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I’ve been a part of MCO since the beginning and it has been an honor and a privilege to be part of the movement. I continue to do everything in my power to elevate the music in my ward and stake. Sometimes I’m accused of being “intense” about it. 😂 But my tiny, rural ward, with about 30 members, but a full chapel every week, they SING! At least 4 or 5 times a year I bear testimony that singing is a commandment, that it will fill your soul, and I sing loud and lead them with enthusiasm and they sing. I’ve even had people tell me that if they’re not singing, they get funny looks. It’s possible to focus more on music, you just have to inspire people to greatness and they usually rise to the occasion. I love you Brett and Brandon! My life would be dull and boring without MCO!
Thank you for this interview with Becca. It was awesome to hear how God worked in her life, and how she gave her heart to serving her sisters. Thanks also for the open convo about faith struggles and about how social media can sometimes exacerbate them. Love the insight about how it's so different to talk to people who love you vs. strangers online...and how the algorithms can pound us with stuff we don't need. Also loved the insight about how God "allows us to have faith in Him even when we aren't sure He exists." WOW. Becca's thoughts about how we can give Him our all -- whatever that is -- and let Him work with that. Feels like Alma's teachings about the seed...even if we can no more than desire to believe. Sweet and powerful testimony at the end brought tears to my eyes. Thanks to you both.
I really, really enjoyed this interview with Brett Stewart and agreed with much of what he said. As a musician, both professionally and in the Church, I echo his thoughts that music should be more valued and better thought out in our meetings. However, I disagree strongly with his sentiments about the organ in our church meetings. It is not an archaic, useless instrument but the art of playing it well is sadly diminishing. The organ in our meetings, especially for large congregations, is far more valuable than the piano for several reasons, the most obvious one being volume. The organ is similar to a mini orchestra. It has various stops that mimic the sound of orchestral instruments, and even brass. With that kind of instrumentation, an organ can easily be heard throughout the congregation and when people can hear it, they tend to sing louder and with more enthusiasm. Brett mentioned everyone being buried in their hymn books and that is so true. People tend to follow the organist more than the conductor. If all they had was a piano to follow the congregation would drag the hymns more slowly than they already do. The organ provides a rich bass that adds dimension and beauty to the hymns .The organ is capable of changing registration (sound types) so that it is able to create different feelings that coincide with what the hymn or each verse of a hymn is about. I think rather than getting rid of organs in our buildings, we should be focusing on improving the skills of our lay members who are called to play those organs. A beautifully, well-played organ can easily bring the Spirit into a meeting. Organs are unique and beautiful instruments. It would be a shame to lose them. (Brett, I hope you don't feel I'm bashing on you! I loved the interview).
I completely agree. I'd hate to lose the organ 😢. Sunday was our primary program, and it was a whole bunch of songs by the little ones. I couldn't stop crying through the whole thing. I felt the spirit SO STRONG. It's what I've been longing for from sacrament meetings.
I serve in a downtown ward bishopric. We have 200,000 people in our boundaries. There are many baptisms now, mainly by immigrants from Mexico and Africa. Our active membership has doubled in two years.
I don't know that this is specific to religion, but to any group. With religion, what keeps a lot of people coming back is the threat of eternal damnation if they don't. There is a lot of fear in the current demand. What if the church removed all that? Would people still find it as important and central to their lives or has the regular dosage of fear made demand artificial? I don't think high demand is a bad thing. Working towards something bigger than yourself is wonderful and can add great value to yourself and your community. But I think when it becomes meaninglessly high demand (e.g. mostly costly signaling), it loses all value. Or when there are honestly problems that don't receive the proper attention from the appropriate people, the value of the high demands loses steam quickly. A lot of institutions take a lot of time to measure engagement, collect feedback and then make changes. I don't see the church doing that or by the time they do, people have moved on. I think this is why you see tons of engagement in communities like Faith Matters. They engage in listening and hearing as much as they engage in sharing. There is a huge hunger for it, that is obvious, but it is not being found in the church (I have my own opinions as to why). In the end, engagement has to be the thing that gets figured out. If more production than what we currently have gets us higher engagement, that is not a bad thing. But, I have a feeling that sticking with essentially the same patterns (but just shortening them) isn't what will get us there.
