"Momentum" (short essay)

“Momentum”

cji
7/23/09

Keeping going always
never stopping in flight
having goals to seek
righteous and eternal
understanding delays
with many to continue
thus to never stop
slowing time to time
keeping going always!

Copyright © 2009 – cji

When one thinks of continuous motion – i.e. momentum, there’s the hesitation to consider burn-out or being on a plateau of some kind. Neither is the case – if one has hundreds or thousands of goals written in their life’s book to work on striving always towards the Celestial Kingdom with our Father in Heaven – with our families (all of them). One of the thoughts which always comes to my mind when it appears I’ve hit a wall of sorts – is what is my line of self-imposed limitation in this area of my life? What’s blocking me from going forward to finding the solution to my stalled condition.

Smile – one has to understand we don’t always have to be inside of ourselves – it’s okay to step outside and look over the who we’ve become or are attempting to become. Gathering this alternative perspective allows us to see where the flat tire or other problem is to be found. Then we pick up and make course corrections – we’ve got our goals – in all six areas of our life: Physical; Mental; Social; Family; Moral/Ethical; Financial; and Educational or Self-Improvement. We’ve both tangible and intangible goals – written and specific – with where we are and where we’d like to be and with obstacles and roadblocks, solutions, time lines, photos (mental or actual) in all of the areas. Thus we can put one down – pick another up – be working on multiple ones at the same time (always) – keeping track of where we are within each.

We must understand we’re of a royal birth – we are the children ‘literally’ of Heavenly Father and he wants us to become like him!! He’s given us all of the tools we need to have a full head of speed in working towards the Celestial Kingdom and a home-coming! We of course need to do the work – and make the choices – understanding the basic principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

One extremely important understanding is when we hit a wall – it’s time to think if we’ve only been thinking of ourselves – and if so get ourselves into the service of others! Many can find depression, apathy, loss of purpose when leading a self-centered life – and therefore not living within the principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! When setting and listing our goals – prioritizing them – ranking them by ease of accomplishment and degree of importance we’re always to understand the accomplishment of these goals is to allow us to be in the service of our fellow man/woman – children or in the service of our Heavenly Father. Too many strive for individual goals and you’ll accomplish these – however, are you becoming a better person capable of being anxiously engaged in Father’s vineyard or gardens?

Over the decades of my life I’ve accomplished thousands of goals – too many to even remember – however, those which I remember best are those which were accomplished and then no longer important. Why do I remember these? First, because I learned these goals while decent goals were not in what I needed to be doing in the vineyard or garden. One of them was I became an ‘A’ tennis player and then due to back and shoulder problems never was able to sustain this level of play. Another was to become an E-8 (Master Sgt.) in the Army – I made it while in the hospital at Walter Reed having my 2nd Open-heart by-pass graft surgery – and thus my military career was over. Heavenly Father allowed me to reach these goals and then said, “Now we’ve more important things to be doing!” Father has a great sense of humor – he still let’s me play (at) golf.

Thus to enable me to keep in continuous motion (or to maintain my momentum) I listen to the Spirit (or try to) and work on the goals which are eternal and of benefit to my family and others. Part of this is in continuous study – questioning and learning all that I can – seeking more and more – to understand the things eternal – so that in some way I can share them with others and my eternal love of the Savior. I listen to others who are teachers – mentors – Apostles – so that I can learn more of the Will of the Father.

Goals are essential to momentum – and secondly to grasp what’s eternal and what’s not! Finally back to this line of self-imposed limitations – it can be called the ‘laugh line’ where others laugh or ridicule us for thinking we can accomplish something which we’re striving to do. We hear the laughter and thus hesitate – fearing not so much failure but the laughter of others. The best way to succeed is to fail and learn from our mistakes and not to make them a second time. As an example if I’ve over a thousand goals and accomplish 25% of them – that’s completion of 250 goals a year! Another person has ten to one hundred goals and has the same success rate or even higher say 60% - they’ve accomplished between 6 and 60 goals. Both are good and admirable – but if we’re to become like Father – and guess he’s millions or billions of goals – we’ve a lot of work and room for growth and very little time to sit on the wayside and either feel apathy, depression or have a pity party.

Father has given us everything we need to return to Him and live in His presence with our family (eternal) – we just need to understand that this life is but a small moment in the eternal scheme of things – however, much of what we need to learn is here and now – and the easiest it’ll ever be to accomplish.

Hugs and love to all – who cares who laughs at you – when they do so to me – I figure I’m missing something – and one of those laughing might just have the answer – so I ask them, “What are you laughing at?” Listen to their answers – and you might find you’ve overlooked an obstacle – and therefore unlock the goal to accomplishment.

cji/ork

“The King Follett Discourse”

Over the past several weeks – I’ve received some very interesting emails – mostly professing to be all about the ‘truth’ of what the Bible teaches. Of course each email was professing only their particular belief and sort’ve telling the other religions how wrong they might be in their beliefs of the truth. However, one thing in common with each of them was what they taught as the ‘truth’ of the Church that I belong to – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or the Mormons). During this same window I was able to share with many that I was a Mormon – and they were welcome to check that I had no ‘horns’ or ‘tail,’ etc. Some happily engaged in conversations – while others did all but run to get away (smile). Of those who stayed we had some very good discussion on exactly what a Mormon believes – and most were quite surprised as it wasn’t what they’d been taught or heard. Further many agreed with what I believed – this brought a great pause.
Now as to the one thing in common that these purveyors of ‘truth’ had full agreement on about ‘Mormons’ – 1) we were a cult and our leader was none other than Satan himself! Now one must remember from the time of the First Vision of Joseph Smith, Jr. as a 14 year old boy – ministers of his day have taught this – and cheered (in newspapers) when he was murdered. 2) That we don’t worship Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior; 3) That we don’t teach or believe in the Bible; 4) That anyone who joins The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is going to Hell! These were the teaching and continue to be the teachings for the last 180 years about my Church!
What follows below is the final discourse of Joseph Smith, Jr. (he was murdered while in Carthage Jail under the protection of the State Militia).
It’s been my experience most men/women shy away from real truth – as it means that they are now accountable and responsible for such information and can no longer make excuses or blame another for their actions or lack of them. It’s easier not to learn truth – but the rhetoric of men/women – either in the schools, fiction, the pulpits or the literature of the Greeks and others. The common password is, “Don’t talk about religion or politics!” We already know what the numbing down of the lack of conversation on politics has brought this nation to – and the Constitution of the Land – and now we also know that the same has occurred in religion and truths pertaining to Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ (his only begotten), their Prophets and Apostles, the Bible (Old and New Testaments) and any teachings of the same.
Thus reading the following will cause some interesting actions on the parts of many (really) and therefore I would suggest you prayerfully go forward – your friend and a brother – chuck ingerson

