Stand up for truth, integrity and values!

I have been doing a lot of reading lately and have become very concerned about this country. This is the greatest country in the world. I know that may sound boastful but where else in the world do you currently have the freedoms that you and I enjoy here. That freedom I believe is under attack and it is under attack in her own borders by some of her own citizens. There are several groups out there that, using the guise of the environment, national security, financial security, freedom of choice, or anything else you might be able to think of. They usually use a name or title that sounds good but by taking a long, hard look at it all this group or that wants is control. These types of groups have always existed. Look at the kingmen that existed in the Book of Mormon. (Alma 51:5) You could look also at the Gadianton Robbers. (Helaman 7:4) In today's society they may not go by these names but their intent is still the same, to gain control over the government and over the people. The most frightening thing about all this is that there are citizens of this country and in our government that believe making these changes that limits our freedoms, goes against the US Constitution, and controls what we can and cannot do is a good idea because it is in name of "security." Well, I'm not buying that! We need to fight for what the founding fathers fought so adamantly to uphold. This is a crucial time in our nation's history where we will either look back and say, "we fought a good fight and stood up for truth, integrity, and values" or we will look back and say "look at what we could've had if we had only stood up and made our voices heard."

As members of the church I believe we have an obligation, a responsibility, to not be complacent. We need to stand for right and truth. We need to stand up and make our voices heard. We need to bring out our own 'title of liberty' if you will. (Alma 46:12-13) In my last post, I quoted a prophecy by Joseph Smith. At the end, he made this statement, "..you [the members of the church] will save the country when it's liberty hangs by a hair, as it were." Now is the time to do is. I believe life in this country is only going to get worse. Let us all try to be like Captain Moroni. It was said of him that "if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men." (Alma 48:17)

You may think I am crazy but I believe the time is coming when there will be a proverbial line in the sand and you will have to make a decision which side of that line you are going to be on. One side of that line will stand for truth and righteousness and the other will not. One side of that line will stand for "our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children" and the other will not. (Alma 46:12) One side will stand for the principles that made this country great which are found in the Constitution of the United States of America and the other will not.

Which side do you want to be on?

Is there a third party on the way?

As I listen more and more to what is going on in Washington and in the government, the more and more I think that neither political party is doing what is best for the American people. They are only doing what is in their own self interest. None of what they do in Washington follows the counsel that the prophet has asked us to follow. They spend more than they make, they want to give handouts to the American people without teaching them to work, be self-reliant and take care of themselves, and they are taking away personal responsibility. What can we do as a people to help correct this problem? Personally, I do not feel this is the time to start voting for a third party candidate as they have no possibility at all to get elected. If you believe in the prophecies of Joseph Smith, that time may not be far off. He prophesied of a third party springing up out of the two current parties. He doesn't give a specific time frame but the prophecy is very specific:

Prophecy of Joseph Smith, as recorded by Mosiah Lyman Hancock (June 19, 1844), commonly known as the "Hancock Prophecy": The next day the Prophet came to our home and stopped in our carpenter shop and stood by the turning lathe. I went and got my map for him. "Now," he said, "I will show you the travels of this people." He then showed our travels thou Iowa, and said, "Here you will make a place for the winter; and here you will travel west until you come to the valley of the Great Salt Lake! You will build cities to the North and to the South, and to the East and to the West; and you will become a great and wealthy people in that land. But, the United States will not receive you with the laws which God desires you to live, and you will have to go to where the Nephites lost their power. They worked in the United Order for 166 years, and the Saints have got to become proficient in the laws of God before they can meet the Lord Jesus Christ, or even the city of Enoch." He said we will not travel the shape of the horse shoe for there we will await the action of the government. Placing his finger on the map, I should think about where Snowflake, Arizona is situated, or it could have been Mexico, he said, "The government will not receive you with the laws that God designed you to live, and those who are desirous to live the laws of God will have to go South. You will live to see men arise in power in the Church who will seek to put down your friends and the friends of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Many will be hoisted because of their money and the worldly learning which they seem to be in possession of; and many who are the true followers of our Lord and Savior will be cast down because of their poverty. There will be two great political parties in this country. One will be called the Republican, and the other the Democrat party. These two will go to war and out of these two parties will spring another party which will be the Independent American Party. The United States will spend her strength and means warring in foreign lands, until other nations will say, "Let's divide up the lands of United States." Then the people of the U.S. will unite and swear by the blood of their forefathers, that the land will not be divided. Then the country will go to war, and they will fight until one half of the U.S. army will give up, and the rest will continue to struggle. They will keep on until they are very ragged and discouraged, and almost ready to give up, when the boys from the mountains will rush forth in time to save the American Army from defeat and ruin. And they will say, "Brethren, we are glad you have come. Give us men, henceforth, who can talk with God." Then you will have friends, but you will save the country when it's liberty hangs by a hair, as it were.
(Sources: The Journal of Mosiah Lyman Hancock, p. 19-20; Autobiography of Mosiah Hancock, typescript, BYU Library Special Collections, p. 29. Compiled by Amy E. Baird, Victoria H. Jackson, and Laura L. Wassell (daughters of Mosiah Hancock).

