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Blossom

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Hello and greetings from the newbie, who is without form and void. I like that!

I am an alcoholic. Last January 1, 2011 marked ten years sober, without one drop of drink. Now I can count in decades!

I was a smoker. Today marks three years I have not touched a cigarette.

I've been off caffeine for eight months and have stepped up studying and learning, because I feel like I have found the true Church but I need to be worthy to join it.

I've started food storage and I always was a conservative dresser, so the garments won't be a problem when I am worthy enough to wear them one day.

My Church family and my missionaries say I'm doing well, and they believe I will get to the Temple one day.

That's the goal. So, I just wanted to let you all know what's going on with me.

Thanks for listening.

Blessings,

Blossom

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Oh dear, I forgot something. I didn't want to edit my original post so I'll add it here:

I've been tithing 15% of both retirement pay and job pay for three months (almost). Separate tithes from each check, and the bishop is very happy about that.

Blessings,

Blossom

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Oh no! I forgot the Fast Offering! Thanks for reminding me. No, the bishop simply said it was generous and he was happy with it. He's a very gentle man and kind, and probably did not want to suggest anything like that because I haven't been baptised yet.

I could add 5% from each check for fast offerings. I believe I'll do that. We have a bit of a problem with tithes in the Church because of unemployment here. I'll call the bishop and tell him I'll add the 5% from each check.

Thank you! See, I'm new to this. The bishop also knows about my alcoholism and smoking and everything. He is kind and supportive, and very encouraging. His uncle died of alcoholism and he is proud of me for quitting.

Now I feel bad for forgetting that. It's not the bishop's fault, it's my fault. I'll fix it.

Thank you!

Blessings,

Blossom

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Hello and greetings from the newbie, who is without form and void. I like that!

I am an alcoholic. Last January 1, 2011 marked ten years sober, without one drop of drink. Now I can count in decades!

I was a smoker. Today marks three years I have not touched a cigarette.

I've been off caffeine for eight months and have stepped up studying and learning, because I feel like I have found the true Church but I need to be worthy to join it.

I've started food storage and I always was a conservative dresser, so the garments won't be a problem when I am worthy enough to wear them one day.

My Church family and my missionaries say I'm doing well, and they believe I will get to the Temple one day.

That's the goal. So, I just wanted to let you all know what's going on with me.

Thanks for listening.

Blessings,

Blossom

Your candour and honesty are refreshing, Blossom :P I hope you identify yourself with other terms than those you have shared here, I'm sure you have great defining strengths and talents that readers on this board (such as me) would love to learn about ;)

By the way, you only have to be off alcohol and tobacco for a week (or maybe 2) before being eligible for baptism (all other requirements being met), so I hope you're not considering these to be obstacles!

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Welcome Blossom, and congratulations on sobriety. There was an important mention of the 12 Step program in the last LDS general conference.

Since you mentioned guitar playing, my wife encouraged me to get a new guitar for Christmas, and I've been relearning, after about eight years away from it. I do fingerstyle, nylon string. Some Bach, Joplin, Paul Simon, Blackbird, Classical Gas...

Best,

Kevin Christensen

Pittsburgh, PA

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:P

Hello and greetings from the newbie, who is without form and void. I like that!

I am an alcoholic. Last January 1, 2011 marked ten years sober, without one drop of drink. Now I can count in decades!

I was a smoker. Today marks three years I have not touched a cigarette.

I've been off caffeine for eight months and have stepped up studying and learning, because I feel like I have found the true Church but I need to be worthy to join it.

I've started food storage and I always was a conservative dresser, so the garments won't be a problem when I am worthy enough to wear them one day.

My Church family and my missionaries say I'm doing well, and they believe I will get to the Temple one day.

That's the goal. So, I just wanted to let you all know what's going on with me.

Thanks for listening.

Blessings,

Blossom

Awesome blossom!!! keep going it "will" pay off and you "will" be blessed sssooo much!;)

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Hello Blossom...

