dprh

I have had impressions to draw attention that we are perhaps living in the greatest time of miracles.  I thought about starting a new thread.  A few weeks ago I was involved in a serious cycling accident.  I was ridding a decent (which means I was going fast - in this case faster than the speed limit).  The road took a hard right turn.  I have ridden this route at least a hundred time but this time there was sand and gravel in the road (where there have never been before).  Some pictures:
 

 

 
 
 
I was knocked unconscious.  Had x-rays but no broken bones (leg and hip were worse but do not have a picture).  I received a blessing and two weeks later there were no bandages - no more bleeding or infections.  I had no pain meds nor pain.  The only pain I experienced was cleaning at the hospital and showers (I had to change dressings and bandages every 24 hours).  I had lost all skin on part of my arm and leg.  After 2 weeks; I have no scabs - just new scars.   The scars are quite cool and look like I was attacked by a tiger or something.  I believe my recovery was a miracle. 
During this time we had some flood damage at one of our rental units.  I was able to do most of the cleanup (which involved 3 truck loads to the dump) using just one arm.  I was given promptings  how to get things done.  I do not like to talk about personal things but in this case I think I need to in order to make a point about miracles.   
I also had my last mission companion call - his call led to many things including taking a trip to my last area (over 50 years ago).  All the individuals I baptized had moved but I did encounter some members that remembered me.  This area was the most difficult area of my mission and had lots of problems - I never felt I had done enough.  As it turns out I was never intended to solve the problems but it was intended that many contribute.  Another great miracle and revelation.  There are now 20+ missionaries working my old area. 
I have pondered what to post - there are so many miracles and blessings.  And so I believe that I should speak to this great age of miracles and blessings.  And that as the Latter-days come to a conclusion - that we have faith that we are living in a day and age of so great miracles and blessings that our time was told of and prophesied of.  All we need is the faith to realize and see.
 
The Traveler

Assuming it’s a normal situation and you have access to everyone on your ward and all your friends, when seeking a priesthood blessing should you seek out a person you trust, someone who has stewardship (father, ministering brothers, or priesthood leader), or does it not matter, any priesthood holding joe-schmoe will do?

[sarcasm]
There is nothing to show that drinking water is the cure for covid...except the MILLIONS who have caught it and gotten over it after drinking water.
Amazingly, Hospitals will give patients water, but WON'T prescribe it for Covid-19!
We have literally millions who recovered from Covid-19 after drinking Water...I wonder why they don't promote it as a cure...
There was the case of the guy drinking it from a Pig Trough who died, but he died of Ring worm...NOT covid!
Even if you have to drink the water from Animal troughs it seems to be the best cure for Covid-19!
[/sarcasm]
Maybe it helps, maybe it does not.  From what I've seen most medical studies that have been peer reviewed have not yet shown that it actually helps or not...though I HAVE heard it makes people who overtake it have rope worms come out of their digestive tract.  (actually, their intestinal linings).
I'd say, don't do anything without medical personnel involved...if the prescribe the human version of Ivermectin and you feel it helps...good, but if they don't...don't go to the animal store and buy the version for the Cow to take it yourself.

So, did the kid get hurt, hide it from everyone, and sneak home before anyone found out? 
A story I'm told by the parents of a drama-queen-always-loud-about-every-little-inconvenience daughter.   One time she blew up her mom's phone begging to be picked up early because she was sick and dying and dying and sick.  Mom went to pick her up early.  Turns out she moved heaven and earth to not let anyone in school know what was going on.  Told the teacher she needed to leave and her mom was coming, sat on the steps, actually threw up on herself, snuck around and hid from everyone in the school, until mom appeared, then she made a mad dash for the car and demanded to be driven away quickly.
Has she actually approached any of the leaders about this to figure out what happened?  Lawsuits are what should happen when people are given the opportunity to do what they're legally required to, and refuse.  People get to be fallen humans, who struggle against their own imperfect nature.  Complacency is a normal thing.  But folks have to be given the chance to get their act together and do the right thing, before lawyers get involved.
I'm guessing the most-likely explanation, is kid got hurt on accident, it's not really anyone's fault, and there is no legal recourse.   The leaders involved either will or won't stand up and do the right thing of expressing the range of emotions and outrage that your mamma bear daughter needs to have to feel ok about the whole thing.   That's my guess.
But no, for absolute heaven's sake, if someone at that activity was criminally negligent in some way, DO NOT PROTECT THE PERPETRATOR OF A CRIME.  Do not sacrifice your grandchild at the altar of the false god of "if people knew, they might think worse about the church" or some other luceferian nonsense.  That's not "glue holding family to the church", that's evil calling itself good.   Don't be that guy, JJ.  The church just finished paying $250 million dollars into the Boy Scout sexual abuse claim fund, because so many people used to think that way. 