“High demand” is probably the biggest reason I hold back from missionary efforts. It’s interesting to learn that that’s actually something people crave. I’ll have to do some soul searching on that…
I disagree. The teachers and speakers have a responsibility to create engaging lessons and talks. The class/congregation also have a responsibility, but it's literally a calling or assignment and if you aren't engaging, you aren't magnifying your calling or reaching the people who need to be reached.
Nevertheless, your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received, which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation. And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all. And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written, that they may bring forth fruit meet for their Father’s kingdom; otherwise there remaineth a scourge and judgment to be poured out upon the children of Zion. For shall the children of the kingdom pollute my holy land? Verily, I say unto you, Nay. Verily, verily, I say unto you who now hear my words, which are my voice, blessed are ye inasmuch as you receive these things...
I don't mean to be contrary, but I thought that it was interesting how Rebecca said that she cringed whenever people say that people lose their testimony because of not doing all the things. Yet, at the end of the interview, she stated that she wasn't really good at praying consistently or fasting consistently or searching the scriptures as deeply as maybe she could have. My point is simply that maybe people perceive that they are keeping the commandments more thoroughly than they sometimes are. I wrote down a 3 step process to overcoming pride from a talk, and step 3 is constant personal reflection. It helps to be willing to take a hard, truthful look at ourselves from time to time. That advice has been very helpful in my life. I loved how Rebecca didn't want to hear about the people in her new ward and wanted to meet everyone fresh. Bless you for that, Rebecca! I wish there was more of that in the church and specifically my ward!
The book “Power of a Praying wife” changed my prayer life so much and it is a book focused on praying for your husband I think praying for others is so important
I loved living in Spokane (Fairchild AFB) it was my favorite place to be. I also had a faith crisis while there. I was saved by a sweet lady in my ward going above and beyond. I am sure that facing a faith crisis with the faith you do have is a sure fire way to really meet Jesus.
Is baptizing illegal immigrants ok? Aren't they breaking the law? One of the baptism questions is have you committed a felony offense. And illegally crossing into another country is classified as a felony. Very curious how that works.
Interesting story: when I was a missionary called to serve in Spokane Washington, Spanish speaking, I had that same thought. In the MTC, Elder Holland held a devotional and opened it up for questions. I stood at the mic and waited my turn and asked almost the exact same question you did. His reply was profound and ultimately transformed me as a person. He said, "The kingdom of God has no borders. And in that kingdom, we are all daughters and sons, brothers and sisters. I will leave it at that."
@@phxsundevil ok so does that mean you can commit felonies and still get baptized? They should remove that question from the interview because it's pointless then
@@narutoyum1 yes, you can have committed felonies and still get baptized. The point of the question is to prompt a discussion, which is why there is a follow up question about being on parole or probation. The nature of their answer would determine if the Mission President needs to be consulted. If I were conducting a baptismal interview and someone disclosed that they crossed the border illegally, I would say, "Ok." and move on with the interview.
If 400 attend on a Sunday there could be 1200 people or more on the rolls. It is an English ward with 250 people speaking Spanish. This is very common in Chicago.
My ward has almost 50% speak Spanish. They are new arrivals from Mexico. It is an English ward but there are Spanish classes for Gospel Doctrine class. We also allow sacrament prayers and talks in Spanish.
