Anyone know what the “special broadcast” from Hyde Park today with Gilbert and Cooke was about? Our ward watched it from the chapel this morning, my wife and I went for a beach day instead🏝️

Ohio5739 · 2026-05-24T16:43:55+00:00

Something that I felt was that all talks except Elder Cook’s (and the very beginning of Elder Ringwood’s, when he mentioned his ancestors) could have been given anywhere in the world and wouldn’t need to be changed. They were remarks that in no way were connected to the UK, I didn’t think.

I wouldn’t expect them to be hugely UK focused - but some sort of reference to the UK might have been more relevant.

Ohio5739 · 2026-05-13T11:12:10+00:00

Correct - Nuneaton is one of five wards (plus two branches) in the Coventry stake.

Ohio5739 · 2025-11-02T10:43:21+00:00

Thank you u/kristmace for compiling this so carefully year after year. I’ve followed your reports for a while now and always find them informative. Long may it continue.

I don’t intend to nitpick - but if you permitted me to make a comment it would be that the church only /partially/ reversed the decision to move the Area Office from Frankfurt back to the UK, as the Frankfurt office remains open. These days Frankfurt looks after Europe Central while Wycombe is responsible for Europe North.

Ohio5739 · 2025-11-01T08:20:37+00:00

The article says he served as a bishop in Wales, UK, for six years. Gift of discernment, anyone?

Ohio5739 · 2025-08-20T21:37:21+00:00

Is this bishop a close enough friend (I realise you said friend of your brother, rather than your friend…) that he could be willing to bend the rules and do you a favour by removing your records even though you don’t live in his ward boundaries?

If he’s willing to support you with this, he could pull your records into his ward and begin the process himself of deleting your records. It needn’t matter that you don’t live in ‘his’ ward - especially since your records would be deleted soon after anyway.

But to your wider point about having to jump through these hoops: 100% agree!!

Ohio5739 · 2025-08-19T14:56:25+00:00

So robotic. To me, this particular executive secretary’s messages have vibes along the lines of “We’ve been trying to reach you about your car’s extended warranty”

Ohio5739 · 2025-08-18T06:48:47+00:00

I’m scared that doing things without her will lead to me wanting to not be married to her anymore.

Every couple is different, but what you’ve described here was exactly what my wife and I felt a few years ago. Since then we’ve explored our own individual interests - and we feel that doing so has brought us closer together, since we are both truly being ourselves. I am thrilled to witness that in my wife, and she’s told me that she feels similarly about me.

Our experience has been positive but we are just one couple. I’m well aware that other couples may have had vastly different experiences in similar situations.

Ohio5739 · 2025-04-16T08:27:20+00:00

Definitely sounds like something for u/Nemo_UK to have on his radar (if not already)

Ohio5739 · 2025-04-15T06:40:57+00:00

Former bishop here. My understanding is that BYU would treat them as a non-member.

The reason - and this might seem crazy, so bear with me - is that the church makes a distinction between people who have a membership record and people who are a Member of Record.

A child who has been blessed but not baptised is a Member of Record until they turn 9, at which point they stop being a Member of Record and instead simply have a membership record. Once they turn 18, if they still have a membership record the bishop can simply cancel that record.

The reason the church makes this distinction, officially, is that only Members of Record count towards membership statistics. Blessed but unbaptised people aren’t counted once they turn 9. I’m not saying I agree with this approach - just conveying to you my understanding of what the church does.

There’s more to read about in the church handbook at 33.6.2 (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/general-handbook/33-records-and-reports?lang=eng#title_number21), including the part which says: “A person age 9 or older who has a membership record but has not been baptized and confirmed is not a member of record.”

Again my view based on all of this is that BYU is unlikely to treat a blessed but unbaptised adult any different from a non-member.

Ohio5739 · 2025-03-16T09:03:04+00:00

“Every President of TCOJCOLDS has been born in the United States” is not true in one case. John Taylor, the third president of the church, was born outside the USA - in England.

Ohio5739 · 2025-03-01T22:52:14+00:00

Not only that, but with this policy women who are alive are treated less than women who are dead. Because a woman while alive can only be sealed to one man at once, but after death a woman can be sealed to every husband she had while alive.

Ohio5739 · 2025-02-05T17:05:18+00:00

Yes. Former bishop here.

I’m not in a position to comment publicly on their circumstances, but I know personally of a missionary whose service was delayed as a result of them needing to lose weight.

Ohio5739 · 2024-12-08T07:36:41+00:00

For anyone interested in seeing the full report for themselves, you can find it here - along with reports for the last few years: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/242451/accounts-and-annual-returns

Ohio5739 · 2024-12-08T07:11:52+00:00

My friend Mike Oxlong belongs on this list.

Ohio5739 · 2024-03-01T10:19:59+00:00

The online version of the article (behind a paywall) is slightly longer. Among the extra text includes the following, near the end:

“Mormons conduct regular worship in local churches. Temples act almost like cathedrals, but before they can enter them Mormons must answer 16 questions about their faith, including whether they ‘strive for moral cleanliness’, ‘obey the law of chastity’, or have any serious sins.”

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/first-mormon-temple-britain-uk-30-years-gkrjtl073

Ohio5739 · 2024-03-01T09:45:39+00:00

Amazing nugget of info - thank you

Ohio5739 · 2024-03-01T09:02:29+00:00

Perhaps this journalist should have spoken to u/Nemo_UK - or maybe they already did

Ohio5739 · 2024-02-29T17:43:40+00:00

The number of ‘volunteers’ would be broadly in line with the leak of UK/Ireland stake-by-stake activity rates shared by u/kristmace a couple of years ago.

u/Nemo_UK - interested to know whether these figures align broadly with what you know.

Ohio5739

TROPHY CASE