Regarding the Church and its Decisions

Regarding the Church and its Decisions

The relationship between the Church and the gospel is an interesting one.  It is hard for individuals to discern light and darkness when we are too close to the issues at hand. The Church wants to keep the body of Christ pure, and not do the following, “and yet they did deny the more parts of his gospel, insomuch that they did receive all manner of wickedness, and did administer that which was sacred unto him to whom it had been forbidden because of unworthiness.”  (4 N. 1:27) Ultimately, I believe this to be one of the reasons why the Church made its decision.  It is a good reason.  Protecting the children from conflict is good.  People in open rebellion or apostasy not being able to bless and baptize their children into the Church of their fathers, now that upsets everyone that is fence sitting or has fallen (succumbed?) to the manipulations by the powers controlling what America is supposed to think.  Golly, we should very disturbed that vote by the people against same sex marriage in several States has been trampled upon.  We should be very disturbed that Congress wasn’t deferred to by the Supreme Court to start new amendment proceedings to enact legislation to create a new protected class.

Alma 46:7 “And there were many in the church who believed in the flattering words of Amalickiah, therefore they dissented even from the church; and thus were the affairs of the people of Nephi exceedingly precarious and dangerous,…“  Members of the church have never been immune to following after the Amalickiah’s of the world.

It always boils down to testimony.  A strong testimony requires that the Spirit is with us, that we are connected to God, that spiritual experiences are happening in our lives, that we have pondered and prayed about “the matter” (whatever the issue is) and have received our own witness from God regarding “the matter”.  One who doesn’t do these things is ripe for darkened mind syndrome.  I just coined that!

Ponder and Memorize D&C 93:20

D&C 93:20  For if you keep my commandments you shall receive of his fulness, and be glorified in me as I am in the Father; therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive grace for grace.

So, it takes time to receive a fulness.  Jesus, in earlier verses received a fulness, over time.  If I were to tie 'keep the commandments' to 'therefore, ..., you shall receive grace for grace', the Lord seems to be saying that it will ultimately be by His grace that we will be able to progress.  So, how might this work?  What is receiving grace for grace?  Perhaps we receive His grace (the strengthening power of the atonement) to overcome a weakness that we have had our whole life.  God graces us with the ability to make that weakness a strength unto us.  We deny not that this change occurred only through God's power.  We have just received grace (or a grace). Because we received the first grace, we are then given another grace to overcome the next area of weakness.  Is this receiving grace for grace?  This is how we are able to keep each of Christ's commandments.  They are impossible to keep otherwise.

So, ask God what commandment He wants (commands) you to work on and work on it relying solely on His merits (grace).  Once you experience success you will be given another commandment through the Holy Ghost.  Your progression has now started!

Redefining Faith and Hope

I’ve been toying with a new definition of faith (among faith’s multi-faceted-ness).  Faith is believing that Christ did what he did and because He did what he did, we can trust in Him in all things.  Hope comes from faith, that the future will bend away from the natural order of things.  Hope in a resurrection goes against the natural order of things.  Hope that miracles are strategically placed in front of a wayward child to cause maximum probability is bending the natural order.  Our charity demonstrates our faith in Christ.  Charity requires faith because it declares that we believe and are willing to be meek.  Meekness is a state of egoless-ness or having cast off the natural man.  When one has charity one can’t be easily provoked.  We see the evil (slander, etc.) come our direction but see clearly that no response is the best response.  We see that the person dishing out the injustice is acting from an unconscious state and it means nothing about us.

This is what I am working on.  And it requires grace.  There is no way for me to get this down on my own.

Ponderize - Week 2 - Helaman 3:23

Ponderize - Week 2 - Helaman 3:23

Now this is an impressive verse of scripture:

Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God.

