LDS 2.0

It looks like the LDS Church has finally embraced the Internet’s social market. I’m happy it did.

(image above courtesy of 9thwardcartoons)

The first few times I accessed the LDS Church website, it was just to download mp3s to store in my iPod. That was 3 years ago. After completing my playlist with mostly Primary songs that i used to loved from my childhood days, I continued to check the site more as a habit. So I’ve pretty much seen its “majestic” transformation from the old static website to the more appealing design in early 2007. Although I loved the Scriptures reference and Practice Music features, I thought that was it…

It seems that these past few months, the LDS Team has been creating fuzz in the social scene as if to announce its presence, a sign that its entry has truly been one of success. If you are curious, follow the jump for some of the latest things I’ve heard about them.

Visiting Teaching

~ This is hilarious! Twilight’s popularity among the LDS is largely because the book was written by an LDS mom/author Stephanie Meyer. ~

From “Did You Get Your Visiting Teaching Done this Month”

The 9th Ward Cartoons

Be Still My Soul

Here’s a treasure i dug up from Youtube tonight.

One of the nicest Church hymns. I can’t believe an American Idol finalist – and a fellow LDS – David Archuleta sang this on a fireside just recently (accdg. to the uploader). Amazing!

Be still, my soul, the Lord is on thy side.
With patience bear thy cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide,
In every change He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul, thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Thru thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul, thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as he has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake.
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still, my soul, the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still, my soul, the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul, when change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

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Gosh! Thanks Archuleta!

On Prophet Hinckley’s Death…

“I believe that we have a living prophet by the name of Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley.”

Now i won’t hear these lines anymore. Among members sharing testimonies, it’s just an effortless thing to say, to testify. Now perhaps just “a great, wonderful and inspiring prophet” will do. Funny, next week is testimony Sunday. I’m guessing i will hear those praises and patronizing… but not as a living prophet, as we are all used to.

As one with the entire Latter day Saint Community, i am saddened by the news. President Hinckley, the prophet and president of the Church, died at age 97. Without question, it is the Lord’s will. But for all the lives he touched and the service he has given for the church, his life will always be remembered for sure.

Read on at the LDS Newsroom for the whole article.

–
Now that i think about it, except for a few entries, i’ve never been really vocal about my beliefs.

Institute Class Ends

It’s over. My weekly journey along Katipunan Avenue, brief walk along Aurora Blvd. to Honda, some quick struts past the pedestrian lane across which QCPIR is located, it’s over. It’s been a while. I’ve grown accustomed to that path that it has become almost a routine. Dancing with the busy street as people and cars speed up to reach their own homes. I can only recall how anxious (to the point of being paranoid) i was to travel that far at night. But all of it succumbed to the excitement and thirst to feel happy.

My Wednesday nights are as lifeless as one can imagine. Before that, when i still had acad subjects to fill it in, it was tiresome. Happy, yes. Busy, hell yeah. Exhausting, of course it is. But never was it fulfilling. With the subjects removed, that busy sked was replaced by empty ramblings and random activities with my constant companion, my pc. Alone. Good thing Insti came along to save me from boredom. It even brought more stuff as a plus.

3 months. 3 absences. 3 streets to walk along in the middle of the night. 1 book to ponder. to discover. to testify.

It was a thankful experience. Of course, it was my first ever Insti Class to finish. As my classmates bore their testimonies, the truth struck me. I’ve gained a few pounds. At least my spiritual body did. It was all worth it. The long walk back, crossing the street, travel along Katipunan, and the long walk back again from Law. I might not walk this same path again.