My Talk on Storms and Faith

Yesterday, I had the privilege of speaking in sacrament meeting. It was our first time back since March, when life had drastically changed. We were in the later session with families named I-Z. I had never seen the chapel so sparse of people, but it felt more intimate for sure. It was very quiet and had a noticeable reverence. There were about fourteen families in attendance and only five of those families (including mine) had kids. The other families were couples or single individuals all spread out. The first six pews were empty, as people preferred to sit in the back of the chapel.

Prior to speaking, the bishop greeted me and told me that there was no time constraint. There was no pressure to fill time, nor was there a problem if I were to go over the ten minute allotted speaking time. I said to him, "I really like that!" and he responded, "We do too." With no pressure either way, it felt as though the spirit could really flow, and it did!

After the bishop announced that I would be speaking, he said we would close with the hymn, "True to Faith". My heart lit up. I had planned to read the lyrics to "True to the Faith " in my talk as I had felt inspired to the night before. The Lord is amazing!

I ended up speaking for about fifteen minutes, and after the meeting had ended, some of my friends and neighbors asked me if they could have a copy of my talk. I didn't feel I had anything adequate to share, I had given my talk from a paper filled with bullet points and quotes. So, today I took the time to type up what I shared in yesterday's sacrament meeting, as well as the parts I skipped over. Here it is.

I was asked to speak about the fruits of our faith, and finding refuge from life’s storms. It felt very fitting with the Come Follow Me lesson from this last week as well as everything going on in the world right now. As I pondered this topic, three things came to mind;

First, there have been a lot of storms since now and last March, when life drastically changed for everyone.

Second, during this time, I have come to know of many people who have suddenly taken their life. Enough to count on two hands.

Third, in the last seven days, I’ve witnessed two friends renounce their faith and walk away from the gospel. As far as I'm concerned, that’s two people too many.

During these hard times, I’ve seen many friends and family struggle, as I am sure many of us have. I’ve also noticed that those who don’t believe in God, or have abandoned Him, seem to struggle the most. They struggle because they try to face the storms on their own. Alone.

Storms will do one of two things; they will either make our testimony, or break it.  It all depends upon our faith. We have been reading about faith in Alma this last week in Come Follow Me, and I have been reflecting on this topic all week. I'd like to share with you one of the storms that our family has been dealing with.

Earlier this year, prior to COVID, we decided to get a dog. We bought an English Labrador Retriever puppy who we named "Ace". He has been so good for our kids, especially during these crazy times. Yes, he has been our greatest joy and also our greatest trial.

Last week he injured his foot and it has required 24/7 care. Just when the wound starts healing he manages to reopen it and he leaves a trail of bloody paw prints through the house. This trial has been exhausting, and there have been days when every one of us has said, "I'm done. I give up. I can't do this anymore." It has definitely been hard.

The other day I decided to make a list of all of the difficult feelings I have felt during these last few months. I have felt;

• Uncertain
• Alone
• Uneasy
• Anxious
• Frustrated
• Cluster phobic
• Defeated
• Annoyed
• Disappointed
• Exhausted

Which have led to me feeling, Humbled.

Because of this, I am grateful for life's storms and challenges. You see, they make us even more dependent upon the lord. They humble us. And as Alma taught, humility softens our heart. When our heart is soft, seeds of faith can be planted.

Often when I think of faith, I think of my pioneer ancestors. This week we'll be celebrating Pioneer Day. Again, the timing of this topic couldn't have been more perfect.

I have a wonderful heritage of pioneer ancestors who immigrated from Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Germany, England, and Ireland. Some of them sacrificed everything for the gospel and to come to America. Others were so poor that they didn't have much to give up, the gospel is what gave them hope and something to live for. My ancestors experienced many trials on their journey to America, including being disowned by family, kidnapped by Indians, robbed of all possessions and family heirlooms, attacked by mobs and persecuted for their beliefs, betrayed by friends, afflicted with sickness, and experiencing the sudden and unexpected deaths of parents, spouses, and young children.

One of these ancestors, my Great, Great, Great, Great, Grandmother Elizabeth Mills Oakden Whitaker (whose home is a museum in Centerville) shared in her biography some reflection on her own storms and the storms of the Saints.

While reflecting on the martyrdom of the prophet Joseph and his brother Hyrum she said,

“This scene occurred in America. ‘the land of the free, and the home of the brave,’ to which our ancestors fled for religious freedom, where the dear old flag yet waves.

Oh the things I have seen in my life! I saw the Nauvoo temple burn. What a terrible thing that was. All that beautiful work. The terrible sacrifices the Saints made to build it and all gone up in smoke. We all wept. Even the little children. I was little then too, but I cried as if my heart would break. 

