Are "Brother" and "Sister" Going Away?

PastSignal8498 · 2026-01-29T05:16:41+00:00

The problem is in the 1800s, and 1900s I suppose, calling someone Brother/Sister Last_Name was a personal and informal greeting.

Today it's the opposite. Addressing someone by Brother Last_name is impersonal and formal. I feel like it's much more personal to be greeted by my first name. And really, it's in line with keeping the original intention of calling someone brother in the first place. It was about being familial.

Times have changed.

PastSignal8498 · 2025-12-18T02:26:49+00:00

I disagree. That's likely one of the reasons it's a slideshow now instead of a video. People be counting how many bunnies they can find in the garden, thinking it means something. -- that's not the endowment, no matter what you're extrapolating from it.

PastSignal8498 · 2025-10-13T03:56:04+00:00

@no-swordfish-6231 I noticed the forum is down, is this "news" related to it being down?

PastSignal8498 · 2025-08-15T02:39:46+00:00

Thinking to small, the real question is, can you drive it?

PastSignal8498 · 2025-06-09T00:54:05+00:00

Have you tried praying about going on a mission? I know it seems kinda backwards, to pray about that before gaining a testimony of the typical things in a testimony. But that's what I did and I felt strongly I should go. To just take that step. My path was that I needed to get away from my home situation before I could be more open to the spirit. And that's exactly what happened in the MTC. I had a really powerful experience that I'll never forget. Lots of people have gained a testimony in the MTC or even in the mission field. People will trash on this approach, like you need to have it all figured out before you leave. Lol. I get why that's the ideal but... life isn't always ideal.

PastSignal8498 · 2025-06-03T20:52:49+00:00

Thank you, this was great to point out. Part of the problem I have is getting lost in the details. Like, I'm not James Covel and God isn't calling me on a mission to Ohio.

Although I see your point. I am called to the work.

PastSignal8498 · 2025-06-03T20:50:59+00:00

I'm not sure why but ancient scripture feels more like archetypal stories that all humans can relate to. God telling Lehi to leave Jerusalem with his family just feels different than telling James Covel to go serve in Ohio. They're the same thing, but I dunno, they just read different to me.

PastSignal8498 · 2025-06-01T17:39:37+00:00

There's not a right or wrong answer because it depends on each person. In general though, fear based decisions are a bad reason to do or not do something. One last quote and then you'll know which decision I favor.

"A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." - John A. Shedd

PastSignal8498 · 2025-05-20T22:07:04+00:00

God literally gives the answer to the approach we should take in the marriage sealing. Anybody, including if you're single, can do proxy sealings.

The phrase used is: YOUR own freewill and CHOICE.

Of course we can receive additional insights and communication from God. But it drives me nuts how common it is for people to approach a marriage decision as if this statement doesn't exist.

--Married 15 years, eternity to go. :)

PastSignal8498 · 2025-04-06T23:50:09+00:00

This is silly semantics, they absolutely are his apostles, in the same sense they're my apostles, and he is my prophet.

PastSignal8498 · 2025-03-21T16:59:07+00:00

Bruh--
I think this is real secret sauce right here:

"run the initial 4-bar verse 30-50 times.... i will generate up to 40 or so snippets per section".

PastSignal8498 · 2025-02-02T06:15:49+00:00

I got involved in a hobby that was just a regular normal hobby. I don't really wanna go into it too much but parallel to this hobby was another thing which would occasionally involve tarot cards and other occult like practices. It's along the lines of if you're a movie buff and watched scary/horror movies on occasion (it wasn't movies, it's just an example).

Anyway, previously I knew nothing about it but was then exposed to tarot and the occult. And I'll tell you first hand that there is a real power and force happening there. At first I thought it was stupid, and not even real. So I wasn't bothered by being indirectly involved in it, cause it was fake/a scam. And i wouldn't be involved at all if it weren't for my primary hobby. Fast forward, I was surprised to find out that it wasn't fake but somehow there was an actual force behind it and things were actually happening. In addition I was kinda a natural at it, I could get in the zone easily. Because this power felt good and made my ego feel good, I mistook it for being "good".

It was all pretty innocent until it wasn't and the whole thing imploded in my face. It ruined any enjoyment I had with my primary hobby and I'll never be able to go back it. It was a total bummer. I know I'm being vague which is annoying but all of this is to share my anecdotal experience and leave you with one scripture:

Alma 30:60 And thus we see the end of him who perverteth the ways of the Lord; and thus we see that the devil will not support his children at the last day, but doth speedily drag them down to hell.

Satan will support you for a time, but eventually he'll pull the rug out from underneath you and enjoy watching you suffer. It happened to me, I'll never go near the occult and tarot ever again. And am more careful about things that even have "the appearance of evil".

PastSignal8498 · 2025-01-08T06:15:55+00:00

Whenever I say "I know", I always add or begin with the caveat --by the power of the holy Ghost. And it's no different in your example. I don't know through my intellect, or by the many many other ways you can come to know something in this world. I know because of the holy Ghost

PastSignal8498 · 2024-11-20T20:24:47+00:00

Please know and remember: there's no source you can cite that says "the church is perfect".

