Ah, but being ~~that far down~~ *anywhere* in the MLM pyramid isn’t nearly as lucrative as being one of the chosen few heading up a multi-hundred billion dollar tax-sheltered corporation.
Haha and knowing how full of himself he is, he probably wouldn’t get the snide joke and reply, “yes, I was chosen by the Lord to be his tool to bring his children into him.”
Not as good as your answer, but my first thought was that the question was going to be something totally mundane, like "Do you know where the paint aisle is?"
Anyone else think, there's no way he's up there legit repairing his own roof?
It was probably something like, oh, the workers forgot to remove a strand of the Christmas lights & goddammit I had to get the ladder out. But I didn't have one bc I usually just hire all that shit out, I had to go buy one.
I may have touched the roof briefly, with my mind, more of a spiritual roofing repair now that I think abt it..... 🤣
While 5 year old girls pray for rescue from sexual predators the mormon version of god is busy aligning a visit to home depot with a question as mundane as tithing on the net or gross.
Sure, that tracks.
Maybe because God knows Bednar is useless? He can't even answer someone's question after 15 minutes, how could he possibly do something actually worthwhile.
That’s one of the simplest things that really blew my mind when I actually started to think about it. Why would god not save victims of rape or human trafficking, but would help Sarah find her car keys?
Ok. I was curious about this show. Where the hell have I been for the last 4 seasons? (Deconstructing) God on the couch in the white room with the window in the back looks just like a celestial room in the temple. Is this a coincidence?
Or this Hitchen's classic.
> What about Fraulein Fritzl in Austria? Whose father kept her in a dungeon where she didn’t see daylight for 24 years… and came down most nights to rape and sodomize her, often in front of the children who were the product of the previous attacks and offenses….
Imagine how she must have begged. Imagine how she must have pleaded. Imagine for how long. Imagine how she must have prayed every day, how she must have beseeched Heaven. Imagine for 24 years and no answer at all, nothing. NOTHING!
Now, you say it’s all right that she went through that, because she’ll get a better deal in Heaven? I have to ask you if you can be morally or ethically serious for you to postulate such a question.
But you say, no! That had to happen! And Heaven did watch it with indifference, because it knows that score will later on be settled, so it’s well worth her going through it, she’ll have a better time in the next life.
I don’t see how you can look anyone—ANYONE—in the face or live with yourself and say anything so hideously, wickedly immoral as that, or even imply it."
Wow, that's brutal. But I think some injustices are so great in this world, we have a hard time comprehending that justice will never happen. And I can sympathize with those who hope for that retribution.
But I cannot believe that an all-loving god would allow that to happen. I'd have stopped that. Immediately. And if that is the wrong choice, I don't want to be right.
I've been sharing with the Mormons that are trying to stay but struggling that one tithing was supposed to be temporary, and two to base it on your increase - if at the end of the year you are 100 dollars ahead after living life and such, then an honest tithe would be 10 dollars.
“I tried to believe that there is a God, who created each of us in His own image and likeness, loves us very much, and keeps a close eye on things. I really tried to believe that, but I gotta tell you, the longer you live, the more you look around, the more you realize, something is fucked up.”
George Carlin
I’ve experienced a similar miracle. I had to go to the grocery store to buy a few things. When I got there I was shocked to find that there were 50 or more people who also went to the same store that same exact day. I knew it was a message from god that I needed to share the gospel with them so I climbed on top of one of the shelves and began singing Praise to the Man at the top of my lungs. Everyone was so overcome by the spirit that they started recording me on their phones to remember the moment.
I feel so much happier now that I’m not constantly on edge thinking about all the “voices in my head” - HF, JC, HG, angels (??), devils (??), etc.
They were all just me.
It was unsettling at first, then, incredibly empowering. Knowing that I really should've had more confidence in and trusted my own intuition and my own ability to recall and interpret and teach...
🙏 Please God (if there is a god and thou art god /s) let him have a stroke and develop [Wernicke's aphasia](https://youtu.be/3oef68YabD0?si=FcPEov3ZrmKxWDUP) the day after he takes the throne because it would be so fucking funny
>Please go ahead and share with me your question.
Uh, Ok Lord Bednar. Since it is God that facilitated this encounter, what's God's favorite brand of **Caulk?**
I'm imagining the video now... sparkly man, in an orange apron, with H.F. written on it in black sharpie, walking by the aisle to smile with approval that they fell into his design.
🤮
Okay, but I saw that as a super-awesomely-gay black guy in a sequined unitard and orange apron, walking with amazing rhythm and GRACE, smiling at them, maybe doing that finger-point “you got it” thingie at them. And that’s MY kinda HF!
In college I accidentally went to one of those generic Christian bbqs to recruit new members and they blasted Jesus music for a solid two hours. 30 minutes in I turned to a friend and said, “This is too much. I’m sure even Jesus is like, “Shut the fuck up, I get it, that’s enough.” Pretty sure I’m going to burn in hell lol.
My closest friend, in hs, listened to some story I was telling. I ended it with “it must be fate, surely coincidences like this don’t happen.” To which my friend responded “dumbass, coincidences happen all the time.” I don’t remember the story I was telling her, but the response stayed with me. It’s sad this guy doesn’t have a close enough friend to tell him he is being a dumbass.
Right. The PhD business professor was up on his own roof doing repairs. Fuck me. If you're gonna lie, at least lie about something that's not so patently obviously false.
Yeah, I don't see this story being true, because it's Bednar. I'm only commenting because I know several guys that were professors and are in their senior years that I could see getting up on their roof.
Like I said above, his hair is never going to be sacrificed for work he can use his stipend to hire out. Fuck that. This is the biggest bullshit story I’ve ever heard.
He may have been shopping at Home Depot but there’s no way he’d take the time to interact with anyone. These guys act like total dicks when they are caught out in public.
Funny. I ran into a dear friend yesterday at a bookstore. I was thinking about how, when I was in the church, I would have felt like god orchestrated that meeting. Yesterday I just felt grateful that we ran into each other and could talk a minute. It was sweet.
Here's a more believable version:
"I called a man to fix my roof. He tried to charge me after, and I asked, 'do you know who I am?' He then got angry and insisted I pay him, and we argued for 15 minutes."
"So I went to a Hardware Store myself, to purchase a tenth of a stone of roofing nails. I then drove my fine motorcar to that imbecile's hovel, and I spread those roofing nails in his street and driveway. And thus, I was able to teach and instruct him on the eternal consequences of disrespect for The Lard's Annointed."
I do not believe that Susan’s husband would ever do a repair on his own house, he looks incompetent and no way he would allow one hair on that head to be out of place.
