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I was hoping some of you would be willing to share your conversion stories with me? I've only just started reading The Book of Mormon so I'm not ready for conversion yet but I would really like to hear how joining the church has changed your life, how you knew it was the true church and what its like living a mormon life. Did your family join with you (or joined later after you?). Were you in another faith when you found the mormon church? Anything you are willing to share with me about your conversion story. I appreciate all who reply Thank you

Anyone of them who had a large enough focus on music that one could say that they were a musician/conductor... rather then defining them by their sin... We use labels as a shorts cut all the time... but people are more then just the label of their SIN... (even if they wear it with pride). God sees them as his children... the members of his church should as well... And that means looking for chances to build bridges through acceptable shared interests (say like through music) rather then digging moats because we will only define them by their chosen sin.

I totally see where you are coming from. I look at it this way: the LGBTQ group is a very sensitive group of people (at least IMO). I think the church is appealing to their sensitivity, as this may be the best route for them to find some kind of peace with the LDS church. I don't think the Church is looking for their validation, but I think we are playing to their weakness in a sense so that we can try to find some kind of ground for them to actually learn and understand what we teach. Many non-lds (and even lds) people think that the LDS church despises gays/LGBTQ individuals, and that we believe that they're going to Hell. Obviously this is incredibly false. But, if we don't open a path for them to see our beliefs, they'll continue to think that way. And this is just one of those scenarios that I think it is in our favor to "show our hand", if you will, in order to have at least one person sincerely look into our beliefs as an LGBTQ individual. Hopefully that made sense...

I don’t think the church has changed its view on homosexuality at all. That isn’t my concern. What IS my concern is that continued partnerships and financial support gives the appearance of acceptance and normalcy to a group who publicly promotes and advocates sinful behavior and a breakdown in family values. Other sinful behaviors we fully support aren’t out there openly campaigning to normalize and recruit into their sins.

I do not see it as courting... I see it as the church practicing what it preaches and following the commands God has given. MoTab has always been a Good Will Ambassador for the Church. Homosexual acts and/or behavior have nothing to do with being able to conduct music. As for the church following commands I give you D&C 121 43 Reproving betimes with sharpness, (Anyone who thinks the church has not done this on the subject of homosexuality is not paying attention) when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy; (And this second bit is what I say we are seeing now... The problem is that we are so primed to view things in terms of friends and enemies that we fail to see that the Lord requires more from us.)

I've been a cop for 21 years. The only guys/gals doing this are looking for an excuse to be inactive.

Consider the following people who identify themselves primarily or largely by sinful practices: An open pedophile, e.g. a member of NAMBLA A polygamist spokesman for the southern Utah fundamentalists A representative of a polyamory group The president of the National Abortion Rights Action League The CEO of a large cigarette company Which of these individuals would be publicly invited and welcomed to conduct the Mormon Tabernacle Choir? Why the difference?

Thank you everyone for your kind replies. Your optimism is starting to rub off on me! One foot in front of the other and aiming to keep walking into the chapel on Sunday.