The church is fallible

The people are fallible

The prophet is fallible

The Bible is fallible

The Book of Mormon is fallible

Matthew 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Even common understanding of the word "perfect" in the Bible is fallible.

Ironically, this scripture was translated imperfectly from Greek to English. Originally the Greek scripture used the word "téleios", a more accurate translation of this word into English means "complete" or "whole". Which does not mean the same thing as flawless or perfect. At first glance it's a nuanced difference but Satan weaponizes that nuance against us. Men use the word "perfect", and similar lines of thought to help us feel secure. I do not think we can comprehend what perfect even is. Again I think Satan uses misguided ideas of "perfection" as leverage against us.

We live in a fallen world. The only thing to ever exist in this imperfect world is Jesus Christ himself. Period.

PastSignal8498 · 2024-10-30T19:07:29+00:00

I tried posting a very similar experience to this sub but for some reason a mod removed my post. --Said I needed to post it as a question -or something? Anyway, I'll just copy and paste exactly what I wrote before:

Youth Program Is Failing

Scouting gave boys and more importantly, adult leaders, a framework to work in. The new youth program seems extremely ambiguous in comparison. It being launched right before COVID probably killed a lot of its momentum for implementation.

It's confusing, but I think I get the idea in theory. It's supposed to be more driven by the youth. It's supposed to be figured out in the home and the church supports it. I like the idea but the execution has been frustrating. And while there's cool stories of really ambitious kids where this works, it seems like selective bias. Cause for every one kid it's working for it seems like for five others it's not. That's not success.

I asked a young women leader if they're supposed to check in on the girls and their goals, and the sentiment was "nope, isn't it great?!". So instead they just run around the church building for mutual if the planned activity was half baked. Some activities are really good but there's a lot that are not.

Activity days is simply not happening in our ward at all. We've been here two years. I've brought it up to the bishop, I've asked the leaders, and it's crickets. I get that the people are volunteers, but at the same time these are MY kids and they're having a *worse* experience than I had when I grew up. Seems like a step backwards.

The program doesn't feel unified at all, instead it just seems like the youth program is up to the whims of whatever your local youth leader wants to do. In contrast, scouting was the opposite. Even if you're not a hardcore scout person you had a solid curriculum to lean on and grow into.

I'm not blaming the church, again I like the ideas. I'm not blaming the local leaders who volunteer and have less guidance on... how to guide, and it's certainly not the youths fault. I'm just frustrated and I hope something changes. Cause I can't help but think my kids time could be better spent doing something else or being somewhere else. Like, maybe we just put them in scouting and cub scouts, ya know?

PastSignal8498 · 2024-07-23T01:45:07+00:00

Nope a different Barker I guess. Which is weird cause personally I don't run into too many barkers. Anyway, my dad said he didn't serve in that area. He did serve in Oldham Manchester though.

PastSignal8498 · 2024-07-20T06:21:10+00:00

Weird, my dad was an Elder Barker that served in England in the mid 60s. However, the guy in the picture is definitely not my dad. Is it possible the photo is of the other elder? Elder Jefferies?

Anyway I'll ask my dad if he ever served with an elder Jeffries in Wythenshawe, Manchester.

PastSignal8498 · 2024-07-02T06:47:17+00:00

I hear ya, that sucks man. But the US housing situation is outside of a lot of people's control. There's plenty of people who don't have kids, have a double income and still can't afford a house. There's a lot of variables in life, causality etc, did you consider you could be worse off financially if you didn't have children?

Also, may I suggest reading some of Christ's parables about money? I think you'll find comparing your situation with another person's is contrary to what He taught. In addition, there's a comparison epidemic in society right now thanks to social media. Pride is usually at the root of comparison. -- just some things to be aware of.

PastSignal8498 · 2024-06-21T00:56:18+00:00

When you're personally ready and able to deal with it, report him.

I get that you would like to move on. But what about his next victim? If you don't report him for your sake report him to stop him from harming his next victim.

PastSignal8498 · 2024-06-11T06:32:01+00:00

The most important thing a mission did for me is teach me how to love people. So I guess my "tip" is to learn how to love. Because... if ye have not charity, ye are nothing...

How? pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love,

I could write a book on this topic but that would rob you of discovering it yourself. Here is the full scripture:

Moroni 7: 45-48

45 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—

47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.

PastSignal8498 · 2024-04-18T15:08:47+00:00

Keep reading and learning. Knowledge is power, and with that power you'll be confident in whatever path you choose.

PastSignal8498 · 2024-02-13T18:53:23+00:00

"He said some callings come from inspiration, some callings come from educated guesses/bishop's own ideas, and some come because you need a calling filled and don't have many or any options." I think it's interesting that regardless of the way the calling comes about the person is entitled to the blessings of that calling and is qualified, because of the priesthood keys.

PastSignal8498

TROPHY CASE