A Muslim perspective...Spiritually

This was written by an AVOW member from the LDS Church. This article is for your learning.

I write this by directive from the Holy Ghost. The time here is now 3:14 am and I have been up since 1:30 writing in my journal and receiving direct revelation as to what to do next.

Let me begin about 3 months ago. I drive semi truck and spend 6 - 11 hours a day behind the wheel. My focus is the gospel and extending my knowledge of Christ and His Church.

However, I was driven to begin study of the old testament. It included the Pearl of Great Price, The Old Testament, the NEW LDS Institute Old Testament Manual, Publications for LDS scholars including Prophets and Apostles work about the Old Testament as well as Hugh Nibley and various works on the Old Testament.

I had spent hours and hours listening and then when I would stop for the evening, I was driven by the Holy Ghost to continue my reading and research. Taking notes and writing down my thoughts of which I wrote on many occasions, that I did not know why I was driven to learn and understand.

UNTIL.

My Semi tractor broke down in Pendelton Oregon. It was instructed that I was to wait the entire day, Friday, to have the truck completed and then spend the night in Oregon and go home to Boise Idaho the next day. HOWEVER, the truck did not get finished in time and the dealership was closed on Saturday and Sunday and the truck would not be done until Monday around noon. Here I am 4 hours from home and no way to get there. I indicated to my boss that my wife could come and get me on Friday, we would spend the night and go home Saturday morning. He would have nothing to do with that and insisted that he and his small family would come and get me. I finally relented and said....ok.

My boss.... Saudi Fahmi. (Pronounced Fa-Me) (Now you have the basis of Gods directive, please know this is not me, it is from our Heavenly Father and it is His influence that I am to write here)

(Rest assured that what you understand about or have read about Muslims from non-LDS christian pulpits are not all right or true. They have not really researched or done their study of the old testament and Muslim belief.) 

His dear wife insisted that I sit up front with Saudi while she sat in the back with her two children. She is not Muslim, she came from an extremely rough back ground of parents who have been in and out of prison for various drug crimes and small theft. It is as if they hop from one prison to another. She was raised as Menenite but never practiced and for the most of her life survived alone. Sadly, this happened right here, in the USA, in Idaho. I was so sorrowful to hear her story.

This day that we traveled home was the day that Paris France was attacked by Muslim Terrorist, ISIS and I had received a text from my dear wife asking if I had heard about it. I told her no and asked Saudi if he had. He said no he had not, as we both had been busy working and not able to hear news of the day. That event opened a window of conversation and learning for me. Remember I had four hours to converse and let me tell you it went fast and we never got to finish our conversation.

First about Saudi. He as born in Jerusalem and lived there until he was 16. Because of the contention at that time between Jew and Palestine, his family moved to Saudi Arabia. With sadness he spoke of a dear friend in Jerusalem who is Jewish. They grew up together and were best friends until the conflict at that time, and his friend because of parents, and political leaders, became immediate enemies. Later when Clinton offered refuges help to the United States and give them citizenship he took it and moved here from Saudi Arabia. He is the only member of his family here. He speaks Hebrew, Arabic and English and is extremely knowledgeable about the Koran and parts of the Old Testament. He reads the Koran daily in Arabic and is actively following the Muslim religion the best he can. He realizes that he is not perfect in it, just like I am not perfect in Christianity.

We both had many ah ha moments as we learned how close our beliefs were regarding Adam and Eve up through Abraham. It was at that point that I then realized why I was driven to study the old testament and be very familiar with exact history. He even commented to me that he had several conversations with other Christians, but was disappointed when he realized they did not know their old testament at all.

Here are things that I learned.

1. They believe in the pre-exsistance just like us.

2. They believe that Satan was a spirit cast out of Heaven and took followers with him to earth.

3. They believe that Adam and Eve were influenced by Satan to partake of the forbidden fruit.

4. They believe that they were cast out of the Garden of Eden because they did not obey.

5. They believe all that we do up to Abraham.

6. He told me that the waters still flow today from the mountain where God appeared to Abraham's maidservant when they were to parish in the desert from lack of water.

7. I asked about the berka's and why. He told me his father explained to him as a little boy that his mother is a precious gem and treasure from God and that she is not to be looked upon by anyone in a inappropriate way. (I said that makes good sense) 

8. I asked about the ownership that he has control over his wife. He taught me that the world looks upon it that the husband will demand that the wife do exactly or suffer the punishment. But he told me that a righteous Muslim does not do that. They treat their wife with great respect and admiration. To treat her with the correct respect she deserves. He felt that Mormons also has great respect for their wives and daughters, by the way they dress. Yes, some Muslims of different sects, will and do take advantage of that and it is wrong.

9. They believe that Christ is the Savior of the world but not the Son of God.

10. He thought that I believed that Mary, Jesus earthly mother was our mother in heaven. I told him that is not true. He thought that all Christian people believed that, I told him that many do, but that we do not. I related to him the event that took place for Mary to be the mother of Jesus on earth. As I was explaining it to him, he interrupted me and started speaking in Arabic of the exact event, but when he finished, I said, yes Gabriel. (Because I understood the exact event as written in the New Testament) He looked at me with a surprise look on his face and asked, Did you understand what I said? I told him yes. That it was Gabriel, the angel who came to Mary, and that she was never touched by a man, until after the birth of Christ and that the Spirit of God is the one that provided the seed planted in the womb of Mary. We then got side tracked as I told him, Article of Faith number 7. (Look it up if you cannot remember)

Then I went back to Mary, and I said, do you remember telling me that your mother was treated by your father as a precious gem? Yes, he declared. I said, then you will understand that we believe in a Heavenly Mother, a precious gem, so precious that our Father in Heaven will not talk about her, or tell us her name. He protects her from all worldly care and evil that exists since the beginning. He looked at me, and said, you know that really makes sense and I believe you.

11. I explained to him about the Book of Mormon, but he did not respond well to it.

12. I spoke of the book of Abraham in the Pearl of Great Price and the translation of the old testament by the Prophet Joseph Smith, in regards to Moses, and Enoch and the city of Enoch. He perked his ears intently and asked if I knew how the church came about it. I told him that I did know, (since I had been directed to listen to the Joseph Smith papers broadcast on the Mormon channel, I knew exactly how they came about) and I shared with him the event. He then requested if he could read that and study it. I told him that he could and that I would be happy to help him.

13. I was not done with the Book of Mormon yet. Now that he was listening to what I had to say. I explained to him the times that the Book of Mormon took place and related to him two groups of people. One 600 years before Christ and one 2000 years before Christ. I told him about the Brother of Jared, and I shared with him his name. (If you don't know it, look it up) When I said his name, he looked at me intently and said, that sounds as if it is from Egypt. I said, well I am not sure of the origination of the name, but bear witness to their event. He said, can I read that as well? I said, yes it is in the Book of Mormon. So I got him to take a Book of Mormon.

