What the Scriptures tell us about WHY we need the BOM

Why we need The Book of Mormon:

Ezekiel 37: 15-17

15 The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying,

16 Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one ^astick, and ^bwriteupon it, For ^cJudah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and ^dwrite upon it, For ^eJoseph, the ^fstickof Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions:

 17 And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become ^aone in thine hand.

Article of Faith 1:8 We believe the ^aBible to be the ^bword of God as far as it is translated ^ccorrectly; we also believe the ^dBook of Mormon to be the word of God.

Title Page

• Show the house of Israel what the Lord has done.
• Know the covenants
• Convincing that Jesus is Christ to all nations

Introduction

-Most correct book- get nearer to God

-Keystone of our religion

1. Doctrines of the gospel

2. Outlines the plan of salvation

3. Tells men what they must do to gain peace

1 Nephi 13:40

1.       Establishes the truth of the Bible.

2.       Make known plain and precious truth.

3.       All kindred, tongues and people that the Lamb is the Son of the Father and Savior of the world.

4.       All men must come unto him or they cannot be saved.

2 Nephi 3:12

-          Confound false doctrine

-          Lay down of contention

-          Establish peace

-          Bring them to a knowledge of fathers

-          Bring them to a knowledge of the covenants of the Lord.

2 Nephi 25: 23, 26 and 33:10-11

-persuade our children to believe in Christ

-If you believe in Christ you will believe these words

-They are his words,

-they teach men to do good.

2 Nephi 29:7-11

• I can speak to more than one nation
• I can have two nations write
• I do this to prove you
• Bible is not all of my words.

D&C 20:8-16

-God gave Joseph Smith power to translate

-Contains fullness of gospel

-Angels confirmed it.

-Proves the scriptures are true.

-God inspires men

-God is the same yesterday today and forever

-those who receive it will have a crown of eternal life. 

Elder Nelson Fireside

Fireside with Elder and Sister Nelson of the 1^st quorum of the 70 on July 21^st, 2013

Sister Nelson:  The Spanish brought the Catholic religion, so only Asian country that is Christian.  Bottom part is Muslim. The church has been there for 50 years.  The first 4 missionaries there are still alive.  There are now 85 stakes, 2 temples and one being built, 21 missions and 670,000 members out of 97 million people in a land mass as big as Arizona. 

They speak to the MTC there every 6 weeks.  All are going to Asian countries.  880 chapels, 12-20 K people baptized a year.  10 area authorities are from the Philippines.  Over 100 dialects, but almost all speak English.  They are a happy humble people and due to the love of family and having children they accept the gospel.   Michael Tae, the youngest 70 in the church who has only lived in the Philippines is going to Salt Lake City.

They lived in New Zealand for 2 years.  They they go a meeting with everyone.  A picture of their face comes up and they tell you where you are going. 

Elder Nelson:

Mark ch 2- most important thing- I can heal your hearts!

John ch 6 Why point out the bread and fish left over? He is the living bread!  I am the one that can help you.  My Grace is sufficient for all of you and there is enough and to spare. 

Question about blessings:  Exercise agency in all we do.  Ask! We will receive all the father has, after all we can do.  Elder Eyring’s talk in conference mentions Spencer W. Kimball- give me another mountain!  Challenges make us grow.  No challenges – the plan is not working for you.  

Question about China: The Lord can do his own work.  Miss are coming out of China.  The wealthy Chinese are sending their kids to USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand to get educated and are joining the church.  We have districts and branches in China.  The church is already there!

Tonga is 45 % LDS.  It’s like Provo.  Samoa has 22 stakes.  He’d rather have his car break down in the Philippines than on Blue Lakes because it’s a very family oriented.  The church struggles with the gospel in other places because they are not family friendly and don’t have kids.

Question about worries:  We live below our spiritual privileges.  Read Elder Oaks talk in the August Ensign.

The principles of Preach my Gospel are now in the new curriculum for youth.

Question about missionaries on Facebook:  The brethren have been trying to combat Satan for the last 10 to 12 years so he doesn't get control over the internet.  We want you on the internet. They have to be on 1 hour a day.  People don’t want us in their homes any more.  They chat, text, send messages.  We are going to trust the missionaries.  They will send Mormon messages to investigators in morning when it’s not productive time.  They make initial contact on line and then they want us in their home.  Soon missionaries will all have I-pads with GPS.  Don’t have to train them; they already know how to use it.   With the change in the missionary age there is 33 thousand more missionaries in 1 year!