I want to add my encouragement to you in your sobriety... I also want to say the obvious, that you are expected to tithe only 10%... should you choose to do more, that is up to you.

In regard to fast offerings, rather than a straight 5%, the rule of thumb is to fast two meals and pay an offering about equivalent to the cost of the two meals. Again, should you choose to offer more, that is up to you. Sincere generosity is always appreciated... the keyword being "sincere" and not something that one does to receive "extra" blessings, etc.

Now, as far as your baptism, if you are studying as well as living the gospel, and have received a witness that what you are learning is right and true, then you are ready for baptism. Your testimony will continue to grow, becoming stronger as you go forward. On the other hand, I don't believe in being baptized too soon either. As you pray, you will know when the time is right for you.

All good wishes...

GG

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I mentioned in another thread that caffeine isn't strictly against the Word of Wisdom. In the other thread, I was focusing on scriptural interpretation. I am going to add here that I think that avoiding caffeine overall---especially in this day and age of high levels of the stuff in energy drinks where people are drinking it to get a high---is a good idea. We need to be very cautious about anything potentially addictive. Not only that, but caffeine can mask health issues such as sleep deprivation, etc.

IIRC, the studies that show caffeine having a positive effect on brain function, etc. have not taken into account long time usage and when that is factored in most, if not all, improvements disappear overtime removing that rationale for usage. the body develops a tolerance to the drug. Why not choose another path that actually has long term effective change?

I suffer from a sleep disorder and so drink Pepsi or take NoDoze when it would be dangerous for me not to...as well as on occasion when I just want to stay awake enough to play with my grandkids, but I end up paying for it later because it takes about 20 hours for the effect to wear off (as opposed to the 10 hours that most people experience) so I tend to look at caffeine as a 'lesser evil' to be avoid if possible, but made use of if necessary.

Sleep deprivation is a huge issue these days (it was likely the greater contributing factor to the Exxon Valdez disaster as opposed to drunkeness), sleep deprivation is linked to heart disease, obesity, etc. Anything that interferes with the normal rhythms of sleep that we can do something about we should, imo, including dispensing with caffeine as much as possible in our lives.

IOW, well done following through on all these positive changes in your life. Though some may be hard, it will definitely be worth it in the long run.

Edited by calmoriah
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Wow! Thank you all for your support. I can't fast, because if I skip a meal I get dizzy and sick. So, I just guessed at it if I did fast.

Our church needs every penny it can get because of such high unemployment here. I'm blessed with two incomes so I can help.

I have a lot more studying and learning to do before baptism, though, but I'll get there!

Blessings,

Blossom

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Your enthusiasm and commitment are heartwarming. But your post suggests you don't know how tithing and fast offerings work. The tithe (10% of your increase) is simply returning to the Lord what is already his. It is tithing that pays for the basic operations of the church. You give the money to the bishop, who deposits it in the bank, and it distributed through headquarters in SLC. You don't get any more blessings by paying more than the 10% than you would if you fully pay the 10% (though when you go to the temple, one of the things you will promise is that you will give all your time, talents and resources to the Lord's church, so there may come a time when you are asked to donate more.)

Fast offerings are collected to help the poor. These funds are often collected by deacons, but you can also donate and deliver them yourself to the bishop. People who cannot physically fast for two meals for medial reasons or something, sometimes give up something else. Or they may eat plain food, instead of a meal. The FO payment is the cost of two meals, and to give as generously as you can. The bishop also deposits these funds, but your ward and stake retain control of these funds to help the poor in your area. If you are trying to address your local needs then you would donate to the fast offering fund.

