bjw

Its 7 am when on Saturdays, usually one hour before opening, like 8 when the park opens at 9, 9 when it opens at 10. Also, not all rides are running, they usually don't open anything past Pirates. The early entry and first hour of public operation are the least busiest times of day, so you should do all the big line rides then. The Fantasyland rides are good to do on the early entry since many people with very young kids haven't arrived yet.

I just caught this thread, I wish I would have saw it sooner. I have annual passes to almost all California theme parks, I'm a huge theme park buff. Let me give you my two cents... As mentioned elsewhere Fastpass works well, you can only hold one at a time per park (between DL and DCA). However, Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin and Grizzly River Run are both freebies, they are not connected to the main Fastpass system so you can hold a FP for them while you have them for other rides. Also, the FP checkers only check the first time on the pass, not the second, so you can come back anytime after the first time on the pass. So, you can hold more than one FP at a time. Fantasmic is a spectacular show, but never see the first showing, always go to the second to avoid a horrible bottleneck crowd. You will stay later but its worth it. For $50 you can have a special reserved seat with an all you can eat dessert buffet. Ask City Hall on Main St. for details. The parades are a little overrated, only see these if you run out of things to do. The Aladdin show in the Hyperion at DCA is a must, and is a top-notch broadway quality stage show on par with Fantasmic. Don't let the warning signs scare you off. No coaster at Disneyland goes over 45 mph, which is the big drop on Splash Mtn. Space Mtn., Big Thunder, are under 35 mph, and the Matterhorn goes only about 20 mph. Most movement on Star Tours and Indiana Jones is simulated with about 3 real drops. They are also very smooth rides except Matterhorn can be rough at times because you are sitting on the floor of the sled. DCA rides are a little more intense, but not by much. Tower of Terror drops are 40 mph and California Screamin never hits over 55 mph. When you consider the average Six Flags coaster can get in the 60 mph range, the rides at both of these parks are pretty mild. Even if you are not a coaster buff there's really no ride at these parks you can't handle, and the special effects are pretty good. The longest lines will be Midway Mania at DCA (which has no FP), Nemo at Disneyland (another must), Space Mtn, Indiana Jones, Peter Pan, and California Screamin. The shortest are usually Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Small World, and the 3-D attractions because of their large capacity. Make sure you park at the Mickey & Friends structure and take the tram to the main esplanade. If you decide to eat on property and have a lot of money to spend go to city hall on main st. and make reservations for the Blue Bayou, since you get to eat inside Pirates of the Carribbean. Its about $35 per person. The highest restaurant on property is Napa Rose at the Grand California hotel for about $120 per person. The best cheap place is Redd Rockets in Tomorrowland, it has good Italian food for about $12 per person. Probably the best cheap meal there. Taking a wheelchair will not get you on the rides faster (despite what someone else tried to suggest) since Disney reversed its policy. Only the dark rides in Fantasyland (Snow White, etc.) still accept wheelchairs in their exits, only due to the cramped space in Fantasyland. Otherwise they will make you push the chair through the entire line or have someone wait in line for you. I have used the Ridemax software you mentioned before, but it only works well IMHO in the summertime when it is ridiculously crowded. This time a year you shouldn't really have any lines over an hour, and that's the rides I mentioned above. Everything else will probably be 30 mins. or less. Anyway, have fun, anymore questions feel free to ask.

Does anyone know if General Conference will be available on Comcast on-demand? I know before you could select it and watch it. If so, where would you find it on there?

Thanks to everyone that has posted on here about this. After reading these posts I think I have decided to consult with my bishop and maybe if there is a lawyer in the ward I might give him a copy of the manuscript and ask him what I need to look out for. I agree that the truth needs to be told so people can be informed and free to choose for themselves, without basing that choice on deception.