Question about Temple building and Money:  The church doesn't spend money until it’s been in the bank for 1 year.  They have to allocate it differently.  Building projects are on hold.  Missionary work is the focus.

We can have personal ministries.  What can we do at the moment that the Holy Ghost tells us?  It’s not about you- your there for others.  Who is your person this week you need to help/touch?  Quit thinking about our life.

Question about Marriage:  Traditional marriage- we are behind the rest of the world in wickedness concerning same sex marriage.  We are not anti-anything. We are pro-marriage. We stand for truth and righteousness.

Question about Pres. Monson: He is 85 years old.  He was a member of the 12 at age 37. He always tell the GA’s  Who the Lord calls he qualifies.   He’s a minister.  He’s not in his office, he’s out ministering. 

Packer says It’s so hard to get old on stage.  We will always have old prophets.  As the world gets worse the Lord is hastening his work.

Ends with his testimony:  Come unto Him,  See, partake, feel, serve, understand.  The More Righteous than they.  Repent, be converted that I may heal you is what he said in 3 Nephi. 

DI: It's Not Just a Thrift Store

I’m wearing everything from a thrift store.  Even my shoes.  Why would I tell you this?  I’m here to tell you about the deep doctrine of DI.  DI is more than a thrift store and yes, that probably has been a tag line or in a commercial, but it’s true.  DI is self sufficient and runs only on donations.  There are 43 DI stores in 7 western states: WA, OR, CA, ID, UT, NV and AZ.

2 things are unique about our DI here in Twin.  We employ the largest amount of refuges  except for the ones in Utah than all the others.  Twin DI is not self supporting which means we have to do “donation sharing.”  We get things from the humanitarian center in SLC.   So, lesson one- bring in your stuff! 

Twin DI has community partnerships with about 30 programs/ agencies in Magic Valley. One of those places is TF School district.  For example.  My friend who is a single mom with 5 kids and has 1 daughter.  Her teacher noticed that she had only 2 pairs of pants.  One day she came home with 3 pairs of pants.  Where did her teacher get them?  DI. 

The bishops can use DI to help families in need.  For instance, take my friend Cyndy who is a manager of low income housing.  One family, not LDS, had a fire in their dryer.  ALL the kids’ clothes were burned up.  ALL of them.  ALL that was left for the kids was what they were wearing.  Cyndy went to the Bishop, told him the situation and he wrote out a voucher for 200 dollars worth of clothes for the family.  The bishop is the bishop for everyone within the ward boundaries- even those not of our faith.

Another bishop wanted to help a man here with a ½ way house he was starting.  He got the man vouchers for 15 beds for this house.  These are not old mattresses.  The church has a factory in SLC that makes them.  All mattress companies send their merchandise to  Missouri to be tested with a gigantic roller.  LDS mattresses are with the same quality and caliber for companies like Serta!  Seriously!  And for 2/3 of the price!!!!  

This is an example of the actual furniture!

The church also has a furniture factory that makes solid wood NICE quality tables, chairs, and bed sets and frames.  You can see them in the store and ask for one.  They are in the back- ready to be bought! 

DI also squashes bundles of clothes into ½ a ton barrels and sells them to other companies or it goes to the humanitarian center for the 3^rd world countries we send aid to.  We give stuff to Catholic charities and let them put their name on it, not ours. 

DI, pays for the employee’s salary, the building, the lighting, etc.  But when there is extra money it goes to help others get jobs.  We help members as well as non-members. 48% now at DI  in Twin Falls are not of our faith.  The extra money goes to help those workers go to school and get jobs. 

Our own Merna was employed at DI and needed to call her Bishop.  She was not a member (yet!).  Everyone that works there needs to get a hold of their bishop and get his help with goals and what that person wants to accomplish.  One of the people that have worked at DI walked across the Sahara desert, then floated on something in the ocean till he was picked up and brought to America.  He was escaping a war torn land.  He worked here in Twin Falls.  He told a manager that he would rather face the desert than the ocean! (not to self) 