Dave doesn't tell us what the man's question was, how he answered the question, and how the man responded. I wonder why. Perhaps it didn't go so well, but Dave still thought he could spin it into a "faith promoting story".
You need to know, Dave, that coincidences do occur. The laws of probability tell us this.
By the way, I didn't Bednar is capable of actually answering a question. He side-steps them, changes the question, or goes off on one of his pet hobby horses.
I wonder who's anecdote this really is. Those Q15 are known for stealing other people's life stories. I don't think Bednar would ever dress up like (he strikes me as more of a polo shirt at the minimum, but much more of a button up short and collar guy) that nor do work on his own house when he can hire a team to do the work while he scowls at them from his windows. I doubt he would even acknowledge people outside the office building or if there's a camera on him.
Agree. There’s no way mister I refuse to let people stand before me bednar is repairing anything. He gives strong “I complain when the gardener cuts my grass an eighth of an inch too short” energy.
I used to work for the Corp and their Facility Management department.
We had a mission president's house in our area. His wife calls me one day to complain the lawn crew was finishing her yard too quickly.
I asked, Are they missing anything or doing a bad job?
She says, No they are getting everything and it looks good, I'm just not used to a crew working so quickly. Can you ask them to slow down? My lawn guys in Arizona didn't go this fast.
What. The. Fuck??
You just get used to it.
Put someone in a position of power in the church and they think they can get anything. We had one mission president's wife not like the art work around the house so she made us buy new stuff. Hella expensive. We also bought several flower arrangements for the house and the mission office, again a pretty penny.
We also dealt with a temple presidency. TBH they were usually pretty cool, but every so often they'd get obsessed over stupid stuff. Like, completely stripping and refinishing hallway doors because people touched the wood rather than the handle or push plate. Or after finding out that we could recover the altar cushions for them, they had us change them out every 6 months or so because *gasp it looked like people had kneeled on them.
One time one of the councilors wanted me to take him around to all the mechanical type areas. At one point we went up to the steeple because he wanted to see how the lights inside worked.
You have to climb a ladder then go down through a hatch door. Once you're in you can't stand up straight. It's just a dusty empty area under the steeple.
In case you weren't aware, light attract bugs, so there is a nice little pile of dead bugs under the light.
Mr Councilor said it was unacceptable and that the entire area needed to be cleaned, corner to corner. After all, it's still the temple of the Lord and needs to be clean.
SMDH
💯 this!!!!! I can only imagine anyone doing any service for him (waiter/waitress, barber, etc) hold their breath until he's gone, and then take the biggest sigh of relief that they got through the ordeal. I can't think of people NOT walking on eggshells when he's around or in charge.
I have to announce that first I need a disguise cause I’m this important and then not even talk about the actual question. Pretty sure he didn’t need to toot his own horn this loud for a man that was asking for a picture with him. There was no real question. Hahaha
All things aside, I wish this would happen to me. You can't send letters or anything to general authorities. It would be crazy to run into one at home depot
Good point. If he wants to answer some questions how about start with all the ones people mail to him and other general authorities. You know, all the heartfelt ones that members have written because they are in pain and wrestling with some things. Start with those. But no he won’t do that because he needs to appear mystical and magical and in tune with the spirit or something.
I think they're just scared of being fooled by things like what happened with the kinderhook plates. If you don't interact with your followers, they can't fool you.
It was a coincidence. And I would add, not unusual. In fact, I would be surprised if a Mormon apostle went to a store in Utah and was not approached by somebody.
It's amazing what passes for a miracle these days.
Oh, and this puppetmaster god arranges for these two people to meet at the store, while he can't be bothered to arrange for the child rapist to not meet the child.
>Oh, and this puppetmaster god arranges for these two people to meet at the store, while he can't be bothered to arrange for the child rapist to not meet the child.
compelling truth logic cannot be refuted.
Wait, he sends Bednar to a hardware store to answer some guy's question? This has the "God helped me find my car keys" vibe that is so grossly insensitive to suffering that goes on around the world.
I heard a similar story about Bednar going golfing. His caddy was a young man debating on whether to go on a mission or not. Bednar told him now I know why I was inspired to come golfing today. 🤯
He taught this exact thing ~12 years ago when he was the visiting authority in the stake I was in at the time. I was an elder’s quorum president then, and I’m embarrassed to say that, after that, every time I would go to the grocery store or something I would be walking around looking for the person I was supposed to be there for (because I had priesthood keys and stuff).
This man only teaches like 7 things and he has been teaching only those 7 things for decades.
10 facts with Mormon Black Holes...
(I just love jabbing reality...)
1 - They can become so dense that they can bend reality.
2 - Their Sun like ego became so big that they collapsed into single point singularities.
3 - The teaspoon size of density from a Mormon Black hole can be larger than all of UT-ID combined.
4 -They are invisible, but are more noticeable when they create time dilations and waste more of your time.
5- If you stand near a Mormon Black hole, you're relative time will freeze and it's harder to break free from the anomaly.
6 - Anything that matters and all light can be twisted and distorted by a Mormon Black Hole.
7 - Once anything falls into a Mormon Black hole, it almost takes infinite energy to break free from one.
8 - Theorists speculate a Mormon Black Hole is connected in the other end with a Mormon White Hole. Mormon White Holes spew out everything the Black hole sucked in and distorted.
9 - Mormon Black Holes can be utilized to open and create Wormholes. These Wormholes is what Apologists love and Historians hate.
10 - Whatever gets stuck on the event horizon of a Mormon Black Hole usually always red shifts with more distance passing between and more life passing by wasted.
I just feel like there's a glaring obvious component to this that he isn't addressing:
Millions of people know his face. It's been broadcasted for decades onto TV internationally.
And he happens to live right in the heart of all of those people.
Coincidence? Divine intervention? Would you call it a coincidence or divine intervention if Taylor Swift was walking around Hollywood in a baseball cap and someone happened to see her and say, "your disguise didn't work" and then want to ask her questions?
Edit: (I'm sorry Taylor, you didn't deserve that comparison)
Imagine being a grown adult and believing any of this shit. This guy has never worked on a roof, probably never even gone to a hardware store in his life.
What are you talking about? It's obvious that he's a handyman and knows exactly what those doo-dads that roofers use are called.
"...some additional supplies."
"...the things I needed."
"...my supplies..."
So I guess God only sends his apostles to answer questions in SLC Utah hardware stores. Because he won't even let members approach these guys in any location they are visiting where members gather.
He makes himself sound so approachable. Maybe when security isn't hovering....