(You can also choose to donate to the missionary fund, or the humanitarian fund or the perpetual education fund ---- all of which are printed options on the donation slip.) You can also donate to BYU or to LDS charities, but not on the tithing slips. And of course you will pay for your own scriptures or manuals or videos (all of which will cost you less than equivalent commercial products) or study aids or music at store.lds.org. (The actual RS/Priesthood manual and study guide for SS are given to members at the first of the year, but if the ward runs out before everyone gets one, you may find yourself buying your own.)

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Wow! Thank you all for your support. I can't fast, because if I skip a meal I get dizzy and sick. So, I just guessed at it if I did fast.

I am not allowed to fast in the standard way for health reasons as well. You can choose your own way of fasting however in these cases. For example, I know someone who does a juice fast (drinks juice but nothing else), I need protein so I might use something like jerky or a protein drink. You can even choose something besides food to 'fast' from, like the TV, computer, texting or phones completely (except for emergencies)....anything that might interfere with listening to the spirit as I see fasting not only as a way of schooling one's physical side but for the main purpose of opening us up more to the Spirit. In these nonfood cases, it might be more worthwhile to set aside a longer period of time...whatever you feel works for you best without going overboard into making it a 'hobbyhorse'.

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I didn't realize all this! Thank you for educating me. I am trying to help our Church and I guess I'm doing it all wrong. I'll speak to the bishop on Sunday. After today with the slapping (I will post it) I am feeling more about I never do anything right.

I never realized this would be so hard.

Blessings

Blossom

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I didn't realize all this! Thank you for educating me. I am trying to help our Church and I guess I'm doing it all wrong. I'll speak to the bishop on Sunday.

Nah, it's okay Blossom... just do what you think God expects you to do, that you should.

After today with the slapping (I will post it) I am feeling more about I never do anything right.

Are you kidding? you do tons of things right! \:P For example, your sig is an awesomely right thing! You do more things right than I do!.

I never realized this would be so hard.

Blessings

Blossom

*hugs*

Best Wishes,

TAO

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Oh, please don't spend another minute worrying about doing it "right". If you just seek to do His will, then your actions will be acceptable to God even if they are not quite technically correct. As Oprah likes to say, "When we knew better, we do better." When you've been a faithful member of the church for 20 years, you'll still learn new things from time to time. Because of the atonement our only obligation is to do our personal best with the knowledge we have, and when we sin (that doesn't mean make a mistake, those aren't sins usually), to quickly and fully repent.

And if putting onion in a potluck dish is the worst choice you ever make, you really and honestly will never have anything to worry about (I guess, other than ducking the occasional really wierd response to onion in a potluck dish? LOL) The rest of us have stories like, attending all our meetings with the back of our dress tucked into our panty hose. Or walking out of the chapel with our 2 year old screaming "Mommy don't hit me". Or pouring the punch down the front of the mission president while serving at zone meeting lunch. Or taking a dish to potluck that everyone swears gave them food poisoning (thereby permanently relieving yourself from ever being asked to bring potluck again --- sometimes a bright side.) Or skating on the ice at church and flashing the bishop as we fell. If we all stayed home because of our myriad embarrassments, there would be no one to teach primary (though the assault cannot fairly be written off as embarrasment, of course.)

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I didn't realize all this! Thank you for educating me. I am trying to help our Church and I guess I'm doing it all wrong. I'll speak to the bishop on Sunday. After today with the slapping (I will post it) I am feeling more about I never do anything right.

I never realized this would be so hard.

Blessings

Blossom

It is not about doing something right or wrong, it is about learning how to make it work for you. What the Lord (through His Church) asks of us is not filling up a checklist of do's and don'ts but rather he is providing us with opportunities to grow closer to him. So pray about what you are doing and think about the why and the how this can be best accomplish.

Christ said his yoke was easy, my experience is that it most certainly is...the only hard part is to lay aside my ego-created yoke that tells me I have to do something a certain way because this is what is expected of me by others (as opposed to the Lord) or even is a standard I've set for myself (that may be totally inappropriate even if it is 'good').

