Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Ditch VTing in favor of a “visiting committee” of sorts. A group of sisters take “requests” for visits. They divide up their time and minister to those who have requested a visit.
Homemaking meetings – I never understood the back and forth of changing the RS meeting name. It was horrible PR. I’d bring back “homemaking.” There is nothing at all wrong with learning to run and “make” a home. Heaven knows we need more of that these days.
Bring back the paid position of the janitor. The job growth would be beneficial to many families and would relieve some welfare on the ward level.
Make professional counselors way more accessible to ward members.
Create SS classes that would cater to specific needs.
Sometimes we see a marriage class. Let’s make SS a “buffet” where members can choose to go to a class that fills their needs best (of course this wouldn’t work so well in smaller units).
Make Stake conference something that parents of small children can actually attend (and want to). I stopped going when I realized that I stayed in a quiet classroom with my babies since sitting still and quiet for 2 hours simply wasn’t in their genes. Maybe divide into session? Classes? Shorten the time?
This isn’t program-related, but I would LOVE to see a playground or outside area for the nursery and sunbeams. For a religion who celebrates and honors creation, we sure don’t let ourselves enjoy it on Sunday.
If a yearly calendar session is held before a new year starts, then all events and assignments can be made and noted.
That would eliminate a LOT of meeting/discussion time at each ward council or PEC.
Totally against our lay ministry, but I would NOT mind a paid clergyman who made house calls. Not as a missionary tool so much as someone to simply come and minister to the family. Someone who was faithful (he’s getting paid after all) in attendance and who would care for the family.
A friend of mine has a prayer group at her church (non-LDS). They take prayer requests, but they go a step beyond that. They hand-write notes to each person on the list and express their thoughts and feelings pertaining to the person’s situation. Nothing nosy or judgmental. My husband was on the receiving end of those notes after a health scare. It was a beautiful and lovely surprise to get notes from strangers who were aware of his ill health and who were praying for him.
Primary Program: Revamp!
let the kids learn the fun and often forgotten songs in primary and have fun while there.
Maybe make the program something totally different … let families be involved somehow … I don’t know, but primary could be SO much more.
Ward choirs are nice, but I’d like to see more musical numbers in our SM. Maybe a SM that is nothing but music.
Maybe make a stake choir that travels to wards for this special musical number. That would be an event that we could invite our friends to.
Thought I’d throw this in… Background: when I was a young child, someone harmed me in a terrible way. To date I have never harbored anger towards this person. Part of that comes from the fact that it never occurred to me to BE angry. Another part is that I can look at this person’s life now and see what sad condition it is in. I pray for this person’s safety. I pray for happiness.
Every Psych book says that I should be in counseling. I should be going through 12 steps. I should be in bad shape. Everyone says that I have the right to be angry. I should demand justice. And, I guess in some ways I certainly could seek justice and I could be angry. I’m justified in doing so, right?
But I am not and it isn’t even a dilemma on my part.
I have forgiven this person.
So, now we think, “Okay, they’ll be punished in the hereafter.”
Maybe.
But, here is how I picture judgement day (sort of):
Say we are at the bar of judgement and those whom we have harmed are allowed to come and air grievances. Maybe they can petition the court to punish us. Perhaps we are reminded of those wrongs before our accusers show up…you know, to prepare our case. lol. Either way, let’s say that we can see the court docket and when we see someone who wronged us, we can show up at the appointed time and ask for justice.
If this scenario is correct, I will not be found pressing charges against the person who harmed me. In fact, I may show up as a character witness to point out the good things and charitable acts that I’ve witnessed from this person. Maybe I’ll not even mention the harm done to me. Of course this person will have other “crimes” that will be brought up in court, but I won’t be an accuser.
Now, when it’s my turn at the bar to be judged, I sure hope that the people whom I’ve harmed choose not to “press charges” against me either
So, I guess I see the Savior act in a similar way that He did when the woman taken in adultery was brought before him.
He was asked to be a judge in that situation.
At some point, He asked the woman where her accusers were.
There were none…for that crime.
Maybe He was then an advocate and encouraged her to change her ways.
When our time comes, may we not have accusers either.
:thumbup: I hope that makes sense.