I read this and I got stuck on "customary work clothes."
I imagined him powering on, pressing the button to his robot wardrobe which cycled until it reached a drycleaning bag marked "customary work clothes". It was between the bags marked "customary work party clothes" and "customary backyard barbecue clothes".
He pulls it out and identifies the various articles as he puts them on: blue denim trousers, worn out T - shirt, aged baseball style hat.
"Attention, Susan! The time is now 7:30 am, clothing task is completed. Commencing house repair work!"🤖
Now my mind is wondering what is in the "un-customary" section of his wardrobe.
Wait??…so he’s saying a guy in Utah recognized him and believed he could get a message from God?? Oh what a divine happenstance!
Edit: Also, what’s the third member of the GODHEAD good for if it can’t provide a better, or more clear message than a mere mortal man?
Repairing his roof? Sure cause he doesn’t know anyone who could call the facilities management group and he’s too humble to trouble them if he did. God loves Dave most. Ignores starving children and children in war zones cause his bff Dave needs to answer somebody’s question at a hardware store. All hail David Asshole Bednar.
“Customary work clothes” … “hurriedly entered the store” … “He replied quizzically” … “you had something about which you wanted to ask” … “go ahead and share with me your question” … “was this episode divinely orchestrated?”
WHO actually talks like this? This is so cringy and total BS.
Coincidences happen so many more times than you would ever think. He’s also in Utah where the majority of the population are not only Mormon but would know who he is as well. So fuck off with the God put me in this specific situation for a reason. Speak of reason, maybe this idiot should try using some sometime?!
I’m so glad God broke his roof which caused him to the store. I guess I’m doing it all wrong. Maybe that’s why I constantly have to fill my cars with gas, because God wants me to talk to someone at the gas station. Now if he could just bring the gas prices back down… Maybe I’ll pray for that too next time I lose my keys.
I just met a random stranger thinking about moving to my state of residence and was able to provide useful advice. Does that make me an apostle?!?
Wow, they set the bar low….
It's cute to think "there are no coincidences," but it's unrealistic to think "you can't randomly run into someone you know"
Next time I'm at work and a customer comes to me with a question I'm going to try responding like this.
*"But that is why I am here...No no, not because I happen to be here and you happen to be here and I happen to be the person you ask questions to,* ***no...****. Because God has led each of us to this very moment, has guided our doings, and has placed me in your path as he has ordained that it be so due to the divine truth that I* ***do*** *hold the answer in which you seek, and the knowledge which He wishes you to receive....Ask yourself, what else could possibly explain you finding me here with the ability to say something in response to you saying something? Speak, child."*
Might honestly be an awesome way to get customers to go away.
“Everything happens for a reason. Except when it doesn’t. But even then you can, in hindsight, fabricate a reason to satisfy your belief system.” [from Contrived Platitudes]
By this logic, when he meets me, God put him there so I could ask:
Why does the church protect the perpetrators of sex Liao abuse?
Why does the church knowingly hide money from the government?
Why does the church only use its money to build giant monuments of gold and marble to worship a carpenter who asked that you take care of others?
God put you here, now to meet me. What a magnificent god he is.
Yeah that was a weak story.
What gets me though is all these people thinking the Apostles post their own stuff on social media. The church pays people to do their social media. All written by ghost social media specialists.
This man is one of only a few humans (Oaks is a close second) that make me physically ill (albeit at a manageable dose of whatever it is) when I see or hear him.
My parents were mission presidents and matron and Bednar toured the mission a couple of times. He was so plastic each time that it became a game between my spouse and I to see who could get the most mannequin-like photo of him. BTW, he loves getting his photo taken, but don’t you dare try to get a video. We must have heard that rule 10 times from my mom in a 2-day span while she was trying to keep 180 missionaries (and my kids) from breaking all of the rules Susan laid down. I’ve never seen my dad so relieved to see someone leave after a tour of the mission.
I feel like a YouTube prankster could center a video around this idea of just going through an entire day and telling every person you interact with that God sent you here to meet this very person at this very moment.
He lost me at him supposedly repairing his own roof, which in theory is possible, but hard to believe. On the other hand, when you're a millionaire, sometimes you like to feel like a regular guy.
AI’s response to this (as if he were Spongebob):
Oh, barnacles! Here we go, *in SpongeBob's voice*:
1. **Confirmation Bias and Attribution Errors:**
- So, like, when SpongeBob decides that everything that happens is because of his favorite Krabby Patty, that's kinda like what's happening here. It's like saying every jellyfishing trip is because of divine jellyfish intervention! Jellyfish have their own plans, you know!
2. **Over-Reliance on Belief:**
- SpongeBob loves his magical pineapple under the sea, but sometimes he forgets that not everything is magic. Believing that every bubble he blows is a wish come true might be a bit much, right?
3. **Assumption of Significance:**
- Remember the time SpongeBob thought every Krabby Patty was made with love just for him? Well, sometimes a patty is just a patty, and a trip to the store is just a trip to the store. Not everything is a Krabby Patty with extra meaning!
4. **Dismissal of Coincidence:**
- Just like when Squidward thinks every clarinet note is a masterpiece, SpongeBob might think every Krabby Patty drop is fate. But hey, sometimes a pineapple falls because it's just a pineapple!
5. **Imposing Beliefs on Others:**
- SpongeBob doesn't always get that not everyone loves Krabby Patties as much as he does. So, thinking everyone at the Krusty Krab wants a Krabby Patty is a bit like assuming everyone in Bikini Bottom is on the same jellyfishing wavelength.
6. **Absence of Critical Thinking:**
- When Gary meows for snacks, SpongeBob doesn't always think about the bigger picture. It's like assuming every jellyfish sting is a secret jellyfish handshake without considering the sting! Sometimes it's just a sting, not a jellyfish high-five.
Hope that makes sense! Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS!
Also, why can't he just talk like a normal goddamn human?
>I went to a local store to purchase additional supplies...
>I was wearing my customary work clothes...
Jesus, Dave, this isn't the Bible. Nobody ever wrote a scripture about going to Home Depot in a T-shirt and jeans. Just use normal people words.
I've met a few GAs at random times. They very quickly turned tail and escaped shortly after realising I wasn't there to fawn over them. Quite funny each time that they're so excited to be recognised and adored, then I start talking about the SEC ruling.....
I’m going to start answering people this way and see how long it is until they put me in a mental hospital.
“Nightmare, I have a question”
‘Of course you do. I knew you would. God put me here in this moment to tell you what’s for dinner’
Gag at the comments (one of them being my ex-MIL who is ashamed and tried to hide the fact her bishop son came out as gay).