14. Moving back to Christ and his birth, I asked him if he knew when he was born. He said, I told you in Arabic. Oh I said, you mean he was born in April. He said, I never said April, but I said that he was born on a hot summer night. I said yes, and modern revelation teaches us that he was born April 6th. He turned to his wife and said, I told you honey. I told you that Christ was not born in December. He then asked me why we celebrate it in December. I simply stated to help and lead people to Christ. That is simply it. But we believe that he was born in April and also the same time of his suffering in the Garden, and on the Cross.

Now we ran out of time and it was over..... I was saddened but told him I would get him his copy of the books he wanted to read. I purchased them but did not have them with me on my next event.

12-2-14
I drove to Yakima Washington to deliver product. After I began my day I started my truck and performed my safety inspection. As I finished I started back to the lobby to check out of the hotel and pay my bill. I started walking across the newly fresh 5 inches of snow, when my feet hit an icy patch and both feet went up in the air and I landed on my head. (I'm 6'2" and 260) I blacked out for a split second and then realized that my upper body went completely numb. I had no feeling from the waist up. I laid there in the snow for several minutes in severe pain, when finally the feeling started to come back to me. I finally got up, went to the lobby, checked out and called Saudi and told him that I fell. I also told him that my head was hurting but felt that I wanted to deliver my load and I would call him back in an hour or two. He said. Ok. After I finished unloading, I started my trip back to Boise, Idaho but got toward Prossor Washington and was noticing the numbness in my arms and hands. I became nervous about it and pulled into a rest stop. I tried to reach Saudi for help but he did not answer. I called the company nurse, explained what happened and she insisted that I hang up and call 911 for immediate medical attention. I tried to talk her out of it, but she would have nothing to do with it. She explained that, many people die from head injury's who feel okay, but do not realize they are bleeding internally and die. Okay, that scared me and I called 911. They responded quickly and took me to the hospital to go under very scrutiny evaluation. They could only do so much, and transferred me by ambulance to another hospital in the Tri-City area of Washington. At that point they performed more tests and all results came back normal and in fact made comment to me how healthy my blood labs were, and blood pressure considering that I'm about 60 pounds over weight. By that time they explained to me that I indeed had a slight concussion and that I experienced what they call a brain zing. Its the same when you hit your funny bone on your elbow, but its the brain, so it will effect parts of the entire body. Laying there in that situation, in traction, on my back for 10 hours, was very painful, and I laid there pleaded for understanding and direction. The staff was kind and helpful, and I surly thanked them over and over again. But, I was still looking for the reason why.

Then Saudi finally gets me on the phone. I said, I am coming to pick you up tomorrow. I complained. Saudi, no, I can drive. I will stay the night with a sister that lives here and then head home in the morning. No, he said. You are to precious to me, I value you way to much. I am coming. I said, Saudi, please I need to work and provide for my family and I will be fine. The doctor here has cleared me to drive home. No, he said. That is final, I will be there at 11:00 am tomorrow. If you want I will pay for a hotel, or you can stay with you sister. I opted for the later to spend time with her and catch up on family news.

Okay, he shows up at 11 and we have almost 6 hours of more conversation. OF WHICH I READ TO HIM AND ASKED FOR CLARIFICATION ON A RECENT LDSAVOW POST about Muslims. Here are some of the lessons I learned.

1. He challenged me to check my history when the US Government started interacting involving themselves with the middle east. I got on my trusty smart phone and started doing research. He help me understand all about Osama Bin Laden. How the US helped him and trained him to fight Afghanistan government. The USA actually flew all of Bin Laden and his soldiers to the USA for special training. That happened in and Bin Laden finished the war prior to 2001. The USA had made promises to Bin Laden that did not get fulfilled. So they retaliated on 9/11/2001 and other small attacks prior to that. I asked him, was Bin Laden justified in his actions. Saudi replied, no he was not. He violated all muslim rules of war and conflict. Not just American people died there, but American muslims that had nothing to do with it were working in the twin towers when it was hit. He explained to me that his father and his uncle were at one time friends with Bin Laden and felt he was a powerful religious influence, UNTIL his actions at various attacks against the USA. They witnessed his anger and frustration with the US and they moved far away from him.

2. We talked about how the USA is Allies with Israel but wants nothing to do with Palestine. I said that I was not intelligent enough to talk about that. But I would get back with him on that.

3. He helped me see that like we have different sects of Christianity, so do the Muslims. The radical Muslims are all from the Middle East. He asked me if I knew the most populated Muslims are in the world. I said no, and I looked it up on my smart phone. It is Indonesia. He said, how many groups of radical muslims come from there? I said, I am not aware of any. He said that is right. What country is next. I said China. He said how many radical muslims come from there? I said that I am not aware of any. He said correct, all have come from the middle east and some formed after the US entered into Iraq.

4. I asked about Sharia Law. He said it was added after the Koran was written. That is why he reads it in Arabic, because it is in it purest form, and it is the original text that was written.

5. I said, but you believe in beheading and various other terrible killings. He said, yes we believe in the same law the old testament teaches. Eye for eye, hand for hand, and certain punishments for doing evil things. I studied the old testament and went to Leviticus and read what I had studied to him. He said, yes, our laws were not changed as your laws did with Christ. I said, but you believe He is the Savior of the world, a prophet. Yes, but we don't believe he fulfilled any law. He was not the Son of God.

6.It states from the LDS AVOW post that you believe in sex with little children. He said, look at the author of that book. He is from middle east, and has changed the rules from the Koran to fit what they want. It is evil and they will be punished by God for it. It is not what the pure Muslim religion is about.

7. He had me watch a few short videos on what true Muslims believe and how they feel they are to interact with Gods Children. It helped me see the importance of going to a TRUE source and not someones thinking about what it is. I explained to him, that as a Mormon, we go through the same experiences. People post what they think they know about our church and are wrong, I told him about some other Christian churches and how they print and provide video with incorrect information. I also told him that some of our worst enemies are past members. He looked at me and said, then you understand that they who publish about muslims, who are not muslims, or are desenters from our faith are our worst enemies. Yes, I get that I said.

8. I said I am worried about the refugees coming into the USA from Syria. He said, so am I. I know that there will be good people in that group, but there will be bad and I disagree that the US is not doing investigation background on these people prior to coming. There will be evil, implants by Terrorist people.

9. I spoke about how our nation has allowed no more prayer in school, no more bible in school, not much any religion, but now we have muslims coming in and requesting and in some places demanding that we honor your holiday worship by making changes to our schools or work place. Do you think that is fair to us? No he said. I believe that this nation is a Christian nation and that I am blessed to be here. Those making the requests are the ones that need to be watched really close. A true Muslim only wants a place to worship and follow the God. The ideal place would be eventually to have our own temples, our own schools, our own places of worship and not demand that a Christian nation change.

10. Then inspiration hit me. Why do you think that the USA supports Israel? He said I don't know. I said, what I am feeling is, because it is the blood line of Christ. We feel, that Abraham was chosen and then that Issac was chosen, and that is line of authority. It goes back to genealogy. Juda, was Christ's line, back to Jacob, to Issac and to Abraham.

Many more things did we discuss, but I cannot remember them all. What comes to my mind is, was it Indonesia that had the natural disaster that the church sent over Millions of dollars of aid?