Here are few stories to help you understand what this DI, this “more than a thrift store can do.”   Take Wes.  He’s a excellent swimmer, so much so that he is in the junior Olympics’ and goes to Paris to compete for the USA.  He has offers from colleges for full ride scholarships, but Wes, gets into drugs.  It becomes so bad that his family tells him to not come around.  He cannot see his nieces and nephews and Wes gets in trouble with the law and finds himself in prison. Part of Prison is drug rehab and before he can even leave, he has to have a job!  It’s pretty hard to find a job when you’re in jail!  But his bishop comes to visit him and gets him a job with DI.  He can leave.  Part of the DI program is for each person to have a mentor.  The bishop feels inspirited to have a man his age but married with kids be his mentor.   His mentor, not knowing what to do at first, invites him over for dinner, for barbecues and becomes his friend.  Wes needs new friends, he can’t go back to his old friends or he’ll get back into drugs.  Wes now has a friend, and a job.  DI has strict rules.  You have to show up on time and be there 96% of the time.  Absolutely no cell phones on the job.  These are rules that most companies have and that for most of the employees need to learn.  Each employee goes through reviews.  Goals are set by the employee and he/she evaluates himself on how he is doing.   Goals can be get a driver’s license, get a GED, become A CNA.  They pay for training programs nearby colleges have.  Wes now has a good job with a good company and he is successful.  That is why DI is more than a thrift store.  The money only goes to do good.  The money goes to help the poor and needy. 

Another story:  Mari Smith and her husband have triplets, her husband is a contractor building million dollar homes and then the economy goes bad and they can’t even pay their own rent.  The husband is depressed.  He finally went to the bishop, who sent him to the stake president (both to see if they knew of anything one or anything that could help him get work)  He goes back to his bishop and he gives his a recommendation to DI.  He gets him a job at DI.  Can you imagine the humility it took to go from building million dollar homes to working at DI?  DI can see this man has potential and skills.  To reestablish himself, the bishop needs to know exactly what he wants to do.  He decides he wants to become a Nursing assistant.  DI splits the cost with him for the schooling and now he is standing next to heart surgeons holding the heart, because he became an orderly first.  This man when he was working at DI had a friend there named Bill.  Bill had become homeless and this man went and found him and got him back on at DI and made sure Bill was OK! 

behind the scenes with the donations.  

One person Crystal from Peru doesn't speak much English.  Her job coach sees more in her, treats her with respect, helps her get in English classes, which in some areas DI offers.  Helped her get a GED and then she become a CNA.  The more resources the better you can help a person.

Another sister who says about herself she had no friends in HS and was not very smart so she dropped out.  She gets a job at DI and blossoms and 2 years later she is training those that are new at DI.

Carlos had a pharmacy for 28 years in his country.  He comes to the USA and all he can do is clean the floors in Rite Aid.  He thinks he can get a job as a driver.  He goes to the bishop and the bishop sees that he is more than a day laborer and helps him get a job at DI who then pays for him to go to become a pharmacy tech.  DI pays his wages for 3 months.  The pharmacy hires him on, because his people skills are awesome.  Everyone knows him and loves him.  This leads him to his wife getting a job there too, and then his daughter goes through the program and becomes a CNA.   They all testify to there being a light in their lives now.  They have someone who cares.

Community partnerships that will help families with rent, food, clothes and shoes, also helps with self-esteem.  Giving them a gift card is no guarantee that they will get what they need.  Taking them there, helping these children pick out their first coat, their first pillow, their own blanket.  When money is low for those community agencies, Di will raise their grants.

There are no DI thrift stores outside of those 7 states I mentioned, but the program is everywhere.  There are offices, (23 I think) in places like Texas, NY, Mexico, and the Philippines that do the same thing- help pay and train and work with people that need help. It all works through the bishops! The miracles can happen anywhere! 

DI is more than a thrift store because it transforms people’s lives.  The savior was always encouraging, helping and serving the individual.  That is what DI does.  You bring in old things and they become new to someone else.  DI does that with clothes and people as well!  

How is this all done?  How it all is paid for?  From the sales of those donations!  When we donate we are helping in more than one way.  We are helping many, many people’s lives to change for the better.

“Behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

“And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.” (Alma 37:6–7 The Book of Mormon) 

The First Year In Numbers

On May 14, 2011 I left Washington where I had lived a little over 20 years of my 38 years of life and drove into Idaho. 

