tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158928948672208013.post2368227617724947396..comments2023-09-11T05:27:40.596-07:00Comments on Postcards From a Gypsy Pack Rat: And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.Anna Maria Junushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14589846694967185982noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158928948672208013.post-71259128331523550552011-09-06T06:17:47.152-07:002011-09-06T06:17:47.152-07:00Dear Sister,
I praise you for your strength and c...Dear Sister,<br /><br />I praise you for your strength and choice to follow the gospel and endure all that you have suffered.<br />As a priesthood holder, an honor that I have been entrusted by Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father, I am saddened by your trials. <br />You have been a blessing to so many, I for one have been awakened to strive harder to be ever so watchful in all my actions and words. <br />I love you for your faith but above all else because you are my Sister, another child of God.<br /><br />Dear Sister-I thank you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158928948672208013.post-53803456731248898952011-08-26T13:32:20.420-07:002011-08-26T13:32:20.420-07:00I know about leaders not believing you over a prie...I know about leaders not believing you over a priesthood holder or not making the right choices, but I also know that most mean well. But we are given a recourse when we feel that unfair things are happening to us.<br />The scriptures tell us that we are not supposed to just "blindly" follow along with what our leaders say, but also gain a testimony for ourselves that what they say is true. We can all gain revelation for ourselves and if it seems that what we need to do for ourselves goes against what our bishop says, for example, then we can always talk to someone in the stake presidency.<br />The Lord knows you and knows who you are, he loves you and gives us opportunities to grow because he wants us to become like him so we can live with Him someday.<br />We need to take the opportunity to gain a testimony for ourselves that what our leaders say is right, and then if it isn't, then use the chain of priesthood authority to make things as right as it is in our power to do so.<br />We do not have to live with it in silence as you say is the only choice in your article.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158928948672208013.post-25898169989409731902011-08-26T12:48:36.154-07:002011-08-26T12:48:36.154-07:00Thank you for this! It is something to really pon...Thank you for this! It is something to really ponder. About people who get themselves offended out of the Church, my husband has always said, "If you allow a hypocrite to come between you and the Lord, it only means that the hypocrite is a little closer to the Lord than you are." It may be a little sanctimonious of me, but when I have been in situations when people have been mean and cruel at Church, I have had to repeat that to myself in order to keep myself "in" with both feet.Christiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07543153334872758594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158928948672208013.post-15524760159658592062011-08-26T12:35:53.997-07:002011-08-26T12:35:53.997-07:00I was really surprised this also happens in other ...I was really surprised this also happens in other areas, besides where I live. This seems like a disease that is going around and hurting the LDS members. Furthermore, you are so right about having good and bad leaders. But guess what... Those leaders will be held accountable for all their misbehaving and someday they will have to be judged by it. Moreover, I do not think that a person should keep quite, the person should defend her/him self and take the best decision for him/her self. <br /><br />Keep doing your best and only God can judge you because his understanding is perfect and he loves you so very much we cannot understand it sometimes.<br /><br />Your a daughter of God and do not forget you precious to him and to your Celestial Mother.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158928948672208013.post-62947717766765785272011-08-26T10:51:34.436-07:002011-08-26T10:51:34.436-07:00Dear Bishop, what a beautiful post, and you did no...Dear Bishop, what a beautiful post, and you did not cause me pain at all.<br /><br />I hope I did not give the impression that I walk around looking for revenge. I actually have a pretty good sense of humor and most things bounce off of me.<br /><br />I merely wanted to point out "blame the victim" mentality and the shirking of responsibility when we judge people who have been offended.Anna Maria Junushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14589846694967185982noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158928948672208013.post-18239063330475029272011-08-26T09:54:48.196-07:002011-08-26T09:54:48.196-07:00I am deeply saddened by your comments. That doesn...I am deeply saddened by your comments. That doesn't mean that I am disagreeing, but rather that I am saddened that you are feeling the pain you express. As a Bishop, I constantly live with the fear that I have said or done something that caused someone else pain. I also live with a wife constantly injured by the unkind comments of many in the ward, who don't agree with something the Bishop has said or done – but won’t come and talk to him about it. They would rather attack his wife; an easy target.<br /><br />I try to recognize that we are all on this earth, bumping against each other like rocks in the tumbler. As we hit against each other, the sharp edges are sometimes broken off - sometimes ours, and sometimes theirs - and we feel pain in the process. Then we are further forced to endure a multitude of small irritations that continue to wear on us; grinding us away, it sometimes seems.<br /><br />Why are asked to endure such "punishment"? Don't we sometimes feel like we are losing ourselves, amongst all the painful impacts, and constant grind?<br /><br />I wonder if we will be surprised at how polished we have become, when we are presented to our dear Savior, at final judgment. If we have been willing to accept “all that our Father has asked” of us, then perhaps it will not be so much of a surprise. He knows the exact rough edges that need to be knocked off, and exactly how much polish will bring out the true beauty in each of us. But we must be willing to accept, and trust, as we are in the midst of the process. It may not seem just, but perhaps it is just what each of us needs to be heirs of the Celestial Kingdom.<br /><br />My dear sister in the gospel, I hope you know just how much your Savior loves you. He loves you enough to have suffered all the pain you have felt, and will feel, in this life. If you will give the pain to Him, He will gladly take it from you. If I have caused you any pain, in my comments, I humbly apologize for doing so. It was not my intention, when I happened to have bumped up against you. Thank you so much, for all the polish you have given me.David Forsberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13198243996684438088noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158928948672208013.post-34891447684942904792011-08-26T09:27:16.248-07:002011-08-26T09:27:16.248-07:00While it is true that actions and words can be hur...While it is true that actions and words can be hurtful, I would suggest that we only become "offended" when we choose to dwell on the hurt, when we refuse to let go of the anger ("hate one another"), when we start looking for ways of getting even ("betray one another") or getting away. Extending to others the forgiveness we should like from them for our shortcomings helps us not to go from being hurt to being offended.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158928948672208013.post-45934456813353217562011-08-26T08:43:48.205-07:002011-08-26T08:43:48.205-07:00Wow..... And not all in a good way. No offense.
...Wow..... And not all in a good way. No offense. <br /><br />M. HarrisonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158928948672208013.post-1226273459713825782011-07-11T16:09:51.298-07:002011-07-11T16:09:51.298-07:00Hello, I liked your post. I'd like to post it ...Hello, I liked your post. I'd like to post it in our blog.<br />Please email me p_gardner@live.com<br />I edit yourLDSneighborhood newsletter. Here's our latest issue:<br />http://yourldsneighborhood.com/newsletters/monday_20110711.html<br />Please let me know.<br />Patricia Gardner.yourLDSneighborhood<br>.com® Neighborhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09665172974605063092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158928948672208013.post-87912517664562131432011-06-29T11:09:54.874-07:002011-06-29T11:09:54.874-07:00Lots of good food for thought in this article. Sor...Lots of good food for thought in this article. Sorry to hear that ward members have been so rude, though. I think you're a blast! :)Cindy Beck, authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16915624341543651886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1158928948672208013.post-19249991247794058662011-06-05T23:53:00.651-07:002011-06-05T23:53:00.651-07:00LOVE this post! I wish I could remember the refer...LOVE this post! I wish I could remember the reference, but there's a spot in the BoM where it talks about a man (maybe one of the prophets...I kinda forget) going about his life in righteousness and everyone around him being offended. I totally wish you'd spoken up in Gospel Doctrine class...I think more people need to. And I am a bit offended that those meanies at church have said/inferred those things about you. Shame on them! :) I've always thought you were lovely.Mary and Eden Zhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06562870300869579997noreply@blogger.com