#Lessons from scripture LDS

[trberman]

Trusting God’s Purpose: Lessons from Doctrine and Covenants 3–5 in Church History

Photo by Rachel Strong on Unsplash Life has moments when everything feels uncertain, and as humans, we often wrestle with mistakes and doubt. Doctrine and Covenants 3–5 reminds us that God’s purposes remain steady, even when our own choices falter. These sections, given during pivotal moments in Joseph Smith’s history, teach us about trusting in the Lord, the power of repentance, and how divine…

[mindfulldsliving]

Finding Forgiveness and Spiritual Strength Through Christ’s Healing Power and Grace

Redemption through Christ brings hope and healing to even the most broken hearts. It’s more than forgiveness—it’s a chance to grow spiritually, find strength, and feel His mercy daily. The Savior’s grace invites us to let go of our pain, trust in His power, and embrace a renewed life. Scriptures remind us, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew…

[heathersdesk]

How to Deal with the Family Proclamation

We had a lesson in Sunday School today on all six of the proclamations the Church has ever issued. So naturally, the Proclamation on the Family came up.

I have complicated feelings about it. I think it fails our queer membership and locks us into doctrinal positions that aren't scripturally supported. I don't like how every lesson that mentions it invites an open season to take pot shots at the queer community, at our own people, about sexuality and gender. I don't like that this is the first instinct of many of our people when they talk about it.

You want to know how to redirect the conversation that shuts it down every time?

I bring up the portion that talks about the rights of children not to be abused. No one ever wants to talk about that because it involves looking at our own mess instead of someone else's. And as a survivor of familial abuse, it's something I feel passionate about because I know there is no group that is immune to it.

Rather than enforcing a familiar standard of heterosexual nuclear family that everyone should aspire to, I think the proclamation does a much better job of outlining what every child deserves. All children deserve to grow up in a family where they feel safe, respected, and loved.

Whenever I have to talk about the Proclamation to the Family, this is what I say. This is the only way I've found it to truly be prophetic.

I did it again today and that was one of the most powerful and vulnerable conversations about abuse I've ever seen at church. I know the teacher well. He has been a lawyer for many years and has worked as a prosecutor for child abuse cases in the state of Idaho, including those that involved church members. He said outright that local leadership doesn't always get things right with this, to the point that it was one of the reasons he left that line of work. It instigated a really poignant moment with him and a retired social worker from LDS Family Services. The Church is not immune to failures in handling abuse, but the Proclamation on the Family calls us to be better. That's what the discussion turned into. That was the salient point we ended on before moving on to the most recent proclamation from 2020.

Discussions in church are malleable. You can shape them into what you want them to be instead through your participation. It takes courage and skill you can gain with practice. And you'd be amazed at how well people respond if you do it sincerely and with love.

I can't change the mind of every person in the Church about queer people. But I can be filled with so much love for them, the right thing to say and do will be given to me through the Spirit.

Never doubt that you also have this power and ability. With God, all things are possible—including this.

[nerdygaymormon]

I liked your post with all the scriptures showing that we are to love trans people. What are your thoughts about the changes made to the church handbook?

The LDS Church used to ban gay students from attending BYU. The church used to put a permanent notation on gay member's records and forbid them from having callings that work with children or youth. The church used to promote conversion therapy even when every major medical and mental health organization denounced such practices. The church forbade the children of gay couples from getting baptized.

Eventually the church reversed all these positions.

I used to speak up behind closed doors for queer youth to get to participate, it's been many years since my local leaders tried to do something like forbid a lesbian from attending girls camp or want her to be isolated at night in a cabin separated from the rest of the young women.

It is sad to me to see these same mistakes being implemented against trans/nb/genderfluid/gender nonconforming/intersex members.

Gay people were not predators, we were not the danger they imagined us to be. The same is true for those whose gender doesn't conform to the imagined binary.

How does preventing an 8-year-old child from getting baptized fit with Jesus' admonition to "suffer the little children and forbid them not to come unto me"?

How does limiting someone from gender-specific classes and callings fit with the apostle Paul's teaching that in Christ we are one, that "there is neither male nor female"?

Why is forbidding a trans youth from spending the night at FSY acceptable? It will be so stigmatizing.

We're really going to police the restrooms? Even me, an openly gay man, I am allowed to use the facilities with men even though I might be attracted to some of them.

This ban on "social transitioning" (meaning name/pronouns/grooming/clothing) continues the false notion that appearance equals worthiness and is in direct contradiction to God telling the prophet Samuel that "the Lord looketh on the heart." Social norms are not eternal norms and shouldn't determine whether an individual can receive gospel ordinances.

The top LDS leaders prefer the term "same sex attraction" instead of gay, lesbian and bisexual, and I think a similar thing is now happening as the Handbook language has shifted from "transgender individuals" to "individuals who identify as transgender" and "individuals who transition away from their biological sex."

None of these policies are required by doctrine, evidence for this is these restrictions didn't exist 5 years ago or even last week.

It's depressing the church doesn't remember the lessons from its treatment of gay people as it replicates similar policies.

It was already hard to be a gender diverse member of the LDS Church, and it just got more difficult. Everyone should have access to a spiritual home and church community if they want it.

While I can't control what the LDS Church does, I want you to know I embrace and support you. I wish I could sit on the pew with all of you and I wish I had a table large enough to break bread with all of you.

[rickktish]

I read a fucking mormon batman fic today.

And by "read" I mostly mean "skimmed" because every time I tried to read it straight through it just. hurt. So badly.

I mean. I should have just closed it right away instead of trying? It was tagged "regligious trauma" so I should have just. not even tried. Because I know that people have trauma about the controlling kind of parents who aren't accepting of their children's choices. I know that a lot of people use religion, any religion, as a way to control those they have power over. And I know that a shit ton of people prefer to write Bruce as a controlling, unaccepting asshole.

But I still--

I can't explain to anyone how badly I've wanted to write an LDS batman fanfic. I can't bring myself to do it, because I can't find it in my brain to reconcile Bruce Wayne's character with the kind of person who would go to any church every week, let alone one that also gives all of its members responsibilities outside church attendance, but I have wanted to, so badly. I want to see representation of my culture in fanfic, the kind of representation that doesn't make me feel like my people and history are being appropriated for clout or misrepresented to make us look like monsters. The kind of representation that doesn't make me want to claw my fucking skin off. And so, out of desperate curiosity and knowing full well I would be disappointed, I clicked on the link.

And it just. hurt. Just like I knew it would.

