tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73705115523908714392024-03-13T04:03:40.699-06:00The Goates NotesA chronicle of our lives and times . . . where politics and religion are not taboo topicsDavid B. Goateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01978666830682045128noreply@blogger.comBlogger761125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370511552390871439.post-89350599890925338922024-02-29T10:32:00.003-07:002024-02-29T10:48:51.506-07:00Happy Leap Year Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhREdyZ0QTZ0jkn0DFfelHXlVkDKNwlEq7-aYB_DmX4Wfap_YbSqJ1bymNC3n2Pl8Uxl8sbR96iJnO3EPVg1HgtLOLaHhbf9B2XL7AnENOJxb-3TfghnUSCMIoLfGjVrJuzKsy5YLI0huVb2HP8wCUsuT213Mm1borBj-CpC-7dYghPi1KSeZUt6TBZGQ/s251/christus%20statue.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="201" data-original-width="251" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhREdyZ0QTZ0jkn0DFfelHXlVkDKNwlEq7-aYB_DmX4Wfap_YbSqJ1bymNC3n2Pl8Uxl8sbR96iJnO3EPVg1HgtLOLaHhbf9B2XL7AnENOJxb-3TfghnUSCMIoLfGjVrJuzKsy5YLI0huVb2HP8wCUsuT213Mm1borBj-CpC-7dYghPi1KSeZUt6TBZGQ/w351-h281/christus%20statue.jpg" width="351" /></a></div><p></p><p>It's a bonus day in the calendar this year. Leap Year, as it has come to be known, is an attempt to adjust the calendar. This <a href="https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/science-leap-year">explanation from the scientists</a> may help:</p><p>"A calendar year is typically 365 days long. These so called 'common years' loosely define the number of days it takes the Earth to complete one orbit around the Sun. But 365 is actually a rounded number. It takes Earth 365.242190 days to orbit the Sun, or 365 days 5 hours 48 minutes and 56 seconds. This 'sidereal' year is slightly longer than the calendar year, and that extra 5 hours 48 minutes and 56 seconds needs to be accounted for somehow. If we didn’t account for this extra time, the seasons would begin to drift. This would be annoying if not devastating, because over a period of about 700 years our summers, which we’ve come to expect in June in the northern hemisphere, would begin to occur in December! </p><p>"By adding an extra day every four years, our calendar years stay adjusted to the sidereal year. . ." </p><p>There's additional "fixing" that goes on to make finer adjustments, but you get the idea. All I know is that today I have an additional day to post another offering.</p><p>What I know is this, as we look forward to "springing forward" an hour in our clocks - the sun always wins as the seasons change in the Northern Hemisphere. No one greets that reality with more verve and sheer joy than me. When will that change occur? Daylight Savings kicks in this year on May 10th. It's a Sunday, so we turn our clocks ahead by one hour. </p><p>Daylight saving time, also referred to as daylight savings time, daylight time, or summer time, is the practice of advancing clocks to make better use of the longer daylight available during summer, so that darkness falls at a later clock time. Then we reverse course in the fall and "fall back" an hour on Sunday, November 3rd this year.</p><p>Seems we're always tinkering with this or that, doesn't it?</p><p>I know this for sure: I love the full moons each month. I live in "dark sky" country at night. I open the blinds and allow the moonlight to fill the bedroom. And I love it as I observe the sun moving further north a little bit each day as it rises in the morning. The changes of season are evidence to me of an all-wise Heavenly Father, whose creations never cease to amaze me. </p><p>I am particularly grateful to live in a day when science has advanced to the place where it is now. I was informed a few weeks back after a visit to my regular dentist, Dr. Cox, that I needed a root canal. The filling he had just provided went deep into the nerves in the tooth, and he recommended the additional procedure as a precaution against further damage. So I relied on son Jake's expertise (he provides marketing services for dentists), and he came up with a recommendation for an outstanding dentist nearby in Midway, who happens to love doing root canals. (Dr. Schmutz at the Prince Dental Group, if you need a good recommendation - I give him all five stars!) I was in and out of his office in an hour. State-of-the-art dentistry at its best. I suppose in the days of yesteryear the solution might have been an extraction just to deal with the problem, but now I still have my tooth, pain is eliminated, and science has prevailed.</p><p>Speaking of medical science, I am scheduled for a colonoscopy next week. (I know, "TMI"). I picked up my preparatory laxative yesterday. It's no wonder we all live longer these days. It seems there isn't a stone left unturned in my decaying mortal body that doesn't come in for scrutiny by someone these days. Next up will be another post-op check-in to see if my brain is still working. . . (oh boy). </p><p>It's the nature of the beast for me, and I suppose it's just all part of checking all the boxes for old men.</p><p>It's also a reminder to me that my season of life is changing, and not always in a fun way either.</p><p>Thanks to Melatonin, I still have my dreams to keep me company. The other night I dreamt about being in bed with Patsy basking in the moonlight together, and that dream wiped out every other thought about root canals, colonoscopies, and brain dysfunction. </p><p>God is so good to me.</p><p></p>David B. Goateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01978666830682045128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370511552390871439.post-11915444296530143292024-02-14T12:23:00.004-07:002024-02-14T12:56:06.954-07:00"I Love Jesus"<p>This morning I stopped in for breakfast at my favorite bagel joint. The girl behind the counter was dressed like so many her age - you've seen the look - knit cap, heavy sweatshirt with the company logo, baggy sweats, sneakers, lots of piercings and tattoos, including a nose ring and earrings. But the most prominent piece of jewelry was a cross hanging around her neck. I asked, "Tell me about that beautiful necklace you're wearing." To which she responded, "It's because I love Jesus."</p><p>You know, so do I. She was a kindred spirit to me. </p><p>That got me thinking about how many levels of love for Jesus there must be in the world today. We all tend to express it in our own way. As our conversation unfolded, she mentioned "The Chosen" is her favorite TV show. She loved how Jesus is portrayed in that series. "He is so kind," she told me. "He loves everyone, and He blesses everyone around Him." </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3aHQl72-wy4tRMydP0nZkJ9lV7u-tD8EgBQkDitHBc4JjaoL8_m-oaJc49arHuKWjBOSxvIRsZtsA54T6Wn8n_ZEZsFLlXQAiDWmJFVaas1NrVezbda2yWx5rAwmtdYJ1fql9gAvuC9MV3zay0gDtBqkZknRbd-c9nYWwe4AcaE8bmH8P0OWtqYm8Dg/s600/JesusPrayingInGethsemane_Sm___.jpg" style="clear: right; display: inline; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="460" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3aHQl72-wy4tRMydP0nZkJ9lV7u-tD8EgBQkDitHBc4JjaoL8_m-oaJc49arHuKWjBOSxvIRsZtsA54T6Wn8n_ZEZsFLlXQAiDWmJFVaas1NrVezbda2yWx5rAwmtdYJ1fql9gAvuC9MV3zay0gDtBqkZknRbd-c9nYWwe4AcaE8bmH8P0OWtqYm8Dg/s320/JesusPrayingInGethsemane_Sm___.jpg" width="245" /></a>Jesus Christ truly is the Son of God. He came into the world unheralded and unwelcomed in a time and a place when His people were under subjugation to the Roman Empire. There was much of poverty and punishment to keep the subjects of the Emperor in check. Jerusalem was the acknowledged capitol of Judaism, but it was merely tolerated, not embraced by the Romans, who were an occupying army and were hated and despised by their subjects. The Temple stood as a beacon of hope for the Jews, but even the temple, its ordinances, practices and rituals had been corrupted. It was not a happy environment into which the Savior had come. He cleansed the temple environs twice during His public ministry. </p><p>I have been musing since returning home this morning that my friend behind the counter must surely be content in her admiration for Jesus, enough so that she wore the cross boldly and gladly around her neck. I thought, "What outward symbol would I project? Would there be enough evidence to suggest that I am a disciple of Jesus, or would people observing my outward appearance wonder at my allegiance?"<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwNeGapCA4fv95gtSVXLLRFAKGOqF1dYy5bkby7IWyI9pOjZ398VYAsyIj-i9jOCiNv1sshAQDeVI8owe0uuphUDaeoJBL3XyjkdjxH-fxKCUpscAyl0LboFATzq07Mnsklahljzb5QcBNjl8s_mxQfxch1nG_S3ohNdNORpq7iYmnkwXxsY9hssl2-w" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="254" data-original-width="199" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwNeGapCA4fv95gtSVXLLRFAKGOqF1dYy5bkby7IWyI9pOjZ398VYAsyIj-i9jOCiNv1sshAQDeVI8owe0uuphUDaeoJBL3XyjkdjxH-fxKCUpscAyl0LboFATzq07Mnsklahljzb5QcBNjl8s_mxQfxch1nG_S3ohNdNORpq7iYmnkwXxsY9hssl2-w" width="188" /></a></div>The closest I came to wearing a cross in my life was my Sigma Chi fraternity ring bearing the image of The White Cross of Sigma Chi. Indeed, upon seeing it when I was serving as a missionary in Northern England, 1967-69, people would sometimes comment that I must be a Catholic father. Some would even take my hand and kiss my ring as a show of worship. <p></p><p>What I have come to understand later in life is that His image must be reflected in our countenances if we are to accurately be a representation of His grace for us and an example to others. I hope people can seen in my face the commitment within my heart. You can't live a lie and hope to deceive others. </p><p>I have been reflecting on the words of an old favorite hymn <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZK3DTymq3_Q">"The King of Love My Shepherd Is."</a></p><p>The words are powerful:</p><p>1 The King of love my shepherd is, whose goodness faileth never. I nothing lack if I am his, and he is mine forever.</p><p>2 Where streams of living water flow, my ransomed soul he leadeth; and where the verdant pastures grow, with food celestial feedeth.</p><p>3 Perverse and foolish, oft I strayed, but yet in love he sought me; and on his shoulder gently laid, and home, rejoicing, brought me.</p><p>4 In death's dark vale I fear no ill, with thee, dear Lord, beside me; thy rod and staff my comfort still, thy cross before to guide me.</p><p>5 Thou spreadst a table in my sight; thy unction grace bestoweth; and oh, what transport of delight from thy pure chalice floweth!</p><p>6 And so through all the length of days, thy goodness faileth never; Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise within thy house forever. (United Methodist Hymnal, 1989).</p><p>I make a point of suggesting this morning that our collective love for Jesus may take many forms, and many churches together make a beautiful chorus of praise for our Savior. We must embrace and admire the admiration each has for Him. We may not agree on every point of doctrine, but like my friend behind the bagel counter we can accept one another's testimony on whatever level it may present itself. </p><p>In it all, let us reflect our love for Him by doing the best we can to truly represent Him.</p>David B. Goateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01978666830682045128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370511552390871439.post-46829184170342165642024-02-07T08:48:00.005-07:002024-02-07T08:59:46.926-07:00Dystopian or Utopian<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijI5JbLL7lxYvSBQ6l34ivoEs84Cj_7Oa1PlgNQ6hKkJDI-33izL-luGGDE-LkBG1HLSOlMKw_OKbBsZ7dBe1f8wI4m_rXDI7Cadl5INttDmbf_IejN3rj-EXr2QWCQu_oOpbokyne7j21nYRdhUqsIblusHXi9rVxG1ekCGul-h06Q8-ZLzdIb5v8BA/s268/joseph%20smith.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="268" data-original-width="188" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijI5JbLL7lxYvSBQ6l34ivoEs84Cj_7Oa1PlgNQ6hKkJDI-33izL-luGGDE-LkBG1HLSOlMKw_OKbBsZ7dBe1f8wI4m_rXDI7Cadl5INttDmbf_IejN3rj-EXr2QWCQu_oOpbokyne7j21nYRdhUqsIblusHXi9rVxG1ekCGul-h06Q8-ZLzdIb5v8BA/w126-h180/joseph%20smith.jpg" width="126" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">“The standard of truth has been erected. No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the great Jehovah shall say the work is done.”</div><p></p><p>— Joseph Smith, 1842</p><p>How audacious can one person be? Toward the end of his mortal life, Joseph Smith made the foregoing utterance. This is the boy prophet who humbly knelt in a grove of trees in upper state New York in the year 1820, and was answered by a visitation from the Father and the Son. His inquiry was which of all the churches was right, and which should he join? He was told to join none, and that he would be the instrument of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. By 1842, he had traversed through a myriad of extremities, any one of which could have destroyed the work he was chosen to do. But he persisted in faith until he could make such a bold declaration. </p><p>Contrasted to that vision of futurity, there has been a parallel track developing that runs in the opposite direction. While Joseph’s vision was utopian in every way, Satan’s vision is dystopian and gains traction among his adherents. A word of definition from the dictionary might be in order here:</p><p>dystopian</p><p>adjective</p><p>dys·to·pi·an (ˌ)dis-ˈtō-pē-ən </p><p>variants or less commonly dystopic </p><p>(ˌ)dis-ˈtō-pik </p><p>-ˈtä- </p><p>Synonyms of dystopian</p><p>: of, relating to, or being an imagined world or society in which people lead dehumanized, fearful lives: relating to or characteristic of a dystopia</p><p>A twisted romantic haunted by dystopian visions, Gibson borrows the language of science fiction and crafts doomed love stories with high-tech trappings.</p><p>—Maitland McDonagh</p><p>Dystopian visions are in a sense mythopoeic: depicting a creation myth in a future world of darkness and silence.</p><p>—Sarah Lefanu</p><p>Biotechnology is a force for good, but without adherence to the ideal of universal human equality, it opens the door to the soft tyranny of Gattaca and, ultimately the dystopian nightmare of Brave New World.</p><p>—Wesley J. Smith</p><p>Like many advances in science and technology, the dystopian implications of data mining have been described best by science-fiction writers.</p><p>—John Markoff</p><p>… Orwellian has become a word itself: an adjective denoting a dystopic world where language is cut adrift from meaning.</p><p>—Harvey A. Daniels</p><p>Letter by letter, we read of a society that seems to move from one dystopic nightmare to another …</p><p>—Simon Winchester</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhis_SjWQD804mD1g8k2LNFSdiSqErXN8c8BfCm-ogyQ9j-fgyQgwz6PIhilatIIVxIDkKvfeeqaFRsutXDHVJm4cBFESdshj4XUl1JUeaUqwyM8moL7U9T_nizuCE0L8VgPhQE7EteaQ4bOz1Tbaft8_T1wY3RN-4ruReFF4hpVQshbk9cflfht2ArBQ" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="183" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhis_SjWQD804mD1g8k2LNFSdiSqErXN8c8BfCm-ogyQ9j-fgyQgwz6PIhilatIIVxIDkKvfeeqaFRsutXDHVJm4cBFESdshj4XUl1JUeaUqwyM8moL7U9T_nizuCE0L8VgPhQE7EteaQ4bOz1Tbaft8_T1wY3RN-4ruReFF4hpVQshbk9cflfht2ArBQ" width="160" /></a></div>George Orwell wrote the infamous novel “1984,” describing a dystopian existence that gratefully did not materialize in its time. However, Orwell saw political leaders in Germany, Spain and the Soviet Union who had absolute power, and he realized the danger that this presented. He illustrated that danger with the world in his book, where everyone is monitored and must conform to the views of the elite.<p></p><p>The Tehran Conference was a meeting between Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin. Orwell thought the three could plan to divide the world amongst each other. In “1984,” Orwell uses this idea with the three super-states of Oceania, Eurasia and Eastasia. The three sides control the world and are in a never-ending war.</p><p>Orwell lived in England with his family during World War II, when acts of violence could occur at any time. This atmosphere is replicated in the book.</p><p>In a letter, Orwell mentions that he felt totalitarian regimes were on the rise in many parts of the world. He said the United States and Great Britain were exceptions, but neither nation had known defeat or suffering. He also brought up several ideas that would later be a part of “1984,” including that history could be rewritten by whoever was in charge.</p><p>I am among the millions for whom “1984” was mandatory reading in high school. It was chilling and a cautionary tale for freedom-loving people everywhere. It seems there is a steady drumbeat always and forever that runs counter to Joseph Smith’s optimistic vision of the future.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYGr_eGDCaOH6mPGKA3GxpYfPVMNZkIRYJp60WD7pAy7pxEcPrc13t67PDuHpIk8vKuLQs9dwaa0O_i4aMlD4vsBU70bCLZQeyuvSxOytRosqp3BUZ-DjopcSjLEFJuk9Kn1DhPa53iZN7UBSo6jEZFGeMU7oyUI7pjKyqRNBFMOnUmjvgQZ8BXmcEHg/s920/image.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="613" data-original-width="920" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYGr_eGDCaOH6mPGKA3GxpYfPVMNZkIRYJp60WD7pAy7pxEcPrc13t67PDuHpIk8vKuLQs9dwaa0O_i4aMlD4vsBU70bCLZQeyuvSxOytRosqp3BUZ-DjopcSjLEFJuk9Kn1DhPa53iZN7UBSo6jEZFGeMU7oyUI7pjKyqRNBFMOnUmjvgQZ8BXmcEHg/s320/image.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">President Russell M. Nelson</td></tr></tbody></table><br />President Russell M. Nelson has put the Church in position to fulfill that vision. We are determined to move forward with faith in its realization despite all the dystopian voices out there in the world.<p></p><p>We are in the midst of yet another runup to a presidential election in America. There are those who would have us believe the two major candidates vying for the hearts and minds of Americans will surely produce a meltdown of all we hold sacred. Either one being elected in 2024 will undoubtedly bring our representative republic to ruin. </p><p>And yet, it seems there is no alternative that suggests itself at this writing in February 2024. Time will tell if a new “savior” is yet to appear on our horizon, but don’t hold your breath. My experience as an observer of politics for many years is that politicians can neither save nor destroy the nation. They simply do not have the power because our system of government was designed to divide power to prevent the type of totalitarian regimes Orwell warned about. </p><p>That brings to mind another popular “Mormon myth” about the Constitution someday “hanging by a thread” and the country in its ultimate peril being rescued by the elders of Israel. First impressions of “the White Horse Prophecy” might be alarming. Did Joseph give this “apocalyptic” prophecy? Has it been used to support “American-centric” or militant ideals? Is there some weird secret doctrine that tells Mormons to take over the world?</p><p>It turns out, Joseph Smith probably didn’t give the “White Horse Prophecy” or at the very least, not the version which was recorded decades later by Edwin Rushton. That account was recorded in 1898, 54 years after Joseph’s death, and has been condemned by multiple Church leaders.</p><p>But the Constitution “hanging by a thread” idea can still feel uncomfortable, especially when coupled with it being saved by the “Elders of Israel” — and the historical record indicates that Joseph Smith taught those ideas. At the time, the Saints had been driven from their homes and experienced government-sponsored persecution, which may have impacted their views on religious freedoms as protected by the Constitution.</p><p>Today, the Church encourages civic engagement from its members, supports democracy and the peaceful transfer of power, and denounces riots and usurpations. While making sense of the political history of our religion, we can remember the gospel teaches a message of peace.</p><p>Think about the trajectory the Church is on today. We are building temples around the world at an accelerated pace. Each time a temple is dedicated the kingdom of God on the earth reclaims territory that might otherwise have been the domain of wickedness. We consecrate and make holy those environs. We do it “boldly, nobly and independently,” above all the competition that would claim it otherwise. </p><p>Each of us individually has a stake in the work of salvation. A little twelve-year-old girl who goes to the temple to do baptisms for the dead, an elderly widow who serves as an ordinance worker, an unpaid harried and overwhelmed young bishop with a family and a career, a mother who nurtures and cares for her small brood of children, a missionary who goes into the world wherever he or she is called to serve, and an old man who sits at his computer early in the morning to encourage his posterity in the course of their marvelous destiny as I do this morning - all these in their path of discipleship are advancing the work toward the ultimate fulfillment Joseph described in 1842. </p><p>I want you all to know these words were given to me sometime around 4:30 a.m. this morning as I lay awake after a completely restful and heavy night of sleep (a blessed outcome for me these days). I hope none of you is dissuaded in the least by the dystopian voices that bombard your consciousness, either from the written word, news reports, movies or whatever worldly source you encounter. </p><p>Mortality has always been about your choices, your moral agency, and your Heavenly Father providing living prophets coupled with the words of the dead prophets to point the way unerringly back to Him. </p><p>I would encourage all of you to read <b>2 Nephi 31</b>, as I did this morning. It lays out <i>“the doctrine of Christ”</i> and is a sure and certain witness of the path we are to follow as disciples. As you all know, I am a great admirer of Elder Bruce R. McConkie. I will conclude with his words that describe a utopian plan for each of us:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidws2nVLvENbzf13jVOPuanO2WYYAvMbohdrW5wleowEN7419BC6CT0Zxyox8ROOV1qCWBGJ68XQTUm5tvMSdcq81HW5gcF5_1_BtO96LzatDzOc8zE4CbmDtkDNjfhdj27rnBPL1LdSyjAvIUNQh2uYwj2-WFDwGDzhRt0CE-ba-y3DgnIUwHoJCpjA/s636/bruce%20r.%20mcconkie%20at%20pulpit.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="497" data-original-width="636" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidws2nVLvENbzf13jVOPuanO2WYYAvMbohdrW5wleowEN7419BC6CT0Zxyox8ROOV1qCWBGJ68XQTUm5tvMSdcq81HW5gcF5_1_BtO96LzatDzOc8zE4CbmDtkDNjfhdj27rnBPL1LdSyjAvIUNQh2uYwj2-WFDwGDzhRt0CE-ba-y3DgnIUwHoJCpjA/w230-h180/bruce%20r.%20mcconkie%20at%20pulpit.jpg" width="230" /></a></div>“…everyone in the Church who is on the straight and narrow path, who is striving and struggling and desiring to do what is right, though is far from perfect in this life; if he passes out of this life while he’s on the straight and narrow, he’s going to go on to eternal reward in his Father’s kingdom.<p></p><p>“We don’t need to get a complex or get a feeling that you have to be perfect to be saved. You don’t. There’s only been one perfect person, and that’s the Lord Jesus, but in order to be saved in the Kingdom of God and in order to pass the test of mortality, what you have to do is get on the straight and narrow path — thus charting a course leading to eternal life — and then, being on that path, pass out of this life in full fellowship. I’m not saying that you don’t have to keep the commandments. I’m saying you don’t have to be perfect to be saved. If you did, no one would be saved. The way it operates is this: you get on the path that’s named the ‘straight and narrow.’ You do it by entering the gate of repentance and baptism. The straight and narrow path leads from the gate of repentance and baptism, a very great distance, to a reward that’s called eternal life. If you’re on that path and pressing forward, and you die, you’ll never get off the path. There is no such thing as falling off the straight and narrow path in the life to come, and the reason is that this life is the time that is given to men to prepare for eternity. Now is the time and the day of your salvation, so if you’re working zealously in this life — though you haven’t fully overcome the world and you haven’t done all you hoped you might do — you’re still going to be saved. You don’t have to do what Jacob said, ‘Go beyond the mark.’ You don’t have to live a life that’s truer than true. You don’t have to have an excessive zeal that becomes fanatical and becomes unbalancing. What you have to do is stay in the mainstream of the Church and live as upright and decent people live in the Church — keeping the commandments, paying your tithing, serving in the organizations of the Church, loving the Lord, staying on the straight and narrow path. If you’re on that path when death comes — because this is the time and the day appointed, this the probationary estate — you’ll never fall off from it, and, for all practical purposes, your calling and election is made sure. Now, that isn’t the definition of that term, but the end result will be the same.</p><p>“There’s great hope for Latter-day Saints. There’s great hope for anyone who will repent, believe, obey, strive, struggle and seek to work out his salvation. There isn’t hope for anyone who will not. Our revelation says, ‘Surely every man must repent or suffer; for I, God, am Endless.’ Well, either we suffer for our sins, according to the law of justice, or we repent, and through the atoning sacrifice, the Lord Jesus bears our sins and we become inheritors of mercy. Now we can go forward. We can have every reward that the scriptures speak of. We’re not an austere people. We don’t remove ourselves from the world. We’re deliberately in the world so that we’ll have opportunity to overcome the world. We can have in the Church every association and felicity and good feeling that anyone can have. Anything that’s wholesome and good is available to us. We’re denied nothing, and that’s good. In addition to that, we can have the hope of glorious immortality — meaning eternal life — in the realms and the worlds that are ahead.” (Elder Bruce R. McConkie, “The Probationary Test of Mortality,” address given at the University of Utah Institute of Religion January 10, 1982).</p>David B. Goateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01978666830682045128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370511552390871439.post-76936232589962530782024-01-28T12:28:00.002-07:002024-02-14T11:33:47.769-07:00Can People REALLY Change?<p>When you live as long as I have (76 and counting), you might find yourself reflecting upon your life experiences more than you did when you were younger and you were creating those memories. You will rub shoulders with a vast variety of souls in mortality. Some of the more interesting ones might even be in your immediate family. </p><p>We often think others might be "out of touch" - sometimes they're just a little weird for our taste. We tend to seek associations with those of like-minded nature as ourselves. It's just human nature. We often dismiss others with, "Well, he'll never change."</p><p>Once in awhile, however, we are surprised to learn someone <i>has </i>changed who we haven't seen or been in contact with for many years. That leads me to discuss today's topic - can people really change?</p><p>My answer is a resounding "YES" - they can and they do!</p><p>Think about your own life. Have you changed from what and who you were during your youthful days of college? Have life's experiences tended to knock off some rough edges, rounding you into a more useful and accepting personality? Do you now seek the welfare of others more willingly and voluntarily than you did at one time? Do you count the cost and the potential return for you before you reach out in service to another, or do you give freely and voluntarily without a thought of possible remuneration?</p><p>We send missionaries all around the world today to seek those who want to change. We promote change. We advocate for change when it produces positive results. We bless lives instinctively. It becomes second-nature to us.</p><p>This morning a returning missionary couple shared their experiences during a humanitarian mission to first India, then they were re-assigned with nine months left to Cambodia. They cited examples of the most humble souls one could imagine who embraced the meager help this couple offered. In each case lives were blessed, changed, and improved. They weren't the kind of stories that will ever make the front pages of a newspaper, but eternally the impact of their service will be felt forever.</p><p>We tend to change most readily when we seek the awareness that change is warranted. When we do our own self-inventory as many do at the first of a new year, can we think of things others have said to us giving us some direction in what change for the better might look like? </p><p>Is there ever a husband who doesn't freely offer course correction for his wife? Conversely, is there ever a wife who can't think of something her husband might do that could be helpful to her? Parents are quick to seek change in behaviors among their children. </p><p>Most importantly, the Spirit of the Holy Ghost will always offer gently the ways in which we can change to bless others. These are always soft, gentle whispers so lovingly offered to us we may not be attuned to hearing them, but if we focus we can hear and feel those nudges. Acting upon them opens the door for change.</p><p>If we believe change in people is not possible, then why would we deploy tens of thousands of missionaries all around the world to see if we can share the gospel message with them? We have this abiding belief that they will embrace the fulness of the restored gospel, come unto Christ, join His Church here on earth, and then take steps to the temple where they are promised they can receive “all that my Father hath.” </p><p>Imagine just how audacious that might seem to some. “I’m happy just the way I am,” they used to tell me in Northern England all those years ago. Or, “Got me own, luv,” was another frequent response when we posited changing churches. Those, of course, were the ones who could have cared less that I was in their home country on a two-year mission to save the world - their world - from certain destruction if they booted me off their doorstep. I learned how to deal with rejection in very real and precise terms in that experience.</p><p>But I also, on occasion, was a witness to those few precious souls who DID embrace the possibility of change. They gave up coffee, tea, alcohol, tobacco and hard drugs for starters. They had to change before they could be baptized, and a few blessed souls to whom I carried that possibility actually did change in dramatic ways right before my eyes. As our visits together progressed, I saw visible changes in their homes. They cleaned up before we had lessons. They cleaned their clothes, they bathed and dressed their young children so they were “presentable” to us. One even told me they thought we were angels from the presence of God who had come to their home. And they changed. Asking an Englishman or woman to surrender their tea to us, then never drink it again was like asking some to cut off their arm. It was the acid test of their sincerity, and some just couldn’t do it.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrDbp1eRaSrlSC27tH8auV3oWJR1kwpPmUJwST81C4TwcZV5mJ9NQow2L6VRFQoksPIf1smZhUeWTX19iJTKt7YiPOtPLSCkD0vk3Oy_WO5QjYMsKoTRtLnqdprOt9t0wTk9jGnlunIneqcQN5Eg4Uxtko8nIjVZg3xa04SFUwaQ5r6a8YTP-Y7OOSkQ" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrDbp1eRaSrlSC27tH8auV3oWJR1kwpPmUJwST81C4TwcZV5mJ9NQow2L6VRFQoksPIf1smZhUeWTX19iJTKt7YiPOtPLSCkD0vk3Oy_WO5QjYMsKoTRtLnqdprOt9t0wTk9jGnlunIneqcQN5Eg4Uxtko8nIjVZg3xa04SFUwaQ5r6a8YTP-Y7OOSkQ" width="180" /></a></div>I am bound to my eternal companion Patsy in bonds of celestial marriage. How does this relate to raising our children in today’s environment? We are bound together by celestial bonds and covenants as an eternal family. We love one another, we love being together, and we are sometimes saddened when one of us might weaken or falter in whatever extremity with which we are dealing at the moment. So we reach out to help one another in love. <p></p><p>We are inspired by each other as we witness one rising above their challenges and succeeding as they move along life’s path. I know I have drawn strength from each of you as I watch from the sidelines. I thank you, each one of you, as I see you change, grow, and conquer your demons. </p><p>The other night after I had upgraded to the new i-Phone 15, I hadn’t realized I would have to download all my apps on my new phone. The Google browser was just spinning, and I couldn’t figure out how to get it unstuck. Grandson Alex was here, I asked him my question, he took my phone, hit a few buttons, and bingo - it somehow “magically” downloaded in seconds. He said something that has stuck with me: “Grandpa, sometimes the best solution when it comes to technology is just to hit the restart button. That solves almost every problem.” I told him whimsically, “That’s why you've come home from your mission at just the right time, so you could help me change my phone.”</p><p>Isn’t that the way it is with each of us? Sometimes we get “stuck,” and we can’t seem to find the next step out of our dilemma, whatever it may be. We need a “reset.” How blessed we are to have the gospel to guide us to daily repentance. </p><p>We reset ourselves, then begin again as we pursue our course in life and get back on the covenant path if we have wandered off it for a time. Changing for the better is what life is all about.</p><p>That's why we have a "reset" button on our phone and the Holy Ghost as our constant companion.</p>David B. Goateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01978666830682045128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370511552390871439.post-51894327964522177352024-01-06T09:59:00.002-07:002024-01-06T10:07:00.621-07:00Staring Down the Barrel of 2024<p>I went to the Provo City Center Temple the other day an hour before the start of an endowment session. I was all alone amidst a full session. I read the opening pages of The Book of Mormon, including this last verse of the first chapter. He made a quick departure from his historical account to make this editorial insert in the record:</p><p><b><i>I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.</i> </b>(<b>1 Nephi 1:20</b>).</p><p>The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced recently that there have been 200,000,000 copies of that inspired book of scripture published since the first press run of 5,000 copies in 1830. The coming forth of the Church and the publication of the book are themselves miracles that conventional wisdom would suggest never should have happened. The fact that makes conversion of each individual soul a miracle is the power of the spiritual blessings that accompany each conversion. </p><p>I was asked for my birthdate the other day by a banker to confirm my identity. As the numbers rolled off my tongue, I commented, "That just seems like it was so long ago!"</p><p>And, indeed, as I stare down the barrel of a looming 2024, the gap between birth and death only grows larger. Someone wrote a poem about "the dash" years ago. I looked her up this morning and give her full attribution here:</p><p><b><a href="https://lindaellis.life/the-dash-poem">The Dash by Linda Ellis</a></b></p><div style="text-align: left;">I read of a man who stood to speak<br />at the funeral of a friend<br />He referred to the dates on the tombstone<br />from the beginning...to the end.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">He noted that first came the date of birth<br />and spoke the following date with tears,<br />but he said what mattered most of all<br />was the dash between those years.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">For that dash represents all the time<br />that they spent alive on earth.<br />And now only those who loved them<br />know what that little line is worth.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">For it matters not, how much we own --<br />the cars...the house...the cash.<br />What matters is how we live and love<br />and how we spend our dash.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So, think about this long and hard.<br />Are there things you'd like to change?<br />For you never know how much time is left<br />that can still be rearranged.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">If we could just slow down enough<br />to consider what's true and real,<br />and always try to understand<br />the way other people feel.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And be less quick to anger<br />and show appreciation more,<br />and love the people in our lives<br />like we've never loved before.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">If we treat each other with respect<br />and more often wear a smile,<br />remembering this special dash<br />might only last a little while.