A great message for the younger generation :)
Mosiah 18:9 - Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as a witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection that ye may have eternal life
Sunday, July 30, 2017
Friday, July 28, 2017
Modern Day Wolves in Sheep's Clothing
I remember feeling very shocked at her words and could not wrap my mind around what I had just heard. Something didn't feel quite right and I closed the video. Over the next several months I would once in a while catch word of this book and the man who wrote it (I've decided to not to use his name).
One day, I Googled his name and found some websites and videos that further explained. His beautiful wife had left the Church, he had left the Church and just about everyone who came in contact with his book seemed to leave the Church or become excommunicated. Curiosity had me wondering what this book contained that had people believing it was the real deal.
After finding the free PDF online, I began to read. With my gift of discernment I was able to discern right away that this book was the result of deception just on my feelings from the Spirit. The man who published it claimed that he had been visited in the temple by Joseph Smith and was handed the sealed portion of the plates to translate with a seer stone. According to his words, Joseph Smith told him that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had become corrupt and he was to translate these plates and give the fullness of the Word. He was also told that he was the reincarnated Hyrum Smith sent here on a mission.
The prominent woman I mentioned earlier who was a direct descendant of Hyrum Smith, was so convinced and determined in her new beliefs that she donated her life savings and her grave plot to the man who published the book in which a headstone was purchased and
An elder in the Church had been asked to read the book and provide a review. He stated in a video confession that the book invited demonic activity into his house and frightened he and his wife. He therefore concluded that the book was most certainly of the devil.
I stopped reading the book, and few months later while planning a Primary lesson, I came across a video of a convert from Australia sharing his testimony. I watched the video and it was so beautiful I wanted to share his testimony in my lesson. He created a channel just for sharing his testimony. I enjoyed watching his videos. As I was half way through his videos, I noticed there was a period of a year of absence on his channel. In the next video that popped up, he appeared to look very unhappy and there was a darkness about him. He seemed lost and confused and that sparkle in his eye was gone. I wondered what he was about to share on his video. He then mentioned that he had discovered this book that he believed to be the sealed plates. After reading it, he lost his testimony and hadn't been to church in a year. He was very sad, confused, and lost, even though he believed this book was true. Oh, how I wanted to jump through the computer screen and tell him that truth doesn't depress and cause sadness - it liberates, enlightens, uplifts and sets us free. It adds to - and does not take away. Confusion is not of God. He brings peace. With the Lord you feel found, not lost.
After several months I had forgotten all about this until one day I felt prompted to look into it again. I ignored it, but the prompting continued for days. Soon, I discovered a newly published video of the man who published the book who was in a debate with an atheist who had left the Church. This atheist had written an infamous book that was very anti-Mormon and had led many members away from the Church. The debate became very contentious and by the end of the video the man who published the supposed sealed plates, admitted that he had made the entire thing up and that it was all a hoax - and that he was also an atheist himself. The other atheist was shocked and appalled. He asked the man how he could live with himself knowing that he deceived so many people? The man replied by saying that both of them were on the same team with the sole purpose of leading people away from the Church, so what was the big deal? The atheist argued back that he at least believed what he was teaching. The other man had fabricated an entire lie for a couple decades in which many people lost membership in the Church, lost their identity, their families and positions in the community. The man justified his actions by saying that he wanted to bring people to believe in his own philosophies and ideas because he felt they were better off and he was doing them a favor in a very unconventional way.
Never in my life have I witnessed anything so bizarre and outrageous. The woman who had given up everything for this "true book" including her covenants and membership in the Church, had already since passed away. She went to the grave deceived. I thought of all the people who had also left the Church, and may never see this video confession. Satan had sure used this man to deceive so many precious children of God, and pull them away from their covenants and blessings.
The Spirit spoke to me and reminded me of several scriptures that warn of false prophets in our day as well as wolves in sheep's clothing.
Mark 13:22
For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.
3 Nephi 14:15
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
I felt a heavy prompting to write this post, and hope that it helps saints be more cautious and better develop their gift of discernment.
In 1999 Elder M. Russell Ballard said,
"Let us beware of false prophets, brothers and sisters, both men and women, who are self-appointed declarers of the doctrines of the Church and who seek to spread their false gospel and attract followers by sponsoring symposia, books, and journals whose contents contain fundamental doctrines of the Church. Beware of those who speak and publish in opposition to God's true prophets and who actively proselyte others with reckless disregard for the eternal well-being of those whom they seduce. Like Nehor and Korihor in the Book of Mormon, they rely on the sophistry to deceive and entice others to their views. They "set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion."
"Jesus cautioned several times that prior to His Second Coming, “many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many” (Matt. 24:11). As Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is our duty to be watchmen on the tower, warning Church members to beware of false prophets and false teachers who lie in wait to ensnare and destroy faith and testimony. Today we warn you that there are false prophets and false teachers arising; and if we are not careful, even those who are among the faithful members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will fall victim to their deception."
“We can accept nothing as authoritative but that which comes directly through the appointed channel, the constituted organizations of the Priesthood, which is the channel that God has appointed through which to make known His mind and will to the world. … And the moment that individuals look to any other source, that moment they throw themselves open to the seductive influences of Satan, and render themselves liable to become servants of the devil; they lose sight of the true order through which the blessings of the Priesthood are to be enjoyed; they step outside of the pale of the kingdom of God, and are on dangerous ground. Whenever you see a man rise up claiming to have received direct revelation from the Lord to the Church, independent of the order and channel of the Priesthood, you may set him down as an imposter” https://www.lds.org/ensign/1999/11/beware-of-false-prophets-and-false-teachers.p21?lang=eng
It was in the 1990's when this man began fabricating his hoax and his book. It was as though Elder Ballard knew and was preparing the Saints for this and many other deceptions that would come. He was speaking about the future (our day) as most prophets often do.
I was reminded of a slew of church members who over the past few years boldly spoke out and prophesied about last days events with dates attached. These prophesied events stirred up a lot of fear among members of the Church. One of these individuals (who I'll call Angela) was hired as a key note speaker at a conference I spoke at. Angela's book was a best seller and I knew her publisher as he had published my very first book, "How to Date Your Spouse". I remember feeling dissatisfied after reading Angela's book. It was very vague and didn't invoke the Spirit for me. When she got up to speak at the conference, some odd events happened. Angela fell to the ground many times and claimed that Satan was attacking her because of her message. She asked the audience to pray for her and sing hymns. The audience sang hymns for about 30 minutes into her presentation time, while she was absent. She then went to the bathroom and vomited several times, came back and claimed she had no control over her words, thoughts, mind or body. Nothing she did or said made any sense and one by one people got up and left the room. I found her publisher in the hall and shared with him what had just taken place. He appeared to be shocked and witnessed the beginning of a decline in book sales. She later went on to make a few more bold prophecies with dates attached and again they did not happen. She along with many others faded out of the spotlight and went off the grid.
I was amazed at how many people remained loyal followers and supporters of these individuals - after their prophesied dates went unfulfilled. There are indeed true prophets of God, and many are blessed with the gift of prophecy. I also believe that some with this gift are guided by their own will rather than the will of God - this is when error occurs. Scripture tells us that all of God's children are blessed with many different spiritual gifts. Personally, I have heard some beautiful prophecies that uplift and inspire and have come to pass. It's so important to be able to discern what messages and messengers are from God and which are not.
Messages that are attached to a spirit of fear, void of the Spirit, contrast with church doctrine, or offer some kind of new doctrine for the Church as a whole, are your red flags. Use the Spirit for discernment. The Lord sends messages of peace, comfort, hope, and a bright future for those who truly know Him. He does not send messages of fear, confusion, or doubt. He is in control, He is on the throne, and He brings tidings of joy for those who believe in Him. Even when a warning is issued for the unrepentant, hope is always attached to the message as an extension for those who heed the warning.
I hope this post inspires you to rise above the craziness of the world. Turn away from all those who speak negatively about the future, the country, and the Church. All those who seek to spread fear, lies and deception. When you belong to Christ you have a future in God's Kingdom. Let that be your focus each day as you get out of bed and you will triumph over all that Satan has placed in your path. Remember who you are and Whose you are - and believe it!
Wednesday, July 19, 2017
How to Hear God's Voice
In today's age it's so important to be able to hear the Lord's voice. He speaks to us daily, hourly, minute by minute. In this video, I share personal experiences about hearing God, and a formula from the scriptures of how to have an encounter with the Lord!
Lot's of great stuff here :)
Lot's of great stuff here :)
Sunday, July 16, 2017
The Sacred Mystery of Blood Sacrifice
This may be one of the longest posts I have ever written. The science of blood and the mysteries surrounding blood lines have always fascinated me. I often speak about it in workshops and in my books. So, I thought I would put together a collection of all of my thoughts and research, and see what conclusions you might make for yourself.
For this post, I have chosen to focus on the connection between blood sacrifice and eternal life. My apologies in advance if this essay seems to jump around quite a bit. I have laid out the dots that I have discovered (and there are so many), but am still trying to understand how they all connect.
This post is a little different than what I usually write about on my blog, but I feel there is some importance in sharing it. Though there are no concrete conclusions, and I share some things that may be a bit on the fringe, ponder as you like and if the Spirit takes you in any certain direction while reading this - I recommend that you go with it! :)
Throughout time; blood, sacrifice, oaths, covenants, and the mysteries of life, all seem to interconnect with one another. Whether used for good or evil - it's clear that there is some kind of underlying force at hand when it comes to blood. A force that seems to hold the keys and secrets to life. Throughout the ages, men have relied upon this knowledge to learn more about salvation, eternal life, and their personal relationship with God; or on the flip side - to obtain personal gain and power.
Mysterious Blood
About a year ago, after a blood donation I began to ponder about my blood type. I am A negative. Because of what’s called the “RH factor” (which makes my blood negative), my blood is usually in high demand at the American Red Cross blood bank - which is why they call me A LOT. A donor (a form of sacrifice) sacrifices their blood to save the life of another.
Now, RH negative blood is very interesting because not only do scientists have no clue where it originated or "evolved" from (they speculate that it was introduced in Europe and spread from there), many believe that it is of non-human origin. This mysterious blood produces antibodies that will fatally attack a mother’s new born baby if the baby’s blood type is positive. In fact, up until 1973 (after the Rhogam shot was discovered) it’s estimated that RH disease claimed the lives of 10,000 babies each year in the US alone. By 1973, it was estimated that in the US alone, over 50,000 babies' lives had been saved. The use of Rh immune globulin (the Rhogam shot) to prevent the disease in babies of Rh negative mothers has since become standard practice, and the disease has been virtually eradicated. Without it, all four of my children would not have survived birth.
