The Latter-day Saint Thread v. 8.0

Yea! :)
In answer to someone else's question: I sometimes wonder if it's more of a thing in the LDS community than a Utah thing. We're always encouraged to do creative and fun group activities.

I remember going to firesides and talks at BYU youth events with titles like "100 cheap and creative things to do on a date."

Hmm... I guess the LDS community thing makes sense. Most interesting proposal story that I've ever heard was last year if you've ever heard of the Scera theater you'd get but if not then you wouldn't. It was a Thursday night my friend was working there and a guy came in and asked for arrangements so he could propose later that night. So he did it in the theater later that night. My friend said it was so cute too.

I am sure that is not just a Utah thing and more of an LDS thing. While we are on the subject, my husband proposed to me at a big park. He brought a blanket and we sat down and he told me that I could ask him any questions and he would answer them, so I started to ask him questions about the future and stuff. Then, playing right into his hand, I told him it was his turn to ask me questions, so then he says, "have I ever told you that you're beautiful, have I ever told you you're wonderful, have I ever told you I loved you" and he repeated those three questions a couple times. Then, playing into his hands again, I told him to ask me about something he hasn't already asked, so then he said have I ever asked you to marry me and I said no. Then he said will you marry me. I was so surprised and caught off gaurd that I laughed and then said yes. (I knew that we were going to get married and that he was going to propose soon, but I didn't expect it to happen then. My parents were going to be coming down the next weekend so I thought he would do it while they were in town. He knew that is what I had been thinking so he proposed a week earlier.) Now he always tells people that I laughed at him when he proposed.

That's honestly the first time I've heard of someone being proposed to on stage at a church dance (usually it's just announced there), so that sounds both daring and creative to me.
My brother proposed during a talent show. He wrote a song on the guitar and proposed to her throught the song!

WOW! That's much better than mine! I can just imagine it! She must have been mortified though! Your brother must be a bit of a prankster to do somthing like that. Wow, that's great.

But I do agree that being creative is an LDS thing. Not all though, as my friend would remind me.;)

Oh, definitely not all. :) It's just a culture thing I hadn't really thought about until now.
I had a grad teacher at BYU who did a study on the differences between LDS doctrine and culture that is sometimes confused with doctrine. I think it would be an interesting paper to read, if not the best topic for this thread...
So, let's see, change of subject...
My oldest daughter is getting baptized on Sunday. :D (Yes, I feel old; it doesn't help that I turn 30 in April.)

(Yes, I feel old; it doesn't help that I turn 30 in April.)
Sorry, 30 is not old! maybe if you were turning 90, but 30? Come on! Do you get to sing/speak/pray at the baptism?

She wants me to sing. I'd much rather that than anything else. Her 6-year-old sister wants to say the opening prayer, which should be very cute. :)

That is cute. Congratulations to your daughter!

My oldest daughter is getting baptized on Sunday. :D

Sunday? Or Saturday? Are you trying to confuse me? ;)

Sunday? Or Saturday? Are you trying to confuse me?
Good quetion. Or is it both? Baptism Saturday confirmation Sunday. Anyways thats pretty cool. Do you guys read Chris Heimerdinger's books? The Tennis Shoes one or any others?

I think I read the first one, but that was it. I have some brothers and sisters that really like them.

I've read all the Tennis Shoes books but they aren't exactly my thing. I mean they are really good, but he does the worst Cliffhangers ever. Recently because of that I refuse to read them. My favorite in LDS fiction is probably Jack Weyland though. It's most likely because I'm a girl.

I read all the Jack Weyland books when I was in high school. They were really good, but I agree that they are probably not books that boys would enjoy.

I love the Heimerdinger books! I follow them closely. You should go to his site. cheimerdinger.com Its pretty sweet. The cliff-hangers are anoying but you get over them. lol. I also love Richard Draper's last days books. Those are really cool!

Pegasus, if you turned 30 in April, how come it still says you are 29? I would like an age discount...
I hope everything went well with the baptism. How lovely to have the family all participate in that special day.

I'm turning 30 in April. :D
The baptism was wonderful. I sure had trouble getting through my solo, though!

I love the Heimerdinger books! I follow them closely. You should go to his site. cheimerdinger.com Its pretty sweet. The cliff-hangers are anoying but you get over them. lol. I also love Richard Draper's last days books. Those are really cool!

They're hard to get over when you're on the last one and don't have another one to read though. That's one of the reasons I prefer Jack Weyland over Chris Heimerdinger. I just realized how funny his last name sounds... It's fun to say over and over...

Heimerdinger. I just realized how funny his last name sounds... It's fun to say over and over...
Humperdink! Humperdink! Humperdink!

I'm glad the baptism went well. Those are always special days!

I'm not the only one that thought of Princess Bride then. I love that movie. Baptisms are special days. On Saturday a set of twins in my ward was baptized. Last night we had a really good guest speaker at mutual. She's a therapist and since she's a friend of one of the leaders she came and talked to us about self-image. She did a really good job.

Okay, well, if any of you want an update on who I am and what my story is, you will have to go back to page 37. I only get to get on here when I'm on business trips, I can't afford the internet at home, and at work...oh I would get in trouble.
An update on my return to the church...kinda failed. This is pretty much the only place I can go to to talk about it, so please bear with me.
It came down to the fact that I no longer wanted God to keep his half of the bargen...and I was very ****** off at him. Don't get me wrong, it's not like I don't talk to him anymore, if anyone knows what I'm going through, its him. I did watch conference, my family was shocked when I started chiming in to their discussions on it...I even told one of my sisters that I was going to church, under the condition that she was under no circumstances to tell anyone else...
I decided I'd better try and find my singles ward, and it turned out to be just as hard as finding my regular ward. It took three years to do that, I guess three more years until I find my singles ward. I think that's a bit crazy as I actually live in SLC UT. I'm not mad at any of the members of my ward. How were they to know that the silent skinny girl in the corner was in deep need of someone to tell her where to go next. I went for two months, couldn't tell you anyone's first name including the guy who lives in my building. I may be able to figure out who the bishop is if I really tried. I was just...mad and quit going. Every Sunday I say I'm going to go back again, but when it comes back to it...I don't.

zoeydsngwrtr, this is one of Satan's favorite snares, making it hard to get back on track, with anything really. Praying, reading scriptures, going to church, all of it. He doesn't want you to succeed and so he's doing everything in his power to make you fail. And he wants you to be confused and angry and blame Heavenly Father for all of it.
I really do hope that you're able to pick yourself up again and go back. You can talk all you want about what you're going through here. I just hope that something someone says here will be of some help to you. Be sure to give another update the next time you are able to come on.

I hope you make it back. It really is hard to go to new places and new wards. I am sure that somewhere there is a person in the ward, who will be inspired to reach out to you. Sometimes we just have to move one foot forward and Heavenly Father will move us the rest of the way. Keep trying and keep letting us know how you are doing. It is kind of nice to come to the forum and have instant friends and support.

HELP! My husband was asked to so a scripture mastery game for a tri-stake seminary thing for tomorrow. Only thing is he hasn't been in seminary for about 20 years and I don't think I played any 12 years ago. So we're fishing around for ideas. We've heard of the pictionary type game and the fill in the missing words game. But it sounds like these are played a lot. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks!

I've got one. It involves making a board thing though. First you make a battleship like board with hints to the scripture masteries(?) on each square. Then you give two to every team. Then they mark their ships on one and then save the other one to mark everyone elses ships on. They give them all to the person leading the game. Then you go around to each group and they say the square a-5 for example. They then have to give you the scripture for the hint that is in the square JS-H 1:15-20 for the first vision for example. After that it's basically played like battleship. The person at the front says hit or miss for each team except for the team that guessed the square. Then the game continues with other people guessing squares.

I'm sorry if that didn't make any sense. It made sense in my mind before I put it down.

Thanks AchelRay. We found something online that's well suited for any sized group. There's going to be around 300 kids there, so the board game thing would have been over the top. But I do appreciate the suggestion! :) We came up with throwing out some Jolly Rancher candy to see what team they're on and then having them hand around a toy while music going and then when the music stops the one holding the toy is the Scripture Master. The SM then picks a SM scripture and gives them a clue of reading the historical background. Then it's up to the team to figure out the scripture and the first team to all get the scripture is the winner. Hopefully it will be fun for them. IT seems like a good idea at the time. I'll give an update later....

Yeah 300 kids would have been over the top. I didn't really think about that. The game you found sounds like fun though. Jolly Ranchers to pick teams is good though. Then they'll all get to mix together. Maybe we could use that the next time our ward won't break out of its little clique things...

Yeah, I think it's just a natural thing to keep with those you know. But as life goes on, we realise that we missed out on some great opportunities to make new friends. It gets easier as you get older, if you allow yourself. One of the biggest blessings about my husband is that he's quite a people person and so just being married to him forced me to come out of my shell and accept all people. Learning to be more Christ-like is what it's all about.