1 float trip down the Boise River.
1 dog park in Nampa gone to lots and lots of times.
1 temporary dog park in Twin
1 car accident costing me almost 900 dollars
1 camping trip
1 trip to the Boise Zoo with family 
1 family wedding- Eric (my nephew) and Shelley in October in the Salt Lake temple.
1 pedicure 
1 16 year old Sunday School class I teach with 4 boys and 2 girls.
1 single adult Bunco game party.
1 single adult FHE group.
1  free "pattern changing" class through the Nampa Family Justice Center for women getting out of abusive relationships. Loved that class!
1 divorce support group with the Nazarene Church- not all that great.
1 trip to Rexburg Idaho- WOW has it changed!
1 LDS doctor who is also on the High Counsel in his stake with my therapist. 
1 free fake Christmas tree via a SA dinner.
1 crown and a red sash for being queen of the new year at a SA dance. (people wore jeans!)
1 roommate named Yentl in Twin.  She works nights, I work days. She's LDS and likes the dogs.  It works.
1 crown  and sash at the New Years Eve dance- my first ever.

2 towns lived in: Nampa and Twin Falls, one in a basement and the second in a duplex.
2 bishops, the first- has some things to learn, the second- awesome.
2 companies worked for- Assisting Hands (3 families) and Pro-Active Advantage (3 schools, 4 kids).
2 counselors- one a woman, not LDS, one named Jason who is awesome and LDS.
2 female friends in their 50's.  Beverly, divorced with 2 dogs in Nampa, Robyn, widowed with 1 dog  in Twin who also is in my ward and works for the same company I do. 
2 visitors from friends in Washington- Janea and her family, Donna and her extended family- both while I'm in Nampa.
2 great nieces and nephews hugged and kissed all summer long- Elli and Liam.
2 dinner invites by members of the ward- one in each. 
2 deaf neighbors in Twin.
2 high school graduations- Willy and Amber, now both at BYU-Idaho.
2 different sleep aids so I can get to sleep and don't fall asleep at work!  Both not addictive or for pain.
2 awesome friends who offered for me to come live with them and heal.  Both are married with families.  Cherelyn Linde and Angie Conlin.  Meant the world to me. 
2 visits/calls from the Sharif about my dogs from a lovely neighbor :(

3 mom sleep overs at my house to go to the temple and help me with my house and things.
3 temples- Boise (been before I moved here) Twin Falls- first time. I live 3 miles from, Rexburg, first time. 
3 testimonies born in church.
3 dog sleep overs with Sadie the Golden Retriever who came to my house at my request.
4 or 5 trips to a man made lake in Nampa area for the dogs to swim in.
4 really weird single adult dances- cow boy poetry, belly dancing and jeans at New Yeats Eve. 
5 hair cuts- 3 really bad ones :(
6 months of food stamps, 6 months and counting of food orders from the church.
A few more friends made. 
Too many to count trips to thrift and craft stores.
A hundred thousand tears cried. 

Notes from Sunday

From Sacrament meeting: 
A 10 or 11 year old boy got up and shared how he doesn't feel apart of his family, feels in essence neglected and maybe shouldn't be apart of the family.  I heard he has aspbergers, but have not interacted with him so don't know for sure.  With me teaching about King Benjamins address I realized that he feels like the "dust of the earth" and in his need, his awareness he turned to God to pray. The message being once we see our own nothingness, that we are unprofitable servants, we see our need for the Savior so clearly.

From Sunday School: 
From a Meridian Magazine gospel doctrine article, the spirit told me to do:
1. Lay down my life (my marriage, my divorce and my situation now) for the Lord.
2. Develop an independent relationship with God.
3. Become less dependent upon the approval of others for a sense of personal worth.

From giving my lesson and watching the BOM video presentation # 3 and reading Mosiah 3:19

For the ^anatural ^bman is an ^cenemy to God, and has been from the ^dfall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he ^eyields to the enticings of the Holy ^fSpirit, and ^gputteth off the ^hnatural man and becometh a ⁱsaint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a ^jchild, ^ksubmissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to

That part of submitting to what the Lord will "INFLICT" on us is strange in a way, but I realized that Abraham submitted to Jehovah  in the sacrifice of Issac and likewise Issac submitted to his father- all inflictions!

In preparing my lesson I need to be clear to myself, what principles I will be teaching and what I will testify of at the end. That will make it go smoother and help me to have it more prepared. 

From Relief Society: 
The RS president and Bishop is not all knowing, like the Godhead, so that's why there is VT, HT, to inform them of needs that can meet, but can't see. 