I remember taking my father’s lunch to him when he worked on it when it was being built, and the Prophet holding me on his knee, stroking my hair. I remember his strong, beautiful face, his deep powerful voice, mellowed with a gentle kindness impossible to describe. Then, he was dead, the beautiful temple destroyed. What next? But behind the anguish and despair, there was no thought of giving up among those faithful saints, just the pain of witnessing the cruel destruction of that sacred structure that tore at our hearts. We all knew we would go on an endure to the end.”

Just the other day I heard someone say, “I didn’t come this far in life to give up now”. I imagine the pioneers saying that as they faced obstacle after obstacle on their journey to Zion. “I didn’t come this far, all this way, to give up now”. Their sacrifices have built my own faith. What they gave up so that I could have the gospel means more to me than they probably ever knew. No, I don’t want their sacrifices to be in vain. I am a fruit of their faith. We are a fruit of their faith. Our children are the fruit of our faith. The gathering of Israel taking place right now on both sides of the veil, is the fruit of someone’s faith.

So, what is it that helped their faith endure? Elder Ricardo P. Giménez of the Seventy said in his talk, “Finding Refuge from the Storms of Life”,

"As I have seen the storms that affect people’s lives, I have concluded that no matter what kind of storm is battering us—regardless of whether there is a solution to it or whether there is an end in sight—there is only one refuge, and it is the same for all types of storms. This single refuge provided by our Heavenly Father is our Lord Jesus Christ and His Atonement.

I am reminded of Helaman 5:12  -

 Remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

All week long, the hymn "True to the Faith" has come into my mind, especially the second verse and the chorus;

While we know the pow’rs of darkness
Seek to thwart the work of God,
Shall the children of the promise
Cease to grasp the iron rod? No!

True to the faith that our parents have cherished,
True to the truth for which martyrs have perished,
To God’s command, Soul, heart, and hand,
Faithful and true we will ever stand.


I've been reading President Nelson's biography, and last week I read an experience he shared that goes along with faith. He shared how he had taken his family on a rafting trip down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. They encountered some rapids and a drop in the river which catapulted President Nelson from the raft. For a while he was trapped under the raft and thought that he just might drown. Eventually his family spotted him and pulled him up to safety.

They pulled off to the side for a break and when it was time to head back down the river President Nelson counseled his family, “No matter what happens, the rubber raft will remain on top of the water. If we cling with all our might to the ropes secured to the raft, we can make it. Even if the raft should capsize, we will be all right if we hang tightly to the ropes.”

Forty years later reflecting on this experience he said, “If anything good came from that experience, it was a powerful lesson for me. We are all, metaphorically speaking, on a rafting trip through life. Some of the trip is beautiful and peaceful, but at some point we all hit rapids. As we face the churning challenges of our lives, the greatest, and only real safety comes, as we hold on to the raft, which is the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Clinging to others can help as we minister to each other, but not if it means letting go of the raft."

What wise counsel from our prophet! I imagine the raft also being the iron rod, and I like to imagine that when we hold to the iron rod we are holding the Savior's hand. We should never let go.

The storms in life are inevitable, and in the year 2020 we have definitely hit the rapids. Now, we can face these storms and rapids alone, or with the Lord. So my question is, WHY DO IT ALONE?

When we hold to the rod (the Lord's hand), and stay on the covenant path, we have his power to help us. Power from our covenants.

Sheri Dew said in a 2003 devotional, “You were recommended to help run the last leg of the relay that began with Adam and Eve because your premortal spiritual valor indicated you would have the courage and the determination to face the world at its worst, to do combat with the evil one during his heyday, and, in spite of it all, to be fearless in building the kingdom of God.

You simply must understand this, because you were born to lead by virtue of who you are, the covenants you have made, and the fact that you are here now in the 11th hour.”

Let’s not forget that. I believe this speaks for all of us.

Truly, I am so grateful for life's storms. Yes, I'm grateful for 2020, because without trials we wouldn’t know the miracles. As I look back on my life, my greatest miracles came from my greatest trials. I’ve come to learn that it’s not the trial itself that grows our faith, it’s the miracles which are the fruits. If 2020 has shown us some pretty wild storms, we can expect that some pretty incredible miracles await on the horizon.

Back to the feelings that I listed above; our Savior experienced them all in the garden. He sacrificed and suffered, so that I don’t have to. I don’t want to take that for granted. I know that as we verbally hand over our pain and suffering to the Lord, he will gladly take it. He wants to lighten our burdens.
That’s how we’ll be able to endure until He returns.

I say this in Jesus' name amen.

Some Church History - I Learned Something New!

I discovered this podcast/youtube channel and it's so fascinating! I love history, especially church history. I learn something new every time.

This caught my attention as we are now in a repeat of civil rights issues and it's an election year.

Prepare Against the Day of Tribulation!