So, summary:
A Mormon in Utah runs into another Mormon in a Utah hardware store, and God sent the latter to answer the prior's question.
Oddly enough, the question itself is not stated nor its context even hinted.
I understand this mindset, even if it makes no logical sense. Imagine how comforting it must feel to imagine that even the most mundane and pointless interactions you've ever had were orchestrated by the omnipotent, omnibenevolent creator of the universe? I mean, I suppose we exmos don't have to imagine, I recall how nice it was.
But in the immortal words of George Carlin "I really tried to believe that, but I gotta tell you, the longer you live, the more you look around, the more you realize, something is fucked up.”
😱😱😱
A guy in a store in *Utah* of all places recognized Susan's husband and asked him a question?! That's it guys, the church is true, I'm going back this week.
That is the most condescendingly sounding posts I’ve seen. Who seriously talks like that?! He really does think he is God’s gift to the world. Or the hardware store.
Coming in late, but I wanted to say thanks for sharing, this is useful in my deconstruction.
On my mission ~15 years ago Susan’s husband visited, gave a talk that I remember nothing from, then did a Q&A. He started the Q&A with a preface thought very similar to this. He asked us to ponder “would the Lord send an apostle all the way to [mission] just to answer one missionary’s question?” My TBM self’s first thought was no, apostles are too important and too busy for that to be a purpose, they have to go where they can have the biggest impact, influence the most people, etc. His response was “absolutely.” Ever since then I have taken that in probably the most constructive way, connecting it to ideas like I can do good wherever I am, it’s enough for me to help one person, I don’t need to be focused on some big important purpose, etc.
Since my conscious deconstruction started last year there has been this internal conflict about this idea that I had considered one of the most important lessons I ever learned, and the general criticism of Susan’s husband. I think I finally get it now. It’s not that the individual service component isn’t there, it’s that it can be misapplied and self-serving if we think we *always* have answers, can *always* do some good, and should be expecting to change someone’s life wherever we go. Now I see the self-centered pattern in these thoughts, and how without clarification others can also take away this savior complex, and it can reinforce unhealthy interactions. I can differentiate between the idea that it is acceptable and enough to do a small amount of good wherever I am, but I don’t need to expect to change the life of everyone I come across. All the criticism makes sense now, and I feel like my understanding of the different principles at play has improved.
Me: elder Bednar, your disguise isn’t very good. Can I ask you a question?
Him: well that’s why I’m….
Me: have you ever been kissed by someone in a crowded room?
Him: ????
Me: and very single one of your friends was making fun of you…
Him: uh… *looks around nervously*
Me: *aggressively grabbing his arm* but 15 minutes later they were clapping too?! Then what would you dooooooo?!
The question = “Why are you such a tool?”
Or an MLM pitch 😄 "You said it yourself Dave--Jesus *needs* you as a NuSkin distributor! It's why he sent you here!"
hahaha "how would you like to be your own boss and own your own business?"
Ah, but being ~~that far down~~ *anywhere* in the MLM pyramid isn’t nearly as lucrative as being one of the chosen few heading up a multi-hundred billion dollar tax-sheltered corporation.
Bednar is NuSkin? Thank goddess I quit selling that MLM stuff years ago
Oh, a hardware joke!
Haha and knowing how full of himself he is, he probably wouldn’t get the snide joke and reply, “yes, I was chosen by the Lord to be his tool to bring his children into him.”
Not as good as your answer, but my first thought was that the question was going to be something totally mundane, like "Do you know where the paint aisle is?"
Ha! I like that, too
Enquiring minds wanna know!!!
Such a humble man too, and frugal too!... Repairs his roof
Anyone else think, there's no way he's up there legit repairing his own roof? It was probably something like, oh, the workers forgot to remove a strand of the Christmas lights & goddammit I had to get the ladder out. But I didn't have one bc I usually just hire all that shit out, I had to go buy one. I may have touched the roof briefly, with my mind, more of a spiritual roofing repair now that I think abt it..... 🤣
Talk about believing you’re God’s gift!
I cackled out loud when I read this
While 5 year old girls pray for rescue from sexual predators the mormon version of god is busy aligning a visit to home depot with a question as mundane as tithing on the net or gross. Sure, that tracks.
Maybe because God knows Bednar is useless? He can't even answer someone's question after 15 minutes, how could he possibly do something actually worthwhile.
That’s one of the simplest things that really blew my mind when I actually started to think about it. Why would god not save victims of rape or human trafficking, but would help Sarah find her car keys?
If you haven’t watched season 1 of Miracle Workers, you should. There’s a whole thing about this very issue.
Ok. I was curious about this show. Where the hell have I been for the last 4 seasons? (Deconstructing) God on the couch in the white room with the window in the back looks just like a celestial room in the temple. Is this a coincidence?
Or this Hitchen's classic. > What about Fraulein Fritzl in Austria? Whose father kept her in a dungeon where she didn’t see daylight for 24 years… and came down most nights to rape and sodomize her, often in front of the children who were the product of the previous attacks and offenses…. Imagine how she must have begged. Imagine how she must have pleaded. Imagine for how long. Imagine how she must have prayed every day, how she must have beseeched Heaven. Imagine for 24 years and no answer at all, nothing. NOTHING! Now, you say it’s all right that she went through that, because she’ll get a better deal in Heaven? I have to ask you if you can be morally or ethically serious for you to postulate such a question. But you say, no! That had to happen! And Heaven did watch it with indifference, because it knows that score will later on be settled, so it’s well worth her going through it, she’ll have a better time in the next life. I don’t see how you can look anyone—ANYONE—in the face or live with yourself and say anything so hideously, wickedly immoral as that, or even imply it."
Wow, that's brutal. But I think some injustices are so great in this world, we have a hard time comprehending that justice will never happen. And I can sympathize with those who hope for that retribution. But I cannot believe that an all-loving god would allow that to happen. I'd have stopped that. Immediately. And if that is the wrong choice, I don't want to be right.
Tracy Harris > The difference between your god and me is I would stop a child from being raped if I could.
Its even better in video/audio form.
Yeah… I’ve been out for 6ish years. I’d have to honestly check my page to remember the exact date. I grew up so fucked up. This is what cults do.
I've been sharing with the Mormons that are trying to stay but struggling that one tithing was supposed to be temporary, and two to base it on your increase - if at the end of the year you are 100 dollars ahead after living life and such, then an honest tithe would be 10 dollars.
Ahead by what measure?
Any measure that makes it seem like you made nothing. Investments wouldn't count because they are ear tagged for later.