I don't believe that this time is very far off. With the financial crisis, with the US "warring in foreign lands", immorality is rampant, and there are countries that are tired of the power of the U.S. and would love to see it fail or be divided. I wouldn't be surprised to see some or all of this prophecy come to pass in ten to twenty years. I'm not predicting anything because I don't know anything beyond what I read, see, hear. I then interpret things how I see them.

I sometimes wonder if people had these same thoughts who know the prophesies of Joseph Smith during the Great Depression, the World Wars, or even the Cold War. It is possible that this could be one of those times as well and we will get though it and life will be better. I have a hard time believing that though as we get closer and closer to the second coming of Christ. I was in a meeting once while I was a missionary in Los Angeles, CA and my Mission President shared with us (used by permission) a patriarchal blessing given to an eighteen year old man. This blessing told the brother that he would be alive during the second coming of Jesus Christ. That blessing was given in, I believe, in the year 2000. Read into that what you will but that makes me wonder how close everything leading up to the second coming really is.

President Packer's talk on October 12, 2008

It is truly amazing how quickly things of this nature get spread around the internet. If you don't know what I am talking about I'm sure you will soon. On October 12, 2008, President Boyd K. Packer got up and spoke in Fast & Testimony meeting in the Forest Bend Ward, which is his home ward. It was taken down almost word for word (probably in short hand) and then emailed to a few friends. After that it seemed to spread like wild fire. I'm sure the person or persons involved in starting this chain of emails did not intend this result, but alas that is what happened. I will not be sharing this talk on this blog as the church has asked us not to share things of this nature. They sent a letter on May 13, 2004 to every ward and stake stating:

From time to time statements are circulated among members which are inaccurately attributed to the leaders of the Church. Many such statements distort current Church teachings and are often based on rumors and innuendos. They are never transmitted officially, but by word of mouth, e-mail, or other informal means.

We encourage members of the Church to never teach or pass on such statements without verifying that they are from approved Church sources, such as official statements, communications, and publications. Any notes made when General Authorities, Area Authority Seventies, or other general Church officers speak at regional and stake conferences or other meetings should not be distributed without the consent of the speaker. Personal notes are for individual use only.

True spiritual growth is based on studying the scriptures, the teachings of the Brethren, and Church publications.

For my own curiosity, I read the talk and then did a little research online to authenticate it. This is what I found:

Claim
A common e-mail circulated by some members claims to be a transcript of remarks given by President Packer in the Forest Bend Ward in Salt Lake City, Utah, on 12 October 2008. Reportedly, Pres. Packer is quoted as saying that a catastrophic event was looming in the immediate future and that we must get used to making do with what we have or doing without. He is also quoted as saying the world was too dangerous for us to let our children play outside alone.

Response
A FAIR member contacted Church Public Affairs, and received the following response (the words are the FAIR member's, not the Church's):

I was told that while President Packer did indeed speak at the meeting cited, no transcript was made and that the one circulating was done after the talk was given and should not be considered to be authoritative. The following statement was given to me on the matter:

The following First Presidency letter explains the Church’s position on these types of e-mails. The letter was issued on May 13, 2004 and to all Church units and LDS Church leaders. Its subject was:

Statements Attributed to Church Leaders
From time to time statements are circulated among members which are inaccurately attributed to the leaders of the Church. Many such statements distort current Church teachings and are often based on rumors and innuendos. They are never transmitted officially, but by word of mouth, e-mail, or other informal means.

