The official 181st Annual GC Thread

[Jeff Lebowski]

I thought it was a nice conference. I can't think of a single talk that is likely to cause much of a negative reaction or prolonged debate on CUF.

[wuapinmon]

I thought it was a nice conference. I can't think of a single talk that is likely to cause much of a negative reaction or prolonged debate on CUF.

I wondered about the "only one way to pay your tithing" comment today, but other than that, which is minuscule, it was smooth sailing.

[pellegrino]

I thought it was a nice conference. I can't think of a single talk that is likely to cause much of a negative reaction or prolonged debate on CUF.

I agree

[FMCoug]

I thought it was a nice conference. I can't think of a single talk that is likely to cause much of a negative reaction or prolonged debate on CUF.

It just proves that most GA's are BYU fans. How could you preach fire and brimstone after a BB season like that!

[byu71]

I thought it was a nice conference. I can't think of a single talk that is likely to cause much of a negative reaction or prolonged debate on CUF.

I agree. I was thinking today why the marriage thing caused so much talk on CB, but not on here. I suspect it is because on here people aren't as apt to take such talks so literally.

[CardiacCoug]

As MoTab was singing, I kept hearing this in my head:

Verse 1
I’m trying to be like Jimmer
I’m following in his ways
I’ll try to shoot hoops like he did
Whenever I go to play

At times I am tempted to think I will fail
But I try to remember that he played in a jail

Chorus
So I’ll practice my layups with both right and left
Crossover 3-ball that’s nothing but net
I’ll drive to the basket and make crazy shots
For these are the things Jimmer taught

Verse 2
I’m trying to be like Jimmer
I’m starting to learn to pass
I’ll try to make all my free throws
I’ll dribble behind my back
At times I’ll be tempted to stop playing ball
But I try to remember TJ’s note on his wall

Chorus
So I’ll practice my layups with both right and left
Crossover 3-ball that’s nothing but net
I’ll drive to the basket and make crazy shots
For these are the things Jimmer taught

How did this not get more comments? Awesome.

[smokymountainrain]

How did this not get more comments? Awesome.

It was posted a few weeks ago. Not that it's any less awesome now, but most of the positive feedback happened the first time around.

[All-American]

The problem is it will likely affect the wrong ones. A bunch of brand new RM's who think they need to get engaged in the next month.

Oh, there will be those, to be sure. I was a fairly recently returned RM when Oaks gave his talk against hanging out, and I asked somebody out that very night. The next time I tried asking her out, she was on a date as I called her, going out every day up until the day for which I was asking her out, and had two dates scheduled for the day for which I was asking her out.

A year ago, if I heard President Monson's talk, I would have been a little depressed and/or discouraged. I never felt like I was putting off getting married or not trying hard enough to make that happen. I was doing the best I knew how. Another talk about how I was neglecting my priesthood responsibilities and all that would have been frustrating. Elder Scott's talk, though, would have had the opposite effect. Where President Monson's talk was a kick in the pants, Elder Scott's was a reminder that the effort would be worth it. (Frankly, my experience has been that I've needed to figure out how to make my life work on my own before I was ready to be married, but I didn't know at the time how things would work out.)

My guess is that the Brethren are using two approaches to speak to two different groups. President Monson's talk was meant to speak to those who aren't trying. Elder Scott's was meant to speak to those who are trying but aren't seeing any results from their efforts. Men are more likely to be in the former group and women in the latter (but not always. My fiancée tells me that she probably would have fallen in the former group before we got engaged). Together, the brethren are trying to reassure those who aren't seeing it happen that things work out for the better, while trying to motivate those who aren't even trying (and leaving someone out there hanging in the meantime) to get moving.

You note that some will probably move too quickly as a result. I agree that this is likely. On the other hand, I know that the Brethren see this as a major problem. I can say, from my perspective, that there is a definite feeling of alienation which a single adult feels in a family-oriented church. At best, you feel out of place. Others probably leave and never come back. I would not be surprised in the least if one of the reasons the Brethren are concerned is that they see young single adults feeling estranged and turning away from the church when they feel that they don't have a place there.

