Popular Post poptart Posted July 1, 2017 Popular Post Posted July 1, 2017 Just thought I'd say you people are wonderful. For all the crap, insanity and mental insability you put up with, this is why I have any interest in the church at all. When I was struggling it was the church and a few of its members who bothered to do anything. It's sad, Christianity in the states is a bit of a cruel joke, most of my friends who are getting/are divorced had spouses who loved Jesus, half of em cheated. Even when I worked at DI the compassion was overwhelming, the stuff the managers put up with was simply astounding. fun fact, I love thrift stores and its disgusting the garbage most people just dump, DI had standards. Even the ward I go to when I can is simply fantastic, i've never seen any religious body in the USA spend so much of their time and money on non members. It's no suprise the LDS seem to do so well, they actually take care of eachother both temporaly and spiritually. 6
Calm Posted July 1, 2017 Posted July 1, 2017 Appreciate the compliment. I do think we can do great things when we focus on others and not ourselves. I don't believe LDS are unique in this, but our church is structured to provide us with a lot of opportunities, so hopefully it becomes more than just an occasional gesture, it becomes a core part of our lives. 3
poptart Posted July 1, 2017 Author Posted July 1, 2017 12 minutes ago, Calm said: Appreciate the compliment. I do think we can do great things when we focus on others and not ourselves. I don't believe LDS are unique in this, but our church is structured to provide us with a lot of opportunities, so hopefully it becomes more than just an occasional gesture, it becomes a core part of our lives. It was poverty, being in a new place and having a restraining order out on someone that made me consider christianity. For the most part I felt like no one cared. There's so much poverty nowadays but there's no compassion anymore. Even the Catholic Church is strained.
juliann Posted July 2, 2017 Posted July 2, 2017 I just started watching a documentary called The Mormon Connection, a story of a group who spent 3 months traveling by relying on fellow Mormons for food and shelter. The number one worldly thing the church has produced is a community like no other. It is remarkable, even though it can have some pretty flawed individuals mucking about in it. 4
Robert F. Smith Posted July 2, 2017 Posted July 2, 2017 2 hours ago, poptart said: Just thought I'd say you people are wonderful. For all the crap, insanity and mental insability you put up with, this is why I have any interest in the church at all. When I was struggling it was the church and a few of its members who bothered to do anything. It's sad, Christianity in the states is a bit of a cruel joke, most of my friends who are getting/are divorced had spouses who loved Jesus, half of em cheated. Even when I worked at DI the compassion was overwhelming, the stuff the managers put up with was simply astounding. fun fact, I love thrift stores and its disgusting the garbage most people just dump, DI had standards. Even the ward I go to when I can is simply fantastic, i've never seen any religious body in the USA spend so much of their time and money on non members. It's no suprise the LDS seem to do so well, they actually take care of eachother both temporaly and spiritually. When me and my siblings were small (five of us), Mom would drive us to church each Sunday, and on the way she would lead in singing LDS children's songs, such as "Love one another, so said the Savior," and we all happily sang along. Just recalling that now fills me with warmth and joy. Tomorrow I will be in fast & testimony meeting with my fellow Saints, where I will be bathed in their testimonies and buoyed up by their greetings and smiles. It doesn't get any better than that . . . till Kingdom come. Thanks poptart. 4
poptart Posted July 2, 2017 Author Posted July 2, 2017 59 minutes ago, Robert F. Smith said: When me and my siblings were small (five of us), Mom would drive us to church each Sunday, and on the way she would lead in singing LDS children's songs, such as "Love one another, so said the Savior," and we all happily sang along. Just recalling that now fills me with warmth and joy. Tomorrow I will be in fast & testimony meeting with my fellow Saints, where I will be bathed in their testimonies and buoyed up by their greetings and smiles. It doesn't get any better than that . . . till Kingdom come. Thanks poptart. I'll be in gods country, watching Wodens ravens fly around, pic semi related. 3
Darren10 Posted July 2, 2017 Posted July 2, 2017 8 hours ago, poptart said: Just thought I'd say you people are wonderful. For all the crap, insanity and mental insability you put up with, this is why I have any interest in the church at all. When I was struggling it was the church and a few of its members who bothered to do anything. It's sad, Christianity in the states is a bit of a cruel joke, most of my friends who are getting/are divorced had spouses who loved Jesus, half of em cheated. Even when I worked at DI the compassion was overwhelming, the stuff the managers put up with was simply astounding. fun fact, I love thrift stores and its disgusting the garbage most people just dump, DI had standards. Even the ward I go to when I can is simply fantastic, i've never seen any religious body in the USA spend so much of their time and money on non members. It's no suprise the LDS seem to do so well, they actually take care of eachother both temporaly and spiritually. You're sounding better, my brother. That's wonderful! And I love Mormons too.
