dprh

I am really bad at expressing my thoughts in coherent sentences.  It's a terrible weakness when participating in forums.
What I was trying to do was make a comparison of leaving weapons at home during church services can be viewed similarly to the ANL's covenant.  I'm not calling for all members to bury their guns.  Just that by following the prophets counsel, we can be blessed.

Sorry you're faced with this. My thoughts in no particular order:
- the odds are slim
- obedience brings blessings (study scriptures, talks that reiterate this)
- get a copy of "The Cokeville Miracle" and watch it
- if Samuel the Lamanite can be protected from arrows aimed right at him, your family can be protected, too
- read Holland's talk about angels (Oct 08 conference)
- "let your faith be bigger than your fear" (post this in your home)
- maybe this is just another way leaders are asking the members to increase their faith
- for all we know, leaders will quietly ask certain (trained) individuals to carry but this is a more organized approach of handling things in these last days
- if a person's mission in life isn't done yet, you'll be spared
- if something does happen and your family is affected, there's important work being done on the other side of the veil
- stop watching/reading the news (having faith and peace is easier this way)
- if the above doesn't help, I'd rather ignore policy than commandments (take sacrament regularly)
{hugs}

In the Book of Mormon Captain Moroni Rebukes the people for thinking they can do "Nothing" and that God would just save them...
Other places in the scripture we are told that God will fight our battles and protect us if we are faithful.
It is a mistake to think those are contradictory statements rather then complementary ones.   The trick is learning how to balance the two ideas... And that balance can be different for different people.... it can even be different for the same people at different times

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2002/04/the-gospel-in-our-lives?lang=eng
I just finished listening to this talk.  It is often true that you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone.  Since I've been excommunicated, I've begun to realize all the things I took for granted as a member.  I wait with anticipation until I can take the sacrament, pay tithing, serve in a calling, even say prayers in church.  If you are able, please participate and enjoy these blessings.

Well, the options are limited.  Personally, I have a lockbox in my truck.  Sure, that won't stop a determined thief who happens to find it and has bolt cutters on him, but I do what I can.

Bringing a firearm to church is not new.  J. Golden Kimball loved his firearms but he did not bring them to church.  Once speaking on the subject he said something along the line - "it has come to my attention that some of you are bringing guns to church in your back pockets - you shouldn't ought to do that.  Why it might accidentally go off and you would blow your brains out."
In the "Lectures on Faith" we are told that the citizens of Enoch were feared in the land and that no army would come upon them.  I envision a citizen of Enoch out plowing their field when a great army would come upon them - that they could call down fire from heaven or move a mountain to where the army stood if necessary to protect Zion.  And that was just one citizen.  We should all have faith to follow the brethren in this matter - and if it so be that we should die (as per the song, "Come Come ye Saints") - All is well, all is well.  In scripture we are promised that if we have faith and believe - all things will turn out for our good.
I am of the mind that in the last days the there will be great chaos in that neighbor will rise up against neighbor - but there will be peace in Zion.  My trust is in Zion.
 
The Traveler
 

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2002/04/the-gospel-in-our-lives?lang=eng
I just finished listening to this talk.  It is often true that you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone.  Since I've been excommunicated, I've begun to realize all the things I took for granted as a member.  I wait with anticipation until I can take the sacrament, pay tithing, serve in a calling, even say prayers in church.  If you are able, please participate and enjoy these blessings.

I wish I knew @mirkwood well enough to give him a friendly jab about how often he's asked to leave  

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2002/04/the-gospel-in-our-lives?lang=eng
I just finished listening to this talk.  It is often true that you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone.  Since I've been excommunicated, I've begun to realize all the things I took for granted as a member.  I wait with anticipation until I can take the sacrament, pay tithing, serve in a calling, even say prayers in church.  If you are able, please participate and enjoy these blessings.

I wish I knew @mirkwood well enough to give him a friendly jab about how often he's asked to leave  

