tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post6583662983098639171..comments2024-03-29T00:47:42.684-06:00Comments on Growth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church): May Monthly NewsletterMatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16030323360917985701noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-30030632086324929542016-06-16T14:36:37.953-06:002016-06-16T14:36:37.953-06:00I prefer using gender in lieu of "sex", ...I prefer using gender in lieu of "sex", I think because the latter is overused and abused as a word in general, and can lead some of us to be distracted.<br />Sometimes the word is used to refer to the organ of reproduction.<br />Sports is a solid field where gender seems to be sacrosanct. I love sports, maybe for other reasons than simple gender.Eduardohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05019747288076783700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-58865694484408586372016-06-06T07:56:23.106-06:002016-06-06T07:56:23.106-06:00I wonder how long it will be until Nigeria has 100...I wonder how long it will be until Nigeria has 100 stakes.John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-49838756157732437102016-06-05T17:37:32.949-06:002016-06-05T17:37:32.949-06:00Some posit that in an incresingly unisex culture t...Some posit that in an incresingly unisex culture the LDS Church will not be able to maintain sex specific institutions. Othersposit that with the end of legal definition of marriage as a man/woman institution, the LDS Church will eventually have to follow suit.<br /><br />Both groups take as their cue the Church's past policies on the role of those of African descent in the Church. However I think they look to the wrong precedents, and misunderstand the precedents that they look to.<br /><br />To begin with Joseph Smith ordained men of African descent to the priesthood, and the best scholarship on the matter suggests that the total end to ordaining those of African descent to the priesthood relates to Mormons seeking the status of being white. Contrary to what some have written, Idaho did not exclude Mormons from voting as non-Christians, but as non-whites. Idaho was the first state to elect a Jew as governor (Utah was the second), but it excluded Native Americans from voting until at least the 1930s if not later, although many Native Americans in Idaho were Christian. <br /><br />Clearly 10 years before the 1978 revelation, and from some sources much earlier than that, it was seen as likely that the policy would be changed, when the Lord gave revelation to change it. Why the Lord waited until 1978 to give the revelation is hard to say, but I shy from any easy, quick answer, because it is clear in hind sight from reading Edward L. Kimball's biography of his father that Spencer W. Kimball wrestled with this issue for years.<br /><br />On the other hand Spencer W. Kimball stated the Church would never stop comdemning homosexual actions. At times the rheotric from the pro-homosexual bahavior campaigns is meant to make it seem this is a very recent phenomenon, ignoring the role homosexuality played in classic Greek civilization among others. <br /><br />I think a better precedent for the man/woman marriage issue is alcohol prohibition. When alcohol use in the US was legalized, it did not change the Church's stand on the issue. Also, the fact that marriage in the temple is on a different footing that civil marriage, and that the Church's stance on pre-marital sex especially among those who are engaged is out of line at least with the attitudes promoted in the media is a good start.<br /><br />The issue of maintaining sex specific institutions in an increasingly unisex society is a bit more tricky. However having women participate in the ordiances of the temple was truly radical for the 1840s. Also working as a male pre-school teacher, I have to say some of the claims about society being unisex are overblown and ignore the reality on the ground. John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-68554097715938373802016-06-05T17:25:27.505-06:002016-06-05T17:25:27.505-06:00True, but having read much on the current use of t...True, but having read much on the current use of the term, I have come to realize we are best off avoiding it. Although to be fair I think some chose to use gender instead of sex just because the term sex has come to more often refer to sexual acts. When schools that have set up three single stall, unisex bathrooms are sued because they insist on keeping multi-unit bathrooms separated on the basis of sex, while only sex discrimination and not gender descrimination is banned by the Civil Rights Act, precision in language become important. Although arguably there is something more to gender than physical sex, although to be fair I have no real understanding of what premortal gender means. <br /><br />This actually points out that Mormon thought on this matter is radically different from Niceane Christian thought. We know this because of the clear statement of Heavenly Father, although since Trinitarians speak of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, I guess they do invoke sex. However Mormonisms speaking of Heavenly Mother is rare, and leads to claims that Mormonism teaches that Jesus was married, a position that no recent LDS Church leader has endorsed as a doctrinal absolute. Speaking of Heavenly Mother is also on the rate side, but is clearly present, as are terms like Heavenly Parents.<br /><br />I wonder if there are cultures where presenting that the Church does teach of a Heavenly Mother would help missionary work. <br /><br />John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-67892638027788648322016-06-05T13:32:02.389-06:002016-06-05T13:32:02.389-06:00"Gender is an essential characteristic of ind..."Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose." - The Family: A Proclamation to the WorldChristopher Nicholsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00582245548922025033noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-9705502515691377052016-06-04T21:20:44.124-06:002016-06-04T21:20:44.124-06:00This comment has been removed by the author.Ohhappydane33https://www.blogger.com/profile/07783098797978517423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-42295405144821637882016-06-04T21:11:32.851-06:002016-06-04T21:11:32.851-06:00This comment has been removed by the author.Ohhappydane33https://www.blogger.com/profile/07783098797978517423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-79773108696403567212016-06-04T21:01:01.361-06:002016-06-04T21:01:01.361-06:00You should say "I should not have assumed her...You should say "I should not have assumed her sex". Gender is a term that should be avoided since it was devised to undermine the importance of biological sex.John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-4500856143878250802016-06-04T14:02:32.590-06:002016-06-04T14:02:32.590-06:00Sorry, I shouldn't have assumed her gender. My...Sorry, I shouldn't have assumed her gender. My bad. That's great to hear though! If the neighbor lady gets baptized I'd better get partial credit on judgment day ;)<br /><br />Maybe you don't need this anymore, but another thought I had this morning was maybe asking the one who helped with the translation to give a fireside about it. And then invite all the other Mongolians since it would presumably be of interest to them.Christopher Nicholsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00582245548922025033noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-77706508097144351952016-06-03T17:07:29.285-06:002016-06-03T17:07:29.285-06:00Thanks, it's actually a sister. Her husband, t...Thanks, it's actually a sister. Her husband, the one I think attended BYU-Hawaii, I guess works 7 days a week and doesn't have time for church.<br />You inspired me to buy a Mongolian copy, get her to sign it, then give it to the neighbor lady who is Mongolian and maybe never heard of LDS. <br />We got a plan!Eduardohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05019747288076783700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-74933126794691898322016-06-03T16:04:02.293-06:002016-06-03T16:04:02.293-06:00The Kumasi Ghana Dichemso Stake has 10 wards and 8...The Kumasi Ghana Dichemso Stake has 10 wards and 8 branches. The Kumasi Ghana Bantama Stake has 11 wards and 6 branches. That is 21 wards and 14 branches between. This is another place in the Africa West Area, where a new stakes could be created in the near future.Mike Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10025612146815804945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-70588244653830413282016-06-03T14:48:50.978-06:002016-06-03T14:48:50.978-06:00@Eduardo Clinch, for the one guy, maybe have someo...@Eduardo Clinch, for the one guy, maybe have someone who doesn't know him personally get in touch with him and be like "Hey, I heard that you helped translate the Book of Mormon into Mongolian! That's so cool! Tell me about it!" etc...Christopher Nicholsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00582245548922025033noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-51885155975866389832016-06-03T09:41:24.824-06:002016-06-03T09:41:24.824-06:00I believe one of the Kumasi Ghana Stakes has 18 un...I believe one of the Kumasi Ghana Stakes has 18 units at present, 10 wards and 8 branches. That means in theory they could split two stakes and a district from it, and it would be a large district, or the stakes would have branches as well as the minimum of 5 wards. That is without any more creation of wards or branches and with no boundary changes with the other Kumasi stakes.John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-22191291274091711692016-06-03T09:39:15.933-06:002016-06-03T09:39:15.933-06:00I also wonder if these two new groups in Jalisco S...I also wonder if these two new groups in Jalisco Stake, and posible dozens if not hundreds of other groups across Latin America and Africa and hopefully in some parts of the US, would have been organized as branches back in the 1990s. Considering that at least one branch was organized in my stake in the 1990s with just one Melchezidek Preisthood holder residing in the branch, I am thinking that this might be happening. So we are now at a point where the ground level growth is often hard to track. Considering that there were 2 branches organized in my stake in 1995 that were folded after about 2 months, this may also be covering a mesiness of ground level growth, where at times groups only last a short time. I imagine in places where groups have been formed by people, especially expatriate business families on shorty term assignments in isolated locations, they come and go a lot.John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-41798532693758509102016-06-03T09:35:05.106-06:002016-06-03T09:35:05.106-06:00I wonder if the recent creations of new wards in G...I wonder if the recent creations of new wards in Guatemala show that the Church has moved through the reactivation to stable phase for wards and is now to the point where real growth is moving units above the level they need to be at to operate.John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-80013609444617320922016-06-03T09:31:50.535-06:002016-06-03T09:31:50.535-06:00I think it is high time to have state by state pro...I think it is high time to have state by state profiles for Australia, Mexico and Brazil as well as the US and Canada.John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-66281107472862338442016-06-02T19:39:37.643-06:002016-06-02T19:39:37.643-06:002 stakes, 1 district, and 4 mission branches now i...2 stakes, 1 district, and 4 mission branches now in Mongolia for a total of 25 wards and branches:<br /><br />Ulaanbaatar Mongolia West Stake:<br />Enkhtaivan Ward<br />Khan Uul Ward<br />Bayangol Ward<br />Songino Ward<br />Tuul Ward<br />Unur Ward<br />Jargalant Ward<br />Khovd Branch<br /><br />Ulaanbaatar Mongolia East Stake:<br />American Denj Ward<br />Selbe Ward<br />Bayanzurkh Ward<br />Sansar Ward<br />Sukhbaatar Ward<br />Baganuur Branch<br />Nalaikh Branch<br /><br />Darkhan Mongolia District, Mongolia