If you are finding things hard, remember that Christ does not require us to run before we can walk, take things slow and check the guidelines out and learn what principles they are meant to help us with and then use those to build on what works for you in your own particular situation.

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Wow, thanks, y'all. My Bishop said if God put it on my heart to give what I am giving (my portion of increase) he is in no position to argue with Him. I know my tithing goes where it is needed because the Church as a whole is financially responsible and they do not squander anything at all.

Now that I have a calling (in the other post -- I am the Kitchen Cleaner) I'm thinking about maybe the next step is baptism and probably needs to be done. The Bishop and some Elders and my missionaries seem to think I'm ready now, but that is kind of easy for them to say that. They have been LDS all their lives; I'm a recovering Baptist. This is a bit different, know what I mean?

The Bishop also has mentioned using my musical talents (oh ha ha - I've played and sung from time to time and had fun) and my organizational skills for the good of the Church. I organized his office at home for him. He's a packrat and had too much clutter going on. One cannot possibly think well in the midst of a mess. His wife certainly was grateful -- she called his office "The Abyss." It's really nicer and yes, you can see ALL of the top of his desk now, and there's no mess, no clutter.

Uh, three more file cabinets, though, everything alphabetized. And curtains and a throw rug. Good grief, a Bishop's office has to look nice. When I first saw it, I said to his wife, "Mercy! I just walked into a home-installed Dumpster!" She laughed, hugged me, and said, "Good luck, sweetie."

His office at the Church is neater -- our secretary, I believe, was probably the founder of Merry Maids. She has kept his clutter at bay and fusses at him to put stuff where it belongs.

I think I could also help in keeping the Church and Community Hall clean, too. We had a rodent problem when I first began attending. My neighbor told me about it and I suggested getting a couple cats from the pound to handle it. You don't want poison out where kids might find it (that is horribly dangerous) and glue traps are just gross. We now have two Church and Community Hall cats. The Bishop agreed to the cats and they are indoor/outdoor and go in and out through pet doors, so no litterbox. No rodents, either, and there's a box for money to feed the cats and give them vet care in the foyer.

And no allergy problems, which is good. So far, so good.

I think I found a home. I love this Church. I guess I better look at baptism.

Thanks for listening, my friends.

Blessings,

Blossom

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Well, no one told me a Church could be so much fun! The LDS Church is very, very different and there is so very much to be learned in it.

I wish I had found this much earlier in my life. All the members are valued; even me, the unbaptised one.

I think I'll have a talk with my husband about my baptism tomorrow. He is all for this. We can discuss it first, then go to the Bishop.

Thanks so much!

Blessings,

Blossom

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Now that I have a calling (in the other post -- I am the Kitchen Cleaner)

I just had an interview with one of the Bishopric members in our kitchen last Sunday, we could use someone to clean our kitchens (older building, has two kitchens actually) as it's clean, but isn't used that often these days and it gets musty so it could use some in depth scrubbing. It's nice to be able to contribute to your community, makes it more fun for others as well as yourself imo.
I organized his office at home for him. He's a packrat and had too much clutter going on.
Certainly know that experience, though my husband is not a packrat, his method of filing is to move something from one pile to the next.
our secretary
Secretary of Relief Society or of the Bishop's?
We now have two Church and Community Hall cats. The Bishop agreed to the cats and they are indoor/outdoor...

Not the usual solution, but if it works.
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We now have two Church and Community Hall cats. The Bishop agreed to the cats and they are indoor/outdoor and go in and out through pet doors, so no litterbox. No rodents, either, and there's a box for money to feed the cats and give them vet care in the foyer.

Hi Blossom and welcome to the board.

I have to ask though as it intrigued me. How did they put pet doors into your Church building? I realize since I live in the midwest the buildings where you live might be different, but ours either have glass all the way from the top to the bottom or have heavy metal that isn't hollow. It is rather interesting that the church would put animals in the building. I am not against it, just find it interesting.

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