This is a friend of mine who left the Latter-day Saint church and became a more mainstream Christian. It’s a good listen. Too often I see comments to the effect of “people only leave the church so they can sin.” It’s not true.

genesis-marks-the-spot.castos.com/episodes/too-m… We shouldn’t feel threatened to hear from people who leave. There’s often a lot that we can learn.

In addition, rather than shutting down conversation between members and those who leave, and other Christians as well. When doing so we need to leave room for respect.

If I esteem mankind to be in error, shall I bear them down? No. I will lift them up, and in their own way too, if I cannot persuade them my way is better; and I will not seek to compel any man to believe as I do… for truth will cut its own way.
~Joseph Smith Joseph Smith was a great example of someone who interacted with charity towards all. I think part of what allowed him to do so was that he had the faith in God to understand that truth prevails. Christ is the way and truth, and Christ will prevail.

There are a few passages in the Old Testament that really stand out for scenes they depict. One of the most notable is Ezekiel 37. What does the chapter about the dry bones have to teach us that’s relevant to today? A 🧵: Verses 1-10 set the scene. Ezekiel is standing in a valley covered with dry bones. The Lord commands him to prophesy to the bones, and before his eyes they are physically and then spiritually restored before his eyes.

Companionship of the spirit: a 🧵

As a missionary almost exactly 20 years ago I was stationed on the Grand Cayman island. At least at that time they had very strict controls over work visas, and missionaries could only get approval to stay in the country 3 months at a time. As a result, every 6 weeks a new missionary would come, and the missionary who had been on the longest would leave. This way there was overlap, and the missionary who had been there longer could show the new one around.

It’s been 5 days now since my son’s spinal MRI indicated cancer. We’ve since learned that it’s an extremely aggressive and heavily malignant cancer that forms in the lining of the blood vessels. I can’t begin to describe the emotional roller coaster. We’ve been told that he likely has months, not years left barring a miracle.

I believe in miracles, and I know without a doubt that Lyly son could be healed if that’s what the Lord intended. Maybe he will be.