The Future of America - Modern Day Prophecy

I love this great nation that we live in. I can remember in first grade when I first learned about the history of America and some of it's great leaders. I was so happy to be an American. When I sang all the many patriotic songs we learned to a crowded gymnasium of proud parents, I felt something special deep within. When I read the stories of my pioneer ancestors who traveled from Europe and left behind all they had to come to America to enjoy true freedom - I feel a sense of reverence for this wonderful land and all it has blessed so many with.

My husband who is German sometimes doesn't understand why Americans are so patriotic. Germans are proud to be German but they are not as patriotic about their country as Americans are. Over the years I have tried to help him understand why this is and I think he gets it now.

This nation is a land consecrated by God to bless all who desire to worship Him freely to have a place to do so. As long as we remember Him and worship Him, He will protect this land. It is a land of refuge for the oppressed. It is a land of liberty and a land of freedom. It is a land of prosperity. It is a land that other nations have looked to for aid. This land was kept undiscovered from the rest of the world for quite a time as it was being reserved for a sacred purpose. This would be the land where the New Jerusalem would be built and where Christ would reign when he returns.

The Book of Mormon contains the records of the first people who came here seeking freedom and safety. Yes, way before the pilgrims. The Jaredite people (2200 B.C) and the Nephite people (600 B.C) who left Jerusalem and traveled across the ocean by faith, were led by God to this great land to preserve a record for our day containing instruction from the Lord to warn us and guide us in the days leading up to the Savior's return. When reflecting upon this, these scriptures comes to mind:

Ether 13:6

6 And that a New Jerusalem should be built up upon this land, unto the remnant of the seed of Joseph, for which things there has been a type.

7 For as Joseph brought his father down into the land of Egypt, even so he died there; wherefore, the Lord brought a remnant of the seed of Joseph out of the land of Jerusalem, that he might be merciful unto the seed of Joseph that they should perish not, even as he was merciful unto the father of Joseph that he should perish not.

2 Nephi 1:8

8 Wherefore, the remnant of the house of Joseph shall be built upon this land; and it shall be a land of their inheritance; and they shall build up a holy city unto the Lord, like unto the Jerusalem of old; and they shall no more be confounded, until the end come when the earth shall pass away.

2 Nephi 10:10

10 But behold, this land, said God, shall be a land of thine inheritance, and the Gentiles shall be blessed upon the land.

2 Nephi 1:19

9 Wherefore, I, Lehi, have obtained a promise, that inasmuch as those whom the Lord God shall bring out of the land of Jerusalem shall keep his commandments, they shall prosper upon the face of this land; and they shall be kept from all other nations, that they may possess this land unto themselves. And if it so be that they shall keep his commandments they shall be blessed upon the face of this land, and there shall be none to molest them, nor to take away the land of their inheritance; and they shall dwell safely forever.

Alma 46:20

20 Behold, whosoever will maintain this title upon the land, let them come forth in the strength of the Lord, and enter into a covenant that they will maintain their rights, and their religion, that the Lord God may bless them.

Ether 2:15

15 And the brother of Jared repented of the evil which he had done, and did call upon the name of the Lord for his brethren who were with him. And the Lord said unto him: I will forgive thee and thy brethren of their sins; but thou shalt not sin any more, for ye shall remember that my Spirit will not always strive with man; wherefore, if ye will sin until ye are fully ripe ye shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord. And these are my thoughts upon the land which I shall give you for your inheritance; for it shall be a land choice above all other lands.

2 Nephi 10:12

12 And I will fortify this land against all other nations.

3 Nephi 24:12

12 And all nations shall call you blessed, for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of Hosts.

Ether 1:43

43 And there will I bless thee and thy seed, and raise up unto me of thy seed, and of the seed of thy brother, and they who shall go with thee, a great nation. And there shall be none greater than the nation which I will raise up unto me of thy seed, upon all the face of the earth. And thus I will do unto thee because this long time ye have cried unto me.

This nation was founded upon principals of God. We have seen throughout history that those who have dwelled upon this land and perverted the word of God have faced and experienced destruction. God has promised us that if we serve Him, this land will be protected. If we break or promise, then He is not bound to keep His end of the deal. As we watch the slow demise of our country along with the demise of righteousness and all that was once considered good, true and sacred, it's tough to remain optimistic and often we feel beaten down, frustrated and hopeless.

