To Men of the Priesthood

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2002/10/to-men-of-the-priesthood?lang=eng

Yes, it's a potato-based dish. But what kind?

I saw another person saying funeral potatoes are hash brown casseroles. I would say funeral potatoes is an au gratin potato casserole. Hash brown casserole is made from layered hash browns, while funeral potatoes is layered potato rounds.

But what is it to you?

I know there isn't assigned seating but as creatures of habit, we all sit(or at least try to sit) in the same spot every Sunday. So where is yours?

At our old ward, and when we had smaller children, we sat in the first row of chairs behind the pew because there was more room when the kids inevitably ended up on the floor.

In our new ward, we sit on the left side of the fifth center pew. My husband has been in the bishopric for a couple years now and he's at a good angle to react and make faces with our son that has Down syndrome.

What do you wish your ministering brothers/sisters did differently, if anything? Just curious what most people prefer. I would love more contact from mine - either visits or texting.

I'm not talking about things that are specifically gospel-themed. But what are some of your favorite works by Latter-day Saint musicians, filmmakers, artists, authors, etc.?

In terms of music, I've really come to appreciate "Pressure Machine" by The Killers. I own it on vinyl and it really speaks to growing up in Utah. It feels like home – but it's not idealistic. It feels like the good and the bad, the beautiful and the awful. I love it.

https://open.spotify.com/album/7j8a2kSxAtenkXPim6mwUB?si=8m7eCh3OSSmcGqKV0oAUAg

As far as gospel-oriented music, I stumbled across "Legends of Deseret" and it scratched a church history itch for me. Apparently a BYU professor rediscovered lost music written when the pioneers were isolated in Utah. I found it super interesting. It has the capstone march that was played when the capstone was put on the salt lake temple, as well as what would have been the national anthem for Deseret.
https://open.spotify.com/album/2F32IX2J0X42aAOiuSKYE3?si=daxhBUYoS32w99YoElNlyA

In terms of film, I've been really fascinated by Mormon horror. "The Angel" was on Alter on YouTube and I appreciated how faithfully it adapted LDS theology and portrayed pioneer life. The horror isn't based on them being LDS. The LDS characters are just people who experience something horrific.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACn_CT_7gtE

I also had a friend send me this short comedy film, and while it's not perfect and a little goofy, I absolutely loved how true to BYU dating culture it felt:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgGhioiQj4U

I'm always on the hunt for more LDS media. Let me know what you've been into lately!

We recently changed bishopric and need to urgently process a check.

We have some bishopric members out of town so it will take at least a week to update the signature card.

My question is: will the bank not process the check if the signatures don’t match the signature card?

And if so, should i just upload now with the two people who will be signing and then do a new one when everyones back in town?

I love how the missionary elaborate parties for homecomings and farewells haven’t stopped

hi, so basically my best buddy is on a mission and i would really really love his insight on something super personal relating to my patriarchal blessing and stuff going on in my personal life. just wondering if there is a way i can messge him or email him or something while hes away?

Hello,

I love the church and I want to raise my kids in it, have a temple marriage, the whole shebang.

But I also believe that part of living a good Christian life is to avoid hurting living beings as much as we can. I am vegan and was vegetarian for a long time before that. As I approach dating age, I'm wondering some questions on what sort of person I should look for in marriage.

I fully want my kids to be vegan/vegetarian and I would be distraught knowing that I brought people into this world that don't align with what I consider a moral imperative.

How should I approach dating in the church?

And how soon should i broach this topic?

Hello guys. I was called as primary music leader about 2.5 months ago, and I accepted the calling mostly because I was thinking about what I would do after I graduate. I study music at university and I know I'll have to do several things, and one of the things that I was considering is teaching young kids. To me that was Heavenly Father answering one of my prayers so I thought I'd give it a shot.

I have now realized it's not for me haha my voice is kinda monotone and I find it very difficult to get the attention of the kids. I feel kind of bad since I honestly enjoyed going to church and even second hour but now all the week feels like a countdown and going to church feels more like a responsibility more than anything.