There are some things that are not appropriate to discuss outside of the temple, and many of these questions, at least to my frame of mind, fill that condition.
That said, one of the greatest commandments that the Lord gave to Moses that is most commonly ignored, even among the Members is that regarding coveting.  We are NOT to covet.
Why do I bring this up.
Sometimes questions relate to certain things and items that show that we covet what we do not have.
A prime example would be the Bishop of the Ward. 
Now, I know personally that times a Bishop really doesn't want to be seen as an example.  The Bishop would actually really rather be doing something else.  The Bishop really doesn't want to have some of the responsibilities laid upon them when asked.
However, there are others that ask questions of the nature of...
Why is the Bishop MY judge?  Shouldn't that simply be the Lord?
Why is the Bishop the one that give me worthiness interviews?  Shouldn't that simply be between me and the Lord?
Why was he called to be the Bishop?  He's not even that righteous!  I stand a better chance of going to heaven than he does!  So why is he the Bishop?
Speaking of the Bishop...he has the Priesthood!  Why is it that only MEN get the Priesthood at this time?
Some may ask, how is asking the questions above coveting?
It is coveting what someone else is or has.  It is seeking to have something that currently is held or done by someone else. 
Now, I'm sure some Bishop somewhere probably asks...why do I have to report to the Stake President and have monthly interviews with him?  You'd think by now I'd know what I'm doing and don't need regular checking up on!  Why is he Stake President and not I?
That is also coveting to degree, though most Bishops I think are more of the idea of...Why me?
When we covet, we only bring unhappiness to ourselves.  We are asking the wrong questions. Rather than ask things like this, a better question probably would be...
In humility, what would the Lord have me do?
How can I best be like what the Lord would want me to be?
How can I be the best person that shows the Lord's spirit through me?
There are some things in this life that we may not understand.  We may have to wait until the eternities to understand them.  We know that our Modern Moralities are NOT the Lord's Moralities, and what the West considers good, many times is what the Lord considers evil, and what the Lord considers good, the West considers evil.  In some of these things, we may not come to an understanding of in this life.
Rather the covet what we perceive as things others have (and ironically, though some may hold it as something that is to be coveted when they have it, I find that those who are righteous in many times feel it is more a responsibility rather than an authority), understand that each of us is a child of our Father.  He wants us to be happy.  Remember that when asked about his Greatest apostles and which would stand at his right hand...he did not say any of them.  It is possible that the least of us will be the greatest, and the greatest the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. 
With that said, though for one who is seriously aggrieved by the Temple and cannot let go of coveting, it will NOT BE A SATISFACTORY answer, I will say, be happy with what you have.  Those who have been baptized into the Church compose less than .2% of the World's population.  Those who have gotten their Temple promises are less than .1% of the population.
One who has received the ordinances of the temple has been blessed in this life more than 99.9% of the entire world as far as heavenly gifts go.  Instead of coveting and asking what others seem to have (and many times we paint a pretty picture of what we think, rather than what is reality), ask...
Why did I get so blessed to be part of that .1% rather than the other 99.9% of the world.  What did I do to deserve these blessings that place me above so many others, especially those who may seem to be even more righteous and dedicated to the Lord than I?  What can I do to show my appreciation for this and what can I do to show that I truly deserve these blessings?

I wouldn't feel comfortable answering this question publicly, but I'm equally interested in the response.

I jab him now and then and don't know him at all.  He had the opportunity to arrest me last year and didn't take it.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2002/04/the-gospel-in-our-lives?lang=eng
I just finished listening to this talk.  It is often true that you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone.  Since I've been excommunicated, I've begun to realize all the things I took for granted as a member.  I wait with anticipation until I can take the sacrament, pay tithing, serve in a calling, even say prayers in church.  If you are able, please participate and enjoy these blessings.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2002/04/the-gospel-in-our-lives?lang=eng
I just finished listening to this talk.  It is often true that you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone.  Since I've been excommunicated, I've begun to realize all the things I took for granted as a member.  I wait with anticipation until I can take the sacrament, pay tithing, serve in a calling, even say prayers in church.  If you are able, please participate and enjoy these blessings.

I wish I knew @mirkwood well enough to give him a friendly jab about how often he's asked to leave  

I am really bad at expressing my thoughts in coherent sentences.  It's a terrible weakness when participating in forums.
What I was trying to do was make a comparison of leaving weapons at home during church services can be viewed similarly to the ANL's covenant.  I'm not calling for all members to bury their guns.  Just that by following the prophets counsel, we can be blessed.

I do believe in fairies! I do, I do!!!

Just had a flashback of clapping to help wake up Tinkerbell.

Thanks!  Here's a few of the things I get from applying those verses to this thread.
1. If wearing pants causing others to fall, we should avoid it.
2. If something non-gospel related impacts my testimony, I should strengthen my testimony.
3. I wonder how tasty idol-food it.
 
 

I did not want to post this in the doctrine section because we are not dealing with church doctrine.  I have long been interested in ancient theology.  Both in regards to our religion as well as how history reflects on religion.  On a recent flight I watched the Avengers End Game movie.  The good news it that it too the whole flight to watch it.  The bad news is that I used the whole flight to watch it.
The reason I am writing this post is because of the amazing similarities of the epoch of Baal to this movie “End Game”.  Part of the worship of Baal was paying to be entertained by a theatrical depiction of the Epoch of Baal.  In the epoch of Baal – Baal is the good guy.  Baal by birth is mortal (almost).  His mother is a human woman (of great beauty).   His father is El the king of all G-ds.  Baal is given super powers by his Father.  In the epoch there is a great struggle and all out war between good and evil.  On the side of evil are the two pagan G-ds Mot and Yamen.   Together they are more powerful than El.  Mot is the G-d of the underworld (the dead) and Yamen is the G-d of water and all that is covered by water.
The short story of the epoch is that Baal unites all the good warriors – including all with super powers as well as humans that have distinguished themselves in battle.  Mot and Yamen unite all those that support evil and darkness (also including some very evil men).  And then of course there is a great battle as the two armies clash.  In this battle the good guys loose and are killed.  But a secret plan is hatched to bring everybody back to life (including Baal) and history is changed from the good guys loosing to winning. 
Part of the worship of Baal is to appreciate and glamorize Baal and those that fight with great violence.  Thus by rooting for Baal observers of the epoch give his strength to win.  I wonder if the epoch story of Christ would be as popular?  Even among the Latter-day Saints.
 
The Traveler

My reasons for feeling worthless are different, but premise behind this article resonates with me.  Thank you!

And isn’t it true, Mr. DPRH, that your church is led by a crazed psychopath who uses power saws and crank-screws to remove people’s still-beating hearts from their bodies?
Well, isn’t it?
Huh?
Huh?

I have such a weak stomach.....just reading about this stuff makes me queasy.
Great article though.  He's an amazing man. 

Thanks!  Here's a few of the things I get from applying those verses to this thread.
1. If wearing pants causing others to fall, we should avoid it.
2. If something non-gospel related impacts my testimony, I should strengthen my testimony.
3. I wonder how tasty idol-food it.