We encourage members of the Church to never teach or pass on such statements without verifying that they are from approved Church sources, such as official statements, communications, and publications. Any notes made when General Authorities, Area Authority Seventies, or other general Church officers speak at regional and stake conferences or other meetings should not be distributed without the consent of the speaker. Personal notes are for individual use only. [emphasis added by FAIR]

True spiritual growth is based on studying the scriptures, the teachings of the Brethren, and Church publications.

President Packer's secretary indicated further that President Packer's message for the world is in last week's [i.e., October 2008] General Conference. If members of the Church want to know what message he would have us hear, we need to listen to that talk, and throw this account of his talk away. President Packer's office cautioned that the talk given on 12 October represented President Packer's personal views, and should not be considered to be doctrine or a statement of the Church's views.

Conclusion
President Packer give did give a talk on the date cited. No approved transcript exists, and it is contrary to the counsel of the Church to circulate or rely on such unofficial accounts, which often distort or misunderstand (even if unintentionally) the intent of the speaker.

When prophets and apostles wish to communicate important information for the spiritual or temporal well-being of members, they will do so via official channels to the entire Church, not in small meetings from which we must rely on unverified accounts to receive their message.[1]

The talk was good counsel, uplifting, and a good read but notes taken from a talk in sacrament meeting, as the Church has stated, should be kept for oneself as they are their own personal interpretation and may not have been the actual intent or text of what was said.

Source[s]:
[1] Boyd K. Packer: Supposed transcript from 12 October 2008 talk
Talk by President Boyd K. Packer goes viral

The Effects of Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage

I know my last post was about marriage and the importance of standing up for traditional marriage. This post is just a video that was emailed to me that proves a very good point. If we start legalizing same-sex marriage, there will be no stopping those supporting this agenda from controlling our lives and indoctrinating our children. Watch this video and you'll understand what I mean:

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1815820715/bctid1822459319

It is crucial that we fight this! Our very lives are at stake!

Traditional Marriage

I felt it necessary to post some information about the importance of defending traditional marriage. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I believe that traditional marriage is a divine institution. When there is a loving mother and father that care for and love their children, it is a greatest source of happiness and joy that there can possibly be in this life. I read through an article put together by the Church titled "The Divine Institution of Marriage." This document lays out the importance of traditional marriage and the effects legalizing same-sex marriage would do to this great nation. I came up with a long list of reasons to oppose same-sex marriage:

• "Marriage is sacred, ordained of God from before the foundation of the world."
• "Marriage between a man and a woman is central to the plan of salvation."
• "Only a man and a woman together have the natural biological capacity to conceive children."
• "Marriage is not primarily a contract between individuals to ratify their affections and provide for mutual obligations."
• "Marriage and family are vital instruments for rearing children and teaching them to become responsible adults."
• "Marriage [is] an essential institution in preserving social stability and perpetuating life itself."
• "A husband and a wife do not receive…benefits to elevate them above any other two people who may share a residence or social tie, but rather in order to preserve, protect, and defend the all-important institutions of marriage and family."
• "Co-habitation under any guise or title is not a sufficient reason for defining new forms of marriage."
• "Extensive studies have shown that in general a husband and wife united in a loving, committed marriage provide the optimal environment for children to be protected, nurtured, and raised…because of the differing strengths that a father and a mother, by virtue of their gender, bring to the task."
• "Gender differentiated parenting is important for human development and that the contribution of fathers to childrearing is unique and irreplaceable."
• "Constitutes a serious threat to marriage and family."
• "Children and families are to be protected and moral values propagated."
• "Traditional marriage is essential to society as a whole, and especially to its children."
• "Legalizing same-sex marriage will affect a wide spectrum of government activities and policies."
• "Societal recognition of same-sex marriage cannot be justified simply on the grounds that it provides self-fulfillment to its partners, for it is not the purpose of government to provide legal protection to every possible way in which individuals may pursue fulfillment."
• "Same-sex marriage likely will erode the social identity, gender development, and moral character of children."
• "It will create serious clashes between the agenda of the secular school system and the right of parents to teach their children traditional standards of morality."
• "The family has served as an essential bulwark of individual liberty [and the] government does not have the right to intervene in the rearing and moral education of children in the home."
• "Strong families are … vital for political freedom."

