Saturday, April 16, 2016
Any Opposed
Hey, remember when I promised to regularly give you new and interesting content? Yeah, me neither.
Anyways, Since conference I've had one topic keep coming up in my poor little brain, so much so that I had one of those weird half awake/half asleep moments where you're kind of dreaming but not really about it. So I'm going to blog about that.
In conference this year we had the sustaining of church officers. Also this year we had what seems to be becoming a tradition; the opposing vote. The person(s) who decided to shout "opposed" when the asked if any opposed.
Now, I'll all for being kind an considerate towards my fellow man, (or maybe I'm a bitter jerk face, but that's a debate for another time) But I would just like to say that this whole movement is wrong. That is to say they are using the opposing vote wrong. Also I think their reasons for opposing are wrong.
How are they mishandling this, you ask? Well let's start with the obvious. So obvious that it can be condensed into a meme.
It may not always be expressly stated, but the appropriate action for an opposing vote is to simply raise you hand. I'll let this one pass, however, due to the size of the conference center.
Instead let's get to the real problem here, that the opposes seem to be opposing as a matter of protest. I'll get to what they're protesting and all that later, but for now let's talk about what the opposing vote is suppose to be for.
As I understand it, signaling that you oppose a sustaining of a Church officer is only to be done if you are privy to some knowledge that would make said officer unworthy to hold that office. For Example: You get home one night to find that you've been burgled. Some bandit broke into you beautiful bungalow and burgled you beloved Babe Ruth bat! Later you visit your best bud, Brother Brown but before you can begin with the banter and brownies you spot your beloved Babe Ruth Bat in Brother brown's ball room! It's clear that you have been burgled by Brother Brown.
From the looks of it, those who are opposing the sustaining in conference have never even met most or even some of the people they are opposing, so how can they say those men are not worthy?
HOWEVER! I want to point out that in their minds this is part of the problem, that they've never met most of these men. On the Any Opposed website (which appears to be made by the people who orchestrate all of this) they state "Layers of bureaucracy keep higher LDS leadership insulated from hearing authentic concerns and feedback of their members. Correspondence and petitions by lay members directed toward the Church’s General Authorities are almost always returned and delegated to local stake presidents and bishops for further handling ..."
This is a very real concern. As the church grows is gets harder and harder for the prophet and apostles to be fully aware of all the unique challenges of the members. This is exactly the problem that Moses while leading the children of Israel through the wilderness. The people continued to come to Moses with their problems and between that and just dealing with the day to day task of keeping everyone organized Moses was wearing a little thin.
But there is a solution found in Numbers 11:16-17, "And the Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee. And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone." The answer is delegation Which is exactly how the church is run in the Latter Days. Frankly speaking it would be impractical for the Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve to deal with every little problem that comes up when they are already swamped just with keeping things up and running. That is why they refer anyone with issues to their local leadership.
That being said, I don't believe that the Brethren are unaware of what problems are facing the average members of the Church. They regularly talk and visit with the average members and get regular reports from local leaders.
In addition as cliche as it sounds the Brethren are not ordained to be your friend. Their job is to see to it that the priesthood, the doctrine and the ordinances are distributed properly. A faithful member should only oppose the Brethren if they are distributing any of those things improperly, For example, if the Brethren decided to only print the scriptures in the Deseret Alphabet. Though the Deseret Alphabet is superior in every way to the clunky old Latin Alphabet having all our holy writ only available in an obscure script would definitely hinder the work.
Now, there are people who are specifically called to be your friend, being your bishop, your EQ/RS President, your Home/Visiting teachers and so on.
So, is short this Any Opposed movement is using the wrong tool to protest a problem that's largely already been dealt with, with out offering any real solutions.
Still, we should try to listen to their concerns. Perhaps there are better ways of keeping the membership cared for and in touch with the Brethren.
Namaste, y'all,
Michael
Anyways, Since conference I've had one topic keep coming up in my poor little brain, so much so that I had one of those weird half awake/half asleep moments where you're kind of dreaming but not really about it. So I'm going to blog about that.