One seventy mentioned today that he suspected the counsel to marry early was so one wouldn't develop characteristic traits that make interdependence in marriage possible. I'm not sure I totally agree with that, but I can see how it would be problematic if one hasn't unlearned the idea that other things had a greater priority than marriage.

[CardiacCoug]

It was posted a few weeks ago. Not that it's any less awesome now, but most of the positive feedback happened the first time around.

Gotcha. Missed it the first time I guess.

[All-American]

I wondered about the "only one way to pay your tithing" comment today, but other than that, which is minuscule, it was smooth sailing.

He had some qualifying language in there, too. It seemed clear enough to me that he was making suggestions, and not issuing a fiat.

[RC Vikings]

I agree. I was thinking today why the marriage thing caused so much talk on CB, but not on here. I suspect it is because on here people aren't as apt to take such talks so literally.

It's because CUF isn't a bunch of 28 year old kids living at home and playing video games all day and I'm guessing that about half of CB would fit that description.

[happyone]

...

You note that some will probably move too quickly as a result. I agree that this is likely. On the other hand, I know that the Brethren see this as a major problem. I can say, from my perspective, that there is a definite feeling of alienation which a single adult feels in a family-oriented church. At best, you feel out of place. Others probably leave and never come back. I would not be surprised in the least if one of the reasons the Brethren are concerned is that they see young single adults feeling estranged and turning away from the church when they feel that they don't have a place there.

...

My cousin is a bishop of a YA ward in Sandy, when I talked to him last, he mentioned that this is one of his concerns in his ward - the young men just don't seem to be interested in marriage.

[LA Coug]

Oaks used the mormon word in reference to people.

BKP forbids it.

Wonder if they had words after.

D. Todd Christofferson also used the word Mormon (in ref to a member of the Church) in his address. I think it's likely BKP is in the minority on this issue. I wonder if we'll see any significant edits to the text of BKP's address when the printed version is released.

[dabrockster]

I was touched by talks that related to me and my situation. It was kind of what I needed to hear. I have been in this mode of anger/frustration of what has taken place, but only inwardly. I would always follow it up in my mind with the normal, "Don't question the trial and tribulations you face, just be steadfast in faith and praying for comfort". It has plagued me for the past month..

So the comforting talks of pain and trials and it seemed like some of the talks spoke about death, cancer, brain tumor etc and it was exactly what I needed to hear. More importantly. I have been so focused on the living in my mortal life (And my father's mortal life), I have kind of lost my faith in the eternal perspective of life and what I have to look forward too. The strong testimony from these men was exactly what I needed to hear.. And answer to my inward turmoil that only the Lord would know...

Last week I had another random thought (From watching a TV show), but I think I may post it in my father's thread....

[byu71]

You note that some will probably move too quickly as a result. I agree that this is likely. On the other hand, I know that the Brethren see this as a major problem. I can say, from my perspective, that there is a definite feeling of alienation which a single adult feels in a family-oriented church. At best, you feel out of place. Others probably leave and never come back. I would not be surprised in the least if one of the reasons the Brethren are concerned is that they see young single adults feeling estranged and turning away from the church when they feel that they don't have a place there.

One seventy mentioned today that he suspected the counsel to marry early was so one wouldn't develop characteristic traits that make interdependence in marriage possible. I'm not sure I totally agree with that, but I can see how it would be problematic if one hasn't unlearned the idea that other things had a greater priority than marriage.

Before making this comment let me make an admission, I have absolutely no idea about how to run a church.

That being said, I do have a question. Is there an option that could be pursued that would make single young people feel more comfortable in the church. Maybe that would just compound the problem though and you would have even more young people not getting married.

I am far from the young person getting married scene, but it does happen on occasion to older single people. My relatives used to give me some grief and I have had more than one Bishop consider it a serious problem.

I appreciate what my brother now tells people who ask him why I am not married. He says, well he has a B life and a lot of people who are married have C lives so I leave him alone.

The thing that bothers me is why are all these ladies in the ward and others so worried about it. It really is none of their business and the more they seem to think it is the more I want to sit on the back row of Sacrament meeting only and clear out as fast as I can.

I don't have a problem with the bretherns talks, I have a problem with married people who hear the talks and think they need to advise me like I was on cocaine or something.