Speculations for General Conference

[Rain]

 

On 9/16/2018 at 4:33 PM, bsjkki said:

“Touché”

I also heard from a friend whose son is preparing for a service mission because of a severe pet allergy, that the Stake President told her today that they are making more changes to service missions.

You reminded me of one of my companions. Her doctor reccomend  her not going anywhere hot or humid. She went to....Houston. She spent two months in the mission with me and before leaving she was on , I think, 10 different meds. The last doctor she saw said not to go in hoses with cats. We thought that tracting message would be fun - "we are missionaries....We would like to come in and share with you if you don't have cats."  She ended up changing missions to temple square and health wise that was so much better for her.

Edited September 18, 2018 by Rain

[Meerkat]

Vending machines in the cultural hall.  

[Duncan]

On 9/16/2018 at 11:21 PM, Rain said:

 

You reminded me of one of my companions. Her doctor reccomend ed her not going anywhere hot or humid. She went to....Houston. She spent to months in the mission with me and before leaving she was on , I think, 10 different meds. The last doctor she saw said not to go in hoses with cats. We thought that tracing message would be fun - "we are missionaries....We would like to come in and share with you if you don't have cats."  She ended up changing missions to temple square and health wise that was so much better for her.

there's a lady that was here, she's moved now, but she went to Houston as well but she was Vegetarian! hahahahhaha!

[Duncan]

https://www.mormonlight.org/2018/09/17/if-you-thought-last-general-conference-was-exciting-buckle-up/

 

"snowflake in a snowstorm" apparently is the buzz word for this general conference

[rockpond]

2 hours ago, Duncan said:

https://www.mormonlight.org/2018/09/17/if-you-thought-last-general-conference-was-exciting-buckle-up/

 

"snowflake in a snowstorm" apparently is the buzz word for this general conference

I stopped reading when they began quoting Greg Trimble on why people leave the church.  SMH. 

But, there is definitely a lot of buzz around this conference.  And, I think there have been a number of Q12/FP addresses recently that speak to us being prepared for changes. 

[Duncan]

6 minutes ago, rockpond said:

I stopped reading when they began quoting Greg Trimble on why people leave the church.  SMH. 

But, there is definitely a lot of buzz around this conference.  And, I think there have been a number of Q12/FP addresses recently that speak to us being prepared for changes. 

off topic, what does "SMH" mean?

[Calm]

1 minute ago, Duncan said:

off topic, what does "SMH" mean?

Shaking my head usually

[Judd]

7 hours ago, Calm said:

Shaking my head usually

No, that’s SMHU.

[Calm]

37 minutes ago, Judd said:

No, that’s SMHU.

(The Snort looks angry for some reason, but that would be a Sniff! not a Snort! So the wobbly face must be from the root beer that went up through its nose when it was startled into snorting with laughter.)

Edited September 21, 2018 by Calm

[Bernard Gui]

On 9/18/2018 at 6:20 AM, Meerkat said:

Vending machines in the cultural hall.  

We could have used those in the old Tacoma chapel so the Aaronic Priesthood boys wouldn't have to sneak off to Frisco Freeze for treats during meetings.

[Avatar4321]

Maybe instead of speculating what will happen at conference next month, we should be making plans to soften our hearts and be prepared for the messages

[Scott Lloyd]

17 minutes ago, Avatar4321 said:

Maybe instead of speculating what will happen at conference next month, we should be making plans to soften our hearts and be prepared for the messages

In view of all the murmuring that ensued following the prophet’s recent direction regarding the name of the Church, I think there is a lot of heart softening that needs to be done. 

[Avatar4321]

14 hours ago, Scott Lloyd said:

In view of all the murmuring that ensued following the prophet’s recent direction regarding the name of the Church, I think there is a lot of heart softening that needs to be done. 

Problem is those who need it most  are least likely to do it.

i challenge everyone heard to read, listen to, or study the Book of Mormon straight through as much as you can before conference. And be praying for the Lord to soften your heart

[clarkgoble]

On 9/15/2018 at 8:37 AM, Rain said:

Why do you feel it is too short for stateside? I assume you mean for English speaking stateside since you were replying to a post about languages. As a sister, I'm hard pressed to figure out what the difference would have been for me had I stayed 6 months longer. 

Can't speak for sisters but with young men they're often immature and by the time they figure things out it's usually near their year mark. So you end up with 18 month missions having missionaries who are effective for around six months. I think changing the age to 18 instead of 19 had a similar effect since for many (not all) young men they're immature and have a harder time becoming effective. 

I don't expect any changes this fall mind you, but I think changing the missionary age back to 19 would be very helpful.

On 9/16/2018 at 2:19 PM, Avatar4321 said:

I doubt President Nelson is making any changes.

The Lord, on the other hand....

Not necessarily. God often gives vague directions that his designated servants have to figure out how to implement. Sometimes, as with the Brother of Jared, they can ask for help from God with those implementations. But glowing rocks was the Brother of Jared's idea, not God's. In the same way the Apostles and particularly the First Presidency have the responsibility. That frequently means God gives them the responsibility to figure out how to implement more vague directives God gives them. Further, since they have the authority, we should sustain them in this even if it may mean mistakes along the way.

