WillowTheWhisp

Jenny I do hope that you have read the replies and taken the advice to seek professional medical help and also a blessing from your priesthood leaders. Don't be afraid or ashamed. You can be helped.

I don't know anything about aspergers but I have known missionaries with disabilities and someone who was in our Ward who served a mission who was disabled. I am sure it depends on the person's abilities and where the Lord would wish them to serve.

Yes we are told that when we are teaching a RS lesson from the manual that we should base our lessons around that chapter in the book but encourage the sisters to participate by relating personal 'real life' experiences which illustrate the subject. Everyone will know that you are new and that this is your first lesson so if they are anything like our Ward they will be doing their best to put you at ease and to help out. I hope you find it an uplifting and enjoyable experience.

Yes Shadow Jesus was there from the very beginning. He was known as Jehovah in the pre-existence and is spoken of many times in the Old Testament. But of course we were there with him in the pre-existence too. And he will be with us to the end because he lives now. He died and rose again and is alive today. All Biblical.

To me it means having an understanding of things I knew before I came here, sort of recognising things. Sometimes I seem to recognise people too although in this life I have never met them before.

I love that Blaine. May I share it?

Studying the stars is far removed from worshipping them. It's like comparing Patrick Moore to Russel Grant. Apologies to the non-Brits if you don't know who I'm referring to. Patrick Moore is an astronomer and Russel Grant is an astrologer.

Thanks Wanderer. There may be a way through this if they will let me help her with home study and if she can get to the class once a week. Someone may be able to take her there then it's only a case of one taxi ride back which I can probably manage OK. I am hoping this will be acceptable.

It's possible that there are lots of things we are not aware of even in this day and age. After all it isn't that long ago that the coeleocanth (and I've probably spelt that wrong) was discovered not to be extinct after all)

If you are teaching an adult class then remember that we've all been there and all had the experience of teaching our first class so the 'pupils' will be sympathetic towards you. It doesn't sound like a RS lesson because according to my list it would be from the Joseph Smith manual and about John the Baptist this week. I do the 4th Sunday which is from conference talks. The lesson manual will guide you with what you should be teaching. Prayerfully study that and let the Holy Ghost help you. He's a great helper.

I don't see any problem in getting to know someone online as long as you make sure you know them well enough in person before committing to a relationship. After all even people who meet in real life can present a false image at first when they are trying to win someone over. You just really need to get to know each other warts and all.

As I was reading this thread it reminded me of something. One day I was in Relief Society and as usual one member of the RS presidency at that particular time was being her usual self. When food storage was mentioned she chirped up with "I am so thankful that I have not procrastinated and that I not only have one year's storage but two. I can face my Saviour and tell him I've been obedient." The subject of repentance was discussed and she gleefully announced that she was so thankful that she hadn't committed any sins that week which meant she did not need to repent. Then on the matter of tithing she told us all how she always paid her tithing the very first thing she did when she received her money and that she made sure she also paid a generous fast offering and money to other things such as missionary fund etc etc. I had sat smugly in my seat thinking to myself, "Well sister all I can say is that I'm glad I know my failings and I'm not puffed up with pride like you. I am humble. I am." Then I felt the spirit gently nudging me and pointing out to me that my attitude towards this sister was not actually one of humility at all! Ouch!

It might be worth noting that Celibacy which is regarded as essential for the priest within the Catholic church is not a requirement in the LDS church, in fact quite the opposite. It is our doctrine that only those married and sealed for time and eternity in the temple can pass on to the highest order of the Celestial Kingdom. However, that does not mean that unmarried men cannot hold the priesthood but they are held back from some callings within the church.

This thread has gone so far down a side road I'm really surprised that it hasn't been closed before now.

I was never even aware of any of this until recently.

It's difficult to set a limit as there are times when sending a message might be necessary but the limit has been exceeded. I needed to communicate with my daughter this morning and sent several messages. It sounds like the unlimited facility has made life more difficult as she doesn't have a boundary on it though. I would certainly be asking her to keep it down at least to the 700 she did before. My daughter does 300 - 400 a month but then she also uses MSN when she is at home.

It's great that you enjoy your work. I worked for 21 years in a job I hated but it paid the bills. I used to envy people who enjoyed their work. Am I correct in assuming that you work part time? Is it possible that you could do something else with the rest of your time?

