THE RESURRECTION OF A DEAD BLOG

 Daises from a flower garden located in Palmer, Alaska

As you can see, It's been a while since posting anything to this blog. I stopped doing so before my wife and I entered the Mission Training Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-say Saints in March of 2011. The last post was in late 2010. We were called to serve in the Alaska Anchorage Mission office. Jan served as the Mission Secretary and I served as the Financial Secretary. We've now been home five months from that experience and are currently employing our time in other pursuits. This blog is one of the pursuits that I am taking on again.

The reason for this blog is given at the beginning. It is very much in line with Doctrine and Covenants 88:81 - 82, which says:

 81 Behold, I sent you out to ^atestify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to ^bwarn his neighbor.

 82 Therefore, they are left ^awithout excuse, and their sins are upon their ^bown heads.

We Latter-day Saints are under obligation, by virtue of our conversion to Christ and his Church, to take the Gospel message to all of the world. Those who hear Christ's voice are called to membership in his Church and fellowship with the Saints. By virtue of that fact, we inherit the responsibility to "warn our neighbors" and this blog is to fulfill part of the personal responsibility.

If you stumble onto this blog, I would appreciate your comments to the things that I have and will post here. Please use the following e-mail address for all comments and correspondence:

ironrodwon@gmail.com

NEW PROVO TEMPLE PRESIDENCY

Robert Henry Daines III, 76, Rock Canyon Ward, Provo Utah Edgemont Stake, called as president of the Provo Utah Temple, succeeding President Merrill J. Bateman. President Daines' wife, Janet Marilyn Lund-gren Daines, will serve as temple matron. He serves as first counselor in the Provo Utah Temple presidency and has served as president of the Pennsylvania Harrisburg Mission, stake president, stake president's counselor, high councilor and bishop. A retired Brigham Young University professor, he was born in Logan, Utah, to Robert Henry Jr. and Anna Stoddard Merrill Daines.

Sister Daines serves as an assistant to the matron of the Provo Utah Temple and served with her husband as he presided over the Pennsylvania Harrisburg Mission. She has also served as a stake and ward Relief Society president, in ward Young Women and Primary presidencies, and as a gospel doctrine teacher. She was born in Prineville, Ore., to Fritz Hjlmar and Myrtle Rose Riner Lundgren.

THE PLAN OF SALVATION (HAPPINESS)

 

We are the only religious organization in the entire world that subscribes to a previous or premortal existence for humankind. Not only do we say that we had a premortal existence (that is, we existed as who we are before we were born here on this earth), but that we, each of us individually, has always existed as an entity. That means that we weren't created and that we can never be destroyed. We have always existed and we will always exist. That's pretty powerful and radical doctrine. But, it is what was revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith in the early 1800's and what he taught the Church during his lifetime.

As it states in D&C 93: 29

 "Man was also in the ^abeginning with God. ^bIntelligence, or the ^clight of ^dtruth, was not ^ecreated or made, neither indeed can be."

Joseph taught that we existed as an "Intelligence", which the scripture above says is the "light of truth." We are not told the exact nature of Intelligence, other that we existed in this state for eons until our Father in Heaven and Mother in Heaven "created" a Spiritual body for our intelligence, so that we looked like or had the form that they both have. This is in essence "a beginning" for us in that we were now organized into a different state, capable of growth, learning and progression.

If you look at the chart above, this state of existence was termed our "First Estate" or our premortal existence. We don't know how long we were in this state -- it could have been the equivalent of millions of years. But, we know that we were acquiring knowledge of all kinds and we were also expanding the capacities and capabilities of our spirit bodies.

One of the precepts we learned in our premortal existence was that we had the capacity to become like our Heavenly Father and Mother. They are resurrected, glorified, perfect beings. In order for us to become like them, we were taught that we would be born on an world to earthly parents. We would be given a body of flesh and blood (which would be similar to theirs except it would be mortal). We also were told that we would also be tried or tested on this world. In scriptural terms, we would be tested to see if we would do all things that Heavenly Father would command us to do (Abraham 2:25).

