In Church Today..

[Juliette]

Today in church a young man we all had a hand in raising ( it takes a village) was speaking as he is leaving for his Mission Wednesday.
There was one youth speaker and one adult speaker, Special musical number, then the Missionary.

The adult speaker spoke for 25 minutes! The Bishop stood up and told him the last speaker needed some time. He still wouldn't sit down.
He just kept on talking!!

Now mind you, the Missionaries family had come from far and wide to hear him speak. ( the special musical number was cancelled too).
When the Missionary finally got up, he was un-nerved by the whole thing, talked for about 2 minutes and sat down.

My question is: WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE??

[JerL]

When I was in the MTC, a counselor in the MTC Branch Presidency told a similar story about himself. He was in a ward giving a talk and as I recall the story his time was at an end and the meeting needed to proceed. The signal from the Bishop was a tap on the speakers leg with his foot. That didn't stop him, so he proceeded to give a stronger kick, still to no avail. It finally ended with quite a strong kick to the rear. The counselor was telling this story as an example of pride. I believe that may have been what happened at church today. (Just a guess) I have never thought that what I have had to say was so important that I had to hold a couple of hundred people over in a meeting.

[Juliette]

When I was in the MTC, a counselor in the MTC Branch Presidency told a similar story about himself. He was in a ward giving a talk and as I recall the story his time was at an end and the meeting needed to proceed. The signal from the Bishop was a tap on the speakers leg with his foot. That didn't stop him, so he proceeded to give a stronger kick, still to no avail. It finally ended with quite a strong kick to the rear. The counselor was telling this story as an example of pride. I believe that may have been what happened at church today. (Just a guess) I have never thought that what I have had to say was so important that I had to hold a couple of hundred people over in a meeting.

Exactly JerL, It was so frustrating. Prideful! Thanks for the post! ( I wish they would have kicked him in the rear) )

[marc]

That's unfortunate. So what was the speaker's all important message about?

[BroJones]

That's unfortunate. So what was the speaker's all important message about?

I'm going to guess -- NOT about preparedness... Probably one of the "safe" non-controversial topics.

[Original_Intent]

I really enjoyed back in the day when a missionary farewell was the missionaries family speaking - but that was deemed putting too much attention on the missionary. I also liked back in the day when a good many sacrament meetings were a family speaking. And I realize that those without a family need to be included, but I still wish that mayve one sacrament meeting a month was done in the old format and a family gave the talks together. Now each week it is two yout speakers, two adult speakers, mix and matched.

As far as what happened in your missionaries farewell - very uncool. I've never seen anything like that. Very sad.

[Nan]

At my farewell my parents and I taught the first discussion since I had non member friends there. We were allowed to chose our own topic.

[Juliette]

That's unfortunate. So what was the speaker's all important message about?

He had been asked to speak on honesty, but when he got up he said, " I don't like assigned topics", so I am going to talk on forgiveness".

It was so awkard when he didn't stop, even at the Bishop's request.

[Juliette]

At my farewell my parents and I taught the first discussion since I had non member friends there. We were allowed to chose our own topic.

Great idea Nan! When my son left for his mission, we weren't given assigned topics either. We also talked about missionary work.
Its all I could think about!

[AussieOi]

That's unfortunate. So what was the speaker's all important message about?

He had been asked to speak on honesty, but when he got up he said, " I don't like assigned topics", so I am going to talk on forgiveness".

It was so awkard when he didn't stop, even at the Bishop's request.

that guy was a

[Juliette]

That's unfortunate. So what was the speaker's all important message about?

He had been asked to speak on honesty, but when he got up he said, " I don't like assigned topics", so I am going to talk on forgiveness".

It was so awkard when he didn't stop, even at the Bishop's request.

that guy was a

Is that an Australian term? haha! Explain Aussie...

[LateOutOfBed]

that guy was a

Is that an Australian term? haha! Explain Aussie...

No, it's common use in the US.

This is it's common meaning.

From Urban Dictionary:

1. tool
January 13, 2005 Urban Word of the Day
One who lacks the mental capacity to know he is being used. A fool. A cretin. Characterized by low intelligence and/or self-steem.
That tool dosen't even know she's just using him.

[Juliette]

I get it. Thanks Geoff!

[A Random Phrase]

That's unfortunate. So what was the speaker's all important message about?

He had been asked to speak on honesty, but when he got up he said, " I don't like assigned topics", so I am going to talk on forgiveness".

He was giving the congregation an object lesson; a perfect opportunity for everyone to practice forgiving.

It is also possible that he didn't know how to cut the subject short, and felt humiliated and embarrassed by the time he was taking. (Yes, it is also true that it is possible he was arrogant and self-serving, but unless we know his inner soul, why not take the kinder route?)

[TheDuke]

Ok, had to search for a thread about in church today. I had an interesting thing happen in church today.

Preface. My wife is on east coast with her daughters, I'm home alone. We have Zoom Sacrament meeting. Thinking about skipping or Zoom.

Last night while praying the spirit told me to go to church that I would speak with a very close friend. I posted yesterday that I really needed a good friend right now to talk about gospel topics with. So, I put on a nice shirt and asked my buddy if he wanted a ride, I knew then I'd go. We walked into church. He went near the front in the middle, where I never sit.

All the sudden I get a text. It is my sweet wife in Miami. she says there is a blonde, silvery/grey haired man sitting next to my friend, and shyly asks who it is? I guess the Lord wanted to remind me that my sweet wife is my friend, even if we have difficulty communicating about the gospel.