It can be hard to go outside of our own little groups and I admit sometimes I'm part of the problem but I;ve found that sometimes just coming out and talking makes the biggedt difference. See recently a girl moved into our ward and I've found that just talking to her I've learned a lot about her and I think we could become really good friends. It just takes the effort to speak out.

Hi folks. It seems I check in here once every several months... don't know what it is.

Looks like I'm going to miss the Temple Square lights this year. I'm off in lands west and can't afford to come back to Utah to visit family for Christmas. (In point of fact, I'm crafting Christmas gifts this year because I cannot afford to buy them.)

Zoey, the best of luck to you finding a ward that feels right. I know it can be a challenge, but I also believe it's worth it to stick it out until you've found the right place. While I believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true no matter where you are, some wards are just more welcoming and easier to participate in than others.

I noticed you said that you aren't online to visit here that often, but if you want some information about the wards in your area, you might want to visit this site (http://www.mormon.org/question/worship/extended/1,17893,3843-1-COUNTRY-UNITED+STATES,00.html). It's been helpful to me when I'm out of town and need to find the closest meetinghouse.

Hi, TPK! We've missed you! I hope everything is going well!
Now that my oldest has been baptized, the primary president came over yesterday to talk about the Faith in God Award. Apparently only one person in our ward has gotten it so far since its inception several years ago. They've got four years to get it, unlike the old Gospel in Action Program. She started writing in her journal yesterday (that I got her some time ago and even crocheted a cover for) because it's one of the requirements. I haven't been able to look through the book yet because she put it in her scripture case right away. I'm going to have to nick it from her if I ever want to know what she's supposed to be doing! I love her enthusiasm.

I just found out that my sister-in-law got us all tickets to go see "Savior of the World" while we are there for Christmas, so it looks like I will be seeing the Christmas lights at temple square. :) I am so excited. It seems like it will be forever, but hopefully time will go fast since my brother is getting married next week and then it will be Thanksgiving and then our trip will only be a month away. Time only flies when you are not waiting for something to happen. On a funny note, I asked my husband if he had ever seen the lights and he said he had once. He was about seven and he threw a snowball at one of the wiseman to see if it was real or not. I guess he got into a little bit of trouble from his dad. Hehe.

You should definitely be excited. My chorus director works with Savior of the World (I don't remember his title). He talks about it a lot--he can't help himself--and it sounds amazing. It's silly that I've never seen it, actually. I really need to get some tickets myself.

Wow! I just found this thread and I didn't realize there were so many other Latter-Day Saints around.

I've seen Savior of the World and it's really good. And the lights at Temple Square are amazing! If you can, try to see the Tabernacle Choir and take a tour of the Conference Center.

I have been to the conference center, once on a tour and twice for conference. It really is an amazing building. I have just never been to Utah at Christmas time before, but my oldest brother is going to BYU right now and since he is currenty the only one with kids we are all going to his house.

I'd like to go see savior of the world but with my family it's nearer to impossible then anything else to be able to attend. My parents went one year but we haven't been able to go though we have tried to get tickets on a day that we could all go.

EDIT: I just attempted to watch the Temple Square lights go on, on the news. They were there but Trax went down the street as the countdown began. Oh well they had their news helicopter there so they just said they'll replay it later.

Hey everybody,

I just want to say hi. I've only done maybe one or two posts on here... I can't remember. Anyway, I've never seen Savior of the World, but I've heard it's excellent. I have a few friends that perform in it every year.

Hey everybody,

I just want to say hi. I've only done maybe one or two posts on here... I can't remember. Anyway, I've never seen Savior of the World, but I've heard it's excellent. I have a few friends that perform in it every year.

Welcome to the thread!!:clap:

Thanks! :D

I've got a lady in my ward that does it too. She says it takes so much time and effort to put on each year.

I have heard it is amazing too! I have some friends that are in it every year! Wow whats up with everyone? I havent been around for a while. :)

Not much going on with me except I've got to learn a song for Young Woman in Excellence next Tuesday. Gratefully though I'm not accompanying (sp?). I only have to sing but because it's one the lady in charge wrote we are the first people who are singing it. It's about our gift to the Savior because that's the theme of Young Women in Excellence this year.

By the way can anyone think of how to represent the value Choice and Accountability as a gift to the Savior. Oh and it has to include the way the value experiences help us become closer to Him.

Not much going on with me except I've got to learn a song for Young Woman in Excellence next Tuesday. Gratefully though I'm not accompanying (sp?). I only have to sing but because it's one the lady in charge wrote we are the first people who are singing it. It's about our gift to the Savior because that's the theme of Young Women in Excellence this year.
Thats cool! Yeah, I hate it when I get asked to accompany for stuff. Especially because I dont really know how to play. I taught myself and now I have to play for Priesthood and Seminary. Its a harsh punishment! Ha ha ha.By the way can anyone think of how to represent the value Choice and Accountability as a gift to the Savior. Oh and it has to include the way the value experiences help us become closer to Him.
How about going on the path that everything we have is Christ's already. He has given us choice and accountability. It could be our gift back to him to use it in a right and good way. To chose the right etc... By doing so we become stronger and closer to Christ. How's that? Make sure you tell us how it goes! :)

I hate accompanying too. It's not really hard for me it's just I wish they'd give me more notice. One Sunday I got asked to play for a teacher inservice two hours before and they asked me to play certain songs. Let's just say Called to Serve can't be learned in two hours.

That's good I just have to have something physical in a gift bag... Now if only I can figure out what to put in the bag to show that.

I know what you mean. I can play the piano at home, but if I have to accompany, its never good. Too much pressure.
As far as choice and accountability goes, Heavenly Father blesses us with so much and the only thing we can really give him in return is our will to follow him.

I hate accompanying too. It's not really hard for me it's just I wish they'd give me more notice. One Sunday I got asked to play for a teacher inservice two hours before and they asked me to play certain songs. Let's just say Called to Serve can't be learned in two hours.

That's good I just have to have something physical in a gift bag... Now if only I can figure out what to put in the bag to show that.
What about an inexpensive CTR ring?
About accompanying: My recommendation is to simply practice the hymns at home. Everyday, if you can. The better you get on your own, the better you'll get in public, until you get really confident with the hymns and get used to playing in public. No matter where you go in the future, your acquired hymn abilities will bless the Church, so it's a lot more important than many people realize.

I do practice at home it's just hard for me to play them when I have to play when people sing. I've found that I can't sing when I accompany or else I end up going back for my mistakes and then end up throwing everything off and this is just when I sing when I practice... I think I've figured out what I'm going to do for Young Women in Excellence so I'm pretty well off for that as long as I can learn the song we're supposed to sing before next Tuesday.

I can't usually sing while I accompany either, and I haven't been in Young Women for over ten years. (I can occasionally with primary songs, but it usually messes me up.)

I can sing while I play as long and I can even play if only there are a few people singing with me like family members. When its a big congregation, it just doesn't work. Its just to much pressure. That and I have absolutely no concept of tempo when I play. My brain takes a little too much time to talk to my fingers.

Yeah I'm the same way with tempo. If I try to sing then my singing either slows me down or speeds me up and then I try to fix it and then it all falls apart. Now I've just found out I'm supposed to do something at the ward Christmas party during the talent show portion. I need some suggestions for Christmas music that I can play without another person. I've heard of something like Sally DeFord but I'm not sure that's right. If any of you know about that could you owl me?

http://www.defordmusic.com/.
My personal favorite is Christmas Chains for Piano, arranged by Brent Jorgensen. I got a gig three years ago to play for a business banquet at the State Capitol. I needed something I could play for over an hour straight that I could do when I was out of practice, and it was perfect.

Sally DeFord does have a lot of great stuff. When my husband's cousin left on her mission we found a really pretty version of "I Stand All Amazed." I am sure any Christmasy you can find off of her site will be beatiful. I love, love, love Christmas music.
By the way, Pegasus where can you get "Christmas Chains?"
I looked on DeFord's website but couldn't find it?

I'm sorry for the confusion. It's not Sally DeFord, it's something I picked up at a local music store. Brent Jorgensen excels at accessible church arrangements for piano and organ prelude music/solos as well as ward choirs. Let me see if I can find a link.

Okay...A quick search gave me the following two links for those who don't have LDS music readily available at local music stores.
www.jackmanmusic.com
www.deseretbook.com

I'm new to the forums. I thought it was so cool that they had a thread just for us LDS folks!

About accompanying: My recommendation is to simply practice the hymns at home. Everyday, if you can. The better you get on your own, the better you'll get in public, until you get really confident with the hymns and get used to playing in public. No matter where you go in the future, your acquired hymn abilities will bless the Church, so it's a lot more important than many people realize.

