Prophets are our "Early Warning" System

"Prophets are alerted to tiny trends that bode ill for mankind. Prophets, therefore, are the Lord's early-warning system: they both detect and decry at his direction. What may seem to be a premature expression of prophetic concern is actually the early discovery of a difficulty that will later plague the people." ("Really Are", pages 77-78) (Elder Neal A. Maxwell)

Not Perfect Men

"The living prophets are not perfect men, but they live close to Him who is perfect". ("Really Are, page 77) (Elder Neal A. Maxwell)

Prophets...often are dismissed...

"Among the requirements that God has laid upon us is to pay heed to His living prophets. In our dispensation this has been described as "following the Brethren." It is a dimension of obedience that has been difficult for some in every dispensation. It will be particularly hard in ours, the final dispensation." ("Experience" - Page 101) (Elder Neal A. Maxwell)

General Conference Weekend is COMING!

I don't know about each of you...but there are TWO WEEKENDS in the YEAR...that Garvin and I get really PUMPED up about...and that is GENERAL CONFERENCE WEEKENDS! We have LOVED them...all these 30 + years!!!!! Our family of 10...NEVER MISSED a Conference weekend! We would dress up our family...and go to the church...(we didn't have cable or a DISH to watch it at home for years) We all dressed in our Sunday best every Saturday and Sunday for all the sessions...I made up BINDERS for each of the kids...Depending on the ages, depended on how I made up their books...Some had pictures for those who couldn't read...so if they SAW someone...they could play TIC-TAC-TOE...and mark the pages as SUBJECTS or PEOPLE they saw who would come up and speak...I have so many different things I did over the years...to help the children handle 2 days of CHURCH...(smile) But, making their own PERSONALIZED binder...helped to DRAW them in...to the experience we had on those "special" weekends...To this day, even watching it at home, we dress up in our Sunday clothes...the men in white shirts and ties...and we girls in our dresses...to "sit at the feet of the prophets"...Now, many of you might think this is extreme...but, whatever works for your family...you need to do...But, for us...we wanted our children growing up to KNOW this was no ORDINARY TIME...We were to hear the voice of LIVING PROPHETS OF GOD...Hence, to this day, ALL our children and grandchildren...are being raised that on General Conference weekend...we will be putting aside all other activities to hear our Prophet and Apostles...EASY? when they were little? NO...but, being "consistent"...proved in the LONG HAUL...to be our blessing...

In the spirit of PREPARING for General Conference...a couple of things come to mind:

• If there is something you are particularly needing counsel on...PRAY that someone will be INSPIRED to address your particular question...then PRAY...that you will HEAR the answer in one of the addresses given...
• PRAY that you will RECEIVE the counsel with a WILLING heart...and that you will KNOW how to fulfill the counsel that is given all during conference...
• Pray for all those who have been asked to speak, that they will know the mind and will of the Lord...and will be able to deliver that message to us...
• We can be PROACTIVE...take ownership of this General Conference...If we are praying over these General Conferences, the SPIRIT...will TOUCH our MINDS and HEARTS...Generally speaking, General Conferences have always MOTIVATED us to DO BETTER...then what we had been doing...INSPIRED us to REPENT and make CHANGES in our lives...
• General Conference is AWESOME! the MUSIC...the SPIRIT...the TALKS! WOW! To actually RECEIVE the MIND and the WILL OF GOD! Doesn't get any better than that! (smile)
• Even if this has NOT been a pattern in your life...like in the spirit of "Father Adam"..."from this day forth"..."I will do......." (whatever change needs to be done)
  

Elder Neal A. Maxwell made this comment: "In the months and years ahead, events will require of each member of the Church that he or she decide whether or not he or she will follow the First Presidency. Members will find it more difficult to halt longer between two opinions (see 1 Kings 18:21)...Not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ includes not being ashamed of the prophets of Jesus Christ." ("Meeting the Challenges of Today," page 149).

