Honoring the Constitution

Ever since I was a little girl in grade school I remember having such respect and admiration for the flag, the constitution and the freedoms we have in the United States of America. I would get goosebumps every time I recited the pledge of allegiance. The patriotic songs and programs we put on four our parents was such an honor to participate in and I loved the learning about the early founding fathers.

As a mom when I look at what is going on in the world and in our own country I am saddened. Seeing the constitution under attack and devalued worries me that my children will not experience the same "American Pride" I had always felt growing up. As parents, adults, leaders etc. it is our duty to teach our children about the foundations of this country and how it was established. It was established by the hand of God through valiant and wise men. As long as we reverence God in our country and look to him for guidance we will continue to be led by him and experience safety, peace and freedom. Let's never forget that.

In honor of this marvelous day I'd like to share the words of Ezra Taft Benson about the divine power in bringing fourth the constitution in his reverencing talk "The Miraculous Constitution" from the 1987 Friend.

"George Washington referred to the Constitution of the United States as a miracle. In a revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Savior declared, “I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose” (D&C 101:80) These were not ordinary men, but men chosen and held in reserve by the Lord for this very purpose. Shortly after President Spencer W. Kimball became President of the Church, we met together in one of our weekly meetings. We spoke of the sacred records that are in the vaults of the various temples in the Church. As I was to fill a conference assignment in St. George, Utah, President Kimball asked me to go into the vault and check the early records. As I did so, I realized the fulfillment of a dream that I had had ever since learning of the visit of the Founding Fathers to the St. George Temple. I saw with my own eyes the records of the work that was done for the Founding Fathers of this great nation, beginning with George Washington. Think of it—the Founding Fathers of this nation, those great men, appeared within those sacred walls and had their vicarious work done for them!

But we honor more than those who brought forth the Constitution. We honor the Lord who revealed it. God Himself has borne witness to the fact that He is pleased with the final product of the work of these great patriots.

In a revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith on August 6, 1833, the Savior admonished: “I, the Lord, justify you, and your brethren of my church, in befriending that law which is the constitutional law of the land” (D&C 96:8)

I reverence the Constitution of the United States as a sacred document. To me its words are akin to the revelations of God, for God has placed His stamp of approval on the Constitution of this land. I testify that the God of heaven sent some of His choicest spirits to lay the foundation of this government, and He has sent other choice spirits—even you who read my words—to preserve it."

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!

Egytpian Translates the Book of Mormon into Arabic

This amazing story testifies of an Egyptian scholar's experience when reading/translating the Book of Mormon back into it's ancient language. I love this story! Though I have always had a testimony that the Book of Mormon is true and it's words were inspired by God through ancient prophets for our time, it is always refreshing to learn of others' experiences coming to this same knowledge. Enjoy!

Reflections of Sami Hanna as recorded by Elder Russell M. Nelson, apostle for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

My neighbor, Sami Hanna, is a native Egyptian. He is an academic scholar who moved into our neighborhood to accept an assignment with the university as a specialist in Middle Eastern Studies and the Semitic group of languages such as Arabic, Abyssinian, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Assyrian.

Being a newcomer into our community, he felt the Mormons were a bit of a curiosity. Upon learning the name Mormon came from our belief that the Book of Mormon is divine scripture, he was intrigued by the existence of the Book of Mormon. He had erroneously thought this was American literature. When he was told that the Book of Mormon was translated from the ancient Egyptian or modified Hebrew type of hieroglyphic into the English language by the prophet Joseph Smith, he became even more engrossed, for this was his native language and he knows much about the other Semitic languages as well as the modern languages.

So challenged was he by this book that he embarked on the project of translating the Book of Mormon from English to Arabic. This translation was different from other translators, for this was to be a translation back to the original language of the book. To make a long story short, the process of this translation became the process of his conversion; for he soon knew the Book of Mormon to be a divine document even though he knew virtually nothing of the organization of the Church or of its programs. His conversion came purely from the linguistics of the book which he found could not have been composed by an American, no matter how gifted.

Some of these observations I think will be of interest to you, as they were to me, for they clarify some of the unique aspects of the book.

