New Endowment Presentation Rolling Out Today (No Details)

[Calm]

The author of a thread has the ability to close the thread. Just click on moderator option at the bottom of the page.

Only if you are a contributor or have so many posts, I believe

[LordUther]

I've also told several times how I appreciate reading Nibley's "Temples and Cosmos," particularly in regard to the prayer circle...

Just finished reading this & loved it!!

[kassie]

Well today a friend of mine who was at the temple the same night I was ( and who I didn't even see ) asked me if I had seen the new film. She had an interesting perspective. She said she realized that something she had read all of her life....“When Moses was caught up into an exceedingly high mountain, and he saw God face to face, and he talked with him, and the glory of God was upon Moses; therefore Moses could endure his presence" (Moses 1:1-2; see also Moses 7:3-4) that this is what we are doing in the temple. That the new film makes this more of a point. That the temple is just like what Moses felt when he saw Heavenly Father face to face. And that the new film leaves you "awe-inspired".

[amag]

The author of a thread has the ability to close the thread. Just click on moderator option at the bottom of the page.

Perhaps it's time to go, especially after someone responded to me with "give me a break".

I guess it is time to go. I have to say though that there are some really classy people here who seem to think they know more than they do.

[kassie]

Why go? Share your thoughts with us! I am a new member and while I don't agree with much of what some people have said, and agree with much of what others have said it is a great forum for discussion! There will always be people who are arrogant and appear to be convinced that what they think is "fact" while what others think is "fiction." (or at least wrong!). But that is what discussion is about! Sharing ideas! Making people think! Today I was at the library tutoring, like I do every day and I ran across two young elders. They looked discouraged and they looked depressed. I walked up to them and introduced myself and told them what ward I belonged to and they reached out to me like two starving animals. Young boys. Still green around the ears. I asked them how their mission was going and they of course said. "Oh good. It has been a blessing, blah blah blah" And I said. "Then why do you look SO SAD?" And one of them just broke down. Said "Sister, we can't get anyone to even listen to us here. Their hearts are hardened while we are just trying to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. We miss our families." I just stood there......And then I said...."Listen up Elders. You leave your families for two years to teach others how to live with theirs in eternity. You have a job to do. I have raised nine children in this Church. I lost one to meningitis at age two. How do you think I got through that Elders? I got through it because I know Matthew is doing GREAT things for his Heavenly Father somewhere and somehow and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt I will see him again because he is OURS! If some missionary hadn't come knocking on the door a hundred years ago and talked to my family I wouldn't know that guys. So get up. Cowboy up. Do your job. You aren't working for some boss here. You are working for your Heavenly Father." They both stared at me for about 2 minutes. Then one said, "Sister, you saved my mission today." And I drove home in the rain......

[Calm]

Why go? Share your thoughts with us! I am a new member and while I don't agree with much of what some people have said, and agree with much of what others have said it is a great forum for discussion! There will always be people who are arrogant and appear to be convinced that what they think is "fact" while what others think is "fiction." (or at least wrong!). But that is what discussion is about! Sharing ideas! Making people think! Today I was at the library tutoring, like I do every day and I ran across two young elders. They looked discouraged and they looked depressed. I walked up to them and introduced myself and told them what ward I belonged to and they reached out to me like two starving animals. Young boys. Still green around the ears. I asked them how their mission was going and they of course said. "Oh good. It has been a blessing, blah blah blah" And I said. "Then why do you look SO SAD?" And one of them just broke down. Said "Sister, we can't get anyone to even listen to us here. Their hearts are hardened while we are just trying to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. We miss our families." I just stood there......And then I said...."Listen up Elders. You leave your families for two years to teach others how to live with theirs in eternity. You have a job to do. I have raised nine children in this Church. I lost one to meningitis at age two. How do you think I got through that Elders? I got through it because I know Matthew is doing GREAT things for his Heavenly Father somewhere and somehow and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt I will see him again because he is OURS! If some missionary hadn't come knocking on the door a hundred years ago and talked to my family I wouldn't know that guys. So get up. Cowboy up. Do your job. You aren't working for some boss here. You are working for your Heavenly Father." They both stared at me for about 2 minutes. Then one said, "Sister, you saved my mission today." And I drove home in the rain......

Beautiful....