Ward Conference - Part 3 - Third Hour

The THIRD HOUR was the Relief Society portion of Ward Conference...The STAKE Relief Society Presidency taught us during this period...Again, please know...my notes...are only as good at their taker...and I didn't take as many notes as I did the first "2" hours...But, hopefully, you will catch the spirit of their presentations:

Sister/President Deann Thomas:
Presented the theme - Joshua 24:15 "...choose you this day whom ye will serve....but as for me and my house, we will SERVE THE LORD."

• Also quoted...Matthew 10:22 "and ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that ENDURETH TO THE END shall be SAVED.

Sister Wendy Tolley: "How to Help Children Make Choices" She read this incredible story...and she was gracious enough to send me the entire story for you:

STORY NUMBER ONE

Many years ago, Al Capone virtually owned Chicago. Capone wasn't famous for anything heroic. He was notorious for enmeshing the windy city in everything from bootlegged booze and prostitution to murder. Capone had a lawyer nicknamed "Easy Eddie." He was his lawyer for a good reason. Eddie was very good! In fact, Eddie's skill at legal maneuvering kept Big Al out of jail for a long time. To show his appreciation, Capone paid him very well. Not only was the money big, but also Eddie got special dividends. For instance, he and his family occupied a fenced-in mansion with live-in help and all of the conveniences of the day. The estate was so large that it filled an entire Chicago City block. Eddie lived the high life of the Chicago mob and gave little consideration to the atrocities that went on around him. Eddie did have one soft spot, however. He had a son that he loved dearly. Eddie saw to it that his young son had the best of everything: clothes, cars and a good education. Nothing was withheld. Price was no object. And, despite his involvement with organized crime, Eddie even tried to teach him right from wrong. Eddie wanted his son to be a better man than he was. Yet, with all his wealth and influence, there were two things he couldn't give his son; he couldn't pass on a good name and a good example. One day, Easy Eddie reached a difficult decision. Easy Eddie wanted to rectify wrongs he had done. He decided he would go to the authorities and tell the truth about Al "Scarface" Capone, clean up his tarnished name and offer his son some semblance of integrity. To do this, he would have to testify against The Mob, and he knew that the cost would be great. So, he testified. Within the year, Easy Eddie's life ended in a blaze of gunfire on a lonely Chicago Street. But in his eyes, he had given his son the greatest gift he had to offer, at the greatest price he would ever pay. Police removed from his pockets a rosary, a crucifix, a religious medallion and a poem clipped from a magazine. The poem read: The clock of life is wound but once And no man has the power To tell just when the hands will stop, At late or early hour. Now is the only time you own. Live, love, toil with a will. Place no faith in time. For the clock may soon be still. STORY NUMBER TWO World War II produced many heroes. One such man was Lieutenant Commander Butch O'Hare. He was a fighter pilot assigned to the aircraft carrier Lexington in the South Pacific. One day his entire squadron was sent on a mission. After he was airborne, he looked at his fuel gauge and realized that someone had forgotten to top off his fuel tank. He would not have enough fuel to complete his mission and get back to his ship. His flight leader told him to return to the carrier. Reluctantly, he dropped out of formation and headed back to the fleet. As he was returning to the mother ship he saw something that turned his blood cold, a squadron of Japanese aircraft were speeding their way toward the American fleet. The American fighters were gone on a sortie, and the fleet was all but defenseless. He couldn't reach his squadron and bring them back in time to save the fleet. Nor could he warn the fleet of the approaching danger. There was only one thing to do. He must somehow divert them from the fleet. Laying aside all thoughts of personal safety, he dove into the formation of Japanese planes. Wing-mounted 50 caliber's blazed as he charged in, attacking one surprised enemy plane and then another. Butch wove in and out of the now broken formation and fired at as many planes as possible until all his ammunition was finally spent. Undaunted, he continued the assault. He dove at the planes, trying to clip a wing or tail in hopes of damaging as many enemy planes as possible and rendering them unfit to fly. Finally, the exasperated Japanese squadron took off in another direction. Deeply relieved, Butch O'Hare and his tattered fighter limped back to the carrier. Upon arrival he reported in and related the event surrounding his return. The film from the gun-camera mounted on his plane told the tale. It showed the extent of Butch's daring attempt to protect his fleet. He had in fact destroyed five enemy aircraft. This took place on February 20, 1942, and for that action Butch became the Navy's first Ace of W.W.II, and the first Naval Aviator to win the Congressional Medal of Honor. A year later Butch was killed in aerial combat at the age of 29. His home town would not allow the memory of this WW II hero to fade, and today, O'Hare Airport in Chicago is named in tribute to the courage of this great man. So the next time you find yourself at O'Hare International, give some thought to visiting Butch's memorial displaying his statue and his Medal of Honor. It's located between Terminals 1 and 2. SO, WHAT DO THESE TWO STORIES HAVE TO DO WITH EACH OTHER? Butch O'Hare was Easy Eddie O'Hare's son.

