rayhale

I’ve only been to my Ward for one week, the kids were restless, but not running around with their heads cut off, the chapel building is two stories high, the Relief Society room is right underneath the Primary Room, it is the room that is also used for Sunday School, it’s extremely difficult to listen to the teacher when you can hear the Primary piano and the foot stomps of the kids above you.

I read an article in Deseret News where it said how LDS members who own a business who have refused to be any part of a gay wedding (a wedding photographer, DJ, wedding planner, etc.) and have been sued for discrimination. One of the LDS business owners lost and was forced to close her business so she wouldn’t be forced to photograph the gay wedding. This is just another battle between free speech and freedom of religion. Who is right? Which one is better? In today’s world it’s who has more money and power.

I was listening to a podcast, the host pointed out that there is a lot of books covering the early church 1830-1899, and a lot of books covering the modern church 1950-present, yet there are hardly any books covering 1900-1949. A detailed book(s) about those years would be interesting.

I’m with you Drpepper, I always come out of the temple thinking, “What is everyone talking about? Where is all the learning coming from?” For me, when I heard what little my parents told me about the temple, that it is a place to pray, learn, and things like that, I was envisioning dedicated places to pray, like alters, or classroom like settings, similar to The School of the Prophets. So when I first went in, I was wondering, “Is that all?”

My suggestion of what to do may take longer than the other posts have said to do, but I think it would be worthwhile. I would set both the LDS version of the King James Bible and the Book of Mormon out, and when the one of the footnotes would reference the other; I would go to that passage. Also if I were you, I would see if my ward had a Gospel Principals class, and if not, ask the Bishop if he could create one. There are also great Seminary and Institute Manuals that the Church produced that are great at explaining things.

I wonder if there is a living expense for General Authorities any more, since most, if not all of the newly named Authorities are retired, and don’t need to make a choice to quit a job to ‘work’ for the Church. They might get an expense account, so they don’t have to use their own money to travel, but as far as living expense, I really think they are on their own.

One question that I have that the mormonsandgays site doesn’t cover is that, how do you treat a family members long-term relationship? Do you accept him/her fully into your family? Do you put their ‘family’ photo up with the rest of your family photos?

This is a scripture memorizing idea that was given to the missionaries on my mission: MemorizationPattern: 1. Memorize it. 2. Review twice a day for a week. 3. Review once a day for a week. 4. Review twice a week for one month. 5. Review once a week for one month. 6. Review twice a month for two months. 7. Review once a month for six months. 8. Review once every six months for a year. 9. Review once a year for life.

On my mission papers, there was the must buys, then the optional, I can understand not wanting to buy an expensive coat for only a few weeks at the MTC when it’s cold, but your mission is in a warm place, like one of my nephews who just went to Costa Rica. I would contact the MTC President to see if you can wear something that you already own, or if they have donated coats that you can wear while you are there.

I missed the Conference session where the Prophet changed the missionary age, if someone could put up the link to the talk, I would be grateful. In the meantime, I have some questions that I’m surprised that hasn’t really been brought up: -What about converts? Will a person still have to wait one year after baptism to go on a mission? This question mostly concerns the people that have to wait until 18, since his/her parents wouldn’t allow baptism beforehand. -Will the lowered age create a modern version of class distinction? For instance, I noticed most of the replies mentioned money concerns. I can see most so-to-be 18-year old missionaries to be from wealthy families. In other words a classic case of the haves vs. the have-nots. -Will the price per month for a mission rise? -What would the Church do if the MTC in Provo meets, or even exceeds, capacity?

One other phrase that gets me is, “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” That may be true with dogs, but the last time I checked, I’m not a dog, or any other person I know.

One of the General Authority, I can’t remember which one, said that he worked at a place where he would have business dinners with a female co-worker, he felt a little uncomfortable with it, so what he did was invite his co-worker to have dinner with him and his wife. I think this is a good idea. I can understand not wanting to be alone with a co-worker who is of the opposite sex, but in this day of age were women are not only co-workers but can be bosses, investors, and other business related relationships where you need to be alone with them. Here are some of my advice: -Don’t be secretive about your dinner-dates. -If you don’t want your spouse to do something, then don’t do it yourself. -Talk with your spouse, set agreements with each other, and realize that you will be alone with people of the other sex. I can understand not doing something, for the appearance of evil, but I feel that this is a case of gossip, and personally , if I know who is saying that I might be having an affair, I would bring both my wife, and my co-worker, to the person, and say, “mind your own business.”