And welcome to the board, I think you will love it here and we will love you.

A good combination of nice and spice.

Edited August 3, 2013 by calmoriah

[canard78]

It is my understanding that the temple prep course is being reviewed (nothing to back this up; just something "I heard"). It seems to me that for fear of saying too much, people say too little.

Whenever I interview anyone to receive his/her living ordinance recommend, I pretty much walk him/her through the process, so he will have an idea what to expect. I have him read the first 6 chapters of the Book of Moses and give a 2-3 page list of scripture references to what they will see, hear, and do. Much of what is experienced there is already in the scriptures. When people see that, it is easier to accept and to put it in a big picture perspective.

This sounds excellent.

I wonder if we could add some Nibley to the reading list:

The next room is the Garden of Eden, the scene of the greatest primal drama of them all. Now it becomes even plainer that the whole thing is a stage set; everything has been properly set up and we are ready for the play to begin. Where is the stage? The room itself is the stage; it is an auditorium filled with seats for everybody, but the audience is part of the play. They are all actors, each in the imaginary role of Adam or Eve. Each individual, in fact, who is not visiting the temple for the first time, has taken the name and is playing the part of another person; he speaks for him, thinks for him (it is all by proxy), and that makes us all actors, role-playing. But this is no "insubstantial pageant faded," which "leave not a rack behind."⁵³

The Lord left his peace and blessing when he departed after the drama of the last supper. For it was a drama too: He explained to the apostles that they were to think thereafter of the wine and the bread as something far more than wine and bread, and to think of him as if he were present. He was teaching them as Jeremiah taught the people when he went around armed with a lamp like Diogenes, staging a like "mystery," for the Bible calls it a mystery. The "mysteries of the kingdom of heaven" are things understood only by those who have been initiated and taught (Matthew 13:11).

One of the oldest Egyptian ritual plays, the so-called Ramesseum Drama (see fig. 2), is careful to explain to the audience that each of the properties represents something else—the carnelian stones are blood, the green stones are bread, etc.

Yes, the temple is a theater, and no one directs it so well as Abraham. He gives us the creation story and the plan of salvation in a privileged personal showing.

http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=21&chapid=8

That man was quite remarkable.

[kassie]

Beautiful....

And welcome to the board, I think you will love it here and we will love you.

A good combination of nice and spice.

Thanks! I already love it. This is going to be a problem. In three weeks I have five children going back to school. Right now I get about 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the evening to myself! Then I still have two preschoolers and a house to take care of! But I already love this site. It is definitely "nice and spice." And that's me anyway. I'm just a BIC, non-Utah mormon woman with a houseful of children, and the desire to see the world be a better place. Thanks for having me!

[kassie]

Perhaps this more dramatic movie will help people to see the "Drama" aspect of the endowment better. I once had a temple president tell me that it is "all symbolic" which on one hand is obvious and on the other is no so obvious. It it is "all symbolic" then none of it is literal. I found that interesting. It seems the problems arise when people take certain aspects literally.

I

I think your comments are very enlightening. Someone else said (I can't find the post because I am old!) that we need to do more to stress the symbolism in the temple ceremonies to our young people. Every religion in the world holds symbolism sacred to their teachings. My sister-in-law who thought the temple ceremony "creepy" was expecting some sort of literal revelation that would answer all of her life questions in one day and send her away knowing and validating what she thought to be true. Then when she didn't get the expected "result" she was devastated because it didn't match up her to her literal expectations. Someone on here said that when they went to the temple for the first time "they felt they had come home." So did I. But that doesn't negate the fact that we may need to do a better job in temple prep of preparing people for symbolism and ritual. I told my husband tonight they were "falling down on the job." He said he will "take it under advisement." After 30 years....that's a pretty good promise.

[Calm]

Someone on here said that when they went to the temple for the first time "they felt they had come home." So did I. But that doesn't negate the fact that we may need to do a better job in temple prep of preparing people for symbolism and ritual.

That was me and I do know that I had a very weird upbringing compared to many in the Church at least in that regard.

[kassie]

That was me and I do know that I had a very weird upbringing compared to many in the Church at least in that regard.