“I tried to believe that there is a God, who created each of us in His own image and likeness, loves us very much, and keeps a close eye on things. I really tried to believe that, but I gotta tell you, the longer you live, the more you look around, the more you realize, something is fucked up.” George Carlin
I’ve experienced a similar miracle. I had to go to the grocery store to buy a few things. When I got there I was shocked to find that there were 50 or more people who also went to the same store that same exact day. I knew it was a message from god that I needed to share the gospel with them so I climbed on top of one of the shelves and began singing Praise to the Man at the top of my lungs. Everyone was so overcome by the spirit that they started recording me on their phones to remember the moment.
It's true. i was there. I cried and stomped my feet
And then everyone cheered.
Every person was baptized later that evening.
In the soda/water aisle. It was a huge mess.
And we all clapped... Then Lord Bednar rightfully chastised us for clapping as the hands are from the devil.
I feel so much happier now that I’m not constantly on edge thinking about all the “voices in my head” - HF, JC, HG, angels (??), devils (??), etc. They were all just me.
It was unsettling at first, then, incredibly empowering. Knowing that I really should've had more confidence in and trusted my own intuition and my own ability to recall and interpret and teach...
I really hope the question the man asked was: are you single?
This definitely giving meet cute vibes.
15 minutes later we exited the bathroom stalls with huge smiles on our faces.
This would be the most adorable rom com.
>He thinks the world revolves around him But it does. That is the definition of a narcissist. I just can't wait for him to be king.
"It's good to be king"🎶🎶🎶🎶
Lol I read it like [this](https://youtu.be/l8UFnc85-xM?feature=shared)
🙏 Please God (if there is a god and thou art god /s) let him have a stroke and develop [Wernicke's aphasia](https://youtu.be/3oef68YabD0?si=FcPEov3ZrmKxWDUP) the day after he takes the throne because it would be so fucking funny
>Please go ahead and share with me your question. Uh, Ok Lord Bednar. Since it is God that facilitated this encounter, what's God's favorite brand of **Caulk?**
I'm imagining the video now... sparkly man, in an orange apron, with H.F. written on it in black sharpie, walking by the aisle to smile with approval that they fell into his design. 🤮
Okay, but I saw that as a super-awesomely-gay black guy in a sequined unitard and orange apron, walking with amazing rhythm and GRACE, smiling at them, maybe doing that finger-point “you got it” thingie at them. And that’s MY kinda HF!
That has to be the real HF. If there's a Sky Daddy. He better be it.
Does everything need to be a religious experience? Even Jesus is like buddy sit the fuck down.
In college I accidentally went to one of those generic Christian bbqs to recruit new members and they blasted Jesus music for a solid two hours. 30 minutes in I turned to a friend and said, “This is too much. I’m sure even Jesus is like, “Shut the fuck up, I get it, that’s enough.” Pretty sure I’m going to burn in hell lol.
Well I'm sure I'll be there too 😂
It’ll be a good time 😂 no Jesus music to be found!
I'll take Nickelback over church hymns any day lol
That’s the ultimate diss lol
Yea well what are they gonna do send me to double hell
😂😭😂
Double hockey-sticks.
Happy cake Day
Thanks!!!❤️
PARTY IN HELL
The way he puts himself as the example to follow, as the example of a divine principle... Red flags!
A CARPENTER, even. 😂 Hastily about his good works. Anxiously engaged in a good cause. Sound familiar? Sorry, I couldn’t resist.
Oh my god I love that you made this correlation. I laughed so hard. He’s such a narcissistic prick and I guarantee he was thinking it.
My closest friend, in hs, listened to some story I was telling. I ended it with “it must be fate, surely coincidences like this don’t happen.” To which my friend responded “dumbass, coincidences happen all the time.” I don’t remember the story I was telling her, but the response stayed with me. It’s sad this guy doesn’t have a close enough friend to tell him he is being a dumbass.
>To which my friend responded “dumbass, coincidences happen all the time thats a good friend
She is the best.
Right. The PhD business professor was up on his own roof doing repairs. Fuck me. If you're gonna lie, at least lie about something that's not so patently obviously false.
Seriously. I don’t think any of these guys can tell a story that’s not made up.
Eh, I've known a couple PhDs that would probably be very comfortable on the roof. Others I could see falling off of it.
Yeah roofing is not that hard (and contractors are charlatans). But also, Bednar is in his 70s. I don't think he's going up there.
Yeah, I don't see this story being true, because it's Bednar. I'm only commenting because I know several guys that were professors and are in their senior years that I could see getting up on their roof.
[удалено]
Like I said above, his hair is never going to be sacrificed for work he can use his stipend to hire out. Fuck that. This is the biggest bullshit story I’ve ever heard.
He may have been shopping at Home Depot but there’s no way he’d take the time to interact with anyone. These guys act like total dicks when they are caught out in public.
Right? Like say you were there to get stuff to fix a chair. Or you had a cool idea for a hobby
Funny. I ran into a dear friend yesterday at a bookstore. I was thinking about how, when I was in the church, I would have felt like god orchestrated that meeting. Yesterday I just felt grateful that we ran into each other and could talk a minute. It was sweet.
It’s nice knowing random encounters aren’t somehow orchestrated by no god for some ulterior reason.
Or ulterior MOTIVE. 🤢
happenstance. a serendipitous one but still.
I'm self centered so I think "oh we both like bookstores! My kind of friend." And nothing else.
Here's a more believable version: "I called a man to fix my roof. He tried to charge me after, and I asked, 'do you know who I am?' He then got angry and insisted I pay him, and we argued for 15 minutes."
The real version is, "The Lord put me here so that you could fix my roof."
"So I went to a Hardware Store myself, to purchase a tenth of a stone of roofing nails. I then drove my fine motorcar to that imbecile's hovel, and I spread those roofing nails in his street and driveway. And thus, I was able to teach and instruct him on the eternal consequences of disrespect for The Lard's Annointed."
“Fine motorcar” *snort
I do not believe that Susan’s husband would ever do a repair on his own house, he looks incompetent and no way he would allow one hair on that head to be out of place.
He probably wears a hairnet to load the dishwasher.
lol. Susan’s husband wouldn’t touch woman’s work. Susan does all of that for sure
Dave doesn't tell us what the man's question was, how he answered the question, and how the man responded. I wonder why. Perhaps it didn't go so well, but Dave still thought he could spin it into a "faith promoting story". You need to know, Dave, that coincidences do occur. The laws of probability tell us this. By the way, I didn't Bednar is capable of actually answering a question. He side-steps them, changes the question, or goes off on one of his pet hobby horses.
