LDS

[Slowvehicle]

To be fair, in one of my posts I disparaged the idea as simply marketing. But that was not really charitable on my part. I do think that there is more than a marketing aspect.

I would like to say that there is much that is good about the community of Mormonism. Further I would suggest to people that Mormon missionaries are by and large kind and decent people who volunteer their time because they care.

I think that is part of the allure of Mormonism. People honestly care. They do help each other in times of need. Not all of them and not always. They're human like everyone else but, IMO, most are not saccharine. They are like Cat. Dedicated to their community as well as their faith.

Please don't judge Mormonism by Janadele's actions here. And I would say don't judge her. From what little I can glean she is a good person.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents.

A bit OT, but what the hey:

I used to work a bicycled shop. One hot, dry, June afternoon two young, fit, simply-dressed young men came into the store pushing completely clapped-out bicycles. The were hot, red-faced, parched, and despairing. I talked to them about their bicycles, fixed three flats for free, warned them about our endemic goat-head thorns, got them city bike maps, gave them some sunscreen samples, showed them our least expensive bikes, told them where to go in town to look for used bikes, loaded them up with extra water bottles full of cold water, gave them my 'phone number and e-mail for emergency road help...in short, what one does in the desert, when dealing with young people from kinder, gentler, cooler climes. As they were getting ready to go, much refreshed and recovered, they spoke to each other in hushed tones; then the younger one said, to me, "Do you know we're mormons?"

I gently did not point out that their white shirts with black ties, the fact that there were two of them, and their prominent LDS name badges made that fairly clear, but did admit that I had figured they were on mission--I asked if I had offended them, or transgressed in some way, and he said, "No, but you are the first person who has been nice to us all day..."

RandFan, who would have been responsible for preparing the missionaries for the actual, physical conditions they would face in the high desert? The local ward did not, nor were they receptive to my offer to do survival clinics...in fact, once I contacted the church, here, I never heard form the young men again.

OK, /OT.

Empress, I believe you have the right of it. it was my question(s) Janadele was calling "foolish". Do you have a take on who she meant by "us"?

 

[deaman]

Good morning Janadele -

A question, if I may.

This morning I watched on the news as the Catholic pope was being helicoptered out of the Vatican.

To millions of Catholics, he is a Prophet, Seer and Revelator.

Do you believe this to be true? If not, why not?

 

[RandFan]

RandFan, who would have been responsible for preparing the missionaries for the actual, physical conditions they would face in the high desert?

The Mission Training Center and the local mission. Each mission has a president, two assistants, zone leaders and district leaders. In my experience missionaries are seldom put into a new area at the same time. I received information unique to my mission from all of these sources. My first companion had a year of experience in the field and helped me pick out a bicycle and get a good deal on it.

I think the incident you speak of is rare but I'm sure it happens. I never felt as if I was put in a position where I did not have sufficient resources to do my job to the best of my ability.

I have a lot of anecdotes of learning from missionary companions but I'll give this one. I was in Tustin California, it was spring and it looked like rain so I put on my over coat. My companion smiled and said I wouldn't need it. Sure enough the cloud cover had burned off by noon. It didn't take me long to learn the difference between onshore flow and rain clouds.

 

[Cat Tale]

The Mission Training Center and the local mission. Each mission has a president, two assistants, zone leaders and district leaders. In my experience missionaries are seldom put into a new area at the same time. I received information unique to my mission from all of these sources. My first companion had a year of experience in the field and helped me pick out a bicycle and get a good deal on it.

I think the incident you speak of is rare but I'm sure it happens. I never felt as if I was put in a position where I did not have sufficient resources to do my job to the best of my ability.

Ditto what RandFan said, except Sisters were always required to drive or walk. I actually contracted the flu while at the MTC, and missed a few days worth of classes. At the MTC they keep you till your four weeks are up, ready or not -- you finish your training in the field. Not sure if it's world-wide, U.S.-wide, or just my mission, but we weren't allowed to drive until we completed our education. My companion drove everywhere for the first few weeks while I studied in the passenger seat. I then met with the zone leaders and passed the "exam," and then had my next test, learning stick shift on mountain sides.

 

[Slowvehicle]

The Mission Training Center and the local mission. Each mission has a president, two assistants, zone leaders and district leaders. In my experience missionaries are seldom put into a new area at the same time. I received information unique to my mission from all of these sources. My first companion had a year of experience in the field and helped me pick out a bicycle and get a good deal on it.

I think the incident you speak of is rare but I'm sure it happens. I never felt as if I was put in a position where I did not have sufficient resources to do my job to the best of my ability.

I have a lot of anecdotes of learning from missionary companions but I'll give this one. I was in Tustin California, it was spring and it looked like rain so I put on my over coat. My companion smiled and said I wouldn't need it. Sure enough the cloud cover had burned off by noon. It didn't take me long to learn the difference between onshore flow and rain clouds.

