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Thoughts on conference


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3 hours ago, Maidservant said:

The desire not to be excommunicated? That's why I don't do it. I have gotten as close as I can. I have had my children kneel by me (I'm usually sitting on the bed), and place my hand on their shoulder and "pray over them" which is simply a prayer, but specifically for them. I do not do it more formally, with hands on head, and invoking heaven, because I am afraid. I am afraid I will break the universe or at least get crossways with Church/God. As far as I can tell, a mother's blessing is not sanctioned, encouraged, taught, allowed, and ZERO ZERO mention as even a thing. I'm surprised that you feel free with it; and I am very glad to hear it, actually. Ultimately in the universe in God's plan? I don't know, I suspect it was always meant to be. Here and now? Absolutely not.

There is a long established ordinance for priesthood blessings of the sick with consecrated oil and the laying on of hands.

I am not aware of anything that would prevent a mother from blessing a child in the sanctity of her home through faith and prayer. Not with oil, of course, and perhaps not with laying on of hands, which IMO is uniquely part of priesthood ordinances. It is often done in certain other ordinances such as confirmation, ordination, setting apart, temple, etc. It is always accompanied by a statement of the priesthood authority of the officiator.

A mother’s prayer of faith is not only desirable and laudable but even fundamental. I’m not sure laying on of hands makes it more efficacious. 

For example, when my dad was an Adult Aaronic Priesthood member, he offered a prayer of faith for me when I was injured in a sport activity. He did not lay on hands. His prayer was answered immediately. 

I see no reason why you should be so terrified to bless your children. A prayer of faith is acceptable to the Lord.  If you think laying on of hands would for some reason make it more powerful, you can do as you wish. Who would know? 

Edited by Bernard Gui
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27 minutes ago, Bernard Gui said:

Maybe we can finally knock off the bellyaching about how little the Church supposedly gives to humanitarian assistance. 

Maybe, but what fun would that be?😒

Edited by Kenngo1969
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7 minutes ago, bluebell said:

Why does being happy about any member being able to witness at a baptism, even a child, seem embarrassing to you?  Can you elaborate?

I am just saying...if they are going to allow children/young adults to witness...why sure the women can...is there anything that seems "special" for the woman??  It is kind of...well if we let the children do  it....we will have to let the adult women do it....there is nothing special "for her" in all of this (IMO).  I am not saying that as a church this is not some kind of progress...but don't you want something special that is just for you???  At least something that might prove more respective as a mother of a 12 year old that can do the same thing?

Edited by Jeanne
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9 minutes ago, Tacenda said:

That's one of the drawbacks of being a member in this church. I hope the church is going to walk back things like this. They shouldn't be middle men to our abilities to do what we think is best. 

Seriously?

Quote

 

I agree that it is wonderful that the countries with these needs are being addressed. But like the video below, I want more. Sorry, but with what the church can do and what it does, there is a huge gulf. 

 

More bellyaching? If you think the Church is holding back, increase your fast offerings for a start. 

 

Edited by Bernard Gui
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1 minute ago, Jeanne said:

I am just saying...if they are going to allow children/young adults to witness...why sure the women can...is there anything that seems "special" for the woman??  It is kind of...well if we let the children do  it....we will have to let the adult women do it....there is nothing special "for her" in all of this (IMO).  I am not saying that as a church this is not some kind of progress...but don't you want something special that is just for you???

How about being a mother?

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2 minutes ago, SteveO said:

How about being a mother?

Oh that is wonderful....nothing more special than that...so allow her to enter a circle of priesthood holders to bless her child.  DuH!!  I am sure you are a father...so???? 

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1 hour ago, The Nehor said:

While I would always recommend a Priesthood blessing I would interpret the warning against non-Priesthood holders ministering to the sick is limited to a pantomime of Priesthood ordinances and not through healing through the Gifts of the Spirit.

Of course. That is precisely what I have been saying. Perhaps I should be more explicit. 

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40 minutes ago, Bernard Gui said:

Maybe we can finally knock off the bellyaching about how little the Church supposedly gives to humanitarian assistance. 

Maybe, but what fun would that be? :huh: :unknw: 

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11 minutes ago, Kenngo1969 said:
38 minutes ago, Bernard Gui said:

Maybe we can finally knock off the bellyaching about how little the Church supposedly gives to humanitarian assistance. 

Maybe, but what fun would that be?😒

Then there are those critics who say the church should not be bragging about what they do. 

"But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:"
That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. (Matt 6: 3-4)

But of course if we don't let people know what we are doing they will claim we aren't doing anything. 
I think rather than bragging to the world, President Nelson is speaking to the choir, so to speak, and just letting us know that something is being done with the Fast offerings that are donated which helps to encourage us to continue to do so. 

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56 minutes ago, Maidservant said:

Thank you for the encouragement, I do mean that.

However, I am not afraid of praying for my child.

I am afraid of giving a blessing to my child.

And the distinction between the two.

The difference is prayer is speaking to God and a blessing is speaking for God. I would only do the latter if you have the Spirit guiding you in what to say. I find it always works when I give a Priesthood blessing even though there is a very brief moment of panic that this time it will not work. It always does. I have seen women and men not giving a blessing go into this “mode” (for lack of a better word) when prophesying or using other gifts of the spirit so if it comes to you do it. :)

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I don't know how big Islamophobia is in the Church these days; anecdotally,  I've seen that many people from my mission and much of my extended family subscribe to that unfortunate ideology.

