tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-162197508940851033.post4373781963765184247..comments2023-04-13T09:10:27.645-07:00Comments on Turkeyboy's Girl: Strange Mormon Customs #9: Public SpeakingAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08317490856193625596noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-162197508940851033.post-20835963574212508602013-12-09T17:25:55.447-08:002013-12-09T17:25:55.447-08:00I remember a return missionary gave a talk that wa...I remember a return missionary gave a talk that was not a travel log. He began his talk by very deliberately setting a pen on the front of the pulpit. Then he looked at it and said "How many of you think I can move this pen with my faith alone?" I was a teenager and remember thinking, "I'm no sensationalist -- of course he can't move it with faith alone." Then he asked "What if I told you that I KNOW I can move this pen with my faith alone?" He paused (for effect, which was very good evidently -- I still remember it, right?) and then took a breath and deliberately picked it up. He then stated: "Faith is action." BOOM. Burned in my brain.nicolehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08019388791509297822noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-162197508940851033.post-42365186602828295002013-12-04T08:24:29.694-08:002013-12-04T08:24:29.694-08:00Kindra, I love what you wrote and I've been th...Kindra, I love what you wrote and I've been thinking about it all morning. Thank you so much for posting those two experiences. There are a lot of ordinary people who do inspiring things. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08317490856193625596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-162197508940851033.post-50204151917082888082013-12-04T05:53:22.754-08:002013-12-04T05:53:22.754-08:00Thank You for this GREAT blog post! Again I am po...Thank You for this GREAT blog post! Again I am posting it to my page. As a new convert you explain all I have a hard time explaining :) I would like to think about which testimony has touched me and I will write later. Can't wait to see you at book club!Maria and Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07904819000434564756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-162197508940851033.post-74699792172350562062013-12-04T05:37:35.050-08:002013-12-04T05:37:35.050-08:00Two talks changed my commitment to personal study ...Two talks changed my commitment to personal study of the scriptures--from a "should" to a personal desire. In one, a woman told how she took a philosophy class in college. She wanted to take philosophy and she felt that it would be important for her to take it. But, she also realized that she was learning the philosophies of men, and she felt prompted strongly that she should balance that with the philosophies of God and of the prophets called of God. So, that semester, whatever amount of time she spent studying for her philosophy course, she spent an equal amount of time studying the scriptures. She said that was the time of greatest spiritual growth in her life--from her efforts studying both disciplines and from listening to the prompting of the Spirit. <br /><br />I can't remember the timing, whether before or after her talk, whether it was months or years between the talks, but a man talked about something that has been said before (I don't know the original source)--that anyone can become an expert in any subject. He then broke it down into daily time increments, and I can't remember the exact details, but, it was something like if you spend 15 minutes a day studying something eventually you will be knowledgeable; 30 minutes a day, eventually you will become skilled; and one hour a day, eventually you will become an expert. Therefore, anyone can become a scriptorian (or anything else he or she desires to become knowledgeable or skilled in--and he stressed that, that there are many worthwhile goals). I remember thinking, "I love the scriptures. I would love to be an expert in that. Not to spout off memorized verses, but to truly understand them and have their messages written on my heart, to truly be able to live them. I will become a scriptorian." There were significant periods of my life after his talk that I have studied the scriptures an hour a day (usually in two 30-minute sessions) and other times when I have been realistically just too busy for that time commitment. But, I have always tried to include at least some time with the scriptures everyday since those two talks, because I <i>wanted</i> to.<br /><br />What is interesting to me is that these were not big-name people who gave these talks/sermons--they were everyday people like you and like me. I don't remember their names. I do remember their faces and the spirit I felt when they spoke.<br /><br />I am really looking forward to your message on Sunday! <br /><br /><a href="http://bjj-law-living.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow"><i>Kate</i> @<b> BJJ, Law, and Living</b></a>Kate Sherwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14866427801446998151noreply@blogger.com