Tuesday, February 18, 2020
Mongolian Version of Come Unto Christ Website
The Church has recently launched a Mongolian version of its website, Come Unto Christ (formerly Mormon.org), for the first time. The Come Unto Christ website provides basic information about Church teachings to interested individuals. The website also provides options to request missionary lessons, copies of scriptures, and information on meetinghouse times and locations. Use of the website can significantly help with finding interested individuals regardless of geographical location. It also appears the Church will be launching additional languages for the website, including Chuukese, Pohnpeian, and Kosraean. A full list of languages provided on the site can be found at the bottom of the webpage.
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46 comments:
We also talk here about California and the Pacific Coast states generally, well they are in a major way beginning to address the things that we here, using other words, have been talking about.
Look at the Latest Broadcasts box, going there will show a substantial amount of video and printed material supporting their efforts, the other box has even more printed matter.
https://northamericanww.churchofjesuschrist.org/
Iḿ glad to hear about this new website. The church in Mongolia is small, so this will significantly help.
Bayarlai
I just noticed that all three districts created this year have started with a "K." Either the Lord is trying to tell us something through an obscure pattern, or we need to get another one on there soon so we don't look like racists. XD
@James Anderson:
Thanks for sharing about the resource materials. I went and downloaded some of the family history ones to check 'em out.
The Church Released the new unified handbook today. The church newsroom reports that chapter 36: Creating, Changing, and Naming New Units, has been updated.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/general-handbook/36-creating-changing-and-naming-new-units?lang=eng
Can anyone pick out the changes?
Considering one of the new districts is to serve people in Congo I do not see anyway at all the situation can be in any way racist. We should not give meaning to things that have no meaning.
Cory, the changes in the new handbook (including everything that has been updated) are detailed more fully in the official materials released in conjunction with the release of the new handbook:
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/new-general-handbook
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/multimedia/file/first-presidency-letter-new-handbook-2020.pdf
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/general-handbook-frequently-asked-questions
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-and-ministry/2020-02-19/new-handbook-church-leaders-members-released-174826
https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2020-02-19/new-handbook-video-church-leaders-members-174860
As noted, other updates will be implemented into the digital-only resource through the end of next year. I had the opportunity to skim through it, and what is there so far appeasrs to be very throrough, and yet at the same time perfectly succinct. It will be wonderful to have that resource going forward. and hopefully the fact that it is widely available online now to those both inside and outside the Church will help to curb some of the allegations that the Church has been trying to keep much of that information secret.
@JPL
I was just making a lame joke.
Also, the Church News shared this afternoon that the name and password specifications for network use in chapels worldwide have also been updated:
https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2020-02-19/church-announces-new-wi-fi-network-for-meetinghouses-facilities-174943
For my take on those developments, anyone interested can read that analysis in the following post:
https://stokessoundsoff.blogspot.com/2020/02/breaking-news-church-handbook-released.html?m=1
My thanks to Matt for allowing me to share such things here.
@Cory
Chapter 36 has been written completely new. It mostly changed the presentation of the information. New is the reference for church leaders to
https://lcr.churchofjesuschrist.org/boundary-proposals
app for change proposals.
I think i can pick out some small changes in the unit requirements.
Stake US / Canada
new:Number of active, full-tithe-paying Melchizedek Priesthood holders: 180
Old: 15 per ward & 24 for the stake (5 wards stake 99) (7 wards take 129)
All other Countries
new: Number of active, full-tithe-paying Melchizedek Priesthood holders: 120
Old: 15 per ward & 24 for the stake (5 wards stake 99) (7 wards take 129)
There is a requirement of minimum 5 wards per stake. Not sure if that is new. I think it used to be 3 in the past.
Wards US / Canada
Number of active, full-tithe-paying Melchizedek Priesthood holders:
new: 1 for every 20 members (active and less active). There must be a minimum of 20.
old: 1 for every 20 members (active and less active). There must be a minimum of 15.
