Three girls?

[Dravin]

I understand why they don't do it, but it seems to make life difficult sometimes.

There are many ways to describe the life of a full time missionary. Easy is not usually one of them.

[Maureen]

Yes, discrepancy was a poor of choice of word on my part. I was pointing out the difference in regards to the KJV version compared to all the other versions.

Thanks Curtis, but you do realize that the words "appearance" and "form" can be synonyms.

M.

[curtishouse]

Thanks Curtis, but you do realize that the words "appearance" and "form" can be synonyms.

M.

Yes they can be but there is a huge difference in the meaning of this verse. Abstaining from all appearance of evil compared to abstaining from all form of evil are not speaking of the same thing or at least can be construed to have more than one meaning.

An example would be a guy and a girl are living together just as friends and are abstaining from all forms of evil but, if you see them living together, they can be seen as having the appearance of evil and one could be under the impression they are much closer than just friends.

[Wingnut]

Couldn't the appearance of evil be considered a form of evil?

[curtishouse]

Couldn't the appearance of evil be considered a form of evil?

Good point. It very well could but, other than this passage, I'm not sure I have ever heard of any Scripture or LDS doctrine relating to appearance of evil. God is commanding us to abstain from all appearance of evil, though, (and I'm sticking with the KJV) and so, if we disregard this, we could in fact be sinning. This is definitely something to contemplate.

[Melissa569]

The thing is, if someone else came with them, he would be traveling with them. AKA alone with them for the travel. And they can't be alone with a man. So the only 3rd party who coud travel with them is another woman.

Same deal, only reversed for male missionaries.

It wasn't always like this. Or at least if it was, they didn't always obey it so strictly. When I was 12, my father and I lived alone (parents had just gotten divorced). So the church was paying a lot of attention to me and my dad, trying to help us through it.

One evening, I was home alone and my dad called me from his work to tell me he was going to be an hour late getting home. He was usually home by 5pm, but this time it would be 6pm.

Well, our male missionaries came at 6pm. They'd been comming over once a week for about a month, so we knew them. Dad still wasn't home at the time. I told them dad was due to get home any minute, though. So they just came inside and waited (in their defence, it was FREEZING outside, and they were on bikes).

They were perfect gentleman. They just sat on the couch, while I sat in a chair across from them, and they challenged me to some light-hearted geography trivia until dad got home (ten minutes later). I never felt uncomfortable with them at all.

And when my parents were still married, but mom was home with only me, the missionaries from our other ward would also come in and hang out with us. If the other kids were home, they would chase us kids around the house, play catch with us in the back yard, and even pick us up and swing us around like an airplane... Then they would give all us kids a big group hug when they left. We LOVED our Elder, lol.

They can't do that now though, I've heard. A lot has changed. Even the girl missionaries told us they're not allowed to hold people's babies.

Edited October 10, 2010 by Melissa569

[dorave]

Curtis ... 'you' really wanted to go instead huh?

[curtishouse]

Curtis ... 'you' really wanted to go instead huh?

I'm sorry but what are you referring to?

[dorave]

it just seems such a petty thing to worry over.

[curtishouse]

it just seems such a petty thing to worry over.

Which part are you referring to? If you mean about the missionaries, it wasn't so much of a worry as just trying to understand why it takes place as it does.

If you are talking about the "appearance" of evil vs. every "form" of evil, I wouldn't consider that petty in the slightest.

[dorave]

I want my 5 minutes of life back. :)

[jayanna]

Yes they can be but there is a huge difference in the meaning of this verse. Abstaining from all appearance of evil compared to abstaining from all form of evil are not speaking of the same thing or at least can be construed to have more than one meaning.

An example would be a guy and a girl are living together just as friends and are abstaining from all forms of evil but, if you see them living together, they can be seen as having the appearance of evil and one could be under the impression they are much closer than just friends.

I agree with every word of that, curtishouse, in fact that did happen with one of our newer members in our ward. He had a room mate that was a woman, he did find a new place to live before he was baptized. It took a little bit longer, but it was worth it. He had felt pressured by her presence anyway, she was inviting people over and having parties.