I was born in the Church, but not necessarily raised in it. The missionaries found my parents in the seven years between their marriage and my birth. My mom has since told my sister she never really had a testimony. My dad was excommunicated for cheating on my mom, they divorced, and I have a sister from another mother. (Her parents never married.) He was rebaptized my senior year of high school. Growing up, church was something we did if we had nothing else better to do. I ping ponged between being active and inactive until the spring my junior year of college. One of the reasons I liked my college campus was that, even though it was a Catholic school on a hill, there was an LDS stake center at the bottom of it. Growing up, it had been a thirty minute drive to church; now it was a fifteen minute walk. Even so, I struggled acclimating. There were no single's wards, and I was young. I moved into the dorms on my 18th birthday, so my first Sunday in RS was in a ward where I didn't know anyone. The winter of my junior year, my depression got the best of me and I was struggling with a lot. Probably in March, one of the girls on my floor came down the hall and said someone had called her room phone looking for me. She lived in the room I had lived in my freshman year, which was the phone number I used on Church records, so I knew that it had to be someone calling from there. Turns out it was the ward mission leader. I guess they were doing a directory clean up (my name would have been towards the top) and he asked if he and the missionaries could come over and visit me. My dad had been a branch mission leader for a time (and is one now) so I had a hard time saying no to missionaries. They invited me to General Conference (the next weekend) and to read the Book of Mormon. I went to the afternoon session on Sunday and kept going, and was called as a secretary in the Relief Society before school let out for the summer, which played a large role in my deciding to stay on campus that summer instead of going back home (where I would have lived with my mom and not gone to church). About a year into being back at Church, we had this lesson, which starts with President Spencer W. Kimball feeling motivated to read the whole Bible. While reading that lesson on my break at work, I realized "I've never read the whole Book of Mormon, either." I decided to start. I made incredibly slow progress in my reading, but prioritizing the Church, I decided to move to Omaha instead of back home after college. I started attending Institute, and it was following President Monson's admonition to make Institute a priority that really helped me learn to make the scriptures my own. I'm a tough sell, though. The Swede and the Irish in me fight over who's more stubborn, and I don't always read and do the simple things I'm supposed to. Even though I know with both sides of my brain that doing so brings blessings in my life. Not only because the prophets say so, but because I've noticed and felt it when I was doing those little things.

Again, I absolutely agree and understand. However, I can fully love LGBT members individually without promoting their organizations, and by association their agendas. We need to be open and loving, not supportive of organizations that undermine our beliefs.

Here you go - my story of how I "reasoned" myself into a testimony.

Hello VelvetShadow, My experience in the Church is that I was born under the covenant. My mother and father both found and were converted to the true gospel of Jesus Christ when they were in their early twenties. Their road to baptism was very different, unique and personal. The path by which they discovered the Church was also unique to both of them. When I served a mission I also discovered how unique and personal every persons road to conversion is unique to them also. For some they were converted through spiritual witness, others were converted by dreams, and others were converted through visions. My mother is what missionaries would call the "golden" investigator. From the time she met the missionaries to the time she entered the waters of baptism was three weeks. Her words, "The moment I heard it I knew it was true." As I delved in deeper with her, at least deep as she would allow, "The gospel answered all my questions that I found important at that time." I just spent some quality time with my father, and I learned more about his conversion. Needless to say he wasn't a golden investigator. Here are words from my father pertaining life in the gospel, "The first 15 years all my trials stemmed outside of the Church. After 15 years it seemed like everything switched and all my trials were inside of the Church." Being a member of the true gospel of Jesus Christ will not remove trials from us, but will provide added knowledge that will help with trials if we are truly listening. My mother is the only convert in her family of origin. My father was introduced to the gospel by his older brother. My father's sister joined later in life, and I believe was active before passing a few years back. That is wonderful you are reading the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ. If you want to know more about God's plan, have some doctrines clarified as it is used as a companion with the Bible your life and knowledge of Jesus Christ will increase with His Spirit. The Lord bless you.

I can understand. However, as @estradling75 showed, only the willfully blind will think the Church is / will look favorably upon homosexual behavior. One could instead see this as Matthew 5:43-44 (love your enemy) in action. Further, I see in this something I used for my RS lesson on ministering last Sunday - "The worth of souls is great in the sight of God." Compare how the Nephites (in the days of the sons of Mosiah) viewed the Lamanites, as described here: ...now compare that to how the sons of Mosiah viewed the Lamanites as described here and here: What if MoTab's performance creates enough good will in exactly one person such that this one person turns from sin. Is that a good enough reason for this performance? I'm thinking it is.

It seems to me that if someone thought that way then they are simply lacking in faith. It is no different when someone doesn't pay their Tithing. They do not believe that the Lord has the power and ability to bless their lives in way that can make up for any temporal defect. If we are asked to do things in our careers that distance us from God, then we should begin a search for new employment. The Lord will not leave us, but will provide for those who have the faith to follow him. True faith results in action.

