“Endlessly Adrift”

“Endlessly Adrift”

cji
8/31/09

Accepting theories easy
peer pressure to assuage
disregarding facts or science
not needed or heeded now
endlessly adrift in the world
captured by the lights bright
embraced tightly now about
without foothold or strength
the rod of iron now to rust
wanting more of men/women
and less and less of truth!

Copyright © 2009 – cji

Mitochondrial Eve
The nucleus of the human cell contains 99.5% of our DNA - half comes from mother and other half from father. Because shuffled together, difficult to tell which parent contributed which element.[38] Mitochondrial DNA is found outside the nucleus of the cell where there are hundreds of energy producing components called mitochondrial, each of which contain a circular strand of DNA contributed exclusively by the mother. Because it remains relatively unchanged it could be used to trace a person's lineage back for thousands of years. And perhaps even to the beginning of time. In 1987 compared my DNA of 147 people from 5 of the world's geographic locations. Concluded all of the 147 people had the same female ancestor, known as the "Mitochondrial Eve."[38]This led to the conclusion that in the beginning there really was really one set of parents which would mean either that Mitochondrial Eve could be the Biblical Eve, or that all modern humans are descended from a very small population humans that existed at one time. Evolutionists were unprepared to deal with these ideas and proposed a farfetched explanation about Mitochondrial Eve: Her family somehow spread across the globe and replaced all the other archaic humans who just happened to have failed in their efforts to produce female offspring. That's pretty hard to believe.[38]Using what they call the "molecular clock," evolutionists tried to prove that Mitochondrial Eve lived far too long ago to be the Biblical eve. By rewinding that clock, scientists came up with an estimated rate of mutation and were thus were able to calculate the supposed age of Mitochondrial Eve. Based on this theory, they were surprised to discover that Mitochondrial Eve existed approximately 250,000 [ET*] years ago, as opposed to their supposed common ancestor who lived some 3 ½ million [ET*] years ago. The molecular clock threw the evolutionary clock out the window.[38]However laboratory discoveries in 1998 indicated that mutations in Mitochondrial DNA occur 20 times faster than the original estimate, indicating that Mitochondrial Eve lived between 6000 and 6500 years ago. This is consistent with the Biblical time line.[38]

Again I’ve read both of Darwin’s books – and in both he leaves open his theories – never confirming them as facts. Indeed he further says he could never go beyond finding ‘two’ of everything when going as far back as he could. Darwin was a very interesting study – in that his father was a minister (smile) and he went to several ‘religious’ schools to the point he was fed up with them and their multiple confusions (similar to Einstein).

The easy way is most frequently the way most go – a lot less work. And one must remember that Darwin’s work justified the geo-political abuse of the various lower classes. Spencer who was a peer of Darwin came up with the phase, “Survival of the fittest” shortly after the publication of “Origin of Species.” Both works were easily accepted into the England and the European World as they justified the continuation of ‘almost slave labor’ in the factories and the mines – while the leisure class worked not at all.

Sadly in science as in politics – what’s convenient seems to carry the day – and if new facts don’t meet the current theory – regardless of its supports – the theory will continue to be treated as truth or fact even if never proved. This is the case in evolution as taught in our schools today – yes there is evolution – but a human is a human and a monkey is still a monkey. What monkey would want to stay as a monkey if it could be a human (maybe not a good question when one looks at the trash in our government on our streets today).

Yet we’ve to keep an open mind – regardless of the rhetoric of those pushing their individual points of view. Those who disregard new science – denying evidence which has passed the test of good research – to hang tough to their old theories – then science like all else is simply rhetorical self-serving as are those who feed off of the population they can please with their findings.

If DNA is a science – and new findings show differences in theories – should it be thrown out?

Now remember I’m involved with several archeological groups and I could take you to settlements 30,000 years old – and fire spots 15,000 years old – but all current scientific evidence shows that these people and their posterity must’ve been eliminated. We know in current history multiple times when whole groups of cultural groups were eliminated ‘in toto’ either due to war – famine – plague and other situations.

What’s interesting – is that actual evidence and theory don’t agree – thus does one throw out the evidence or the theory? chuck


http://whispersofthespirit.yuku.com/topic/10118
(Do We Want to Know?)