How does one wax stronger and stronger in their humility? To me this might mean that, over time, when the offence occurs, whatever it may be, I no longer react in the same negative way as I used to.  I have become ego-less, having cast of the natural man.  To be in such a state would be wonderful, wouldn't it?  Why would this fill our souls with joy and consolation?  When we diminish our egos God fills our souls with joy.  We have turned off our automatic response mechanism, the thing that continuously refuels the natural man within us.  That is a goal worth working toward!

Ponderize - Alma 58:11

Ponderize - Alma 58:11

Yea, and it came to pass that the Lord our God did visit us with assurances that he would deliver us; yea, insomuch that he did speak peace to our souls, and did grant unto us great faith, and did cause us that we should hope for our deliverance in him.

This verse of scripture sums up how the Lord helps all people who believe in Him and are trying to become like Him.  The Lord gives assurances through the Spirit that He is aware of us.  This peace that enters our souls causes our faith to increase.  We then are able to focus our hope on Jesus for deliverance from whatever we are struggling with.

This is how it works every time.  The Lord does not vary in his promises.  Assurances, peace, faith and hope.  When I humble myself and walk meekly, asking for what I stand in need off, this pattern starts happening.  I sometimes have to go through a trial of my faith which requires great patience and waiting on the Lord.

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http://greenscootersimplelife.blogspot.com/

http://greenscooter1513.blogspot.com/

Faith, Assurances and the Mind

I have been pondering faith.  If it has to with the mind and how we choose to view things.  If I trust in God that things will work out and that He is watching over me aren’t I constructing in my mind a positive faith view of the matter?  If I go negative or if others tell me that I am wrong and I believe them, aren’t I letting go of the trust that I once had?  I ask and wait.  On top of all that I choose to have charity.  There’s something about helping others that pleases God.  I also become more receptive to inspiration.  I receive assurances as well that God is there and watching over me.  I am under grace.  I really like Alma 58:11.  

True Power

Many things look foolish in eyes of the world.  The sermon on mount is the most foolish document on earth – to the natural man.  Who turns the other cheek?  Who doesn’t exact revenge when harmed? Who prays for their enemy?   Who gives their cloak also?  Who takes no thought for tomorrow?  Meekness is strength under control.  Strength is inner power.  Inner power shines forth when no longer is controlled by negative words and behavior of others.  No longer being controlled is power.  This power is based on love.  You no longer view the offender with judgment, negativity and condemnation.  You have arrived at a place where you have diminished your own ego and now know that the offending party is simple acting out of their unconscious mind, identifying with form.  Our inward terrain has been infused with charity.  We immediately forgive as the infraction is happening.  That is true power.  That is when we begin to shine.

Letter to the Romans - More Thoughts

I read Grace is Not God's Backup Plan, A Paraphase of the Book of Romans though once.  I am now reading it again.  His paraphrase sometimes is very different than what the verses says.  But, I do like it better.  Most of the time the essence of what Paul is saying, if I read it carefully, is exactly what Miller is getting at.  KJV Romans is so wordy that I miss the meaning of the long drawn out thought that Paul is trying to get across.  It looks like Miller has synthesized the long ideas into a more concise format.  He then upgrades the ancient issues into modern issues. 

One take away I get from Paul and his letter is that he left for 14 years after being reprimanded by the Lord on the road to Damascus.  Paul took a lot of time to think things through.  How does Christ's grace change everything?  He then went to Paul and then to James the brother of Jesus.  Paul understood how grace affects the Law.  He understood all the pitfalls of living the law in combination with the new Gospel Law.  He also could see errors that would be made by those that come into the gospel without the law.

I am trying to apply these new found ideas into how we do things in the Church.  It is a little different today.  We are not under the law of Moses.  But, we do have statutory church laws and many fence laws (rules that we make to keep us from breaking a commandment).  Of course, one obvious take away from reading Romans is to be careful that my obedience to fence laws and statutory law doesn't cause me to miss the mark of grace.  Obedience to rules doesn't, in themselves make me righteous.  In fact, obeying all the rules without a foundation of faith in Christ and his grace makes me either frustrated or proud.