After all, the prophets have promised and warned us:

Ether 2:12 12 Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ, who hath been manifested by the things which we have written.

Ether 8:22 22 And whatsoever nation shall uphold such secret combinations, to get power and gain, until they shall spread over the nation, behold, they shall be destroyed; for the Lord will not suffer that the blood of his saints, which shall be shed by them, shall always cry unto him from the ground for vengeance upon them and yet he avenge them not.

However, I think we often forget that we know the ending to this story. Christ will return to this earth. A city will be prepared where the saints will gather and where Christ will personally reign. This land will not be destroyed, it was consecrated for a sacred purpose. We have reason to be full of hope, optimistic and excited! Not only have prophets of old testified this to us as they had seen our day, but modern day prophets who have lived among us have given us direct prophecy from the Lord. They have seen what is coming and have given us great reason to be hopeful:

PRESIDENT JOSEPH SMITH

We are fast approaching that moment prophesied by Joseph Smith when he said: ‘Even this nation will be on the very verge of crumbling to pieces and tumbling to the ground, and when the Constitution is upon the brink of ruin, this people will be the staff upon which the nation shall lean, and they shall bear the Constitution away from the very verge of destruction” (Church Historian’s Office, Salt Lake City, July 19, 1840) (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, 623 - 624).

Words of James Burgess: “In the month of May 1843, several miles east of Nauvoo, the Nauvoo Legion was on parade and review, at the close of which Joseph Smith made some remarks upon our condition as a people and upon our future prospects, contrasting our present condition with our past trials and persecutions by the hands of our enemies; also upon the Constitution and government of the United States, stating that the time would come when the Constitution and government would hang by a brittle thread and would be ready to fall into other hands, but this people, the Latter-day Saints, will step forth and save it. . . .I, James Burgess, was present and testify to the above” (The Words of Joseph Smith, 279).

PRESIDENT BRUCE R. McCONKIE

“It is our firm conviction as a people that the stars and stripes will be waving triumphantly in the breeze, as a symbol of the greatness and stability of the United States of America, when the Lord comes. This nation was established to be the Lord’s base of operations in this final gospel dispensation. From it the gospel is to go to every other nation and people. The greater its influence among the nations of the world, the more rapidly the gospel spreads. But the Lord has told us that all nations, the United States included, shall cease to be when he comes” (The Millennial Messiah, 491).

PRESIDENT EZRA TAFT BENSON

“The Lord told the Prophet Joseph Smith there would be an attempt to overthrow the country by destroying the Constitution. Joseph Smith predicted that the time would come when the Constitution would hang, as it were, by a thread, and at that time ‘this people will step forth and save it from the threatened destruction’ (Journal of Discourses, 7:15). It is my conviction that the elders of Israel, widely spread over the nation, will at that crucial time successfully rally the righteous of our country and provide the necessary balance of strength to save the institutions of constitutional government” (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, 618 - 619).

PRESIDENT HAROLD B LEE

"Men may fail in this country, earthquakes may come, seas may heave beyond their bounds, there may be great drought, disaster, and hardship, but this nation, founded on principles laid down by men whom God raised up, will never fail.

This is the cradle of humanity, where life on this earth began in the Garden of Eden. This is the place of the New Jerusalem. . . . This is the place where the Savior will come to His temple.

We are living in a time of great crisis. The Country is torn with scandal and with criticism, with faultfinding and condemnation. There are those who have downgraded the image of this nation as probably never before in the history of the country.

I plead with you not to preach pessimism. Preach that this is the greatest country in all the world. . . . It is the nation that will stand despite whatever trials or crises it may yet have to pass through.

We must be on the optimistic side. This is a great nation; this is a great country; this is the most favored of all lands. While it is true that there are dangers and difficulties that lie ahead of us, we must not assume that we are going to stand by and watch the country go to ruin. We should not be heard to predict ills and calamities for the nation. On the contrary, we should be providing optimistic support for the nation.

You must remember . . . that this church is one of the most powerful agencies for the progress of the world, and we should . . . all sound with one voice. We must tell the world how we feel about this land and this nation and should bear our testimonies about the great mission and destiny that it has.