I thought I would post this on here because I need advice regarding a situation that has come up. As most of you that have read my posts on MADB know, prior to converting to Mormonism I was "behind the scenes" in some mainstream protestant ministries/denominations and went to a Bible college for 2 years that was ran by one denomination. This organization labels itself as Christian but is a very authoritarian, controlling, cult-like organization. (If people try to say LDS is a cult, they've never seen this place, I've said it before, but trust me...) Anyway, as I've said before, I went through a very dark period in my life when I was with this organization, and my life was nearly ruined. I was threatened by them physically, and legally when they threatened to turn me in for crimes I didn't commit if I didn't "keep my mouth shut" about things going on there. It was the worst 2 years of my life. They teach a watered-down quasi-reformed protestant message with a Jehovah Witness-type authoritarian stance where the church takes over all of your life. They combine this with L. Ron Hubbard type counseling called a "restoration process" where you must meet with counselors in the church to purge yourself of your sins and be restored to fellowship. Members found to be in sin are to be shunne by all members until repentant. Members must sign a "Lisa clause" saying the church can't be sued if you commit suicide or are injured, since they were sued twice already for wrongful death when members committed suicide. This ministry also denies the atonement, saying the blood of Christ was not necessary, and that simply making Christ "Lord" of one's life is sufficient to save you, which is done by doing good works as defined by the church. (This last part about the atonement is actually witheld from literature and new converts.) Well, it was 12 years ago this all happened, but right after it happened I wrote my story down of what happened in this ministry and sent it around to various Christian denominations. I figured if they could help one person out of this cult, or keep them from joining, that it would all be worth it. Now, one organization I sent this paper to is contacting me wanting to publish my story. They are a "free grace" organization but they think that it will help the Christian community in general to expose this organization and keep them from hurting anyone else. They are very clever in lurring in new students to their Bible college (who ultimately get converted to the church) and new members to their church, which has about 10,000 members locally and has a worldwide following via subscription to the taped messages and publications. The graduates (that major in theology) go on to take positions in other protestant churches to gradually introduce the organizations doctrines. I noticed this actually when I went on to work as an executive in a major protestant denomination. What happened to me there is a long story, but I would like to see some good came out of what I went through. However, I would be helping a non-LDS organization in the process. So, any advice you guys could give me I would appreciate it. Should I let them publish it? They say they will change names. I think good could come out of it and God may use it to lead people closer to the truth. I've forgiven them but I think it would be wrong for me to let them keep hurting people. Any thoughts?

You might consider a partial fast. In my situation, I take medication that can dehydrate or upset the stomach. So, I try to maybe limit my fast to waters and crackers (w/my medication) until mealtime. Also, I never fast for more than 12 hours. I usually only skip breakfast and lunch. So, I usually wind up breaking the fast around 3 pm or so on Sundays. I then donate what I would have spent on normal meals during the time period. It's good to live the commandments, but I know the church would want us to put our health first.

Everything the people on here said is great advice. Also, if you visit a ward, usually on the back of the bulletin there is a listing of important phone numbers where you can contact the missionaries or someone else in authority that could get ahold of them for you. I had a cousin that took the missionary lessons and she met the missionaries at the church, since the people she was staying with were members of another church. Sometimes they can when they have access to the building. Also, if you can get to a temple visitor center there are usually missionaries there that can help you.

I've had the best luck with a material called "Corban." It feels kinda silky and is very thin. You can even see through it. I've found that in hot weather (It's been 105 here all this week) I feel much more comfortable. The only drawback is the top kinda sticks to your back if you get sweaty. It's been pretty durable though and has lasted well through many washes.

I've found a website that I think addresses the BoA pretty well: 72Languages.com - Ancient Language Research This guy knows how to translate 72 languages and he seems to think that the Egyptian language changed greatly from Abraham's day to the time of the Rosetta Stone, meaning that no Egyptologist can correctly translate documents of Abraham's time by Rosetta Stone standards, since it is a completely different type of Egyptian. He goes against the grain against what usual scientists and Egyptologists would agree on, so don't expect him to be taken seriously in scholarly circles, but in reading his stuff about Egyptian, especially the Four Sons of Horus and Hall of Judgment, I think he may be on to something. The KEP and GAEL may be more accurate than we think. This site definitely increased my faith in Joseph Smith as a translator. Just one thing, when you download his articles, always download the PDF, otherwise the regular copy will not show up the heiroglyphic font.