And it hurt more to realize that part of the reason it was hurting so bad was because I honestly just cannot relate to the experiences in the fic. Tim didn't want to serve a mission but was pushed into it by Bruce; I desperately wanted to serve a mission but my parents were completely unsurprised when I told them God told me that wasn't what I was supposed to do. Tim felt coerced and finagled into trying to find a testimony; I turned myself in to the fucking police in my teens for illegal behavior, went through a repentance process on my own merit with barely two conversations with my bishop and not many more with my parents (and weekly sessions with an atheist therapist for almost three years), and came out the other side utterly convinced in the reality of God and His love for me. And this fic was just chock full of buzz words that we use in the church, but used in conversations that felt so forced that I felt like I was watching clips from Under the Banner of Heaven. And I feel like this person has to have been writing from experience-- they said they were processing religious trauma and that they used to be a member of the church after all-- but the whole thing was so bizarre and unrelatable to me that by the time I got to the bottom of the page I was questioning whether I had even grown up "mormon" at all.

Because my family talked some about the Church growing up, but mostly we talked about God and our relationship with Him. We read all the scriptures, and mostly the Book of Mormon and D&C, but spent most of our discussion looking for "eternal principles" instead of focusing on the church as an institution. We went to church every sunday, but the lessons I remember the most were about the importance of understanding our value (the worth of souls is great) and that of the family and unity (neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord) and agency (things to act and things to be acted upon). We listened to the dramatized church history tapes, but most of the emphasis my parents gave our history was that it was messy and things happened for reasons we don't understand and it wasn't our place to condemn either the people who committed the Haun's Mill massacre or the ones who committed the Mountain Meadows massacre because both groups are in God's hands, not ours.

My parents would have just... kept loving my brother if he had decided not to serve a mission. Does that make us less "mormon" than the author of that fic? They care more that I'm alive and safe than that I attend church on Sunday, does that make my family less "mormon" than all the people who feel coerced and controlled into attending even when their mental health is bad enough that they don't want to get out of bed? In being loved and supported regardless of my choices and abilities, have I become so far removed from "normal" experiences with my church and beliefs that I don't belong with or understand people who have grown up in my own culture?

How do I explain the guilt and shame that comes with these thoughts? The feeling of being incorrect and of failing people by not being able to connect with them on grounds of our religious experiences?

How do I explain that I'm worried the reason I can never relate to depictions of LDS people in media is because I come from a family of cultural impostors? Who raised me in the same place, doing the same things, and reading from the same books-- and getting what I genuinely believe to be eternally significant truths from those books! But that just like I trust God to love me even if I become a serial killer but wouldn't trust a person to love me if I accidentally mispronounced my own name to them-- I think that the perception my parents raised me with of God and Eternity are as good as they could give me with imperfect human words, but what if the culture of the people around me, that I thought I was a part of and belonged to, was never truly my own at all?

And how do I explain that even though I can't bring myself to imagine a Bruce Wayne who attends church with any kind of regularity that I care deeply about the religions I do imagine for the batfamily-- namely that they're so many and varied that none of them would attend the same church unless it was a one-off opportunity to support one of them?

That in my mind, Alfred ought to be comfortably but quietly Anglican?

That I imagine Bruce has an idea of God, but not one that he's comfortable worshipping in public of any kind?

That I don't think Dick thinks a lot about religion, but that he prays occasionally and thoughtlessly without wondering whether anyone is even listening-- usually in moments of high stress?

That Cass probably doesn't think much about religion as a structure, but hears about the concept of a holy spirit that guides and comforts and thinks back on times in her life that she couldn't have gotten out of without a little nudge of intuition, and considers it on and off?

That Jason Todd is a catholic clergyman in at least one alternate universe and that it's genuinely important to me that he actually is catholic, even if he's not the most regular attendee?

That Steph should have had the opportunity to go to a local non-denominational church for christmas and easter, or maybe even have grown up with the tension of a nonreligious Arthur and a stubbornly religious-- maybe Lutheran, or Baptist, or Methodist?-- Crystal?

That Tim Drake is probably fully convinced that there is no such thing as "God" because he doesn't see the point of a supposedly all-powerful being standing back and letting all the shit that goes down with the extremely powerful beings tearing apart the multiverse at every opportunity?

That Duke ought to have grown up going to a black protestant congregation of some kind with his parents-- maybe Pentecostal, or Episcopal, or Presbyterian?-- and have to take some time processing where his personal beliefs lie after learning about Gnomon and dealing with his parents' incapacitation?

That I wholeheartedly, desperately, earnestly dream of Damian growing up and getting baptised into the LDS church in his late teens or early twenties, not because I think he would ever actually do so in the comics but because there's something about accountability and about atonement and about being told "It's okay that you didn't know any better. When you learned, you stopped. And it's going to be okay, no matter what."? Because there's something about hearing that God speaks personally to you, regardless of what anyone else will try to convince you of or make you do or be? Because there's something about nobody made you like this, you are essentially and completely yourself and Christ exists to make whole the parts of you that have been broken that I think would be so utterly healing to him specifically and personally?

And I can't bring myself to write any of it because I just can't convince myself that I deserve to. Because the part of me that doesn't know enough about other churches says I'll only offend someone. Because the part of me that reads fics like this and watches shows and movies turn my people into bad guys says there's no way to do it right. Because the part of me that cares about the experiences of ex members who have had truly horrific encounters with members of my church says I'm the exception-- that my good experiences make me inauthentic and unrelatable.

I just. I can't even make myself write it for myself.

[honestlycoralmiracle]

Enhance Your Study & Save: Finding Your LDS Bookstore Coupon Code

The official LDS Bookstore, managed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is a vital resource for members seeking scriptures, study guides, teaching manuals, uplifting music and art, modest clothing, temple supplies, and meaningful gifts. These materials play an important role in personal gospel study, family learning, and fulfilling church callings. While the spiritual value of these items is immeasurable, managing a household budget is also important. This is why discovering how to find and use an **LDS Bookstore coupon code** or discount can be incredibly helpful, allowing you to acquire the resources you need while being financially responsible.

Why Look for an LDS Bookstore Coupon Code?

Finding and applying a discount code or taking advantage of sales when purchasing from the LDS Bookstore offers practical benefits:

Increases Accessibility: Makes essential materials like scriptures, study journals, or teaching manuals more affordable for individuals and families, especially for children and youth who need their own sets.

Supports Ongoing Study: Saves money on commentaries, historical resources, or specialized study aids that can deepen understanding of the gospel.

