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  1. Hello there all! I have been so frustrated lately with an issue I have been having with my garmets and I would like to know if anyone else has had this issue and has found a solution. I have been getting extremely bad rashes on my armpits from my garmets for the last little while. I started with carinessa, then changed to cotton-poly. The problem is when these rashes get really bad I dont wear my garmets to bed for a night and I wake up and it is better. I hate not wearing my garmets but I really don't know where to go from here the rash is so painful. Any recommendations because I'm desperate
  2. In January I submitted an article to Meridian Magazine at ldsmag.com titled Divorce and the Eternal Perspective in the LDS Church. Recently I looked through the comments and noticed most agreed it was very uplifting, and one...not so much. I didn't take offense at all. I know very well people have different perspectives and appreciate a certain voice when it comes to advice and comfort. My voice can only reach so far, but I'm hoping it reaches a bit further by posting it here. http://ldsmag.com/divorce-and-the-eternal-perspective-in-the-lds-church/
  3. My name is Chelsea Curran and I'm a newly published author! My first book "Unseen Road to Love" comes out April 11th, and I wanted to have the chance to connect with all my fellow LDS romance readers about the books we love so much, and why they make our hearts sing. I'm a young single adult and spent the last six years trying to figure out the ins and outs of love. At 18, my parents decided to divorce. It wasn't messy, but it struck a raw nerve that forced me to see that growing up, the evidence of their love wasn't consistently present, especially later in their marriage. It was when my mother had agreed with the quote, "Love is what's leftover after the passion and the romance dies" that I wondered if love was even worth pursing. My parents were grieving over so much emotional heartache that it left me with very little hope for myself. At the time I wasn't much of a reader besides enjoying the "Harry Potter series" or "Twilight", and my friends took it upon themselves to introduce me to the wonderful world of LDS literature. Over the past six years, I've read roughly 450 romance novels. Most LDS, others Christian themed or morally based. During this time of intense romantic study, I gained the perspective of literally dozens of authors and their take on what love is truly about. It's one thing to watch a movie where actors portray a feeling on behalf of the writer, but it's another to dive deeply into the thoughts of someone who truly believe love does exist and can be found. Over time, I started gaining my own dating experience and began to apply what was real and what was fantasy based on what I read. What's amazing is that I was able to relate to LDS romances, not just for the obvious reasons, but because each story contains a certain amount of realism in love. If anybody knows of Anita Stansfield, then they know her content contains a lot of trials that people overcome not just in love, but in life. They are stories that people can relate to, such as dealing with divorce, infidelity, death, illness, etc., specifically in the church. These topics are disheartening, but real and allow people to feel a certain empathy in a situation where they lack emotional support. What's even better is that she applies gospel teachings in a realistic example to show how people can heal from it. Of course there others that are just plain fun and put a comedic twist on issues that are my entire life. Living in the single's ward, my lifestyle is every bit as cheesy, dramatic, complicated and awesome as the books are. Finally, I was able to relate to something in bigger ways than "Twilight". Not to bag on "Twilight" but I think you know what I'm talking about. Overtime, as I obtained my own philosophies and writing skills from education and observation, I decided to write my own novel. Gradually I gained more experience in life, refining my ways in how to deal a good story, but more importantly, I learned how to tell a real story directed to the hearts of people who feel the things as I do. I didn't have a big voice growing up, but this was my chance to say something that I learned from all my fellow authors out there. LOVE IS REAL AND ITS FANTASTIC...IF YOU WORK FOR IT. As a teen, I had little hope for it as I blossomed into adulthood, but I had authors willing to share their voice, who gave me what I needed to move forward with confidence and understanding in finding someone to experience it with. I wanted the chance to do the same for others, and so I wrote a story inspired by real events and people who have changed my life for the better. Cedar Fort Publishing felt I did just that! If you want to know more, check out my website chelseacurranauthor.com or search my LDS romance novel "Unseen Road to Love" on Amazon, available for preorder. My friend and I also have a web show on YouTube called "Words on the Rocks" where we talk about dating in the singles ward and even reenact the awkward dating stories people send us. So tell me...what is your favorite LDS romance novel, and why?