“Maybe We’re Not a Christian Nation” cji 8/29/09

“Maybe We’re Not a Christian Nation” cji 8/29/09

When we see the reverence given to two who’ve recently passed – garnering the praise of the minions who followed them (and those who’ve agenda’s to sell or force upon others) – it teaches us two things about the world or nation we live in currently: 1. That the worldly overrides what’s good, moral, of value or virtue and family importance; and 2. People who flaunt all of #1 can and will become ‘heroes’ to nations who decide to abdicate their own freedoms to that of public opinion no matter how twisted, slanted, evil or otherwise unrighteous!

Many like them have left none of the Ten Commandments (not suggestions) unbroken – by their own admission and those of friends many in our society take great pride in bragging of lewd conduct and transgressions of the laws without punishments. The most recent to die did it with arrogance and impunity and took many along with him either actively or passively when supporting him or his actions. It appeared that none of those who live in the Great State of MA – would confront him – they just kept reelecting him; none in the houses of Congress or the Senate (both bastions of corruptness) would ever dare to censor him. Instead they embraced him as a wayward child – such as Jack the Ripper and/or Son of Sam.

The media harbored him as their poster child of all that’s good in America (providing all of the protection of the press) – while at the same time demeaning the Veteran’s – Married Couples – Families and those who actually did set a good example of righteousness. He was to them the Clint Eastwood of the Good, the Bad and the Ugly – while all three were equally bad – because of labeling – they all came across as likable fellows.

There should be ‘total silence’ from all of the US (and not just the Pope) – he was and is a disgrace to America – yet this is what those of various faiths around the world see as the elite or the best of America! Then we wonder why all the world agrees with BO that this is not a Christian Nation – for if he’s the poster child and or the other others who are like him – we certainly cannot be considered a Christian Nation.

A Christian Nation – represents the goodness of virtue; the plainness of truth; the understanding and usage in their daily lives of the two Great Commandments; and most of all – a firm belief in God the Father and his only begotten Son – Jesus Christ!

One can go nowhere in America and not hear the name of the Lord taken in vain! The profanity of the streets, the TV, the Movies and one would guess now commonplace in literature as required reading in our schools is acceptable. Prayers are no longer in the schools – instead we find classes on birth control and contraceptives for those who need them in direct violation of the Ten Commandments – (Note: Adultery by its meaning was any sexual behavior outside of the marriage of a Man and a Woman – legally performed by one having authority to perform the marriage.)

It would be my guess most have never read the Old Testament – and many have never read the New Testament ‘in toto’ – and further that if having read either have failed to ponder and seek by prayer to understand what’s taught in both so there are no mysteries (see Alma 12:10-11) found therein (actually they’re one in the same – only divided by man so that some churches claim one – others claim the other – and some only claim part – and for the most have kept only about 10% of the writings of the Prophets discarding the majority of the 3000+ books of the scriptures). Then to further add to the insult of Christianity or Religious Beliefs most have mixed in the Greek Philosophy and the Philosophy of Man – to give them a reading different from what they used to say.

Most schools of religion only teach about 5% of what’s left and found in the Bible, and this they make confusing and twisted. This by the way is not a condemnation of any church or belief – but simply fact of what’s being taught today in what’s considered to be by most a Christian Nations which literally are supposed to believe that Jesus is the Christ. One would guess that if brain surgeons only used 5% of the material available for being a brain surgeon – we’d have a difficult time exhibiting much confidence in their performing surgery on either us or a loved one. Yet where eternal salvation and the right to claim to be a Christian Nation is concerned – we’re willing to accept only 5% of what’s available and feel we know it all.