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So, when your eulogy is being read<br />with your life's actions to rehash,<br />would you be proud of the things they say<br />about how you spent YOUR dash? </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;">As one who has recently entered the realm of widowerhood (is that even a word?), I find myself wondering what the date beyond my dash will be. I have the headstone for Patsy in the works in a quarry somewhere in Georgia as I write this. My name is inscribed on the granite block next to hers, but all that is missing now is that final date. So I'm still spending my dash. I wonder how I will be remembered. </p><p style="text-align: left;">We have a large and wonderful posterity we created during our dash together here in mortality. At the threshold of this New Year, the slate is clean. What will I write upon it this year? It begins with this post to my blog. It has been said you can only wish people a "Happy New Year" for one week. I am within bounds here. </p><p style="text-align: left;">We are embarking on a revision of my estate plan now. I am sponsoring an open forum among the children and their families to discuss their wishes for how I spend the rest of my dash. I welcome their input in the process. </p><p style="text-align: left;">It sometimes seems like a daunting task with so many of us, all possessed of strong opinions and individual concerns. And, I would quickly add, really smart people. I have heard two words a lot recently - "impossible" and "unsustainable." Those two words have been weighing on my mind this morning as I write. Without context they are meaningless. I need more definition around the substance of WHAT seems so impossible, and HOW is whatever we are going to do unsustainable? </p><p style="text-align: left;">The conventional wisdom from mental health experts suggests that we wait for at least a year before undertaking (see what I did there?) this task. No sudden moves, no major decisions, no lifelong ramifications just yet. We're still grieving Patsy's death. We are emotional beings. We are fragile. We can wait, we can assemble facts, we can posit solutions, and we can consult with estate planners. But let's go slow through the fact gathering stage.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I'm on board with all that. I love a deliberative approach. I want to do only those things that will bless and strengthen my posterity. Can a "one size fits all" solution be crafted? Probably not. Can we love one another when financial disparity enters the discussion? Can the "Pollyanna" high-level strategic vision be made to conform with a tactical plan that works? Can our feelings be held inviolate as we debate the merits of this or that? Can we make the impossible possible? Can we sustain the unsustainable? All these topics and more will be uncovered as we move ahead, ready or not, into a new year in 2024.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I wonder if anyone else "out there" might offer some perspective. I'm living what's left of my dash and I so want to get this right.</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMIPoZl24o_pgArLvx4TFrQbRLSaxFaFAl1eXaYwT3ih4J333GUjgxXdgnRwZ2_HrxLZrIbNFPBoQJSsflH-V5-tu6kcI6-_kA1BkgmPJR5Lyrhc6ZassQHpm11XpYxty-xNPhXz02jtbwvjMXGrkdsXWr_EFb8E47YsVojt42rzcQmUI648qTSOq-9g" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMIPoZl24o_pgArLvx4TFrQbRLSaxFaFAl1eXaYwT3ih4J333GUjgxXdgnRwZ2_HrxLZrIbNFPBoQJSsflH-V5-tu6kcI6-_kA1BkgmPJR5Lyrhc6ZassQHpm11XpYxty-xNPhXz02jtbwvjMXGrkdsXWr_EFb8E47YsVojt42rzcQmUI648qTSOq-9g" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">President Russell M. Nelson</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I often turn to President Russell M. Nelson, now in his 100th year on earth, for his inspired insights. The man has experience - lots of it. <a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2023/10/51nelson?lang=eng">He said</a>:<p></p><p style="text-align: left;">"When you are confronted with a dilemma, think celestial! When tested by temptation, think celestial! When life or loved ones let you down, think celestial! When someone dies prematurely, think celestial. When someone lingers with a devastating illness, think celestial. When the pressures of life crowd in upon you, think celestial!" </p><p style="text-align: left;">So, while I muddle along here in mortality I am attempting to do the "impossible" and the "unsustainable." I want to "think celestial."</p>David B. Goateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01978666830682045128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370511552390871439.post-31190183709959036242023-12-21T12:05:00.001-07:002023-12-22T10:34:35.116-07:00Saving Souls at Christmastime<p>As a Church, we are engaged in the all-inclusive work of the salvation of souls on both sides of the veil. We send tens of thousands of missionaries throughout the world to teach and baptize the willing in this world. We gather them out, welcome them into our congregations and set their feet on what we have come to call "the covenant path." </p><p>As they progress along that path they are increasingly blessed by making and keeping sacred covenants. Eventually, they enter a temple somewhere in the world (there are now 355 in various stages of completion), and are sealed to an eternal companion of their choosing. These are the ordinances of salvation, and they bind couples and posterity together, linking them to ancestors who have gone before them.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEho1HeOxWC17cyaOEuZ3IIA2T7UIa3MDRbgW1fmyhu3KEZ84jymSJj9rC2y1bSxLo4iwrTONZCs9r5OWmLlZlGtB_KLtZaMAXLiGv2nV0mY-AvIaH2oGwSHk0gCkT6hF06oI8uj8gPGLMcEhOW_jCyTlnDE0gLxQmnvclAsCPJMWGeeLFYINvyFFZScQg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="954" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEho1HeOxWC17cyaOEuZ3IIA2T7UIa3MDRbgW1fmyhu3KEZ84jymSJj9rC2y1bSxLo4iwrTONZCs9r5OWmLlZlGtB_KLtZaMAXLiGv2nV0mY-AvIaH2oGwSHk0gCkT6hF06oI8uj8gPGLMcEhOW_jCyTlnDE0gLxQmnvclAsCPJMWGeeLFYINvyFFZScQg" width="320" /></a></div>The other night, our family who were nearby gathered in a sealing session at the Mount Timpanogos Temple to perform proxy sealing ordinances for many of our deceased ancestors. Most of those ancestors were in the family of our dear daughter and sister, Kim Goates. She is a native of Brisbane, Australia, who emigrated many years ago to the United States where she met and married our oldest son Jeff. <p></p><p>The picture shown here is all of us assembling for dinner after the session, and doesn't include Jake and Rich who returned home without eating with us. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia3VLlNWIpJn6IgZ9l-l5Qd60KhmIgPN5Ye8LHGbwMD-vLvvvCi1XvAdSo4tvu-LLqk6ouoNU7m-QVEN0PmTsQCo-eNdt6oyGF6GKiWUYyA5SKLdZracRUQCXsGD-YnowgUzSPw1wCEZmtdpG4TOIWI7RJuWxuI4W3DZl-An3wxtJYBkVhpEb-8PtjCg/s3718/IMG_2932.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3718" data-original-width="2788" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia3VLlNWIpJn6IgZ9l-l5Qd60KhmIgPN5Ye8LHGbwMD-vLvvvCi1XvAdSo4tvu-LLqk6ouoNU7m-QVEN0PmTsQCo-eNdt6oyGF6GKiWUYyA5SKLdZracRUQCXsGD-YnowgUzSPw1wCEZmtdpG4TOIWI7RJuWxuI4W3DZl-An3wxtJYBkVhpEb-8PtjCg/s320/IMG_2932.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>The date December 19th is significant in two ways - it's our original sealing date in 1969, when I married Patsy, and it's also the birthday of son Steve. <p></p><p>Since her conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Kim has been instrumental in her search for all her extended family in Australia. Those names have been compiled and the other night we all participated as a family in procuring those sealing ordinances for each deceased member of her family, a work they could not perform for themselves. We were blessed in that session to be assigned to a sealer whose first mission was in. . . wait for it. . . Brisbane, Australia. Truly, the "divine coincidences" we routinely encounter in this work of salvation cannot be overstated. Someday I hope to learn more about how all those intersections seem to collide in such marvelous ways. </p><p>From the <a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/liahona/2013/10/hastening-the-work-of-salvation?lang=eng">Church's website</a>, we glean this explanation:<br /><b><br /></b></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><b><i>What Is the Work of Salvation?</i></b></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><i>The work of salvation is Heavenly Father’s work “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (<b>Moses 1:39</b>). This important work includes member missionary work, convert retention, activation of less-active members, temple and family history work, and teaching the gospel. Too often, we think these aspects of the gospel are unrelated. But in The Work of Salvation: Worldwide Leadership Broadcast on June 23, 2013, Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught that “the work really is indivisible. These efforts are not separate; they’re all part of the work of salvation.”</i></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><i>The phrase “Hastening the Work of Salvation” - the name of the broadcast’s companion website (hasteningthework.lds.org) - refers to the Lord’s promise: “Behold, I will hasten my work in its time” (<b>D&C 88:73</b>).</i></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Essential priesthood ordinances - baptism, confirmation, ordination to the priesthood for men, and temple ordinances - stand as milestones along our path to return to our Heavenly Father. As we participate in the work of salvation, we follow and inspire others to follow this covenant path.</i></p></blockquote><p>I couldn't help thinking about the gathering that was surely taking place in the spirit world among Kim's ancestors as those ordinances were being performed. Some, who look in on this "impossible" work of salvation for the dead simply cannot digest the math. There are so many more dead people than living people, they reason, how can you possibly think you will even make a dent in those daunting numbers. I know, it truly does seem impossible. The odds are never in our favor as disciples of Jesus Christ. And it has ever been thus. Christ was only ONE. We are only 17 million against a living population of 8 billion, and multiples more who are dead. What are we thinking?</p><p>I wrote about <a href="https://thegoateskids.blogspot.com/2009/07/impossible-gospel.html">the impossible gospel</a> years ago, and we are undeterred against all the insurmountable odds. Having lived my lifetime of experiences, and with the perspective gained from hindsight, the onward and upward momentum of the work of salvation is something truly breathtaking to behold in these latter days. </p><p>President Russell M. Nelson is leading the armies of Israel in all parts of the world today. His priesthood keys are being shared now in an exponential way I never could have envisioned in my younger days. The Kingdom of God on earth is expanding. The world of spirits is actively "recruiting" among those of us who have seen our loved ones graduate to a higher and holier place. They are engaged in the same way we are. </p><p>In fact, the other night as I performed proxy sealings I was kneeling across the altar in turn from three of my daughters, Dianne, Tina and Allie. I could remember all those times it was Patsy kneeling across from me, and I was invigorated and energized by those memories. It was truly a joyful and wondrous work we were doing. Can we really refer to it as "work" when it is so much fun?</p><p>That's what the temple experience is designed to do for us. We bless others and are blessed by them. </p><p>And at Christmastime the work of salvation is just that much more delicious.</p><p><br /></p>David B. Goateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01978666830682045128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370511552390871439.post-89662648102631534252023-12-08T11:13:00.000-07:002023-12-08T11:13:03.867-07:00How Can One Man Be So Blessed?<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhexHzXOTnv8gc_8gfhxHicFTDqxMz6_IMxzOJ9sFBcRU073sI2nd6eDKaOXcBGMFGDw0YRPPeH-ikwa7wOO76YlttRVW_MKvOyUzt2mdCImMrB1d-DssXqat8vXAutoGpKF6cYhb_j2hlGSEPtWwypsVtn7Yf4m6eHF3OsSF6YKV0cbKUq-pW3i9am8w" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1080" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhexHzXOTnv8gc_8gfhxHicFTDqxMz6_IMxzOJ9sFBcRU073sI2nd6eDKaOXcBGMFGDw0YRPPeH-ikwa7wOO76YlttRVW_MKvOyUzt2mdCImMrB1d-DssXqat8vXAutoGpKF6cYhb_j2hlGSEPtWwypsVtn7Yf4m6eHF3OsSF6YKV0cbKUq-pW3i9am8w=w238-h317" width="238" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Allie, Dianne, Dad, Emily</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Yesterday, I was in the Mount Timpanogos Temple with three of my daughters. We are pictured in front of a manger scene on a blustery day after our endowment session. It was the "warm before the storm," a fitting analogy when the sky was blue overhead and the temperature was warmer than normal for a winter day.</p><p>Today, in Pine Valley where I live up in the mountains, I awoke to blowing snow. The temperature had plunged to 20 degrees. </p><p>I am always in awe of weather patterns here in Utah. A few years ago for the first time I learned about "atmospheric rivers." That's where the upper level wind patterns set up in a direct path that points directly at us originating somewhere in the Pacific Northwest. In the winter those winds aloft bring prodigious amounts of weather, usually snowstorms, with them. Like the phrase implies, the weather flows like a river with little or nothing to stop it.</p><p>Some have asked me if I intended to stay alone in my home this winter since the passing of my wife, Patsy, earlier this summer. I hadn't thought, really, about doing anything else. This is where I built my wooden "palace" in the mountains all those years ago, and it's where I thrive the most. It's familiar. </p><p>I know every nuance of this little shack. I am astounded at its appraised value today. How did that happen? At night I hear the rippling of the flag that flies just outside my bedroom window. I actually had to take it down recently to aid my ability to fall asleep. I hear the coyotes sing their lullabies. </p><p>I hear the propane boiler cycling on and off in the crawl space that heats the water circulating in the baseboard heating system. I love the sound of the crackling firewood in the wood burning stove in the other side of the house where I installed it when all I used it for was to generate heat in cool summer mornings. </p><p>And now I live here year-around and fight off the cold winter blasts that come barreling down upon me when the atmospheric river does its best to discourage me, especially when it sets up directly north in the Polar region.</p><p>Once in awhile, I hear my faithful snowplow guy outside my window when he comes early in the morning to clear the road for us. That was a steep learning curve for cousin Steve Smoot and me when we had to learn how to do it all those years ago. We managed through record-breaking 100-year winters like last year, and years when we only plowed four or five times. </p><p>Through it all, here we are, still standing as it were on a rock in the middle of the atmospheric river flowing all around us. </p><p>Now, I have a Starlink satellite internet system to link me to the outside world. It is astoundingly more robust and reliable than anything I could have ever envisioned when I put this plan in place all those years ago to live here. But new revelation was given. What did we ever do before Elon Musk?</p><p>When the wind is howling outside late at night and in the early morning hours, I can hear the wooden members that hold the structure together. I hear the wood shifting and creaking slightly. Am I ever worried about it crashing down around my head? Nope. I built it. I know why I hear what I hear, and I am seldom alarmed. I am the creator, and I know my creation. Therefore, I do not wring my hands in anxiety over what will happen to it. </p><p>I find a spiritually analogous meaning in it all. Our Father in Heaven is our Creator. He knows us all - every one of us. He has made ample provision for us. </p><p>He vouched safe our moral agency before the foundations of this Mother Earth were laid. </p><p>He knew exactly the number of His children who would come here to inhabit it. </p><p>He made the provisions for the amount of natural resources we would need to sustain ourselves. </p><p>He anticipated there would be some "bad actors" among us who would reject Him. </p><p>He also knows there are many of His children who would triumph over all their enemies and honor and serve Him. </p><p>He has raised up prophets from the beginning who would give guidance to all His children. </p><p>He gave them inspiration and revelation, and made revelation a possibility for all of us who would obey and value their writings in the scriptures. </p><p>He sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to atone for all our sins.</p><p>He promised and delivered the Holy Ghost to guide us in all we do while we live here.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjSFpIMyoprY2ZMGbXcTZyxXUz2Ocn4R8fcqbrv6UFjaPpKU7ENxHPRn0LmwFM1btUAOtqb8dFtCwith7Ung5ULYREY1iVaAQvrY-8dctLPtD4e72uQPgr6Sjn-gd8jul_I5epJjapm9Ba9dTJkFtNPorgQ4R8J3STHvK6qw7j_LmjIc155Seo1Lb8yfg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjSFpIMyoprY2ZMGbXcTZyxXUz2Ocn4R8fcqbrv6UFjaPpKU7ENxHPRn0LmwFM1btUAOtqb8dFtCwith7Ung5ULYREY1iVaAQvrY-8dctLPtD4e72uQPgr6Sjn-gd8jul_I5epJjapm9Ba9dTJkFtNPorgQ4R8J3STHvK6qw7j_LmjIc155Seo1Lb8yfg=w347-h347" width="347" /></a></div><br />To which I add my humble amen, and amen, and amen.<p></p>David B. Goateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01978666830682045128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370511552390871439.post-27625613784646958282023-12-06T13:08:00.005-07:002023-12-07T22:10:01.083-07:00Be a Maker of Peace<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">As this Christmas season commences, I have a suggestion. Let's all make a concerted effort to make peace in our world this year. It all starts with each of us as individuals. But you may ask what can one person do to make a difference in such a noisy contentious world? My answer is that you can do more than you imagine.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0g8vWtN6B8EAvu2D5tl6FF3ajA4xylcqh-zbBssi1y40bv03ZbddWQCMjRXofly_hSQTrONVz4V9xn9-JX2gkq45wjhg5uF8xolflpuIBC_xqrnSJpU1YkYZmpLNL9Rq2XsjWGC-csQKxuvfVEmDRXKo2N_8dn2l2_aU40J6uK8oEy9ym7mQYokdq7w" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="251" data-original-width="201" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0g8vWtN6B8EAvu2D5tl6FF3ajA4xylcqh-zbBssi1y40bv03ZbddWQCMjRXofly_hSQTrONVz4V9xn9-JX2gkq45wjhg5uF8xolflpuIBC_xqrnSJpU1YkYZmpLNL9Rq2XsjWGC-csQKxuvfVEmDRXKo2N_8dn2l2_aU40J6uK8oEy9ym7mQYokdq7w" width="192" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">This year, as in every year, there is chaos everywhere. We end each year, it seems, determined to do better in the coming year. That's what New Year's resolutions are designed to help us focus on. We get to breathe a huge sigh of relief as we recount what happened to us in the year. We pause, we slow down and reflect, and we are often overwhelmed with sorrow and grief over the tragedies that have hit us. Often these setbacks have come upon us uninvited and certainly unwelcomed. And yet, come they do and there seems to be little we can do to stop them.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's the stuff of which this mortal probation is all about. If life were predictable and everything always worked out exactly the way we drew it up in our planning, there would be no testing, no opposition and no stretching to help us progress to a higher and holier place. Indeed, we would be following blindly like robots programmed for perfection without having paid a price for any of it ourselves. And whose idea was that in the beginning? Oh wait, I remember now:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">And the Lord said: Whom shall I send? And one answered like unto the Son of Man: Here am I, send me. And another answered and said: Here am I, send me. And the Lord said: I will send the first.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">And the second was angry, and kept not his first estate; and, at that day, many followed after him. (<b>Abraham 3:27-28</b>).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">And I, the Lord God, spake unto Moses, saying: That Satan, whom thou hast commanded in the name of mine Only Begotten, is the same which was from the beginning, and he came before me, saying — Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">But, behold, my Beloved Son, which was my Beloved and Chosen from the beginning, said unto me — thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down; </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">And now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which I, the Lord God, had made. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">And Satan put it into the heart of the serpent, (for he had drawn away many after him,) and he sought also to beguile Eve, for he knew not the mind of God, wherefore he sought to destroy the world. (<b>Moses 4:1-6</b>). </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">In today's world, we are witnessing the adherents to Satan at war with one another. Some in the Church are still fond of citing the "two plans" that were posited in the beginning. But, <i>there were never two plans</i>, only one plan - the Father's plan. At issue was who would implement THAT ONE PLAN. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Father's great plan of happiness included the agency of man "which I, the Lord God, had given him, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten." </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">In opposition to the Father's plan Satan offered to redeem <i>everyone</i> and to have the Father give him all the honor and glory. Because of his rebellion, he was cast down, deprived of the privilege of a mortal body. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Satan must have been very persuasive, however, because we learn <i>"at that day many followed after him."</i> When we think about all those - <i>dare we call them "evil spirits?"</i> - who followed Satan in the pre-existence, then we do the math on it, let's look at Neal A. Maxwell's analysis: </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">64,000,000,000 who have lived in physical bodies on Earth to 1976 </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">~ 70,000,000,000 to 1984 (Maxwell's estimate) or 2/3 of all the spirits </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">35,000,000,000 or 1/3 of all the hosts of heaven who followed Satan </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>The current world population is </span><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14px;"><b>8,076,994,357</b></span><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14px;"> as of Wednesday, December 6, 2023 according to the most recent United Nations estimates elaborated by Worldometer. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">Now think about this: For every one of us Satan has about four of his minions he could assign to us to help him in his avowed mission to "destroy the world." Seems a little overwhelming doesn't it? Here's the good news: God has called <i>only one prophet at a time</i> to send His redeeming love into the world to bless all His children, and that man, that one man, is President Russell M. Nelson. That one man has been a consistent champion and witness to the divinity of the Savior Jesus Christ, who was chosen by the Father to implement that ONE PLAN of redeeming grace.</span></p><p class="verse" data-aid="128450383" id="p6" style="--height: 100.75px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.65em; vertical-align: baseline;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY1H7_OoaWM_B6u20znScBUTA1nz4r67DvuTdoj1-fd0jqdtmdHcCQn7rFa7ITPAK1GdC1pDVSeTf2btu2dFF0za8UvUhk3UBD54_jYJ-GBzbIgzZFQZ8ro4tEnVQPvhhxEXg6Tcx3Lwu0R1adc5L43fCgTvWu9IYhPZZqu6woGKddEYbCDRj3uOVRuQ/s318/image.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="318" data-original-width="318" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY1H7_OoaWM_B6u20znScBUTA1nz4r67DvuTdoj1-fd0jqdtmdHcCQn7rFa7ITPAK1GdC1pDVSeTf2btu2dFF0za8UvUhk3UBD54_jYJ-GBzbIgzZFQZ8ro4tEnVQPvhhxEXg6Tcx3Lwu0R1adc5L43fCgTvWu9IYhPZZqu6woGKddEYbCDRj3uOVRuQ/w209-h209/image.png" width="209" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">President Russell M. Nelson</td></tr></tbody></table><br />When he dies (he's in his 100th year today!), as surely he will, God will raise up another prophet in his stead to carry forward the work of gathering Israel in these last days until the Savior comes again to rule and reign on Earth. Here's what the prophet has said about peacemakers: <div><br /></div><div>"At this point you may be thinking that this message [to become peacemakers] would really help someone you know. Perhaps you are hoping that it will help him or her to be nicer to you. I hope it will! But I also hope that you will look deeply into <i>your</i> heart to see if there are shards of pride or jealousy that prevent <i>you</i> from becoming a peacemaker. </div><div><br /></div><div>"If you are serious about helping to gather Israel and about building relationships that will last throughout the eternities, <i>now</i> is the time to lay aside bitterness. <i>Now</i> is the time to cease insisting that it is your way or no way. <i>Now</i> is the time to stop doing things that make others walk on eggshells for fear of upsetting you. <i>Now</i> is the time to bury your weapons of war. If your verbal arsenal is filled with insults and accusations, <i>now</i> is the time to put them away. You will arise as a spiritually strong man or woman of Christ. </div><div><br /></div><div>"The temple can help us in our quest. There we are endowed with God’s power, giving us the ability to overcome Satan, the instigator of <i>all</i> contention. Cast him out of your relationships! Note that we also rebuke the adversary every time we heal a misunderstanding or refuse to take offense. Instead, we can show the tender mercy that is characteristic of true disciples of Jesus Christ. Peacemakers thwart the adversary. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Let us as a people become a true light on the hill — a light that 'cannot be hid.' Let us show that there is a peaceful, respectful way to resolve complex issues and an enlightened way to work out disagreements. As you demonstrate the charity that true followers of Jesus Christ manifest, the Lord will magnify your efforts beyond your loftiest imagination.</div><div><br /></div><div>"The gospel net is the largest net in the world. God has invited <i>all</i> to come unto Him, 'black and white, bond and free, male and female.' There is room for everyone. However, there is <i>no</i> room for prejudice, condemnation, or contention of any kind. </div><div><br /></div><div>"My dear brothers and sisters, the best is yet to come for those who spend their lives building up others. Today I invite you to examine your discipleship within the context of the way you treat others. </div><div><br /></div><div>"I bless you to make any adjustments that may be needed so that your behavior is ennobling, respectful, and representative of a true follower of Jesus Christ. </div><div><br /></div><div>"God lives! Jesus is the Christ. He stands at the head of this Church. We are His servants. He will help us to become His peacemakers." <a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2023/04/47nelson?lang=eng">https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2023/04/47nelson?lang=eng</a></div><div><br /></div><div>I had the perfect example of a peacemaker in my own home. Patsy was always a peacemaker who shunned even the slightest hint of contention. She lifted others, blessed them with her grace and her love. She served them constantly, tirelessly and championed them in their adversities. She even worried about them, but even in that one weakness she ultimately overcame her worry with faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. She took her worries to Him in everything, and in time - His time - solutions presented themselves to which she immediately subscribed and put into action. </div><div><br /></div><div>We are often talked out of our good intentions by the four evil spirits working on our faith. We too often are convinced that we are just one person, and what can only one weak individual like us do to bring about improvements in a wicked world? </div><div><br /></div><div>When you are tempted with those faulty thoughts, think about what one prophet, one mother, one father, one son or daughter, one bishop, one Relief Society President, one ministering saint can do, and then be assured that you are not just one. As our son, Steve, reminded us at Patsy's funeral, "When we show up our gifts show up too." What a priceless insight that is for each of us. You just have to "show up." </div><div><br /></div><div>But you might counter, "I don't have any gifts compared to everyone else around me." Again, that thought is worse than faulty. It is Satanic. Your gifts are many and they are powerful, more efficacious in someone else's life than you will ever know. </div><div><br /></div><div>When I think about Patsy's gifts and how they have been multiplied many times over into a posterity that now numbers over ninety precious souls in mortal tabernacles who are faithful and serving the best they know how, I have come to believe that none of us should ever discount our capability for good in such dismissive terms as, "I'm just not good enough." Or, "What difference can I make?" Or, "I am only one person." Stop it, already! </div><div><br /></div><div>You can be that peacemaker in your marriage, in your ward, in your stake, in your calling in the Church wherever it may take you, and don't be surprised when you get to the spirit world to be surrounded by your kindred spirits for whom you did all those vicarious ordinances in the temples. You are blessing legions whom you have never met in this life!! </div><div><br /></div><div>Only you, only one person, only someone as insignificant and weak as you. </div><div><br /></div><div>Only someone who learned how to make peace.<p></p></div>David B. Goateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01978666830682045128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370511552390871439.post-70603424318059187692023-11-14T12:11:00.001-07:002023-11-14T12:23:38.466-07:00I Can Tell You What Your Final Judgment Looks Like<p>I shared what follows with my family earlier this week. One daughter responded that she thought it was the best thing I had ever written. It was high praise coming from one whose opinion matters a lot to me. So I will be bold this morning and pass it along to the world comprised of my faithful readers.</p><p>I wrote last week, I reminded them, about having equal access to the Savior's atonement regardless of how "big" a sinner we might have been. The argument was raised by one of their friends that only those who had sinned, left the Church, then returned, could possibly appreciate and value the atonement. The premise was the biggest sinners love the Savior most. </p><p>On the heels of that personal missive to them, I offer this post in logical sequence. It is prompted by the report I read and watched of a Q&A session with Elder David A. Bednar among the saints in Chile where he was ministering last week:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Mi31zXs-Ldk" width="320" youtube-src-id="Mi31zXs-Ldk"></iframe></div><br /><p>He boldly and simply declared, “You don’t have to die to find out where you’ll go on the day of judgment.” I hope you will enjoy watching that brief clip cited above.</p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2Z8xPjUBswNJhaUNmLJDkptJvytFLOjNzp99SiDajTllQqtZeAsdhel3o18YhESJqZumwM9FAntC_oB-xLZg7GyeO6PZekLkMqmNNtWR7afHfJTEypOA3xpKOsdBnEVUtJ2sA34oDPU6NjVNPp5K6l26pQK6eUafu_Puoyy6Dtll2NHV8MvznZ-TgvQ" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img data-original-height="134" data-original-width="194" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2Z8xPjUBswNJhaUNmLJDkptJvytFLOjNzp99SiDajTllQqtZeAsdhel3o18YhESJqZumwM9FAntC_oB-xLZg7GyeO6PZekLkMqmNNtWR7afHfJTEypOA3xpKOsdBnEVUtJ2sA34oDPU6NjVNPp5K6l26pQK6eUafu_Puoyy6Dtll2NHV8MvznZ-TgvQ=w244-h168" width="244" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">President M. Russell Ballard</td></tr></tbody></table>Then on Monday morning I opened the Google browser to see the report of <a href="https://www.deseret.com/2023/11/13/23958812/president-m-russell-ballard-dies">the death of President M. Russell Ballard</a>. He was 95 years young, a valiant servant of the Lord to the moment he drew his last breath. His <a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2023/10/41ballard?lang=eng">October 2023 General Conference address</a>, spoken without any written text in front of him because he could no longer read the teleprompter, gave us all the sense of a final benediction in his simple, plain and powerful witness of the Restoration. He is a direct descendant of Hyrum Smith, and he always bore a powerful testimony of the Prophet Joseph. <p></p><p>His death now opens another vacancy in the Quorum of the Twelve. A new junior member will be named in due time by President Russell M. Nelson, and everyone else will move up one seat in seniority, making Elder Jeffrey R. Holland the new acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve if precedent is followed. </p><p>None of these things is surprising to us, since the kingdom of God on the earth today is well-ordered, predictable and in harmony with divine guidance. Under the direction of a loving and powerful living prophet, the work is accelerating at a rapid pace. </p><p>Temples are dotting the earth. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has 335 temples in various stages of announcement, construction, dedication and full-time use. Imagine when that number goes to 3,000 temples and beyond! Some of the younger members of our family will live to see the day and it will be glorious!</p><p>Which brings me back to the topic of the day. <b><i>If you love the Lord and His Church, and you love living the gospel, you will inherit the highest degree of the Celestial glory in your final judgment</i></b>. There are details like entering into the new and everlasting covenant of marriage, but that broad sentence will suffice for our purposes today. </p><p><b><i>If you love gathering each week at your home ward for sacrament and other meetings and mingling with the saints, you will be thinking celestial, as President Nelson has encouraged you to do.</i></b> </p><p><b><i>If you love reading and studying the scriptures and the words of the living prophets, there can be little doubt that you would love spending eternity with those prophets and you will!</i></b> </p><p><b><i>If you love your family members and are constantly looking for ways to bless their lives and the lives of others within your sphere of influence because it brings you such joy here, then think of those blessed acts of charity for an eternity up ahead, and you will have a glimpse of life in the Celestial Kingdom.</i></b></p><p>On the other hand, if living the gospel in this life is simply too much, or seems hard to do and you are more comfortable with skipping your meetings and being with other like-minded people in your telestial world here and now, then God isn’t going to force any of His children into a life in the resurrection that makes them uncomfortable. Yes, He wants every one of His children to return home to Him and live eternal life with Him, but He will never compel us even in the slightest way against our will. <b><i>We get to choose our own path. What a plan! Indeed, it is the plan of happiness and we will all be happy with what we choose.<br /></i></b></p><p>He extends the covenant path to us through His prophets and through the collective experiences of all the prophets who have recorded their teachings in the scriptures, but if it’s just too much to do, <b><i>there isn’t the least bit of compulsion in His plan. He honors everyone’s choices, whatever they may be</i></b>. </p><p>There may be a compelling reason this topic appeals to me right now. That reason is there is nothing I would rather do than live life eternally with my cherished companion of mortality (only a “nanosecond” in eternity). That’s what I choose, and that is what I am living for each day that remains. </p><p>I went to the temple last Friday in Ogden with daughter Allie, then we had lunch together. It was a heavenly outing. </p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0iWtnn8CW2wyUm10PmNBmvN9BCfJJNQlWg2USdlNNgk4HHFKjyhqRvDMFy93jiKJJxVjUbChsO12ngp6KMGwxilR1k1AL8-LK_LGdSmJxB3-SMt2PeUHpmIhV9mbIGBXMtIPYXiXP19RpTsM4-BW9q1Xfy8txA_um_MZHKu98TvT1kE56eo2uIgc7Nw" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="320" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0iWtnn8CW2wyUm10PmNBmvN9BCfJJNQlWg2USdlNNgk4HHFKjyhqRvDMFy93jiKJJxVjUbChsO12ngp6KMGwxilR1k1AL8-LK_LGdSmJxB3-SMt2PeUHpmIhV9mbIGBXMtIPYXiXP19RpTsM4-BW9q1Xfy8txA_um_MZHKu98TvT1kE56eo2uIgc7Nw=w265-h212" width="265" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ogden Temple</td></tr></tbody></table>I went to tithing settlement Sunday with our new bishop, Brent Edmunds. The numbers aren’t really very exciting like they were once when I was earning income, but the total doesn’t really matter as much as the intent in my heart to do good. We rejoiced together in that interview. <p></p><p>Our sacrament meeting featured a report of their mission by Brent’s parents, Steve and Liz. It was heavenly to hear their testimonies over the pulpit. I thought as I listened to them, “These are the kinds of people I want to associate with in the future of the spirit world and the resurrection.” </p><p>It’s what motivates me now - to be like them and to be with them. It’s what my final judgment will look like, and it’s not a mystery to me anymore. I can see it up ahead, just over that next horizon. It’s the culmination of everything I have lived for, hoped for and longed for. It’s where I am most comfortable, and that vision includes all of you as my family!