President Stanfill, also, spoke to us:

• Quoted this verse from Revelation 3:20-21 "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne."
• If we turn to Him---He will SUCCOR US...
• We have a huge responsibility (sisters)
• See "Family Proclamation"
• We are given the SPIRIT OF THE LORD...
• THIS IS HIS WORK...
  

Couldn't help myself.......

Ward Conference - Part 2 - Second Hour

I must preface...that remember these are from "MY" notes...I pray...I am doing justice to each talk/speaker...Being there...you would have gotten the "spirit" of it...and hopefully...going down stream...to my notes...will not dilute it too much (smile)

2 Hour - Ward Conference
ADULT SESSION - President Vern Stanfill gave the lesson

President began his lesson by showing a picture of TWO PATHS...He asked what this meant...All comments were correct and lead up to his topic on CHOICES...

He put up this poem by ROBERT FROST:

"The Road Not Taken"

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth...

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally lay
in leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two road diverged in a wood and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

CHOICES IN LIFE:

• Relationship with God and His son
• Relationship with our spouse and children
• Relationship with each other

We must focus on our CHOICES...The one President Stanfill concentrated on was our "Relationship with our spouse and children." He suggested we go to the church's web site and study all that they have on this subject... www.lds.org

Raising a family can be scary---FAITH in CHRIST will give us the CONFIDENCE to do it!

The following were addressed in regards on how to BUILD our FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS:

• Faith
• Prayer
• Repentance
• Forgiveness
• Respect
• Loe
• Compassion
• Work
• Activities

PRAYER - "A House of Prayer"

• D&C 90:24 "Search diligently, PRAY ALWAYS, and be believing, and all things shall work together for your good, if ye walk uprightly and remember the covenant wherewith ye have covenanted one with another."
• He quoted President Henry B. Eyring - that parents need to TEACH their children to pray...being the EXAMPLE of those that PRAY each day...
• Repentance - "The Healing Power of Repentance"...
• Forgiveness - "Today is the DAY to FORGIVE"
  