1. Jarom 2: "It musts needs be..." This expression, odd and awkward in English, is excellent Arabic grammar. Elsewhere in the book the use of the compound verbs "did eat", "did go", "did smile" again awkward and rarely used in English, are classical and correct grammar in the Semitic languages.

2. Omni 18: "Zarahemla gave a genealogy of his fathers, according to his memory. Brother Hanna indicates that this is a typical custom of his Semitic forebearers to recite their genealogy from memory.

3. Words of Mormon 17: Reference is made here as in other parts of the Book of Mormon, to the "stiffneckedness" of his people. Brother Hanna perceives that this word would be a very unusual word for an American youth, Joseph Smith, to use. An American would likely prefer an adjective such as stubborn or inflexible. But the custom in the Arabic language is to use just such a descriptive adjective. Stiffnecked is an adjective they use in describing an obstinate person.

4. Mosiah 11:8 "King Noah built many elegant and spacious buildings and ornamented them with fine work and precious things, including ziff." Have you ever wondered about the meaning of the word "ziff" referred to in this scripture? This word, although in the Book of Mormon, is not contained in dictionaries of the English language. Yet it translates freely back into the Arabic language, for ziff is a special kind of curved sword somewhat like a scimitar which is carried in a sheath and often used for ornamentation as well as for more practical purposes. The discovery of the word "ziff" in the Book of Mormon really excited my neighbor, Brother Hanna.

5. Alma 63:11 Reference is made to Helaman, son of Helaman. Why did not Joseph Smith interpret this as Helaman, Jr., which would have been more logical for him, bearing the same name as his father, Joseph, and being named Joseph Smith, Jr. In Arabic , Brother Hanna explains, there is no word junior" to cover this circumstance. Their custom is to use the terminology Joseph, son of Joseph; Helaman, son of Helaman, etc.

6. Helaman 1:3 Here reference is made to the contending for the judgment seat. Brother Hanna observes that the use of the term "judgment seat" would be quite strange to an American who might have used a more familiar noun such as governor, president, or ruler. Yet, in Arabic custom, the place of power rests in the judgment seat and whoever occupies that seat, is the authority and power. The authority goes with the seat and not with the office or the person. So, this, in the Semitic languages, connotes the meaning exactly.

7 Helaman 3:14 In this verse, there are a total of eighteen "ands." Reviewers of the Book of Mormon have, on occasion, been critical of the grammar in such a passage where the use of the word "and" seems so repetitious. Yet Brother Hanna explains that each of the "ands" in this verse is absolutely essential to the meaning, when this verse is expressed in Arabic, for the omission of any " and" would nullify the meaning words.

8. Helaman 3:18-19 Have you wondered why the Book of Mormon cites a numbering system such as this? Do we say "forty and six, forty and seven, forty and eight?" No! Joseph Smith's natural interpretation would; more appropriately have been forty-six, forty-seven, forty-eight without the ands". Brother Hanna excitedly observes that the use of "and" in forty and six" is precisely correct Arabic. Remember they number, as well as read, from right to left and recite their numbers with the "and" to separate the columns.

Well, I have just cited a few of these examples. There are many more! As Latter-day Saint leaders, we are aware of the Semitic origin of the Book of Mormon. The fact that an Arabic scholar such as this sees a beautiful internal consistency in the Prophet Joseph Smith's translation of the book, is of great interest. The Prophet Joseph did not merely render an interpretation, but a word for word translation from the Egyptian type of hieroglyphic into the English language. Brother Hanna said the Book of Mormon simply flowed back into the Arabic language.

Church Boring?

I remember 5 years ago at my old job I was having a conversation in the lunch room with a co-worker. She said to me, "You are so good to go to church every Sunday. The last time I attended was when I was a teenager and my grandma would make me go. It was soooo boring. I'm sorry but I would rather enjoy my Sundays than be bored." I remember thinking about her children and how they would never learn about the gospel, how to pray and that they have a Heavenly Father who loves them. They would never learn all the songs that teach them about the Savior and they would never understand the atonement or make baptismal covenants and receive so many blessings. I felt sad for her cute little family.