Thus with the continued deification of such as this ‘dirtball’ and others – and the continued vilifications of those who’ve both worth and value in righteousness – to claim anything other than what BO has told the world is to have us as liars. We must remember all that the rest of the world sees of the US is what’s in the movies, on TV – on the Internet or in their media! Killings, Sexual violence and perversions and extremes in behaviors or lifestyles. It’s doubtful they (the rest of the world) know anything at all about the average American! Remember most of some parts of the world are totally illiterate or living in dictatorships with extreme censorship. Most will never travel outside of their immediate environment (even within the US is this still true in many cases). As those in this nation have prejudices real or imagined – the rest of the world does also. I.E. if they see it, hear it then it must be true and real. A quick example – is the exploitation of religion and beliefs – playing on the stereo types and not the truth – yet never can one hear the word polygamy without the media making sure they think of only one church – knowing what they’re doing is both untruthful and deliberately wrong!

So my friends – we’ve a very difficult situation in America – our nation – none believe the truth – but all are willing to accept the rhetoric of popularity – then our Island is getting smaller and smaller - chuck

“Belief of a Nation”

cji
8/29/09

Harboring a sure knowledge
understanding without bounds
literally believing the truth
discarding rhetorical philosophy
then one can discern a belief
finding the sure footing of truth
unblemished and unadulterated
clean, pure and full of virtue
thus going forth on one’s way
proclaiming this is who we are
and the belief of our nation!


Copyright © 2009 – cji

http://whispersofthespirit.yuku.com/topic/10118
(Do We Want to Know?)

"Do We Want to Know?" (Part 2)

“Chuck: Those that would entertain horns and tails are being quite silly at best and those that do not see problems in their own Church may indeed be visually and hearing impaired. That goes for everything. Regardless of what platform a person speaks from they should be careful not to elevate themselves as being perfect or 100% accurate for in that lays the problems that will curtail sharing, learning and accepting one another in a true spiritual positive environment. A friend!”

My Response:
When one considers the above one must understand the definition of the word or meaning of being ‘perfect!’ The individual is never perfected (if so they're history to mortality) - however, the three main purposes of the true Church should be; 1) Perfecting of the Saints (members) 2) Missionary Work (to help others know) and 3) Baptism for the dead (each individual member's extended family throughout history so they could can hear the Gospel).

If it's the Lord's Church (which it would have to be) it should be perfect in every way - however, being administered by those called and the laying of hands to confer 'keys' there will be found some with imperfections when not being a Prophet or Apostles. When a Prophet or Apostle is acting in the role of their office - they will never lead or do anything to lead anyone, anywhere at any time astray. In addition, they will be perfect in thought and clarity when declaring the Gospel of Jesus Christ – whether or not men/women are willing to believe or accept it as the perfect truth.

This is not judgmental - it's what the Savior and all of the Prophets have taught. When one ponders perfection – and goes to exclude either the Father or the Son or their appointed servants of having such a quality, they’re on very dangerous ground. Man/woman in all of their wisdom will only be made as fools to even try to compare their wisdom to that of the Father or Son or their servants.

There's one and only one reason I share - because I love everyone - (not their sins - smile) - enough that I want those who I know to know of Celestial Marriage - that the family can be eternal forever and ever. Marriage is not till death do us part - it's eternal - I've known this for almost 45+ years long before I knew that the Church had been restored and that I found it.

This is the second most important message I can share with those I love- for if I'm correct (and I'm pretty sure that I am) - I want none of my friends pointing or accusing me of not sharing this most important principle of which I've known for over 4 decades and lived for over 3 decades and didn't share it.

The first most important message is that the Church has been restored and thus the sealing keys are again on earth so that families can be eternal.

Most don't want to hear the Church has been restored - but all understand to some degree of their love of their families - spouses, children, etc. And most understand they're only a family until - death do us part! For there's no civil or ordained authority on this planet who can seal on earth - so it's sealed in heaven. Only a Prophet or Apostle with the keys - and to delegate these keys to worthy Priesthood holders have this authority and only can this be performed in The House of the Lord (a Temple).

Everyone should want to belong to the only true Church – and thus each Church on the earth today is basically claiming this truth – otherwise they’ve no authority or reason to be attending a church which in not the only true Church. Each Minister, Priest, Rabbi, Clergy, Caliph or any other who takes upon them to claim to be a spokesperson for the Father or the Son – must believe they’re in the only true Church. They must teach literally the Scriptures and to believe them literally – otherwise they’re found in contention with the Father and the Son who they claim to speak for literally.