When someone has physical needs it is hard to focus on spiritual needs - Bishop Mix

Avoid debt like the plague.(I couldn't help but think of Jason)

The church welfare principles and programs sustain life, not lifestyle! Bishop said every situation he has worked with has been completely different in what he suggests families to get rid of or keep.

Bishops are to SEEK out the poor. (I couldn't help but think of the bishop in Nampa)

Park of the Lords Store House is not just our money and food storage, but also our talents,our time, our prayers, etc.

My thoughts and wishes:

I'd really like to do posts about my marriage with Jason and how messaged up it was, about how he hurt me.  I'd like to put it in categories.  I can't stop thinking about it, about the situations.  I also wish I could let the couple who introduced us the financial situation he left me in, regardless of him giving me 1/2 of his meager retirement and him spending the second 1/2 by himself with in 2 to 3 months. I'd like them to know what I experienced.  They only have one view and honestly I'm really angry at them, but I know I shouldn't and so I won't. I'll write it out, but not share it. 

I'd like to do blog posts about the creeds of Christianity and how scripture blasts it away.

I'd also like to put in one place the scriptures in all standard works that teach the basic same principle in different words with more added to it.  

Five For Friday

ONE 

I got a roommate to help with the bills.  Her name is Yentl (yentle).  She's 26, a RM from CA, who served in the Philippines and has been home for a few years.  She's working and going to school here at the College of Southern Idaho, CSI for short.  She likes dogs and Coco loves her and when I'm gone Parker will jump on her bed to be with her.  She is gone a lot and I'm gone a lot, but we talk daily and things are good, especially financially.

 TWO

I've been making these lately. I went and bought a pack of100 sheets of origami paper at Freddy's and have made about 20, giving them as gifts.  I don't think I'll get into other origami unless it's useful.  These are bookmarks. You open up the end of the heart and place the triangle on the corner of the page.  I learned how with this video.  I had to watch it 5 or 6 times to get the whole process down, but now I don't need it.

THREE

Remember this post about my ink mishap.  Twice printer ink was spilled all over my hand and once on my pink pajamas.  I got another ink cartridge and let it sit, in the packaging for 3 days before I had the guts to open it up.  But even in the plastic covering it had spilled out.  I was done with that shop, but not before I went and got my money back.  I explained what the problem was- that they had the wrong guard on it.  There's had a full length guard on it on the WRONG side that needed it. They insisted that was not the problem. I didn't argue.  Then I went to Wallmart and got the exact brand of ink as the printer for two dollars less and didn't cause any spills.  The difference was this little piece put on the right place. 

It reminds me of this scripture and printable that I found on line. 

FOUR 

Remember this post about books for 2012?  Well, It's not happening.  Here I am in march and neither of the books have been cracked, although I continue to work on Elder Bednar's book.

I thought I wrote one about my anti new years resolutions, but I can't find it.  I had a word:  HOPE,  I had miracles I was going to pray for: 1. temple marriage, 2. babies,  3. Family members to come back to the gospel and 4. financial relief.

The truth of the matter is I'm a slacker. The prayers lasted for a while and sometimes they still pop up. I for sure worry about # 1,2 and 4, but sometimes I still wonder what I should pray for.  Here's some thoughts: What should I do with my life?  What should I become (I need a new career)?  Should I even worry about marriage or babies? What does HEAVENLY FATHER want me to do with my life?   I still struggle with reading the scriptures at night and praying. I should remember all the scripture quotes I 'pin', but I don't because I'm not in them as much.  When I am in the scriptures my outlook is better.

Last night I read a few blog posts from C Jane Enjoy It about divorce, infertility, and depression. I posted some quotes of what I liked on my quote blog.   Before I turned out the lights I got my March 2012 Ensign and reviewed this article about moving on and moving forward that I love and have marked and then I read the VT message.    I started to feel again that "you are less than" feeling, that my testimony isn't as strong as it used to be, that I'm not as valuable a sister as others or as I used to be.  When I  turned off the light I cried.  I don't do that as much anymore, but sometimes I feel like that.