  4. I have Asperger's Syndrome and I am LDS/Mormon too. I have written and published a book called The Greensons. It is about a fictional LDS/Mormon family that has a daughter with Asperger's Syndrome. Here is the link to it if you are interested: http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/Gratiot
  5. I'm helping my aunt with girl's camp this year and one of her lessons/activities has to do with the plan of salvation. You know those card kits missionaries sometimes carry around, very simplified pictures on them to show the plan and they either come in a folder or on a ring to keep them together? well, when looking it up on Google, we found a set by LDSTools that was pretty cool that was all circles. Going from big to small, the cards fit together like a ripple and come apart as their own free moving circles of different sizes. The kit was 1. a little pricey for a girl's camp handout and 2. a little too detailed to keep as a black and white scan for the girls to color on their own. So, we decided to do the circle idea and make the designs our own. The girls will color them and we'll laminate them and cut them out and the girls can have their own sets to take home or give to missionaries or whatever. Here are my designs for that. Just wanted to share this with you guys. I know, I spelt Terrestrial wrong. I'll have to redo that one.
  6. I am frustrated. I just spent the last 2 hours going through the admission process for 3 different "LDS dating sites" only to find out that certain crucial aspects of the process(you know, receiving and answering messages, uploading profile pictures, finding matches, etc.) require payment. I do not want to pay $9.99 for a month-long service. I live in a rural area and I do not have access to too many wholesome men as it is as the singles ward is farther away than I can reasonably drive. Do any of you know of a dating service or site that encourages people of the LDS faith to get together that is free to use? Or have any suggestions for how to find someone? All we have around here by way of recreation are bars(nope), country clubs(nope), and...other churches. I already intend to pray about this but I felt like just looking online and trying to get this rusty wagon wheel turning again with conversations with people of like minds, you know? My biggest mistake with my last marriage was that we were both not very strong to start out with and when times grew tough as far as spiritually, we couldn't look to each other for that strength and neither one of us suggested that we might ask God for help. I went down some very dark roads after that and although I know I cannot depend totally on another person for my testimony, it is my ideal to find someone with similar values so that we can offer each other an example and strength in the spirit, when we need it. I think because of how passionately I feel about the church it'd be best to find a Mormon guy. If you have any ideas or suggestions, I am open to hearing them.
  7. I just finished watching Once I Was a Beehive and that had to be the cutest thing ever! I really enjoyed this movie a lot! I think a great deal of my appreciation for the film comes from my own experiences at Girls Camp as a teenager. I wasn’t really serious about the church until I was a Laurel(16 and 17) and I started going to seminary for the last 3 years of high school. Before that, I was a bit goth with my head always in a fantasy novel, so, I wasn’t really interested in “camping” or being outdoors. It always seemed like my Young Womens leaders convinced me to go and for my first 3 years in Young Womens I attended Girls Camp each summer. However, like most of my church obligations at that time, something I dragged my feet about usually ended up being something really uplifting and fun by the time I was finished. And this is definitely true for Girls Camp. So, I really empathize with Lane, the main character, and her experiences being persuaded to go camping with the Young Women but actually preferring to be somewhere else until the fun finally catches up to her. I just loved everything about this, although incredibly sappy, everyone felt real to me. There were some moments when we first meet certain characters that it feels a bit over-acted but then I remembered being a pretty rambunctious and obnoxious Young Woman myself. Young teenage girls can get pretty silly at times and I guess that those parts reminded me of my old interactions as well. But one thing that really stood out to me was that it was a really great story with everyone growing and learning lessons by the end. Nobody started out perfect and even the Young Womens leaders clashed and butted heads at times. In that way, it really captured the essence of “Mormonism” that despite pop culture and media portrayals, we’re still just people trying our best, just like everybody else. We’re not perfect and we still go through the same temptations and trials that everyone else on this earth does. I just really appreciated the intimacy of that portrayal and it made the characters a lot easier to connect with. Over all, a really great film, not overly preachy or harping on church doctrine. Like Lane, we get to experience an encounter with this church group of girls as outsiders, dipping our feet into this pool for a little bit. We get to know these teens, growing in fondness for them by the movie’s end, and we get to learn a bit about the Young Womens program and values through the activities they do. I recommend it if you haven’t seen it yet and you’re just looking for a coming of age story with some church leanings. If you’ve seen it, what did you think of the film? Was there anything you liked in particular? Was there anything you had a problem with?