I know that the gospel has to go to all nations, kindred and tongue, and some how these GOOD Muslims need to hear the message of the restoration. Saudi is open and willing to learn and read what I have for him. But I have receive revelation that if he accepts the message, God has a very important plan for him to accomplish. That is if he accepts.

This article is for your learning.

If you have questions that you would like me to ask him, send them directly to my email account at grandparentsrule1@gmail.com 

I am sure that I will be visiting with him again and if I had a page with questions about his religion it would engage him even more and he would welcome it.

God Speed,
Emmanuel.

Please dont give me any negative feed back. I share what I share because I was directed to do so by the Holy Ghost. It is to help you on any level possible for you. I have no idea, where you are at, but I do know that I have gone through these things for a reason. That I know of. I may not fully understand as of yet, but I only given small bits and pieces here and there. I testify that Heavenly Father is in control. That He sent His Son, Jesus Christ that we might return home.

Written by lbhamblin, AVOW, December 2015

Men Must Become Perfect, Even As The Father Is Perfect

We should notice the important difference between the Nephi version and the Matthew version. To the Nephites he declared that they should be perfect even as I or your Father is perfect (see 3 Nephi 12:48). Although Jesus of Nazareth was the only sinless individual, when he delivered the Sermon on the Mount he had not yet been glorified and resurrected. For this reason, and for the sake of humility, he did not include himself as being perfect (see Matthew 5:48).

Whenever a discussion of perfection comes up, someone is always quick to point out that we cannot become perfect while in mortality. Yet, the Savior gives us a commandment that must somehow be fulfilled, for the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them (1 Nephi 3:7). Is perfection attainable in mortality? The answer is a qualified "yes."

James E. Talmage said, "Our Lord's admonition to men to become perfect, even as the Father is perfect (Matt. 5:48) cannot rationally be construed otherwise than as implying the possibility of such achievement. Plainly, however, man cannot become perfect in mortality in the sense in which God is perfect as a supremely glorified Being. It is possible, though, for man to be perfect in his sphere in a sense analogous to that in which superior intelligences are perfect in their several spheres; yet the relative perfection of the lower is infinitely inferior to that of the higher." (Jesus the Christ, p. 232)

A careful reading of the scriptures demonstrates that three individuals are referred to as "perfect": Seth (D&C 107:43), Noah (Genesis 6:9), and Job (Job 1:1). To be perfect in this scriptural sense means to be complete, finished, or fully developed. Seth, Noah, and Job (and probably scores of other prophets) had become perfect in the scriptural sense. They had learned to serve God with a perfect heart and with a willing mind (1 Chronicles 28:9). They had submitted their wills to the will of the Father. This was the quality the Savior wished for the Twelve, that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one (John 17:22-23).

Yet, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). But in Christ the sinner is perfected, the debt is paid, and the dirty are made clean. This is why the Savior prayed that the Twelve would be made perfect in one. Through Christ, we attain "scriptural" perfection when our will is the same as the will of the Father. This can occur prior to the resurrection, for Joseph Smith spoke of certain angels who are the spirits of just men made perfect, they who are not resurrected, but inherit the same glory (D&C 129:3). Our goal is to strive to perfect ourselves, carefully aligning our thoughts and desires with God's, that we may be made perfect in Christ and inherit the same glory.

Although it is good to read the scriptures; it is very important to search and study them out. The footnote meaning to 'perfect' means: 'complete, finished, fully developed.'

Bruce R. McConkie made this statement:

"Finite perfection may be gained by the righteous saints in this life. It consists in living a godfearing life of devotion to the truth, of walking in complete submission to the will of the Lord, and of putting first in one's life the things of the kingdom of God. Infinite perfection is reserved for those who overcome all things and inherit the fullness of the Father in the mansions hereafter. It consists in gaining eternal life, the kind of life which God has in the highest heaven within the celestial world." (Mormon Doctrine, p. 567)

The Veils Being Dropped

The week leading up to April 3, 1836 had been the most dramatic week for divine manifestations, angelic ministrations, and spiritual gifts in the history of the young church. It’s fair to say that a spiritual outpouring of this magnitude has not occurred since, and such a melding of heaven and earth will not likely occur again until the prophesied gathering at Adam-ondi-Ahman.

Sunday March 27, 1836—the temple is dedicated and during an evening meeting a noise like the sound of rushing wind enters the temple, the Brethren prophesy and speak in tongues and angels fill the temple.

Tuesday March 29, 1836—the Prophet administers the ordinance of the washing of feet to the leading brethren.

Wednesday March 30, 1836—Again the brethren attend to the ordinance of washing the feet and the sacrament followed by another Pentecostal outpouring in which many prophecy, others speak in tongues, angels appear, and some of the brethren see the Savior.

Thursday March 31, 1836—A second Temple Dedication meeting is held for those who could not get in the preceding Sabbath. (See History of the Church, 2:410-432)

Sunday April 3, 1836—Joseph records he “attended meeting in the Lord’s House, and assisted the other Presidents of the Church in seating the congregation, and then became an attentive listener to the preaching from the stand. Thomas B. Marsh and David W. Patten spoke in the forenoon to an attentive audience of about one thousand persons. In the afternoon, I assisted the other Presidents in distributing the Lord’s Supper to the Church, receiving it from the Twelve, whose privilege it was to officiate at the sacred desk this day. After having performed this service to my brethren, I retired to the pulpit, the veils being dropped, and bowed myself, with Oliver Cowdery, in solemn and silent prayer. After rising from prayer, the following vision was opened to both of us…” (History of the Church, 2:434-435)

I retired to the pulpit, the veils being dropped

For those unfamiliar with the Kirtland Temple, perhaps it should be explained that the assembly hall on the main floor had a stand and pulpit on each end of the large room. On one end were places for the presidents of the Melchizedek Priesthood to sit. On the other end were places for the presidents of the Aaronic Priesthood to sit.

There were curtain partitions which could be dropped around a portion of the pulpit on the Melchizedek Priesthood end of the room. These veils would isolate the Prophet and Oliver from other brethren on the stand and from the congregation. It was while these curtains were dropped that Joseph and Oliver saw the vision. The rest of the congregation was kept from seeing the Lord only by the veil dropped behind the Prophet and Oliver as shown in the painting below. The Kirtland Temple did not have a veil like is common in modern temples because the endowment as performed today had not yet been revealed in its fullness.

We saw the Lord (D&C 110:2)

For Joseph Smith to see the resurrected Lord was not a new thing. However, in previous visions, the Prophet never really described what he saw because the Father and the Son were so glorious as to “defy all description” (JS-Hist. 1:17, see also D&C 76:20-24). We should be thankful that in this account, the Prophet describes the indescribable—penned with language as sublime as any prophet of any age.

Here was the Lord, risen, glorified, and exalted. He had gone to his Father. He had received a fulness. He revealed himself as he was in 1836…

There is no doubt that Joseph Smith knew, loved, and worshiped the Lord with all his heart. He knew by seeing and by hearing that God lives and that Jesus is the Christ. His mission was to bear that witness so that we all could understand the truth of it, and understanding, accept and learn to part the veil and come into the presence of the Lord. All of us may know the same truths, by reading, pondering, and asking for the same knowledge. Let us fully realize these potent words:

“Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am.” (D&C 93:1.)

