Comments on: Fresh Courage Take http://segullah.org/daily-special/freshcouragetake/ Mormon women blogging about the peculiar and the treasured Wed, 23 May 2012 15:39:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Michelle L. http://segullah.org/daily-special/freshcouragetake/#comment-123540 Michelle L. Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:21:56 +0000 http://segullah.org/?p=1763#comment-123540 just one more thought to add to your wonderful comments-- I talked about the sifting concept in Sunday School and our responsibility to keep reaching out, loving our neighbor. One man raised his hand and said, "Imagine if I sent my 3 sons camping and told them to take care and watch out for each other. And then imagine if only two came home and said, 'Oh, he was just goofing off and wouldn't help with the tent or the fire. He wandered off into the woods and we left him....'" just one more thought to add to your wonderful comments– I talked about the sifting concept in Sunday School and our responsibility to keep reaching out, loving our neighbor.

One man raised his hand and said, “Imagine if I sent my 3 sons camping and told them to take care and watch out for each other.

And then imagine if only two came home and said, ‘Oh, he was just goofing off and wouldn’t help with the tent or the fire. He wandered off into the woods and we left him….’”

]]> By: jenny http://segullah.org/daily-special/freshcouragetake/#comment-123468 jenny Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:45:15 +0000 http://segullah.org/?p=1763#comment-123468 Great thoughts. I loved this post, and I have many thoughts on the "wheat and tares and sifting" and on "prop 8", but what struck me, because of a recent personal experience is "Because it's true. Darn it. It's all true." Since we have relocated to an entirely different part of the country (going on almost 4 years now) I find myself in a very non-inclusive ward. It is very different from much of my previous experience and has been depressing, isolating and eye-opening. My ward is very happy to accept my service, especially as one of their few pianists, but I am constantly reminded that it is really the only thing they value from me. Something happened recently (a couple of weeks ago) that made me shake my head in more disbelief than ever before and I said to my comiserating sister, "I would quit this ward if the church wasn't true." I am grateful for the testimony I do have and I pray for the many, many members who are treated this way throughout the church who are not strong enough to endure and end up leaving this beautiful gospel over its imperfect members. Do they even know what they are responsible for? I know I have personal responsiblilty to not take offense and remember that people are not perfect (including myself) but I would be devastated and heartbroken to know that I had a hand in breaking the chain of activity in this church for someone and their posterity. Everyone needs a friend. Everyone needs to feel like someone else genuinely cares. (And nobody, NOBODY wants to be someone else's "project.") Just be kind. "Be kind. Everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." Marjorie Hinckley I too, love the sentence: "Suffocating under the blankets of God's goodness, my rage is extinguished and I am left calm and grateful." It's what really gets me through. I know I am blessed to have the gospel. Thanks for your words. Great thoughts.
I loved this post, and I have many thoughts on the “wheat and tares and sifting” and on “prop 8″, but what struck me, because of a recent personal experience is
“Because it’s true. Darn it. It’s all true.”

Since we have relocated to an entirely different part of the country (going on almost 4 years now) I find myself in a very non-inclusive ward. It is very different from much of my previous experience and has been depressing, isolating and eye-opening. My ward is very happy to accept my service, especially as one of their few pianists, but I am constantly reminded that it is really the only thing they value from me. Something happened recently (a couple of weeks ago) that made me shake my head in more disbelief than ever before and I said to my comiserating sister, “I would quit this ward if the church wasn’t true.”
I am grateful for the testimony I do have and I pray for the many, many members who are treated this way throughout the church who are not strong enough to endure and end up leaving this beautiful gospel over its imperfect members. Do they even know what they are responsible for? I know I have personal responsiblilty to not take offense and remember that people are not perfect (including myself) but I would be devastated and heartbroken to know that I had a hand in breaking the chain of activity in this church for someone and their posterity. Everyone needs a friend. Everyone needs to feel like someone else genuinely cares. (And nobody, NOBODY wants to be someone else’s “project.”)
Just be kind.
“Be kind. Everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” Marjorie Hinckley

I too, love the sentence:
“Suffocating under the blankets of God’s goodness, my rage is extinguished and I am left calm and grateful.”