  8. Hey, so, coming back to church has been an exciting venture in many respects but especially with the re-acquisition of music I remember I used to love. I'm trying to accumulate a playlist for myself of the songs that I remember liking and really enjoy now. "Love One Another" "I Stand All Amazed" "Because I Have Been Given Much" "Scripture Power" "How Great Thou Art" "Army of Helaman" "Gethsemane" "A Child's Prayer" "Born is the Light of the World" "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" "He Sent His Son" "Lord, I Would Follow Thee" "Teach Me To Walk in the Light" "Keep the Commandments" "If the Savior Stood Beside Me" I go to the Susquehanna Branch and Priesthood Restoration Site for church and the past 2 years(I think; could be longer), the sister missionaries who were called to serve there all happened to be musically inclined and musically trained. So, very often, on Sundays, or for firesides and holidays, the 10-12 sisters would sing music for the congregation. I got to enjoy this in the 4 months I've been back, so, a couple of these might not necessarily be hymns. But you can kind of sense a trend in my tastes. Very upbeat or very deep lyrics. Some of these songs tend to be a lot of people's favorites. I wanted to find more through suggestions by people or to just talk about music in church in general. What are your favorite church songs? They can be hymns, primary songs, lds created songs, old music, newer music, anything! Edit: Adding to my list: "Be Still My Soul" "Did You Think To Pray" "There's Sunshine In My Soul" "I Love to See the Temple" "Book of Mormon Stories" "As I Search the Holy Scriptures" "Called to Serve" "How Firm a Foundation"
  9. https://bookofmormoncentral.org/content/art-contest-2017 Look what I found on Facebook! Being a painter, I'm really excited about this and I'm probably going to go ahead and submit something...as soon as I figure out what I want to paint for it. ^^; I'm not sure if we have any other artists here but I wanted to post this to encourage others to participate if they so wish. I put up the link for the website and page for more information about it. Check out last years winners! Those are gorgeous!
  10. Hello! My name pretty much everywhere on the internet is Jethco. I don't know why I hadn't found this forum earlier but better late than never, eh? I found it due to an older thread from 2009 that was full of chit-chat and speculation about what curemoms and cumoms could possibly be identified as today. We read Ether 9 tonight in family scripture study and I was interested to see what the world had come up with for curremoms and cumoms. My interests include furthering my doctrinal knowledge through healthy conversation with other people. In the real world I'm studying to be a commercial pilot, I served a full-time mission in the Guatemala Guatemala City Central mission; the best mission in the world , I married a beautiful Colombian woman in 2013 who is now 11 weeks pregnant with our first baby, and life is getting pretty interesting all of a sudden. Lol. I'm pretty much an open book. Like most people, I like to share my opinion with people and tell my story. I also love to hear about other people and compare how life's experiences can sculpt each one of us differently. On that note I'm a little bit of an anthropologist at heart and a super-novice linguist having learned Spanish on my mission. I would love to learn more languages. I find the differences and similarities fascinating! I'm currently living in Bakersfield, CA but being raised an Air Force brat I've seen my fair share of moving trucks and we haven't planted firm roots quite yet.
