Welcome to Gaia! ::

Hello everyone!

What a great weekend, eh!? Anyways, we'll once again have our gospel discussion over Gmail. If you don't have one, I recomend you get one. Mine is mormoneagle86@gmail.com and Lucentas's is surfersquid@gmail.com.

Also, if you haven't read our previous discussions over Gmail, I suggest you do! They are very good and have tons of insight in them.

Elder Garcia: Hey

Elder Garcia: You there?

Sister Lucentas: Heya!
Yeah, sorry about that, my sister was vacuuming so I was in my room.

Elder Garcia: It's no problem
looks like it's just me and you today

Sister Lucentas: For now, anyway.
Did you get to watch conference?

Elder Garcia: not todays yet
I'll watch it later tonight once everyone's asleep
I wanted to record it onto dvd so I could watch it in my room but we don't have the cable for it
Do you know of anyone else who's showing up?

Sister Lucentas: Nope...I sent a note to snickerdoodleprincess like she requested, informing her of the meeting, but other than that I don't know of anyone's plans.
So how have you been doing, Elder?

Elder Garcia: good
Lol
So we might as well kick off our meeting
Seeing as how it's conference weekend, what was your favorite talk and why?

Sister Lucentas: I think my favorite talk was one given in today's afternoon session. I can't remember the speaker's name, but he's a member of the Seventy, and his talk was on standing up against the tide of evil in the world.
I really appreciated it because sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who's taking notice of how
dysfunctional our society is, but it's great to know that I'm not alone in recognizing this.
I also liked President Monson's talk and closing remarks just because I love hearing everything the prophet has to say.

Elder Garcia: That's great
I can't wait to hear them
I only saw the Saturday afternoon session and the Priesthood session
I fell asleep for some of it because I only got three hours of sleep

Sister Lucentas: Ah.

Elder Garcia: Stupid, I know
I don't know why I did it
Anyways
The one I recall (or took note of) is the talk given by Richard G. Scott in the Saturday afternoon session on abuse
This one hit home because I've been mentally abused for the majority of my life
I've felt like I was lower than the dirt I walked on just because those around me saw me as such
Or at least they treated me as such
Those that I looked up to
Those I regarded as friends
Even my own family

Sister Lucentas: Oh...I didn't know that...I'm sorry.

Elder Garcia: It's okay
I've come to accept my life
I won't accept being treated that way anymore though
And I won't accept anyone else thinking of themselves the same way as I did

Sister Lucentas: That's good.

Elder Garcia: Just as there are those that bring us down, there are those who lift us up

Sister Lucentas: Welcome!

Sister Gryphex: Thanks!
I was having internet troubles.

Sister Lucentas: Ah.

Elder Garcia: We were talking about our favorite conference talks. I went off on a tangent about abuse
lol

Sister Gryphex: I liked a good handful, but they were in the second half. I really had trouble paying attention because we watched it at home and I have a... difficult family.
^-^;;

Elder Garcia: We understand
What was your favorite
Sister Lucentas's was on rising against the tides of the world
Am I right?
Hello?

Sister Lucentas: Yup.
My family was pretty loud for most of conference too.
That's why I'm thankful for the conference issues of the Ensign.

Elder Garcia: I'm going to watch conference when there's no distractions from my family so I can feel the spirit
Mine was on abuse by Richard G. Scott
So what about you Sister Gryphex?
Oh, by the way, Elder Drake is flying to Cali right now so that's why he's not here
Are you still here Sister Gryphex?

Sister Lucentas: Ah, okay.
Elder, I just have to ask, is that your real name?

Elder Garcia: Is what my real name? Elder?

Sister Lucentas: Haha, no.
Artemio Garcia.

Elder Garcia: Yeah
Why?

Sister Lucentas: It's an awesome name.
If I was a guy, I'd totally want a name like that.

Elder Garcia: lol
I still prefer Tim, or Timothy, or Artemis
But people can call be by whatever they want. A name given by others is only as important as the friendship you share between them

Sister Lucentas: Good, I can keep calling you Elder.
So Elder, how are things coming on preparing for your mission?

Elder Garcia: Their good. I'm really close
I'm just waiting on time right now
Time on Doctor's and Dentist's appointments
So why do you think that rising against the tides of the world is important?

Sister Lucentas: Because...the world is wrong. And it's just going to get more wrong.
So if we don't stand up for what's right, we're just going to be swept away by the world.

Elder Garcia: Why is the world wrong?