DarkJedi wrote:I’d be all in favor of expanding BYU to be more inclusive. They are building all the time, so it’s not like they couldn’t afford to.I am saying that I think they could take more deserving kids who would benefit from the experience. I’d also be in favor of “upgrading” Idaho to be a more respected institution and possibly even building or buying another campus (like Southern Virginia). Again, I think they can afford it.
In all honesty I don’t know how one of my kids got in. It surprised him, too, and he was actually fine with the idea of going to Idaho (I wasn’t).
Love the idea of expanding campuses.
I’d love to see BYU more inclusive – it reeks of the BOM story of the Rameumptom – “we are better than our brothers.”
To your point of taking kids who could benefit more…what if the church offered to fly students from countries who don’t have access to good colleges out to Provo to be a student?
I mean, talk about diversity!
I’m sure that would be TOO much diversity for Utah and it would never happen, but what if?!
:clap: So you said that you were against Idaho. How come?
Did you also go to Provo?
When I look at my peers who graduated from Provo and those who came from ANY other school (including Idaho), there is such an attitude from Provo alumni that is not found in other students from other schools.
My friends who went to our large state university (very competitive) aren’t even as snotty as the BYU alum who are around here.
So odd.
But, the tithing thing is what gets me – the Savior would be looking for those who were downtrodden and would be bringing them to attend school – He wouldn’t be cutting them off, ya know?
hawkgrrrl wrote:You might enjoy reading one of these 2 articles I did on the BYU subsidy:
https://bycommonconsent.com/2013/07/22/does-the-church-over-subsidize-byu/ https://wheatandtares.org/2013/06/04/does-the-church-over-subsidize-byu/ Your tithing dollars are paying the tuition of the kid who beat yours out. Think about that for a minute.
Oooh, will read these tonight, but I agree that MY money is paying for the kid who beat my son! lol.
Ugh.
nibbler wrote:
What makes you think that you’ll lose your children if they attend a non-church school?Just because someone doesn’t see the need for something today doesn’t mean that they won’t have that need tomorrow. I don’t want to build up false hope though.
I’ll try to approach this subject carefully, I don’t want to offend. Is attending seminary, attending a church school, and remaining in church the spiritual journey that you want for your child or the spiritual journey that they want for themselves?
First, in my area, the universities are party places. Party as in, if you are on campus during the weekend, you are drinking somewhere…which leads to a whole host of other things.
Part of me says, “Well, I should expect him to experiment, right? I did. I eventually came around, but I never stopped attending church.
I agree with the “need for something today” comment.
No offense with your last question: MY hope is that my kiddos will learn to love the Lord. Attending seminary, church school and remaining in the church is a journey that could help them develop their testimonies. But, that goes back to what you said:
Just because someone doesn’t see the need for something today doesn’t mean that they won’t have that need tomorrow.Part of me feels like I need to let go and let my son make his own choices (of course), but then the other part says that if he’s left to his own devices, he’ll end up a drug addict with 10 baby Mommas. ha ha!
jacobnagle wrote:How do I worship in the House of the Lord with his supporters?
Many, many of us (at least in my area) felt the
exact. same. way. each time Obama was elected. 
We were crushed and we felt betrayed.
It was hard to see their gloating faces when they walked into church. It was hard to hear them speak over the pulpit.
We were disgusted.
:sick: This is a hasty reply since I can only “sneak” on here when my kidlets are not around…and I am sure they will soon find me. But, I’ve always felt that it isn’t JUST a body that we need.
More like, what we DO with the challenges life outside of heaven throws at us.
Meaning, we can learn to be kind, charitable, loving, forgiving, etc. whether we have 2 legs or 4.
I guess we need a body built for earth to live outside of heaven.
That body obviously doesn’t have to be an exact copy of everyone else.
But that body allows us to live here and experience the trials that we need for growth.
My current challenge is actually pulling myself out of bed at 5am to wake ALL of my kids up to take just two to seminary. My body is screaming at me to shut my eyes again…I then really try to be patient and kind with my brood as I wake them up amidst their own gripes. So…
Anyway,
Perhaps those with mental handicaps will have a different “curriculum” for earth.
Maybe they won’t have to learn how to juggle bills, but perhaps (for example) their schooling here is meant for sensory experiences…hot, cold, comfort, joy, etc.
LOVE IT!!! I also agree with asking specific people to help in addition to making a blanket announcement. That way people who may not be on a ward member’s “friend list,” but who would otherwise like an opportunity to serve have the chance to volunteer.
