[richalger]

Yes.

[richalger]

Roy wrote:

For me my faith was shattered as a result of losing a child to stillbirth. I had placed my faith in the twin pillars of tithing and what I felt was fulfilled priesthood duty. I had faith in “binding” the Lord through obedience. I believe that this was misplaced faith.

Since then, I have developed hope and faith in a God that knows, accepts, and loves me. I am inspired by the possibility that God became man and then offered himself as a sacrifice on my behalf. So full was his love that he could not bear to cut me off and cast me out as a deserved and just consequence for my failings.

I do not expect God to interfere in the details of life (including to bless us that we might travel home safely). I do believe that God can speak love and comfort to our hearts in times of distress. I also believe that God can help (inspire) us to act in more loving ways towards his fellow children.

Thank you for sharing.

[richalger]

What do you do to help those around you and yourself center your faith in Christ?

What are some examples of placing faith in something other than God?

[richalger]

This is a very important topic. It is important to place our faith where it cannot be shaken. That is in the rock, Jesus Christ.

The tricky part is that we learn of Jesus initially from only fallible sources, people, books even scripture. The trick is to connect to the Holy Spirit. And that is tricky. What is emotion? What is only a desire to believe. We have to look to the results. The fruit.

Over time, I need to learn to trust my interactions with God. After 45 years, I am still working on that. I hope. I trust, to a degree.

It is vital to separate worship of God from any thing else. It is vital to teach these principles to those around us.

[richalger]

Old Timer wrote:

blessed for being willing to do things – NOT for always succeeding in doing things and not for doing things perfectly.

Amen

[richalger]

Roadrunner wrote:

This song was sung in my home and stake for several weeks. It’s meant to be lighthearted and silly. They keynote phrase is “I’m saving my armpits for my wife.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVKsd2PIBH0

I get that the phrase “modest is hot” is self-contradictory and not helpful, but the song is kind of funny.

This is what I thought the OP was about. It is a running joke in our house.

Saving my armpits for my wife seems to be a tongue in cheek slam on the concept. I also sense self-contradiction.

[richalger]

I loved President Oak’s answer to a question about those who have left the church those who want the church to be more transparent. Questioning the lack of church growth.

Quote:

It’s a great comfort to me to know that I don’t have to take the statement or actions of one particular leader as expressive of the doctrine and expectations of the church. We don’t believe in infallibility of our leaders. What we believe in is the organization the church has set in place with multiple prophets, seers and revelators and with a council system. Here sit the quorum of the twelve.

We’ll be working closely with them in the course of our responsibilities and in council, we all in an independent spirit, individually praying for guidance from the Lord. We sit as the Lord’s servants to define the doctrine of the church and the expectations of the church. Under the leadership of the President of the Church, we meet in council to determine the direction of the church and the (what are called in the world) the policies of the church. Some of those things called policies are doctrine. Some of them are practices. Some of them are temporary directions like the age of missionary service. But they come out of a council.

In addition, I would remind those who worry about the things you ask about very appropriately, when it comes to transparency, by the action of this council, we have published the Joseph Smith Papers. On the desk in my office, are those published thus far, and they occupy a space approximately a yard and still increasing. If we weren’t interested in transparency, we wouldn’t be publishing all the papers of the prophet Joseph Smith and the documents that came out of the founding of this restored church.

I believe in the system of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have confidence that their flaws are smoothed by their interactions with each other and with those they serve. Over time the branches of the tree that produce the most bitter fruit are being pruned. We are becoming more perfect as a church. We will continue to do so until we are fully acceptable to God. Those of us who will, will join into a fellowship with God. We will live as he lives and experience the joy of doing the work he does.

[richalger]

This video includes a question and answer session.

https://youtu.be/Mt3TslcvLV4

[richalger]

Mr. Sneelock wrote:

This kind of demotion (if you can call it that) has hardly ever happened in the history of the church so it just hurts that it had to happen to him.

The fact that it has happened gives hope that other changes can happen. Not everything comes from precedent.

[richalger]

nibbler wrote:

And one thing to consider, DHO is likely to end up president of the church at some point in the future. They may have wanted him to have some experience in the FP leading up to that… despite his cited 30+ years of experience in the Q12.

I thought this too.

[richalger]

There are 7 apostles between President Monson and President Nelson. It feels like a new generation of leadership to me. Elder Nelson and Oaks were called as apostles when I was 11 years old. I remember my dad talking about what he liked about the new apostles.

Thomas S. Monson

Boyd K. Packer

Marvin J. Ashton

Bruce R. McConkie

L. Tom Perry

David B. Haight

James E. Faust

Neal A. Maxwell

Russell M. Nelson

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_members_of_the_Quorum_of_the_Twelve_Apostles_(LDS_Church)

Also here is a link to the announcement video.

https://www.facebook.com/KUTV2News/videos/10156259895599406/

[richalger]

I think “tempest in a teapot” summarizes it.

As for me, I have used scriptures as a background to my phone screen since that time. I have found ponderizing an effective help to my study. Sometimes I may do nothing other than ponderize the scriptures I have put around me. That is better than I have done before.

[richalger]

I agree with Curt.

—

What do you think of this?

“Fair Questions 4: What’s Wrong with Masturbation?”

https://www.fairmormon.org/blog/2013/01/02/fair-questions-4-whats-wrong-with-masturbation

[richalger]

Thank you, Curt for being generous. We all need this.

[richalger]

Thank you all for this discussion.

[Author]

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