Well I guess most of us could say we had " a weird upbringing in the Church!" I've been trying to sort that out for most of my adult life! But seriously, I think the question remains that many young people are NOT prepared for the symbolism they encounter in the temple. All the shroud and "secrecy" seems so mystical to them and then many (not all) are shocked by what goes on in there like it is some sort of "Satanic ritual" they aren't prepared for. This is very very sad to me. So I think a new idea for a thread would be "What can we do better to prepare our children for the temple?" This is after all Heavenly Father's Holy of Holies. All is sacred there. We don't open our ceremonies to the public because without preparation they would not understand it. Or appreciate it. But what of our next generation of LDS children?

[canard78]

I

I think your comments are very enlightening. Someone else said (I can't find the post because I am old!) that we need to do more to stress the symbolism in the temple ceremonies to our young people. Every religion in the world holds symbolism sacred to their teachings. My sister-in-law who thought the temple ceremony "creepy" was expecting some sort of literal revelation that would answer all of her life questions in one day and send her away knowing and validating what she thought to be true. Then when she didn't get the expected "result" she was devastated because it didn't match up her to her literal expectations. Someone on here said that when they went to the temple for the first time "they felt they had come home." So did I. But that doesn't negate the fact that we may need to do a better job in temple prep of preparing people for symbolism and ritual. I told my husband tonight they were "falling down on the job." He said he will "take it under advisement." After 30 years....that's a pretty good promise.

I think one of the issues is the contrast. We have dozens of symbols in daily worship - in our buildings, in our ordinances, in our scriptures. But they're very familiar and they also tend to be very obvious. We have also made sacrament a fairly 'clean and tidy' experience. Very little ritual. The sacrament is done in a very low key and introspective way. Our chapels are fairly 'Methodist' in their decoration.

Going to the temple seems to throw away all the simplicity for some people. Some of the symbols are not immediately obvious. Some of the symbols remain 'unobvious' after the 100th time of attending. Some people I've spoken to talk of feeling 'hoodwinked.'

Did you ever play those games, often round a camp-fire, where a few people were 'in' on the joke and the rest weren't? I have a relative that loves them. One of them is "This is a Spoon. A what? A spoon." Or "The scissors are open, the scissors are closed." It always related to some little trick. You might have to cough before speaking of have your legs alternately crossed or uncrossed. You'd think you were getting it and then realise you weren't. Some people end up feeling quite hurt by those games. They feel stupid and left out of the 'in-crowd.'

I'm not saying the endowment session is like that. But some people are left feeling it is. Better preparation would help some of this. But there are certain parts that I still only feel like am catching half glimpses of. I would love to find resources that would allow me to make personal study of some of the very specific, but covenanted to keep secret, symbols.

[kassie]

I think one of the issues is the contrast. We have dozens of symbols in daily worship - in our buildings, in our ordinances, in our scriptures. But they're very familiar and they also tend to be very obvious. We have also made sacrament a fairly 'clean and tidy' experience. Very little ritual. The sacrament is done in a very low key and introspective way. Our chapels are fairly 'Methodist' in their decoration.

Going to the temple seems to throw away all the simplicity for some people. Some of the symbols are not immediately obvious. Some of the symbols remain 'unobvious' after the 100th time of attending. Some people I've spoken to talk of feeling 'hoodwinked.'

Did you ever play those games, often round a camp-fire, where a few people were 'in' on the joke and the rest weren't? I have a relative that loves them. One of them is "This is a Spoon. A what? A spoon." Or "The scissors are open, the scissors are closed." It always related to some little trick. You might have to cough before speaking of have your legs alternately crossed or uncrossed. You'd think you were getting it and then realise you weren't. Some people end up feeling quite hurt by those games. They feel stupid and left out of the 'in-crowd.'

I'm not saying the endowment session is like that. But some people are left feeling it is. Better preparation would help some of this. But there are certain parts that I still only feel like am catching half glimpses of. I would love to find resources that would allow me to make personal study of some of the very specific, but covenanted to keep secret, symbols.