Then, by doing as he says, we may find him and see him and know him as he is. (“What Joseph Smith Teaches Us of Christ,” Ensign, Dec. 1973, 44)

Having Sealed The Truth Of His Words By His Death

"Behold, even as ye have done unto me, so shall it come to pass that thy seed shall cause that many shall suffer the pains that I do suffer, even the pains of death by fire; and this because they believe in the salvation of the Lord their God.

"And it will come to pass that ye shall be afflicted with all manner of diseases because of your iniquities.

"Yea, and ye shall be smitten on every hand, and shall be driven and scattered to and fro, even as a wild flock is driven by wild and ferocious beasts.

"And in that day ye shall be hunted, and ye shall be taken by the hand of your enemies, and then ye shall suffer, as I suffer, the pains of death by fire.

"Thus God executeth vengeance upon those that destroy his people. O God, receive my soul.

And now, when Abinadi had said these words, he fell, having suffered death by fire; yea, having been put to death because he would not deny the commandments of God, having sealed the truth of his words by his death." (Mosiah 17:15-20)

There is no greater testimony than the giving of one's life for a cause. With the shedding of blood, the testimony is sealed. The martyr gives up all. There is no pretense, no last-minute recanting, no rationalization or apology. In the words of John Taylor, The testators are now dead, and their testament is in force (D&C 135:5). For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead (Hebrews 9:16-17). Robert J. Matthews has said:

"I can imagine them dancing and cavorting about Abinadi, and hear them shouting, exulting, and gloating over what they were doing.  And during it all, Abinadi was pronouncing prophecies of God's vengeance upon them- prophecies that were literally fulfilled.  The noise, the din, the stench would be awful!  Wickedness and righteousness, life and death, are real, and Abinadi's martyrdom really did happen.  It was necessary that it happen so the righteous might be justified and the wicked might be condemned.  Sadly, we read that 'Abinadi was [only] the first [among the Nephites] that suffered death by fire because of his belief in God' (Alma 25:11)." (Book of Mormon Symposium Series, edited by PR Cheesman, MS Nyman, and CD Tate, Jr., 1988, p. 103)

Stars Falling From Heaven

Joseph Smith Prediction of Stars Falling From Heaven

"On one occasion Joseph was preaching in Kirtland in the fall of the year 1833 [October 5]. Quite a number of persons were present who did not belong to the Church; and one man, more bitter and skeptical than the others, made note with pencil and paper of the prophecy uttered on that occasion, wherein Joseph said that 'Forty days shall not pass and the stars shall fall from heaven.'

"On the thirty-ninth day after the utterance of that prophecy a brother in the Church, Joseph Hancock and another man were out hunting game and got lost. They wandered about until night, when they found themselves at the home of this unbeliever, who exultingly produced this note of Joseph Smith's prophecy and asked Brother Hancock what he thought of his prophet now that thirty-nine days had passed an the prophecy was not fulfilled.

"Brother Hancock was unmoved and quietly remarked, 'There is one night left of the time and if Joseph said so, the stars will certainly fall tonight. This prophecy will all be fulfilled.'

"The matter weighed upon the mind of Brother Hancock, who watched that night and it proved to be the historical one known in the entire world as 'The Night of Falling Stars.'

"He stayed that night at the home of the skeptic unbeliever, as it was too far from home to return by night; and in the midst of the falling of the stars he went to the door of his house and called him out to witness what he thought impossible an the most improbably thing that could happen, especially as that was the last night in which Joseph Smith could be saved from the condemnation of a 'false prophet'.

"The whole heavens were lit up with the falling meteors an the countenance of the skeptic as he viewed the spectacle was plainly seen and closely watched by Brother Hancock, who said that he turned pale as death and spoke not a word.

"After that event the unbeliever sought the company of any Latter-day Saint. .... Not long afterwards, too, he sent for Joseph and Hyrum to come to his house, which they did."

This leonid meteor shower took place on November 13, 1833, and is still regarded as one of the most spectacular showers in recorded history.

Source:
Parry Edwin. "Philo Dibble Narrative." Stories about Joseph Smith. Salt Lake City, 1934

Faithfulness

"And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto them: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou was born.

"And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell;

"And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them" (Abraham 3:23-25).

One of the great truths of this account is the clear understanding we receive about who we were as pre-mortal spirit children of God. We were individual, separate persons, with agency, and names prior to our entry on earth. Yes, God knows us by name.

You and I were there and so were all the rest of the spirit children of God our Father who was designated for life upon this earth.

"And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them" (Abraham 3:25).

Of the three big questions, the first two are answered in this chapter:  Where did we come from? And why are we here? In answering the second question, we might quote many scriptures, but this one has to be near the top of the list.  God's intent is to prove us, to see if we will pass the test, to see if we will live by faith and still be obedient.

As Rex C. Reeve taught, "Yes, this life is a time of testing. It is not the reward time. That will come later. We are here being tested." [close quote](Ensign, Nov. 1982, 26)

Yet, it is not supposed to be a miserable experience.  Another of the seminal passages on the purpose of life reminds us that man is "that he might have joy" (2 Nephi 2:25).  The journey should be a joyful experience, but the journey is still a test, and not all will reach the destination.

While studying about “faithfulness” I was able to find a few scriptures that were pretty interesting. It seems to me that if we are faithful, we are given a special gift. Does anyone know what gift this is?

"And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end" (3 Nephi 27:19).

Notice that it says, “nothing entereth into his rest -- save it be those who have washed [their] garments in my blood.”

Hmmm, I began to wonder what does that really mean?

Bruce R. McConkie clarifies it for us. He said: “Stains of sin cannot be cleaned with water. The only solution capable of removing the stain of sin is blood - but not just any blood, it must be the blood spilt by the Only-Begotten.

Interestingly, it is us who must do the washing. We must be willing to remove our stained garments, soak them in Christ's blood, and then scrub out the stains, one by one. Christ can't do it for us. He has provided the amazing cleaning solution, but his sanctifying soap must be used in order for us to cleanse ourselves and enter into his rest. The scripture tells us that we use his soap when we exhibit faith, repentance, and faithfulness unto the end.” [close quote]

Those who desire to be baptized into the Church are required by the Lord to have a determination to serve him to the end. President Joseph Fielding Smith, at age 94, said, “I have sought all my days to magnify my calling in that priesthood and hope to endure to the end in this life and to enjoy the fellowship of the faithful saints in the life to come.” [close quote]

There’s the word ‘faithful’ again. He also said “in the life to come”. What did he mean by that? I guess we can go back to the original question I had. What is the special gift our Father in heaven will give us if we are faithful to the end?

"And if thou art faithful unto the end thou shalt have a crown of immortality, and eternal life in the mansions which I have prepared in the house of my Father" (D&C 81:6).

So there you have it. It’s Eternal Life.

So what are the things we can do to remain faithful?