• Quoted D&C 64:10 "I, the Lord, will FORGIVE whom I will forgive, but of YOU it is REQUIRED to FORGIVE ALL MEN."
• Examples were offered...
• Talked about how PAUL gave the example how husbands were to treat their wives...like Christ loved the church...
• We must ALL MODEL our RELATIONSHIPS as CHRIST TREATS US...
• Respect: "Could anyone be more deserving of respect than a literal child of God?"
• LOVE ONE ANOTHER - John 13:34 "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." (I would like to add the 35 verse "By this shall ALL MEN KNOW that ye are MY DISCIPLES, if YE LOVE ONE ANOTHER."
• LIVING together IN LOVE---on this single phrase hangs the SUCCESS of EVERY MARRIAGE and FAMILY...
• Compassion at Home: When life seems tough - HOME can be the place where we find LOVE/COMPASSION and WARMTH...where "someone" UNDERSTANDS and CARES how we FEEL...
• Work: there is no SUBSTITUTE for WORK...President Stanfill quoted Elder Neal A. Maxwell (I did NOT right down the quote but it had to do with work being spiritual, so I found a couple of Elder Maxwell's quotes on the subject)..."We ignore the fact that work is a spiritual necessity at the peril of our souls." (Choose, page 54.)
• Another quote from Elder Maxwell: "The principle of work is also fundamental to spiritual ecology. We shall come to know that work is a spiritual necessity, even if the time comes when it is not an economic necessity." (Power, page 2)
• LOVED this quote from Elder Maxwell: "If we ponder just what it is that will rise with us in the resurrection, it seems clear that our intelligence will rise with us, meaning not simply our IQ, but also our capacity to receive and apply truth. Our talents, attributes, and skills will rise with us; certainly also our capacity to learn, our degree of self-discipline, and our capacity to WORK. Our precise form of work here may have no counterpart there, but the CAPACITY TO WORK will NEVER be OBSOLETE." (Prove, page 12)
• President Stanfill stated that "God himself calls His plan for His children "MY WORK and MY GLORY..." (Moses 1:39)
• ACTIVITIES: Families who play together...we STAY TOGETHER...so that when the times come that we talk about our "remember whens" it will bring lots of LOVE and LAUGHTER in the YEARS to come!
• Family vacations, birthdays, holidays, celebrations and other activities...BUILD STRONG BONDS...
• Now the question to ask yourself is......"What choices are you making DAILY to IMPROVE your RELATIONSHIP with your SPOUSE and CHILDREN." (and for those who are single with out spouse or children...you could ask yourself, still, the same question..."What choices are you making DAILY to IMPROVE your RELATIONSHIP with your PARENTS/and or SIBLINGS or any other member of your family...)
  

Ward Conference - Part 1 - FIRST HOUR

To my best ability, I will try and report our Ward Conference that we held jointly with Kalispell 1st Ward.

FIRST HOUR: (today...2nd (tomorrow) and 3rd hour in the next couple of days)

• We sustained our Prophet and Apostles and other leaders, including Kalispell 1st and 3rd Wards - leadership.
• President Lee Wight: Bore his sincere testimony including this comment on PRAYER - Prayer is our AVENUE to be able to seek our Father - on bended knee...
• The song "Learn of Me" was sung by both wards Young Women, including their YW leaders. These words by Janice Kapp Perry are SO BEAUTIFUL that I want to type up the words for you...for in this song...lies a POWERFUL MESSAGE:

"Learn of Me"

I walk today along the path of life.
No more a child protected from the strife.
Now I must face whatever foes may come
And fight with strength until the battle's won.

I trembling fear the task is far too great,
On every side the Tempter lies in wait.
What can I do? I plead to Him above,
Then hear Him speak these gentle words of love:

Learn of me and listen to my words,
Walk in the meekness of my light
And I will give you peace,
My love will never cease,
For I AM JESUS CHRIST.

When I was yet a child so clean and pure,
I doubted not and knew God's love was sure.
I knew He lived for every bird and tree,
By breath and leaf, were witnesses to me.

But now the world would fill my mind with doubt,
And so my soul, in search of truth cries out.
How may I know? I plead to Him above
Then I recall these gentle words of love:

Learn of me and listen to my words,
Walk in the meekness of my light
And I will give you peace,
My love will never cease,
For I AM JESUS CHRIST.

My life is blessed to have His sacred word,
To feel His love and know my prayers are heard.
With in my soul his light has found a place,
It leads the way as I receive His grace.

The peace I feel, my joy in sacred things,
Surpasses all the world could ever bring.
With humble heart I take a valiant stand.
I will obey this gentle sweet command:

Learn of me and listen to my words,
Walk in the meekness of my light
And I will give you peace,
My love will never cease,
For I AM JESUS CHRIST.

• President Kurt Thorderson gave this address:
• "Casualness" or "Being Casual in Spirit"
• What can we learn from the event in Japan?
• There is a tidal wave that is engulfing the earth - engulfing "spirituality"
• The only safe place is the HIGH GROUND of the TEMPLE.
• There is a "casualness" about LIFE - which involves CHOICES
• Our "casualness" about life is a - reflection of our "reverence" for spiritual light - inner commitment - towards our covenants - can be reflected in our appearance/dress/etc.
  