I think I felt it this past week more as the possibility of loosing my job came on Monday night.  I got overly involved with a clients life and her now ex-boy friend and the mom didn't appreciate me going to get his cat back, so she fired me.  Which means I had to call the boss and tell him.  This would be the 3 strikes your out possibility.  The first two were over falling asleep and being late and falling asleep and a few other minor problems.  My boss is LDS, he has been a bishop and I hate that I wowed them in the interview, but now it's been disappointment after disappointment.  What will I do?  Where can I get a job that makes as much money as I do now?  I got my taxes back.  I so don't want to use it to survive, but to pay off bills!   I still don't know if it's for real yet. I've let a few people know it's a possibility and I may not be coming back on Monday, but I may get off by the skin of my teeth.  But I just hate knowing that people do not think I'm worth it or they are humoring me until that last shoe finally falls. 

FIVE

I went to a SA conference in Boise last weekend.  My first sense my singleness.  I cried on the way there, but was happy on the way home.  I got a few free meals,  met some nice people and went to 3 really good workshops and a really fun dance.  I danced like I used to.  Like I know what I'm doing, like I have confidence, like I'm attractive.  I wasn't worried about my body.  I had women compliment me on my blouse and a man ask me for my phone number.  While nothing will happen- he's to old, from Peru and has grand children, it was nice to dance and I  felt comfortable taking to him.  I was open and honest about my marriage with others and they were about theirs.  I'm one of that group now, one of the divorcees- which is yucky, but it's the truth.  But I understand more about marriage and what it takes to make it work and I can understand why others have left and I understand what people are talking about now in so many areas.

This is the cool LDS church the conference was in. 

And so my life goes on.

A Stake President and Martins Cove

Last Sunday our Stake President gave a fireside for the Relief Society.  While he and another woman shared some things, when he started  talking about Martin's Cove paying attention because I have been there with my parents and my uncle and aunt went on a mission there. 

There were saints to left to late in the summer and suffered and died from starvation and cold as they pushed and pulled hard carts to Zion.  Martin's Cove is where they found some refuge from the blizzard.  They were saved because Brigham Young told the brethren there in SLC   to "go and bring them in".   Now families and youth groups can reenact this trek for a day or days.

Last summer the youth in my stake went and walked this trek.  The stake president did it with them.  He showed us pictures of him hugging the youth, and told us this story:

When they started this journey there at the visitor center the kids had the name of a real person who had started on that journey.  Some of them lived and some of them died.  They started by singing the song about all the Pioneer's "Come, Come Ye Saints" .   When they got to the line that says this: "and should be die, before our journey's through, happy day, all is well"  those boys and girls who had the names of those who died left the group and stood away off.    I can imagine it being a pretty emotional thing to see that.

When they all got back together again, the Stake president hugged a young man and told him he was great, then he grabbed a young woman, gave her a hug and told her what she was good at.  He continue to do that to each and every one of those young men and women.  The president said, he felt like a patriarch, because the could tell them something about each one of them, about their talents, what they could do in the future.  Of course the group kept walking, kept marching and when they got to Martin's cove, he sat down on the bench and was just pondering, thinking, taking it all in when the words "President, you know you'll loose some of them", came to him and he wept like he never had before.

He then talked to us about Enoch's witnessing the Savior weep for his children, the workmanship of his hands and the chain that Satan had wrapped around the world. 

At the end of the fireside he pronounced a blessing on the women.

- to the single sisters, that they will have a witness of their self-worth.
- to the mothers in Zion that they will have a larger capacity of love, that their home will be shielded as they immerse themselves in the scriptures, the prophets and prayer.






-to those who have lost loved ones who have been faithful will understand peace in their hearts and in only a short time they will be with the ones they have lost.
 

What a wonderful Stake President! 

3 paths, 1 choice

I have a friend who was raised LDS by a very good family- Very Good! She always had trouble staying on the straight and narrow path. She wasn't much worried about it, she just wanted to have fun. She tried drugs in high school, went to Ricks College, to BYU. She lives in England now doing good things for the world (but good things are not enough) and is a vegetarian and a Buddhist. She recently got married and I was invited to her cocktail attire reception at a hotel, where no gifts were being excepted, just money for her organization. I didn't go. I couldn't go and pretend to be happy for her. She has denied the Savior, completely kicked him to the curb, left him with empty outstretched arms.

Moroni 10:6 And whatsoever thing is good is just and true; wherefore, nothing that is good denieth the Christ, but acknowledgeth that he is.

The following quotes are from a talk called The First Vision and Religious Tolerance by Joseph Fielding McConkie. You can read the entire article here:
http://rsc.byu.edu/archived/witness-restoration-essays-honor-robert-j-matthews/9-first-vision-and-religious-tolerance

It is philosophically impossible to reject truth without accepting error, to shut out the light without being immersed in darkness, to reject true teachers without cleaving to false ones, to reject the true Christ and his prophets with out giving allegiance to those who follow another Master.