“The King Follett Discourse”
CHARACTER AND BEING OF GOD--CREATION--SALVATION OF THE DEAD--THE UNPARDONABLE SIN--RESURRECTION--BAPTISM OF THE SPIRIT, ETC.
A Discourse, by President Joseph Smith, delivered at the Conference held near the Temple, in Nauvoo, April 6, 1844. Reported by W. Richards, W. Woodruff, T. Bullock, and W. Clayton
Beloved Saints,--I will call the attention of this congregation while I address you on the subject of the dead. The decease of our beloved brother, Elder King Follett, who was crushed in a well by the falling of a tub of rock, has more immediately led me to that subject. I have been requested to speak by his friends and relatives; but inasmuch as there are a great many in this congregation who live in this city, as well as elsewhere, who have lost friends, I feel disposed to speak on the subject in general, and offer you my ideas so far as I have ability and so far as I shall be inspired by the Holy Spirit to dwell on this subject.
I want your prayers and faith that I may have the instruction of Almighty God and the gift of the Holy Ghost, so that I may set forth things that are true and which can be easily comprehended by you, and that the testimony many carry conviction to your hearts and minds of the truth of what I shall say. Pray that the Lord may strengthen my lungs, stay the winds, and let the prayers of the Saints to heaven appear, that they may enter into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth; for the effectual prayers of the righteous avail much. There is strength here; and I verily believe that your prayers will be heard.
Before I enter fully into the investigation of the subject which is lying before me, I wish to pave the way and bring up the subject from the beginning, that you may understand it. I will make a few preliminaries, in order that you may understand the subject when I come to it. I do not calculate or intend to please your ears with superfluity of words, or oratory, or with much learning; but I calculate to edify you with the simple truths from heaven.
In the first place, I wish to go back to the beginning--to the morn of creation. There is the starting-point for us to look to, in order to understand and be fully acquainted with the mind, purposes, and decrees of the great Eloheim, who sits in yonder heavens as he did at the creation of this world. It is necessary for us to have an understanding of God himself in the beginning. If we start right, it is easy to go right all the time; but if we start wrong, we may go wrong, and it will be a hard matter to get right.
There are but a very few beings in the world who understand rightly the character of God. The great majority of mankind do not comprehend anything, either that which is past or that which is to come, as respects their relationship to God. They do not know, neither do they understand the nature of that relationship; and, consequently, they know but little above the brute beast, or more than to eat, drink, and sleep. This is all man knows about God or his existence, unless it is given by the inspiration of the almighty.
If a man learns nothing more than to eat, drink, and sleep, and does not comprehend any of the designs of God, the beast comprehends the same thing. It eats, drinks, sleeps, and knows nothing more about God: yet it knows as much as we, unless we are able to comprehend by the inspiration of Almighty God. If men do not comprehend the character of God they do not comprehend themselves. I want to go back to the beginning, and so lift your minds into a more lofty sphere and a more exalted understanding than what the human mind generally aspires to.
I want to ask this congregation--every man, women, and child, to answer the question in their own heart, what kind of a being God is? Ask yourselves; turn your thoughts into your hearts, and say if any of you have seen, heard, or communed with him. This is a question that may occupy your attention for a long time. I again repeat the question--What kind of a being is God? Does any man or woman know? Have any of you seen him, heard him, or communed with him? Here is the question that will peradventure from this time henceforth occupy your attention. The Scriptures inform us that "This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent."
If any man does not know God, and inquires what kind of a being he is,--if he will search diligently his own heart--if the declarations of Jesus and the Apostles be true--he will realize that he has not eternal life; for there can be eternal life on no other principle.
My first object is to find out the character of the only wise and true God, and what kind of a being he is; and if I am so fortunate as to be the man to comprehend God, and explain or convey the principles to your hearts, so that the Spirit seals them upon you, then let every man and woman henceforth sit in silence, put their hands on their mouths, and never lift their hands or voices or say anything against the man of God or the servants of God again. But if I fail to do it, it becomes my duty to renounce all further pretensions to revelations, inspirations, or to be a Prophet; and I should be like the rest of the world--a false teacher, be hailed as a friend, and no man would seek my life. But if all religious teachers were honest enough to renounce their pretensions to godliness, when their ignorance of the knowledge of God is made manifest, they will all be as badly off as I am, at any rate; and you might just as well take the lives of other false teachers as that of mine, if I am false. If any man is authorized to take away my life because he thinks and says I am a false teacher, then, upon the same principle, we should be justified in taking away the life of every false teacher; and where would be the end of blood? and who would not be the sufferer?
But meddle not with any man for his religion; and all governments ought to permit every man to enjoy his religion unmolested. No man is authorized to take away life in consequence of difference of religion, which all laws and governments ought to tolerate and protect, right or wrong. Every man has a natural and, in our country, a constitutional right to be a false prophet as well as a true prophet. If I show, verily, that I have the truth of God, and show that ninety-nine out of every hundred professing religious ministers are false teachers, having no authority, while they pretend to hold the keys of God's kingdom on earth, and was to kill them because they are false teachers, it would deluge the whole world with blood.
I will prove that the world is wrong, by showing what God is. I am going to inquire after God; for I want you all to know him and to be familiar with him; and if I can bring you to a knowledge of him, all persecutions against me ought to cease. You will then know that I am his servant; for I speak as one having authority.
I will go back to the beginning, before the world was, to show what kind of a being God is. What sort of a being was God in the beginning? Open your ears and hear, all ye ends of the earth; for I am going to prove it to you by the Bible, and to tell you the designs of God in relation to the human race, and why he interferes with the affairs of man.
God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens. That is the great secret. If the veil was rent to-day, and the great God who holds this world in its orbit, and who upholds all worlds and all things by his power, was to make himself visible,--I say, if you were to see him to-day, you would see him like a man in form--like yourselves, in all the person, image, and very form as a man; for Adam was created in the very fashion, image, and likeness of God, and received instruction from, and walked, talked, and conversed with him, as one man talks and communes with another.
In order to understand the subject of the dead, for the consolation of those who mourn for the loss of their friends, it is necessary that we should understand the character and being of God, and how he came to be so; for I am going to tell you how God came to be God. We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity, I will refute that idea, and will take away and do away the vail, so that you may see.
These are incomprehensible ideas to some; but they are simple. It is the first principle of the Gospel to know for a certainty the character of God and to know that we may converse with him as one man converses with another, and that he was once a man like us; yea, that God himself the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth the same as Jesus Christ himself did; and I will show it from the Bible. I wish I was in a suitable place to tell it, and that I had the trump of an archangel, so that I could tell the story in such a manner that persecution would cease for ever. What did Jesus say? (Mark it, Elder Rigdon.) The Scriptures inform us that Jesus said, "As the Father hath power in himself, even so hath the Son power"--to do what? Why, what the Father did. The answer is obvious--in a manner, to lay down his body and take it up again. Jesus, what are you going to do? To lay down my life, as my Father did, and take it up again. Do you believe it? If you do not believe it, you do not believe the Bible. The Scriptures say it, and I defy all the learning and wisdom and all the combined powers of earth and hell together to refute it.
Here, then, is eternal life--to know the only wise and true God; and you have got to learn how to be Gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all Gods have done before you,--namely, by going from one small degree to another, and from a small capacity to a great one,--from grace to grace, from exaltation to exaltation, until you attain to the resurrection of the dead, and are able to dwell in everlasting burnings and to sit in glory, as do those who sit enthroned in everlasting power. And I want you to know that God, in the last days, while certain individuals are proclaiming his name, is not trifling with you or me.
These are the first principles of consolation. How consoling to the mourners, when they are called to part with a husband, wife, father, mother, child, or dear relative, to know that, although the earthly tabernacle is laid down and dissolved, they shall rise again, to dwell in everlasting burnings in immortal glory, not to sorrow, suffer, or die any more; but they shall be heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ. What is it? To inherit the same power, the same glory, and the same exaltation, until you arrive at the station of a God and ascend the throne of eternal power, the same as those who have gone before. What did Jesus do? Why, I do the things I saw my Father do when worlds come rolling into existence. My Father worked out his kingdom with fear and trembling, and I must do the same; and when I get my kingdom, I shall present it to my Father, so that he may obtain kingdom upon kingdom, and it will exalt him in glory. He will then take a higher exaltation, and I will take his place, and thereby become exalted myself. So that Jesus treads in the track of his Father, and inherits what God did before; and God is thus glorified and exalted in the salvation and exaltation of all his children. It is plain beyond disputation; and you thus learn some of the first principles of the Gospel, about which so much hath been said.
When you climb a ladder, you must begin at the bottom, and ascend step by step until you arrive at the top; and so it is with the principles of the Gospel: you must begin with the first, and go on until you learn all the principles of exaltation. But it will be a great while after you have passed through the vail before you will have learned them. It is not all to be comprehended in this world: it will be a great work to learn our salvation and exaltation even beyond the grave. I suppose I am not allowed to go into an investigation of anything that is not contained in the Bible. If I did, I think there are so many over-wise men here, that they would cry "treason" and put me to death. So I will go to the old Bible and turn commentator to-day.
I shall comment on the very first Hebrew word in the Bible. I will make a comment on the very first sentence of the history of creation in the Bible--Berosheit. I want to analyze the word. Baith--in, by, through, and everything else. Rosh--the head. Sheit--grammatical termination. When the inspired man wrote it, he did not put the Baith there. An old Jew, without any authority, added the word. He thought it too bad to begin to talk about the head! It read first, "The head one of the Gods brought forth the Gods." That is the true meaning of the words. Baurau signified to bring forth. If you do not believe it, you do not believe the learned man of God. Learned men can teach you no more than what I have told you. Thus, the head God brought forth the Gods in the grand council.
I will transpose and simplify if in the English language. Oh, ye lawyers, ye doctors, and ye priests, who have persecuted me, I want to let you know that the Holy Ghost knows something as well as you do. The head God called together the Gods and sat in grand council to bring forth the world. The grand counsellors sat at the head in yonder heavens, and contemplated the creation of the worlds which were created at that time. When I say doctors and lawyers, I mean the doctors and lawyers of the Scriptures. I have done so hitherto without explanation, to let the lawyers flutter, and everybody laugh at them. Some learned doctor might take a notion to say the Scriptures say thus and so; and we must believe the Scriptures; they are not to be altered. But I am going to show you an error in them.
I have an old edition of the New Testament in the Hebrew, Latin, German, and Greek languages. I have been reading the German, and find it to be the most correct translation, and to correspond nearest to the revelations which God has given to me for the last fourteen years. It tells about Jachoboy, the son of Zebedee. It means Jacob. In the English New Testament it is translated James. Now, if Jacob had the keys, you might talk about James through all eternity, and never get the keys. In the 21st verse of the fourth chapter of Matthew, my old German edition gives the word Jacob instead of James.
The doctors (I mean doctors of law, not of physic,) say, "If you preach anything not according to the Bible, we will cry treason." How can we escape the damnation of hell, except God be with us and reveal to us? Men bind us with chains. The Latin says Jachabod, which means Jacob; the Hebrew says Jacob, the Creek says Jacob, and the German says Jacob. Here we have the testimony of four against one. I thank God I have got this old book; but I thank him more for the gift of the Holy Ghost. I have got the oldest book in the world; but I have got the oldest book in my heart, even the gift of the Holy Ghost. I have all the four Testaments. Come here, ye learned men, and read, if you can. I should not have introduced this testimony, were it not to back up the word Rosh--the head, the father of the Gods. I should not have brought it up, only to show that I am right.
In the beginning, the head of the Gods called a council of the Gods; and they came together and concocted a plan to create the world and people it. When we begin to learn in this way, we begin to learn the only true God and what kind of a being we have got to worship. Having a knowledge of God, we begin to know how to approach him and how to ask so as to receive an answer.
When we understand the character of God and know how to come to him, he begins to unfold the heavens to us and to tell us all about it. When we are ready to come to him, he is ready to come to us.
Now, I ask all who hear me, why the learned men who are preaching salvation say that God created the heavens and the earth out of nothing? The reason is, that they are unlearned in the things of God and have not the gift of the Holy Ghost. They account it blasphemy in any one to contradict their idea. If you tell them that God made the world out of something, they will call you a fool. But I am learned, and know more than all the world put together. The Holy Ghost does, anyhow; and he is within me, and comprehends more than all the world; and I will associate myself with him.
You ask the learned doctors why they say the world was made out of nothing; and they will answer, "Don't the Bible say he created the world?" And they infer, from the word create, that it must have been made out of nothing. Now, the word create came from the word baurau, which does not mean to create out of nothing; it means to organize--the same as a man would organize materials and build a ship. Hence we infer that God had materials to organize the world out of chaos--chaotic matter, which is element, and in which dwells all the glory. Element had an existence from the time He had. The pure principles of element are principles which can never be destroyed: they may be organized and re-organized, but not destroyed. They had no beginning, and can have no end.
I have another subject to dwell upon, which is calculated to exalt man. But it is impossible for me to say much on this subject. I shall, therefore, just touch upon it; for time will not permit me to say all. It is associated with the subject of the resurrection of the dead--namely, the soul, the mind of man, the immortal spirit. Where did it come from? All learned men and doctors of divinity say that God created it in the beginning. But it is not so. The very idea lessons man in my estimation. I do not believe the doctrine. I know better. Here it, all ye ends of the world; for God has told me so; and if you don't believe me, it will not make the truth without effect. I will make a man appear a fool before I get through, if he does not believe it. I am going to tell of things more noble.