So in reality how should a Prophet speak? Should he be wavering and unsure? Should he be shy about sharing the truth? What should he be teaching? Maybe the best answer to this can be found in the Scriptures – and see what they show as an example. For purposes of this review one must only look at the Savior! He taught and explained the Scriptures! He testified as to who he was and from where he was sent/called. He freely quoted the Prophets and specifically referenced Isaiah. He taught with authority – and in all of the Scriptures so did the Prophets and Apostles. They all taught with authority – firm and unwavering without concern as to whether men/women liked or did not like what they had to say!

The Prophet on the earth today would be such a man – and those who serve with him a Apostles would be also! I know such men – and they are indeed like the Savior!

C

“Do We Want to Know?”
(Part 2)

cji
7/31/09

Scattering feathers amid a storm
helter-skelter they fly about lost
unknown to man where they go
yet all known to the Father and Son
for they know and understand all
thus when calling those to them
Prophets, Apostles, Seers – all
this wisdom and truth is shared
man/woman unlike the feathers
are not randomly scattered about
but each is known to the Father
while many are found unknowing
of either the Father or the Son
while claiming such knowledge
for drinking at the wrong fountain
knowing neither life eternal
or of the Celestial Kingdom yonder
where families are to be forever!

Copyright © 2009 – cji

"What If ... and Do You Want to Know?"

If there’s no one church – then we can effectively ignore the Scriptures – however, if one church somewhere – someplace can meet all of the evidences presented in the Bible then their might’ve been a restoration and there might be only one church. Each of us should really want to answer this question – and not leave it to upbringing or culture or peer pressure. However, knowing many don’t want to answer this question and will accept what’s normal and non-upsetting – I’ll leave it to the readers where they’d like to go next. Here’s a good list of Scriptures and questions. Should you choose to seek out the answers don’t be surprised with what you find. Good luck – c/ork