If you read the book "Endowed from on High" that FAIR sells it says that Joseph Smith took the matter up with the Lord regarding the meaning of the masonic ceremony, and the Lord taught JS that there were remnants of the original temple ritual in the masonic ceremony. Much of the early endowment comes from other mystery traditions as well as masonry, since much of these traditions contain remnants here and there of the original ceremony. The ceremony was originally practiced in the upper-rooms of the store in Nauvoo until a structure could be built that could appropriately house the rituals.What you say about the temple-lot and Kirtland temple cases may be true, but the purpose of latter-day temples changed as a result of these new revelations. Had the church been able to stay in one place for long the complete ceremonies may have been revealed, but the church had to leave before the new revelations. So, the Kirtland temple and temple-lot had their purpose according to what had been revealed at the time. Some temples today still have assembly chapels and have stake chapel sessions from time-to-time, and the Salt Lake Temple also acts as a meeting place for the authorities of the church. Back to the subject of baptism for the dead... I think that part of the reason we can only do them in the temple is that it is sometimes a sacred experience, where we can even feel the presence of the person we are doing the baptism for, and what we are doing is affecting the progression of someone that is on the other side of the veil. Thus, the Lord has chosen to keep the things that affect the other side of the veil in His house. One missionary told me that he believes that the veil runs thinner inside the temple than it does on the outside, so that could be a reason.

Thanks everyone for the replies. Your advice really helped me when I went tonight. You have given me a lot of ideas.

Thanks everyone for the advice. It really puts things in a different perspective for me and will help me out a lot. Also, if anyone else has anything to add please do so. Thanks.

A favorite time for me to feel the Spirit is when I'm reading the Scriptures. As I said in a thread a few months ago, I prayed and asked the Holy Ghost for the confirmation again that the BoM was true, and the next day an antimormon relative called and chewed me out calling me a Satanist, neo-nazi, etc. telling me I'm going to Hell. During that time the Spirit spoke comfort to my heart and let me know that the person yelling at me was miserable and was the way she was because she didn't have the Spirit. I suddenly had the Spirit's witness and a deep feeling of comfort and appreciation for what I have. So, the Spirit can truly use a variety of things to give us the confirmation we pray for.

I have a question about home teaching. I'm doing it on my own now for only the second time starting tomorrow. Previously I went a few times with a partner, who didn't do a whole lot but chat a few minutes and ask if the family needed anything. I've seen conflicting opinions in my ward on what it is a home teacher must do. Some think you should just photocopy the Ensign HT message for the month and hand it to them and ask if they need anything. Others think you should go over the whole lesson with them. Some think no lesson is necessary, just see if there's any way the church and/or quorum can help them. I'm also thinking about taking my families some cookies or something. Right now my companion assigned is my grandmother, since she can't do a calling or go VT because of her disabillities, and they don't want me doing HT by myself, they said that would be a good enough calling for my grandmother and a good way to get her out of the house. So, my grandmother and I will be visiting with the families. We did one already and we gave them some cookies and they made us dinner and we prayed together and I asked them if they needed anything. Does that sound sufficient? Any feedback you guys have would be appreciated. I really enjoy HT and am looking forward to seeing the families I've been assigned. I really get along well with the two families so I think it will go pretty well. I would just like some opinions on what the best approach is and if it is expected to give a lesson.

Mr. Nirom, I too have had problems with the rapture doctrine, even during my years as an EV. Most verses they use for it describe the 2nd coming, like the verses someone already posted in this thread, and you don't see "another" second coming mentioned in the Bible. I have found that most EVs that believe this doctrine are so conditioned to it that they think it is in the Bible and never bother to question it, and that concerns me as well. I may be harsh here but I have considered that the doctrine may be Satanic in origin, in that Satan would not want people being prepared for his plans on the world so he fabricates a doctrine making people think they won't be here when it happens. A case in point: I got in a discussion with my pentecostal aunt about the Xmark/Verichip Xmark - Solutions for HEALTHCARE > Infant Protection, Wander Prevention, Asset Tracking, Emergency Response and asked her if she thought that the Verichip made by Xmark, which allows people to pay by credit by a microchip implanted in the hand, could be a precursor to the mark of the beast. I showed her an article about it from the business section of a newspaper describing the product. She said that it is definitely not the mark because we can actually see this verichip now in pictures in a newspaper, and that all Christians will be gone before the mark of the beast is even developed, so that it couldn't be it. It's this type of circular reasoning that worries me, not so much that I believe the verichip is the mark of the beast (it may be, I don't know) but that they are so willing to accept whatever comes along because they think they are about to be whisked away from here. My cousin that goes to the same church even stopped voting because of this belief. I myself subscribe to the "two-tribulations" theory and believe the tribulation passages in Revelation apply to our time as well as the biblical age, so I think it never hurts to always be prepared. I am just as concerned as you are though that people are using this doctrine as an excuse to not be prepared. As for the two people in a field and one is taken with the other left, it doesn't say that person left is to go through a tribulation, that could signal the time for judgement, with the one person taken to a separate judgment. For people to infer a rapture is reading way much into the passage, IMHO.