  11. I'm a nevermo from a background where I was exposed to many LDS friends (outside of idaho, utah, or arizona, no less). I've met with missionaries multiple times and read/prayed about the BOM, but never received any spiritual confirmation or feelings on the matter. I do, however, have a weird, random affinity with the WoW. Whenever I have gone to sacrament meetings, it's always brought up, even if it wasn't a planned subject. It's common for me to go to church and hear, "We were going to talk about X, but stuff happened so we're talking about the WOW today." My lifestyle is pretty opposite to the Wow, other than my appreciation of bread. I'm addicted to coffee (have at least 2 strong cups a day), I like a beer or glass of wine to unwind after work, legally smoke cannabis to get sleep, and every year or two partake in illegal party drugs and smoke cigarettes. I was reflecting on my health and the direction it was going, and thought it would be a great idea to try following the WoW to the letter for a month for non-spiritual reasons, then seeing how I feel. This would include things like using meat sparingly (I was thinking of being vegetarian at home, but eating some meat during holiday get-togethers and extended family dinners) , incorporating more seasonal veggies and fruits I wouldn't otherwise eat, and the "classic" no alcohol/coffee/tea/drugs. Are there any suggestions or "words of wisdom" you might have for me before I start? How do you feel about a non-LDS person living the WoW?
  12. I recently had a daughter and ever since have been thinking about donating my eggs to help others conceive for many of my own reasons. I understand the churches stance on egg donation, but one thing I have not been able to find is information about sealing in this case. My husband, daughter, and I plan on being sealed soon, but what happens if the eggs I donate end up becoming full term pregnancies and end in a successful birth? Genetically these children would be related to me. So my question is, would these children end up also being sealed to me since they are technically mine? I plan on speaking with my bishop Sunday, but wanted thoughts first. I am for sure about donating, except for my question about being sealed.
  13. Growing up in an Evanglical-Pentecostal church, I loved hearing conversion stories. Christians who had left some dead, false spirituality for new life in Christ were thrilling to hear from. They might talk about hypocrisy, or meaningless rituals, or realizing that what they had been doing was empty and unfulfilling. I imagine that LDS often have these same stories to share. In the past couple of weeks the seriousness of such stories hit me hard. A dear friend and fellow clergy has resigned his calling, and is converting to Catholicism. While I agree with the decades-old assessment (on the Catholic side) that we are really just "separated brethren," it still hurts. So, what I would appreciate reading are posts from those who have converted from another faith. Of course, you should bear your testimony. However, to the extent that is comfortable on an internet forum, it would help to hear about the struggles over doctrine, over close ones who are still in the former religions who feel betrayed, etc. What I realize is that conversion is seldom short, sweet, and without heartache. For those brave souls willing, I really hope to learn from your stories.
  14. Here is an article that was posted on my wall from the following URL. The title click baits with the following statement, "LDS Family's Viral Photo Shows "Angelic" Figure in a Fire Near Their Cabin" Are these post harmful, helpful, or a mixture of both. Perspective. I remember when I was first home from my mission, and my desire to increase in knowledge induced incorrect experiences. One day I served in the temple, endowment sessions, within the stars I saw animals. My heart at first jumped and I thought the Lord was giving me a special vision. The next time I went to the temple, an abashed and silly mind realized, "Well, darn it, it was just part of the temple video." (LOL) The lesson I learned is what has already been taught by prophets, that spiritual experiences (which aren't spiritual in the least) can be forced and we open ourselves to possible deceptions. I have been far more cautious in my spiritual learning since then. In light of that experience, I believe this type of show isn't helpful, but harmful. The helpful part would be simply to state a prayer was said, and our cabin was spared. Telling everyone an angel spared our cabin and I have proof with a photo that is obscure appears to be more harmful rather than helpful (e.g. Nessie the Lockness monster). The picture shows a fireman to the right of the picture. The supposed angel is even farther than the fireman, which means according to perspective, that the angel should be even smaller than the fireman, not double his size. We know that resurrected beings are individuals who have lived upon this earth, and according to revealed doctrine that angels who serve this earth have either lived or will live upon this earth. The supposed angel, a human, is double the size of the fireman, meaning that is what heck of a tall angle (human, either resurrected or a spirit of the just). Wouldn't it be better that we stick with the simple, God answered a prayer rather than subjective image that is probably a tree in the background?