President Monson pretty much sums it up by saying, and I quote: “To help guide us we have the words of God and of His Son found in our holy scriptures. We have the counsel and teachings of God’s prophets. Of paramount importance, we have been provided with a perfect example to follow—even the example of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ—and we have been instructed to follow that example. Said the Savior Himself: “Come, follow me.” “The works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do.” He posed the question, “What manner of men ought ye to be?” And then He answered, “Verily I say unto you, even as I am.” “He marked the path and led the way.”

As we look to Jesus as our Exemplar and as we follow in His footsteps, we can return safely to our Heavenly Father to live with Him forever. Said the prophet Nephi, “Unless a man shall endure to the end, in following the example of the Son of the living God, he cannot be saved.” [close quote]

In the book of Mosiah, we are told, when we are in the service of our fellow beings we are only in the service of our God (see Mosiah 2:17).

When we think of service, we usually think of the acts of our hands. But the Lord looks to our hearts as well as our hands. He is concerned not only with our acts but also with our motives. The first great commandment is to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul. The second is to love thy neighbor as thyself.

Dallin H. Oaks once said: "In order to purify our service to God and to our fellowmen, it is therefore important to consider not only how we serve, but also why we serve.”

Brothers and Sisters, when we serve others we gain important blessings. Through service we increase our ability to love. We become less selfish. As we think of the problems of others, our own problems seem less serious. We must serve others to gain eternal life. God has said that those who live with Him must love and serve His children (see Matthew 25:34-40).

"And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it" (Mosiah 2:41).

And this is my testimony, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Faith in Jesus Christ

Faith in Jesus Christ is the first principle of the gospel of Jesus Christ (A of F 4). One who has this faith believes him to be the living Son of God, trusts in his goodness and power, repents of one's sins, and follows his guidance. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is awakened as individuals hear his gospel (Romans 10:17). By faith they enter the gate of repentance and baptism, and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, which leads to the way of life ordained by Christ (2 Nephi 31:9, 17-18). Those who respond are "alive in Christ because of [their] faith" (2 Nephi 25:25). Because God's way is the only way that leads to salvation, "it is impossible to please him" without faith (Hebrews 11:6). Faith must precede miracles, signs, gifts of the Spirit, and righteousness, for "if there be no faith…God can do no miracle" (Ether 12:12). The Book of Mormon prophet Moroni summarized these points:

The Lord God prepareth the way that the residue of men may have faith in Christ, that the Holy Ghost may have place in their hearts, according to the power thereof; and after this manner bringeth to pass the Father, the covenants which he hath made unto the children of men. And Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me. And he hath said: Repent all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me, and be baptized in my name, and have faith in me, that ye may be saved (Moroni 7:32-34).

Although in common speech people speak of having faith in people, principles, or things, faith in its eternal sense is faith in, and only in, Jesus Christ. It is not sufficient to have faith in just anything; it must be focused on "the only true God, and Jesus Christ" whom he has sent (John 17:3). Having faith means having complete confidence in Jesus Christ alone to save humankind from sin and the finality of death. By his grace "are ye saved through faith" (Ephesians 2:8). If "Christ be not risen," then "your faith is also vain" and "ye are yet in your sins" (1 Corinthians 15:14, 17). To trust in the powers of this world is to "trust in the arm of flesh" and, in effect, to reject Christ and his gospel (2 Nephi 4:34).

Paul explained, "Now faith is the substance [or assurance] of things hoped for, the evidence [the demonstration or proof] of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1). Mortals must live by faith, since divine realities are veiled from their physical senses. The invisible truths of the gospel are made manifest by the Holy Spirit and are seen in the lives of people who live by faith, following the daily directions of that Spirit. Though most mortals have not seen the spiritual realities beyond this physical world, they can accept such premises in faith, based on personal spiritual witness(es) and the scriptural record of former and latter-day special witnesses whom God has called and who have experienced these realities firsthand.

True faith is belief plus action. Faith implies not only the mental assent or cognition of belief but also its implementation. Beliefs in things both spiritual and secular impel people to act. Failure to act on the teachings and commandments of Christ implies absence of faith in him. Faith in Jesus Christ impels people to act in behalf of Christ, to follow his example, to do his works. Jesus said, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 7:21). James further emphasized that "faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works" (James 2:17-18).

Righteousness leads to greater faith, while sin and wickedness diminish faith. "The just [man] shall live by his faith" (Habakkuk 2:4). Violating the commandments of God brings a loss of the Spirit of the Lord and a loss of faith, for faith in Jesus Christ is incompatible with disobedience. The Book of Mormon prophet Alma characterized the words of Christ as a seed that is tested as people plant it in their hearts and nourish it. If they desire to see the seed grow, they must give it room and nourish it with their faith. If it is a good seed, it will swell and grow, and they will know that it is good. However, if they neglect the seed, it will wither away. But if they will "nourish the word…by [their] faith with great diligence," it will grow into a tree of life, and they will taste its fruit, which is eternal life (Alma 32:26-43).

Faith may be nurtured and renewed through scripture study, prayer, and works consistent with the commandments of the gospel. Because those who act on faith, repent, and are baptized receive a remission of sins, they have reason to hope for eternal life (Moroni 7:41). With this hope, their faith in Jesus Christ further inspires individuals to minister to each other in charity, even as Christ would have done (Moroni 7:44), for the "end of the commandment is charity out of…faith unfeigned" (1 Timothy 1:5). "Charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever" (Moroni 7:47). Thus, faith, or "steadfastness in Christ," enables people to endure to the end, continuing in faith and charity (2 Nephi 31:20; 1 Timothy 2:15; D&C 20:29). True faith is enduring and leads to an assurance that one's efforts have not gone unnoticed and that God is pleased with one's attitude and effort to implement the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ in one's personal life.

While Alma explained how faith leads to knowledge, modern LDS commentary also points out how certain kinds of knowledge strengthen faith (MD, pp. 261-67). The knowledge that God exists, a correct understanding of his character, and a reassurance that he approves of one's conduct can help one's faith "become perfect and fruitful, abounding in righteousness" ("Lectures on Faith," pp. 65-66; see Lectures on Faith).

The restoration of the gospel in modern times was initiated by an act of faith by the youthful Joseph Smith. Reading the Bible, he was struck by the encouragement of James to all who lack wisdom that they should "ask in faith, nothing wavering" (James 1:6). The visions that came to Joseph Smith in answer to his prayers are evidence that prayers are "answered according to [one's] faith" (Mosiah 27:14). Though God delights to bless his children, he "first, [tries] their faith,…then shall the greater things be made manifest" (3 Nephi 26:9). But there will be "no witness until after the trial of your faith" (Ether 12:6), and "without faith you can do nothing" (D&C 8:10). "Signs come by faith, not by the will of men" (D&C 63:10).

Because faith involves the guidance of the Holy Ghost to individuals, it leads them by an invisible hand to "the unity of the faith" (Ephesians 4:13). Through the strength of others and increased confidence in the Lord's way, faith provides a shield against the adversary (Ephesians 6:16). Similarly, faith has been described as part of one's armor, serving as a "breastplate of faith and love" (1 Thessalonians 5:8) in protecting the faithful from evil.

by Douglas E. Brinley

Was the Book of Abraham Disproved?