We say that God himself is a self-existent being. Who told you so? It is correct enough; but how did it get into your heads? Who told you that man did not exist in like manner upon the same principles? Man does exist upon the same principles. God made a tabernacle and put a spirit into it, and it became a living soul. [Referred to the old Bible.] How does it read in the Hebrew? It does not say in the Hebrew that God created the spirit of man. It says, "God made man out of the earth, and put into him Adam's spirit, and so became a living body."
The mind or the intelligence which man possesses is co-equal with God himself. I know that my testimony is true; hence, when I talk to these mourners, what have they lost? Their relatives and friends are only separated from their bodies for a short season: their spirits which existed with God have left the tabernacle of clay only for a little moment, as it were; and they now exist in a place where they converse together the same as we do on the earth.
I am dwelling on the immortality of the spirit of man. Is it logical to say that the intelligence of spirits is immortal, and yet that it had a beginning? The intelligence of spirits had no beginning, neither will it have an end. That is good logic. That which has a beginning may have an end. There never was a time when there were not spirits; for they co-equal with our Father in heaven.
I want to reason more on the spirit of man; for I am dwelling on the body and spirit of man--on the subject of the dead. I take my ring from my finger and liken it unto the mind of man--the immortal part, because it has no beginning. Suppose you cut it in two, then it has a beginning and an end; but join it again, and it continues one eternal round. So with the spirit of man. As the Lord liveth, if it had a beginning it will have an end. All the fools and learned and wise men from the beginning of creation, who say that the spirit of man had a beginning, prove that it must have an end; and if that doctrine is true, then the doctrine of annihilation would be true. But if I am right, I might with boldness proclaim from the housetops that God never had the power to create the spirit of man at all. God himself could not create himself.
Intelligence is eternal and exists upon a self-existent principle. It is a spirit from age to age, and there is no creation about it. All the minds and spirits that God ever sent into the world are susceptible of enlargement.
The first principles of man are self-existent with God. God himself, finding he was in the midst of spirits and glory, because he was more intelligent, saw proper to institute laws whereby the rest could have a privilege to advance like himself. The relationship we have with God places us in a situation to advance in knowledge. He has power to institute laws to instruct the weaker intelligences, that they may be exalted with himself, so that they might have one glory upon another, and all that knowledge, power, glory, and intelligence which is requisite in order to save them in the world of spirits.
This is good doctrine. It tastes good. I can taste the principles of eternal life, and so can you. They are given to me by the revelations of Jesus Christ; and I know that when I tell you these words of eternal life as they are given to me, you taste them, and I know you believe them. You say honey is sweet, and so do I. I can also taste the spirit of eternal life. I know it is good; and when I tell you of these things which were given me by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, you are bound to receive them as sweet, and I rejoice more and more.
I want to talk more of the relation of man to God. I will open your eyes in relation to your dead. All things whatsoever God of his infinite wisdom has seen fit and proper to reveal to us, while we are dwelling in mortality, in regard to our mortal bodies, are revealed to us in the abstract and independent of affinity of this mortal tabernacle; but are revealed to our spirits precisely as though we had no bodies at all; and those revelations which will save our spirits will save our bodies. God reveals them to us in view of no eternal dissolution of the body, or tabernacle. Hence the responsibility--the awful responsibility that rests upon us in relation to our dead; for all the spirits who have not obeyed the Gospel in the flesh must either obey it in the spirit or be damned. Solemn thought!--dreadful thought! Is there nothing to be done? No preparation--no salvation for our fathers and friends who have died without having had the opportunity to obey the decrees of the Son of Man? Would to God that I had forty days and nights in which to tell you all! I would let you know that I am not a "fallen prophet."
What promises are made in relation to the subject of the salvation of the dead? and what kind of characters are those who can be saved, although their bodies are mouldering and decaying in the grave? When his commandments teach us, it is in view of eternity; for we are looked upon by God as though we were in eternity. God dwells in eternity, and does not view things as we do.
The greatest responsibility in this world that God has laid upon us is to seek after our dead. The Apostle says, "They without us cannot be made perfect;" for it is necessary that the sealing power should be in our hands to seal our children and our dead for the fullness of the dispensation of times--a dispensation to meet the promises made by Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world for the salvation of man.
Now, I will speak of them. I will meet Paul half-way. I say to you, Paul, you cannot be perfect without us. It is necessary that those who are gone before and those who come after us should have salvation in common with us; and thus hath God made it obligatory upon man. Hence God said, "I will send Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord; and he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse."
I have a declaration to make as to the provisions which God hath made to suit the conditions of man, made from before the foundation of the world. What has Jesus said? All sins, and all blasphemies, and every transgression, except one, that man can be guilty of, may be forgiven; and there is a salvation for all men, either in this world or the world to come, who have not committed the unpardonable sin, there being a provision either in this world or the world of spirits. Hence God hath made a provision that every spirit in the eternal world can be ferreted out and saved, unless he has committed that unpardonable sin which cannot be remitted to him either in this world or the world of spirits. God has wrought out a salvation for all men, unless they have committed a certain sin; and every man who has a friend in the eternal world can save him, unless he has committed the unpardonable sin. And so you can see how far you can be a saviour.
A man cannot commit the unpardonable sin after the dissolution of the body, and there is a way possible for escape. Knowledge saves a man; and in the world of spirits no man can be exalted but by knowledge. So long as a man will not give heed to the commandments, he must abide without salvation. If a man has knowledge, he can be saved; although, if he has been guilty of great sins, he will be punished for them. But when he consents to obey the Gospel, whether here or in the world of spirits, he is saved.
A man is his own tormentor and his own condemner. Hence the saying, They shall go into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone. The torment of disappointment in the mind of man is as exquisite as a lake burning with fire and brimstone. I say, so is the torment of man.
I know the Scriptures and understand them. I said no man can commit the unpardonable sin after the dissolution of the body, nor in this life until he received the Holy Ghost; but they must do it in this world. Hence the salvation of Jesus Christ was wrought out for all men in order to triumph over the Devil; for if it did not catch him in one place, it would in another; for he stood up as a Saviour. All will suffer until they obey Christ himself.
The contention in heaven was--Jesus said there would be certain souls that would not be saved; and the Devil said he could save them all, and laid his plans before the grand council, who gave their vote in favour of Jesus Christ. So the Devil rose up in rebellion against God, and was cast down, with all who put up their heads for him.
All sins shall be forgiven except the sin against the Holy Ghost; for Jesus will save all except the sons of perdition. What must a man do to commit the unpardonable sin? He must receive the Holy Ghost, have the heavens opened unto him, and know God, and then sin against him. After a man has sinned against the Holy Ghost, there is no repentance for him. He has got to say that the sun does not shine while he sees it; he has got to deny Jesus Christ when the heavens have been opened unto him, and to deny the plan of salvation with his eyes open to the truth of it; and from that time he begins to be an enemy. This is the case with many apostates of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
When a man begins to be an enemy to this work, he hunts me; he seeks to kill me, and never ceases to thirst for my blood. He gets the spirit of the Devil--the same spirit that they had who crucified the Lord of Life,--the same spirit that sins against the Holy Ghost. You cannot save such persons; you cannot bring them to repentance: they make open war like the Devil, and awful is the consequence.
I advise all of you to be careful what you do, or you may by-and-by find out that you have been deceived. Stay yourselves; do not give way; don't make any hasty moves: you may be be saved. If a spirit of bitterness is in you, don't be in haste. You may say that man is a sinner. Well, if he repents, he shall be forgiven. Be cautious: await! When you find a spirit what wants bloodshed--murder, the same is not of God, but is of the Devil. Out of the abundance of the heart of man the mouth speaketh.
The best men bring forth the best works. The man who tells you words of life is the man who can save you. I warn you against all evil characters who sin against the Holy Ghost; for there is no redemption for them in this world nor in the world to come.
I could go back and trace every subject of interest concerning the relationship of man to God, if I had time. I can enter into the mysteries; I can enter largely into the eternal worlds; for Jesus said, "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." (John 14th chap., 2nd v.) Paul says, "There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead." (1st Cor. 15th chap., 41st v.) What have we to console us in relation to the dead? We have reason to have the greatest hope and consolations for our dead of any people on the earth; for we have seen them walk worthily in our midst, and seen them sink asleep in the arms of Jesus; and those who have died in the faith are now in the celestial kingdom of God. And hence is the glory of the sun.
You mourners have occasion to rejoice (speaking of the death of Elder King Follett); for your husband and father is gone to wait until the resurrection of the dead--until the perfection of the remainder; for at the resurrection your friend will rise in perfect felicity and go to celestial glory, while many must wait myriads of years before they can receive the like blessings; and your expectations and hopes are far above what man can conceive; for why has God revealed it to us?
I AM AUTHORIZED to say, by the authority of the Holy Ghost, that you have no occasion to fear; for he is gone to the home of the just. Don't mourn; don't weep. I know it by the testimony of the Holy Ghost that is within me; and you may wait for your friends to come forth to meet you in the morn of the celestial world.
Rejoice, O Israel! Your friends who have been murdered for the truth's sake in the persecution shall triumph gloriously in the celestial world, while their murderers shall welter for ages in torment, even until they shall have paid the uttermost farthing. I say this for the benefit of strangers.
I have a father, brothers, children, and friends who have gone to a world of spirits. They are only absent for a moment. They are in the spirit, and we shall soon meet again. The time will soon arrive when the trumpet shall sound. When we depart, we shall hail our mothers, fathers, friends, and all whom we love who have fallen asleep in Jesus. There will be no fear of mobs, persecutions, or malicious law-suits and arrests; but it will be an eternity of felicity.
A question may be asked--"Will mothers have their children in eternity?" Yes! yes! Mothers, you shall have your children; for they shall have eternal life; for their debt is paid. There is no damnation awaits them, for they are in the spirit. But as the child dies, so shall it rise from the dead, and be forever living in the learning of God. It will never grow: it will still be the child, in the same precise form as it appeared before it died out of its mother's arms, but possessing all the intelligence of a God. Children dwell in the mansions of glory and exercise power, but appear in the same form as when on earth. Eternity is full of thrones, upon which dwell thousands of children reigning on thrones of glory, with not one cubit added to their stature.
I will leave this subject here, and make a few remarks on the subject of baptism. The baptism of water, without the baptism of fire and the Holly Ghost attending it, is of no use: they are necessary and inseparably connected. An individual must be born of water and the spirit in order to get into the kingdom of God. In the German, the text bears me out the same as the revelations which I have given and taught for the last fourteen years on that subject. I have the testimony to put in their teeth. My testimony has been true all the time. You will find it in the declaration of John the Baptist. [Reads from the German.] John says, "I baptize you with water; but when Jesus comes, who has the power (or keys), he shall administer the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost." Great God! where is now all the sectarian world? And if this testimony is true, they are all damned as clearly as anathema can do it. I know the text is true. I call upon all you Germans who know that it is true to say aye. (Loud shouts of aye.)
Alexander Campbell, how are you going to save people with water alone? For John said his baptism was good for nothing without the baptism of Jesus Christ. "Therefore, not leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit." (Heb. 6th chap., 1st to 3rd v.)
There is one God, one Father, one Jesus, one hope of our calling, one baptism. All these three baptisms only make one. Many talk of baptism not being essential to salvation: but this kind of teaching would lay the foundation of their damnation. I have the truth, and am at the defiance of the world to contradict me if they can.
I have now preached a little Latin, a little Hebrew, Greek, and German; and I have fulfilled all. I am not so big a fool as many have taken me to be. The Germans know that I read the German correctly.
Hear it, all ye ends of the earth--all ye priests, all ye sinners, and all men. Repent! repent! Obey the Gospel. Turn to God; for your religion won't save you, and you will be damned. I do not say how long. There have been remarks made concerning all men being redeemed from hell; but I say that those who sin against the Holy Ghost cannot be forgiven in this world or in the world to come: they shall die the second death. Those who commit the unpardonable sin are doomed to Gnolom, to dwell in hell, worlds without end. As they concoct scenes of bloodshed in this world, so they shall rise to that resurrection which is as the lake of fire and brimstone. Some shall rise to the everlasting burning of God; for God dwells in everlasting burnings; and some shall rise to the damnation of their own filthiness, which is as exquisite a torment a the lake of fire and brimstone.
I have intended my remarks for all, both rich and poor, bond and free, great and small. I have no enmity against any man. I love you all; but I have some of your deeds. I am your best friend; and if persons miss their mark, it is their own fault. If I reprove a man and he hates me, he is a fool; for I love all men, especially these my brethren and sisters.
I rejoice in hearing the testimony of my aged friends. You don't know me: you never knew my heart. No man knows my history. I cannot tell it: I shall never undertake it. I don't blame any one for not believing my history. If I had not experienced what I have, I could not have believed it myself. I never did harm any man since I was born into the world. My voice is always for peace.
I cannot lie down until all my work is finished. I never think any evil, nor do anything to the harm of my fellow-man. When I am called by the trump of the archangel and weighed in the balance, you will all know me then. I add no more. God bless you all. Amen.
“Truth”

