Europe Area Member Devotional

[Reluctant Watchman]

Yesterday was the EU Area Devotional with RMN and crew. Did any of you over there watch this live? any thoughts? I'm seeing lots of commentary about Wendy's performance and how she encourages us all to follow her husband.

Joseph Smith said the following: “If any man writes to you, or preaches to you, doctrines contrary to the Bible, the Book of Mormon, or the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, set him down as an imposter” (Times and Seasons, April 1, 1844). BTW, Joseph is referring to the original version of D&C, not the corrupt version we have today.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/bro ... 1?lang=eng

EDIT: Here is an audio link just in case the link above doesn't work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3-rOA5TU8I

[Reluctant Watchman]

Wendy may have stolen part of her talk from Ballard:

“You keep your eyes riveted on the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. We will not lead you astray. We cannot… So keep your eyes riveted on the leadership of the Church. While individuals may falter, the body of general Church leadership will remain steadfast and true. If someone tells you that they have received revelation that the First Presidency and the Twelve have not received, run away from them.” (Mar. 12, 1996 – M. Russell Ballard, BYU Address, “When Shall These Things Be?” )

The church is being intentionally divisive. "If you speak up against a church leader, you are an apostate" —church handbook

Excommunication is their form of "survival of the weakest."

"If we have the truth, it cannot be harmed by investigation. If we have not the truth, it ought to be harmed." —J. Reuben Clark

[Mamabear]

“Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.“ Acts 5:29

They will continue to double down hard on their false narrative because they know people are waking up to the lies. Especially the lies the masks work and vaccines are safe and effective. We will hear more than ever before to follow the prophet. It’s getting really strange but it’s all been prophesied. Still disturbing though.

[Refraction75]

My wife went to a stake axillary meeting. She is in the primary presidency. The stake president got up and talked about the issue with those going inactive that members need to trust NOT in scriptures or in prayer but only in the living oracles... the prophet. That there is only safety there. My wife had a big eye roll after he stated this.

[Reluctant Watchman]

My wife went to a stake axillary meeting. She is in the primary presidency. The stake president got up and talked about the issue with those going inactive that members need to trust NOT in scriptures or in prayer but only in the living oracles... the prophet. That there is only safety there. My wife had a big eye roll after he stated this.

WTH...??!! I puked a little in my mouth.

[Gadianton Slayer]

Her entire message was absolute garbage. The flaming kind.

• "What would happen to your level of peace, clarity of thinking, joy, experience of love and spiritual prosperity if, for 30 days, you started to question everything the world’s media, and all other sources, offer you — and — instead, prayerfully studied, fully embraced, and lived by every prophetic teaching you could find. What would happen in only 30 days if you chose to follow the prophets with exactness?"
  
  - Wendy Nelson, Jan. 23, 2022

LOOKS LIKE WE'VE GOTTA QUESTION THIS FORUM GUYS!

Don't listen to what anyone else has got to say, just follow Nelson with "EXACTNESS"!

[Refraction75]

My wife went to a stake axillary meeting. She is in the primary presidency. The stake president got up and talked about the issue with those going inactive that members need to trust NOT in scriptures or in prayer but only in the living oracles... the prophet. That there is only safety there. My wife had a big eye roll after he stated this.

WTH...??!! I puked a little in my mouth.

The thing is....is this just coming from his personal opinion or....is there something being taught and regurgitated down from an area authority...or worse from the apostle or prophet....

[Gadianton Slayer]

My wife went to a stake axillary meeting. She is in the primary presidency. The stake president got up and talked about the issue with those going inactive that members need to trust NOT in scriptures or in prayer but only in the living oracles... the prophet. That there is only safety there. My wife had a big eye roll after he stated this.

"Yea, wo be unto him that hearkeneth unto the precepts of men, and denieth the power of God, and the gift of the Holy Ghost!"

[Mamabear]

Her entire message was absolute garbage. The flaming kind.

• "What would happen to your level of peace, clarity of thinking, joy, experience of love and spiritual prosperity if, for 30 days, you started to question everything the world’s media, and all other sources, offer you — and — instead, prayerfully studied, fully embraced, and lived by every prophetic teaching you could find. What would happen in only 30 days if you chose to follow the prophets with exactness?"
  
  - Wendy Nelson, Jan. 23, 2022

LOOKS LIKE WE'VE GOTTA QUESTION THIS FORUM GUYS!

Don't listen to what anyone else has got to say, just follow Nelson with "EXACTNESS"!

“What would happen in only 30 days if you chose to follow GOD with exactness?"
There fixed it.

[JustDan]

Nope, didn't watch it. Unless the Prophet is now receiving revelation, there's not much he can say that will interest me.

Can't be doing with church stuff at the moment. All about following the lawyers. In our ward, one cannot administer the sacrament unless you wear a mask, so my family, in particular my sons (who are priesthood holders in their youth) are denied the role that they used to carry out almost weekly.