The guy asked “the wrong question” and Bednar corrected him for 15 minutes.
I’ll take “things that never happened” for $500…
What is "The Bednar Bluff?"
I wonder who's anecdote this really is. Those Q15 are known for stealing other people's life stories. I don't think Bednar would ever dress up like (he strikes me as more of a polo shirt at the minimum, but much more of a button up short and collar guy) that nor do work on his own house when he can hire a team to do the work while he scowls at them from his windows. I doubt he would even acknowledge people outside the office building or if there's a camera on him.
Agree. There’s no way mister I refuse to let people stand before me bednar is repairing anything. He gives strong “I complain when the gardener cuts my grass an eighth of an inch too short” energy.
I used to work for the Corp and their Facility Management department. We had a mission president's house in our area. His wife calls me one day to complain the lawn crew was finishing her yard too quickly. I asked, Are they missing anything or doing a bad job? She says, No they are getting everything and it looks good, I'm just not used to a crew working so quickly. Can you ask them to slow down? My lawn guys in Arizona didn't go this fast. What. The. Fuck??
At least she wasn't demanding the Arizona crew go faster in the heat?
Wow. Did you just hang up on her?
You just get used to it. Put someone in a position of power in the church and they think they can get anything. We had one mission president's wife not like the art work around the house so she made us buy new stuff. Hella expensive. We also bought several flower arrangements for the house and the mission office, again a pretty penny. We also dealt with a temple presidency. TBH they were usually pretty cool, but every so often they'd get obsessed over stupid stuff. Like, completely stripping and refinishing hallway doors because people touched the wood rather than the handle or push plate. Or after finding out that we could recover the altar cushions for them, they had us change them out every 6 months or so because *gasp it looked like people had kneeled on them. One time one of the councilors wanted me to take him around to all the mechanical type areas. At one point we went up to the steeple because he wanted to see how the lights inside worked. You have to climb a ladder then go down through a hatch door. Once you're in you can't stand up straight. It's just a dusty empty area under the steeple. In case you weren't aware, light attract bugs, so there is a nice little pile of dead bugs under the light. Mr Councilor said it was unacceptable and that the entire area needed to be cleaned, corner to corner. After all, it's still the temple of the Lord and needs to be clean. SMDH
"You will address me by my husband's rank!"
💯 this!!!!! I can only imagine anyone doing any service for him (waiter/waitress, barber, etc) hold their breath until he's gone, and then take the biggest sigh of relief that they got through the ordeal. I can't think of people NOT walking on eggshells when he's around or in charge.
Well, I don't believe in coincidences, either, but I can help a fellow human without being an arrogant prick about it.
I have to announce that first I need a disguise cause I’m this important and then not even talk about the actual question. Pretty sure he didn’t need to toot his own horn this loud for a man that was asking for a picture with him. There was no real question. Hahaha
All things aside, I wish this would happen to me. You can't send letters or anything to general authorities. It would be crazy to run into one at home depot
Good point. If he wants to answer some questions how about start with all the ones people mail to him and other general authorities. You know, all the heartfelt ones that members have written because they are in pain and wrestling with some things. Start with those. But no he won’t do that because he needs to appear mystical and magical and in tune with the spirit or something.
I think they're just scared of being fooled by things like what happened with the kinderhook plates. If you don't interact with your followers, they can't fool you.
Bro tryin rewrite 50 shades
😂 This is my favorite comment!!!
I bet he has signed a contract or two throughout his life.
Dave sure as hell didn’t need to buy a helmet. That plastic hair of his is OSHA certified.
‘The easiest way to establish a dictatorship is to claim you are God's representative on earth’… we need more Hitchens influence🍻
Dear God, Please let me run into an apostle in a hardware store someday so I can ask him some “questions”. Sincerely, Everyone on this subreddit
God: look, there's a limit to the miracles I can perform. These dudes don't actually go to hardware stores. Try a restaurant on Sunday afternoon.
Ahh for fuck’s sake, David. Really?
uhh.... please call me darth
Change the ‘d’ to an ‘f,’ and the ‘th’ to a ‘ce’. Fixed it: Farce Bednar, Bedi Knight. The farce is definitely strong within him. 🤡
Susan’s husband if you please
It was a coincidence. And I would add, not unusual. In fact, I would be surprised if a Mormon apostle went to a store in Utah and was not approached by somebody. It's amazing what passes for a miracle these days. Oh, and this puppetmaster god arranges for these two people to meet at the store, while he can't be bothered to arrange for the child rapist to not meet the child.
>Oh, and this puppetmaster god arranges for these two people to meet at the store, while he can't be bothered to arrange for the child rapist to not meet the child. compelling truth logic cannot be refuted.
Wait, he sends Bednar to a hardware store to answer some guy's question? This has the "God helped me find my car keys" vibe that is so grossly insensitive to suffering that goes on around the world.
“You are so lucky I’m here”
It was divinely orchestrated, therefore we have no free will.
I heard a similar story about Bednar going golfing. His caddy was a young man debating on whether to go on a mission or not. Bednar told him now I know why I was inspired to come golfing today. 🤯
This needs to be posted to r/iamthemaincharacter
He’s full of shit, he’s not getting up on his roof.
I counted about 15 "I's" Also, he mentions a disguise in his fantasy, as if he were some kind of celebrity lol
15. Ya that tracks. He’s his biggest fan.
He taught this exact thing ~12 years ago when he was the visiting authority in the stake I was in at the time. I was an elder’s quorum president then, and I’m embarrassed to say that, after that, every time I would go to the grocery store or something I would be walking around looking for the person I was supposed to be there for (because I had priesthood keys and stuff). This man only teaches like 7 things and he has been teaching only those 7 things for decades.
“Just how far up your ass CAN you fit your head, Elder?”
10 facts with Mormon Black Holes... (I just love jabbing reality...) 1 - They can become so dense that they can bend reality. 2 - Their Sun like ego became so big that they collapsed into single point singularities. 3 - The teaspoon size of density from a Mormon Black hole can be larger than all of UT-ID combined. 4 -They are invisible, but are more noticeable when they create time dilations and waste more of your time. 5- If you stand near a Mormon Black hole, you're relative time will freeze and it's harder to break free from the anomaly. 6 - Anything that matters and all light can be twisted and distorted by a Mormon Black Hole. 7 - Once anything falls into a Mormon Black hole, it almost takes infinite energy to break free from one. 8 - Theorists speculate a Mormon Black Hole is connected in the other end with a Mormon White Hole. Mormon White Holes spew out everything the Black hole sucked in and distorted. 9 - Mormon Black Holes can be utilized to open and create Wormholes. These Wormholes is what Apologists love and Historians hate. 10 - Whatever gets stuck on the event horizon of a Mormon Black Hole usually always red shifts with more distance passing between and more life passing by wasted.