Helps with Gifts: Reduces the cost of purchasing thoughtful and spiritually uplifting gifts for family, friends, or those you serve.

Budget Management: Allows you to acquire necessary Church materials without straining your personal or family budget.

Using an **LDS Bookstore coupon code** is a sensible way to equip yourself and your family with valuable gospel resources.

What Products Can a Coupon Help You Save On?

A valid **LDS Bookstore coupon code** or discount could potentially apply to a wide range of items available through the official store. This includes:

Scriptures: Quadruple combinations, Triple Combinations, Bibles, and separate volumes in various bindings, sizes, and languages.

Study Aids: Gospel Doctrine manuals, Come, Follow Me resources, study guides, journals, and scripture readers.

Music & Art: Hymnals, children's songbooks, uplifting sheet music, and sacred art prints.

Clothing & Temple Supplies: Temple clothing, garments, missionary clothing essentials, and related items.

Teaching Materials: Visual aids, lesson helps, and manuals for various callings.

Books & Literature: Biographies, historical accounts, inspirational books, and fiction by Latter-day Saint authors.

Children & Youth Resources: Primary materials, activity books, and resources for youth programs.

Whatever materials are needed for personal growth or Church service, exploring discount options is a wise step.

Where to Find Your Next LDS Bookstore Coupon

Finding active discount codes for the LDS Bookstore can sometimes require diligent searching. Here are the most effective places to look:

Official Church Channels & Sales

The official Church website (ChurchofJesusChrist.org) is the primary portal for the online store. While direct coupon codes distributed widely might be less common here compared to retail stores, the Church often announces sales and promotions on specific categories or during certain times of the year (e.g., around General Conference, holidays, or for specific events). Keep an eye on the store's homepage and any "Sales" or "What's New" sections. Subscribing to official Church email lists or newsletters might also provide information about upcoming sales events.

Community Resources & Deal Websites

Beyond official announcements, sometimes members share information about sales or potential codes they've found within online communities, blogs focused on LDS living, or social media groups. Additionally, reputable coupon aggregation websites often list active discounts and promo codes for a wide variety of online retailers, including stores like the LDS Bookstore when promotions are available. Many members start their search by seeking LDS Bookstore coupons on these platforms. If you're looking for an LDS Bookstore promo code for a specific purchase like new scriptures or a manual, these resources are worth checking. Checking these resources regularly can help you discover LDS Bookstore discounts on items for personal or family use that can help you save money.

How to Apply Your LDS Bookstore Coupon Code

Once you have found a valid **LDS Bookstore coupon code**, applying it during the online checkout process is typically straightforward on the ChurchofJesusChrist.org store:

Add Items to Cart: Browse the online store and add the desired scriptures, books, or supplies to your shopping cart.

Proceed to Checkout: When you are ready to finalize your purchase, go to your shopping cart or initiate the checkout process.

Locate the Coupon Code Field: On the checkout page (usually near the order summary or payment information), look for a field or box labeled "Coupon Code," "Promo Code," "Discount Code," or similar.

Enter Your Code: Carefully type or paste your **LDS Bookstore coupon code** into the designated box.

Apply the Code: Click the "Apply," "Submit," or "Update" button next to the field.

Verify the Discount: Ensure that the total price of your order has been updated to reflect the applied discount before completing your payment.

Always double-check the code for accuracy and confirm that your order meets any terms or minimum purchase requirements associated with the discount.

More Ways to Save at the LDS Bookstore

In addition to using specific coupon codes, here are other strategies to get the best value:

Take Advantage of Official Sales Events

Be aware of periods when the Church store might run official sales, often tied to General Conference or other significant events. These sales are a reliable way to get discounted pricing directly from the source.

Check for Clearance Items

Occasionally, items might be moved to a clearance section. Checking for these can yield savings on discontinued or overstocked products.

Meet Free Shipping Thresholds

See if the online store offers free standard shipping over a certain order total. Planning your purchases to meet this threshold is another way to reduce the overall cost.

Enrich Your Life While Being Fiscally Smart

Access to gospel resources is invaluable for personal and family growth. By actively searching for an **LDS Bookstore coupon code** and taking advantage of sales and other saving opportunities, you can acquire the scriptures, study aids, and materials you need without placing undue burden on your finances. It's a practical way to support your spiritual learning and living.

Start exploring your options today and find ways to save on your next purchase!

[almaqead]

"The Days of Torment." From Surah 45, Al Jathiya, "The Prostration."

Telling lies, lies, lies, we still are. Donald Trump cannot hold any public office in the United States of America, but somehow, he is doing it. He lied about the onset of the Russo Ukraine War and attempted to help the Russians invade it so he could get his hands on their mineral and property rights, claiming inaccurately and illegally, the Ukrainians owe them for security services.

It is illegal under international law to strong arm another nation or ransom it for its territory or its property, but Trump is threatening to repositition the war in order to do it.

"The use of force by states is controlled by both customary international law and by treaty law.[1] The UN Charter reads in article 2(4):

"All members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations."

In addition to this, Donald Trump has crashed the global economy, and is a rapist, a filth, and a terrorist who helped Gordon Robertson, the Christian Broadcasting Network and that troublemaking tramp from Texas, Joni Lamb orchestrate an attack on Israel on October 7. But instead of being proactive about these addenda, the world is watching a horrible drama unfold.

The Quran was given to help mankind predict and stop theater dramas such as this, stating we need to amputate people like Donald Trump and his religion from the sources of power before they cause troiuble by implementing secular law.

"Prayers to God ensure our business with man is kept pure." This is not happening and the danger to this world is growing every day.

Muhammad said this about allowing a criminal to harm the innocent without restraint- the warnings are as old as the Torah which was given to the people of Israel to stop the Pharaoh in ancient times and we have not yet learned their lessons:

45: 14-17:

"˹O Prophet!˺ Tell the believers to forgive those who do not fear Allah’s days ˹of torment˺, so that He will reward each group for what they used to commit.

Whoever does good, it is to their own benefit. And whoever does evil, it is to their own loss. Then to your Lord you will ˹all˺ be returned.

Indeed, We gave the Children of Israel the Scripture, wisdom, and prophethood; granted them good, lawful provisions; and favoured them above the others.1

We ˹also˺ gave them clear commandments regarding ˹their˺ faith. But it was not until knowledge came to them that they differed out of mutual envy.1 Surely your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Judgment regarding their differences."

Commentary:

I started warning you seven years ago that Donald Trump and his politics and religion were a global threat, and you ignored me. I overheard him and members of his family personally planning to destroy this world and you did nothing. I told the whole world over and over not to let this man go free but free he is.