In conference this year we had the sustaining of church officers. Also this year we had what seems to be becoming a tradition; the opposing vote. The person(s) who decided to shout "opposed" when the asked if any opposed.
Now, I'll all for being kind an considerate towards my fellow man, (or maybe I'm a bitter jerk face, but that's a debate for another time) But I would just like to say that this whole movement is wrong. That is to say they are using the opposing vote wrong. Also I think their reasons for opposing are wrong.
How are they mishandling this, you ask? Well let's start with the obvious. So obvious that it can be condensed into a meme.
Instead let's get to the real problem here, that the opposes seem to be opposing as a matter of protest. I'll get to what they're protesting and all that later, but for now let's talk about what the opposing vote is suppose to be for.
As I understand it, signaling that you oppose a sustaining of a Church officer is only to be done if you are privy to some knowledge that would make said officer unworthy to hold that office. For Example: You get home one night to find that you've been burgled. Some bandit broke into you beautiful bungalow and burgled you beloved Babe Ruth bat! Later you visit your best bud, Brother Brown but before you can begin with the banter and brownies you spot your beloved Babe Ruth Bat in Brother brown's ball room! It's clear that you have been burgled by Brother Brown.
Oh, Brother Brown, I guess it's Burglar Brown, now.
Later, Brother Brown is called to be bishop. Being that you are the only one who knows about Brother B-excuse me, BURGLAR Brown's bat burgling, you are then expected to oppose the vote and bring that information to the attention of the appropriate people.From the looks of it, those who are opposing the sustaining in conference have never even met most or even some of the people they are opposing, so how can they say those men are not worthy?
HOWEVER! I want to point out that in their minds this is part of the problem, that they've never met most of these men. On the Any Opposed website (which appears to be made by the people who orchestrate all of this) they state "Layers of bureaucracy keep higher LDS leadership insulated from hearing authentic concerns and feedback of their members. Correspondence and petitions by lay members directed toward the Church’s General Authorities are almost always returned and delegated to local stake presidents and bishops for further handling ..."
This is a very real concern. As the church grows is gets harder and harder for the prophet and apostles to be fully aware of all the unique challenges of the members. This is exactly the problem that Moses while leading the children of Israel through the wilderness. The people continued to come to Moses with their problems and between that and just dealing with the day to day task of keeping everyone organized Moses was wearing a little thin.
But there is a solution found in Numbers 11:16-17, "And the Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee. And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone." The answer is delegation Which is exactly how the church is run in the Latter Days. Frankly speaking it would be impractical for the Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve to deal with every little problem that comes up when they are already swamped just with keeping things up and running. That is why they refer anyone with issues to their local leadership.
That being said, I don't believe that the Brethren are unaware of what problems are facing the average members of the Church. They regularly talk and visit with the average members and get regular reports from local leaders.
In addition as cliche as it sounds the Brethren are not ordained to be your friend. Their job is to see to it that the priesthood, the doctrine and the ordinances are distributed properly. A faithful member should only oppose the Brethren if they are distributing any of those things improperly, For example, if the Brethren decided to only print the scriptures in the Deseret Alphabet. Though the Deseret Alphabet is superior in every way to the clunky old Latin Alphabet having all our holy writ only available in an obscure script would definitely hinder the work.
Now, there are people who are specifically called to be your friend, being your bishop, your EQ/RS President, your Home/Visiting teachers and so on.
So, is short this Any Opposed movement is using the wrong tool to protest a problem that's largely already been dealt with, with out offering any real solutions.
Still, we should try to listen to their concerns. Perhaps there are better ways of keeping the membership cared for and in touch with the Brethren.
Namaste, y'all,
Michael
Sunday, April 3, 2016
General Conference Saturday Evening Session April 2016
Home stretch, guys! Let's rock this.
Robert D Hales
The Holy Ghost provides us with personal revelation for our lives. Personal Revelation is essential for major life choices. But the holy ghost honors our right to agency and may not help us with the smaller choices in our lives, allowing us to learn to make those choices. Also we will not receive revelation for others.