Good conduct without the ordinances of the gospel will neither redeem nor exalt mankind; covenants and the ordinances are essential. We are required to teach doctrines, even the unpopular ones.

Yield on this doctrine, and you cannot justify the Restoration. The doctrine is true; it is logical. The opposite it not.... I find it so interesting that those who condemn us, reject the parallel path philosophy themselves when it comes to non-Christ religions. For if they do not, they have no reason to accept the Lord as our Redeemer or regard the Atonement as essential.. (mark 16:16) While the converging path idea is very appealing, it really is not reasonable.

Do you realize that the notion that all churches are equal presupposes that the true church of Jesus Christ actually does not exist anywhere?

.......It is to liken the plan of salvation to a lottery.

If any man or woman professes a belief in Christ we say, "so much to the good" they are at least on the road leading to gospel enlightenment. As my father noted, "It is better to be a partial Christian than a non-Christian. It is better to believe some of the doctrines of Christ rather than none at all. One truth paves the way for another, and we all need to advance in knowledge and understanding."

The 3 paths are:
1. The true church of Jesus Christ is the only chuurch that can give salvation.
2. Any Christian church is OK as long as it preaches Christ.
3. You don't need a savior at all. Thus Buddhist, Muslims, etc are except able because they preach living a good life.

Karen has chosen the non-christian path. Often I have heard it said - 'you can leave the church, but you can't leave the church alone'. That would apply to those who then persecute the church.

Joseph Smith told his story at the peril of his life. We tell it at the peril of social acceptance; surely we can stand that tall.

Many in the Christian world are anxious to draw a circle and exclude us, we choose to draw a very large and inclusive circle. We will pray with any man who is willing to do so. Our bookstores do not contain anti-anybody literature, we do not attack those of other faiths in our missionary lesson plans, nor do we do so in our church services or in any class sponsored by the church. We do not give out warnings against those of other faiths nor do we ever forbid our membership from listening to or talking to anyone they desire.

As to our enemies, we did not choose them, they have chosen us. We have always had them and we always will. Where we cannot befriend then we choose to live above them.

Our Muslim Neighbors

Next to the Bellevue Stake Center on Main Street and 148th, where Jason and I attend church is a Muslim place of worship. It's nothing fancy, but we let them use our parking lot as there's is so small. Last week was Stake Conference where all congregations (about 10) called 'wards' of the 'stake' (geographical area) meet twice a year.

A brother of our ward shared what he saw happen last week with us in Fast and Testimony meeting. He sat near the double doors that were open and watch as a woman with a scarf around her head in Muslim like fashion come in. She looked at the picture of the Savior with his 12 apostles for about 2.5 minutes and then prostrated herself on the floor in the state of Muslim worship. She got up, looked at the picture again and did the same thing. She did this a total of 3 times. At the end, this brother came to her and invited her into listen to conference. There was a language barrier, but she came and sat and listened probably not understanding much, but had tears streaming down her face often. At the end, he again tried to communicate with her, to no avail. He brought over the missionaries, again a language barrier. The only thing he could think of to do was to give her a picture of the Savior with the 13 articles of faith on the opposite side of a card he always carries with him in his wallet.

While listening to this story, my mouth dropped open! I can only speculate about why she was there and what she felt and what she knows or does not know.

I've heard of Muslim's being converted to Mormonism and explaining it to their people as Joseph Smith is the new Muhammad. I've heard of Muslims having dreams in which they were told that Muhammad is not a true prophet. I know of the similarities of our religions, such as a food code, the need for a prophet to restore doctrine, etc. Someday they will all be brought to the knowledge of Jesus Christ and we will all be under one King: The King of Kings.

For more information read this: A Latter-day Saint Perspective on Muhammad.

From the Wikipedia: (red words, created by me, are similar beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)

According to Islamic tradition, each prophet conveyed the same basic ideas of Islam (defined as submission to God, to his words and to his orders). They brought the belief in a single God and in the avoidance of idolatry and sin. Each came to preach Islam and told of the coming of the final law-bearing prophet and messenger of God: Muhammad. Each prophet directed a message to a different group and each prophet taught minor variations in sharia (or the practice of religion) to a different target audience. These variations constitute applications of Islam: mainstream Muslims do not consider them discrete versions of Islam.