Now we are all a part of a cluster fuck that will take years to fix. Millions are dead and more will die because you did not do as God said and staunchly refuse to make the same mistakes over and over the same named by the Torah and the Quran, so what the hell are you doing making the same mistakes?

Why is Donald Trump not yet under arrest? Why does his Republican Party still function? Why are the Family Research Council, the LDS, the Heritage Foundation and the AFD and every other anti-Semitic and Islamophobic organization still operating? How bad do you want things to get before you will obey God and be as an instrument in something good for this world?

As I predicted so long ago, the world cannot turn again until all of this is addressed and an Account is made. And we know a two state solution in Israel has no potential to meet the objectives stated in the Quran, which calls for a unified Kingdom in which all persons are free and treated without judgement, as if all were made of one faith.

[rickktish]

Hey fuck this actually please and thank you :)

Religion is not designed to "break in independent women and trap them into a conservative relationship" and OP is SPECIFICALLY SAYING SO and I'm beyond sick and tired of people arguing that it is RELIGION that is the problem and not the larger structural culture of the US and other countries. And this goes ESPECIALLY AND SPECIFICALLY for mormonism.

As someone who was born and raised LDS, I'm aware that my experience is not universal. Some people grew up with abusive parents. Some people grew up in controlling congregations. But my experiences are also not unique, and I need people to stop homogenizing the LDS experience into "oh poor mormon women, they've been broken in like animals to submit to their husbands."

As a matter of fact, I have never personally met a mormon woman who was submissive to her husband. Which is impressive given that I've been surrounded by Utah mormons my entire life.

Can I share the actual messaging I was taught as a child? The actual lessons we were given in childhood and teenhood?

"men and women have equal responsibility in the home."

"Men and women are equal partners."

"Men have a responsibility to be active, present fathers to their children. Part of providing for a family is providing for their emotional needs."

"women have a responsibility to pursue higher education and/or vocational training as circumstances allow" (which was a reference to the cost of student loans, not whether or not she had children.)

The screenshot above has such important, meaningful ideas and you are actively making it harder to take those important ideas seriously by arguing that entire segments of a religious population have been systematically subjugated as children rather than acknowledging that those religions exist within the larger context of christian nationalist america. Don't blame the subgroup for the issues dictated by the larger structure. Don't defer responsibility for a national structure that teaches men that they are supposed to be dominant and controlling and violent to the subculture that teaches them that the greatest demonstration of masculinity is to cry in public while expressing words of gratitude and affection, that you have to counsel with your wife before making any decisions, and that good men are present and active fathers who listen to their children's needs and respect them as individuals with inherent divine value.

"41 No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; 42 By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile"

Most mormon men I know are instructed to memorize this scripture. Even if they don't have it memorized, it's taught regularly in sunday school. They analyze it. They discuss it. They are taught to live by it. And for clarification's sake, "priesthood" refers to a lot of things in mormonism but not least of those things is the fact that it's frequently used to denote "all men in the church or any of its congregations." Meaning that while it's easy to read this as "don't use your [power or position of authority] to control others" it also frequently gets read as "don't use your [masculinity or position as a man] to control others" and that! matters!

The original poster understands that being amish or mormon is a choice, and respects it. It is a choice that men and women make, and they make it with the full extent of the knowledge and values that they have cultivated over a lifetime of experience. You can tell, because some people-- even a lot of people!-- choose NOT to anymore when they grow up. OP is SPECIFICALLY USING THESE TWO RELIGIONS AS A COUNTERPOINT. INTENTIONALLY DENOTING THE CHOICE OF THE WOMEN INVOLVED.

Do not detract from the VITALLY IMPORTANT MESSAGE that OP is making about those who are trying to structure power for the sake of controlling those around them by targeting a smaller population you think you're better than, especially if you're speaking from a position of malice or judgement. You just look ignorant and bigoted.

Whoever wrote this, slayed so hard with all these statements, truer words have never been spoken

[overtakebrownwren]

Angry Rant about an article.

Wired did a whoops, I guess. In their article on author Brandon Sanderson, they accidentally and sorta casually insulted his fans, his religion, and utah mormon culture (which is a separate thing from the religion, in that the church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints has over 15 million members worldwide with a vast number of cultures and local traditions impacting worship styles). 

Firstly, Sanderson responded publicly to agree that the article wasn’t kind but asked that his readers be kinder in their reactions. To that I will try to adhere, since, although it’s been a few years, I really loved Elantris and Mistborn, and I respected his co-writing of the last three books of Wheel of Time immensely. In Wheel of Time, he could have distanced himself from the polygamy aspects (as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints this is a point on which there is always going to be a lot of hard conversations and awkward talks when you are a member) but he kept the characters consistent and respectful in their relationships. So, I will try to be kind in responding to this article.

Read his response here. It’s surprisingly sweet. Read that if nothing else.

https://www.reddit.com/r/brandonsanderson/comments/1200dzk/on_the_wired_article/

Okay. SO the wired article.

Its title is “Brandon Sanderson Is Your God.” This isn’t necessarily a bad sign. Plenty of fantasy authors create fictional pantheons for fantasy worlds. This could be a clever reference or something about the ways that Latter Day Saints show respect in their worship. Or maybe it’s about the belief that heaven is a place where you can (over millennium) grow to become like heavenly father and many of his fans watch his youtube writing lessons to try to become writers like him. 

Then he calls him a mormon. 

Now. See here. It’s not disrespectful. We’ve had a reclamation movement over this term almost as long as people used it to mock and distance us from Christians. So. Okay. He probably didn’t notice that the past few years Latter Day Saints have been pushing for correct terminology- giving us our real name or a part of that (note my own use of Latter Day Saints, part of the title) But since it’s also a term for all of the churches that use the scriptures “The Book of Mormon” it is pretty imprecise. He’s probably missed the movement, or doesn’t remember which sect Sanderson belongs to . . Except, no. By the third paragraph he has to explain that LDS stands for Latter Day Saints and that that means Mormon. . . But this isn’t a lesson on theology or respectfully using people’s names for themselves. He’s just trying to connect to his readers so whatever.

And it’s whatever that he starts by mentioning Sanderson’s sales then saying that Wired worker’s never heard of him. He even says it’s whatever, “Sanderson has millions upon millions of fans all over the planet; it doesn’t matter that some losers at a single magazine (even if it is one of the nerdier ones) had never heard of him,” but then points out that no other big publishers have either. 

