mormonisms

[checkerboy]

The other thing I like to do when giving blessings is state that the blessing is given in the name of Jesus Christ at the beginning of the ordinance. Then, when I've said everything that I feel needs to be said, I simply say, Amen. It usually makes people jump.

That is funny. But people should be used to it because that is how it is done in the sacrament prayers.

[Prodigal_Son]

I'm not sure I can buy into the collective Priesthood Power idea. I'm pretty sure that one worthy priesthood holder wields just as much authority and access to power as a billion of them.

If you're a spiritual giant, perhaps. As for me, I need all the help I can get. God's more likely to respond to the collective prayers of many, as opposed to the singular prayer of one... so why not with blessings, as well?

[MarginOfError]

If you're a spiritual giant, perhaps. As for me, I need all the help I can get. God's more likely to respond to the collective prayers of many, as opposed to the singular prayer of one... so why not with blessings, as well?

I try to say this sincerely and without cynicism, even though I fear it won't come across that way in text:

If if helps your faith and comfort in what is being done, then it can't be all that bad.

[Moksha]

Stock Mormonism:

"I know this Church is true."

Most adult testimonies I have heard deliver that line emphatically, but few ever mention Jesus except after saying "I say this in the name of ..."

[Old Tex]

JBS, so is there a record of your children being blessed and the date on the records or just a private event. No real official need to bless a baby, not a saving ordinance.

Ben Raines

The mother or father of the baby should ask the ward clerk for a blessing form and fill it out. It will contain the information that the clerk will enter into the membership section of the MLS program to record the baby as a "child of record". This does not mean that it is a "LDS member" the same as the parents are, but the necessary information will be there to show that it is a child of the parents.

There is a Certificate of Blessing that the clerk can print for the parents if they desire one, but no record of the blessing is recorded in the computer. The information is used to place the child in the proper Primary class as it grows and if it is baptised when it is eight years old, the status is then changed by the clerk from a "child of record" to a "baptized member".

[Prodigal_Son]

If if helps your faith and comfort in what is being done, then it can't be all that bad.

I know where you're coming from... but it DOES still bring me added comfort and faith to think that my own father, whom I love dearly, is standing at my side, reinforcing my efforts.

Plus, I WANT those I love to be a part of it. To share that bond with the newest addition to our ever-growing family.

[AnthonyB]

In your "blessing of children" (the evanglelical equivalent is "dedication") do the parents make committment about raising the child in the ways of the Lord? Do the congregation(ward?) make any committment?

[Old Tex]

This brought back a stickler of a lesson from Stake Conference that I nearly walked out on.

The Stake President here mandated that we use the "thee / thou" language in prayers, etc., or they weren't done right.

I kid you not!

When giving a prayer in public, we are asked to consider the use of the old English personal pronouns (Thee, Thou and Thine) to address Heavenly Father. I think the use of this terminology is fitting in this case, as it serves to separate our addressing Him in public from the more casual "you" and "yours".

I don't see anyone in the Church being "mandated" to do anything, however.

[Jenamarie]

In your "blessing of children" (the evanglelical equivalent is "dedication") do the parents make committment about raising the child in the ways of the Lord? Do the congregation(ward?) make any committment?

No. It is a "laying on of hands" type prayer where the father (or some other Priesthood holder chosen by the parents) pronounces a Blessing on the child. At the end the baby is usually held up for the congregation to see, and then that's it.

[Starfish]

In your "blessing of children" (the evanglelical equivalent is "dedication") do the parents make committment about raising the child in the ways of the Lord? Do the congregation(ward?) make any committment?

Good question. No. However, the commitment goes without saying. All LDS commit to follow the Lord through baptism and in temple covenants. Raising children in the Gospel certainly fits in with following the Lord.

In the blessing, as in all blessings, the priesthood holder says whatever that Spirit (Holy Ghost) directs him to say.

[Starfish]

I thought the reason for so many men in the circle was so that you could safely bounce the baby.

For without the bouncing, the blessing is invalid.

[Justice]

Good one Skippy!

I'm wondering how doughnuts ever got to be a "breakfast food" and not a "dessert."

One thing I notice, that's not wrong, is that when good people set members apart for callings and such that they say "by the authority of the Melchezidek Priesthood, and in the name of Jesus Christ..." and then proceed to close the setting apart "in the name of Jesus Christ..."

