LDS Freedom Forum

iWriteStuff wrote: ↑February 23rd, 2018, 9:40 am Nope. And usually I go solo. Same with the guy who visits us.

I'm in the same boat, no companion willing to accompany me. But the only thing my home teachers ever do is say hi at church and tell me they intend to visit.

I agree with most of what's been discussed; it sounds like your ward has created some bad habits. My husband has often done his HT alone (though never to a single sister) since he can't seem to rally his companions. Now that he has sons of age, he takes the one assigned. I actually accompany him for one of his families right now instead of my son due to it being a circumstance that warrants it. Wives doing HT with their husbands is typically and should be an exception. In my experience, it does happen with limited regularity.

I really wish people would read the handbook more. It sounds like your stake would benefit from reviewing it. Asking wives to do full loads of HT in addition to their own VT I suspect would have a negative impact on both. I would view it as a chore and a checklist to finish rather than prayerfully considering needs and making worthwhile visits. All of the sisters I visit right now (okay, minus one, whom I "visit" on the sly) enjoy long visits. Most visits go an hour, but we sometimes go longer (even much longer!). And that is fine because it's doable and what people need, and we all enjoy it. Double my route, and it's no longer doable or desirable.

On the other hand, I am happy to have my assigned VTers just say hi at church or send me a text or a brief phone call, which is mostly what they do. That's not really what VT is about, but it works on one level at least.

I couldn't believe the number of people who came to the bishopric asking to do something. "No, you can't/we can't." "Why not?" "Have you read the handbook?" Silence...

JohnnyL wrote: ↑February 24th, 2018, 1:48 pm I couldn't believe the number of people who came to the bishopric asking to do something. "No, you can't/we can't." "Why not?" "Have you read the handbook?" Silence...

It would seem the days of the Church Handbook of Instruction (CHI) being a useful tool are over, as now (as is evidenced by the Apostasy in Riverton thread), the bishop and stake president can do anything - can go against any/all policies that they want to, even specifically laid out ones - and claim "inspiration" and that's all it takes. So even though the CHI says no disfellowshipped or excommunicated people are allowed to speak or pray in an LDS Church meeting, if the bishop or stake president says they were inspired to let said people speak for 2 hours to the members, it's okey-dokey. Which is why I believe we should have Denver Snuffer speak in Church, and some polygamists, too - so we can all come to better understand them and the people who follow after them and their beliefs (like many in my own family). The whole notion that if a bishop or stake president claims "inspiration", key points in the CHI can and should be disregarded, renders the entire CHI moot and pointless. We should just go back to following the scriptures instead, IMO.

EmmaLee wrote: ↑February 24th, 2018, 2:07 pm

JohnnyL wrote: ↑February 24th, 2018, 1:48 pm I couldn't believe the number of people who came to the bishopric asking to do something. "No, you can't/we can't." "Why not?" "Have you read the handbook?" Silence...

It would seem the days of the Church Handbook of Instruction (CHI) being a useful tool are over, as now (as is evidenced by the Apostasy in Riverton thread), the bishop and stake president can do anything - can go against any/all policies that they want to, even specifically laid out ones - and claim "inspiration" and that's all it takes. So even though the CHI says no disfellowshipped or excommunicated people are allowed to speak or pray in an LDS Church meeting, if the bishop or stake president says they were inspired to let said people speak for 2 hours to the members, it's okey-dokey. Which is why I believe we should have Denver Snuffer speak in Church, and some polygamists, too - so we can all come to better understand them and the people who follow after them and their beliefs (like many in my own family). The whole notion that if a bishop or stake president claims "inspiration", key points in the CHI can and should be disregarded, renders the entire CHI moot and pointless. We should just go back to following the scriptures instead, IMO.

Are you really surprised though? Scriptures are filled with stories of groups not adhering to the standards.

thisisspartaaa wrote: ↑February 24th, 2018, 2:28 pm

EmmaLee wrote: ↑February 24th, 2018, 2:07 pm

JohnnyL wrote: ↑February 24th, 2018, 1:48 pm I couldn't believe the number of people who came to the bishopric asking to do something. "No, you can't/we can't." "Why not?" "Have you read the handbook?" Silence...

It would seem the days of the Church Handbook of Instruction (CHI) being a useful tool are over, as now (as is evidenced by the Apostasy in Riverton thread), the bishop and stake president can do anything - can go against any/all policies that they want to, even specifically laid out ones - and claim "inspiration" and that's all it takes. So even though the CHI says no disfellowshipped or excommunicated people are allowed to speak or pray in an LDS Church meeting, if the bishop or stake president says they were inspired to let said people speak for 2 hours to the members, it's okey-dokey. Which is why I believe we should have Denver Snuffer speak in Church, and some polygamists, too - so we can all come to better understand them and the people who follow after them and their beliefs (like many in my own family). The whole notion that if a bishop or stake president claims "inspiration", key points in the CHI can and should be disregarded, renders the entire CHI moot and pointless. We should just go back to following the scriptures instead, IMO.

Are you really surprised though? Scriptures are filled with stories of groups not adhering to the standards.

No, not surprised at all.

A home teacher passed to the other side and at his entrance was handed a list of 29 individuals to home teach. "29!", he exclaimed, "Why, in mortality I never had but 4 to visit". Peter said, "You have your agency. If you don't like it, you may visit down below". So the home teacher went down and was immediately handed a list by Satan that contained only 2 individuals to visit. The home teacher, pleased, asked Satan, "Only 2, well up there I was expected to home teach 29.....What is the reason for the difference?" Satan replied, "Well down here we have a lot more home teachers!"