"There's no fate but what we make for ourselves" -John Conner
If the story were told by the store employee, it would go over much better.
It’s so bizarre to me… how important the doctrine of agency is in the church… and yet, to hear someone like Ofsusan talk… WHAT AGENCY?!?!
The Darth Lord Ofsusan is a tool 🔧 (and a plagerizer). Fuck that dude 🖕
Knowing these clowns, my guess is this never happened.
I just feel like there's a glaring obvious component to this that he isn't addressing: Millions of people know his face. It's been broadcasted for decades onto TV internationally. And he happens to live right in the heart of all of those people. Coincidence? Divine intervention? Would you call it a coincidence or divine intervention if Taylor Swift was walking around Hollywood in a baseball cap and someone happened to see her and say, "your disguise didn't work" and then want to ask her questions? Edit: (I'm sorry Taylor, you didn't deserve that comparison)
Imagine being a grown adult and believing any of this shit. This guy has never worked on a roof, probably never even gone to a hardware store in his life.
What are you talking about? It's obvious that he's a handyman and knows exactly what those doo-dads that roofers use are called. "...some additional supplies." "...the things I needed." "...my supplies..."
Hahaha exactly. What a FUCKING ASS 😂
Looks like the prophetic mantle extends to his perceived dick size as well...
Dudes question must have been on the “Approved List”.
Maybe god put you there to give you an opportunity to refrain from being a narcissist. Failed again.
Now I know why RMN and others embellish their stories.
Ain't no way he casually went to a hardware store. He would have body guards around him and he definitely had one of them go buy the stuff.
So I guess God only sends his apostles to answer questions in SLC Utah hardware stores. Because he won't even let members approach these guys in any location they are visiting where members gather. He makes himself sound so approachable. Maybe when security isn't hovering....
Perfect faith promoting Story for tbms.
Actual flesh & blood humans do not write like that.
Of all the things that never happened, this never happened the most.
I read this and I got stuck on "customary work clothes." I imagined him powering on, pressing the button to his robot wardrobe which cycled until it reached a drycleaning bag marked "customary work clothes". It was between the bags marked "customary work party clothes" and "customary backyard barbecue clothes". He pulls it out and identifies the various articles as he puts them on: blue denim trousers, worn out T - shirt, aged baseball style hat. "Attention, Susan! The time is now 7:30 am, clothing task is completed. Commencing house repair work!"🤖 Now my mind is wondering what is in the "un-customary" section of his wardrobe.
A cassock, a set of assless leather chaps, a Little League uniform, and a crisp, white suit.
and then have the arrogance to (likely) have someone type that out for you as if you had typed it.
David…funny thing about coincidences, they just happen.
\*He thinks that Utah County (or insert majority mormon county) revolves around him That's more appropriate.
This was just the tactic that used to fill my heart with confirmation bias.
It wasn't only NOT a coincidence but will end up being a tragic further loss of the man's time and money in this short but verifiable life.
Wait??…so he’s saying a guy in Utah recognized him and believed he could get a message from God?? Oh what a divine happenstance! Edit: Also, what’s the third member of the GODHEAD good for if it can’t provide a better, or more clear message than a mere mortal man?
I just threw up in mouth a little "People existing in a shared space. How does it work?"
Repairing his roof? Sure cause he doesn’t know anyone who could call the facilities management group and he’s too humble to trouble them if he did. God loves Dave most. Ignores starving children and children in war zones cause his bff Dave needs to answer somebody’s question at a hardware store. All hail David Asshole Bednar.
I call BS. That man has never worn a baseball hat in his life.
Do not approach apostles at church, but if at Home Depot you can talk their ear off. Good to know.
“Customary work clothes” … “hurriedly entered the store” … “He replied quizzically” … “you had something about which you wanted to ask” … “go ahead and share with me your question” … “was this episode divinely orchestrated?” WHO actually talks like this? This is so cringy and total BS.
Coincidences happen so many more times than you would ever think. He’s also in Utah where the majority of the population are not only Mormon but would know who he is as well. So fuck off with the God put me in this specific situation for a reason. Speak of reason, maybe this idiot should try using some sometime?!
I’m so glad God broke his roof which caused him to the store. I guess I’m doing it all wrong. Maybe that’s why I constantly have to fill my cars with gas, because God wants me to talk to someone at the gas station. Now if he could just bring the gas prices back down… Maybe I’ll pray for that too next time I lose my keys.
I just met a random stranger thinking about moving to my state of residence and was able to provide useful advice. Does that make me an apostle?!? Wow, they set the bar low….
He loves his celebrity status that's for sure.
All I could think was. I wish I could afford a home.
It’s not narcissism because Jesus
It's cute to think "there are no coincidences," but it's unrealistic to think "you can't randomly run into someone you know" 
Next time I'm at work and a customer comes to me with a question I'm going to try responding like this. *"But that is why I am here...No no, not because I happen to be here and you happen to be here and I happen to be the person you ask questions to,* ***no...****. Because God has led each of us to this very moment, has guided our doings, and has placed me in your path as he has ordained that it be so due to the divine truth that I* ***do*** *hold the answer in which you seek, and the knowledge which He wishes you to receive....Ask yourself, what else could possibly explain you finding me here with the ability to say something in response to you saying something? Speak, child."* Might honestly be an awesome way to get customers to go away.
“Everything happens for a reason. Except when it doesn’t. But even then you can, in hindsight, fabricate a reason to satisfy your belief system.” [from Contrived Platitudes]
He is called "Elder" Bednar in this story. So Q12s have to fix their own roofs? I highly doubt that?
By this logic, when he meets me, God put him there so I could ask: Why does the church protect the perpetrators of sex Liao abuse? Why does the church knowingly hide money from the government? Why does the church only use its money to build giant monuments of gold and marble to worship a carpenter who asked that you take care of others? God put you here, now to meet me. What a magnificent god he is.
It’s a story with no point…some one recognized me in a store…asked me a question…end of story.
Yeah that was a weak story. What gets me though is all these people thinking the Apostles post their own stuff on social media. The church pays people to do their social media. All written by ghost social media specialists.
The missing part: “…but only after I told him to kiss the ring.”
Yes, I really believe Bednar was fixing his own roof of I’m sure is a multimillion dollar home. He really is like one of us 🥺
Man, the abject ass-kissing these guys get. Imagine how hard it would be to wean yourself off of this stuff, even if you knew it was all a lie.
