WillowTheWhisp

There have been times when I’ve listened to promptings of the Spirit and acted upon them. There have been far too many other times when I haven’t been sure so I have done nothing, only to realise later that I should have paid attention. This morning could so easily have been one of those times. I had been given a small notebook laptop which the giver thought could have been of use to someone in my family but we all have either a PC or laptop so I puzzled over what to do with this thing. This morning I had a hospital appointment in another town and I got the distinct feeling I should take the little laptop with me. It didn’t make much sense but I took it anyway. I went to my appointment, carrying the little box with the laptop in. One of the nurses commented how cute it looked and how useful it must be. I just made some sort of general comment about it as I had never actually used it. Was I supposed to give it to this nurse? No, I got the feeling that wasn’t it. I left the hospital still carrying the little PC in its box and got on the bus to come home. Then I got the distinct picture of who I should give it to – but that didn’t seem to make sense. The lady in question is an elderly nun who works with homeless people and others in need. She just doesn’t seem the sort to be interested in any kind of technology and I was sure I must be imagining things. Yet the moment I dismissed her from my thoughts I felt uneasy. As soon as I determined to go and give it to her I again felt that was right. Yet even as I was heading for the place where I hoped to find her I was still thinking what a silly thing to turn up there with and wondered what on earth I was going to say. I know that her organisation has a charity shop and thought maybe she would be able to sell it and raise some needed funding. When I got to the little ‘refuge’ she wasn’t in but I spoke to a lady who was there, explaining that I had had a very strong prompting that I should bring this to Dorothy. She pointed to a notice sellotaped to the fireplace. It was a plea for help – Dorothy, the elderly nun, had recently had her laptop taken and she was asking for help to obtain a replacement. “How did you know?” the lady asked. I didn’t know, but I know someone who did. I am so glad I did listen and didn’t dismiss the prompting as a bit of fanciful nonsense. I think I’m learning.

I don't know if this question is permitted but it's something I can't help wondering about. When a couple go through the temple before they are sealed it's the husband who takes his wife through the veil and so he knows her name. I was told that he has to remember that for the day when he takes her through the real veil. So what hapopens when a single woman goes through the temple for herself and then some time later gets married in the temple. Her husband will niot be the one who has taken her through the veil so how will he know her name?

I thought judgement only related to this life on earth where we live without being able to see beyond the veil.

I am confused by this. What do you mean by 'both Adams' ?

1. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (100%) 2. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (97%) 3. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (92%) 4. Jehovah's Witness (84%) 5. Baha'i Faith (73%) 6. Orthodox Judaism (71%) 7. Orthodox Quaker (71%) 8. Eastern Orthodox (69%) 9. Roman Catholic (69%) 10. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (61%) 11. Liberal Quakers (61%) 12. Seventh Day Adventist (60%) 13. Reform Judaism (59%) 14. Islam (55%) 15. Sikhism (55%) 16. Unitarian Universalism (49%) 17. New Thought (42%) 18. Mahayana Buddhism (37%) 19. Hinduism (37%) 20. Theravada Buddhism (36%) 21. Neo-Pagan (33%) 22. Jainism (31%) 23. New Age (31%) 24. Scientology (30%) 25. Secular Humanism (19%) 26. Taoism (17%) 27. Nontheist (14%)

I'm stumbling at the first question because it doesn't seem to give an alternative which is exactly what I believe so I'll have to settle for the next best thing.

The Energizer bunny has wings???

Bearing in mind that every member is a missionary you don't have to have served a full-time mission to be a missionary. Some of the greatest missionary work is done by people who never leave home. Some have asked why is it important to marry a church member - well if you want your marriage and family to last for eternity you need to be married in the temple and only worthy church members can be married in the temple. My first husband was LDS. He died, but we are sealed and will hopefully be reuinited and live as man and wife for eternity. My second husband is not LDS and I thought it would not matter as I was not looking for an eternal companion but there are so many other things too. As he doesn't have the priesthood he cannot bless a sick child. He attends sacrament meeting but no other meetings. We don't have the long involved discussions about the gospel that I used to have with my first husband. I miss that. With my first husband we served as Stake Missionaries and had planned on serving a mission together when we retired. That will not now happen. Yes it does make a difference.

My daughter used to have heavy nose bleeds as a child but she never bled to death. It does seem a bit far fetched.

Jesus said the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. I think if we get too dogmatic about the day we lose the spirit of the why.

Do you mean they go out of the restaurant, pray and then return to the restaurant? I've ever come across that and I live in the UK.