I'm sure there are more reasons but these were the most important to me. All in the list are direct quotes from the article listed above. The information in that article express my view better than I can. It is crucial that we defend traditional in every way we can. California will have that opportunity this November when they vote Yes on Proposition 8 which will amend the California Constitution,defining marriage as only being between one man and one woman. The "Yes on 8" campaign is backed by many organizations that fight for traditional values, which includes many religious organizations, including by not limited to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This effort relies on volunteers and donations to continue it's fight against same-sex marriage. My family has donated and I hope many more outside of California will do the same. Here are a couple of videos that they are airing on TV in the state:





I urge you do to all you can to help this proposition pass or as is stated in "The Family: A Proclamation to the World," that "the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets."

For more information on this important issue, check the information below:

• Protect Marriage - Yes on 8
• The Divine Institution of Marriage
• Same-Sex Marriage and Proposition 8
• The Family:A Proclamation to the World

The Power of the Gospel of Christ

I have been thinking a lot this weekend about the economy, politics and the nation in general. I truly love America. I believe it is as Michael Medved says on his radio show, "The greatest nation on God's green earth." I'm grateful to be an American citizen. I'm very concerned about the direction this country is taking. You look at the politicians and the government and it's no wonder the majority of Americans have little trust in their government. I also worry that they are trying to take this country closer and closer to socialism. The more and more this country goes towards socialism, the less and less freedoms the American people have and the more the Constitution of this country becomes irrevelant. That honestly scares me. I'm sorry, I'm getting off on a tangent. This post probably doesn't seem relevant to this blog but bare with me, there is a point to all this political talk.

The purpose for all that political background is help you to understand what I was thinking about this weekend. All this worry about this country and where it is headed brought into my mind a scripture.

"And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them—therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God." (Alma 31:5)

Lately I have spend a lot of time talking a lot about politics and really almost obsessed with learning all there was to know about what was going on in the world and making sure I shared my opinion and thoughts with as many people as I could to help them, you could almost say convert him or her to my way of thinking. I think I subconsciously thought that my way of thinking, politically, was the right way. I realized this weekend that although that may be a good thing to do the most important thing I can do is share my beliefs in the gospel of Jesus Christ because as the scripture says, "it had had [a] more powerful effect up the minds of the people" than "anything else." (Alma 31:5)

As a member of "the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth" it is crucial that I share this message with as many people as I can. (D&C 1:30) As people understand the principles of the gospel and start to see what it means really love their fellow man and have honesty and integrity the world will change. Ultimately, that is what will happen in the millienium. The people of the earth will love each other and will have "no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually." (Mosiah 5:2) It is the only the gospel of Jesus Christ that can bring this nation back to it's roots, back to the great principles that founded this great country. It is the gospel that will bring this nation back to living according to the values found in the United States Constitution, a truly inspired document.

Jesus Christ, My Savior and My Friend

I was browsing through some LDS videos on YouTube and found these two video that I just had to share with any and all who might view this blog:

Want It, Seek It, and Do It

I just finished watching "An Unlikely Mormon: The Conversion Story of Glenn Beck."  What an amazing conversion story.  If you want to watch a very powerful movie that will touch you to the core and also make you laugh, this is it.  I laughed and cried throughout.  At the very end, he makes this statement, "It is a tough journey because it requires honesty and hard work but I am hear to testify to you that it is worth every moment of that journey.  It is the greatest miracle of all of mankind.  The windows of the universe will be opened up and blessings will rain down on you beyond you wildest imaginations.  If you just want it, if you just seek it, if you just do it."   What a powerful statement!  Want, seek and do and you will be blessed!  I truly believe that.  "[P]rove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." (Malachi 3:10)  We can never completely repay the Lord for what he has done because whenever we do something for Him, he is going to bless us.  The key for us, as mortal, imperfect beings, is that we must be willing.  We must have a willing "heart and a willing mind." (D&C 64:34) We must want it and give everything for it.  The it I'm referring to is eternal life.  I suppose 'it' could be anything that we are reaching for in life, maybe an answer to a problem, maybe it is a desire to overcome a problem that we have or maybe it could a goal we are trying to achieve.  "Seek, and ye shall find, knock, and it shall be opened unto you." (Matt. 7:7, Luke 11:9, 3 Ne. 14:7, D&C 88:63) You want it, you seek for it, and then once you have found it you do whatever it takes to reach it.  I don't know if all this makes sense to anyone else but that is what I got out of that powerful closing statement by Glenn Beck.  