I have eclectic views (like most on here) and am a guy from the north that likes mountains, while she is a gal from PR that likes the hot, humid southern coast. She is LDS only since we married (was before a few years, but never went). God commanded me to take her to the temple and be with her forever. I suggested that wasn't a good idea, but he pushed me anyway. Now today he tells me to dress up and meet a friend, that turns out to be my wife on video watching me......... Kind of like a Billy Joel song, I guess.

[JohnnyL]

Today in church a young man we all had a hand in raising ( it takes a village) was speaking as he is leaving for his Mission Wednesday.
There was one youth speaker and one adult speaker, Special musical number, then the Missionary.

The adult speaker spoke for 25 minutes! The Bishop stood up and told him the last speaker needed some time. He still wouldn't sit down.
He just kept on talking!!

Now mind you, the Missionaries family had come from far and wide to hear him speak. ( the special musical number was cancelled too).
When the Missionary finally got up, he was un-nerved by the whole thing, talked for about 2 minutes and sat down.

My question is: WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE??

Yeah. A released SP spoke for stake conference and left the 70 5 minutes to speak. The 70 said don't bother, I'm not speaking.

I would have shut off the mic.

[Niemand]

There is a simple way to deal with that. You turn down/off the mike. He should get one warning. What a b*stard.

[Lizzy60]

My nephew had returned from a mission to Russia. The speaker before him took up most of the time. Before my nephew got up, the Bishop took the mic and told my nephew and the congregation that he could take all the time he needed to tell us about his mission, and that the second hour would be adjusted as necessary.

It was a wonderful, spirit-filled talk, and I believe the bishop acted through inspiration to make sure no one, especially the returned missionary, was concerned or fidgeting while he spoke. We went over about 15 minutes, which in the grand scheme of life is not even a heartbeat.

[CuriousThinker]

I always think it's funny that some of the people who emphasize ending on time are the very ones that often make sacrament go over.
In my old ward there were a couple of people who at different times took the entire 40 minutes. This was when sacrament was 70 minutes. There were other people ready to speak. They got pushed to later weeks. It is really inconsiderate.

[CuriousThinker]

I loved it when missionaries and their families got more time. The reason they changed it, I was told, was because it is them serving a calling and it isn't right to make a big deal of it. Yet, when new bishoprics get called, they make a big deal of it. But aren't they just serving too?

[TheDuke]

I'm just glad I listened to the Lord's very light prompting yesterday and told my friend I'd pick him up. Or I would have missed the blessing he gave me as I would likely have not gone. I mean this issue of going over was on my mind, we had 3 speakers and a song, one going on a mission, a sister missionary, and a kid returning, I thought what am I going to learn today? I got sacrament. And Gee I got to see the Lord answer my deepest prayer last night in the form of my wife's text messages.

I don't know why I have real issues to deal with, and usually god isn't there to help out, but he is there to do the little things. I don't like the "tender mercies" stuff, isn't my cup of tea. But, recently he has come to me to tell me and on occasion perform a miracle to let me know he is there to tell me all hell will break loose in my life. Then it does. but he never gives me the ammo to stop it (kids and such), just forewarns me that something is up. He did this March 14th, came in and healed my lower spine, told me to let go, and then all hell broke loose with my kids (sometimes remarrying causes contention in the merging). I wonder why he just couldn't prevent it.

I know, my questions are simple rhetorical.

[JohnnyL]

I always think it's funny that some of the people who emphasize ending on time are the very ones that often make sacrament go over.
In my old ward there were a couple of people who at different times took the entire 40 minutes. This was when sacrament was 70 minutes. There were other people ready to speak. They got pushed to later weeks. It is really inconsiderate.

We would tell the congregation when talking about assigned talks: "If you have a 10 minute talk, we'd like you to speak for 10 minutes. If you are under a little, that's okay. Others need to speak, too. So we'll give you a card when you have one minute left, then if you keep going a minute or two after that, we'll tap you on the shoulder (we didn't have red lights on the pulpit, lol). Don't feel embarrassed, it's okay, even we get lost in time sometimes."

And we did it, especially when time was tight. It worked quite well.

[Rosshillesheim]

This same thing happened to me when I had my “homecoming”. Bless the person who spoke before me. I’m sure they are still converted to the church and its policies, management councils, and presidencies. I tried and still do try not to let another’s actions get between me and the Lord and His Gospel.

[Atrasado]

Today in church a young man we all had a hand in raising ( it takes a village) was speaking as he is leaving for his Mission Wednesday.
There was one youth speaker and one adult speaker, Special musical number, then the Missionary.

The adult speaker spoke for 25 minutes! The Bishop stood up and told him the last speaker needed some time. He still wouldn't sit down.
He just kept on talking!!

Now mind you, the Missionaries family had come from far and wide to hear him speak. ( the special musical number was cancelled too).
When the Missionary finally got up, he was un-nerved by the whole thing, talked for about 2 minutes and sat down.

My question is: WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE??

Same thing happened today with our daughter that just returned from her mission. The second speaker left her with 6 or seven minutes.

Luckily, I'm not the bishop. I would warn them before hand that they had better not go past a certain time frame or extreme measures might get taken.

[Niemand]

I always think it's funny that some of the people who emphasize ending on time are the very ones that often make sacrament go over.
In my old ward there were a couple of people who at different times took the entire 40 minutes. This was when sacrament was 70 minutes. There were other people ready to speak. They got pushed to later weeks. It is really inconsiderate.

Isn't the obvious answer to put these people last? Let's see how they like racing against the clock! People aren't so patient when it comes to the end of sacrament meeting. The last talk I gave was in final position and was cut short but not by this much.