My mother was married in the late seventies and began having children. She is also RH negative - (as is her mother) and were it not for the Rhogam shot, my siblings may not have survived. While pondering on this I began to wonder why I was the only child in the family with RH negative blood and why it didn’t pass on to any of my four children. Also, why would a mother’s blood attack and kill her own children? I began to think about all the women prior to the 1960’s who lost their babies at birth and had no idea why. I thought of Joseph and Emma Smith – they had four children who died at birth. I later discovered that I was related to Joseph Smith as a distant cousin through my mom’s side of the family. I began to wonder if Joseph had RH negative blood?
Shortly after I began to ponder on the strange “coincidences” through my mother’s family bloodline. The line that is related to Joseph’s father’s line and descends from Suffolk England. Her grandfather was an orphan and up until about eight years ago (when I cracked the mystery), we had no idea who his parents were and where they descended from. That side of the family has struggled with faith and low self-esteem for many generations. The last few generations left the church as did their posterity. Who would have ever imagined that they descend from Joseph Smith’s family in addition to one of the most powerful families in Northern England, who built and lived in Raby Castle. In this castle, my 19th Great Grandfather’s daughter, the mother of kings Edward IV and Richard III. Cecily Neville, was born. It’s almost as if Satan did not want that generation to know their incredible heritage. He didn’t want them to know who they really are. When Satan keeps us from knowing our true identities (even in a spiritual sense as children of God), He keeps us from our purpose.
Bloodline Theories
During my research on RH negative blood, something interesting I discovered was that my freckles and blue eyes are considered mutations. Having blue eyes, blond hair, and freckles is apparently rare. I am also the only child in my family covered in freckles. I didn't pass the freckles on to my kids.
Though this combination is rare, I learned that red hair (which is more rare), freckles, and green, hazel or blue eyes are reported as more common among RH negative carriers. I don't yet understand how that works scientifically/genetically (though I read various explanations) but I did read that in ancient times, red heads were considered very special and holy - red being the color of blood/life/creation. I find it interesting that throughout history they have been a target for ostracizing and bullying. Wherever and whomever Satan attacks, you can rest assured that there is something good he does not want us to discover. Some truth he does not want us to figure out.
The more I pondered about blood and my blood type, I realized just how many theories are circulating about RH negative blood. I had no idea. Many of these theories are pretty wild so I won’t go into detail but I will say that they cover everything from copper blood, iron deficiency (which I used to have for years), gods, to aliens, to the Nephilim from the Book of Enoch, and to legends of the Holy Grail. There has even been research done on personalty types connecting with certain blood types. In fact, one site listed the following traits being connected to those with RH negative blood:
Around this time I discovered the book, Dynasty of the Holy Grail: Mormonism's Sacred Bloodline by LDS scholar and BYU graduate, Vern G. Swanson. After studying it’s 576 pages, I learned of the many teachings of the early leaders of the Church who openly testified of Christ having offspring and many of the leaders receiving personal revelation that they were descendants of that bloodline.
At the October General Conference of 1854, Church apostle, Orson Hyde spoke of the literal seed of Jesus Christ.
In 1859 Brigham Young clarified,
“Hidden in the blood of many LDS runs the blood of Israel from numerous directions, including that of the Savior. But it is specifically through the divine blood-right of Christ through Joseph Smith Jr. that all members of the Church are lawful heirs of the promise.”
According to Vern's research, many early church leaders openly spoke of being literal descendants of Jesus Christ and spoke of the prophet Joseph also receiving this revelation for himself. Vern cites that in 1899, member of Congress and LDS Church apostle George Q. Cannon reportedly told a Salt Lake Temple assembly,
"There are those in this audience who are descendants of the old Twelve Apostles - and shall I say it, yes, descendants of the Savior himself. His seed is represented in this body of men."
Joseph Smith once said,
“Many men will say I will never forsake you, but will stand by you at all times, but the moment you teach them some of the revelations (mysteries) of the kingdom of God that are retained in the heavens and are to be revealed to the children of men when they are prepared for them, they will be the first to stone you and put you to death. Would to God, brethren, I could tell you who I am! Would to God I could tell you what I know! But you would call it blasphemy, and there are men upon this stand who would want to take my life.”
President of the Church, Joseph Fielding Smith was the last to make mention of the topic when his response to a question about Christ having children was,
"**Yes! But do not preach it! The Lord advised us not to cast pearls before swine!"
Today, the Church has no official position on this subject and has made it clear that Christ having offspring is not Church doctrine. The First Presidency has said,
"Not every statement made by a Church leader, past or present, necessarily constitutes doctrine. A single statement made by a single leader on a single occasion often represents a personal, though well-considered, opinion, but is not meant to be officially binding for the whole Church."
I would like to add to that, the importance of personal revelation. We know that there are many truths yet to be revealed to the Church as a whole, which is all apart of the restoration of these Last Days. However, through personal revelation, the Spirit can reveal any truths to us that we desire to know for ourselves. We are often encouraged by the Church to ponder and seek out further revelation for ourselves. It is wonderful advice!
An interesting side note: In his book, Vern Swanson suggests a connection between the Bloodline and the Priesthood line - King and Priest as Joseph was ordained a King over the immediate House of Israel by the Council of Fifty. Vern also mention’s his own theories based on over 30 years of research. He suggests the possibility that the literal descendants of Christs bloodline, have natural healing gifts in their DNA, and that in the Latter Days, these gifts may possibly be activated and these children (the lost seed, AKA Holy Grail), will discover who they really are as they assist in the gathering of restoring the House of Israel.
Over the last five years I have personally witnessed a large gathering and movement in the healing arts especially in the LDS church. Many members are fascinated with learning and practicing different healing modalities and natural medicines. I am aware of 6,000 LDS members alone who are activating and nurturing these gifts to bless their friends, families, and communities. I found this correlation very interesting.
Mysteries of DNA
Through a remarkable discovery linking Biblical alphabets to our genetic code, author and scientist Greg Braden discovered a code written in the DNA of every human being. This code reveals an eternal message which reads "God Eternal within the body." The meaning: Humankind is one family, united through a common heritage, and the result of an intentional act of creation!
Greg believes that just as an artist will paint their signature on a painting or a sculptor will stamp their name on the bottom of a vase, God has placed His stamp/signature on each of us in our DNA.
Romans 1:19-20
Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
A few years ago, in my own research, I had discovered a powerful connection between our DNA and the atonement. I was so intrigued that I shared this in my book, You Were Meant to Prosper. Studies conducted by the U.S. Military in the late 1990's, showed that our feelings and emotions actually change our DNA. Researchers watched as blood samples changed right before their very eyes while study participants miles away were experiencing powerful feelings – negative and positive. Several more scientific articles have since been written about trauma being passed down to generations through DNA. This would mean that those who share our same DNA are also effected when we heal ourselves of negative emotions. When we use the atonement to cast out sin, it blesses all who share our DNA. We’ve heard of families being cursed with addiction, illness, depression, abuse, crime, etc. and when someone is born into the family and heals the patterns, future generations are healed. It’s a new way to look at being born into a family of “problems”. Maybe you were sent to be the victor – the one who heals the family and breaks the patterns – rather than the victim.
Back to the mystery of RH negative blood. Researchers say that among the world population, only 15% is RH negative. The Basque people of Spain and France have the highest percentage of Rh negative blood per region. About 30% of their population has Rh negative and about 60% carry one (r) negative gene. There is also a theory circulating that this is a location where some of the offspring of Jesus went into hiding during the great Christian persecution.
There is something to be said about the sacred mysteries of blood. It is lambs blood (symbolic of the blood of the Lamb) that the Israelite people painted on their doorways during Passover to protect them against the destroying angel.
In scriptures we read,
Numbers 18:17
But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they are holy: thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shalt burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savour unto the Lord.
There is a connection between the blood sacrifice of the Firstborn Son and the firstling blood sacrifice.
Leviticus 20:9
For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.
I believe this relates to bloodline curses and patterns. When we introduce sin into the bloodline we introduce death (spiritual and physical). As spoken of in my recent posts, sin equates to death as repentance equates to life. We are either going forward or backwards, progressing or regressing, living or dying. We are never standing still. Our own blood will testify against us at Judgement Day, (as mentioned later in this essay) our DNA being the Book of Life according to Bruce R. McConkie.
We often read in the scriptures about the blood of the innocent crying out.
Doctrine and Covenants 135:7
...their innocent blood, with the innocent blood of all the martyrs under the baltar that John saw, will cry unto the Lord of Hosts till he avenges that blood on the earth. Amen.
Mystery of Blood Sacrifice
According to the Bible Dictionary, blood was regarded by the Israelites as the seat of the life or vital energy of all flesh. The atoning power of a sacrifice was in the blood because it was regarded as containing the life of the animal and because the sacrifice was a type of the great sacrifice who is Jesus Christ. Scripture says that “almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission". Joseph Smith, as have many other prophets, sealed his testimony with his blood that the righteous might be honored and the wicked might be condemned. In the Old Testament, often a covenant was sealed with blood.
In the book of 3 Nephi chapter 9, we see a significance of blood testifying and pleading for justice, as the Savior speaks five times of:
"that the blood of the prophets and the saints whom I sent among them might not cry unto me from the ground against them."
In occult practices blood sacrifice is used to gain power over life. In Old Testament times, blood was forbidden as food which restriction was continued in the Church in New Testament times.
The Essenes were a sect of Second Temple Judaism that flourished from the 2nd century BC to the 1st century AD, and have gained fame in modern times as a result of the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, which are commonly believed to be the Essenes' library.
According to Joseph Lightfoot (an English theologian and Bishop), the Nazarenes were a sect within the Essenes. The Nazarenes were Jews who kept all the Jewish observances, but they would not offer sacrifice or eat meat.
In the Essene Books, which were Hebrew and Aramaic texts translated and edited by Edmond Bordeux Szekely, and are believed to contain words spoken by Jesus and His beloved disciple John, we read in what is referred to as The Higher Law given to Moses.
26. Thou shalt not take the life from any living thing. Life comes only from God, who giveth it and taketh it away.
It is believed that the Essenes including the Nazarenes were vegetarian.
