In the business world, people are always talking about “best practices” that they glean from other businesses and can adopt in their own way. Today I thought I’d share a few aspects of the ideal LDS experience that others can adopt. While the real spiritual core of the LDS experience is faith in Christ and learning to follow Him, I’ve picked some best practices that can be adopted by those who don’t accept Christianity. Otherwise the best practices would start with the basic principles of the Gospel such as (1) having faith in Christ, (2) repenting of your sins through the power of His Atonement and seek to follow Him, (3) being baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost through the laying on of hands (oops – you just became a Mormon!). To avoid too much discomfort for others, here’s my list that I think most people can do in their own way. Several items are aimed at families or parents in particular – skip those if they don’t apply. They aren’t in any particular order – well, I guess they are in exactly one particular order, now that I think about it, but not prioritized.
Why would anyone want to do these things? Hey, they’re best practices. If you choose to do any or all of these things, I think they will make your life better. So give it a try!
Please note that many of these are NOT uniquely LDS. Some people in other faiths, Christian and non-Christian, practice versions of these already. But there may be a tidbit or two you wish to adopt. And you may have best practices from your faith that LDS folks should start considering. Let me know!
Mormanity’s Top Ten LDS Best Practices for People of Any Faith
- Family Home Evening (regularly scheduled weekly time – often Monday evening – for the family to spend time together learning, playing, etc.)
- Daily Prayer (or meditation) – seeking power beyond your own, focusing, reflecting, gaining inspiration, offering thanks as you recognize what blessings you have. Practice tip: Do this alone and also as a family or couple. “Family prayer” is a great way to bring people together and strengthen ties united by faith.
- Food Storage – very important in this era! Mormons are encouraged to be prepared for emergencies and difficult times. Storing basics of food, water, clothing, etc., but especially food can make a huge difference. Store up to a full-year of basics like grains, vegetable oil, etc. if possible.
- Parental Interviews – regular one-on-one time in which parents talk to children and see how they are progressing in their faith, in school, in relationships with others, in spiritual, mental, and physical health. Often the “Father Interview” in Mormon families, but can be mother or father – it’s a fabulous concept.
- Family History and Journal Keeping – Learn about your roots and leave a written record for your own posterity. And remember, our vast genealogical resources are there for anyone!
- Tithing – Even if you don’t have a religion, the discipline of giving 10% of your income to charity brings a variety of blessings, not just to those you help. It will teach you discipline in your finances and help you recognize how serving others or serving God is more important than money.
- Reading Together as Family – might be covered in part by the Home Evening item or the next item below, but it’s so important that it deserves special mention. Doesn’t have to be scriptures or religious material of any kind. This is especially wonderful when you have young children, but we’ve had great results all the way into high school with this.
- Daily Study of Scriptures / Sacred Writings – you need to be grounded in sources of wisdom such as whatever you treasure as scripture or, of you don’t believe in scriptures, the best, wisest books you can find. Study and learn. But I recommend the Bible AND the Book of Mormon. (Ooops, there I go again….)
- Service through House Calls (Home and Visiting Teaching Analogs) – Get off your couch and go out and visit other people. Look after a few families in the area. Care, serve, help, teach, spread the wealth around in a voluntary way. Service driven by love is what makes us rise above the animal kingdom.
- Strive for High Personal Standards (Sexual Morality, Honesty and Integrity, Avoiding Harmful Drugs Including Liquor and Tobacco, No Cussing, Shun Pornography) – Ouch, some won’t like this, but I think one of the best ways to have a happy and meaningful life is to have self-control and avoid the destructive influences of walking in the low and easy path of the world. The basic teachings of the Church about sexual morality (no sex outside of marriage) would save so many people from disease, divorce, and heartache if practiced (yeah, that applies to us Mormons too!). Ditto for the LDS health code with its prohibitions against tobacco and alcohol. And while you’re at it, you’ll find that you become a better communicator when you drop all those cusswords from your vocabulary. These things that supposedly constrain us actually bless us and make us more free and capable.
You don’t have to do any of these, but them more you accept, the more you’ll see that they really are best practices. Give them a try.
This is my list of the moment. Maybe you have a better list? What do you think some other LDS best practices are that non-LDS folks might want to try? (No tasteless jokes, please!! Unless they are mine.) Also let me know about best practices from other religions that Mormons might want to adopt for better lives or better worship.
