Misshalfway

This IS the talk from conference that hit me right in the heart and the soul. I don't even have the words yet to talk about it impact. This one might just have to stay between me and Father.

This talk brought tears to my eyes because I have some of this work to do in my own life. I don't want to submit to these circumstances of mine. It's too hard and it's too painful. And it's been too hard and too painful for too long. And I want to be done!! But my protest is blocking me from greater access to God. Yuck. So...I guess I know what I must do. Jump head first into that humbling crucible. And then really lean into my faith. The only thought I can muster that I think will help me do it is the desire in me to know myself in that more progressed state. The one that lies on the other side of the trial. It's only that....and the regret I'll feel if I don't submit.

What a huge change!! Betcha the numbers of sister missionaries doubles overnight. :) I remember back in the day, one of my girlfriends petitioned the local leaders to let her go at 19. That was in 1989. All I could hear her say was..."It's about time!" :) I'm really glad that Pres. Monson said that while this opportunity to go at 18 is there that it might not be right for everyone to go that early. Sometimes I think we get so stuck on the number and it stops us from being ok with acting in wisdom.

Our impressions of conference, I think, tend to be a reflection of where we are at. Which is exactly as it should be. Thank goodness that is the way it is. So many conferences have been custom fit for me, and custom fit for you too. How can that be? I don't know. But it's wonderful.

I'm really intrigued by this comment, Skip. Would you mind elaborating on what you mean....what you wish the RS would know? Thanks.

I don't want to get old.

I think the key wording here is "may have". It's clear to me from this passage that Alma is suffering and "hell" seems like a pretty good word to describe that. But I think you might be taking some interpretive licence here.

So it's your fault the sweater didn't fit!! I wrote all the specifications in my letter. How could you have missed it? And don't give any of that "it was a clerical error" nonsense! I can see I'm going to have to order from Mrs. Claus this year.

dahlia, do they sell denial?

That is an interesting definition, Dravin. Meaningful service = a big impact. I think I might agree that sometimes very simple almost incidental things can create a big impact in the life of someone else. Fanfare doesn't always equal meaning for the person receiving it. I remember when I was pregnant and put on bedrest. I had lots of help. All of it was meaningful for someone involved but not all of it was what I wanted or needed because the person giving wasn't always plugged in. Maybe they were just trying and hoping the offering was received or they had their own agendas. While I do carry a few resentments about the whole affair, I still think that even with all the perfection it was truly meaningful. I remember one time the Lord whispered to me that the service wasn't for me. It was for the sweet woman who was serving me. So, I tried to get out of the way and let the Lord do His thing.

I've always understood that the Corinthians scripture meant that ones body would be resurrected in accordance with ones assigned Kingdom. So telestial residents would have telestial bodies, and so forth. I know that all are promised a resurrection. But it doesn't make sense that all will be given a celestial body. If Father's body is so full of light that we have to be transfigured in order to abide it, why would telestial folks be given a body with more light than the place they are going to dwell?

My score was: 10 Words of Affirmation 6 Quality Time 6 Receiving Gifts 3 Acts of Service 5 Physical Touch I think I answered the questions according to what I want more of. Maybe I didn't answer them correctly. On the other hand, maybe I could show this to hubby and maybe he'll pick up what I'm putting down!

Can I refuse to clean the basement on spiritual grounds?? Or better yet....maybe all of you will make my christmas wish come true and do it for me. :)

Yes Dad is really involved. He is on the same page with Morning Star. He updated the txting plan and made a charging station for all the cell phones in the house right in our bedroom.

That's ok! I think it sunk in a little deeper with the second dose. :)

Well, I'm not sure how "into her" he is. In the txt's he says "love you" a lot. And they text every day and into the night. I talked to him about this too and when asked he said, "Mom, it doesn't mean what you think it means. I only wanna be with her for like the school year." And then I said, "Well don't you think girls think it means you love them." And he said, "YES! Girls make a big thing out of everything!" But then he talked about how wonderful she was and how I just didn't like her cuz she was a cheer leader. I wanna believe that he's just jazzed cuz a girl likes him.

I would appreciate the heads up. No doubt. But I'll admit the idea of talking to her parents makes my stomach churn a bit.

You better make sure they don't call each other "baby". It will make Morningstar anxious.

I can't go that far. I mean...what is life without a really good marshmallow shooter?

Well, I guess I have to celebrate Halloween. Cuz then I'll feel the guilt that will force me to clean the basement. With Christmas being the orgy of greed.....I'm going to need the shelf space for all the new stuff.

Ok all you awesome men! I need some advice. I've got a 14 yr old boy. He's tall and way too handsome and the girls really like him. He's recently gotten into a "thing" with a 14 yr old girl. He calls her his girlfriend and says they are "exclusive". He says "she kissed me once at the seminary dance after someone dared her. And that is all I swear." I've been monitoring his texting (as was the deal when he got his phone) and the comments coming from this girl are quite alarming. My son's responses are pretty monosyllabic so I'm less worried there. She has tried to get him to sneak out at night to see her. (She had her sister drive to the house the other night). She talks about wanting to be with him and wanting to lay with him on his bed. She talks a lot about making out and tells him how sexy he is. She also throws out flirtations from other boys in his face. Like "Oh, all these boys just want to make out with me. I have to tell them no cuz I'm with you." Or, "my old boyfriend just couldn't get enough of me. He's calling again." My son is VERY naive to stuff and thinks she is great. When I tried to talk to him/ask him if any of this bothered him, he said no and that he didn't care. He was open and humble when I talked to him about appropriate conversations, picking girls with standards, and behaving in respectful ways with girls. He was also open to the idea of saving all this dating behavior for when he's older. But he wouldn't agree that talking about these boys was problematic. He didn't feel bothered by that at all. This surprised me. I thought all boys feel would naturally feel bugged by the mention of other boys "touching" their girlfriends. And it worries me that he doesn't see what this girl is doing in terms of leading him towards acting on these petitions. I'm not sure the girl has any idea either. Men on the forum ( and women too), how would you approach this? What would you be worried about? What lessons would you want your son to learn in regards to standards and street smarts? What do I need to know about teen boys in these situations? Thanks!!

I think I threw up in my mouth a little. Apple, that is just vile. Completely awesome and funny, but vile. But then again...I could try it on DH. "Come here you little tootsie roll poo!" Nah....I'll go back to "baby". :)

So THAT'S where your original avatar pic came from! It's all making sense now.

I blame Morningstar. She's the one who started talking about poo.

I don't watch R rated stuff as a general rule. I've made a couple of exceptions. "Glory" with Denzel Washington was one of them. And I was "pushed" to see Schindler's list but I walked out half way through. Anyway, what I want to say is that I can testify that this kind of discretion works. It helps me keep my mind spiritually clear. It keeps influences (subtle and otherwise) out of my being. Just the other night, my husband and I tried a program that his coworker said we "had" to see. We were both disgusted and turned it off. I actually really loved the distain that came out of me. It felt good to have that kind of quick repulsion for the yuck and the longing for a return to the light. I've decided over and over in my life that I want this state of being MORE than I want entertainment. It's not that I'm a tight wad about it or judgy if someone tells me they like a certain show. It's just that I really like feeling clean and connected to heaven. And that means that I avoid popular media sometimes. Even when the show is actually a pretty "great" creative production.