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Arwen- We are glad you have a place to rant. We all use this board for that. Everyone of us has a story to match yours. And on good days they make us smile and say, “Bless Her Soul” to the kind lady who had a kittens. Just for the record I sat in a church planning meeting for a sock hop the other day, sure while we were planning refreshments someone panned the idea of using plastic cups with Coca-cola written on the side of it. I tried to muzzle my snort into a sneeze. I don’t know if I succeeded. Another thing I like to look at is things we now talk about that we didn’t so much before. Emma Smith comes to mind. For a long time she was verbally exiled from church discussions. Now not only is she in the lessons but she is the one and only. What ever change of heart happened there the church did a 180. It makes me wonder if 30 years from now other “forgotten” topics will return or be resurrected.
On My Own- I usually do that. It’s how I’ve addressed talks and lessons most of my life, but I had a brain freeze when he mentioned Preach My Gospel. When he said restoration I was ok. I think the reason I froze is that every two months we have these “bring your non-members to church” sacrament meetings. Every time we go through the restoration, and I really wanted to climb out of the box, and do it well. So often when we discuss the restoration Christ is this lost thought. I wanted to steer thinking back to that type of restoration and I guessed that friends on this board could help me faster than my hunting and reading could do. And they did. I agree with your method and I really don’t think a Bishop would trap door me, especially mine, he’s pretty cool. I did see a Bishop correct someones talk once after they spoke. It was the most awkward Sacrament meeting for everyone and it wasn’t even a critical doctrine that needed re-dressing. Anyway. Thank OMO I’m glad to know there are other non-correlated teachers out there.
Thank you Everyone- When the bishopric member called I knew I could do the standard plan, but I really didn’t want to. Infact he said, “The restoration from Preach My Gospel.” Okay I said. But my mind was already skimming a hundred other ideas. I knew the essence I was going for, but I knew that accurate quotes help support a platform. This works so well.
Thanks again,
Prayer- A few years ago a question came to my mind, “If everything you use to worship or remain spiritual were taken from you what would you do?” When my pondering was finished – prayer was the thing I still needed. Maybe it’s because I talk alot 
I know what I am about to write here will mix-up or combine the LDS God/Jesus narrative. I am not confused on them – I sometimes see them (God/Jesus) as interchangeable as the scriptures imply. Anyway – Heavenly Father having a body for me gives me a traveling companion. Someone who fell down off his bike and got road rash. It’s a Dad who holds my hand when things get tough and says, “I know, you’ll make it, I love you.” Whatever realm he lived or lives in, he has lived something closer to mine and when I need him most I feel more able to access the Father who has my same comprehension.
And yes, we give the credit to the Savior also, but I love having as many coaches, cheerleaders, and friends in my corner as I can get. So I embrace a bodied Heavenly Family.
I’ve seen the prayer pulpit work in the reverse for good also. Years ago we had a tough Stake Presidency they had rules for everything. Cancelled all fun, and nose to the eternal grind stone. One of the things cancelled was the traditional Mother’s Day, Father’s Day Sundays. I am sure they felt they were helping because we women tend to complain about the guilt, etc on it, but when it’s totally removed and replaced with the topic of fasting, you suddenly want it back. Not so much to be about you as a mom, but about eternal moms, Mary’s in the bible, Stripling Warrior Mothers, but something. It was not going to happen. The only flaw in the Stake Presidents plan came from the closing prayer. A sister was asked to give it, and bless her heart if she didn’t invoke the remembrance of mothers in her prayer. Thanking God for all the mothers who gave us each live, who like Pres. Hinckley acknowledged were Gods last and greatest creation… etc. It was a good 2 minute talk in prayer form. The bully pulpit had never been so cleverly used. The next year we had a Mother’s Day Sacrament.
Time for Chat- You’ve got me 100%. I love a Linger Longer thing. Even every fifth Sunday to begin with, then move up to every other week. One of my happy favorite memories were from years ago when Sunday was a 3 separate meeting a day style. There was a lot more mingling after the meetings. We weren’t in desperate hurry to head to the next meeting. As a kid sometimes I got bored because the adults were always talking, but if I had friends and we were busy walking on the bike racks and brick flower beds it was great. It is one of the things I miss when they changed to the block system.
I do agree that I think over time more people would enjoy time to chat, and just connect. Count me in Featherina, I nominate you president of the Caring and Sharing Commitee. The Savior I love would like it, too.
Featherina- This is a very gospel centered idea. Some of my favorite Sundays are the ones when I remain out of class and sit in the cultural hall or chapel and have a personal conversation with someone. Not the general chit chat kind though I am uplifted by them too, but the ones where you are sharing heart to heart.
But I would offer two opposing thoughts on making it a standard Sunday meeting practice, the first is whenever mortals put something in program form whether it’s a potluck or visiting others, it looses something. Suddenly the true charity becomes a chore, a pressure, a defined moment where checks and balances are required and the genuine good begins to fade. I’ve seen this in LDS and non-lds situations. Each program began with a great idea of bringing hearts together. Because of that I am reluctant to encourage, even on a ward level, a program or at least a regularly scheduled program for hearts.