  15. Hello, Before anything else, I want to explain what the situation is. I have been dating this girl for around 4 and 1/2 years now. She is a member of the LDS church and I am not. Recently we broke up, even though we both still love each other very much, because she thought that God told her to do so. She wanted someone who could marry her in the temple and hold the priesthood, and I can not provide those things as a non-member. Through a week of praying and fasting, God gave me an answer that was "keep fighting for her, she is the one". Even though I am not LDS, my relationship with God is strong. We have since discussed the fact that we both got different answers, and have agreed to go 1 week without contact, and pray everyday about the situation. I know God wouldn't lie, and may have been using the break up as a way to awaken my spiritual side and allow for individual growth during that time and that we will end up back together. Do any of you believe in interfaith marriages? I have spoken with members that are married to non-members who are happily married. I know that I can be sealed to someone after death, is there a way to provide blessing to my children without the priesthood? If she were to come back to me, and I felt that I shouldn't convert, she would be giving up a temple marriage and preisthood, but God wouldn't let us be unhappy. I would love to hear what you have to say. Thank you for your time.
  16. I was at a trans* support group a while ago - wherein I explained about my baptism and how, while it doesn't change my feelings on gender stuff, it does mean that I'm not going to transition because it's not what God wants. I've been going to that group for around a year now and it's always fun. But today, when I was leaving, I was saying goodbye to one of the people in the group and I actually held out my arm to shake his hand. He looked at me like "WTFudge?" I've never shaken hands with my friends like that before - it's not something anyone really does in Ireland - but because I'm now so used to doing it every time I meet a church member/missionary, it's become a habit! Do any of you have similar stories, where you do something that's only ever done among fellow church members, but you do it with a non-church member? How did they react?
  17. Hello! Sorry this is a little long, but this seemed like a good place to ask for advice. Born and raised LDS, both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, I found security in the church growing up and was pretty happy. But when I started to question the church, this also pulverized everything I thought I knew and made me feel broken. Until that point, the LDS church felt much simpler to accept. Now I'm more aware that the LDS church is a complicated thing to accept and that no religion can be guaranteed true, which leaves me with conflicted feelings. For whatever reason, I still feel the spirit and feel that it's true, despite everything that points to the opposite conclusion. Without it, life seems really dark and meaningless--the promises of being with your family forever just hit too hard home and I don't want to lose that. At the same time, though, I have read too much anti-mormon stuff and been disillusioned with too many of the church's current standpoints (ie: that women can't have the priesthood when many Christian churches ordain women, the exclusion policy affecting LGBT families) to connect it with the church I trusted when I was younger. How can I reconcile all of the conflicting feelings? I want to stay in the church and on a spiritual level I feel like it is the right thing to do, but I just can't trust it and don't know how to anymore. Have any of you felt that way? How do you hold on?
  18. Popular Youtube cover artist Alex Boye is coming to Salt Lake City this winter to perform African inspired music combined with Christmas songs for a holiday performance. It’s on Saturday December 12th at 7:30PM at Kingsbury Hall at The University of Utah. Boye is widely know for his Africanized takes on modern day pop songs, which in 2014 led him to win Youtube’s ‘Cover Artist of the Year’. Fellow youtuber Stuart Edge will be Alex’s opener for this amazing show. Tickets are available online or by phone 801-581-7100. To get more information on Alex Boye, you can check out his Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and official website www.AlexBoye.com.
  19. Time lapse created over a month's time. Watch how a family finds strength by gathering together as a family - Twice A Day. Short Video - 2 min Enjoy!