Then he comes to his thesis. The reason that Sanderson isn’t a household name- “Could it be, finally, because he’s a weirdo Mormon?”

No comment. I’ll keep reading

Wait. New thesis found! “I find Sanderson depressingly, story-killingly lame.”

… not gonna comment. Gotta be kind. It’s his opinion. It’s his digital paper to waste.

Then, in front of his wife, Jared Kehe of Wired asks, “Maybe nobody writes about you, I say to Sanderson, because you don’t write very well.”

And look. In the early days of his website I remember being able to find and read his first book, one he never got published because it was too awkward of a book and format. It’s not there anymore (here), but it was pretty good- good in the way that I will devour a hundred chapter fanfiction from start to end regardless of the writing quality and all because of the joint enthusiasm of myself and the author over a base idea. His published writing? Much higher quality. Will it turn to shakespeare? Nope- not nearly enough sex and bawdy jokes or gender confusion for it to make the cut. But it’s still fun. His prose has grown, his world building is solid. 

It’s just…

After reading this. After this article. I kinda want to be mean.

See, Jason Kehe, the author, is so critical of everything. He calls the men as the convention, “ men, boys, menboys, blurring together in a mass of pale, fleshy nerdery in Sanderson-appropriate graphic tees.” He says things like, “Sanderson is a bad writer; I’ve already said it.” 

He sees the fandom and criticizes it for being all about worldbuilding over prose. “All this, I think to myself, is not the spirit of fantasy. If it’s worldbuilding, it’s only worldbuilding one thing: the worldbuilder’s world.” As though fun word play with no meaning- or such complex meaning that it takes forever and a codebreaker to discover it, is only important signifier of good writing. He comes off as such an elitist. And maybe it’s the middle school teacher in me, to want books with low entry points for my struggling readers, but not all books need to be super complex to be good. There is nothing wrong with some of Sanderson’s books being blatantly targeted to middle school students, others to adults, and to have a similar level of reading ability. I worked in a struggling school- some of the kids were in 8th grade with a kindergarten reading level. 

Elitism comes through in other ways, too. For example, Sanderson, a successful writer, has a large home. But when Kehe comes over he seems freaked out by all the people there. Sanderson has friends and family over, like, all the time. His kids salt takeout. Sanderson wears a suit jacket over graphic tee-shirts. These are all written about as though the reader should know they are clearly disturbing qualities. Furthermore, there’s even a discussion on weather and how Sanderson feels and reacts to emotion that shows the writer edging towards vilification of the neurodivergent that made me personally uncomfortable (although it was more of a hint then a statement, so I might be overly sensitive).

Then there is Kehe’s demand on Sanderson’s privacy. He writes about several medical conditions Sanderson has, even when asked not to do so in one case. “When I ask Sanderson later to confirm this, he does but asks if I really have to print it. I’m sorry, I say. I really do,” Kehe writes. Boundaries mean little to Journalists. I get that. But finding something medical out from an employee in the home of the author? I’m just saying there are lines, even in journalism, that shouldn’t be crossed. 

Worst of all. Kehe, the author, complains about a lack of a big story for this writer. He whines about it. And even I can see there is clearly, even within his own writing, a really easy bland story. A gimmy as it were. Like. I could do this in two days. 

Quotes from Kehe:

“In the five months or so it has taken me to sit down and write this magazine story, which is 4,000 words long, Sanderson has published two books. “

“Sanderson formed a writers’ group with almost 30 years ago, back in college at Brigham Young University, when he was a nobody and worked the graveyard shift at a hotel so he could write the nights away. “

“Sanderson has lived so much of his life and fame openly, self-promotionally. It’s a major reason for his success.”

Do you see it? Pull themselves up by their bootstraps author! A writer who didn’t let not being a prose writer stop them from being a prolific well published writer! Follow your dreams, don’t limit yourself, etc etc…..

Then, for quality writing, you sprinkle in some disbelief that a “bad prose writer” can still make it- top it off with a few mentions of Sanderson’s time teaching on accessible platforms like podcasts and youtube, his house full of friends and family who he didn’t let success separating him from, his home with three boys and a wife and a religious community, and you have a republican’s wet dream of an author. 

There is plenty of material here for all kinds of stories. Plenty of publications did articles on his self publishing kickstarter. See here. 

Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/03/books/brandon-sanderson-kickstarter.html

Gizmo: https://gizmodo.com/brandon-sanderson-s-message-to-publishing-is-mostly-a-m-1848673821 

CNN: https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/04/media/kickstarter-brandon-sanderson-books/index.html 

So Why? Why did Wired do an article about how creepy and bad Sanderson is? Was the assignment to find a hot take? And all they could find was his writing is bad actually? Also weirdo religion? 

What the hell?

In the end, he comes back to the title. And no, the connection isn’t deep. God creates worlds. Sanderson writes worlds. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints believe that after a few millennia of learning in heaven, some people will grow to be like their Heavenly Father and become Gods. Thus, Sanderson is a God. Blah.

But Kehe goes about it in as insulting a manner as possible. Kehe’s words italics, Mine in parenthesis. 

When Mormons ask God for a sign, they speak of a “burning in the bosom.” Say you’re a kid, wondering if you should be a fantasy writer when you grow up. You might ask God what He thinks. If there’s a burning in your bosom, that’s probably a yes. (This is a really bad example, since you are supposed to ask for things you need for confirmation and children don’t need to know their future career yet. A more common example would be “Should I call home for a ride or is it safe to walk home in this snow storm?” or the more spiritual and personal, “Is this stuff I’m learning at church true?”)

So I press Sanderson on the moments he has felt the burning. He says they’re too intimate, too special, to talk about. That’s fine. Then let’s talk about Mormonism in another way. (Clearly this is targeted questioning because he wants to show that Latter Day Saint faith is hooky and weird. Good on Sanderson for setting boundaries. These experiences are, for those who don’t have experience with the feeling of “sacred” akin to the moment when you realize your mother loves you no matter what. Or the moment you look at your child and realize you adore them. Not secret, but a quiet still moment of love and connection that it’s for your facebook page.) Let’s talk about it as it relates to fantasy. Because it’s no secret: Mormonism is the fantasy of religion. (RUDE. Like seriously. Who says this about a faith. Where did he get the next quote?) “The science-fiction edition of Christianity,” I’ve heard it called, with its angels and alternative histories (Isn’t alternative history a term you could apply to every Christianity that believes in resurrection?), embodied gods (God’s having a physical body isn’t weird except when compared to some specific forms of monotheism), visions and plates made of gold. I ask Sanderson if I’ve got the ultimate promise of the religion right—the ultimate promise being, as I understand it, that we humans will, if we’re good, and marry well (not limited to this life- marriage is an eternal thing and can be formed as spirits eventually), and memorize the passcodes (I hate that, due to the promise of privacy in certain ceremonies, I can’t explain why this is totally wrong and still a little sorta almost correct), eventually pass into the highest kingdom (because we don’t believe in a hell- just in your progress towards this goal being damned or stopped) and come into our divine inheritance. We’ll become gods, in other words, and get our own planets. (Yeah, that phrase “Heavenly Father” is considered literally in our church. We’re in, like, an elementary school called mortality? More or less. Look it up if it’s something you want to know more about https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/believe/life-has-purpose/your-life-has-a-purpose ). 