I agree. My 15 year old son quit lessons a year ago. He has about 20 hymns that he can play and he practices them each day. (He also throws in some Harry Potter or Christmas music from time to time.:lol: ) We sing along with him as a family just to get him used to accompanying people. With him the trick is not to go back and correct your mistakes. If you are accomplanying people you have to learn to just keep plowing ahead if you make a mistake. My goal was to have him be able to play hymns. We will add a few more to his list before he goes on his mission.

I'm new to the forums. I thought it was so cool that they had a thread just for us LDS folks!

Welcome to the forum!
Thanks for the link Pegasus. I will go try it out or just look at it when I go to pick up some new scriptures for my husband. They are his Christmas present. He still has his mission ones and they are very well worn.

Sounds like a great Christmas present!

Okay...A quick search gave me the following two links for those who don't have LDS music readily available at local music stores.
www.jackmanmusic.com (http://www.jackmanmusic.com)
www.deseretbook.com (http://www.deseretbook.com)

Hmm... I looked at those links and searched for Christmas Chains. I think that'd be nice to play sometime if I can ever get to a music store. That's one of the reasons I was wondering about DeFord. I don't know about difficulty though. I'm pretty average, I can play some hymns but others are hard for me to play. I guess I could if I practiced it enough (my piano teacher actually told me today I could probably play just about anything if I practiced because I've gotten really good at sight reading:clap:)

I think I've finally picked Bring a Torch Jeanette Isabelle from the DeFord site. It's easy enough that I'll be able to make it sound good for the 8th and it's pretty too.

I agree
ha ha, me too! I am the only one who can play in my seminary class but the catch is I cant really play! Yeah, confusing, I practice every day and do pretty well.

I think I've finally picked Bring a Torch Jeanette Isabelle from the DeFord site. It's easy enough that I'll be able to make it sound good for the 8th and it's pretty too.

I love that song. Then again I love all Christmas songs. Primary has been fun because right after our program we started practicing their songs for Christmas. I am sad that I will have to miss it.

I'd be in trouble if I missed it. I play for the Primary, and I'm always hard-pressed to get a sub. (Besides the fact that my ward choir is singing on Christmas Eve, and I'm the director...)

so i just got my mission call today...i'm going to the Chile Santiago West mission...speaking spanish (which i dont know yet)...i leave feb 14th

so i just got my mission call today...i'm going to the Chile Santiago West mission...speaking spanish (which i dont know yet)...i leave feb 14th
Chile? Wow! I am so happy for you!

so i just got my mission call today...i'm going to the Chile Santiago West mission...speaking spanish (which i dont know yet)...i leave feb 14th
Well, there's no better way to learn! Even those who think they know it usually find out otherwise once they have to use it for real.

so i just got my mission call today...i'm going to the Chile Santiago West mission...speaking spanish (which i dont know yet)...i leave feb 14th
Congratulations!!:clap:

thanks everyone! im excited to go...but also very nervous...

I bet you are but I'm sure you'll be a great missionary. Congratulations!

so i just got my mission call today...i'm going to the Chile Santiago West mission...speaking spanish (which i dont know yet)...i leave feb 14th

:clap: That's awesome! And don't worry...I'm sure you'll be speaking Spanish fluently in no time. :D

Congrats on the mission call. My uncle went to that mission...I think.

I'm sort of in a sad mood right now. On Friday, a non-member went on and on about how Mormon missionaries are just really dumb and that they have no purpose in life. It probably hit harder than it would have, because I've got two siblings on missions (a sister in Brazil and a brother in Russia), and I was missing them especially on that day. So that was really too bad.

I hope you feel better, Rosie. It's good to hear from you. :)

I actually got to attend Sunday School and Relief Society yesterday because they had the men fill in for Primary so all the women could attend a special RS program. The Sunday School lesson was on Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar's dream. We got a handout on numbers of members, languages of the Book of Mormon, stakes, missions, and temples from the year of the Church's organization to 2000. It was absolutely amazing. Her (the teacher's ending comments were that when we hear about all the bad things going on in the world, when we worry about our children and families, and all the wars and suffering in the world, we can look at these numbers and know that the gospel is rolling forth and cannot be stopped, and that good will triumph. It was quite powerful.

Then we had a powerful Christmas presentation in RS. I sang a solo--I Know That My Redeemer Lives--right after a trio sang His Hands. I managed to get through it--barely.

That sounds really cool, Pegasus. I haven't been to Relief Society in a long time. It must have been nice to go. I had to give a talk in church yesterday on sacrifice. For part of it, I talked about the Handcart Pioneers. There is an article in the December Ensign on p. 40 about their rescue. It was really touching. We are also reading the book [U]The Price We Paid[U] for our book club, which is also about the Handcart Companies. It should be really good. Their sacrifices for each other and for the gospel were so amazing.
Sorry about your bad day Rosie. My husband's brother is on a mission right now too and he is in no way dumb. I know how it can feel just really yucky to hear things like that especially about something you hold so close and sacred to your heart.

Congratulations, JV187! I am sure you will be a great missionary. It doesn't matter where you start the Lord can take a willing heart (and hands and feet) and work miracles.

Rosie, your siblings are blessing others every minute of their missions.

so i just got my mission call today...i'm going to the Chile Santiago West mission...speaking spanish (which i dont know yet)...i leave feb 14th

Congratulations! Goign on a mission will be the toughest thing you will ever do, it sure was for me. Looking back on it, I don't know how I survived talking to total strangers day in and day out since I tend to be very anti-social and an intravert. Having the Lord as a helper made it easier on me I think :).


On Friday, a non-member went on and on about how Mormon missionaries are just really dumb and that they have no purpose in life.
Heh, its kind of true, in a way. As J. Golden Kimbal put it "The Lord must watch after His church otherwise ignoramous missionaries would have destroyed it long ago." :p

so i just got my mission call today...i'm going to the Chile Santiago West mission...speaking spanish (which i dont know yet)...i leave feb 14th

Thought I'd add my congrats to you! My brother just got home in July from the Santiago East Mission. He was able to learn Spanish well and had trouble going back to english when he got home, so I'm sure that you'll have no problem. It's a great, challanging area that will keep you on your toes. Santiago has around 6 million people, and you'll have a temple there to enjoy. And you'll leave on Valentines Day, which seems fun to me for some reason. And as today is the 14th, you have 2 full months to prepare and get shots, passport, etc. So now the hard part is over, the waiting to see where you go, and the fun part begins!

My oldest brother went on a Spanish speaking mission in New Jersey. Every week his English went further and further downhill. It was pretty funny. Before he came home we put English name tags on everything as a joke. The language will come and it will bless you for the rest of your life.

I have a friend who served a Spanish speaking mission, and when she came back she had a really hard time getting her English back. Luckily one of the members of the bishopric also spoke Spanish, because when she reported her mission, she had to keep turning to him to ask him "how do you say . . . in English?" :lol:

My husband did that when he came back from Japan. His big brother translated for him. (They had a Japan cross-over of about two months. Different areas, though.)

I have a friend who served a Spanish speaking mission, and when she came back she had a really hard time getting her English back. Luckily one of the members of the bishopric also spoke Spanish, because when she reported her mission, she had to keep turning to him to ask him "how do you say . . . in English?" :lol:
I've found that to be quite common in speakers that have just come back from their missions. Either that or they speak with an accent... However lately, like today, we've had other ward's missionaries speak in our ward a couple months after they return. I don't know if this is common but it's been happening more and more often.

My aunt got married yesterday in the Ogden temple. It was a great learning esperience for my youngest brother and sister because the last person who got married on that side had made some bad choices in life. That being the case they had been able to attend the civil ceremony. They were disappointed they couldn't see our aunt get married but I'm glad they learned about the temple.

I'm excited now. Over the Christmas break my family is going to be able to do family names. It'll be my little brothers first time going since he just barely turned twelve a month ago.

That's awesome, Achelray. The one time we did baptisms for the dead as a family stands out in my mind. Cool stuff.

Family names are the best!!

They're a lot of fun to do. I've done them twice before and they stand out more to me then the other times I've gone and just done the names that the temple supplies.

Well we made it to Utah. It was a really beautiful drive. The snow is beautiful, but this California girl is cold. Right now everyone is huddled around watching the BYU game, and I am basking in the excitement of getting the Book 7 title.

I know my family is all listening to it. As for the snow, this Utah girl is cold. We're supposed to get snow on Christmas eve so I'm pretty happy. Though everyone in my family is getting sick...

WOW! I didn't expect to find an LDS discussion on Mugglenet.com. A member invited me through an owl. I would just like to thank church members who have taken time to explain things a bit. I have encountered many people who think some really crazy and ridiculous things, so ...thanks.

