It is that Time of Year again

[_Brackite]

It is now the 20th Year Anniversary of the General Conference Talk Titled, ‘To the Single Adult Brethren of the Church,’ given by the 13th LDS Church President, Ezra Taft Benson. Here is part of that infamous Speech:

Remember the counsel of Elder Bruce R. McConkie that “the most important single thing that any Latter-day Saint ever does in this world is to marry the right person in the right place by the right authority” (Choose an Eternal Companion, Brigham Young University Speeches of the Year, Provo, 3 May 1966, p. 2).

Understand that temple marriage is essential to your salvation and exaltation.

...

My dear single adult brethren, we are also concerned. We want you to know that the position of the Church has never changed regarding the importance of celestial marriage. It is a commandment of God. The Lord’s declaration in Genesis is still true: “And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone” (Gen. 2:18).

To obtain a fulness of glory and exaltation in the celestial kingdom, one must enter into this holiest of ordinances.

Without marriage, the purposes of the Lord would be frustrated. Choice spirits would be withheld from the experience of mortality. And postponing marriage unduly often means limiting your posterity, and the time will come, brethren, when you will feel and know that loss.

I can assure you that the greatest responsibility and the greatest joys in life are centered in the family, honorable marriage, and rearing a righteous posterity. And the older you become, the less likely you are to marry, and then you may lose these eternal blessings altogether.

President Spencer W. Kimball recounted an experience he once had:

“Recently I met a young returned missionary who is 35 years old. He had been home from his mission for 14 years and yet he was little concerned about his bachelorhood, and laughed about it.

“I shall feel sorry for this young man when the day comes that he faces the Great Judge at the throne and when the Lord asks this boy: ‘Where is your wife?’ All of his excuses which he gave to his fellows on earth will seem very light and senseless when he answers the Judge. ‘I was very busy,’ or ‘I felt I should get my education first,’ or ‘I did not find the right girl’—such answers will be hollow and of little avail. He knew he was commanded to find a wife and marry her and make her happy. He knew it was his duty to become the father of children and provide a rich, full life for them as they grew up. He knew all this, yet postponed his responsibility” (Ensign, Feb. 1975, p. 2).

I realize that some of you brethren may have genuine fears regarding the real responsibilities that will be yours if you do marry. You are concerned about being able to support a wife and family and provide them with the necessities in these uncertain economic times. Those fears must be replaced with faith.

I assure you, brethren, that if you will be industrious, faithfully pay your tithes and offerings, and conscientiously keep the commandments, the Lord will sustain you. Yes, there will be sacrifices required, but you will grow from these and will be a better man for having met them.

Work hard educationally and in your vocation. Put your trust in the Lord, have faith, and it will work out. The Lord never gives a commandment without providing the means to accomplish it (see 1 Ne. 3:7).

Also, do not be caught up in materialism, one of the real plagues of our generation—that is, acquiring things, fast-paced living, and securing career success in the single state.

Honorable marriage is more important than wealth, position, and status. As husband and wife, you can achieve your life’s goals together. As you sacrifice for each other and your children, the Lord will bless you, and your commitment to the Lord and your service in His kingdom will be enhanced.

Now, brethren, do not expect perfection in your choice of a mate. Do not be so particular that you overlook her most important qualities of having a strong testimony, living the principles of the gospel, loving home, wanting to be a mother in Zion, and supporting you in your priesthood responsibilities.


( Ezra Taft Benson, “To the Single Adult Brethren of the Church,” Ensign, May 1988, Pages 51-52: Link. Bold Emphasis Mine. )

[_The Nehor]

I will be playing General Conference bingo with my little sisters.

"TITHING FOR THE WIN!!!!"

[_GoodK]

I'll be attending the priesthood session with my dad, just to see if there is anything else I should be worried about besides gambling and jacking off...

[_John Larsen]

I'll probably listen in to a session or two. Maybe I'll surf porn while doing so to keep my Chakra in balance.

[_Roger Morrison]

When Thomas Monson is presented to the Whole World as THE ONLY living oracle of God, and to be sustained as such, I will vote non-sustaining of him in that office.

I'm not familiar enough with you to tell if you are kidding or not. You're actually gonna do this? If you do, what happens? In the darkened chapel, will anyone not sitting within immediate proximity to you even be able to notice?