If we do this, we will help turn the tide of this great country and lessen the influence of the pessimists. We must be careful that we do not say or do anything that will further weaken the country. It is the negative, pessimistic comments about the nation that do as much harm as anything to the country today. We who carry these sacred responsibilities must preach the gospel of peace, and peace can only come by overcoming the things of the world. Now, we must be the dynamic force that will help turn the tide of fear and pessimism."

(Excerpts from a talk given at Ricks College Devotional Assembly, “Have Faith in America,” October 26, 1973, and printed in two sources: Ye Are the Light of the World: Selected Sermons and Writings of Harold B. Lee, 340, 350-351, and The Teachings of Harold B. Lee, edited by Clyde J. Williams, 365-366.)

Finally a reminder from the prophet Nephi:

2 Nephi 27:3

3 And all the nations that fight against Zion, and that distress her, shall be as a dream of a night vision; yea, it shall be unto them, even as unto a hungry man which dreameth, and behold he eateth but he awaketh and his soul is empty; or like unto a thirsty man which dreameth, and behold he drinketh but he awaketh and behold he is faint, and his soul hath appetite; yea, even so shall the multitude of all the nations be that fight against Mount Zion.

My own patriarchal blessing speaks of why I was born in this great land of America and how it will bless my life. I read it often and feel the truth of the words burn within my soul. I know that what the prophets have testified to us is true. They warned us because they love us. They were commanded to tell us these things so that we might be prepared and strengthen our faith.

As you see things happen all around you this year and in years to come, and you worry for the future of this country, remember that we have been told that this land will be not be the United States of America when the Savior returns. It will be a new land, a cleansed land.

The popular conservative American constitutionalist and author Cleon Skousen states in his book The Cleansing of America (I highly recommend this book)

"What will happen to the United States of America?

We are told that just as soon as the people adopt God's law, they will be known as 'The Kingdom of God'

Of course the original United States of America will always be remembered with affection and respect as the first free people in modern times, but in view of all the circumstances listed above, it no longer would be appropriate to speak of the United States as anything but a chapter in history.

Notice how appropriate it will be to speak of the new order of things as THE KINGDOM OF GOD. In this new, expansive name, there is no reference to any geographical area, nor will there be any implication of a chauvinistic nature suggesting either racial superiority or regional pride. On the other hand, the royal banner or title of liberty waving over the world under the insignia of the Kingdom of God will be like the Ensign spoken of by Isaiah that announces a new righteous dominion that eventual ly will spread over the entire earth.

The flag of the United States has become the symbol of liberty throughout the world. Tens of thousands gave their lives in an attempt to preserve the principles for which it stood. Because of what the original thirteen states accomplished and what the flag came to represent to the whole world, it will have acquired an eternal life.

Therefore here is what Brigham Young stated on July 8, 1855; 'When the day comes in which the Kingdom of God will bear rule, the flag of the United States will proudly flutter unsullied on the flag staff of liberty and equal rights, without a spot to sully it's fair surface; the glorious flag our fathers have bequeathed to us then will be unfurled to the breeze by those who have power to hoist it aloft and defend it's sanctity.'" (Skousen, Cleon - The Cleansing of America p. 39-40)

Good people of all faiths will unite with the saints of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in defending the constitution. They will prepare for the Savior's return. The Kingdom of God will be built and will be a kingdom of righteous people. People of MANY religions who together desire to live in peace and righteousness will unite. Christ will reign personally and it will be a wonderful time of peace and happiness!

With this knowledge we can go forward with faith that all will be well. We can trust in God that he will not abandon His children. Continue to defend the principles of God. Prepare your family. Serve and love others. Repent of all sin. Free yourself of debt and have an adequate food storage supply and you will not have anything to fear. There is a light at the end of the dark tunnel.

Next weekend we have the opportunity to hear a living prophet and apostles of the Lord speak. They will give us wise counsel and instruction. Click here to learn how to listen to this live broadcast.

I know that God lives. He loves us and He wants us to be happy and return to live with Him again. He has given us the tools to be able to do so. Scriptures, a living prophet, and so much more. I know that if we listen to and heed the words of His leaders we will be greatly blessed. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ - amen.