Question: "Didn't a member of your church and a professor of Egyptology, Dr. Dee Jay Nelson, prove the Pearl of Great Price is a fraud? Why do you still consider it scripture?"

The story of Dee Jay Nelson is a study in blatant fraud. Mr. Nelson made several exaggerated claims about his expertise in Egyptian. Unfortunately for him, most of his public claims themselves have been proven fraudulent. Robert and Rosemary Brown, two LDS members from Arizona, recorded several of Mr. Nelson's lectures and radio interviews. In the first volume of a three-volume work entitled They Lie in Wait to Deceive, the Browns presented the following facts about this man's "expertise":

1. He did not have a doctorate in Anthropology, as claimed. He dropped out of high school as a sophomore.
2. He was not a professor of Egyptology as claimed, but a volunteer teacher at Rocky Mountain College, where he taught a non-credit course in continuing education curriculum.
3. Mr. Nelson did not receive a Ph.D. from the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago, but did receive a Ph.D. degree for about $195 from a now defunct "diploma mill" which was ordered closed by the attorney general of the state of Washington.
4. He did not receive an M.S. in Egyptology from the University of California, Berkeley. The director of this program could find no record of a Dee Jay Nelson ever having been enrolled, much less having been a graduate of that institution.
5. Finally, he was not commissioned by N. Eldon Tanner of the First Presidency to translate anything.

What Mr. Nelson did do, according to the Browns, is make ninety-five claims about his professional and academic achievements that could not be authenticated. He was a charlatan who was at best an amateur on Egyptology while attempting to be a professional in anti-Mormonism.

Before accepting the conclusions of anti-Mormons, it is wise for Latter-day Saint to first check the credentials and personal claims made by such antagonists. It is unfortunate that some anti-Mormons claim false credentials, so it is only fair that their claims be examined and, if appropriate, be exposed. In the case of claims made by Mr. Nelson and others, Robert and Rosemary Brown have done a valuable service in researching the credentials of such an individual.

Now to address the question of the veracity of the Book of Abraham. On November 27, 1967, the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art presented to the Church eleven recently rediscovered fragments of papyri originally purchased by the Saints of Kirtland in July, 1835 (History of the Church, 2:235-36). A twelfth fragment had been in the Church's possession for many years, but the reappearance of those eleven additional papyrus fragments has sparked a controversy which may linger for years to come. The controversy centers around the authenticity of the Book of Abraham and Joseph Smith ability to translate Egyptian hieroglyphics.

Scholars who examined the eleven rediscovered fragments recognized that they did not correspond to the Book of Abraham, but that they were funerary texts from the Egyptian Book of the Dead. Anti-Mormon detractors immediately asserted that the difference was proof that the Book of Abraham was a fraudulent work and that Joseph Smith did not, and could not, translate ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics.

Michael J. Hickenbotham, in his book Answering Challenging Mormon Questions, gives a convincing rebuttal to the critics' assertions, as follows:

Soon after the purchase of the original papyri, Joseph Smith stated that he "commenced the translation of some of the characters or hieroglyphics, and . . . found that one of the rolls contained the writings of Abraham, another the writings of Joseph of Egypt" (History of the Church, 2:236). In December of that year, he said that "The Record of Abraham and Joseph, found with the mummies, is beautifully written on papyrus, with black, and a small part red, ink or paint, in perfect preservation" (History of the Church, 2:348). Hugh Nibley points out that the Book of Breathing text is "entirely different" from the record of Abraham described by Joseph Smith. The Book of Breathing papyri were neither beautifully written nor well preserved and were devoid of rubrics (passages in red). Thus, on each of these three points, the Book of Breathing manuscript conspicuously fails to qualify as the manuscript Joseph described (Nibley, Judging and Prejudging the Book of Abraham, p. 6 and The Message of the Joseph Smith Papyri, pp. 2-3).

Hugh Nibley further observed that one of the three or more original scrolls was described as long enough that when "unrolled on the floor, [it] extended through two rooms of the Mansion House" (Dialogue, vol. 3, no. 2, 1968, p. 101). He also noted that in 1906, Joseph F. Smith remembered 'Uncle Joseph' down on his knees on the floor with Egyptian manuscripts spread out all around him .... When one considers that the eleven fragments now in our possession can easily be spread out on the top of a small desk ... it would seem that what is missing is much more than what we have (Judging and Prejudging the Book of Abraham, as reprinted in They Lie in Wait to Deceive, p. 243). We should also add that only one of the three Abraham facsimiles were among the rediscovered fragments. This fact alone demonstrates that significant portions of the original scrolls are still lost. The traditional opinion held by LDS scholars has been that the Book of Abraham papyri are among those fragments which are still lost.

An alternate view, which is either expressly stated or hinted at by several LDS writers, is that the text of the Book of Abraham was not actually contained in the papyri purchased by the Saints. This opinion revolves around the meaning of the word "translation" as it was used by Joseph Smith. Kirk Vestal, Arthur Wallace, Eugene Seaich, and James Harris speculate that Joseph did not actually "translate" as we define the term today, but instead produced the text through divine inspiration (History of The Church, 4:136-137). The Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible (D&C 76:15; 93:53; 94:10; 124:89; History of the Church, 1:211, 215, 219, etc.) illustrates this broader usage of the term translate. Joseph restored over 120 verses concerning Enoch to Genesis chapter 5 where only 5 verses exist in our modem Bibles (compare Moses chapter 6). He did not claim to translate this missing text from other ancient sources, but re-stored it by revelation.

These scholars believe that the Egyptian papyri purchased by the Church did not actually contain the text restored by Joseph Smith, but instead contained symbolic references to a more ancient primary document dating from 2500 BC (Vestal and Wallace, The Finn Foundation of Mormonism, pp. 183-86). Because the three Book of Abraham facsimiles also contained many ancient symbols and allusions to this primary document, Joseph Smith used them to illustrate his Abraham text. All of the authors cited above seem to agree that the facsimiles were not part of the original Abraham text but were more likely included because of the deeper symbolism they contained (Seaich, Ancient Texts and Mormonism, p. 106; Nibley, Judging and Prejudging the Book of Abraham, p. 7; Vestal and Wallace, The Firm Foundation of Mormonism, pp. 183-86).

What is important is not that the facsimiles and text are only remotely related (because this is apparent from the Book of Abraham text) but that Joseph Smith explanations attached to the facsimiles are accurate. Vestal and Wallace note that 25 of Joseph Smith 30 facsimile explanations corresponded closely to the interpretation of Egyptologists, while the remaining 5 did not conflict (Ibid., p. 188; see also p. 234 of this text).

That Joseph translation is so similar to those of Egyptologists is even more remarkable when one considers that neither Joseph Smith nor his associates had any prior knowledge of either Egyptology or Egyptian hieroglyphics.