It's certainly not wrong, and maybe serves a point. But, sometimes I feel people think you *have* to say it both times.

[Justice]

Also, sometimes when people are bearing their testimony or giving a talk, they close "in the name of Thy Son, Jesus Christ..." like they are closing a prayer.

I'm sure it's just nerves!

[Hemidakota]

Some tidbits from previous talks concerning testimonies...

Expressing Yourself in a Proper Manner

Don't preach a sermon. Now, you are going to give your testimonies this afternoon. I hope that you'll just open your hearts and let us look inside... will you? Just open them up wide and turn on the lights and let us see your hearts... how you feel. A testimony is not an exhortation; a testimony is not a sermon; none of you are here to exhort the rest. You are here to bear your own witness. It is amazing what you can say in thirty seconds by way of testimony, or in sixty seconds, or one hundred and twenty, or two hundred and forty, or whatever time you are given, if you confine yourselves to testimony. We'd like to know how you feel. (Spencer W. Kimball, Unpublished address, Church Historical Department, 2 Jan. 1959—Los Angeles, California, p. 9.)

Just tell how you feel. God bless you, brethren and sisters, as you enter now into this testimony bearing. Do not exhort each other, that is not a testimony. Do not tell others how to live. Just tell how you feel inside. That is the testimony. The moment you begin preaching to others, your testimony ended. Just tell us how you feel, what your mind and heart and every fiber of your body tells you. (Spencer W. Kimball, Unpublished address, Church Historical Department, 15 Jan. 1962- Berlin, Germany, p. 5.)

Statements of public thanks. Bearing testimony has to do with bearing witness to that which we know to be true. Much of what we call testimony bearing is not really testimony at all—it is a statement or expression of public thanks. It is good to be thankful, but public thanks is not testimony. Testimony comes from the Holy Ghost. (Hartman Rector, Jr., Conference Report, Apr. 1974, p. 159.)

Something more than a passing reference. I would hope that as Latter-day Saints we can strengthen each other in the way which the Lord provided, by bearing our testimonies often—at church meetings, at the end of gospel classes, even at fast and testimony meetings. We should renew our efforts to actually express our testimonies and give something more than a passing reference to the truthfulness of the gospel. With the bearing of testimony comes the spirit of testimony, and all are edified. (Loren C. Dunn, Conference Report, Oct. 1972, p. 97.)

Crying while bearing testimony. You don't have to cry about the gospel to have a testimony! Many times we think that we don't have a testimony unless a few tears flow. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is not necessary or needful for a person to have tears streaming clown their face to have a testimony of the gospel.

I remember a missionary once who used to cry so badly when he bore his testimony that I finally just told him, "Elder, I think you are making a demonstration of yourself. Why don't you try bearing your testimony without crying. You don't have to shed tears." I know that there are occasions when our hearts are close to the surface, and tears come. I've seen that in President McKay. But, I tell you, the serenity of the gospel of Jesus Christ does not depend upon emotionalism to bring forth a testimony. These things are firmly fixed under the power of the spirit. They don't require a physical emotionalism to demonstrate testimony because they are born of a solid conviction by the power of truth! I found out with this missionary that as a young man he had home his testimony for the first time and it had caused him to cry and everyone had come up and told him what a wonderful testimony it was. That was the springboard. From then on he cried every time he bore his testimony, so people would come up and say what a wonderful testimony he had.

I went to a meeting with Spencer W. Kimball and a man got up and bore his testimony and he cried all the way through it. After the meeting, Brother Kimball called him over and said, "Brother, I wish you'd stop crying when you bear your testimony. You don't have to do that to tell people that you love the Lord."

I felt embarrassed for another missionary who bore his testimony and said, "If you'll pardon me, I'm overcome" and he really wept, and when he got through, Brother Bennion really took him apart. He wasn't trying to be unkind to the missionary, but sometimes you can be misled by over-emotionalism, which is merely a surging of the blood. It is not a conviction! I think we ought to bear our testimonies without tears, and stand strong and honorably before our fellow men and tell them the truth, born of the spirit that comes to us. Now I know that isn't always easy, and I know I have had to struggle many times to keep back the tears, and I don't think we ought to fight that either. I hope you understand what I mean, but there are people who can bring tears pretty fast, and sometimes it is an indication of a lack of sincerity. (Alvin R. Dyer, Unpublished address, Church Historical Department, 25 Mar. 1961—Berlin, Germany, pp. 12-13.)