We also understood that a part of this mortal test would be having our memories from Heaven taken away from us. We would be placed in position where we would be acted upon by good and evil, and we would be judged by our choices.Righteous choices would be rewarded with blessings, both during our mortal life and in the eternities. We were also taught about the principle of Justice, which would require a "payment" in terms of suffering for unrighteous choices. We also were taught that we would be unable to pay the price of suffering for our sins.In fact, we would be eternally damned. This all is entailed in the precepts behind the "demands of Justice."


 Because we couldn't  couldn't rescue ourselves, Heavenly Father would provide one of his children who would be so spiritually developed that he would be able to live a sinless life, who would also, because of his great love, would act as a "surrogate" sufferer to pay for our sins. Because of this "purchase" or "buying us back",  he would be known as the REDEEMER.:His sacrificial offering of  suffering (or paying) for our sins would overoame or satisfy Justice's demands. It also meant that he could offer us innocence or justification for our acts..His GIFT of forgiveness would come to us as an act of Grace. He gives us forgiveness that we could never, worlds without end, earn, win or pay for.

But, it is the eternal nature of things that we are not just given a pass on our sins in mortality. The Savior doesn't offer this grace, just for the asking. He requires change in us. So, he has set conditions upon the receipt of forgiveness. This is not a matter of caprice on his part. There is a far greater plan behind all of this state we call mortality.

HEBER CHASE KIMBALL - PROPHECIES - A TEST! A TEST!

PRESIDENT HEBER C. KIMBALL

 The response in the media  to some of the talks by General Authorities this last weekend reminded me so much of of these two prophecies that were made by Heber C. Kimball, Brigham Young's First Councilor in the first presidency, concerning the days ahead. If nothing more, the prophecies should make members of the Church take stock of their PERSONAL WITNESS concerning the verity of the Church and Living Prophets.

Both of these quotes come from the Life of Heber C. Kimball, a work by Orson F. Whitney of the Quorum of the Twelve which was published in 1888.

ELDER EDWARD STEVENSON:

“I cheerfully contribute the following, concerning one of the greatest prophets of the nineteenth century—Heber C. Kimball: In 1858 a little group of friends, convened in the House of the Lord, were engaged in pleasant conversation on the isolated condition of the Latter-day Saints.

“Yes,’ said Brother Heber (by which name he was so familiarly known), ‘we think we are secure here in the chambers of the everlasting hills, where we can close those few doors of the canyons against mobs and persecutors, the wicked and the vile, who have always beset us with violence and robbery, but I want to say to you, my brethren, the time is coming when we will be mixed up in these now peaceful valleys to that extent that it will be difficult to tell the face of a Saint from the face of an enemy to the people of God. Then, brethren, look out for the great sieve, for there will be a great sifting time, and many will fall; for I say unto you there is a test, a TEST, a TEST coming, and who will be able to stand?

Orson F. Whitney, Life of Heber C. Kimball [Salt Lake City: Kimball Family, 1888], 445.)

ELDER JOHN NICHOLSON gives a valued contribution in the following:

“In accordance with your request I furnish you with a brief outline of a discourse delivered by your grandfather, the late Heber C. Kimball, in 1867. The occasion was the usual afternoon service. Whether it was held in the Bowery or the old Tabernacle, I do not distinctly recollect, but think it was the latter. My memory is, however, quite distinct in relation to the subject of the discourse; especially the prophetic part of it, with which I was specially impressed.

“President Kimball opened by stating that there were many within hearing who had often wished that they had been associated with the Prophet Joseph. ‘You imagine,’ said he, ‘that you would have stood by him when persecution raged and he was assailed by foes within and without. You would have defended him and been true to him in the midst of every trial. You think you would have been delighted to have shown your integrity in the days of mobs and traitors.