I went to see Shang Chi last night and there was a preview for Dear Evan Hanson. I haven't seen the play, but I do enjoy the soundtrack. I'm looking forward to the movie.

This is my take. The bishop (nor any leader) doesn't dictate how personal or general a talk should be. The leader only dictates the topic, and seeks to ensure correct doctrine is given over the pulpit.
Follow the Spirit dear brother! Allow the Lord to inspire you with what you feel is necessary, and what you feel is not necessary (or to personal). This is one thing I have come to know through the Spirit and talks. If you sense any confusion (as God isn't an author of confusion) cut it out of the talk.
When speaking if something comes to your heart and mind that is too personal. Cast it out. If it is important the Lord will bring it back to your remembrance again, and if you don't feel any confusion (maybe some anxiety but no confusion) share it. My personal rule of thumb: 1) Cast out first impression if personal. 2) Cast out second impression if too personal. 3) Pray in my and heart, "Father a personal experience has come to my impression twice. I'm not yet confident it is from you. If it is, bring it back to my remembrance, and I will share it with confidence." 4) Impression comes I share it with confidence.
I have been surprised at how many times I have had this happen and the thought never enters my heart and mind again, and when I am about to sit in my seat the impression returns. I sometimes think, "Oh I forgot that!" And then I remember my silent prayer, and it becomes a thank you to the Lord.
I'm sure you will do well.

I just received a text from a bishopric member asking if I can speak in two weeks on the topic of the Atonement and Repentance.  He also mentioned the other person speaking.  She's someone I know has also been re-baptized.  (in case anyone isn't familiar with my past I was excommunicated in 2019, and baptized again in 2020).  Speaking in sacrament has never been a very scary thing for me in the past.  I'd get a little nervous, but no real issues.  But thinking about this topic now, I'm near a panic attack thinking about being vulnerable enough to share anything from the last 3 years with the entire ward.  I know I don't have to, that I can go at it from an analytical, doctrinal view, but I get the feeling that I'm supposed to, or need to, take a personal approach.  It's really got my spinning.  I haven't even responded to him yet. Any advice, thoughts, references, examples I could share, etc. would be greatly appreciated. 

I'm feeling much better this morning about it.  I talked with my wife and my sponsor about it.  I also have a meeting already scheduled with the bishop this week, so I'll get his input as well.  Thank you all for letting me vent a little  .  I'm still open for more suggestions, also.

I'm feeling much better this morning about it.  I talked with my wife and my sponsor about it.  I also have a meeting already scheduled with the bishop this week, so I'll get his input as well.  Thank you all for letting me vent a little  .  I'm still open for more suggestions, also.

I struggled through all sorts of panic and fear around giving talks in my '20's.  The first time I was asked to speak in sacrament, I ran my talk past my wife.  She said "this isn't a good place to beat yourself up like that."   I rewrote the whole thing and it went much better. 
I was thinking if I didn't say all that stuff, I wasn't being honest in my talk.   The key learning was: "It's a talk, not an opportunity to clear the air and repent.  You're here to bless them, not you."
So tell 'em what you think they would be blessed to hear.   If that means sharing a personal anecdote or two, then fine.  But it's not required.

Several days ago my company paid out a profit share into a retirement account for me.  I hope good things are happening to all of you out there.

I'm feeling much better this morning about it.  I talked with my wife and my sponsor about it.  I also have a meeting already scheduled with the bishop this week, so I'll get his input as well.  Thank you all for letting me vent a little  .  I'm still open for more suggestions, also.