I recently came across this section in a student manual that I think every church member needs to read! In this day that we live in where so many Church members are straying off the path and following on a whim whomever is teaching philosophies that satisfy their itching ears, it's important to understand and remember our doctrine on preparing for the Day of Tribulation. 

Every week, I continue to see people on facebook announce that they are leaving the Church or are pretty darn close. I also am aware of many people who are staying in the Church, but on the down low, they are attending other meetings and groups that teach "secret knowledge" or things contrary to our doctrine and are not even essential to our salvation. They are wasting hours upon hours learning philosophies and "theories" that are in no way benefiting their preparation for Lord's return. The knowledge and practices they are learning are causing many to divorce their spouses and remove their temple garments. Many are being taught that they have "graduated" from the Church and are moving on to a higher plane. Others are being told that they lived former lives on this earth or on other planets as important people from history and the scriptures, and that they have been married to other people. Some are told that they are special archangels who aren't here right now because they needed a body or needed to be tested but that they are here on a special mission from God. And the false teachings go on and on. 

This week in "Come Follow Me", we are learning about an anti-Christ names Korihor. He too, taught many false teachings that were contrary to the gospel of Jesus Christ and the doctrine, which resulted in the apostasy of quite a few members of the Church. Today, we are seeing many, many modern-day Korihor's doing the same. And isn't it interesting in the case of so many of these well known members and groups who have been excommunicated in our day, that there is this common pattern or theme of breaking commandments in their apostasy process. Adultery, murder, bearing false witness; just to name a few. How are they falling so far from the path?

Let's take a look at this student manual of section 29 in the Doctrine and Covenants that shares some vital information that I believe so many have not learned or have forgotten. Here we go! 

Even As a Hen Gathereth Her Chickens

“Even as a hen gathereth her chickens",  this expression is used three times in the Doctrine and Covenants (D&C 10:65; 29:2 and 43:24) It evokes the vivid picture of a mother hen who, when danger appears to threaten her chicks, raises her wings and clucks excitedly. The chicks, although they may be scattered over the barnyard, instantly obey that call and scurry under the protection of her wings.

In this passage the Lord describes those who will come to him for protection as having three characteristics:

(1) they hearken to his voice
(2) they humble themselves, and
(3) they call upon him in mighty prayer. 

The Jewish nation and the Nephite people in America refused to heed that call and meet those conditions, and as a result they suffered great tragedy and destruction. 

Who Are the “Elect”?

“The elect of God comprise a very select group, an inner circle of faithful members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They are the portion of church members who are striving with all their hearts to keep the fulness of the gospel law in this life so that they can become inheritors of the fulness of gospel rewards in the life to come.” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 217.)

These are not former members of the Church, or members who have strayed and no longer keep their covenants nor have a current temple recommend. These are garment wearing, covenant keeping, temple attending, tithe paying, members who are holding tight to the iron rod. They look to the modern day prophet, President Nelson and follow his counsel. 

Elder George Q. Cannon explained: “Where people are pure and chaste in their thoughts and actions, the Spirit of God has such power with them that they readily perceive and comprehend the truth. It is by this means that the best among the children of God are being gathered out from the various nations. Truth cleaves to truth, light to light and purity to purity. The gospel gathers with its influence those who love its principles; and if any should be gathered in who cannot abide its requirements, they pass off and mingle with the elements that are congenial to the spirit they possess.” (“The Sin of Adultery and Its Consequences,” Millennial Star, 14 Mar. 1863, p. 169.)

They Shall Be Gathered into One Place

Elder Harold B. Lee explained:

“The spirit of gathering has been with the Church from the days of that restoration. Those who are of the blood of Israel, have a righteous desire after they are baptized, to gather together with the body of the Saints at the designated place. …

“… The Lord has placed the responsibility for directing the work of gathering in the hands of the leaders of the Church to whom he will reveal his will where and when such gatherings would take place in the future. It would be well—before the frightening events concerning the fulfillment of all God’s promises and predictions are upon us, that the Saints in every land prepare themselves and look forward to the instruction that shall come to them from the First Presidency of this Church as to where they shall be gathered and not be disturbed in their feelings until such instruction is given to them as it is revealed by the Lord to the proper authority.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1948, p. 55.)

Yes, the Lord has prepared gathering places for his saints, upon every land. Direction will come from the First Presidency of the Church where every ward and stake is to gather. It will be revealed by the proper authority, not from your neighbor down the street who heard from his brother's co-worker who read a book and has a feeling that a certain small town is where everyone must go in order to be protected from the coming catastrophes. If you feel that where you are right now is where the Lord truly wants you to be, and you didn't make that decision based on fear (or again your neighbor down the street who heard from his brother's co-worker who read a book and has a feeling), or because you are aware of a group of people who are all making the move to a certain town or part of the country and you didn't want to be left behind; then you can have peace of mind. 

What Is the Purpose of the Gathering?