</p><p>I can’t imagine being in company with anyone I love more than you. I know who you are. I know from whence you came, one at a time as you entered mortality. Now look at how our posterity has multiplied because of your faithfulness! </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQu_gZgAKlvnwHf5pTt_T24MjkN5Star7_2a6hl7vytGSfqyTdSLmBsFsD-bZiRWgFig-eSVXoLrhJV2W-4NRuodI4BY6YoRnx7XgOlb2MziPJ05HepCKMd4sKPwkyil2Y5l49KSdOgWJz4wdXB0m_bXEPUfwOvomAHWekZEGZrVNqPBsIAT8wGhimpw/s400/Adrienne.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="400" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQu_gZgAKlvnwHf5pTt_T24MjkN5Star7_2a6hl7vytGSfqyTdSLmBsFsD-bZiRWgFig-eSVXoLrhJV2W-4NRuodI4BY6YoRnx7XgOlb2MziPJ05HepCKMd4sKPwkyil2Y5l49KSdOgWJz4wdXB0m_bXEPUfwOvomAHWekZEGZrVNqPBsIAT8wGhimpw/w190-h153/Adrienne.jpg" width="190" /></a></div>I know Patsy and I linked arms with God who created your spirits as we created your bodies, and in each case you brought us so much joy as you came into this world. I can only imagine the joy that Patsy must have surely experienced as she went through the veil of death and was welcomed into the embrace of her Savior. (<b>2 Nephi 9:41</b>). It’s where she always wanted to be, and I desire nothing less for myself.<p></p><p>I want to be with her and with all of you. It’s what I choose freely and without any compulsion whatsoever. I love God and His Son. They are my best friends because I know Them. I love the gospel Christ taught and lived by example for each of us. </p><p>I love the thought of my paltry few dollars paid in tithing that are joining with billions of other dollars spreading comfort and relief all around the world. </p><p>I love the temple ordinances, again offered freely to all God’s children, securing to all who claim those supernal blessings for themselves the promise of eternal life. </p><p>Isn’t it curious that we know so little about the glory of the Terrestrial and the Telestial kingdoms? I have always felt that is because all the revelations point us instead to the Celestial Kingdom. </p><p>There is hope, always and forever, that all of us will choose whatever suits us best, and that it will be life with Patsy and our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ. </p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuK0VvzISZzr5XiUYeyxDT5m4qnFiC3cK71wSwlFOlo8_QQ4-VmnrP0E41kIwgqveBHd0qXyM1gzz-5jPG2p_7B6ZFdwPNWvSUb6eg8Fi5_MrdCHjkLeWvHvNTOLwaFVFTp8OPruzvD9hc5IjoSfYnlCp8kxRTYk4wIhpX7fhcLzirtxYeRC_tQCb-1g/s375/brighamyoung.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="322" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuK0VvzISZzr5XiUYeyxDT5m4qnFiC3cK71wSwlFOlo8_QQ4-VmnrP0E41kIwgqveBHd0qXyM1gzz-5jPG2p_7B6ZFdwPNWvSUb6eg8Fi5_MrdCHjkLeWvHvNTOLwaFVFTp8OPruzvD9hc5IjoSfYnlCp8kxRTYk4wIhpX7fhcLzirtxYeRC_tQCb-1g/s320/brighamyoung.jpg" width="275" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brigham Young</td></tr></tbody></table>President Brigham Young (1801–77) spoke of the extent of the Savior’s efforts to save mankind: “This is the plan of salvation. Jesus will never cease his work until all are brought up to the enjoyment of a kingdom in the mansions of his Father, where <b><i>there are many kingdoms and many glories, to suit the works and faithfulness of all men that have lived on the earth.</i></b> Some will obey the celestial law and receive of its glory, some will abide the terrestrial and some the telestial.” (Discourses of Brigham Young, sel. John A. Widtsoe [1954], 56, emphasis mine).<p></p><p>The "covenant path" is not hard. Instead, it is a path highlighted by generous promises. I love those promises, and I know each of you will find them as compelling as I do. Repentance is the key to understanding how to obtain them. <b><i>We don’t have to be perfect, we simply need to do our best and repent when we fall short.</i></b> It isn’t hard to understand at all. Christ lived the only perfect life and His perfection rescues each of us when we repent.</p><p>The final judgment is right in front of you for choosing today. You don’t have to wait until you die to know exactly what it will be, because you are choosing it every day here and now. I love you. Choose well. </p>David B. Goateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01978666830682045128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370511552390871439.post-46047905157122264382023-11-08T13:33:00.008-07:002023-11-09T14:41:54.458-07:00What Can I Do to Help Others Who Decide to Leave the Church?<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Today's post is prompted by a recent conversation with my children and grandchildren who are reporting what to them seems like an epidemic of their peers who are leaving the Church. I assured them this is not something new in the history of the Church. I have not lived through all the history of the Church personally, but I do have 76 years of it under my belt and I've seen a lot of it "up close and personal."</span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjiqCRJinmcwdEKDgf997EBodLxjRJi1jNTErBROAs_81DJ-uAkXYcod24gmwlONEadZ3Am61mgyyQGL4OFQUm4IcUvN8IDbyeQyPPIRWJpAfPFrrjdv2gjel4OAyt-OhieYzBTRGnYht0-oSzPFIBE2m_BB0wHJ8GIuiWbYLWAZsPlMIgNPomv5NmRew" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="" data-original-height="318" data-original-width="159" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjiqCRJinmcwdEKDgf997EBodLxjRJi1jNTErBROAs_81DJ-uAkXYcod24gmwlONEadZ3Am61mgyyQGL4OFQUm4IcUvN8IDbyeQyPPIRWJpAfPFrrjdv2gjel4OAyt-OhieYzBTRGnYht0-oSzPFIBE2m_BB0wHJ8GIuiWbYLWAZsPlMIgNPomv5NmRew=w185-h370" width="185" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jesus Christ <br />by Liz Lemon Swindle</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;">When I was a young elders quorum president, I discovered there were a few of my elders who were in various stages of leaving the Church for just as many various reasons. Some were on their way out the door because they felt the Word of Wisdom was too restrictive. Others didn’t like the way Elder Ezra Taft Benson mixed his religion with politics. Still others took exception to various policy positions the Church had taken. </span><p></p><p><span 20px="" a21="" color:="" font-family:="" font-size:="" merriweather="" serif="" style="font-family: inherit;">Back in those days it was the equal rights for women amendment to the U.S. Constitution that was the hot button issue. One man brought to his monthly PPI with me a box loaded with anti-Mormon literature, declaring that until I had read it all he wouldn’t take me seriously. I informed him I had already seen every document he supplied to me, and asked him what else he wanted to discuss. My response left him speechless. </span></p><p><span 20px="" a21="" color:="" font-family:="" font-size:="" merriweather="" serif="" style="font-family: inherit;">Another young man (all of these were returned missionaries) had committed adultery with a married woman in our ward and had been excommunicated. </span></p><p><span 20px="" a21="" color:="" font-family:="" font-size:="" merriweather="" serif="" style="font-family: inherit;">I also remember a young man who had “come out” as gay, and didn’t feel the Church was the least bit sympathetic to his situation. Others quietly kept up a drum beat against the Church’s policy to restrict Blacks from having the priesthood.</span></p><div style="border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">That’s a sampling of the cases I remember. </span></div><div style="border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Since those early years, there have been many more to whom I have been exposed and was asked by local leaders to help. These include eventual apostates who declared they simply "knew more" than the Brethren. They could not be taught. Adultery continues to be a stumbling block for many, as it has been since the beginning of time. </span></div><div style="border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Some became wealthy and objected to tithing robbing them of their worldly success. I've even known some who told me they were just "too lazy" to be active in the Church - it was just "too much work" for them. </span></div><div style="border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Stop me if you've heard this one: "The Church is just too wealthy - look at all that money they're spending on temples around the world, and all the humanitarian donations they are making everywhere." It seems the enemies of the Church will never stop their diatribes. It is more common now to see legal court cases challenging the use of tithing money in open opposition to the Church's senior leadership. </span></div><div style="border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Most recently it seems there has been a wave of criticism for the "aged" leaders who are out of touch with the younger generation in the Church. Look on the faces of these men, and tell me you cannot love them.</span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":""}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-2" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21; font-size: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":""}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-2" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: 20px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhRftmGrnghFxeNMYa8wdRuwhkAV34v0s866_manmkbmsbNHt-gMWLUnFQzjbuIcFxpZW8Mt_o1yWgmq08S6wKg3G9CzJEV4XEwnagAAMqYZ-fqvpwodRkqQrAwOsK8Jz1lCBCCZfrm5nUSBaZUrNeU0y0vqRTDh3_w2qQpC6AmF5lk1y3b3AbyYnu6g" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="299" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhRftmGrnghFxeNMYa8wdRuwhkAV34v0s866_manmkbmsbNHt-gMWLUnFQzjbuIcFxpZW8Mt_o1yWgmq08S6wKg3G9CzJEV4XEwnagAAMqYZ-fqvpwodRkqQrAwOsK8Jz1lCBCCZfrm5nUSBaZUrNeU0y0vqRTDh3_w2qQpC6AmF5lk1y3b3AbyYnu6g" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">The First Presidency</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />There is a common denominator I have witnessed over the years. To me, none of these complainants seemed very humble, nor were they teachable. Each had seemingly reached the point of no return, anchored in their belief that they knew better than anyone else, and that those who remained in the Church were merely deceived lemmings who were simpletons only going along to get along. They all expressed anger and judgment about their own experiences. </span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":""}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-4" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;" /></span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"Scott Strong introduced me to two of his friends who had served with him on a writing committee for the Young Men curriculum. The more famous of the two was Paul Toscano. Both were eventually excommunicated as apostates, and in the case of the lesser known of the two he became a polygamist and moved to Oklahoma with his wives and children. In interviewing and listening to their views in frequent “study sessions” with them, it became obvious by their statements that they felt the Church was being led by the “B” Team of General Authorities, and that they belonged on the “A” Team. That’s why they were stating they were happy to leave the Church. They spoke of secret prayer circles, and other secret activities they were keeping hidden. They were receiving visions and visitations from angels who were instructing them to do certain things that were abhorrent and in open rebellion against the Brethren. It was all based on knowledge they possessed that no one else in the Church was privy to. Nothing they taught Scott and me was a surprise. It was predictable, and tragically, it was leading to the place where each ended up. "}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-5" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Scott Strong, my dearest friend of a lifetime, introduced me to two of his friends who had served with him on a writing committee for the Young Men curriculum many years ago. The more famous of the two was Paul Toscano. Both were eventually excommunicated as apostates, and in the case of the lesser known of the two he became a polygamist and moved to Oklahoma with his wives and children.</span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"Scott Strong introduced me to two of his friends who had served with him on a writing committee for the Young Men curriculum. The more famous of the two was Paul Toscano. Both were eventually excommunicated as apostates, and in the case of the lesser known of the two he became a polygamist and moved to Oklahoma with his wives and children. In interviewing and listening to their views in frequent “study sessions” with them, it became obvious by their statements that they felt the Church was being led by the “B” Team of General Authorities, and that they belonged on the “A” Team. That’s why they were stating they were happy to leave the Church. They spoke of secret prayer circles, and other secret activities they were keeping hidden. They were receiving visions and visitations from angels who were instructing them to do certain things that were abhorrent and in open rebellion against the Brethren. It was all based on knowledge they possessed that no one else in the Church was privy to. Nothing they taught Scott and me was a surprise. It was predictable, and tragically, it was leading to the place where each ended up. "}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-5" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"Scott Strong introduced me to two of his friends who had served with him on a writing committee for the Young Men curriculum. The more famous of the two was Paul Toscano. Both were eventually excommunicated as apostates, and in the case of the lesser known of the two he became a polygamist and moved to Oklahoma with his wives and children. In interviewing and listening to their views in frequent “study sessions” with them, it became obvious by their statements that they felt the Church was being led by the “B” Team of General Authorities, and that they belonged on the “A” Team. That’s why they were stating they were happy to leave the Church. They spoke of secret prayer circles, and other secret activities they were keeping hidden. They were receiving visions and visitations from angels who were instructing them to do certain things that were abhorrent and in open rebellion against the Brethren. It was all based on knowledge they possessed that no one else in the Church was privy to. Nothing they taught Scott and me was a surprise. It was predictable, and tragically, it was leading to the place where each ended up. "}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-5" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In interviewing and listening to their views in frequent “study sessions” with them, it became obvious by their statements that they felt the Church was being led by the “B” Team of General Authorities, and that they belonged on the “A” Team. That’s why they were stating they were happy to leave the Church. </span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"Scott Strong introduced me to two of his friends who had served with him on a writing committee for the Young Men curriculum. The more famous of the two was Paul Toscano. Both were eventually excommunicated as apostates, and in the case of the lesser known of the two he became a polygamist and moved to Oklahoma with his wives and children. In interviewing and listening to their views in frequent “study sessions” with them, it became obvious by their statements that they felt the Church was being led by the “B” Team of General Authorities, and that they belonged on the “A” Team. That’s why they were stating they were happy to leave the Church. They spoke of secret prayer circles, and other secret activities they were keeping hidden. They were receiving visions and visitations from angels who were instructing them to do certain things that were abhorrent and in open rebellion against the Brethren. It was all based on knowledge they possessed that no one else in the Church was privy to. Nothing they taught Scott and me was a surprise. It was predictable, and tragically, it was leading to the place where each ended up. "}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-5" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"Scott Strong introduced me to two of his friends who had served with him on a writing committee for the Young Men curriculum. The more famous of the two was Paul Toscano. Both were eventually excommunicated as apostates, and in the case of the lesser known of the two he became a polygamist and moved to Oklahoma with his wives and children. In interviewing and listening to their views in frequent “study sessions” with them, it became obvious by their statements that they felt the Church was being led by the “B” Team of General Authorities, and that they belonged on the “A” Team. That’s why they were stating they were happy to leave the Church. They spoke of secret prayer circles, and other secret activities they were keeping hidden. They were receiving visions and visitations from angels who were instructing them to do certain things that were abhorrent and in open rebellion against the Brethren. It was all based on knowledge they possessed that no one else in the Church was privy to. Nothing they taught Scott and me was a surprise. It was predictable, and tragically, it was leading to the place where each ended up. "}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-5" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">They spoke of secret prayer circles, and other secret activities they were keeping hidden. They were receiving visions and visitations from angels who were instructing them to do certain things that were abhorrent and in open rebellion against the Brethren. It was all based on knowledge they possessed that no one else in the Church was privy to. Nothing they taught Scott and me was a surprise. It was predictable, and tragically, it was leading to the place where each ended up. </span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":""}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-6" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;" /></span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"Someone said it best, “There are a thousand reasons to leave the Church, but you only need to find one to remain true and faithful.” Things have changed in Church administration. Excommunication was often the outcome of what was called a “Church court,” then disfellowshipment became the solution of choice under “Church councils,” now many of those decisions are left to bishops under “membership councils.”"}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-7" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Someone said it best: “There are a thousand reasons to leave the Church, but you only need to find one to remain true and faithful.” </span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"Someone said it best, “There are a thousand reasons to leave the Church, but you only need to find one to remain true and faithful.” Things have changed in Church administration. Excommunication was often the outcome of what was called a “Church court,” then disfellowshipment became the solution of choice under “Church councils,” now many of those decisions are left to bishops under “membership councils.”"}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-7" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"Someone said it best, “There are a thousand reasons to leave the Church, but you only need to find one to remain true and faithful.” Things have changed in Church administration. Excommunication was often the outcome of what was called a “Church court,” then disfellowshipment became the solution of choice under “Church councils,” now many of those decisions are left to bishops under “membership councils.”"}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-7" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Things have changed in Church administration over the years. Excommunication was often the outcome of what was called a “Church court,” then disfellowshipping became the solution of choice under “Church councils.” Now many of those decisions are left to bishops under “membership councils.”</span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":""}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-8" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;" /></span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"So what can we do when someone we know and love decides to leave the Church for whatever reason they choose? Here are some ideas:"}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-9" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So what can we do when someone we know and love decides to leave the Church for whatever reason they choose? Here are some ideas:</span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":""}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-10" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21; font-size: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;" /></span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"1. Continue to minister unto them in love. The Savior taught: "}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-11" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 20px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3dIBHlu5_7GgLrRLptSYsqdnUpchWfTr01l0217kHzDkbV22vbP8zl-9qJGKg3ITXItIczjgYfZF9Idyj6KoALFZa_j1anW4-iCtFLR6lH3sOW31T3EI3Lnzza6Xmfptwq3Q_xO7TeEDaOqPGxGZIJBRlVblAaGV-jbUzPy6S58xAgi0tD51jrOwW8g" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3dIBHlu5_7GgLrRLptSYsqdnUpchWfTr01l0217kHzDkbV22vbP8zl-9qJGKg3ITXItIczjgYfZF9Idyj6KoALFZa_j1anW4-iCtFLR6lH3sOW31T3EI3Lnzza6Xmfptwq3Q_xO7TeEDaOqPGxGZIJBRlVblAaGV-jbUzPy6S58xAgi0tD51jrOwW8g=w299-h299" width="299" /></a></div>1. Continue to minister unto them in love.</b> </span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"1. Continue to minister unto them in love. The Savior taught: "}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-11" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"1. Continue to minister unto them in love. The Savior taught: "}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-11" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Savior taught:</span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":""}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-12" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;" /></span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"And behold, ye shall meet together oft; and ye shall not forbid any man from coming unto you when ye shall meet together, but suffer them that they may come unto you and forbid them not;"}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-13" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And behold, ye shall meet together oft; and ye shall not forbid any man from coming unto you when ye shall meet together, but suffer them that they may come unto you and forbid them not;</span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"But ye shall pray for them, and shall not cast them out; and if it so be that they come unto you oft ye shall pray for them unto the Father, in my name."}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-14" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But ye shall pray for them, and shall not cast them out; and if it so be that they come unto you oft ye shall pray for them unto the Father, in my name.</span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up—that which ye have seen me do. Behold ye see that I have prayed unto the Father, and ye all have witnessed."}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-15" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up — that which ye have seen me do. Behold ye see that I have prayed unto the Father, and ye all have witnessed.</span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"And ye see that I have commanded that none of you should go away, but rather have commanded that ye should come unto me, that ye might feel and see; even so shall ye do unto the world; and whosoever breaketh this commandment suffereth himself to be led into temptation…"}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-16" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And ye see that I have commanded that none of you should go away, but rather have commanded that ye should come unto me, that ye might feel and see; even so shall ye do unto the world; and whosoever breaketh this commandment suffereth himself to be led into temptation…</span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"Nevertheless, ye shall not cast him out of your synagogues, or your places of worship, for unto such shall ye continue to minister; for ye know not but what they will return and repent, and come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal them; and ye shall be the means of bringing salvation unto them. (3 Nephi 18:21-25; 32)."}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-17" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Nevertheless, ye shall not cast him out of your synagogues, or your places of worship, for <i>unto such shall ye continue to minister; for ye know not but what they will return and repent, and come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal them; and ye shall be the means of bringing salvation unto them.</i> (3 Nephi 18:21-25; 32, emphasis mine).</span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":""}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-18" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;" /></span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"Life is a marathon, not a sprint. Their reasoning may seem tricky to us - they think we are deceived for staying in the Church, while we believe they are deceived for leaving it. We never know what life situation may befall someone to “wake them up” to taking the things of the spirit more seriously. As we continue to minister in faith each day of our lives, we often come to a point when they return and cite our ministrations as one of the reasons they came back. Or maybe they will never return. "}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-19" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Life is a marathon, not a sprint. Their reasoning may seem tricky to us - they think we are deceived for staying in the Church, while we believe they are deceived for leaving it. We never know what life situation may befall someone to “wake them up” to taking the things of the spirit more seriously. As we continue to minister in faith each day of our lives, we often come to a point when they return and cite our ministrations as one of the reasons they came back. Or maybe they will never return. </span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"2. Don’t be too surprised to see what happens to people who lose the spirit of the Holy Ghost in their lives. One of those elders in our young married lives was D. Michael Quinn, a famed Church historian, who would go on to publish a string of scurrilous and critical works against the leadership of the Church. I remember him being so agitated that President Lee wasn’t actively praying for the Blacks to be given the priesthood. He, of course, had no idea what President Lee was or was not praying about, but he believed I should be exerting my influence upon him as his oldest grandson to bring about that change in Church policy. "}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-21" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqkUqnKv4jExG8A5lbQBrLnSH9czwEOTAUvoUiKQ6MvYeIWOzAYbO98kuXw9fvkfo0C2KTh9s-Yz3TPQbf0tEeZ8mduxVyzNo6T5X_0sHqwHQ7gtG_PSWXuL9TtNfE0XcM7jpoB9BYVfFYbcz68mzGCtxqZKg2wlqW08dEHMrX8QRO5iqMq0zbxAPvxA" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="251" data-original-width="201" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqkUqnKv4jExG8A5lbQBrLnSH9czwEOTAUvoUiKQ6MvYeIWOzAYbO98kuXw9fvkfo0C2KTh9s-Yz3TPQbf0tEeZ8mduxVyzNo6T5X_0sHqwHQ7gtG_PSWXuL9TtNfE0XcM7jpoB9BYVfFYbcz68mzGCtxqZKg2wlqW08dEHMrX8QRO5iqMq0zbxAPvxA=w182-h228" width="182" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">George P. Lee</td></tr></tbody></table><br />2. Don’t be too surprised to see what happens to people who lose the spirit of the Holy Ghost in their lives</b>. </span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"2. Don’t be too surprised to see what happens to people who lose the spirit of the Holy Ghost in their lives. One of those elders in our young married lives was D. Michael Quinn, a famed Church historian, who would go on to publish a string of scurrilous and critical works against the leadership of the Church. I remember him being so agitated that President Lee wasn’t actively praying for the Blacks to be given the priesthood. He, of course, had no idea what President Lee was or was not praying about, but he believed I should be exerting my influence upon him as his oldest grandson to bring about that change in Church policy. "}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-21" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"2. Don’t be too surprised to see what happens to people who lose the spirit of the Holy Ghost in their lives. One of those elders in our young married lives was D. Michael Quinn, a famed Church historian, who would go on to publish a string of scurrilous and critical works against the leadership of the Church. I remember him being so agitated that President Lee wasn’t actively praying for the Blacks to be given the priesthood. He, of course, had no idea what President Lee was or was not praying about, but he believed I should be exerting my influence upon him as his oldest grandson to bring about that change in Church policy. "}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-21" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The most stark contrast I ever witnessed was Elder George P. Lee. He was excommunicated, and later arrested on a drunk driving charge. To the right you will see his "mug shot" after his arrest. He was a General Authority Seventy at one time in his life until his inglorious fall from his lofty position. His picture has always served as a terrible reminder to me about what happens when we lose the spirit in our lives.</span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"2. Don’t be too surprised to see what happens to people who lose the spirit of the Holy Ghost in their lives. One of those elders in our young married lives was D. Michael Quinn, a famed Church historian, who would go on to publish a string of scurrilous and critical works against the leadership of the Church. I remember him being so agitated that President Lee wasn’t actively praying for the Blacks to be given the priesthood. He, of course, had no idea what President Lee was or was not praying about, but he believed I should be exerting my influence upon him as his oldest grandson to bring about that change in Church policy. "}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-21" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"2. Don’t be too surprised to see what happens to people who lose the spirit of the Holy Ghost in their lives. One of those elders in our young married lives was D. Michael Quinn, a famed Church historian, who would go on to publish a string of scurrilous and critical works against the leadership of the Church. I remember him being so agitated that President Lee wasn’t actively praying for the Blacks to be given the priesthood. He, of course, had no idea what President Lee was or was not praying about, but he believed I should be exerting my influence upon him as his oldest grandson to bring about that change in Church policy. "}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-21" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Another of those elders in our young married lives was D. Michael Quinn, a famed Church historian, who would go on to publish a string of scurrilous and critical works against the leadership of the Church. I remember him being so agitated with me that President Harold B. Lee wasn’t actively praying for the Blacks to be given the priesthood. He, of course, had no idea what President Lee was or was not praying about, but he believed I should be exerting my influence upon him as his oldest grandson to bring about that change in Church policy. </span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":""}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-22" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;" /></span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"Quinn had married a good friend of ours, Janice Darley, and they had a wonderful family. He was excommunicated eventually for apostasy and ended up in San Francisco as an avowed homosexual. He died recently, never having made steps back to the Church. His was a life among the “A” List bench of talented men who could not humble themselves enough to submit to the humble prophets God had raised up in these last days."}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-23" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Quinn had married a good friend of ours, Janice Darley, and they had a wonderful family. He was excommunicated eventually for apostasy and ended up in San Francisco as an avowed homosexual. He died recently (2021), never having made steps back to the Church. His was a life among the “A” List bench of talented men who could not humble themselves enough to submit to the humble prophets God had raised up in these last days.</span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":""}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-24" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;" /></span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"3. Pray for them constantly. Keep them in your prayers, and mention them by name to your Heavenly Father. Even if they choose to reject you and your ministrations, prayer is one of the most powerful conduits you can use to open up the heavens on their behalf. "}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-25" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOzC3PftCSRlA2OMDBDEE-n8_NOzVBozBy7jQGA9VQhQMPtFfryf23AaCy0DWt24NkY_wACcTbuexkG4Njjfnlug7dIJvcdCd94ZHn5KRLlgLGuVqbiz4HKcd5-sPip8v7a9rCyacAOqOpPglq2pgUznsTDcKqtt52PWjTV7sQ-iG9R_Q9-ciwtuarRA" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="280" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOzC3PftCSRlA2OMDBDEE-n8_NOzVBozBy7jQGA9VQhQMPtFfryf23AaCy0DWt24NkY_wACcTbuexkG4Njjfnlug7dIJvcdCd94ZHn5KRLlgLGuVqbiz4HKcd5-sPip8v7a9rCyacAOqOpPglq2pgUznsTDcKqtt52PWjTV7sQ-iG9R_Q9-ciwtuarRA" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>3. Pray for them constantly.</b> </span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"3. Pray for them constantly. Keep them in your prayers, and mention them by name to your Heavenly Father. Even if they choose to reject you and your ministrations, prayer is one of the most powerful conduits you can use to open up the heavens on their behalf. "}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-25" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"3. Pray for them constantly. Keep them in your prayers, and mention them by name to your Heavenly Father. Even if they choose to reject you and your ministrations, prayer is one of the most powerful conduits you can use to open up the heavens on their behalf. "}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-25" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Keep them in your prayers, and mention them by name to your Heavenly Father. Even if they choose to reject you and your ministrations, prayer is one of the most powerful conduits you can use to open up the heavens on their behalf. </span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":""}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-26" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;" /></span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"Addictions of all kinds keep people out of the Church. Take away addictions and mental illness and we will see many pure souls who long to be with the saints again. See those souls as the powerful spirits who they are. Keep in mind that while their lives here in mortality might appear to be a big messy glob of nastiness, they may always be remembered for the pure innocent children they once were before the temptations of the flesh overtook them. Always look for that spark of divinity within each one when you are saddened by their choices. Prayer will reveal more ways to you about how to help them. Remember, God loves all his children, and He wants them all to come back home. He will be more than willing to help you help them through the inspiration He will send to you through the Holy Ghost as you listen carefully for those promptings."