Years later, I was sitting in sacrament meeting listening to a stake leader speak. He said, "Sacrament meeting was never meant for your entertainment. You don't come to church to be entertained. You come to feel the spirit and renew covenants, you come to worship the Lord. If you are coming with the right intentions - you will feel the spirit and receive revelation. You will find answers you have been praying for, you will build a stronger relationship with the Lord and you will feel uplifted. If this is what you are seeking, you will receive it and you won't be bored, but filled with the burning of the spirit. If you are coming with other intentions or because you feel you have to, then yes, you will miss out on these blessings and you may feel bored."

How true. I thought to myself about all that the Lord has done for us and all he asks us to do is devote one day a week to him. Because I love the Lord and I am deeply grateful for all he has done for me it is not hard for me to show my love and respect in return. I feel in debt to him and this is how I show him that what he did for me was not in vein.

In fact, I really enjoy Sundays - especially church. It's the one day I get to rest and enjoy my family with no worries or stress. It's the one day I get to listen to the testimonies ad experiences of others and feel uplifted. I sometimes learn more in one hour than a weeks worth of scripture study. I walk away feeling a better person, a better mom and motivated to strive to be even better that week. It's a good feeling. I come home feeling a deeper love for my kids and husband. We feel peace in our home, security and safety. No other activities on this earth could offer what I receive when I attend church on Sunday and when I keep the Sabbath holy.

My kids love going to primary. They love singing songs about Jesus and learning about the simpleness of the gospel. It's so special to watch them learn and grow and they end up teaching me more than I could teach them. Primary gives them the foundation they will need to make the right choices as they enter school. My son already has a strong sense of what is right and wrong and his heroes are surprisingly not Superman, Batman, or Spiderman - instead they are the prophets in the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon. He tries to be like Nephi and Ammon and choose the right. Instead of playing cars or ninjas he likes to play "church" and he blesses and passes the sacrament. He has a strong influence already on all his little friends.

My little daughter recognizes Jesus and the prophet when she sees their pictures and she loves to say her own prayers. She is only 22 months. It's special to see.

In order to love keeping the Sabbath day holy and enjoy attending church you need to first have an understanding of why this is important along with a desire to do it. By doing this you will experience blessings beyond belief which will make it easier to increase your desire to continue on this path. I actually feel sad when I miss church or spend a Sunday out of town. Yes, call me strange - but I notice an emptiness as my spirit misses out on an opportunity to grow and be uplifted. It's like my energy bar for the week and if I miss out on it, then my spiritual energy level is lower that week and I notice a big difference. When I am not in church on Sunday it feels awkward and I don't care what it is I am doing, it is no fun. My spirit knows where it is supposed to be.

I testify to you that being in the right places at the right times will always bless us. The Lord doesn't ask us to do this make our lives less exciting, he asks us to do this because he loves us and he knows our lives will become better and more enjoyable by keeping his commandments. It is the most unselfish thing you could do to show your love for the Lord. It is a sacrifice for many people and to sacrifice willingly is a godly attribute. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ amen.

Standing Out in a Crowd

This week's blog post discusses the last two articles of faith.

12. We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring and sustaining the law.

13. We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul-We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report ,or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.

As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints we are encouraged to vote and educate ourselves on political standings and issues. In doing so we can vote for politicians and laws that support our values and do not violate our beliefs.

It is a part of our core beliefs to sustain the law and honor it always. We are a peaceful people and support peace in every measure however we also recognize that sometimes our government may become involved in war and send our troops over seas. Again we sustain our government leaders and laws and strive to live peacefully, and respectfully allow others to do the same.

President Gordon B Hinckley once stated:

"Why are we such a happy people? It is because of our faith, the quiet assurance that abides in our hearts that our Father in Heaven, overseeing all, will look after His sons and daughters who walk before Him with love and appreciation and obedience. We will ever be a happy people if we will so conduct our lives. Sin never was happiness. Transgression never was happiness. Falsehood in word or behavior never was happiness. Happiness lies in obedience to the teachings and commandments of God our Eternal Father and His Beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ."

When I was in Florida a couple of weeks ago I went into a store to purchase some items I needed and immediately the employees approached me asking me where I was from. "You are not from around here." they said. "You seem too happy. People from around here are hardened and seldom smile. you have a radiant smile and you are beaming with happiness - where are you from?"