Gerrit W. Gong
We are to always remember Him 1. By having confidence in his covenants promises and assurances 2. By gratefully acknowledging his hand in out lives. 3.By trusting when the Lord Assures us. 4.he invites us to remember that he always welcomes us home 5. Remember the sacrament 6. always remember Him as he remembers us.
To be worthy does not mean to be perfect.
Know what to hold on to and what to let go of. attachment to the wrong things leads to suffering, letting go of the things that drag you down sets you free.
Patrick Kearon
There are many in need around the world. We as Mormons were not long ago refugees, and should seek to help those who are suffering. This reminds me of a thought I heard in a devotional a wile back. That we, as Christians are commanded to respond to violence by refusing to accept it and extending kindness. The thought was based around the 'Turn the Other Cheek" thing. Basically in old times you would slap someone with your right hand. Back handing them on their right cheek sent the message that they were beneath you socially, but using an open palm on their left cheek ment they saw you as a equal. By turning the other cheek you tell the person hitting you that you see them as an equal and demand that they treat you as one.
Dalin H. Oaks
We progress by making choices. Think of a video game. If you never make any choices, how can you level up?
We need an opposition in all things to allow us to make choices. By facing problems and difficulties head on we can grow and, most importantly, be human.
We face many challenges of varied difficulty, nature and duration, and nobody is excused. Oaks seems to be touching on the idea that there are some sorrows that are avoidable and some that are completely unavoidable. I differentiate these two by calling the unavoidable 'pain' and the avoidable 'suffering'
Somethings can only be learned by faith.
Kent F Richards
The real power of the temple is in it's ordinances. Just being in the temple or near a temple is like being near food. If you don't DO something you get nothing.
Paul V. Johnson
Someday we will be healed and whole. The resurrection will restore us to life and purity. There is no salvation without our soul and body. We are basically two creatures crammed into one. A spirit that doesn't remember where it came from and a body with no idea where it's going.
The resurrection proves to us that God can do other miracles, both big and small.
Jeffery R Holland
None of us want tomorrow to chase away what we feel today. We all have to come down from peak experiences in order to deal with the daily normality of life. Don't give up, don't get dragged down.
The Lord blesses those who want to improve. If you stumble, so does everyone. If you fall, ask for help. We get credit for trying.
The first great truth of eternity is that God loves us. That is the foundation of everything. God will never desert us. It is not in His nature.
Keep loving, keep trying, keep trusting, keep growing.
Heaven is cheering you on, tomorrow and every day.
Now go have Ice Cream
Robert D Hales
The Holy Ghost provides us with personal revelation for our lives. Personal Revelation is essential for major life choices. But the holy ghost honors our right to agency and may not help us with the smaller choices in our lives, allowing us to learn to make those choices. Also we will not receive revelation for others.
Gerrit W. Gong
We are to always remember Him 1. By having confidence in his covenants promises and assurances 2. By gratefully acknowledging his hand in out lives. 3.By trusting when the Lord Assures us. 4.he invites us to remember that he always welcomes us home 5. Remember the sacrament 6. always remember Him as he remembers us.
To be worthy does not mean to be perfect.
Know what to hold on to and what to let go of. attachment to the wrong things leads to suffering, letting go of the things that drag you down sets you free.
Patrick Kearon
There are many in need around the world. We as Mormons were not long ago refugees, and should seek to help those who are suffering. This reminds me of a thought I heard in a devotional a wile back. That we, as Christians are commanded to respond to violence by refusing to accept it and extending kindness. The thought was based around the 'Turn the Other Cheek" thing. Basically in old times you would slap someone with your right hand. Back handing them on their right cheek sent the message that they were beneath you socially, but using an open palm on their left cheek ment they saw you as a equal. By turning the other cheek you tell the person hitting you that you see them as an equal and demand that they treat you as one.
Dalin H. Oaks
We progress by making choices. Think of a video game. If you never make any choices, how can you level up?
We need an opposition in all things to allow us to make choices. By facing problems and difficulties head on we can grow and, most importantly, be human.