In the Word of Wisdom, we have been counseled about meat, “to be used sparingly”.
JST, Gen. 9:9–11
...And surely, blood shall not be shed, only for meat, to save your lives; and the blood of every beast will I require at your hands.
In March 1831, it was revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith that though vegetarianism was not to be enforced as a doctrine for mankind, men were still responsible for their killing of animals.
“And whoso forbiddeth to abstain from meats, that man should not eat the same, is not ordained of God;
“For, behold, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which cometh of the earth, is ordained for the use of man for food and for raiment, and that he might have in abundance.
“And wo be unto man that sheddeth blood or that wasteth flesh and hath no need.” (D&C 49:18–19, 21.)
President Lorenzo Snow preached multiple times about his preference for vegetarianism, saying that “it was not right to neglect one part of the Word of Wisdom and be too strenuous in regard to other parts.” In 1897 he “introduced the subject of the Word of Wisdom, expressing the opinion that it was violated as much or more in the improper use of meat as in other things, and thought the time was near at hand when the Latter-day Saints should be taught to refrain from meat eating and the shedding of animal blood.”
In October 1978 General Conference President Spencer W. Kimball said in regards to hunting for sport,
“I do not believe any man should kill animals or birds unless he needs them for food, and then he should not kill innocent little birds that are not intended for food for man. I think it is wicked for men to thirst in their souls to kill almost everything which possesses animal life. It is wrong, and I have been surprised at prominent men whom I have seen whose very souls seemed to be athirst for the shedding of animal blood.”
"It is quite a different matter when a pioneer crossing the plains would kill a buffalo to bring food to his children and his family. There were also those vicious men who would kill buffalo only for their tongues and skins, permitting the life to be sacrificed and the food also to be wasted."
In the days of the Law of Moses (the lesser law), the Israelite people were permitted to eat certain meats. The book of Leviticus covers the specifics. In Jewish law, the mixture of dairy products and meat products is forbidden. I once heard a rabbi explain that it was because death and life were not to be mixed. Milk symbolized life and meat symbolized death. For this reason you will not see a practicing Jew eat a cheeseburger.
Furthermore where meat is concerned, according to the Torah, a kosher species must be slaughtered by a "Schochet," a ritual slaughterer. Since Jewish Law prohibits causing any pain to animals, the slaughtering has to be effected in such a way that unconsciousness is instantaneous and death occurs almost instantaneously.
After the animal is slaughtered, the Kosher Supervisor and his team treiber the carcass by removing certain forbidden fats and veins. After the meat has been treibered, it is soaked in a bath in room temperature water for a half hour. To draw out the blood, the soaked meat is then placed on special salting tables where it is salted with coarse salt on both sides for one hour.
The connection of sacrifice, blood, and life, is quite intriguing. With what I am about to share, there seems to be a correlation in regards to the feelings an animal experiences at the death, and carries in the blood, and the effect of those feelings on our own mind, body, and spirit when we consume that flesh and blood. If DNA is the Book of Life, would consuming another's DNA write their Book of Life into our own? Or at least, could we be effected by it? In addition to that, sacrifice made in vain may warrant negative consequences.
Research studies have shown that promiscuous women hang onto the DNA of their sexual partners. Their body stores the DNA and the altered effects are passed on to their offspring. It has also been said that men's DNA is also effected by multiple partners.Virtue truly is holy. When disregarded, a person not only participates in sin, but inherits the sin of various other partners and their bloodlines, having a negative impact on future generations (bloodline curses). A person who commits adultery, also introduces sin/foreign DNA into their spouse's DNA. Every time a person engages in this act, they truly give a piece of their soul away.
In My book, You Were Meant to Prosper I have said,
"If you Google “organ transplants and inherited memories”, you can read about the many different cases in which donor recipients experienced personality changes, unexplained memories, new talents, new interests and likes, all after receiving their organ transplant. In nearly all cases, those changes mirrored traits of their donor. Researchers seem to attribute this to “cellular memory”. This phenomenon, though still not considered 100 percent scientifically-validated, is supported by several scientists and physicians. The Spirit has born witness to me that we inherit other’s cellular memory, when we inherit their DNA.
It’s a fascinating concept, and one of those things that you tuck away in a folder in the back of your mind and save for a rainy day. However, as my mind usually does, it began thinking about so many other possibilities related to this subject. In fact, I was walking into the grocery store when the thought popped into my head about animal meat. Would consuming DNA also carry with it similar consequences? Science validates that the acids and enzymes in our stomachs destroy the DNA, but is there room for error? Could there be an unseen influence that we are unaware of? Could this be a factor as to why we are counseled to eat meat sparingly in the Word of Wisdom?
In Genesis 9:3-4 God says to Noah,
3 Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.
4 But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.
JST, Genesis 9:10-11
10 But, the blood of all flesh which I have given you for meat, shall be shed upon the ground, which taketh life thereof, and the blood ye shall not eat.
11 And surely, blood shall not be shed, only for meat, to save your lives; and the blood of every beast will I require at your hands.
It sounds as though the Lord is telling Noah not to eat raw meat, and to only eat meat when necessary for survival. In addition to the many foodborne illnesses that come from eating raw meat, could the Lord be implying an added meaning? Could “flesh with the life” be referring to the Book of Life (DNA) of that creature? Could this be an additional reason as to why we are to cook our meat, eat it sparingly and why we should bless our food?
Though research is still fairly new on the topic of DNA swap and cellular memory, I believe there is something to it – some kind of incredible connection. Not to create worry when eating sushi, needing a blood transfusion or borrowing someone’s lip balm, rather this is a topic that’s meant to emphasize the importance of keeping God’s commandment and following His counsel in all things – even when we don’t understand the deeper reasoning behind it.
Shortly after pondering on this subject, the Spirit led me to Elder Bruce R. McConkie’s own words on the topic. One day while trying to pass time during the hour that my girls were in dance lessons, I had felt prompted to go to the library. While browsing the shelves, there was a book sticking out, so I grabbed it and checked it out. The day that I found this passage in the book, I was amazed at this second witness. Elder McConkie says,
“In a real though figurative sense, the book of life is the record of the acts of men as such record is written in their own bodies. It is the record engraven on the very bones, sinews, and flesh of the mortal body. That is, every thought, word, and deed has an effect on the human body; all these leave their marks…” (Elder Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 97.)
Now, read that scripture from Revelation 21 again from above. To be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, is to be written in His blood. The blood of the Lamb saves us. He is perfect, and when we receive Him, we too can be made perfect in Him. When we use His atonement and our sins are erased from the Book of Life – they are erased from our DNA. Wiped clean! That is how be break those family patterns. That is how we can heal generations."
Women and Sacrifice
During this time that I felt prompted to study blood (and had not shared with anyone), a friend of mine out of the blue messaged me a link to an LDS institute teacher's podcast. She told me I would love it. As I listened, one day I came across a podcast that spoke of the sacred connection to women and sacrifice. The Spirit covered me from head to toe and I felt there was something about this I was to learn.
The teacher pointed out that there is a strong correlation between women and sacrifice. When a woman marries, she sacrifices her name and takes on a new name - that of her husband. She sacrifices her time to take care of the needs of her children and family. He suggests that the shedding of her own blood each month is an additional sacrifice in connection to bringing life into this world. Her menstrual cycle is a type of sacrifice and atonement. Blood sacrifice has a powerful connection with life.
As I pondered this, I began to think about the law of Moses. Women who were shedding blood were considered unclean. It was viewed that as she passed the potential for life from her (the egg), this represented a form of death/sin. A man was not to touch his wife during this time as not to mix life with death. Just as the Jews are not to mix meat with dairy (life with death). In Leviticus 12 it explains how a woman is unclean after childbirth, and how she is doubly unclean after giving birth to a girl. The Bible is filled with examples of how a woman's body (especially the blood she sheds), is unclean for seven days. So unclean in fact, that just being around a woman who is bleeding can make you unclean.
Could it be that women serve as a form of proxy Savior for their family bloodline? Similar to Lent, the menstrual cycle is a time to give things up to purify ourselves. The church has set the first Sunday of each month as a fast Sunday. A day of sacrifice. We give something up for something better. One week out of a 30 day cycle. I have learned that patterns serve as flags to help us make connections. It's important to take note when you see something repeat.
As this concept has continually crossed my mind I can't help but feel that it is not my own thought, and not on my mind by accident. The number seven represents completeness and wholeness. After she sheds, it is complete. During a menstrual cycle a woman is shedding and considered unclean. Scriptures teach us that sin causes us to be unclean. Science teaches us that negative actions, thoughts, feelings, and emotions (sins), change our DNA. As the "unclean" blood is purged, the woman must be quarantined until the seven days are fulfilled. The shedding of blood makes is possible for new life. If there is truth to this, then how powerful would it be to perform generational cleansing during that week of shedding?
If this is true, then it would make sense as to why Satan would attach such a negative stigma around menstrual cycles and being female. The "dreaded time of the month." Why he has attacked the identity of women all throughout the ages through oppression. What if instead of a menstrual cycle being something to dread it was rather something to embrace? What if there is such spiritual power and significance behind this natural and physical ritual, that if we understood it, we would change our entire perception about what it means to be a woman, a daughter of God, and a Savior on Mount Zion?
In relation to the DNA research study mentioned earlier, if women take on the DNA of their sexual partner - then when done inside of the marriage covenant, a woman partners with God and her husband and they become one. Is it possible that by proxy/generational healing - she is also cleansing the DNA of her husband and his bloodline? In addition to hormones, could this be an added to factor as to why women are so emotional during this time? As they shed blood, they experience sorrow, pain and suffering. As the Savior took on our own sins and pain, He experienced great suffering which caused Him to sweat great drops of blood. There seems to be a connection here.
I once heard an interview with a renowned Rabbi who said that women experience sadness during their menstrual cycle because their spirit is sorrowing over the lost possibility for life with each egg that is passed. Their is a sadness at the subconscious level as her spirit mourns the undermining of her divine destiny as a creator of life.
While further pondering on this, I happened to be listening to a sermon of a renowned pastor while washing the dishes. I can't remember what the topic was about, but it had nothing to do with the topic of this post. However, somewhere in his sermon he said something that caught my attention. He said that when a woman sheds blood on her honeymoon night - it seals the covenant between husband, wife, and God. Blood is required for that covenant. He then went on to say that when a baby is born in blood and water, it seals the covenant of family and God. He said the purpose of blood in regards to covenants is to seal.