I really hate doing Top Ten lists. I always fall into the same trap. I start by get thinking like this: “If we had six fingers on each hand, we’d be using base 12 in counting and this would be a Top Twelve List, which would seem very natural. So why should the DNA that specifies the number of fingers on my hand dictate how many items I write about? I’m going to be creative and make this a Top Thirteen list.” But by the time I go through that mental process — this is the highly abbreviated version of the mental path I follow — I end up realizing that I’ve wasted so much time stewing over fingers, DNA, human culture, writing styles and free will, that now I only have time for ten things on my list after all.
People have often told that what they admire about Mormons is the practical way in which they live their religion. Great list!
Wow great list! Ofcourse Im a bit iffy on the strictly Christian themed stuff, but hey I respect your faith and testimony =]
I especially admire the way you explaine that no matter what religion you belong to (or none at all) these are all very wholesome practices that will enrich ones life! As a Pagan my views differ slightly ofcourse, but all in all how can such lovely wisdom be turned away? Family, morality, integrity, meditation, spiritual connection, personal relationship with the divine, harmony… how much more beneficial would we all be to each other, and the world, if we all focused these principles as priority? Very much better off I trust. And reading the Bible or Book of Mormon even if you dont believe it literally can be extremely rewarding! There is great wisdom and teachings in both, along with many, many other spiritual texts. Kudos Mormanity ^^
Great list! With your permission can I translate this post in Russian and post it into my blog? I will give your name as it’s author.
Да. Вы моего разрешения. Спасибо!
I hope that means “yes, you have my permission” – but last time I used Google to do a similar translation, it meant “Yes, you may have my baby.”
Nice to hear from you again, Lirik! Thanks for connecting to me via Facebook also!
If a swear word is in the Bible, I can say it.
That’s my rule and I’m sticking to it.
A few years back, we had a Stake President who developed what he called “The Ten Lines of Defense for Our Families”.
It included many of your suggested “Best Practices”. One that I have found very helpful is to have a one on one interview, or meeting with your significant other, weekly. Of course, this could easily be applied to business practices.
tDMg
LdsNana
I would like to add an 11 th to the list.
Honor other religions and their views on the sacredness of their beliefs.
Too many time have I sat in meetings where other religions were put down. One time I brought a Baptist lady to Church and in RS, the subject matter turned out of control and something derogatory was said about Baptists. I was mortified and she was very offended.
We need to make sure those things never cross out mouths and avoid it as vebal vomit as we do swearing.
#11. Keep some traditions, perhaps religiously, or at least faithfully. Judaism is good for that. We can learn from them.
Suzan I agree with you. Funny that before my wife met me, she was Southern Baptist like the rest of her family. Her parents were always trying to save me from hell, because Im of the Pagan persuasion. Well for her dad (a 6’5 ex-jailor with a moses beard)”saving” me was forcing me to his church if I wanted to court his daughter. Ofcourse I obliged… after all I am not intimidated by other faiths, only intrigued on the ‘why’ they do what they do. So I went to his church for a few months. Now maybe this differs from ward to ward, but I heard more prejudice toward hindus, buudhists, pagans, jews, mormons, etc (basically fanatic religious disrespect)in two months at that one baptist church then I ever heard in the two years I attended Mormon services. I am not implying that all baptist preachers are so inclined to attack other religious beliefs, but this was indeed my experience at my in-law’s church. They especially bagged on Hindu’s and their diverse polytheistic views. It grieved my heart so bad that I had to walk out of the building on one occasion… during the sermon. But you know, I have detected pride in almost every service Ive gone to, no matter the religion. Even such is the case during some Mormon services, though they focus more on confirming they have found the one truth, as opposed to stating the specific false-hoods of other faiths. But I never fault the principles or concepts of ones faith… such as the straight and narrow path. It is the individual’s attempt to live and interperet these principles who falter and sometimes say or do un-Chirstlike things. But atleast they are trying to live it, they are quite good guildlines (or line). All in all, I think its common sense to stay away from bashing other religions… that is if you don’t like your own religion being mocked. The golden rule is.. EPIC. ^^
Food storage?! What a blatant rejection of Christ’s apocalyptic message. Why not do what Jesus said and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor? Of course, doing this only makes sense if you believe, as Jesus did, that the end was imminent. If you understand that Jesus was wrong on this point, store food.
Storing food for disasters of any kind is just common sense for the well being of yourself and your family.
