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Does anybody know the exact quote about welcoming people into our chapels, and the smell of cigarette smoke should be welcomed in church or something like that? I’ve searched for it on here, and there have been several references to it, but no exact quotes. I can’t figure out who actually said it, or if it’s just one of those sayings that nobody really said, but gets attributed to somebody anyway. I’ve searched for it online as well, and haven’t come up with anything. Does anybody know what I’m talking about, or am I completely nuts (wouldn’t be a stretch!)? 
All I remember is hearing on some podcast with someone saying their SP was good about creating a big tent and he scolded the congregation in stake conference saying, “If I have to put ashtrays in the foyers to make our meetings welcoming I will do it!” It was years ago. It could take me several sleepless days to find the reference and it might not even be admissible in court. Is this the one? Quote:On Smelling Cigarette Smoke in Sacrament Meeting
Some recent discussions have reminded me of something I have heard more than once…something along these lines:
“We should smell more cigarette smoke in sacrament meeting.”
I recently heard a story about a woman who, as a child, was shunned by ward members because her dad (not active) smoked, and therefore the children smelled like smoke.
This should not be!
Of course, there are many other things we could include besides Word of Wisdom problems that may test our ability to withhold judgment and instead reach out in love. We are probably all aware of people who struggle because they feel different and/or inadequate in some way. The list could be endless, I’m sure (people might feel different because they are divorced, or single, or infertile, or struggling with mental illness, or struggling with physical illness, or “liberal,” or doubtful, or….)
Elder Marlin K. Jensen spoke at our regional conference about this, and reminded us that, in some way or another, at some time or another, we will likely all feel ‘different.’ I was so moved by his talk because of how often I have felt different. (I still have yet to write about what his talk meant to me that day; it was a direct answer to prayer. Maybe someday I will.)
We really are all broken, and that’s part of the plan, part of the purpose of mortality. And a significant part of our Church membership and activity is to learn to love and work with and reach out to imperfect people and remember that we are all inadequate, all beggars.
http://iammullingandmusing.blogspot.com/2008/11/on-smelling-cigarette-smoke-in.html Here’s another one by SWK:
Quote:Legend has it that an LDS president, possibly Spencer W. Kimball, said he liked the smell of tobacco in church because it meant “a smoker felt welcome.”
My SP (about 15 years ago in Taylorsville. UT) said that. He was tired of members wrinkling their noses up when they smelled cigarette smoke on people. He said he would put ashtrays outside every church entrance until our stake members got the message that ALL are welcome. It was a great message. When he was a teenager, he was a surf bum from an inactive family, and he only came to church because he was completely loved and accepted for who he was. I’ve shared that story on the site at least once before because I love it! hawkgrrrl wrote:My SP (about 15 years ago in Taylorsville. UT) said that. He was tired of members wrinkling their noses up when they smelled cigarette smoke on people. He said he would put ashtrays outside every church entrance until our stake members got the message that ALL are welcome. It was a great message. When he was a teenager, he was a surf bum from an inactive family, and he only came to church because he was completely loved and accepted for who he was. I’ve shared that story on the site at least once before because I love it!
And that is what I remembered hearing, but couldn’t attribute to where I heard it.Perfect!! Thanks so much for your responses. I knew I’d heard it referenced a couple of times on here, but couldn’t remember the source. Thanks!! just a side comment…my wife wrinkles her nose at cigarette smoke outside the hospital, restaurants, malls and movie theaters. When we watch old 70s and 80s shows that show people smoking at work and on airplanes…I wonder how that was never an issue? The smell is pretty strong and not good. It is different now and not really permitted in closed public areas much like it used to.
Having said that…I think the point is we welcome all people to our church meetings. And we get to practice christ-like behavior when there are some with BO or cigarette smoke. It is distracting, but we should try not to look down on others, even if they stink.
Years ago we had a bishop tell a young adult who smoked they were welcome at our activities…and if they needed to excuse himself to go across the street to smoke in the middle of the activity, he would even go visit with him while he needed to do that. I thought that was a good way to say it and mean it. The young adult never took him up on it.
I hadn’t heard any quotes…but appreciate the stuff above on it. Thanks.
Heber13 wrote:just a side comment…my wife wrinkles her nose at cigarette smoke outside the hospital, restaurants, malls and movie theaters.
When we watch old 70s and 80s shows that show people smoking at work and on airplanes…I wonder how that was never an issue? The smell is pretty strong and not good. It is different now and not really permitted in closed public areas much like it used to.
I can remember ashtrays in grocery stores in the late 80s, and have to wonder just how all these people older than me who claim to be horribly allergic to cigarette smoke managed to survive when by their claims they wouldn’t have been able to go buy milk without dying in the aisle.
Quote:Having said that…I think the point is we welcome all people to our church meetings. And we get to practice christ-like behavior when there are some with BO or cigarette smoke. It is distracting, but we should try not to look down on others, even if they stink.
Unless they smell like onions. Those people are just evil.
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