}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-27" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Addictions of all kinds keep people out of the Church. Take away addictions and mental illness and we will see many pure souls who long to be with the saints again. See those souls as the powerful spirits who they are. Keep in mind that while their lives here in mortality might appear to be a big messy glob of nastiness, they may always be remembered for the pure innocent children they once were before the temptations of the flesh overtook them. Always look for that spark of divinity within each one when you are saddened by their choices. Prayer will reveal more ways to you about how to help them. </span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"Addictions of all kinds keep people out of the Church. Take away addictions and mental illness and we will see many pure souls who long to be with the saints again. See those souls as the powerful spirits who they are. Keep in mind that while their lives here in mortality might appear to be a big messy glob of nastiness, they may always be remembered for the pure innocent children they once were before the temptations of the flesh overtook them. Always look for that spark of divinity within each one when you are saddened by their choices. Prayer will reveal more ways to you about how to help them. Remember, God loves all his children, and He wants them all to come back home. He will be more than willing to help you help them through the inspiration He will send to you through the Holy Ghost as you listen carefully for those promptings."}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-27" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="attachment text_plain text" data-attachment="{"mimetype":"text/plain","text":"Addictions of all kinds keep people out of the Church. Take away addictions and mental illness and we will see many pure souls who long to be with the saints again. See those souls as the powerful spirits who they are. Keep in mind that while their lives here in mortality might appear to be a big messy glob of nastiness, they may always be remembered for the pure innocent children they once were before the temptations of the flesh overtook them. Always look for that spark of divinity within each one when you are saddened by their choices. Prayer will reveal more ways to you about how to help them. Remember, God loves all his children, and He wants them all to come back home. He will be more than willing to help you help them through the inspiration He will send to you through the Holy Ghost as you listen carefully for those promptings."}" id="sw-froala-editor-node-27" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-color: rgb(209, 209, 209); border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #042a21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Always remember God loves all his children, and He wants them all to come back home. He will be more than willing to help you help them through the inspiration He will send to you through the Holy Ghost as you listen carefully for those promptings.</span></div>David B. Goateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01978666830682045128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370511552390871439.post-43513455547895716352023-10-17T12:57:00.004-06:002023-10-17T13:16:51.171-06:00A Brief Primer on Eschatology<p>Recent events along the Gaza Strip adjacent to Israel have caused an incredible amount of disinformation and confusion throughout the world. In response, I offer my humble input to hopefully assist in unraveling what may seem to be an unfathomable conundrum. I wrote the following article on my blog page some fourteen years ago (2009), when the end of the Mayan calendar seemed to predict the end of the world. It didn't end then, did it? But what I wrote back then seems even more relevant today. I hope you will agree:</p><p>Eschatology (from the Greek ἔσχατος, Eschatos meaning "last" and -logy meaning "the study of") is a part of theology and philosophy concerned with what is believed to be the final events in the history of the world, or the ultimate destiny of humanity, commonly referred to as the end of the world.</p><p>There is a growing sense among the people of the last days that we are on some sort of collision course with the inevitability of the "end of times." Of course, this is not a new phenomenon. Since Christ was first taken up into heaven as His disciples stood and watched in awe (see <b>Acts 1:1-11</b>) with a promise "this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven," speculation has abounded over the timing of the fulfillment of the prophecy.</p><p><b>Christians</b>, however, are not the only source for speculations surrounding the end times. Much is being made of late about the fulfillment of the Mayan calendar coming to an end on December 21, 2012 (see my earlier post). In addition, the <b>Muslims</b> have an end time tradition embodied in the appearance of the Mahdi. According to the Shia and Sunni versions of the Islamic eschatology the Mahdi (مهدي Mahdī, also Mehdi; "Guided One") is the prophesied redeemer of Islam who will stay on earth seven, nine, or nineteen years (depending on the interpretation) before the coming of the day, Yawm al-Qiyamah (literally "Day of the Resurrection" or "Day of the Standing"). Muslims believe the Mahdi will rid the world of error, injustice and tyranny alongside Jesus. The concept of Mahdi is not explicitly mentioned in the Qu'ran nor in the Sunni hadiths such as Sahih al-Bukhari which only mention the second coming of Jesus. It is only one of the six books of hadīth. Some orthodox Sunnī theologians accordingly question Mahdist beliefs, but such beliefs form a necessary part of Shīʿī doctrine.</p><p>According to scholars Julie Vryhof and Mitchell Uitvlugt, the advent of Mahdi is not a universally accepted concept in Islam and among those that accept the Mahdi there are basic differences among different sects of Muslims about the timing and nature of his advent and guidance. The idea of the Mahdi has been described as important to Sufi Muslims, and a "powerful and central religious idea" for Shia Muslims who believe the Mahdi is the Twelfth Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi who will return from occultation. However, among Sunni, it "never became a formal doctrine" and is neither endorsed, nor condemned "by the consensus of Sunni Ulama." It has "gained a strong hold on the imagination of many ordinary" self-described orthodox Sunni though, thanks to Sufi preaching. Another source distinguishes between Sunni and Shia beliefs on the Mahdi saying the Sunni believe the Mahdi will be a descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad who will revive the faith. Most significantly to Americans and Jews living in Israel, the newly re-elected president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad absolutely believes it is his calling to bring to pass conditions of chaos that will usher in the coming of the Twelfth Imam.</p><p>Which brings us to the <b>Jews</b>. In Jewish eschatology, the term came to refer to a future Jewish King from the Davidic line, who will be "anointed" with holy anointing oil and rule the Jewish people during the Messianic Age. In Standard Hebrew, The Messiah is often referred to as מלך המשיח, Méleḫ ha-Mašíaḥ (in the Tiberian vocalization pronounced Méleḵ hamMāšîªḥ), literally meaning "the anointed king."</p><p>Today, the various Jewish denominations have sharp disagreements about the nature of the Messiah and the Messianic Age, with some groups holding that the Messiah will be a person and other groups holding that the Messiah is a representation of the Messianic Age itself.</p><p>Traditional thought and current Orthodox thought has mainly held that the Messiah will be an anointed one (messiah), descended from his father through the Davidic line of King David, who will gather the Jews back into the Land of Israel and usher in an era of peace.</p><p>Other denominations, such as Reform Judaism, perceive a Messianic Age when the world will be at peace, but do not agree that there will be a Messiah as the leader of this era, rather they believe that it will be brought about by the work of humankind.</p><p><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDElUFFVrdqw3UDcQ6rSt2uQLbUBCrSjh04A7MMHWVZn5W4FjScL9LbeQuQX7v1lemExrbbVoawR9Yu099-f4Nf_stO9tf_QqPMF7SdL9AhFmyim0FvhiuXkYsCOcdRJUcFV6uNJ8fwFu0zOz7ZvHWRv777V_PrSXssTtvuPkUNY8UrTTprsZXbA_TWw/s599/joseph%20smith%203.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="477" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDElUFFVrdqw3UDcQ6rSt2uQLbUBCrSjh04A7MMHWVZn5W4FjScL9LbeQuQX7v1lemExrbbVoawR9Yu099-f4Nf_stO9tf_QqPMF7SdL9AhFmyim0FvhiuXkYsCOcdRJUcFV6uNJ8fwFu0zOz7ZvHWRv777V_PrSXssTtvuPkUNY8UrTTprsZXbA_TWw/s320/joseph%20smith%203.JPG" width="255" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Joseph Smith</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b>It should be clear that what is needed is a unification doctrine around all these disparate ideas. Just such unification can be found, I believe, in the Restoration of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.</b> Joseph Smith, the boy prophet of 14 years of age, knelt in a grove of trees in upstate New York near Palmyra and declares: "I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other — This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him! My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong) — and which I should join. I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: 'they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.'" (<b>JSH 1:16-19</b>).<p></p><p>And thus began the prophetic calling of Joseph Smith, built upon the sure foundation of a restored knowledge of the true identity of God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. From Them he learned the truth about Christ's return to the earth in a future day as foretold by all the ancient prophets of whom we have written testaments. In subsequent visits with other heavenly messengers, Joseph Smith learned of his role in bringing to pass the fulfillment of events that would precede the Second Coming of the Lord and the ushering in of the Millennium.</p><p>It was Moroni who told him about the gold plates that contained the record of ancient American prophets, and provided the means whereby Joseph could translate the record and bring it forth as The Book of Mormon.</p><p>Joseph continues his history: "After telling me these things, he commenced quoting the prophecies of the Old Testament. He first quoted part of the third chapter of Malachi; and he quoted also the fourth or last chapter of the same prophecy, though with a little variation from the way it reads in our Bibles. Instead of quoting the first verse as it reads in our books, he quoted it thus: For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly shall burn as stubble; for they that come shall burn them, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. And again, he quoted the fifth verse thus: Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. He also quoted the next verse differently: And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers. If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming. In addition to these, he quoted the eleventh chapter of Isaiah, saying that it was about to be fulfilled. He quoted also the third chapter of Acts, twenty-second and twenty-third verses, precisely as they stand in our New Testament. He said that that prophet was Christ; but the day had not yet come when 'they who would not hear his voice should be cut off from among the people,' but soon would come. He also quoted the second chapter of Joel, from the twenty-eighth verse to the last. He also said that this was not yet fulfilled, but was soon to be. And he further stated that the fulness of the Gentiles was soon to come in. He quoted many other passages of scripture, and offered many explanations which cannot be mentioned here." (<b>JSH 1:36-41</b>).</p><p>In the revelation given November 1, 1831, we know as <b>Section 1 of The Doctrine and Covenants</b>, the Lord told Joseph: "And again, verily I say unto you, O inhabitants of the earth: I the Lord am willing to make these things known unto all flesh; For I am no respecter of persons, and will that all men shall know that the day speedily cometh; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand, when peace shall be taken from the earth, and the devil shall have power over his own dominion. And also the Lord shall have power over his saints, and shall reign in their midst, and shall come down in judgment upon Idumea, or the world. Search these commandments, for they are true and faithful, and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled. What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same. For behold, and lo, the Lord is God, and the Spirit beareth record, and the record is true, and the truth abideth forever and ever. Amen. (<b>D&C 1:34-39</b>).</p><p><i><span style="color: red;"><b>Search high and low in the eschatology of other religions, and nowhere will one find the declarative voice of certainty to the degree it is found in the revelations that came forth originally from the Prophet Joseph Smith or from his interpretations of other ancient texts. All that remains is for honest seekers of truth to examine his writings, his sermons and his teachings.</b></span></i></p><p>If you want to know the truth about the end times, look no further than Joseph Smith. Do not be deceived by other voices of prophecy that are not nearly as precise.</p><p>Ten years ago (and twice again since then), the youth of our ward were invited to submit questions to me, then I presented the answers in a fifth Sunday combined meeting. Whenever I have taught the youth of the Church, there is always an abundant interest in this topic. My guess is they all want to know what I wanted to know when I was in their situation: Will I have time to get married and have a career, a family and do all the things I want to do before the Second Coming? Now a grandfather many times over, I can assure all the youth in the Church today the answer is still a resounding "Yes!" Here's a sampling of their questions and my answers from that first meeting:</p><p><b>Is there really going to be a Second Coming?</b></p><p>This is always one of my favorite questions. It springs from the fertile minds of some in the Church who think all the references to the Second Coming are simply “figurative,” not literal. Like the circumstances surrounding the Savior’s birth, some prefer to shroud the truth in dark and mysterious secrets that aren’t secrets at all. The Lord through his prophets has had a lot to say about the Second Coming. Here’s a sampling of what the scriptural record has to say about that, then you make up your own mind:</p><p><b>Old Testament evidences:</b></p><p>The Lord said unto Enoch: “As I live, even so will I come in the last days.” (Moses 7:60). Enoch saw the day of the coming of the Son of Man, in the last days, to dwell on earth for a thousand years (verse 65). Enoch prophesied, saying: “Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints.” (Jude 14, 15). So did Job: “For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.” (Job 19:25). “Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence.” (Psalms 50:3; note that verses 4 and 5 tell of conditions that shall attend the Lord's future coming). “He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.” (Psalms 72:8; see also verse 17; 82:8). “When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.” (Psalms 102:16). “The Lord of Hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 24:23). “The Lord God will come with strong hand.” (Isaiah 40:10). “The Lord shall reign in mount Zion even forever.” (Micah 4:7; see also Zechariah 14:9, 20, 21). “The Lord to come suddenly; but who may abide the day of his coming?” (Malachi 3:1-4). “Elijah the prophet to be sent before the great and dreadful day of the Lord.” (Malachi 4:5, 6).</p><p><b>New Testament evidences:</b></p><p>“The Son of Man to come in the glory of his Father.” (Matthew 16:27). “The Son of Man to come in glory and to judge the nations. (Matthew 25:31-46). “Then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven.” (Matthew 24:30). “Of the day and hour of the Lord's coming no man knoweth.” (Matthew 24:36). “Then shall they see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.” (Mark 13:26; see also verses 32, 33, 37). “Of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:38). “After many tribulations the people shall see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” (Luke 21:27; read verse 10 and the verses following; also 17:26-30). “Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when ye think not.” (Luke 12:40). “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night to those not prepared.” (2 Peter 3:10; see also 1 Thessalonians 5:2). “This same Jesus shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11). “And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you.” (Acts 3:20). “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come.” (1 Corinthians 4:5; compare 11:26). “From whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 3:20). “At the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.” (1 Thessalonians 3:13; see also 2:19). “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16). “When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels.” (2 Thessalonians 1:7; see also 2:1; 1 Timothy 6:14; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 9:28). “Stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh (James 5:8). “That we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.” (1 John 2:28; see also 3:2). “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him.” (Revelation 1:7; see also 6:12-17).</p><p><b>Book of Mormon and D&C evidences:</b></p><p>“The Holy One of Israel must reign in dominion, and might and power, and great glory.” (1 Nephi 22:24; see also verse 26). “The bands of death to be broken and the Son to reign.” (Mosiah 15:20). “Elijah to come before the great and dreadful day of the Lord.” (3 Nephi 25:5). “Christ expounded to the Nephites things that should occur until he should come in his glory.” (3 Nephi 26:3). The power of heaven to come down with Christ in the midst (3 Nephi 21:25; compare 20:22; see also 24:1-3). The Three Nephites to remain in the flesh until the Lord shall come in his glory with the powers of heaven. (3 Nephi 28:7). “Ye need not say that the Lord delays his coming.” (3 Nephi 29:2). “Christ to reveal himself from heaven with power and great glory, with all the hosts thereof.” (D&C 29:11; see also 45:44; 65:5). “The time is soon at hand when I shall come in a cloud with power and great glory.” (D&C 34:7, 8, 12). “When he shall come in the clouds of heaven to reign on the earth over his people.” (D&C 76:63). “The Lord to be in the midst of the saints in glory, and to be their king and lawgiver.” (D&C 45:59; see also 1:36). “The Son of Man now reigneth in the heavens, and will reign on the earth.” (D&C 49:6). “The Lord will come down from the presence of the Father to take judgment upon the wicked.” (D&C 63:34). “Preparing the way of the Lord for his second coming.” (D&C 34:6; see also 39:20; 77:12). “The Son of Man to come in an hour you think not.” (D&C 61:38). “The time of the Lord's coming nigh at hand.” (D&C 35:15; 43:17; 133:17). “Hour and day of the Lord's coming no man knoweth, neither the angels.” (D&C 49:7; 39:21; 133:11). “The good and the meek shall be looking for the time of the Lord's coming.” (D&C 35:15). “He that feareth me shall be looking for the great day of the Lord to come.” (D&C 45:39; see also verses 40-56, and verses 74, 75). “Unto some it shall be given to know the signs of the coming of the Son of Man.” (D&C 68:11 – and I can tell you who “some” are – the people who seek shall find). “I come quickly.” (D&C 34:12; 35:27; 39:24; 41:4; 49:28; 51:20; 54:10; 68:35; 87:8; 99:5; 112:34).</p><p><b>What still must happen before the Second Coming?</b></p><p>That is a question with a very long answer, since most of the prophecies that describe the events preceding the Second Coming are as yet unfulfilled. I hope no one ever asks that question in the spirit of, “How much time do I have left?” We should always be repenting and be anxiously engaged in doing good and seeking to bring about Zion in our own sphere of influence.</p><p>My short response always favors Joseph Smith’s teachings about the seven seals in Revelation, each seal representing a 1,000-year period of the Earth’s temporal existence. We are living in the very end time of the sixth seal, because we are still waiting for the two major events of the sixth seal to occur: The “great earthquake” (see <b>Revelation 6:12</b>; also study <b>D&C 77</b> in depth), and the sealing of the 144,000 high priests, 12,000 out of each tribe of Israel (see <b>Revelation 7:4-8</b>). The actual Second Coming does not occur until after all the events described in the seventh seal have been accomplished. So, those are two significant events yet to occur.</p><p>The Prophet Joseph Smith asked this question while in prayer one day. He was shown events in and around Jerusalem and the rebuilding of the Jewish temple yet to occur:</p><p>"I was once praying earnestly upon this subject, and a voice said unto me, 'My son, if thou livest until thou art eighty-five years of age, thou shalt see the face of the Son of Man.' I was left to draw my own conclusions concerning this; and I took the liberty to conclude that if I did live to that time, He would make His appearance. But I do not say whether He will make His appearance or I shall go where He is. I prophesy in the name of the Lord God, and let it be written — the Son of Man will not come in the clouds of heaven till I am eighty-five years old. Then read the <b>14th chapter of Revelation, 6th and 7th verses</b> — 'And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God and give glory to Him, for the our of His judgment is come.' And Hosea, 6th chapter, After two days, etc., — 2,520 years; which brings it to 1890. The coming of the Son of Man never will be — never can be till the judgments spoken of for this hour are poured out: which judgments are commenced. Paul says, 'Ye are the children of the light, and not of the darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief in the night.' It is not the design of the Almighty to come upon the earth and crush it and grind it to powder, but he will reveal it to His servants the prophets.</p><p>"Judah must return, Jerusalem must be rebuilt, and the temple, and water come out from under the temple, and the waters of the Dead Sea be healed. It will take some time to rebuild the walls of the city and the temple, Etc.; and all this must be done before the Son of Man will make his appearance. There will be wars and rumors of wars, signs in the heavens above and on the earth beneath, the sun turned into darkness and the moon to blood, earthquakes in divers places, the seas heaving beyond their bounds; then will appear one grand sign of the Son of Man in heaven. But what will the world do? They will say it is a planet, a comet, etc. But the Son of Man, which will be as the light of the morning cometh out of the east." (April 6, 1843.) <i>DHC</i> 5:336-337. (<i>TPJS</i>, p. 286-7).</p><p><b>Do you think that the Second Coming is closer than people think and are prepared for?</b></p><p>As I pointed out in the beginning, what I think – my opinion – doesn’t really matter. There are two widely held misconceptions in the Church about the Second Coming: 1) That you can somehow estimate the time in days, months or years before the Second Coming will occur; and 2) that it will occur when we are sufficiently righteous and prepared for it.</p><p>First, the Second Coming will occur when all the events related to it are fulfilled, and not a moment sooner. So you must measure the nearness of the Second Coming in events, rather than with a calendar or a clock. My counsel is that we all become familiar with those events, then we will not be deceived when false prophets come among us determined to deceive us.</p><p>Second, the scriptural record seems replete with references that the Second Coming will happen as a day of vengeance and wrath to cleanse the world. The Second Coming will come in a day of perverse wickedness, not unlike the condition of the world just before the great Flood in Noah’s day, not in a day of righteousness. The righteous saints, many of whom will be prepared and ready and waiting anxiously, will neither hasten nor delay the Lord’s coming one way or the other. The events are clearly delineated (though often “scrambled” rather than arranged topically) in the scriptures. The Lord has not been silent on this point:</p><p>“What I the Lord have decreed in them [the published revelations and prophecies] SHALL BE FULFILLED.” Again, “Search these commandments, for they are true and faithful, and the prophecies and promises which are in them SHALL ALL BE FULFILLED. What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but SHALL ALL BE FULFILLED, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.” (<b>D&C 1:7; 37-38</b>). The time of Christ’s Second Coming has always been known to the Father from the beginning. We have no power either to hasten it or to delay it. (Read <b>Joseph Smith-Matthew 40</b>).</p><p><b>How close do you feel the Second Coming is?</b></p><p>This is a serious question, but my answer is the same as above – it doesn’t really matter how I feel about it. As more gray hair grows in among the black ones on my head, my feelings have changed. I could have my own Second Coming tomorrow if I die. In that context, the Second Coming for me could be very close indeed. I suppose that is true for all of us, because no one I know has yet been able to predict the time of death with any degree of accuracy.</p><p>So you want my feelings anyway? There are many, many events that must yet occur on this Earth before the Second Coming. You could all be grandparents bouncing grandchildren on your knees before the events are all fulfilled. But I believe that one of the key elements of prophecy relating to the Second Coming is what happens to the two sites of the Millennial temples that must be built before the Second Coming: One in Independence, Missouri (see D&C 84:2-5), and one on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. All the ancient prophets, David, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Micah, Zechariah, to name a few, saw that future Jerusalem temple in vision. Keep your eye on Independence and Jerusalem if you want a gauge to measure nearness. Then ask yourselves, "Which Church on the earth today holds the authoritative priesthood keys that govern temple building?" When the Jews and the Mormons finally build their Millennial temples in preparation for the Lord’s return, you will know that the day of the Second Coming is not far off. Until then, do as President Wilford W. Woodruff did -- keep planting your cherry trees.</p><p>One final thought to younger folks than I. When you live a long time, you outlive your fears of all the things you thought were going to happen because the things you once feared never happened. So I no longer fear the future because I've seen the past and I love today. It's really all I have and I'm going to make the very best of it I can.</p><p><br /></p>David B. Goateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01978666830682045128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370511552390871439.post-25987078010066000442023-10-05T12:22:00.009-06:002023-10-05T13:12:36.750-06:00What We Need Today Is a Little More Hope<p><span style="font-family: arial;">The recent semi-annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints wrapped up last weekend. It was an inspiring event, filled with hopeful messages and inspiration from our leaders. I was asked several times what my favorite messages were. Without hesitation I responded that I loved the talk delivered by <a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2023/10/33runia?lang=eng">Sister Tamara W. Runia</a>, First Counselor in the Young Women's General Presidency. I loved it because it was so full of hope for the future. I commend her words to all of us as we seek to see the human family through the "overview lens" she shared with us:</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjho6nqz2LHF_zinwllgrBlGAabekUz_AwVf_RE-LFt5rf3i5twuYuCk-EwrjCbFfmdduhaT742NK4i4wzxnh9EwQKvu-bkCw8fqJdfiIoh00lmSXDwaevcR45X6R4Bklt5uQkzNQinGLnU0TemC4mPtRV4qbdZ-htkeYS7eX5LDvU60UPWeYSX7HCE7w" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjho6nqz2LHF_zinwllgrBlGAabekUz_AwVf_RE-LFt5rf3i5twuYuCk-EwrjCbFfmdduhaT742NK4i4wzxnh9EwQKvu-bkCw8fqJdfiIoh00lmSXDwaevcR45X6R4Bklt5uQkzNQinGLnU0TemC4mPtRV4qbdZ-htkeYS7eX5LDvU60UPWeYSX7HCE7w" width="192" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Sister Tamara W. Runia</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">On the heels of the hope-filled General Conference, came this disturbing report of a recent poll. I read the results earlier this morning, and I have to confess if I did not believe what I believe, and have the hope in a loving Heavenly Father and His Son, our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, I would be one of those who also could find little to salute in the conditions of the world around us. I would be without hope in this world. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It would seem the participants in that particular poll are anything but hopeful. <a href="https://studyfinds.org/dont-trust-us-government-doomsday/">Fully 71% of the respondents said they have no hope that the government can prevent the inevitable outcome of a worldwide holocaust. </a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span>According to a survey of 6,200 Americans conducted by BonusFinder.com, 71.2 percent of Americans say they have </span><span>no faith </span>in the U.S. government to save them or prevent </span><a cmp-ltrk-idx="0" cmp-ltrk="In article links" data-mrf-link="https://studyfinds.org/best-doomsday-vehicles/" href="https://studyfinds.org/best-doomsday-vehicles/" mrfobservableid="1b7f007d-fc25-4010-a5fe-bbdd9df50857" rel="noopener" target="_blank">a doomsday event</a><span>. Even more unnerving, many respondents believe Doomsday could come within the next year.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span>Over half the poll (55.8%) think Doomsday will come in the form of a </span><a 0.1s="" 0s="" a16b07="" all="" box-sizing:="" cmp-ltrk-idx="1" cmp-ltrk="In article links" color:="" data-mrf-link="https://studyfinds.org/hot-nights-climate-change-deaths/" ease-in-out="" href="https://studyfinds.org/hot-nights-climate-change-deaths/" inherit="" mrfobservableid="60db3fba-79d9-4c99-99ca-2d6110aa54c2" none="" rel="noopener" target="_blank" text-decoration-line:="" transition:="">climate change-related catastrophe</a><span>, while a third believe another virus will sweep the globe and a quarter of respondents fear the start of </span><a 0.1s="" 0s="" a16b07="" all="" cmp-ltrk-idx="2" cmp-ltrk="In article links" color:="" data-mrf-link="https://studyfinds.org/nuclear-war-billions-die-of-hunger/" ease-in-out="" href="https://studyfinds.org/nuclear-war-billions-die-of-hunger/" inherit="" mrfobservableid="fe5324b2-0e90-4340-86c4-812c51bb0d61" none="" rel="noopener" target="_blank" text-decoration-line:="" transition:="">World War III</a><span>. Another seven percent are betting on an alien invasion, while the same number believe 2024 will finally be the year </span><a cmp-ltrk-idx="3" cmp-ltrk="In article links" data-mrf-link="https://studyfinds.org/prepared-for-zombie-apocalypse/" href="https://studyfinds.org/prepared-for-zombie-apocalypse/" mrfobservableid="ff9ebbc4-40e7-4bbe-ac7a-7b345e10a8b8" rel="noopener">zombies walk the Earth</a><span>.</span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: arial;">Given the dismal findings of the poll (<i>zombies, really?</i>), as I read through it I wondered, "Okay, I get it, people don't believe the government will be able to do anything to help them. So, what takes the place of the government in avoiding the dismal outcomes people are fearing most?"</span></span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: arial;">For the answer to my own question, I looked to the concluding speaker at the Conference, 99-year-old President Russell M. Nelson, certainly a trusted and reliable voice of reason, hope and testimony. He urged us all to <a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2023/10/51nelson?lang=eng">"think celestial"</a> when confronting all our life's troubles.</span></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgud1CJNKvd4G1Fvczf5C6mS-G5EnP7uVosVkY9xyHVBV4eJuotqq2lLvCDiZnJLxler_Vxb7xUPes_g1b8oKUYfvXh1AOAcf6Dooxzbj3BlCMH6r0wE9NjVqXzGDNIeB6yXVktpFzNsAl4z87g2c4gyrCyhOK6sUUDnPZAOcGh29k72-BZmbYWFggLIg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img alt="" data-original-height="318" data-original-width="318" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgud1CJNKvd4G1Fvczf5C6mS-G5EnP7uVosVkY9xyHVBV4eJuotqq2lLvCDiZnJLxler_Vxb7xUPes_g1b8oKUYfvXh1AOAcf6Dooxzbj3BlCMH6r0wE9NjVqXzGDNIeB6yXVktpFzNsAl4z87g2c4gyrCyhOK6sUUDnPZAOcGh29k72-BZmbYWFggLIg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">President Russell M. Nelson</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />Not only is our beloved Prophet filled with hope for the future, but he announced the pending construction of another twenty temples located throughout the world. Does that sound like a Doomsday scenario? Hardly!</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">He testified: "<span>Time today does not allow me to answer that question fully, but may I share one of the most crucial lessons I have learned. </span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span>"I have learned that Heavenly Father’s plan for us is</span><span> </span><i>fabulous</i><span>, that what we do in this life really matters, and that the Savior’s Atonement is what makes our Father’s plan possible.</span>(John 6:38)."</span><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span>He continued: "</span><span>When you are confronted with a dilemma, <i>think celestial</i>! When tested by temptation, <i>think celestial</i>! When life or loved ones let you down, <i>think celestial</i>! When someone dies prematurely, <i>think celestial</i>. When someone lingers with a devastating illness, <i>think celestial</i>. When the pressures of life crowd in upon you, <i>think celestial</i>! As you recover from an accident or injury, as I am doing now, <i>think celestial</i>!" (emphasis mine).</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I might be more susceptible to seeking messages of hope than many of the rest of you, given my current situation of having witnessed my wife's sudden death. Her passing has left me very lonely physically, and were it not for the absolute knowledge I have of our eternal sealing that ensures our life together after mortality, I might be tempted to believe the end of the world as I know it might come as early as next year. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii4thYBzOlXPJ9U9rLl72bMDFCOvdjCeBaireARdTc7MvGfqpke4VL26Gh22c1mqWqtytRTwUnCM6DbR2VARlitP1wxiQpTfAaQW7BrVwmG0NI4hsJJx-SVo0fwRKhCoqrcAX6UPRrwKDdKwiGhKPYS79j9XN4SqJOm4fS_x5sEtzTofivSRgQVZlnPg/s325/image.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="325" data-original-width="241" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii4thYBzOlXPJ9U9rLl72bMDFCOvdjCeBaireARdTc7MvGfqpke4VL26Gh22c1mqWqtytRTwUnCM6DbR2VARlitP1wxiQpTfAaQW7BrVwmG0NI4hsJJx-SVo0fwRKhCoqrcAX6UPRrwKDdKwiGhKPYS79j9XN4SqJOm4fS_x5sEtzTofivSRgQVZlnPg/s320/image.png" width="237" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Patsy Goates</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">However, knowing what I know spiritually makes all the difference. I will continue to abide in faith in the future, come what may. I am going to <b><i>think celestial</i></b> from here on in. I invite you to join me.