Comments on: What Would YOU Do?

By: passive income

passive income — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:23:01 +0000

Well, they probably didn’t think of the weather when they decided on February…or maybe they were from New Mexico…

But, if you need your faith strengthened, there are those muslims that do the trek to Mecca, and then there is that group that crawl a huge stone staircase on their knees, all
in the name of their Lord.

Personally, I wouldn’t mind it, if it was a good workout, and everyone had fun.

By: excuse me

excuse me — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 03:48:10 +0000

I’m sorry, but as a youth that is going on a trek tomorrow, I don’t think that treks should be referred to as “Torture” or that the YW presidency should be telling the youth not to go. I believe that it should be their choice. This said, the youth should be warned of the conditions and that there should be a better arrangement of the timing of the trek. Although the whole “It’s freezing outside” thing may be true, the weather should not be a factor and in one of the earlier comments it was said that even the original pioneers would have held off and not gone while it was cold outside, this is simply the opposite. Many of the pioneers WANTED to go when it was winter so the rivers would be crossable while frozen. So lets be like the real pioneers and stop complaining about the cold.

By: Paroled from the Primary Presidency

Paroled from the Primary Presidency — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 23:34:17 +0000

Thanks, ESO!

I am a recent release from our ward’s Primary presidency and faced some similar problems. My problems, however, were mostly with the President as opposed to a united presidency working against an activity imposed by the stake. To me, the “sustain your leaders” mantra occasionally feels like we must follow any/every leader regardless of common sense or the good of the program. I often heard “just let her learn what she needs to learn” from our Bishopric Advisor which was tiring. But I’ve been “calling-free” for six months so I’m beginning to get some perspective.

Any luck on getting folks to change their minds? I do think camping in the snow is possible (I did it myself as a college student) but preparations MUST be made to ensure the youth are safe. Without those precaustions (and possibly even with) I think I would have to stand my ground and not acquiesce when the safety of the youth is at stake.

By: Guy Noir, Private Eye

Guy Noir, Private Eye — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:38:40 +0000

In some degree, people taking advantage of the top-down, authoritarian ways of the LDS organization is ‘almost’ inevitable. leaders ‘know’ that they’ll seldom *IF EVER* be censured or reprimanded for ‘doing their jobs’…. Let alone corrected – reversed.
That, friends, is ‘almost’ a license to abuse others.
Sadly, some people (mormon & others) will take advantage of any position, authority that they have.
LDS doctrine & culture could allow & correct for this, but…I haven’t seen it (ever?).
Has someone else? I would HOPE that it has happened.
closest I can think of was Paul Dunn….

By: JA Benson

JA Benson — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 23:32:05 +0000

#102 GUY NOIR sweetie, no one has done unspeakable things to you. You have not even been banned, but then again I think that DKL does not believe in banning. DKL is quite the defender of the first amendment.
I have no idea why you think that I have crossed the line. #103 GAR Thank you what a lovely response. GUY, If you click on my name you will find a post that I wrote for Bycommonconsent.com. I also wrote a post for FMH see: http://www.feministmormonhousewives.org/?p=1323 .
In real life I am a regular active LDS middle-aged suburban housewife with five kids and one tired overworked husband residing in the southern US. In person I am extremely sarcastic, but I resist the urge on the blogs as I do not wish to be taken the wrong way. I am sorry you that your LDS experience was one-dimensional. I suggest that you get out a little more. I hope that you find peace and joy in your life.

By: Gar

Gar — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 22:40:29 +0000

Now, Now Mister Eye…
He has expressed the same as all the rest, that this is not a good idea and should not be done.
Let bygones be bygones and except that not all the LDS in the would, fit into your scud way of seeing us (now).

By: Guy Noir, Private Eye

Guy Noir, Private Eye — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 22:03:35 +0000

JAB:
I think…if I had posted what you did (#101), the board would do ‘unspeakable’ things to me.
Are you being sarcastic or ?
sorry I’m not familiar with you attitude, background, or even your other posts.

the LDS experience (to me, anyway) is one-dimensional;
that’s all Im going to say just now…

By: JA Benson

JA Benson — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:08:17 +0000

Thank you Karen #96
You are describing exactly what they did on our Stake Pioneer Trek. It is also exactly what The Man used to do to the youth when I was a kid in the late 1970’s. I never went on the cult experience, because I was warned by other kids. I was told later that the adults, who made the choice for this torture-the-youth program, were told by someone persuasive that these kinds of experiences would help the youth gain stronger testimonies. The leaders certainly did not mean to be malicious; they did what they thought was right. I would have to say that these programs had the opposite affect. My friends felt tricked and betrayed by their leaders.
Fast Forward 25 years and I felt betrayed that the same nonsense was inflicted upon my child without my knowledge. I cannot fathom with all the cult accusations that are thrown at our church that our leaders would choose to use cult tactics in teaching our precious youth. These tactics are of Satan. They seek to force certain feelings and behaviors (just like Satan) and it offends the spirit which desires freedom of choice.

By: M

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 18:35:48 +0000

On an upbeat note for Treks, I have heard of one be wildly successful (by both leader and youth). It wasn’t punishment or unfair. It was a little difficult. But what made it wildly successful is they had a number of actors participate in legitimate events in church history (greatly compressed). The first day they were at Nauvoo (and maybe Carthage), and experienced the reason for leaving. Then they had some historical figures help them throughout. I understand that it was a success because it focused on learning about events and people in church history and the great faith it took them to cross the plains. The leaders spent a lot of time researching pioneer history. Each child was given the name of someone who crossed the plains (or died trying) with a brief history about them and their struggles. They focused on the spiritual and not the physical.
Now, this doesn’t mean that the idea of going in Feb is good. Just that not all treks are bad. (The only one that I participated in wasn’t exactly spectacular.)

By: ESO

ESO — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 18:19:10 +0000

Paroled–I LOVE your handle!