The other take away that has come to me is that there are higher laws (gospel laws).  These are embedded in the covenants we make.  Obeying these higher laws is always good.  These laws always point to becoming {something different}.  They are stated and taught over and over again in the Book of Mormon.  When we look to Christ and His sacrifice, we are always instructed to repent.  Repent of what?  Whatever we are doing that isn't patient, longsuffering, and kind,  We are to be watchful unto prayer, giving thanksgiving daily for His many mercies.  We are humble and meek.  We bear all manner of afflictions and never revile against our enemies.  Whatever we are doing that isn't this, we repent of.  This is the Gospel Law.

Lower laws seem to be easily measurable while higher laws are not as measurable.  It is hard to be prideful when striving to live the higher law.  When you do, you quit living it.  It is easy to become prideful living the lower laws.  Living the higher law is the antithesis of pride.

I just the book, Grace is not God's Backup Plan: An Urgent Paraphrase of Paul's Letter to the Romans. It is an amazing book. I have never understood – and I have tried – Romans. What did Paul have in mind? It’s hard for me to translate while I am reading it. Adam Miller, the author, does a good job rewriting Romans. The law brings misery if grace isn’t there to save us. Since you can never keep the whole law (commandments), we become miserable people - trying and trying. Or, we become prideful people if we think we have it down. Neither (frustration or pridefulness) were the reason why the law was put in place. The law is simple all the commandments and covenants that we are to keep.  Because we love Jesus, we strive to keep his commandments.  We love Jesus because He has offered us His Grace. We are under grace.  Our sins are remitted.  His grace motivates us to do better.  To improve. Why do we want to improve? Because we are so grateful that grace (mercy) has satisfied the demands of justice. Since the process of improvement is continual and on-going, we must be justified (perfect in Christ) during the journey. Perfect in Christ or justification means that our sins are overlooked as we continue to exercise faith unto repentance.  And that is what grace does as long as we are humble, walking meekly.

If it is all about Grace then Pride is the grace killer. President Benson was right when he said pride is the universal sin, the great vice. Meekness is strength under control. It is also being merciful, especially when treated poorly, persecuted, etc.. It is knowing that people are coming from their natural man (egoic states of object identification) and permitting yourself to be buffeted.  This is called suffering.  That is power or strength under control. Diminish the natural man (ego) and power and light increase. Meekness is walking in grace. Since, under grace, you have to willing to let everything go, the more things you have, the harder it can be to let it go. You can have things but as soon as materialism and pride sneak in, you fall from grace. Or, you at least have struggle to find grace again.

Meekness- Strength Under Control

I have been trying to find a good working definition for the word "Meek" for years.  I finally found one!  Strength under control.  The meek man  is in himself, nothing; in God, everything.  The meek man is a man that has learned to control his passions making himself long suffering and patient towards others.  Yet he knows that he has the strength of Lord anytime he needs it.  In fact, he has true power.  Through the development of Christ-like attributes it isn't in his nature to act according to or react from the natural man.  It is power because the natural impulses no longer govern his thinking, emotions or behavior.  He has overcome these natural impulses by faith unto repentance, thereby receiving the grace or power from God to overcome.  He has heard the will of the Lord and submitted to it.

http://scottnelsonunrefined.blogspot.com/

References:

http://www.christianlibrary.org/authors/Grady_Scott/matt5-5.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meekness

Evidenced Based Faith

I am currently into evidence based faith. All faith is based on evidence. Satan tells all religions and thus, all faith based believers that faith has no evidence. Only science has evidence. This is a Satanic lie. One of the biggest out there. If one believes in the Satan spawned definition of faith, your faith is really based on the tradition of the church you grew up in and the words of minister that you listen to. True faith starts with listening to the Word or reading the Word. If the Word is true and you desire to believe, you receive your first evidence from God. The Spirit testifies to you. The Word swells in your heart. If the word is false you will not receive any evidence of its validity from God. But, you may receive false evidences. You may be told of miracles (false) that collaborate your new found belief. True faith is always based on true principles, followed by witnesses from God.

