- Sute on Tangled Assets and Legal Erasure: Emma Smith’s Fight for Financial Survival: “” in hopes they would be merciful enough to keep her children fed, clothed and housed” Because she trusts in God. There’s no other reason for any of this. Haven’t figured that out yet?” Aug 26, 14:43
- on Anti-Mormon Depictions So Bad They’re Good: “I taught someone on my mission who became interested in the church after reading Under the Banner of Heaven.” Aug 26, 05:35
- on A Schism of Loyalty: Aidan and Tristan Caplan on the Third Convention: “Thanks to this site for bringing to light important information about the history of the Church in Mexico (ya’ll had a boatload of great info on hymns from the Mexican Mission recently). Mexico has played an important role in the restoration during the late 19th century and 20th century foward. The great faith of these Saints is truly inspirational. Personally a group of old faithful Mexican saints kept me active during a rebellious (and what could have been disastrous) youth with the strength and depth of their faith, devotion, and inclusion of me – a problem teenager- in their service.” Aug 25, 20:10
- on Coduction (learning together) in our Meetings (Or What Did Church Lead You to Think About Yesterday), 8/23: “The youngest member of the quorum, who has been called to begin a mission in a couple months, spoke of a new-found burden. He has been earning good money all summer, for the first time in his life. “Taxes get taken out of it. And then there is tithing on top of that. It’s a lot to give up.” A heartfelt act of faith that I could imagine building him into who he will be.” Aug 25, 14:35
- on Coduction (learning together) in our Meetings (Or What Did Church Lead You to Think About Yesterday), 8/23: “For my elders’ quorum it was the last time we would for a 50-minute span, and I relished long afterwards that our last time with the format was used to very good effect. It has been the long-standing pattern for the lesson to be a discussion guided along by the instructor, not a lecture. The Confeence talk kicking us off was Bro. Wunderli’s on burdens, particularly the desire that may arise to set aside discipleship to lighten burdens. So many useful and faithful thoughts were voiced by at about ten of us. One told of after his baptism decades ago when friends and family opposed this change he had made and were so hard on him, he thought of giving up the path he had just entered. The extent to which some burdens are chosen, wisely or foolishly was considered by others. Also the burdens that come completely unbidden and uncontrollably. The strength that would be absent if there were no burdens. The succor that comes to bear others. Not every quorum has the numbers or depth to sustain conversation like that for 40+ minutes, and consistency in meeting patterns across all wards and branches has an importance to central church leaders. I don’t begrudge changes to meeting patterns, but I will probably look back fondly now and then to when my quorum could talk together for most of an hour.” Aug 25, 14:22
- on Coduction (learning together) in our Meetings (Or What Did Church Lead You to Think About Yesterday), 8/23: “Here’s a few of my thoughts in reaction to what I experienced in Church yesterday (8/23): One speaker, a dental student, talked about how in dentistry they worry about misalignments of as little as 1/4 of a millimeter, and explored how much of a difference blemishes make. They observed that Christ’s “blemishes” — the scars from the crucifixion — aren’t something that He hides or tries to “correct,” but are instead a badge of identity. The discussion reminded me of a self-help book I read as a teenager, “Psycho-cybernetics” which featured a man who had a scar on his face from a sword fight. The scar was a badge of honor, and something that the man didn’t want “fixed” by a plastic surgeon. In contrast, we talk about a resurrection in which all our defects will be fixed. I wonder if there is an exception for identifying “blemishes”. When is a “blemish” something that actually should be fixed? In quorum meeting we discussed the idea of focusing on what is best — instead of what is good or what is better. I’ve actually been thinking quite a lot about the idea of “good” or “best”, because in my field I have frequently been met with claims that something is “best” where the criteria for that hasn’t been decided, let alone disclosed. “Best” is often a social definition, something we accept because others tell us so, often without any criteria mentioned. Its also often a way of saying “I like this a lot, and I want you to like it also.” Unfortunately, when we accept other’s ideas of what is best, we are abandoning responsibility, since someone else made the decision. Another speaker mentioned the idea that “the natural man is an enemy to God,” and defined the ‘natural man’ as someone who isn’t changing. In the past I’ve defined ‘natural man’ as ‘how we are by nature’, and the whole idea bothered me, because it seemed to be suggesting that God created us as by nature evil. The idea of the ‘natural man’ as someone who doesn’t change is a different way of thinking about this. I’m not sure it solves how I think about it, but it gives me a bit more to chew on. Another speaker told of getting a haircut and being told “you look taller.” Huh? Maybe I’ve missed something. Do haircuts make you look taller?” Aug 24, 14:15
- on A Schism of Loyalty: Aidan and Tristan Caplan on the Third Convention: “That’s a scary thought, RL. Recent history suggests that if it does happen, the trigger will be putting a black man in a position of authority, say, as a member of the Twelve. I expect that will happen soon(ish), so let’s hope no such backlash arises. I’ve been a bit perplexed by the Church’s apparent determination to make the reopening of the Salt Lake Temple a significant event for the global Church. I figured it was just the effect of most of the leadership still being from the Wasatch Front. If instead it is a deliberate gesture to make the people there feel like they’re still the heart of the Church, no harm done and hopefully some good will come of it.” Aug 24, 11:55
- on A Schism of Loyalty: Aidan and Tristan Caplan on the Third Convention: “RL, that’s a good question. It would not surprise me if that happened. I feel like the choice to call Clark Gilbert as an apostle was a deliberate choice to keep some Utah/US folks in charge for the foreseeable future, though that doesn’t mean that overrepresentation is going to be the norm.” Aug 23, 18:14
- on A Schism of Loyalty: Aidan and Tristan Caplan on the Third Convention: “Interesting now how much more diverse and representative the Church leadership is becoming when compared to the demographics of the Wasatch Front. I wonder if in the future the Western or US Saints frustration they are no longer over represented in leadership will bubble up similar to the way whites are with MAGA in the US right now politically.” Aug 23, 14:30
- on Tangled Assets and Legal Erasure: Emma Smith’s Fight for Financial Survival: “Isn’t her name Emma Bidamon?” Aug 23, 13:22