We face many challenges of varied difficulty, nature and duration, and nobody is excused. Oaks seems to be touching on the idea that there are some sorrows that are avoidable and some that are completely unavoidable. I differentiate these two by calling the unavoidable 'pain' and the avoidable 'suffering'
Somethings can only be learned by faith.
Kent F Richards
The real power of the temple is in it's ordinances. Just being in the temple or near a temple is like being near food. If you don't DO something you get nothing.
Paul V. Johnson
Someday we will be healed and whole. The resurrection will restore us to life and purity. There is no salvation without our soul and body. We are basically two creatures crammed into one. A spirit that doesn't remember where it came from and a body with no idea where it's going.
The resurrection proves to us that God can do other miracles, both big and small.
Jeffery R Holland
None of us want tomorrow to chase away what we feel today. We all have to come down from peak experiences in order to deal with the daily normality of life. Don't give up, don't get dragged down.
The Lord blesses those who want to improve. If you stumble, so does everyone. If you fall, ask for help. We get credit for trying.
The first great truth of eternity is that God loves us. That is the foundation of everything. God will never desert us. It is not in His nature.
Keep loving, keep trying, keep trusting, keep growing.
Heaven is cheering you on, tomorrow and every day.
Now go have Ice Cream
General Conference Sunday Morning Session April 2016
Part 3 of 4
President Monson
Small choices make big changes.
Choose the harder right over the easier wrong.
Bonnie L Oscarson
You may know it, but do you believe it? Knowledge and belief are two different things. Strive for belief.
Do we become so accustom to the blessings we get that we forget what it takes to get those blessing? This is how the pride cycle starts. People focus on all the sideline good things like the lifestyle, the culture, and the like of the church but overlook their own salvation and thus fall.
To believe we need to get the gospel form our heads into our hearts.
W. Christopher Waddell
Sometimes it's just hard for me to think about Jesus! Pain and sorrow is unavoidable. But our ability to face those trials with faith is what counts. Peace of mind is not avoiding the storms but in enduring them. Learn, Listen, Walk. Gain the information you need, Take it into your life (see believe vs knowledge above), ACT on what you know.
The peace we seek requires more than desire, it requires action. If you want peace you need to DO something.
D. Todd Christoferson
Fathers are unique and irreplaceable. Fatherhood is not merely supplementary to Motherhood, they are equal.
Prepare now for fatherhood, (assuming you're, y'know, a dude)
Quinten L Cook
See yourself in the temple. Get a goal to go there. For me the temple is a special place of meditation, where I can make sense of the world, or rather were I can step back from the world and understand it.
Dieter F Uchtdoft
If mad can rebuild a city then God can rebuild us. Healing can happen. Healing DOES happen. "There is no life so shattered that it cannot be restored". We don't need to know all things to be saved. We only need to be loved by Christ and have faith enough to follow him.
But nobody will be forced into heaven. If we want it, we can get it. If you cannot muster faith, you can hope. Start from where you are.
Obedience is not a popular word these days, but it is needed in the Gospel. It is the life blood of faith.
Obedience is a means to an end. It unleashes the true, divine, powerful version of yourself.
President Monson
Small choices make big changes.
Choose the harder right over the easier wrong.
Bonnie L Oscarson
You may know it, but do you believe it? Knowledge and belief are two different things. Strive for belief.
Do we become so accustom to the blessings we get that we forget what it takes to get those blessing? This is how the pride cycle starts. People focus on all the sideline good things like the lifestyle, the culture, and the like of the church but overlook their own salvation and thus fall.
To believe we need to get the gospel form our heads into our hearts.
W. Christopher Waddell
Sometimes it's just hard for me to think about Jesus! Pain and sorrow is unavoidable. But our ability to face those trials with faith is what counts. Peace of mind is not avoiding the storms but in enduring them. Learn, Listen, Walk. Gain the information you need, Take it into your life (see believe vs knowledge above), ACT on what you know.
The peace we seek requires more than desire, it requires action. If you want peace you need to DO something.
D. Todd Christoferson
Fathers are unique and irreplaceable. Fatherhood is not merely supplementary to Motherhood, they are equal.