Points of the True Church:
I have come across many lists of scriptures and points that are descriptive of the true church of Jesus Christ. For the most part they are very incomplete, but they are a good place to start.
This is probably the best known list:
Seventeen Evidences of the True Church
"Near the onset of World War II, five college students determined to search for the Lord's true church. One of the group compiled a list of seventeen characteristics and key doctrines of the church Christ established. He suggested that Christ's church today should include them all and that they should try to find such a church. The five friends began talking to priests and ministers, comparing the structure and doctrines of various churches with the list. None matched more than half of the requirements.
The five friends parted and it was years before they met again. Individually, they had found and joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, finding it to be the only church on earth that encompassed all the seventeen of the evidences of the true church of Christ."
Will recognize the Holy Trinity as separate Persons.a. will know the identity of God (Father), Jesus Christ (Son) and the Holy Ghost (Spirit).b. Jesus Christ will be recognized as Head of the Church.
Will accept the Holy Bible in its entirety.Will recognize that some parts of the record are missing.
Will contain the same offices.a. 12 Apostles mandatoryb. Prophets, Teachers, Elders, Evangelists, Bishops, Deacons, High Priests, Saints.
Offices will be "Called of God."a. College degree of license insufficientb. Royal Priesthoodc. Can be married
Will have an unpaid ministry.
Members will be workers in the ChurchWomen included in activities.
Baptism will be mandatory.a. Probably by immersion.b. Must be authorized.
Will believe in the Virgin Birth.
Will believe in literal resurrection.
Will honor Sunday as the Sabbath.
Will receive continuous revelation.
Will be payers of tithes.
Will partake of the Sacrament of the Lord.
Will believe in immortality and heaven and a hell.
Will have miraculous occurrences.
Will teach that Jesus Christ will come again.
Will be persecuted for beliefs.
From audio tape: Seventeen Evidences of the True Church by Floyd Weston, 1990 Covenant Communications
Another related list follows:
Seventeen points of the True Church
Christ organized the Church.Ephesians 4:11-14 "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we [henceforth] be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, [and] cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;"
The true Church must bear the name of Jesus Christ.Ephesians 5:23 "For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body."
The true Church must have a foundation of Apostles and Prophets.Ephesians 2:19-20 "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner [stone];"
The true Church must have the same organization as Christ’s Church.Ephesians 4:11-14 "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we [henceforth] be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, [and] cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;"
The true Church must have divine authority.Hebrews 5:4-10 "And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as [was] Aaron. So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. As he saith also in another [place], Thou [art] a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec."
The true Church must have no paid ministry.Isaiah 45:13 "I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts."1 Peter 5:2 "Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight [thereof], not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;"
The true Church must baptize by immersion.Matthew 3:13-16 " Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbade him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer [it to be so] now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:"
The true Church must bestow the Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands.Acts 8:14-17 " Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they [their] hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost."
The true Church must practice divine healing.Mark 3:14-15 "And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils:"James 5:14 "Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:"
The true Church must teach that God and Jesus Christ are separate and district individuals.John 17:11 " And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we [are]."John 20:17 "Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and [to] my God, and your God."
The true Church must teach that God and Jesus Christ have bodies of flesh and bone.Luke 24:36-39 " And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace [be] unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have."Acts 1:9-11 "And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven."
The officers must be called by God.Hebrews 5:4 "And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as [was] Aaron."Exodus 28:1 " AND take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office, [even] Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons."Exodus 40:13-16 "And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and sanctify him; that he may minister unto me in the priest's office. And thou shalt bring his sons, and clothe them with coats: And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office: for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations. Thus did Moses: according to all that the LORD commanded him, so did he."
The true Church must claim revelation from God.Amos 3:7 "Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets."
The true Church must be a missionary church.Matthew 28:19-20 "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen."