@Star, it’s admirable that you desire to raise your children as their father wanted. There are many issues with teaching children of non-member families. First, what if they desire to become baptized? They would be entering into covenants and would be dependent upon you to help them abide by them. One of which is Sacrament and church attendance, which you refuse to do. As such, it is rare that a missionary will teach minor children because of the issues it can cause. My advice to you would be to attend church. It’s not a matter of what we want as parents. That goes on a back burner when we have children. This is about what’s best for them. I believe attending church is best for them, and you. That’s why my wife, a non-member, not just attends but participates every Sunday, whether I’m in town or not. It is best for the children and they are her primary concern.

Personally, all this courting of the LGBT community has me concerned.

Hey thanks for all you do. I served in a law enforcement position when I was younger. It was very easy to get sucked into a negative mindset. Working long hours at times and being around negativity basically all day. Very easy to let it beat you down if you are not careful. I saw divorce and even suicide among my peers, not easy when practically all of your "clients" want to see you get hurt somehow. Lol.

So, I was assigned to hometeach a crotchety old sinner, who returned to activity because his wife had about had it with him. He told us about his smoking and drinking. We invited him to church. He told us about his sinful past, we called him brother and my companion bought a wood splitter with him and they worked together at it. He told us he refused to go to Elder's quorum because of the stupid horrible things some past EQP had said to him. We said we understood, and that we were grateful he kept letting us in every month. I figure his wife was doing much in the way of pushing and whatnot, but we did little to none of it. After he gained a little trust that we weren't judgmental jerks like so many others in his life, he warmed up to us. We brought a message, and answered stuff as it came up. He came back to church, even started going to Elders quorum. He was trying to jump in with both feet and be fully active. He wanted to keep his wife, live clean. His sinful past and lifelong bad habits, coupled with PTSD from Vietnam, often got in the way. He asked us for advice once. He had an opportunity to buy a bar. He was struggling financially, his veterans benefits weren't helping, he was still years away from the military realizing he was fully disabled and couldn't work. But his buddy would let him have the bar cheap, and he could run it. He wanted to know what that would mean to us, and to church. I told him if he bought the bar, we would still welcome him at church. I would still be happy to sit next to him. We would keep coming to see him as long as he'd have us. It would probably keep him out of the temple, and not sure how others would treat him. I mentioned that God might have an opinion on the subject, and if he hadn't sought it out, he should. Well, he didn't buy the bar. His vet benefits eventually got to where they should be, with back benefits attached. He and his wife eventually did a multiyear stint as temple workers. He has his spiritual ups and downs. He was a counselor in the High Priests until someone set him off and he started leaving after sacrament again. The other month a new bishop caught him, now he and his wife are teaching primary. He is a mix of sin and righteousness, gratitude and shame, weakness and strength. Kind of like all of us I suppose, except more of his stuff is out there in the open for all to see. I guess if "encouraging someone to live righteously" falls on a spectrum, I took the shallow end of the pool. Not sure the contribution I've made to his last 20 years, but I don't think I've done wrong by him or by God.

I can understand this perspective as well. I don't have the answers. I don't think forcing people to serve clientele they don't feel comfortable serving stops hate either though. As a service provider myself, I get concerned at the idea of not being able to refuse service to an individual for any reason by simply stating I don't think we're a good fit to work together. If a potential client chooses to access a different service provider after meeting with me they are welcome to do so, why should I not be afforded the same privilege to choose who I work with from my end?

I read the dang link! haha. Great article.

In my ward, there's a lady who occasionally figures it's her job to mention other people's sins to them. She has urged fat people to do a better job of obeying the word of wisdom. She brings it up when she sees a hymnal on the floor, asking us to be more respectful. She approached one of our young women who was walking around barefoot in the foyer, and asked her to be respectful and wear shoes. The young woman was a barely-active struggling person, there because her mom had begged her to go. I've not seen her at church since. I measure efforts like these in the amount of damage they do to my fellow humans. I must say, whenever I see someone sinning in ways differently than me, I'm a fan of John 8:7 and Matthew 7:3-5. No really, hey everyone, go read the dang link. This is what righteous judgment looks like: #'s 2, 3, 4, and 5 come by less often than we seem to think.