“Let me say to you, that many of you will see the time when you will have all the trouble, trial and persecution that you can stand, and plenty of opportunities to show that you are true to God and his work. This Church has before it many close places through which it will have to pass before the work of God is crowned with victory. To meet the difficulties that are coming, it will be necessary for you to have a knowledge of the truth of this work for yourselves. The difficulties will be of such a character that the man or woman who does not possess this personal knowledge or witness will fall. If you have not got the testimony, live right and call upon the Lord and cease not till you obtain it. If you do not you will not stand.

“Remember these sayings, for many of you will live to see them fulfilled. The time will come when no man nor woman will be able to endure on borrowed light. Each will have to be guided by the light within himself. If you do not have it, how can you stand? Do you believe it?

Ibid: pp.449-451

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I have had a personal concern about the "lukewarm" status of some of the Church members whom I have gotten to know over the last three decades. There seems to be way too much worldliness and ignorance of Gospel Doctrines, and way too little concern about whether the lives they are leading are in accordance with the Lord's will for them. As President H. C. Kimball notes, this is a personal matter for every individual to assess. 

For me, that assessment process includes the statement in D.&C. 1:14 "... and the day cometh that they who will not listen to the voice of the Lord, neither the voice of his servants, neither give heed to the words of the prophets and apostles, shall be cut off from among the people."

OBEDIENCE AND AGENCY -- NOT MY WAY BUT YOURS, LORD.

I heard Elder Boyd K. Packer give this talk about OBEDIENCE back in December of 1971 at Brigham Young University. He was, I believe, the junior member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles at the time. Then, I heard him talk about the same subject the next summer at the Faculty and Staff summer dinner. The subject he addressed was something that the Lord definitely wanted me to hear and to strive for. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get to the point President Packer talks about until about seven years ago.

President Boyd K. Packer

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The following is a excerpt from the talk

Obedience–that which God will never take by force–He will accept when freely given. And He will then return to you freedom that you can hardly dream of–the freedom to feel and to know, the freedom to do, and the freedom to be, at least a thousandfold more than we offer Him. Strangely enough, the key to freedom is obedience.

I would expose you this morning to some tender, innermost feelings on this matter of agency. Perhaps the greatest discovery of my life, without question the greatest commitment, came when finally I had the confidence in God that I would loan or yield my agency to Him–without compulsion or pressure, without any duress, as a single individual alone, by myself, no counterfeiting, nothing expected other than the privilege. In a sense, speaking figuratively, to take one's agency, that precious gift which the scriptures make plain is essential to life itself, and say, "I will do as thou directs," is afterward to learn that in so doing you possess it all the more
.

I Want to Do What You Want Me to Do

I illustrate with an experience. When I was president of the New England Mission, the Tabernacle Choir was to sing at the world's fair in Montreal. The choir had one day unscheduled and suggested a concert in New England. One of the industrial leaders there asked for the privilege of sponsoring the concert.

Brother Condie and Brother Stewart came to Boston to discuss this matter. We met at the Boston airport and then drove to Attleboro, Massachusetts. Along the way Mr. Yeager asked about the concert. He said, "I would like to have a reception for the choir members. I could have it either at my home or at my club." He wanted to invite his friends who were, of course, the prominent people of New England–indeed, of the nation. He talked of this, and then he asked about serving alcoholic beverages.

In answering, Brother Stewart said, "Well, Mr. Yeager, since it is your home and you are the host, I suppose you could do just as you want to do."

"That isn't what I had in mind," this wonderful man said. "I don't want to do what I want to do. I want to do what you want me to do."

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That is the point that we all need eventually arrive to -- I DON'T WANT TO DO WHAT I WANT TO DO, LORD. I WANT TO DO WHAT YOU WANT ME TO DO.