For all other countries the old requirement stays the same.
Have the new requirements for wards and stakes been similarly recommended from the top and they are just now putting it on paper, or is this brand new all around? If so that would essentially keep any new wards or stakes from being created this year, as any ones that were close will all have new thresholds to meet. If it had already been trickling down, that might explain why there was net zero congregational growth in the US in 2017.
I am not noticing any changes with the unit creation standards for wards/branches/stakes inside or outside the United States. It has been at least 120 active, full-tithe paying Melchizedek Priesthood holders for stakes outside the US. The ratio of full-tithe paying Melchizedek Priesthood holders to total membership has also remained the same.
So... It's that time of year again... Do we have any serious rumors or predictions for April's General Conference? How do you think General Conference will be "unforgettable" as we celebrate the bicentennial of the Restoration? I don't have much to offer in ways of predictions, but I love the shift in emphasis to a global/international church, and look forward to possibly new music from the upcoming hymnbook that will represent all cultures. I'm just really excited for it all. (And, of course, temple announcements!)
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/coronavirus-update-february-2020
Maybe the cancellation or postponment of general conference due to coronavirus will make for an "unforgettable" conference. (But couldn't they just broadcast without the gathering?). Good thing the prophet is a doctor and speaks mandarin 😉
Mon Chou, they would likely not cancel General Conference due to the coronavirus, since Church leaders, members, and missionaries in the impacted areas are taking the necessary precautions, and since health professionals and governmental leaders are enacting the necessary quarantine measures for this situation. Unless the virus spreads to a significant degree to the US (and by extension, to other parts of the world), there would be no need to cancel or postpone General Conference.
As far as what might make the April 2020 General Conference unlike any other, aside from President Nelson's counsel about how to properly prepare for it, we also have the following Church News articles:
https://www.thechurchnews.com/search?q=April+2020+General+Conference
Of specific note among those Church news articles are this from Boyd Matheson:
https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2019-10-06/boyd-matheson-wow-moments-must-be-followed-by-inspired-action-and-forward-movement-163589
https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2019-10-20/general-conference-october-2019-president-nelson-bicentennial-164417
When President Nelson dropped that particular teaser, many people (myself included) had a wide variety of theories about that General Conference. But the more outlandish ones have since been debunked (through official news releases from the Church, we have learned that General Conference is anticipated to originate from the Conference Center as usual, rather than any of it orginating from any other locations).
The biggest change will probably be that, at least for this General Conference, the Saturday Evening Session will be for all Latter-day Saints ages 11 and up, which will preempt the usual Priesthood Session that has been held in conjunction with the April General Conference since 2018. We also know that a multicultural choir will be featured in that session, because that information has been officially released. And if you research "April 2020 General Conference" in any internet search engine, you'll get a variety of results, ranging from reasonable conjecture to off-the-rail guesses.
I also know, for example, that both Matt and myself, he on this blog, and me on mine, have offered more commontary on that invitation as well. It is certainly interesting to think about what could happen, especially in light of President Nelson's invitation. But as many sources have also observed, if our conjecture or dialogue about what might happen takes away from our ability to follow President Nelson's counsel about how to properly prepare for that General Conference, we may miss the mark in the process, and not be able to have the kind of experience for which President Nelson is hoping we will be prepared.
Just my quick thoughts on this, for whatever they might be worth to you, Mon Chou, and anyone else here who reads them. And I hope that the manner in which I offer them is seen as courteous and helpful, because that is my intended aim in this case. If anything I have said herein is seen as less than that, I guess I missed the mark here. But I hope that what I have said proves helpful to someone who reads this comment. Thanks.
@Matt
I think i got the changes to stake and ward requirements correctly. It has been a while since i read the old handbook 1, but I have a good memory.