Note: Mormons believe in the second coming of Christ, and that most of the earth (as we know it) will be destroyed/reconfigured, along with a huge host of its inhabitants. That sounds like an imminent end to me.
And lol @ “if you understand that Jesus was wrong on this point, store food.” Sorry its just amusing to me. Maybe because Im not Mormon or Christian… idk but I couldn’t imagine that storing food would offend my Goddess, even if She were going to bring armageddon.
I guess were not allowed to prepare for earthquakes anymore, it offends Jesus. xD
Hey, Fox–I’m neither Christian nor Mormon myself. My point is that Jesus had a message that was genuinely radical. That message had nothing to do with common sense. Or rather, it only made sense in its apocalyptic context. Only in a world whose demise is truly imminent does it make sense to sell all your possessions and give your money to the poor. Only in a world that will end very soon does it make sense to offer your coat to the person who just stole your shirt.
If you’re in it for the long haul, these things *don’t* make sense. What makes sense if you’re in it for the long haul is to store food (and adopt similar “best practices”). And while Mormons do believe in the Second Coming, they obviously don’t behave as if they were certain it will happen very soon–or they wouldn’t be storing food.
Anyway, if one is in it for the long haul, one has rejected the apocalypticism of Jesus, which in turn means one should not call oneself a Christian.
It just bugs me when I see people utterly rejecting Christ’s radical message but still calling themselves Christian. Long ago I read the gospel, pondered its message, figured out it was way too extreme for me, rejected it, and, having rejected it, decided I could not honestly call myself a Christian. Millions and millions of others reject the message as much as I do, but they’re not honest enough to give up the title.
P.S. Case in point is Ammon’s observation that what people “admire about Mormons is the practical way in which they live their religion.” Well, I too admire that practicality. But it’s nonetheless a rejection of Christ’s fundamental message.
Okay Anonymous. Just want to get this straight. The Mormon anthem is: be like unto Christ. They strive with all of their being to do so. That includes all of the aspects of Christ, such as charity and humbleness. Asfar as giving to the poor, go ahead and do some honest research and find out where that 10% of ALL LDS income is going. And I did say honest. You will find, that aside from keeping their church healthy and building georgious temples for their most sacred rituals… millions and millions of that money goes into charity. Feeding the hungry for instance. You attempt to make them look as though they do not follow Christ. But that is not honest. They are completely all about Christ and his message. If you are going to spout your opinion in a negative manner, toward any organization, I suggest you do your homework. Here, I’ll let you know a bit of valuable information that may benifit you and prevent you from spreading fallacy. Their church is called The Church of Jesus Christ (which means that they dedicate this church to him) of Latter Day Saints (which denotes that they are Saints in THE LATTER DAYS). Now what do you think that means Anonymous? Pretty self explanitory IMO. Funny that a Wiccan like me is defending the saints lol. I have had to deal with the word “Wiccan” being synonymous with “Satan” for 5 years, and all because people simply do not understand that it is a Goddess worshipping faith about harmonizing with nature and balance. Truly a shame. So I disuade fallacy when I see it rampant. Ofcourse having an opinion is nice, but try to base it on facts and you will attain better results.
I’m not suffering from a lack on information, Fox. I’m already familiar with the facts you provided. Here’s the thing: Jesus said to sell ALL your possessions and give the money to the poor. What you’re saying is that Mormons give 10 percent to the Church, which is not at all the same thing. Jesus preached against wealth; the Church does not censure its wealthy members. Etc.
Jesus preached a message that is radical; the Church preaches moderation and practicality. The Church’s teachings make perfect sense–they’re just at odds with what Jesus believed and taught.
“Jesus said to sell ALL your possessions and give the money to the poor.”
No, he told a specific individual (the rich young man) to do that. And when he told the apostles to go preach without purse and scrip, it was a specific instruction to that group. When he put mud on the eyes of a blind man as part of a healing miracle, he was not telling all of us to smear mud on our faces. Don’t mistake specific instructions to some individuals as commandments for all of us.
Frangle, do you think Jesus gave that individual a specific instruction that did not somehow embody a larger principle? Anyway, when Jesus said it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven; when he said that where your treasure is, there will your heart be also; when he said to offer your cloak to the man who steals you coat; etc.–in all these cases he was commanding people in general to live in a way that makes sense *only* in the context of an imminent apocalypse. The Church has abandoned that apocalypticism.