After you have received the first evidence that what you have heard is true, one continues to believe. One believes in principles like “not easily provoked” and overcomes impatience and anger. One believes in “kindness and easiness to be entreated” and, through God’s grace, backbiting and gossiping disappear. And as you do this, you receive one wonder after another further evidencing or witnessing to your soul that God is pleased. He inspires you. He comforts you. He guides you. These evidences make your faith unshakable to the point that you truly believe you can do all things (Jacob 4:6, 1 Nephi 17:50).

Non-evidenced faith is stagnant. It doesn’t grow or grows very slowly. If signs, wonders and miracles are not occurring in our lives, something is wrong. If an atheist were to ask me to proof to him that there is a God, I would say, that I have received evidence after evidence that there is a God. In fact, all things proof that there is a God (DNA, the planets, the goodness of people, etc.).  I would then ask the atheist to show me his proofs that there isn’t any God. He would then turn it back on me and say, your spiritual evidences are false and they are just figments of my imagination. I would then say, that I know the wonders and miracles that have happened to me and testify that they are true. But, what about you? What are you evidences? And we would end. He would get all upset and start calling me names or just walk away.

Talking to an atheist with evidenced based testimony should be the easiest thing to do – not the most fearsome. Just recount all the evidences you have had in your life. If that doesn’t work bear your testimony (that God is real based on all the evidences you have received). If he asks for a sign, do what Alma did and make him dumb for the rest of his life (just kidding).

Evidence based faith makes sense to me. I hope it does to you as well.

Scott

Dense Food vs. Non-dense Food

After pondering what Doug Russell said about it being impossible to each too many vegetables I now think he is right.  It is too easy to eat high density foods filled with energy.  They come in small, compact units like meat, processed bars, milk, soda, oils, and juices.  If Doug is right one could eat as many herbs and fruits (see baring parts of the plant) and probably lose a lot of weight and maintain one’s weight.

The Lamanites ate meat and blood (high energy).  The Nephites ate grains.   The Lord said to eat meat sparingly.  This might mean that He meant that we eat all energy dense foods sparingly.  The Lord said to eat vegetables, fruits, herbs and grains.  These are non-energy dense foods.  Eat a lot of those.

We also would be contributing to the mass killing of animals by eating energy dense foods non-sparingly or we would be contributing to killing less animals by eating low energy dense foods in abundance.

What are your thoughts?

If it is According to the Spirit of God

This morning I read Alma 11.  In verse 22 Amulek says that he will only answer Zeezrom's questions if it is according to the Spirit of the Lord, which is in him.  That he would say nothing which is contrary to the Spirit of the Lord.

I thought to myself, could this be a principle that I could apply in my daily living?  It reminded me of President Eyring counseling us to say only uplifting things to others.  I wonder if one could practice only saying things that are according to the Spirit of the Lord?  We could remain silent if what we had to say wasn't in the right spirit, wasn't uplifting.  I wonder if we did this that we might please God and bring about more miracles in our lives and the lives of others.

For example, as Amulek answered Zeezrom's questions it gets to a point where Amulek declares that to Zeezrom that he has lied.  But Zeezrom persist in weaving his web.  Amulek responds with a wonderful synopsis of how Christ is the very Eternal Father of heaven and of earth.  At this point, the miracle begins to occur.  The people began to be astonished and Zeezrom begins to tremble. Zeezrom is silenced.

Amulek, with the help of the Spirit of the Lord has "caught him in his lying and deceiving to destroy him".  Later (v.7 of chapter 12) Mormon states that Alma and Amulek "know the thoughts and intents of Zeezrom's heart" and that this power was given them according to the spirit of prophecy.