</span></p><p style="font-style: italic;"><span><br /></span></p><i style="font-style: italic;"><strike><strike></strike></strike></i>David B. Goateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01978666830682045128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370511552390871439.post-85781376623813595612023-09-06T13:55:00.004-06:002023-09-15T13:52:10.731-06:00What Was Patsy's Philosophy About Work?It’s Labor Day 2023, and today’s topic is well-suited to the occasion. Patsy was an old-fashioned woman (I know that’s a shocker, but true). Her “philosophy” on work was simple - she believed in it like she believed the gospel is true, America is the land of the free, and motherhood is desirable above everything else. You could even throw in believing in the Hallmark Channel for good measure. <div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJvYU3Gfrm-LRhXDrkJCRenXkZ2sDLHRdCwq5FjnUKD3bB9mY7UEDR9RRzmfwn2m39sTP9dwUUDAAsM6Tdxl9NfES9s6IxRnSUAzIiTNmDOljVQg6sgjqwjgDEUZGG_hYKruGiP_maH0SevpB3n56BcYPn_w-kAmQ2_7o71ODsQ76FXW5p-JBUkSlReQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="332" data-original-width="500" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJvYU3Gfrm-LRhXDrkJCRenXkZ2sDLHRdCwq5FjnUKD3bB9mY7UEDR9RRzmfwn2m39sTP9dwUUDAAsM6Tdxl9NfES9s6IxRnSUAzIiTNmDOljVQg6sgjqwjgDEUZGG_hYKruGiP_maH0SevpB3n56BcYPn_w-kAmQ2_7o71ODsQ76FXW5p-JBUkSlReQ" width="320" /></a></div><br />Hard work was second nature to her. We have the pictures to prove her work ethic. Perhaps the most iconic was the one of her at my side up on the roof as we were nailing down the tar paper to dry it in when she was seven months pregnant. Who does that? Well, Patsy did that. She is also seen in other pics with a shovel in her hands digging in the ground between the power box across the driveway to the electrical panel mounted on the outside of the house. She was also handy with a paintbrush whenever we stained the outside of the cabin. Physical labor was not the least bit intimidating to her. She helped to plant the now-towering pine trees you can see on the property. She even helped me to nail the siding on the inside walls, and yes, those nails were all driven by a hammer one nail at a time (no nail guns in those days). She even cut the siding lengths with the circular saw as I measured and called out the numbers to her. She helped me pull wire through the walls before we were blessed with Tanner Venema. I was reminded as I was writing this chapter that she even chipped in her labor with all our lumberjack activities in the days when we cut our own firewood from the surrounding forest. She could split and cut alongside the best of us. The boys commented, “The only reason we did that was because you were teaching us how to work.” Right! And not only did she work alongside us, she always provided the delicious food for lunch and dinner. We really were engaged in building “the little house on the prairie” in those days, and we all loved it. We made quite a team as we worked together side by side.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhvEH9aFvmKbDDGGcvwAo86YFp5YI5AOOACHPlsRfT4L4pum8hRhaPDa27Zp_qdsAYMn4lr4t_892TJHj9AFe3ATDyzazi_n_FpMhd0lOsaH4_5jQJRpCgLHCsKRfBp3ZKxnBuzKqakjhzlbZukmvRipk58gJic0r_G0qfruYRry2F1Vyw891gWhhFcmA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="612" height="343" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhvEH9aFvmKbDDGGcvwAo86YFp5YI5AOOACHPlsRfT4L4pum8hRhaPDa27Zp_qdsAYMn4lr4t_892TJHj9AFe3ATDyzazi_n_FpMhd0lOsaH4_5jQJRpCgLHCsKRfBp3ZKxnBuzKqakjhzlbZukmvRipk58gJic0r_G0qfruYRry2F1Vyw891gWhhFcmA=w343-h343" width="343" /></a></div><br />That’s working for nothing in return, like she did in her work as a homemaker that involved cooking, making beds, endless piles of laundry, folding clothes into “piles” that were always contested, vacuuming and scrubbing the floors, cleaning toilets, taking out the trash, and sewing all manner of clothing and quilts for her children, grandchildren and other loved ones. She said she inherited her seamstress skills from Grandma Brazier, and her mother bought her the finest Bernina sewing machine back in the day, but she improved upon that talent through her diligence and hard work.<p></p>She worked tirelessly at all those tasks and loved it all because it was toiling for those she loved. She expected nothing in return for her labor. It was all given out of the abundance of her soul. I think it could be summarized by one simple sentence - she had the courage to work at the things she could change, and <a href="https://thegoateskids.blogspot.com/2012/05/waiting-patiently-on-lord.html">the patience to wait upon the things she could not change.</a> In it all she coupled her hard work with prayer on behalf of everyone. Now that the burdens of mortality have been lifted, you can be assured she is working beyond the veil to bless us all spiritually with whatever gifts she is able to bestow.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEioVk5YuJuwYpt5XkNU3uYAXRREFpKwUjuxS2T2dQPAfcJXwu_oLG45jDXT02IhpKG0iWCapLXbtg98h8KZCxiEWVoKi0BlVrUvjW1cD4FWUNREVKvaoisj-6oYksFlIDyoTmH25OlfwGfnRcXvnV3TAAKzK891Au5-5DFYyzLbn6GMl2MtbRruUd6uXg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEioVk5YuJuwYpt5XkNU3uYAXRREFpKwUjuxS2T2dQPAfcJXwu_oLG45jDXT02IhpKG0iWCapLXbtg98h8KZCxiEWVoKi0BlVrUvjW1cD4FWUNREVKvaoisj-6oYksFlIDyoTmH25OlfwGfnRcXvnV3TAAKzK891Au5-5DFYyzLbn6GMl2MtbRruUd6uXg" width="320" /></a></div>There was a time in our marriage when she did go to work for money. <br />Diane and Jack Gardiner were expanding the operations of their 7-Eleven in Kamas to include a sandwich shop that opened for the lunchtime crowd. I was toiling away at trying to get Legacy Now launched, but it seemed to drag on and on without resolution. So at the invitation of Diane, Patsy went to work building sandwiches one at a time for the patrons who frequented their shop. Remember, this was long before the days of Subway and Jimmy Johns. They baked their own rolls and provided all manner of fixings for their custom sandwiches, and together they were a big hit in rural Kamas, Utah. Today, the Silver Summit Inn occupies that space in the rebuilt 7-Eleven store, but the pioneers in sandwich making were Diane and Patsy. She didn’t make much money in that enterprise, but she welcomed the challenge and they made a success at it. I would work at my desk at home, then often drive down at lunchtime to partake of their offerings. I loved her for her effort and her willingness to contribute to our family income while we were living off our savings.<p></p>It seemed Patsy never tired of working hard. In more recent years she spent increasing time with Grandma Julie as her principal caregiver. She would often drive down to the Wellington in Salt Lake City early in the morning, and it was not unusual for her to call me when she was running late in getting out of there to tell me where the dinner was in the refrigerator and give me instructions on how to heat it up and eat without her. It was another form of work, surely, but it could only be described as hard work, again given out of love for Julie and her father Lester.<p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #042a21; font-family: GTSuperTextBook, Georgia, serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 28px; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: auto;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwtMY9XFk77QnqC22VP6tkY5VRFewdZPeDoff32OZ5gTIXdyLwVtUKt6XTeAyPg6yAvukIrHUVK-EPn0FqnSsnykIKlCKMh_XdcoxQ3_qI65uskl5sX2lmCufmHG-H9Su78uaH5RPUKpKFhKWCi1bP5oZPXVN9q0EXubJPPBXzyiSCnLfJuLAvmSND8g" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="195" data-original-width="258" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwtMY9XFk77QnqC22VP6tkY5VRFewdZPeDoff32OZ5gTIXdyLwVtUKt6XTeAyPg6yAvukIrHUVK-EPn0FqnSsnykIKlCKMh_XdcoxQ3_qI65uskl5sX2lmCufmHG-H9Su78uaH5RPUKpKFhKWCi1bP5oZPXVN9q0EXubJPPBXzyiSCnLfJuLAvmSND8g=w428-h323" width="428" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Paul Minnesota Temple</td></tr></tbody></table><br />It could be argued, and it would be hard to dispute, that she died working hard right to the end of her life. We were working hard for our deceased ancestors in the temples within days of her death. We had gone back to be with Andrew and Jessica and their children to celebrate Andrew’s completion of his five-year residency at the Mayo Clinic. We attended temples on the way out to see them, and we went to six more temples in six states in six days on our way home. She never tired of working for the salvation of the dead. In fact, she loved doing that work in the temples. We had so much fun together on that trip that it was unthinkable she was in the homestretch of her mortal journey. And it could be said that this work in the temples was anything BUT work - it was joy unsullied, and it was her final gift to me and her kindred dead.<p></p>We got news that Julie was failing after learning she had attended Dean Collette’s funeral (he was her colleague at Highland High School for many years) while we were away. We cut our trip short by a day, and hastened back home to find Julie was in a downward spiral from which there would be no return. Patsy stayed by Julie’s bedside through those remaining days and even spoke at her funeral with sister Nancy at her side. There seemed to be nothing to indicate that Patsy would soon follow Julie down to the grave. And yet, there it was right before us - two freshly dug graves within a month of each other, side by side in the Woodland Cemetery, a testament to the truth that mortal life has an expiration date for all of us, and we never know when our time might come. That said, our sorrow today is swept up in the anticipation of a joyful reunion someday in the spirit world. </div><div><br /></div><div>So, what was her philosophy about work? She embraced it, she thrived on it, and she taught us all by example what it looks like to work either for pay or for no pay. “Work we must,” wrote Hugh Nibley years ago, “but the lunch is free.” By that phrase Brother Nibley posited that work is a necessity of mortality, but our gracious and loving Heavenly Father provides a “free lunch” for all His children in the form of his love and grace for all of us regardless of our failings, sins and shortcomings when we do the best we can with what gifts we have received. </div><div><br /></div><div>No one embodied doing the best with what she had been given more than Patricia Brazier Hewlett Goates. She would say to all of us on this Labor Day, 2023, from her vantage point:</div><div><br /><span><i><span>Improve the shining moments;</span></i></span></div><div><span><i><span>Don’t let them pass you by.<br /></span></i></span><span><i><span>Work while the sun is radiant;<br /></span></i></span><span><i><span>Work, for the night draws nigh.<br /></span></i></span><span><i><span>We cannot bid the sunbeams<br /></span></i></span><span><i><span>To lengthen out their stay,<br /></span></i></span><span><i><span>Nor can we ask the shadow<br /></span></i></span><span><i><span>To ever stay away. (Hymns, No. 226).</span></i></span></div>David B. Goateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01978666830682045128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370511552390871439.post-86318569563840704082023-08-28T15:56:00.004-06:002023-08-29T13:48:02.798-06:00Ministering of AngelsIn our family recently, we witnessed the death of my wife, the mother of our children and grandchildren. I explained to all of her posterity when I was asked if she is now a ministering angel in these words:<div><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: times; font-size: 13.524px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: black; font-size: 18px;">"And whoso </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/84?lang%3Deng%23note88a&source=gmail&ust=1693345355668000&usg=AOvVaw2NsKDvERMeJnU7_lqOWTl6" fg_scanned="1" href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/84?lang=eng#note88a" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1155cc; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><sup style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-size: 0.75em; font-stretch: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">a</sup>receiveth</a><span style="color: black; font-size: 18px;"> you, there I will be also, for <i>I will go </i></span><i style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/84?lang%3Deng%23note88b&source=gmail&ust=1693345355668000&usg=AOvVaw3eWssj2P5o62_FBlsyuWOF" fg_scanned="1" href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/84?lang=eng#note88b" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1155cc; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><sup style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-size: 0.75em; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">b</sup>before</a><span style="color: black; font-size: 18px;"> your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/84?lang%3Deng%23note88c&source=gmail&ust=1693345355668000&usg=AOvVaw0cY6VRZNK6_0n1h_l239KE" fg_scanned="1" href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/84?lang=eng#note88c" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1155cc; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><sup style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-size: 0.75em; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">c</sup>Spirit</a></i><span style="color: black; font-size: 18px;"><i> shall be in your hearts,</i> and <span style="background-color: yellow;">mine </span></span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #222222; font-size: small;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/84?lang%3Deng%23note88d&source=gmail&ust=1693345355668000&usg=AOvVaw0Z6vfA06H2DosQQBrjH21Z" fg_scanned="1" href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/84?lang=eng#note88d" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1155cc; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><sup style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-size: 0.75em; font-stretch: normal; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">d</sup>angels</a><span style="color: black; font-size: 18px;"> round about you, to bear you up." (<b>D&C 84:88</b>).</span></span><div style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="color: #222222;"><span style="color: black;">The short answer is "yes," your mother (and grandmother) is one of those angels the Lord refers to here. She is always going to be with you from this day forward, even though you may not always see her or feel her as much as you would like. Be assured that she is aware of you, she sees you, and she knows your hearts perfectly. She will be a gift to you from a loving Heavenly Father. The spirits of our deceased ancestors are deeply concerned about us and they love us more than you can imagine. When you pray to your Father in Heaven for guidance or comfort or a special need you may have, I give you my witness that those answers will come. Often they are referred to as the "whisperings" of the Spirit, or "the still, small voice," describing the Holy Ghost. But it has been my experience that the answers may also come quietly from our beloved family members who have preceded us in death and now reside in the world of spirits, as Mom (and Grandma) now does. She may come quietly and even uninvited when you least expect her to show up in a dream. She will settle in your heart with soft, loving and even imperceptible nudges of inspiration about what you should do next. She may just whisper peace to your troubled or anxious heart, but never doubt her reality in your lives. She will always be found "round about you" even when you don't even know it or feel it. I know that is true.</span></div></div><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><div style="font-size: 13.524px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 13.524px;"><br /></span></span></div><b>Section 13 of </b></span><em style="color: #333333;"><b>The Doctrine and Covenants</b></em><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"> consists of the words John the Baptist spoke, as he conferred the Aaronic Priesthood upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery: “Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which </span><em style="color: #333333;">holds the keys of the ministering of angels</em><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">. . .”</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">Those who have the Aaronic Priesthood conferred upon them, we are frequently taught in the Church, </span><em style="color: #333333;">thereby</em><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"> have right to the ministering of angels. The implication is those who do not hold this priesthood have no right to the ministering of angels. We have misunderstood, and obtaining a proper knowledge of these things is absolutely fundamental to the establishment of the latter-day Zion if we will ever be enabled to come into the presence of an “innumerable company of angels.” (See </span><em style="color: #333333;">TPJS</em><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">, 325).</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">John said the Aaronic Priesthood holds </span><em style="color: #333333;">the key</em><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"> of the ministering of angels. However, John did not say what that key was. <i>What is the<b><u> key</u></b> of the ministering of angels?</i></span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">The Prophet Mormon revealed this first Aaronic Priesthood key:</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">. . . it is </span><em style="color: #333333;">by faith</em><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"> that angels appear and minister unto men. . . (<b>Moroni 7:37</b>).</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">The key is </span><em style="color: #333333;">faith, specifically faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.</em><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"> This is the key by which angels appear and minister unto men </span><em style="color: #333333;">and </em><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">women. It is the first spiritual key of power. Like “the Hebrew Church [we must come] to an innumerable company of angels, unto God the Father of all, and to Jesus Christ the Mediator of the new covenant.” (</span><em style="color: #333333;">TPJS</em><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">, 325).</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHuXFMMSW4NudcFa02ZGCdcRDOdymOkzVT-GWZ_jnBiqYueb0G0o7dw-W8orJSAbUCa6I6KvxOrL-Sl1RpORSDfW4rP8bHpDjo34A5vZHNyt8QEFinqRWostBKlBlHcx-VlKdF4UO9YxpcrlKwicl4iJzNKHN9iPdvWs8Em1HG2xcyaYLvG07mYI5aAw" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="140" data-original-width="99" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHuXFMMSW4NudcFa02ZGCdcRDOdymOkzVT-GWZ_jnBiqYueb0G0o7dw-W8orJSAbUCa6I6KvxOrL-Sl1RpORSDfW4rP8bHpDjo34A5vZHNyt8QEFinqRWostBKlBlHcx-VlKdF4UO9YxpcrlKwicl4iJzNKHN9iPdvWs8Em1HG2xcyaYLvG07mYI5aAw" width="170" /></a></div>Upon reflection, this makes perfect sense. Acting in his editorial role in the compilation of the records comprising </span><em style="color: #333333;">The Book of Mormon,</em><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"> Moroni reflected on the faith of his forefathers:</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">For it was</span><em style="color: #333333;"> by faith</em><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"> that Christ showed himself unto our fathers. . .</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">Wherefore, ye may also have hope, and be partakers of the gift, </span><em style="color: #333333;">if ye will but have faith</em><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">. . .</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">It was </span><em style="color: #333333;">by faith</em><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"> that they of old were called after the holy order of God. . .</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><em style="color: #333333;">By faith</em><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"> was the law of Moses given. But in the gift of his Son hath God prepared a more excellent way; and it is </span><em style="color: #333333;">by faith</em><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"> that it hath been fulfilled.</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">For if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracle among them; wherefore, he showed not himself </span><em style="color: #333333;">until after their faith</em><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">.</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">Behold, it was the faith of Alma and Amulek that caused the prison to tumble to the earth.</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">Behold, it was </span><em style="color: #333333;">the faith</em><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"> of Nephi and Lehi that wrought the change upon the Lamanites, that they were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost.</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">Behold, it was </span><em style="color: #333333;">the faith</em><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"> of Ammon and his brethren which wrought so great a miracle among the Lamanites.</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">Yea, and even all they who wrought miracles wrought them </span><em style="color: #333333;">by faith,</em><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"> even those who were before Christ and also those who were after.</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">And it was </span><em style="color: #333333;">by faith</em><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"> that the three disciples obtained a promise that they should not taste of death; and they obtained not the promise </span><em style="color: #333333;">until after their faith</em><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">.</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">And neither at any time hath any wrought miracles </span><em style="color: #333333;">until after their faith;</em><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"> wherefore they first believed in the Son of God.</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">And there were </span><em style="color: #333333;">many whose faith</em><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"> was so exceedingly strong, even before Christ came, who could not be kept from within the veil, but </span><em style="color: #333333;">truly saw with their eyes the things which they had beheld with an eye of faith,</em><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"> and they were glad. . . (<b>Ether 12:6-22</b>).</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><em style="color: #333333;">All </em><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">the mighty works recorded in holy writ have come </span><em style="color: #333333;">by faith</em><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"> without exception. Without faith nothing happens. Of course it is the first key of power! No other possibility qualifies. From the “Lectures on Faith” in Joseph’s School of the Prophets, we learn:</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><br style="color: #333333;" /><em style="color: #333333;">Faith, then, is the first great governing principle which has power,</em><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"> dominion and authority over all things; by it they exist, by it they are upheld, by it they are changed, or by it they remain, agreeable to the will of God. </span><em style="color: #333333;">Without it there is no power,</em><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"> and without power there could be no creation, nor existence! (</span><em style="color: #333333;">Lectures On Faith,</em><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"> 1:24).</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><em style="color: #333333;">[Faith]</em><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"> is the principle of power in the Deity as well as in man. . . </span><em style="color: #333333;">and without it there is no power,</em><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"> and without power there could be no creation nor existence! (</span><em style="color: #333333;">Lectures on Faith,</em><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"> Questions & Answers, Lecture First; also see <b>Hebrews 11:3</b>).</span><br style="color: #333333;" /><p><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;">We may be given </span><em style="color: #333333;">authority</em><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"> to act in positions in the Church, but without faith in the Lord Jesus Christ we really have </span><em style="color: #333333;">no power</em><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"> in the priesthood because without faith we can do nothing. (<b>D&C 8:10</b>).</span> </p>David B. Goateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01978666830682045128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370511552390871439.post-12811547486866340222023-07-30T15:10:00.002-06:002023-07-30T17:52:50.359-06:00Why So Quiet?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsdmFkVV6VIB0qryyqP5IZD4Gx_6QRP5c8ell4ahF_nJ9kdn_haYq_ChnFxGWILIgvH_vXw4nqAJZJqr40lp5Kf8VUjSHi49fVpC_MXQf6u0lsSwz8oFox37viiUTMp_YnRWMICY5fLd9LtlZH3FJmiR4cBkhl76311_kU6fGUekBqsy4kP6UbbB_7gg/s329/garden%20tomb.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="268" data-original-width="329" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsdmFkVV6VIB0qryyqP5IZD4Gx_6QRP5c8ell4ahF_nJ9kdn_haYq_ChnFxGWILIgvH_vXw4nqAJZJqr40lp5Kf8VUjSHi49fVpC_MXQf6u0lsSwz8oFox37viiUTMp_YnRWMICY5fLd9LtlZH3FJmiR4cBkhl76311_kU6fGUekBqsy4kP6UbbB_7gg/s320/garden%20tomb.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />I sat alone in sacrament meeting today. My dear companion who sat by my side for 54 years had departed this life. When I returned home, the deafening silence greeted me as I entered our home. Only hours before the home had been filled with laughter, happiness and lively grandchildren who were loving the joy of being together. And now it was as silent as the Garden Tomb.<p></p><p>After the funeral yesterday, we enjoyed a meal together provided by the generous Relief Society sisters of our ward. Then that was followed by a rousing dance party out on the basketball court. There was happiness and there was nothing but frivolity. I was tired, but they were not.</p><p>And then today, it was silent and I was alone with my thoughts.</p><p>Oh, my thoughts! How many, how varied, how consistent and how tranquil. I re-watched her funeral online at the <a href="https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/uX6-r9Kz1ioernkNLsyJVLCYGrncsJQg6xfVxTRJp0p6rUsLIm21qHegIZ2OqMSzmHJSL7JHBtmEXJkF.bz6V_DdyU8G51K3k?canPlayFromShare=true&from=share_recording_detail&startTime=1690648806000&componentName=rec-play&originRequestUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fus02web.zoom.us%2Frec%2Fshare%2F-wKQbCpfqpNyUNUsQEVnijiMewpzGwctgoQzNSXno5oejJW08R5vCHSogPXEoDjw.gL8tFnuTzU6wZ_E5%3FstartTime%3D1690648806000">Larkin Mortuary website</a>. I shed a few more tears as I listened to our wonderful children share their talents with the audience. </p><p>I told them I wanted two things out of the funeral - to edify and inspire the congregation, and to show them her good example. Both goals of mine were met, I believe.</p><p>I have had so many tell me her funeral was one of the finest they have ever attended. Lance Larkin, my cousin, reminded me of what Elder LeGrand Richards once told him about funerals. He said he had been to many funerals during his long life, and that there were good ones and there were bad ones. The good ones, he said, were about good people, and the bad ones, well, you can finish the sentence. Lance told me, "This was a good woman." I echo his sentiment.</p><p>I loved hearing her teachings to her children recounted and now embodied in their lives. She taught them how to pray, how to love their Savior, how to serve others without reservation and how to live their lives faithfully here in mortality. </p><p>And then, far too soon for all of us, she took her leave. She went into another room, as she often did when we had said our prayers and I climbed into bed and fell asleep. She, on the other hand, was up again and in another part of the house preparing something good to eat for her loved ones or someone in our ward who was in need of her loving outreach. I would awaken a few hours later, and find my bed empty while she toiled in preparation. Not unlike what I feel now and realize she isn't coming back to bed.</p><p>That's what her death represents for me. She has merely gone ahead into another room to make preparations for me and all our posterity. That she will do it with grace, with lovingkindness, and with patience I have no doubts. It may not involve vacuuming the carpet or making good food to eat, but it will involve spiritual sustenance for which each of us craves.</p><p>I told the grandchildren before we closed the lid on her casket that she now has superpowers - she can "fly." My meaning is that she will fly quickly to their sides in times of trouble, or times of need, or times of turbulence, or times even of joy. </p><p>I told them to listen carefully for her gentle invitations to do better, to reach a little higher, try a little harder, persist in faith a little longer. In those moments she will meet them and give them the needed encouragement and spiritual strength which she can dispense from a deep treasury of her own making.</p><p>She loves the Lord Jesus Christ. Her whole life was anchored in Him. She became much like Him in all His attributes.</p><p>I read these words this afternoon, as I opened my copy of <i>The Teachings of Harold B. Lee. </i>It was as if I could hear his voice speaking directly to me:</p><p><b>"Don't be afraid of the testing and trials of life. Sometimes when you are going through the most severe tests, you will be nearer to God than you have any idea, for like the experience of the Master Himself in the temptations on the mount, in the Garden of Gethsemane, and on the cross at Calvary, the scriptures record, 'And, behold, angels came and ministered unto him' (Matthew 4:11). Sometimes that may happen to you in the midst of your trials."</b> (<i>THBL</i>, p. 192).</p><p>She has gone into another room, not far away, and left me to ponder, "Why so quiet?" And the answer seems to suggest, "So that you may hear her when she comes to minister to you."</p><p><br /></p>David B. Goateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01978666830682045128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370511552390871439.post-65653123170441650542023-07-27T14:01:00.010-06:002023-07-27T14:05:32.722-06:00And Then She Was Gone. . .<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0q76Yt6h2MDmw3uGLJvJsmpD4tZYSTZtvLjoQaucNCcnC9ZzuuV5cN600tNyYF85xgY1cIWLjqcsYS0drHKgjrsH24Czj2c9FFtsgycZlZCTD3D12SvnyvzEl3JhHuz0Xl2YtvNL9535bdWKqZREMATIsw8DQhL8wgS9Aqn_Igosz9ClhmeIAELVinA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="325" data-original-width="241" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0q76Yt6h2MDmw3uGLJvJsmpD4tZYSTZtvLjoQaucNCcnC9ZzuuV5cN600tNyYF85xgY1cIWLjqcsYS0drHKgjrsH24Czj2c9FFtsgycZlZCTD3D12SvnyvzEl3JhHuz0Xl2YtvNL9535bdWKqZREMATIsw8DQhL8wgS9Aqn_Igosz9ClhmeIAELVinA" width="178" /></a></div><br />I write today to inform the world of the passing of my spouse and eternal companion, Patsy. Her passing came upon us all suddenly and without much warning. Those who have heard about it have asked, "Was she sick?" The answer is simple: not until in the last twenty-four hours when sepsis filled her body.<p></p><p>I met Patsy Hewlett when she was a student at East High School, one year younger than me. Until she drew her final peaceful breath on Earth, she loved me and her whole family completely, absolutely and wholeheartedly without any reservations. She was an emissary of Jesus Christ, a true angel on Earth. Easily the most spiritual woman I have ever known, she was on intimate terms with the Almighty.</p><p>One night recently, we settled down in front of the TV to watch a movie together over dinner. I asked her to say the blessing on the food while I paused the movie. There is a counter that tracks the minutes between the pause button and the play button. When we looked up again, the timer had exceeded 15 minutes. And that was a prayer over food, but so much more! Her individual prayer roll grew longer with each passing month. I used to tease her that she left out the tribe of Reuben. Oh, what prayers we have shared together over the years! Her final act on Earth, I believe, was to die, return to the spirit world and begin answering her own prayers on behalf of all for whom she prayed. Don't be surprised if you discover a new guardian angel who is pleading your cause before the Throne of Divine Grace. Without even knowing it, you may have been on her mind and in her heart. 💗💗 She loved, loved, loved hearts.</p><p><a href="https://www.larkinmortuary.com/obituary/view/patricia-brazier-hewlett-goates/">How I love this dear companion!</a> Our first date by all accounts should have been recorded as a complete disaster. They ran out of food before we got there, the dance band had taken a break just before we arrived, and there was nothing to do but take up a spot on the side of the dance floor and talk. And oh, did we talk!</p><p>Our conversation expanded into the early morning hours on our way back home. It was soul-searching, deeply spiritual, and wide-ranging. I was amazed at the depth of her soul, the strength of her testimony, and the power that spilled forth from her all night long. When quizzed by my mother the next morning, she asked, "What was Patsy wearing?" I stammered out a response, "I think it was a yellow gown." I quickly assured her my memory wasn't bad, but that we were engrossed in a spirit to spirit deep connection I had never encountered. </p><p>One of our younger sons said to me yesterday that he has been lamenting his children would not know or be able to remember Grandma Patsy. I said to him, "Don't worry, I will write the exhaustive seven-volume series about her and I won't leave a single stone unturned." I pray I may live long enough to complete that joyous work for our posterity.</p><p>As an example of her thoughtfulness, I took her to the emergency room in the Park City Hospital only last week when she was complaining of intense chest pain. I thought she may be having a heart attack, but it was only pericarditis, an inflammation of her heart lining, and I took home a regimen of anti-inflammatory medicine to treat it. Behind us in line came a middle-aged mother accompanied by her daughter. The mother was crying out in agonizing pain, gently holding her arm which we later discovered had been broken. Without even thinking, Patsy instructed me to let her go first in line ahead of us. And that's what happened. She always thought about someone else ahead of herself. It was instinctive with her, a reflexive act of charity.</p><p>We had a family gathering this last Sunday afternoon in our home. I had received permission from our bishop to offer her the sacrament after which we shared testimonies with each other. She was sedated for pain in her hospice bed, but even with her eyes closed, she said "Amen" when each one concluded, and she mouthed the words of the hymns we sang. It was a spiritual, peaceful outpouring of love for the Savior, the gospel and for each other. She loved every minute.</p><p>Then later that night she sat up, spoke with her beloved son, Andrew, who is a highly skilled surgeon. He told her he was concerned about her lungs. She said, "Yes, so am I." He asked her if she would like to return to the hospital for further testing to see if he could make her stronger. She said she would, and we packed her as gently as we could into the car.</p><p>That was the beginning of the end. They discovered three infectious sites in her body, including pneumonia in her lungs, none of which had been evident in her most recent blood workups. </p><p>"Dad," whispered daughter Melanie early the next morning, "She's gone."</p><p>And with that simple notification she had left quickly, quietly and without disturbing anyone or being a burden to anyone - it was on her own terms and her own way.</p><p>People ask me how I'm holding up. The answer is also simple - I am being borne up as on the wings of angels all around me. They are my family, friends, and nearly everyone who has heard about her passing. And most of all, I am being sustained by my dearest Patsy who continues to minister to my needs in a higher and holier place.</p><p> </p>David B. Goateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01978666830682045128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370511552390871439.post-61596783641396026072023-06-30T09:42:00.003-06:002023-07-07T12:50:01.208-06:00Julianna Hayes Hewlett - Home at Last<p>This week we said our final farewells to our adopted Mother and Grandmother, Julianna Hayes Hewlett. She departed this life at age 82, after a forty-year separation from her eternal companion, Patsy's father Lester F. Hewlett, Jr. We came to love her as our own. I am publishing her first-person life sketch here so that many of her beloved students and their families will have the funeral information. Feel free to share the link with everyone who may have interest.</p><p>Viewing: Larkin Mortuary (260 E. So. Temple St., Salt Lake), Sunday July 9th 6-8 p.m.</p><p>Funeral: Salt Lake 11th Ward (951 E. 100 So., Salt Lake), Monday, July 10th, viewing 10-11:30 a.m., followed by the funeral services at noon.</p><p>Interment: Woodland Cemetery, Woodland, Utah 84036</p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Life Sketch of Julianna Hayes Hewlett</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhX0y72KWYGORfoaYjDPR16LyzE2TyIB-NSSvMtMpzmUZJnbj5qOHRuur70_Cd-sbUzfL9_27hMnDF_ESf_cFg3WHj-ZhLw-z1YdnYiyuY1wigflpwi_5gAmbxaB20KN_8Lx4oJfHfks61eC9VP9Q4C7bdH16NEjCrb_0EOHa0fjspjjBfu-XaegVOYAg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="397" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhX0y72KWYGORfoaYjDPR16LyzE2TyIB-NSSvMtMpzmUZJnbj5qOHRuur70_Cd-sbUzfL9_27hMnDF_ESf_cFg3WHj-ZhLw-z1YdnYiyuY1wigflpwi_5gAmbxaB20KN_8Lx4oJfHfks61eC9VP9Q4C7bdH16NEjCrb_0EOHa0fjspjjBfu-XaegVOYAg" width="191" /></a></b></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">I was born January 21, 1941, in Montpelier, Idaho, the only
daughter of William Earl and Verona Schmid Hayes. I had three brothers, Deon
(who died at eighteen months), William Dorain Hayes, and Elwyn “Chip” Hayes.
