Jello-fail!

So excited about GC and had my little menu all planned.  Simple fare...Chicken Tetrazinni and a Cranberry salad that had jello to hold it together...cookies or cake (ended up with neither!).  I have made that Cranberry salad for years.  It's sort of a Christmas one but it sounded good so it was in the plan.  I have now 100% lost confidence in all of my cooking skills!  It never set up!  It was flavorless!!  Reddish-colored soup!  I even tried to revive it and sprinkled a big package of jello on it...to no avail!!  Terry, my self-appointed critique fella, felt that Jello-add wouldn't work as it needed hot water.  Whatever!  It was an embarrassing/hilarious fail!

Unlike General Conference which was 100% epic!!  Success...of course!!

I think that whole gay issue announcement spun out of control.  Sort of like news things that take on a life of their own and the rest of the story is never heard.  That announcement was one of many things that was mentioned at the General Conference Leadership Conference.  It was the first time that the agenda was shared so that got the focus.  It was good for me to really dig into it and come out with a stronger conviction to follow the Prophet.

Speaking of which...I thought he looked tired today.  Understandably so!

I desire to follow the Prophet.  I'm thankful for so many things...Terry and I really enjoy the Come Follow Me program.  It's just the two of us, so we aren't challenged with sharing our home with a young family or maybe reluctant teens or whatever...so we are really happy with a lot less Church and more home.  Plus neither of us has a job to go punch a time clock. 

This Conference caught me off guard as it was a very spiritual experience to me.  I cried a lot and had the Holy Ghost witness to me so many teachings that were true.  I did not expect that.  Not a few tears or a welling up of tears but this was actually a real cry...off and on.  Lots of tears!

I know that the Prophet and his Counselors and the 12 are doing their level best to have us fortify ourselves for spiritual safety (and who knows what other kinds of safety?).  I have no idea what will happen that we will end up glad we heeded their counsel but I do know this...when it happens- I will recognize it and know and be thankful that I did my best to do what they asked us to do.  I will understand.

I know that the words of these Prophets/Apostles are letting us know that it's time to really get ready.  To not be afraid but to just get ready.  A rather broad hint when the Prophet said.. Time is running out.  

With all sorts of devilish things whirling around us worldly-wise...it sounds so peaceful and wonderful to make home a sanctuary.  That is what I want to work on!

It will be a miracle if we see our Ward, or any Ward, follow Elder Holland's great counsel!  I remember when Boyd K. Packer gave a similar talk and it never flew (quiet in Chapel and visit in foyer).  I also remember teaching a RS lesson from the manual about it and having a sister get mad and tell me off.  I blogged about that once or twice.  I hope our Bishop wants and expects us to do what Elder Holland asked.  Time will tell!   I'm going to get my pew spot saved and go to the foyer.  Well, it sounds good!

Prophets say things...give revelation and that is that.  they don't come back and explain or justify or rehash or go into detail.  That is our part...to ponder...to pray...to get our understanding while embracing the gospel and staying on that Covenant path.

Those Sunday talks just grabbed me!  Okay...they all did!

Lots of hub bub!!!

and that is putting it mildly!!  Thursday I went to the Temple and came home and found out.....

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NEWSFLASH

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced Thursday (April 4) that church members in same-sex marriages will no longer be considered apostates. The policy change also clears the way for children of LGBT members to be baptized.

“Previously, our Handbook characterized same-gender marriage by a member as apostasy,” the church said in a statement posted on its online newsroom. “While we still consider such a marriage to be a serious transgression, it will not be treated as apostasy for purposes of Church discipline. Instead, the immoral conduct in heterosexual or homosexual relationships will be treated in the same way.”

“We want to reduce the hate and contention so common today,” the statement read. “We are optimistic that a majority of people — whatever their beliefs and orientations — long for better understanding and less contentious communications.”

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MY REACTION TO ABOVE NEWSFLASH

Totally caught off guard!  

Very thankful and relieved about the children being able to be baptized. That had made me feel bad/sad before when they couldn't!

I am totally clueless as to what this sentence means.... "the immoral conduct in heterosexual or homosexual relationships will be treated in the same way.”

WHAT I DID....

I contacted my friend Mariah as she had been so wounded by the previous statement. (She brought 4 children to her marriage and her wife brought 5.  some of the children were already baptized)  When some of their children wanted to be baptized that wasn't allowed.  I felt so sad over it so I'm very happy they can do that.  

The aftermath is...after these several years and a lot of water under the bridge...I don't know if they are even interested in baptism.

