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If anyone wants the article I read from the Deseret News here is the link: The letters do appear to be signed only by local Stake leadership.
In part it reads:
“Hawaii’s largest religious denominations have come together in opposition to a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage in the Aloha State.
With a special session of the state Legislature two weeks away, local leaders of the Roman Catholic Church, the faith-based Hawaii Family Forum and Hawaii Family Advocates, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have independently coalesced around the position that lawmakers should not pass proposed legislation to legalize gay marriage.”
I don’t expect that there will be sealings in the temple for homosexual couples. I might private message you later if that is okay. I don’t think I was presenting my point very clearly. Thanks. So one question I have is, what about someone who is deeply religious, and who loves the gospel and the savior, and to whom a civil union or a non-religious marriage is not what they want, but they also happen to be homosexual? There are many many very religious people who are also gay. In our church do they have no alternative but to find another church? That is a big dilemma for me. The church’s stance on this is really tearing my family up, and I also read that they are getting involved again in Hawaii on the same subject, and advocating in church for people to get out and take a stand (similar to prop
. So in reality, it looks like they haven’t changed their minds about getting involved in the political aspects of gay marriage.Quote:Ray said: “I admire Joseph, even as I don’t accept some of the things he did as being of God. I like that he described himself as a rough stone rolling and that he was the most chastised person, by far, in the D&C. I just wish we all accepted his self-evaluation in those times of candor.”
I will have to go back and read the D & C and review his self-evaluation. He must have believed 100 percent in what he was doing to make the efforts he did to build temples, share the gospel, send out missionaries, establish Zion. I have a great appreciation for his dedication and service. I hope he is who he said he was. And reading the RSR is certainly an informative book on real events that occurred.
Quote:Roy said: “You are dead to me and we are leaving!”
I’m sorry, that just really made me laugh. Nothing like going for the worst case scenario!
That being said, sometimes parents don’t realize these are really private matters, such as when my mother loudly asked in sacrament meeting, “Why aren’t you taking the sacrament?” I whispered, “Shhhhhh, that is private.” I don’t think it ever occurred to her that it wasn’t her business.
I think in your position the easiest thing is to be truthful if asked, but I’d go ahead and wear the garments just so that maybe the subject of church doesn’t really come up, and you can have an enjoyable time.
I am currently reading RSR, and am most of the way through it. I have to say that for me it was surprising and somewhat distressing, but I also feel like I much prefer having more knowledge of the events that occurred during that time. I think in large part I was dismayed that I knew so little of the actual events that happened, and it made me angry that the church manuals, etc., have been so whitewashed. It kind of left me feeling like I’d been snowed. I also worried if what I had been teaching my children was true or not. Peepstones, polygomy, polyandry, debt, failed businesses, it does make it hard to understand how a prophet could have so many failings. And D & C 132, that just seems plain wrong to me on so many levels. If our current prophet had those same issues, I can’t imagine he would be the prophet still. That being said, I am glad to be finishing up this book, because I don’t want to be blindsided again by outside information. I want to be informed so I can make an informed decision. I still think that it is possible he was a prophet. He would have to be a very creative genius storyteller to come up with the BOM like he did. I do feel like the first vision occurred, and he was sincere about his desire to do God’s will. ANd he was willing to give up everything to do what he understood to be God’s will.
He definately wasn’t portrayed accurately in church history. And man, do I feel bad for Emma. If our church gave people “Sainthood,” she deserves the title.
I’m sorry you are having such a hard time getting to know people and feeling at home in your ward. Kudos to you for hanging in there and still trying. Just a suggestion, but if you are feeling left out odds are someone else at church is too. If it isn’t too hard for you, maybe try talking to someone else at church who seems alone. There are often many people longing to interact but, unfortunately, church like any other organization can have clicks. You might make someone else’s day and help yourself in the process.
I like the other ideas about getting involved in outside organizations. Most people who volunteer tend to be great people. If you are an animal lover volunteering at an animal rescue organization could be very satisfying. And when you get tired of talking with the people the animals will always appreciate the attention.