cji
7/6/09

Undisguised and real
simple and quite plain
common sense to all
rejected by most all
those in pride and vain
unwanted to feel;

Truth is understanding
truth is clarity of thought
truth is what Father teaches
into our very souls it reaches
our freedoms thus brought
in obedience demanding;

Love eternal and forever
becoming as Father and Son
their combined will done
families never to sever!

Copyright © 2009 – cji

"Absolute Truth" (2007) and discussion

Sometimes it’s good to go back and look and see what if anything has changed – in doing so I came across this and thought to share - chuck



From: Chuck [mailto:ing123@tds.net] Sent: Sunday, December 02, 2007 9:14 AM

Hi My Friend - one additional thought - the reading of the Scriptures (not some of the newer versions) have a familiar voice - one which we can recognize as that of the Savior (either from Him directly or through His Prophets) - which is why we've been admonished to read, ponder and study them - so we can recognize the true voice. Thus in the reading of the Book of Mormon and other Scriptures there's a familiar spirit and voice. It's found in much of the older records today (last two hundred years) being found either in the Middle East or elsewhere around the world. chuck


Hi My Friend - that's an excellent question. When I read the Bible at 11 years old - it left me with a lot of questions. So I started asking them - to anyone who seemed likely to know more than I did (smile). One of my best adult friends was a Catholic Priest (not like those in the papers today) - and once a week for five years we discussed my questions - he trying to provide answers and I going home and researching his answers. Thus we went back and forth till I was ready to run away from home again. He told me at that time if I ever found what I was seeking to tell him! The Next time I went to see him he was dead (having died while I was in the Far East - 63-64). At that time I still had not found anyone with the answers which made sense and were historically true. When I went to various churches I would be asked not to come back or otherwise told the same! Sometimes they just told my wife.

Finally I got to the point where I was convinced that the Church as spoken of in the Bible had not been yet Restored and therefore no church could answer my questions about the Bible and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They were questions based on prayer and common sense - I cold read what was there and know and understand what was being taught, practiced and delivered as religion was mostly manmade and without full Scripture supports and understandings. Basically what I found was whatever suited their needs (the churches) was what they taught ignoring truth and the teachings of the Prophets and the Savior most of all. What they taught didn't make much sense - it made the Savior to be a liar and changeable - and discredited the teachings of the Prophets into superstition and myths.

(Note: Just so you know I don't think I was a dummy or irreligious - I wanted to find the answers which should have been apparent from the readings of the Scriptures - but all I found was confusion - philosophy - and revision. Where the dots should connect and present understanding there was no connection.)

Now to your questions:
1. What would be your faith if Joseph Smith never existed?

This is difficult as he's the Prophet of this last dispensation of the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Savior and our Heavenly Father are unchanging - thus in order to restore the Gospel in its fullness (or for me to find the True Church (Their Church) - they would've called a Prophet on this earth! In my studies of all of the Reformers and many of the "Father's of Christianity" a Prophet was what they were all seeking and waiting for - someone who had the Divine Authority from the Savior to act in His name upon this Earth. Thus for me I'd still be looking if he hadn't been called and none else either. However 'my faith' would be undaunted - true and steadfast - and at opposites with the world then and now.

2. What if there was no Book of Mormon?

Multiple times in the Scriptures we find reference to other people who the Savior was going to visit and teach - we find references to the Book of Life from the time of Adam and Eve - we find reference a Stick for the House of Judah (what we know as the Bible today) and one for the House of Joseph (which I was looking for as a companion volume and second witness of the Lord Jesus Christ. James tells us when we receive the 'engrafted word' - thus that there would be more than one. Thus if there were no Book of Mormon - then the Bible would not have a second witnesses of its truthfulness and the men/women of this world would succeed in destroying it and its credibility. One of the problems I had in my questioning was there seemed to be gaps and omissions throughout the Bible - which occurred from those who translated and transmitted it to the world. Some of these omissions had to be deliberate and others errors by the scribes, etc. We know that the Rabbinical School organized in 70AD usurped the Priesthood and rewrote much of the Scriptures which the translations are made from today. This has been documented in the Dead Sea Scrolls and other findings since the late 1700's. In turn the Catholic Church revised liberally the Scriptures with philosophy and rhetoric to meet the needs of the more educated classes rather than the Christians still alive in the 4th Century. Since then man has done wonders with new translations, easier reading style and all kinds of changes and additions to the Scriptures which they repeatedly say cannot be changed or added to - interesting. Thus is there were no Book of Mormon (or other Scriptures) then I'd still be looking for what the Savior and the Prophets and Apostles taught that would be there.

3. If you only had the bible, would that be sufficient?

It was for the better part of 20 years - even though I was laughed at - ridiculed - asked not to return - and told I asked too many questions. It taught me about Jesus Christ - it taught me about the Father and that the Father and Son were two distinct personages of flesh and bone. It taught me that little children are without sin and have no need of Baptism - and only after the age of eight is this necessary by one having authority similar to John. It taught me that the Priesthood could only be held by those called and set apart by one having authority and this authority did not come from any school or group of men. It taught me about sacrifice, repentance, eternal marriage, the three degrees of glory - and that men did have heavenly visitors - who spoke to them as one man speaketh to another. It taught me about Satan and the War in Heaven and that Satan was upon this earth. It taught me most importantly to continue to ask questions and to pray and to do my homework. Was the Bible sufficient - yes and no - in that so many claimed the Bible and yet didn't believe it literally as I did and also in that I knew there had to be more because the Bible testified that there was more.

Hopefully this helps - smile - if Joseph Smith were here today - he would answer your questions and tell you that you're very important to Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ - equally as important as he might be or others. He would tell you he had a vision and spoke with the Father and the Son (not just once but with the Son on multiple occasions) and for this testimony he was hated, tarred and feathered, shot at - beaten - imprisoned and finally murdered - because he would not and could not deny this testimony. Paul was put to death for the same reason as were many of the Apostles (if not all). Not for anything wrong or illegal - but for testifying of seeing and having visions and being in the presence of the Savior. The world loves dead Prophets because it can change what they said or did - but hates a living Prophet because then they know they come under the condemnation of the Father and the Son for their guile and deceptions.

Not sure what you do in Intel - but think of it this way - have you ever handled material and known it wasn't complete? Or if you've children ever have one tell you part of the story and know there had to be more? When I was writing for a newspaper one of my assignments was an art show by an Assistant Professor of Art at a Junior College. He had five painting on display - I studied them for a long time and then wrote my column. When it was published the painter called me and asked me to come see him. When I entered his office - he confronted me with how could I know two paintings were missing and the content of those two paintings. My answer was simple, "I felt something wasn't right, that indeed after thought that there was something missing." It took me time to sort it out and figure what was missing and why. It's the same with the Scriptures - Father wants us to return to Him - He sacrificed His Only Begotten to make this possible - therefore why would he leave blanks - confusion - rhetoric - instead of the plain and simple truths of the Gospel? My answer was He wouldn't - therefore there had to be more - and I had to find it - put it in order and figure out why it was altered, omitted and denied. Simple stuff - we do it everyday with those we allow into our lives either in the workplace, home or socially.