Thanks, you just reminded me my subscription just expired. I'm glad they have a way we can read online and get what we miss.

Moksha, I see what you're saying, and I felt the same way at first but I got to thinking about it.It kinda reminds me of the lies William Schnoebelen spreads about our church. Schnoebelen makes a lot of sensational claims about Mormonism and many people believe it, even ministries like Jack Chick publish whole publications based on what he said. However, once people know that Bill Schnoebelen thinks he used to be a vampire and claims to have been visited by UFOs, his claims about Mormonism being Satanic become that much more unbelievable. Now with Flora Jessop, if she really exagerrates and claims to be abused and locked in a room against her will then I think her credibility needs to be examined. To me, if these stories can be confirmed, she was just sent to her room as a punishment for being out too late with a boy and smoking some pot, and I know many parents would be a lot more strict than just doing that. If Martha can prove some of the allegations, and that the marriage to the cousin was not an arranged marriage but was her idea and that the she was a runaway and a drug user, I think it will go a long way in damaging her credibility. Sure, I believe the FLDS are a mind-control cult, and I'm not condoning the bondage they have put people under, but not every person may be what Warren Jeffs is said to be. So, I guess this family should get the benefit of the doubt if they can prove what they're saying. I used to be pretty closed minded about this but I would be interested in seeing both sides of the issue brought out more.

I personally can give my success story about anti-depressants. I was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder with major depression following my college years. I was so depressed that I became suicidal and even cut myself a couple times. Most of my depression and problems were caused by a very abusive and authoritarian church that I got involved in (I attended the college they owned, let me say anyone that thinks Mormonism is a cult has never seen this place) and was left in pretty bad shape upon leaving. On top of that my grandfather that raised me and my aunt (who was like my sister) both passed away just a year apart. I was put on Remeron and Seroquel and I attended therapy and cult-deprogramming sessions and therapy groups. Now, years later I can say I am happy and cured of all of these ailments. I am probably alive today because of these medications and am functioning normally. I know people mean well that are against these medications, but you need to understand that illnesses like major depressions and BPD are caused by chemical imbalances in the brain that need to be corrected, such as serotonin and norepinephrine, which were the two chemicals that caused my illness. Once these imbalances were corrected I was able to get the help I need and once again be "well." These are illnesses just like any other illnesses like the flu, colds, chronic pain, etc. There has to be something to treat the symptoms (medications) while the cause is treated (therapy). Sorry for the long rant, this is just something that strikes a chord with me.:)

Its pretty funny that its actually the opposite in my stake. There is more of an emphasis on service and less emphasis on activities and matchmaking. Its hard enough in this church to make friends your own age that want to just "hang out" anad to find girls to date. I would actually like to see some kind of local "dating service" and more activities. In fact, I am in the process of organizing a mid-single adult theme park club in my area. I absolutely hate being single in this church because to me it seems like it is viewed as a handicap.

I just want to say I love this Temple Study site. Whoever is running it you are doing a great service to the LDS community. It is very faith promoting. I especially like the articles on the Queen coronation and Stonehenge.