One can certainly rationalize that abandonment, but the fact remains that to our own non-apocalyptic mindset, Jesus’ prescriptions are radical, not practical, and almost all “Christians” (this is not just about the LDS Church) have abandoned the radical teachings along with the apocalyptic mindset. You don’t build a massive stone temple if you truly believe, as Jesus did, that any day now the ground beneath it is going to crumble.
anon:
After the without-purse-or-scrip thing, later on Jesus did say to his apostles to take purse, scrip, a sword, and an extra cloak. So the specific instructions can change with time.
If you’re up on Mormon history, you’re aware that Joseph Smith did try to implement the “United Order” in which the saints had all things in common. That didn’t last very long, and was replaced with tithing. So it is a true principle, but people just aren’t ready to live it yet.
It is possible that the LDS will return to living the United Order again, and I recall having read and heard that it will come back some day.
So we acknowledge the principle.
The idea that Mormons don’t practice the Law of Consecration today is inaccurate. Faithful members make a solemn covenant to live it today. President Hinckley made it clear that we are still living the law. It is the law of the Celestial Kingdom.
The United Order was a code name for the United Firm – a business organization that lasted for a time, but was dissolved by the Lord in section 104. We don’t “live” the United Order any more than we live IBM or Microsoft. The Lord can do what he wants with his church, but it seems unlikely that it will be brought back.
Latter-day Saints live the law of consecration as they deem appropriate. No one enforces charitable giving in the church. The modern method of consecration comes from a synthesis of things like tithing, fast offerings and other charitable offerings. Steven Harper has done a lot of very good work in this area.
Just my two cents.
Wow, this conversation has gone off in an unexpected direction. This response may only be half-baked, but here goes:
Many times in the New Testament people took Christ far too literally when he was trying to teach a gospel principle:
“How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?”
“Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?”
“Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.”
We like to do the same to apocalyptic scripture today (sign of the Beast, anyone?) but I had a real epiphany reading Brad Wilcox’ excellent book about understanding how the symbolism of John’s Revelation applies to us personally.
Perhaps it would be more instructive to always link Christ’s teachings back to the two great commandments upon which “hang all the law and the prophets.”
“Sell all that thou hast and give to the poor” = Love God, and thy neighbor, more than thy money.
Not that the underlying teaching is any less radical to a self-centered materialistic mind… just a lot harder to explain without some imagery that hits close to the rich man’s heart.
It’s also interesting to see how that story about the rich young man ends. Afterward, Peter notes that he and others *had* left everything and followed Christ — exactly what the young man could not bring himself to do. The apostles certainly seemed to be in it “for the long haul” in spite of doing something so short-sighted…
I think parental interviews are a truly horrible idea. I never told my parents anything about myself after about 10 1/2 for this very reason, and so essentially raised myself.
I simply never talked to my parents about anything important. I also learned the important value of lying to those nearest and dearest to you. Did you know how much easier life is when you do this? I did my very best to limit this to extreme situations, such as any given question asked by a parent or a religious figure. However, as a basically honest person, I felt tremendously guilty, but the fear of loss of parental love and support in the (then) present overcame any fear of the afterlife.
The fact that I felt the necessity to lie, even as a completely innocent, guilt-free almost toddler still haunts me. The problem is that it teaches one that it is easier, and feels better, to lie than to tell the truth. Something one should learn when one is much older.
I have a cousin who never got over these parental interviews, btw. It is possible, if you have a sensitive child (and you seem unusually sensitive yourself) to completly ruin a relationship this way. For an example, I suggest Spencer W. Kimball and his oldest. Or me. Or my cousin, or any number of people I know you might refer to a “anti-mormons,” but are merely kids that answered such questions wrong.
The worst case, well, I won’t tell you it, but it’s bad.
Don’t interview your children, unless they are not me. Or remotely like me.
I had no one to turn to as a teen (potentially life-threatening in my case) and as an adult (something many people suffer from) when I really could have used their help because I felt nothing but judged, and judged harshly. So, mum was the only word. I did not trust my parents.
Your children seem resiliant in ways I never was, but I must, as a human, request that you do not suggest that such interviews should be a normal part of parent-child reactions.
I respect you and see you as nothing but a truly decent human being. I actually, on slightly further thought, feel you might be one of the few humans to be able to pull such interviews off. The rest of humanity, no matter how well-meaning, not so much.