Testimony not to be used to "fill up time." The sanctity of a true testimony should inspire a thoughtful care as to its use. That testimony is not to be forced upon everybody, nor is it to be proclaimed at large from the housetop. It is not to be voiced merely to "fill up the time" in a public meeting; far less to excuse or disguise the speaker's poverty of thought or ignorance of the truth he is called to expound.

There are many in our Church who seem to regard the proclaiming of their conviction regarding the truth of the Gospel, the bearing of their testimony—as fully meeting all requirements of any speaker called to address the people in worshiping assemblies, on any and every occasion. That such a conception is false a little thought will show. How plainly inconsistent is it to boldly declare that the Gospel we teach is true, and yet be inexcusably ignorant as to the principles and precepts of the Gospel itself. A testimony of the truth enshrined in the honest soul as a precious gift from God, does not give to its owner a knowledge of the scriptures, or an understanding of the plan of salvation. The possession of such a testimony should of itself be an effective incentive to study, research, and prayerful investigation; it is a light to the feet that tread the path of wisdom, not a cloak to hide the ignorance due to sloth. (Joseph F. Smith, Juvenile Instructor, 1 Aug. 1906, p. 465.)

Use of the Words "I Know" in a Testimony

Don't you ever worry about triteness. Some of our good people get so terrified at triteness that they try to get clear around and away from their testimonies by getting out on the fringes that they won't become trite. Don't you ever worry about triteness in testimony. When the President of the Church bears his testimony, his eyes sparkle and his voice is resonant, but he says, "I know that Joseph Smith was called of God, a divine representative. I know that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God." You see, the same thing that everyone of you said. That is testimony. (Spencer W. Kimball, Unpublished address, Church Historical Department, 2 Jan. 1959—Los Angeles, California, pp. 16-17.)

There are no words like "I know." I know it is true. Because that word, those few words have been said a billion times by millions of people does not make it trite. It will never be worn out. I feel sorry for people who try to couch it in other words because there are no words like "I know." There are no words which express the deep feelings which can come from the human heart like "I know." (Spencer W. Kimball, Unpublished address, Church Historical Department, 15 Jan. 1962—Berlin, Germany, p. 5.)

Even a counterfeit person could say "I know." "No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost," so declared Paul to the Corinthians two thousand years ago. (1 Cor. 12:3.) The Prophet Joseph corrected one word in that quotation. Instead of "no man can say," the Prophet Joseph declared that the wording should be by proper interpretation, "no man can know that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." I suppose that anybody could say it, even a counterfeit person, but only one that is convinced can really know it and say it with conviction. (Robert L. Simpson, Brigham Young University Speeches of the Year, 18 Oct. 1966, p. 3.)

Use of Sacred Experiences in a Testimony

Not for the Church as a whole. Revelations of divine manifestations for the comfort of individuals may be received by every worthy member of the Church. In that respect all faithful members of the Church are equal. Such manifestations most commonly guide the recipients to the solution of personal problems; though, frequently, they open the mind to a clearer comprehension of the Lord's vast plan of salvation. They are cherished possessions, and should be valued, of those who receive them. In their very nature they are sacred and should be so treated. If a person who has received such a manifestation by dream, vision, or otherwise, feels impressed to relate it beyond his immediate family circle, he should present it to his bishop, but not beyond. The bishop, then, may decide upon its further use, if any, or may submit it to those of higher authority for action. The gift was a personal one; not for the Church as a whole; and the recipient is under obligation, in harmony with the established order, not to broadcast it over the Church.

It is unwisdom, therefore, for those who have received such manifestations to send copies to others, to relate them by word of mouth in diverse places, and otherwise to scatter abroad a personal, sacred experience. There are times and places where testimony may be borne of our knowledge that the restored gospel is of the Lord, and of the goodness of the Lord to us, and when we may present evidence of our faith. It would be well to remember that the Lord Jesus Christ, while on earth, usually instructed those whom He had healed or otherwise blessed, that they should not tell others of the occurrence. Some things are done for the public good, others for private welfare. (John A. Widtsoe, Improvement Era, Sept. 1940, pp. 545, 575.)

