanted to light a fire under him.  He understood.  And he was grateful.

Set things up from the get go that makes it so they don't want to stay longer than absolutely necessary. 
"Hi, welcome - here's your to do list and the rent you'll owe at week's end."

I'm less sympathetic to GoFundMe stuff now. For some people, I'm familiar with the family/circumstances and know that there are financial needs. But, for others, I'm very suspicious. One of my friends lived in a house that was easily $800K (by the size of the house and market) and due to a bad storm, her basement got flooded. She went onto GFM to ask for $10k to renovate her basement. Ummm, no, it's called suck it up and save for what you want done. I feel bad this happened to you, but I'm not going to give you money for a want. And I'm really bugged by people who start a GFM for themselves. I guess it's more honest, but in my mind it is the same as standing at the intersection with a sign asking for money.

I thought the same thing.  It was like he was saying good bye.  Then to have the choir singing Till We Meet Again...

There's also the fact that we're in a bit of a recession right now and gas prices still haven't returned to where they were. 
It may simply be *too expensive* for people to travel right now. 

Just wanted to chime in and say that I'm sorry things are challenging right now. {hugs}