Sorry, I should have been more specific. No, I do not believe that President Hinckley was a reptilian. In fact, I do not believe that they are (or look like) humans at all. However, I do believe that there are demonic beings that can resemble reptiles, since the Bible associates them with serpents and frogs. (as in the Genesis and Revelation accounts) People who give the UFO stories (granted most of them are probably nut jobs, but a few might be true) usually describe humanoids with reptile-like characteristics. It might not be too far-fetched to say that these were demonic episodes that these people associate with "alien encounters" since the only thing they can compare it to are sci-fi movies.I actually heard that the Mormon-reptillian conspiracy thing got started because a shopping mall worker in SLC claims he saw a reptillian humanoid in a tunnel under the mall and that the tunnel leads to the temple. In reality, I've heard there is a network of tunnels there but I think its only to link the church headquarters buildings so that LDS employees have the ease of moving around the various buildings underground without crossing streets, etc. I never heard the hairstyle thing before. That's so funny. I can't imagine anything like that actually happening. Of course, I live close to a small town that is mostly all members of the Dutch Reformed church and a friend of my grandfather's that lived there said that they had a law against mowing your lawn on Sunday, so I suppose there's been stranger things happen. Still, the hairstyle thing is just a little strange.

The shapeshifting reptilian stuff can actually be proven from the Bible. It calls Lucifer a "serpent" in Genesis and when it mentions the antichrist and false prophet in Revelations it says that "three unclean spirits that look like frogs" come out of their mouths. Interesting. Some of the stuff that those on here have been mentioning that have experienced this is scary. Were these people believers that Lucifer is the Holy Ghost? I know one of you mentioned that they believed that Lucifer would one day recieve a body. It was mentioned in an earlier post that Joseph Smith put a stop to this doctrine in the early church, does anyone have any references about that? Martha Beck Nibley, Hugh Nibley's daughter, was one person that claimed to be an SRA victim. She said that her father molested her during Satanic rituals. The Nibley family said she made it all up though, and that Martha had a tendency to tell some tall tales sometimes. I think that fake cases that come up make it that much more difficult for the real victims. I'ts good to know that our church cares enough to investigate this. I hope that anyone doing this is brought to justice. It would be nice if we could somehow get word when they put a stop to more of it.

Terry, I'm a fairly new convert to the church and have only been Mormon about 3 years now. I too had an objection at first to the garments. While we don't discuss the temple content outside of the temple I will tell you that after you have been a member for a year and you are able to receive the temple endowment the meaning of the garments is completely explained that day inside the temple and once you hear the full explanation it makes sense why you wear them. Also, they are not intrusive or uncomfortable, I barely notice mine are on most of the time and they come in different fabrics that have varying forms of thickness. You're doing the right thing by learning more about the church. I can tell you it was the best thing I've done in my life. Just stick with it. I'll keep you in my prayers.

My two cents... I agree with you here that, even though green tea is against the WoW, as long as you are not making a habit of it and it is being used for medicinal purposes I don't think that you should be expected to confess it in your TR interview. I've had a couple situations. I was buying Full Throttle for awhile when I had insomnia and couldn't get up in the morning, and it was helping me wake up. My doctor said it was a good idea and I only drank it long enough to get my biological clock straightened out. Another situation, prior to my baptism I had an anxiety/depression condition and had to see a psychiatrist for awhile. He thought it would be a good idea if I had a cigar at night out on the patio to calm my nerves and relax me. It helped and I think that if it happened again and a psychiatrist told me to do that I don't think it would be breaking the WoW as long as I only did it once in awhile to help my nerves and not make a habit of it. I think the FP message quoted in the previous post does a good job of describing how we should use substances. Only for our benefit and not as a habit. IMHO, the WoW was given to keep conspiring men in the last days from ensnaring us in addiction. (See D&C 89:4) The tobacco companies that make cigarettes and add things to the product to get people addicted are a good example of this. This goes for soft drinks, coffee, and tea as well. One example of alchohol used for medicinal purposes may be Nyquil and certain cough syrups. IMHO, the main thing is that we do not get addicted to anything or use it "recreationally."

Interesting, I wasn't aware the RS secretary couldn't teach. What I was told by the current EQ President is that myself and the president and his two counselors will be taking turns teaching once per month, giving me one lesson every four months. Do the secretaries get access to the CHI? Ya, I agree with you. I enjoy teaching and I wish that I could do it every Sunday. I hope that eventually I get a calling where I teach more, but oh well. Anyway, thanks for the encouragement.