They have their own reward. Some people have had a unique testimony, and to draw attention they go around repeating it again and again everywhere they go. Some have even published them and had them broadcast over the Church. They tell of dreams, and of administrations when they have been healed. Well, they have their reward. These are wonderful blessings, but why, why do they think they have to publicize it all over the Church? (Harold B. Lee, Brigham Young University Speeches of the Year, 19 Apr. 1961, p. 9.)

Testimony Meetings

Testimony meetings are necessary at all levels. Now this testimony bearing... is not something we do just in the missions, we do it at home in our gatherings .... We have testimonies all through the Church. When we get a group of presidents of missions together, we bear our testimonies and when members get together in little groups almost anywhere, they formally or informally bear their testimonies.

At home we bear testimonies, we of the Twelve. The eighteen and a half years I have been in the Twelve, we have been holding a quarterly testimony meeting. We go to the Temple early in the morning, the twelve of us, or as many as are not too far away from headquarters. We often travel hundreds of miles to get back to this testimony meeting, but if we are away around the world, sometimes we must miss it. But as many of us as possible meet in our own room up on the fourth floor. Here is a room in which there are twelve old leather-covered chairs. They are very old. I think they have been occupied by apostles for half a century at least. The leather is wearing, but they are still comfortable old chairs. They are in a semi-circle. We have our clerk there. President Smith sits at one end and the youngest member sits at the other. We sit in horse-shoe fashion. We sing. Brother Lee plays the organ or he leads the singing and I play the organ. We have a little pump organ which we pump with our feet. We pray very earnestly for the Spirit of the Lord to be with us and then we hear the minutes of our last meeting in great detail. The minutes take fifteen or twenty minutes to read .... Those minutes are thrilling. We hear again the testimonies we heard three months ago from the brethren ....

We have had the sacrament, of course, and we are fasting. Two of us administer to it, and pass the sacrament to each other. And then the testimonies begin. We spend three or four hours, just the twelve of us, bearing testimony to each other. I mention this so you may know this is basic and is an important part of the Church program. If the Twelve Apostles need to bear testimony to each other to express themselves and speak their gratitude to the Lord, then the missionaries may need it too, to sustain and lift and inspire them, and to keep the fires burning. We sing again, and pray, and go back to our regular duties.

Now, we have another testimony meeting every six months on the Thursday preceding General Conference. All of the General Authorities are there .... We assemble in the room of the Presidency and the Twelve in the temple. At the top is a chair in which the President sits. Never does anyone sit in that chair, except the Prophet of the Lord. Even though his counselors conduct the meeting when he is gone, always they sit in their own chairs ....

Now in this special testimony meeting, the others are there too, and they sit around in front of us on special seats that are brought in for this occasion only. The sacrament is administered by two of the brethren (we are fasting), generally two of the Twelve. Then we have our testimonies. The Patriarch, one of the Bishopric, one of the Seventies, one of the Assistants, one or more of the Twelve, and all three of the Presidency bear their testimonies. It is a glorious experience to have it all capped by the testimony of the Prophet of the Lord. To hear him stand there and say, "I know it is true, I know the Lord is responding. He is revealing His mind and will to us." I tell you that is an experience to remember.

I mention this so you do not think that testimony bearing is some little thing that is incidental to the mission only. This is the Church program. It is powerful and mighty. Can you see how important the testimony is? It is the lifeblood of the organization of the Church. (Spencer W. Kimball, Unpublished address, Church Historical Department, 15 Jan. 1962—Berlin, Germany, pp. 1-3.)

If you are bored there is something the matter with you. These testimony meetings are the best meetings in the Ward in the whole month, if you have the spirit. If you are bored at a testimony meeting there is something the matter with you, and not with the other people. You can get up and bear your testimony and it is the best meeting in the month; but if you sit there and count the grammatical errors and laugh at the man who can't speak good English, you'll be bored, and on that board you'll slip right out of the Kingdom. Don't forget it! Any one of you could apostatize! Tomorrow you could be an excommunicant! Don't you forget it! You can lose your testimony! (Spencer W. Kimball, Unpublished address, Church Historical Department, 2 Jan. 1959—Los Angeles, California, pp. 15-16.)