The Prophet Joseph Smith answered this question when he wrote:

“The main object [of gathering] was to build unto the Lord a house whereby He could reveal unto His people the ordinances of His house and the glories of His kingdom, and teach the people the way of salvation; for there are certain ordinances and principles that, when they are taught and practiced, must be done in a place or house built for that purpose.

“It was the design of the councils of heaven before the world was, that the principles and laws of the priesthood should be predicated upon the gathering of the people in every age of the world. …

“It is for the same purpose that God gathers together His people in the last days, to build unto the Lord a house to prepare them for the ordinances and endowments, washings and anointings, etc.” (History of the Church, 5:423–24.)

I live in an area of Davis county Utah, where many who live by fear and have "read books" have asked me, "why have you not moved yet? According to the dreams and visions of others, you live in a very unsafe place that is a target for destruction. If you stay, you will die." To this I always respond, "I am exactly where the Lord wants me to be. Because of that I have peace." I have found it interesting that as time goes on, the Lord has begun to build temples in this "dangerous area" where I live. Clearly this a place, an area, where He has gathered Saints, to continue His work. Two new temples within 15 minutes of each other; about equal distance both ways from my house. 

The Wicked Shall Be Burned As Stubble

Christ is a glorified, celestial being, and the glory of such beings is comparable to that of the sun (see D&C 76:70). The presence of Christ when He comes in His glory will be as a consuming fire. The mountains will flow down at His presence, the elements will melt with fervent heat, and the waters will boil. Even the sun will hide its face in shame. (See Hebrews 12:29; D&C 133:40–44, 49.) The scriptures also talk about the time when “devouring fire” will be poured out upon the wicked.

The Hour is Nigh

“The world is rapidly coming to its end, that is, the end of the days of wickedness. When it is fully ripe in iniquity the Lord will come in the clouds of heaven to take vengeance on the ungodly, for his wrath is kindled against them. Do not think that he delayeth his coming. Many of the signs of his coming have been given, so we may, if we will, know that the day is even now at our doors.


“… The day of the coming of the Lord is near. I do not know when. … I sincerely believe it will come in the very day when some of us who are here today [5 April 1936] will be living upon the face of the earth. That day is close at hand. It behooves us as Latter-day Saints to set our houses in order, to keep the commandments of God, to turn from evil to righteousness, if it is necessary, and serve the Lord in humility and faith and prayer.” (Doctrines of Salvation, 3:2–3.)

I Will Take Vengeance upon the Wicked, for They Will Not Repent

Elder Bruce R. McConkie said: 

“Those with refined senses find it difficult to conceive of the desolation, destruction, and death that will prevail during the final great battles ushering in Christ’s reign of peace. So great shall be the slaughter and mass murder, the carnage and gore, the butchery and violent death of warring men, that their decaying bodies ‘shall stop the noses of the passengers,’ and it shall be a task of mammoth proportions merely to dispose of them. Then shall Ezekiel’s prophecy be fulfilled that every feathered fowl and every beast of the field shall assemble to ‘eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth.’ (Ezek. 39.) And then shall the cry go forth of which John wrote: ‘Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.’ (Rev. 19:17–18.) That all this is an actual, literal supper, an horrible but real event yet to be, has been specifically confirmed in latter-day revelation. (D. & C. 29:18–21.)” (Mormon Doctrine, p. 772.)

The figure of a cup full of indignation (see D&C 29:17) suggests that the Lord will no longer forbear taking vengeance on the wicked who will not repent. Just as there is a limit to the amount a cup can hold, so there is a limit to the amount of patience the Lord will show towards those who perform wicked acts. To restrain Himself longer would be a disservice to mankind for whom He has offered Himself as Savior. Since the blood of His Atonement will not cleanse those who do not repent, pestilence, famine, plague, and destruction are the tools He uses to reclaim those who are past feeling and will not hearken to the still, small voice (see 1 Nephi 17:45; D&C 43:20–27). These terrible judgments are the natural result of man’s wickedness. God’s plea is for people to turn from such wickedness and be spared these awful consequences of sin.

Will This Earth Be Destroyed and a New One Created?

President Joseph Fielding Smith explained that this passage “does not mean that this earth shall pass away and another take its place, and the heaven thereof shall pass away, and another heaven take its place, but that the earth and its heaven shall, after passing away through death, be renewed again in immortality. This earth is living and must die, but since it keeps the law it shall be restored through the resurrection by which it shall become celestialized and the abode of celestial beings. The next verse of this revelation explains this as follows: [D&C 29:24–25].


“So we see that the Lord intends to save, not only the earth and the heavens, not only man who dwells upon the earth, but all things which he has created. The animals, the fishes of the sea, the fowls of the air, as well as man, are to be re-created, or renewed, through the resurrection, for they too are living souls.” (In Conference Report, Oct. 1928, pp. 99–100; see also D&C 88:17–19, 25–26.)

