Still_Small_Voice

I have been praying for Kavanaugh's appointment to the Supreme Court.  It will be good to have Justices on the court that actually believe in the Bill of Rights and United States Constitution.

Dear Nike,
I want to have a conversation about this hat. It's over 13 years old. I don't remember when I bought it exactly, I don't remember where I bought it. But what I do remember is why I wore it.
On August 10, 2005, I was a newlywed with two young sons. My husband Tim and I had toasted our one month anniversary the night before, and I was enjoying a rare evening to myself, catching up on reading and relishing the quiet. Until there was a knock on my door. I had no way of knowing that the small act of turning a knob was about to shatter my life into a million pieces. I sat numb and in sheer disbelief as I was told that my husband, while in a foot pursuit and subsequent struggle with a suspect that ended up in the road, had been struck and killed by an oncoming vehicle. He took his last breath lying in the middle of the street. What I lost in that moment is indescribable. I had to watch his mother be dealt the most agonizing blow a parent can face, and I couldn't comfort her because I was in my own hell. I had to find a way to gut my own children in the gentlest way possible, and tell them that this man they had come to love, who they looked up to, who cared for them as his own, would never walk through our door again.
I don't know if you've ever attended a police funeral, but watching grown men who've seen the absolute worst things a civilian can imagine, break down and sob over the casket of their brother is an image that never leaves you. The bagpipes haunt my dreams to this day, but it was the faces of my children, the innocence that abandoned them at such a tender age that brought me to my knees.
I had no choice but to move on. We trudged zombie-like through our days for weeks and weeks on end. I never left the house except to drive the boys to school, or buy food we barely touched. I realized that I had to do something. I had to move my body or I was going to crawl out of my own skin. So I put on the only cap I had and I went for a run. It was short, it hurt and it was ugly. But I felt, just for those few moments on that road, like a normal person. So I kept doing it. I put that hat on and I ran every day. Sometimes I had to stop and sit down because I was sobbing so hard. Sometimes I was so angry I ran until I thought I my heart would stop, sometimes I would just scream over and over again, but it still felt better than doing nothing.
That black cap became a symbol to me, it is sweat stained and it's shape is gone, the buckle in the back barely closes; but that hat represents my family's rise from the ashes. It stands for the strength and the sacrifice we made loving a man who had a job that we all knew could end his life, every time he walked out that door. And it did. And I accept that.
I still wear this hat, I wore it on my run this morning.
And then I heard about your new ad campaign.
Colin Kapernick has the absolute right to protest anything he damn well pleases. I don't dispute that for one second. My father, my husband and many, many friends have all served this country and were willing to fight for his right to kneel.
But that right goes both ways. I also have a right to express my disgust at your decision to portray him as some kind of hero. What, exactly has Colin Kapernick sacrificed? His multi million dollar paycheck...? Nope, you already gave him one of those. His reputation? No, he's been fawned over by celebrities and media alike. Funny, Tim Tebow was never called courageous when he knelt.
This man, whose contempt for law enforcement fits him like a...sock, has promoted an agenda that has been proven false time and time again, in study after study. But facts don't seem to matter anymore. This man has thrown his support behind divisive anti-police groups, and donated money directly to a fugitive from justice who escaped prison after killing a police officer. I question the judgement of anyone who would put someone this controversial and divisive at the head of an advertising campaign, but it isn't my company to run.
I don't know if I'll have he heart to ever get rid of this cap, but I will tell you this, I'll never purchase another Nike product as long as I live. You got this one wrong Nike, terribly, terribly wrong.
Sherry Graham-Potter, surviving spouse of Deputy Tim Graham
 
 

I can't believe people drink soda.  

Resolved; I have an appointment to meet with the Bishop on Sunday and I was able to explain the need for abstinence to my girlfriend and she very lovingly agreed to be able to live up to that with me. Once she settles down a little here in a month from all her travels (and I'm less spiritually hypocritical) I hope to be able to share the gospel in it's entirety with her. Thank you for all your support, and pray for the best outcomes in her accepting the gospel please. I love this gospel, and know this is going to be difficult, but it'll be worth it.
 

