Am I Doing Something Wrong?

[AnnetteAndrus]

Hi all,

I just placed an order for the new Lladro commemorative LDS Missionaries piece from the ABC Jewellers people in who have advertised elsewhere on this board. I saw the picture and since I collect Lladro, I thought it would make a beautiful Christmas gift for my return-missionary son.

My husband has just told me now that it is against Church doctrine to buy unauthorised church souvenirs such as this one as it defiles the sanctity of the mission. I don't know what to do now. Can anyone guide me on this? Am I breaking the rules?

I thought it was an exceptional piece of art and it represents missionary life quite accurately, but because it isn't "authorised" by the LDS Church, my husband Greg says I should stay away from it. I wouldn't like to think that I've broken any rules.

Please please please advise.

Many thanks,

Annette Andrus, SLC

[miztrniceguy]

i personally dont see anything wrong with it, but dont know of any rules regarding missions.

[Gwen]

"it is against Church doctrine to buy unauthorised church souvenirs such as this one as it defiles the sanctity of the mission."

i would strongly disagree with this.

i love my husband dearly and i trust his gospel knowledge but when he says somthing that just does not sound right i request that he show me where that is written, give me the source. not to hurt or question him, but i want to know for myself. so if i were you i'd ask him to show me where that rule is. you have good sence and can decide if something is defiling the sanctity of the mission or not.

i don't have a source (off the top of my head, can find if necessary) for otherwise, but i draw my conclusions from the church. you should not use unauthorized material in church lessons, and i beleive on the mission itself unauthorized materials are not allowed. but once you return home, and in your home you may use whatever materials you would like. in fact we have been told to seek out all good things. meaning there is good that comes from other sources than the church. which brings me to the next reason i'd say the statment above is mistaken. look at deseret book. although it's board is made up of well known church members it is not a church authorised company. they have been given permission to sell church authorised material, but they themselves do not come from the church. the only church authorised materials are from church distribution. the idea behind deseret book was to compile good things that come from elsewhere and put it in one place to make it eaiser to find. there are artwork, statutes, jewlery, and books that are wonderful and unauthorised, they do not distract from the church.

i looked arround and found the company in which you were talking about, but did not find the specific peice you referenced. based on the other stuff i saw i would love to see it, i would guess it would be very well done.

“If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.” (A of F 1:13.)

[Ray]

To say that something is "unauthorized" simply means that thing (whatever it is) is not authorized.

It doesn't mean it's a bad thing, necessarily. And it doesn't mean that you shouldn't do that.

It just means that that thing is not authorized, specifically. And that really doesn't tell you that much.

What you need to know is what IS authorized, or the difference between good and evil.

... and to know that you should simply ask God what is right

... even when what you hear is coming from your husband

Authority can be both good and bad, too. And I think we should do only what we know is good.

... and as a wife you should follow your husband's counsel only as he follows the counsel of God

And btw, the Church doesn't authorize, or give me the authority, to tell you what I think about this issue.

Everything I have just told you is not authorized by the Church. But it still might be right, and good.

[boyando]

I don't know of anything that is authorized by the Church when it comes to the little baubles that you can buy. I hope it brings joy to our son;s heart. - allmosthumble

[Snow]

My husband has just told me now that it is against Church doctrine to buy unauthorised church souvenirs such as this one as it defiles the sanctity of the mission. I don't know what to do now. Can anyone guide me on this? Am I breaking the rules?

Did you believe him?

Did he also tell you that Egypt wasn't a real country?

If you want it - buy it. There is no such rule.

[shanstress70]

My first thought is that he's trying to get you to stop spending so much money, especially around this time of year.