Bini Posted January 5, 2012 Report Share Posted January 5, 2012 DH and I are inactive LDS. It's been about 25 years for him and about 15 years for me. For the last few years we've talked about returning to the church but showing up on Sundays was thrown to the wayside. But we made progress in other areas. I quit smoking and gave up my beloved Starbucks, and DH has completely stopped drinking and hasn't had a beer in a full year! We knew that these things needed to be resolved in order to make it to the temple, which is another goal we want to accomplish, especially now that we have our first child and want our family to be sealed for eternity. So I finally found church appropriate attire last night and this Sunday we'll be attending sacrament meeting for the first time in, well, a long time. Our daughter will also be blessed and we're very excited about this. Even though DH will not be able to participate in it, we have some great priesthood holders that will be in the circle and my father being the one giving the blessing. DH and I have decided that our new year's resolution (he made his and I made mine) will be to attend church every Sunday, even if it's only for sacrament meeting. For anyone that knows us, all of this is a huge step but we're ready to take it, finally. Also, some missionaries have been dropping by. At first we were worried that they'd be really pushy about this and that but so far every visit with them has been short and pleasant. In fact, they haven't given us any lessons yet. When does that happen? Right now they just come by, chat with us about our daily events etc, they pray with us and then they leave. That's it. Sometimes it feels like we're just "hanging out" with them.. DH will shoot hoops with them (that probably doesn't help lol). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
estradling75 Posted January 5, 2012 Report Share Posted January 5, 2012 Congratulations As for the missionaries... they are trained an instructed how to help people get baptized. I am reasonably sure that is not an option in your case. In your case it sounds like they are helping with fellow shipping and reactivation, which while it is important, is not what they've been trained for. So they could be a bit out of their depth on how to time things. If this is the case then give them a hand, if you would like the lessons (which are not required if I understand correctly) then ask about them. They should be more then happy to review them with you if they know you are interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennarator Posted January 5, 2012 Report Share Posted January 5, 2012 Congrats! Super excited for you. You know by talking to allof us that we are NOT perfect, don't expect that. We are all on the path. Hope things go well for you. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vort Posted January 5, 2012 Report Share Posted January 5, 2012 Good for you, Bini! Hope all goes well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vort Posted January 5, 2012 Report Share Posted January 5, 2012 You know by talking to allof us that we are NOT perfect, don't expect that.Speak for yourself, Jen.All animals are perfect, but some are more perfect than others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennarator Posted January 5, 2012 Report Share Posted January 5, 2012 Add me to the NOT perfect group, please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beefche Posted January 5, 2012 Report Share Posted January 5, 2012 Congrats to Bini and Mr. Bini! Very exciting news. Ask the missionaries to give you the non-member lessons. It's good practice for them and a good refersher for you and your husband. They will be most excited by that request, I'm sure. Just a suggestion: ask the bishop (or have your dad ask) if your husband can "join" the circle by holding the microphone. He won't officially be part of the circle, but he can still feel a part of it. Normally they have one of the Aaronic priesthood holders (usually a boy) hold the microphone so everyone can hear the blessing. There isn't anything against your husband fulfilling that duty. Also, if you can (or someone close to you--your mom? sister? friend?), write down the blessing to be read later by you and your husband (and eventually your wee one). You'll be surprised how much you'll forget. I don't think you can actually record it, but there isn't anything against taking notes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john doe Posted January 5, 2012 Report Share Posted January 5, 2012 Good for you Bini. I hope it goes well for you and you feel welcome in your ward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classylady Posted January 5, 2012 Report Share Posted January 5, 2012 I'm so happy for you, Bini! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 5, 2012 Report Share Posted January 5, 2012 THAT'S AWESOME, BINI!!!!!!!!! Looking forward to Monday so you can tell us all about it! I got to this thread immediately after reading Jayanna's ward woes... hope, hope, hope your RS is welcoming to you and the Priesthood welcoming to Mr. Bini. And you might have tons of women wanting to hold little Bini... This is super exciting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
applepansy Posted January 5, 2012 Report Share Posted January 5, 2012 Congratulations Bini! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windseeker Posted January 5, 2012 Report Share Posted January 5, 2012 Good for you and your family Bini! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