Have a wonderful Sabbath Day - the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true - He's the same yesterday, today and forever - He calls and ordains Prophets the same way each time - usually an innocent youth unspotted from the world - we know of many of these in the Scriptures - and we know of them today with Joseph Smith, Jr. and all of those called after him - to Gordon B. Hinckley today - with the keys, authority and responsibility to act in the name of Jesus Christ - amen - and night my friend. Chuck

On Nov 29, 2007 9:45 PM, Chuck <ing123@tds.net> wrote:

Hi My Friend - thank you for sharing your testimony!! Why would the Savior have Apostles and Prophets in one dispensation and not another? Why would only those in and around Israel have the Scriptures and not His other children? Why would the Scriptures testify of other people not of this tribe or group who He had to go visit and teach? Why would the Scriptures testify of two sticks - one for the House of Judah and one for the House of Joseph? Why would a loving Heavenly Father or His Son our Lord and Savior give instruction to only some of their children and not all of their children? Why would we not have a Prophet of God on this earth at this time - if indeed it's the latter days prior to the Second Coming? The Book of Mormon testifies of Jesus Christ - it gives a second witness to the Scriptures found in the Old and New Testament which are under constant attacks from men - both within and without various organized religions. Nothing more or less - the Bible testifies of the Book of Mormon - as well.

Like you - after looking for almost 20 years and being thrown out or asked not to return of almost every major and minor form of religion (I asked too many questions - would go home and check their answers with the Bible - and history - and go back to ask again. Finally in hopelessness that the Church had not yet been restored in these latter-days - my bride (of 39 years) and I decided we just had to live good lives and be worthy in every sense to be found within the containment of Jesus Christ's atoning sacrifice for us and others. It was at this time that I invited the Elders from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints into our home - as we'd just had our first child who successfully made the journey from the pre-existence (we'd had multiple miscarriages and told we'd never have any children who'd live - he was born with multiple congenital birth defects and still 34 years later is undergoing major surgeries). The only Church I'd visited in all those 20 years which I saw do anything with families as the keynote and center - was this Church. Thus knowing I was not prepared to be a good parent (was adopted and had no good examples to follow) - we invited them.

Much transpired - but suffice to say my prayers and questions were answered - which is why I've my testimony - as you it's important - and so important I try to share it when I'm able - Joseph Smith, Jr. is a Prophet - why is this important - because only a Prophet called as the Prophets of old - could restore the Savior's Church once more to this earth. Which is also what all of the Reformers stated in their writings that they were trying to get closer to the truth so they or others would recognize it when it was once more restored. Only a Prophet of God could've translated the Book of Mormon - especially when one thinks of the lack of technology and the lack of the plain and simple things of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. One should surely want to know whether this is true or not - for if it's true it's what all of the reformers sacrificed and died for to prepare the people to know. If it's not true then surely it's the greatest hoax which has circled the globe - and continues to open hearts and call men/women to repentance in the world.

It might be better to ask why wouldn't he be a Prophet? Did he lie - no because he shared with his worst enemy's those writings which he was translating - they said the translations were true. Did he ever deny his testimony - no - for this reason he was hated and despised by men(mostly from the pulpit and media) and was tarred and feathered - imprisoned - and finally murdered - for not denying his testimony (Paul and most of the early Apostles also suffered the same because of not denying their testimony of these self-same things). Further if he were a false Prophet then why has the Church continued to grow and give forth good fruits - shouldn't it have died and withered?

Men/women do not like living Prophet's - they love dead ones - why? Because they can say whatever they want and revise their words without risk of contradiction - with a living Prophet they can still do these things - but can be brought to task for so saying or doing. Do you believe the Lord loves us less than His other children - why then would they have a Prophet and not our generation if indeed His Church has been restored in these latter-days? Men/women will do all in their power and influence to dissuade others from believing that the Church has been restored - why? Because if the Church has indeed been restored in these latter-days then they are proved liars and deceivers to get gain from those they've led astray. If the Church has not been restored then none of the churches led by men have any authority to act in His name - thus they are forfeit either way - but in the second they can continue to beguile and get gain. chuck

On Nov 29, 2007 7:51 PM, Chuck <ing123@tds.net> wrote:

My Friend - It's my guess you've not read the Book of Mormon - it's also my guess outside of negative material you know little about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (to have said what you've said) - or possibly you've both well read and understood and have no desire to further find out their truths. We've many who've left the Church but have never been able to leave it alone. Not exactly Biblical - you err there as I was being generous - for anyone who knows and understands the beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would not say or believe what you wrote.

For one who believes the Bible literally (as we do) it seems more convenient to pull things out of context as well as to not appreciate much of the plain and precious truths of the various Scriptures were lost either deliberately or though transcription errors (which are legion). Further I don't know which Bible you refer to as the final word. My personal preference is the 1769 KJV - which was translation work of William Tynsdale - who was strangled and then burnt at the stake for doing so. In spite of those who reference Revelations - it seems to be the common sport of almost all religions of men - to constantly change meanings, revise and tell the world what the Savior meant to their obedient flocks who pay them to teach and preach.

One also forgets that there was no Bible – is made up of the same Scriptures which Jesus oft quoted to the Apostles and Disciples - which also did the many Prophets of the Old Testament times. The Bible as we know it today is a collection of some very few of the over 3500 recorded Scriptures – and is neither complete, whole and shut! – chuck

On Nov 29, 2007 5:17 PM, Chuck <ing123@tds.net> wrote:

We worship the Father and the Son - and certainly understand the Crucifixion. However again your choice - I've read the Bible and the Book of Mormon multiple times I testify to you that both are true and they testify of each other - that Jesus is the Christ - and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is His (Jesus Christ's) Church - Joseph Smith, Jr. was called to be a Prophet of His and was given the keys, authority and responsibility in these latter-days. In the name of Jesus Christ - amen - c

Now as you what you've said below - again you don't know or understand what we believe or you would not have said what you have - but that's okay - we believe you've a right to believe what you want - and we've the same right. Surely your idea of believing in Joseph Smith - would be no different than believing Abraham, Moses, Joseph (of Egypt), Peter, James and John - were and are still Prophets of God. We neither worship him nor does he or any of the others take the place of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ - but we do respect and hold each of them in high esteem and appreciate their worthiness to serve the Father and the Son upon this earth so that we might come better to know them and their Gospel.

Certainly the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the same today, yesterday and tomorrow - and thus to believe he's a respecter of persons or ignores his children would be to under estimate who he is and who sent him. Sadly by saying what you've said - either you do or you are taking someone else's need to be paid and publish at the risk of your eternal salvation. You indicate those who came before Joseph Smith, Jr. and their well being - who else has done their earthly work for them? Who else seeks to know and then baptize them? Who else has the authority to act in their behalf as was (in the Old Testament, New Testament) done in all of the prior dispensations of the Gospel upon the Earth since the beginning of time as measured upon this earth?

Good luck my friend - and understand - I've prayed, done my homework, and found understanding in the Gospel of Jesus Christ - that he has restored His Church in these latter-days - with Prophets, Seers, Apostles and all of the order and organization as found in the meridian of time and before as was testified by His Apostles in the Old and New Testaments and the Book of Mormon. chuck

This is the original sending:
Hi All - this is something I wish to share with all on my email lists. Doing this I know some will consider this as being out-of-place or even as Spam - which it's not. It's the most valuable truth I can share and will lead to eternal life. As many know I'm a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons). This conversion happened when I was 29 - and what I'd looked for since the age of 11. When one is provided a light it's always in addition to what light they already have. Some will say they need no more light - they've enough - and this is fine - but I would be remiss in not sharing this with you. I'd rather catch your displeasure now than if we meet on the other side of the veil and had not shared this with you. It's shared in the spirit of love and sharing of light. The writer is a Prophet of God - Spencer W. Kimball. c/ork
Absolute Truth
SPENCER W. KIMBALL
http://speeches.byu.edu/htmlfiles/Kimball_Spencer_09_1977.html
Spencer W. Kimball was President of The Church ofJesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when this devotional addresswas given at Brigham Young University on 6 September 1977.© Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. Complete volumes of Speeches are available wherever LDS books are sold.For further information contact:Speeches, 218 University Press Building, Provo, Utah 84602.(801) 422-2299 / E-mail: speeches@byu.edu / Speeches Home Page