This is also why you will see priesthood holders drinking milk at dinner parties. Ice water could be mistaken for other things, but milk is milk. :)

[MarginOfError]

This is also why you will see priesthood holders drinking milk at dinner parties. Ice water could be mistaken for other things, but milk is milk. :)

Huh?

I'm massively confused by that statement.

Plus, I've never had milk at a dinner party. I always drink water. But it's good to know that when I go to a bar and order milk that I'm at least avoiding the appearance of evil.

[pam]

This is also why you will see priesthood holders drinking milk at dinner parties. Ice water could be mistaken for other things, but milk is milk. :)

I've been to lots of dinner parties and I've never seen milk served to Priesthood holders. Usually it's water and sometimes with a lemon slice.

[pam]

Huh?

I'm massively confused by that statement.

Plus, I've never had milk at a dinner party. I always drink water. But it's good to know that when I go to a bar and order milk that I'm at least avoiding the appearance of evil.

So MOE..now I have to question..What were you drinking at dinner the other night? Oh and Dravin?

[Wingnut]

So MOE..now I have to question..What were you drinking at dinner the other night? Oh and Dravin?

And me!

[pam]

And me!

The comment was about Priesthood holders drinking water at dinner parties. So I was asking about MOE and Dravin.

[Dravin]

So MOE..now I have to question..What were you drinking at dinner the other night? Oh and Dravin?

Don't look at me. I'm not the one who contemplated ordering burgundy.

[pam]

You're not supposed to remember that.

[Blackmarch]

Maybe somebody can explain this to me. I was talking to somebody from my local ward yesterday and we were discussing meeting with the missionaries. I guess both the missionaries available are female and he asked if my wife was going to be home and, if not, they were going to need to get another girl from the church to accompany them. What is the point behind this? I understand if they are just being cautious for safety sake but it seems it would make more sense for a man to accompany them if this was the case. Why another girl?

Mission rules for safety against immorality, accusation, and/or possible physical harm.

Usually they'll try to get missionaries of the same gender to meet with them.

Its Mainly to protect against temptation, it also provides witnesses were anyone to try something funny court-wise, or accusations of immorality.

The elders also have a similar rule.

[Wingnut]

The comment was about Priesthood holders drinking water at dinner parties. So I was asking about MOE and Dravin.

True, but as long as we're being absurd and saying that we shouldn't drink ice water in public because it *might* look like vodka, shouldn't it be pointed out that Priesthood holders aren't the only ones who should avoid the appearance of evil?

[pam]

True, but as long as we're being absurd and saying that we shouldn't drink ice water in public because it *might* look like vodka, shouldn't it be pointed out that Priesthood holders aren't the only ones who should avoid the appearance of evil?

Well in that case I guess I shouldn't have had my Dr. Pepper. It can be mistaken for a rum and coke.

[Wingnut]

Well in that case I guess I shouldn't have had my Dr. Pepper. It can be mistaken for a rum and coke.

Both of which, as we all know, are evil inventions of the Devil.

[Dravin]

Well in that case I guess I shouldn't have had my Dr. Pepper. It can be mistaken for a rum and coke.

That and it had me lamenting the fact that Diet Dr. Pepper was absent from the drink selection.

[GADBabaganoosh]

Maybe somebody can explain this to me. I was talking to somebody from my local ward yesterday and we were discussing meeting with the missionaries. I guess both the missionaries available are female and he asked if my wife was going to be home and, if not, they were going to need to get another girl from the church to accompany them. What is the point behind this? I understand if they are just being cautious for safety sake but it seems it would make more sense for a man to accompany them if this was the case. Why another girl?

(I didn't read the whole thing)

But on my mission it was a rule of three. If we had to meet with a single female, we needed another male there. or, I think, 2 females. And Vice versa. (if its 2 sisters, and a single male, they needed another over 18 woman.)

But of course, if it was 2 missionaries and a guy, then there wasn't a problem, or 2 sisters and a woman also. I'm not entirely sure why, but that was the rule. (it promoted bringing a member to the lessons as well, however, so it had its upsides.)