Saved by Blood
“We literally become saviors on Mount Zion. What does this mean? Just as our Redeemer gave His life as a vicarious sacrifice for all men, and in so doing became our Savior, even so we, in a small measure, when we engage in proxy work in the temple, become as saviors to those on the other side who have no means of advancing unless something is done in their behalf by those on earth” Gordon B. Hinckley
We have been taught that it's far more difficult to repent in the spirit world, without a physical body. Could it be that as we are separated from that blood, we no longer have a physical stewardship over it? While separated, we cannot release sin from the body and blood we no longer possess and give it to our Savior for healing - therefore we are bound. However, our progenitors share our blood and as they choose to heal it of family addictions and negative emotions that have been passed down, we can be freed from that pain. After forgiveness takes place, the blood is healed, and restitution goes forth. I believe this to be part of the definition of proxy saviors. Our work in the physical, assists the Savior in the great Plan of Salvation.
A few years ago, I had a personal experience in which I began growing a strip of red hair right out of the center of my scalp. My friend at the time who was doing my hair was very curious about it. She had never seen anything like this before in all her years of working with hair. Generally when hair color changes it's gray hair - not bright red. As the months passed by, she continued to point out my read strip of hair and even asked to take a picture of it.
Months later as she brought it to my attention again, I felt there was something spiritual connected to it. The Lord was trying to get my attention about something and so I began to ponder. Through the Spirit, I began to learn that there were trapped and inherited emotions in our family line. They originated from an ancestor who had emotional issues related to a traumatic head injury that took the life of her baby. I believe the red strip of hair was symbolic of that head injury. There were many other physical signs popping up in our family that all pointed to the same issue. As I went to the Lord and offered up forgiveness to this ancestor, and pleaded for our bloodline to be healed of these inherited emotions, something incredible happened. All of the physical symptoms within our family - related to blood and to this issue cleared up that day. We felt a physical, emotional, and spiritual change come over us. The following month as I went back to my hair dresser she pointed out that the red hair strip was now growing out normal root color. She could not make any sense of it. So, I shared this story with her and then it made sense. The bloodline was healed and therefore the strip of red hair was gone.
The thought has also crossed my mind, that as a blood donor - I feel good about donating my blood, especially when I am one with the Lord and using the Atonement each day to cleanse my blood. I can only imagine that my blood not only blesses the recipient with physical life, but with spiritual life. But what if you receive a blood transfusion from a donor immersed in sin? Will your own blood be tainted? Again, I view this as a blessing in disguise. By using the Atonement, cleansing your blood (according to the DNA studies) will also cleanse those who share your DNA. I don't believe in coincidences or fate. Could it be that God so perfectly orchestrates our lives in such a way that deadly accidents line us up with a blood donor whose blood exchange, somehow blesses the lives of both the donor and recipient? Another form of proxy Savior? I think it would be an added benefit if families and doctors prayed over blood transfusions and organ/marrow/tissue transplants. We should be blessing anything that enters our body. Our body is the tabernacle that houses the Holy Ghost.
While writing this article a video popped up in my YouTube feed that had just barely been published. I had not been searching for any videos related to this topic. The title of the video had nothing to do with blood but the Spirit prompted me to watch it, so I did. To my astonishment this video is all about the saving power of the blood of Jesus Christ. The guest being interviewed wrote a book titled, "This Blood Is for You". It's amazing how the Lord works. When we are pondering certain topics and questions, He will always put answers in our path and the Spirit will prompt us to take notice.
You can't ponder on the topic of blood sacrifice and salvation without including covenants. Covenants and blood go hand in hand. A blood covenant is a promise made by God that He will choose a people for Himself and bless them. The Abrahamic Covenant and Mosaic Covenant of the Old Testament were “shadows,” of the better covenant to come. The atoning power of a sacrifice was in the blood because the blood was regarded as essential to life.
When the destroying angel passed over Egypt, the children of Israel who had painted unblemished lamb's blood on their doors were saved. It is only pure and sanctified blood that can save us. Jesus Christ is the unblemished Lamb whose blood saves us from the eternal destruction of our own sins.
Remission of sins under the law of Moses required the shedding of an animal’s blood. In setting forth the laws respecting sacrificial ordinances in ancient Israel, the Lord explained: “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.”
As the ancient high priest entered into the Holy of Holies on earth and sprinkled the goat’s blood upon the mercy-seat, so Jesus Christ entered the sacred sanctuary of heaven itself, there to intercede before the Father in behalf of those whose penitence makes them eligible for his act of mercy.
“… In legal usage, a testator is one who leaves a valid will or testament at his death. The will or testament is the written document wherein the testator provides for the disposition of his property. As used in the gospel sense, a testament is a covenant. Jesus is the Mediator of the new covenant or testament, that is of the gospel which came to replace the law of Moses. …
“… In other words, Christ had to die to bring salvation. The testament or covenant of salvation came in force because of the atonement worked out in connection with that death. Christ is the Testator. His gift, as would be true of any testator, cannot be inherited until his death. Christ died that salvation might come; without his death, he could not have willed either immortality or eternal life to men.” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, pp. 784–85.)
The gospel was a “better covenant” because it offered the principles and ordinances of salvation in their fulness, while the law of Moses did not. The Israelites, in general, rejected the fulness of the gospel on both occasions when it was offered to them, first while wandering in the desert under Moses and later when Jesus came to earth in the meridian of time. Joseph Smith once said: “This covenant has never been established with the house of Israel, nor with the house of Judah, for it requires two parties to make a covenant, and those two parties must be agreed, or no covenant can be made.
"Thus after this chosen family had rejected Christ and His proposals, the heralds of salvation said to them, ‘Lo we turn unto the Gentiles’; and the Gentiles received the covenant, and were grafted in from whence the chosen family were broken off: but the Gentiles have not continued in the goodness of God, but have departed from the faith that was once delivered to the Saints, and have broken the covenant in which their fathers were established [see Isaiah 24:5]; and have become high-minded, and have not feared; therefore, but few of them will be gathered with the chosen family.” (Smith, Teachings, pp. 14–15.)
Moroni says that the faithful saints are "sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission’ of their sins, that they become holy and without spot. (Moroni. 10:33.)”
“To be sanctified is to become clean, pure, and spotless; to be free from the blood and sins of the world; to become a new creature of the Holy Ghost, one whose body has been renewed by the rebirth of the Spirit. Sanctification is a state of saintliness, a state attained only by conformity to the laws and ordinances of the gospel."
“… Those who attain this state of cleanliness and perfection are able, as occasion may require, to see God and view the things of his kingdom." (D. & C. 84:23; 88:68; Ether 4:7.)
The word covenant appears about thirty times in the New Testament. The word not only summarizes God’s relationship with the Church, but it is also prominent in connection with the most frequent early Christian public ordinance—the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.
Jesus not only paralleled Moses’ words in speaking of the “blood of the new covenant,” he also required the same pledge of repentance of the ancient covenant. Through Christ there is indeed a “miracle of forgiveness”—extended to those who seriously seek to know and follow his teachings.
The baptismal covenant is summarized in Moroni 6:3, which declares that disciples take upon themselves “the name of Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end.” That commitment is paralleled in the sacrament promise to “take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him.” (Moro. 4:3. [Moro. 6:3])
The Savior unfolded the meaning of the bread and wine that should be administered “unto all those who shall believe and be baptized in [his] name” (3 Ne. 18:5); then he said: “Ye shall do it in remembrance of my blood, which I have shed for you, that ye may witness unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you.” (3 Ne. 18:11; see also 3 Ne 18:7.)
In the September 1990 Ensign, Hugh W. Nibley wrote an article titled, The Atonement of Jesus Christ (Part 3) in which he wrote regarding religious ceremonies,
There is one expression connected with the ceremonies that seem strangely paradoxical. It is having one’s garments washed white with the blood of the Lamb. Washed white with blood? The Book of Mormon clarifies the apparent contradiction. Alma tells us that “there can no man be saved except his garments are washed white; yea, his garments must be purified until they are cleansed from all stain, through the blood of him of whom it has been spoken by our fathers, who should come to redeem his people from their sins.
“And now I ask of you, my brethren, how will any of you feel, if ye shall stand before the bar of God, having your garments stained with blood and all manner of filthiness? Behold, what will these things testify against you?
“Behold will they not testify that ye are murderers, … guilty of all manner of wickedness?” (Alma 5:21–23.)
Being guilty of the blood and sins of your generation, you may not “have a place to sit down in the kingdom of God, with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob, and also all the holy prophets, whose garments are cleansed and are spotless, pure and white.” (Alma 5:24.) This is nothing less than the yeshivah, literally “sitting down” in the presence of God. 16
Note that there are two kinds of blood-stained garments here—the one showing the blood and sins of this world, the other attesting (for Alma expressly states that “these things testify”) that Aaron and his sons have completed the sacrifice of the Lamb and thus cleansed the people of their defilements, and their garments are white. The blood that washes garments clean is not the blood that defiles them, just as the serpent that healed the people in the wilderness was not the serpent that killed.
Summary
The mysteries surrounding blood and sacrifice are intriguing. There is so much to explore and so many stones un-turned. There is definitely more to our DNA than meets the eye. If our DNA truly acts as our own recorded Book of Life, then our own blood as well as the blood of others surely will testify against us at Judgement Day. All memories, feelings, thoughts, and acts are stored there.Truth is written.
Regardless of how the dots connect, one thing is concrete above all else. We are saved by the blood of Jesus Christ (God's grace) when we repent and forsake our sins - period. His atonement can alter our DNA and wipe clean the sin that has been recorded. We don't have to live a life of pain and suffering - we can be cleansed and healed! We can claim the blood of Jesus and by drinking of it we may always remember Him and what He has done for us, and always have His spirit to be with us. We may be blessed children in God's eternal family. This I know to be true. In His holy name, Jesus Christ - amen.
For this post, I have chosen to focus on the connection between blood sacrifice and eternal life. My apologies in advance if this essay seems to jump around quite a bit. I have laid out the dots that I have discovered (and there are so many), but am still trying to understand how they all connect.
This post is a little different than what I usually write about on my blog, but I feel there is some importance in sharing it. Though there are no concrete conclusions, and I share some things that may be a bit on the fringe, ponder as you like and if the Spirit takes you in any certain direction while reading this - I recommend that you go with it! :)
The Sacred Mystery of Blood Sacrifice
There's an age old fascination among children that you've probably heard of or participated in yourself. "Blood brothers" or "blood sisters". Sound familiar? Pricking your fingers and promising loyalty to each other for life. As children, did we really have any idea what that meant and what we were doing?
