LDS Freedom Forum

My wife and I are active and vocal in our ward and stake. Even the area president knows me by sight, but probably not by reputation other than maybe the guy who doesn't wear a tie, but that's a different story. (I am not bragging, that's for lulz)

Anyhow, because of the fellowship that my wife and I offer we have family, friends, members, and missionaries confide in us and ask us questions privately. Almost always there is no real lead into the question. From our perspective, they seem out of the blue, but to us they aren't a surprise other than maybe who it's coming from.

Here are some of the fairly recent ones off the top of my head...

I don't believe that polygamy is an eternal principle. What do you think?

What do you think of masonry and the temple?

How do you feel about Oaks becoming the next prophet?

Are their secret combinations in the Church?

What about conspiracy theories? Which are true?

What do you think of vaccines?

So many COVID-19 therapy (clot shot) refusers outted themselves to us.

Questions about BY

These conversations have been incredibly rare for me thus far, at least from people I knew before opening my mouth. Most of them no longer associate with me at all.

Gadianton Slayer wrote: ↑December 20th, 2022, 8:42 pm These conversations have been incredibly rare for me thus far, at least from people I knew before opening my mouth. Most of them no longer associate with me at all.

Hmm, yeah that's a different journey. I am glad that I have others in my lifeboat with me that are on the same page. And that number of people has expanded.

Thankfully my wife and I have been on the same page Gospel-wise for a few years now, which wasn't always the case. Unbelievably my mother and sister are as well, as we chat weekly since COVID started. Then I also have the amazing benefit of having my best and oldest friend, and several close buddies and their wives also having made the journey almost entirely independently but in parallel.

It can be really tough. My sister's husband is a struggling TBM who is processing things slowly when he can. I know other couples who struggle with this kind of split too.

Do you have any close fellow travelers?

ransomme wrote: ↑December 20th, 2022, 9:27 pm It can be really tough. My sister's husband is a struggling TBM who is processing things slowly when he can. I know other couples who struggle with this kind of split too.

The spiritual divide this has caused in families is hard to watch, I've seen close to a dozen marriages that have ended in divorce in the last 2 years. Some old, some young.

ransomme wrote: ↑December 20th, 2022, 9:27 pm Do you have any close fellow travelers?

So far I've had the opportunity to meet (in person) well over 100 different people on some kind of similar path trying to determine what the truth is. A few are close, and we chat regularly. Though I've started tightening my circle down... having grown bored of general conversations and relationships.

Everyone tells me it's time to find a more permanent "fellow traveler" That's a whole different conversation to be had, which many are also struggling with.

ransomme wrote: ↑December 20th, 2022, 9:27 pm
Do you have any close fellow travelers?

My wife that I now refer to as the Golden One since expressing my thoughts about Flying Colors. I haven’t said anything specific lately. She was in attendance with my nameless friend when I took the photo at march8miracle.org.

Before leaving Alaska I discussed things with a part time pastor friend and coworker. I posted about him in OD as another strange name anomaly. Last week I shared said photo with a fellow instructor who I may see again if I visit the local VFWs. Others include coworkers from before 2011, with one being born on March 8, and being a grandson of PPP.