I never got to play those games but I see exactly what you mean I believe. I think the reason there aren't "brochures or pamphlets' about specific aspects of the temple ceremonies are because the Church fears they will get into the wrong hands and be ridiculed. I think all of us probably feel there are parts of the endowment we don't really "get" and that is why some of us return so often to the temple. I know that the more I attend the temple, the more I get out of it. This is not true of all. I have very dear friends who say is it is "boring....they go to sleep....it's the same rigmarole over and over with nothing new added...yada yada yada." For me, this is not so. I also know a great deal depends on "where I am" at the point where I go to the temple. If I am overtired, going because my husband wants to go that evening, "paying my dues" so to speak....I don't get near as much out of it. If I am going because I need to be there, Heavenly Father has given me a revelation to get my sorry self to the temple tonight, etc. then it is a whole different story. But you have some very good points.

[mfbukowski]

I

I think your comments are very enlightening. Someone else said (I can't find the post because I am old!) that we need to do more to stress the symbolism in the temple ceremonies to our young people. Every religion in the world holds symbolism sacred to their teachings. My sister-in-law who thought the temple ceremony "creepy" was expecting some sort of literal revelation that would answer all of her life questions in one day and send her away knowing and validating what she thought to be true. Then when she didn't get the expected "result" she was devastated because it didn't match up her to her literal expectations. Someone on here said that when they went to the temple for the first time "they felt they had come home." So did I. But that doesn't negate the fact that we may need to do a better job in temple prep of preparing people for symbolism and ritual. I told my husband tonight they were "falling down on the job." He said he will "take it under advisement." After 30 years....that's a pretty good promise.

While joining the church and soon after I had a bunch of very serious spiritual experiences which made it abundantly clear that God wanted me here, so I surrendered and got baptized.

I thought my first temple experience was the weirdest thing I had ever seen in my life. Not good! But I was so convinced that God knew what he was doing in pushing me into the church, that I thought and prayed, prayed and thought, and studied.

All of a sudden, one day when I nearly had it memorized and could see all the "working parts" at once, it just clicked. It was like peeling the proverbial onion- all I saw at first was brown and crusty skin with a little mud here and there, but then suddenly I sliced it open and caramelized that "onion", after slicing and dicing and processing it a little became sweet sweet sweet!

Suddenly I saw layer upon layer of meaning beyond the literal- as if you could relate let's say what happens in room 1 with 2, 3, and 4 all at once as if the walls melted away, I could see it all together happening simultaneously and I saw the parallels and relationships and progressions between each gesture and word spoken. It was like Spock's three-dimensional chess or something- layers interacting with other layers! Now I am an ordinance worker and have most of all of everything memorized and can review it in my mind whenever I want to.

The spiritual progression and difference between state 1 and where I am today is just totally extreme. I have studied Masonry, Nibley, Catholicism and all the books about alleged "sources" but I know that that came straight from God- it is not a human creation. No human could have juggled all those concepts and put them in that order- it makes the old "bible code" book look like child's play.

All you have to do is learn it very well and actually think about what is being said instead of dozing off. Not easy I know- but attitude is a biggie. You have to look for something new every time - and trust me, it is there to be found!

[mfbukowski]

I think one of the issues is the contrast. We have dozens of symbols in daily worship - in our buildings, in our ordinances, in our scriptures. But they're very familiar and they also tend to be very obvious. We have also made sacrament a fairly 'clean and tidy' experience. Very little ritual. The sacrament is done in a very low key and introspective way. Our chapels are fairly 'Methodist' in their decoration.

Going to the temple seems to throw away all the simplicity for some people. Some of the symbols are not immediately obvious. Some of the symbols remain 'unobvious' after the 100th time of attending. Some people I've spoken to talk of feeling 'hoodwinked.'

Did you ever play those games, often round a camp-fire, where a few people were 'in' on the joke and the rest weren't? I have a relative that loves them. One of them is "This is a Spoon. A what? A spoon." Or "The scissors are open, the scissors are closed." It always related to some little trick. You might have to cough before speaking of have your legs alternately crossed or uncrossed. You'd think you were getting it and then realise you weren't. Some people end up feeling quite hurt by those games. They feel stupid and left out of the 'in-crowd.'

I'm not saying the endowment session is like that. But some people are left feeling it is. Better preparation would help some of this. But there are certain parts that I still only feel like am catching half glimpses of. I would love to find resources that would allow me to make personal study of some of the very specific, but covenanted to keep secret, symbols.