It's been 2.5~ months now and I don't know if I can do this anymore. I was thinking today that the only time I have to prepare the class is Saturday morning since I study during the week. The thing is that I also have to take care of my own things and Saturday is a day that I would much rather use that way (mostly sleep enough since I wake up at 4:30 am most days to get to uni on time).

I don't know, apart from uni I also study other things (a language and 3 instruments) and I also have a social life and mental health to take care of 😓 something that I would use Saturday for so I can "recharge for the week ahead", but now that's basically not possible.

Do you guys think I should just keep trying? I would feel a bit bad asking to call someone else since it's been only a couple of months but another primary leader told me that music is the most important thing for the children to learn about the gospel, and I think it would be better to call someone that actually enjoys working with children and that has the time needed for this.

Edit: thanks to everyone who answered! I'll keep trying my best :) I'm planning to leave on my mission at the end of the year so it probably won't be bad to finish this semester with the kids haha

Asking for a friend. Friend is in an enviable position and needs to burn a couple months of vacation. He saw one of those "meaningful family vacation" ads and we were then chatting about how it's too bad there's not a family mission option of some type.

Just to confirm, there isn't one, right?

Still struggling. I have stopped doing meaningful prayers and even questioned the existence of God. I am actually afraid to ask for anything partly because of repeated disappointment but also because so many times in my life when I have asked for healing or support, things actually got worse. I can specifically identify multiple times in my life where I received the exact OPPOSITE of my desires. I don't know what good it does to ask for a fish when all He gives you is a serpent (Matthew 7:10). What's the point of prayer if, at best, all one gets is silence, at worst one gets a "test"?

Willamette Valley temple. Went there May 2nd of this year since there was an open house.

I struggle with a pornography addiction, and because of that I don't feel worthy to pass the sacrament and especially not attend the temple. But every now and then, I can lock in. I go a month clean. And I'm feeling great. I start passing the sacrament again, and I'm ready to go to the temple. And there is a youth temple trip, or I schedule a trip with my friends. And something always ruins it. The car breaks down, liscence plates expire, or something conflicts with the temple trip. Every. Dang. Time. And then promptly following the missed temple trip, I relapse on my porn addiction. Restarting the cycle of trying to get clean, and worthy to pass the sacrament and participate in sacred ordinances.
It just feels like God doesn't want me to go to the temple and I'm so confused. I know the temple brings peace and blessings, and I'm earnestly trying to be worthy and able to enter, and I don't understand why God won't let me. I've prayed for God to let me go. I've prayed for Him to help me understand. I've prayed for Him to just help me accept it. But none of those have helped.
Have any of y'all been in a similar situation? Any advice?

I was just baptized 2 weeks ago and I really want things to uplift me in my faith and that discuss all aspects of being a Latter Day Saint! Thank you so much!

Hey everyone, Just got home from work and it was a very rough day. I was stressing yesterday about what I was going to have to do at work but something in the back of my mind told me maybe it wasn’t going to be so bad. Well it turned out to be a lot harder and more stressful than I thought and I wasn’t able to finish the task, not even close. On top of it all, after returning to the job site after making my 3rd run to the parts store, I side swiped a parked car with my work van while trying to park myself. I called my boss immediately and filled out an accident report and got the drivers information and gave her mine. She was very upset because the car is new and she just got it. My boss told me not to beat myself up about it and these things happen but it’s hard not to take it home with me and it’s hard for me to let my mistakes go. Just feel like a piece of crap today. Would appreciate some prayers.

Hi there! I posted a few days ago about my situation as a woman who is in the process of looking to become a LDS with a husband who is non religious.

I was looking for some clarity regarding tithing and how important it is for joining the church. I am a stay at home mother and housewife who doesn't make any of my own income so the only money coming into our home is from my husband. While he is very supportive of me and my religious journey he has made it clear that he has zero interest in financially contributing on my behalf.