splash Posted January 6, 2012 Report Share Posted January 6, 2012 Yay, that is wonderful! : ) Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayanna Posted January 6, 2012 Report Share Posted January 6, 2012 Beefche made a great suggestion. One thing my hubby has been working on lately in our ward, he says the church has really been pushing for fathers to fully participate in blessings as much as they can, even changing some of the restrictions in the handbook and leaving decisions up to the bishop on who can do what...if he can't do the blessing part himself, holding the microphone is a great idea! IF he isn't too shy, which is understandable, in front of all those people and everything some just aren't ready to jump up front and center. That is such great news! You'll have to tell us how it goes :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jezebel2011 Posted January 6, 2012 Report Share Posted January 6, 2012 Once back at Church previously inactive members are given lessons in Gospel Principles at the time everyone else has Sunday School. So you won't miss out on anything. It's great news that you are coming back to Church!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miztrniceguy Posted January 6, 2012 Report Share Posted January 6, 2012 Welcome back! (cue Welcome Back Kotter tune) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bini Posted January 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2012 Thanks and I'll be sure to post back after this weekend to tell you how it goes :] I did ask my father if my husband could hold the mic during the prayer and the answer was "absolutely". So DH will get to participate to the most that he can. Thanks for bringing that suggestion up. I don't think we would have thought about it or asked otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connie Posted January 6, 2012 Report Share Posted January 6, 2012 Welcome back! Congrats on getting baby blessed, that is always such a great experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMGuy Posted January 6, 2012 Report Share Posted January 6, 2012 I'm sure if you asked the missionaries to walk through the discussions with you they would be happy to oblige. -RM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy_do46 Posted January 7, 2012 Report Share Posted January 7, 2012 I am so glad that you and your little family are making the come back together. Congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annewandering Posted January 7, 2012 Report Share Posted January 7, 2012 What a wonderful step forward! Only suggestion I have for you is to remember that you are really ticking satan off and he is going to want to discourage you from keeping up your great forward step. Forewarned is forearmed. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dahlia Posted January 7, 2012 Report Share Posted January 7, 2012 I'm curious - I understand that if you've been excommunicated you need to get baptized again, but what about less actives? Is there an amount of time that requires re-baptism? Would it depend on what you've done while you were away - so, if you were basically decent and didn't smoke or drink (ok, you had a latte, maybe several), can you just come back? If you did drugs or had/fathered a child out of wedlock, then you'd need another baptism? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dravin Posted January 7, 2012 Report Share Posted January 7, 2012 (edited) Is there an amount of time that requires re-baptism?No.if you were basically decent and didn't smoke or drink (ok, you had a latte, maybe several), can you just come back?Pretty much, baring unusual circumstances, you could just come back. The Word of Wisdom issues you list wouldn't fall under usual circumstances in my experience.If you did drugs or had/fathered a child out of wedlock, then you'd need another baptism?Not unless what you did lead to your excommunication* of which your examples it's doubtful in my experience.*To clarify some people go inactive in an effort to avoid a disciplinary council when they hear about it, that doesn't work. It will be held, to my understanding, anyway. Also it wouldn't surprise me to find that some grievous sin may result in a disciplinary council (of which excommunication can be an outcome) as part of the repentance process but someone with more experience can weigh in on that. As the purpose of disciplinary councils is to facilitate the repentance process I suspect some behaviors that would lead to disciplinary councils while active don't when you're coming back from a period of inactivity having participated in them. Edited January 7, 2012 by Dravin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bini Posted January 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2012 Good question, Dahlia. I haven't thought about excommunication. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dravin Posted January 7, 2012 Report Share Posted January 7, 2012 (edited) Good question, Dahlia. I haven't thought about excommunication.Unless you've been spending your time raping people (or something else extraordinary) you still don't. As a missionary we taught/sought the reactivation of less active people, in all the talk of reactivation we discussed having people who were living in sin, or drinking (coffee, tea, or alcohol), or smoking there was never discussion of disciplinary councils or excommunication and I never observed anyone living such a lifestyle reactivate only to be excommunicated. My purpose of mentioning disciplinary councils upon return was to be pedantically complete and to highlight that unless you are excommunicated rebaptism is not required for returning to being a member in good standing, not because it's a common concern. I edited my post some to clarifying things a little more. I wasn't trying to create the looming specter of a disciplinary council (which does not equal excommunication) over anyone's head. Edited January 7, 2012 by Dravin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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