There are many clues in the facsimiles where gestures are repeated etc, indicating two meanings for the same gesture. They are like spiritual Rosetta stones- "THIS means THAT"

And yes, I have read those who think there is nothing to that because they are reading the "Egyptian" but guess what- Joseph was not an Egyptian for a good reason, nor could he literally translate it for a good reason. It was so God could take those hypocephali etc and make Joseph see what God wanted him to see by direct revelation. And anyone else can do that too, with the spirit if you pray about it enough.

[canard78]

All of a sudden, one day when I nearly had it memorized and could see all the "working parts" at once, it just clicked. It was like peeling the proverbial onion- all I saw at first was brown and crusty skin with a little mud here and there, but then suddenly I sliced it open and caramelized that "onion", after slicing and dicing and processing it a little became sweet sweet sweet!

Suddenly I saw layer upon layer of meaning beyond the literal- as if you could relate let's say what happens in room 1 with 2, 3, and 4 all at once as if the walls melted away, I could see it all together happening simultaneously and I saw the parallels and relationships and progressions between each gesture and word spoken. It was like Spock's three-dimensional chess or something- layers interacting with other layers!

This really resonates with me. Initially I would go and not get a whole lot. Then I started sitting through each session and tried to participate in a specific frame of mind (e.g. what can I learn as a 'Dad/Husband/boss/leader.'

And the one day, like you, I had an amazing 'ahah' moment. Your analogies are really accurate.

There are still questions and aspects for speculation. But becoming familiar with it opened it up.

[kassie]

This really resonates with me. Initially I would go and not get a whole lot. Then I started sitting through each session and tried to participate in a specific frame of mind (e.g. what can I learn as a 'Dad/Husband/boss/leader.'

And the one day, like you, I had an amazing 'ahah' moment. Your analogies are really accurate.

There are still questions and aspects for speculation. But becoming familiar with it opened it up.

I have had many "ah ha!" moments in the temple over the years. I have attended many temples around the United States. No matter where I go, the ritual is the same, the teachings are the same, I am in my "comfort zone." Like you, when I go to the temple and pray that Heavenly Father will teach me what I need to know for TODAY I get far more out of the temple. Clarification, answers, instruction, call to repentance, and many more.

[kassie]

You don't think that will happen with these films?

What I can't fathom is how these people manage to film the temple ceremonies. First, they have to get a temple recommend somewhere, it would be really depressing to think they have their own and then film everything in the temple for youtube to abuse it. Secondly, they have to take their cell phone out at some point to do the filming. And NO ONE EVER SEES THIS? As you know, many different people have filmed the temple services. And last but not least, and this bothers me more than I want to think about, where is the spiritual discernment on the part of the temple workers. My parents have been ordinance workers most of their elderly years. My dad says he cannot imagine that someone, somewhere hasn't caught this travesty in action. Bizarre.

[mfbukowski]

What I can't fathom is how these people manage to film the temple ceremonies. First, they have to get a temple recommend somewhere, it would be really depressing to think they have their own and then film everything in the temple for youtube to abuse it. Secondly, they have to take their cell phone out at some point to do the filming. And NO ONE EVER SEES THIS? As you know, many different people have filmed the temple services. And last but not least, and this bothers me more than I want to think about, where is the spiritual discernment on the part of the temple workers. My parents have been ordinance workers most of their elderly years. My dad says he cannot imagine that someone, somewhere hasn't caught this travesty in action. Bizarre.

I haven't watched the movies enough to try to analyze if they were in actual temples or reenactments, and besides who knows all the temples enough to recognize which one?

If I wanted to do that I would just go with a reenactment and maybe try to make it look like the real thing. Dunno.

[canard78]

I haven't watched the movies enough to try to analyze if they were in actual temples or reenactments, and besides who knows all the temples enough to recognize which one?

If I wanted to do that I would just go with a reenactment and maybe try to make it look like the real thing. Dunno.

The guy has sadly filmed in at least two temples. One live and one with the video. I think he has something more sophisticated than a smartphone. I think it's buttonhole/glasses frame technology.

[BlueDreams]

So I went last night to Timp was extremely busy. They had to have extra temple session up until 9:30 or so at night. I got there for the 8 session and waited an hour to get in. (it was a perfect storm of new vid, lots of endowments being done for new people, a spanish session, and the two neighboring temples being closed....most of my session were provo temp patrons). Unfortunately I got a migraine while waiting. Even with a migraine throughout the session, the video was wonderful and it had the funny effect of doing the opposite throughout the session of what often happen when you go tired/ill: being wide awake for the video and knocking out with the lights on.