Turbulant Times

It is a pretty crazy world we live in right now isn't it?  Currently I feel secure and safe but for how long?  Wall street is going crazy and the government seems to be trying to get their hands into everything to try and fix it.  Is that the right thing to do?  I don't really know but my gut says, "I don't think so."  Are we getting close to the end of time, the time spoken of in the scriptures when Christ "comes again to rule among the sons of men"?[1]  Of course we are but how close are we.  Something is certainly happening in the world that has never been seen before.   It has me concerned what is on the horizon.  The one comfort that I have is that as long as my family and I listen to a follow the counsel of the Prophet, we will be okay.  We might have trials and hard times but we will be able to make it through.  I really believe that the United States, if not the whole world, is in store for some difficult times.  I have no idea what they are but I want to make sure that I am prepared for whatever comes our way.  My wife and I are making sure we have a good food storage setup, emergency preparedness plans and anything else that the leaders of the Church are asking us to do.  The other thing I do to be prepared is I read and I listen.  I have a radio on almost all day on talk radio.  I read the news, as much as I have time for.  At thist point in my life more than any other I feel better informed and better prepared for what is and might happen.  I pray that everyone else will do the same.  

[1] "I Believe in Christ," 134. 

Priorities

I've been thinking a lot lately about what my priorities are and what they should be.  This last weekend what General Conference.  For me, this conference really put in perspective what I should be doing with my life.  The last 3-4 months my focus has been on politics to the extect that it has almost consumed me.  It has consumed a lot of time at least.  I was so focused on it and felt that it should be a priority in my life that I spent all of the time that I could reading anything and everything I could about what was going on in the world.  I also took as much time as I could listening to talk radio.  I certainly feel more informed but I realize now that I have been neglecting the most important things in my life which are my family and my testimony.   I can now see how it has effected at least my spirit in the home.  All I want to do it talk about politics.  I also bring up politics with anyone and everyone that will talk politics.  My wife was getting tired of it and I think others were as well. 

Anyways, after this conference I have decided that I need to rearrange my priorities just a bit. Those priorities don't really include politics although I know I still need to keep up on what is going on in the world so as is stated in the scriptures: "...if ye are prepared ye shall not fear." (D&C 38:30)  My priorities need to revolve around my family and my God.  I also need to focus more on what is my responsibility at that moment in time and do that to the best of my ability.  If I'm at work, do what is required of me at work, if I'm at home make the time I spend at home quality time and if I'm fulfilling my church callings, magnify those callings to the the best of my ability.

I also need to be prepared for whatever the Lord has in store for me and my family.  I got the impression during conference that our family might end up moving out of state somewhere and when the time is right I will know.  That time is not now but I felt that I is not too far away.

Loss of a Friend

Today, my wife lost a good friend.  The hardest thing about it is that he killed himself.  It might have been easier if it was because of an accident but it was not.  I did not know him but he was a friend of Karli and it hurt to see her hurt because of the loss of someone like that.  He apparently had his share of issues.  He had problems in middle school that develop a weakness in him for same gender attraction.  It was not entirely his fault, I believe, but he acted on those desires and was living with his boyfriend and was planning on going with him to California to get married.  All my wife could say was, "I hope your happy."  It is a very sad thing but we know, through the gospel of Jesus Christ, that this is not the end.  There is life after death.  He will have an opportunity still to repent and accept the gospel of Jesus Christ.  It will be more difficult and more painful but he will have that opportunity.  All we can do is hope that he accepts it and fully repents.  Another thing we also know is that "the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life." (Alma 40:11)  He is now back home with God where the trials, tribulations, pain and miseries of this earth life are gone.  

I am grateful to have the gospel in my life.  I am grateful to know what I know about the plan of salvation.  It truly is a plan of happiness.  It brings me great joy in knowing what I know about the eternal nature of the family, husbands and wives and their role in the plan, and the opportunity we have to participate with God in precreation.  I want to do all I can for my family so they can have a good life here on earth and the opportunity to recieve eternal life here after.  I think without having the gospel it would be so much more difficult to deal with a situation like this.