Area devotional?

[Anonymous]

We got last-minute word that there was a fireside being broadcast with Elder Ballard speaking yesterday at church. I think that this must be connected to that. I did not go. I had the social resources to handle church (including having my circulation cut off by my daughter holding my arm so much during the Primary Presentation Practice – which she aced her part in) and our Linger Longer and that was it.

[Anonymous]

mom3 wrote:

Boy am I glad I live on the left coast. Oh wait, I wouldn’t have gone anyway. Just reading this thread gives me eye-roll headache. Seriously. :crazy:

Which is exactly why I didn’t go…. I was expecting the prophet worship, and that would have been too much for me. I do respect and even revere Joseph Smith. Nevertheless, I don’t believe that his birthplace is sacred nor do I believe the “Sacred Grove” is sacred. The nearby temple may be sacred but not because anyone was born there or had a vision (which could have taken place anywhere) there. Even as a descendant of the Smiths I don’t think I would consider a birth place sacred. But maybe that’s just me. (And maybe I’m the only one who wonders why calling such a place sacred makes people think we worship Joseph Smith.)

[Anonymous]

Quote:

(And maybe I’m the only one who wonders why calling such a place sacred makes people think we worship Joseph Smith.)

Because we do.

I think if Hyrum and Joseph saw what we have done, they would be mortified. Yes Joseph made some major human gaffes (can you call polygamy a gaffe?) but he took 3 years from the time of the “vision” to even do anything with it. Even then it was kind of small and indirect. He was post-Mo before it was trendy to be so. He wanted to be untethered.

I have recently been immersed in Spiritualism/Manifesting/Mind-Soul stuff. The more I study, the more I imagine Joseph being a pre-cursor to a new age guru. “Whatever the mind of man can conceive, it can achieve.” It’s too long to go into. I keep thinking I will write a post on it. – But anyway, the early church was this rugged, Amish, Transcendental, thing. Not a hero – restoration story that it’s been made into.

Now having a “Three Cheers for Brigham Party” might work. But I think we take Joseph far away from what he saw himself as. And definitely Hyrum.

So out of respect to the Divine Experience Joseph had, I am actually deliberately avoiding the whole “Praise to Joe” experience next year. Sounds like I need to get a jump on that now.

[Anonymous]

Elder Uchtdorf did one for Southern California around 10 years ago or so. The only thing I remember from it is the joke he made, saying that his wife told him that Californians should have no problem understanding his accent because we’re used to our governor (Arnold Schwarzenegger at the time). 😆

[Anonymous]

And my final gripe on this – Why all the hoopla about “Church of Jesus Christ” and not making that our big ToDo. Go to Bethelem. Walk the Mount of Olives. Have our 200 Year birthday be Jesus Soaked. Even by Joseph’s only handwritten account – he goes to Jesus for a remission of sins. Let’s get back to Jesus.

Maybe I should tour the Holy Land instead.

[Anonymous]

felixfabulous wrote:

I read the DesNews article this morning and was struck by this line: “As an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, I have a solemn duty to face the Lord and deliver his message,” said President Ballard. “His words often include words of encouragement and expressions of love. They also include words of warning.”

Maybe what Ballard was saying is that he faces the Lord, and not the members of the church. His role is to deliver top down information, never bottom up to the Lord what the members are thinking. This is an old Packer talk.

Quote:

Elder Lee had agreed to give me counsel and some direction. He didn’t say much, nothing really in detail, but what he told me has saved me time and time again. “You must decide now which way you face,” he said. “Either you represent the teachers and students and champion their causes or you represent the Brethren who appointed you. You need to decide now which way you face.” then he added, “some of your predecessors faced the wrong way.” It took some hard and painful lessons before I understood his counsel. In time, I did understand, and my resolve to face the right way became irreversible.

Talk Found here

[Anonymous]

Quote:

Elder Lee had agreed to give me counsel and some direction. He didn’t say much, nothing really in detail, but what he told me has saved me time and time again. “You must decide now which way you face,” he said. “Either you represent the teachers and students and champion their causes or you represent the Brethren who appointed you. You need to decide now which way you face.” then he added, “some of your predecessors faced the wrong way.” It took some hard and painful lessons before I understood his counsel. In time, I did understand, and my resolve to face the right way became irreversible.

Thank you for reminding me why I don’t want to be an Ordained Woman. There are perks to being off the hook.

[Anonymous]

mom3 wrote:

Quote:

(And maybe I’m the only one who wonders why calling such a place sacred makes people think we worship Joseph Smith.)

Because we do.