As a family we always ask a blessing on our food in restaurants. We do it quietly and reservedly, not silently. It has no more impact on other diners than any of our private conversation would. Why should it concern other diners what we do at out own table? We don't start praying while the waiters are serving. That would be inconsiderate. We wait until everything has been brought to the table and then we bow our heads and have a short prayer. I doubt anyone else is even aware of it.

You can walk into a chapel wearing whatever you have to wear but it is only respectful that you do not dirty the floor or the furnishings. Remember that if you dirty the upholstery on the pews then someone else will be sitting in your dirt afterwards wearing their best clothes. Will you be judged? Quite possibly but not on the 'poshness' of your clothing as much as the perceived lack of consideration for others if you seem to be spreading dirt around the place. I can't help being curious about what physical reason you can have for not wearing a suit. My husband can't stand to wear a tie and as soon as he comes out of the chapel off it comes but he always wears one in church and for other formal occasions. If you do not own a suit you will not be turned away. If you cannot afford a suit you will not be refused church membership because of that. You will not be cast out for what is on the outside. However, remember that God judges what is on the inside.

I don't get this. Can somebody explain it to me?

The first Christmas card we got this year was from Muslim neighbours. It doesn't seem to offend them. And yet the PC brigade here in the UK are always telling us things we shouldn't do for fear of offending Muslims.

Do the Christmas carols actually offend anyone though?

But that's just the point isn't it? With screaming children drowning out even the sacrament prayers how on earth can anyone be expected to sit and think even for a minute? BTW here in the UK smacking children is not allowed and taking someone else's child out of sacrament meeting is also not permitted. You cannot be alone in a room with a child who is not your own. This even applies to Primary teachers. If there is only one child in that class age group and only one teacher then the class cannot exist. As for smacking someone else's child. You could be arrested for assault.

PJ Proby is a singer who was famous here in the 1960s and has also been infamous for various reason. He's still performing, still has an amazing voice and incredible stamina and does believe in God and Jesus Christ but I would love him to become LDS. He has battled against alcoholism and won't even enter a bar these days to avoid the temptation. He is American but I don't think he was ever well known over there. Some of the older Brits will remember him.

I'm afraid it amuses me when I am told that the words "thee" and "thou" show more respect. In English grammar they are in fact exactly the opposite. In modern English we only have one word for 'you' but in other languages there are two. In French for example there is 'tu' and 'vous'. 'Tu' is singular and 'vous' is plural. 'Vous' is also used in the singular polite form to show respect. The English word "Thou" is like the French "tu" - in other words it was the commonly uses singular or familiar, and "you" was the plural or polite. So wouldn't that mean that by referring to Heavenly Father as "thou" we are in fact using the singular familiar rather than the respectful polite "you" ? Of course it doesn't help coming from Lancashire either where the words "thee" and "thy" have been used colloquially and commonly until the recent generation. "Wurstibin?" is Lancashire for "Where hast thou been?" but is totally common and familiar the opposite end of the spectrum to polite and respectful. However, back onto the subject of prayer. "Effectiveness" of prayer doesn't mean getting a 'yes' answer to every 'I want'. It means growing closer and feeling closer to Heavenly Father and I feel that is acheived not by the words used but by being quiet and listening to the things he says.

It may just be that you are exactly what is needed in your own (geographical) ward. Perhaps you can take the spirit of how you feel when attending your 'home ward' with you when you go to your own ward. Also, when it feels like other people are a little 'holier than thou' remember that you don't go to church for other people. You don't even go for yourself. You go for Heavenly Father. He's the one who wants you where he places you.

I would love to convert PJ Proby - waits for people to say "Who?"

Telling him you sent it to him by mistake doesn't change the fact that that is how you feel and he knows that. I have a lot of trouble coming to terms with the Church's attitude over this whole thing. We can disapprove of a lifestyle and believe it is not acceptable in the eyes of God but I was always of the opinion that the Church taught that we have free will and it is up to each of us to choose. If we try to take away other people's freedom why should it then surprise us if they want to take away ours? It's not as if heterosexual marriage is being outlawed. That would need protesting about. I have friends who are gay. They know I don't condone their relationship but if invited somewhere with them I would go. Jesus himself supped and dined with publicans and sinners.

Well not drinking the coffee would be great from a WOW perspective too but yes I must admit I do waste a lot of money on things I don't need which would be better spent on something constructive like that. And it's not just the spiritual or churchy stuff either. Just think how much we could help people in practical ways if we just 'deprived' ourselves of one or two non necessities.

Yes, the gift of tongues is for the purpose of communication and the gift of interpretation is for the purpose of being able to understand a language you are not familiar with.

We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues and so forth.