I just received a text from a bishopric member asking if I can speak in two weeks on the topic of the Atonement and Repentance.  He also mentioned the other person speaking.  She's someone I know has also been re-baptized.  (in case anyone isn't familiar with my past I was excommunicated in 2019, and baptized again in 2020).  Speaking in sacrament has never been a very scary thing for me in the past.  I'd get a little nervous, but no real issues.  But thinking about this topic now, I'm near a panic attack thinking about being vulnerable enough to share anything from the last 3 years with the entire ward.  I know I don't have to, that I can go at it from an analytical, doctrinal view, but I get the feeling that I'm supposed to, or need to, take a personal approach.  It's really got my spinning.  I haven't even responded to him yet. Any advice, thoughts, references, examples I could share, etc. would be greatly appreciated. 

So, I've been kind of wondering how Steven Spielberg planned on improving West Side Story. In some ways, the original movie is put together very well. There's some obvious flaws, and I think fixing those is likely...but in some ways I wondered if it would just be "different" instead of better. But one way this trailer indicates he may have improved on it is in the "movie score" part of the movie. Like backing the dialogue scenes with big orchestral emotional stuff like in the trailer. That could really up the ante with the emotional punch.
I also think the original missed the boat on the ending with the acting (or director's direction on acting) choices, and that will probably be more punchy too. And I expect the rumble to be more intense. And I know that Steven Spielberg will improve the overall cinematography and lighting and what have you, which in the original was hit and miss...sometimes great, and sometimes terrible (like the monochromatic lighting during the song Maria which just looks terrible.)
Either way, I expect this to be a shining example of how to do musical films now-a-days correctly. I hope that's true, that it's a hit making tons of money, and it inspires other great musical movies to be made.
 

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2778234

I personally don't even think that is relevant to the topic. We each have our own way of sinning and the consequences of those sins vary. But repentance is essentially the same for all of us and that is where you will connect with the audience. Even the smallest sin will keep a person out heaven and to that extent we are all on the same level.

Maybe just pick up from your point of rebaptism -- how you apply the Atonement of Christ and the principle of repentance today.

Although it’s been referenced in the handbooks and in General Conference talks I find that many Saints don’t know a lot about disciplinary councils. As a teenager I knew what was in the scriptures, and for a standards night the wife of one of the high councilors shared with us about her husband’s change of demeanor when he sits in such a council; but it was decades later before I asked a high councilor directly about his experience and he shared with me that the first meeting is not supposed to be the last. That part of the intent is to have a plan in place for the member to come back into full fellowship. It was a tremendous witness to me of how such discipline can be done with the sort of love shown by the father of the prodigal son: the son may be reluctant to come home and face him in his shame and humiliation but the father embraces him before he has a chance to apologize. 
 
if you have had similar experiences, you don’t need to discuss your days as a swineherder but you can certainly testify to the incompleteness of a single meeting and the love of God shown by His servants. And you can share how that love is expressed in your own life as you’ve embraced the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

That's a good point.  I am not contemplating going into any detail of my sins.  I'm worried more about saying or referencing excommunication or rebaptism. 

I guess that any talk is a balance between what you have been asked to do, your interests, knowledge and experience, what the congregation wants or needs to hear, and what you find in the various source materials you examine during your preparations. It may be that the whoever assigned you the talk thought that your approach and preparations, and not necessarily your content and delivery could be informed to some extent by your recent experiences. 

As a general rule confession of sin over the pulpit is frowned upon and isn't generally necessary to get the point across. I've heard people simply say "I was in a dark place in my life" or "I was at the lowest point in my life" or something similar to set the stage and then moved into the real message of how the atonement changed that. Repentance is really a message of joy and peace and like @Traveler said that should be the tone of the overall message. 

Id call the bishop directly, if he has been with you through the process he will likely have recommendations or inspiration as to the tone of the talk.
Don’t waste any time worrying about his expectations.  Ask him.

If you make personal references - I believe that such should be uplifting, encouraging and centered in Christ (not so much personal beyond what is necessary for helping others).
 
The Traveler

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2778234