What does all this mean? If we have the Spirit of the Lord with us we can turn the tables when those with malicious intent are trying to deceive us.  Because of our faith, we remain calm, and perhaps silent until the Spirit - which we believe will come - comes upon us.  We then know what to say and do.  We don't take things into our own hands.  We patiently wait upon the Lord.

Miracle of Forgiveness - Putting it into Context

The Miracle of Forgiveness, - I have never been able to read that book.  It was very discouraging to me.  I like what President Kimball told Elder Monson to do in the excerpt below.  It shows that President Kimball  might have accidentally over-targeting his audience.  It looks to me that President Kimball's primary target in writing his book was to reach a group of people that needed the fear of God put into their hearts. I say this because many people's 'take away' from his book was that receiving forgiveness may never happen to them.  But, President Kimball's response to Elder Monson was very enlightening: to immediately forgive them.

Correspondence - We All Are Waiting for ... What?

Hi Joseph,

Regarding Zion, one thing that I am beginning to believe is that no one, right now, needs to run faster than he has strength and that everything is to be done in order.  This needs to be remembered by those that are zealous.  Giving too much when one is poor or middle class is over zealous. With that said, if we all felt part of a united cause that honestly wanted to be all in common (no poor among us, equal, etc.) we would all re-prioritize our spending and time.  What holds us back? Alma felt that those wearing fine twine costly apparel had not caught the vision.  This (no vision people) also has a dampening effect on the rest of the believers: "If they can have it (not share) why can't I?"  When that same group mocks the humble and is into envying others in the same group as they walk in the pride of their hearts, what are the humble followers to do?  They, according to Alma, are to take it on cheek.  Stay humble and meek.  Then who is supposed to correct the matter?  The leader.  It is always the leader, the judge.  With this said, what is the difference between this car or that car, this house or that house, this nice thing and that nice thing?  For the middle class it isn't much.  Everybody gets good fortune (a new car) at different times.  It is hard to judge righteously.  To be meek is not to judge.  If I get a nice thing, do I want everybody to judge me?  As our hearts change, as we are taught Zion, as we feel part of a unified effort, we will do better at doing the right thing.

Scott

On Tue, Mar 31, 2015 at 11:50 AM, Joseph Balden <josephbalden@gmail.com> wrote:

Nice,  God is not a micro manager....  I think that some peoples faith relies on being told what to do.  If they had to make a choice they fail or just go back to waiting to be told exactly what to do.  We even feed off each other to know what the "normal" person in the ward does.  I wonder if no one had mediocre examples, what everyone's definition of Christan would be, and if they would then live it.  Question is how does one personally muster up the effort to 'take Zion seriously' when it is not an exact definition of something we are told to do.

Don't cry because its over. Smile Because it happened
-- Dr. Seuss

Joseph Balden
801-735-2163

On Tue, Mar 31, 2015 at 11:17 AM, Greenscooter <srnelson1513@gmail.com> wrote:

I finished listening to one of the podcast on race from the Maxwell Institute.  Fascinating.  A big mess of views and theories and possibly mistakes (Kimball 1968).

Final views: God allows mistakes to be made.  God is not a micro manager.  People become so convinced that things are based on God when they are really man’s ideas that they become self-righteous and begin to persecute another race.  We become inherently racist.  God permits Man to make mistakes (lost pages Martin Harris, Israel wanting a King, J.S. with Kirtland anti Banking society).  Racism was probably a mistake.  Orson Pratt said that agency is all important, multi-generational cursing can’t be right.

The lady said, I don’t believe in a perfect gospel with perfect understanding suddenly bestowed on Joseph Smith.  It comes line up line and precept upon precept.