[Robin Hood]

Yesterday was the EU Area Devotional with RMN and crew. Did any of you over there watch this live? any thoughts? I'm seeing lots of commentary about Wendy's performance and how she encourages us all to follow her husband.

Joseph Smith said the following: “If any man writes to you, or preaches to you, doctrines contrary to the Bible, the Book of Mormon, or the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, set him down as an imposter” (Times and Seasons, April 1, 1844). BTW, Joseph is referring to the original version of D&C, not the corrupt version we have today.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/bro ... 1?lang=eng

I watched it.
Elder Bednar quoted no scripture that I can remember, but did quote Pres. Nelson... twice.
Wendy Nelson spoke about how great her husband is... literally, that was it. She's done this before and it is blatant sycophancy, and yet Pres. Nelson permits it to continue. He must have known what she was going to say beforehand.
President Nelson put on a performance. Lot's of face gestures into the camera etc. Very off-putting.
In the end I stopped watching and listened instead, which seemed to improve the experience.
In a nutshell he said that Europe has a great future in terms of the gospel and church growth, despite what appears to be the case at present.

[Reluctant Watchman]

My wife went to a stake axillary meeting. She is in the primary presidency. The stake president got up and talked about the issue with those going inactive that members need to trust NOT in scriptures or in prayer but only in the living oracles... the prophet. That there is only safety there. My wife had a big eye roll after he stated this.

WTH...??!! I puked a little in my mouth.

The thing is....is this just coming from his personal opinion or....is there something being taught and regurgitated down from an area authority...or worse from the apostle or prophet....

This has been taught for a very long time. Benson's 14 Fundamentals of Following the Prophet essentially outlined what your SP said.

"The living prophet is more vital to us than the standard works."
"The living prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet."
"The prophet will never lead the Church astray."

Those are verbatim, no joke.

[Reluctant Watchman]

Yesterday was the EU Area Devotional with RMN and crew. Did any of you over there watch this live? any thoughts? I'm seeing lots of commentary about Wendy's performance and how she encourages us all to follow her husband.

Joseph Smith said the following: “If any man writes to you, or preaches to you, doctrines contrary to the Bible, the Book of Mormon, or the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, set him down as an imposter” (Times and Seasons, April 1, 1844). BTW, Joseph is referring to the original version of D&C, not the corrupt version we have today.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/bro ... 1?lang=eng

I watched it.
Elder Bednar quoted no scripture that I can remember, but did quote Pres. Nelson... twice.
Wendy Nelson spoke about how great her husband is... literally, that was it. She's done this before and it is blatant sycophancy, and yet Pres. Nelson permits it to continue. He must have known what she was going to say beforehand.
President Nelson put on a performance. Lot's of face gestures into the camera etc. Very off-putting.
In the end I stopped watching and listened instead, which seemed to improve the experience.
In a nutshell he said that Europe has a great future in terms of the gospel and church growth, despite what appears to be the case at present.

From what I understand, the numbers are plummeting. 15% activity rates, etc.

[Robin Hood]

Yesterday was the EU Area Devotional with RMN and crew. Did any of you over there watch this live? any thoughts? I'm seeing lots of commentary about Wendy's performance and how she encourages us all to follow her husband.

Joseph Smith said the following: “If any man writes to you, or preaches to you, doctrines contrary to the Bible, the Book of Mormon, or the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, set him down as an imposter” (Times and Seasons, April 1, 1844). BTW, Joseph is referring to the original version of D&C, not the corrupt version we have today.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/bro ... 1?lang=eng

I watched it.
Elder Bednar quoted no scripture that I can remember, but did quote Pres. Nelson... twice.
Wendy Nelson spoke about how great her husband is... literally, that was it. She's done this before and it is blatant sycophancy, and yet Pres. Nelson permits it to continue. He must have known what she was going to say beforehand.
President Nelson put on a performance. Lot's of face gestures into the camera etc. Very off-putting.
In the end I stopped watching and listened instead, which seemed to improve the experience.
In a nutshell he said that Europe has a great future in terms of the gospel and church growth, despite what appears to be the case at present.

From what I understand, the numbers are plummeting. 15% activity rates, etc.

It's patchy. Depends which country.

[Niemand]

I was discussing this privately with Robin Hood earlier. I gave it a miss, as I tend to do with GC. I met up with an old friend instead. I probably derived more spiritual nourishment from that than I would from this. He's RC, but knows his Bible, and we discussed the Apocrypha and its cultural influence upon the West. I introduced him to the Esdras/Ezra's Eagle prophecy idea - which he thought was nonsense - and we discussed what the Beasts mentioned in Daniel represent.

So, I think that conversation was a lot more fruitful than me watching this, although at some point I'll thole it out in the next couple of days.

[Subcomandante]

Didn't see it, then again I don't live in Europe.

I'm thinking that President Nelson sees the refugees coming in from the east as well as the south as those who will cause Europe's numbers to go up again.