Throughout time; blood, sacrifice, oaths, covenants, and the mysteries of life, all seem to interconnect with one another. Whether used for good or evil - it's clear that there is some kind of underlying force at hand when it comes to blood. A force that seems to hold the keys and secrets to life. Throughout the ages, men have relied upon this knowledge to learn more about salvation, eternal life, and their personal relationship with God; or on the flip side - to obtain personal gain and power.
Mysterious Blood
About a year ago, after a blood donation I began to ponder about my blood type. I am A negative. Because of what’s called the “RH factor” (which makes my blood negative), my blood is usually in high demand at the American Red Cross blood bank - which is why they call me A LOT. A donor (a form of sacrifice) sacrifices their blood to save the life of another.
Now, RH negative blood is very interesting because not only do scientists have no clue where it originated or "evolved" from (they speculate that it was introduced in Europe and spread from there), many believe that it is of non-human origin. This mysterious blood produces antibodies that will fatally attack a mother’s new born baby if the baby’s blood type is positive. In fact, up until 1973 (after the Rhogam shot was discovered) it’s estimated that RH disease claimed the lives of 10,000 babies each year in the US alone. By 1973, it was estimated that in the US alone, over 50,000 babies' lives had been saved. The use of Rh immune globulin (the Rhogam shot) to prevent the disease in babies of Rh negative mothers has since become standard practice, and the disease has been virtually eradicated. Without it, all four of my children would not have survived birth.
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| Joseph Smith Jr. |
Shortly after I began to ponder on the strange “coincidences” through my mother’s family bloodline. The line that is related to Joseph’s father’s line and descends from Suffolk England. Her grandfather was an orphan and up until about eight years ago (when I cracked the mystery), we had no idea who his parents were and where they descended from. That side of the family has struggled with faith and low self-esteem for many generations. The last few generations left the church as did their posterity. Who would have ever imagined that they descend from Joseph Smith’s family in addition to one of the most powerful families in Northern England, who built and lived in Raby Castle. In this castle, my 19th Great Grandfather’s daughter, the mother of kings Edward IV and Richard III. Cecily Neville, was born. It’s almost as if Satan did not want that generation to know their incredible heritage. He didn’t want them to know who they really are. When Satan keeps us from knowing our true identities (even in a spiritual sense as children of God), He keeps us from our purpose.
Bloodline Theories
Though this combination is rare, I learned that red hair (which is more rare), freckles, and green, hazel or blue eyes are reported as more common among RH negative carriers. I don't yet understand how that works scientifically/genetically (though I read various explanations) but I did read that in ancient times, red heads were considered very special and holy - red being the color of blood/life/creation. I find it interesting that throughout history they have been a target for ostracizing and bullying. Wherever and whomever Satan attacks, you can rest assured that there is something good he does not want us to discover. Some truth he does not want us to figure out.
The more I pondered about blood and my blood type, I realized just how many theories are circulating about RH negative blood. I had no idea. Many of these theories are pretty wild so I won’t go into detail but I will say that they cover everything from copper blood, iron deficiency (which I used to have for years), gods, to aliens, to the Nephilim from the Book of Enoch, and to legends of the Holy Grail. There has even been research done on personalty types connecting with certain blood types. In fact, one site listed the following traits being connected to those with RH negative blood:
- A feeling of not belonging
- Truth seekers
- Sense of a "Mission" in life
- Empathy & Compassion for Mankind
- ESP Ability
- Increased of psychic/intuitive abilities
- Predominantly blue, green, or Hazel eyes
- Piercing Eyes
- Tend to be Healers
I immediately thought of our Savior Jesus Christ and then of the prophet Joseph Smith who was known as a seeker of truth and described as "a tall, elegant-looking man, with piercing eyes, and features, which if not handsome, were imposing”. I then thought of a comment my husband had shared with me early in our marriage. He told me that it was my eyes that first got his attention and drew his attraction to me.
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| Orson Hyde |
I thought about how Jesus' blood was part mortal and part God. His DNA would have been very different from those ancestors before Him.
At the October General Conference of 1854, Church apostle, Orson Hyde spoke of the literal seed of Jesus Christ.
In 1859 Brigham Young clarified,
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| Brigham Young |
“Hidden in the blood of many LDS runs the blood of Israel from numerous directions, including that of the Savior. But it is specifically through the divine blood-right of Christ through Joseph Smith Jr. that all members of the Church are lawful heirs of the promise.”
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| George Q. Cannon |
"There are those in this audience who are descendants of the old Twelve Apostles - and shall I say it, yes, descendants of the Savior himself. His seed is represented in this body of men."
Joseph Smith once said,
“Many men will say I will never forsake you, but will stand by you at all times, but the moment you teach them some of the revelations (mysteries) of the kingdom of God that are retained in the heavens and are to be revealed to the children of men when they are prepared for them, they will be the first to stone you and put you to death. Would to God, brethren, I could tell you who I am! Would to God I could tell you what I know! But you would call it blasphemy, and there are men upon this stand who would want to take my life.”
President of the Church, Joseph Fielding Smith was the last to make mention of the topic when his response to a question about Christ having children was,
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| Joseph Fielding Smith |
Today, the Church has no official position on this subject and has made it clear that Christ having offspring is not Church doctrine. The First Presidency has said,
"Not every statement made by a Church leader, past or present, necessarily constitutes doctrine. A single statement made by a single leader on a single occasion often represents a personal, though well-considered, opinion, but is not meant to be officially binding for the whole Church."
I would like to add to that, the importance of personal revelation. We know that there are many truths yet to be revealed to the Church as a whole, which is all apart of the restoration of these Last Days. However, through personal revelation, the Spirit can reveal any truths to us that we desire to know for ourselves. We are often encouraged by the Church to ponder and seek out further revelation for ourselves. It is wonderful advice!
An interesting side note: In his book, Vern Swanson suggests a connection between the Bloodline and the Priesthood line - King and Priest as Joseph was ordained a King over the immediate House of Israel by the Council of Fifty. Vern also mention’s his own theories based on over 30 years of research. He suggests the possibility that the literal descendants of Christs bloodline, have natural healing gifts in their DNA, and that in the Latter Days, these gifts may possibly be activated and these children (the lost seed, AKA Holy Grail), will discover who they really are as they assist in the gathering of restoring the House of Israel.
Over the last five years I have personally witnessed a large gathering and movement in the healing arts especially in the LDS church. Many members are fascinated with learning and practicing different healing modalities and natural medicines. I am aware of 6,000 LDS members alone who are activating and nurturing these gifts to bless their friends, families, and communities. I found this correlation very interesting.
Mysteries of DNA
Through a remarkable discovery linking Biblical alphabets to our genetic code, author and scientist Greg Braden discovered a code written in the DNA of every human being. This code reveals an eternal message which reads "God Eternal within the body." The meaning: Humankind is one family, united through a common heritage, and the result of an intentional act of creation!
Greg believes that just as an artist will paint their signature on a painting or a sculptor will stamp their name on the bottom of a vase, God has placed His stamp/signature on each of us in our DNA.
Romans 1:19-20
Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
A few years ago, in my own research, I had discovered a powerful connection between our DNA and the atonement. I was so intrigued that I shared this in my book, You Were Meant to Prosper. Studies conducted by the U.S. Military in the late 1990's, showed that our feelings and emotions actually change our DNA. Researchers watched as blood samples changed right before their very eyes while study participants miles away were experiencing powerful feelings – negative and positive. Several more scientific articles have since been written about trauma being passed down to generations through DNA. This would mean that those who share our same DNA are also effected when we heal ourselves of negative emotions. When we use the atonement to cast out sin, it blesses all who share our DNA. We’ve heard of families being cursed with addiction, illness, depression, abuse, crime, etc. and when someone is born into the family and heals the patterns, future generations are healed. It’s a new way to look at being born into a family of “problems”. Maybe you were sent to be the victor – the one who heals the family and breaks the patterns – rather than the victim.
Back to the mystery of RH negative blood. Researchers say that among the world population, only 15% is RH negative. The Basque people of Spain and France have the highest percentage of Rh negative blood per region. About 30% of their population has Rh negative and about 60% carry one (r) negative gene. There is also a theory circulating that this is a location where some of the offspring of Jesus went into hiding during the great Christian persecution.
There is something to be said about the sacred mysteries of blood. It is lambs blood (symbolic of the blood of the Lamb) that the Israelite people painted on their doorways during Passover to protect them against the destroying angel.
In scriptures we read,
Numbers 18:17
But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they are holy: thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shalt burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savour unto the Lord.
There is a connection between the blood sacrifice of the Firstborn Son and the firstling blood sacrifice.
Leviticus 20:9
For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.
I believe this relates to bloodline curses and patterns. When we introduce sin into the bloodline we introduce death (spiritual and physical). As spoken of in my recent posts, sin equates to death as repentance equates to life. We are either going forward or backwards, progressing or regressing, living or dying. We are never standing still. Our own blood will testify against us at Judgement Day, (as mentioned later in this essay) our DNA being the Book of Life according to Bruce R. McConkie.
We often read in the scriptures about the blood of the innocent crying out.
Doctrine and Covenants 135:7
...their innocent blood, with the innocent blood of all the martyrs under the baltar that John saw, will cry unto the Lord of Hosts till he avenges that blood on the earth. Amen.
Mystery of Blood Sacrifice
In the book of 3 Nephi chapter 9, we see a significance of blood testifying and pleading for justice, as the Savior speaks five times of:
"that the blood of the prophets and the saints whom I sent among them might not cry unto me from the ground against them."
In occult practices blood sacrifice is used to gain power over life. In Old Testament times, blood was forbidden as food which restriction was continued in the Church in New Testament times.
The Essenes were a sect of Second Temple Judaism that flourished from the 2nd century BC to the 1st century AD, and have gained fame in modern times as a result of the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, which are commonly believed to be the Essenes' library.
According to Joseph Lightfoot (an English theologian and Bishop), the Nazarenes were a sect within the Essenes. The Nazarenes were Jews who kept all the Jewish observances, but they would not offer sacrifice or eat meat.