The idea that every policy or plan the President implements is dictated in detail by God seems a deeply problematic position. One can respect their authority without assuming everything is revealed completely.

[Rain]

14 hours ago, Avatar4321 said:

Maybe instead of speculating what will happen at conference next month, we should be making plans to soften our hearts and be prepared for the messages

I think you can both have fun, wondering and talking about what may happen, and softening and preparing our hearts, especially when things like the vending machine get thrown in.  It doesn't have to be a thing of criticism.

[Kate]

We had a change in stake presidency Sunday, so had two General Authorities at our Stake Conference. The talks were fantastic, and one said, October conference would be historic, and "fasten your seatbelts!"  He gave great counsel, follow the counsel of Pres. Nelson last conference, "In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost."  Prepare yourself for this conference. Learn to receive revelation from on High. Learn to learn from the spirit. That's only a smidgeon of what he said, but have no time to give you more.

[Kate]

Also this.  It's a recent BYU devotional that I watched after I came home from Stake Conference and it hit on much of what I felt at Stake Conference...though directed to students, it's still very relevant to us. Worth the watch.

[Anijen]

Elder Brian Taylor will become an Apostle, maybe not this GC, but one day...)

 

[gopher]

The only change I'd like to see is swapping the General Priesthood and Women's sessions.  Right now I miss the second half of the first NCAA Final Four men's basketball game and the first half of the second.  It would be nice to see the church be considerate of those of us living outside the state of Utah that are fans of teams that have an actual chance to make it to the Final Four. 

[Gray]

First announcement, first session: "The cleaning assignments will increase until morale improves."

[rongo]

6 minutes ago, Gray said:

First announcement, first session: "The cleaning assignments will increase until morale improves."

That'll only affect the three families who do it all the time . . .  

[The Nehor]

1 hour ago, Gray said:

First announcement, first session: "The cleaning assignments will increase until morale improves."

Anyone who cleans the chapel at least once a month when it is their ward’s turn only owes 8% tithing for the year.

[rongo]

1 minute ago, The Nehor said:

Anyone who cleans the chapel at least once a month when it is their ward’s turn only owes 8% tithing for the year.

Our family cleaned the church every week for about two years, many years ago. No one would do it, and I like the Church to look nice (and don't want it to look dirty and uncared for). I was elders quorum president at the time, and constantly invited members to help, but if/when they wouldn't, then we did it. Our kids were little, and we had them help us. 

Even now, we do it more than our share, and I always ask to do the bathrooms (I like them to be well-done). Many members act like they really don't want to clean the church, and I don't understand that. You really do feel the spirit, you take pride in how our buildings look, and you feel like you are doing your part to build and maintain Zion. I think the people who cheerfully (not reluctantly or petulantly) help out are rewarded a hundred-fold. 

A couple of years ago, we had about twenty people helping clean. There were so many people, we came up with little detailing jobs and things that don't usually get done (lemon oil on wood doors, dusting the ledges high up in the gym, all mopping, etc.). It was hard to come up with enough meaningful jobs. An inactive family who had been seeking welfare assistance came 45 minutes into cleaning, and I literally had nothing for them to do. I invited them to help me get the last bathroom, and the mom said, "We were actually hoping you just had something easy for us to do. We don't want to do bathrooms." I told them, sorry, that's literally the only thing left, and I had already gotten two of the three. They left.  

[The Nehor]

2 minutes ago, rongo said:

Our family cleaned the church every week for about two years, many years ago. No one would do it, and I like the Church to look nice (and don't want it to look dirty and uncared for). I was elders quorum president at the time, and constantly invited members to help, but if/when they wouldn't, then we did it. Our kids were little, and we had them help us. 

Even now, we do it more than our share, and I always ask to do the bathrooms (I like them to be well-done). Many members act like they really don't want to clean the church, and I don't understand that. You really do feel the spirit, you take pride in how our buildings look, and you feel like you are doing your part to build and maintain Zion. I think the people who cheerfully (not reluctantly or petulantly) help out are rewarded a hundred-fold. 

A couple of years ago, we had about twenty people helping clean. There were so many people, we came up with little detailing jobs and things that don't usually get done (lemon oil on wood doors, dusting the ledges high up in the gym, all mopping, etc.). It was hard to come up with enough meaningful jobs. An inactive family who had been seeking welfare assistance came 45 minutes into cleaning, and I literally had nothing for them to do. I invited them to help me get the last bathroom, and the mom said, "We were actually hoping you just had something easy for us to do. We don't want to do bathrooms." I told them, sorry, that's literally the only thing left, and I had already gotten two of the three. They left.  

I think I would have asked them to count the parking lot spaces to make sure none of them were missing.....or alphabetize the hymn books or something along those lines.

[The Nehor]

New theory, the long awaited and sought after fulfillment of this quasi-prophecy:

‘I have no doubt but concubinage will yet be practiced in this church, but I had not thought of it in this connection. When the nations are troubled good women will come here for safety and blessing, and men will accept them as concubines.' -President Snow