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My Top 9 Board Games With Elaboration

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I did a write up of my top 9 favorite board games. They are in order of my favorites with the best at the number one position. Granted the top five really are all so close and I love each one so much. It’s like when someone asks you ‘what’s your your favorite movie?’ It kind of depends on the mood you’re in. Are you in the mood for Max Max Fury Road, to watch things explode and the world revel in its' utter insanity (KDM), or do you want to watch Tinkerbell and snuggle with your three year old (Heldentaufe)? It depends on the mood. I know it goes without saying but I'm going to say it anyways. These games are my personal favorites, that's it. It's ok that they are my favorites or that some of them you may hate or not even heard of them. Furthermore, what makes them special to me is often the memories I have associated with the games. Dice Forge was one of the first games that my wife enjoyed playing with me. Santorini reminds me of times spent with one of my b...

A Flip-flop of Latter-day Proportions

A Flip-flop of Latter-day Proportions Today, under the direction of Russell M. Nelson and by way of calling it a revelation from God, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has rescinded the policy they enacted 3.5 years ago in November of 2015. This policy stated in its Handbook of Instruction 1 that, regarding children of a parent living in a same-gender relationship, “A natural or adopted child of a parent living in a same-gender relationship, whether the couple is married or cohabiting, may not receive a name and a blessing. A natural or adopted child of a parent living in a same-gender relationship, whether the couple is married or cohabiting, may be baptized and confirmed, ordained, or recommended for missionary service only as follows: A mission president or a stake president may request approval from the Office of the First Presidency to baptize and confirm, ordain, or recommend missionary service for a child of a parent who has lived or is living in in ...

What happens when your faith comes across a reality check in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? An essay by Jeffrey Owen

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The Story I started having my "faith crisis", as I later found out it was referred to, about three years ago at the time I'm finishing writing this, which is December 2018. That puts the events about which I’ll be writing in late 2015 up to now. Ironically enough, the onset of my faith crisis coincided with when I was called to be an Elder's Quorum President in my home ward in St. George, Utah. Several things happened all at once and in quick succession to catalyze a foundational questioning of my beliefs, this questioning which would then progress slowly. In October 2015 my wife and I did an In Vitro Fertilization fresh egg harvesting followed by an embryo transfer. This was after multiple failed attempts of Intrauterine Insemination after which we were turned over from our OBGYN to a Reproductive Endocrinologist. Turns out we did end up getting pregnant on our first IVF attempt which at the time I felt was a godsend. In fact, we got pregnant with ...