Please, I beg you, take it off your list.
djinn-
I appreciate your comments. My oldest son just turned 12. My wife and I have been getting increasingly frustrated as he is gets seemingly more distant & quiet as he enters puberty.
He has always been a great kid, so I am not too concerned about him, except that we really want to have an open and honest parental relationship with him. I can't accept that we should just not try to talk with him about sensitive topics.
Your experience is really sad. But there must be a way for a parent to have talks/interviews with their children without it being a grilling or interrogation. IF you could imagine that it could be done, how would you suggest one goes about it?
I actually have children of my own. It’s easy. [LIE-nothing is easy about kids.] You don’t set up formal interviews ever. My cousin’s story (who, by the way is by all normal standards (ivy league degrees, achievements, successfull marriage, etc.) would break your heart.
Just live with your kids. Just talk to them. You said
“Your experience is really sad. But there must be a way for a parent to have talks/interviews with their children without it being a grilling or interrogation.”
No there is not. Any child with an IQ over that of an amoeba, or perhaps I am underestimating amoebas, figures out pretty quickly what is going on and modifies their behavior toward the parental unit accordingly.
Your child has picked up the standards expected. Just live with him. He knows what’s expected, and will make his decisions one way or the other. You want “one way.” He may very well prefer “one way.” But reinforcing the fact that “one way” which he knows in his marrow is the only choice does no good at all.
Just live with him. Cut out the interviews entirely. Trust him. It’s amazing what trust can do. Practice with me now: “I trust you, sweetheart. If something happens and you’re late please let us know or we will worry.”
Kids grow into who you trust they will be. Kids hide from (and often turn into) what you accuse them (even if unintentionally) of being. The requirement of what you refer to as a talk/interview seems to imply an entire series of implicit accusations, even if not intended by the parent.
I have a very sad story from my own life about this, not sure how much to tell, but basically my ex-husband didn’t trust one of my children, I did. Implicitly. We divorced. The child, under my care, instantly became rather astonishingly responsible.
Trust is magic. It really is. Just love the kid and (if necessary) pretend that the kid is the one you want him to be. He won’t let you down.
I have other sad non-trust bad outcome stories, but won’t share them here. You can, I’m sure, imagine.
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Interviews are easily botched, like all interactions with other humans. But they can be done without being judgmental or unkind, I think. Parents need to prepare for them prayerfully and thoughtfully.
By “interviews,” of course, I don’t mean something akin to waterboarding or even third-degree grillings. It can be a conversation like any other, only in private with a little quiet time that might not be easily found in the course of daily life if you don’t specifically plan this – that’s part of the “formal” aspect, but it can be relatively casual. LDS parents may wish to begin and close with prayer, which adds formality in addition to the setting – but the point of that is to convey the importance of the time, not to intimidate or grill. It should be a time that affirms your love and respect for them.
If a topic comes up where you sense the child bristles or doesn’t want to talk, you may be wise to retreat but offer an escape route if they should wish to talk about it in the future. Don’t ever overreact.
One of the topics that I like for interviews is “What things can we be doing better as a family? Activities we should add, places you’d like to go, things that bother you that we could change?” Good time to inquire into school, peer conflicts, thoughts on career and preparation, etc. Another topic is health. How are they feeling? Getting enough sleep? You could even ask a few questions about nutrition, flossing, exercise, any strange symptoms – some of these things you might forget to check on if you don’t sit down and spend time with a mental checklist occasionally. Also a good time to share thoughts on life, your faith, dealing with the uncertainty of life, whatever. If this doesn’t fit your style, do what does.
I’m sure we all agree that parents need to be parents and watch out for their kids. We have different ways of doing this. Interviews or whatever you want to call serious, private chats can be a helpful too, in my opinion. If young children are used to have occasional private time chatting with their parents about life, family, health, faith, etc., they might not revolt from it when they become teenagers. Yes, you need to understand where their comfort zones are and not intimidate, but be able to listen from the heart and teach when the opportunity arises.
Great list.
I’m coming from a Christian view. I’m finding that in Christian churches that don’t tithe, they’re more reliant on having good entertainment, music or good speakers to keep people watching the show and donating money. In many charismatic churches I’ve been to this seems quite evident. They’re very reliant on music to set the mood, for people to speak in tongues or prophecy, or break down in tears, very emotional based.
