havejoy

There really is only one chance to raise your children but being a SAHM doesn't guarantee successful children. I know a SAHM who raised 5 kids and tried her best to always have a clean home, good healthy food on the table, helped them with their homework and all the other things she knew to do. Her oldest child went to prison for the first time when he was only 17 years old. Her next two sons would be in prison along with their big brother a total of 8 times. The youngest two kids did okay. From where I was sitting it seemed the breakdown was in not having consistent discipline and in not making the children accept responsibility for their actions. This home also lacked religion. I know this is a radical example but my point is that having a SAHM is no guarantee at all.

Never say never. I was the only member in my family for a very long time and I was a single mom when I joined the church. My kids are now members and I feel very strongly that my parents accepted their Temple work when it was done for them. I recently had a chance to be near many members of my extended family and several of them are now interested in the Church. In time I'll see where that goes but the point is to never give up hope.

I was a working mom. I worked rotating 12.5 hour shifts and I had an hours drive each way. I hardly saw my kids on days that I worked but I spent tons of one on one time with my kids on my days off and made sure we had a good nanny for when I was away. Did the housework suffer? You bet. Did my kids suffer? Some, I'm sure but even though I spent a lot of time at work I still spent more time with and had more fun with my kids than most of my SAH friends did. I like to think I would have been a great SAHM and thrown everything I had into my kids every day....I'll never know. Am I going to let people make me feel guilty because I worked outside the home? Nope. I refuse to give other people that kind of power over me.

Wen I joined the church I didn't even have a testimony of the BOM. The only testimony I had was that I knew the priesthood was a true power I had felt. Everything else came later from studying the lessons, reading the scriptures and praying, praying and more praying.

Look in the local want ads or check Craigs list or Ebay. Buy a used one and pay someone at your local music store to tune it. Or you can check your local music store for one they might have for sale. The local music store will have a list of teachers for all kinds of instruments but if they don't have someone listed to teach the violin you could go to any high school and check out the music teachers or orchestra leader. They might teach or know of someone who does.

That's was neat.

I always say something to end the conversation. Usually it's just 'later' but with close friends and family it's 'love you, bye'.

My sister died the evening of June 23rd. When I first got to Kentucky she was terrified of dying. Over the next seven weeks we spoke of what might happen and what my beliefs are several times, mostly on a very superficial level. Any serious discussion continued to make her uncomfortable. Scarlett was pretty quiet the last two weeks but 3 days before she passed she had some ideas she wanted to talk about. The beliefs she had developed mostly on her own were essentially LDS doctrine. In the end she didn't seem to be frightened at all, she even looked forward to seeing our parents again. I'm confident she will accept her baptism and other ordinances next year. Thanks to all those who prayed for us. There were many times I felt enveloped in the arms of Our Savior.

Thanks to all who responded. I've beeen letting her take the lead in all conversations including religious topics. It doesn't seem right to me to try and force feed religion to anyone at anytime. I think I was starting to cave in to pressure from a lot of baptist relitives who are afraid she'll soon be swimming in that 'eternal lake or fire'. We still don't know the type of cancer but we're supposed to find out this Thursday. So far they have been keeping her comfortable with morphine and holding out a tiny bit of hope depending upon where the cancer started. Thursday is a big day so if you would, please keep us in your prayers. Her name is Scarlett. Thanks.

I haven't been on line much lately because I'm in Kentucky with my sister who has ben diagnosed with cancer. She is not a mamber of any religion and is pretty averse to talking about religion at all. Her cancer has spread all over and they think it's inoperable at this time. By next week we'll know more about the type and treatment, if any, she'll have available to her. In the meantime I would love to talk to anyone who has been in this position. how do I bring up the church, what do I say, should I just wait it out and do the Temple work later? Prayers would be helpful too. Thanks It may be a week before I'm back on line so please have patience.

I wasn't supposed to be able to have children due to damaged fallopian tubes but I have a son and then nearly 3 years later twins. You just never know. BTW, my twins just turned 30 this past Tuesday.

Is it an African or a European bear?

What do you call a dog with no legs? Doesn't matter, he's not going to come.

How can you tell that an elephant has been in your cupboards? Footprints in the peanut butter.

The talk by President Uchtorf was my favorite. I really enjoyed the story he opened with about the statue of Christ that was broken and then repaired....all but the hands.

2nd Nephi 2:25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.

I'm one of those who was a long term investigator. I attended Sacrament and other meetings for over 3 years before I finally took the plunge. I got a little good natured teasing but that was all.

Yes. and it's seriously good!

I think you have the Utah Mormons mixed up with the Texas Mormons.

We had the same kind of situation too. The Bishop asked and the sisters complied. No problem.

In the Houston Temple we were asked not to do baptisms if we were on our period. They said we could do confirmations only.

Ward Missionary and Meetinghouse Librarian. So yeah, I'm skating.

I pushed the laugh button on this joke only because there was not an 'ouch' button.

I think we sometimes block God's work by stepping in too soon and doing too much for some people. There is a fine line between giving someone a hand out instead of a hand up. Situations like these kept me on my knees or in the Temple a lot when I was RS pres. It's so hard to know where that line is and I had a tendency to do too much for people and it hurt them spiritually. Haven't you ever had a challenge that you thought was too hard and then you were able to make it through? The feeling is amazing and I don't want prevent someone from having that opportunity. I would never let someone go hungry though.

Thank you, this is what I meant. Personally, I take dinner to or give someone a ride somewhere nearly every week. I'm not against helping people. There's a story about a baby chick that my Bishop told me. He said that if you help a baby chick get out of its egg it will die. If you let it work its way out by itself it will be strong enough to live. The was the lesson he and I both had to learn while I was RS pres.