In past numbers of Melchizedek Priesthood holders requirement used to be the same for the USA/Candada and the rest of the world. And now they are stricter int the US/Canada
Wikipedia still list the old requirments
for stakes 99.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stake_(Latter_Day_Saints)#cite_note-handbook1-5
wards.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ward_(LDS_Church)
The ward requirments are the same for the Rest of the world, but a USA / Canandian ward needs now at least 20 instead of 15 active full-tithe paying Melchizedek Priesthood holders
@Matt, with it being just a little over a month until the April 2020 General Conference, are you going to post soon an updated (or adjusted) copy of the "Potential New Temples" map + list? With your new predictions for this Conference. This way we can give our opinions about Top 10 or 20.
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1W60CDwd4qDDMA3tW74z8g-2WxNw&ll=-3.81666561775622e-14%2C0&z=1
P.S. I'm sure James Stokes will post his updated list also soon.
https://stokessoundsoff.blogspot.com/2019/11/initial-predictions-for-april-2020_32.html
Hey, remember in 2010 when this blog posed two maps for temple predictions? One had the map for near predictions and the other had the map for predictions into 2020. Guess, what, it is 2020. It's interesting to see what predictions turned out correct from 10 years ago.
https://ldschurchgrowth.blogspot.com/2010/01/updated-potential-temple-maps.html
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?ie=UTF8&hl=en&t=h&msa=0&ll=25.81498014967257%2C-125.15625&spn=176.66134%2C360&z=1&source=embed&mid=1x8GV0enXjp1eGGRllJ5976M9zZg
Hey, Chris. Thanks for voicing the interest I think we all are feeling in terms of Matt's thoughts about the most likely temple prospects for the upcoming April General Conference. I'd still like to see how the October 2018 announcements shaped his analysis of a new list of the top ten nations with the strongest Church presence without a temple, but understand if that is not the priority for him right now.
As for my own list, based on some additional information of which I became aware on my end, I probably have to completely revamp just about all of my previously-offered thoughts on temple announcements, temple events, and temple construction progress, and among those projects, the tweaks to my April 2020 General Conference predictions in general, and to my list of potential temple candidates in particular are sorely needed. Right now, though, I've been knee deep for the past two weeks in personal and familial difficulties. My wife had her first major surgery ever on the first Monday of this month, and so I've been helping her through the recovery process. And when not dealing with that and with my own health challenges, I've been crunched for time when it comes to trying to get those major projects done. But hopefully things will begin to normalize in the next week or two, at which point I can get back to those projects. Thanks for your interest. I will try to post a comment again here once I have those updates published. I'd better get to that particular project soon, though, if I want to allow sufficient time for feedback and further adjustments as needed.
Hope your wife recovers OK James. Praying for her.
I am back to reading Canadian Mormons. From it I learned of V. Dallas Merrell and his wife Karen serving as public relations missionaries in Canada. They organized major assistance with the Catholuc Youth Day in 2002 that included Pope John Paul II coming. This is one of many key events in the process that lead to President Nelson and the Po open having an official audience less than a year ago.
Guys, don't downplay the Coronavirus. It is coming to a household near you. It's spreading faster than you realize and it is expected to peak in April -- right when General Conference is. Be prepared. Don't forget the economic fallout that is gonna happen bc of this. Things are gonna go down. Please be prepared.
Speaking of the Corona Virus, I was thinking about 4 years from now when the Salt Lake Temple has its open house for the rededication.
Every time I visit Temple Square they tell me the main country they get visitors from is China (and I've personally seen the large groups of Chinese tourists when I'm there). I hope the virus gets contained before then, both for the humanity of it all and for the fact that I project large crowds of curious tourists from the PRC that would want to tour the temple and the great missionary opportunity that would provide.
In addition, the two largest temple open houses in history that I'm aware of were Bountiful (at 870,000 visitors), and Provo City Center (800,000+ guests). I'm estimating that SLC at the very least will see 1 Million visitors, and I don't think 2 or 3 Million is a stretch, either, given the Salt Lake Temple's status as a world famous icon.
