Shrinking pains

[Jean-Luc Picard]

Last meeting there was five minutes of silence where no one got up.

Silence can be golden sometimes. 

[Hamba Tuhan]

40 minutes ago, Jean-Luc Picard said:

Last meeting there was five minutes of silence where no one got up.

That has literally never happened in my current ward.

Quote

Silence can be golden sometimes.

I get enough silence at home. I don't need more during the limited hours when I get to assemble.

Edited February 5, 2019 by Hamba Tuhan

[Rain]

 

21 hours ago, MustardSeed said:

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

I am 50. I find it glorious, but then I never expected to live this long. Now I'm hoping for a good many to come. I'm not really looking forward to 51, but that is just because I have this number thing and don't like the number 51. 52 will once again be great.

[Rain]

8 hours ago, Hamba Tuhan said:

That has literally never happened in my current ward.

I get enough silence at home. I don't need more during the limited hours when I get to assemble.

It isn't silence though. In the rare moments it happens that is not just the awkward waiting, testimonies are being born silently. There have been times when people have stood up and said they were only getting up because no one else was and I wished they would not do that because they were missing those quiet unspoken in voice, but spoken in thought testimonies. It is very sweet to experience that.

[Rain]

I think the problems with shortened church are problems that have always been there. Some wards and people struggle with it and some don't.  We have not had a problem with going over time in our ward or extra meetings etc. Actually, we have had less of a problem, which surprises me.

I wonder about the meetings doubling. Have they doubled because of the shortened time or was it coincidentally needed because of problems in the ward? If because of the shortened time and you are a part of the meetings then I would say something about it and if that didn't change things I would let them know that I am making my family a priority over the extra  meeting.

[mfbukowski]

On 2/3/2019 at 5:59 PM, Calm said:

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.

If someone goes over, the Bishop should politely ask them in their ear to finish and sit down.

[pogi]

This thread makes me think of Seinfeld.

 

[why me]

On 2/6/2019 at 12:19 AM, mfbukowski said:

If someone goes over, the Bishop should politely ask them in their ear to finish and sit down.

I remember notes being passed to the long speaker. Perhaps people do not want to offend these days and so they are more careful with giving cut off point notes.

[mfbukowski]

6 hours ago, why me said:

I remember notes being passed to the long speaker. Perhaps people do not want to offend these days and so they are more careful with giving cut off point notes.

As we know especially on this board written communication can often be misconstrued. I I think it is better to lovingly put your hand on someone's shoulder and whisper in their ear "Thank you so much!  It's time to bear your testimony."

I did that a couple of times as bishop and it seemed to work fine. There was also another time when someone got extremely political and was using the pulpit nearly as one would for a political rally. I stopped it the same way and today I still have excellent relationships with those folks and no offense was taken.

[MustardSeed]

Our stake yw pres would sit in the front rower of youth activities and shine a flashlight in the eyes of any offender.  

What if the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints choir music was piped in at full blast, like the Oscars orchestra? 

[jbarm]

When I was a kid our chapel podium had a red and yellow light controlled by a switch on the Bishops chairs armrest.

Yellow: finish up.

Red: Stop!

Wish we had one of those now.

[flameburns623]

On 2/3/2019 at 5:59 PM, strappinglad said:

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

Put a two-minute hourglass on the pulpit on F/S's. 

[Stargazer]

On 2/4/2019 at 5:01 PM, 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

We had one of those.  He started doing it when he was around 6 or so, and though he didn't do it every month, I think he covered about 3/4 of the months.  He didn't take up all the time available, but I wished mightily that someone would tell him what a testimony was.  After a few years of this, without intending to do anything about this little minor glitch, on one fast sunday I managed to get up and hit the podium to be first to bear testimony.  I prefaced my testimony by saying something like this: "I love the gospel a lot.  I love talking about the gospel a lot.  In fact, I'd love to give you a talk right this very minute.  But this is not the place to give talks. It's the place to bear a brief but heartfelt testimony of the gospel.  So that's what I'm going to do.  Bear my testimony and sit down so others can have the time to bear theirs."  Whereupon I bore a brief and heartfelt testimony, and then I sat down.  This young man followed directly after me.  So I mentally prepared myself for a sermon.  But surprisingly, instead of doing his usual, he said he was going to follow the example of Br. Stargazer and bear his testimony and sit down.  He did, and then he sat down, without giving a sermon!  I was surprised and pleased -- I hadn't had an agenda, but look what happened!  As far as I can remember, from then on he forebore giving sermons -- except when he was called to give a talk.

Someone actually listened to me!  Amazing.

[Stargazer]

On 2/5/2019 at 6:00 AM, Jean-Luc Picard said:

Last meeting there was five minutes of silence where no one got up.

Silence can be golden sometimes. 

You make me want to change my user name to James T. Kirk.

[nuclearfuels]

On 2/3/2019 at 5:17 PM, 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. 

YES!!!

Making my exodus to Primary years ago has truly depply strengthened my testimony.

Joining the EQP's group therapy classes in the gym where well-meaning but misguided, learned brethren interject their own politics/philosophies in attempts to "stir the pot" or "not to throw a monkey wrench in the discussion but" or virtue signal on what they're doing correctly that the rest of us aren't?

Nah

[Bob Crockett]

On 2/3/2019 at 3:30 PM, 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

One would think the ward consists of the lives of the same three or four people when there are hundreds of congregants with lives of their own, suffering and hardships etc.

But that is the Lord's formula for meetings and the leaders are loathe to tread upon it.  A fellow moved into our ward after his bishop told him to stop getting up every month and preaching from a scriptural text.  Really, there is little to do.

[Bernard Gui]

On 2/5/2019 at 7:02 AM, Rain said:

 

I am 50. I find it glorious, but then I never expected to live this long. Now I'm hoping for a good many to come. I'm not really looking forward to 51, but that is just because I have this number thing and don't like the number 51. 52 will once again be great.

I kind of remember when I was 51. I also remember the two-and-half minute talks in Sunday School and the practice hymn. I wonder how we will learn the new hymns when the imminent  hymn book comes out?

Edited February 18, 2019 by Bernard Gui

[randy]

Hahaha....Ole Elder Richards!  He was awesome!   When I was stationed at Hill AFB in Utah...my Mom came to visit during GC time..and she very much wanted to go ...this would've been her very first time.  As you're looking toward the pulpit...we were seated in the upper section on the right side...just ever so slightly behind the pulpit.  It was during Elder Richards talk that Pres. Benson famously  hooked Elder Richards ankle with his cane and tugged a little.  We saw it all!!  It was awesomely funny!