Don't think that's what He means by standing up for Him. The only people who gets to hold us accountable for our sins are Jesus Christ and God. Mercy and Justice. We, mere humans, are to hold the standards high so others can see what they are. But if one of our own begins to stray and is sinning in front of us, you do not tell them "you're in the wrong! stop sinning!" We love them, we care for them, and let them know we are here for them. That we want them back into the fold. (unless this is a parent-child situation--that is done in a different way). There are right ways and wrong ways to go about befriending and approaching those around us who are doing things they shouldn't be.

I base my order on statements made by the Church and it's leaders. One example: Our responsibility to God is always #1, that is a given, that involves keeping His commandments and living up to our covenants and the laws of the Gospel. However, after fulfilling that obligation, everything else to do with the Church comes last, except for being just before our responsibility to ourselves. This is the order of priorities I was taught in Church growing up. When I list Church separate from God, I specifically am referring to any ancillary responsibilities involved in Church membership. People should not even consider putting their employment at risk to go clean the chapel on a Saturday, or to go teaching with the missionaries, or similar.

Unfortunately, I never really got on with my late husband's family so after his passing I cut contact with them. Occasionally, they try to reach out with me on Facebook to find out how my kids are but I ignore their requests. I don't want to invite them into my home. I may try to have a family home evening with them. I did like the missionaries coming to see my children they brought a warm feeling with them that felt familiar.

Data brokers are exceptionally good at gathering, organizing and selling information. But if the revelation that Exactis left 340 million records accessible to anyone who searched for it is any indicator, they aren't particularly good at protecting that data. This latest news means a company most people haven't even heard of has put the private information of a significant portion of the U.S. population at risk. Again. This exact scenario has been repeated often enough over the last few years that it's starting to become as predictable as a children's story. A company made a bunch of money collecting information about people and then selling it to other companies. But it failed to secure that data, leaving hundreds of millions of people compromised. Soon, we'll probably hear about one year of free identity theft protection and some executive shake-ups. Then, we'll probably learn that even more people were affected by this leak, and then it'll finally leave the news cycle, we expect. Read more at: https://www.tomshardware.com/news/exactis-data-breach-leak,37381.html

When the church had restrictions for black members, it was a real trial for the leaders and the members. How can you have a gospel restriction while at the same time not allowing bigotry and hatred to filter in? I trust the leaders of the church to make the tough cultural outreach choices that members may find offensive. I trust their love over your fear.

I would like to see Ruth Bader Ginsburg retire. I think she has anomosity towards the United States Constitution from what I have heard her say.

So, culturally gay relationships are becoming normal. That's just a fact. The church has a standard on marriage which I see not changing any time soon, and rightly so, but that standard also includes restrictions on straight sexual relationships outside of marriage. There are also has specific restrictions on smoking, drinking, coffee, modesty in dress, and all sorts of commandments that fly in the face of cultural norms. Yes, gay relationships are tough to accept, but it wasn't that long ago, that having a straight couple move in together without getting married would be scandalous. So, the gospel and the covenants of it are in the world, but not of the world. We adapt to our surroundings. And I think the leaders of the church are very smart to be an inclusive voice to the gay community than to be screaming repentance from over a wall. Society will eventually catch up, and realize that gay rights don't mean forcing religions to conform any more than smokers rights. Imagine if we had protests at our temples that we weren't allowing smokers join. Same concept, just a different sin. And, frankly, I find an uncommitted straight couple having children far more abhorrent. So, we accept straight people who are not living to gospel standards into our cultural spaces, and hope to influence them to prepare their lives so they can participate in our spiritual spaces. Why not do the same for gay people?