Washington DC and St. George should also have big attendances for their respective open houses, though I don't think they'll be quite as large as Salt Lake's.
Thoughts?
I suspect that there will be a significant missionary related "invitation" for members in conference.
In the email from President Nelson's email to church members at the start of the year, he wrote:
"We invite you to be a major part in sharing the message of the ongoing Restoration of the Savior’s gospel."
"We will share more about this soon, but you can start today by acting on the invitations I extended to you in the last general conference to immerse yourself in the glorious light of the Restoration."
"Select your own questions. Design your own plan. Act on any of these invitations to prepare yourself for sharing the important messages of the ongoing Restoration."
"It is your personal preparation that will help April’s general conference become for you not only memorable, but unforgettable. The time to act is now. This is a hinge point in the history of the Church, and your part is vital."
Be sure to watch the event on this page at 7pm MST February 27th, this will have some things about missionary work as well as family history. In particular how they might work together on certain things, will be in the Gospel Library app two weeks after.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/family-history?lang=eng
They started saying that they wanted to raise the prominence of family history to the level we give missionary work in the Church roughly ten years ago. This may not complete that, but it could be a good size step towards that.
Someone also said that clerks need to be sure family history callings are correct per LCR ahead of this and other emails that are about to be sent out from Salt Lake.
Regarding the coronavirus, I didn't mean to imply that it shouldn't be taken seriously. My intention was more to illustrate that the Church is following the old adage: "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." And while it is true that "if [we] are prepared, [we] shall not fear," I feel I can echo the counsel of Elder Quentin L. Cook, whose first apostolic address given in October 2007 was entitled, "Live by Faith and Not by Fear." What he said therein is well worthy of review in regards to this matter:
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2007/10/live-by-faith-and-not-by-fear?lang=eng
On the one hand, we do live in very perilous time, and there will be much more turmoil, destruction, and devastation, and conflict ahead. But if any of us lean too far into the fear part of that equation, then it will drown our our ability to have faith. Fear and faith cannot simultaneously coexist. Personally, I have a hard time believing that, with just over a month left before General Conference, the threat that may be posed by the coronavirus would be enough to cancel General Conference. The last time that happened was in the midst of a flu epidemic in the 1950s or 1960s, and the conference's cancellation, if memory serves, was in that case announced as far ahead in advance as possible.
But one unfortunate product of the world we live in today is that there are more ways and means for fearmongers and doomsday proponents to incite fear and panic in those around them. I can recall at least 3 times in my lifetime where so-called "experts" on worldly matters predicted the end of the world as we know it occurring on a certain date on the calendar. And those dates came and went without so much as a glimmer or glint of any such thing. So in my mind, that again applies to a favorite saying of one of my seminary teachers: "Who was right, Noah or the weather man?" The fact that General Conference is now less than 6 full weeks away and it is still on the Churchwide events schedule should tell us something. I mean no disrespect, and I have no desire to be perceived as rude, but I believe that if we take President Nelson's invitation to prepare for the General Conference in the way he has recommended, the Lord is fully capable of working out the rest. I hope this comment has clarified what I tried to express in earlier comments on this thread.
Some additional observations here, if I may offer them: Jonathan Whiting, it sounds to me as if the Church is indeed expecting high attendance at the open houses for thee Washington D.C., Hong Kong China, St. George Utah, and Salt Lake Temples, and that those open houses will be lengthier than what we have typically seen (which has ranged anywhere from an average of 2-5 weeks). As plans are unveiled for those open houses, I have no doubts the Church will take every necessary precaution for the health and safety of all concerned.
Danny, thanks for sharing your take on President Nelson's e-mail. He did say more about that invitation would be shared in "the coming months." And the early history of the Church teaches us much about how a testimony of key events in the restoration can be a powerful missionary tool. That is especially true for this day and age, where technology enhances communcation to a significant degree, which in turn creates more ways and means to share the gopsel with others.
James Anderson, it has been interesting to see how the different Executive Councils, Committees, and Boards of the Church, and the leaders involved in the work thereof, especially the apostles, have some degree of overlap in their assignments. So I think that the Church's efforts this year specifically to involve those congregational leaders of missionary work in the temple and family history training is not only action being taken in a timely manner, but also action that is long overdue. If memory serves, last year, several apostles were in attendance at the Temple and Family History Leadership Training meeting. So I am hopeful we will see more connection between missionary work and temple and family history work going forward, because they are in some was codependent and interdependent.
James, no fear-mongering intended and def no dooms-day panic. Just facing reality. I am a doctor. This is serious. It very likely general conference won't convene in conventional matters. And that's fine. We will still get all the messages, no doubt. I have every trust in the gospel to spread and the brethren to make the call when the time comes. Coronavirus is not as deadly as other things we've seen, but it is highly, highly contagious... And international groups meeting in large groups would not be the most prudent thing. And coronavirus is not being contained -- not sure why you think that, unfortunately. 6 weeks is actually a lot of time for it to spread. 3 days ago there was one case in italyz now there are more than 150 and they've run out of testing kits. My in-laws are currently stuck in a small town there. Don't be highly alarmed, but be highly alerted! We will cross that bridge when we get to it. Our stake has been asked to fast for what is happening. Several of our Ward members have been sent to combat this on the medical frontline and it's not pretty. Just be opened for all possibilities, dear. Don't get caught blindsided.
Thank you for helping me understand where you're coming from more fully. Now I know that, medically speaking, your position is sound. At the same time, I have a veritable lifetime of experience that verify that spiritual practices trump medical knowledge every time. I happen to be a living, breathing, and thriving example of that very thing. At birth, I was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and hydrocephalus. If you are a medical professional, I'm sure I don't need to explain to you what either condition involves. I had my first surgical procedure when I was just two days old. One of the doctors my parents first took me to counseled them thusly: "Take him home, and simply love him. He will never amount to anything but a limp noodle on the sofa." That did not sit well with my parents, and after they counseled with their priesthood leaders, with the ward fasting and praying for my family, they determined that they would do everything in their power to ensure I would lead the fullest life possible.
I have had numerous surgical procedures. As soon as I was able to count with any degree of proficiency, I began tracking the number of surgeries I had had. By the time I was 8 or 9 years old, I had lost track at around 50 such procedures. THroughout my life, there have been at least two occasions in the OR when they thought they might be losing me, and something inexplicably inspired those professionals on how to save my life. I have also had at least one honest-to-goodness near death experience (including elements that I am either unable to recall or not permitted to share on a wide-scale).
My parents chose to decide that spiritual inspiration trumped medical wisdom. They instilled the same things in me. And because of their help and encouragement, I was baptized not long after my 8th birthday, ordained a deacon, teacher, and priest not long after turning 12, 14, and 16, received my patriarchal blessing at the age of 9, and was ordained an elder just two days after my 18th birthday. In the meantime, I excelled in school, and in high school, were it not for 4 surgical prcoedures I had in a 3 week period that caused me to lose some of my short-term memory and scholastic capabilities, I would have stayed on track to graduate at the top of my high school class.
I could have also chosen to sit back and let myself be excused from any missionary service, but I was supported in my decision to serve two days a week with Welfare Servicees, where I helped with local and Churchwide humanitarina projects, and to work two shifts a week at the Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple, shifts I continued to faithfully fill for the next six years. Though I didn't know it at that time, my decision to serve in the temple would enable me to meet the woman I wound up marrying in late 2010.
If my parents had only been tyconcerned with following the advice of a physician, or if they had failed to rely on a higher wisdom, I would not have been able to accomplish any of this. So when you tell me to "open my eyes to the possibilty", I have done that might entire life, but my focus has been not on what is medically possible, but what the Lord can and has done for and through me because I put my trust in Him. And, with all due respect, i trust the prophets and apostles quite a bit more than I do any one individual in the medical profession, which is saying a lot, because I happen to have a wonderful team of doctors that works together with me and with each other to continue to enable me to live lifte to the fullest.
I hope that makes where I am coming from a lot more clear. The April General Conference will proceed as scheduled because those in attendance will have the same type of faith in spiritual power above conventional, mortal, and (sometimes very flawed) wisdom of any other kind. And I feel that Isaiah 29:14 encapsulates the lesson I have learned through a lifetime of opening my mind up to the right kind of possibilities, particularly the part that says, "the wisdom of the wise shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid."
Would it be wise or prudent for the Church to hold General Conference in the midst of the upcoming epidemic? Perhaps not by worldly standards. But as Isaiah also reminds us in 55:8-9, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." I happen to be a living, breathing, testament to the truth of that last passage.
I ascribe to the belief that "with God, nothing is impossible." Story of my life. Again, I hope that provides further context into my assertions. Based on the examples I have cited, and a litany of others from just over 3 decades of defying the medical odds and expectations over and over again, I have no doubts that the Lord is in control, and that He will enable the conference to proceed as scheduled. But if that belief happens to be proven wrong, I will be happy to come back in early April and admit I was wrong in that respect. In the meantime, if your medical opinion has led to the conclusions you offer, I respect the fact that you feel that way. Thanks for dialoguing with me here on this issue either way.
Incidentally, I wrote an article about some of the experiences I shared in my comment above that was published in the Ensign in July of 2015. I share the web address where it can be found for any9one interested in reading that article:
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2015/07/young-adults/christ-has-felt-my-pain?lang=eng
Just the logistics of doing the Salt Lake Temple open house will be staggering.
The big question is how much will it get publicized. If the Church does a full court press it maybe will see 5 million or more visitors.
I also think they will broadcast the rededication as with Palmyra, Winter Quarters and Nauvoo Temples.
The brethren won't signal that conference will be cancelled until they are sure it must be cancelled. If what is happening in Italy happens in Reno or Denver or SLC, things will change.
https://utahvalley360.com/2016/09/30/the-problem-that-canceled-general-conference-twice/
One other thought from me here: The last time General Conference was cancelled was in the 1950s due to an influenza epidemic. If I understand the details surrounding that period of time, General Conference was not nearly as widely available through TV and radio stations, and with the internet not existing, the decision to cancel a General Conference of the Church would not at that time have the impact it would today. I have read enough about internet transmission, and television and radio programming, in addition to events planning, to know that, in this day and age, canceling General Conference this go-round, especially one that has been hyped as much as this bicentennial celebration, with too short notice would have wide-scale impact on media outlets that would then have to scramble for alternative programming.
Something else occurred to me: The last time General Conference was canceled, insofar as I am aware, none of the members of the First Presidency or Quorum of the Twelve Apostles had medical experience of any kind. Among our current 15 apostles, we have at least two such men: our beloved prophet President Russell M. Nelson and Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Based on my understanding from talking to the many doctors I have seen over the years and also to a few friends of mine who are doctors, including my own brother-in-law, who is in the midst of trying to become a doctor, you cannot get to a speciality in any field of medicine without learning quite a bit about other aspects of medicine that may not directly relate to the field you eventually choose. And with President Nelson and Elder Renlund both having been practicing physicians, to say nothing of the many other Gneral Authorities or general officers who may have medical expertise and training in other fields, I am sure that if any of them felt any alarm about holding General Conference, especially one for which we have been asked to prepare, that General Conference would have been canceled already, especially since, as formerly practicing physicians, they would naturally keep an eye on this situation. That brings me around to reiterating that I trust the Brethren, and at present, I feel strongly that if conference was going to be canceled, that would have happened already. But again, I base my opinion only on my own experiences, the research I have done, and the knowledge I have of the lives and experiences of the Brethren who direct the word of the Church. If I wind up being wrong on anything about which I have offered an opinion in my most recent comments here, I will willingly do all I can to atone for my erroneous analysis on this question.
James, we appreciate your mighty faith and remarkable journey. Thanks for taking the time to share your personal reflections and testimonies on overcoming your tribulations. You are the epitome of "enduring to the end." If only we could all be a little more like you. We are so grateful to have you with us today.
I just want to simply say, "bad things happen to good people." (And I know you know this personally). I don't think the members of the church in Hong Kong, S. Korea, Italy, etc. who are experiencing this very serious pandemic have less faith than you or those in the USA just because the virus spread to their neighborhoods and not yours -- yet. Being cautious is not a demonstration of a lack of faith. So don't equate precautions and event re-scheduling with lack of faith or fear-mongering or worldly mentalities. Otherwise, what do you call the temporarily closing of temples and re-assignment of missionaries in infected areas? You have a great heart and I know you're not intentionally saying that about these members (or non-members for that matter). So just be careful with what you're saying.
While everyone hopes beyond hope that General Conference will convene as normally -- don't be worried or have your faith shaken if they proceed in an unconventional matter. As Michael Worley stated, if anything like what we're seeing in Italy happens in Denver or Las Vegas, changes in our daily lives will occur. And that's perfectly fine. .Fortunately, in this day and age, we can broadcast General Conference worldwide in safety (the gathering at the Conference Center does not necessarily have to take place). You can record and transmit it without a massive live audience. So don't be worried about that at all. (As for your statement for needing enough notice for the media, may I just point your attention to major events throughout the world that have had to make adjustements last minute? Tokyo's Olympics may have to occur in London instead...).
In closing, I admire your stalwart faith. I just really want to emphasize that being aware of surroundings and making appropriate preparation measures does not in any way mean people do not have faith. You know this too. So again, I reiterate, don't be overly alarmed, but be alerted. And may we all send our prayers to those on the frontlines of this novel contagious disease. And may we help each other as we prepare for this General Conference (both temporally and spiritually).
@Pills & Pillows
Well said.
Pills and Pillows, thank you for your kind response, and I am grateful no one took offense at what I said. As far as how I say things, I know that's been problematic in the past. In my previous comments, I mentioned that I had 4 surgeries in a 3-week period my junior year of high school. During that period of time, for one of those surgeries, the attending physician (a resident) made a crucial error in the operating room that led to my being in a semi-coma by the next morning, and involved multiple neurologic pressure seizures, so they had to rush me into emergency surgery ASAP that morning. Prior to that incident, I had been someone that had a real gift for expressing myself well, both personally and in writing. I also had an overall happy disposition and excelled at school.
When I came out of that emergency surgery and recovered from it, the trauma my brain experienced at the hands of the resident that made the crucial error impacted my personality, my usually sharp powers of retention, my math skills (excelled in every class I ever took before that surgery; coming out of it wiped out most of that, with which I continue to struggle to this day); and, most importantly, it impacted my usual capacity to dialogue with people effectively in person and online.
And that latter impact has been somewhat of a curse when it has come to content I post and interactions I have on my own blog, and in comments I make here. Consequently, I sometimes misinterpret something said by someone else, and often my own comments in such settings are misunderstood or taken in a different way than I intended. And I very much hate that. I wish there was a switch I could flip to get myself back to where I had been in all of those aspects before that surgery, but if one exists, it is beyond my reach.
So I also certainly intended no offense or insult in anything about which I have commented here in recent days. And it's often the case that, whenever I do post anything here or on my blog by way of follow-up comments, I generally worry quite a bit about whether or not I said what I meant to say, in the way I meant to say it, or if my intentions or motivations might be misconstrued. And that's something I might have to live with until the Lord sees fit to restore that part of me that I've been missing for the last 16 years or so.