Sister Lucentas: Because it's strayed from the eternal truths and principles laid down by God.

Elder Garcia: Does the world know this?

Sister Lucentas: For the most part, no.

Elder Garcia: So how does the world know that it's wrong?

Sister Lucentas: Well, we've got to tell it.
By standing up for what's right.

Elder Garcia: If you tell the world that it's wrong, will they listen?
If you're told that you're wrong, will you listen?

Sister Lucentas: For the most part, no, they won't listen. But yes, I'll listen when I'm told I'm wrong.

Elder Garcia: But don't you believe that you're right when it comes to your religion?

Sister Lucentas: I don't believe, I know.

Elder Garcia: Explain

Sister Lucentas: Well...I just know. To me it's as plain as the fact that the sky is blue.

Elder Garcia: I'm not asking these questions to question your faithfulness
I'm asking them so that you can understand the world
John 3:16-17
Hold on, I'm looking up the scripture

Elder Garcia: 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Like Jesus, we are not sent into the world to condemn the world. We are sent to bring to the world truth and light
We go to help the world understand that there are things that will help bless their lives and their family
To tell the world that they're wrong would be to condemn the world for their lack of understanding
This is not church doctrine when I say this but the world is right according to the world

Sister Lucentas: Sorry about that, I got disconnected for some odd reason.

Elder Garcia: Sorry, I continued on without you

Sister Lucentas: Lol, that's all right.

Elder Garcia: I'll just repost what I said
Since I'm editing this anyways

Sister Lucentas: Okay.

Elder Garcia: 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Like Jesus, we are not sent into the world to condemn the world. We are sent to bring to the world truth and light
We go to help the world understand that there are things that will help bless their lives and their family
To tell the world that they're wrong would be to condemn the world for their lack of understanding
This is not church doctrine when I say this but the world is right according to the world
Stop me if you have any questions or comments

Sister Lucentas: That's true.
I guess I can be a little...aggressive about stuff like that.
Paladin syndrome.

Elder Garcia: It's understandable
I am too when it comes to defending my religion
But as Paladins, we don't want to smite children
Do we?
The world is full of spiritual children
We need to teach them lovingly

Sister Lucentas: Yeah...

Elder Garcia: So they may be wrong to us, but to them they're right, and the only way to show them what we have come to know to be right is to love them and to teach them
It's the same with anybody
although I haven't heard the talk to rise against the tide of the world, to me it means to stand up for what you know is right, cause the world is going to try and beat you down

Sister Lucentas: Yep.

Elder Garcia: Were you going to say something?

Sister Lucentas: Just that I've struggled for a while to restrain myself from being aggressive and outspoken when I see something I don't like.

Elder Garcia: Continue

Sister Lucentas: That's something I really need to work on, because for me it just feels natural to get angry and denounce something that isn't in accordance with God's standards.

Elder Garcia: It's a hard thing to do
Right now I'm struggling with the exact opposite
Because of the mental abuse that I've taken, I've been one to be more reserved and just let things happen
I'm trying to be more assertive and stand up for myself and what I believe
At the root of both of these is love
Do you know why?

Sister Lucentas: I'm pretty sure I don't fully understand why.

Elder Garcia: To restrain yourself would be love for others. To stand up for yourself is love for yourself.

Sister Lucentas: Ah.
Makes sense.
I guess I don't know much about loving others.

Elder Garcia: And why is that?

Sister Lucentas: Not sure. People haven't given me much of a reason to love them, I guess.

Elder Garcia: One thing I want you to do with me is to speak your mind
If there is any question you have, anything you don't understand, or anything I say that you don't agree with, say so

Sister Lucentas: Okay.

Elder Garcia: There is so such thing as a stupid question with me. Mainly because I've asked my fair share of stupid questions. Also, I have my opinion just as everyone else. Just because I've been caled to be District Leader doesn't mean that I'm always wrong
I'm learning just as everybody else
I know what you mean about loving others
God is our Father in Heaven. We are his children. We are all brothers and sisters
Were family

Sister Lucentas: Yeah...

Elder Garcia: And I know what it feels like to have younger siblings who get under your skin
But we are the example
PM How can we claim to preach love if we dont practice it?

Sister Lucentas: True...

Elder Garcia: Hold on
I've got an important call
I'm sorry, I have to make some calls. If you have anything to ask me, feel free to do so. I'm sorry if I may have been a little offensive. Anyways, I'll talk to you later

Sister Lucentas: Don't worry, everything you said made perfect sense.
See ya.

Elder Garcia: later