Sanderson doesn’t balk at the characterization; he agrees that’s the gist, and he knows where I’m going. He knows I want to know if what he’s doing—writing fantasy books—is fundamentally, in some way, some very central way, Mormon. Of course it is, he says. The worldbuilding. The gods incarnate. The systems of magic. So much of Mormonism is about rules; so are his books, where miracles don’t happen unless you put in the work (Unless there is a reason). That’s when, between mouthfuls of pork cutlet, Sanderson makes the connection between his work and the work of his Heavenly Father explicit. This is when he speaks the seven words of truth, the only ones I’m certain he has never said, in quite this way, ever before: “As I build books,” Sanderson says, as I sit there, for once entirely enraptured, “God builds people.”

This dude. This author. He’s looking for something new and different about Sanderson. When Sanderson is just a nice midwestern author who writes a huge amount of fiction and goes to church on sunday and doesn’t have a specific childhood trauma that explains his writing’s power. Why didn’t this guy just look up a most prolific writer list and talk about how many of the authors on it are now considered racist. 

Look. My opinion as a teacher. It’s hard enough getting kids into reading now a days. Sometimes because of reading level. Sometimes because they look up an author to make sure they don’t need to worry about supporting a bigot and find something they said that makes them angry. Death of the author is nothing more than an action plan to my middle schoolers. So having articles like this, where authors and fans are citicted for being authors and fans- it doesn’t help anyone. It doesn’t make being a writer or author seem fun. And that’s what Sanderson’s books were for me, growing up. They were fun. They were emotional. They were a gateway into series far greater than my own.  

Sanderson, in his gentle talk to fans, talks about Terry Pratchett’s Going Postal.  He says “The man who collects those pins--Stanley Howler--IS special. In part BECAUSE of his passion. And the more you get to know him, or anyone, the more interesting you find them. This is a truism in life. People are interesting, every one of them--and being a writer is about finding out why.”

And this. This is what I want my kids to take away from books. Not great pose or being able to build a metaphor. Those get them past the state exams and then they can spend the rest of their life learning the intricacies of language. What I want them to take from our reading is empathy. Is the knowledge that in the hands of a master, no one, no life, is boring or small or dull. That their stories matter and so do those of the people who have nothing in common to them. 

And that is why I’m being mean now, and saying that Wired Sanderson article is a failure in writing. They make Sanderson’s life other and different and wrong for being different. And they make me and my life feel smaller and worse for it.

[trberman]

Doctrine and Covenants 3:1–22 | Trusting God’s Wisdom for Personal Revelation and Faith

When Joseph Smith lost the 116 pages of the Book of Mormon manuscript, it wasn’t just a personal failure—it was a turning point. Doctrine and Covenants 3:1–22 reveals how God responded with both rebuke and reassurance, teaching that His work cannot be stopped by human mistakes. These verses are a reminder that trusting God’s wisdom, even in moments of failure, brings unexpected strength and…

[mindfulldsliving]

Cultural Perspectives on the Golden Rule: Empathy in Action

The Golden Rule is a powerful principle that resonates across cultures and religions, urging us to treat others as we wish to be treated. It's a simple yet profound guideline for living a life of empathy and kindness.

Interpreting The Golden Rule: Insights from 3 Nephi 14:12, Matthew 7:12, and Luke 6:31 Why has “The Golden Rule” resonated across centuries? It’s simple yet profound, urging us to treat others as we wish to be treated ourselves. This powerful idea finds a place in diverse teachings, including scriptures like 3 Nephi 14:12, Matthew 7:12, and Luke 6:31. As we explore these passages, we see a…

[post-lds]

Intro

(Read before you say anything stupid in asks especially)

I am entering my late 20s. i grew up mormon in utah. my parents were raised mormon by parents raised mormon, and most of my “heritage” goes back further than that, steeped in mormonism. i am the third child of ten, my mother also had nine siblings, and my dad has 5. I threw myself into the so-called “religion”, dedicated so much time and energy to my callings in the “church”, and spent hours on hours praying and reading mormon “scripture”. It has now been years since i attended any lds ceremony or ritual in good faith, but it sticks with you.

Do NOT come in here and tell me my faith was insufficient. do NOT come here and tell me i didn’t try hard enough. do NOT tell me i listened too readily to the whisperings of the devil, that i was persuaded too easily to the whims and temptations of the world. do NOT tell me i must have just wanted to sin

I will say you will never know how many nights i cried myself to sleep in prayer. you will never know how many talks and testimonies i bore with every shred of truth i could wholeheartedly swear. you will never know how many times i scoured the scriptures for answers to my questions, how studiously i took notes in class, sacrament, seminary, general conference, the lessons i strove to inscribe on my soul from testimonies and FHE, from girls’ camp and youth conference and fire sides and every other spiritual interaction i ever had. the guilt ate away at me for not feeling as guilty as i should, for even thinking that i could like girls, for doubting, for not “having enough faith”, for tainting my family’s immortal salvation, for decimating my own chance at the celestial kingdom. i wrote “worlds beyond number” on my arm for weeks in the hopes that the reminder would strengthen my resolve in my faith, but instead left me devastated that i would end up in the telestial kingdom if i was lucky, but more likely outer darkness for my deep seeded sinful ways. the root of my depression in high school was my faith crisis, and although yes i was unmedicated, i wasn’t in therapy, or otherwise addressing my mental health, the part that kept my depression going strong was the fear that i was doing everything All Wrong, because I didn't etch the gospel into every aspect of my life, every moment of every day. And that must have been why I felt so hopeless. Perpetual despair.