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| Feodor Andrejewitsch Bronnikow - The sun hymn of Pythagoras |
In the Essene Books, which were Hebrew and Aramaic texts translated and edited by Edmond Bordeux Szekely, and are believed to contain words spoken by Jesus and His beloved disciple John, we read in what is referred to as The Higher Law given to Moses.
26. Thou shalt not take the life from any living thing. Life comes only from God, who giveth it and taketh it away.
It is believed that the Essenes including the Nazarenes were vegetarian.
In the Word of Wisdom, we have been counseled about meat, “to be used sparingly”.
JST, Gen. 9:9–11
...And surely, blood shall not be shed, only for meat, to save your lives; and the blood of every beast will I require at your hands.
In March 1831, it was revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith that though vegetarianism was not to be enforced as a doctrine for mankind, men were still responsible for their killing of animals.
“And whoso forbiddeth to abstain from meats, that man should not eat the same, is not ordained of God;
“For, behold, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which cometh of the earth, is ordained for the use of man for food and for raiment, and that he might have in abundance.
“And wo be unto man that sheddeth blood or that wasteth flesh and hath no need.” (D&C 49:18–19, 21.)
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| Lorenzo Snow |
President Lorenzo Snow preached multiple times about his preference for vegetarianism, saying that “it was not right to neglect one part of the Word of Wisdom and be too strenuous in regard to other parts.” In 1897 he “introduced the subject of the Word of Wisdom, expressing the opinion that it was violated as much or more in the improper use of meat as in other things, and thought the time was near at hand when the Latter-day Saints should be taught to refrain from meat eating and the shedding of animal blood.”
In October 1978 General Conference President Spencer W. Kimball said in regards to hunting for sport,
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| Spencer W. Kimball |
"It is quite a different matter when a pioneer crossing the plains would kill a buffalo to bring food to his children and his family. There were also those vicious men who would kill buffalo only for their tongues and skins, permitting the life to be sacrificed and the food also to be wasted."
In the days of the Law of Moses (the lesser law), the Israelite people were permitted to eat certain meats. The book of Leviticus covers the specifics. In Jewish law, the mixture of dairy products and meat products is forbidden. I once heard a rabbi explain that it was because death and life were not to be mixed. Milk symbolized life and meat symbolized death. For this reason you will not see a practicing Jew eat a cheeseburger.
Furthermore where meat is concerned, according to the Torah, a kosher species must be slaughtered by a "Schochet," a ritual slaughterer. Since Jewish Law prohibits causing any pain to animals, the slaughtering has to be effected in such a way that unconsciousness is instantaneous and death occurs almost instantaneously.
After the animal is slaughtered, the Kosher Supervisor and his team treiber the carcass by removing certain forbidden fats and veins. After the meat has been treibered, it is soaked in a bath in room temperature water for a half hour. To draw out the blood, the soaked meat is then placed on special salting tables where it is salted with coarse salt on both sides for one hour.
The connection of sacrifice, blood, and life, is quite intriguing. With what I am about to share, there seems to be a correlation in regards to the feelings an animal experiences at the death, and carries in the blood, and the effect of those feelings on our own mind, body, and spirit when we consume that flesh and blood. If DNA is the Book of Life, would consuming another's DNA write their Book of Life into our own? Or at least, could we be effected by it? In addition to that, sacrifice made in vain may warrant negative consequences.
Research studies have shown that promiscuous women hang onto the DNA of their sexual partners. Their body stores the DNA and the altered effects are passed on to their offspring. It has also been said that men's DNA is also effected by multiple partners.Virtue truly is holy. When disregarded, a person not only participates in sin, but inherits the sin of various other partners and their bloodlines, having a negative impact on future generations (bloodline curses). A person who commits adultery, also introduces sin/foreign DNA into their spouse's DNA. Every time a person engages in this act, they truly give a piece of their soul away.
In My book, You Were Meant to Prosper I have said,
"If you Google “organ transplants and inherited memories”, you can read about the many different cases in which donor recipients experienced personality changes, unexplained memories, new talents, new interests and likes, all after receiving their organ transplant. In nearly all cases, those changes mirrored traits of their donor. Researchers seem to attribute this to “cellular memory”. This phenomenon, though still not considered 100 percent scientifically-validated, is supported by several scientists and physicians. The Spirit has born witness to me that we inherit other’s cellular memory, when we inherit their DNA.
It’s a fascinating concept, and one of those things that you tuck away in a folder in the back of your mind and save for a rainy day. However, as my mind usually does, it began thinking about so many other possibilities related to this subject. In fact, I was walking into the grocery store when the thought popped into my head about animal meat. Would consuming DNA also carry with it similar consequences? Science validates that the acids and enzymes in our stomachs destroy the DNA, but is there room for error? Could there be an unseen influence that we are unaware of? Could this be a factor as to why we are counseled to eat meat sparingly in the Word of Wisdom?
In Genesis 9:3-4 God says to Noah,
3 Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.
4 But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.
JST, Genesis 9:10-11
10 But, the blood of all flesh which I have given you for meat, shall be shed upon the ground, which taketh life thereof, and the blood ye shall not eat.
11 And surely, blood shall not be shed, only for meat, to save your lives; and the blood of every beast will I require at your hands.
It sounds as though the Lord is telling Noah not to eat raw meat, and to only eat meat when necessary for survival. In addition to the many foodborne illnesses that come from eating raw meat, could the Lord be implying an added meaning? Could “flesh with the life” be referring to the Book of Life (DNA) of that creature? Could this be an additional reason as to why we are to cook our meat, eat it sparingly and why we should bless our food?
Though research is still fairly new on the topic of DNA swap and cellular memory, I believe there is something to it – some kind of incredible connection. Not to create worry when eating sushi, needing a blood transfusion or borrowing someone’s lip balm, rather this is a topic that’s meant to emphasize the importance of keeping God’s commandment and following His counsel in all things – even when we don’t understand the deeper reasoning behind it.
Shortly after pondering on this subject, the Spirit led me to Elder Bruce R. McConkie’s own words on the topic. One day while trying to pass time during the hour that my girls were in dance lessons, I had felt prompted to go to the library. While browsing the shelves, there was a book sticking out, so I grabbed it and checked it out. The day that I found this passage in the book, I was amazed at this second witness. Elder McConkie says,
“In a real though figurative sense, the book of life is the record of the acts of men as such record is written in their own bodies. It is the record engraven on the very bones, sinews, and flesh of the mortal body. That is, every thought, word, and deed has an effect on the human body; all these leave their marks…” (Elder Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 97.)
Now, read that scripture from Revelation 21 again from above. To be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, is to be written in His blood. The blood of the Lamb saves us. He is perfect, and when we receive Him, we too can be made perfect in Him. When we use His atonement and our sins are erased from the Book of Life – they are erased from our DNA. Wiped clean! That is how be break those family patterns. That is how we can heal generations."
During this time that I felt prompted to study blood (and had not shared with anyone), a friend of mine out of the blue messaged me a link to an LDS institute teacher's podcast. She told me I would love it. As I listened, one day I came across a podcast that spoke of the sacred connection to women and sacrifice. The Spirit covered me from head to toe and I felt there was something about this I was to learn.
The teacher pointed out that there is a strong correlation between women and sacrifice. When a woman marries, she sacrifices her name and takes on a new name - that of her husband. She sacrifices her time to take care of the needs of her children and family. He suggests that the shedding of her own blood each month is an additional sacrifice in connection to bringing life into this world. Her menstrual cycle is a type of sacrifice and atonement. Blood sacrifice has a powerful connection with life.
As I pondered this, I began to think about the law of Moses. Women who were shedding blood were considered unclean. It was viewed that as she passed the potential for life from her (the egg), this represented a form of death/sin. A man was not to touch his wife during this time as not to mix life with death. Just as the Jews are not to mix meat with dairy (life with death). In Leviticus 12 it explains how a woman is unclean after childbirth, and how she is doubly unclean after giving birth to a girl. The Bible is filled with examples of how a woman's body (especially the blood she sheds), is unclean for seven days. So unclean in fact, that just being around a woman who is bleeding can make you unclean.
Could it be that women serve as a form of proxy Savior for their family bloodline? Similar to Lent, the menstrual cycle is a time to give things up to purify ourselves. The church has set the first Sunday of each month as a fast Sunday. A day of sacrifice. We give something up for something better. One week out of a 30 day cycle. I have learned that patterns serve as flags to help us make connections. It's important to take note when you see something repeat.
As this concept has continually crossed my mind I can't help but feel that it is not my own thought, and not on my mind by accident. The number seven represents completeness and wholeness. After she sheds, it is complete. During a menstrual cycle a woman is shedding and considered unclean. Scriptures teach us that sin causes us to be unclean. Science teaches us that negative actions, thoughts, feelings, and emotions (sins), change our DNA. As the "unclean" blood is purged, the woman must be quarantined until the seven days are fulfilled. The shedding of blood makes is possible for new life. If there is truth to this, then how powerful would it be to perform generational cleansing during that week of shedding?
If this is true, then it would make sense as to why Satan would attach such a negative stigma around menstrual cycles and being female. The "dreaded time of the month." Why he has attacked the identity of women all throughout the ages through oppression. What if instead of a menstrual cycle being something to dread it was rather something to embrace? What if there is such spiritual power and significance behind this natural and physical ritual, that if we understood it, we would change our entire perception about what it means to be a woman, a daughter of God, and a Savior on Mount Zion?
In relation to the DNA research study mentioned earlier, if women take on the DNA of their sexual partner - then when done inside of the marriage covenant, a woman partners with God and her husband and they become one. Is it possible that by proxy/generational healing - she is also cleansing the DNA of her husband and his bloodline? In addition to hormones, could this be an added to factor as to why women are so emotional during this time? As they shed blood, they experience sorrow, pain and suffering. As the Savior took on our own sins and pain, He experienced great suffering which caused Him to sweat great drops of blood. There seems to be a connection here.
I once heard an interview with a renowned Rabbi who said that women experience sadness during their menstrual cycle because their spirit is sorrowing over the lost possibility for life with each egg that is passed. Their is a sadness at the subconscious level as her spirit mourns the undermining of her divine destiny as a creator of life.
While further pondering on this, I happened to be listening to a sermon of a renowned pastor while washing the dishes. I can't remember what the topic was about, but it had nothing to do with the topic of this post. However, somewhere in his sermon he said something that caught my attention. He said that when a woman sheds blood on her honeymoon night - it seals the covenant between husband, wife, and God. Blood is required for that covenant. He then went on to say that when a baby is born in blood and water, it seals the covenant of family and God. He said the purpose of blood in regards to covenants is to seal.