I don't think I was clear, there was people that came into the DI and instead of paying $4 for a pair of pants, wanted to pay ONLY $2, just because he, or she, is an active, temple recommend holding, member.I could be wrong, but I don't think that the DI can directly accept cash donations.

There is a difference between giving charitable service, and a service ordinated job. No one should expect a person who happens to be an active member of the church to be paid, or pay, less just because you are a member too. I worked at a Deseret Industries (a thrift store owned by the Church) some time ago, and one of the managers said there sometimes be people come in, flash their temple recommend, and expect to pay less for things. I don’t think that is right.

With technology today, there are online classes that teach school, with actual teachers using video to teach. You just need to make a Google search about online k-12 schools. There is one option that no one has said, that is to send your kids to public schools, then invest money into the system, make sure that your school district is using the money to invest in the future of education.

The show is a little old, but I would recommend watching Twin Peaks. It’s one of the best shows of all time.

I like this video: ; here is my list:* It’s intimidating. I live in Idaho, where the local Wal-mart’s have a food storage section with huge #10 cans, 5 gallon buckets, and big boxes, of food. * Having food that is packaged lasting 30+ years is great, but how long will it last once you open it, prepare/cook it? This is a list of non-food items that should be included in food storage: One or more can openers; I have heard several people in disaster areas that have all these cans of food with no way of opening them up. Toilet paper; what goes in, must come out. A pair of sharp scissors; to cut boxes, and hard to open packages.

Thanks lds2, but the information that I found at providentliving.org wasn’t helpful, as far as I’m concerned, it was information for people that have a basic knowledge of food storage already, not for people like me, who haven’t a clue what to do. I want details, book long, with photos, form of details. A “Food Storage for Dummies” kind of book.

I can’t find any information on lds.org with how to store food, how to protect the food from flood, vermin, what to store, how to prepare it, or really any real world information on what to do with the food when you have it. That being said, I can see how a member can go from storing food in case of an emergency, to hoarding food. To me, hoarding food, is to store food with little, to no, intention of using the food. At church I over-heard someone say that when they move, they will keep the 50 pound bags of wheat that is the basement, where it is. I would consider this as a case of either food hoarding or keeping a food storage just because it’s part of your religion.

Getting back on topic, no I don’t believe every word in the Book of Mormon to be literally true. Here are a few reasons why: * No translation is perfect, there will always be untranslatable words, concepts, or phrases. * God, for reasons that I don’t know why, doesn’t always correct prophets when the prophet is wrong about something, this would include the translation process. * None of the stories of the translation of the Book of Mormon have I ever heard Joseph Smith, or any of his scribes, using a dictionary, or that anyone was a master of English, and none of them knew Hebrew, Greek, or any other Biblical language, which means that there is plenty of room for error.

The rule of not being alone with the opposite sex, made me thinking if the rule applies to someone who is the same sex as you, but is homosexual? I would think it does.

The sacrament is offered to everyone in attendance, everyone. As a returned missionary, I can’t recall ever asking anyone if they took the sacrament unworthy, but I do know that a Bishop may require a person to not take the sacrament as part of repentance. A person that is not a member is not under those restrictions, but there was always the question of whether or not non-members should be allowed to take the sacrament. When investigators asked if it was okay for them to partake, it was embarrassing to say yes, no, and maybe, in the same answer.

PC has a point, there is the guilt by association that people associate when they hear that someone infamous is, or was, a member, like Ted Bundy, or have horror stories of bad Bishops, or other church-members, of a Ward that they went to twenty or more years ago. Then there are always those people that are against any organized religion because of their bad experience in the churches that they went to.

If you buy food for missionaries, please ask them what they want you to buy. You don’t want to buy food that they don’t know how, or have the means, to cook the food.

When does sacrificing become a sin? Or does it? I’ve heard and read stories of missionaries, and people going to the temple for the first time, spend all their life savings, for that one event, and I just shake my head, and say to my-self, ‘I could have helped.’ Is it right to purposely go penny-less, when there are plenty of people willing to help you?