Islamic tradition holds that God sent messengers to every nation. Muslims believe that God finally sent Muhammad to "seal" and to convey the divine message to the whole world (to sum up and to finalize the word of God), whereas he had previously sent the other messengers (rusul) to convey their messages to a specific group of people or to an individual nation.

Muslims regard Adam as the first prophet and Muhammad as the last prophet; (from the traditional interpretation of Muhammad's title Seal of the Prophets). Islam regards Jesus as a rasul (and sometimes as a nabi) because he received wahy (revelation) from God, through which God revealed the Injil (Gospel) to him.^[1] Muslims have great respect for Jesus (known by the Arabic form of his given name as Eesa or Isa) and for his mother Maryam. They do not, however, regard Jesus as the son of God.

Islamic theology recognises as many as 224,000 prophets.^[2] According to Wheeler, the Qur'an identifies 25 prophets by name, starting with Adam and ending with Muhammad.^[3]

a third blog?

I really want to create a new blog. This one will be about the scriptures, the gospel and study I do. I've always been big into researching a subjects and linking my thoughts together. I want a place to keep track of it all. I've already got a few posts from this blog I can add to the new one and I already have studying done that begs to be organized. It's just a matter of time- when it will happen and the time to make it happen!

Here's the address to my new blog: http://myfirstlovethescriptures.blogspot.com/

Maybe Not

A few maybe not's have happened recently. They are:

1. I may not be teaching the juniors and seniors in seminary.
2. Being a zoo keeper is not looking good. The competition is fierce and I don't have any degrees in biology.
3. While I had a fun time at the mid-singles conference, doesn't look like any dates will come of it. I can look around at the men I know and say "nope, not him. Won't be marring him." to at least 10 of them.

But I'm not panicked. I will just keep on keeping on and see what comes about. I did however make some good girl friends, and got a lot of compliments on my hair, how cute I am and 2 compliments from men on what a good person I am and that they feel the spirit around me. Makes me want to be better!

Conversation with a member of the 70'd

This Labor Day weekend was the annual Ensign Ranch SA Family Camp out. I only went for the day. The 3 seventies brethren that are over this area was there. Elder Walker always does a question and answer period and I love to go, because he's such a great teacher and teaches directly from the scriptures. I was able to ask him a question. The question is this: If a man is spiritually, emotionally and financially able to take care of a woman and family and doesn't is he in trouble. Well, he told me to go to Section 130. Elder Perry, found me at 9:45 that night and told me what a great question that was. It's nice to be validated by a member of the 70'd! We talked about that for a while. How for one man there are 25 women who want a family. He shared with me how he went to Idaho and gave a fireside to the SA and a gentleman raised his hand and said he had asked every women in the audience out and they all said no. HE could see, all the women put a hand to their head and kind of AGGG! We'll this person was not fully there- missing a few screws etc. I think that my phrasing of the question - not all men, but capable men were responsible was what he liked. He further stated that is only the woman who has the promise that if she remains faithful will have a husband in the next life. That promise is not for the men. What I should of asked him, but didn't was how he handled that. I told him about my father only drinking water for 2 weeks to get a wife. I asked the question about men if they are over 30 and single may not be ordinance workers in the temple- that is true, yet they are able to be on the stake High Council. To me that doesn't seem equal. He said he knows stake presidents when extending the call to them, tells them by the time his service is up, he better be married. Sister Perry's wife said to me "if a man is not married by the time he's 35, something is wrong with him" Hey- President Young said it was age 25! Elder Perry said that in their yearly mtgs with the 12 and 1st presidency President Hinckley would say "tell the men to pair up". Elder Perry acknowledged that the difficulty is that for every one man, there are 25 women who want to be wives and mothers. Exactly!

My difficulty is that I know men who are not trying. They are very shy or so into something else- usually video games, sci-fi stuff or the like. I also know the men who are missing screws are trying and drive all the women crazy. Then ya have the good guys who aren't interested in me. I understand that finding the right match is hard, and is too important to do for your father, or to get yourself out of being single, or any other reason, besides having the inspiration that this is the right one.

Marriage and Family life is The Plan of Salvation. I feel sometimes as if I'm Eve and Adam choose to stay in the garden. So, in the dark and dreary world, I do the jobs of 2 people in a world of couples.