Way to go.
Letting 8yo’s in… Not for me, thanks.
I look forward to getting away from my brood from time to time.
Homeschooling is wonderful…and wonderfully exhausting, so I am one who would much prefer to keep this as an adult meeting. Sometimes I just gotta be with other adults…with no children around.
Interestingly, I am encouraging my oldest to apply to a church school. He doesn’t want to be around “that many Mormons,” but I feel like he needs some positive influences after he leaves home.
If he attends a school out here, he’ll be drunk every weekend and I may be a grandmother before I’m ready. It’s just the way things roll in my area.
:crazy: So…we’ll see what he ends up doing, but I’m surprising myself that I am pushing for a church school so heartilyl.
:think: Thanks for the post.
But is there something in our doctrine that dictates that we be buried in temple clothing? I’ve helped to dress 3 deceased sisters, all in temple clothing. It wasn’t weird – just sort of what was expected.
And, Ray, one of these sweet sisters was cremated after we were done. So, it does happen.
But now that this thread has popped up, I wonder…is there really an option?
‘Cause I think of my husband…if he dies in the line of duty, I’d sure like to see him in his Class A uniform – and so would his crews.
Me? I’m not sure yet, but like other females here, I don’t like the temple now. It really isn’t something in my life, so it would feel forced for me to wear temple clothing.
That said, if we somehow knew that the Lord himself has asked that we use temple clothing for burials, then things may change.
Also, there is the option of placing the temple packet of clothing inside the casket if, for some reason, the body cannot be dressed. I could go for that option.
I think your answer was spot on. I so dislike classes at church.
My teenage son dislikes them as well, but he doesn’t know MY feelings on them.
I see teachers (in RS, especially) who are lacking in energy.
We need some “shakeups” in our wards.
Maybe bring in an evangelical teacher once or twice as a guest teacher.
:thumbup: Your thoughts resonate a lot here. I have 3 mostly non-Sunday callings.
My husband is in the bishopric.
Someone recently asked me to sub in primary for her this summer.
I gave her some dates that I could help and she said,
😯 “Yeah, I’m trying to find people to sub who don’t have callings.”:wtf: What was that??
As much as I do for my parts of the forest/ward/stake, this woman had NO clue. At that moment I wanted to cry.
I enjoy my callings since they are skills I’ve mastered over the years, but at that moment I felt so unappreciated.
My husband, as some of you know, is a first responder and works 24 hours on a shift rotation.
He’s gone a lot.
We homeschool.
My plate is sometimes quite full and yet I somehow expect myself to keep it spinning.
I do believe that there are times when we HAVE to pull through these types of trials. Heroes in literature face opposition and frustrations and sometimes they face the seemingly impossible. There are times when they have to use sheer grit to get through. If we think of our selves as heroes in our own lives, and recognize challenges as we encounter them, it can help us navigate how we will respond.
Maybe right now you are feeling unappreciated and that weighs heavily on your heart.
Maybe you do have too much pulling for your mental energy and that takes a toll on your family.
Maybe you don’t.
I don’t know your answer, but I hope that as you evaluate where you are and where you need to be, you’ll see it all very clearly.
And, lastly, sometimes it’s okay to let go of things that need to be gone, even if it’s only temporary.
To disagree with amature parent: I think MOST women would rank sex high on the list.
I know I would!
🙂 I cannot imagine a sexless marriage. That would be depressing for me, and I suspect many other women.
Dare I suggest that a woman who could thrive in a sexless marriage has not been properly…”sexed?” I mean, maybe her experience has been pretty lousy, so for her, there isn’t much pizzazz with sex. With that mindset, of course she could do without. For the rest of us…that’s the stuff dreams are made of!
:thumbup: I like the previous analogy of sex being a sport and the importance of both teams winning…and winning often.
To answer your question:
I have often said that if I suddenly found myself not married (for whatever reason), I would really, really want to explore some intimacy issues. What that means exactly, I’m not sure. But, I don’t think I could ever blindly go into another marriage. I’d at least want to put my eyes on what I was getting, ya know?
Living together? I’m game.
I had some teenage experiences with sex. Those were actually my darkest days, but in a way I’m glad that I was able to explore some aspects of that relationship before marriage.
Hope it helps and I hope that your marriage now works out the way it’s supposed to.