Sorry for not posting earlier – I have been disposed lately. Over my life experience I have been taught the following: #1. All blessings come from G-d. Prayers come from people #2. Blessings require someone authorized to speak for G-d. Prayers can be offered by anybody. #3. Blessings require the faith of both the person speaking for G-d and those receiving the blessing. Prayers only require the faith of the person praying and participating with the prayer. When offering prayers: #1. Use humble speech – do not make demands or promise deals. Rather have an attitude of asking and pleading. #2. Show respect – use language that recognizes the glory and majesty of G-d. Do not use crude or rude language. #3. Prayers are addressed to G-d our Father – in the name of Jesus Christ #4. Speak of other with respect. #5. When praying for yourself – speak openly of your concerns and need. When praying for a group or others; speak for them and not yourself (this applies for prayers at church or at dinner – anytime you are praying with others). When pronouncing a blessing: #1. Identify the authority for the blessing. If you are a priesthood holder indicate our priesthood authority. If you have faith in Christ stat that as well or if it is the authority stat that. #2. Blessings are directed towards the person(s) being blessed #3. Blessings come From the Father through Jesus Christ (in his name) - by the authority of the priesthood. #4. Speak positively in the first person directly to the person receiving the blessing as if you were G-d. Say things like, “I bless you that you will see the truth” or you may say something like, “Listen to the prophets and obey”. But do not say things unless you are led by the spirit so to say. If the spirit does not speak to you – then do not say anything. Do not terms like “might” or “should”. For example – “in order that you might find peace” – rather be more positive and say “in order that you will find peace. #5. Never take credit for a blessing. If someone says something like, “You gave a wonderful blessing”. You should respond – it was not me – you should thank G-d. These are my thoughts The Traveler

Excellent. I've only ever done small potatoes local TV interviews and I find them incredibly awkward. I completely understand the privacy issue.

@SpiritDragon Right you are, the laws that are supposed to protect us often do not! In Ontario, Complaining about discrimination starts by emailing the Ontario Rights Tribunal (Ort) so getting the process started is not that hard. The kind of thing that they would consider are % of people in your group in the population vs percentage in the company. the ort people are quite nasty so the whole process is to be avoided. If you are medium size company in TO with very few Muslims and you never interview Muslims, this is a bad idea. In General, the ort doesn’t bother investigating unless there is an opportunity to send a message. But if you are a medium sized company, we care. The law is a blunt instrument. I beg people not to sue or put in complaints against their company. Doing so can really hurt your career! Did a CBC interview today! Woohoo!

I'm not sure yet whether these ones will end up as pie, juice, jelly, or what.

We have the greatest opportunity in world history to find the lost tribes of Israel, as we are now a global church, and ever expanding to countries that are hostile to religion. The church has worked long and hard fostering relationships with these countries. I can't think of any other time where we had some much influence than right now. I believe president Nelson is thinking of China, just as we once thought of East Germany, a country where we had a temple before the Berlin wall fell.

I wish Sotomayor would retire. What an embarrassment. And Ginsburg, only slightly less of an embarrassment, and even more full of herself.

I can meet you halfway on this. If it is approaching someone at church, who is not directly in your stewardship or even intimately connected through friendship, then I suppose I can see this. If my friends is being horrible then I am going to say something. I would expect him to hold me accountable too. It would go something like "Look man I love you but you need to stop cheating on Susan. I know she is hard to be around sometimes but either get help or divorce". It IS my place to hold my siblings accountable and THEIRS to help me also in the same regard. What good does it do to pacify me by not approaching me on my sin? I would wake up in hell if people didn't hold me accountable.

Hah! Good point! i could say that *can* doesn't mean He always *does*. But, in fairness, that wasn't what i was thinking at the time - so you got me . Though i guess what i am trying to say is that letting Jesus do the rebuking, or lack thereof, and just providing a gentle, kind, (some will call snow-flakey) kind of environment has, for me at least, proven to be way more effective than when i try to reverse those roles.

i'll be the first one to admit that i think (and sometimes say) otherwise, but i think it's very rare that telling someone to repent or change does any good. After you subtract that times when i am the one who is wrong about them being wrong, the times when they already know what i am reminding them of, the times when i wouldn't convey what i actually was trying to say, and the times when they are not "repenting" because their "sin" it is a necessary/protective coping mechanism whose sudden removal would spin them into a much worse place - there just aren't many reasons to tell people that their attempt at being their best selves isn't cutting the mustard for me or my interpretation of God. At least not a reason that does them any good. Jesus can talk to people and work with them in a way that doesn't get their fists raised. Every time i try, i fail - pretty spectacularly.