All the waiting did have a benefit: the temple president came to speak to us. He gave some fun facts about the creation of the new endowment that I'd thought I'd share (there all technical and nothing specific about the actual film content).

- it was 3 year long endeavor to make it. The production was kept tightly under wraps.

- The video's "world premiere" (his words, not mine) happened last Saturday in the Timpanogas temple for two specially constructed sessions where the patrons involved were pre-invited to come (At least some of them were cast members/filming crew). The couple that played adam and eve were the witness couple for it

- the Temple pres had heard nothing about any other versions but figures if there was it would be sprung out similarly to how this new version was. The temple got little forewarning for the premiere and did not tell the workers on their shifts until the morning it was to be made open to the patron's (which was this tuesday and about half of all US temples received the same notice).

- Timp, to accomodate for the new presentation format, will have to lower the amount of endowment sessions available in the days (which averaged, apparently, 29.....7 slots were removed)

- the translations will be available sometime next year. He stated that the slowness were for certain languages that would lead to rapid translating, where the ideas couldn't be adequately expressed in the time alotted in the old film. He mentioned african languages as a specific example

- the Presidency are "adamant" (again, his words, not mine) that both films are of equal spiritual value.

As for the video itself. My immediate, non-specific impressions:

- i think it was one of the best creation depiction that I've seen. I was getting to the point where the other depiction was rote and scriptural depictions weren't all that distinctive in my head. It really came to life again in this depiction

- they've changed all of the voices, including those throughout the session. It had an added effect of helping me to focus on wording that had previously been kinda skipped over in my head....or felt separated from the video for some reason.

- all of the characters seem more distinctive. Eve and satan though, in their expressions and actions seemed to have the greatest face lift of sorts. It was extremely helpful and was astounding to see just how more emotion and expressions in the face could expand one's view of them through film. Eve came off as more decisive and ponderous throughout the film. Satan became far more subtle and beguiling.....someone you might actually want to follow

- Overall it was a huge success. I found myself not wanting the video to end (again, with a migraine) and plotting when I could come back to see it again. I'm looking forward to seeing it again and again in the future. If you can go and there's the new video I'd highly recommend going. Of course if there wasn't, I'd still highly recommend going soon.

WIth luv,

BD

Edited August 4, 2013 by BlueDreams

[Calm]

The couple that played adam and eve were the witness couple for it

Very cool.

[Tacenda]

So I went last night to Timp was extremely busy. They had to have extra temple session up until 9:30 or so at night. I got there for the 8 session and waited an hour to get in. (it was a perfect storm of new vid, lots of endowments being done for new people, a spanish session, and the two neighboring temples being closed....most of my session were provo temp patrons). Unfortunately I got a migraine while waiting. Even with a migraine throughout the session, the video was wonderful and it had the funny effect of doing the opposite throughout the session of what often happen when you go tired/ill: being wide awake for the video and knocking out with the lights on.

All the waiting did have a benefit: the temple president came to speak to us. He gave some fun facts about the creation of the new endowment that I'd thought I'd share (there all technical and nothing specific about the actual film content).

- it was 3 year long endeavor to make it. The production was kept tightly under wraps.

- The video's "world premiere" (his words, not mine) happened last Saturday in the Timpanogas temple for two specially constructed sessions where the patrons involved were pre-invited to come (At least some of them were cast members/filming crew). The couple that played adam and eve were the witness couple for it

- the Temple pres had heard nothing about any other versions but figures if there was it would be sprung out similarly to how this new version was. The temple got little forewarning for the premiere and did not tell the workers on their shifts until the morning it was to be made open to the patron's (which was this tuesday and about half of all US temples received the same notice).

- Timp, to accomodate for the new presentation format, will have to lower the amount of endowment sessions available in the days (which averaged, apparently, 29.....7 slots were removed)

- the translations will be available sometime next year. He stated that the slowness were for certain languages that would lead to rapid translating, where the ideas couldn't be adequately expressed in the time alotted in the old film. He mentioned african languages as a specific example

- the Presidency are "adamant" (again, his words, not mine) that both films are of equal spiritual value.