I hope you'll let us know what happens.

Hi T-Man, too bad we don't know each other better. Does ya eat yer spinach along with yer neighbor Pop Eye, who also lives in "...a garbage can." Or are you too young to recall that comic character?

No, i'm not kidding. In aprox 6 hours, i fully intend to (will) vote to not sustain another man as a prophet of "God". This is an opportunity that does not come very often to many on-the-role Mormons. To miss this rare occasion to substancially express discent of such stuff as Brackite posted re eternal marriage, is in my seriously considered opinion (IMSCO), ignoble.

Imagine IF/WHEN those who can legally cast a discenting vote actually vote "NO" throughtout the Mormon-world... What the effect of thousands of "NO" votes WILL have on LDS administration can only be speculated upon...

Thanks for your inquiry. Why not join me, if you are of like mind, re LDSism? Not kidding! I'll follow up later today. Warm regards, Roger

[_Sethbag]

Well, I worked pretty hard over several days spread out over the last few weeks to get half of my garage cleaned up, and everything left in it put on one side, so that I could epoxy the other half of the floor (the first half I epoxied right after we moved in...). Today I etched the concrete with an acid-based concrete cleaner and etching solution and got it all rinsed off. Tomorrow morning, while TBMs are busy listening to a bunch of white old men continue to propagate the Mormon mythology, I'll mix up my epoxy floor coating and paint the floor with a first coat.

And Sunday morning I'll coat it with a second coat, and sprinkle the little colored specks onto it, and rejoice in having my garage done at last.

I'm not going to show up at conference just so I can register a "no" vote. I couldn't care less. I don't sustain Thomas S. Monson as a Prophet, Seer, and Revelator, and I simply will ignore conference and not be bothered with it.

[_Jason Bourne]

I will watch it in somber silence & reverence with unsmiling folks in the functional sparsely seated Chapel in my small town. When Thomas Monson is presented to the Whole World as THE ONLY living oracle of God, and to be sustained as such, I will vote non-sustaining of him in that office.

It seems the least I can do for the cause of truth. A leader, and President of the Church as Incorporated by man, he surely is. A Prophet of "God", he is not.

I am curious, will other Fring-Mos take this opportunity to "stand-and-be-counted" as non-sustaining? More curious, if not, why not? Respectfully, Roger

I am thinking about you right now at the end of this process Roger.

Best wishes.

[_Jason Bourne]

No, I'm not kidding. In aprox 6 hours, I fully intend to (will) vote to not sustain another man as a prophet of "God". This is an opportunity that does not come very often to many on-the-role Mormons. To miss this rare occasion to substancially express discent of such stuff as Brackite posted re eternal marriage, is in my seriously considered opinion (IMSCO), ignoble.

Uhhhhh.. that was a talk by Pres Benson not Monson.

[_Gadianton]

Well, I worked pretty hard over several days spread out over the last few weeks to get half of my garage cleaned up, and everything left in it put on one side, so that I could epoxy the other half of the floor (the first half I epoxied right after we moved in...). Today I etched the concrete with an acid-based concrete cleaner and etching solution and got it all rinsed off. Tomorrow morning, while TBMs are busy listening to a bunch of white old men continue to propagate the Mormon mythology, I'll mix up my epoxy floor coating and paint the floor with a first coat.

And Sunday morning I'll coat it with a second coat, and sprinkle the little colored specks onto it, and rejoice in having my garage done at last.

I'm not going to show up at conference just so I can register a "no" vote. I couldn't care less. I don't sustain Thomas S. Monson as a Prophet, Seer, and Revelator, and I simply will ignore conference and not be bothered with it.

I'd love to do that to my garage floor, I've painted the garage and want to set it up with mini-bar, ping pong or pool, and stuff like that, but I have the efflorescence problem. I've read about work arounds but not sure I want to take the risk. My neighbor ruined his floor when the salt came. Have you heard about any fixes for moderate problems like this that actually work?

[_Sethbag]

Hmm, unfortunately I'm not familiar with an "efflorescence problem". Living in Arizona (not up in the mountains either), salt isn't something that they go sprinkling around on the roads like they do in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, where I grew up. So I'm familiar with the concept of car tires having salt on them and spreading it around into a garage or wherever else, but I'm not familiar with that causing a problem with epoxy concrete coatings. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.