I think if Hyrum and Joseph saw what we have done, they would be mortified. Yes Joseph made some major human gaffes (can you call polygamy a gaffe?) but he took 3 years from the time of the “vision” to even do anything with it. Even then it was kind of small and indirect. He was post-Mo before it was trendy to be so. He wanted to be untethered.

I totally agree. I don’t think Joseph had any ideations about being on a pedestal. He went through periods of time where he did very little in the way of governing the church and where he didn’t receive, or at least didn’t share, revelation for the church. And he was OK with that. When you hear people say the church is run by councils, they’re absolutely correct in the way it ran when Joseph was the president – the high councils (Kirtland and Missouri) ran the church and he was not part of that. Come Follow Me is an attempt to return the church to the way things were done in those days when there was no correlation and individuals and families were free to discover truth for themselves rather than it being dictated to them. Finally, before I step off the soapbox, Joseph’s focus was Jesus Christ and he knew it was the Church of Christ – let’s not forget that.

[Anonymous]

nibbler wrote:

I heard reports that people were asked to pray for “the country” during the devotional.

I do understand the difference in praying for the country and praying for the president. I’m not sure everybody does. There are a couple people in my ward who when asked to pray in a meeting will pray by name for the president and one of them often includes other flowery language associated with him (generally how wonderful he is). So, while I hear and get “pray for the country” I’m not sure that’s the same thing everyone else hears.

[Anonymous]

I think that Joseph would be too preoccupied with trying to set himself up as king of the world to take much notice in what the little leaders at general conference were saying about him. :angel:

[Anonymous]

KSL’s article on it: https://www.ksl.com/article/46659678/latter-day-saint-leader-says-us-is-at-a-crossroad-pleads-for-prayers-for-the-country

[Anonymous]

Sheldon wrote:

Maybe what Ballard was saying is that he faces the Lord, and not the members of the church. His role is to deliver top down information, never bottom up to the Lord what the members are thinking.

Fascinating insight Sheldon. I would not have thought of that.

I was curious what the danger was that Elder Ballard was warning about. He seams to be talking about this nation at a “crossroads”. Could be interpreted several different ways, I suppose. Crossroads just means we have choices ahead. When would that not be the case?

[Anonymous]

mom3 wrote:

Quote:

Elder Lee had agreed to give me counsel and some direction. He didn’t say much, nothing really in detail, but what he told me has saved me time and time again. “You must decide now which way you face,” he said. “Either you represent the teachers and students and champion their causes or you represent the Brethren who appointed you. You need to decide now which way you face.” then he added, “some of your predecessors faced the wrong way.” It took some hard and painful lessons before I understood his counsel. In time, I did understand, and my resolve to face the right way became irreversible.

Thank you for reminding me why I don’t want to be an Ordained Woman. There are perks to being off the hook.

We aren’t off the hook.

[Serious and Tongue-in-Cheek Comment] We are supposed to be raising sin-resistant, covenant-path driven children and to fulfill prophecy by using our influence (our light) to inspire other women (and their families) to join our church. Oh, we are also supposed to be managing/running the “Come Follow Me” program in our home (and probably the youth program by extension when it comes out). Also under that umbrella by extension is family scripture study, FHE, and family prayer.

I think that I am batting .25 out of the 4 on that one (my rebellious daughter is a little sin-resistant I think, and I take .25 credit for that).

I guess that my mission is to raise sin-aware and informed children who understand that they are forging their own path by their choices (in part) and to inspire the people around me to be their best selves. I am not managing or running “Come Follow Me” in my home, but I contribute to the youth programs when I can. I am working with my family to develop habits of respect, good communication, and thoughtful living (thinking about what we put in our bodies, how to work to improve in sustaining the environment, and how to make the best choices possible).

[Anonymous]

Roy wrote:

I was curious what the danger was that Elder Ballard was warning about. He seams to be talking about this nation at a “crossroads”. Could be interpreted several different ways, I suppose. Crossroads just means we have choices ahead. When would that not be the case?

It’s likely anxiety and fear over the widening divisions in the US, a fear that people are becoming more polarized rather than more united, and possibly fear over violence stemming from that divide.

[Anonymous]

nibbler wrote:

Roy wrote:

I was curious what the danger was that Elder Ballard was warning about. He seams to be talking about this nation at a “crossroads”. Could be interpreted several different ways, I suppose. Crossroads just means we have choices ahead. When would that not be the case?

It’s likely anxiety and fear over the widening divisions in the US, a fear that people are becoming more polarized rather than more united, and possibly fear over violence stemming from that divide.

I know I’m a cynic, I mostly interpreted it as veiled “religious freedom” which is itself just veiled anti-gay marriage. I do recognize there are other possibilities though.

[Author]

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