Prophecy of Our Day - What Nephi Knew

There are many people who often think us mormons are crazy. We are always talking about the gospel and looking for ways to share it. It's not because we are crazy, it's because we are excited! When you know something exciting that has changed your life you don't want to keep it a secret you want to tell the world. You want everyone to have the opportunity to know what you know and feel what you feel. After all, the definition of the gospel is "the good news".

So what is this good news that many men, women and children have sacrificed their lives for? It's that God lives, we are His children, and we have the opportunity to live with Him again. Families can be together forever and are essential to God's plan of happiness. The teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints focus on not just where we came from and why we are here but where we are going. That's what is so exciting!

To receive guidance for us specifically and to learn these truths is a precious gem. I absolutely love the book of 2 Nephi, especially chapter 28. As I was reading it a few weeks ago I realized how spot on this prophecy of our day is. Just about everything Nephi talks about in this chapter I can see happening all around me on a daily basis. This solidifies my testimony of the Book of Mormon and the teachings of the ancient prophets. They surely wrote this book for our day. It was not to benefit them, it was for the future generations - us! What a blessing!

With that said, this is a chapter that I can feast on for days. There is so much being said here to warn us and prepare us for what we are facing today. Satan is trying hard to destroy us and rip apart our families. This chapter was written to warn us and protect us. None of these verses should be skipped over or swept under the rug, they are all valuable for each and every one of us.

Click here to read the entire chapter otherwise, I'm just going to focus on select verses. Also, this link is to another blog that offers greater detail with more examples of this chapter and how it affects each of us. If you have time I recommend you read it.

So, Nephi has spoken of the coming forth of Book of Mormon in our day. He has already spoken of the prophet Joseph Smith who would translate the Book of Mormon and restore the gospel to the earth. He reiterates the words of Isaiah as in Isaiah chapter 29. Then, in chapter 28 verse 2 he says,

And the things which shall be written out of the book shall be of great worth unto the children of men, and especially unto our seed, which is a remnant of the house of Israel.

Yes, this is of great worth to you and I and our entire generation. Let's find out why in verses 3-6

3 For it shall come to pass in that day that the churches which are built up, and not unto the Lord, when the one shall say unto the other: Behold, I, I am the Lord’s; and the others shall say: I, I am the Lord’s; and thus shall every one say that hath built up churches, and not unto the Lord—

4 And they shall contend one with another; and their priests shall contend one with another, and they shall teach with their learning, and deny the Holy Ghost, which giveth utterance.

5 And they deny the power of God, the Holy One of Israel; and they say unto the people: Hearken unto us, and hear ye our precept; for behold there is no God today, for the Lord and the Redeemer hath done his work, and he hath given his power unto men;

6 Behold, hearken ye unto my precept; if they shall say there is a miracle wrought by the hand of the Lord, believe it not; for this day he is not a God of miracles; he hath done his work.

I have heard this many times in our day. People who deny the power of God saying that God no longer performs miracles or speaks to man. God is ALWAYS God and is the same today as he was yesterday, He will always love his children, speak to them and bless them.

He goes on to say,

7 Yea, and there shall be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die; and it shall be well with us.

8 And there shall also be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry; nevertheless, fear God—he will justify in committing a little sin; yea, lie a little, take the advantage of one because of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbor; there is no harm in this; and do all these things, for tomorrow we die; and if it so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God.

I have heard this as well. The devil is a natural at putting this idea in the minds of men. It's an easy way to justify sin and avoiding accountability for your sin to think that it's okay to do wrong because God is so merciful that He will slap your hand and then all will be well for you. We are all accountable for our actions. If our deeds be bad will be punished according to those deeds. It is better to live a good life and avoid sin as much as possible. Not only will your life be more fulfilling, you will be blessed and avoid many pains and sufferings that sin naturally causes.

Too often, people want to sin without feeling the guilt. The devil in his crafty ways will tell these individuals that in order to do this they need to deny that what they are doing is a sin. If they can convince themselves that it is not a sin, then they do not have to worry about accountability and thus feel guilt. They create their own philosophies to support their actions and desires. To make things temporarily easier, Satan tells them that if they just deny the gospel or God all together then they do not have to worry about accountability period because they do not believe. In fact, the devil is so crafty, he will convince them that even he, the father of all lies does not exist.