We are all uninformed.  We all seem to believe that what we understand about the world around us and neatly wrapped up Mormonism is all there is,  I know I am speaking for myself.  When P. Uchtdorf says that true Christians are having visions, revelations, dreams, signs, wonders and miracles, most of us should pause and consider whether or not we a true Christians (humble followers of Christ).  For some reason I thought that only very special people has signs, wonders and miracles happening in their life.  I realize now that it is the norm.  This is the separation of the wheat and the tares.  This the separation of the ten virgins.  This is the good man of the house caught unaware.  This is the division of the Saints.  Either we have the recipe right in our lives or we don’t.  It is pretty simple.  When one is granted awareness that these things (signs, wonders and miracles – 2 Nephi 26:13 and Jacob 4:6) are needed, that they follow faith and that they are not happening in his or her life – that person can then begin to pray to God with all sincerity and with real intent (Uchtdorf, October Conference, 2014) and receive an answer.  But the continuing answer is continuing evidences that make our faith unshaken, which hope maketh an anchor to our souls (Ether12:4).  If we have this reoccurring in our lives, we quit worrying about the apostasy of others and what they say.  We know that the gospel and the Church truly bring a delicious feast (2 Nephi 9:51) and has undeniably left its mark on our hearts.

I like the D. Todd Christopherson quote.  

"it will be necessary (1) to become unified in one heart and one mind; (2) to become, individually and collectively, a holy people; and (3) to care for the poor and needy with such effectiveness that we eliminate poverty among us. We cannot wait until Zion comes for these things to happen-Zion will come only as they happen" (D. Todd Christopherson, October Conference, 2008)

Everybody who actually takes Zion seriously is waiting for somebody else to do something bigger than our average charity.  Perhaps our average charity is enough at this time.  If the General Authorities want more from the Church, then teach us.  A few quotes, here and there will not suffice. (Of course, this is my opinion only and I could be wrong).  I believe that giving us a  higher goal (unified, temporally equal, no poor among us) is the best thing the leaders could do.  But, the Holy Ghost will have to impress upon the leaders that it is time.  And timing is everything.  Could you imagine all the false American and Mormon traditions that would need to be jettisoned?  I believe it would take five years of concerted effort on the part of General Authorities to get all-in-common-ism galvanized in the minds of the listening Saints.  Apostasy would be rampant.  Gifts of the Spirit would also be rampant.  That would be a wonderful time.  The Saints would have a collective focus again.

--
Posted By Greenscooter to Scott Nelson Blog - Unrefined at 3/31/2015 10:17:00 AM 

Correspondence - The Changing Church

Craig,

I dropped Denver.  He appears to have gone apostate.  Perhaps he was always apostate.  I don’t know. 

Here’s what I believe is substantive: If my faith and testimony are evidenced by the spiritual things happening in my life, I then don’t care what malcontents think.  It doesn't really matter.  If signs, wonders and miracles are following my faith why would I doubt the gospel and the Church?  People bothered by the Church seem to have missed the mark.  Evidences of faith indicate that one has faith or is trying to have faith (Jacob 4:6, 2 Nephi 26:13).  If one is discontent, ask God what you’re doing wrong.  Ask God to order and maintain your life.  Be meek and humble.  Be positive, hopeful, kind and loving.  Discontent people are not that.

The Church is changing.  I believe for the good.  Those fifteen at the top have power and authority to make whatever changes are necessary for the Church to progress.  My intellectual friends will say,"it doesn't conform to Joseph Smith, the Apostles are changing doctrine".  My zealot friends will say, "the Church is following the world, they are all going to hell".  My liberal friends will say, "The Church needs to go further and offer women the Priesthood and seal gay people".  My NRA Captain Moroni Warrior Cult friends will say, "The government is going to round us up!  The Constitution is not being followed!  When they declare martial law, they'll have to tear my gun out of my cold, dead hands" (actual quote)".  The humble followers of Christ say, "Stay calm, stand in holy places, let the Spirit guide, fear not".