Prepare now for fatherhood, (assuming you're, y'know, a dude)
Quinten L Cook
See yourself in the temple. Get a goal to go there. For me the temple is a special place of meditation, where I can make sense of the world, or rather were I can step back from the world and understand it.
Dieter F Uchtdoft
If mad can rebuild a city then God can rebuild us. Healing can happen. Healing DOES happen. "There is no life so shattered that it cannot be restored". We don't need to know all things to be saved. We only need to be loved by Christ and have faith enough to follow him.
But nobody will be forced into heaven. If we want it, we can get it. If you cannot muster faith, you can hope. Start from where you are.
Obedience is not a popular word these days, but it is needed in the Gospel. It is the life blood of faith.
Obedience is a means to an end. It unleashes the true, divine, powerful version of yourself.
Saturday, April 2, 2016
General Conference Saturday Evening Session April 2016
Letz Do dis! My 'notes' for General Conference Saturday Evening Session April 2016
Ronald A. Rasband
Questions are an indication of a further desire to learn to add to the truths we already know. Some of my most effective meditation sessions and prayers have been when I have actively had a question I wanted to answer. I received the answers through what I have already learned or, sometimes I have been lead to realize that the question I came up with is not the question I need to ask.
Are you standing with the leaders of the church in this darkening world? When I have trouble meditating I need to chose just one thing that is steady and solid to focus on. Wen we are being distracted and troubled in life we need to focus on something steady.
Ronald A. Anderson
Children have believing hearts and spiritual gifts. In particular they have a tenderness and humility that can grow in even the least ideal situations. That is how we should all be. Our spiritual success is not based on our circumstances. It is based entirely on you, independent of whatever goes on around you.
We need to be kind and reach out to those who need help, or even those who don't need help. Just reach out.
Mervy B. Arnold
Going to the rescue, You can do it. 1. Do not delay going to the rescue. We must have a sense of urgency. 2.Take the time. We must have patience. Urgency and patience are not mutually exclusive and there is a middle path available. 3. How great must be your joy if you bring only one soul unto Christ. This is knowing the true worth of a soul. A soul has infinite potential. Even when it is held in a crude mortal body. "Nameste" means 'The divine in me recognizes the divine in you"
4. No matter our age we are all called to go to the rescue.
Jarrio Mazzagardi
If you have questions, do not give up. Follow Joseph Smith's example. Ask for wisdom from God. While listening to the testimonies of other is great, you need to build up your own.
David A. Bednar
Retain a remission of our sins. In the Gospel it doesn't really matter if you fall down, but what does matter is getting up.
Ordinations are sacred acts that have spiritual power. We should approach them mindfully and meditatively. Bednar talks about the baptismal covenant which is renewed in the sacrament. Think about your sacrament meeting. The passing and partaking of the sacrament is meant to be a time to meditate and contemplate this covenant and increase it's power to give you peace.
M Russel Ballard
Family Councils. Even in families personalities can vary. This is a great opportunity to use a family council to help solve problems. Just because two or more people have different approaches to life doesn't mean that they have nothing to offer each other or that they need to be opposed to each other. I've always thought that it is better to have allies rather than enemies.
But a Family council is really just group meditation on a topic. Just as individuals need to take time to figure things out, so do family groups.
Ronald A. Rasband
Questions are an indication of a further desire to learn to add to the truths we already know. Some of my most effective meditation sessions and prayers have been when I have actively had a question I wanted to answer. I received the answers through what I have already learned or, sometimes I have been lead to realize that the question I came up with is not the question I need to ask.
Are you standing with the leaders of the church in this darkening world? When I have trouble meditating I need to chose just one thing that is steady and solid to focus on. Wen we are being distracted and troubled in life we need to focus on something steady.
Ronald A. Anderson
Children have believing hearts and spiritual gifts. In particular they have a tenderness and humility that can grow in even the least ideal situations. That is how we should all be. Our spiritual success is not based on our circumstances. It is based entirely on you, independent of whatever goes on around you.
We need to be kind and reach out to those who need help, or even those who don't need help. Just reach out.
