Thanks for Your Service, Don’t Let the Door Hit Ya Where the Good Lord Split Ya

August 14, 2005    By: Kristen J @ 8:11 pm   Category: Mormon Culture/Practices

About a week ago I made a comment on Nine Moons about how I was ousted from my calling due to scandal. I thought people would ask me what the scandal was but to my great disappointment no one did. Not one! Maybe you’re just too polite, or too busy, or just not interested. (more…)

Neurotic Hobby Hunt

August 11, 2005    By: Kristen J @ 9:44 pm   Category: Life

I can always tell when I’m nearing the cliffs of insanity in my mind. I start looking for a hobby. When I was first married and would mention to my husband that I needed a hobby he would try to help me in anyway he could. Now he just rolls his eyes and tucks into what ever task he is currently about. I think it’s a defense against boredom, or restlessness, or depression, take your pick. I’m not sure if it’s normal or not, I guess you the reader can let me know on that one. (more…)

If you weren’t Mormon would you take a job in (and relocate to) Provo?

August 10, 2005    By: Geoff J @ 9:24 pm   Category: Mormon Culture/Practices

I talked with an old friend today. He called because he knew I went to BYU and wanted to get my opinion on the Provo/Orem area. He is living in Southern California but a company out in BYU Land is courting him for a position they have open and he wanted to know what I thought. (more…)

Stalked by the Living Scriptures

August 8, 2005    By: Kristen J @ 10:51 pm   Category: Mormon Culture/Practices

I am not good with sales people whether they come to my door or they call me on the phone. I try to be nice despite my extreme annoyance but it is very hard. My husband is very good with sales people who initiate contact with us. I think it was his years on a mission that make him more compassionate in this area than I am. Some of the sales people I am most irritated with are those who use my religious affiliation to get me to buy their products. Let me tell you of an experience I had just last week. (more…)

Having Problems with Management? Go to the Owner

   By: Geoff J @ 12:47 pm   Category: Mormon Culture/Practices,Personal Revelation,Theology

A few years ago President Faust said something in conference that had a major impact on me:

No earthly authority can separate us from direct access to our Creator… We do not need to go through secretaries or make an appointment to reach the throne of grace. He is reachable at any time and any place. (James E. Faust, “The Lifeline of Prayer,” Ensign, May 2002, 59)

In other words if we want to meet with our Bishop we must set up an appointment that fits his schedule through the ward executive secretary. The same is true for our Stake President, Area Authorities, Area Presidency, etc. If we felt like meeting the President of the Church for an interview we would almost surely be out of luck. But we have a standing personal appointment with his Boss. Each of us can talk with the highest authority in this church any time we feel like it and He will attentively listen and respond. (more…)

The Iron Rod is the Word of God — Not Just the Scriptures

August 7, 2005    By: Geoff J @ 11:59 pm   Category: Personal Revelation,Scriptures

When Nephi was explaining what the Rod of Iron represented to his brothers he said:

And I said unto them that it was the word of God; and whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction.

Since member retention has been a hot topic in the Bloggernacle over the last few weeks I thought this might be useful to bring up. Nephi explains that the sure way to remain active in the gospel (and thus presumably in the church as well) is to hold fast to the iron rod. We often assume this applies to the scriptures only; but the scriptures are in fact the indirect Word of God to us. How do we even know if the scriptures like the Book of Mormon are true? – Only through the direct Word of God to our minds. In other words, we can only know through personal revelation. Therefore I submit that personal revelation is at least as important as the scriptures when it comes to the iron rod in our own lives. (more…)

It’s hard to think important thoughts when there are so many trivial things to think about

August 4, 2005    By: Geoff J @ 11:19 pm   Category: Mormon Culture/Practices,Rock 'n' Roll,The Thang

I’ve written quite a few songs in my day and I like some of my old lyrics are better than others. Before I left BYU I wrote the chorus of a song I intended to use with my BYU band Sam I Am. Here’s how the lyrics went: (more…)

Our Celestial Media Player

August 2, 2005    By: Geoff J @ 1:24 am   Category: Personal Revelation,Theology

Here it is friends: My new analogy on how revelation really works. This has been tempered in the fires of a hot debate with Jeffrey Giliam over the last few weeks and I think you might like it. (Or not…) (more…)

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