I began to truly Doubt™ right about a decade ago now, back when i moved from a charter school to a public school my sophomore year of highschool. i was introduced to a whole world of people who weren’t largely mormon, and many of them were intrinsically good without the “gospel” in their lives. i made more and more friends who weren’t mormon and they made me feel more welcomed than the ppl in my stake that went to the same school. I realized that mormon didn’t equivalate good, that the most entitled, self righteous, holier than thou pricks in school were mormon (rectangles and squares here). the things that were supposed to drench me in guilt - swearing, mentioning sex, exploring sexuality/gender, reading less-that-wholesome books, trying caffeine - they never scarred me the way i was always told they would. i tried every trick in the book and them some to see what argument reason would remind me of the One And Only Whole And Complete Truth. nothing took. the guilt and insecurities dragged me deeper into my pathetic self-loathing pity party. if i wasn’t happy, i must be sinning. right? so what was i doing so wrong that didn’t bring instant waves of guilt and shame that was keeping me so unhappy? why were my prayers and scripture huntings answered with silence? was i that unholy? that unworthy? so despised by capital g God Himself that i was unworthy of even a hint for why i was this way? there was no quiet comfort, no gentle reassurance, no uplifting encouragement that i just had to Move Along. i have never felt so violently lonely and alone as i did then. it left me vehemently aimless, directionless, void of any modicum of hope, it left me wide open for my abuser to swoop in and give me Purpose, building off the basis that the ends would always justify the means. also an exmo, he turned my need for approval into a tool of his own making, used my desperation to be loved against me, manipulated my idea of working hard for the benefit for my family in his favor. mormonism left me naïve and vulnerable and in need of direction, and he gave that to me, and i fell for it because i didn’t know better. 

i was told from the earliest ages of life that my divine calling was to be a Mother Of Zion (there is so much wrong with that phrasing, and so many more racist and appropriative ideals that mormons have coopted as their own over the years, but that’s a different post). when i read Pictures Of Hollis Woods in middle school, i realized that adoption wasn’t just an option in general, it could be an option for me, a first option, too. yet i still struggle to shake the idea that my body isn’t a temple for me, it is a public temple for lease, a resource to share, that childbearing is less a privilege, but more a duty that is intrinsically tied to the fate of my immortal soul. i personally do not need to bear a biological child to raise. it is not a personal requirement for a fulfilling life. but it always sits in the back of my mind, that i should be so grateful for the Blessing of a likely very fertile uterus, that i should make use of it and Share My Bounty with both my spouse (who should be a cis man and rm) and the world. i know logically that it’s because that’s the most surefire way to introduce new tithe paying members into the world, but i still, still, STILL have this burning anxiety that it is Greedy of me to deprive a soul the use of my womb.

do not tell me i did not struggle

read A Marvelous Work And A Wonder, read The Miracle Of Forgiveness, read the CES Letter, read works by ex members, and if your faith is truly that strong, if the doctrine of the church is truly whole and pure, if the prophets and other priesthood leaders are truly so divinely inspired by God and the Holy Ghost, such criticisms won’t shake your belief. if god is the same yesterday, today, and forever, why do church leaders need so many revisionary revelations? if j smith was given the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, why are you not following his edicts today? if they aren’t so virtuous as to be relevant and applicable to today’s life, then your god is fallible, yes? if you can read those works (to start) and then honestly look me in the face, look anyone in the face and say with full confidence, hand to god, that you believe and support everything the lds faith stands for, then we can have an honest conversation. but at the very least, learn to analyze what you know to reiterate these "facts" in your own words, rather than regurgitate the same phrases parroted by thousands of members, as if quantity will give these ideas credence.

[nerdygaymormon]

Is reading the Book of Mormon cover to cover a good way to learn about LDS as practiced, or would it be a better idea to read other works and turn to the text only to check quotes/references/context?

Latter-day Saints certainly are encouraged to read the Book of Mormon, as are people who meet with the missionaries with an interest in joining the LDS Church.

Way back when I was a college student, I taught missionaries at the Missionary Training Center, and I was surprised to learn that most of those I taught had not read the book from cover to cover. I would teach them for 2 months and encouraged them to start reading from the beginning of the book and every day share something they learned or which impressed them. I think most members have read the Book of Mormon and are familiar with its contents, but I wouldn't guess that most read it everyday or in an ongoing way (but some do).

I'm not discouraging you from reading the Book of Mormon, but a shortcut method to getting the story and main points is to read Book of Mormon Stories, which is meant for children. It's a way to get the highlights.

I think for many members, the way they interact with the Book of Mormon is the manuals used for Sunday lessons. These are called, Come, Follow Me, and contain a week-by-week guide to reading along with commentary about what people should be getting from the scripture block and a structure to talk about it at Sunday's lessons. This is the practice that currently guides how many Latter-day Saints use the Book of Mormon and other scriptures.

[jackednephi]

On daily scripture study

Kind of a long post. I'm on mobile so no cut. Sorry :(

Ok so I'm gonna try doing something this year that I haven't in the past and that's reading my scriptures every single day. In the past, I've been hindered by like approaching it as the Ideal like we learn in seminary which is Deep Study every single day. Obviously, I ended up failing because that's such a lofty goal. I mean, it always ended up being good for me because it would inevitably deepen my study. I'd involve Google in with the footnotes and get really deep into things. Like the post I have forever ago about Nephi's sword type of thing. But research rather than happenstance and it's part of why I know so much about kosher laws off the top of my head

Something else I think has been a hindrance to this goal has been the idea that I need to bust out my physical scriptures to do so and, at least when I was in high school, the only comfortable place I had to do this was the couch in the living room. Also, if I'm being honest, I was definitely doing Way Too Much (as is the common Mormon trap tbh) But I'm not doing Way Too Much because what work I get is by no means full time. I do what I can around the house, but that's limited to weather, spoons, and so on. I'm in the process of applying for disability but that's not an all day, every day type of affair. I'm going back to school eventually and studying for the GRE in the meantime but, again, even with all this, I have a lot of open time. And I have a comfy bed if nowhere else

ALL THAT SAID, I wanted to know if anybody used the LDS library app for reading and how that worked out. I figured if I can make time to read bits of fanfiction/otome apps every day, then I can try to read the scriptures every day. Also, is the app good for study? I know it's good for church use so will be good for casual reading but a big reason I haven't relied on it for daily reading is that I'm worried about relying on it for regular study