  20. Hi, I am a recent convert to the LDS faith. But prior to my baptism I was reading a lot of anti-mormon stuff like this known practice called “friendshipping”. And I was wondering if this was an actual practice? Friendshipping is where the church or missionaries would assign a member/s to an investigator or inactive member in order for them to convert or be active again. The friendshipper would invite the potential convert or inactive member to dinner, events etc. in order for them to build trust. But once the friendshipper fulfills their obligation they would cut ties with the potential convert or inactive member. I spoke to many of the members as well as the missionaries about this practice but they assured me that this is not true. In fact they haven’t even heard of such a thing.
  21. The below fascinating Interfaith article on the LDS Church was recently emailed by Ford Motor Company to thousands of its employees! Interfaith Insights & Inspirations The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Quick Facts & Interesting Tidbits On this day 175 years ago, September 14, 1840, Joseph Smith Sr. died; his son was the LDS Church's founding prophet. The church has since grown nearly a thousand fold -- enjoy the following about this now thriving church! OVERVIEW · Named “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints”, nicknames are “LDS” or “Mormon” · Not claiming standing from age-old descent, from councils, or from just reading the Bible, the LDS Church is rather unique in declaring that the Lord restored the full original Christian church, guided once again through prophetic revelation · Core focus is that Jesus Christ & His teachings bring happiness in this life & exaltation in the next with your family HISTORY · In 1820 14-yr-old Joseph Smith proclaimed a vision of God & Christ foretelling the long-prophesied full Christian restoration · Organized in upstate New York in 1830, the church moved to near Cleveland, then near Kansas City, & then to rural Illinois · Fleeing violent Illinois mobs, Mormons began their subzero February escape across a frozen Mississippi River in 1846 · Though 4-6,000 died en route, 70,000 pre-railroad Mormon pioneers settled Salt Lake City & 600 other Western communities SALT LAKE CITY · Temple Square, laid out just four days after 1847 pioneer arrival, has 5 million annual visitors, more than the Grand Canyon · The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, the world’s most famous, broadcast on 1500 stations, started 29 days after pioneer arrival · The iconic granite Salt Lake Temple took 40 years to build; there are now 148 temples worldwide with another 25 underway · Salt Lake City is home of the world's largest genealogy database, it can be visited online or at 4,800 libraries FAMILY · LDS believe that marriage & family can be eternal & are central to God's plan for our happiness · On Monday nights, LDS worldwide hold "Family Home Evening", a program started 100 years ago in 1915 · A Pew survey showed LDS as the most married & least divorced Christian U.S. sect after Anabaptists (Amish, etc.) · Utah is the single most married, largest family, largest house, highest birth rate, most kids with both parents, lowest illegitimacy, lowest births into poverty, lowest child poverty, & youngest (average age 29.2 vs. 38.9 for Michigan) of all 50 states HEALTH CODE · Believing an 1833 health code was inspired, LDS avoid alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs, coffee, & tea (herbal tea is ok) · This health code also teaches grains (especially wheat), fresh fruits & vegetables, & sparing use of meat · A 2008 UCLA study of 26,000 people showed that active LDS live longer than white Americans, men by 9.8 years & women by 5.6 years; the differences were even much greater for LDS who better lived various LDS tenets · Utah is 50th in smoking, tobacco, marijuana, alcohol, drunk driving, heart attacks, hypertension, high cholesterol, cancer deaths, Cesareans, sick days, child obesity, youth inactivity, & 49th in adult inactivity, diabetes, heart disease, strokes, & ER visits EDUCATION · Some 397,000 high school students attend a daily gospel study class, usually starting 6-6:30AM · Some 347,000 college students attend a weekly Institute of Religion class at 2,500 locations worldwide · Utah is 50th in spending per pupil (31st in teacher salary), but rates above average in most educational metrics · New in 2001, LDS in 63 developing countries can get