Saved by Blood
“We literally become saviors on Mount Zion. What does this mean? Just as our Redeemer gave His life as a vicarious sacrifice for all men, and in so doing became our Savior, even so we, in a small measure, when we engage in proxy work in the temple, become as saviors to those on the other side who have no means of advancing unless something is done in their behalf by those on earth” Gordon B. Hinckley
We have been taught that it's far more difficult to repent in the spirit world, without a physical body. Could it be that as we are separated from that blood, we no longer have a physical stewardship over it? While separated, we cannot release sin from the body and blood we no longer possess and give it to our Savior for healing - therefore we are bound. However, our progenitors share our blood and as they choose to heal it of family addictions and negative emotions that have been passed down, we can be freed from that pain. After forgiveness takes place, the blood is healed, and restitution goes forth. I believe this to be part of the definition of proxy saviors. Our work in the physical, assists the Savior in the great Plan of Salvation.
A few years ago, I had a personal experience in which I began growing a strip of red hair right out of the center of my scalp. My friend at the time who was doing my hair was very curious about it. She had never seen anything like this before in all her years of working with hair. Generally when hair color changes it's gray hair - not bright red. As the months passed by, she continued to point out my read strip of hair and even asked to take a picture of it.
Months later as she brought it to my attention again, I felt there was something spiritual connected to it. The Lord was trying to get my attention about something and so I began to ponder. Through the Spirit, I began to learn that there were trapped and inherited emotions in our family line. They originated from an ancestor who had emotional issues related to a traumatic head injury that took the life of her baby. I believe the red strip of hair was symbolic of that head injury. There were many other physical signs popping up in our family that all pointed to the same issue. As I went to the Lord and offered up forgiveness to this ancestor, and pleaded for our bloodline to be healed of these inherited emotions, something incredible happened. All of the physical symptoms within our family - related to blood and to this issue cleared up that day. We felt a physical, emotional, and spiritual change come over us. The following month as I went back to my hair dresser she pointed out that the red hair strip was now growing out normal root color. She could not make any sense of it. So, I shared this story with her and then it made sense. The bloodline was healed and therefore the strip of red hair was gone.
The thought has also crossed my mind, that as a blood donor - I feel good about donating my blood, especially when I am one with the Lord and using the Atonement each day to cleanse my blood. I can only imagine that my blood not only blesses the recipient with physical life, but with spiritual life. But what if you receive a blood transfusion from a donor immersed in sin? Will your own blood be tainted? Again, I view this as a blessing in disguise. By using the Atonement, cleansing your blood (according to the DNA studies) will also cleanse those who share your DNA. I don't believe in coincidences or fate. Could it be that God so perfectly orchestrates our lives in such a way that deadly accidents line us up with a blood donor whose blood exchange, somehow blesses the lives of both the donor and recipient? Another form of proxy Savior? I think it would be an added benefit if families and doctors prayed over blood transfusions and organ/marrow/tissue transplants. We should be blessing anything that enters our body. Our body is the tabernacle that houses the Holy Ghost.
While writing this article a video popped up in my YouTube feed that had just barely been published. I had not been searching for any videos related to this topic. The title of the video had nothing to do with blood but the Spirit prompted me to watch it, so I did. To my astonishment this video is all about the saving power of the blood of Jesus Christ. The guest being interviewed wrote a book titled, "This Blood Is for You". It's amazing how the Lord works. When we are pondering certain topics and questions, He will always put answers in our path and the Spirit will prompt us to take notice.
You can't ponder on the topic of blood sacrifice and salvation without including covenants. Covenants and blood go hand in hand. A blood covenant is a promise made by God that He will choose a people for Himself and bless them. The Abrahamic Covenant and Mosaic Covenant of the Old Testament were “shadows,” of the better covenant to come. The atoning power of a sacrifice was in the blood because the blood was regarded as essential to life.
When the destroying angel passed over Egypt, the children of Israel who had painted unblemished lamb's blood on their doors were saved. It is only pure and sanctified blood that can save us. Jesus Christ is the unblemished Lamb whose blood saves us from the eternal destruction of our own sins.
Remission of sins under the law of Moses required the shedding of an animal’s blood. In setting forth the laws respecting sacrificial ordinances in ancient Israel, the Lord explained: “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.”
As the ancient high priest entered into the Holy of Holies on earth and sprinkled the goat’s blood upon the mercy-seat, so Jesus Christ entered the sacred sanctuary of heaven itself, there to intercede before the Father in behalf of those whose penitence makes them eligible for his act of mercy.
“… In legal usage, a testator is one who leaves a valid will or testament at his death. The will or testament is the written document wherein the testator provides for the disposition of his property. As used in the gospel sense, a testament is a covenant. Jesus is the Mediator of the new covenant or testament, that is of the gospel which came to replace the law of Moses. …
“… In other words, Christ had to die to bring salvation. The testament or covenant of salvation came in force because of the atonement worked out in connection with that death. Christ is the Testator. His gift, as would be true of any testator, cannot be inherited until his death. Christ died that salvation might come; without his death, he could not have willed either immortality or eternal life to men.” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, pp. 784–85.)
The gospel was a “better covenant” because it offered the principles and ordinances of salvation in their fulness, while the law of Moses did not. The Israelites, in general, rejected the fulness of the gospel on both occasions when it was offered to them, first while wandering in the desert under Moses and later when Jesus came to earth in the meridian of time. Joseph Smith once said: “This covenant has never been established with the house of Israel, nor with the house of Judah, for it requires two parties to make a covenant, and those two parties must be agreed, or no covenant can be made.
"Thus after this chosen family had rejected Christ and His proposals, the heralds of salvation said to them, ‘Lo we turn unto the Gentiles’; and the Gentiles received the covenant, and were grafted in from whence the chosen family were broken off: but the Gentiles have not continued in the goodness of God, but have departed from the faith that was once delivered to the Saints, and have broken the covenant in which their fathers were established [see Isaiah 24:5]; and have become high-minded, and have not feared; therefore, but few of them will be gathered with the chosen family.” (Smith, Teachings, pp. 14–15.)
Moroni says that the faithful saints are "sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission’ of their sins, that they become holy and without spot. (Moroni. 10:33.)”
“To be sanctified is to become clean, pure, and spotless; to be free from the blood and sins of the world; to become a new creature of the Holy Ghost, one whose body has been renewed by the rebirth of the Spirit. Sanctification is a state of saintliness, a state attained only by conformity to the laws and ordinances of the gospel."
“… Those who attain this state of cleanliness and perfection are able, as occasion may require, to see God and view the things of his kingdom." (D. & C. 84:23; 88:68; Ether 4:7.)
The word covenant appears about thirty times in the New Testament. The word not only summarizes God’s relationship with the Church, but it is also prominent in connection with the most frequent early Christian public ordinance—the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.
Jesus not only paralleled Moses’ words in speaking of the “blood of the new covenant,” he also required the same pledge of repentance of the ancient covenant. Through Christ there is indeed a “miracle of forgiveness”—extended to those who seriously seek to know and follow his teachings.
The baptismal covenant is summarized in Moroni 6:3, which declares that disciples take upon themselves “the name of Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end.” That commitment is paralleled in the sacrament promise to “take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him.” (Moro. 4:3. [Moro. 6:3])
The Savior unfolded the meaning of the bread and wine that should be administered “unto all those who shall believe and be baptized in [his] name” (3 Ne. 18:5); then he said: “Ye shall do it in remembrance of my blood, which I have shed for you, that ye may witness unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you.” (3 Ne. 18:11; see also 3 Ne 18:7.)
In the September 1990 Ensign, Hugh W. Nibley wrote an article titled, The Atonement of Jesus Christ (Part 3) in which he wrote regarding religious ceremonies,
There is one expression connected with the ceremonies that seem strangely paradoxical. It is having one’s garments washed white with the blood of the Lamb. Washed white with blood? The Book of Mormon clarifies the apparent contradiction. Alma tells us that “there can no man be saved except his garments are washed white; yea, his garments must be purified until they are cleansed from all stain, through the blood of him of whom it has been spoken by our fathers, who should come to redeem his people from their sins.
“And now I ask of you, my brethren, how will any of you feel, if ye shall stand before the bar of God, having your garments stained with blood and all manner of filthiness? Behold, what will these things testify against you?
“Behold will they not testify that ye are murderers, … guilty of all manner of wickedness?” (Alma 5:21–23.)
Being guilty of the blood and sins of your generation, you may not “have a place to sit down in the kingdom of God, with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob, and also all the holy prophets, whose garments are cleansed and are spotless, pure and white.” (Alma 5:24.) This is nothing less than the yeshivah, literally “sitting down” in the presence of God. 16
Note that there are two kinds of blood-stained garments here—the one showing the blood and sins of this world, the other attesting (for Alma expressly states that “these things testify”) that Aaron and his sons have completed the sacrifice of the Lamb and thus cleansed the people of their defilements, and their garments are white. The blood that washes garments clean is not the blood that defiles them, just as the serpent that healed the people in the wilderness was not the serpent that killed.
Summary
The mysteries surrounding blood and sacrifice are intriguing. There is so much to explore and so many stones un-turned. There is definitely more to our DNA than meets the eye. If our DNA truly acts as our own recorded Book of Life, then our own blood as well as the blood of others surely will testify against us at Judgement Day. All memories, feelings, thoughts, and acts are stored there.Truth is written.
Regardless of how the dots connect, one thing is concrete above all else. We are saved by the blood of Jesus Christ (God's grace) when we repent and forsake our sins - period. His atonement can alter our DNA and wipe clean the sin that has been recorded. We don't have to live a life of pain and suffering - we can be cleansed and healed! We can claim the blood of Jesus and by drinking of it we may always remember Him and what He has done for us, and always have His spirit to be with us. We may be blessed children in God's eternal family. This I know to be true. In His holy name, Jesus Christ - amen.
Monday, July 10, 2017
True Story!
Elder Holland recently shared this incredible story of a young man from southern Idaho. I loved it so much, I just had to share.
One night the young man stormed out of the house and set off to join an infamous motorcycle gang. He succeeded in that resolve and for 20 years became immersed in a culture “of temptations yielded to and degradations explored,” never contacting his parents, who feared that he was dead.
Eventually ending up in Southern California, he one day was sitting on the porch of a rented home when he saw two LDS missionaries making their way up the street.