Everybody (but the Humble Followers) have some level of ..... mental illness?  Nibley thought the same thing was happening to the Jews in Christ's time under the subjugation of Romans.  Many Jews were going crazy.  "We are the chosen people", "The Messiah will come and destroy the bad guys", "If I keep every rule, God is with me (Pharisees)", "Let's attack the Romans at night (Zealots)", "Let's depart into the wilderness to avoid everything (Essenes)".

Remember, there's just as many stories of willful, humble subjugation (Christ's teachings, Limhi, Helam, Anti Nephi Lehi's, Ester, primitive Christians, etc.)  in the scriptures as there are stories of fighting for one's liberty.  He who fights by the sword (in the last days) will die by the sword.  Where was the Captain Moroni archetype in 1913?

Love,

Scott

From: Scott Nelson [mailto:srnelson1513@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, April 02, 2015 11:24 AM
To: Nelson, Scott R.
Subject: Fwd: [Scott Nelson Blog - Unrefined] Thoughts on

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Craig Nelson <craignelson8@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Mar 31, 2015 at 2:19 PM
Subject: Re: [Scott Nelson Blog - Unrefined] Thoughts on
To: Greenscooter <srnelson1513@gmail.com>

Scott,

Thank you for the blog.  I agree, especially about "eliminate poverty among us."  The only problem is that some people will try to "eliminate" them instead of helping and serving them.

What's happening on the Denver S. front.  I keep hearing comments but no real substance.  For someone that did not want to start a church, he has done a pretty good job at starting a church [fellowship].

Thanks,

Craig


480-497-0003
CraigNelson8@gmail.com

Thoughts on Race, All in Common

I finished listening to one of the podcast on race from the Maxwell Institute.  Fascinating.  A big mess of views and theories and possibly mistakes (Kimball 1968).

Final views: God allows mistakes to be made.  God is not a micro manager.  People become so convinced that things are based on God when they are really man’s ideas that they become self-righteous and begin to persecute another race.  We become inherently racist.  God permits Man to make mistakes (lost pages Martin Harris, Israel wanting a King, J.S. with Kirtland anti Banking society).  Racism was probably a mistake.  Orson Pratt said that agency is all important, multi-generational cursing can’t be right.

The lady said, I don’t believe in a perfect gospel with perfect understanding suddenly bestowed on Joseph Smith.  It comes line up line and precept upon precept.

We are all uninformed.  We all seem to believe that what we understand about the world around us and neatly wrapped up Mormonism is all there is,  I know I am speaking for myself.  When P. Uchtdorf says that true Christians are having visions, revelations, dreams, signs, wonders and miracles, most of us should pause and consider whether or not we a true Christians (humble followers of Christ).  For some reason I thought that only very special people has signs, wonders and miracles happening in their life.  I realize now that it is the norm.  This is the separation of the wheat and the tares.  This the separation of the ten virgins.  This is the good man of the house caught unaware.  This is the division of the Saints.  Either we have the recipe right in our lives or we don’t.  It is pretty simple.  When one is granted awareness that these things (signs, wonders and miracles – 2 Nephi 26:13 and Jacob 4:6) are needed, that they follow faith and that they are not happening in his or her life – that person can then begin to pray to God with all sincerity and with real intent (Uchtdorf, October Conference, 2014) and receive an answer.  But the continuing answer is continuing evidences that make our faith unshaken, which hope maketh an anchor to our souls (Ether12:4).  If we have this reoccurring in our lives, we quit worrying about the apostasy of others and what they say.  We know that the gospel and the Church truly bring a delicious feast (2 Nephi 9:51) and has undeniably left its mark on our hearts.

I like the D. Todd Christopherson quote.  