It’s what really gets me through.
I know I am blessed to have the gospel.
Thanks for your words.

]]> By: Diane http://segullah.org/daily-special/freshcouragetake/#comment-122903 Diane Sat, 03 Jan 2009 01:21:00 +0000 http://segullah.org/?p=1763#comment-122903 I think 2008 has been a great year to be a Mormon...I'll take another! I've had countless reasons to engage in conversation about the church as I've traveled around the country on business. I'm glad to be in a position to answer questions and set straight the record. If I didn't have this chance, many would still be believing the news reports and in return, sharing my beliefs and testimony has only strengthened my resolve. I think 2008 has been a great year to be a Mormon…I’ll take another! I’ve had countless reasons to engage in conversation about the church as I’ve traveled around the country on business. I’m glad to be in a position to answer questions and set straight the record. If I didn’t have this chance, many would still be believing the news reports and in return, sharing my beliefs and testimony has only strengthened my resolve.

]]> By: wendy http://segullah.org/daily-special/freshcouragetake/#comment-122882 wendy Fri, 02 Jan 2009 21:32:44 +0000 http://segullah.org/?p=1763#comment-122882 I love what you said, Martha. I was thinking about the whole sifting thing, because the scriptures say there will be a sifting (don't they use that word? I don't have time to look), but I agreed with everybody about how harsh that sounds. I like how your point of view allows for both aspects and for us to be more charitable. I love what you said, Martha. I was thinking about the whole sifting thing, because the scriptures say there will be a sifting (don’t they use that word? I don’t have time to look), but I agreed with everybody about how harsh that sounds. I like how your point of view allows for both aspects and for us to be more charitable.

]]> By: Michelle L. http://segullah.org/daily-special/freshcouragetake/#comment-122866 Michelle L. Fri, 02 Jan 2009 19:01:13 +0000 http://segullah.org/?p=1763#comment-122866 Martha– I love your comment about sifting. Yes, sifting is inevitable but our job is to love; not judge. I appreciate all of your kind and thoughtful comments. Oh, and tour information for Welfare Square is here: http://www.lds.org/placestovisit/location/0,10634,5305-1-1-2,00.html and the Humanitarian Center is here: http://www.lds.org/placestovisit/location/0,10634,1878-1-1-1,00.html. Martha– I love your comment about sifting. Yes, sifting is inevitable but our job is to love; not judge.

I appreciate all of your kind and thoughtful comments.

Oh, and tour information for Welfare Square is here: http://www.lds.org/placestovisit/location/0,10634,5305-1-1-2,00.html and the Humanitarian Center is here: http://www.lds.org/placestovisit/location/0,10634,1878-1-1-1,00.html.

]]> By: martha http://segullah.org/daily-special/freshcouragetake/#comment-122853 martha Fri, 02 Jan 2009 17:19:01 +0000 http://segullah.org/?p=1763#comment-122853 I suppose what is difficult for me to feel comfortable with when my neighbor down the road refers to the "wheat" and the "tare" when referring to a person is it feels a bit condescending when coming from someone who is also being "sifted". It doesn't take something momentous to sift oneself. Surely not keeping the Sabbath day holy, complaining, criticizing, and rushing to judgment can also separate us from God. Another reason it makes me feel uncomfortable is that I believe the Lord has asked me to not settle upon someone as "sifted". I would choose to focus more on the parable of the lost sheep. I do not wish to be separated from many people who have fallen behind. When my brother falls behind, I will continue to go after him, and will not pronounce that he has been sifted until the Lord has. When one of the young women continue to fall further and further behind, I will not say, "well, I guess she's being sifted", I will continue to go after her. That is why it makes me uncomfortable for us, as the Lord's servants to make the pronouncement, not because He does not sift, but because He has asked us to not give up. I suppose what is difficult for me to feel comfortable with when my neighbor down the road refers to the “wheat” and the “tare” when referring to a person is it feels a bit condescending when coming from someone who is also being “sifted”. It doesn’t take something momentous to sift oneself. Surely not keeping the Sabbath day holy, complaining, criticizing, and rushing to judgment can also separate us from God.
Another reason it makes me feel uncomfortable is that I believe the Lord has asked me to not settle upon someone as “sifted”. I would choose to focus more on the parable of the lost sheep. I do not wish to be separated from many people who have fallen behind. When my brother falls behind, I will continue to go after him, and will not pronounce that he has been sifted until the Lord has. When one of the young women continue to fall further and further behind, I will not say, “well, I guess she’s being sifted”, I will continue to go after her. That is why it makes me uncomfortable for us, as the Lord’s servants to make the pronouncement, not because He does not sift, but because He has asked us to not give up.