My last thought (I know this is a backward post), not everyone is a good listener or heart to heart person. It doesn’t mean they are bad or unrighteous, it’s just not their gift. Perhaps they are brash, fast talking, hyperactive or maybe shy, withdrawn, uncomfortable with others. A program like that could have difficult reprocussion is the pairings went wrong or personal interactions did more damage. I’ve seen it happen with well meaning sisters who visiting teach but step over the lines of courtesy. We have a woman in our ward who is pleased to inform anyone who will listen that she opens people’s cupboards to make sure they have enough food. Her heart may be in the best place, but for others it feels very intrusive. Though face to face on Sunday wouldn’t be a cupboard opening, what about heart aches you want cared for not just stomped through.
I love your idea, though and encourage you to keep doing it. I will jump on the bandwagon to and improve my outreach and lets see what happens.
I, too, read the article and found it inspiring. I have had some skepticism of her intentions in the past but between her book and the article I find those ideas slipping away. She and I will probably not always agree on things but I love her robust desire and intent. Ironically it is similar to how I picture the early saints and leaders in 1830. Mike I think you’ll find her points insightful. If you don’t mind my prying what answers do you give her for some of those questions? For me the how of polygamy is easy but the why isn’t. Or the WoW. We’ve added things, “coffee” specifically, so again how do you answer them. I’m not looking to buck a system just looking at ways to have similar talks with my children. On the same topic do you suggest any specific reading material for helping them or do you wait for their questions and answer one at a time.
Thanks.
Warning – Reply may be long – feel free to leave if you get bored. I have loved this thread. I grew up in a ward that had “real” models in it. My laurel advisor was a runway model and a Vogue model. We had great lessons about naked women sitting around waiting to be dressed. It was also very easy to totally spend the entire class time analyzing her make-up, or how she plucked her eyebrows. That wasn’t all though I had young women counterparts who also were involved in appearance related pursuits. One was a Miss Cal. contestant and winner. Multiple girls were photo shoot girls for companies like REI, milk, etc. Another one modeled for Nordstrom. All in all – appearance was a big thing in the ward I attended. It didn’t have to be expensive, just look that way. There also did seem to be more books, youth speakers, etc who talked, demonstrated and modeled beauty, at least for the girls.
I’ve moved away 20 years ago, my parents changed wards. They moved up from where we were, and their ward had a lot of stylish members. Women who wore great hats, had their nails done, etc. etc. They were also friendly, welcoming, and inviting. They lived in gorgeous homes that they took great pride in decorating, and sharing with others. They always were hosting events, and making life merry and warm. The typical Mormon standard division came home in this ward when they received a set of sister missionaries. Here came the sister in their standard attire. Hiking along with backpacks slung over their backs, marching up long brick drive ways to knock on people’s doors. Now these gentiles were not just wealthy they were pillars of communities, famous football players and coaches, business CEO’s, former national ambassadors. At the time of the sisters arrival my mom was the RS pres. She could see the problem as plain as day. So she took a two fold approach. She wrote the mission president and instructed him to get the girls some money for appearance improvement, then she and the sisters warmly, took the girls under their wings and played “What Not To Wear” or better yet “Charm lessons” from League of the Own. Either way it worked. The transformation was phenomenal and set a mission standard in the area.
Over the past few days as I’ve read the thread and remembered what I learned I took a good look in the mirror, my two selves had a good talk. Out of the rolodex of my memory I’m calling back the lessons I knew and have discarded. Frump, even if your frugal, is so yesterday. Thanks everyone. Here endeth the lesson.
Mormon Expressions is preparing to do on a podcast on this subject in 2 weeks. I don’t know everyone who will be on the panel. I know I’ve excepted an invitation to participate. I am very interested to hear what the discussion brings. Mike- My husband and I have read it. I don’t know what your personal experience with the Book of Mormon is or your expectations for understanding it better. For my husband reading Hardy’s Understanding of the Book of Mormon was the final “nail in the coffin” for any belief in the book and his authors. Both my husband and I contacted Hardy about the book, Hardy explained that he wrote the book mostly for people who had little experience with it. He wrote it from an academic point of view, which means there was a great deal of discarding of the faith point of view.
Now if you have had a lot of experience with other scholarly studies on scripture you may be quite suited to the book. And even for my husband he did find that he sees new positives he’d never noticed in the BofM before. For him new characters became heroic, and experiences took on a more human aspect.
In short I believe it depends on what you are looking for. I think a lot of standard active members would find the book discomforting. If you want to ask me more details you can but take a moment to assess your reasons for wanting to learn more first. On a side note, it is very well written and easy to read and Hardy has some great points he brings up.
For myself I’ve decided not to spend too much time on it. I’ve read plenty of peoples comment that “all you need is ten minutes and everything is out”. Maybe I’m a coward but I think I will wait and let time do some of that naturally for me. I don’t know if it’s anti or just intensely focused but like your friend was affected I see it as a huge contribution to peoples lack of faith.