"it will be necessary (1) to become unified in one heart and one mind; (2) to become, individually and collectively, a holy people; and (3) to care for the poor and needy with such effectiveness that we eliminate poverty among us. We cannot wait until Zion comes for these things to happen-Zion will come only as they happen" (D. Todd Christopherson, October Conference, 2008)

Everybody who actually takes Zion seriously is waiting for somebody else to do something bigger than our average charity.  Perhaps our average charity is enough at this time.  If the General Authorities want more from the Church, then teach us.  A few quotes, here and there will not suffice. (Of course, this is my opinion only and I could be wrong).  I believe that giving us a  higher goal (unified, temporally equal, no poor among us) is the best thing the leaders could do.  But, the Holy Ghost will have to impress upon the leaders that it is time.  And timing is everything.  Could you imagine all the false American and Mormon traditions that would need to be jettisoned?  I believe it would take five years of concerted effort on the part of General Authorities to get all-in-common-ism galvanized in the minds of the listening Saints.  Apostasy would be rampant.  Gifts of the Spirit would also be rampant.  That would be a wonderful time.  The Saints would have a collective focus again.

A Penny for a Day

I watched the new Bible Video on Laborers in the Vineyard. I could not understand it. So I went to Elder Holland's talk (2012) and found some insights.

This is a parable about jealousy. The first laborers, that worked all day were contracted for a penny. The last laborers didn’t know what they were going to get when they went out. At the end of the day the Lord of the vineyard paid them all a penny. The first laborers were upset that they had to work all day. The Lord of the Vineyard asks, "Why should you be jealous because I choose to be kind? Being kind is good thing." In those days a penny is a day’s labor. In the morning, the first laborers were so happy to get that penny to feed their families. The last laborers were over looked over and over again. They weren't going to be able to feed their families. The ones that weren’t chosen at all - now they didn’t get anything.

So why do we feel envious when someone else gets an unexpected blessing or special recognition? We are not in a race against each other. We are in a race against sin and envy is a most universal sin.

So we need to stop pouting, coveting or tearing others down because it does not elevate our standing. We are just unhappy. We should be grateful that God is kind. It is a happy way to live.

Elder Holland then says:

My beloved brothers and sisters, what happened in this story at 9:00 or noon or 3:00 is swept up in the grandeur of the universally generous payment at the end of the day. The formula of faith is to hold on, work on, see it through, and let the distress of earlier hours—real or imagined—fall away in the abundance of the final reward. Don’t dwell on old issues or grievances—not toward yourself nor your neighbor nor even, I might add, toward this true and living Church. The majesty of your life, of your neighbor’s life, and of the gospel of Jesus Christ will be made manifest at the last day, even if such majesty is not always recognized by everyone in the early going. So don’t hyperventilate about something that happened at 9:00 in the morning when the grace of God is trying to reward you at 6:00 in the evening—whatever your labor arrangements have been through the day.

The story is a story about God’s mercy and goodness, especially when we didn’t expect it or deserve it. It’s a story about forgiveness and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It’s a story of not looking back. We arrive at this faith at different times in our lives. Good things like tender mercies happen to us but happen at different times.

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My Soul Delighteth

I was reading the scriptures this morning and found these verses in 2 Nephi 11:

5 And also my soul delighteth in the covenants of the Lord which he hath made to our fathers; yea, my soul delighteth in his grace, and in his justice, and power, and mercy in the great and eternal plan of deliverance from death.
6 And my soul delighteth in proving unto my people that save Christ should come all men must perish.
7 For if there be no Christ there be no God; and if there be no God we are not, for there could have been no creation. But there is a God, and he is Christ, and he cometh in the fulness of his own time.

I like verse 5 because he delights in grace and mercy. Why would I delight in grace unless it was active in my life where I continue to sin?



I like verse 6 because I like proving that all men must perish without Christ.





I like verse 7 because it shows the relationship between God and creation. However creation happened it had active involvement with God. If not, the atheists are right. No need for God. Non-God involved evolution undermines everything (no God, no Christ, no Justice, no Mercy, no right or wrong….). God involved creation is very important. If not, everything unravels. Satan knows this.