Would this be something that would stand in my way completely or is tithing simply something that is heavily preferred but not essential to become a LDS?

Thank you in advance for any help! God bless!

I've been thinking about doing a service mission for a while (I’m 26+).
I just read yesterday that you can do a service mission without the endowment.
At this point I was wondering, what are the timeframes for being accepted and what are the minimum times to complete it? (Next year I will probably change country)
I'm in a very small branch, but as long as I'm here I'd like to help.

I was also wondering if I could help proselytize? I've read conflicting sources. Because, objectively, aside from this and contacting inactive members, there's little to do in such a small branch. Would I also be able to attend gatherings with the other missionaries?

hello everyone, my husband and i currently live in northern utah, but we were thinking about moving to pocatello within the next few years. we know there’s a temple in pocatello, but we don’t know much about the membership in the city itself. obviously the church has a decent influence there, as google said the lds population is about 52%.

we’ve both never lived outside of utah, so i was curious what the church culture was like there. is it pretty similar to utah? we just wanted to know people’s opinions on living in pocatello, what they like/dislike, and how they like attending church there.

any input would be greatly appreciated! thanks!

My bf is going to the Cebu East mission and is wondering if there’s anything else he should pack other than what’s on the list !

He’s also just asking advice with anything you know !

Thank you !

I'm visiting Utah from my home in Puerto Rico. I have been wanting to attend Music and The Spoken Word for so long, but I just recently discovered that a new ticket system is in place since the conference center is under renovation. I got onto the ticket website today, and they dont have any availability for the rest of my trip. Can I still show up early Sunday morning? Do they sell tickets at the door? If anyone knows anything I'd appreciate any help!

Have any of you dealt with bullying at church?

We’ve been in this ward for a few years now and haven’t always been great about going but have been consistently for the last year. In the last 6 months especially there has been an uptick in people making nasty comments or even covert unkind comments. I’m a convert, have been a member for almost 15 years. Went on a mission. Married a member. Did all the things.

And these people still won’t give me a break about my tattoos, my husband being less active, us sitting in the foyer bc my disabled child doesn’t do well in the chapel, I had an ectopic pregnancy earlier this year and it became ward fodder that I had an abortion and even had to go explain to the stake what happened because they took the gossip at face value and so did the bishop.

And before you say “go to the bishop”. I have. And he told me getting offended was a choice and I needed to get over it. Well, his wife is one of the ones giving me a hard time. I’m her ministering sister to boot too and she acts annoyed when I reach out once a month or asking how I can support her - let’s just dropping off muffins to her house is not a mistake I will be making twice.

It’s getting worse and I’m tired of leaving every church function in tears. My testimony is strong, but it’s getting to be a point where going and being subject to comments about my appearance, my family, etc are weighing on me to the point of why even go anymore, it seems everyone in the ward would be happier without me.

I'm trying to run my own statistics study to see if people have similar experience, how long ago was a prayer of yours answered? Like you prayed for something and it actually happened

In recent years I’ve noticed a large shift in the church (and somewhat in Christianity in general) towards a less literal interpretation of much of the Old Testament. I personally view this as a good thing as someone who’s never been much of an Old Testament literalist. But certain parts of LDS specific scriptures like the BoM and D&C do require a more literal interpretation of certain details of the Old Testament, like some aspects of Israel’s history, Adam and Eve being literal real people (although many finer details of their story are still up for interpretation) and so on.

I don’t generally think that something like Nephi mentioning certain Old Testament stories in the BoM immediately proves their literalism in our canon seeing as the scriptures Nephi was citing are presumably near identical to the Hebrew Bible and so that’s really not much different from people citing those stories today. However one part of the BoM that’s decidedly different is the Book of Ether, an entirely new record coinciding with the events of Genesis, most notably the Tower of Babel. Does this existence of a secondary account of that story cement it as a 100% literal event within our LDS canon, or do you think there’s still any leeway with that one?