The Mormon church seems much more structured, and having more of a captive audience with set tithing, don’t have to worry much of keeping people entertained. But that can be good since people/Bishops/speakers are more motivated themselves to set the mood, or die of boredom. 🙂
Tithing seems to have potential to also bring in more money then Christian’s standard “give what the heart says”. There seems to be more accountability on where the money goes too. I mean just compare the Mormon church with all the corruption of Christians’ televangelists, and dime a dozen prophets traveling the country (in Charismatic/Pentecostal churches).
The rest of the list I find much of Christianity doesn’t do, but should.
As an LDS convert of 11 years, stepfather of 3, and regular father of 3, I find parental interviews a little uncomfortable, but very worthwhile. As a stepfather of 3 girls, I have to step very carefully. The girls aren’t generally going to share deeply personal feelings with me. That’s ok. They have a great relationship with their mother for that. But it does serve as a chance for me to show them that I care about them, to counsel with them a little about their futures in high school and college, and to basically repent of what mistakes I have invariably made with them. We don’t do them monthly, alhtough we should. I don’t find them counter-productive at all. You must find time to talk to your kids one on one. For my wife, sometimes it is driving a kid to a practice or activity, just her and the kid in the car. Sometimes she spends time in their room, laughing with them, gently guiding them, etc. Her talks with them are infinitely more productive than mine, but without the interview, I find in difficult to express my concern and feelings for them (the stepkids). I know it is my failing, but that’s the way it is. The younger 3 are basically too young, so we try to talk regularly. I don’t think these talks, if handled with tact and love (non-combative), are destructive. We have raised one who is now an adult, who is now sealed in the temple, but during high school, also told us what we wanted to hear and pretty much did what she wanted to do. That doesn’t mean that the talks we had caused that. Sometimes the talks we had were the most positive interaction we had.
At the end of the day, we each have our free agence.
~Rob
The idea of interviews seems a little too formal for my tastes, but the principle is good. What I do is take the kids out one or two at a time and have a “date”. this involves going for ice cream, or a day out in the desert with the jeep, or an evening at the shooting range. Whatever you can do to enjoy some time together and get in some conversation. Someone wise said, “My children only talk to me when I am with them!”
Our family is not LDS but we have a number of friends who practice the faith. I’ve always been impressed by how genuinely nice Mormons are and how much personal integrity they have. Mormons don’t just give lip service to their beliefs on Sunday and act a completely different way the rest of the week. They actually “walk the walk”. This is something that people of all faiths need to do more of IMHO.
God bless!
Risking reviving the debate on the apocalyptic nature of Christ’s teaching, I find it interesting that in the instance of the young rich man, Jesus told him to sell all that he had and give to the poor. Yet, in the case of Zacchaeus (Luke 19), he had only sold half of his possessions to give to the poor, and Jesus tells him that salvation has come to his house. To me, those were individualized situations. For the rich young man, his heart was so much on his riches that the Lord tried to guide him into ways to turn his heart around and truly follow the commandments. Zacchaeus had already given up his attachment to riches.
Without purse or scrip – that command was only given to those going out on preaching missions. They still had to eat and have something to wear during that time, but they were being taught to trust in the Lord to provide. One of the older brothers in my ward had the same instructions on his mission earlier last century. It wasn’t that the Lord was coming the next day so he could survive without eating until then. It was a test of faith instead.
It has been a while since I practiced the Mormon faith, but as I recall food storage was largely a means for families to weather everything that comes before the true apocalypse. I believe the Mormon view of the end times included a great deal of earthly turmoil, wars, earthquakes, etc., leading up to the apocalypse. It won’t just happen one random day out of the blue. In this respect, who would not want to ride out the storm to see the second coming?
I could easily be wrong, but that was always the impression I had of the end times growing up.
That last paragraph is priceless! I have the same problem inside my own head. I appreciate your insight. I haven’t implemented a regular parent interview, so perhaps will apply that in our lives. I think we are mostly good about the other nine, and I would have to agree there is wisdom in implementing those in your life as well. I think if it were a top 11, I find it useful to seek advice from your elders. In LDS world, this might be in the form of General Conference, or in certain circumstances, a Bishop. But outside of the LDS world, perhaps this is your parents or another religious leader. (This one could also go along with repentance, or changing bad habits by seeking out advice/help from elders/religious leaders.)
Oh, I think #12 would be a weekly date with your spouse (even when, or especially when, you have young children).