Well we made it to Utah. It was a really beautiful drive. The snow is beautiful, but this California girl is cold. Right now everyone is huddled around watching the BYU game, and I am basking in the excitement of getting the Book 7 title.
I don't follow sports, but judging from what I saw on the news last night, it's a good year to be a Cougar fan. :D

WOW! I didn't expect to find an LDS discussion on Mugglenet.com. A member invited me through an owl. I would just like to thank church members who have taken time to explain things a bit. I have encountered many people who think some really crazy and ridiculous things, so ...thanks.
Allow me to nitpick a little...There isn't an LDS discussion on Mugglenet.com. ;) CoS Forums has a relationship with Mugglenet, but it's independently run. (Sorry, Auror and all that.)
Glad you found us. :)
Merry Christmas, everyone!

I have a friend who served a Spanish speaking mission, and when she came back she had a really hard time getting her English back.
it weird to think about that...i hope i wont have a hard time speaking english again after my mission...btw Merry Christmas to everyone...I got a Gryffindor tie for christmas... without the crest at the bottom...i am going to wear it on my mission!:D

That is cool. I got some Harry Potter sheet music and the Mugglenet What Will Happen in Harry Potter 7. You won't have any trouble getting back into English. It will come back pretty quickly. Hope all the preparations are going well.

I didn't get anything HP related.

Last night we had a lot of fun in out family. My little brothers and sisters got out the nativity set and we each took a character and as my dad read the Christmas story. We also had an amazing silent lesson in young women's. Christmas Eve was amazing even if half of my family was sick (including me).

Hi, I'm LDS and reason I haven't posted in here before is because I'm extremely lazy. However Merry Christmas!

I have a friend who served a Spanish speaking mission, and when she came back she had a really hard time getting her English back. Luckily one of the members of the bishopric also spoke Spanish, because when she reported her mission, she had to keep turning to him to ask him "how do you say . . . in English?" :lol:

:lol: :lol: :lol:

YEah i went through the same thing when I got back from Germany. I could still speak English, but somethings I was just in the habit of doing in German, like prayers, testimonies, discussions, etc. So, when I got to the end of my talk, and I had to give my testimony in German, even though I really didn't want to, sicnei consider it a huge cliche.

We got to talk to my brother and sister on Monday! That was really cool. And yes, there English is going downhill.

My sister (who's in Brazil) couldn't remember what a guava was in English for about 2 minutes, and we could hear her speaking to her roommate in Portuguese (her companion is American, but one of the sisters who lives in the same apartment is Brazilian). And then, we told my brother to speak in Russian for a little bit, because we got to hear the Portuguese, and he just opened up his Russian Book of Mormon and started reading. It was really weird. There are lots of Russians around here, my violin teacher is Russian, and I've got friends at school who are first generation Americans, there parents being Russian, and there're fluent. But hearing it come out of my brother's mouth was REALLY WEIRD. And then, they told us that there're having trouble with new converts drinking. Hmm. Anyways, and apparently in Russia, the police are like on their own side and don't really like anybody. So everyone avoids them as much as possible, the missionaries included. Thankfully, the law that was going to say that you couldn't tract, didn't get passed. They were really worried about that.

Wow! That is cool about Russia, but a little scary about the police. We missed the call from my husband's brother since we were with my family. He did call on our cell phone later but we missed the call. So that was a little sad, but he will be coming home right before mother's day and that will come before we know it.

It would be scary to have a law passed saying that you couldnt' tract while you were on your mission. I have to wonder though... If it had would they have pulled the missionaries out of Russia and sent them somewhere where Russian was spoken, or would they have sent them home, or would they have sent them somewhere their native language was spoken?

There are actually areas where missionaries are sent where tracting is not allowed. There is actually a boy in my ward who was sent to India and they work solely with the members and reach investigators through member referrals. I am sure that if the law had passed in Russia, that the missionaries would have been able to stay and help strengthen the new converts and meet with investigators. The work of God goes onward and forward.

Yeah, that's what they would have done. It was really close, and people were really amazed, because my brother's mission president has been opening cities really fast, even before that law was brought up. People were telling him that he was trying to make the mission grow too fast and stuff, but then that law was brought up. And you can't really open cities without members in them for referrals. So, people were thinking WOW INSPIRATION! But they still have cities with about two members. That's Russia.

There are actually areas where missionaries are sent where tracting is not allowed. There is actually a boy in my ward who was sent to India and they work solely with the members and reach investigators through member referrals. I am sure that if the law had passed in Russia, that the missionaries would have been able to stay and help strengthen the new converts and meet with investigators. The work of God goes onward and forward.

Oh okay, that makes sense. I was wondering what they would do.

I'm going to Temple Square tonight. My cousins are coming down from Idaho to visit us so we're going to Temple Square. I'm so excited.

Hopefully it will be a warm evening. :) I'm glad you're catching it before the lights go down.
My daughters were excited about seeing the lights, and had the perfect opportunity when we were there for a concert, but it was so cold that night that my oldest was almost crying, so we just kind of looked around on our way back to the car! :D

Just wondering if any of the youth here saw the fireside with the Prophet and Elder Holland. How was the fireside and what were the messges?

Hope you all have a Happy New Years!

I may not be youthful, but I can answer. :D (I watched the broadcast from my family room while playing games.) Pres. Hinckley gave a variation of his "4 'B's" talk. I don't remember much about Elder Holland's. There was some great music, including several solos (vocal/guitar, piano, etc.) and a youth chorus salted with younger Tab Choir members conducted by Mack Wilberg and singing Wilberg's arrangements and selections from Crawford Gates' Joseph! Joseph! opera my chorus sang a few years ago to present to the GAs.

Just wondering if any of the youth here saw the fireside with the Prophet and Elder Holland. How was the fireside and what were the messges?

Hope you all have a Happy New Years!

It was amazing. Admittedly we went to my the Stake center that used to be my Grandma's stake center but isn't anymore, so we were somewhere that we knew no one. I think the music was amazing and so were the talks. The choir was a choir from Seminary students in the Salt Lake area according to the website. I think they have a video you can stream on the church website now, but I don't know if it's up yet. They should have audio though. They had a live streaming of the broadcast.

I just noticed that there were a few Tab Choir members to fill extra seats because my mom noticed the familiar white dresses with the flower in the middle. :D

I thought they had done it combined to give them the experience. You can't deny how amazing it would be to sing with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for anything.

Entirely possible. :)
Did you have fun at Temple Square?

It was cold but it was a lot of fun. I love the lights. They're always so pretty. I remember someone saying once that they have to start putting up the lights in July. I wouldn't doubt that at all.

Yep, they do, and there are more added every year, so I wouldn't be surprised if they have to start even earlier in, say, ten years. :lol:

By then it might be beneficial to leave them up year round then check and make sure they all work the week before they turn them on.

the lights really are beautiful. i've only been to temple square once at christmastime, but it's not something i'll easily forget. i really love how the church concentrates on making buildings, decorations, etc so beautiful. so many churches look like office buildings these days, and i'm sure it wouldn't detract from the spirit if all of ours did, but i think it's an extension of how much devotion goes in to everything the church does.

It isn't something that you easily forget. On Wednsday I got to go do the family names that we were going to do over the break before everyone in my family got sick. It feels so much different to do family names rather then the temple file names.

EDIT: January 16, registering for EFY is a pain. I am number...351 out of 826 in line right now. I've been waiting for 2.5 hours too.

Have you ever been to EFY before? I went once when I was fifteen. It was an incredible experience. It's a week long spiritual high.

Yes I went last year. It was so much fun. I was finally able to register though. I hope I can get in. Last year I registered in the first week for the open registration where it's basically a lottery. I still didn't get in and I had to settle for Rexburg instead of Provo but it was still amazing. My counselor is actually a permanent sub at my school now which is really cool.

You had to settle for my alma mater, huh? ;)

Oho, run, you've cheesed off the Auror!

I remember not that long ago I was going to BYU and complaining heartily about the EFY participants invading our campus (how dare they? But hey, I'm not elitist or anything...)

Myself, I never attended EFY. I think my first experience at BYU was attending Education Week, some time in the '80s.

I was always wondered how the fit them all there. My little sister tried to become a counselor while she was at BYU, but apparently the odds are very slim. I think there were thousands of applicants for only a few hundred counselors. I don't remember the exact number. I actually went to EFY in Santa Barbara which is only two hours away from where I grew up so it was more convenient than going to Utah or Idaho. The sad thing was that we were right on the coast and they said if anyone was caught going to the beach they would get kicked out. I think most of us were from the area anyway so it wasn't that big of a deal, at least not for me. I went with my brother and I thought they were going to put us in the same group, but for some reason they didn't. I hardly saw him the whole week.

Oho, run, you've cheesed off the Auror!


I am Auror, hear me roar. :evil: :lol:
Honestly, the summer I did at BYU, I wasn't all that distracted or annoyed by the influx of teenagers. I sat in on one of their youth speakers during one of my downtimes. :D
I wish I'd been able to attend EFY. We did do Ed. Week every year and got a good dose of the youth speakers there. I enjoyed the Youth Conference I went to there, too.