I called another friend, Jan, as I knew she, like Mariah, had really suffered on so many levels.  Jan is not gay but 50% of her children have some sort of LBGT issues.  I told her, what I told Mariah...my thoughts were with them and I knew this wasn't going to fix anything in their lives but I hope they felt something akin to better. I also exchanged thoughts with Jan's son, Sam.

TERRY AND I TALK

By this time you know that I embrace change and Terry has to take time to adjust to anything new or different or unexpected or foreign to him.  He mentioned how our Church has changed over the years.  We then talked at length about this really isn't our Church.  This is the Church of Jesus Christ.  We talked about living Prophets and both of us believe in that fact.  We talked about The Church is either true or it's not.  We talked about lots of changes that have happened over the years and how sometimes people just keep holding onto grudges about changes like...polygamy...all men and the Priesthood and other things.  Things that used to be said and shied away from and then they were acceptable.  It used to be interracial marriage was frowned on and not suggested.  and Now?  totally fine.  the list could go on and on.  Some are having a lot of problems with the new Church meeting times and the Come Follow Me program.  It's just history repeating itself.  I know I've said a lot, blogwise, against homosexuality being embraced/accepted Churchly and have made bold statements that the Church will never change their stance.  and now from the Church..."the immoral conduct in heterosexual or homosexual relationships will be treated in the same way.”   Who knows?  I know I don't!

MY TESTIMONY

I believe in Jesus Christ.

I believe this is His restored Church.

I believe in living Prophets.

I'm on board.

I want to stay on the covenant path.

I'm overboard with excitement about General Conference tomorrow!  I'm ready!

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this expresses, so beautifully, how I feel....here

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After the big Thursday leadership, and a lot of things were shared beyond what I just wrote about, I enjoyed reading what President Nelson and others said...

Members of the First Presidency offered remarks at the end of the Thursday morning instruction. “I am highly gratified with the teaching that has taken place,” said President Russell M. Nelson. “If you folks are not being persecuted on a daily basis, you are not doing your job very well. Fortify our people. The adversary is an incorrigible insomniac. He never sleeps.”
The prophet told leaders that it was important for Latter-day Saints “to become stronger
in a spiritually darkened world.” He taught that the “Book of Mormon comes to our 

rescue” (see Moroni 7:14–19).“Our members are standing like a rock
 in a moving river,” explained President Nelson
“I can’t remember a more inspiring … and more motivating set
of instructions 

than we’ve had here today,” added President Dallin H. Oaks, First Counselor
in the First Presidency. “I pay tribute to our prophet.”

“This has been one of the most challenging and wonderful meeting
that I’ve ever been in [in] my life,” said President Henry B. Eyring, Second Counselor
in the First Presidency. “I have to do better. The members are going to
need our help.
We’ve been given incredible new resources.”
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(sorry this is so messed up!!  I tried to make it easy to read and I made it hard!)

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I just read this...that gives me a better understanding .... This was from that same Thursday
leadership meeting.

Now, however, children of parents who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual

 or transgender may be blessed as infants and baptized in the Church, President 

Oaks announced. In addition, the Church will no longer characterize same-gender 

marriage by a Church member as “apostasy” for purposes of Church discipline, 

although it is still considered "a serious transgression."

The changes, issued at the direction of the First Presidency, “do not represent a 

shift in Church doctrine related to marriage or the commandments of God in 

regard to chastity or morality.”

Best time of the year...General Conference

I read about 3 Amish families that joined The Church, our Church.  What an inspiring story and what a bonus...they will show their stories in between General Conference on Sunday!!!  story here  My testimony was strengthened by reading about their journey and I can't wait to hear them speak!!

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I feel like I'm sitting here just tapping my fingers and waiting for General Conference.  So excited and anxious and ready for what is coming down the road!  My heart is tender with anticipation.

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For quite some time I've tried not to buy more books.  I read CR talks as a base of my study along with the Book of Mormon and now the Come follow Me program (and NT study guides I like) but when I heard about Sheri Dew's new book about President Nelson...I immediately ordered it!!  Insights from a Prophet's Life. Worth every dollar it costs.  Fascinating...educational...instructional...a new understanding for me on the inner workings of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the 12!!...faith-promoting...testimony expanding/strengthening...AMAZING!!!  I ordered it in hopes it would get here and I could read it before GC and I accomplished that goal.  I am better prepared for GC because of this marvelous book.  It looks pretty worn already!  I laid it out on my desk and evidently rested my hands to heavy on it between marking and just resting on it!  When I finished and went to close the book...it is cockeyed so I'm trying to straighten it back up and have it aligned and books on top of it to weigh it down.  I will definitely re-read it.  Terry is thinking about having me read it to him.  I volunteered!  I LOVE this book!!  Did I mention that already?