[Chip]

I think they want the aware people to leave, or to maybe shame those that have left, so that they can better control those that remain. In most cults, they do stuff like this towards THE END. Their grip on people's minds is waning and they start yanking like mad on the drawstrings. There have got to be some Jim Jones parallels here.

[Chip]

Here is a short news clip that recaps the Jim Jones situation. Interesting:

https://youtu.be/1zI9ub9AgF0

[Chip]

I think my family is on the way out of the church, at this point. We love the people there, but the fish has rotted from the head to a point that there is far more B.S. than gospel. It's a drag and there's nothing that can be done to fix the problems. Many remaining will keep making excuses for it all, but it's a sickly shadow of what it used to be. I think all that can be done is to leave. Those that are remaining are mainly older people who I think are living in the past, not aware of why things are becoming the way they are. They don't want to know, either. There are other local churches around us that don't have all the proprietary Mormon gospel add-ons or the tight community, but they do have truth and are not compromised like we've become.

[Reluctant Watchman]

I think my family is on the way out of the church, at this point. We love the people there, but the fish has rotted from the head to a point that there is far more B.S. than gospel. It's a drag and there's nothing that can be done to fix the problems. Many remaining will keep making excuses for it all, but it's a sickly shadow of what it used to be. I think all that can be done is to leave. Those that are remaining are mainly older people who I think are living in the past, not aware of why things are becoming the way they are. They don't want to know, either. There are other local churches around us that don't have all the proprietary Mormon gospel add-ons or the tight community, but they do have truth and are not compromised like we've become.

You are always welcome at our campfire if you are ever up in Idaho. And I might have some of my famous homemade whole wheat bread on hand.

[Mamabear]

I think my family is on the way out of the church, at this point. We love the people there, but the fish has rotted from the head to a point that there is far more B.S. than gospel. It's a drag and there's nothing that can be done to fix the problems. Many remaining will keep making excuses for it all, but it's a sickly shadow of what it used to be. I think all that can be done is to leave. Those that are remaining are mainly older people who I think are living in the past, not aware of why things are becoming the way they are. They don't want to know, either. There are other local churches around us that don't have all the proprietary Mormon gospel add-ons or the tight community, but they do have truth and are not compromised like we've become.

You’re not alone. I can’t stomach Sundays at church anymore. Why would I want to worship the God of truth, among fear and the falsehoods that are constantly perpetuated by leaders? I will not do it.

“….they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.
For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.”
Isaiah 28:7-8

To worship in this environment is toxic for me. The Spirit is not present. Our home is faith filled and a much better place to be on the Sabbath. These last few Sundays have been a delight and I feel so much peace, it’s been wonderful.

[CuriousThinker]

I think my family is on the way out of the church, at this point. We love the people there, but the fish has rotted from the head to a point that there is far more B.S. than gospel. It's a drag and there's nothing that can be done to fix the problems. Many remaining will keep making excuses for it all, but it's a sickly shadow of what it used to be. I think all that can be done is to leave. Those that are remaining are mainly older people who I think are living in the past, not aware of why things are becoming the way they are. They don't want to know, either. There are other local churches around us that don't have all the proprietary Mormon gospel add-ons or the tight community, but they do have truth and are not compromised like we've become.

You’re not alone. I can’t stomach Sundays at church anymore. Why would I want to worship the God of truth, among fear and the falsehoods that are constantly perpetuated by leaders? I will not do it.

“….they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.
For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.”
Isaiah 28:7-8

To worship in this environment is toxic for me. The Spirit is not present. Our home is faith filled and a much better place to be on the Sabbath. These last few Sundays have been a delight and I feel so much peace, it’s been wonderful.

A few weeks ago they went back to sitting at every other pew in the chapel. My 8 year old asked why they were doing it again. He said it made no sense. I agreed with him.
We are one of maybe 10% (at most) of the ward who don't wear masks. Church has changed so much.

[Reluctant Watchman]

I think we are going on 9 months of not having attended my home ward. I think we attended sacrament mtg 3 times to support family members. One of those we were told by my FIL (who reported their service mission) that we were throwing our salvation away. One was a baby blessing and you could tell the men who were virtue signally with their masks.

[Niemand]

My wife went to a stake axillary meeting. She is in the primary presidency. The stake president got up and talked about the issue with those going inactive that members need to trust NOT in scriptures or in prayer but only in the living oracles... the prophet. That there is only safety there. My wife had a big eye roll after he stated this.

Did Joseph Smith not trust in prayer and the Book of James? Maybe I missed that bit.

[Niemand]

Didn't see it, then again I don't live in Europe.

I'm thinking that President Nelson sees the refugees coming in from the east as well as the south as those who will cause Europe's numbers to go up again.

They'll be lucky to get much in the Muslim department. I can only think of one Muslim convert in our ward, a Turk, who went inactive quickly and is disinterested in coming back.

We have more luck with Chinese.