I didn't mean to offend anyone I promise.:p It's just that I live within 15 minutes of the BYU campus and I would have much rather gone there then had a 8 hour bus ride one way and 4 hours the other way. Yes the bus had problems on the way up and we made incredibly good time on the way back.

I remember not that long ago I was going to BYU and complaining heartily about the EFY participants invading our campus (how dare they? But hey, I'm not elitist or anything...)

It's nice to see you back around here. I understand that though. You go to BYU during the week at anytime during the summer and you're bound to see some EFY person either in a group or wandering around completely lost. Especially in the morning driving past the dorms...

I sat in on one of their youth speakers during one of my downtimes. :D
I love having speakers especially for the youth. I'm sorry to any speakers but it can make a huge difference. I mean they make it more interesting and "real" if you know what I mean?

My oldest son graduated from BYU-I and he complained mightly every year when the EFY kids came to town. He said it was like an infestation. :lol: The only thing I don't like about the Rexburg EFY is that it is the only one that won't let you wear shorts. It is hot in Rexburg in the summer! :agree:

I just registered my younger son for EFY Tacoma. He went last year and loved it. There are 3 Tacoma sessions and no one will be at the first (from around here) as we are all in school until July because of all the snow days we have had to take. I think the spiritual strength lasted him all year. That is pretty good for a 15 year old boy.

I have to admit to being a purist--I think BYU-Provo should go by BYU-Idaho's rules on this one. It would avoid compliance issues (i.e. How short is too short?).

I forgot that BYU-Idaho doesn't allow shorts. That must be pretty tough.

I didn't mean to offend anyone I promise.:p It's just that I live within 15 minutes of the BYU campus and I would have much rather gone there then had a 8 hour bus ride one way and 4 hours the other way. Yes the bus had problems on the way up and we made incredibly good time on the way back.


*Melts with offense*
*Just kidding*
There's actually a bus that goes to the Rexburg campus? I have to admit to thinking that's very cool. I figured the parents would have to do the driving. So if your kids go to the Provo campus one year and the Idaho campus another, they get more university exposure! I would have really appreciated that; I went to Idaho because I knew I was supposed to, but I was only familiar with Provo. I'll have to remember that for the future with my kids...
We did have Youth Conference at Utah State, and I found I didn't love it, and it wasn't a consideration.

*Melts with offense*
*Just kidding*
There's actually a bus that goes to the Rexburg campus? I have to admit to thinking that's very cool. I figured the parents would have to do the driving. So if your kids go to the Provo campus one year and the Idaho campus another, they get more university exposure! I would have really appreciated that; I went to Idaho because I knew I was supposed to, but I was only familiar with Provo. I'll have to remember that for the future with my kids...
We did have Youth Conference at Utah State, and I found I didn't love it, and it wasn't a consideration.
Yeah, it leaves from the Marriott center at about 7:30 am on the Monday you're supposed to go up. It's more 4 buses then 1 bus though. It's fun though, even if I have terrible experience with busses that are used...

I would have rather gone to Provo for the same reason. I know the BYU campus pretty well and BYU-I was an entirely different experience. I had come up to be with my cousins the week before for "cousin camp". Since my uncle is a professor at BYU-I we went to see him there so I sort of knew my general way around, but I was still completely lost.

I haven't been there for ten years. I know the whole area, not just the campus, has grown a lot.

I haven't been there for ten years. I know the whole area, not just the campus, has grown a lot.
It has. Even from what I remember when I was little. Driving down University is so much different then what it used to be. I mean the library is actually a building rather then a ruin.

I'm glad for that. I was behind the campaign to save the Old Campus Block from complete destruction. My family used to go out every year when they had cleanups and do a lot of work on those buildings. It's good to see that at least one of those buildings was preserved for a useful purpose.

Regarding EFY: I'm not sure I've ever stated explicitly why, as a BYU student, I was bugged by EFY. It wasn't because of the "invasion" of campus by teenagers. (After all, most college freshmen are still teenagers.) It had more to do with the way they behaved while they were there. I watched them crossing against the stoplights in huge herds and screwing up traffic, climbing up onto the roofs of campus buildings, and littering all over the place. BYU has traditionally taken great pride in the beauty of its campus, and employs a lot of people to contribute to its upkeep. It was disconcerting to see EFY participants treating the campus like an amusement park, dropping their sandwich wrappers and half-empty cans of soda on the grass when there was a garbage bin seven or eight steps away. I don't expect teenagers to act like perfect angels, but their collective behavior seemed to me to show a profound lack of respect for their host university.

I know, not everybody acts this way at EFY. This is in reference to a group's collective behavior, not the behavior of specific individuals. I hope that things will begin to change as EFY leaders recognize and try to address some of these problems.

Unrelated question: has anyone read the February Ensign? There's an article on p. 9 called "Tell Me It Isn't True" that I found very touching. It's difficult enough to change your faith under normal circumstances; I'm just trying to imagine the kind of courage it would take if you were a minister of another faith.

I hadn't opened the Ensign yet, but I just read it. I also thought it was very touching. It's always fun to read conversion stories especially when circumstances are like that. I actually have two really good friends that I have known since high school that are married. The husband just recently started being a Minister. I have always known that since that was his career it would be really hard for him to ever gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon. They do have a copy of it in their home. The article really shows that no matter your circumstance in life you can gain a testimony of the church. I loved President Hinckley's quote about "adding" on to the light.

You already got the Ensign? My family only got ours today and we live in Utah... I haven't gotten a chance to look at any of them yet. I had New Beginnings for Young Women and the mail came just before so I haven't had the chance. I'll look at that article though when I do get the chance.
It was disconcerting to see EFY participants treating the campus like an amusement park, dropping their sandwich wrappers and half-empty cans of soda on the grass when there was a garbage bin seven or eight steps away. I don't expect teenagers to act like perfect angels, but their collective behavior seemed to me to show a profound lack of respect for their host university.
I'm sorry that that happened. I'll take note of that and I hope that by doing my part it'll help the problem as a whole.

I don't have my Ensign and Friend yet, either. The fact that you got yours makes me think they might come today, though. :)

I don't have my Ensign yet, either. :(

Must be that Utah mail. :)
Actually sometimes my in-laws will get their Ensign days before we do and they just live in the next city over. I am guessing that they probably don't ship all of them out the same day. It seems like that would be a lot of magazines. I really love the Ensign though. It is such great reading that we can go to every month. I remember when I was a teenager thinking it was just some boring magazine for the old people to read. Haha. Now I can't get enough of it.

We got ours about a week ago... It must be Utah mail...

And I still don't have mine. :sad:

I think that Utah mail must be to blame. I don't know why though. Aren't they distributed from the distribution center in SLC?

I got mine yesterday.

See above ^ :sad:

I hope it is okay to jump in and comment on a post a couple of pages ago. I saw a couple of remarks about the Youth Fireside where the Tab Choir sang with the Youth Choir. I was there as I am a Second Alto in the Choir. It was so much fun. The idea came from Br. Jessop. He is an amazing man that loves his calling/job as the Musical Director. The sound of the Choir was "brightened" up by the youth. We loved it and kidded them that we wanted them to come back and sing with us on the Sunday morning broadcast. We have had some wonderful feedback from that experience.

On another note, is anyone but me feeling as though Dan Radcliffe has outgrown the HP role with his decision to act in Equus? No doubt it is his right to conduct his career any way he chooses. That is the beauty of Moral Agency. But I am sad that he has chosen this huge of a departure when there are still 2 more movies to make and millions of children look up to him. Every comment on every board I have looked at lauds him as a hero for making this move. But, I have not posted any opposing views yet. I am keeping an eye out for places where I can stand up and say something that would be meaningful and not sound hysterical.

I have also felt kind of sad about it, but I guess we have to remember that he is an actor and can make his own decisions for himself. I think it just shows that it is hard to find good moral role models in the entertainment industry. It really has changed the way I look at him.
So you are actually in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir? That must be so amazing. I would love to do that someday. Of course I am only 25 and live in California so it might be a little hard. My mother-in-law has a friend that is in it. I can't think of his name right now, but they always look for him when conference comes on.

I am in the Choir. I have been in about 3 years. It took 2 tries, two years, a year of voice lessons and a lot of blood sweat and tears. But it has been worth it. If you think you ever want to try to make it into the Choir, take voice lessons, learn music theory (if you don't already know it) and learn to sing in a Choral setting (join a symphony choir, but don't neglect solo singing.) Then of course, there is the little matter of needing to live within 100 miles of downtown... :D

Regarding Equus: I'd like to stay away from that topic, since it is discussed elsewhere on the forums and off topic here. Thanks. :)
Someday I would like to sing with the Tab Choir. I have the theory and professional choral experience, but I'm waiting until my kids get older, and I do think I should probably get more vocal training.

why, pegasus? There are pitifully few expressing any sense of disillusionment. As Latter day Saints this is relevant. What threads are out there that are discussing this with anything other than congratulations for this performance? I would like to stand up for a sense of decency and morality, but frankly am not interested in getting crushed by liberal thinkers that would consider me hysterical. So if you can post a thread name that is discussing this calmly, I would be interested in knowing which one. I would also submit that this play (and millions of other things like it) is really just a symptom and not the ailment. The decline in morality continues to be staggering. The widespread embracing of these kinds of things is what we are up against as we get closer to the Second Coming.