My beloved brothers and sisters, what a joy it is to be with you on your first devotional for the new school year! I am glad to be here and I greet you with my affection and deep-seated love.
I wrote, some time ago, a letter to a disbeliever. Much of what was said in that letter has been on my mind lately and I wish to share the substance of those thoughts in this talk to you. With that explanation you will better understand the point of view assumed and the style in which it is given. Writing to this young man, who was battling with his thoughts, I said:
Dear John:
Your resistance and argument against the truths of the gospel have given me grave concern.
I realize I cannot convince you against your will, but I know I can help you if you will only listen and let me call to your attention some salient truths, and if you will listen with a prayer and a desire to know that what I say is true. I would not, even if I could, force your thinking, for free agency is the basic law of God and each one must assume the responsibility for his own response; but certainly each of us must do his part in influencing for good those who might need some assistance.
The Lord said unto Enoch:
Behold these thy brethren; they are the workmanship of mine own hands, and I gave unto them their knowledge, in the day I created them; and in the Garden of Eden, gave I unto man his agency. [Moses 7:32]
I have lain awake many long hours contemplating and have offered many fervent prayers on my bended knees, hopeful that I might say the right thing, and that you would receive it in the humble spirit in which it is given.
This true way of life is not a matter of opinion. There are absolute truths and relative truths. The rules and dietetics have changed many times in my lifetime. Many scientific findings have changed from year to year. The scientists taught for decades that the world was once a nebulous, molten mass cast off from the sun, and later many scientists said it once was a whirl of dust which solidified. There are many ideas advanced to the world that have been changed to meet the needs of the truth as it has been discovered. There are relative truths, and there are also absolute truths which are the same yesterday, today, and forever--never changing. These absolute truths are not altered by the opinions of men. As science has expanded our understanding of the physical world, certain accepted ideas of science have had to be abandoned in the interest of truth. Some of these seeming truths were stoutly maintained for centuries. The sincere searching of science often rests only on the threshold of truth, whereas revealed facts give us certain absolute truths as a beginning point so we may come to understand the nature of man and the purpose of his life.
The earth is spherical. If all the four billion people in the world think it flat, they are in error. That is an absolute truth, and all the arguing in the world will not change it. Weights will not suspend themselves in the air, but when released will fall earthward. The law of gravity is an absolute truth. It never varies. Greater laws can overcome lesser ones, but that does not change their undeniable truth.
We learn about these absolute truths by being taught by the Spirit. These truths are "independent" in their spiritual sphere and are to be discovered spiritually, though they may be confirmed by experience and intellect (see D&C 93:30). The great prophet Jacob said that "the Spirit speaketh the truth. . . . Wherefore, it speaketh of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be." (Jacob 4:13). We needed to be taught in order to understand life and who we really are.
God, our Heavenly Father--Elohim--lives. That is an absolute truth. All four billion of the children of men on the earth might be ignorant of him and his attributes and his powers, but he still lives. All the people on the earth might deny him and disbelieve, but he lives in spite of them. They may have their own opinions, but he still lives, and his form, powers, and attributes do not change according to men's opinions. In short, opinion alone has no power in the matter of an absolute truth. He still lives. And Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Almighty, the Creator, the Master of the only true way of life--the gospel of Jesus Christ. The intellectual may rationalize him out of existence and the unbeliever may scoff, but Christ still lives and guides the destinies of his people. That is an absolute truth; there is no gainsaying.
The watchmaker in Switzerland, with materials at hand, made the watch that was found in the sand in a California desert. The people who found the watch had never been to Switzerland, nor seen the watchmaker, nor seen the watch made. The watchmaker still existed, no matter the extent of their ignorance or experience. If the watch had a tongue, it might even lie and say, "There is no watchmaker." That would not alter the truth.
If men are really humble, they will realize that they discover, but do not create, truth.
The Gods organized the earth of materials at hand, over which they had control and power. This truth is absolute. A million educated folk might speculate and determine in their minds that the earth came into being by chance. The truth remains. The earth was made by the Gods as was the watch by the watchmaker. Opinions do not change that.
The Gods organized and gave life to man and placed him on the earth. This is absolute. It cannot be disproved. A million brilliant minds might conjecture otherwise, but it is still true. And having done all this for his Father's children, the Christ mapped out a plan of life for man--a positive and absolute program whereby man might achieve, accomplish, and overcome and perfect himself. Again, these vital truths are not matters of opinion. If they were, then your opinion would be just as good as mine, or better. But I give you these things, not as my opinion--I give them to you as divine truths which are absolute.
Someday you will see and feel and understand and perhaps even berate yourself for the long delay and waste of time. It is not a matter of if. It is a matter of when.
Experience in one field does not automatically created expertise in another field. Expertise in religion comes from personal righteousness and from revelation. The Lord told the Prophet Joseph Smith: "All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it" (D&C 93:30). A geologist who has discovered truths about the structure of the earth may be oblivious to the truths God has given us about the eternal nature of the family.
If I can only make clear this one thing, it will give us a basis on which to build. Man cannot discover God or his ways by mere mental processes. One must be governed by the laws which control the realm into which he is delving. To become a plumber, one must study the laws which govern plumbing. He must know stresses and strains; temperatures at which pipes will freeze; laws which govern steam, hot water, expansion, contraction, and so forth. One might know much about plumbing and be a complete failure in training children or getting along with men. One might be the best of bookkeepers and yet not know anything of electricity. One might know much about buying and selling groceries and be absolutely ignorant of bridge building.
One might be a great authority on the hydrogen bomb and yet know nothing of banking. One might be a noted theologian and yet be wholly untrained in watchmaking. One might be the author of the law of relativity and yet know nothing of the Creator who originated every law. I repeat, these are not matters of opinion. They are absolute truths. These truths are available to every soul.
Any intelligent man may learn what he wants to learn. He may acquire knowledge in any field, though it requires much thought and effort. It takes more than a decade to get a high school diploma; it takes an additional four years for most people to get a college degree; it takes nearly a quarter-century to become a great physician. Why, oh, why do people think they can fathom the most complex spiritual depths without the necessary experimental and laboratory work accompanied by compliance with the laws that govern it? Absurd it is, but you will frequently find popular personalities, who seem never to have lived a single law of God, discoursing in interviews on religion. How ridiculous for such persons to attempt to outline for the world a way of life!
And yet many a financier, politician, college professor, or owner of a gambling club thinks that because he has risen above all his fellowmen in his particular field he knows everything in every field. One cannot know God nor understand his works or plans unless he follows the laws which govern. The spiritual realm, which is just as absolute as is the physical, cannot be understood by the laws of the physical. You do not learn to make electric generators in a seminary. Neither do you learn certain truths about spiritual things in a physics laboratory. You must go to the spiritual laboratory, use the facilities available there, and comply with the governing rules. Then you may know of these truths just as surely, or more surely, than the scientist knows the metals, or the acids, or other elements. It matters little whether one is a plumber, or a banker, or a farmer, for these occupations are secondary; what is most important is what one knows and believes concerning his past and his future and what he does about it.
When we were spiritual beings, fully organized and able to think and study and understand with him, our Heavenly Father said to us, in effect: "Now, my beloved children, in your spirit state you have progressed about as far as you can. To continue your development, you need physical bodies. I intend to provide a plan whereby you may continue your growth. As you know, one can grow only by overcoming.
"Now," said the Lord, "we shall take of the elements at hand and organize them into an earth, place thereon vegetation and animal life, and permit you to go down upon it. This will be your proving ground. We shall give you a rich earth, lavishly furnished for your benefit and enjoyment, and we shall see if you will prove true and do the things that are asked of you. I will enter into a contract with you. If you will agree to exercise control over your desires and continue to grow toward perfection and godhood by the plan which I shall provide, I will give to you a physical body of flesh and bones and a rich and productive earth, with sun, water, forests, metals, soils, and all other things necessary to feed and clothe and house you and give to you every enjoyment that is proper and for your good. In addition to this, I will make it possible for you to eventually return to me as you improve your life, overcoming obstacles and approaching perfection."
To the above most generous offer, we as sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father responded with gratitude. We took our turns and came to earth as bodies were prepared by our earthly parents. We are now on trial--on the proving ground. This, also, is an absolute truth. It cannot be disproved. It is an incontrovertible fact. If one can accept these unassailable truths, then he is ready to start his experimentation and his laboratory work.
A few more salient facts, which I shall not attempt at this moment to elaborate upon: Adam and Eve transgressed a law and were responsible for a change that came to all their posterity, that of mortality. Could it have been the different food which made the change? Somehow blood, the life-giving element in our bodies, replaced the finer substance which coursed through their bodies before. They and we became mortal, subject to illness, pains, and even the physical dissolution called death. But the spirit, which is supreme in the dual man, transcends the body. It does not decompose but proceeds to the spirit world for further experience, with the assurance that after sufficient preparation there a reunion will take place where the spirit will be housed eternally in a remodeled body of flesh and bones. This time the union will never be dissolved, since there will be no blood to disintegrate and cause trouble. A finer substance will give life to the body and will render it immortal.
This resurrection referred to is the work of Jesus Christ, the Savior, who, because he was both mortal (the son of Mary) and divine (the Son of God), was able to overcome the powers governing the flesh. He actually gave his life and literally took it up again as the "first fruits," to be followed by every soul that has ever lived. Being a god, he gave his life. No one could take it from him. He had developed, through his perfection in overcoming all things, the power to take up his life again. Death was his last enemy, and he overcame even that and established the resurrection. This is an absolute truth. All the theorists in the world cannot disprove it. It is a fact.
Before his crucifixion, the Savior recognized the absolute necessity for an organization of persons duly empowered to carry on his work, teach his plan to the world, and persuade people to follow the eternal program. He therefore organized his Church among his faithful followers, with apostles, prophets, and other officials to give his people guidance. He sent those officials into all the world to teach his truths--but to teach them without using force, for the basic law of this world is free agency. Certainly men and women may use their free agency to do as they please, but they cannot ever evade the penalties that might come by reason of any error they make.
The Lord set up his program of organization fully, gave the governing principles and doctrines, and delegated his full authority to his officers to teach and perform ordinances. He ignored all the multitudinous religious organizations then extant and all their manmade doctrines and philosophies and set up his own divine plan. This is true. If all the proponents of the "-isms" on all the continents disbelieve it, it is still true--an absolute truth.
Even before he went to Calvary, the Lord knew that his young and pitifully small organization could not long resist the wolves of antagonistic philosophies and the terrific persecutions which would come, but he left some stalwart apostles and others to guide and build the kingdom. The Savior knew beyond doubt that an apostasy would come. It did.
Persecution was intolerable. The apostles are said to have suffered martyrs' deaths. Innumerable others, both priesthood and laity, suffered unbelievable tortures. The Church was uprooted and almost destroyed by physical horrors; then finally, through pagan rulers who were not truly converted, Christianity was accepted and made popular. In order to do so and to get the nations to accept it, pagan superstitions and doctrines were superimposed upon the Christian doctrines and intermingled until the doctrines and ordinances established by the Christ were changed and diluted so that they had only a faint resemblance to the truth. With the authorized servants martyred and both authority and doctrines gone, the world went into a spiritual tailspin and plunged into the Dark Ages, wherein the true understanding of God and his plan was not upon the earth; when gross darkness enveloped the people; when there was little progress even in material things and an almost complete void spiritually.
This apostasy is a certainty. There is no room for doubt. God's church was lost for the moment, as it had been through many centuries in the past. The true plan of life was placed upon the earth in the beginning when it was given to Adam. After a few generations, the descendants of Adam went the way of the world and most of the earth's children lost the truths and the knowledge of God and of the gospel. One descendant of Adam, Enoch, again established good communications with God and again established truths upon the earth, but only comparatively few of the inhabitants listened and accepted; hence, there was another great apostasy from the truth.
The people of the world became so wicked that they were literally drowned and washed off the earth. Noah, a righteous prophet, reestablished communication with the Lord and carried on the work of the Lord, but only for a brief period, for weak mortal man permitted the flesh to control the spirit again, and another great apostasy took place and most of the people were without a knowledge and understanding of God.
Time passed, idolatry prevailed, wickedness increased--but finally the Lord sent a superior spirit to earth, born the son of Terah. Though all on earth were apostate, having turned to the worship of idols and to murder, adultery, drunkenness, bribery, and all manner of evil, this child--Abraham--grew up with sufficient power and goodness to cause the heavens to open again, and God revealed again to him all these truths I am writing about. Abraham spent a glorious life teaching righteousness to his own numerous posterity and to others. As in all other dispensations, the majority went foul, ignored the true way, and followed the way of the world.
Then the Savior was born in Judea, ushering in another dispensation. He reestablished his truths on the earth--the priesthood, the power, the organization, the knowledge to save and exalt men--but, as stated earlier, this lasted only a few generations and was gone again.
Now, with the doctrines perverted, the priesthood gone, the organization corrupted, and the knowledge lost, there must come another awakening. And, as the prophet Daniel prophesied millennia ago, there finally came a day when another restoration of truth should come, this time never to be lost. We have that promise now, that even though individuals may fall the Church and the gospel are here to stay, and all the powers of the earth and hell cannot effect total apostasy again. This much-needed restoration came through the Prophet Joseph Smith, who followed in the march of the prophets Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Moses, and the Lord Jesus Christ. And this is the Church organized through revelation by the Savior: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was organized by revelation from Jesus Christ. It was given full and complete authority, full and complete plans and programs.
This restoration was preceded by a long period of preparation. The Pilgrims and other Europeans were inspired to find this American haven of refuge and thus people this land with honest and God-fearing citizens. Washington and his fellows were inspired to revolt from England and bring political liberty to this land, along with the more valuable treasure of religious liberty so that the soil might be prepared for the seed of the truth when it should again be sown.
So, in the early nineteenth century, the "marvelous work and a wonder" was reintroduced in to the world. The youthful Prophet, whose mind had not been contaminated with the sins of the world or prejudiced by false philosophies of men, was the instrument of the Restoration. As in all of the other dispensations, and especially the one preceding it when Jesus personally came to restore it, the little seed of truth had to fight a mountain of falsehood. Church organizations made by men, without claim to divinity or revelation, were everywhere in abundance. The corrupted doctrines of former centuries were all there. Religious confusion reigned and most of the world opposed the work bitterly and cried "false prophet" at the first mention of the restored truth. The tiny organization, begun in 1830 with six members, has had phenomenal growth to some four million in that short period. It is here to stay. This church of Jesus Christ (nicknamed Mormon) is the "only true and living church" that is fully recognized with the authority to perform for him, and the only one with a total and comprehensive and true program which will carry men to powers unbelievable and to realms incredible.
This is an absolute truth. It cannot be disproved. It is as true and the near-spherical shape of the earth, and as gravity; as true as the shining of the sun--as positive as the truth that we live. Most of the world disbelieves it, ministers attempt to disprove it, intellectuals think to rationalize it out of existence; but when all the people of the world are dead, and ministers and priests are ashes, and the highly trained are mouldering in their graves, the truth will go forward--the Church will continue triumphant and the gospel will still be true.
The Lord has defined truth as being a "knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come" (D&C 93:24). God's existence is a reality. Immortality is a reality. These realities will not go away simply because we have different opinions about them. These realities will not be dissolved just because some have doubts about them.
Opinion? Of course, there is a difference of opinion but again, opinion cannot change laws or absolute truths. Opinions will never make the earth to be flat, the sun to dim its light, God to die, or the Savior to cease being the Son of God.
Now, it is a good question which has been asked by millions since Joseph Smith phrased it: How am I to know which of all, if any, of the organizations is authentic, divine, and recognized by the Lord?
He has given the key. You may know. You need not be in doubt. Follow the prescribed procedures, and you may have an absolute knowledge that these things are absolute truths. The necessary procedure is: study, think, pray, and do. Revelation is the key. God will make it known to you once you have capitulated and have become humble and receptive. Having dropped all pride of your mental stature, having acknowledged before God your confusion, having subjected your egotism, and having surrendered yourself to the teaching of the Holy Spirit, you are ready to begin to learn. With preconceived religious notions stubbornly held, one is not teachable. The Lord has promised repeatedly that he will give you a knowledge of spiritual things when you have placed yourself in a proper frame of mind. He has counseled us to seek, ask, and search diligently. These innumerable promises are epitomized by Moroni in the following: "And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things" (Moroni 10:5). What a promise! How extravagant! How wonderful!
May I repeat, the time will come when there will be surrender of every person who has ever lived on this earth, who is now living, or who ever will live on this earth; and it will be an unforced surrender, an unconditional surrender. When will it be for you? Today? In twenty years? Two hundred years? Two thousand or a million? When? Again, to you, John, I say, it is not if you will capitulate to the great truth; it is when, for I know that you cannot indefinitely resist the power and pressure of truth. Why not now? Much time has been lost. The years ahead can be far more glorious for you than any years in the past.
How foolish would be the enslaved Israelite who was born in slavery and had never known anything but slavery to say to himself, "This is life. There is nothing better than this. Here I get my belly full daily and a fair space in which to sleep." How short-sighted he would be to prefer such status when he is told that across the sea and across the desert a promised land awaits where he can be free and well-fed, be master of his own destinies, and have leisure, culture, growth, and all one's heart could rightfully desire. What does it matter? What is the difference between light and darkness--growing and shriveling--a giant and a pygmy--freedom and slavery--eternity and the one day--life and death?
Now, with great humility, I send this message to you, John, and to all others who may hear it, with a prayer in my heart that you will not cast it aside, but that you will think it through and ponder about it as you pray about it. There must be an open mind, a sincere heart, a desire, a reaching. The assurance will definitely come to you, but not unless you make an effort. I bear testimony to you that this is true. I know it. I send to you a solemn warning; and when you stand before the judgment bar in the not-too-distant future, you will know then that I spoke the truth with your eternal welfare in mind. Please remember that I have tried to bring this matter to your attention with such force that it would impress you. The true and living Church and its members and representatives stand ready to provide answers to any questions; and I promise you faithfully that if you will study and pray, keeping your mind open, you will receive the light, and it will be to you as the dawning of a new day after having gone through the night of darkness.
Again, I offer the assistance of the Church, but I will not push this matter upon you nor force it. You are mature, you have a good mind, you have a strong background, and the seeds of truth were sown in your life in your youth. All the powers of earth and heaven cannot bring this knowledge to you. It cannot be hoped for nor purchased. It must come by a careful, honest, and sincere investigation. The Church stands ready to furnish such assistance as you may require.
You cannot cast off this appeal and warning without grave responsibility. You will have to answer to your Creator if you ignore it, just as I would have to answer if I ignored it. I am doing my best to present it. I know that this is the only complete, divine, eternal program which is recognized and approved of God!
Joseph Smith went into a grove, spent a long time on his knees, and came out with knowledge to the divinity of Elohim and his Son, Jesus Christ--such a firm conviction that he went voluntarily to his martyrdom rather than deny it.
Paul, on his way to Damascus, saw a glorious personage and heard his voice; and yet, after even these unusual manifestations, Paul prayed so that he could know beyond the shadow of doubt of the divinity of Jesus Christ, and of his Father, and of his eternal program, the gospel. He finally knew it so positively that he gave the balance of his life teaching it. He was stoned nearly to death and raised again. He suffered hunger, thirst, persecutions. And then, knowing full well that his life would be taken, he went gloriously to his death, thus giving not only his energy, time, and earning capacity but his very life for the cause. Paul knew more about the healing and saving truths that were necessary for the welfare of human souls than all of the sages and the doctors of his time or this time. He knew that God lived, Jesus was the Christ, and the gospel was a way of eternal life, mortal and immortal, never ending; he knew that the rewards of eternities were worth the sacrifice of comforts of this life.
You may know, as did Joseph Smith, Paul, and Peter, and as do a great number of your contemporaries. This is not another church. This is the Church. This is not another gospel or philosophy. This is the church and gospel of Jesus Christ.
Our Father lives; his Son lives. I am so sure of this that I am willing to bear witness of it with the last effort of my tongue and lips. I am willing to go into eternity and face my God with this testimony on my lips. Of these truths I bear witness in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.


