NeuroTypical

So, the EQP/Bishop recommend someone, the stake interviewed and approved this brother, and then extended a call to him, and he asked for more time. That's how the handbook specifies it needs to be done, does that match what you saw done? How do you know the bishopric was taken aback?

I just finished watching the original Disney Aladdin. RIP Robin Williams. I figure he would have wanted Will to succeed.

Because you're a full 6 months too late letting us know! This is all your fault!

Others have tried to explain it, I guess I'll try again. Please understand JJ: - Solar panels do not generate electricity in the dark. - Any place you go on earth, it's dark like half the time. Because the sun goes down. It's called nighttime. - No really, solar panels don't generate electricity at nighttime. If you believe otherwise, please post a link. I'd like to hear about it. But yeah, even with "current solar technology", I'm thinking you still need the sun not behind the earth to power a solar panel. - So no really, when you start with 100% of a year, and it's dark at nighttime, and nighttime is about half of a day, the absolute maximum for that year would be around 50%. (Yes, at some latitudes in some seasons, days are longer. But then the seasons change, and nights get longer.) Here's a random graph from a random weather station in a random location in Colorado. You can tell when night is happening, and when day is happening. We see the valleys during a day, indicating the sun is behind clouds. We see the day in the middle where pretty much the whole day is overcast. I think JohnsonJones is saying that solar tech is getting better at capturing/generating electricity even during overcast conditions. Not sure how good it's getting, but I'm glad to hear it. JJ, I get what you're saying about generation vs providing. I also keep hearing exciting things about next generation batteries finally breaking some limits that physics places on current technology. Happy to hear that too - I want my dang StarTrek phaser, and you just can't do that with a bunch of AAA Duracells.

I'd just like to repeat my suggestion that you turn this into self-reflection, rather than trying to mold others into your image. What steps do you need to take? Are you ready? If not, what changes do you need to make? What progress are you making?

Also, http://www.ldsliving.com/How-Our-View-of-the-Word-of-Wisdom-Has-Changed-from-1833-to-Now/s/84774 and especially: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=6038&context=etd

Rand was an atheist pistol, and her disciples were a melodramatic soap opera. But dang, when she was right about something, she was right. A is A. No matter how many people try to explain how it isn't.

I've read parts of it, and plenty of his other essays and works. The guy certainly seemed unimpeachable when it came to talking about how to run personal finances. I remember also what he had to say about zeal and knowledge. They were both basically useless unless you had them both. Human history is full of instances where people tried to redistribute wealth in order to solve poverty. Since you're full of zeal to urge we give it another go, it would behoove you to fill yourself with knowledge of how those efforts all turned out. And also gain some knowledge about what US efforts to currently do such things, and how they're working. Have you ever volunteered a soup kitchen or food pantry? Good experience. Even better if you help out not just preparing food, but helping with the administration of the place. See what happens behind the scenes. Hear from the people who deal with poverty day in and day out, to learn what works and what doesn't. Perhaps others can suggest some books to read on economic programs like the New Deal or Carter's 90% tax rates.

I guess our opinions are informed by our circumstances to an extent. I've lived in the same house for almost 20 year now, and watched as my old ward boundaries have become like 4-5 new ward boundaries and another stake. I've watched two new buildings be built, and seen the happy faces of folks who no longer have to drive 30 minutes to church. In my neck of the woods, we see Pres. Nelson's actions as reacting to the Lord's growing church rolling across the world, and the need to prepare against future hard times as we struggle to maintain our religious liberty. I live in Colorado Springs, which is growing populationwise, but that growth doesn't account for all the increases in membership in this area.

Heh. A story: I experienced something similar when I was a teenager. My (LDS) mom had MS, and was experiencing a slow and horrible health decline that could only end in her early death. I remember my (very much non LDS) dad being ticked off one day. Apparently some of "your good Mormon relatives" (as he called his in-laws around me whenever they did something he didn't like) had approached him to say they wouldn't hold it against him if he were to divorce her because of her health issues. To hear him tell it, they were sort of halfway urging him to do it, trying to comfort him with how her siblings and parents would 'take her back' and provide care and whatnot. My dad was hugely offended and used those comments (and others) to fuel his dislike of religion and religious people for the rest of his life. I was similarly offended, and the story was part of my justification for going inactive for 6 years. It took a while for me to mature and realize that my personal discipleship rested on my testimony of the reality of Christ and the truth claims of the church, as opposed to the qualities of other members, related or not.

I hear you brother. It's always easier to focus on someone else's sins than our own. So much easier to point a finger at them, rather than us. You've mentioned that the whole "thou shalt eat bread by the sweat of thy brow" stuff takes up time you would prefer to dedicate to spiritual/enlightening things. There are lots of suggestions for that, but if I may, I'd like to suggest something else. Whenever you find yourself being bothered by how other people do things, maybe stop doing that, and instead dedicate that time to spiritual/enlightening things.

Just an aside here, but no it wasn't. It was $55.6k. In 2017 it was $59k. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MEHOINUSA672N

Hi and welcom!

This was me a few years back.