Promises made in the Temple are more than just promises - he covenanted with the Lord. in other words, he made a contract with the Lord. covenant. Literally, a contract. In the Bible (see also Bible), an agreement between God and his people, in which God makes promises to his people and, usually, requires certain conduct from them. In the Old Testament, God made agreements with Noah, Abraham, and Moses.
He broke that contract. If he is sincere in coming Clean to the Lord, he needs to confess to the Bishop and follow what he says to do on his road to repentance.

@AnonBYUstudent  
Respectfully said (since you can't hear my voice)
You clearly realize you've done messed up. You promised before God, Angels and witnesses that you would not have sexual relations with anyone outside the legal bonds of marriage... and you broke that promise. You found a beautiful woman who you say is very righteous considering her not being a member of the church. Then instead of helping draw closer to God you took her without the blessing of Heavenly Father. You went against the teachings you taught to your investigators for 24 months. Now you are "terrified" about losing your ecclesiastical endorsement because you broke the BYU Honor Code? (on top of it all)
Chico, just go to your bishop. Time to 'fess up and own your unauthorized romp in the hay. If you lose your Bishop's endorsement then you have a story for your kids to help them to make wiser decisions. If the Lord grants you mercy then make the proper changes (I hope this happens)
Either way I send you my best wishes and a speedy spiritual recovery. 
 

Who cares if the world will fall - The Holy Spirit will not enter an unclean *temple*, and our bodies are temples.
From: https://www.lds.org/church/news/sister-oscarson-help-young-women-learn-to-be-led-by-the-spirit?lang=eng 
To the OP, I take it you and your husband are endowed, have been sealed in the temple. Do you take your baptismal covenants and temple covenants to heart? How about all of your reading The Family Family: A Proclamation to the WORLD  https://www.lds.org/topics/family-proclamation?lang=eng&old=true
 and For The Strength of the Youth:  https://www.lds.org/youth/for-the-strength-of-youth?lang=eng
End of Lecture

Thank you, everyone for the wonderful replies! Not trying to sound needy or anything, but I often struggle with loneliness and depression as well. It's nice to know that my struggles ade understood and somewhat appreciated, even if from a distance. If you can, please keep me in your prayers as I navigate this. I just had a talk with the missionaries today. I'm actually venturing into Sacrament Meeting tomorrow. 

@OhThatMatty So pleased to have you back! We love you! Celibacy is hard. Being single is tough. When you are single it is like driving a crappy car, you feel every bump in the road. But there are things worse than being single,  like being trapped in a loveless marriage, being married to an irresponsible or spiteful person. Buck up, go to activities and make friends. So glad to have you back! ❤️ 

That's me, only my wife isn't a member.  She's an active participant, though.  

In my ward people don't care if you're married or single.  They just care that you're trying to be more like the Christ.  We all have "crosses to bear".  We all sin.  

It certainly won't be easy for you, but there isn't much in this life that IS easy.  I don't see how we can ever go wrong if we are trying our best to follow Heavenly Father, providing we are sincere in our attempt.   In my opinion, those who think "I'll just sin now and hope Heavenly Father sorts it out beyond the veil" are going to be judged more harshly than those that gave constant, sincere efforts to endure to the end.  Just my opinion.

@SquoogieWhat kind of kissing are we talking about? Tongues? Peck on cheek? Last longer than 30 seconds? Passionate kissing is mentioned in Strength of Youth as a no-no.

The desire for money to do good things with it is not a bad thing in my opinion as long as the money is obtained through honest work or means.
In Jacob chapter 2 verses 18 to 19 it reads:  "But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God.  And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted."
I think this Reign of Judges, Title of Liberty movie can be used as a tool to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Pray about it and get your own revelation on the subject.

I thought the 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act which created the Food Drug Administration was supposed to help and not hinder.  Just shows you how when we drift further from the Constitution and limitation of powers how more problems are created.