Cultivation of feelings of gratitude. Testimony-bearing should have a strong educational influence upon the feelings and lives of the children, and it is intended to cultivate within them feelings of thankfulness and appreciation for the blessings they enjoy. The Spirit of God may work within the life of a child and make the child realize and know that this is the work of God. The child knows it rather because of the Spirit than because of some physical manifestation which he may have witnessed. Our testimony meetings, then should have as one of their aims the cultivation of the children's feelings of gratitude not only toward God, but toward their parents, teachers, and neighbors. It is advisable, therefore, to cultivate as far as possible their appreciation for the blessings they enjoy ....

Testimony bearing is chiefly for the benefit of those who bear the testimony, in that their gratitude and appreciation are deepened. Testimony bearing is not the accumulation of arguments or evidences solely for the satisfaction and testimony of others. Let the testimonies then of the young people include the training of their feelings by way of making them more appreciative and more thankful for the blessings they enjoy, and the children should be made to understand what these blessings are and how they come to them. It is an excellent way to make people helpful and thankful to others, by first making them thankful to God. (Joseph F. Smith, Juvenile Instructor, 15 Apr. 1903, pp. 245-246.)

I feel that the Lord is not pleased. We as a people have the privilege of fasting once a month, and donating that which we otherwise would consume for the benefit of the poor and the needy among us. This is pretty generally observed by the Latter-day Saints. But in our fast meetings I have felt sometimes as though we did not always appreciate the blessings that we enjoy. I have attended fast meetings where the Bishops have felt very ill at ease on account of the people not responding to the invitation to bear their testimony. There seems to be too much backwardness on the part of the Saints in taking advantage of this blessing when it is placed within their reach; and some of those who do arise to testify of the goodness of God are looked upon as putting themselves forward a little too much .... I feel that it is a mistake for us to go to fast meetings, and allow the time to pass without utilizing it in the manner designated of the Lord; and I know that in failing to do our duty in this regard we are not obedient to the promptings of the Spirit of God. The Saints should heed the promptings of the Spirit at all times; for if they do not the voice of the Spirit becomes less distinct within them and they do not experience it in such power as it comes to them when they are obedient to its teachings. The Apostles and Elders in the Church of Christ, in this day as in former days, have had as their especial guide the whisperings of the "still small voice" within them. Why, therefore, should we not be obedient to this Spirit when it prompts us in our fast meetings to bear testimony of the goodness of God to us?

Not that we should give way to any great demonstration; that is not the proper thing; but we should enjoy the peaceful influence of the Spirit of God, and there should never be one, two or five minutes wasted in our fast meetings. You, no doubt, have all experienced a difference in attending fast meetings. Sometimes the people will respond readily; there is a rich outpouring of the Spirit of God; our faith is increased, and we feel to thank the Lord for the privilege of being present. At other times the people show reluctance in responding and telling what God has done for them; then we go home feeling that we have not taken advantage of our opportunities and have not listened to the promptings of the Spirit. (Abraham O. Woodruff, Conference Report, Apr. 1901, pp. 11-12.)

No one has had too many opportunities. Now when you [missionaries] go home, don't you sit there in your Sacrament Fast Meeting and cheat yourself and say to yourself, "I guess I won't bear my testimony today. I guess that wouldn't be fair to these other members because I have had so many opportunities." You bear your testimony every Testimony Day and every Testimony Meeting that you are in. Every one! And one minute is long enough to bear it, as we have proven today with one hundred and fifty witnesses. One minute, two minutes... plenty of time! (Spencer W. Kimball, Unpublished address, Church Historical Department, 2 Jan. 1959—Los Angeles, California, p. 15.)

[MarginOfError]

Good one Skippy!

I'm wondering how doughnuts ever got to be a "breakfast food" and not a "dessert."

One thing I notice, that's not wrong, is that when good people set members apart for callings and such that they say "by the authority of the Melchezidek Priesthood, and in the name of Jesus Christ..." and then proceed to close the setting apart "in the name of Jesus Christ..."

It's certainly not wrong, and maybe serves a point. But, sometimes I feel people think you *have* to say it both times.

I have to admit I've done this on occasion, but it's usually a matter of habit (unfortunately). Invariably, when I hit the second, "In the name of" I cringe a little thinking, "I already said that!" Usually no one else notices.