Loved hearing your story. My mother was a lost in the wilderness if southern Utah in 1930. Her story was in the Childrens friend way back then. She too told her mothher she was not alone. A lady in white stayed with her through the night. She was saved that night but was not saved 30 years later of cancer leaving 7 children under the age of 14. 62 later all never left the gospel. All have served missons at some point. The youngest is lesving to serve her 3rd mission. Heavenly Father definitely knows where we are and sees us. ❤
Robert is a BALLER!!! PREACH. I 💯 agree with this. It's not a try harder gospel where your boss gives you 3 fake complemented and "areas of improvement". God wants to show you his grace and glory in you. A lot of scriptures on that. Right on Robert!❤
Good stuff. Thank you. Wish we, as women, could do less second guessing of the spiritual directions we receive. IE: if you are sure it was the Lord guiding you to go to grad school & undertake a particular professional path, don't let it bother you when someone encourages woman to be a SAHM. It's okay to receive and continue on the path you've been directed to follow without dismissing the path others have been directed to follow.
Josh was my buddy back then, still remember when my mom told me he was missing. Our neighborhood and ward came together and everyday we all met outside and just hoped for the best! Crazy to see this come out now, great to see you doing well josh. Its been a long time and I still remember you being found and carried out, when my mom cheered saying they found you, praying in class at church with your chair empty, the circus we went to with you in a wheelchair with frost bite, and the news not leaving us alone. Taking my son to see this and it will be interesting to see the theatrical version being so close to the real situation.
This is just...wonderful. Wonderful. Wonderful. As a stake we were offered, for a time, the opportunity to join a local Evangelical church with it's weekly Monday night dinners for the community, open to anyone who wanted to come, regardless of need. It was easily my favorite church service opportunity. It was a great mender of fences between us and a church who had in the past spent much time and effort disparaging our faith. Unfortunately, COVID came and though that Evangelical church valiantly kept feeding the hungry regardless of government decree, our Stake pulled out of involvement. I understand why, cognitively. But it did not feel right to my heart. It's such a fine line between doing God's outreach work and following policy set by people who do not live in our communities and which we must follow or risk being branded as unfaithful or not having sufficient faith. I adore the thought of serving in the communties in out of the box ways and how it mirrors the teachings of Christ.
(EDIT) Finished watching the interview. Wow. I served as a Welfare Missionary in 1980 in a refugee camp in Southeast Asia (Thailand). I am SO GRATEFUL for that experience. I am 100% in agreement with Bishop Pope's outlook and appreciated this interview so much. I live in the middle of 'the Bubble' in Utah. There is so much variation in the Lord's church. One of my favorite quotes in this whole interview is: "Just say Amen" I learned a lot, affirmed a lot and - Lo siento, no hablo español......yet. :) I've enjoyed following Leading Saints for a few years now after attending "A Woman's Heart". You are looking great, Kurt, and it is great that you continue in this type of ministry as one of your ways of following Jesus Christ - and helping us who are eager to learn about leadership to have so many resources, ideas, and things to think about and share within our own spheres of leadership. Thanks!!! (I am just starting to watch this interview. I LOVE the title!! It just makes me chuckle -- and makes me curious)
This is still a popular place. I still live here, and your story is still in the back of everyone's mind. In school, we followed your story daily, and in church we prayed for you. I was around the same age, and we talked about how you must have felt. Living in a small town, we knew who Skinner was and are still friends with his descendants. My dad was also a scout leader at that time, and he said this was his biggest fear for any scout. ♥
I was one of the many who prayed so hard for this little boy. This incident has stayed with me and I still think of him and wonder where he is. Thanks for this interview.
Taysom is my favorite player in the NFL. He is the (Swiss Army Knife) of how to live an exemplary life as a humble human being. His teammates respect and follow him. 2024 will be his greatest year as a New Orleans Saint!!!! MVP
In my high school football years in Dallas I got hurt and tore my ACL, back then operations were useless and my dream ended, being a Lds convert and seeing Taysom going through all that pain and hurt and Rising above it has been an inspiration to me and I'm sure to all past football players that live out their dream through his persistence faith and success, way to go Taysom we're rooting for you!