I told them I was from Utah. Not telling them that my outward happiness was a reflection of my inward testimony of Jesus Christ, my values and beliefs. I have to say I enjoy standing out. I enjoy being different from the crowd. I enjoy smiling at people that seem very unhappy and angry at the world. I like to give them hope that the world is not such a bad place. Life doesn't have to be hard, painful, difficult and lonely. Life is meant to be enjoyed. When we are free of sin and Satan's grip then we become free. Our mind, our body and our spirit are free of burden, illness, pain and sorrow. This freedom allows us to experience joy and happiness each day. When trials and challenges do enter our lives we call on our Father in Heaven to help us bear our burdens. It is then with our faith, that he carries us through our difficult times allowing us to focus on the greater purpose and eternal reward. This knowledge and hope sustains us in our life here and Earth and we can't help but feel joy and gratitude.

I know that God lives as does His son Jesus Christ. They want us to be happy and can help us find happiness when we call on them in prayer and faith. It has been my pleasure to share and discuss our core values and beliefs in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints through the 13 Articles of faith. I pray that they have touched you in one way or another and I testify of their importance and divine influence from above. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Let Them Worship What They May

The 11th Article of Faith reads:

We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where or what they may.

I think President Dieter Uchtdorf sums this up very well when he stated;

"When my own family contemplates the phrase “faith of our fathers,” often it is the Lutheran faith that comes to mind. For generations our ancestors belonged to that denomination. In fact, my son recently discovered that one of our family lines connects back to Martin Luther himself.

We honor and respect sincere souls from all religions, no matter where or when they lived, who have loved God, even without having the fullness of the gospel. We lift our voices in gratitude for their selflessness and courage. We embrace them as brothers and sisters, children of our Heavenly Father."

I have so many friends who belong to so many different faiths. I respect and admire them for their dedication to their beliefs and worship. They help make this world a better place and I am grateful for that.

I am grateful that we live in a country where we have freedom of religion and can practice our beliefs openly. I know that this great land of America was consecrated for this very purpose. God desires for us to have these freedoms and to have our free agency. I am grateful for this blessing and this I say in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

The Savior's Return - Are You Ready?

The tenth article of faith reads:

10. We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.

This is something I think about daily. We can see this is progress in our day which to me is very exciting.

Isa. 11:11-12

“And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.

“And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth”

Just as the Lord had gathered the house of Israel the first time under the leadership of Moses, he promised to gather them a second time after their long dispersion. The Lord told Jeremiah that this second gathering would be a glorious event (Jer. 16: 14-15).

As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints we are taught that we are living in the last days and we will witness the signs of the times in our day. We are taught which signs to look for in the scriptures. Though frightening to some, it is exciting to me because the sooner these signs come to pass the sooner the Savior will be here. I look forward to this day very much and I think about it each day. I am doing all I can to prepare me and my loved ones for this great event.

In 1977 Bruce R McConkie stated:

“I shall speak of the gathering of Israel and of the building up of Zion in the last days. As we all know, the Lord scattered Israel among all the nations of the earth because they forsook him and broke his commandments. As we also know, he is now gathering in the lost sheep of Israel and laying upon them the obligation to build up his latter-day Zion.

This gathering of Israel and this budding of Zion in the last days occurs in stages. The early part of the work, which involved gathering to the United States and building stakes of Zion in North America, has already been accomplished. We are now engaged in gathering Israel within the various nations of the earth and of establishing stakes of Zion at the remote parts of the earth.

Zion shall be built up—she shall obtain that perfection and glory which is hers—when the Lord appears in his glory. She shall then become as she once was. This will be during the Millennium when the restoration of all things is completed. Zion shall be perfected after the second coming of Christ.

But in the meantime, and as of now, the Lord has laid upon us the responsibility to lay the foundation for that which is to be. We have been commissioned to prepare a people for the second coming of the Son of Man. We have been called to preach the gospel to every nation and kindred and tongue and people. We have been commanded to lay the foundations of Zion and to get all things ready for the return of Him who shall again crown the Holy City with his presence and glory. Our call to all men everywhere is, “Come to Zion, come to Zion, and within her walls rejoice.

