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I’ve tried to find the thread where we reported good things at church. If anyone knows of it, please feel free to direct me to it or to take this thread down and add it there. I’ve had a few experiences this past month at church that have given me comfort and hope so I thought I’d share the joy.
I’m in a YSA ward in a major metropolitan area, and the city attracts a wide range of people. From performers and artists, to finance and students of every level – we have it all. What’s great is to watch us come together to talk about things we agree with, things we aren’t sure about, and things we disagree about. It really is a neat ward to be in.
Yesterday, we were discussing the Abrahamic Covenant in SS and the question of how to extend ourselves and the blessings to others was posed. One man, who openly identifies as gay, said he likes to use the Proclamation in defense of keeping *specifically black* families together, especially since in America that family unit has been torn apart at every juncture; how it’s our responsibility to ensure that everyone is able to keep a family together against social and legal injustices. A woman also brought up a woman in church history (ah! I forgot her name), but as a black woman, and literally a descendant of Ephraim/Manassah, asked for temple ordinances and sealings to extend to her under her God-given birthright, and how she was denied time after time, despite her direct entitlement to the blessings. She explained how it’s our duty to ensure that everyone has access to the blessings and opportunities for which they seek.
Additionally, a few weeks ago someone made a comment about typical historical associations between white supremacy and verbiage in scriptures such as dominion over the earth, ruler, kingdom, submission/submissiveness, and how it’s important to understand historical context when reading scriptures and not simply what our interpretations today are.
It was really powerful to be in those classes, where the subject was focused on how we can lift others up because of our own fortunate lots in life and because it’s the best way to build a community.
I love days like this. Thanks for sharing. I will let Nibbler, Dark Jedi or On Own Now find the thread. Another thread for good is always wonderful. Yeah, I guess another good thing is a good thing. 
I was just so surprised and happy to see those things applied in an non-traditional way. It was non-traditional to me, anyway.
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:clap: :clap: :clap: I am convinced this happens far more often than many people realize, largely because of the fallacy that the Church is the same everywhere. It isn’t.
(Also, I think the black woman referenced probably was Jane Manning.)
I’ll add here. We recently had stake conference and one of the counselors in the stake presidency called up the stake YM and YW presidents to speak. I was not following who he was having speak very well, but realized as they walked up it was because he’d addressed both as President. At the end when he took the microphone back he said, “Thank you Presidents.” I pointed it out to my husband who hadn’t noticed, but it was a big deal to me because on the letter the stake presidency sends to invite everyone to stake conference, my name has never been included. Not even in a “Mr. and Mrs. Walls” or “Walls Family”. It always has been “Mr. Walls” and bugged me. So for this counselor to address both the YM and YW presidents as “President,” I feel more comfortable with my husband’s explanation that the letters at computer generated and probably just sent to the head of household in the system and not purposefully exclusive.
During our Sabbath day lesson on Sunday, some older lady was going on and on about how we need to follow the church to keep the Sabbath day holy and how the church is the gospel we need to follow. The teacher jumped in and said something about how she was definitely right, we do need to practice living kindly and following the gospel of Christ, but the gospel is not the church. She said it matter of factly and didn’t leave room for people to fight her on it and simply moved nicely to the next comment. I guess when you watch for goodness or think of non-orthodoxy perhaps you start to see traces of it more.
Quote:I guess when you watch for goodness or think of non-orthodoxy perhaps you start to see traces of it more.
Yep – and that is important.
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