How can you say that?? Sounds like final judgement toward her. The only motives we know are our own. If I’m sitting in Sunday school and someone starts to openly sin, whether I know them or not, I’m going to say or do something. What that is exactly I don’t know. It will probably bold and loving (or at least I would try). Again, there are numerous ways to respond to an infinite array of situations. We can’t go through them all one by one to satisfy all loop holes and counter arguments you have. The point is this, this is not an “everyone for themselves” match in which the people on top win. We need each other. If a stranger came to me and said “You need to keep the word of wisdom!!!” And then I see him 10 minutes later smoking, I’m not going to cry “you are judging me!”. I’ll say “I sure have drunk a lot of soda this week:.. maybe I should stop” We can’t be so soft to be offended by correction. I’m sick of seeing people accuse others of judging them when correction is extended. And that is in any fashion. If someone yells at me or sits me down and calmly rebukes me, I strive I respond the same no matter how difficult. Crying “judgement” or “hypocrite” is just another smoke screen to cover your own short comings and turn it back on the person. All this being said. I don’t agree for a second you should go up to someone and say “stop sinning”, that is a phrase you made up to win this argument. I do however know that it is our duty as brothers and sisters to reach out to those we see struggling. Like the talk I mentioned above. If I see a friend or even a fellow stranger that I believe is not reading acriptures or praying, you better believe I’m going to go talk to them. I’m not judging them, I’m concerned for their well being.

I see what you mean, but directly approaching someone about a specific sin is not your place. Can you lovingly show them that you care about them and love them despite their weaknesses? Yep. But directly saying "stop sinning" is not what we're here for.

I see a lot of posts where people are correcting those who are correcting others. By all means I don't mind seeing Fether corrected but it seems you are skirting on the same behavior. As long as someone isn't being viciously rude, whether direct or passive, then I see no harm in pointing something out. When people say stuff to me I can either ignore it completely or ponder on it to perhaps improve. Even people I find "annoying" in real life or even here I often think about their responses and ignore or apply.

I agree, but how would they let them know Mormon’s could t adopt? And maybe they did but the family just didn’t see the signs. In a lesser transaction, I once made an account for a Christian forum. Before hitting “submit” I glanced at the terms and conditions and it said that unless I met their standard of “christian”, I would only be allowed to post in the non-christian sections. I looked at their standard and one of the things said “I believe the doctrine of the trinity”. That their disqualified me so I backed out of the process. I assume their may have been something like that. I’m sure they had some spot where it said “You must have these beliefs”. They probably didn’t want a big sign that said “no Mormons, Muslims, Gays, Drunks, Athiests, Agnostics, or any other dirty heathen”.

Yay! Another thread on how we get to judge others, and discussion on whether we can tell them they're wrong or not! Required reading for anyone who wants to do it righteously: “Judge Not” and Judging - By Elder Dallin H. Oaks Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles It's a very good article. If you figure you ought to go tell someone they're doing it wrong, all you have to do is pass these seven tests, and God agrees with you. If you're missing one of the seven, then you're basically judging unrighteously and should knock it off. But if you've got all seven, it's not only your right, but also your duty to pass the judgment and act on it. God commands it, in fact.

Um, there shouldn't be any reason to break the laws of God. If you mean working on the sabbath then that is an easy one. Some civil servants have to work on Sunday to provide care and protection to people. If you are talking about taking drugs to convince dealers you are a customer then of course the answer is get a new job. Plenty of other ways to catch someone committing a crime.

I think future is uncertain for everyone but if you can get an education at least you have always that to fall back on.