Yes, every living creature that has a soul will be resurrected! 

All Things unto Me Are Spiritual

“Man makes a distinction between temporal and spiritual laws, and some are very much concerned about keeping the two separate. To the Lord everything is both spiritual and temporal, and the laws He gives are consequently spiritual, because they concern spiritual beings. When He commanded Adam to eat bread in the sweat of his brow, or Moses to strike the rock that the people might drink, or the Prophet Joseph to erect the Nauvoo House, or the Saints in Utah to build fences and roads, such laws were for their spiritual welfare, as well as physical. To obey such laws, when given, is a spiritual duty. One who performs his daily labor ‘as to the Lord, and not to men’ (Eph. 6:7) derives spiritual benefit from whatever his duties are.” (Smith and Sjodahl, Commentary, p. 156.)

Is Jesus Also Our Father? 

“Adam … Whom I Created” -  this revelation came from Christ (D&C 29:1), some may feel that this verse teaches that Adam was the offspring of Christ. In reality Adam and all the earth’s inhabitants are the offspring of God the Father. In this case Christ is speaking for the Father by a principle called “divine investiture of authority,” as Elder Bruce R. McConkie explained:

“Since he [Christ] is one with the Father in all of the attributes of perfection, and since he exercises the power and authority of the Father, it follows that everything he says or does is and would be exactly and precisely what the Father would say and do under the same circumstances.


“Accordingly, the Father puts his own name on the Son and authorizes him to speak in the first person as though he were the Father. … Thus it is that our Lord can begin a revelation by saying, ‘Listen to the voice of Jesus Christ,’ and shortly thereafter speak of ‘mine Only Begotten’ (D. & C. 29:1, 41–46), such latter expression being made by Christ, but under that divine investiture of authority which permits him to speak as though he were the Father. (D. & C. 93:3–5; Mosiah 15:1–5.)” (Mormon Doctrine, p. 130; also “The Father and the Son: A Doctrinal Exposition by the First Presidency,” in Talmage, Articles of Faith, pp. 465–73.)

So no. Jesus is not our father. He is our Father's son. He is our brother and our Savior. The Father speaks through him almost like an intercom or microphone. 

This lesson covers much more on this topic. I only shared bits and pieces. To read the entire manual lesson, click here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/manual/doctrine-and-covenants-student-manual/section-29-prepare-against-the-day-of-tribulation?lang=eng&clang=ase

It's my prayer that many who have explored these other paths will feel a jolt of truth from what I've shared, and they will have a change of heart and turn back to the path. Yes, it's my prayer that any of us who have allowed ourselves to be distracted and follow the carrot away from the iron rod, that we will repent and commit ourselves 100% to the covenants we have made endure to the end. Time is so short, and every distraction is a thief to that precious time. May we do better, in Jesus' name amen. ❤️

The Day of Distraction!

I think I discovered the very bottom of the rabbit hole; at least the main influencer. Plus more on religious freedom slowly being taken away.

"Civil Rights" - Not What You Think?

Last week I had a dream that President Ezra Taft Benson was visiting my city here in Layton. He was standing inside of a building overseeing all the people coming in and out. I’m not sure what kind of a building it was because I wasn’t shown the outside, just the lobby. I was one of the many people coming in and out through the glass doors, going about like busy ants. President Benson was commending us for our work on making final preparations before the Lord returns. He had an assignment of sorts to oversee all that we were doing and to give us counsel as we rushed to get things done. I recognized other people coming and going who also live here in Layton. Because we were in a building, I believe that symbolizes “building” the Kingdom. We knew we had just a few more minutes to wrap up our work before the Lord would arrive. 

President Benson passed away in 1994, but in my dream, it was 2020 and he was sent on assignment to oversee the work that was being done. President Benson who was the prophet during my youth, was known for his strong and vocal stance against socialism, Marxism, and communism as well as sounding the alarm on conspiracy truth. President Benson had good reason to do so, because of his political background he was well educated on the workings inside our nation. Also, as one of the Lord’s Twelve Apostles, he was an advocate for the voice of the Lord; later becoming ordained as the 13th President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. President Benson served two terms under U.S. president Dwight D. Eisenhower as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, while being member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. In 1968 the John Birch Society made an effort to nominate Benson as a presidential candidate to which he declined, and he was also invited to run as Vice President to a Democrat nominee, to which he also declined. 

Since having this dream, I’ve seen President Benson’s words and talks popping up all over the place. Last weekend, this particular talk stood out to me. President Benson gave this address in 1967. During this time in American history, dangerous left political groups such as the Ku Klux Klan attacked both black and white Republicans who were for civil rights (1). It was during this time that Christian minister, Dr. Martin Luther King led the movement for civil rights in a divided part of the country where blue southern-state Democrat governors, were fighting to keep segregation. Six months later during the week of the next general conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and a U.S. presidential election year, Dr. King would be assassinated. 

