My son is giving a lesson today on "Being Temporally And Spiritually Self-Sufficient."

I asked him if that didn't fly in the face of "The thinking has been done!" (Wish I had the full quote!)

He smiled. He knows.

Try this:
http://mylifeinzion.com/2012/05/11/when-the-prophet-speaks-is-the-thinking-done/

Thank you!
:)

Mormons who don't like the implication of this (that they are sheep, obediently doing and believing whatever the Prophet says) often quote the letter from President George Albert Smith (quoted in the link), who said that it is NOT a doctrine of the church, and that the paragraph with that statement slipped in "uncensored."

Note, however, that Smith did NOT announce this to the entire church; there was no printed retraction in the next issue of the Era; and the statement has been quoted approvingly numerous times since by speakers in General Conference, either in the form "the debate is over" or "the thinking has been done."

Also, in a women's Gen Con session within the last 20 years, one of the female speakers said, "When the prophet speaks, sisters, the debate is over." (or "the thinking has been done." I'm not quite sure.)

I saw it on the TV and I don't remember if it was the young women or the Relief Society women that she spoke to. IIRC, it was during a time when there was a public protest of some sort about women getting the priesthood.

Sometimes you'll see the quote with the word "sisters" removed. That's the word that has had RfM folks curious. I'm sorry I didn't answered that question before when I knew it. (bowing head in shame.)

wondercat

(See my next post for the correct quote.)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/01/2015 07:12PM by wondercat.

I, wondercat, have repented by returning with the quote I was referring to in my hand! I've given it quite a bit of context here, so I'll highlight the passage. I imagine she's paraphrasing someone else.

OCTOBER 1978 (Pres. Kimball presiding)
"If We Want to Go Up, We Have to Get On"
Sister Elaine Cannon

...."Sisters, this church is the saving remnant of the world. And what is our part as women in all of this? The girl is the future mother of the man. The woman is companion to the priesthood. She is molder of the next generation. As women ours is the gift to love, to influence for good, to marry, and to mother—but according to the timetable of the Lord for us. (So hang in there, sisters. If it hasn’t happened yet, it may a little later than sooner. And when the time comes, if you have lived for it, have no regrets that you prayed so fervently for a good man who now is always off to a meeting or filling some celestial assignment, depending upon the timing.) You see, the details of your life and the timing really aren’t all that important. They just point up differences to us—married or single, living alone, barren or bulging with blessings. These are just details. What does matter is our personal relationship with the Lord and our own unshakable testimony that he cares enough about each one of us to be there when we really need him.

"Though we are women with different cultural backgrounds clear across the span of my voice, some with varying differences in personal situations (we may even clash at times on opinions regarding temporal trends or how to bake a loaf of bread properly), my firm feeling is that we must pursue a course of a covenant people. We must secure those traditions which are sacred to good people everywhere. In each country as you hear this program by direct line, your course should become clear, your priorities ought to be known to you as a daughter of God. Personal opinions may vary. Eternal principles never do.

**"When the prophet speaks, sisters, the debate is over.**

"So I urge us all to provide powerful unity as women for those things we can agree upon—family, chastity, accountability to the Lord, responsibility in the community, sharing the gospel. To help us, it seems there are at least two critical areas to concentrate on—for all of us of all ages, whether we are whole or lame, at peace or troubled, privileged or seemingly deprived. The first is to strengthen self. The second is to serve the Lord by serving others. This is the way it works: We gain a personal testimony. We share it with others. We learn the principles of the gospel. We apply them as we associate with others. We keep a personal record, and we do our genealogy. And, sisters, we emphatically and happily declare, “I will be obedient! I will help strengthen others that they may be so too!”

Best Way to follow this... Is the quote abt being home, making donuts!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/01/2015 07:19PM by GNPE.

... as long you're following the prophet when you're doing it:


"President Marion G. Romney tells of this incident which happened to him:

“'I remember years ago when I was a Bishop I had President [Heber J.] Grant talk to our ward. After the meeting I drove him home. … Standing by me, he put his arm over my shoulder and said: "My boy, you always keep your eye on the President of the Church, and if he ever tells you to do anything, and it is wrong, and you do it, the Lord will bless you for it." Then with a twinkle in his eye, he said, "But you don’t need to worry. The Lord will never let his mouthpiece lead the people astray."' [In Conference Report, October 1960, p. 78]"

https://www.lds.org/manual/teachings-of-the-living-prophets-student-manual/chapter-2-the-living-prophet-the-president-of-the-church?lang=eng

isn't Failure To Focus on Honesty, Kindness .... substituting earrings & tattoos... 'leading the People astray'?

IOW A more passive version of leading astray.

"When our leaders speak, the thinking has been done" inquiry:

"The Imporovement Era, June 1945 contains the following quote as part of a Ward Teachers’ message":

'When our leaders speak, the thinking has been done. When they propose a plan–it is God’s plan. When they point the way, there is no other which is safe. When they give direction, it should mark the end of controversy. God works in no other way. To think otherwise, without immediate repentance, may cost one his faith, may destroy his testimony, and leave him a stranger to the kingdom of God.'"

Good enough? (Thank the internet)