These people are not genuinely happy people. They will convince themselves they are happy because they feel "free" to do whatever they please without having to answer to anyone or God. However they are not free. They are bound by the devil and his awful chains of sin. They do not feel the peace that comes from living close to the Lord (true freedom). Because they are truly not at peace they continue their quest for real happiness in all the wrong places. Any mentioning of basic gospel principles, Christ or even God may send them into a bitter upheaval and they become very vocal about their anger, annoyance or disagreements. It's a downward spiral that leads to eternal pain and suffering.

In verses 15 and 16 Nephi speaks to these very individuals and warns them of what will happen. Notice the three woes. There is great significance in this number. Woe is an exclamation of grief. You can see that Nephi is very sad and trying to get our attention when he says,

15 O the wise, and the learned, and the rich, that are puffed up in the pride of their hearts, and all those who preach false doctrines, and all those who commit whoredoms, and pervert the right way of the Lord, wo, wo, wo be unto them, saith the Lord God Almighty, for they shall be thrust down to hell!

16 Wo unto them that turn aside the just for a thing of naught and revile against that which is good, and say that it is of no worth! For the day shall come that the Lord God will speedily visit the inhabitants of the earth; and in that day that they are fully ripe in iniquity they shall perish.

He offers hope when he says,

17 But behold, if the inhabitants of the earth shall repent of their wickedness and abominations they shall not be destroyed, saith the Lord of Hosts.

You don't have to settle for sin. Repent, repent, repent...trust me only good can come from it. It's not always easy but once you begin the process your life will become easier as the Lord will be able to lighten your burdens. Living life with the heavy weight of sin upon your shoulders is not a fun way to experience life on this earth. There is no joy in living when you are weighed down in pain and struggles. Hand it all over to the Lord and you will find the joy again in your life. He already suffered for you so that you don't have to. However, if you don't repent then you will have to suffer for your own sins in this life and the next. Don't allow what the Savior did for you to have been done in vain. Use his atonement. He did it for you and I because he knew we are not perfect and it was the only way we could become worthy to live with he and the Father again. Please repent.

18 But behold, that great and abominable church, the whore of all the earth, must tumble to the earth, and great must be the fall thereof.

19 For the kingdom of the devil must shake, and they which belong to it must needs be stirred up unto repentance, or the devil will grasp them with his everlasting chains, and they be stirred up to anger, and perish;

20 For behold, at that day shall he rage in the hearts of the children of men, and stir them up to anger against that which is good.

Wow! I get chills when I read this. Just look at the headlines. It doesn't take a genius to see that good has been twisted to appear bad. Not a day goes by that I read a news story and have to pinch myself in disbelief at what I am reading. We live in a day when all the principles and truths taught by the Lord Jesus Christ, himself, are being portrayed as evil and wrong. The devil is reigning in the hearts of men. They have been deceived. This is why I have felt strongly prompted by the spirit to write this blog post. It is time to take a stand for righteousness and not let Satan continue to pervert the word of God.

21 And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.

22 And behold, others he flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is none—and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance.

There can be danger in assuming that there is not much for a person to do to help build the kingdom of God. Becoming complacent and thinking that everyone around you is doing such a great job at serving their neighbor and taking care of the needy that you are not needed. It's never wise to be idle. When you have too much time on your hands you can become victim to the temptations of the adversary. Whether it be negative thoughts about another person, curious thoughts about a particular sin or anything that would pull you away from the path of happiness.

Even worse, lying to yourself that there is no Satan. When this happens you can't recognize when Satan is influencing you thus you don't think to pray and ask for the power of God to deliver you from his grasp. If you don't believe in Satan then you most likely don't believe in God. At this point you assume you are on your own. Not true! There is no gray area or middle ground. If you are not serving the Lord, you are serving someone else - without realizing it. As soon as Satan sees an open door - he'll take it. When you don't believe in him, it's even better for him - because you are not going to recognize his power over you and you are certainly not going to pray for help from above. You are all his.

23 Yea, they are grasped with death, and hell; and death, and hell, and the devil, and all that have been seized therewith must stand before the throne of God, and be judged according to their works, from whence they must go into the place prepared for them, even a lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment.

24 Therefore, wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion!

25 Wo be unto him that crieth: All is well!

26 Yea, wo be unto him that hearkeneth unto the precepts of men, and denieth the power of God, and the gift of the Holy Ghost!