Only Chip remains behind in our little family with my passing, and how I have
adored him and his wife Sandy! If Chip ever missed a day calling me in the last
forty years, I do not remember it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We moved many places in Idaho and Wyoming following my
father’s Union Pacific Railroad occupation. At age four, my mother found me “practicing
the piano,” using the arm of the sofa as my keyboard, as we had no such
instrument. At that point my parents felt I should be taking lessons as soon as
there was money to rent a piano. Fortunately, the Bancroft chapel was being
remodeled, and Father requested that our home be used as a place to store the
ward piano. Thus began my lessons, and a continuing lifetime interest in music.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I graduated with honors from BYU and began teaching music at
Hillside Junior High School in Salt Lake City. My first class in public school
teaching was a Boys’ Choir of 103 voices from the 7<sup>th</sup>, 8<sup>th</sup>
and 9<sup>th</sup> grades. It proved to be a year of MY education learning how
to deal with teenaged mentality.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In 1968, while recuperating in Idaho from a spinal fusion I
received a call from President Florence Jacobsen to serve on the General Board
of the MIA. Traveling and speaking in many regional conferences, writing
lessons and manuals for the MIA, and beginning work of the new LDS hymn book,
were highlights in that phase of my Church activity. I also conducted a
regional young special interest choir in the Tabernacle for a regional
conference.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In 1969, I took a Sabbatical Leave and traveled to Germany
with the University of Oregon, where I lived with a German family, toured the
famous music schools of Europe, and later received a master’s degree in
international music and art education. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I transferred to Highland High School in 1975, teaching
choirs and beginning a Humanities class, studying the arts, philosophy and
history. I began taking summer tours to Europe to study the wealth of art,
music and literature in the world’s greatest museums. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I was reluctantly and unexpectedly lined up on a blind date
in 1977, with Lester F. Hewlett, Jr. It was an amazing spiritual recognition,
and I cancelled my summer tour to Europe to be sealed in the Salt Lake Temple
on July 6, 1977. My father said in April of that year I would be married before
summer’s end. His prediction came true. It was truly a match made in heaven. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Les had been the mission president in the Australia South
Mission and had previously served on the Young Men’s General Board and on the
Church Athletic Committee. Having been one of the first missionaries to open
Alaska to missionary work, Les thus began a lifelong love of missionary work.
After returning from Australia, he continued volunteering on Temple Square as a
tour guide, where his love of the gospel and commitment to missionary work
focused his continuing service.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We moved to the Graystone Condominiums in 1978, where Les
was the teacher of the high priest group, and I taught the Relief Society
cultural refinement lessons. How I loved bringing the joy of music, art and
literature to the sisters in the Grant 4<sup>th</sup> Ward (later became the
Forestview Ward). Traveling with Elder LeGrand Richards for the dedication of
the Orson Hyde Memorial was truly one of the highlights of our six years together.
At the insistence of Elder Richards, I led the group in “Master the Tempest is
Raging” as we crossed the Sea of Galilee and afterward sat in a testimony
meeting on the shore. I realized once again the truthfulness of the gospel, and
better understood the love Les and I shared in Church service.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Les and I belonged to the Dinnerset Group, and on December
9, 1983, Les and I were the chairpersons of the annual Christmas party at the
Lion House. Associating, as the Hewlett family had done for many years with
many of the members of the Quorum of the Twelve, we sat with Elder and Sister Neal
A. Maxwell singing Christmas carols. I conducted the music in my new red shoes
that Les had just bought me. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The next morning, I awakened to find that Les had slipped to
the other side of the veil while he slept. The shock was multiplied by the fact
he had not been ill. As Elder Maxwell stated at his funeral, “He was blessed
not to have tasted death. He was a guileless man.” He loved and gave many
blessings to the widows in our ward whom he served as their home teacher. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The years since his passing have found me continuing to
teach at Highland, conducting tours occasionally to Europe with students,
serving as gospel doctrine teacher, ward music chairman, ward chorister, and teaching
Relief Society cultural refinement lessons.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One of the highlights of my music and Church service was in
October 1990, when I was invited to conduct a Young Women’s Choir for the
afternoon session of General Conference in the Tabernacle. I led 400 young
women from the Bountiful and Val Verde Regions, united in beautiful voice and
spirit to praise the Lord. It was more memorable by having chosen the hymn, “We
Ever Pray for Thee,” and then finding President Benson had been taken to the
hospital that weekend. The choice of that hymn had been made by me in July,
well before President Benson became acutely ill.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In 1991, a grandson, Ben Pahnke, died of leukemia. Our
family was comforted in knowing Les was there to welcome eight-year-old Ben to
his heavenly home. Again, in 1993, our seven-week-old grand-daughter Adrienne
Goates, was taken home, and Les was seen at her funeral by members of his
extended family. It is an incredible comfort knowing the veil is thin and
eternal love is strong.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As the years have brought Les’ four children and their
families much closer together, I have enjoyed the plethora of grandchildren and
great-grandchildren. I have loved and been loved as I never could have imagined
in my younger single years. All the children, Nancy Pahnke, Patsy Goates, John Hewlett
and Ernie Hewlett, have homes at the Ranch above Woodland, where Les and I
spent our summers and where the spirit of FAMILY is so intense and loving.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My calling to the Salt Lake Temple as an ordinance worker
has been the highlight of my retirement years. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">These last years have been filled with physical challenges,
but I have used faith, prayers and priesthood blessings to endure to the end. <i>“When
upon life’s billows we are tempest tossed, when we are discouraged thinking,
all is lost, count your many blessings, name them one by one, and it will
surprise you what the Lord has done.”<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">That ends Julie’s obituary in her first-person narrative,
but as her adopted Hewlett family we would update the record to state she won a
place in all our hearts. She might easily be the most fiercely independent,
tenacious and strong-willed woman any of us will ever encounter. However, as
she lived her life to its conclusion in the early morning hours of June 29,
2023, we are constrained to conclude in her 82 years of living she filled the
full measure of her creation, and she finally and gleefully entered the eternal
embrace of her beloved Les after a forty-year absence. <o:p></o:p></p><br /><p></p>David B. Goateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01978666830682045128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370511552390871439.post-80872391864211759182023-05-02T12:36:00.000-06:002023-05-02T12:36:04.038-06:00Is That Fair?<p>I have been wondering of late what is fair. Many complain that what is happening to them is not fair. I hear people say it just isn't fair that so many seem to be doing better than they are. Others complain that life isn't fair. I heard someone this morning complaining at the check out counter that an item they were purchasing at the hardware store was not fairly priced. It seems everyone has a legitimate complaint about something, and much of the strife in the world can be traced to the inherent inequities we all confront.</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGODZsIwOR194V5SLoVqd5HOTIrwyg2VNW3O8NyA67F60Ic3NFOXHx3IRLJi7V2QlpTHutgWXc2P-YY11BwFvSs6ozmVUru3JhCT2l71KQPLlg7pwdv6XqbU4oknKBasXBz3LlaMavolJ4udqCkIbqIZRKvNnuWp4_iF9WQiY3YR1t_oCnbyWIZFQ/s251/christus%20statue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="201" data-original-width="251" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGODZsIwOR194V5SLoVqd5HOTIrwyg2VNW3O8NyA67F60Ic3NFOXHx3IRLJi7V2QlpTHutgWXc2P-YY11BwFvSs6ozmVUru3JhCT2l71KQPLlg7pwdv6XqbU4oknKBasXBz3LlaMavolJ4udqCkIbqIZRKvNnuWp4_iF9WQiY3YR1t_oCnbyWIZFQ/s1600/christus%20statue.jpg" width="251" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Christus</td></tr></tbody></table>Imagine what a different world it would be if we accepted the premise that life just isn't fair. Trying to adjudicate fairness never seems to work out. What may seem fair to you will often not meet with another's definition. It's how arguments break out, even among family members and the best of friends. Isn't it curious how often we are put in a situation when what is perfectly reasonable to us may be unfair to the other party? Some are simply gifted musically, whereas others are not and couldn't carry a tune in a bucket if you handed them the bucket to make it easier. Some are stunningly beautiful, whereas the vast majority of us are just plain looking. Some have inherited vast sums of money, and appear to live with ease and prosperity through little or no effort on their part, whereas the world attests that the bulk of humankind is compelled to work hard for their living without the privilege of inherited wealth. How is any of this "fair?"</p><p>I confess I do not understand how anything associated with mortality is fair. Isn't that why it is a perfect laboratory? We are here to be tested, to be proven faithful, and to grow spiritually in the face sometimes of seemingly insurmountable odds. God's infinite and eternal plan of happiness depends upon us accepting the premise of fundamental unfairness. Parents sometimes favor one child over another, especially those who are inherently obedient and cheerful to be around. I often wonder if God has His favorite children. I'll bet He isn't unlike us - He has to love obedience in the face of obstacles and insurmountable odds. Is He always fair in the treatment of His children? Does He not promise "all that I have" to each repentant child? </p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg371dqCpuVgDNP2SeHBWQKnJbukgP7b9146hc-TE0L4-eLx90ajKFqqIgX-aZtoINhr7voJdGNjrnBAJbpRgbFeEWhpisLNiOHR1GT-jLLTR88P_eTc7EJRHy7PPEbbx0d2oPDebQcFBe8p8lZfVYC4ST7gIib-jgKQ9u7XlXeM-_AzP7-eS2r2Q4/s600/JesusPrayingInGethsemane_Sm___.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="460" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg371dqCpuVgDNP2SeHBWQKnJbukgP7b9146hc-TE0L4-eLx90ajKFqqIgX-aZtoINhr7voJdGNjrnBAJbpRgbFeEWhpisLNiOHR1GT-jLLTR88P_eTc7EJRHy7PPEbbx0d2oPDebQcFBe8p8lZfVYC4ST7gIib-jgKQ9u7XlXeM-_AzP7-eS2r2Q4/s320/JesusPrayingInGethsemane_Sm___.jpg" width="245" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christ in Gethsemane</td></tr></tbody></table>Was anything fair about how the Savior was treated in morality? Was His crucifixion fair? Did He forgive those who murdered Him? As they drove nails into His hands, His wrists and His feet did anyone at the scene apply a fairness test of any kind?</p><p>He loves us "unconditionally," we often say to each other, but is that really true? There are conditions to inheriting all that the Father hath. He offers five laws to us, and invites us to covenant with Him to obey those laws: The law of obedience, the law of sacrifice, the law of the gospel, the law of chastity, and the law of consecration. We are promised that exactness and honor in keeping our covenants will keep us on the path leading to eternal life after our sojourn in mortality is complete. The crowning covenant is the sealing covenant between a man and a woman in one of the holy temples, and those children born into such a covenant home are said to be "born under the covenant." If there is fairness in this plan, it is that those who died before obtaining those blessings in mortality may have the opportunity for a full inheritance in the spirit world. We who remain here may obtain those blessings for our kindred dead through proxy representation for them, and they are free to accept that work and inherit exactly what we are promised.</p><p>Sometimes our journey in mortality is cut short by our calculations. I am not one of those whose life was shortened, indeed my recovery from debilitating brain surgery was declared a 100% cure and my life has been extended. It was nothing short of miraculous. Is it "fair" that my life continues where others' lives are ended prematurely? Is it fair that I had access to an extremely talented and experienced brain surgeon, where others may not have been so favorably situated? Are miracles handed out by God based on some unknown arbitration system? Can anyone apply? Who is blessed with a miracle, when others are not?</p><p>I for one can accept the fundamental inequities and seemingly unfair outcomes of mortality. I love to observe the way in which people grapple with their tests in life. I am inspired by the stories of those who overcome and produce positive examples for all the rest of us to emulate. </p><p>As I watched the snow continue to pile up this winter, and continued to burn what seemed to be an inexorable pile of cash to plow the road leading to our home, there were times when I have to admit I became discouraged. Others chipped in to allay the burden it represented, but in my down moments I often reminded myself, "The sun always wins." I could extend that to, "The Son always wins." Indeed, the snow is yielding finally under the bright spring sun. </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSprw1rxDbjhP9kS1cvA6rixUM5QhwOXMdUX3JpypfqVokk3cIvIqotoCEpFgOVgq3oMyLS54KxsQ_19cdVfzrUkRS5PLRgHK_LjX9pfW7nDkhUAJpLRPnxuWvfjEdDkWAlPTZZLj2njEVv-aGzPBqMR9faI5p5rX0H3dBauQSxYt24romV1J3Y5A/s306/Christ%20stepping%20out%20of%20tomb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="306" data-original-width="238" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSprw1rxDbjhP9kS1cvA6rixUM5QhwOXMdUX3JpypfqVokk3cIvIqotoCEpFgOVgq3oMyLS54KxsQ_19cdVfzrUkRS5PLRgHK_LjX9pfW7nDkhUAJpLRPnxuWvfjEdDkWAlPTZZLj2njEVv-aGzPBqMR9faI5p5rX0H3dBauQSxYt24romV1J3Y5A/s1600/Christ%20stepping%20out%20of%20tomb.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christ Conquered Death</td></tr></tbody></table><br />And the Son's love and supreme example continues to shine down upon us poor mortals to warm us up, give us renewed hope of better days to come, and assure us of eternal life if we do our best to obey and to claim His redemptive sacrifice that wipes out our imperfections and all the unfairness we encounter.</p><p>I love the Savior Jesus Christ, come what may. He always wins.</p><p><br /></p>David B. Goateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01978666830682045128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370511552390871439.post-22158301687752304002023-03-05T13:28:00.005-07:002023-08-03T09:29:44.645-06:00"Have You Ever?" "No, I've Never."<p>That question and its response are resounding again and again this year in Utah. We have been in a sustained drought here in the West, and this winter we have been literally buried in snow, the likes of which tests the memory for recalling another winter that's been this intense. The winter of 1983-84 comes to mind when the temperatures in May soared into the 90's for several weeks and all the snowmelt came down in a hurry. There were pictures of water running down a sandbagged State Street in Salt Lake City, because the infrastructure back in the day was not sufficient to handle the runoff. I was an elders' quorum president back then, and we were being called out routinely to sandbag several homes in our ward threatened with flooding.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgms2NWDKJOCRvaYdPMOvc9wpKnIVEJrNhBYX0EBVR4OhtT8AgaM3uXasNanHmPeG3MUhks0O0iqBww_GWr81RgUjwUo4HDYwdiCazU1MSA3yFOpIMKVL2T2Fo9EB2lFFIJbWNYEcBMAoj_4WnqA7orGjqtHufdiy1VNDyFPlUwP29am8yQhJfwOnk/s306/Christ%20stepping%20out%20of%20tomb.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="306" data-original-width="238" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgms2NWDKJOCRvaYdPMOvc9wpKnIVEJrNhBYX0EBVR4OhtT8AgaM3uXasNanHmPeG3MUhks0O0iqBww_GWr81RgUjwUo4HDYwdiCazU1MSA3yFOpIMKVL2T2Fo9EB2lFFIJbWNYEcBMAoj_4WnqA7orGjqtHufdiy1VNDyFPlUwP29am8yQhJfwOnk/s1600/Christ%20stepping%20out%20of%20tomb.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>Fast forward to today. Overnight we had over fourteen inches of snow, and our ward worship services were cancelled. It's all our plow guy can do to stay ahead of all the snow that continues to fall. We worshipped at home today, and were grateful for the authorization to administer the sacrament in our home. The two of us sang hymns, partook of the sacrament, studied in <i>Come Follow Me</i>, and watched the Tabernacle Choir broadcast. Then we bore our testimonies to one another in an intimate setting of our home. It was a rare spiritual feast, and we were so grateful to have each other as we looked outside and watched the snow continue to fall all around.<p></p><p>I am acutely aware and thankful beyond expression for the wisdom of our leaders who called out this audible early this morning via e-mail. How blessed we are on several fronts. We have study materials designed for home-centered, Church- supported curriculum to bless our lives. The intrusion of COVID-19 was the first indication that the direction toward more focus on our home worship would be needed, and the Church made provision to satisfy that need.</p><p>In addition, President Russell M. Nelson has been persistent in his repeated invitations to increase our spirituality to enable us to receive enhanced and more frequent revelation in our daily lives. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0hhKtk6PmaIfph6l6tAEVCV0xZ7vecbV_VrtKnWB0DmikJn8lRr2UXQa57LaZO0oXJjfsFpQy3dyCTD8L6yypHH5dwZ5D_NI2dxwO7akmMgWYReWCf3zItDiNHRE4ZXveAei9tuwDNhEtDbMHFGBQkGIhHvmM5EGCgImqLJBULtmrgBv3xdgjFQ/s259/joseph%20and%20hyrum%20on%20horseback%20in%20front%20of%20nauvoo%20temple.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0hhKtk6PmaIfph6l6tAEVCV0xZ7vecbV_VrtKnWB0DmikJn8lRr2UXQa57LaZO0oXJjfsFpQy3dyCTD8L6yypHH5dwZ5D_NI2dxwO7akmMgWYReWCf3zItDiNHRE4ZXveAei9tuwDNhEtDbMHFGBQkGIhHvmM5EGCgImqLJBULtmrgBv3xdgjFQ/s1600/joseph%20and%20hyrum%20on%20horseback%20in%20front%20of%20nauvoo%20temple.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><br />Couple that with the ongoing revelation about our temple worship that has made it more spiritual and more instructional than ever before. And no, I have never felt more inspiration and more pure revelation from my Savior Jesus Christ than what I am receiving each time we attend the temple. Nothing has been left unattended, and nothing has been overlooked in enhancing the temple experience. I am so grateful to President Nelson for his leadership.<p></p><p>Our home is safe, warm and is indeed a sanctuary, not unlike a temple. Today, my dear companion and I prayed, partook of the sacrament and bore our testimonies to one another. What a blessing it is to have a faithful helpmeet and spiritual soulmate on a day like today. We are blessed beyond measure, and I am so grateful. I ache for those who are not so blessed that lie beyond our reach today because of the heavy snowfall. I pray that those who are closer can be raised up to bless them.</p><p>I am thankful for the technology that ties us together with family on days like today. After I brushed the snow out of the satellite dishes, I was able to send out e-mails to everyone to assure them we were safer than they might otherwise imagine. When you are of a certain age (which I now am), our children are rightfully concerned for our welfare and wellbeing. </p><p>I testify of the divinity of our Eternal Father in Heaven, our Savior Jesus Christs and the Holy Ghost who bears witness to my soul of their true identity and my relationship with them. I am grateful for that knowledge that anchors my soul and provides much-needed perspective on the overall plan of salvation for all God's children.</p><p>I am grateful for the Prophet Joseph Smith, who laid the foundation for the Restoration of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. On days like today I am in awe of all the "overcoming" that had to be done to assure our pleasant circumstances here in 2023. I testify the Church is the true manifestation of the ancient Church that came out of the garden of Eden and was established later in Christ's day.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQBf4kD8bWjgCCLqODe_cQAd3vIR346_t8aTcC65e4e8qbfc8ASUVNDJDklSsilb2Oim9g-v2_-kZmce76T-6bIexMxCH7ABGnKHBh3g1vHsNY65z_p7UMdiABmc3sMG8maC9kJ5qk9GjpvxbOKvqqDK2sSp3_iRIwee5KqCHCXBKtz0qnqK3lgM/s425/425px-Quorum-of-the-Twelve-Apostles-April-2018.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="419" data-original-width="425" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQBf4kD8bWjgCCLqODe_cQAd3vIR346_t8aTcC65e4e8qbfc8ASUVNDJDklSsilb2Oim9g-v2_-kZmce76T-6bIexMxCH7ABGnKHBh3g1vHsNY65z_p7UMdiABmc3sMG8maC9kJ5qk9GjpvxbOKvqqDK2sSp3_iRIwee5KqCHCXBKtz0qnqK3lgM/s320/425px-Quorum-of-the-Twelve-Apostles-April-2018.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />My soul reverberates with the truth that President Russell M. Nelson is God's prophet on the earth today. All the living Apostles today hold the relevant priesthood keys to facilitate the work of the kingdom of God on earth today. You may rely upon them and you may trust them to do God's will in all things.<p></p><p>My testimony runs as deep as the twelve foot drifts out my back door this morning. </p><p><br /></p>David B. Goateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01978666830682045128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370511552390871439.post-59654282088436446192023-02-13T11:12:00.003-07:002023-02-15T09:14:44.157-07:00Today, I Will Write<p>Once you reach a certain age and you are "retired" from the work-every-day world, you have more latitude than you ever imagined. You awake each morning to greet a new day with a clean slate just waiting for your input. You can sleep in if you choose. You can call a friend you haven't seen for awhile and go to lunch. If it's summer you can play a round of golf. You can go to the temple if you can get an appointment, and if you live by several temples as we do you can choose which one to attend. You can read your new favorite book. You can research a topic that interests you. Life seems to bristle with new opportunities. You can call and visit with a child or grandchild on their birthdays, or visit their world of sports when they play the games they love. Or you can wake up with the thought, "Today, I will write."</p><p>And that's what I feel impressed to do today. Several thoughts have been tumbling around in my head, itching for expression.</p><p><i></i></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3nWPI5LCBc6jxKRvbneiLm3g7b45GI5YTkn7cE0Z3iDgL518X__O2NIrDQhOXclIHRKpM5gQm5lXAoIjHlcYBZT14H9-pevj2zDPLYmm4uzQ6r6eFIo2aPbCEAhy-T_EzwHGcwqObxdOJ3CBxiOA48ARbdiyCf0sBrvQmGQ-zIVADCAJDvkWmZkg/s480/salt-lake-temple-view.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="320" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3nWPI5LCBc6jxKRvbneiLm3g7b45GI5YTkn7cE0Z3iDgL518X__O2NIrDQhOXclIHRKpM5gQm5lXAoIjHlcYBZT14H9-pevj2zDPLYmm4uzQ6r6eFIo2aPbCEAhy-T_EzwHGcwqObxdOJ3CBxiOA48ARbdiyCf0sBrvQmGQ-zIVADCAJDvkWmZkg/s320/salt-lake-temple-view.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salt Lake Temple</td></tr></tbody></table><i><br />First,</i> we are living in a day of ongoing revelation. This is troubling to some, but not to me. Many of the temple ordinance workers with whom we served in the Salt Lake Temple were so proficient in the endowment ceremony and had of necessity memorized every word of the dialogue. Many do not like comfortable things around them to change. The closing of the temple for extensive renovations was for many a difficult end of an era, as they realized many of them would not live long enough to ever see it reopen. They get used to doing things a certain way, and they love the thought that what they know is steady state and predictable. Policies change, procedures are altered, technology is introduced to supplant older manual ways of doing things. Missionaries now call home on each preparation day to their families, something we never did in my era. I remember being called many years ago as a ward clerk at the time the Church introduced digital records and computer programs into the wards. Membership records, home and visiting teaching assignments and financial records were now computerized. Being a ward clerk was not a calling to which I had ever aspired. Then, it dawned on me that few if any others in the ward were familiar with computers at that time and that was likely the only reason I was called to assist in that transition. <p></p><p><i></i></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHybSzyV7cNArK7BKZjb-6HuVPhq-RXsCz4wZDiC9xzcQDjoTKI7Y4iqMOT69ElL8KSpyCb8mh-Las1zNbJScN-nGTbQsmqS1VzhBGubdJHoe2t_emrOTbGgKRzPjW4hQ3XMe3iiOrUVxNsqkW-rZq485XqrXK5j20ZDXqy7CW9AV4hxVpDVYXV60/s300/russell%20m.%20nelson.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHybSzyV7cNArK7BKZjb-6HuVPhq-RXsCz4wZDiC9xzcQDjoTKI7Y4iqMOT69ElL8KSpyCb8mh-Las1zNbJScN-nGTbQsmqS1VzhBGubdJHoe2t_emrOTbGgKRzPjW4hQ3XMe3iiOrUVxNsqkW-rZq485XqrXK5j20ZDXqy7CW9AV4hxVpDVYXV60/w371-h209/russell%20m.%20nelson.jpg" width="371" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">President Russell M. Nelson</td></tr></tbody></table><i><br />Second,</i> I have rejoiced exceedingly with the last five years of acceleration in the pace of the Church under the inspired leadership of President Russell M. Nelson. I don't think he's left a single stone unturned in seeking for ways to improve, streamline, clarify and amplify the teachings of the gospel which have been entrusted to him. Try this simple exercise to see what I'm talking about. Go back into the <i>Ensign</i> and then the <i>Liahona</i> (or the Church website) since President Nelson has become the President of the Church. Isolate his sermons, print them out, compile them sequentially, then study them intently. It may take you weeks to do, but the effort will be worth it. You will discover, as I have, the pure revelatory channel that has opened up. I remember saying to my sons and daughters after that first General Conference over which he presided and conducted, "Well, he is not going to be just a caretaker President of the Church." Little did I know how accurate that insight would prove to be.<br /><p></p><p><i></i></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg618_7I0ZizAQYyEeyO_mullPNvm7g9VASm6Qc-htc0KGfv0ChA0slVkbmAw7BB7gLOrOczvKX2O6D3J5QrzWslsQdEiUJ_OLw2LTZS6ksGPhc-zn-CrMrCfYXFfck-sJ_PSlrjzuP3ybRlN3lb-q0PRNCdPZIKOzxHHINImO1_go6iCwAJq4oS-Y/s268/joseph%20smith.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="268" data-original-width="188" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg618_7I0ZizAQYyEeyO_mullPNvm7g9VASm6Qc-htc0KGfv0ChA0slVkbmAw7BB7gLOrOczvKX2O6D3J5QrzWslsQdEiUJ_OLw2LTZS6ksGPhc-zn-CrMrCfYXFfck-sJ_PSlrjzuP3ybRlN3lb-q0PRNCdPZIKOzxHHINImO1_go6iCwAJq4oS-Y/s1600/joseph%20smith.jpg" width="188" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joseph Smith (1805-1844)</td></tr></tbody></table><i><br />Third,</i> if there is one area of emphasis that dropped out of that exercise for me it has been the emphasis on temple work by President Nelson. Joseph Smith's prophetic declaration that the Church would one day fill the entire earth when the entire priesthood was gathered in one small room over the Newell K. Whitney store is being realized in our day. The gentle, loving and kindly invitations to prepare ourselves more spiritually for participation in temple work leap out of his sermons. The number of temples now announced or currently under construction or renovation has now reached 300 worldwide. There are now 416 full-time missions that dot the globe as the Church gathers Israel on this side of the veil. The acceleration is nearly impossible to comprehend. He told us early in his administration to take our vitamins and put on our running shoes, and he has led by example. He is God's prophet on the earth today.<p></p><p><i></i></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_d_UtvLEZbiMWQObzYf0WNy6nEA0eor2PZYdmvzvcPgwuh5jg41Zpwii9wneSLopSujtz-yQT95DCXYRg0dmtXc-kLQsyAkhD2exixjkGScD83DvAAmasJ-KKe53CIzXvI2vVH-t60aSF2Qx25dm2IhYCvDG3rQKA374zCHgPhtLws10nEJshMpQ/s251/christus%20statue.