The 1968 election year was tumultuous; it was marked by the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. and subsequent riots across the nation, the assassination of Bobby Kennedy, and widespread opposition to the Vietnam War across university campuses. 

Though President Benson was speaking about the current issues of 1967, it is clearly a voice from the past speaking to us in our day. Just like the election year of 1968, we have seen the division of left and right intensify and we have heard the same shout of “racism” and “protesting for justice” spike across our nation every four years – always during an election year. Fifty-three years ago, President Benson shed light on this matter. Here are some excerpts from his 1967 conference address.

“Prophesying of our day, Nephi said, ‘. . . they have all gone astray save it be a few, who are the humble followers of Christ; nevertheless, they are led, that in many instances they do err because they are taught by the precepts of men.’ (2 Ne. 28:14.)”

“…it is the precepts of men versus the principles of God. The more we follow the word of God, the less we are deceived, while those who follow the wisdom of men are deceived the most.”

“The world largely ignores the first and great commandment—to love God—but talks a lot about loving their brother. They worship at the altar of man. Would Nephi have slain Laban if he had put the love of neighbor above the love of God? Would Abraham have taken Isaac up for a sacrifice if he had put the second commandment first?”

“That's why the Church, under the inspiration of the Lord, encourages its members to first look to themselves, then their family, then the Church and if need be to other voluntary agencies to help solve the problems of poverty, unemployment, hunger, sickness, and distress. Those who are not moved by that same inspiration turn instead to government. Such man-made course of action does little good compared to the Lord's approach and often results in doing great harm to our Father's children, even though the intentions may seem to have been noble.”

“Therefore, if you desire to help your fellowmen the most, then you must put the first commandment first.”

“…the same masters of deceit are showing the same false solicitude for the unfortunate in the name of civil rights. Now there is nothing wrong with civil rights; it is what's being done in the name of civil rights that is alarming.”

“As far back as 1928, the Communists declared that the cultural, economic, and social differences between the races in America could be exploited by them to create the animosity, fear, and hatred between large segments of our people that would be necessary beginning ingredients for their revolution. Three-fold attack. Briefly, the three broad objectives were and are as follows: 1) Create hatred, 2) Trigger violence, 3) Overthrow established government”

“First, create hatred. Use any means to agitate blacks into hating whites and whites into hating blacks. Work both sides of the split. Play up and exaggerate real grievances. If necessary, don't hesitate to manufacture false stories and rumors about injustices and brutality. Create martyrs for both sides. Play upon mass emotions until they smolder with resentment and hatred.”

“Second, trigger violence. Put the emotional masses into the streets in the form of large mobs, the larger the better. It makes no difference if the mob is told to demonstrate ‘peacefully’ so long as it is brought into direct confrontation with the antagonist. Merely bringing the two emotionally charged groups together is like mixing oxygen and hydrogen. All that is needed is one tiny spark. If the spark is not forthcoming from purely spontaneous causes, create it.”

“Third, overthrow established government. Once mob violence becomes widespread and commonplace, condition those who are emotionally involved to accept violence as the only way to "settle the score" once and for all. Provide leadership and training for guerilla warfare. Institute discipline and terrorism to insure at least passive support from the larger, inactive segment of the population. Train and battle-harden leadership through sporadic riots and battles with police. Finally, at the appointed time, launch an all-out simultaneous offensive in every major city.”

“This plan is as follows: Using unidentified Communist agents and non-Communist sympathizers in key positions in government, in communications media, and in mass organizations, such as labor unions and civil rights groups, demand more and more government power as the solution to all civil rights problems.Total government is the objective of Communism.”

“Without calling it by name, build Communism piece by piece through mass pressures for presidential decrees, court orders, and legislation that appear to be aimed at improving civil rights and other social reforms. If there is social, economic, or educational discrimination, then advocate more government programs and control.”

“And what if riots come? Then more government housing, government welfare, government job training, and, finally, federal control over police. Thus, the essential economic and political structure of Communism can be built entirely "legally" and in apparent response to the wishes of the people who have clamored for some kind of solution to the problems played-up, aggravated, or created outright by Communists for just that purpose.”

“After the machinery of Communism is firmly established, then allow the hidden Communists one by one to make their identities known. Liquidate first the anti-Communists and then the non- Communist sympathizers who are no longer needed in government. The total state mechanism can now openly and "peacefully" be transferred into the hands of Communists. Such is the so-called proletarian revolution. Such has happened in other, once free, countries. It has already started here.”

“We must support our local police in their difficult task of keeping law and order in these trying times. Police should not be encumbered by civilian review boards or asked to be social workers. They have their hands full just trying to keep the peace. Recent soft-on-crime decisions of the Supreme Court, which hamper the police in protecting the innocent and bringing the criminal to justice, should be reversed. Persistent cries of "police brutality" should be recognized for what they are—attempts to discredit our police and discourage them from doing their job to the best of their ability.”