Lots of people have trouble adjusting to (or believing the adjustments that need to be made to thrive in) the high desert. I'm glad I was, at least, able to help those two. THe starfish you can reach, and all that...

 

[Empress]

Empress, I believe you have the right of it. it was my question(s) Janadele was calling "foolish". Do you have a take on who she meant by "us"?

I suspect she was talking about her and her sons:

Do you suppose one or another of your sons might be able to point me toward a list of the anachronisms claimed by the BoM, which have been demonstrated by practical, empirical evidence, attested to by neutral sources, to have existed in the pre-Colombian Americas?

None of us have any interest in such foolish questions.

These sorts of misunderstandings could be avoided if she would just utilize normal forum etiquette, and quote the appropriate post, but I think that's a lost cause.

 

[Janadele]

It was the preceding post

 

[halleyscomet]

It was the preceding post

You keep posting vaguely related URLS in this thread.

There are a few articulate,thoughtful, former Mormons in the thread who have been giving all of us a wealth of insight into Mormon beliefs. What is your reason for being in this thread? Are you just curious about the LDS church, or do you have some sort of experience with the religion to bring to the table? If so, please share your insights with us instead of just posting the results of Google searches.

 

[Slowvehicle]

It was the preceding post

With all due respect, what was "the preceding post"? What do you gain from intentional obdurate unclarity? And who is "us"?

 

[Empress]

It was the preceding post

Yep. Lost cause.

 

[Shalamar]

Yep. Lost cause.

The quote button might be Anti-Mormon propaganda.

 

[Empress]

The quote button might be Anti-Mormon propaganda.

Okay, that made me laugh out loud.

 

[Cat Tale]

You keep posting vaguely related URLS in this thread.

There are a few articulate,thoughtful, former Mormons in the thread who have been giving all of us a wealth of insight into Mormon beliefs. What is your reason for being in this thread? Are you just curious about the LDS church, or do you have some sort of experience with the religion to bring to the table? If so, please share your insights with us instead of just posting the results of Google searches.

Just for the record, I am a very active Latter-day Saint.

 

[MIKILLINI]

It was the preceding post

Are you talking to anyone in particular here? It's as though responding or responding in an articulate manner is against your religion.

 

[RandFan]

Just for the record, I am a very active Latter-day Saint.

A shining example for the LDS Church. (Matthew 5:16) I mean that sincerely.

 

[Olowkow]

Originally Posted by Cat Tale
Just for the record, I am a very active Latter-day Saint.

Maybe someone can explain what a saint is for my edification. I though you had to be deceased to be a saint, but that was the view of Catholics I grew up with. I consider my wife a "saint" for putting up with me, (she's alive and an atheist/Buddhist) but I can't imagine her telling anyone she is an active saint. I'm not too impressed with religious claims, but I know good people when I meet them.

 

[Pup]

Maybe someone can explain what a saint is for my edification. I though you had to be deceased to be a saint, but that was the view of Catholics I grew up with. I consider my wife a "saint" for putting up with me, (she's alive and an atheist/Buddhist) but I can't imagine her telling anyone she is an active saint. I'm not too impressed with religious claims, but I know good people when I meet them.

I think you already know this, but it's just the name of the religion, so it's yet another definition for "saint" like all the ones you mentioned above.

Maybe it sounds odd to those unfamiliar with the usage, but the newness wears off quickly. Imagine a Quaker saying "I'm an active Quaker," or "I'm an active member of the Society of Friends." Only those not used to hearing that, are going to expect the person to be trembling or wonder why they think they're special because everyone has friends. Pretty soon, the meaning enters the language and it doesn't sound strange anymore.

 

[Olowkow]

I think you already know this, but it's just the name of the religion, so it's yet another definition for "saint" like all the ones you mentioned above.

Maybe it sounds odd to those unfamiliar with the usage, but the newness wears off quickly. Imagine a Quaker saying "I'm an active Quaker," or "I'm an active member of the Society of Friends." Only those not used to hearing that, are going to expect the person to be trembling or wonder why they think they're special because everyone has friends. Pretty soon, the meaning enters the language and it doesn't sound strange anymore.

I understand. It just sounds strange or over the top to call oneself a "saint", rather than "active member of the Latter Day Saints". I should have included a smiley I suppose, though I joke with my former LDS friend all the time about this kind of stuff.

Seriously though, are the "saints" the current members or the deceased good guys?

I find something implicitly odd in proud claims of belief in supernatural stuff, though I don't generally go out of my way to call people on it.

 

[tsig]

Just for the record, I am a very active Latter-day Saint.

What do you think of the BoA?

ETA: how do you explain the anomalies in the BoM?

 

[RandFan]

Seriously though, are the "saints" the current members or the deceased good guys?

Current members. LDS is for Latter Day Saints. The saints of the latter days to distinguish them from Saints past.