[countrygirl66]

Got a ? and maybe someone here will know. Why are members not supposed to play with face cards? I have asked several times and noone knows so I assume it is a mormonism thing. I carry a deck of cards in my purse and me and my kids play speed, crazy 8, fish, slap jack etc when we are somewhere waiting. Just wondered if anyone had ever heard of this. There have been times when someone has seen them in my purse and said I shouldn't have them but they can't tell me why. Thanks

[skippy740]

Playing cards (particularly FACE cards) primarily represent gambling games.

There are also some connections between the face cards and tarot cards - for fortune telling, etc.

I remember my parents telling me that in the temple, that Satan was portrayed with face cards on his attire.

I personally have no problem with playing cards.

[MarginOfError]

Got a ? and maybe someone here will know. Why are members not supposed to play with face cards? I have asked several times and noone knows so I assume it is a mormonism thing. I carry a deck of cards in my purse and me and my kids play speed, crazy 8, fish, slap jack etc when we are somewhere waiting. Just wondered if anyone had ever heard of this. There have been times when someone has seen them in my purse and said I shouldn't have them but they can't tell me why. Thanks

Here is an introduction to why some say that the LDS people should not have face cards:

"Card playing is an excessive pleasure; it is intoxicating and, therefore, in the nature of a vice. It is generally the companion of the cigarette and the wine glass, and the latter lead to the poolroom and the gambling hall. . . . Few indulge frequently in card playing in whose lives it does not become a ruling passion. . . . A deck of cards in the hands of a faithful servant of God is a satire upon religion. . . . Those who thus indulge are not fit to administer in sacred ordinances. . . . The bishops are charged with the responsibility for the evil, and it is their duty to see that it is abolished. . . . No man who is addicted to card playing should be called to act as a ward teacher; such men cannot be consistent advocates of that which they do not themselves practice.

"The card table has been the scene of too many quarrels, the birthplace of too many hatreds, the occasion of too many murders to admit one word of justification for the lying, cheating spirit which it too often engenders in the hearts of its devotees. . . .

"Card playing is a game of chance, and because it is a game of chance it has its tricks. It encourages tricks; its devotees measure their success at the table by their ability through devious and dark ways to win. It creates a spirit of cunning and devises hidden and secret means, and cheating at cards is almost synonymous with playing at cards." (Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed., pp. 328-332.)

"Members of the Church should not belong to bridge or other type of card clubs, and they should neither play cards nor have them in their homes. By cards is meant, of course, the spotted face cards used by gamblers. To the extent that church members play cards they are out of harmony with their inspired leaders. Innocent non-gambling games played with other types of cards, except for the waste of time in many instances, are not objectionable." (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p.113)

"Children should be encouraged in the home to read and be instructed in the value of good books and how to discriminate between the good and the bad in literature. It is far better for a home to be thus provided where the children can be entertained with a good, wholesome story than to more than waste their time playing cards—a habit that cannot too severely be condemned—or spending their time in poolhalls or upon the streets in company of evil associates…." (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, Vol.3, p.204)

"By the way, I hear that card playing is becoming very, very popular, and that the Church must be in favor of card-playing, because the Church authorities never say anything against it. From the time I was a child and read the Juvenile Instructor, published for the benefit of the people, I have read nothing except condemnation of card-playing and the wasting of your time in doing something that brings no good, bodily, intellectually, or in any way, and sometimes leads your children to become gamblers, because they become expert card-players. The Church as a Church requests its members not to play cards. I hope you understand me, and I want you to know that I am speaking for the Church when I ask the people to let cards alone." (Heber J. Grant, Gospel Standards, p.42)

I'm sure you get the point. Take it for what you will. Personally, I think the standard is like killing a spider with a wrecking ball when a napkin would do.

[checkerboy]

Some tidbits from previous talks concerning testimonies...

Just so you know those weren't tidbits, that was an entire novel.

[countrygirl66]

wow i wasn't aware I was in such peril. Have to tell the kids no more slap jack. Ha Ha thanks for the info

[candyprpl]

I think that's only in Utah.

No, we say it down here in the Southwest as well. I always say rain.

Truegrits -- I love the snow!!! Maybe if I lived in Alaska I would get tired of it.

[skippy740]

wow i wasn't aware I was in such peril. Have to tell the kids no more slap jack. Ha Ha thanks for the info

I'm envisioning a "Harold Hill" character to come out and tell us that "You've got trouble!" with that pool hall and we should develop a boy's band!