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="201" data-original-width="251" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_d_UtvLEZbiMWQObzYf0WNy6nEA0eor2PZYdmvzvcPgwuh5jg41Zpwii9wneSLopSujtz-yQT95DCXYRg0dmtXc-kLQsyAkhD2exixjkGScD83DvAAmasJ-KKe53CIzXvI2vVH-t60aSF2Qx25dm2IhYCvDG3rQKA374zCHgPhtLws10nEJshMpQ/s1600/christus%20statue.jpg" width="251" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Christus</td></tr></tbody></table><i><br />Fourth,</i> if you haven't been to the temple in some time, prepare yourself by getting your recommend updated and go. You will discover not just a "new and improved" version of temple worship, but more importantly, you will be immersed and endowed spiritually as never before. You will be shown the history of the world and your place in the ongoing work of salvation, epitomized by the life of the Savior. You will be instructed with an endowment of knowledge. You will be assured of the reality of repentance and forgiveness. <a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2018/04/revelation-for-the-church-revelation-for-our-lives?lang=eng">During that first General Conference</a>, April 2018, President Nelson observed, <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">"One of the things the Spirit has repeatedly impressed upon my mind since my new calling as President of the Church is <b><i>how willing the Lord is to reveal His mind and will</i></b>. The privilege of receiving revelation is one of the greatest gifts of God to His children." </span><p></p><p><i></i></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTaHGUp7ZGsroPeb6NBo-EC0QVDvq6Ig6add6vefowe6aOFhKJeeuOPrNFAoH344MLOsfuPaHEsehD3vEM_rnOgtyW0fXxGsO12FwiuXWm2Vm4p08AanwrvhPfrSzFxC-yRctEMeqsaxDnY-hG2dgDDEUpi1VZQOjHavffAwmE4nu3IhS96shQT5s/s815/President%20Monson%20and%20Dad.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="611" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTaHGUp7ZGsroPeb6NBo-EC0QVDvq6Ig6add6vefowe6aOFhKJeeuOPrNFAoH344MLOsfuPaHEsehD3vEM_rnOgtyW0fXxGsO12FwiuXWm2Vm4p08AanwrvhPfrSzFxC-yRctEMeqsaxDnY-hG2dgDDEUpi1VZQOjHavffAwmE4nu3IhS96shQT5s/s320/President%20Monson%20and%20Dad.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">President Monson, L. Brent Goates</td></tr></tbody></table><i><br />Fifth,</i> the newest edition of the endowment ceremony as found only in the dedicated temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is a modern-day testament for all those with eyes to see and hearts to understand just how revelation operates in the Church and in our own lives. As I sat reverently in the last endowment session we attended, I felt awash in the power of the Spirit. I could envision clearly the Prophet Russell awake in the middle of the night, pen in hand at his bedside, taking down the words of the endowment, then taking those words to his Brethren of the First Presidency and the Twelve for their sustaining vote. You will feel as I did the confirming witness that what is being done in the work of the temples worldwide is coming straight from heaven. Not that it has not always been that way historically, but now it carries more power spiritually than ever before. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOyzK3Iq9wQm0Sz8ebOWIgrKpctqMcaST6rNLIE7Lzsh89W6V-GO3wCMri85NnjR_RDl1dfIf71A3VFfdGwVOoZGlsVNXTVXHac3IlyOGvSMzpMV2GBJqM7vRGqL1xbibyCr3Cm1Q1NMlZx8DYhbtfjGmtmyHF1FQBGkyZe90Ohv3QgHDQavI-U-U" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="402" data-original-width="474" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOyzK3Iq9wQm0Sz8ebOWIgrKpctqMcaST6rNLIE7Lzsh89W6V-GO3wCMri85NnjR_RDl1dfIf71A3VFfdGwVOoZGlsVNXTVXHac3IlyOGvSMzpMV2GBJqM7vRGqL1xbibyCr3Cm1Q1NMlZx8DYhbtfjGmtmyHF1FQBGkyZe90Ohv3QgHDQavI-U-U=w389-h330" width="389" /></a></div><br />In this Church we testify of the ministering of angels among us. Those angels are more often than not our deceased family members. Now residing in the spirit world while their physical bodies rest in the earth, they are teaching others the precious truths of the gospel. Sometimes they will draw near to us and impart messages of inspiration, comfort, counsel and guidance if our hearts are attuned to theirs.<p></p><p>Such was my experience this past week coming on the heels of our endowment session. Still basking in that revelatory light, I had a dream in which my father who died several years ago appeared unexpectedly at my side. He looked much younger than his 93 years on earth would have indicated by his slumped over posture and gnarly back. Now in my dream he stood erect, energetic and youthful before me. We had a wonderful visit together, as he reassured me of his feelings of satisfaction over our shared posterity. The words he conveyed were "obedient" and "courageous," and he told me how pleased he was with each of them. He was aware that the following day we would be baptizing our eight-year-old granddaughter Vivienne Goates. He also reveled with me in the births of a new granddaughter, Fern Josephine Goates, great-granddaughter Rosemary Johns, and great-grandson Brooks Lee Jach, all of whom were blessed by their fathers and given their names recently. There was a thorough review of each child, grandchild and all the great-grandchildren. I was having an intimate "personal priesthood interview" with him, and he was beaming throughout our visit together. I came away from that experience with the firm conviction that even though we do not rise to the level of perfection on this side of the veil, it is sufficient for him and our Heavenly Father and Jesus that we are trying to do our best. That's what pleased him so much - that our reliance on the Savior's perfection is sufficient to save everyone. </p><p>In dreams, as you may have also noticed, words are not spoken as much as a free-flowing communication takes place. Knowledge is exchanged, comfort is offered, the rich realization that life goes on beyond the veil of death is confirmed. My father is not one "who is dead," but rather lives on in the spirit world. He had the sealing keys conferred upon him late in life by President Thomas S. Monson, and then he served as a sealer in the Salt Lake Temple. I know by his visit to me that he is still very interested in the ongoing sealing up of his posterity on this side of the veil. In fact, he shared how their work in the spirit world is limited to teaching the gospel. The ordinance work is done here in mortality, and they in the spirit world are dependent upon us to provide that effort to establish those family links. Increasingly, there is little or no distinction separating the spirit world from the physical world. He wanted me to share his message of hope for all our family to hear. </p><p>There may be some who leave the covenant path for a season, or maybe they are indifferent for awhile, but he reassured me they will return because the offering of eternal life is so compelling that few will reject it. The sealing ordinance has power to claim even the wayward through the merciful forgiveness available to those who repent. In the end of our interview he confirmed there is nothing more important than loving one another and sustaining one another as we travel through life together. Everything that swirls around us is nothing more than background noise. The gospel of Jesus Christ provides the common denominator for each family member. As we live our lives here in mortality we are given the opportunity to become literal <a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2014-05-0011-saviors-on-mt-zion?lang=eng">"saviors on Mount Zion,"</a> as we do our part in the delivery of the saving ordinances to all our kindred family members who are now living in the spirit world. The work has never been easier to identify who they are. We often speak of "taking their names through the temple," but it is so much more than that. We are blessed to have the constant reminder of our own covenants as we officiate in the saving ordinances for our ancestors, and they are blessed with the affirmation of our love for them by providing the labor of love to seal them to us and us to them.</p><p>Never in my life has the reality of linked arms together to gather Israel on both sides of the veil been more comprehensive and more spiritual. The living prophet, President Russell M. Nelson is gently, lovingly, and consistently setting the agenda for us to embrace. As you review his sermons over the past five years, notice how many times he "invites," not "commands" that we follow.</p><p><br /></p>David B. Goateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01978666830682045128noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370511552390871439.post-61022153516063862222022-10-07T12:22:00.001-06:002022-10-10T13:45:56.400-06:00Fulfillment: "For the Strength of Youth" Pamphlet is Revised<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh9J99b5GAecm7GOH7Nq-B1mjqAF3Jmgwm9SfIgsBzlOoljZUwrSzgjzJ7SU2kfJnsDjAPkwZQnCahxHvT5NmNTIoSETpZUde1OzjxD7-RM5c4jiqpsp_OEUx9q4pGWBalWSXKXfgmyjq5XXqZrBgb7ab-QQjbTh71i5986eQIKdS3JQV3iXO1R_ps" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="274" data-original-width="474" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh9J99b5GAecm7GOH7Nq-B1mjqAF3Jmgwm9SfIgsBzlOoljZUwrSzgjzJ7SU2kfJnsDjAPkwZQnCahxHvT5NmNTIoSETpZUde1OzjxD7-RM5c4jiqpsp_OEUx9q4pGWBalWSXKXfgmyjq5XXqZrBgb7ab-QQjbTh71i5986eQIKdS3JQV3iXO1R_ps=w469-h272" width="469" /></a></div><br />This recently concluded General Conference had many wonderful developments and exciting announcements. Among them was the complete revision of "For the Strength of Youth" pamphlet that was put into use a long time ago. In 1965, (the year I graduated from high school), with its introduction it seemed to me to be little more than a reincarnation of the law of Moses. Now, happily, the Church (and its youth) have progressed to a point of observing a higher and holier path that sheds the "shoulds" and "shouldn'ts" and replaces them with adult choices and promised blessings instead.<p></p><p>Many years ago I met with a member of the Seventy, who is a close personal friend. He had been given an assignment to search out ways the Church could help the youth, and asked for my suggestions in a letter from me that he requested. I quote in part from that letter. At lunch we spoke about what I called “the disconnect” between the moral standards outlined in the “For the Strength of Youth” pamphlet and the actual behavior we are witnessing in the trenches among the youth in the Church. I realize this might come off as sounding near heretical now, but bear with me.</p><p>In my letter back to him, I wrote: </p><p>Elder M. Russell Ballard is at the forefront of a new initiative – “raising the bar” for missionary service. Rather than something “new,” it has the feel to me of yet another “retrenchment” into what the Lord has required all along. The exercise of our free will and the accountability for our individual choices is at least as old as the pre-existence.</p><p>Some examples of the “disconnect:” 1) When my son who now serves as a missionary in Brazil recounted with his friends on graduation night how many in their high school senior class population of nearly 120 had not had sexual intercourse during high school, they counted less than ten girls and less than twenty boys – and that statistic in a predominantly homogenous LDS community! 2) We routinely have young men return early from missions to clear up pre-mission moral transgressions. 3) Just yesterday I talked to the mother of a young man not in our stake. He is preparing to leave again after a year’s wait, when “some things he didn’t clear up before he left” were disclosed after three weeks in the MTC. 4) Returned missionaries who were once faithful and faith-filled leaders in their missions come home and completely leave the Church (four in our stake in the last year that I know about).</p><p>How does the Church close this “disconnect” gap? Do the leaders at the local level understand WHY this disconnect exists? I believe too much reliance on “For the Strength of Youth” is merely a modern reincarnation of the ancient law of Moses with little power to inspire the youth of the Church today. If my informal non-scientific “polls” among my acquaintances are any indicator, the current approach is failing to achieve the desired outcomes.</p><p>I’m guessing here (I can only make assumptions until someone confirms to me how it actually happened), but maybe local leaders in the Church indirectly produced “For the Strength of Youth.” In observing the youth in their wards and stakes falling off the strait and narrow path, local leaders must have been crying out for help. I would guess the phone banks and in boxes at Church headquarters were lit up with calls and letters from local leaders demanding that the General Authorities “give us some guidance so we can tell the youth what to do.” In other words, it was a complete capitulation that as modern Israel we couldn’t handle the consequences of more freedom, so we reverted to having someone else (the General Authorities) tell us what to do in every circumstance the local leaders could imagine.</p><p>I wonder if the creative genius behind “For the Strength of Youth” wasn’t something like a modern replay of what happened anciently when Israel demanded that the prophet Samuel appoint a king to rule them:</p><p>Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,</p><p>And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.</p><p>But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.</p><p>And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.</p><p>According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.</p><p>Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.</p><p>And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king. . .</p><p>[Samuel then spells out in detail what a king would actually do to them, all of which sounds like descriptions of slavery, and still they were not dissuaded]</p><p>And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD.</p><p>And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. . . (<b>1 Samuel 8:4-22</b>).</p><p>So maybe (I can only surmise) the modern Church took steps to “hedge up the way” by outlining acceptable behavioral standards, because the people demanded it. Perhaps the General Authorities simply responded out of love to the demands of local leaders who assumed an “encyclical” from 47 East South Temple would solve everything. There is so much more comfort, it would seem, in being told what to do than having to accept individual accountability that leaves no one to blame but ourselves. In 1990 (when the pamphlet underwent a revision), it would appear we took a big step backward.</p><p>In 1980, twenty-three years ago [now forty-two!] when the consolidated meeting schedule was first introduced, the possibility of failure was raised. I believed at the time this was a monumental address portending the very conditions we observe in the Church today. It was delivered at General Conference by Elder Dean L. Larsen, then serving in the Presidency of the Seventy. In part he said:</p><p>". . . The existence of laws, regulations, and procedures has never been sufficient to compel men to obedience. Productive obedience comes through the exercise of free will. Elder Albert E. Bowen of the Quorum of the Twelve once said:</p><p>“'It is a truism that no law is any better than the people who administer it. Howsoever well framed a law may be or however worthy its purpose, it can degenerate into utter futility unless wisely administered by those sympathetic with its purposes' (The Church Welfare Plan, Sunday School manual, 1946, p. 115).</p><p>". . . Today we are being encouraged to accept greater responsibility for the allocation of our time, for our spiritual development through personal and family study of the gospel, and for giving loving Christian service. We must be willing to respond to this new challenge. Our willingness to accept this added accountability will exert an influence that will reach far beyond our Sunday worship service and religious life.</p><p><b><i>"Unless we retain a vibrant desire to be free, and unless we understand and practice the principles that give life to essential freedoms, we have little reason to hope they will endure. If we allow ourselves to accept dependency and regulation and to cease valuing independence and self-accountability, then we are vulnerable to the forces that destroy freedom. If righteousness is judged primarily by the degree to which one responds to programmed activity, then a condition develops within which opportunities for progress decline. The resulting tragedy affects the mortal potential of man and has a profound effect on his eternal possibilities as well. [HOW PROPHETIC!!]</i></b></p><p>"Programmed behavior cannot produce the level of spiritual development required to qualify one for eternal life. A necessary range of freedom and self-determination is essential to one’s spiritual development. With an understanding of correct principles and an intrinsic desire to apply them, one must be motivated within himself to do many good things of his own free will; for, as the revelation says, the power is in him wherein he is an agent unto himself (see <b>D&C 58:27-28</b>).</p><p>". . . In his concluding remarks at the April 1979 general conference, President Kimball said:</p><p>“'The basic decisions needed for us to move forward, as a people, must be made by the individual members of the Church. The major strides which must be made by the Church will follow upon the major strides to be made by us as individuals. …</p><p>“'… Our individual spiritual growth is the key to major numerical growth in the kingdom' (<i>Ensign</i>, May 1979, p. 82).</p><p>"I rejoice in the spirit and intent of this instruction from a living prophet. I see in it the purposeful effort to preserve our individual accountability in the context of our Church membership and religious life.</p><p>"When members of the Church exercise self-determination in their application of gospel principles they need not relax in their compliance with these principles. In fact, optimum progress can only occur when conditions are ideal for it, and these conditions must include the necessary degree of freedom and self-accountability. Anything less will guarantee stunted spiritual growth.</p><p>"We must understand that as freedom for unrestricted development is enhanced, the possibilities for failure are also increased. The risk factor is great. The ideal cannot be achieved otherwise. Celestial attainment can be reached in no other environment.</p><p><b><i>"We have inspired leaders today who are reconfirming the fact that there is no ultimate safety in programmed security where others assume accountability for our direction and performance. [I believe this sentence strikes at the heart of the entire matter.]</i></b></p><p>"Those who insist that a Church program exist for every contingency and need are as much in error as their counterparts who demand that government intervene in every aspect of our lives. In both instances the ideal balance is destroyed with a resultant detriment to human progress.</p><p>"These are essential truths which our leaders are reinforcing for us today. These are challenging truths. They demand much of us. They press us to make our lives better by our own initiative and by our own efforts. They make no unconditional promises. . ." (Dean L. Larsen, “Self-Accountability and Human Progress,” <i>Ensign</i>, May 1980, 76, emphasis mine).</p><p>Elder Larsen warned us about relying on “the law,” but as a Church we ignored the message. Rather than risk failure in behavior among our youth we reverted to “tell us what to do, give us behavioral standards, we welcome the bondage of the law because we worry the youth are not ready to live in the Spirit.” Once I even had an earnest young woman blurt out in a question/answer session in a fifth-Sunday combined presentation, “So tell us, can we drink Coke or not?” What a sad self-imposed indictment on ourselves, and how tragic in light of Elder Larsen’s prophetic warning.</p><p>Even as late as this month’s <i>Ensign</i>, there is a profound First Presidency Message from President Faust, who reminded us again:</p><p>"The challenge Jesus issued was for people to replace the rigid, technical 'thou shalt not' of the law of Moses — needed by the spiritually immature ancient children of Israel — with the spirit of the 'better testament. . .' The New Testament is 'a better testament' because so much is left to the intent of the heart and of the mind and the promptings of the Holy Spirit. <b><i>This refinement of the soul is part of the reinforcing steel of a personal testimony of Jesus Christ. If there is no witness in the heart and in the mind by the power of the Holy Ghost, there can be no testimony."</i></b> (James E. Faust, “The Surety of a Better Testament,” <i>Ensign</i>, Sept. 2003, 3, emphasis mine).</p><p>Despite these specific invitations to live the higher law, sacrament meeting after sacrament meeting in recent years since 1990, has lauded the merits of the pamphlet, as though measurable and observable improved behavior were the end goal we were seeking. The youth in the Church are symbolically whipped week after week with “shoulds” from the pamphlet. We shifted responsibility from ourselves as teachers and leaders at the local level, and defaulted to “this inspired pamphlet.” Except from a select few local women leaders, rarely do I hear true doctrine, however. The underlying “WHY” doctrine is always conspicuously absent in these uninspired sermons. President Packer has observed that teaching true '. . .doctrine can change behavior quicker than talking about behavior will.' (See Boyd K. Packer, “Washed Clean,” <i>Ensign</i>, May 1997, 9). I believe the proper indictment rests not with the General Authorities, but with the members – so few of whom understand and can teach true doctrine.</p><p>When the respective presidents of the Young Men and Young Women’s organizations were interviewed by an <i>Ensign</i> staff writer following the introduction of the new pamphlet, I invite you to look for even one underlying true doctrinal principle that buttresses their endorsement. (See “The Lord’s Standards Haven’t Changed,” <i>Ensign</i>, Sept. 1991, 7). Both mention how welcomed boundaries are by the youth, but the minute you go down the path of defining acceptable behavioral standards the unintended consequence is that some imaginative young people will begin to parse meanings and immediately move to the outer markers.</p><p>I always thought what I’m now going to share with you was nothing more than an urban legend, until I received a phone call from a young married woman in my ward one Sunday afternoon. Enough time and distance has passed that no one would guess her true identity, and I have long ago forgotten her name and face (the blessing of diminished memory). She asked if she could come to my office for an interview. I had spoken in sacrament meeting the week before about the principle of repentance, and when she arrived she poured out a story through sobbing and exquisite pain that stunned me. While a student at BYU, she along with two of her single friends and three other single young men had gone to Las Vegas for a long weekend. When they arrived they paired off and went to a marriage chapel on the Strip and each couple was “legally and lawfully wedded.” They engaged in unrequited and unrestrained sexual activity for four days and nights, then as they were leaving Las Vegas went back to the same marriage chapel and had all three marriages annulled. They took an oath of silence – they agreed never to discuss the matter again. They convinced each other it was all perfectly legal in every way.</p><p>Five years later and after the birth of her second child, the agony of her secret was too heavy to carry any longer. She had gone right to the edge of the “legal definitions” of her covenants, had peered into the abyss, then had slipped over the edge. Something I had said in my talk the week before had finally helped her muster the courage to come forward and begin again. So that’s the danger, I believe, of even making the attempt to establish comprehensive behavioral standards – why not teach that the Holy Ghost may truly govern people’s spiritual lives instead?</p><p>Why do I know how much power this approach of living by the Spirit can have in people’s lives? Because I have witnessed its power to change and influence for better the lives of those who are closest to me. What follows is merely the latest in a long list of examples that could be cited. I told you about a dear family member’s current incarceration in a federal prison. He is excommunicated presently, but cannot wait for the day of his rebaptism. For my birthday he sent along a letter that included these hopeful lines:</p><p>". . . I feel like I'm truly seeing the gospel again with new eyes, and in answer to the blessing I was given the Spirit has not been withheld. In fact, I believe that the Spirit flows more deeply now that my vessel has been cleansed. I can't wait for a renewed life and membership in the Church. I'm not done yet, Dave. I know that the Lord still has more for me to accomplish, and perhaps that work will require the lessons I've learned in order to fulfill it properly. . ."</p><p>It is my belief his lessons in the Spirit came relatively late in life, in part (he is ultimately accountable) because of his perception he was subjected to a heavy-handed behavioral emphasis in his home growing up. That might explain my obvious prejudice and passion for this topic.</p><p>When outward appearance matters more than inward purity, you can bet the cleansing of the vessel when it finally comes will be attended with unimaginable firepower!</p><p>May I paraphrase what Paul taught? (See the JST):</p><p>O foolish [members of the Church], who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?</p><p>This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the [“For the Strength of Youth” pamphlet], or by the hearing of faith?</p><p>Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by [teaching from some modern-day reincarnation of the law of Moses]?</p><p>[Paul then teaches that Abraham’s hopes and dreams of having posterity were fulfilled because of his faith, not the observance of the law of Moses that came 430 years later.]</p><p>. . . Is the [pamphlet] then against the promises of God? God forbid [it was conceived with the best intentions in the world to help guide the youth]; for if there had been a [pamphlet] given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by [the pamphlet without the need for anyone’s faith being exercised].</p><p>But the scripture hath concluded all under sin [because the pamphlet cannot possibly begin to list every single bad human behavior into which fallen mortal people will display, and none can live the demands of the pamphlet perfectly which is why we have a Savior], that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.</p><p>But before faith came, we were kept under the [standards as set forth in the pamphlet], shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed [we relied on the pamphlet to guide our youth, and we forgot it’s really the Holy Ghost that must guide them].</p><p>Wherefore the [pamphlet] was our schoolmaster until Christ, that we might be justified by faith [so isn’t it about time to move on and truly “raise the bar” by teaching Christ’s perfection, not our own failed attempts at the perfect observance of behavioral standards?].</p><p><b><i>But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster [let’s burn the silly pamphlet and teach Christ and the need for our faith in his perfection instead].</i></b></p><p><b><i>For ye are all the children of God by faith in Jesus Christ [and as such are heirs to the promises made to Abraham through faith].</i></b></p><p><b><i>For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.</i></b></p><p><b><i>There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.</i></b></p><p><b><i>And if ye are Christ's then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.</i></b> (<b>JST Galatians 3:1-29</b>, emphasis mine).</p><p>What is the true doctrine? Nephi said it best: <b><i>“. . . if ye will enter in by the way [baptism], and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do. Behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and there will be no more doctrine given. . .”</i></b> (<b>2 Nephi 32:5-6</b>, emphasis mine). I believe ALL THINGS really means ALL THINGS. A “should” from the quiet whisperings of the Holy Ghost is very different than getting “should on” by an uninspired youth leader on Sunday armed with a pamphlet.</p><p>We can only close the gap in the disconnect, I believe, by teaching and emphasizing the true doctrine of Christ. At the highest priesthood echelons in the Church there is marvelous encouragement and instruction along these lines, and I wouldn’t change a thing. But the danger now is that spiritually lazy and unconverted local leaders and members of the Church (if my premise is correct) have insisted upon the creation of a pamphlet that closely resembles “more than” the doctrine of Christ. It seems “a sandy foundation.” In this next passage, the Savior has just finished speaking to the Nephites during his first appearance among them. He has spoken about doing away with contentions over the points of his doctrine, carefully enunciating what he calls “my doctrine” in these words:</p><p>And this is my doctrine, and it is the doctrine which the Father hath given unto me; and I bear record of the Father, and the Father beareth record of me, and the Holy Ghost beareth record of the Father and me; and I bear record that the Father commandeth all men, everywhere, to repent and believe in me.</p><p>And whoso believeth in me and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God.</p><p>And whoso believeth not in me, and is not baptized, shall be damned.</p><p>Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and I bear record of it from the Father; and whoso believeth in me believeth in the Father also; and unto him will the Father bear record of me, for he will visit him with fire and with the Holy Ghost.</p><p><b><i>. . . And whoso shall declare more or less than this, and establish it for my doctrine, the same cometh of evil, and is not built upon my rock; but he buildeth upon a sandy foundation, and the gates of hell stand open to receive such when the floods come and the winds beat upon them.</i></b></p><p>Therefore, go forth unto this people, and declare the words which I have spoken, unto the ends of the earth. (<b>3 Nephi 11:32-41</b>, emphasis mine).</p><p>Then in our dispensation the Lord again reiterated this simple idea to the Prophet Joseph:</p><p>And this I do that I may establish my gospel, that there may not be so much contention; yea, Satan doth stir up the hearts of the people to contention concerning the points of my doctrine; and in these things they do err, for they do wrest the scriptures and do not understand them.