Again, I see people being more and more persuaded by pop culture, hollywood and politics as to what is morally right and wrong. People are more concerned about what other people are going to think about them and if they are going to be accepted rather than what God thinks. To them it's not worth risking a job opportunity or their reputation so they would prefer not to be associated with defending Christian values and principles. It's more difficult to be the unpopular person and stand up for the Lord but when this short life is over in the blink of an eye and you stand before God to be judged, you'll be glad you did the unpopular thing.

27 Yea, wo be unto him that saith: We have received, and we need no more!

28 And in fine, wo unto all those who tremble, and are angry because of the truth of God! For behold, he that is built upon the rock receiveth it with gladness; and he that is built upon a sandy foundation trembleth lest he shall fall.

29 Wo be unto him that shall say: We have received the word of God, and we need no more of the word of God, for we have enough!

I hear this often. In fact, usually it's what people will say to disprove the Book of Mormon. God always speaks to His children. He loves us all and He wants guide us back to Him. We need instruction for our day. Every generation experiences different issues and they need current instruction from God to guide them. That's why we have a living prophet who gives us counsel and modern day scripture from the Lord. He receives revelation for our day.

God did not stop speaking to His children after the apostles of the New Testament died. Prophets are not a thing of the past. He continues speaking today through a living prophet. Thomas S. Monsen is not just a prophet for Latter Day Saints to follow - he is the one true living prophet on the Earth today for all who desire to follow.

30 For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have.

If you are searching for truth you will find it. The Lord guides those who have an open heart, to the truth. For those who are not looking, they will not find. When you are ready to find it, He will deliver it to you in bits and pieces. When you understand and accept the small truths He will then bless you with more. For example, someone who does not understand simple gospel principles such as prayer or the law of tithing will not be ready to understand or accept the purpose of the temple and covenants made there. It would be easier for them to deny the importance of such ordinances if they don't have a testimony of eternal life and the plan of salvation. Line upon line, precept upon precept.

31 Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man, or maketh flesh his arm, or shall hearken unto the precepts of men, save their precepts shall be given by the power of the Holy Ghost.

32 Wo be unto the Gentiles, saith the Lord God of Hosts! For notwithstanding I shall lengthen out mine arm unto them from day to day, they will deny me; nevertheless, I will be merciful unto them, saith the Lord God, if they will repent and come unto me; for mine arm is lengthened out all the day long, saith the Lord God of Hosts.

The purpose of this blog post is to bring light to the realization that we are all children of God. Don't let pride stop you from feeling peace and comfort that the spirit brings. You are important to God. He loves you. If you are unhappy, angry, bitter, sad, confused or afflicted in any way - the Lord is there for you with open arms. You can choose to go to him or turn your back. Either way, he will remain there with his arm reached out to you. When we feel distant from the Lord it is because we moved, not him.

Following the Lord does not mean that your life will be free of struggles or pain - that is necessary for our own personal growth here on Earth. Following the Lord does mean you will be blessed with extra strength to lighten your burdens. You will go through trials regardless of whether or not you follow the Lord. You have the choice to go through them alone or with the help of God. The times that we live in are scary, uncertain and unstable. Why not immerse yourself in something that is constant, stable, certain and unwavering - the word of God.

I can't imagine how my life would be if I chose to go through my trials and and challenges in this difficult world - alone. How miserable that would be. I choose to lean on the shoulder of the Lord. In doing so I have found forgiveness, hope, happiness and unconditional love. It has been a strength in my life and has given me courage to stand up for what I believe in a world of adversity. It has made me strong. There is nothing that could destroy my testimony of what I know to be true. It is this foundation in the gospel of Jesus Christ that keeps my feet on solid ground amidst the storm that is blowing all around us. It's a storm of darkness and chaos but the gospel is my anchor and my light.

I know this to be true. God lives. Jesus lives and heads his church here on the earth. The Lord speaks through a living prophet. The gospel has been restored to this earth and this has been testified to us through the words of prophets of old. The Book of Mormon is a true book, written for our time and translated by the prophet Joseph Smith. The words in this book are true and of God. If we read them and follow them we will not lose our way in this dark world of confusion. We will find happiness, peace and safety. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ amen.