“Salaries should be adequate to hold on to and attract the very finest men available for police work. But, in questions of money, great care should be taken not to accept grants from the federal government. Along with federal money, inevitably there will come federal controls and guidelines that not only may get local police embroiled in national politics but may even lead to the eventual creation of a national police force. Every despotism requires a national police force to hold the people in line. Communism is no exception. Our local police should remain free from federal control.”

“The solution to most, if not all, of the current problems involving civil rights is less government, not more.”

“individual citizens must stand up and assume more than their share of the responsibility. The speaker's platform, hand distribution of literature, study clubs, home discussions—all must be pressed into service.”

“The success or failure of Americans of all races to meet this challenge may well determine the fate of our country. If we fail, we will all lose our civil rights, black man and white man together, for we will live under perfect Communist equality—the equality of slaves.”

“As President McKay has stated, ‘The position of this Church on the subject of Communism has never changed. We consider it the greatest satanical threat to peace, prosperity, and the spread of God's work among men that exists on the face of the earth.’”

“He has also counseled that ‘next to being one in worshiping God, there is nothing in this world upon which this Church should be more united than in upholding and defending the Constitution of the United States’”.

“May we unite behind the Prophet in opposing the Communist conspiracy and preserving our freedom and our divine constitution, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.” (2)

Though President Benson clearly saw the civil rights movement as a sheep's costume cloaking a ravenous wolf, in other words something seemingly good being manipulated and used for a dark agenda, his counselor in the First Presidency, Gordon B. Hinckley (who later became 15th president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), worked to make peace with the NAACP and helped name a state holiday in Utah after Dr. Martin Luther King.  

And just this month, President Russell M. Nelson joined NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson, Leon Russell, NAACP chairman of the board, and The Rev. Amos C. Brown, NAACP chairman emeritus of religious affairs, in a joint op-ed posted on Medium early Monday under the title "Locking arms for racial harmony in America."

It's so important that we stand up to injustice when we see it happen. We are all God's children and we must protect our brothers and sisters of all races, ethnicities, backgrounds, genders, and faiths. At the same time while doing so, we must all use our best judgment in discerning groups and movements promoting these causes, as to who are the sheep and who are the wolves dressed as sheep. We can support a principle without having to join an organization or group. Rather than basing our decisions on whether or not we will be liked or unpopular, we should be basing our decisions on truth, led by the Spirit, and supported by the word of God. We must always stand up for God and defend His laws. Let us put the Lord first in all that we do, and He will support us in our efforts to love and protect our fellow man. Let us defend His laws over the precepts of men. ❤️

References:

(1) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_rights_movement
(2) - https://sites.google.com/site/heavenlybanner/crtool?fbclid=IwAR0V-LPyBFuRV06pXp3TsgKs4bGUBnkEF-dRhoQNwaMANNGX_IRkJRcZIfk

Coming into the Promised Land!

Let's compare what's going on here in America with the Passover, Exodus, and entry into the Promised Land. Also there's a Noah comparison to be talked about. Things are bad, and will get worse before the Savior comes, but the good news is that he is coming and things will get better!

Archbishop's Powerful Letter to President Trump!

Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò warns the president that the current crises over the coronavirus pandemic and the George Floyd riots are a part of the eternal spiritual struggle between the forces of good and evil. It appears that this crisis is even causing division within the Catholic church, and other churches for that matter. 

This paragraph in his letter to the president was the most profound:

"And it is disconcerting that there are Bishops – such as those whom I recently denounced – who, by their words, prove that they are aligned on the opposing side. They are subservient to the deep state, to globalism, to aligned thought, to the New World Order which they invoke ever more frequently in the name of a universal brotherhood which has nothing Christian about it, but which evokes the Masonic ideals of those want to dominate the world by driving God out of the courts, out of schools, out of families, and perhaps even out of churches."


Mr. President,

            In recent months we have been witnessing the formation of two opposing sides that I would call Biblical: the children of light and the children of darkness. The children of light constitute the most conspicuous part of humanity, while the children of darkness represent an absolute minority. And yet the former are the object of a sort of discrimination which places them in a situation of moral inferiority with respect to their adversaries, who often hold strategic positions in government, in politics, in the economy and in the media. In an apparently inexplicable way, the good are held hostage by the wicked and by those who help them either out of self-interest or fearfulness.