I mean, I've always been partial to physical books and scriptures (I can write in them and I like the heft and can use them even when headaches crop up) but I need to be realistic with myself. Sometimes I can't even get out of bed for hip pain and can't even prop myself up to read a physical copy. Plus, I do NOT want my kids (the buns for those of 6ou unaware) thinking it's something they can destroy cause we give them phone books and stuff to shred and scriptures are similar enough. But again, not sure if the app is good enough for me to kind of "retire" my scriptures so to speak. Especially since I really, really, REALLY like marking them and writing notes in them. I know there's a little notebook thing but, again, I've been reluctant to explore it because I was pretty sure there was no way it could be as good as physically writing

How does everyone else approach what to study too, by the way? Do y'all go "I will study what we are in Sunday school this year" or do you just eat up the BOM year after year instead? Do you switch it up from day to day just going wherever? Do you start with the ensign and work from there? Conference talks? Because that's technically scripture too, right? Also, would it be a good idea to maybe record my progress in my journal I use for scriptures and study maybe? Like the date, where I read from and to, maybe some quick notes? Or would that be too ambitious for now? I was thinking it would be good to see if I've been actually accomplishing reading every day and adjust accordingly if I wasn't. Maybe printing out a little calendar or chart and giving myself a cute little sticker as a reward for that day to mark my progress

Like the goal is to get myself to make this a habit. It has never ever been a habit for me and that definitely needs to change. Like I do read scriptures but never daily like we're told. I want to give myself as much opportunity for success as possible and, considering I'm 25, I clearly have yet to figure out what I need to do for success. I'd tried every day in the mornings in high school but needed to wake up at 430 to do that due to morning JROTC practice three days a week and seminary the other two. Then, who's going to wake up that early on the weekends to keep that kind of habit? Not a growing, anorexic, overscheduled teenager, that's who

Then, I'd have after school stuff. Drama, choir practice, viola practice, fencing, or karate depending on the year, piano practice/lesson every day except Sundays, JROTC stuff depending on time of year and if stuff was coming up, a MOUNTAIN of homework, and by the time all that was done, it wasn't like I was in any shape to do more studying. I wanted to play video games or draw or read or otherwise destress. Then, I was inactive in college so why would I go out of my way to form (let alone keep) a daily scripture habit

So do I go for a same time every single day type thing? I attribute the past failure of that to circumstance. A set time is fine when I have/remember to take my meds. But that will probably fall apart other days and habits are consistent things. Maybe I should aim for, instead of a time, more of a "as soon as I wake up, have had food and meds" type of flexible thing so I'm not beating myself up for sleeping in until noon when I meant to get up at 8? Or do y'all find later in the day better because you're not having to worry about the Rest Of The Day setting in on you? I'm thinking after me waking might be best so I'm not feeling guilty for taking time away from my family

Regarsing frequency, should I start with doing it as often as possible? Shoot for once a week then slowly increase it? Go whole hog and get it done daily even if it's just a couple minutes? I genuinely do not know. The year my family and I read the BOM every day together, I was in elementary and not doing too much. We did four chapters a day, more if they were short and less if they were long, but my parents really were the ones who dictated that so I don't really know how to do that myself

Anyway, I really want to make sure this goal sees success and then, in time to come, I can deepen it to be rigorous study rather than just reading every day. Thus all the questions. I also know different people are different and what may work for y'all may not work for me. But I would like real answers as to how y'all do your scripture habits as opposed to like Advice y'know? Like get real specific with it so I can have a good idea of what works for different people so I have a concrete idea of things to try

Nobody is obligated to answer any of these questions by the way. Just I wanted to ask them and throw this out there to all of tumblrstake so I could get a good range of answers. Daily scripture study is such a nebulous concept to me that I definitely need concrete examples as opposed to vague advice. Also no I'm not gonna pray about how to know how to do things. HF doesn't work like that. I mean I will pray for guidance to know when things are working or not but I can't do that until I'm actively Doing The Thing and how am I supposed to actively Do The Thing if I don't really even have a starting place

Like do I hit up the church website and comb through conference talk after conference talk about "read your scriptures daily" in hopes of finding a more practical how to? I'd think there would be less of that and more admonishing. I was also born in the church so idk if converts get some kind of lesson from the missionaries the rest of us don't about how to read daily. If so, can we like spread that to the general populous? Cause I would appreciate it

Anyway, sorry for the wall of text. Vann had Questions

Feel free to hit up my inboxes by the way. I do read everything even if some asks sit there for like months at a time because I never get around to answering them

[beegerbucket-blog]

When will you realize? Or have you?

There comes a point in Mormonism that you realize they can't teach you anything new. I came to that realization in my early 20's when it became mind numbing to sit through meetings rehashing the same stories from the same sources. With only 4 books of scripture they torture you with reading the same passages over and over. Maybe some people in religion have a very low comprehension level or are forgetful allowing them to stay, I couldn't take it. In the end it became childish and beneath me to sit through LDS Lessons anymore. 

[73ironath]

CALLED TO SERVE While we were upstairs, owing to different lessons and assignment received, we developed gifts and talents. It remained with us as our FATHER blessed us with His Priesthood power. Although, through these gifts and talents we have, we use it to work and fend ourselves and family. But to serve our fellow men, it should be FREE. Call to serve are found in: 1. In our homes 2. Kingdom of God 3. To friends... Nations In the home, it is required the Father should display samples of services before the eyes of the children. For example, washing dishes, sweeping.. Of course, the Mother is endowed with the gift to serve. She is primary manager of the home. The unity of Parents in the homes, with laws and discipline applied and the spirit involved in all things, call to serve with love and humility anywhere becomes easier for Parents and children. In the LORD'S CHURCH, no special place for anybody to serve. One may have the gift that suits the position. But the LORD decides who to serve in that position. When brethren and sisters are called prayerfully, some are chosen to occupy the position to serve. This occurs after the leaders, each have received confirmation from the spirit of the person chosen. To perfect chosen, the LORD has set a pattern that must be followed: Luke 6:12-12; D&C 52:14-19. Download lds gospel library from play store and click scriptures. Where there seems to be contention due to the weaknesses of the person chosen, the FATHER'S door is always open to confirm the chosen. King Cyrus of Persia was a Gentile but was chosen to serve before the foundation of the world to liberate the Israelites from Babylon and return to build Jerusalem and the temple of their God. Isaiah 44:28 As the world faces different challenges, many are called to serve with the gifts and talents they are endowed with. These willing minds finds themselves in different organizations like UNESCO, UNICEF, Boys scout, Rotary clubs.. Where one is called to serve and does it willingly, humbly, honestly and distribute the goods and services as scheduled, one will experience the love of the LORD. The earthly desires to covet, divert will diminish from ones spirit https://www.instagram.com/p/Cl3SL2dN8VC/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=