Where in @pwrfrk's post did it say minister to all? What was posted was: To be very clear: pwrfrk, yes it is WRONG to confront the other person and TELL them their conduct is improper. @Fether: Where in Neil L. Anderson's talk does he say it is okay to Confront? I Ministering is in no way to be confrontational. In each and every one of those points, you DO NOT CONFRONT, you pray for, pray with, & love unconditionally. Right now, in my real life, I have made friends with a sister at church. She moved here about two years ago with her two youngest children, a daughter and son. Both were teens. She is an amazing woman in my eyes. She is a bricklayer, handy-woman (comes with an amazing array of power and hand tools and she knows how to use them) Her husband at first refused to give her a divorce, and she moved here 550 miles from him to get herself and the two teens away from him and his mistress, whom he had moved in with. They are all members of the church. She took all the money they had and invested it in a Do It Yourselfer home and then gutted the interior, room by room, and rebuilt/refurbished. 90% of the interior is reclaimed from other buildings that were going to be demolished. While this work was going on the three of them lived in a motor coach, using the bathroom in the house and the tiny kitchen in the mc. She struggles with the WOW - and of low self esteem. With the love she received from her sisters in Zion here in the branch, she garnered enough strength and courage to file for divorce and follow through. NOW, even though she was living here, she had to file from the county seat of where they had been living. So that meant she had to go there every three months to file each phase of the divorce papers. We all took care of her two teens while she was gone. She just recently applied for and received her state contractors license, so now she can do larger contractor jobs which means she can bid on them, charge more than the measly $15.00 an hour she had been charging, and begin the healthy process of getting out of debt. Never was it any of the Branch members responsibility to judge her, or to confront her regarding her not following the WOW. NOTE: She is not endowed, and she knows that unless she quits smoking totally, she cannot receive her endowments. She has not come to church the last two Sundays because she has been smoking more than the occasional cigarette a week. Me thinks it has been like up to a pack a week. She is stressed, her ex-husband has been calling their daughter to brag about all the material toys his new, much younger wife, much wealthier wife has been giving him. THIS stresses both the daughter and Mother tremendously. The way I minister to her and in a filter down way her daughter, is to shower them with UNCONDITIONAL love. and to leave the confronting & judgement to the Lord. She didn't come to church because she didn't feel worthy to take the Sacrament, and others would see that she wasn't and thus they would judge her. I told her that if she would come to church - whether she felt worthy or not, come - and I will sit in the back row with her where NO ONE can see if she takes the sacrament or not.

I thought I should explain that I posted the multiple definitions not because I thought anyone would be unfamiliar with the meaning of the word crypt, but because I was unfamiliar with the third definition and found it amusing that it also happens to refer to a potential tube shape which as we know is cylindrical like the special watchamacallit Zil is seeking to label.

Yeah! We have fences to mend. Glad, very glad!

Welcome back, @Star! Another important fact about missionaries is that they only stay in any given area for a short period of time. I'm not sure exactly how long it is (not long), but after that time, they get transferred to another area, so these specific Elders couldn't continue to teach your kids indefinitely even if baptism / conversion weren't an issue. (As stated above, the purpose of the missionaries is to introduce people to the gospel and prepare them for baptism. After that, the members of the congregation help these new members to learn and adjust to life in the Church.) Since you don't want to attend Church, and since the Elders can't stay indefinitely to teach your kids, another option might be to find the ward you live in (Mormon.org can help with this, or https://www.lds.org/maps/meetinghouses/?lang=eng), and meet some members with whom you can develop a friendship, then these members can either teach your kids more, or take your kids with them to Church or activities on weekday evenings or Saturdays. That way, your kids get a fuller experience of their father's beliefs and what it was like in practice. You can go with your kids as much as you like to get comfortable with the idea and with the people there. Or you can just get to know someone enough that you trust them coming to your house (or wherever it was) and teaching your kids. I know it's probably more investment than you want, but this is the best way to find people who can become a long-term part of your lives. ETA: Also, after 18 - 24 months, Elders go back to wherever their home is and resume a normal life.

DR T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i'm so happy to see you back here! Quick, while you're here, post lots of funny/sweet stories of kids. I miss those.

I ended up making a pie and freezing the leftovers. I'll probably pick and freeze some more tomorrow. And I used this for the pitting: