There is a friend in the ward for whom I’ve done favors before but I am trying to maintain healthy boundaries with them as they ask a lot. They asked me to get their medication today and I told them I might be available and would let them know. They texted me and told me while I was getting their meds to also get other stuff as well. I didn’t even say I would go in the first place, so I firmly said I wouldn’t be available until tomorrow as I was home for the day and would get the items tomorrow when I was out but they said tomorrow is too late as it is their medication. Am I being an unserviceable jerk or am I in line with my boundaries?

Sorry if this isn’t allowed, I’m just so stumped right now. I’ve noticed lately that when I am wearing clean garments I developed a rash. And when I say I wear clean garments I mean I change them anywhere from 2 to 4 times a day because I thought maybe the rash comes from sweat build up and such. I also shower daily and have overall good hygiene. I’ve gone to the doctors multiple times and have gotten creams and pills for it. With no success. Unfortunately in my frustration I went a day in regular underwear and in that day the rash went away but the day that I put my garments back on the rash comes back. I don’t know what to do. Do I just deal with have a gross rash all over my body the rest of my life so that I can honor my covenants? Or do I go without and miss out on the blessings of wearing garments? Is there someone I can talk to about this? Or am I just out of luck?

Edit: I failed to mention that I have infact tried all the different material and even the more loose fitting one pieces too. Again with no success

Hello, Saints!

Question for you. I'm contemplating applying for a master's program at BYU. My understanding is that I need an ecclesiastical endorsement in order to enroll. Is that correct? If so, how would I go about getting one? TIA.

EDIT: I am already a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Just got called to be the program director which means I compile all of the info on speakers, songs, special performances, opening and closing prayer, and ward/stake announcements.

I have a template so I'm not starting from scratch, but I'd like to change the picture every week. My bishopric has asked that I don't do color printing or anything fancy except Mother's Day, Father's Day, Easter and Christmas. So I want to find some nice and simple black and white stuff, and ideally I can find pictures that at least somewhat relate to the topics and I can put a related verse underneath.

Anybody know where to start? I tried looking in the media library but that was overwhelming with lots of color stuff, and the primary program obviously had very juvenile cartoon-y type stuff. I would like stuff like this and pictures of Jesus doing stuff or people doing stuff. I'll use the church logo if all else fails, but I want to have a decent assortment available.

I just got my patriarchal blessing yesterday. I don’t have the physical copy yet, but I took down notes of what I could remember when I got home. I won’t go too much into detail, because it is sacred personal scripture but also because of how detailed it was. But I will gloss over some of the details just to testify to you all. I was amazed how much this increased my faith. I felt like everything I knew in my heart was being confirmed by the Spirit, not only within me but through God’s chosen mouthpiece. I asked two senior missionaries very close to me to attend with me, as I don’t have any family in the church and they’re the closest thing I have to that (same missionaries going to my endowment next week). They know me very well, and they cried hearing just how accurate this blessing was. In short, I was told I covenanted with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in the pre mortal life to do my part to gather Israel throughout my life, on both sides of the veil, in and outside of the church- I would teach and serve. I was told I’d be a great missionary my entire life, that was my purpose. For those of you who see me on here often I want to preface some things.

• my long term career goal is to have an LDS based ministry/nonprofit that teaches of the gospel and offers free legal services for those in need. Mostly in terms of human rights cases. My goal has always been to teach others and do what I can to make a difference for the needy.

• I am transgender. Specifically nonbinary, despite my records saying I’m female.

My patriarchal blessing, from someone who had no idea who I was until that day, had no gendered language, no talks of my marriage or future being a mother in this life or Zion. The only thing it discussed was my missionary work throughout my life in and out of the church. We all may disagree on what my ‘eternal gender’ might be, but I think we can admit God knows me and what I plan to do/be. And that day, He told me I’d be ‘a good and faithful servant’. (The only thing I’ll directly quote because I pray everyday to be His good and faithful servant and I thought it was amazing that phrase was used.) I always knew I was meant for this work, and my blessing confirmed it to me, and let me know what I needed to do to carry it out.

So I want to testify to you today that patriarchal blessings are real, they are your personal scripture and God knows you. He has plans for you, often plans you’ve always known in your heart because you covenanted in the premortal life to do so. Heavenly Father love us, the Lord Jesus Christ is His Son and He is our Redeemer. The Holy Ghost speaks through us and will lead us to where we’re meant to be if we’re faithful. I know this church is true. In the sacred and holy name of our Lord, Savior, and Redeemer, even Jesus Christ, amen.

Bom dia! I’m heading out to the Brazil Porto Alegre North Mission in a few weeks and will be doing 6 weeks at the Brazil MTC. Anyone have any cool facts, insights, or tips for this MTC? Are English speakers in a district with all English speakers, so I’ll have an American companion, or is it very mixed? How often are the temple trips? Obrigado!

My wife and I (24) have been asked to substitute teach for institute in a few weeks. The lesson is lesson 8 of the Eternal Families course: Seeking to Understand Same-Sex Attraction and Loving Our LGBT Brothers and Sisters.

I think it's a great topic and one I'm excited to go over with our class. My wife is a bit less enthusiastic as she struggles more with the doctrines behind it than I do, but I think that will strengthen our reach teaching together. I really want to focus on Christlike love and attitudes when dealing with these issues.

We are in the UK so definitely in a very socially liberal culture. I think the lesson outline is good but maybe feels a bit barebones and repetitive. If anyone has any resources, quotes, videos, etc. that might be good for this lesson, please let me know. I really want to be sensitive to the fact that there are probably students in the class who would fall under the LGBT umbrella (and everyone knows loved ones who do). If done right, I think this could be a great spiritual opportunity for many.

Let me know how you think we can/should approach this!

Is there a discord servers for those who is currently studying the come follow me 2024? I would like to join to enhance my scripture study, thanks 🫶🏻

Hello All!

Are there any books out there of a Historical fiction nature based on LDS characters?

Many have heard about Shogun, the recent tv series loosely based on the story of William Adams. Id love to know if there are any LDS equivalent stories.

Thank you!

Hey y’all

I’ve been practicing yoga for more or less 10years now. Mostly for exercise purposes and to help me meditate. Recently my cousin sent me videos of christians debating the “demonic” nature of yoga and it got me thinking.

I know that yoga is inherently a spiritual practice and has its roots in Hinduism but I didn’t think it was an issue doing it, as long as your spiritual practice and intentions weren’t aligned with the Hindu faith.

Im trying to figure out what is the church’s stance on yoga and get some insight from fellow members.

What do you think?

Has anyone seen this post from earlier today or yesterday? Could you share the link? I had it pop up on a post notification and now I can’t find it and am interested in reading it.

Hello! I’m a YW leader and this year for YW Camp our stake decided to have each ward plan their own camp. The theme for our camp is “Consider the Lilies”—trusting in Christ and His plan through covenant keeping and temple preparedness. For the last day of camp we will be attending the temple.

I’m looking for some ideas of spiritual/testimony-building activities (i.e. Faith Walk) that goes along with our camp theme.

It is important to note that we will only have maybe 10 YW attending at max.

Any ideas or advice is greatly appreciated! Thank you 😊

In 3 Nephi 18 it says to not drink or partake of the sacrament unworthily because you drink damnation to your soul. Why? What is it about taking the sacrament unworthily that causes this damnation? What’s the reasoning behind it? To me I would just assume that taking it unworthily just wont bless you but here we read that it damns you.

When one is giving a father’s blessing or a blessing for the sick, what do you do for attire? I think best case would be shirt and tie and slacks, but I do not believe there is a specific dress code.

What happens if it is late at night and a child or spouse needs a blessing? I’m curious how everyone approaches this! Thanks.

I had a bishop tell me that when a membership council takes place, someone is there to take notes.

He also said that those notes go to Salt Lake (Church HQ) and stay there forever. Is that true? Does that mean anyone with a membership council in their history can’t be a bishop or anything since they’d have to be approved by the FP (and I assume they’d look at that).

It kinda bothers me if that’s true since to me that kinda defeats the purpose of being clean and no one knowing if it’s stored somewhere and prevents you from receiving callings.

Hi! I am not a member but am marrying into a family of members and have a lot of friends who are. Recently, a family friend of my partner passed away and his funeral is being held soon. I've never been to a funeral in the church or in Utah before and am wondering what the dress code looks like? Is it Sunday best? Traditional black? I asked my partner and he just shrugged and said he wasn't sure lol TIA!

Thanks to all of you I’ve read through the history books my library had on audiobook— American Zion, Pioneer Prophet, House Full of Females, and Rough Stone Rolling, plus a couple others the library had that were from a different perspective. So I started the Book of Mormon. I’m no stranger to religious texts, I used to be able to parse through simple Aramaic and plenty of Biblical Hebrew, but I don’t have a context or framework for the Book of Mormon since it’s my first time reading it and I didn’t grow up with references to it or stories from it, so I can feel the names and stories going in one ear and out the other very quickly despite the little chapter summaries the gospel app offers. I’m in the middle of 3 Nephi and will likely finish later tonight or tomorrow if I keep listening to the recording at the rate I have yesterday and today. I’m wondering if there’s a good companion or narrative or other book that offers a summary to help me hold onto what I’m reading. I’m not looking to convert, so I’d rather not talk to local missionaries. Any recommendations?

ETA— finished the Book of Mormon this evening, started on the doctrines and covenants in the gospel app in the interim, and will be looking into finding the resources you’re all sharing soon. Thanks!

I’m starting my mission on Monday, and I’m wondering if there are any tips or tricks any of you have that could help me out while I’m out for the next two years. Serving stateside in Louisville Kentucky mission

*Edit- I’m taking all these comments and writing them into a journal so I can remember these things, because they’re amazing ideas, so I appreciate you guys for that

If this is not aloud, feel free to delete. But I don’t get the trouble with the seer stone. I’ve known about it most of my life. What’s the big deal? JS used it to translate. It was an aid from God. So what?

Edit: Thank you all for the suggestions to talk to my bishop. I met with him last night, fully prepared to go in and ask to be released. But that is really not what was meant to be. I don't feel the spirit very often (at least I don't think I do) but I just could not say that I wanted to be released. It was a very strong feeling, almost like I couldn't physically say the words. I felt very strongly that I still needed to stay in this calling, and that was before my bishop said anything at all. After expressing all of my overwhelm, anxiety, and stresses with this calling, I told him I would for sure stay through youth camp in June, and then I would reassess. I'm going to Japan by myself to visit my sister for 3 weeks over the summer and return the week before camp. My counselors already know all of that and are prepared to keep the train going while I'm gone. I'm hoping that I will be able to center myself and really get my head in a better space to come home and find purpose in my calling, home life, etc. He really appreciated me coming and talking to him and said that if I do ask to be released at any time, he will 100% support that, because I know what I can handle, etc. We talked about getting different advisors that are a little more dependable so that I can stay home for mutual if I need to (that is a current struggle right now) and even split ward council meetings each month if it is still too much for me. I left our meeting feeling very uplifted and strengthened. He did say that asking to be released does not mean that I failed, or that I did not fulfill or magnify my calling. Of course I burst into tears after hearing that, because I do feel like I am failing and constantly falling short.

All of this to say, thank you for your kind words and support. I truly do appreciate this little corner of the internet.

Original post:

It's been just over a year since I accepted the YW president calling in my ward. And it has been a struggle pretty much the entire time. I accepted when my newborn was 2 months old, and I was second guessing my decision to accept it in the first place.

Since accepting, I started working full time (a decision both my husband and I felt was right and needed) and our home life has become incredibly busy with after school activities, things my husband needs to attend, and just life in general, and my anxiety has absolutely sky rocketed. I don't know if it is due to having 4 children now, my calling, or working four 10s during the week. I have been on 3 different meds to try and get a handle on my anxiety and am seeing a psychiatrist to manage that, as well as going to therapy to work on other issues.

My sister in law keeps saying I need to talk to my bishop about being released because this is one obstacle that can be taken away (as opposed to quitting my job or getting rid of children lol). But I just feel incredibly guilty asking to be released. Our stake just went through a reorganization in October and our ward lost a lot of members. The bishop is already struggling to fill callings, and I feel this immense pressure to keep doing my calling so I don't inconvenience him. Ultimately, I know that that is not my job or responsibility, but here I am, still struggling.

My question is, how long do I keep struggling, hoping things get better, before throwing in the towel? I have good counselors who definitely help keep me above water, but being a leader is not in my wheel house of things I'm good at or feel comfortable doing. My anxiety spikes every Wednesday when it's time to go to mutual, when I have extra meetings, and when the YW are in charge of planning things for activities. Not to mention trying to get things together for a combined youth camp this summer. I have felt incredibly overwhelmed for over a year now, and it is wearing me down. I have prayed for help and strength, clarity, and to learn how to love my calling. I have read and re-read my patriarchal blessing to try and gain some understanding of what I need. But nothing has helped me feel any less overwhelmed, stressed, and anxious surrounding my calling.

Just heard the news of her passing after a long fight with cancer. Very sad. I am a big fan. I loved her book, "Sacred Struggle." I highly recommend it!

• I was wondering the purpose of the under wear
• the symbolism of the under wear
• what are rules of wearing these under garments

*and any scripture for this under wear

1. What are the verses surrounding your statement and the meaning

2. What value does this message have for you and the rest of the world

3. How can I apply any this

My question is for LDS members. Do you feel more comfortable in the Utah/Idaho area compared to other parts of the country like the NYC region where you're a religious minority? I'm asking because of regional/cultural differences in different states/regions in the USA and how they might conflict with the agreeableness LDS culture tends to exhibit.

I cracked open D&C 89 recently because I am trying to improve my health and thought what better way than to draw insight from what the Lord has given us through the Word of Wisdom. That being said in verses 12 and 13, it seems to me that it's framed in a way where we only should be eating meat during winter, famine, and in times of excess hunger. It later goes on to reiterate the idea in verse 15. In verse 13 it even goes as far to say it is pleasing unto him that they(animals) should not be used unless it fits those circumstances.

I grew up in the church and most discussions about the word of wisdom were around abstaining from alcohol,tea, and tobacco. I've always been a bit confused as to why this isn't talked about more. Am I interpreting this wrong? How often do you eat meat? I usually have some everyday as a lot of the recipes I'm trying to follow nowadays have chicken for the high amount of protein compared to the amount of calories it has. Reading this and pondering gives me pause about the recipes I'm choosing. It just doesn't seem to be taken as seriously as the other concepts in the WoW and is mostly glossed over during lessons or discussions. How do y'all interpret these verses?

Hey! To begin this, I'm a teenager and a convert to the church, but I do want to try and be more mature about situations like this to avoid things like this happening again, which is why I'm coming here for advice.

Today, I was confronted online with some people that like to call the church a cult. That's something we all have to deal with as members of the church, yes, but never a pleasant thing for any of us. I was immediately put off and quite frankly, really mad, really upset, and really dejected. For some reason, it's a really visceral, natural instinct for me to get really mad and defensive upon people saying that kinda stuff. At first, I tried to be informational (albeit, I was a little passive aggressive) and to that I was just mocked. Subtly, but mocked regardless, so I lashed out. I went on a bunch of tangents toward them to which they just told me it was a joke that I shouldn't take seriously, and after i retorted that, they just started bringing up any unsavory church history they could get their hands on, to which I got even more defensive. Ultimately, my friends backed me up and those people ended up being banned from the chat we were in, so that was the end of that.

Upon the end of that experience, I immediately felt guilty. I didn't deal with that in a christ-like manner, not at all, I let contention get the best of me, I always feel so powerless upon realizing I let it get to my head. My wonderful, supportive non LDS friends told me that I was right to defend my religion, that I shouldn't feel guilty or beat myself up over it when they probably didn't feel remorseful at all for the hurtful things they said, which I understood, but I still know that I should have handled it better. I just can't help but be upset with people criticizing the best choice I've ever made in my life, and something that I know to be true. I always try to remember that talk about not becoming "Anti-Anti Mormon" but it's always a talk that goes out the window in the moment. How could I not be "anti-anti mormon" when they despise where my core beliefs come from? Where all my best morals, values, and traits stem from?

I guess my question is, how do you all deal with people who are ignorant and rude about the church? How do you not let yourself become "Anti-Anti Mormon"? Thank you all, and any help is appreciated. :)

I just got my mission call and now in the mission portal checklist thing it says contacts are “discouraged”… should I take that to mean banned or they just prefer glasses?

It seems like more and more of the "deep doctrine" folks I know are talking about Gileadi's concept of the "Davidic servant." Anyone ELI5? Not trying to debate anything, just genuinely trying to get the basics of the theory.

Guys, Im 23(M) and have been trying to date and find friends in a YSA ward. It is painful and depressing. I was lucky enough to find 1 or 2 friends but this place is so hard. When I try to talk to people here they either ignore me or avoid me.

I love talking to people and wanted to meet more girls as well and so I would try to talk to them after 2nd hour or during FHE and prayer. The next day they would do their best to avoid me as much as possible. Its depressing and now I feel ostracized from my own ward. Ive been here for two years and it has been a struggle to keep my testimony. I dont know what to do, I get that church isn't a social club but shouldn't it be more than what it is? I live in utah by the way. orem.

What have you all done to build your faith and testimony when you feel so alone?

Edit: Thank you all for your encouraging words it hurts to know that people online have given me better and more encouraging words than my own ward and bishop. I understand that I shouldn't base my testimony off of other people. I have faith in God and this church its just that no matter how much I pray to God he cant physically come down and give me a hug. Thats what the members are for to build eachother up. Thats what God expects out of his children. So it can hurt but I will do my best to follow everybody's advice.