low-rate college loans; over 60,000 loans have been made BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY, PROVO UTAH · BYU Provo, with 30,000 students, is America's largest single-campus private college · From 110+ countries, 70% of students are bilingual, 32% study one of 55 languages, & 2,000 study abroad in 55 countries · BYU’s unparalleled Independent Study program offers over 550 courses to 130,000 students in over 90 countries · BYU national championships in the last 20 years include: five in rugby (including the last four), three in men’s volleyball, four in women’s cross country, four in combined racquetball, nine in women’s racquetball, & 20 in ballroom dance · College rankings vary by source & year; “cherry-picking” some of the best recent year BYU rankings: + Sometimes rated #1 in accounting, rate of student acceptees that enroll, students who pray, & in being “stone cold sober” + For total students going on to graduate school: #11 for medical, #6 for law, #5 for doctorates, & #1 for dental school WOMEN · Organized in 1842, the "Relief Society", the world’s largest women's organization, meets every Sunday & has many activities · Women preach from the pulpit & serve in various positions, from teachers to organization presidents · Wyoming was first to allow women to vote; Utah was second, two months later, in 1870 · America's first female state senator, first female mayor with all-female city council, first female U.S. senator without any family connection (from Florida), & first black Republican congresswoman, were all LDS ACTIVE CONGREGATIONS · Sunday services entail a three-hour block of three meetings; nearly 30,000 congregations exist worldwide · Everyone has a calling in highly vibrant LDS organizations; surveys shows exceptionally high LDS congregational involvement · Most churches have an indoor basketball gymnasium with a theater stage to host a wide variety of meals & activities · Teens have the most fun: weekly activities, sports, dances, service projects, youth conferences, weeklong camps, etc. FINANCES · Members tithe 10%; a Penn study of 2600 LDS said 88% of active LDS tithe fully compared to 4% of American Christians · Local clergy (no career positions) & all other congregational positions are unpaid (janitorial is unpaid, maintenance is hired) · The paid positions in Salt Lake are known as low-salaried; funds are frugally used & tightly audited, the church has no debt MEMBER ASSISTANCE · Members receive monthly visits from a “home teacher”, a friend who is available for any help you may ask for · Customarily, hands show up when moving, dinners show up when sick, & visitors show up when hospitalized · The church runs 115 employment centers, 101 home food storage centers, 82 counselling centers, & 42 thrift stores · LDS in need obtain church welfare in the form of groceries and/or bills paid; LDS donate monthly to this welfare program · The church has a few hundred farms either for investments or for its welfare program; many LDS donate time on welfare farms GIVING BACK · A Penn study said active LDS give nine times as many volunteer hours as other Americans, 57% of it for religious purposes · Started in 1998, “Mormon Helping Hands” is a program where local members work on various public service projects + Some large one-day efforts: 65,000 Californians in 2014, 100,000 Africans in 2007, & 120,000 Brazilians in 2011 · Worldwide there are 10,000 unpaid welfare/humanitarian service missionaries, these are often retired couples · An analysis of 2012 tax returns shows Utahns gave away 6.6% of their income, a median of $6,182; no other state was close HUMANITARIAN AID · Humanitarian aid is given to people of all faiths; the church pays all overhead so that donations go 100% to recipients · The church provides rapid emergency relief to disasters worldwide, usually responding to 100-150 disasters annually · The church drilled wells & created water systems for many millions of people in many thousands of villages worldwide · Large-scale worldwide medical aid includes giving immunizations, wheelchairs, vision care, & neonatal healthcare training SHARING CHRIST’S GOSPEL · Over 85,000 missionaries serve in 160+ countries; over a quarter are female; most are college-age but some are retired couples · Unpaid & paying their own way, most work 65 hours a week for 18-24 months, often learning one of over 50 different languages · Polynesians are the most LDS (~15%), Africa has the highest growth