“With a rush of memory and guilt, regret, and rage, he despised the very sight of them,” Elder Holland recounted. “But he was safe, because he kept all visitors at bay by employing two Doberman Pinschers, who viciously charged the gate every moment that anyone came near.”
The dogs startled the missionaries as they passed by and continued on, “our man on the porch laughing at the lovely little drama he had just witnessed, wishing only that the gate hadn’t restrained his two dogs.”
Then, the two elders stopped, looked at each other, conversed a little, “likely said a silent prayer,” then turned around and approached the gate.
“The Dobermans on cue charged the gate again, hit it, snarling, frothing, and then stopped in their tracks,” Elder Holland said. “They looked at the missionaries, dropped their heads, ambled back to the front steps, and lay down.”
The man on the porch was speechless as the missionaries opened the gate, walked up the path, and greeted him.
“One of the elders said, ‘Are you from this part of California?’
“The man said, ‘No. If you want to know, I’m from Pocatello, Idaho.’
“There was a pause. ‘That’s interesting,’ the elder said. ‘Do you know the [such-and-such] family in Pocatello?’
“With a stunned look, our biker paused, and then, in very measured words, said, ‘Yeah, I know them. They are my parents.’
“‘Well, they’re my parents too,’ the missionary said. ‘God has sent me to invite you to come home.’”
The younger brother had been born after the older boy had left home. The elder brother did not even know of him.
“Mom and Dad have been praying for you every morning and night for 20 years,” the younger brother said. “They were not sure you were alive, but they knew if you were, that someday you would come back to us.”
The wayward son invited the two in, and they talked for the rest of the day and some of the night. He did return home, returned to Church activity, and, in March 2015, was married and sealed in the Boise Idaho Temple.
Commenting on the account, Elder Holland said, “This is a story of the role of Almighty God, the Savior of the World, and the Holy Ghost involved in the work of the ministry to which we’ve been called.
“The Holy Ghost prompted those parents to keep praying, to keep believing, to keep trusting. … The Holy Ghost inspired that rebellious boy to come to himself like the prodigal he was and to head for California. … The Holy Ghost influenced that younger son to serve a mission and be willing to accept a call to Southern California. … The Holy Ghost inspired one of my brethren in the Twelve, who was on the assignment desk that Friday, to trust his impression and assign that young man for service not a great distance from his native-born state. The Holy Ghost inspired that mission president to assign that young missionary to that district and that member unit. The Holy Ghost led those missionaries to that street, that day, that hour, with big brother sitting on the porch waiting, and, with Doberman Pinschers notwithstanding, the Holy Ghost prompted those two elders to stop, talk, and in spite of their fear, to go back and present their message. …
“And, through the elders, the Holy Ghost taught repentance and brought true conversion to one coming back into the fold.”
Elder Holland said the young elder, without realizing it, gave the missionary speech of all time, when he said to his brother, “God has sent me here to invite you to come home.”
“We are sent by God to invite His children home,” Elder Holland concluded. “We do that through the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, on the strength of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Welcome to the divine companionship.”
One night the young man stormed out of the house and set off to join an infamous motorcycle gang. He succeeded in that resolve and for 20 years became immersed in a culture “of temptations yielded to and degradations explored,” never contacting his parents, who feared that he was dead.
Eventually ending up in Southern California, he one day was sitting on the porch of a rented home when he saw two LDS missionaries making their way up the street.
“With a rush of memory and guilt, regret, and rage, he despised the very sight of them,” Elder Holland recounted. “But he was safe, because he kept all visitors at bay by employing two Doberman Pinschers, who viciously charged the gate every moment that anyone came near.”
The dogs startled the missionaries as they passed by and continued on, “our man on the porch laughing at the lovely little drama he had just witnessed, wishing only that the gate hadn’t restrained his two dogs.”
Then, the two elders stopped, looked at each other, conversed a little, “likely said a silent prayer,” then turned around and approached the gate.
“The Dobermans on cue charged the gate again, hit it, snarling, frothing, and then stopped in their tracks,” Elder Holland said. “They looked at the missionaries, dropped their heads, ambled back to the front steps, and lay down.”
The man on the porch was speechless as the missionaries opened the gate, walked up the path, and greeted him.
“One of the elders said, ‘Are you from this part of California?’
“The man said, ‘No. If you want to know, I’m from Pocatello, Idaho.’
“There was a pause. ‘That’s interesting,’ the elder said. ‘Do you know the [such-and-such] family in Pocatello?’
“With a stunned look, our biker paused, and then, in very measured words, said, ‘Yeah, I know them. They are my parents.’
“‘Well, they’re my parents too,’ the missionary said. ‘God has sent me to invite you to come home.’”
The younger brother had been born after the older boy had left home. The elder brother did not even know of him.
“Mom and Dad have been praying for you every morning and night for 20 years,” the younger brother said. “They were not sure you were alive, but they knew if you were, that someday you would come back to us.”
The wayward son invited the two in, and they talked for the rest of the day and some of the night. He did return home, returned to Church activity, and, in March 2015, was married and sealed in the Boise Idaho Temple.
Commenting on the account, Elder Holland said, “This is a story of the role of Almighty God, the Savior of the World, and the Holy Ghost involved in the work of the ministry to which we’ve been called.
“The Holy Ghost prompted those parents to keep praying, to keep believing, to keep trusting. … The Holy Ghost inspired that rebellious boy to come to himself like the prodigal he was and to head for California. … The Holy Ghost influenced that younger son to serve a mission and be willing to accept a call to Southern California. … The Holy Ghost inspired one of my brethren in the Twelve, who was on the assignment desk that Friday, to trust his impression and assign that young man for service not a great distance from his native-born state. The Holy Ghost inspired that mission president to assign that young missionary to that district and that member unit. The Holy Ghost led those missionaries to that street, that day, that hour, with big brother sitting on the porch waiting, and, with Doberman Pinschers notwithstanding, the Holy Ghost prompted those two elders to stop, talk, and in spite of their fear, to go back and present their message. …
“And, through the elders, the Holy Ghost taught repentance and brought true conversion to one coming back into the fold.”
Elder Holland said the young elder, without realizing it, gave the missionary speech of all time, when he said to his brother, “God has sent me here to invite you to come home.”
“We are sent by God to invite His children home,” Elder Holland concluded. “We do that through the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, on the strength of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Welcome to the divine companionship.”
Friday, July 7, 2017
Decoding Messages from the Spirit
Do you ever feel like your prayers aren't getting answered, or that God is silent in your life? Do you see repeating numbers, or have dreams that don't make sense? I promise you that God speaks to you daily, and I made this video to help you recognize how He speaks and how we can interpret those messages He has just for us. You might be surprised!
Sunday, July 2, 2017
Another Prayer Answered
God is awesome!! This experience may sound trivial but I'm feeling so blessed, so I had to share.
So, earlier this week I had torn apart the house, stripped down the car, and searched every nook and cranny of the yard without any luck of finding my son's (Tatem's) shoes. He was missing two brand new pairs and it was a mystery.
I had been in Tennessee for a week with my older two kids and when we returned my husband told me they were gone, but he never really remembered them seeing them. Had they blown away in the many wind storms we had? I asked the babysitters who helped out while I was gone, and they didn't remember ever seeing those shoes.
Before buying new ones I said a prayer and told God that I trusted that He knew where they were and I trusted His plan. If the shoes found their way to someone who needed them more then that would be wonderful but if they were hidden in plain sight I asked Him to reveal to me in my mind a vision of where they would be so I could save some money and be done looking. For two days I waited and the vision never came.
Because he now had to wear last year's flip flops and his toes were hanging over the edge, I decided to just go buy new ones. I was able to get another of the spider man pair that he loved,but the other pair (which was our favorite) was permanently out of stock - even online. So, I told myself they were just shoes and there were more important things in life.
A couple days later, as I was putting Tatem in his car seat I heard a voice say, "Open the the middle arm rest and you'll find Tatem's shoes." I had forgotten there is a hidden arm rest in the back seat where you can store things. We never use it. I saw the vision in my mind of the shoes sitting there. So, I opened it and there they were!
What blows my mind, is that my husband never used my car while I was gone. I saw the shoes in the house before I left on my trip. My son isn't aware of this arm rest, and doesn't even know how to pull it out of the seat.Was it possible that by Divine intervention, the shoes were taken from their hidden location and placed in this spot, so I would recognize the miracle? Who knows, but my son was right there when I found them and even he seemed surprised.
Just another testament that sometimes when we pray the answer comes a little later than we expect. Maybe I was still enough for a moment to be in tune to that voice. I'm feeling so blessed and grateful!
So, earlier this week I had torn apart the house, stripped down the car, and searched every nook and cranny of the yard without any luck of finding my son's (Tatem's) shoes. He was missing two brand new pairs and it was a mystery.
I had been in Tennessee for a week with my older two kids and when we returned my husband told me they were gone, but he never really remembered them seeing them. Had they blown away in the many wind storms we had? I asked the babysitters who helped out while I was gone, and they didn't remember ever seeing those shoes.
Before buying new ones I said a prayer and told God that I trusted that He knew where they were and I trusted His plan. If the shoes found their way to someone who needed them more then that would be wonderful but if they were hidden in plain sight I asked Him to reveal to me in my mind a vision of where they would be so I could save some money and be done looking. For two days I waited and the vision never came.
Because he now had to wear last year's flip flops and his toes were hanging over the edge, I decided to just go buy new ones. I was able to get another of the spider man pair that he loved,but the other pair (which was our favorite) was permanently out of stock - even online. So, I told myself they were just shoes and there were more important things in life.
A couple days later, as I was putting Tatem in his car seat I heard a voice say, "Open the the middle arm rest and you'll find Tatem's shoes." I had forgotten there is a hidden arm rest in the back seat where you can store things. We never use it. I saw the vision in my mind of the shoes sitting there. So, I opened it and there they were!
What blows my mind, is that my husband never used my car while I was gone. I saw the shoes in the house before I left on my trip. My son isn't aware of this arm rest, and doesn't even know how to pull it out of the seat.Was it possible that by Divine intervention, the shoes were taken from their hidden location and placed in this spot, so I would recognize the miracle? Who knows, but my son was right there when I found them and even he seemed surprised.
Just another testament that sometimes when we pray the answer comes a little later than we expect. Maybe I was still enough for a moment to be in tune to that voice. I'm feeling so blessed and grateful!