Hopefully the pictures and account of President Nelson with the Christchurch imams, delivered over the pulpit, will cause them to reconsider.

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14 minutes ago, The Nehor said:

The difference is prayer is speaking to God and a blessing is speaking for God.

There is a in between as well.  Speaking in faith and knowing by the spirit God will honor the blessing you leave.

That is neither a prayer requesting a blessing nor an administration leaving God's blessing.

That is you sealing your blessing upon someone and knowing God will fulfill it.  There are numerous examples of this middle ground.

Edited by JLHPROF
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33 minutes ago, Jeanne said:

I am just saying...if they are going to allow children/young adults to witness...why sure the women can...is there anything that seems "special" for the woman??  It is kind of...well if we let the children do  it....we will have to let the adult women do it....there is nothing special "for her" in all of this (IMO).  I am not saying that as a church this is not some kind of progress...but don't you want something special that is just for you???  At least something that might prove more respective as a mother of a 12 year old that can do the same thing?

Nope, nothing specific for only adult women in that change.

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6 minutes ago, JLHPROF said:

There is a in between as well.  Speaking in faith and knowing by the spirit God will honor the blessing you leave.

That is neither a prayer requesting a blessing nor an administration leaving God's blessing.

That is you sealing your blessing upon someone and knowing God will fulfill it.  There are numerous examples of this middle ground.

I would see that as speaking for God.

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1 hour ago, Bernard Gui said:

Maybe we can finally knock off the bellyaching about how little the Church supposedly gives to humanitarian assistance. 

In three ... two ... one ... aaaaaaaand, on cue ...

1 hour ago, Tacenda said:

That's one of the drawbacks of being a member in this church. I hope the church is going to walk back things like this. They shouldn't be middle men to our abilities to do what we think is best. 

 

I agree that it is wonderful that the countries with these needs are being addressed. But like the video below, I want more. Sorry, but with what the church can do and what it does, there is a huge gulf. 

 

Thanks for not disappointing Tacenda! ;) 

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42 minutes ago, OGHoosier said:

I don't know how big Islamophobia is in the Church these days; anecdotally,  I've seen that many people from my mission and much of my extended family subscribe to that unfortunate ideology.

Hopefully the pictures and account of President Nelson with the Christchurch imams, delivered over the pulpit, will cause them to reconsider.

Pretty sure that was very intentional.

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33 minutes ago, The Nehor said:

I would see that as speaking for God.

"Bless this saint, curse this sinner, and mountain move."

God: "Ok, I'm on it because of your faith."

Not a prayer asking God for favor, not God directing.  In between.  God honoring a righteous servant.

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18 hours ago, bluebell said:
19 hours ago, JLHPROF said:

You mean "Taken in by the Light"?

Great job she did on that.

You could be being sarcastic and I'm just not getting it, but if not, he probably means Embraced by the Light by Betty Eadie (a member of the church).  She wrote it in 1992 and it was a huge bestseller for years.   :D 

Elder Boyd K Packer actually came out and said the book was "bunk" way back then.

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22 hours ago, Peacefully said:

Was he trying to make a joke or did the audience just take it that way? It really hit me wrong as I am sealed to a man who is also sealed to his first wife. 

Not sure if he intended it as a joke, per se, but I thought it was pretty funny.  So did my wife.

It's funny because here people are concerned that somehow exaltation will be uncomfortable because some condition that they have no hope of understanding while in mortality might occur in the Celestial Kingdom.  President Oaks' message was: "Trust in the Lord!"  To which I might add: "Stop worrying about things you have no hope of understanding!"  Do you not think that God will make things perfect for you?  And that you will understand perfectly at that time, and be at genuine peace about it?

We don't understand anything.  We think we have an inkling, but our inkling isn't even a glimmer.  One of the most brilliant physicists of all time, the late Stephen Hawking, was found just the other week to have been wrong about some aspect of quantum physics related to black holes, a subject to which he had devoted a lot of brainpower.  If Hawking made a mistake about quantum physics, as brilliant as he was, do you really think you or I can understand now what it will be like to stand in the central square of the Celestial Kingdom (if it has one) and know what God knows?  

You're perhaps thinking that as the second wife your standing will be as second-class or second fiddle.  If so, you're thinking on an earthly plane, not a heavenly one.  I say, please don't worry about it, because it will all be well.

My late wife once had a dream that she was going to have to share me with another woman in eternity.  I asked her if this bothered her, and she said that it did right now, at least a little bit, but that she felt like things would be so different in eternity that it wouldn't matter.  I was surprised, because she had a bit of a jealous streak.  It says to me that she was thinking on a heavenly plane at that time.  

I have a different but related problem.  My wife died a few years ago, and I found a new companion -- something I honestly didn't expect in my 'old age' (I was 65).  I am deeply in love with my new wife; truth be told I feel closer to her than I've ever felt to anyone else, ever.  But she is sealed to another man, who lived a righteous life and died in full communion with Christ.  In the eternities, I will have to give up my new wife, for we are married for Time Only.  Her late husband will have the privilege of being with her eternity, not I.  Does this bother me?  I'll be honest, and say "Yes, a little".  But I fully realize that I am in mortality, and my understanding is that of a mortal.  So I just "suck it up" and console myself with the fact that if I am counted worthy of the Celestial Kingdom none of this will bother me because my joy will be full, so full that these little zingers I feel in mortality will have dwindled to nothing.

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