The true Church must be a restored church.Acts 3:19-21 "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began."
The true Church must practice baptism for the dead.1 Corinthians 15:29 "Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?"
By their fruits ye shall know them.Matthew 7:20 "Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them."
Why are these things important?Hebrews 13:8 "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."
The "seventeen points" is not information from the Church. Rather is was written years ago by a member and simply "caught on". Today many members make reference to it. However it could have been the 14 points of the true church or the 21 points of the true church.
Another longer, and more complete list follows:
Evidences of the True Church
This list is from a book called The Greatest Quest by Blaine and Brenton Yorgason (Deseret Book Company). This novel describes the search by five college students to find the one true Church of Jesus Christ. At the end of this book, the authors combine their research with the work of Henry Whiffen who also developed a list. Together these gave a total of 42 points. In this list each point has been documented with scriptural references.
The Godhead consists of three separate and distinct beings - God the Father, his Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost.
Genesis 1:26-27;3:22
Matthew 3:17; 28:19
Luke 3:22
Acts 7:55
1 John 5:7
God the Father, as well as his Son Jesus Christ, who is a resurrected personage, both have bodies of flesh and bone and spirit.
Genesis 32:30
Exodus 33:23
Luke 24:39, 41-43
John 20:17; 21:13-14
Acts 7:55-56
1 John 3:2
Jesus is the Christ, the literal Son of God, the Messiah, and the only perfect person upon the earth - and not simply a great teacher.
Luke 9:35
John 17:4-5
Hebrews 1:6-7
Jesus Christ , as revealed in the New Testament, is Jehovah, God of the Old Testament.
Exodus 3:14
John 8:58
Isaiah 43:11
Hosea 13:4
The Holy Ghost is a distinct personage of spirit and is the third member of the Godhead.
Matthew 3:15-18
John 14:26; 16:13-14; 20:21-22
Ephesians 1:17
The Holy Bible is the word of the Lord insofar as it is translated correctly. It is the record of the Jews and will be joined with another record in the last days to relate God's word to his people. This second record will come from a descendant of Joseph.
Ezekiel 37:15-17
Isaiah 29:18
Revelation 20:12-14
Jesus Christ is recognized as the head of his Church, with other officers named, beginning with a foundation of apostles and prophets, and including teachers, saints, elders, evangelists, bishops, deacons, priests and high priests.
John 15:16
Mark 3:14-15
Ephesians 2:19-20; 4:11-14
Officers in Christ's church will be "called of God." They will receive their authority through the "laying of hands." One cannot call himself to the ministry,a. College degree or license insufficient.b. Royal priesthood will be known as such.c. Bishops and leaders are to marry and to have children.
Acts 19:25
Hebrews 5:4, 10
Timothy 3:2; 4:2-3
1 Peter 2:9
Members of Christ's church will be "workers," and will be called "saints." In addition, women will be included in activities and leadership.
Proverbs 12:4
Romans 1:7
Ephesians 4:12
1 Corinthians 11:7
2 Thessalonians 1:7-10
There will exist within the church separate entities for each of the groups of members. Adult and youth organizations will exist. This point stands to reason, if Christ is concerned with helping each individual from that person's own level of understanding.
Ephesians 4:11-14
Christ's church will believe in the "virgin birth" of Jesus Christ but will not believe in the "immaculate conception" of Mary.
Isaiah 7:14
Matthew 1:19-20, 23
Luke 1:26-31, 42
Christ's church will believe in immortality or eternal life, and in a heaven and hell. After the resurrection, we will be assigned to different places according to the judgement. The first resurrection will be for the righteous and will commence 1,000 years before the second resurrection.
John 3:16-17; 5:28-29; 14:2
1 Corinthians 15:20-22; 40-42
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
The Savior's church will honor Sunday as the Sabbath, with the understanding that the resurrection transpired Sunday morning, the first day of the week - and thus replaced Saturday as the Sabbath.
Hosea 2:11
Matthew 28:1
John 5:18
Acts 20:7
1 Corinthians 16:2
Officers as well as members of Christ's church will receive continuous revelation from God.
Amos 3:7
Matthew 16:13. 16-19
Ephesians 1:17
Members of the Lord's church will be payers of tithes and offerings.
Malachi 3:8, 11
Luke 11:42 Hebrews 7:4-5
Members of the church will regularly partake of the Lord's supper. This sacrament represents the flesh and blood of Christ and is partaken of in remembrance of him.
Matthew 26:26-28
Acts 20:7
1 Corinthians 16:1-2
Members of the Lord's church will experience miracles, such as visions, tongues and prophesies. In addition, the church will practice divine healing. When members of the church are sick, elders of the church will anoint them with oil and heal them.
Matthew 9:18
Mark 6: 5; 16:17-18
Acts 5:12, 16
James 5:14-15
Church leaders will teach that the resurrected Jesus Christ will come again to the earth in the last days. This "second coming" will be greatly anticipated.
Job 19:25-26
Matthew 24:30
Acts 1:11; 3:19-21
Members of the Lord's church will be persecuted for their beliefs.
Matthew 5:10-12; 24:9
Luke 6:22-23
Acts 8:1-3; 28:22
Hebrews 11:36-38
The church as a whole, as well as its members, will be recognized for their "fruits" - as well as the prophets who lead them. The church will esteem honesty, virtue, and wholesome activity.
Proverbs 15:4
Luke 6:43-44
2 Corinthians 9:10