            These two sides, which have a Biblical nature, follow the clear separation between the offspring of the Woman and the offspring of the Serpent. On the one hand there are those who, although they have a thousand defects and weaknesses, are motivated by the desire to do good, to be honest, to raise a family, to engage in work, to give prosperity to their homeland, to help the needy, and, in obedience to the Law of God, to merit the Kingdom of Heaven. On the other hand, there are those who serve themselves, who do not hold any moral principles, who want to demolish the family and the nation, exploit workers to make themselves unduly wealthy, foment internal divisions and wars, and accumulate power and money: for them the fallacious illusion of temporal well-being will one day – if they do not repent – yield to the terrible fate that awaits them, far from God, in eternal damnation.

In society, Mr. President, these two opposing realities co-exist as eternal enemies, just as God and Satan are eternal enemies. And it appears that the children of darkness – whom we may easily identify with the deep state which you wisely oppose and which is fiercely waging war against you in these days – have decided to show their cards, so to speak, by now revealing their plans. They seem to be so certain of already having everything under control that they have laid aside that circumspection that until now had at least partially concealed their true intentions. The investigations already under way will reveal the true responsibility of those who managed the Covid emergency not only in the area of health care but also in politics, the economy, and the media. We will probably find that in this colossal operation of social engineering there are people who have decided the fate of humanity, arrogating to themselves the right to act against the will of citizens and their representatives in the governments of nations.

            We will also discover that the riots in these days were provoked by those who, seeing that the virus is inevitably fading and that the social alarm of the pandemic is waning, necessarily have had to provoke civil disturbances, because they would be followed by repression which, although legitimate, could be condemned as an unjustified aggression against the population. The same thing is also happening in Europe, in perfect synchrony. It is quite clear that the use of street protests is instrumental to the purposes of those who would like to see someone elected in the upcoming presidential elections who embodies the goals of the deep state and who expresses those goals faithfully and with conviction. It will not be surprising if, in a few months, we learn once again that hidden behind these acts of vandalism and violence there are those who hope to profit from the dissolution of the social order so as to build a world without freedom: Solve et Coagula, as the Masonic adage teaches.

            Although it may seem disconcerting, the opposing alignments I have described are also found in religious circles. There are faithful Shepherds who care for the flock of Christ, but there are also mercenary infidels who seek to scatter the flock and hand the sheep over to be devoured by ravenous wolves. It is not surprising that these mercenaries are allies of the children of darkness and hate the children of light: just as there is a deep state, there is also a deep church that betrays its duties and forswears its proper commitments before God. Thus the Invisible Enemy, whom good rulers fight against in public affairs, is also fought against by good shepherds in the ecclesiastical sphere. It is a spiritual battle, which I spoke about in my recent Appeal which was published on May 8.

            For the first time, the United States has in you a President who courageously defends the right to life, who is not ashamed to denounce the persecution of Christians throughout the world, who speaks of Jesus Christ and the right of citizens to freedom of worship. Your participation in the March for Life, and more recently your proclamation of the month of April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month, are actions that confirm which side you wish to fight on. And I dare to believe that both of us are on the same side in this battle, albeit with different weapons.

For this reason, I believe that the attack to which you were subjected after your visit to the National Shrine of Saint John Paul II is part of the orchestrated media narrative which seeks not to fight racism and bring social order, but to aggravate dispositions; not to bring justice, but to legitimize violence and crime; not to serve the truth, but to favor one political faction. And it is disconcerting that there are Bishops – such as those whom I recently denounced – who, by their words, prove that they are aligned on the opposing side. They are subservient to the deep state, to globalism, to aligned thought, to the New World Order which they invoke ever more frequently in the name of a universal brotherhood which has nothing Christian about it, but which evokes the Masonic ideals of those want to dominate the world by driving God out of the courts, out of schools, out of families, and perhaps even out of churches.

            The American people are mature and have now understood how much the mainstream media does not want to spread the truth but seeks to silence and distort it, spreading the lie that is useful for the purposes of their masters. However, it is important that the good – who are the majority – wake up from their sluggishness and do not accept being deceived by a minority of dishonest people with unavowable purposes. It is necessary that the good, the children of light, come together and make their voices heard. What more effective way is there to do this, Mr. President, than by prayer, asking the Lord to protect you, the United States, and all of humanity from this enormous attack of the Enemy? Before the power of prayer, the deceptions of the children of darkness will collapse, their plots will be revealed, their betrayal will be shown, their frightening power will end in nothing, brought to light and exposed for what it is: an infernal deception.

            Mr. President, my prayer is constantly turned to the beloved American nation, where I had the privilege and honor of being sent by Pope Benedict XVI as Apostolic Nuncio. In this dramatic and decisive hour for all of humanity, I am praying for you and also for all those who are at your side in the government of the United States. I trust that the American people are united with me and you in prayer to Almighty God.

            United against the Invisible Enemy of all humanity, I bless you and the First Lady, the beloved American nation, and all men and women of good will.


+ Carlo Maria Viganò

Titular Archbishop of Ulpiana

Former Apostolic Nuncio to the United States of America