With refence to the coronavirus, I did come across new information from a couple of different outlets, both those that share Church-related news, and those that have more of a secular focus. I should have bookmarked those articles when I read them yesterday and today, but hopefully I can find them again. The articles implied that, barring anything very unexpected, General Conference will proceed as scheduled, while on the other hand, Olympic officials are watching the coronavirus situation with great diligence, and that, depending on what happens in the next couple of months, the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo could be postponed or canceled.
I also apologize that I don't currently have those sources on hand. I will try to remind myself the next couple of days to relocate them and pass them along here. In the meantime, I again apologize if anything I have said or the way in which I have said it came across in a negative way. That is never my intent. I hope that by my latest comments here, I have been more transparent about my circumstances.
One final note: Although I have plenty of experience with the medical field and I am not in any way a qualified medical professional of any kind, I have been an avid student of Church history, especially the unfolding events in the continuing process of the restoration of the gospel. And for whatever reason, it just so happens that a lot of the information I read about on that subject is able to be retained fairly well. So most of my background in providing comments here on the threads of this blog comes from my extensive study of Church resources, doctrine, practice, and history, as a result of my having been able to check several Church websites multiple times per day. Some people have described my coverage of such developments on my own blog as "the Church News on steroids"; their words, not mine.
So I find it easier to approach the feedback I offer from a spiritually-based perspective, which has sometimes made me fall very short when it comes to adding more of a temporal perspective. That is also apparently something I need to work on. It's at times like this that I realize that, while I may know a lot about some things, I still have much to learn about others. I will try to remember that in the future, especially when it comes to future interactions I have here.
In the meantime, my apologies to any of you whom I may have inadvertently offended or troubled with my prior comments on this thread. I have the highest respect for everyone with whom I interact here, and am committed to trying to make my own motivations and experiences that mold what I express here more clear going forward. Thanks.
If the Covid-19 virus continues to spread as rapidly as it is, perhaps we will see an announcement regarding a temporary transition to having church at home(s) rather than at meetinghouses, especially in severely affected areas. The Come Follow Me program and moving to a family-focused, church-assisted emphasis would be an inspired preparation for such an unforeseen event. Of course, I do not wish to spread alarm by this remark
Such a church-wide announcement would probably occur only if Covid-19 became a broad, widely reaching pandemic, similar in reach to the Spanish influenza, which of course it currently has not
Thanks for that comment, Tyler. It seems like there has been an effort by some (including some in the media) to spread panic over coronavirus that is not yet merited, as far as I can tell, at least in the US.
@twinnumerouno, I hate to be the grumpy old doctor that tells everyone this is not a joke and to take coronavirus seriously, but please do. While I do understand the media thrives off scary headlines and such; don't dismiss the seriousness of it and neglect to prepare for it. The reason why America seems to be keeping safe for now is merely because we're not testing people. If you don't test for it,y can't report it (nifty trick, right?); It doesn't mean it's not already among us. It may not be deadly like Ebola or SARS, but it is 20% deadlier than the flu. (And while it masqaurades as the flu, it will go unnoticed). Don't be panicked, but be prepared. I have no doubt the Church will be cautious and do what is best for everyone. In the meantime, stay safe everyone! And let's pray for those who are in regions where they have officially been reported. This is a pandemic that we are trying to delay as best as we can. For this reason, this is why the following has been announced for now:
Leadership Sessions of April 2020 General Conference Postponed
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/leadership-sessions-april-2020-general-conference-postponed
@Pills & Pillows
Thank you for advising us to take precautions and opening our eyes up to the potential seriousness of the situation.
Knowledge is power.
@James
Thanks again for the time you take to share your perspective here despite your limitations. I also appreciate you keeping others feelings and points of view in mind while commenting. Keep up the good work! :)
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