Philippians 4:17
Hebrews 13:18
The church must provide salvation for all of God's children, not just those who receive the gospel while living on the earth. It will practice baptism for the dead.
Mark 16:16
John 3:1-8
1 Corinthians 15:29
The church will build temples similar to the one Solomon built, which was destroyed and built again at the time of Christ. These temples will have unique purposes, including baptism and other ordinances. Temples will also be holy places, contain the Holy of Hollies, and be used by members as places of worship.
Isaiah 2:3
Malachi 3:1; 3:7
Christ's original church was organized by him and named after him, and his church today will also be named after him.
Acts 4:10-12
Ephesians 1:22; 4:11-14; 5:23-24
Specific authority to function in the administration of the church is called "priesthood." It is obtained through ordination by one having the power to so ordain.
1 Samuel 13:9-14
Mark 6:7
John 7:16; 20:21
Acts 19:2-5
Hebrews 5:4-6,(6?)8-20
A higher priesthood authority is required to bestow the Holy Ghost than to baptize.
Matthew 16:19
Mark 1:7-8
Acts 8:15-18; 19:2-6
The church that Christ originally organized did not baptize infants since the prerequisite for baptism had (1) a capacity for repentance of past personal sins, and (2) a personal belief in the divinity and teachings of Christ.
Mark 10:14-15; 16:16
Acts 2:38; 8:12
The church is to send out missionaries (in twos), to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Mark 6:7
Luke 10:1
The church will have a welfare system to provide for the poor and the needy within the church. Members are to provide for themselves and their family first, and then receive help from the church
Deuteronomy 15:11
Psalm 9:18
Isaiah 14:30
Mark 10:21
Luke 18:22
Romans 15:26
The church will have a law of health. Alcoholic beverages will not be used by members of the church.
Ephesians 5:18
1 Corinthians 5:11; 6:9-10
The church will be one that is restored to the earth. Christ's original church experienced a great apostasy or falling away, but his church will be returned or restored again in the last days.
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Acts 3:19-21
2 Thessalonians 2:1-13
Revelation 14:6-7
Christ's church will believe in being saved by the grace of Christ through exercising faith in him. In other words, it will teach that when we repent of our sins and forsake them, the atonement of Christ will cleanse us of our sins.
Matthew 7:21-29
Mark 16:15-16
Luke 6:46-49
1 Timothy 4:10
James 1:22-25; 2:14-26
The church will preach only the true gospel of Christ, with no variations. It will neither add to the meaning of Christ's teachings nor take away from them - even though current revelation will provide insight into them.
Matthew 5:19
Galatians 1:6-9
Ephesians 4:5
Hebrews 13:8-9
Christ's church will espouse a pre-earth life, or a preexistence, such as that taught by the Orthodox Jews. Included in this teaching will be the doctrine of foreordination and not predestination. God the Father will be recognized as having created the individual spirits of all people.
Genesis 1:26-31
Job 38:4-7
Ecclesiastes 12:7
John 17:5
Ephesians 1:4-5
Hebrews 12:9
The church will believe in the "original sin" of Adam. Nevertheless, it will teach that Christ atoned for Adam's sin and that we will be punished for our own sins, as Adams sin has already been atoned for.
John 1:29
Acts 24:14-15
Romans 5:6-19
1 Corinthians 15:21-23
Christ's church will teach that the gathering of Israel, in the last days, will be literal.
Isaiah 5:26-30; 11:12-13; 35
Jeremiah 3:14-18; 31:10
Members of the true church will respect the beliefs of others.
Galatians 5:22-26; 6:1-2
2 Thessalonians 1:7-10
The church will be subject to the laws of the land, regardless of the type of government in power in that land - thus rendering unto Caesar that which is his, and to God that which is his.
Matthew 22:21
Mark 12:17
Luke 20:25
It should be recognized that while perfection is to be sought by each member of Christ's church, the members will have human failings and will make mistakes, and that they will thus need to grow and learn - line upon line, precept upon precept.
Isaiah 28:10
Ephesians 4:11-14; 28,32
After repentance, baptism by immersion is essential, as is receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. A person performing these ordinances of baptism and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost must be duly authorized to perform such ordinances.
Matthew 3:13-15
John 3:5
Acts 2:38,41; 22:16
Romans 6:5-6
The Savior's church will have an unpaid ministry. This unpaid ministry will be called "by revelation," even as the apostles called new members to their quorum following the resurrection of Christ.
Amos 3:7
Micah 3:11
John 10:13
Acts 1:22-26
1 Corinthians 9:18
1 Peter 5:2
Satan is a real spirit being and not a fragment of people's imagination.
Job 1:6
Matthew 4:10
Mark 1:13; 8:33
Luke 13:16; 22:3, 31
John 13:27
Acts 26:18
The Holy Ghost will bear witness to the truthfulness of the Savior's plan, when it is presented. This is the one sure way of knowing which, if any, of the churches belongs to the Savior.
John 16:13-14
1 Corinthians 12:4-12
Galatians 5:22-26
Ephesians 1:17


“What If … and
Do We Want to Know?”

cji
7/24/09

What if there’s a single truth
magnifying above all else
teaching and discerning all
presenting a single plan
salvation and eternal life
following literally scriptures
having the single authority
Apostles and Prophets too
do we want to know of this
can we prepare for the enmity
which the world puts forth
sacrificing all for this truth
and then again maybe not
for eternal life can be ours
by answering a lone what if?


Copyright © 2009 – cji

"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