Craig Paxton wrote:That patriarch needs a swift kick in the a$$ for laying that on that young man
On the subject of preposterous prophetic predictions; when we lived in Bremen, a visiting area authority took some time out to meet with the American priesthood holders who lived in the area and attended the LDS branch there. This was after a Sacrament meeting during which I had given a very short talk (which my wife and I had practiced for a very long time).
As we were walking to his car, this individual turned to me, looked me in the eye, and in a solemn voice, said something to the effect that, "You will be a Bishop someday." The clear implication here was that this would be something to which I should aspire.
I was a bit taken aback, and since my wife was not within earshot, I replied that I certainly hoped not.
The look on his face was one that can still make me smile.
and that story put a smile on my face as well... :-)
"...The official doctrine of the LDS Church is a Global Flood" - BCSpace
"...What many people call sin is not sin." - Joseph Smith
"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away" - Phillip K. Dick
“The meaning of life is that it ends" - Franz Kafka
I put less stock in patriarchal blessings as I do in fortune cookie lotto numbers.
a.k.a. Pokatatorjoined Oct 26, 2006 and permanently banned from MAD Nov 6, 2006
"Stop being such a damned coward and use your real name to own your position."
"That's what he gets for posting in his own name."
2 different threads same day 2 hours apart Yohoo Bat 12/1/2015
candygal wrote:Craig..next time you go to Europe..take me..I'll be in charge of keys and DL's...take me take me! If I get out of Utah for vacation, it is a big deal!! I read a postmo story once about a young man who in his patriarchal blessing was told that someday he would be able to bring the dead back to life. OMG..and his brother dies and he goes to the mortuary with family after fasting and prayer...can you imagine. Of course that was his turning point to the priesthood and all things Mormon.
That patriarch needs a swift kick in the a$$ for laying that on that young man
I agree. Patriarchal blessings are a sad story in general..in my opinion.
Craig Paxton wrote:During a recent trip to Europe, I had what believers would call a "Miracle" occur in my life, I found my lost Drivers License...the miracle..."it was right where I had left it"....but to my fellow travelers, all believers, a miracle had taken place.
My traveling companions and I had visited a museum earlier in the day and while there I was asked to show my drivers license to secure some audio guide for our visit. In all of the hustle of the moment I did not realize that I had actually given my DL as security towards the return of the audio devices. When I returned the audio devices the attendant did not return my DL and I thought nothing more of it. It was only later that evening when I was renting a car that I realized my DL was missing. My mind raced as I tried to retrace the dozens of places we had visited throughout the day, restaurants, shops, an ATM, all the various places where I could have lost my DL. Due to the fact that the rental agency would not rent us a car without my DL and knowing that none of my traveling companions felt comfortable driving in Europe we had a problem.
As I retraced my steps running from location to location asking if my licensed had been found the believers held a prayer vigil. Through the simple steps of elimination, I finally went back to the museum hoping against hope that I had somehow left my DL there...but it was closed for the day.
Our original plans had been to secure our rental car so that we could get an early start the next day. Those plans were now put on hold. As my group discussed the situation, it became clear that the most logical place to find my DL was the museum...but even with that...we were not 100% certain, just a preponderance of hope.
The next day, with only a hope of success, I raced back to the museum...where I did find my Drivers License right where I had inadvertently left it...in the safe protection of the audio guide attendants hands.
It's a Miracle!!! Our Prayers have been answered proclaimed my companions as I rolled my eyes. Yes it had been a stressful speed bump to our travel plans. Yes I felt grateful that we were able to find my DL. Yes I was happy that we were able to continue on with our planned itinerary without incurring further delay. But part of me was very frustrated that the credit for the successful retrieval of my licenses was given to God instead of just attributing it to good luck and being able to through the process of elimination find the most logical location for my DL.
My frustrations lie in the fact that believers attribute to God the seeming miracle of finding lost objects and yet are so forgiving to this same God when sickness fails to be cured or prayers fail to be answered. God always F***ing wins with believers. Had my DL not been at its found location...the believers would have just brushed the loss off as bad luck and we would have dealt with our new reality...but NO....God interceded in our lives and directed us to my F***ing DL...praise be to God. I hate when God wins...
These miracles happen more as we get older, and our short term memory wanes.
'If God had a name, what would it be? And would you call it to his face, If you were faced with Him in all His glory? What would you ask if you had just one question?
'And yeah, yeah, God is great Yeah, yeah, lost His keys Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah What if God lost His car keys? Forgetful like one of us? Should he just take the bus And try to make His way home?
'If God lost his keys, would you look, please? And what if you found his keys If finding meant that you would have to believe In things like Heaven and in Jesus and the saints And all the prophets? And...'
(Forgive me, Eric Bazilian and Joan Osborne, please!)
I read a postmo story once about a young man who in his patriarchal blessing was told that someday he would be able to bring the dead back to life. OMG..and his brother dies and he goes to the mortuary with family after fasting and prayer...can you imagine. Of course that was his turning point to the priesthood and all things Mormon.