Heh.  We homeschooled our kids, and for years took them to an educational co-op run by our local mega church.  Nice people, loved the heck out of my wife.  Here's how it went:
Random friendly parent: "You're so smart and funny and great with the kids, you should totally teach next semester!"
Wife: "Yeah, that's not gonna happen."
RFP: "How come?"
Wife: "We're Mormon."
RFP: "Oh.  Well, we love you anyway!"
Lather, rinse, repeat.  It was pretty much never personal.  At the end of the day, if you were going to teach, you had to sign a statement of faith, which said you believed in the doctrine of the trinity.  Totally appropriate condition for a mainstream Christian church to require teachers of children to believe such.  We were totally ok with trinitarians teaching our kids music, history, art, hula dancing, basic keyboarding, math, and a hundred other classes.  Totally knocked us out of the running for a teaching gig.
They offered early access to class sign up based on volunteer hours, so I was a hall monitor.  Didn't have to sign any statement of faith.

The short film for Reign of Judges, The Title of Liberty is for sale for $8 to $10 now.  I bought it and would encourage you to do so as well to support this movie.  If you buy the short film they are hoping to raise one million dollars to begin production on the full film.  Darin Southam was offered full funding to make this movie and turned it down because he would have had to turn over creative rights for the movie to those offering him the money.  He wanted it to be as authentic to the Book of Mormon as possible. 
If you purchase the movie you will not receive the download until after August 18th 2018.  Go to this link if you are interested in supporting this worthy cause or if you just want more information:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/darinsoutham/own-reign-of-judges-title-of-liberty-on-blu-ray-dv?ref=project_link

Here is another update.  I have ground up over one hundred pounds of wheat now into flour by my estimate.  I have probably given away over sixty pounds of wheat flour to people in my ward.  Recently I gave one hundred-fifty pounds of wheat to my neighbor.   The estimate on how much wheat I had was low.  Likely I have over two thousand pounds of wheat remaining.  It has become a fun side hobby of mine now to grind wheat.
Another person I was also talking to in my ward said she would take five pounds of wheat flour.  If you live in northern Utah and are interested in wheat or whole wheat flour send me a personal message.

I have about 700 pounds of wheat in my food storage. It is close to ten years old. There is no way my family will consume this food in the next fifteen years. I wish to sell it for a modest price, exchange it for other food storage or give it away slowly to charitable organizations. I have a wheat grinder and can grind the wheat to flour for others. Any ideas on how I can use this commodity to bless others who are less fortunate and will use it?
 
I see too many Latter-Day Saints acquire food storage and then wastefully throw it out after it goes bad. This is sad to me and I do not wish to do this.

I love these movements! What would we discuss on these forums if they weren’t around x)

But, what will your daughter have for a dowry?
Phew!

Because many proponents of socialized healthcare try to appeal to the Christian value of charity to peddle the idea that government healthcare is moral.

We are seeing the fruits of Satan manifest.  With socialized medicine:
Your tax dollars help fund abortion, contraceptives, sex reassignment, euthanasia
Healthcare is rationed, so euthanasia becomes common
Kids like Charlie Gard die, even though doctors in other countries are willing to help, because government will not have its power undermined.
I included only real life examples.  There are other dangers as well but I trust my point is made.

You quoted me too... and I also did not mean that only the rich should get it... but the simple fact is people have always had to pay for a doctor to come visit.  If you couldn't then you needed charity from some where.  Even if the doctors fee was small.
The problem is how expensive medical care has gotten, it has risen at a rate highly out of sync with wages or other expenses.  There are many reasons for this but the biggest is that the medical industry is isolated from the forces of Free Market (by several things).
If you want the government to do something... don't ask it to become a middle man  in your health care because the government can do nothing cheaply... instead have it break down the isolation and monopolistic type forces that allow the industry to be immune to the forces that affect every other businesses.

But it doesn't back up your argument.  It's irrelevant.
I became a Libertarian because the Libertarian philosophy matches my own beliefs on Government noninterference and individual liberty.  I don't alwats vote Libertarian and I don't always support the Libertarian platform. 
Surprise!  Not everybody outsources their thinking to a political party.
And I think socialized medicine is a disaster.
 

Arguments that say "I can't pay my medical bills so we should have socialized healthcare" basically equate to "My medical expenses are too high so everybody else should be forced to pay for them."

You didn't strike a nerve.  @Vort is just good at calling b.s.
That dudein your ward sounds like a jerk.  What's the relevance?