Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Cherokee Legend


A Cherokee Legend

An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. "A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy.

"It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is critical of the Church, he sees it's every flaw, he thrives on doubt, he is angry, sad, and bitter" He continued, "The other is faithful, loves the gospel and the Church, finds spiritual blessings and has a testimony." The same fight is going on inside you - and inside many other people too."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

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FAIRMORMONOUTREACH.ORG

This is the unveiling of a project of FAIR.  Then has been in the works for a few months.  Today we (I was part of a small group that created it.) wish to unleash it.  It main purpose and niche is to concern oneself less with the answers and rather to empathize with  the struggle of one who doubts while encouraging them towards faith.  The answers are secondary to their emotional well-being and their having the tools to move forward.  The person struggling must have a desire to find faith to participate.  It is not a playground to promote doubt nor a place to do straightforward apologetics


http://www.fairmormonoutreach.org/

FAIR Mormon Outreach - is a online community designed to help those who are struggling with the paradigm of Faith and Doubt and who also want to find ways to choose Faith.

Welcome to our community!  This is not just our community, but it is yours as well. It is a safe place for you to explore with others the questions and challenges that confront  you as you live a life of faith as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We are here to help you and to support you as you seek continued participation in the Church despite questions or doubts you experience.

No question or concern is off limits. We do ask however, that you approach every issue you face with an eye towards reconciling your questions with the faith you have felt in the past. Our goal is to help you regain, maintain, or increase your faith in the restored gospel. If this is your desire, this is place where you find help in your journey.

We are here because we know what it is like to struggle, and we have found perspectives that bring us peace, and we want to share that with you. It is our prayer that we might play some small role in helping you in your personal journey!

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My personal thoughts

- This site is unconnected to my podcast and is an offshoot of FAIRLDS.ORG.  That said I was part of a small group of individuals who put this site together.  The group I worked with care and really hope to help others in their faith.  This has been as sincere an effort as anything I have worked on

- This board seeks to show compassion, empathy, and understanding while offering ways to see one's struggles that allow for Faith in the Lord's Church.

-  It seeks to validate their struggle rather then minimize it.

- This board is not a place to debate the issues.  Even as a faithful believer - If you are contentious in the slightest way - you will be tossed

- This board is not a place to try and promote doubt but it is a place where one should feel welcome to get their struggle off their chest and not feel judged as long as the objective is to gain Faith

-  This board is not a place for Critics to come and play, they will be thrown out quickly. 
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Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Faith Crisis - Stake Training Fireside

http://mormondiscussion.podbean.com/2013/04/16/faith-crisis-stake-training/


Faith Crisis Training Fireside for Stake Leaders.
This shares with you a presentation I put on for Leaders in my stake in hopes of raising awareness of Faith Crisis and how we can better help.  I am hoping Some of you will do the same.  Included in this is a list of things I included in a Packet that was handed out to each leader present.  You will also need the power point presentation.  Email me and I will send it to you.  You are free to use and adapt as needed though I ask you give credit where it is due (Bill Reel and FAIR)  email to get the PowerPoint Presentation - reelmormon@gmail.com
The presentation is most effective if you create a packet for each using the resources below as well as show the power point.

Email me for the Power Point Presentation - reelmormon@gmail.com


Binder Packet includes

FAITH CRISIS RESOURCES

1.) Richard Bushman - The following is Richard Bushman's introduction paper to the 2008 summer seminar, “Joseph Smith and His Critics,” given July 29, 2008
pages 2 -4


2.) Terryl Givens - University of Richmond - From a Fireside Presentation to the Single Adult Stake, Palo Alto, CA 14 October 2012. Revised on October 22, 2012.
pages 5-10



3.) Russell Hancock - This is a transcript of unprepared remarks by Russell Hancock - 1st Counselor, Menlo Park Stake Presidency to the Valparaiso Ward Elders Quorum 6 May 2012
pages 11-15



4.) Marlin Jensen – Seventy Emeritus -First Quorum of the Seventy - Excerpts from a Q&A with Elder Marlin K. Jensen (Church Historian and Recorder) at USU.
pages 16-17



    5.) Bill Reel & John Lynch – Members of FAIR (FAIR.LDS.ORG) – Suggestions on how best to help someone in a crisis of faith
pages 18-19



    6.) Fowlers theory on stages of faith. - http://faculty.plts.edu/gpence/html/fowler.htm
      How Fowler's theory applies to Later-Day Saints - http://members.digis.net/jeffret/stages/sof_inst.html
pages 20-21


Places on the web to go for answers
-   FAIR.LDS.ORG




Books to read for answers
  • “Shaken Faith Syndrome” - Michael Ash
  • Rough Stone Rolling – Richard Bushman
  • By the Hand of Mormon – Terryl Givens
  • The God who Weeps – Terryl Givens


other articles






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