Shrinking pains

[MustardSeed]

I love the new changes, especially new motivation to study with our family.  I love the spirit in our home as we dive more deeply into doctrine than we have previously. 

I observe ***in my ward*** a struggle to honor the limited time.  As mentioned in a separate topic, my presidency has doubled our meetings this month in Sundays.  Today a ward member bore a very long testimony leaving only 10 min.  Also, our Sunday school is monopolized by a select few who seem to want to intellectualuze the living tar out of each topic.  Sunday school sundays are not nearly as uplifting or as meaningful ***to me***as 2nd and 4th Sunday’s are . 

I decided today to adjust my expectations.  That helped. I’m glad our home discussion was fulfilling. 

[Calm]

I figure it will take at least a decade to adjust for most wards (so it feels like it has always been this way).  Habits and traditions are tough to change, especially in groups that don't have high turnover.

The meeting thing is so dependent on the leader who sets them up though.  It can change overnight when a new leader gets called.

[bluebell]

Thankfully Sunday school has been much better in my ward since the change.  We've struggled to get Sacrament meeting over on time though.  This was the third sunday in a row where we went over and had to close without a hymn, just having a prayer instead.  

[bsjkki]

51 minutes ago, MustardSeed said:

I love the new changes, especially new motivation to study with our family.  I love the spirit in our home as we dive more deeply into doctrine than we have previously. 

I observe ***in my ward*** a struggle to honor the limited time.  As mentioned in a separate topic, my presidency has doubled our meetings this month in Sundays.  Today a ward member bore a very long testimony leaving only 10 min.  Also, our Sunday school is monopolized by a select few who seem to want to intellectualuze the living tar out of each topic.  Sunday school sundays are not nearly as uplifting or as meaningful ***to me***as 2nd and 4th Sunday’s are . 

I decided today to adjust my expectations.  That helped. I’m glad our home discussion was fulfilling. 

I think Sunday School will always not meet expectations for some. People want different things. Some like lots of personal stories and some want more knowledge or a deeper understanding of the scriptures.  Sometimes, both items are accomplished but,  it seems, not often.

Testimony goes the same way. We have a few long talkers that monopolize the time every month. We still ended late today. So many people want to give talks and never seem to understand the meaning of “brief testimony” even when instructed.

[Duncan]

2 minutes ago, bsjkki said:

I think Sunday School will always not meet expectations for some. People want different things. Some like lots of personal stories and some want more knowledge or a deeper understanding of the scriptures.  Sometimes, both items are accomplished but,  it seems, not often.

Testimony goes the same way. We have a few long talkers that monopolize the time every month. We still ended late today. So many people want to give talks and never seem to understand the meaning of “brief testimony” even when instructed.

we have those too, endlessly going on.................and on........................................................and on, and you simply lose interest

[Garden Girl]

55 minutes ago, MustardSeed said:

 Today a ward member bore a very long testimony leaving only 10 min.  Also, our Sunday school is monopolized by a select few who seem to want to intellectualuze the living tar out of each topic.  

What's the matter with some people anyway?  To be so self-focused as to think it's proper to personally use practically all the time... the same in SS where the teacher has prepared the lesson and wants to direct the discussion to include certain principles/docs... Someone in the bishopric needs to either talk to these individuals or give some general guidelines to the congregation... the same way our bishop put a stop to all the travel/health-amonies, etc,. including whispering in young children's ears.  Our Fast meetings are so much better now... more uplifting and spiritual...  In SS, I do wish we had more time to discuss/explore... but we don't.

GG

[MustardSeed]

6 minutes ago, Garden Girl said:

What's the matter with some people anyway?  To be so self-focused as to think it's proper to personally use practically all the time... the same in SS where the teacher has prepared the lesson and wants to direct the discussion to include certain principles/docs... Someone in the bishopric needs to either talk to these individuals or give some general guidelines to the congregation... the same way our bishop put a stop to all the travel/health-amonies, etc,. including whispering in young children's ears.  Our Fast meetings are so much better now... more uplifting and spiritual...  In SS, I do wish we had more time to discuss/explore... but we don't.