It appears that after the Book of Abraham was completed, Joseph Smith, W. W. Phelps, and others tried to work out an Egyptian grammar and alphabet. In so doing, they attempted to match up the translated text of the Book of Abraham with the Egyptian characters on the papyri. The idea was apparently to use the Book of Abraham as a type of Rosetta Stone or sure translation (Nibley, Judging and Prejudging the Book of Abraham, p. 6; The Meaning of the Kirtland Egyptian Papers). The experiment was doomed to failure, but it nonetheless indicated that: (1) they had very little knowledge of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, (2) they believed the text to be a true translation of papyri scrolls in their possession, and (3) there was no attempt to deceive others by claiming a knowledge of Egyptian hieroglyphics (see Hugh Nibley, Judging and Prejudging the Book of Abraham, p. 5 or Robert and Rose Mary Brown, They Lie in Wait to Deceive, pp. 238-40).

Though the above has been used in an attempt to discredit Joseph Smith and the Church, it is clear to those that read the Book of Abraham and study Joseph Smiths explanation of the three facsimiles that this work was inspired. (Answering Challenging Mormon Questions, pp. 212-14.)

By Stephen R. Gibson

 

Salvation Only In Christ's Name

There is no other name by which man can be saved, only in and through the name and atonement of Jesus Christ.

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12).

And moreover, I say unto you, that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent (Mosiah 3:17).

And under this head ye are made free, and there is no other head whereby ye can be made free. There is no other name given whereby salvation cometh; therefore, I would that ye should take upon you the name of Christ, all you that have entered into the covenant with God that ye should be obedient unto the end of your lives (Mosiah 5:8).

No offense to Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and so on - but we reject the notion that all religions can produce the same result - that all roads lead to Rome. That doctrine is sometimes unpopular and may even seem arrogant, but it is true nonetheless. We are bound by the word of God to teach that salvation comes only through Christ. God makes the rules. He made us. He can decide the requirements for salvation. We understand that without Christ there would be no salvation.

And our spirits must have become like unto him, and we become devils, angels to a devil, to be shut out from the presence of our God, and to remain with the father of lies, in misery, like unto himself; yea, to that being who beguiled our first parents, who transformeth himself nigh unto an angel of light, and stirreth up the children of men unto secret combinations of murder and all manner of secret works of darkness (2 Nephi 9:9).

The first requirement is to acknowledge Jesus Christ and his atonement. Eventually, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ. Our job is to help others realize that truth and confess his name before they are compelled to by the justice of God at the last day.

Salvation Only In Christ's Name (Video)

Beware: Like the Nephites, we may have lost the right to protection from our God

(Originally Published by Brian (AVOW), August 28, 2013)

I can't take my mind off the situation in the middle east. The fact that we're about to start another unrighteous war with a nation in the middle east is beyond frightening. But this time, I think the ramifications are more serious than we imagine. The Book of Mormon explains why...

The Book Of Mormon contains a 1000 year history of two groups of people named the Lamanites and the Nephites who were descendants of the Tribe of Manasseh. In short, The Nephites were God fearing people who worshiped Christ and were “the other sheep” that Christ said “should hear his voice” (see St John 10:16). The Lamanites did not believe in Christ and continually sought to destroy the Nephites. Throughout the entire Book Of Mormon, the Lamanites sallied into Nephite territory and launched preemptive wars against the Nephites, and the Nephites, with the help of God, were supported and victorious in defending themselves against those who sought their destruction.

The Nephites never sent their troops into Lamanite territory to launch a preemptive attack, nor did the Nephites police or occupy the land of the Lamanites (Even though they believed the Lamanites to be a blood-thirsty and violent people, and could have gone in as "saviors" and liberated the Lamanites!). From 200 AD until around 400 AD, the Nephites turned from a state of Righteousness and loyalty to Christ and his teachings to a state of wickedness. At the end of The Book Of Mormon, the Lamanites attacked the Nephites on Nephite soil and the Nephites beat the Lamanites, and the following was written:

7 And it came to pass that in the three hundred and sixty and first year the Lamanites did come down to the city of Desolation to battle against us; and it came to pass that in that year we did beat them, insomuch that they did return to their own lands again.

8 And in the three hundred and sixty and second year they did come down again to battle. And we did beat them again, and did slay a great number of them, and their dead were cast into the sea.

9 And now, because of this great thing which my people, the Nephites, had done, they began to boast in their own strength, and began to swear before the heavens that they would avenge themselves of the blood of their brethren who had been slain by their enemies.

10 And they did swear by the heavens, and also by the throne of God, that they would go up to battle against their enemies, and would cut them off from the face of the land.

11 And it came to pass that I, Mormon, did utterly refuse from this time forth to be a commander and a leader of this people, because of their wickedness and abomination.
(Book of Mormon | Mormon 3:7 - 11)

14 And when they had sworn by all that had been forbidden them by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that they would go up unto their enemies to battle, and avenge themselves of the blood of their brethren, behold the voice of the Lord came unto me, saying:

15 Vengeance is mine, and I will repay; and because this people repented not after I had delivered them, behold, they shall be cut off from the face of the earth.

16 And it came to pass that I utterly refused to go up against mine enemies; and I did even as the Lord had commanded me; and I did stand as an idle witness to manifest unto the world the things which I saw and heard, according to the manifestations of the Spirit which had testified of things to come.
(Book of Mormon | Mormon 3:14 - 16)

4 And it was because the armies of the Nephites went up unto the Lamanites that they began to be smitten; for were it not for that, the Lamanites could have had no power over them.

5 But, behold, the judgments of God will overtake the wicked; and it is by the wicked that the wicked are punished; for it is the wicked that stir up the hearts of the children of men unto bloodshed.
(Book of Mormon | Mormon 4:4 - 5)

After the decision of the Nephites to change their policy to one of Preemptive war, they were not supported by God anymore, and the Lamanites destroyed the Nephites, and the Lamanites who were not completely destroyed are the descendants of the American Indians.

All recent presidents and presidential candidates (with the noted exception of Ron Paul), including Mitt Romney, have admitted no problem committing our troops without a Congressional declaration, and they are ok with and passionate about us attacking nations that have not attacked us. This is not a matter of the people's voice being split on this matter... The vast, VAST majority of the American people are supportive of these policies -- democrat and republican alike. Mormon and non-mormon alike.

Our Constitution is hanging by threads. Our nation has shifted our war policy from one that gave protection to the Nephites, to one that caused the swift destruction of the entire Nephite nation.

Syria presents a particularly difficult problem for the U.S. Syria has been a state-sponsor of terrorism for 30+ years. If attacked, Syria will no doubt use whatever means available to them to defend themselves, INCLUDING TERRORISM, and multiple direct attacks against the U.S. people.. and the attacks won't stop because the U.S. won't stop. Once Syria uses terrorist attacks as a means to defend itself, the American people will back a bigger, more advanced war against nations all across the middle east. Banks and the military industrial complex will profit. The American people will suffer GREATLY because Syria is likely capable of bringing war and death to our doorstep in ways we cannot imagine.

The attack on the World Trade Center represented a defensive strategy on the part of the proverbial Lamanites. (Read up on how the United States has invaded the Middle East and killed hundreds of thousands of civilians over the last 30+ years... and read up on WHY Al Queda says they attacked the World Trade Center. I'll give you a hint: It had nothing to do with the idiotic and insulting republican rhetoric that they "hate our freedoms").

