The Official Mormon Minutia thread

[snowcat]

There was a YW in my ward who baked bread to use for the sacrament as part of her YW personnel progress program. She had a brother in the Teacher's Quorum so it worked out for her supplying the bread and her brother bringing it every week for several months. It started out as white and then went to wheat. After a few weeks, different varieties/colors appeared. One was even a dark brown/black (rye of some sort?). All were delicious and a big hit. Had to police the kids to make sure they didn't take handfulls and the wife asked for recipes. When she completed her project, it was tough going back to the generic bleached white bread.

We have had homemade bread in our ward for several years, typically whole wheat and always delicious. The challenge is keeping my youngest son from grapping a handful as a snack stash.

[Katy Lied]

Don't know how to do this without seeming an insensitive lout...

At what point does a down syndrome man become eligible to hold the priesthood? We have one such man who says the sacrament prayer, and I swear the bishop allows him several mistakes and he never has to repeat.

[Green Monstah]

Don't know how to do this without seeming an insensitive lout...

At what point does a down syndrome man become eligible to hold the priesthood? We have one such man who says the sacrament prayer, and I swear the bishop allows him several mistakes and he never has to repeat.

I had a semi-similar issue in my ward in high school. We baptized a man with a severe stuttering problem who blessed the sacrament often.

The fact that the bishop never made him repeat is one of the more positive church experiences I had in H.S. (I don't really understand the need for exact words for the sacrament).

[HauteCoug]

Don't know how to do this without seeming an insensitive lout...

At what point does a down syndrome man become eligible to hold the priesthood? We have one such man who says the sacrament prayer, and I swear the bishop allows him several mistakes and he never has to repeat.

Some often wait til they're a little bit older. The family I lived with had the boy advance in the priesthood at the normal age, however. He's still a deacon, so I'm not sure what will happen when he turns 16, but I think it's sweet that your bishop has him bless the sacrament.

[The Fourth Nephite]

Thats too bad. Not handled well at qll. In our ward the bishopric goes over to the deacons every sacrmanet and tells them who is presiding that day, in order to try to avoid that sort of embarassment.

We don't pass first to the presiding in our ward anymore. I thought there was a new policy. Is it just our ward?

[Uncle Ted]

I attended a ward today and they had whole wheat bread for the sacrament. Most bishoprics/ym leaders insist on white bread, which is kind of funny if you think about it. I am pretty sure Jesus didn't use bread made from bleached flour.

When I was YMP I would always bring the "backup bread" in case the young man assigned forgot. One Sunday we didn't have any bread in the house but we had some bagels so I just took those instead. That Sunday we had to go to the backup bread. In BYC that afternoon the Bishop mentioned the non-standard bread. I just said it was either that or "sinner bread" that I would have picked up at the store on the way to church. He then said he didn't mind the bagels but preferred that we try to keep to the standard.

Also, I was in a ward that had saltine crackers once. I thought it was a nice change up to have once in a while.

[creekster]

We don't pass first to the presiding in our ward anymore. I thought there was a new policy. Is it just our ward?

I am not aware of any change. Does BKP know?

[myboynoah]

When I was YMP I would always bring the "backup bread" in case the young man assigned forgot. One Sunday we didn't have any bread in the house but we had some bagels so I just took those instead. That Sunday we had to go to the backup bread. In BYC that afternoon the Bishop mentioned the non-standard bread. I just said it was either that or "sinner bread" that I would have picked up at the store on the way to church. He then said he didn't mind the bagels but preferred that we try to keep to the standard.

Also, I was in a ward that had saltine crackers once. I thought it was a nice change up to have once in a while.

Church in France was an ever-changing sacrament experience. Baguette one week, fruit bread the next, wheat bread after that. But same old water each time.

[Moliere]

Church in France was an ever-changing sacrament experience. Baguette one week, fruit bread the next, wheat bread after that. But same old water each time.

We had brioche a lot. Mmmmmmm!

[myboynoah]

We had brioche a lot. Mmmmmmm!

Yeah, brioche too.

[Sullyute]

I think it would look even more strange to the members who are there. I can't imagine showing up to the church to shoot hoops with the ward and seeing some guy in a G top.

I have a funny stories on this. On my mission, we had a service project with the branch to clean up around the buildings where the church was located (business complex). The second counselor shows up with a red wife beater over the top of his "celestrial smile" style garment top. All of the american missionaries were in a buzz about it, but none of the locals seemed to care.

the sacrament should be passed, and partaken of with the right hand only.

I was under the impression that this was because the old testament teaches that the right hand is the covenant hand. Same reason we make the covenants in the temple by raising our right hand to the square. So when renewing these covenants with the sacrament we should take it with the right hand. I don't know why it would matter what hand passed the sacrament?

The presiding priesthood holder has to be the first person to eat the sacrament. Complete tradition, not a doctrinal requirement, althou we treat it as such.

The Daymon Smith Mormon Stories podcast tells a fascinating story on this. If I remember right, Heber J. Grant was attending sacrament in his home ward and took his normal spot in the far corner of rostrum away from the the bishopric. When the sacrament was passed the small deacon bypassed the bishop and took it to Presiden Grant first. President Grant shooed the boy back to the bishopric without taking the bread. The bishop encourage the boy to try again with the same result. The same thing happened with the water.

President Grant was a little perturbed that the deacon had tried to give the sacrament to him first before the bishop and confronted the bishop after the meeting about it. The bishop explained that he had received a letter from the Quorum of the Twelve stating that the sacrament was to be given to the highest presiding officer first. President Grant then exclamained, "The Quorum of the Twelve are always changing things and not telling me."


Some of my minutia questions are: Why do we refer to a 12 year old deacons president as "President Jones" but the Relief Society president as "Sister Thompson"? Why when they have a couple speak in sacrament, that the wife always goes first and the husband last?

[Spicy McHaggis]

the sacrament should be passed, and partaken of with the right hand only.

I've always wondered why they continue to do this. I always take the sac with my left hand just to kick against the pricks.

[Eddie]

Some of my minutia questions are: Why do we refer to a 12 year old deacons president as "President Jones" but the Relief Society president as "Sister Thompson"? Why when they have a couple speak in sacrament, that the wife always goes first and the husband last?

My Mom always taught me that ladies go first. Seems natural now - even when speaking in church. I would guess that most women like going first - knowing that they just have to say whatever they want do and can sit down when they're done. On the other hand, whoever is last has to figure out how to either cut down or stretch out their talk.

Here's another question for you - why do deacons have to pass the sacrament? I mean, if it was so important that it be a priesthood holder, then why is it OK for women and children to help pass it down the row?

[TexTechCoug]

Men absolutely should wear white shirts to church. My best friend's dad is intense about this one.

My Brazilian mission president said you could tell who had truly served their mission by what color shirt they wore to church post mission.

[Eddie]

My Brazilian mission president said you could tell who had truly served their mission by what color shirt they wore to church post mission.

My Mexican mission president begged us to not turn into the kind of return missionary who would wear a colored shirt to church when we returned home.

Honestly, I don't mind wearing white shirts. Makes it so I don't have to worry about what to wear - and I have never initiated one of those conversations of "but I wore that last week" with my wife that she likes to initiate with me.