huntington beach first ward midsingles

huntington beach first ward midsingles (conference) april 23-25 2010

i wish we had a ward like this here in vegas. sacrament meeting was the highlight of the singles conference for me. (regretfully, i missed the saturday morning workshops but i heard they were uplifting as well) it has been a while since i have felt the spirit so strong and so powerfully as i had while sitting in that pew, singing the hymns we sang and hearing the talks given. i felt like a i was in a huge choir of 1100 (approx. the amount of people in attendance) belting out our souls and testimony through song. it was amazing. i am thankful and feel blessed to have experienced that. there is no doubt in my mind that the gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of peace and happiness. i know that we as children of a loving Father in Heaven are to be married and have families. this is my wish, my hope, my dream.

bishop lang, the shepherd of the hb1 midsingles has a ward program focused specifically for people of my age range 27-45. it's a program i hope our geographic region will soon mimic. his talk was one i really enjoyed. other than his humor, i felt his sincerity and love for us. i'm posting his talk below.

Here is the TOP TEN list Bishop Lang said would be put on the website and that so many people have been asking for. No word yet on if there will be a version for the women:

Top 10 Reasons I'm not married yet
For the Men
Number 10 - I haven't met a Spiritual Angelina Jolie lookalike with a trust fund…YET

Advice: when you get home tonight take your shirt off, sit on the bed, and look in the mirror. Show me your bank statement.

Number 9 - Married life will most likely cut into my World of Warcraft time…

Advice: GO outside, GO to the Temple, Do your Home teaching, and GO out on Dates, Serve others.

Number 8 - I can hardly support myself; plus I'm still not sure what I'm going to be when I grow up….

Advice: "A rolling stone gathers no Moss" do what you know and know what you do… WORK

Number 7 - My One True Love is married to a dentist, living in Orem, and has 2.3 children…

Advice: Move on, get a life; realize she's not coming back… forget yourself…

Number 6 - I have already been married, as soon as the reception was over she turned into the Wicked Witch of the West… Now I'm scared … it will take an Act of Congress before I get married again…

Advice: there are 3 parts of the sealing ceremony… If you didn't break yours that's the best you can do… 2nd Article of Faith: We believe that men will be punished for their own sins and not for Adams transgression…

Number 5 - None of the women I'm interested in will date with me…

Advice: when you get home tonight take your shirt off, sit on the bed, and look in the mirror…

Number 4 - I will never be able to have a successful marriage. I have accumulated some baggage... I've made mistakes that leave me feeling unworthy… I have developed a dark habit…

Advice: John 8…

Number 3 - My parents are divorced. It scared me. I'm stuck in between them. I don't ever want my children to go thru what I have…

Advice: So what? If your dad jumps off a bridge does that mean you have to do it also??? 2nd Article of Faith.

Number 2 - My siblings are married and struggle… Their kids are brats… They have financial trouble... Every time they argue my sister calls me and gives me way too much information…

Advice: you're not your sibling, there is absolutely no reason that you have to repeat anything your sibling does… or doesn't do… watch and learn.

The Number One reason I'm not married yet is: I don't want to make a mistake… I'm scared… I wonder if it's my lot in life to be single…

Advice: Maybe it is your lot in life… WRONG. You can do it… who wants you to be happy? And who wants you to be single?… President James E. Faust - said "… don't take too much counsel from your fears…"

Top Ten Reasons I shouldn't give up and /or what to do about it …
For the Men
Number 10 - I just haven't met Mrs. Right yet... Maybe she's here…. Will the real Mrs. Right please raise your hand...

Advice: Men, these women have non-member men asking them out constantly… but they WANT a righteous Priesthood holder; don't under estimate yourselves… Don't underestimate Mrs. Right here…

Number 9 - The longer I'm single the weirder I'm getting…

Advice: self explanatory... You guys are like beautiful Ferraris' driving around stuck in 2nd gear… when you become a family it's like sliding that puppy into 5th gear and fulfilling your potential… everything becomes a purpose in raising your family…

Number 8 - I don't feel worthy… I'm discouraged…

Advice: Moses 1:39 for behold this is my work and my glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of YOU…

Number 7 - You need to propagate your seed…

Advice: Abrahamic covenant…see Addendum below

Number 6 - You hold the Priesthood of God... (Most of you) You have been ordained and for ordained to be a Husband and father and to become like our Heavenly Father…

Advice: D&C 84:34-41 Oath and Covenant of The Priesthood…

Number 5 - Nothing worthwhile is easy... This life is a test...

Advice: When Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden they were commanded to earn their sustenance by working 6 days a week, by the sweat of their face shalt they eat their bread… Genesis 3:16-19

Number 4 - True Joy comes from giving… When we become a Family… We become like our Heavenly Father and his Son…

Advice: There are 3 phases to Mans life … Phase 1… we believe in Santa Claus… Phase 2 we don't… Phase 3 ….You are Santa Claus… Phase 4 …you look like Santa Claus… (When you get home tonight take your shirt off, sit on the bed, and look in the mirror...)

Number 3 - Nothing you ever do will please your Heavenly Father, Savior, Earthly Parents, Future In laws, future spouse and most importantly yourself… than becoming a Family…

Advice: Genesis 2:24 "Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh…"

Number 2 - It's not good for man to be alone… The first conversation God and the Savior had regarding us after they had created Adam was… "Is it good for man to be alone? NOPE."

The Number One reason is… We are exalted as Families… Moses 1:39… D&C 132: 19 The new and everlasting covenant…

Addendum - Abrahamic Covenant
Abraham received the gospel and was ordained a high priest (D&C 84:14; Abraham 1:2). He later entered into celestial marriage, which is the covenant of exaltation (D&C 131:1-4; 132:19, 29). In connection with the covenants he made, he received great promises from the Lord concerning his family. Among these promises were the following:

•His posterity would be numerous
•His seed or descendants would receive the gospel and bear the priesthood.
•Through the ministry of his seed "all the families of the earth would be blessed, even with the blessings of the Gospel, which are the blessings of salvation, even of life eternal."
Together, all the covenants and promises that Abraham received from the Lord are called the Abrahamic covenant, even if he or she is not a literal descendant of Abraham.

As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you are a child of the covenant. You have received the everlasting gospel and inherited the same promises given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You have the right to the blessings of the priesthood and to eternal life, according to your faithfulness in receiving the ordinances of salvation and keeping the associated covenants. Nations of the earth will be blessed by your efforts and the labors of your posterity.