I am proposing that a shift has occurred since those attacks. I am proposing that we might no longer be under the protection afforded to righteous nations by our Heavenly Father. I am proposing that if we do not repent, as a nation, that our destruction is imminent -- and the war against Syria presents an opportunity for that destruction to play out.

I believe those who support the actions of nations who invade or provoke war against other nations -- those who voted for the politicians (Bush, Obama, and others) who led and continue to lead these initiatives.. and those who verbally defend these horrific events will be held accountable before God. (Brian, AVOW, August 28, 2013)

-----------------------------------------------------

George Q. Cannon

[A people may be] determined to have war with us, the Lord says we should lift up a standard of peace unto that nation (D&C 98:34). That is the duty of this nation. That is the duty of the Latter-day Saints, when their enemies come against them to make war upon them. We must proclaim peace; do all in our power to appease the wrath of our enemies; make any sacrifice that honorable people can to avert war, with all its horrors, entailing as it does dreadful consequences so numerous that they cannot be mentioned. It is our duty, I say, as a nation. The influence of the Latter-day Saints should be used in this direction. We should seek to quell these feelings of anxiety to fight and to shed blood. Our influence should go forth like oil poured upon the troubled waters, quieting the waves of discontent and wrath that are aroused by this fearful spirit. The Lord then tells us what should be done:

And if that people did not accept the offering of peace neither the second nor the third time (D&C 98:35),

Not only ought we to extend the offering of peace the first time to a nation that proclaims war against us, but again the second time; and if that should be rejected, again the third time; and if it be rejected the third time, then

[They] should bring these testimonies before the Lord (D&C 98:35).

Go to the Lord, and say, "Here are our testimonies. We have offered peace the first time; we have offered it twice; we have offered it three times; but our offerings are rejected, and this nation is determined to have war with us. Now we bring these testimonies before thee, Lord."

Then I, the Lord, would give unto them a commandment, and justify them in going out to battle against that nation, tongue, or people,

And I, the Lord, would fight their battles, and their children's battles, and their children's children's, until they had avenged themselves on all their enemies, to the third and fourth generation.

Behold, this is an ensample unto all people, saith the Lord your God, for justification before me (D&C 98:36 - 38).

I do not look for our nation to do this. It is scarcely to be expected, in the nature of things, that they would do it. But it is the true principle, and we as a people should use our influence for this purpose. Our prayers should ascend to God; our petitions should ascend to the government of our nation to do everything that honorable people can to avert war. (Conference Report, April 1898, Afternoon Session)

It is my warning to everyone -- you must understand that God commands wars. Not men!

And again, this is the law that I gave unto mine ancients, that they should not go out unto battle against any nation, kindred, tongue, or people, save I, the Lord, commanded them (D&C 98:33)

The Unbelieving Husband Is Sanctified By The Wife

For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy (1 Corinthians 7:14.)

THE UNBELIEVING HUSBAND IS SANCTIFIED BY THE WIFE

Paul recognizes the struggles of part - member families among the Corinthians. Since there were significant cultural and religious differences between the believers and the unbelievers, his advice must have been a source of comfort and peace for those that wondered if they should leave their spouse for the gospel's sake (v. 12-13). Rather than condescending to the unbeliever, Paul recognizes the sanctifying power of having a believer in the home. Hence, the husband is sanctified by the wife's example. He is sanctified by the wife who brings the Spirit into the home. He is sanctified by the wife who raises up his children in light and truth. He is sanctified by the home teaching and missionary visits made possible by his wife's membership. He is sanctified by the possibility that years of diligence will soften the husband's heart towards baptism.

One sister described her experience as follows:

"After reading this scripture I fasted and prayed continually that my husband's heart would be softened. I learned that our time is not the Lord's time, and I needed to live my life to be worthy of the time when my husband would accept and return to the fold. Although I had faith, I really never thought it would happen in this life. On our 49th anniversary of marriage we were able to go to the temple once again and have been going ever since. The joy we both feel is unspeakable." 

(Jeanne Beam, Living by the Scriptures, LDS Church News, 1998, 02/28/98)

We sometimes think of missionary work in narrow terms. Is not one of the most powerful missionary forces in the world called motherhood? If a missionary is one who teaches an investigator and encourages his conversion, then is not a mother a missionary? Can we not imagine the Lord speaking to all mothers and wives as follows, 'if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this [family], and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!' (D&C 18:15)? Whether her children or her husband, the faithful sister's powers of sanctification are not fully recognized or appreciated.

"The best place for us to start blessing the world is in our own family, ward, and neighborhood. The greatest challenges given to any ward involve nonmembers, part-member families, less active members, troubled youth, and others with special needs. These are found in every ward and branch of the Church. The scriptures provide excellent models of effective ways to bless all the families of the earth with the blessings of the gospel, salvation, and eternal life. If we search them, these truths will unfold." 

(S. Michael Wilcox, A Witness of Jesus Christ: The 1989 Sperry Symposium on the Old Testament, ed. by Richard D. Draper, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1990], 279.)

Behold, I Have Graven Thee Upon The Palms Of My Hands

Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me (1 Nephi 21:16.)

Isaiah must have seen the crucifixion of the Savior. His reference here is clear enough to those with even a modest dose of the spirit of prophecy, but still is not understood by many. This is another example of Christ's great love for us. He is trying to show the house of Israel how much He loves them, as proof that he has not forgotten them.

'Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends' (John 15:13).

Even though Christ's resurrected body is perfect, the prints in his nails and feet have been left as a reminder to the house of Israel and the world that He has "graven them upon the palms of his hands."

Behold, I Have Graven Thee Upon The Palms Of My Hands (VIDEO)

This Is My Work And My Glory

For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. – Moses 1:39

THIS IS MY WORK AND MY GLORY

Corporations and organizations usually have a Mission Statement, a short sentence describing the goal and focus of the organization.  In Moses 1, we get the Lord's Mission Statement:  this is my work and my glory - to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. This perspective changes everything; it is indeed a pearl of great price.

For centuries, the world has imagined a God that is barely interested in man - One that keeps his distance - One that doesn't speak - One that is too busy to intervene. Yet, the Pearl of Great Price teaches us that we are his prime interest - his work and his glory.  His focus is on us.  He cares more about the progress of men than the progress of nations.  He cares more about man than the mountains, oceans, and rivers.  We are not an afterthought of creation; we are the very purpose of creation! What a powerful message this brings to the whole world!

While incomprehensible, we should always remember that God who clothes the lilies of the field and notices the fall of every sparrow, cares for each of his beloved children.  

Dr. Newell Dwight Hillis noted: 

"He who believes that God cares for men has found the secret of perpetual happiness, sees the best glimmering through the worst, feels the sun's warm beams throbbing through the thickest clouds. No man can remain permanently miserable who believes with all his heart that the Almighty is his defense, and that a divine guide daily pours light upon a human pathway." 

(Improvement Era, 1902, Vol. V. January, 1902. No. 3.)