Mervy B. Arnold
Going to the rescue, You can do it. 1. Do not delay going to the rescue. We must have a sense of urgency. 2.Take the time. We must have patience. Urgency and patience are not mutually exclusive and there is a middle path available. 3. How great must be your joy if you bring only one soul unto Christ. This is knowing the true worth of a soul. A soul has infinite potential. Even when it is held in a crude mortal body. "Nameste" means 'The divine in me recognizes the divine in you"
4. No matter our age we are all called to go to the rescue.
Jarrio Mazzagardi
If you have questions, do not give up. Follow Joseph Smith's example. Ask for wisdom from God. While listening to the testimonies of other is great, you need to build up your own.
David A. Bednar
Retain a remission of our sins. In the Gospel it doesn't really matter if you fall down, but what does matter is getting up.
Ordinations are sacred acts that have spiritual power. We should approach them mindfully and meditatively. Bednar talks about the baptismal covenant which is renewed in the sacrament. Think about your sacrament meeting. The passing and partaking of the sacrament is meant to be a time to meditate and contemplate this covenant and increase it's power to give you peace.
M Russel Ballard
Family Councils. Even in families personalities can vary. This is a great opportunity to use a family council to help solve problems. Just because two or more people have different approaches to life doesn't mean that they have nothing to offer each other or that they need to be opposed to each other. I've always thought that it is better to have allies rather than enemies.
But a Family council is really just group meditation on a topic. Just as individuals need to take time to figure things out, so do family groups.
General Conference Saturday Morning Session April 2016
General Conference Saturday Morning!
President Eyering
"Faith is like a Little Seed"
Mary R. Duraham
"Just keep Swimming, Just Keep Swimming"
"Faith is like a Little Seed"
We fear that our love for God and the Church may be overcome by our trials. The answer is to have our hearts soften and to create a fertile ground in our hears for faith.
Mary R. Duraham
"Just keep Swimming, Just Keep Swimming"
Life can be heavy the noise of this world can drown out God. If we listen to the Holy Ghost we can overcome the world. Slow down and listen to to Lord.
How do Parents teach their children listen to the Spirit? 1. Point out when they are feeling the spirit. 2. Prepare our homes to be a place the spirit is had. 3. Help the children understand how the spirit speaks to them, specifically.
Donald Hallstrom
A correct understanding our our heavenly heritage is essential. Do we know that we are Children of God? Is that how we define ourselves? There is Pain in this life There is suffering in life there is doubt in life. What is our immediate response in these times? We can choose our response. That is the point of Meditation. we can chose to act on the Knowledge of our devise heritage.
We live in a world that can distract us and make us forget our true nature
Human weakness and worldly distractions makes is so easy to treat casually our relationship with God
Gary E. Stevenson
"Where are the Keys?"
With our the proper keys we cannot preform our intended functions. Never again do we have to ask where the keys are, in relation to the keys of the Gospel. Keys unlock our potential. I'm starting to see some kind of theme of achieving our devise potential. We are not left out in the cold without the keys for long.
Kevin R. Duncan
There is nobody who will not be a 'victim' at some point. We can forgive and not me a victim twice. We can forgive and be free. Lack of forgiveness causes unnecessary pain. Every injustice will be compensated, so we have no need to worry about punishment and our own anger.
We all have in our lives Saul-like individuals, who have Paul-like potential. You don't know all their lives, take that into account and be merciful in your judgement.
To forgive is not to condone. but nobody should be defined only by the worst thing we have ever done.
Elder Snow
Be thou Humble
If we humble ourselves our prayers are answered and we have peace of mine. Humility increases our abilities. Simply living live can be a humbling experience.
Dale G. Renlund
The greater the distance between the giver and receiver the more the receiver gains a sense of entitlement. The closer we are to God the more thankful we are for what blessings we receive.
"Murmuring is the scriptural equivalent of whining" I've always had a theory about whining and complaining; If it bothers you enough to complain, is should bother you enough to do something about it, also, If there's something you can do about, stop complaining and do that thing. If there's nothing you can do about it, then complaining is a waste of time.
If life were truly fair, we would never be resurrected and would basically burn forever for our sins. Be grateful that life isn't fair.
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