Draw a large "X" on a piece of paper. The top part of the letter is the area that you are moving around in as you have the "I want to do what I want to do." attitude.Going down the "funnel" toward the crossing point describes you moving toward complete surrender, to the "I want to do what you want me to do." attitude. Speaking from my own experience, the nearer you get to the bottom of the funnel, the hotter it becomes spiritually -- white hot as a matter of fact. Moving down the funnel is full of refining and purging -- repentance and sacrifice (broken heart and contrite spirit). The Law of Sacrifice is the spiritual acceptance that nothing in mortality is ours, including ourselves (we have sold ourselves in sin and Christ has redeemed us [bought us back] through his infinite suffering). It also involves TRUST in Heavenly Father and the Savior -- that no matter what they put you through, you will trust that it is necessary.

Going through the focal point into the bottom side of the X represents our spiritual acceptance of the principle that we only want to do what the Lord wants. But, you need to understand that going though that focal point, as President Packer says, is to gain agency and freedom in magnified abundance. IT IS, WITHOUT A DOUBT, THE MOST LIBERATING THING I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED IN MY LIFE! It brought with it, the realization that all service is accepted and expected of us. And, everyone who comes into our sphere of influence, no matter how short or long the time, is a part of our stewardship. We don't need an official call from the ward or stake. The call to service came automatically with our baptism.

The sooner you arrive at that point, the less the Lord has to direct you and the more you are attuned to everyone who is around you. And, the silly striving for position, attention, and power also goes away. At least, that is what I experienced. I didn't need to worry about my worth anymore, because I KNOW from the Lord whom I am. I didn't need anything to lean on for that knowledge anymore.

WHAT THE LORD SAYS ABOUT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE USA

1. D&C 98: 5-6

  5 And that ^alaw of the land which is ^bconstitutional, supporting that principle of freedom in maintaining rights and privileges, belongs to all mankind, and is justifiable before me.

  6 Therefore, I, the Lord, justify you, and your brethren of my church, in befriending that law which is the ^aconstitutional law of the land;

2. D&C 101: 77, 80

  77 According to the laws and ^aconstitution of the people, which I have suffered to be established, and should be maintained for the ^brights and protection of all flesh, according to just and holy principles;

      •  •  •

  80 And for this purpose have I established the ^aConstitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the ^bshedding of blood.

3. D&C 109: 54

  54 Have mercy, O Lord, upon all the ^anations of the earth; have mercy upon the rulers of our land; may those principles, which were so honorably and nobly defended, namely, the ^bConstitution of our land, by our fathers, be established forever.

THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS

10 And I ^afell at his feet to ^bworship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy ^cfellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the ^dtestimony of Jesus is the spirit of ^eprophecy. Revelation 19:10

I have commented several times about receiving a witness through the Holy Ghost about the truth of principles, etc. The verse above was made by the Apostle John while imprisoned on the Isle of Patmos. He mistakenly tries to kneel down to a heavenly being he assumed to be the Master. The angelic messenger stopped him and told him he was only a fellow servant from among the brethren who had the testimony of Jesus. Then he tells John that the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy.

The word used in Revelation which is translated as testimony is the Greek word  MARTYRΙΑ (μαρτυρια), which is better translated as WITNESS. It comes from the Greek verb MARTYREO (μαρτυρεω) and it means TO BEAR OR GIVE WITNESS..

 The word PROPHECY (προφητειας) means both to SPEAK FORTH and also to SPEAK BEFORE. HAND.. I think most of us Latter-Day Saints would accept "to prophecy" as the meaning.

THE WITNESS OF CHRIST IS THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY.

It sounds like to me that to know that Jesus is in fact the Christ, one has to receive that knowledge through the Spirit of Prophecy (το πνευμα τησ προφητειας). The Spirit of Prophecy -- one of the Gifts of the Spirit. This kind of knowledge goes far beyond  assumption, belief, or faith that Jesus is the Christ. This is sure knowledge that is communicated from the Holy Ghost to a person's Spirit.

This concept of knowing by the Holy Ghost certainly adds meaning to another scripture penned by the Apostle John:

3 And this is ^alife ^beternal, that they might ^cknow thee the only true ^dGod, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast ^esent. John 17:3


To know either Christ or the Father or both can only come through the knowledge or witness that comes through the Holy Ghost. It is NOT knowing about them that is saving.

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