Ulaanbaataar Mission:<br />Selenge Branch<br />Zuun Kharaa Branch<br />Shine Darkhan Branch<br />Khuuchin Darkhan Branch<br />Erdenet 1st Branch<br />Erdenet 2nd Branch<br /><br />Mörön Branch, Mongolia Ulaanbaatar Mission<br />Choibalsan Branch, Mongolia Ulaanbaatar Mission<br />Oyu-Tolgoi Branch, Mongolia Ulaanbaatar Mission<br />Mongolia Ulaanbaatar Mission BranchMike Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10025612146815804945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-26840639731784054992016-06-02T19:24:38.113-06:002016-06-02T19:24:38.113-06:00Post on the Mongolia Ulaanbaataar Mission Facebook...Post on the Mongolia Ulaanbaataar Mission Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/16217207881/?ref=br_rs)<br /><br />"Sunday, 29 May 2016, at an historic combined gathering, the second Stake in this country was organized, the Mongolia Ulaanbaatar East Stake. It is comprised of the American Denj, Bayanzurkh, Sansar, Selbe, and Sukhbaatar wards, and the Nalaikh and Baganuur branches, with Stake President Adiyabold Namkhai, and counselors Batbold Khishigdorj and Anand Enkhtuvshin."Mike Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10025612146815804945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-71858958832129651762016-06-02T18:02:38.163-06:002016-06-02T18:02:38.163-06:00Wouldn't it be great to see a 3rd stack with i...Wouldn't it be great to see a 3rd stack with in a year or so of the 2nd being made. I wonder how many countries have had something like that.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06866803914250258395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-65206408962383857812016-06-02T17:53:53.485-06:002016-06-02T17:53:53.485-06:00I know the previous flooding in and around Houston...I know the previous flooding in and around Houston Texas did not affect the temple or apparently many local LDS chapels, but any word on how the temple and other facilities are fairing now?<br /><br />The LDS Church is widespread enough now that there could be a blog/newsletter to only report on droughts, earthquakes, tsunamis, fires, hurricanes and other natural catastrophes. In my opinion, natural disasters are a necessary nod to organized faiths and the way we have handled them in the past, present, and future is a continued hallmark of how Latter-day Saints should continue to organize and operate.<br /><br />I hope the ward members of Fort McMurray Alberta are comforted and that their influence is being met in the ways of positive faith.<br /><br />Really cool newsletter this month. Eduardohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05019747288076783700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-63045778251775837352016-06-02T17:10:15.951-06:002016-06-02T17:10:15.951-06:00Vietnam! http://www.deseretnews.com/article/86565...Vietnam! http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865655507/Church-receives-official-recognition-in-Vietnam.htmlMichael Worleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12078136075924935280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-20059981513094556842016-06-02T14:28:09.119-06:002016-06-02T14:28:09.119-06:00We have some less active Mongolians in my ward who...We have some less active Mongolians in my ward who have lived at BYU-Hawaii, one of whom helped translate the Mongolian Book of Mormon. Any ideas to help them?Eduardohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05019747288076783700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-24825642736647811412016-06-01T19:36:24.030-06:002016-06-01T19:36:24.030-06:00More Mongolia details from Sister Hansen (http://j...More Mongolia details from Sister Hansen (http://jenniferhansenmongolia.blogspot.com/) Selbe ward is now in the Ulaanbaataar East Stake.<br /><br />"Yesterday we had our new stake conference!! WOWW it was amazing!! We knew that our Selbe ward had been split, and a new stake was created, but we didn't get details until just yesterday!! Elders Wong and Toronto from the 70 were here to organize the new stake, and it was so wonderful. 5 of our branches became wards. 5!!! Our Selbe ward split into Selbe and Bayngold, and Bayngold is in the same stake, and Selbe is in the new East stake!! Which means until the end of the transfer, Sister Gardiner and I are serving in BOTH stakes!!! WOW! It was such a great day. Elders Wong and Toronto talked about how much the Mongolian members are being blessed, but how they cannot start to rest now. We are SO CLOSE to getting a 3rd stake. It will hopefully happen while I am still here. They talked a lot about the missionaries and members have to be equally yoked and work together, or else we cannot do anything. The members here are so faithful, but they have to work just as hard as the missionaries to find people, to share the gospel with their friends and family, and if they don't work with us, then we can't do anything. We need them, and they need us. It was the most interesting stake conference I've ever been too."Mike Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10025612146815804945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-28583841150097702242016-06-01T19:31:12.348-06:002016-06-01T19:31:12.348-06:00I couldn't help going to Google to see how clo...I couldn't help going to Google to see how close Bolgatanga was to the border of Burkina Faso, apparently just over an hour. Also, international border aside, the capital of Burkina Faso (Ouagadougou) is "only" 3.5 hours from Bolgatanga. Brycehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14417314475519436933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-44543767974036795492016-06-01T18:29:05.851-06:002016-06-01T18:29:05.851-06:00Great News about Arandas and Jalos , I lived there...Great News about Arandas and Jalos , I lived there and is the most hard preaching area in all Mexico , It was the origin place of the movement call " Cristeros " an old Catolic war vs Goverment . This is the most significant improvement in many years . Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03262743351869893073noreply@blogger.com