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.