This is a work of great magnitude and importance. There is no work like it in all the world. The gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is the greatest thing in heaven or in earth. We rejoice in the glorious truths of heaven we have received. We praise the Lord for his goodness and grace. And we know within ourselves of the truth and divinity of these things.

By the revelations of the Holy Spirit to my soul, I know this work in which we are engaged is true. I know the Lord’s hand is in it. I know that we will be successful in our labors. The day will come when the knowledge of God covers the earth as the waters cover the sea. …This is the Lord’s work. It is true, and I so testify in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.”

This is a topic that I talk about often with my family and I could talk about if hours. From what I have been told in my Patriarchal blessing I will participate in this great work. I know that we are closer to this event than most of us realize and that some of the signs that must come to pass may occur after the Savior has returned, which is why it is important to realize that it could happen very soon. Many of us think that all the signs must occur before Christ returns but if that were the case then we would all be ready because we have been counting down these signs. We might say, “Oh there is still plenty of time. Certain sign have not come to pass yet.” It’s important to know that Christ will return in an hour when we least expect and many of us who were watching for the signs will be caught off guard.

So know this; “If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear”. Follow the counsel of the prophets. Be prepared in all areas of your life. Have a 1-2 year supply of food storage and emergency essentials. Become pure in heart and humble. Be ready to heed the call of instruction from prophets, leaders and the Lord. Pay close attention to the Spirit and he will guide you through this. Most importantly do not fear. Be of good cheer and look for the good in all things. Be a beacon of light for those around you as the dark times that lie ahead spring upon us. Have faith in the Lord and He will take you by the hand.

What a magnificent day it will be when the Lord returns and there is peace on Earth again. I look forward to this day each and every day of my life. Be prepared, be prepared. This I say in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

God Reveals in Our Day

The 9^th article of faith reads:

9. We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.

The scriptures contain many past revelations from God through the words of the prophets and from God Himself. Though many of these revelations were for the people of ancient times we also believe that many of them were given for our day.

Today God sends revelation though our modern day prophet Thomas S. Monson. Through General Conference and the Ensign magazine we receive revelation each month from God for our day. Believing and following this revelation will help us through hard times to come and help us through challenges we may have today. It also gives us hope and helps us live our lives in accordance to the Lord.

We know that God continues to send revelation down from heaven and that He will continue to reveal important things to us that will help us in our day and time.

I remember when I was a newly wed about 9 years ago and the prophet at the time gave us new revelation that women in the church should only wear one pair of earrings. I remember at the time I had seven piercings in my ears because I had previously worked in a jewelry store and piercing ears was part of my job. It was in style at the time and I loved all my little silver hoops and diamonds. It was difficult for me to understand at the time and I was hesitant to follow this counsel.

It then occurred to me that we are not ever asked to “understand” God’s commandments, counsel and revelations, just to follow them. If I wasn’t able to follow something as simple as wearing one pair of earrings then what would happen down the road when something greater was asked of me. I knew that the Lord often tests our loyalty to Him through small ways. If we can handle the small things then we will be prepared for the bigger things to come. I knew what I needed to do.

Now that I am a mother I look back at all the counsel I had been asked to follow in the past that did not make sense at the time and I can see God’s wisdom now. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints we need stand out among the world and not blend in with the world. Blending in with the world clouds our light and it is difficult for others to recognize our values and where we stand.

I remember in high school many people were surprised when they learned that I was LDS. I didn’t understand why. I went to church, to seminary, and was active in my callings – why did I blend in with the world? It is clear to me now that the way I dressed back then, the people I hung out with, the music I listened to and the guys I dated are a clear reason why people made this assumption. I blended in. I was attracting the wrong kind of guys which was drawing me away from real happiness. Had I listened to the words of the Lord and the prophets I would have stood out more – my light would have shown brighter.

I know that the Lord knows us individually and he knows our struggles, our challenges and our weaknesses. He gives us revelation to help us in a dark and dreary world. If we believe it and follow it we will be led back to him. He has not forgotten us and he continues to speak to us through revelation. We just need to listen and follow. I say these words in the name of Jesus Christ – Amen.