“Fullness or Only Part?”

cji
5/3/09

What the world rejects
condemns and affirms
have little to do with life
eternal forever and ever
thinking they’re so clever;

Lost is any meaning known
just random samples endure
selfishness and wanton lusts
caring not what is really true
in fullness or only part to view;

Thus hindering any presentation
ignoring, damning the Prophets
declaring nothing really matters
having perfected this new art
without fullness and only part!

Copyright © 2009 – cji

“Univocal”

“Univocal”
cji
3/8/09

Over the years multiple thousands of books and pamphlets have been written to deny or to explain away the Book of Mormon and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Mostly all of these writings have convinced the writers and others of at least two things. First – not to read the Book of Mormon and secondly don’t listen to an active member of the Church discuss or answer your questions about the Church. In the first instance it’s difficult to believe one would take another’s word on whether to read or not read a book professing to be the word of God and a second witness to our Savior. In the second instance who should one ask about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to learn about the beliefs of the Church?

The Univocal voice of the Father and the Son is the same yesterday, today and forever – yet the world and those in the world seem to believe otherwise. The Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price each contain the word and voice of the Father, the Son and their Prophets. The Heavens are not closed and prayers can be answered. Revelations and truth – wisdom can only be gained through an exchange between the Father and Son and those of us now in mortality. This exchange pertains to the Wisdom of God and not that of men/women or the world.