GG

Lack of self awareness is so awkward

[Calm]

I think some face to face time by the Bishop needs to take place if a general announcement of limiting one's time to so many minutes at the beginning of bearing testimonies doesn't work.  Maybe even ask them to get up every third month instead of every month if they can't control the time.  That might not work with some, but perhaps most.

[changed]

I enjoy discussions in the forums more than those at church - it is nice to see old familiar faces every now and then though - not sure that the point of church is to learn anything though.  

[strappinglad]

The Bishop should just start running the pulpit up and down randomly, and then have an airhorn for backup. just in case. 😈

[The Nehor]

2 hours ago, strappinglad said:

The Bishop should just start running the pulpit up and down randomly, and then have an airhorn for backup. just in case. 😈

We joked about just cutting the mike. So far no one has done it but we have not gone more then a few minutes over. We also joked about how the Stake suggested strictly limiting announcements but then on the first Sunday of the new block gave us a three paragraph letter to be read in its entirety to every ward in the stake. MAKE UP YOUR MINDS!!!!!

I have been teaching Gospel Doctrine and so far I am not too happy with people's responses to the question of what they learned in their home study but we are working on it. I am surprised by some of the people who are studying it in their home. Many of those I would have expected to be diligent in home study seem to have done little at home and many of those who I would have guessed would not have participated are telling of great experiences teaching their children. I try to keep the intellectualizing down. With so much material to cover with at least two lessons every week we are often hard-pressed to cover even a fraction of it. I feel the spirit every week as I teach and testify and hear the great experiences of others and I really NEED that boost every week and I hope and pray the class members feel that sweet spirit too. 

Edited February 4, 2019 by The Nehor

[tulip]

A sister got up after times was up and talked about her car not starting for 10 minutes.   Then another sister got up and started recounting a Book of Mormon story.   We finished 20 minutes late.

[bsjkki]

1 minute ago, tulip said:

A sister got up after times was up and talked about her car not starting for 10 minutes.   Then another sister got up and started recounting a Book of Mormon story.   We finished 20 minutes late.

That is awful! I think Bishoprics are wimps. If they started ending on time, people would figure it out. Instead, Primary teachers lose their lesson time. It’s so rude!

[SteveO]

6 hours ago, MustardSeed said:

Lack of self awareness is so awkward

We had a guy get up today who had recently broken both his wrists...guess where he went with it...

...compared his suffering to the Savior’s

I can’t stand people sometimes.  

[The Nehor]

11 hours ago, tulip said:

A sister got up after times was up and talked about her car not starting for 10 minutes.   Then another sister got up and started recounting a Book of Mormon story.   We finished 20 minutes late.

[The Nehor]

10 hours ago, SteveO said:

We had a guy get up today who had recently broken both his wrists...guess where he went with it...

...compared his suffering to the Savior’s

I can’t stand people sometimes.  

On the bright side you can punch him without fear of retaliation.

[BlueDreams]

Our bishop has been pretty on the ball about ending sacrament on time. There was one brother who was on the stand for his turn near the bishop and the bishop still got up and noted it was time to move on and that testimonies could be shared next month. Of course i also knew the brother had been "nudged" a little by the YM's pres to give his testimony for the YM's sake. So it wasn't exactly difficult for him to wait a month  ...they also installed a light on our podium so that the speakers know their time limit has been reach and can wrap it up. So talks are staying within their limits generally too.

2 hr church has been great. I haven't had enough normal lessons to compare it to, since we're short in primary and I volunteered to sub. But from what I have seen, people have really been interacting during sunday school times. And for my husband, who is in the YM presidency, meetings have generally stayed off of Sunday. So we've had a lot of time to relax and do more spiritual/family things. I've enjoyed the formatting to church. Just enough time to learn from each other, catch up with the woman I minister, chat with people/get to know my ward a little more (still fairly new), and flex my spanish skills before heading out again. 