You are wise to wait until the time is right for trying out. It has become very difficult to get in and once you do get into the Choir, very time consuming. We have relatively few young moms and dads. But it can work if the family is committed. Continue to sing, take voice lessons and keep your theory somewhere on the back burner. Then when the time is right, you'll know.

why, pegasus?
We promised to keep this thread controversy-free. :) We've had a lot of problems in the past and don't want to repeat them.

You are wise to wait until the time is right for trying out. It has become very difficult to get in and once you do get into the Choir, very time consuming. We have relatively few young moms and dads. But it can work if the family is committed. Continue to sing, take voice lessons and keep your theory somewhere on the back burner. Then when the time is right, you'll know.
That's what I figure. I sing with a chorus that is directed by a former Tab member. He had to quit because he was just doing too much.

I know exactly who you are talking about :-) He is awesome and yes, he has his fingers in lots of pies. Tell him peggy from Choir says hi.

BTW, my nickname as a kid was pegasus...

Discussing the Tab choir is hard for me. Mostly it's because of a brother in our ward and his history with it. He had charges brought against him for some stuff and so he was kicked out.

I've been trying to avoid the topic for the last few months but it's nearer to impossible then anything else. I don't think I was even supposed to find out but I did thanks to the newspaper... It's hard because he was in the Young Men's program and he was around all of us all the time. Then you add in the fact that he has a boy that he adopted from Russia as he was never married and it makes it even harder.

Am I the last one to know that, while 11X17 is a standard measurement for Mormon artwork/posters, it's nearly impossible to find frames anywhere but the Distribution Center?
I grabbed the Second Coming print and the My Gospel Standards poster the last time I went and decided I'd wait on the frames. I ended up ordering them online from the Church catalog. At least they have free shipping.

I don't know why but it's always frustrating to find picture frames for something you already have printed in a certain size. I know that for a while after "The Proclamation on The Family" (I think that's the technical name) my mom did picture frame orders because people wanted the picture frames with mats to fit the prints. I don't know why I remember that but for some reason I remember the wood and mat samples.

I found out I got into EFY in Provo. I'm so happy I could get in in Provo. July 16-21. I'm okay with that even though DH is due to come out the 21 because check out is at an absurd hour for a Saturday morning and a teenager (like 6:30 AM).

So I would just like to say so long, as tomorrow morning I am off to Utah, and shortly there after, the MTC, and after 2 months of that, Chile! Have a great 2 years...and have fun reading the last Harry Potter book! I will be very happy to finally read it a year and a half-ish after it comes out...hopefully I wont hear how it ends before I get a chance to read it!

Chile... It's warm there right now. I'm sorry but I'm going through the whole I'm tired of winter phase right now. You'll do a good job and I hope we'll see you back here in two years.

Good luck and have fun.
As for the picture frames, my husband bought a bunch of 11x17 frames at Costco before we got married. His mom liked them so much that she took them to put wedding pictures of her children in them. So we only have one that he kept that which now has our wedding picture in it. He has never been able to find the frames again. My husband actually does the matting himself. He is talented with technical stuff like that. I tried to mat a picture for him once and failed terribly.

Good luck on your mission! Chile... warmth.... Since warmth does NOT exist here!

jv187: Have a wonderful mission!
AchelRay: I'm glad you got the EFY venue you wanted. I'm laughing about it being the same time as the release date.
Last time the release date was the same day as the Youth Celebration (I forgot the official name). My nieces were involved in it and it seems everyone and their dog were counting down to the release date--by the minute--at the rehearsal the night before.
I have to wonder if there's going to be a run on the BYU Bookstore. :lol:
My frames came in the mail. They're really nice. Now I just need one to replace the not-so-pretty one I currently have on my Family Proclamation so it matches the other two pretty ones.

Last time the release date was the same day as the Youth Celebration (I forgot the official name). My nieces were involved in it and it seems everyone and their dog were counting down to the release date--by the minute--at the rehearsal the night before.
I have to wonder if there's going to be a run on the BYU Bookstore.

Yeah... I remember something vaguely like that... Maybe an announcement or something. I was on vacation when HBP came out though. We tried to have it delivered but found out UPS wouldn't deliver to out family cabin... The one at the Mariott center was in August though wasn't it? Like the first week or something. A girl in our ward was dancing in it and she had to leave early from girl's camp for the rehearsal. Yeah I'm going off on a random tangent...

I don't think there would be a run at the BYU bookstore... The curfew for EFY kids is something like 10:30. I might think about that after I check out though... Helaman halls to the Wilkinson center. That might work.

I have to give a talk next Sunday. Oh such fun... It's on True to the Faith. The only things I can think of are the hymn and the little book (you know what I'm talking about right?)

There's an advantage to being a youth speaker. Five minutes is much easier to fill than twenty. :D
The youth pamphlet and a Church website search would be great resources, too.

Don't forget the church magazines. They also have great messages that you can use.

True to the Faith (http://www.lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.062a5ea6a5e8d8661b622015f1e543a0/?vgnextoid=0287a6db53dd7010VgnVCM1000004e94610aRCR D&hideNav=1&pageNumber=1&maxResults=20&NARROW_BY=&query=true+to+the+faith&bucket=V7GospelLibrary&dateFrom=&dateTo=&AUTHOR_CATEGORY=&AUTHOR_NAME=&FORMAT=&submitSearch=Search&dateFromDisplay=&dateToDisplay=&findByAuthor=)

There's an advantage to being a youth speaker. Five minutes is much easier to fill than twenty. :D
That's true. I guess I should be grateful I only have to fill 3-5 minutes rather then 20. The issue is we started talking about missionary work in seminary today, so I have to write a talk on D&C sections 79 and 80 for seminary (he said it would be random but since he's my bishop I'm not taking any chances...) and another one for sacrament meeting.
Don't forget the church magazines. They also have great messages that you can use.
Yeah, it's just easier to do the online search. They print and you don't have to go searching through December issues for the last 20 years (though my grandma probably has the last 25-30 in her basement:lol:).

True to the Faith (http://www.lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.062a5ea6a5e8d8661b622015f1e543a0/?vgnextoid=0287a6db53dd7010VgnVCM1000004e94610aRCR D&hideNav=1&pageNumber=1&maxResults=20&NARROW_BY=&query=true+to+the+faith&bucket=V7GospelLibrary&dateFrom=&dateTo=&AUTHOR_CATEGORY=&AUTHOR_NAME=&FORMAT=&submitSearch=Search&dateFromDisplay=&dateToDisplay=&findByAuthor=)
Thanks. It's just hard though when everything in there is quoting hymn 254. I looked up the scriptures at the bottom and there's Timothy 4:12, which is something like "let no man despise thy youth." There's one in Alma too, I think it's something like 58:18-21 (or 22). That talks about the armies of Helaman. Now if I can figure out how to put that together into something to teach...

I think that's cool that you're a first generation member. It's something unique. I think Latter-day Harvest is a chain then. Cause there's one by my Grandma's house in Ogden Utah (girl's camp shopping the day before girl's camp is not a good idea mind you).

Hey, glad to see such a big LDS crowd here. ^^ I'm a convert, and it'll be a year since I've been in the church next month. Has anybody here been to Latter-day Harvest in Nauvoo? It's a book store. Thought I should mention that the ONLY non-church books on sale there were Harry Potter. =P I found that kind of amusing.

I have never heard of it, but I'm in California. Do you live around Nauvoo or were you just visiting? I haven't ever been, but I would love to go someday.

I was able to visit Nauvoo just before the temple was dedicated. It was so much fun. Admittedly there were a ton of people there because it was all for the open house of the temple but I loved it. Most of my dad's family all went on one trip. It was amusing. The other people on the same tour as us probably got fairly annoyed with us. It doesn't help that there were probably 20 kids under the age of 10 all on the same bus...

When I was young, my family would drive from California, where we lived, to Indiana where my grandparents lived. On the way back, we'd stop and see the Church history sites. I remember going to Nauvoo in the late '70s, when the only thing left on display to show there had once been a temple on the site was a single sunstone. It must be amazing to see that temple rebuilt again. I'd like to make the trip to see it some day.

When I was young, my family would drive from California, where we lived, to Indiana where my grandparents lived. On the way back, we'd stop and see the Church history sites. I remember going to Nauvoo in the late '70s, when the only thing left on display to show there had once been a temple on the site was a single sunstone. It must be amazing to see that temple rebuilt again. I'd like to make the trip to see it some day.