It would seem for centuries the world has taught that the Bible was all that there is and is to be – yet the world even rejects their own premise in that one today can find a Bible for almost every religion of men/women. Edition after edition come off of the presses – making it simpler – deleting material – adding material and changing the meaning of the material found within the Bible as we know it today. For over 1500 years there was no Bible – just a collection of the writings from the Prophets before the birth of Christ and after his birth. Indeed there were over 3400+ of these collected writings or individual books of text from the various authors (mostly Prophets and Apostles) proclaiming to be the Word of God!

Yet those who profess their efforts to be the Word of God – edited, translated, changed, and deleting whole books and Prophets and also redefining the meanings and usage of the Father, Son and their Prophets/Apostles claim there can be no other scriptures. Historically and common sense tells many that this is a strange truth to believe – but a convenient one who chooses not to obey completely the commandments, laws and statutes of the Father and the Son.

Whereas many have edited and translated the various books found within the Bible and are still doing so today the biggest criticism of the Book of Mormon is that only one person translated without collaboration of any other mortal being. It’s also being claimed that since the world of his day had no impute into the final draft that it’s only dependent on taking his word it’s not a hoax. Therefore the worldly and its ministers, preachers, priests and churches proclaim loudly in print and from the pulpit that it (the Book of Mormon) is a hoax of the worst kind. It leads people away from the Savior and thus into the depth’s of Hell. This is a curious claim by the world and even more curious that many in the world believe this claim.

Here’s a book, the Book of Mormon, which proclaims Jesus is the Christ – repeatedly throughout – and that with the exception of some clerical changes – into versus and chapters (and some grammar) is unchanged in any substantive matter since its first publication. When the original manuscript was taken to the printed it was in one paragraph lasting some 540+ pages of hand written text. It was translated in about three months – without computers, cross-referencing, and has been proved over the past century plus eighty years to be more correct than anything which had been known in the 1820’s. Nothing in any of the libraries or in the schools of learning of the time could’ve been used because they all would’ve been wrong. This was also done by a basically uneducated young man of his late teens and early twenties – un-traveled in the world and unread of the world’s manuscripts, only relying upon the univocal voice of the Father and the Son.

Further those who were the transcribers of the translated text would marvel and tell others that this young man would start right where he left off from before and never asked them for comment or where they had left off. The text references itself without error on a number of occasions without once going back to check or repeat the earlier text. The grammatical usages have shown to be the most accurate of the languages – Hebrew and Egyptian (or Reformed Egyptian).

How could this be so – and yet not be true? How can the worldly and the men and women of the world profess this one book to be a hoax and at that a bad one at best? How can the Bible and the Book of Mormon be companion volumes and not be witnesses of each other? One could ask how can the world/worldly accept the Bible at face value – true and complete and not accept the Book of Mormon which testifies of the same univocal voice of the Father and the Son. However, many do not ask and will not ask – for they’re so much of the world they are afraid to ask.

It should be remembered where we’ve gotten the Bible of today in all its editions. First the world has gotten the early scriptures from the Jews! Secondly it was not the Jews who held the Priesthood – but from those post 70AD of the rabbinical schools. The usage of the many words being found today in archeology and related findings have slowly been unearthing original texts from several thousand years ago – which language is different from the immediate translations/editions of the Jews post 70AD. After the Rabbinical schools the translations and editions were passed to the various schools of Philosophy of the early 3rd to 5th Centuries.

One must not omit those who proclaimed to be the followers of the Apostles – called Gnostics – or ones teaching their own interpretations after the death of the last of the Apostles. Their teachings are still alive and well today – i.e. the recent popularity of the Book of Judas (which in 150AD was proclaimed a fraud). But a good point can be made of this Book of Judas – the world/worldly was more willing to accept this than the Book of Mormon! Why, because the world/worldly have lost almost all identification of the voice of the Lord or the univocal application of the Father and the Son’s voice and teachings. There are other purely fictional books which the world has celebrated and given the credibility of truth – ignoring that the book is fiction. This pattern of acceptance is a vain attempt to give credibility to the world and not to God!

There’s a fairy tale about a King seeking new clothes – he was extremely vain and wanted to show off to his people. Each time he paraded about the crowds would applaud and cheer (not unlike the masses found in pre-WWII and other such events). Then came two frauds into his life – they played upon his vanity and indeed his blindness to the real. Thus when the King paraded their wears he was again getting the applause, etc. until a small child shouted out, “The King is wearing no clothes!” Initially there was denial but soon all knew as did the King he was in fact without clothes. Of course this is only a fairy tale – and in today’s world one would stone the boy for the simplicity of his truthful fact.

In this case the boy was Joseph Smith, Jr. who proclaimed at the age of 14 he went to the woods to ask of the Lord which church he should join. He then beheld a vision – in which the Father calling the Son by name said, “This is my beloved Son – hear ye him!” No young man in the early 1800’s could make this up – for it was not taught anywhere – in fact the world was in complete denial (even today) that any such thing could happen. The clarion univocal voice found throughout the scriptures proclaims this to be true – over and over and yet men/women of the world refuse to believe this vision and truth. Yet for testifying of this vision – never wavering – he was persecuted, tarred and feathered, falsely imprisoned and otherwise demeaned by the worldly and their minions.

While most of the world would proclaim ‘they’re seeking truth’ – ‘that they believe in and follow the Savior’ – and yet they reject his voice and his Prophets. Not just referring to the Book of Mormon – but something even simpler – the Ten Commandments – the requirement is to keep all of them – all of the time – without any exceptions! However, a simple review would indicate that this is no longer the case in almost any practicing Christian or non-Christian life today. One has said, “The price of Integrity – is the enmity of the world!” If you ever need to know you’re a stranger here – it will be most known by the enmity of the world.

One must recognize the univocal voice of the world/worldly – it’s found in the mixture of the scriptures (what they choose to use) and the teachings of the philosophy of men/women. By the early 3rd/4th Centuries – all of the early teachings of the Savior and the Apostles of the European/Asian worlds had been altered, changed or merged with Greek Philosophy and Rhetoric. In the world of the America’s this also took place. It should also be recognized that the apostasy (of which all of the Prophets/Apostles) which the Savior foretold came from within the Church – for to those not of the Church – it was all meaningless anyway. The greatest reason for the acceptance of the guise of Christianity was that of power, wealth and dominion over the classes of people by the emperors and others. This power, wealth and dominion is still in effect today!

The univocal voice of the Father and the Son – is the one of simplicity – common sense – and open and available to anyone to understand – if they meet two conditions. First a humble and contrite heart and Second to come in prayer. Then one must ponder all of the Scriptures – and to those who ask – wisdom will be given – even revelations – not of the world/worldly but of the eternal. This univocal voice cannot be heard in brass bands – charismatic rhetorical preaching – contending one with another – or in not being found obedient in all of the commandments, laws and statutes of the Lord! One cannot continue to blame Adam and Eve – one needs to accept personal responsibility and accountability for themselves and their eternal salvation. One cannot accept part, but not all of the Scriptures literally – or as the univocal voice of the Father and Son. One must accept them all – and heed the Prophets throughout the ages and today literally. One must get off of the fence of the world/worldly and Zion – for to be on the fence is to be part and parcel of the world/worldly! Zion is the antithesis of the world in every way in thought, actions and beliefs.

Seldom can one understand the world of Zion without prayer, pondering the scriptures, repenting, being humble and contrite. One cannot be worldly and understand the univocal voice of the Father or the Son. One must find themselves becoming one with the Father and the Son – and of one voice or indeed univocal in all things. The Bible (as translated correctly), the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price are the standard works of scripture today on this earth for all to read and understand. They are of one voice – simple and of common sense – however one must be found worthy (i.e. humble, contrite and repentant) to converse with the Father and Son for understanding.

Let there be no misunderstanding – the Book of Mormon is the most correct book ever translated (or written) in the history of the world as we know it – not once has anyone of the thousands of articles/books written to defame it ever accomplished their goal. Some of these same writers encouraged the murders in cold blood of the Prophet and others – among them women and children (including small infants) in the 1830-1890’s; they stole property, abused, raped, pillaged and drove the Saints (i.e. members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) from the soil of the United States – in the middle of winter and bragged about doing so and the clergy in the land both East and West supported these efforts.
Yet we must remember also – as Brigham Young has stated, “Some Mormon’s are Mormon’s but not all Mormon’s are Saints!” Whereas we all try to be found in Zion – we like all men/women have mortality and therefore are needful to repent and to keep repenting (not of grievous sins) but of our faults in trying to become more like the Father and the Son.

Belonging to the Lord’s Church here upon this earth in these latter-days is most difficult and enduring – because of the nature and temptations of the world/worldly. The refiner’s fire is meant for all to jump in and to endure – regardless of the tasks so associated within our lives individually. One must acknowledge pride, passions and will to the subservience of the Father and the Son. This one action is completely in opposition to the world. Yet in accepting the truthfulness of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ – theirs is greater happiness and joy – a greater peace and understanding of where we came from – why we’re here and where we might be going (with our loved ones) if worthy. This singularity of purpose – of one voice – truly magnifies the univocal teachings of the Father and the Son.

Joseph Smith, Jr. was and is a Prophet of God – all of those who’ve held this mantle passed on by him with keys and authority are Prophets of God – and today that mantle rests upon Thomas S. Monson – President and Prophet of the Lord’s Church – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I testify of these things – freely, willingly and knowingly – that they are true – eternal and full accord with the Father and the Son – in the name of the Son – even Jesus Christ – amen.


“Univocal”

cji
3/8/09

Hearing a voice
similar and familiar
one and the same
yesterday, today
and eternally to be
knowing of truth
understanding all
without guile found
for this the voice
of the Father and Son
univocal to embrace!


Copyright © 2009 – cji
“3 Nephi 19:29 Father, I pray not for the world, but for those whom thou hast given me out of the world, because of their faith, that they may be purified in me, that I may be in them as thou, Father, art in me, that we may be one, that I may be glorified in them.”