As for the video itself. My immediate, non-specific impressions:

- i think it was one of the best creation depiction that I've seen. I was getting to the point where the other depiction was rote and scriptural depictions weren't all that distinctive in my head. It really came to life again in this depiction

- they've changed all of the voices, including those throughout the session. It had an added effect of helping me to focus on wording that had previously been kinda skipped over in my head....or felt separated from the video for some reason.

- all of the characters seem more distinctive. Eve and satan though, in their expressions and actions seemed to have the greatest face lift of sorts. It was extremely helpful and was astounding to see just how more emotion and expressions in the face could expand one's view of them through film. Eve came off as more decisive and ponderous throughout the film. Satan became far more subtle and beguiling.....someone you might actually want to follow

- Overall it was a huge success. I found myself not wanting the video to end (again, with a migraine) and plotting when I could come back to see it again. I'm looking forward to seeing it again and again in the future. If you can go and there's the new video I'd highly recommend going. Of course if there wasn't, I'd still highly recommend going soon.

WIth luv,

BD

Do you still have to pay 10% to see the movie?....just kidding of course, my husband said this after reading to him your excellent review of the new movie, while on the road to Independence, Missouri.

[BlueDreams]

Do you still have to pay 10% to see the movie?....just kidding of course, my husband said this after reading to him your excellent review of the new movie, while on the road to Independence, Missouri.

Tell your husband my response is: No, I get to.

thanks and have a nice trip to missouri

With luv,

BD

Edited August 4, 2013 by BlueDreams

[Garden Girl]

They looked discouraged and they looked depressed. I walked up to them and introduced myself and told them what ward I belonged to and they reached out to me like two starving animals. Young boys. Still green around the ears. I asked them how their mission was going and they of course said. "Oh good. It has been a blessing, blah blah blah" And I said. "Then why do you look SO SAD?" And one of them just broke down. Said "Sister, we can't get anyone to even listen to us here. Their hearts are hardened while we are just trying to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. We miss our families." I just stood there......And then I said...."Listen up Elders. You leave your families for two years to teach others how to live with theirs in eternity. You have a job to do. I have raised nine children in this Church. I lost one to meningitis at age two. How do you think I got through that Elders? I got through it because I know Matthew is doing GREAT things for his Heavenly Father somewhere and somehow and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt I will see him again because he is OURS! If some missionary hadn't come knocking on the door a hundred years ago and talked to my family I wouldn't know that guys. So get up. Cowboy up. Do your job. You aren't working for some boss here. You are working for your Heavenly Father." They both stared at me for about 2 minutes. Then one said, "Sister, you saved my mission today." And I drove home in the rain......

Kassie...

You probably have no idea just how important it was that you responded to these young men as you did... well, one did express what it meant to him... bless you for your words of wisdom so needed at that very time. I pray always for the mishes that they won't become discouraged... they really are "in the lion's den" as far as being out there in the world, trying to spread the gospel.

What I can't fathom is how these people manage to film the temple ceremonies. First, they have to get a temple recommend somewhere, it would be really depressing to think they have their own and then film everything in the temple for youtube to abuse it. Secondly, they have to take their cell phone out at some point to do the filming. And NO ONE EVER SEES THIS? As you know, many different people have filmed the temple services. And last but not least, and this bothers me more than I want to think about, where is the spiritual discernment on the part of the temple workers. My parents have been ordinance workers most of their elderly years. My dad says he cannot imagine that someone, somewhere hasn't caught this travesty in action. Bizarre.

I know it's hard to believe someone would actually film what we consider to be sacred and then ridicule it by putting it online somehow... but, I do know of someone who has "issues" who stated he'd like to do just that... as far as how they do it, you'd be surprised at the sophisticated devices... like glasses with a tiny camera built into the frames, etc... they don't need cell phones, etc. or some device that would be obvious to the workers or patrons sitting nearby.

I served as an ordinance worker for six years, every week (loved it). In our prayer meeting before each shift, we would receive instructions on how to handle any circumstance that might arise (including watching for recording devices), always with the intent of helping to make the temple experience for our patrons as comfortable, wonderful and spiritual as we could so that no one would feel embarrassed or uncomfortable. We were always on the alert for anything inappropriate... how sad really...

GG