]]> By: m&m http://segullah.org/daily-special/freshcouragetake/#comment-122780 m&m Fri, 02 Jan 2009 05:35:24 +0000 http://segullah.org/?p=1763#comment-122780 I LOVE the quote that Ray and someone else quoted above. And the last paragraph was awesome, too. !!! I do tend to agree with Katie about the wheat and tares thing -- I have never seen that concept as an excuse to ignore or shun others. People indeed aren't weeds and shouldn't be treated as such (!!!), but we have been reminded that staying true is hard, and it will be harder as time goes on. (Whew.) It helps me to remember that we do live in difficult times, and so I shouldn't be surprised when sometimes I struggle under the weight of the opposition that I sometimes feel -- either globally or personally. It also helps me to remember that faith wouldn't be faith if it all was always nice and neat and made sense and always was easy. (Duh, yeah, but I have to remind myself of that during hard times in my life.) What's exciting for me is that the longer I live, and as I continue to not give up along the way when things get hard, it all just gets even MORE true. I've been amazed at how many times, and in many different ways, the Lord has rescued me from dark times. And sometimes that has just been because I have not given up. So that's my advice. Just don't give up. I LOVE the quote that Ray and someone else quoted above.

And the last paragraph was awesome, too. !!!

I do tend to agree with Katie about the wheat and tares thing — I have never seen that concept as an excuse to ignore or shun others. People indeed aren’t weeds and shouldn’t be treated as such (!!!), but we have been reminded that staying true is hard, and it will be harder as time goes on. (Whew.)

It helps me to remember that we do live in difficult times, and so I shouldn’t be surprised when sometimes I struggle under the weight of the opposition that I sometimes feel — either globally or personally. It also helps me to remember that faith wouldn’t be faith if it all was always nice and neat and made sense and always was easy. (Duh, yeah, but I have to remind myself of that during hard times in my life.)

What’s exciting for me is that the longer I live, and as I continue to not give up along the way when things get hard, it all just gets even MORE true. I’ve been amazed at how many times, and in many different ways, the Lord has rescued me from dark times. And sometimes that has just been because I have not given up. So that’s my advice. Just don’t give up.

]]> By: Brooke http://segullah.org/daily-special/freshcouragetake/#comment-122762 Brooke Fri, 02 Jan 2009 02:35:21 +0000 http://segullah.org/?p=1763#comment-122762 i mean, i love it all, ESPECIALLY that last paragraph. (did that come across wrong?) i mean, i love it all, ESPECIALLY that last paragraph.

(did that come across wrong?)

]]> By: Brooke http://segullah.org/daily-special/freshcouragetake/#comment-122761 Brooke Fri, 02 Jan 2009 02:34:47 +0000 http://segullah.org/?p=1763#comment-122761 i love it all, but that last paragraph. wow, michelle. xo i love it all, but that last paragraph. wow, michelle.

xo

]]> By: Leigh http://segullah.org/daily-special/freshcouragetake/#comment-122743 Leigh Fri, 02 Jan 2009 00:28:38 +0000 http://segullah.org/?p=1763#comment-122743 I am not a Mormon, not even a Christian, closer to a Buddhist, but there are many beautiful things about your church and your faith and I'm glad you fight for them. Your church actually has much to teach the rest of the world. I am not a Mormon, not even a Christian, closer to a Buddhist, but there are many beautiful things about your church and your faith and I’m glad you fight for them. Your church actually has much to teach the rest of the world.

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