</p><p>Therefore, I will unfold unto them this great mystery;</p><p>For, behold, I will gather them as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if they will not harden their hearts;</p><p>Yea, if they will come, they may, and partake of the waters of life freely.</p><p><b><i>Behold, this is my doctrine — whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the same is my church.</i></b></p><p><b><i>Whosoever declareth more or less than this, the same is not of me, but is against me; therefore he is not of my church.</i></b></p><p><b><i>And now, behold, whosoever is of my church, and endureth of my church to the end, him will I establish upon my rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them.</i></b></p><p><b><i>And now, remember the words of him who is the life and light of the world, your Redeemer, your Lord and your God. Amen.</i></b> (<b>D&C 10:63-70</b>, emphasis mine).</p><p>Sometimes it seems the very gates of hell are opened wide and are prevailing against our youth. Perhaps like Alma we need to try the merits of the word of God (see <b>Alma 31:5</b>). President Benson, as we observed over lunch, certainly challenged the members of the Church to embrace <i>The Book of Mormon</i>. It isn’t like we haven’t already heard how to help the youth at least a gazillion times.</p><p>And now in October, 2022, the deliverance has finally come institutionally. Listen to these blessed words:</p><p>“The best guide you can possibly have for making choices is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the strength of youth,” <a href="https://www.ldsliving.com/whats-new-in-the-for-the-strength-of-youth-booklet/s/11043">taught Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in Saturday morning’s general conference session.</a> “So the purpose of For the Strength of Youth is to point you to Him. It teaches you eternal truths of His restored gospel — truths about who you are, who He is and what you can accomplish with His strength. It teaches you how to make righteous choices based on those eternal truths.”</p><p>As Elder Uchtdorf said, “It’s also important for you to know what For the Strength of Youth does not do. <b><i>It doesn’t make decisions for you. It doesn’t give you a “yes” or “no” about every choice you might ever face. For the Strength of Youth focuses on the foundation for your choices. It focuses on values, principles, and doctrine instead of every specific behavior.</i></b> …</p><p>“I suppose the guide could give you long lists of clothes you shouldn’t wear, words you shouldn’t say, and movies you shouldn’t watch. But would that really be helpful in a global church? Would such an approach truly prepare you for a lifetime of Christlike living?”</p><p>The First Presidency summarized the whole matter in these words as a preface to the new revision:</p><p>Our dear young brothers and sisters,</p><p>We love you and we have confidence in you. You are truly among Heavenly Father’s choice spirits, sent to earth at this time to do important things.</p><p>There may be times when you don’t feel strong or capable. That’s normal. Especially in those moments, turn to the Savior. He is the “strength of youth.”</p><p><b><i>This guide will help you build a solid foundation for making choices to stay on the covenant path. It will help you prepare to make sacred covenants in the temple, prepare to serve a mission, and find joy in following Jesus Christ throughout your life. We hope you feel that you belong in the Savior’s Church and have power from Him to fulfill His purposes for you. (Emphasis mine).</i></b></p><p>We know God lives. It is our prayer that you will stay firmly on the covenant path that leads back to your Father in Heaven. As you do, you will be an influence for good, sharing the gospel joyfully and preparing the world for the Second Coming of the Savior.</p><p>The First Presidency</p><p>Click on <a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/for-the-strength-of-youth?lang=eng">the link</a> for the full text of the pamphlet.</p>David B. Goateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01978666830682045128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370511552390871439.post-22897203401978889222022-09-20T12:55:00.002-06:002022-09-20T22:59:23.960-06:00The Queen is Dead, Long Live the King<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiusKgCytQMW6EOgf5cwQh4qYlgy5b719ootBLpPJu4zL3o2iEW25IBlf5oUg1yt9EdpE1yCWTdiewpI54KlnXOo5SP-u2Yzj5O8AxF-mH6RLL5lcfo4Xv3BodZ8nSUR83aOD9l8RZfdBsyVpC0tyI7qQTa73TEDKFDQ6VhqIFjzs_4f_-fPYVHvOw" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="251" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiusKgCytQMW6EOgf5cwQh4qYlgy5b719ootBLpPJu4zL3o2iEW25IBlf5oUg1yt9EdpE1yCWTdiewpI54KlnXOo5SP-u2Yzj5O8AxF-mH6RLL5lcfo4Xv3BodZ8nSUR83aOD9l8RZfdBsyVpC0tyI7qQTa73TEDKFDQ6VhqIFjzs_4f_-fPYVHvOw=w501-h640" width="501" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Queen Elizabeth II</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Yesterday marked the end of the lavish and extensive farewell to <a href="https://www.deseret.com/u-s-world/2022/9/19/23361312/photos-queen-elizabeth-funeral">Queen Elizabeth II</a>, the longest-reigning British monarch in history. She was on the throne of England for 70 years. It's hard to imagine now that her predecessor <a href="https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/adams-king-george-III/">King George III</a> was the object of so much hatred and vitriol for the American revolutionaries, given the universal outpouring of love for her from all around the world. History is a cruel teacher sometimes, but all that is now seemingly forgotten in the annals of time.<p></p><p>In 2015, she became the longest-living monarch. She quipped that she had never aspired to that distinction. She died at age 96. There isn't anyone on earth, probably, who wouldn't like to believe she will be reunited with her king consort husband Prince Philip, who lived until he was 99 years old. Now they lie side by side in Windsor Castle. That thought persisted with me all week. Death comes to each of us, whether commoner, king or queen. One thing is certain - eternal life is linked inexorably to temple covenants, available to all, but only through authorized servants of God.</p><p>I served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in England from 1967 to 1969, and I have long been an admirer of the Queen. I taught many of her commoners while there. Some of them joined the Church, and all would eventually testify of the hope they discovered in the temple covenants available to them. I suspect the spirit world will be an awakening for her and for Prince Philip as they learn how they may indeed be linked eternally to each other through sealing ordinances if they desire it. </p><p>So many of us are casual observers of the monarchy. Few people can even articulate what all the pageantry, symbolism and ceremonies are surrounding it. One commenter on my Twitter feed observed, "Nobody does pomp like the British." He is right. If it is simplicity you crave, don't look for it inside the dominion of the crown. </p><p>I have also been pondering if enough time has passed in England for the subjects to have forgiven the treatment Princess Diana received at the hands of her husband, Prince Charles. Incompatibility and extramarital affairs brought their ill-fated marriage to divorce. It was a scandal only worthy of British royalty. Now after a lifetime of waiting, King Charles III ascends the throne. His son William and his two grandsons ensure the monarchy will live on into the future.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhd8yT7fHJcJ5f6vt7dcwCW19aXEbFiEjKJdWSpA8CE9PmOwLcFUd8t3KlLUqORfIc6wKOGgTfZaYC2AEWFnlPt_LX0aBvMT0UNDLGNce-Y_n4uWPq9QJldso669pqMQRySLNSk2ERkOXiK2E4EW4uagPiPsyiunGo24Hyg0dgKGfzmHdS6K2t8Smo" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1618" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhd8yT7fHJcJ5f6vt7dcwCW19aXEbFiEjKJdWSpA8CE9PmOwLcFUd8t3KlLUqORfIc6wKOGgTfZaYC2AEWFnlPt_LX0aBvMT0UNDLGNce-Y_n4uWPq9QJldso669pqMQRySLNSk2ERkOXiK2E4EW4uagPiPsyiunGo24Hyg0dgKGfzmHdS6K2t8Smo" width="304" /></a></div>As I pondered the events in England, I found the timing of <a href="https://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2022/9/19/23360229/church-releases-groundbreaking-date-exterior-rendering-site-location-heber-valley-utah-temple">the announcement yesterday of the location of the new Heber City Temple</a> to be perfect. We concluded our stake conference in Kamas on Sunday, and reference was made that no one yet knew the location of the new temple. We will be in the Heber City Temple district when it is completed, so naturally we have discussed its location with much anticipation for a year since its initial announcement. In the temple we perform proxy ordinances such as baptisms, initiatory, endowments and sealings for our kindred dead family members. It is a work that will be ongoing for generations to come throughout the millennium. It is in the temple we are promised we can be together as families forever, sealed and bound to one another into the eternities ahead. It is more than an idle thought for us, and it is more than speculative. <a href="https://thegoateskids.blogspot.com/2015/02/mortality-keep-building-in-faith.html">It is a certainty with us if we are true and faithful to our covenants.</a><p></p><p></p></div>David B. Goateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01978666830682045128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370511552390871439.post-30357496441147306132022-06-25T12:39:00.001-06:002022-06-28T09:42:50.263-06:00Supreme Court Gets It Right in Overturning Roe v. Wade (finally)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjSEetAjvHPJU7EEf-9ug5FSMUoJ_pujQiKFqLc2hoI6ICT1v6ly296YBb-74PS_r3h4ZwepOeY7HIggRW6V_7OswzX2K5Ycx1Y6N_V0bmpyVVSlZaEPMIV23x2L1rsF2XGLbE1VGXJ9rT2-wQCk-mcu6PZl8toOmAuOF2dzBO7SxrEgnptvwN3yKA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="630" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjSEetAjvHPJU7EEf-9ug5FSMUoJ_pujQiKFqLc2hoI6ICT1v6ly296YBb-74PS_r3h4ZwepOeY7HIggRW6V_7OswzX2K5Ycx1Y6N_V0bmpyVVSlZaEPMIV23x2L1rsF2XGLbE1VGXJ9rT2-wQCk-mcu6PZl8toOmAuOF2dzBO7SxrEgnptvwN3yKA=w424-h303" width="424" /></a></div><br />Yesterday, June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court overturned the fifty-year abortion ruling effectively legalizing abortion in all fifty states. They simply referred abortion law back to the states, where it should have been all along, according to the majority opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito. What yesterday's ruling <i>does not do</i> is outlaw abortion. The Justices in the majority believed the states' elected representatives should make their own laws, removing from the Supreme Court the responsibility not granted to them in the Constitution. There will be continuous debate on this issue going forward into the November mid-term elections and beyond. Contrary to popular misguided opinion that is being trumpeted from the streets, this ruling will do far more to protect the rights of women nationwide than it will to curtail those rights.<p></p><p>What we believe about abortion determines much of who we are as individuals and as a nation. We are about evenly divided if the deadlock in the Senate over the number of Republicans and Democrats is an indicator. Abortion is carefully defined as "Pro-Choice" in one camp, and "Pro-Life" in the other. </p><p>Truthfully, since Roe v. Wade was upheld fifty years ago, America has killed more fetuses in the womb than any other civilized nation on earth. A woman's choice begins with the decision to have unprotected sex, not when she doesn't like the consequences of an unwanted pregnancy after the fact of conception. There are exceptions that are attempted to be carved out of laws prohibiting abortion, but those laws will now be written by the individual states going forward. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiv3oE4woWUJUervNypn35kUfxUCs-SAcP9sRUDokIrzrhl2KJKU2Mr698Vbx-CjN1aAHxIgkUU7hYMYXXaRgs-B_4Fgd02g6VBrPc-PyS8cdr09KZPkLG9mBIBff8Rc_Hhsqov_pr9ggqneORd4XP98Ob9qafhRiEpdgT-c81I8tPKEij6ptGX5rk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="426" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiv3oE4woWUJUervNypn35kUfxUCs-SAcP9sRUDokIrzrhl2KJKU2Mr698Vbx-CjN1aAHxIgkUU7hYMYXXaRgs-B_4Fgd02g6VBrPc-PyS8cdr09KZPkLG9mBIBff8Rc_Hhsqov_pr9ggqneORd4XP98Ob9qafhRiEpdgT-c81I8tPKEij6ptGX5rk=w478-h266" width="478" /></a></div><p></p><p>This legal concept of "states rights" is embedded in the concept of "federalism" as defined by our Founding Fathers. <a href="http://thegoateskids.blogspot.com/2011/01/federalism-and-why-it-matters-to-you.html">I have written about it extensively in the past.</a> They held that the federal government should only be granted limited powers, while reserving to the states the broader powers that would assure the governed should have a larger voice in the local government closest to them. We must reject the loose and inflammatory rhetoric that will ramp up this summer, and anchor our public debate to the underlying core principles written in the Constitution. That is the path the Supreme Court has opted to follow, and I endorse their leadership.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCT2L-1qeCs-KOhG18Aoky5JyrNMrt53jtZ6mdzWyFSbLBvvxERL-SUYjSff0JEqCPIJPQP7WpHucXBgtrpCUgBVIR8mh6R4Uh5nzBYCzdJek112j-n1sLIHrtRTWsSBDcbB6VZ5EkUlcnUU11bj0m54sy3R29QjxYEIFzserA2av4lROJ5uvGu0Q" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCT2L-1qeCs-KOhG18Aoky5JyrNMrt53jtZ6mdzWyFSbLBvvxERL-SUYjSff0JEqCPIJPQP7WpHucXBgtrpCUgBVIR8mh6R4Uh5nzBYCzdJek112j-n1sLIHrtRTWsSBDcbB6VZ5EkUlcnUU11bj0m54sy3R29QjxYEIFzserA2av4lROJ5uvGu0Q=w493-h277" width="493" /></a></div><p></p><p>The key elements of the majority opinion, in my view are these:</p><p>We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled. The Constitution makes no reference to abortion, and no such right is implicitly protected by any constitutional provision, including the one on which the defenders of Roe and Casey now chiefly rely — the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. That provision has been held to guarantee some rights that are not mentioned in the Constitution, but any such right must be “deeply rooted in this Nation’s history and tradition” and “implicit in the concept of ordered liberty.” Washington v. Glucksberg, 521 U. S. 702, 721 (1997) (internal quotation marks omitted). . .</p><p>It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives. <b><i>“The permissibility of abortion, and the limitations, upon it, are to be resolved like most important questions in our democracy: by citizens trying to persuade one another and then voting.”</i></b> Casey, 505 U. S., at 979 (Scalia, J., concurring in judgment in part and dissenting in part). That is what the Constitution and the rule of law demand.</p><p>You can read the entire text of the opinion <a href="We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled. The Constitution makes no reference to abortion, and no such right is implicitly protected by any constitutional provision, including the one on which the defenders of Roe and Casey now chiefly rely—the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. That provision has been held to guarantee some rights that are not mentioned in the Constitution, but any such right must be “deeply rooted in this Nation’s history and tradition” and “implicit in the concept of ordered liberty.” Washington v. Glucksberg, 521 U. S. 702, 721 (1997) (internal quotation marks omitted). . . It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives. “The permissibility of abortion, and the limitations, upon it, are to be resolved like most important questions in our democracy: by citizens trying to persuade one another and then voting.” Casey, 505 U. S., at 979 (Scalia, J., concurring in judgment in part and dissenting in part). That is what the Constitution and the rule of law demand.">here</a>.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8gqzVGXZ9gqYcUZARpywDoJ6ix9apuwZ4lKA1Qkhdnt0ZbCAS4zBQg4JgoL90ULd8DenX9okQHXqx_WAOIMRJy_2QxdoZWvuaPRA-IeCLi7wAczwYeXUEruhWFAl9hv0KzilPHh2b4vetZi4nAWOHMlYBRSekIr8NhNxyEaipc51rjXknI99Qhkw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="490" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8gqzVGXZ9gqYcUZARpywDoJ6ix9apuwZ4lKA1Qkhdnt0ZbCAS4zBQg4JgoL90ULd8DenX9okQHXqx_WAOIMRJy_2QxdoZWvuaPRA-IeCLi7wAczwYeXUEruhWFAl9hv0KzilPHh2b4vetZi4nAWOHMlYBRSekIr8NhNxyEaipc51rjXknI99Qhkw=w496-h279" width="496" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><a href="https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/official-statement/abortion">The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believes in the sanctity of human life.</a> Therefore, the Church opposes elective abortion for personal or social convenience, and counsels its members not to submit to, perform, encourage, pay for, or arrange for such abortions.</p><p>The Church allows for possible exceptions for its members when:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Pregnancy results from rape or incest, or</li><li>A competent physician determines that the life or health of the mother is in serious jeopardy, or</li><li>A competent physician determines that the fetus has severe defects that will not allow the baby to survive beyond birth.</li></ul><p></p><p>Even these exceptions do not automatically justify abortion. Abortion is a most serious matter. It should be considered only after the persons responsible have received confirmation through prayer. Members may counsel with their bishops as part of this process.</p><p><b><i>The Church’s position on this matter remains unchanged. As states work to enact laws related to abortion, Church members may appropriately choose to participate in efforts to protect life and to preserve religious liberty.</i></b></p><p><br /></p>David B. Goateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01978666830682045128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370511552390871439.post-78280086085383037472022-06-19T13:06:00.001-06:002022-06-23T12:01:11.463-06:00Fathers Matter<p> I have been focused this morning on the 12 fathers in our extended family in the next generation, and the three additional fathers in the generation after that. I am deeply humbled by how they have far exceeded my performance as a father, as I look back on all the years since we were married. In every particular they have excelled and continue to bless the lives of their wives and their children.</p><p>It is characteristic of this generation, perhaps, that when circumstances get difficult too many fathers abandon their families and move away from their responsibilities and seek what may appear to be easier paths. However, for those who keep after it and stay the course, there are immeasurable blessings in store both here in this life and in the life eternal beyond.</p><p>Last week we attended an endowment session in the Jordan River Temple, and then two sealing sessions after that. We were reminded by one of the sealers that perhaps we all knew each other in the pre-existence, and we may have met people who knew their time on earth would not come at a time when the fulness of the gospel ordinances would be available to them. Perhaps they approached us in the pre-existence and asked us to do that proxy ordinance work for them. We readily agreed, and week by week we go now and perform that ministering labor on their behalf. Will they accept our efforts? Of course they will. They are our progenitors. We have the fulness of the gospel among us in this dispensation, and we are their seed. Embedded in our souls is the spiritual DNA we inherited from them. In that session I offered the observation to the group that had come to me just that morning as we sat pondering the scriptures in the chapel before the endowment session began. I read in Moses in the <i>Pearl of Great Price:</i></p><p>And it came to pass, as the voice was still speaking, Moses cast his eyes and beheld the earth, yea, even all of it; and <i>there was not a particle of it which he did not behold,</i> <i>discerning it by the Spirit of God.</i></p><p>And he beheld also the <i>inhabitants</i> thereof, and <i>there was not a soul which he beheld not;</i> and he <i>discerned them by the Spirit of God;</i> and their numbers were great, even numberless as the sand upon the sea shore. (<b>Moses 1:27-28</b>).</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpTBJRFe1WksKF6DctiyGOZLaH8fS1i-4kkA0Ku2DTEo3UDjPzBI07hG7wouiH_wIiu1CciFYh7LEOxJhiKAhlkOg5Gw8CLdC-n_DMyahOqCUSw70N9EWD9UKXcAoG2XhqXIFVTqylo1IvPikSesccQcM-jxKpVhizd-jUDn5sAn-6uTR1l-awfv4/s450/Jesus_162.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="323" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpTBJRFe1WksKF6DctiyGOZLaH8fS1i-4kkA0Ku2DTEo3UDjPzBI07hG7wouiH_wIiu1CciFYh7LEOxJhiKAhlkOg5Gw8CLdC-n_DMyahOqCUSw70N9EWD9UKXcAoG2XhqXIFVTqylo1IvPikSesccQcM-jxKpVhizd-jUDn5sAn-6uTR1l-awfv4/s320/Jesus_162.jpg" width="230" /></a></div>I also suggested this process might be similar to that which the Savior surely must have experienced in the Garden of Gethsemane when He suffered alone for the sins of everyone, even for all the souls on all the worlds on which they had lived and He created, "worlds without end." The atonement is individual and it is infinite and eternal. It touches everyone with the exclusion of no one, and He knows each of us personally. He knows our names, and He knows our circumstances. He loves us and He will succor us individually as we reach out for His help. We are never left alone and we are never left comfortless. It's the reason we have a prophet in our midst who is pleading for us to cultivate our relationship with God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, and to get on and to stay on the covenant path.<p></p><p>"For behold, this is my work and my glory - to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." (<b>Moses 1:39</b>).</p><p>So, on this Fathers Day 2022, let me offer my congratulations to all the fathers who are doing their best to honor their covenants and to help their children find and then stay on the covenant path. It is a great work in this generation to do the work of bringing to pass the <i>mortality</i> of children, and to work in the gospel harness with God the Father and Jesus Christ who will add to our work their work of <i>immortality and eternal life</i>.</p><p>If you are one who is seemingly on the brink of walking away, I encourage you to stay the course, pray for the help to sustain you, and seek professional help if needed. There is nothing "out there" to surpass your role as father in the lives of your children. They will repay you a hundred fold in the years ahead.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>David B. Goateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01978666830682045128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370511552390871439.post-52160708276912511732022-05-12T11:21:00.004-06:002022-05-12T23:02:50.765-06:00Thursday Wash Line<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjf23_HYr5zZ6uyBCIi150Vf7aHBx9f9h8Mf3v7iHJKKqaD-aTnexC5G26edUW1lHcB2rbsaQtq8ooWRjJtMAEuoUWPXMSD5RgphiSyPqolW0I94fDA3oLAgNbYxyLFZw-Cm8CEM6IEAw1-oei_VfYwn8AkinA726WGE6gVP1MBpas1Db1y0H0E5ic" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="338" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjf23_HYr5zZ6uyBCIi150Vf7aHBx9f9h8Mf3v7iHJKKqaD-aTnexC5G26edUW1lHcB2rbsaQtq8ooWRjJtMAEuoUWPXMSD5RgphiSyPqolW0I94fDA3oLAgNbYxyLFZw-Cm8CEM6IEAw1-oei_VfYwn8AkinA726WGE6gVP1MBpas1Db1y0H0E5ic" width="203" /></a></div>Today, random thoughts have been brewing. Chief among them is that today is Yogi Berra's birthday. To the uninitiated it may seem inconsequential in the larger scheme of things, but to me he was a childhood hero. From Little League through high school baseball and beyond I always sought out number "8" to wear on my uniform, because, like Yogi, I was a catcher. Some said that to strap on all the gear required to be a catcher was to suit up in the "tools of ignorance." But Yogi inspired me. So did Johnny Bench later on. Roy Campanella was another favorite of mine. Call me stupid, but I relished having a complete view of the field and being involved in every single play on the diamond. I got to call the pitches, throw out runners, block home plate against charging base runners attempting to score, and contribute my bat to the lineup when it was our turn to hit. I love baseball, and<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Wit-Wisdom-Yogi-Berra/dp/1536636185"> Yogi was the personification of goofiness, odd ball quotes and World Series greatness</a>. The reason Yogi held so many World Series records was the Yankees got to the World Series A LOT in those years. Perhaps the triumph of his career was the game where Yogi caught Don Larsen's perfect game five in the 1956 World Series against the dreaded Brooklyn Dodgers. That's a highlight memory I have never forgotten. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLlnPxS-x4lLEsG2IUM7_PziyLVl45HgqmCLmnGJmJ6cPDvcjs8DitDKqfZ4jW2cpVDvwC-OkCllyDkyWw18mUiWf8URRn_uxEzPnwrshOEuGOUTumkkCJYywTvtI0suXMdZq8CqH0cCtWyfD7gak5J_t0z34F64j_q_DsB18__RPLh0iYYrO9kMo" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="360" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLlnPxS-x4lLEsG2IUM7_PziyLVl45HgqmCLmnGJmJ6cPDvcjs8DitDKqfZ4jW2cpVDvwC-OkCllyDkyWw18mUiWf8URRn_uxEzPnwrshOEuGOUTumkkCJYywTvtI0suXMdZq8CqH0cCtWyfD7gak5J_t0z34F64j_q_DsB18__RPLh0iYYrO9kMo" width="188" /></a></div>I've been silent on this page about the tragic war going on in Ukraine. Russia, more specifically Vladimir Putin, has once again shown its true colors as an aggressor in the region. <a href="https://time.com/5204733/russia-election-2018-putin-fourth-term/">Whatever justification he uses for his attempted invasion has fallen short in the midst of widespread reports of civilian casualties.</a> Many believe he should be assassinated or at the very least held to account as a war criminal. The Ukrainians have stood up to attempts to overrun their country. Whatever your political persuasion, there could be no justification that stands up to close scrutiny of Putin's motives. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) was ridiculed when he ran for President of the United States for asserting his belief that Russia was at the nexus of evil in the world. His views then now have proven prescient. Sensing a weak resolve on the part of American leadership, no doubt, Putin has pushed the envelope when it comes to gaining any favor in the world community for his actions. Indeed, Finland and Sweden have now announced they are seeking NATO membership to help bolster their defense against any future attempts by Russia to overrun their sovereignty. Until the Savior Jesus Christ comes again, we have been warned and forewarned about "wars and rumors of war." We see it playing out every night on the news.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhg2IL4wMSVULJsDlipnFLgyxYPGoi6NwuEy6pVcmdBAtD5hrbarti5uoUHjTCrhQv1HIR672b1kFU2BfwmMoEI1xeYjvHte_igsSvgmldozDW7HJQnBikqZ65L1chrXDc3MAWIh0b3eKwktZZfuzPoH3Ny9d28cagZd7nzhFdqt__m95hCEDNzjxA" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="430" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhg2IL4wMSVULJsDlipnFLgyxYPGoi6NwuEy6pVcmdBAtD5hrbarti5uoUHjTCrhQv1HIR672b1kFU2BfwmMoEI1xeYjvHte_igsSvgmldozDW7HJQnBikqZ65L1chrXDc3MAWIh0b3eKwktZZfuzPoH3Ny9d28cagZd7nzhFdqt__m95hCEDNzjxA=w193-h129" width="193" /></a></div>I read this morning that broccoli has properties within it that prevent against COVID-19 and all its variants. Patsy has long advocated the benefits of broccoli, and of all the vegetables available to her broccoli has been her go-to choice forever. We did get fully vaccinated against the virus, but who's to say the reason we never got COVID-19 was because we consumed so much broccoli? It may be the perfect food. Never doubt the wisdom of Patsy when it comes to broccoli.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgBLRbvDI5HxigaI08jfKTy7siNZdUxLsOLdiD-bWFkzHseCS137n-l10ucj4_b24RFvtP1_VliX5C2vj7A5HZ9SdjFqQPXlDzhIsvsM5pLwJ-KJ0IEW5OoeG7Z8HZQZY87Z_deXgDy0RlRgT0pm2sdaKOqK6zp-JIvNIg8rSwVYqaH8Y5G3Of6OFs" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="378" data-original-width="378" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgBLRbvDI5HxigaI08jfKTy7siNZdUxLsOLdiD-bWFkzHseCS137n-l10ucj4_b24RFvtP1_VliX5C2vj7A5HZ9SdjFqQPXlDzhIsvsM5pLwJ-KJ0IEW5OoeG7Z8HZQZY87Z_deXgDy0RlRgT0pm2sdaKOqK6zp-JIvNIg8rSwVYqaH8Y5G3Of6OFs" width="240" /></a></div>The leaked proposed majority opinion memo from Justice Samuel Alito of the Supreme Court over what appears to signal the imminent repeal of the controversial Roe v. Wade abortion law has caused a nationwide furor as both sides of that debate are at it again with a new fury. The houses of the justices are being routinely picketed daily right now in an attempt to sway the seeming resolve of the justices to overturn the law. The upcoming midterm election looms in November. Until then it will seem there are no other issues on the agenda for candidates. The rhetoric will be difficult to hack through in search of what is in the best interests of Americans on this issue. Prepare for a raucous and disruptive summer leading into the midterms.<br /><p></p><p>We put a new roof on our house recently. It took them only three days from start of finish. The crew showed up early each morning, and they worked until the sun went down. In contrast, I am watching the house building project next door that goes painstakingly slow. Today the excavation company is working (as they have for many days) to sift through boulders to salvage fill dirt. It seems it takes so long to make something worthwhile and long-lasting. War and all the destruction and waste that accompanies it can decimate whole cities and countries in a matter of days. I hope and pray we may always be on the side of building and creating something that lasts and endures. It is better to create than to decimate.</p><p>I do not know the meaning of all things, but like Yogi, I know "it's tough to make predictions, especially about the future."</p>David B. Goateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01978666830682045128noreply@blogger.com0