rate, & Latin America has the most growth (49% of total) · The church reached one million in 1947, membership now exceeds 15.5 million; over 5,000 join weekly worldwide MEMBERSHIP DISTRIBUTION · Some 2014 year end LDS memberships: + U.S. 6,466k – by Region: East 287k (0.45%), Midwest 442k (0.65%), South 1,049k (0.93%), West 4,688k (6.2%) + Other English Countries: New Zealand 110k, Australia 144k, U.K. 186k, Canada 192k + Latin America: Ecuador 229k, Guatemala 255k, Argentina 432k, Peru 557k, Chile 579k, Brazil 1,289k, Mexico 1,368k + Other: South Africa 61k, Ghana 62k, Tonga 63k, Samoa 76k, Korea 87k, Japan 128k, Nigeria 130k, Philippines 711k + By World Region: Africa 460k, Europe 504k, Oceania 520k, Asia 1,087k, Latin America 6,108k, U.S./Canada 6,658k · Each continent’s country with the highest rate of LDS: United States, Chile, Portugal, Cape Verde, Philippines, & Tonga · Worldwide about 60% are not Caucasian; about 70% are converts, which is a bit unusual for a faith PRESIDENTIAL LDS TIDBITS · Appreciating Millard Fillmore’s treatment of the LDS, Utah named its first capital city “Fillmore” & its county “Millard” · Abraham Lincoln helped the LDS obtain the Nauvoo Charter; he checked out the Book of Mormon from the Library of Congress · Warren G. Harding once asked for & received a nighttime LDS priesthood blessing for his sick wife · Lyndon B. Johnson was extraordinarily close to LDS President David O. McKay, often calling him; of the three American flags from his inauguration, he kept one, gave the second to his vice president, & the third to President McKay GRAB BAG · The U.K. had 44,000 converts by 1851 (12,000 Utahns in 1851, many from the U.K.); by 1869 32,000 had emigrated · Recent news articles have said the church is planning a city of 500,000 near Orlando on some of its 770,000 Florida acres · Utah is first in computers, financial literacy, church attendance, & birthplace of leading scientists (including TV’s inventor) · LDS Scouting started in 1913, 23% of Boy Scouts are LDS; Utah leads all states in total (not just rate of) Eagle Scouts · Hawaii's #1 tourist site, the Polynesian Cultural Center, hires BYU Hawaii college students from many Polynesian islands
  22. Guest

    Fasting

    Can you drink water while fasting? In true tho the faith, it says: To fast is to go without food and drink voluntarily. So i'm just curious...
  23. Hey everyone, this Monday I was in a YSA talent show, I shared two poems of mine, the first is a reverse poem about the Atonement. Reverse poetry is when you read a poem normal, then re-read bottom back to the top, so two poems in one. the 2nd is a spoken word poem about my struggles of growing up with Aspergers Syndrome. please let me know what you all think of it (Sorry about the beginning of video... I was a bit nervous up there at first) Feel free to share the video, on your facebooks etc, it's on youtube, it's public so.. ha #Sharegoodness
  24. I need help. I'll keep it brief and simple. Ive been dating this girl and we talk about the future pretty seriously. But there is this other girl that I've been interested in a lot and I can't get my mind off of her. But she's on a mission. She gets back soon which is great. But heres the catch, we live in different states. and my current relationship is also long distance. So its like either way I have to be long distance and won't really know what its like to be with someone unless one of us moves our life for the other. Any thoughts?f
  25. Hello Everyone, I was wondering if anyone has any advice about using LDS dating sites? I have signed up for a couple but to be frank, I am fairly dubious. I live in Scotland and I am 45 years old so I have a very small LDS community in real life. I can't imagine a guy in Utah wanting to start anything with someone so far away if they have children in their country of residence, and although I would consider moving, that seems a bit like a far off dream that would have so many requirements attached. I was married to a non member who was a serial cheater and although I know members and non members are all susceptible to temptation, I really want my eternal husband to already be in the church. I have complete faith in my Father in Heaven and so I know things will work out in the end, but I also feel strongly that I have to do the most I can to help myself, I am just not sure if online dating is the way to go. Any advice, tips or genuine success stories would be very much appreciated. V xxx