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LDS general conference - Fall 2013

colton

colton

All Around Nice Guy
Contributor
Any particular talks stand out to you all? I personally really appreciated Pres. Uchtdorf's talk this morning inviting lapsed members to return. He always emphasizes love and support, and reaching out without judging.
 
I also enjoyed the talk on meekness, and Elder Bednar's on tithing. Somehow the talk on tithing was interesting and had a new angle and information that I have never heard in that way.
 
I've heard that the Mormon families usually have more than 2 kids but you also must be converting many people since you had a candidate for the highest position in the world.
 
Sirkickyass said:
Not even close.
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Where are your stats from?

Here's an article from 1989 which backs up my 50%-ish number:
https://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Activity_in_the_Church
As one measure of their rate of activity, 48 percent of adult Latter-day Saints in the United States in 1989 reported that they attended church services weekly, compared to 38 percent of adult members in other denominations.
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I doubt it's changed too much since 1989, although now that I think about it I suppose the activity rate in other countries could be substantially lower than in the U.S. (it was in Germany in the areas where I was a missionary).

Edit: here's a 2012 news article which quotes a guy from cumorah.com giving a 40% rate for the U.S. I'm not at all familiar with cumorah.com, so don't know how trustworthy that figure is.
https://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/54036926-78/church-lds-membership-growth.html.csp
 
There is also the issue of the definition of active. Is it someone that shows up every week, once a month, or once every 6 months.

Is not active seen as someone that never goes anymore, or someone that still wants to be affiliated with the church and goes off and on when they can?

You can't just throw a number out unless it is clearly defined. It would also be nice if that definition was agreed upon by both sides/parties of that conversation.
 
colton said:
Any particular talks stand out to you all? I personally really appreciated Pres. Uchtdorf's talk this morning inviting lapsed members to return. He always emphasizes love and support, and reaching out without judging.
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I missed that one since I am a lapsed member and didn't see the talk. But I am glad he spoke to us in a meeting we would have never attended and so in a talk we would never hear. Means a lot.
 
LogGrad98 said:
I missed that one since I am a lapsed member and didn't see the talk. But I am glad he spoke to us in a meeting we would have never attended and so in a talk we would never hear. Means a lot.
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I'll post a link once the video is up. Maybe you should watch it before getting all sarcastic. Or just refrain from the sarcasm in the first place, since as you said you have no idea what he said. For example, part of the talk was to active members, telling us not to judge others because there are many reasons why people stop coming to church.
 
colton said:
Where are your stats from?

Here's an article from 1989 which backs up my 50%-ish number:
https://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Activity_in_the_Church


I doubt it's changed too much since 1989, although now that I think about it I suppose the activity rate in other countries could be substantially lower than in the U.S. (it was in Germany in the areas where I was a missionary).

Edit: here's a 2012 news article which quotes a guy from cumorah.com giving a 40% rate for the U.S. I'm not at all familiar with cumorah.com, so don't know how trustworthy that figure is.
https://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/54036926-78/church-lds-membership-growth.html.csp
Click to expand...

How can you not think it has changed much since 1989?? With the surge of the internet and information being so easy on hand, there has been plenty of articles talking about members leaving the church with the influence of accessibility of info on the teh webz. I cant remember who said it but a church leader said youth are leaving in "droves". Cant remember who said that or if that was the exact context. somebody please prove if that is right or wrong.
 
And to technically be considered "active", you only have to attend a meeting once a quarter I believe. So whats the percent of members that attend almost every week....? Has to be considerably lower.
 
Other talks that have struck a chord with me:

* Elder Holland, afternoon session - I have a family member who suffers from a severe mental illness, and another one who has depression. It was comforting to have him address these topics. And as far as I know, it's the first time that a church leader has officially acknowledged that Pres George Albert Smith's "medical condition" (as it's sometimes been referred as) was a major depression.

* Elder Causse, priesthood session - I'm always a sucker for a Les Mis reference, and loved that he quoted the bishop as he extended help to Jean Valjean: "This is not my house. It is the house of Jesus Christ. This door does not demand of him who enters, whether he has a name, but whether he has a grief. You suffer, you are hungry and thirsty--you are welcome. What need have I to know your name? Besides, before you told me your name, you had one which I knew." Valjean opened his eyes in astonishment. "Really, you knew what I was called?" "Yes," replied the bishop. "You are called my brother."
 
colton said:
I'll post a link once the video is up. Maybe you should watch it before getting all sarcastic. Or just refrain from the sarcasm in the first place, since as you said you have no idea what he said. For example, part of the talk was to active members, telling us not to judge others because there are many reasons why people stop coming to church.
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It sounds like you were judging my sarcasm.
 
colton said:
LogGrad98 said:
I missed that one since I am a lapsed member and didn't see the talk. But I am glad he spoke to us in a meeting we would have never attended and so in a talk we would never hear. Means a lot.
Click to expand...
I'll post a link once the video is up. Maybe you should watch it before getting all sarcastic. Or just refrain from the sarcasm in the first place, since as you said you have no idea what he said. For example, part of the talk was to active members, telling us not to judge others because there are many reasons why people stop coming to church.
Click to expand...

OK, I typed up a summary in case you don't want to watch the video. Forgive any errors, and of course he said it much better than I could write it down:
__

As Pres. Monson said, church membership is more than 15 million now. Why the growth? A few reasons include: the restored gospel providing the means for people to draw closer to Jesus Christ. The church provides opportunities for doing good. The gospel blesses our lives with peace and purpose, and helps those who suffer find healing.

But some leave the church. If gospel is so wonderful, why would anyone leave? We may assume it’s because they are lazy, offended, or sinful. But it’s not that easy. There’s not just one reason. Sometimes members struggle for years before deciding to leave. We must respect those who honestly search for truth, even if it breaks our hearts when their journey takes them away from the church. We honor their right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences, even as we claim that right for ourselves. In 200 years of church history, there have been some things said and done which could cause people to question. When the entire truth is eventually known, things that didn’t make sense to us before will be resolved to our satisfaction. And to be perfectly frank, sometimes people may have made mistakes. God is perfect, and his doctrine is pure, but he works through us his imperfect children.

I say to those who have left: There is yet a place for you here. Come and add your talents, gifts, and energies, to ours. We will all become better as a result. It is natural to have questions. The acorn of doubt has often sprouted to a mature oak of understanding. Some might say, I just don’t fit in. If you could see our hearts, you might be surprised to find we have struggles and doubts similar to your own. Some might say, I don’t think I could live up to your standards. All the more reason to come! Some might say, I know a member of your church who is a hypocrite. If you define hypocrite as someone who fails to live perfectly up to what they believe, then we are all hypocrites. None of us is perfect. But we can become better with the help of Jesus Christ. If you want to get better, there is room for you in this church. If you seek truth, meaning, and a way to transform faith into action; if you are looking for a place of belonging, come, join with us. If you have left the faith you once embraced, come back again, join with us. If you are tempted to give up, stay yet a little longer. There is room for you here. Come, join with us.
 
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