Quote:Orson said: My earliest memory of being asked “did you feel the spirit?” is on the day of my baptism. A close friend of mine expressed how strongly he felt the spirit and asked me if I felt it. I knew I felt emotion, but I didn’t know if it was supposed to mean anything.
I waited for my dad to baptise me (he lived in another state) and was excited for baptism. The overwhelming emotion I had at the actual baptism was relief that I survived it because I was afraid of water at the time and of the actual process. I didn’t have any big feelings one way or the other, except I was happy my dad was able to do it. It is hard to tell the difference between emotion and the spirit. And when people tell you how you are “supposed” to feel at certain events it can be disappointing if you don’t have the experience they say you should. I did tell my children that if they didn’t feel anything big at baptism that was okay and not to worry if they didn’t, that everyone has different experiences.
Quote:Deepthinker said: Immediately after I did this I had an overwhelming feeling of love and peace that I cannot describe. The feeling didn’t seem to be coming from within myself. I have only had such feelings at times in life when I’ve prayed in my heart to God during troubling times.
I am not someone who has many experiences of the spirit, or maybe I don’t recognize them, but I did have one experience like Deepthinker references. Almost like the most obvious warm hug and absolute transference of peace into my body. I would imagine if that is what heaven is like I would do anything to get there. It happened when I was in despair about my mother’s cancer diagnosis, and while it happened during prayer, it was really completely out of the blue. There was no denying that experience.
I have had other just as desperate times in my life when I was in need of that feeling, and have never had it again.
I think it would be very helpful if it were expressed in church more that we may never have experiences like that or like other’s express. There are many things people have experienced that I never have and probably never will. I think that that experience was more of a testament to there being a God, and not so much a testament of “the church is true” type of experience for me.
Hi Joydiva, I want to say hi and hope you feel welcome here. I’m not sure I have any advice because because I don’t know what exactly happened, but I can understand why you wouldn’t want to be too specific about the details. Hope someone else here can be more helpful, but I did want to let you know I’m glad you are here.
Welcome Alex. I hope you find support here. I’ve been on here only a short time, but it has been helpful to me. 🙂 I would like to say Thank You to everyone here. It is a lifeline in the storm of a faith crisis. I just wish we could all get together for a potluck. : ) Wouldn’t that be great? My husband makes a mean BBQ. Quote:Cwald said: “I’m a big fan of beer.”
Quote:I said: “Sorry Cwald, I didn’t know that you are a big beer fan.”
Hah, just read a few threads before mine and realize I should have paid a bit more attention.
💡 Quote:“Cwald said “WHAT?
Sorry Cwald. Didn’t know that you are a big beer fan. To me it always tasted like someone cut the lawn, put the grass in a bottle and shook it up. Bleh! But hey, that’s just me. I know plenty of people who do enjoy it. So, no hard feelings?
:thumbup: Welcome Kelg to the website! I’m probably very biased having had several family members who were alcoholics, and a friend who died of alcoholism, but there are very few positives, in my opinion, for drinking. One is maybe relaxing at the end of the day or feeling more relaxed in social situations. Actually that is the only one I can think of. However, there are many many downsides to drinking, as I’m sure we all know people who have parents/siblings/children who are alcoholics or who have made big mistakes while under the influence.
So, although your husband might be someone who ends up being able to handle drinking a few beers with buddies, I guess I have pretty negative feelings towards it. I do know people who it isn’t a problem for also, at least as far as I know.
I myself drank for a few years, and while was not addicted, did some pretty stupid stuff (didn’t hurt anyone or drive under the influence). So, coming from that perspective and the fact that you don’t really like the person your husband wants to go drinking with, I would be on the side of discouraging it. Maybe if he really wants a few beers he could stay at home and have a few there. Let him have some near beer and see if he really likes it. Personally, I don’t think it tastes very good. I’m sure there are those who will disagree with me.
Quote:Old-Timer said: “I can believe easily that, in my lifetime (probably 40-50 years, at most), the Church will allow legally married, monogamous, gay members to be baptized and attend the temple as individuals.”
I hope you are right, but I really hope it doesn’t take near that long. I also hope that eventually children of gay couples can also be sealed to them. I hope these are not just pipe dreams.