California to Indiana? How did your family do it? We've got enough problems driving to Las Vegas to visit my Mom's family (It's the longest we go without stopping). It was amazing to see it rebuilt. I think it would have been nice to see it before the temple was rebuilt too. Kind of as a monument. My mom was able to go before they had begun rebuilding the temple and again for the open house.

jv187 I hope you are still around, congratulations and good luck on your mission. You are a good missionary to be so focused and not worried about book seven.

There are pitifully few expressing any sense of disillusionment. As Latter day Saints this is relevant. What threads are out there that are discussing this with anything other than congratulations for this performance? I would like to stand up for a sense of decency and morality,...I would also submit that this play (and millions of other things like it) is really just a symptom and not the ailment. The decline in morality continues to be staggering. The widespread embracing of these kinds of things is what we are up against as we get closer to the Second Coming.

I agree, I thought this was a place to discuss values, principles and beliefs.

My husband and I made the trip to Nauvoo last September with some friends of ours. It was an amazing trip. Going through the Temple was a spiritual experience I will never forget. To walk the grounds and go through the buildings brings you so close to those who lived there. If you go, you should bring the names of any ancestors you think passed through Nauvoo. There is a records building with everyone who lived there on the computer. They will give you a print out and you can go to the site where your ancestor lived! Also take time (about an hour) to go over to Carthage. I thought this would be a dark and sad part of the trip. It was not. I still can't think of it without tears coming to my eyes. It is a very spiritual experience.

I was born Catholic and went to Catholic school as a child until 6th Grade. My family was not particularly religious, and as a result I was not a devout Catholic.

By the time I had entered 8th Grade I was pretty much faithless. I almost considered myself an Atheist. However, when I entered high school I started to question everything, putting on my search for faith. At this point I began looking at every theology I could find. Everything from a review of Catholicism to Lutheran to Presbyterian, then looks at non-Christian faiths such as Judeism and Islam to Buddhism and Hinduism. It was a rollercoaster, but it sure did help me find enlightenment.

A good friend, Virginia P., first introduced me to LDS during my early Senior year. She and I dated for a while, and she invited me to her home. The very first thing I noticed was the closeness of the family. My parents had divorced when I was 12, so "Family" was not really in my vocabulary. Over time, the family almost adopted me. I had never felt such unity.

During this time I never attended a service or set foot in an LDS Church.

Long after Virginia and I were no longer dating, but really good friends she called me from BYU to tell me she was getting married. She invited me to go to Arizona for the wedding, which I happily did. I was the only person who was not a member of the Church besides the groom's parents. (They were brought here from Vietnam a few years before. Virginia's husband and his two sisters were airlifted out at the end of the Vietnam War and adopted by a family in Mesa, AZ)

I recall that the cake was beautiful, but filled with a rum filling. Not knowing if it was alcoholic or not, no one was eating it, except for me... That is when one of Vang's adopted sisters came up to me, and said skeptically "You're eating the cake?" "Yeah, delicious isn't it?" That struck up my true introduction to the Church and the teachings.

Two months later I was baptized by Virginia's brother, Shawn. I was active for 3 years, but as restless and not finding the answers I was looking for, I lost contact by the age of 23.

Now, I am a man without a church. I have a family, a wife, a son, but am back on that road of searching. Perhaps one day it will lead me back to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, but I don't have a crystal ball. Who knows...

Now, I am a man without a church. I have a family, a wife, a son, but am back on that road of searching. Perhaps one day it will lead me back to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, but I don't have a crystal ball. Who knows...

Well if you ever have the oppurtunity, take it. If you ever come back around here, this link (http://www.mormon.org/question/worship/1,8578,797-1,00.html)has some great information about finding church meetings with places and times.

Well if you ever have the oppurtunity, take it. If you ever come back around here, this link (http://www.mormon.org/question/worship/1,8578,797-1,00.html)has some great information about finding church meetings with places and times.

Oh, well, I am not for lack of Wards or Stakes in my area...when I said that I was back on the road of searching, I didn't mean that I was on an actual road with my thumb out...lol

It is just that nothing seems to be pulling me back that way at this time.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

So who has to get up an hour earlier for church tomorrow morning? (I'm lucky this year; we don't start till eleven.)

So who has to get up an hour earlier for church tomorrow morning? (I'm lucky this year; we don't start till eleven.)

I did. Yuck!

Hey, y'all! Wow, it's been a really long time!

I had to get up an hour earlier, but forgot to set all the clocks ahead. So the phone rang at 9:20am and I was confused and frantic for a minute because all the clocks were still set for the old time and I didn't know which was right. So after I checked the time on the tv, I was still up a bit late and had to get everyone ready. My ward starts at 11:30, but it's 30 min away and I've got 4 kids to get ready, so it was a scramble, but we just made it for the opening song.
I've been called as Cubmaster and I've never had a busier calling! I've got about 4 meetings a month and tons of planning in between. And then keeping on top of what all the boys are doing and what planning with the Den leader. Scouts in the church is very different from all other scouts, but it's such a great program! But as like the plumber with the leaky pipes in his own house, my own scout has barely anything done. And come to think of it, I don't even know where his book is! Oh well. Maybe I'll start looking....

I did... Let's just say waking up at the equivalent of 6:40 on Sunday for church... Not fun. Especially since my distant cousin who lives somewhat nearby was giving his farewell talk.

I'm just wondering, did your parents (or if your old enough do you?) hold things over your heads to get you to finish things? Like right now, my parents have said I can't get my permit until I finish my Personal Progress.

I admit to doing that. I told my oldest child if she doesn't keep up with piano lessons she can't learn to play the violin. My reasoning is that she can't give up on things just because they're hard and she really needs the piano background, anyway.
It actually makes sense to motivate you toward Personal Progress with your driver's permit.

I do that with my kids as well to try to motivate them to do what they're supposed to be doing. My 10 year old daughter and I were just having a conversation about this the other day. I'm sure it seems completely unfair, but they probably just want to make sure that you get your Personal Progress, which is a huge accomplishment. And to motivate you to get your award, have set this rule. I've heard of many families who won't let their buys drive until they get their Eagle Scout. You may not like this, but by honoring them without any bitterness will be the biggest blessing out of it all. :)

We have church at 12:30, so we still got to sleep in. My sister was visiting me from Arizona, which doesn't switch to daylight time, so she just went right back to her normal time.
My parents never really held anything over our heads, at least not mine anyway. Out of my two sisters, I am actually the only one that finished my personal progress and earned my medallion. It was a great accomplishment and I think that you will find that working on your Personal Progress will help you in your everday life. I know that mine did.

I'm not really complaining. I'm actually almost finished. Divine Nature and Integrity 10 hour projects here I come... I was mostly just wondering. It's just that I'm almost finished because I have that hanging over my head, whereas my friend who is older then I am by almost a year and her mom is in the Relief Society Presidency with my mom has done almost nothing.

Conference countdown. A week and a half, right? :D

Wow! It comes so fast! Of course I just got my April Ensign in the mail today. I can hardly believe that March is almost over. Our choir is singing "Beautiful Saviour" for Easter. I am singing the soprano descant on the last verse. I love that song.

I love it, too. I wrote a piano obbligato to play for the verse with the soprano descant. It's a lot harder than I intended it to be (I arrange better than I play!). Anyway, because it's one I've arranged, we do it rather often. I'm also using it for a duet with my cousin in the next few months.

My ward had an Enrichment night on tuesday for the Relief Society birthday and we were doing a getting to know you game where you pick one person and try to guess what are some of their favorite things, among them their favorite book. So it was a great joy to find several more sisters that love Harry Potter too and so we're all planning to go to the midnight release of Deathly Hallows. It's good to get to know the sisters in your ward better. And for me it's great to have more join me at the release, so that I don't feel like such a dork!:p

I love it, too. I wrote a piano obbligato to play for the verse with the soprano descant. It's a lot harder than I intended it to be (I arrange better than I play!). Anyway, because it's one I've arranged, we do it rather often. I'm also using it for a duet with my cousin in the next few months.
At least you get better doing it more often. But then again once you hit a certain point you can play almost anything. It just takes different amounts of time to learn it.
My ward had an Enrichment night on tuesday for the Relief Society birthday and we were doing a getting to know you game where you pick one person and try to guess what are some of their favorite things, among them their favorite book. So it was a great joy to find several more sisters that love Harry Potter too and so we're all planning to go to the midnight release of Deathly Hallows. It's good to get to know the sisters in your ward better. And for me it's great to have more join me at the release, so that I don't feel like such a dork!:p
That sounds like so much fun. It sounds like it took a long time to plan though. I don't know why it sounds that way though.