Doesn't the prefix 'uni' denote 'one' though?

........ or these things are sent to try us. I have a 16 year old daughter who is in her 3rd year of seminary. She loves it and although she struggles with dyslexia which makes her college course difficult she has still wanted to do seminary as well. Now here in the UK we struggle a bit with seminary as we have small wards and often not many youth and not all the youth who are interested enough to actually put the effort in to do this. Seminary times can vary to fit in with whoever the teacher is. For the first two years she attended early evenings in the home of other seminary students (as there were more in their family than just the one of her) and on Tuesdays they would have it in the chapel just before Youth night. Then a new teacher was called and the times were changed to early morning, meaning that she needed to get up at 5am in order to be ready. As it is quite dangerous to be out on your own round here at that time of morning the teacher would call for her by car on the way to the other home and they would have their lesson from 6am to 7am and then the teacher would bring her home. That teacher resigned due to pressure of another calling and a new teacher was appointed (notice that I did not say 'called') who could not drive here to pick her up and I was not happy with her walking down there on her own at that hour of the morning when between our home and theirs it has been known for an adult woman to be attacked and raped. I do not believe it is safe for her to walk there alone and I do not believe the church expects her to do so. We have often been told that a Relief Society sister should not walk alone in dangerous places so I'm certain a 16 year old shouldn't. So, we discussed with the new teacher the options of her studying at home as she really does not want to miss out. The teacher obtained a copy of the teacher manual for me so that I could guide her with studying at home as she would have difficulty submitting any written work. Now the Bishop has informed me that all the lessons which I have been through with her are null and void as I have not been called as a seminary teacher. My daughter is heartbroken that she will fail to graduate because of this. I have told her that a certificate is not all that important as it is only a piece of paper and what really matters is whether she has learned anything and taken it into her heart and mind as she cannot take a certificate with her to the celestial kingdom. I have asked if she can do home study but been told that even if she did that she would still have to attend the classes once a week. To me this does seem a little bit unfair - what would she do if she had a job and she started work at a time when seminary was held? Would she not be permitted to study at home? It makes me feel sad to see her so upset by this because it has meant a lot to her to be doing this and she has even spoken about Institute when she has completed her 4 years seminary. It seems ironic to me that there are so many youth in the church who don't even want to listen during the Sunday lessons let alone do Seminary in addition and yet my daughter who really wants to do it is facing seemingly insurmountable obstacles. I am hoping that there will be a way for her to continue and that all she has done so far will not be invalid but even if the church does not acknowledge all that she has studied I hope it won't discourage her and that she will still want to study along with me and learn even if she cannot have a certificate at the end of it. The others in the class don't have this problem because the class is held in their home. Sometimes it's tough being a teenager.

A bit of a tangent that I couldn't resist throwing in here - when we were in North Africa Coca-Cola was the first Arab word I learned to recognise. I knew if I saw it on a sign there was more than likely to be a cafe under the sign!

That is the way I have always seen it that if the Social Security was aware that you were living on 90% of what they gave you then they would only pay you 90% as they pay you the basic minimum subsistence level and you are saying that you can exist on 10% less. Of course they would then reduce the 90% by a further 10% the minute you started paying tithing on that and so on ad infinitum!

Heather is it still OK to post personal experiences and insights?

Faith is the start. It's like Alma says about the little seed that you plant. Nourish it and it will grow. That is your testimony right now, don't be afraid to bear it however small it may be. That will help it to grow. I remember many years ago somebody illustrating to a Relief society class with candles - not sure we'd be allowed to do that now with fire regulations about health and safety and such. She gave us all a candle and then lit her own.With it she lit someone else's candle and then asked them in turn to light others and so on. The she asked us if we noticed when the flame burned it's brightest - it was when it was lighting another flame. This is like our testimony she said. It burns brighter when we share it with others. I too know that the Book of Mormon is true. I don't have any doubts about that or about Joseph Smith being a prophet because I know he spoke to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. My whole testimony rests on that.

I was just about to look these up in my scriptures. You saved me the search. :)

Oh I do wish I could see this. The more people talk about it the more I wish I could see it.