Darren10 Posted July 2, 2017 Posted July 2, 2017 8 hours ago, poptart said: It was poverty, being in a new place and having a restraining order out on someone that made me consider christianity. For the most part I felt like no one cared. There's so much poverty nowadays but there's no compassion anymore. Even the Catholic Church is strained. For what it's worth, the Catholic Church does an enormous good in the world and chaity is one of their core beliefs. 3
Jeanne Posted July 2, 2017 Posted July 2, 2017 Poptart..so proud of you for shouting out...and checking into life. I wish you the very best and I told ya...there are loving people out there who will love so unconditionally. Be you and do what makes you happy. You will shine! 2
Garden Girl Posted July 3, 2017 Posted July 3, 2017 (edited) On 7/2/2017 at 0:39 AM, Darren10 said: For what it's worth, the Catholic Church does an enormous good in the world and chaity is one of their core beliefs. And, there's certain instances when the Church partners with Catholic Charities so that humanitarian efforts are enhanced through cooperating and coordinating... for instance after a disaster of some type... GG Edited July 3, 2017 by Garden Girl 2
juliann Posted July 3, 2017 Posted July 3, 2017 9 hours ago, Garden Girl said: And, there's certain instances when the Church partners with Catholic Charities so that humanitarian efforts are enhanced through cooperating and coordinating... for instance after a disaster of some type... GG Our RS is partnering with Catholic (don't remember the group's name) to help out a refugee family. 3
Rain Posted July 3, 2017 Posted July 3, 2017 (edited) 4 hours ago, juliann said: Our RS is partnering with Catholic (don't remember the group's name) to help out a refugee family. I'd guess that is Catholic Charities (Catholic Charities Community Services). They do a lot to help refugees in Phoenix. It's cool to see the different organizations work together. One day I saw a man from the Lutheran charity who often provides beds for the refugees helping a mormon, a central christian and one other church move furniture into a refugee apartment. Loved seeing the 4 churches work together. Edited July 3, 2017 by Rain 3
poptart Posted July 12, 2017 Author Posted July 12, 2017 Considering the rants I post here, makes me realize how great all of you are for putting up with me.
Meerkat Posted July 14, 2017 Posted July 14, 2017 Poptart, there is a lot of love and sincerity expressed in these forums by nearly everyone here, you included. You have expressed beautifully what most of us feel when you said: On 7/12/2017 at 4:58 PM, poptart said: Considering the rants I post here, makes me realize how great all of you are for putting up with me. Thank you for being here and sharing your heart felt feelings with us, your brothers and sisters.
poptart Posted July 18, 2017 Author Posted July 18, 2017 On 7/14/2017 at 3:08 AM, Meerkat said: Poptart, there is a lot of love and sincerity expressed in these forums by nearly everyone here, you included. You have expressed beautifully what most of us feel when you said: Thank you for being here and sharing your heart felt feelings with us, your brothers and sisters. If only I had them IRL, if only i mattered that much.
Meerkat Posted July 18, 2017 Posted July 18, 2017 (edited) 9 hours ago, poptart said: If only I had them IRL, if only i mattered that much. Poptart, you matter more than you realize. Your loving Heavenly Father has a lot invested in you. The Scriptures are full of how important you are. Take 1 John 3:1-3, for instance: "1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." Imagine, Poptart. We shall be like Him. At a low point in my life, perhaps like where you are now, I reached out to God, and Jesus Christ came into my life. I started to pray and read the Scriptures. The more I did that, the more I felt God leading me out of the dark place I was in. Despair was replaced by joy. Listening to your comments and questions, I can tell you are wading through some darkness. But you are moving toward the light. All these experiences are for your good. You will soon see how truly important you are to your Heavenly Father. You have infinite worth. You are worth more than the stars. Now that you have framed the question, "How much do I matter," it's time to get to work and find out. And it will take effort on your part. The easiest thing to do is complain. But that doesn't get you anywhere. Somehow, we each need to discover hope and then move forward expecting a loving God to lead you along, because He will. I believe He is, and you are just beginning to see it. One if my favorite authors, C.S. Lewis had an interesting quotation that I believe is true. It describes who you are and what you are becoming. All of this hard stuff, this very hard stuff we wade through, has great meaning. You are lifting spiritual weights and becoming stronger. Hang in there. The best is yet to come. This is the kind of being I believe you are becoming: "It may be possible for each to think too much of his own potential glory hereafter; it is hardly possible for him to think too often or too deeply about that of his neighbor. The load, or weight, or burden of my neighbor’s glory should be laid daily on my back, a load so heavy that only humility can carry it, and the backs of the proud will be broken. It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilization—these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit—immortal horrors or everlasting splendors. This does not mean that we are to be perpetually solemn. We must play. But our merriment must be of that kind (and it is, in fact, the merriest kind) which exists between people who have, from the outset, taken each other seriously—no flippancy, no superiority, no presumption. And our charity must be real and costly love, with deep feeling for the sins in spite of which we love the sinner—no mere tolerance or indulgence which parodies love as flippancy parodies merriment. Next to the Blessed Sacrament itself, your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses." From C.S. Lewis in: —The Weight of Glory (HarperOne, 2001), pp. 45-46. Poptart, it's time to pray with real intent, having hope in Jesus Christ. It's time to pray and study the Scriptures, which include the Bible and Book of Mormon, another Testament of Jesus Christ. Invest some time. Your answers will come. You are a child of God. He has sent you here. Edited July 18, 2017 by Meerkat 1
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