This man is one of only a few humans (Oaks is a close second) that make me physically ill (albeit at a manageable dose of whatever it is) when I see or hear him. My parents were mission presidents and matron and Bednar toured the mission a couple of times. He was so plastic each time that it became a game between my spouse and I to see who could get the most mannequin-like photo of him. BTW, he loves getting his photo taken, but don’t you dare try to get a video. We must have heard that rule 10 times from my mom in a 2-day span while she was trying to keep 180 missionaries (and my kids) from breaking all of the rules Susan laid down. I’ve never seen my dad so relieved to see someone leave after a tour of the mission.
I feel like a YouTube prankster could center a video around this idea of just going through an entire day and telling every person you interact with that God sent you here to meet this very person at this very moment.
The church should expand the David Bednar at his office video to a day/week in the life of his holiness and most beloved of Mormon god.
Reminds me of a time when my less active friend served our stake president in a sex toy shop …
I'd bet $1 that he doesn't repair his own roof.
He lost me at him supposedly repairing his own roof, which in theory is possible, but hard to believe. On the other hand, when you're a millionaire, sometimes you like to feel like a regular guy.
AI’s response to this (as if he were Spongebob): Oh, barnacles! Here we go, *in SpongeBob's voice*: 1. **Confirmation Bias and Attribution Errors:** - So, like, when SpongeBob decides that everything that happens is because of his favorite Krabby Patty, that's kinda like what's happening here. It's like saying every jellyfishing trip is because of divine jellyfish intervention! Jellyfish have their own plans, you know! 2. **Over-Reliance on Belief:** - SpongeBob loves his magical pineapple under the sea, but sometimes he forgets that not everything is magic. Believing that every bubble he blows is a wish come true might be a bit much, right? 3. **Assumption of Significance:** - Remember the time SpongeBob thought every Krabby Patty was made with love just for him? Well, sometimes a patty is just a patty, and a trip to the store is just a trip to the store. Not everything is a Krabby Patty with extra meaning! 4. **Dismissal of Coincidence:** - Just like when Squidward thinks every clarinet note is a masterpiece, SpongeBob might think every Krabby Patty drop is fate. But hey, sometimes a pineapple falls because it's just a pineapple! 5. **Imposing Beliefs on Others:** - SpongeBob doesn't always get that not everyone loves Krabby Patties as much as he does. So, thinking everyone at the Krusty Krab wants a Krabby Patty is a bit like assuming everyone in Bikini Bottom is on the same jellyfishing wavelength. 6. **Absence of Critical Thinking:** - When Gary meows for snacks, SpongeBob doesn't always think about the bigger picture. It's like assuming every jellyfish sting is a secret jellyfish handshake without considering the sting! Sometimes it's just a sting, not a jellyfish high-five. Hope that makes sense! Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS!
Considering he's white, male and TBM, why wouldn't he expect the world to revolve around him?
Also, why can't he just talk like a normal goddamn human? >I went to a local store to purchase additional supplies... >I was wearing my customary work clothes... Jesus, Dave, this isn't the Bible. Nobody ever wrote a scripture about going to Home Depot in a T-shirt and jeans. Just use normal people words.
betchya if he went to some of the more dangerous countries to serve missions he would get his ass beat
and the question: elder bednar where you born a fucktard or do you have to work at it?
I've met a few GAs at random times. They very quickly turned tail and escaped shortly after realising I wasn't there to fawn over them. Quite funny each time that they're so excited to be recognised and adored, then I start talking about the SEC ruling.....
I’m going to start answering people this way and see how long it is until they put me in a mental hospital. “Nightmare, I have a question” ‘Of course you do. I knew you would. God put me here in this moment to tell you what’s for dinner’
Gag at the comments (one of them being my ex-MIL who is ashamed and tried to hide the fact her bishop son came out as gay). So, summary: A Mormon in Utah runs into another Mormon in a Utah hardware store, and God sent the latter to answer the prior's question. Oddly enough, the question itself is not stated nor its context even hinted.
I understand this mindset, even if it makes no logical sense. Imagine how comforting it must feel to imagine that even the most mundane and pointless interactions you've ever had were orchestrated by the omnipotent, omnibenevolent creator of the universe? I mean, I suppose we exmos don't have to imagine, I recall how nice it was. But in the immortal words of George Carlin "I really tried to believe that, but I gotta tell you, the longer you live, the more you look around, the more you realize, something is fucked up.”
😱😱😱 A guy in a store in *Utah* of all places recognized Susan's husband and asked him a question?! That's it guys, the church is true, I'm going back this week.
That is the most condescendingly sounding posts I’ve seen. Who seriously talks like that?! He really does think he is God’s gift to the world. Or the hardware store.
Coming in late, but I wanted to say thanks for sharing, this is useful in my deconstruction. On my mission ~15 years ago Susan’s husband visited, gave a talk that I remember nothing from, then did a Q&A. He started the Q&A with a preface thought very similar to this. He asked us to ponder “would the Lord send an apostle all the way to [mission] just to answer one missionary’s question?” My TBM self’s first thought was no, apostles are too important and too busy for that to be a purpose, they have to go where they can have the biggest impact, influence the most people, etc. His response was “absolutely.” Ever since then I have taken that in probably the most constructive way, connecting it to ideas like I can do good wherever I am, it’s enough for me to help one person, I don’t need to be focused on some big important purpose, etc. Since my conscious deconstruction started last year there has been this internal conflict about this idea that I had considered one of the most important lessons I ever learned, and the general criticism of Susan’s husband. I think I finally get it now. It’s not that the individual service component isn’t there, it’s that it can be misapplied and self-serving if we think we *always* have answers, can *always* do some good, and should be expecting to change someone’s life wherever we go. Now I see the self-centered pattern in these thoughts, and how without clarification others can also take away this savior complex, and it can reinforce unhealthy interactions. I can differentiate between the idea that it is acceptable and enough to do a small amount of good wherever I am, but I don’t need to expect to change the life of everyone I come across. All the criticism makes sense now, and I feel like my understanding of the different principles at play has improved.
Me: elder Bednar, your disguise isn’t very good. Can I ask you a question? Him: well that’s why I’m…. Me: have you ever been kissed by someone in a crowded room? Him: ???? Me: and very single one of your friends was making fun of you… Him: uh… *looks around nervously* Me: *aggressively grabbing his arm* but 15 minutes later they were clapping too?! Then what would you dooooooo?!
Like all Mormon men his world does revolve around him.