My ward had an Enrichment night on tuesday for the Relief Society birthday and we were doing a getting to know you game where you pick one person and try to guess what are some of their favorite things, among them their favorite book. So it was a great joy to find several more sisters that love Harry Potter too and so we're all planning to go to the midnight release of Deathly Hallows. It's good to get to know the sisters in your ward better. And for me it's great to have more join me at the release, so that I don't feel like such a dork!:p
Lucky you! I made the mistake of telling my choir during a rehearsal what I was doing one weekend in July. Someone asked if it had to do with the release of a certain book. When I gave more details they all looked at me as though I were striped. No soul mates in my ward. :no:

Sorry to hear it, Pegasus! Maybe it just depends on where you live? Does anyone else have Harry Potter supporters in your wards? Any who openly reject it? ...I just remembered that tomorrow is fast sunday for my ward because of General Conference, and I still have to prepare my lesson for Primary! I better get going!

At least you get better doing it more often. But then again once you hit a certain point you can play almost anything. It just takes different amounts of time to learn it.

I'm the director, so I don't actually have to play it. :D (My accompanist agrees that it's awfully difficult, too; she has to leave notes out.)
I reached my peak in high school, I'm afraid. I'm a good piano teacher and try to keep up on my practice, but I don't have nearly the time I used to. Not that it honestly would help; my hands are too small and slow to ever play the way I want to. A teacher actually told me once that I have to work harder than most people because my hand won't stretch as far as most pianists' hands.

My hands are like that too. I can barely span an octave. I can sing a whole lot better than I can play.

Me too. :D If I could go back I'd be a vocal major instead of a piano major. As it was it only lasted a semester, because my piano professor wisely suggested I save myself before juries. I was at the top of my other music classes. I took a piano teaching class that has proven invaluable and had space in my schedule for things like child development, so I really have no regrets. Especially since I got to sing in General Conference, major or no.

Sorry to hear it, Pegasus! Maybe it just depends on where you live? Does anyone else have Harry Potter supporters in your wards? Any who openly reject it?

We have both in our ward. I have many friends who love it and we can talk about it. We are planning a giant Harry Potter Scene-It party. We like to quiz each other and test out our theories. I guess that will all end with Deathly Hallows. No more theories.

Once when I was welcoming my new counselor in RS (She was the 4th Enrichment in 2 years) I referred to it as the Defense Against the Dark Arts Position. You could tell those who knew HP and those who didn't. I was surprised at the smiles and giggles. :lol:

I took a piano teaching class that has proven invaluable and had space in my schedule for things like child development, so I really have no regrets.
The piano teaching class sounds like it would be very useful. Especially if they're teaching how to teach young children the very basics of piano. My little sister has been asking me to teach her and quite frankly I don't know how to teach her. I can play just fine but teaching is a whole different story.
Once when I was welcoming my new counselor in RS (She was the 4th Enrichment in 2 years) I referred to it as the Defense Against the Dark Arts Position. You could tell those who knew HP and those who didn't. I was surprised at the smiles and giggles. :lol:
Hehehe, I would have opened my eyes wide with shock and then started giggling uncontrollably.

So what is every one doing for this general conference weekend? Do you have any traditions? For example, we always have waffles with strawberries and whipped cream for breakfast.

We really don't have any traditions. Usually we will listen to a couple sessions on the internet and then watch the other sessions at my in-laws on their big TV. Usually they make cinnamon rolls, but not always.
We have found, and there is a blurb in the Ensign about this, that conference is a good time to go over and restock our 72 hour kits.
I don't know about anybody else, but I always feel really weird when we go shopping on Saturday after conference, its like breaking the sabbath day. Kind of funny. It really is cool that we have two days of conference with the opportunity to hear from all the members in the First Presidency and Quorm of the Twelve. I love it.

Heehee...I'd really be breaking the Sabbath, then! :elaugh: My mom is taking me to Little Women (musical production) and dinner afterwards for my birthday...which means we'll have to catch the tail end of Saturday Conference in the car.
I'm afraid I have the opposite problem. Because I don't dress nice, go over to the church, or take the sacrament, I kind of feel out of the spirit of things, even though I spend the whole day listening to General Authorities. It just doesn't quite feel like Sunday (though I love it).

I am with you PotterPig. I always feel wierd after Conference when we go shopping or out to dinner. I have to stop and tell myself that it is ok, it really is Saturday.

We don't have any traditions. We just gather, listen and learn. It is nice to be together as a family with no other meetings. I love Conference weekend.

Come to think of it, Pegasus, Sunday does feel really weird to me too. Especially the not having to teach primary part, which I am glad I just remembered or I would have started getting ready. Hehe.
Have fun at Little Women. That is another nice thing about Conference. Even if you miss it you can still go online and listen to it later. That was really nice when I used to be on the cross-country team and had races those weekends.

I get two weeks' break from choir practice, which is rather nice. :) I just play the piano in primary--no prep necessary (for the most part.)

Once when I was welcoming my new counselor in RS (She was the 4th Enrichment in 2 years) I referred to it as the Defense Against the Dark Arts Position. You could tell those who knew HP and those who didn't. I was surprised at the smiles and giggles. :lol:

Maybe that's what they should call the RS 2nd counselor position in my ward. I'm the 3rd 2nd counselor in 2 years, and I'm moving any day now. :lol:

Have fun at Little Women. That is another nice thing about Conference. Even if you miss it you can still go online and listen to it later. That was really nice when I used to be on the cross-country team and had races those weekends.
My mom has taken to downloading the talks in .mp3 format and putting them on her mp3 player and listening to them while running. The only problem is you can only put a few talks on at a time without overloading the player.
I don't know about anybody else, but I always feel really weird when we go shopping on Saturday after conference, its like breaking the sabbath day. Kind of funny. It really is cool that we have two days of conference with the opportunity to hear from all the members in the First Presidency and Quorm of the Twelve. I love it.I know exactly what you mean. One of my friends and I always get together conference weekend and do something (it started when we were 10 and didn't really listen to conference). This year we went shopping because she needed something or another. It felt so strange to be in the mall after conference.

I'm back for a bit y'all. So conference.... WOW! LOVED IT! Loved Bednar's Pickle parable, Holland's Words talk and James E. Faust forgiveness. It was all beautifull!

I'm back for a bit y'all. So conference.... WOW! LOVED IT! Loved Bednar's Pickle parable, Holland's Words talk and James E. Faust forgiveness. It was all beautifull!
You picked out three of my favorite talks. They were all good though. I gave the FHE lesson last night on the one by Elder Scott about prayer. It brought up my appreciation for that talk. Just out of curiosity I'd like to ask what you do or did for mutual? We've kind of run out of ideas.

I got released from my calling last Sunday (didn't find out about it until yesterday because I was in St. George on Sunday). I called my RS president to ask if she could conduct for me this coming Sunday, because I'll be in St. George again, and she told me they found a replacement for me and I've been released. It feels kind of weird, but it will make all the weekend trips to St. George easier not having to plan around RS in my home ward (which I don't even live in any more but am keeping my membership there because where I'm staying now is just temporary).

I was wondering what you were doing about that. You weren't in that calling very long. :lol:
The only time I've been released without knowing about it was when I was pregnant with my first baby. My swelling was so bad that it hurt to walk. I wore my husband's sandals (which are huge) just to go to sacrament meeting and cried all the way to and from the car because it hurt so much. They released me from nursery. I was grateful.
Interestingly enough, I haven't been called to any non-music callings since.

I don't know how to explain this but my seminary teacher (who is also my bishop) has been really bothering me. It's not really bad but when he makes fun of some of the girls because it takes them awhile to get a joke or something then it really makes me feel bad. He told a couple blonde jokes too. They don't normally bother me, but when he said "well you know blondes" it made me kind of mad that he would say that. I know I'm not the only one (some kids had a discussion in English when we had free time and I over heard) and I don't know how to say that it bugs me to him.

Just pull him aside one day, if you're comfortable doing it. I usually resort to notes because I'm chicken.
You'll encounter that the rest of your life, though. In college it was my tuba player roommate ragging on "vocalists"; now, as an adult, it's always about "sopranos." You just learn to laugh with it (baritones and violas get it a lot, I hear).
But yeah, if it really bothers you, tell him. He probably is just trying to be funny and doesn't realize it's hurting anyone.

I would also suggest discussing it with your parents. And let them know that other students are also bothered by it. I agree with Peg that there's probably no malice intended, but that doesn't mean he shouldn't stop.

Thanks. I wasn't quite sure how to go about saying that to him. I didn't think he was intending to hurt anyone either. It just kind of happened.

Hey, Rachel, did you ever get this worked out with your seminary teacher, or did it just go away with the school year?
I've really missed having a daily religion class lately. That's partly because this is the longest I've ever gone without being in school. My last semester at BYU I was taking both New Testament and Teachings of the Living Prophets. *almost, but not quite, wishes she were back in seminary*

It ended up going away with the school year. Or at least I hope it did (as he is my bishop).

I have Girl's camp in two weeks. Im not particularly looking forward to it as it snowed up there today.