 

With luv,

BD

Edited February 4, 2019 by BlueDreams

[bsjkki]

13 minutes ago, BlueDreams said:

Our bishop has been pretty on the ball about ending sacrament on time. There was one brother who was on the stand for his turn near the bishop and the bishop still got up and noted it was time to move on and that testimonies could be shared next month. Of course i also knew the brother had been "nudged" a little by the YM's pres to give his testimony for the YM's sake. So it wasn't exactly difficult for him to wait a month  ...they also installed a light on our podium so that the speakers know their time limit has been reach and can wrap it up. So talks are staying within their limits generally too.

2 hr church has been great. I haven't had enough normal lessons to compare it to, since we're short in primary and I volunteered to sub. But from what I have seen, people have really been interacting during sunday school times. And for my husband, who is in the YM presidency, meetings have generally stayed off of Sunday. So we've had a lot of time to relax and do more spiritual/family things. I've enjoyed the formatting to church. Just enough time to learn from each other, catch up with the woman I minister, chat with people/get to know my ward a little more (still fairly new), and flex my spanish skills before heading out again. 

 

With luv,

BD

I want the light installed....that would be so awesome!

[ksfisher]

17 hours ago, Garden Girl said:

What's the matter with some people anyway?  To be so self-focused as to think it's proper to personally use practically all the time... the same in SS where the teacher has prepared the lesson and wants to direct the discussion to include certain principles/docs... Someone in the bishopric needs to either talk to these individuals or give some general guidelines to the congregation... the same way our bishop put a stop to all the travel/health-amonies, etc,. including whispering in young children's ears.  Our Fast meetings are so much better now... more uplifting and spiritual...  In SS, I do wish we had more time to discuss/explore... but we don't.

GG

I think that for some people this is the only time in the month when they have people that listen to them and they can feel a sense of importance.  This can be especially true, I've noticed, for people who live alone.  I don't mind them taking some time.

I don't, however, like the whispering in children's ears.  The handbook rightly points out that primary is the place for children to learn to share their testimonies.

[MustardSeed]

We have a young person who get up every single month and preaches to us.  Every month. First of all, I think it’s questionable that the Holy Ghost is moving anyone to testify every month.  I think that is coming from a personal need to be in front of people. And also I don’t appreciate some whipper snapper thinking they are in such a position of directiveness. Third of all, my critical attitude needs adjusting. Can anyone help? I know I’m in the right place for that

[Bernard Gui]

22 minutes ago, MustardSeed said:

We have a young person who get up every single month and preaches to us.  Every month. First of all, I think it’s questionable that the Holy Ghost is moving anyone to testify every month.  I think that is coming from a personal need to be in front of people. And also I don’t appreciate some whipper snapper thinking they are in such a position of directiveness. Third of all, my critical attitude needs adjusting. Can anyone help? I know I’m in the right place for that

If you are over 65 you have the right to a non-adjustable critical attitude.

[MustardSeed]

50. Ugh.  I hate seeing that number, not used to my reality yet lol. 

[BlueDreams]

5 hours ago, bsjkki said:

I want the light installed....that would be so awesome!

I assumed it was something just happening in wards period. I'll remember to be grateful to whoever came up to that great idea for ours! 

[Bernard Gui]

11 hours ago, MustardSeed said:

50. Ugh.  I hate seeing that number, not used to my reality yet lol. 

It’s actually not that bad.

[Bernard Gui]

6 hours ago, BlueDreams said:

I assumed it was something just happening in wards period. I'll remember to be grateful to whoever came up to that great idea for ours! 

They used to have one on the Tabernacle podium, ostensibly to curb Elder Legrand Richards’ verbosity. He famously covered it up once when it was lit up. I remember that event!

Quote

The Tabernacle pulpit had both a red light and an amber light to assist the speaker with his time.
As we get older, our eyesight usually isn’t as sharp as it used to be. The amber light would come on, and if you didn’t pay attention to that, the red light would start to blink. Brother LeGrand Richards, when the light was first installed, said, “Someone’s put a silly light up here.” He said, “I’ll just put my hand over it.” There isn’t a light here today, so I don’t know when I will end. (Elder David B. Haight, April 2000 General Conference)

 

On another occasion.

 

Edited February 5, 2019 by Bernard Gui