• Heavenly Father was NOT CASUAL - Example: In the 10 Commandments - he said "THOU SHALT NOT..." - no casual statement...
• Quoted a few statement out of D&C Chapter 1: Example: "Hearken, O ye people of my church..." (no "casual" declaration...)
• NOTE from me: In verse 4...I thought this was NO CASUAL comment... "And the VOICE OF WARNING shall be unto ALL people, by the mouths of my disciples, whom I have CHOSEN in these LAST DAYS."
• He quoted from JACOB 2...Jacob was NOT CASUAL in his teachings of the people..."...it grieveth me that I must use so much BOLDNESS of SPEECH concerning you..."
• Quoted D&C 82:10 - "I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say, but when ye do NOT what I say, ye have NO PROMISE".
• Quoted statements from Elder L. Tom Perry on "casual dress"... (I remember that Elder Perry addressed "dress standards" more than ONCE in his talks...one was how to dress on the SABBATH day...)
  
• Here is the quote that Elder Perry gave in October 1984 General Conference "And Why Call Ye Me, Lord, and Do Not the Things Which I Say?" - "... I believe He not only expected us to stay away from worldly places on the Sabbath, but also to DRESS appropriately on HIS DAY. I often wonder what happened to the good old saying, "Sunday best." If our dress deteriorates to everyday attire, our ACTIONS seem to FOLLOW the TYPE OF CLOTHING we WEAR." "Of course, we would not expect our children to REMAIN DRESSED in their CHURCH clothes all day, but neither would we expect to dress in clothes that would NOT BE APPROPRIATE for the SABBATH."
• Casual will NOT BE ENOUGH in our FAMILY prayers; FAMILY scripture studies; Family Home Evenings...
• Quoted from President Ezra Taft Benson's talk "Beware of Pride" - (April 1989 General Conference): "Pride pits OUR WILL AGAINST God's"...
• The Stripling Warriors performed with EXACTNESS... (Can read about them in Alma Chapters 53, 56, and 57)

We ended the FIRST HOUR with the Hymn #220: "Lord, I Would Follow Thee"... I love singing it by changing the word "would" to "will"...sounds more COMMITTED (smile)... It is one of my FAVORITE HYMNS... The words are worth reading:

Savior, may I learn to love thee, Walk the path that thou hast shown,
Pause to help and lift another, Finding strength beyond my own.
Savior, may I learn to love thee --- Lord, I WILL follow thee.

Who am I to judge another, When I walk imperfectly?
In the quiet heart is hidden, Sorrow that the eye can't see.
Who am I to judge another? Lord, I WILL follow thee.

I would be my brother's keeper; I would learn the healer's art.
To the wounded and the weary, I would show a gentle heart
I would be my brother's keeper --- Lord, I WILL follow thee.

Savior, may I love my brother, As I know thou lovest me,
Find in thee my strength, my beacon, For thy servant I would be.
Savior, may I love my brother --- Lord, I WILL follow thee.

Faith is things which are hoped for...

"...every time you try your faith---
that is, act in worthiness on an IMPRESSION---
you will receive the confirming evidence of the Spirit.
As you walk to the boundary of your understanding
into the twilight of uncertainty, exercising faith,
you will be led to find solutions you would not obtain otherwise.
With even your strongest faith,
God will not always reward you immediately
according to your desires.
Rather, God will respond with what in His eternal plan is best for YOU,
when it will YIELD THE GREATEST ADVANTAGE.
Be THANKFUL that sometimes God lets you STRUGGLE for a long time
BEFORE that answer comes.
That causes your faith to INCREASE and
YOUR CHARACTER to GROW."

Elder Richard G. Scott
October 2010 General Conference
Ensign - November 2010 - Page 44

Who CAN BE against us?

"If God BE for US,
Who CAN BE against us?"

Romans 8:31

What a profound thought!
LOVE IT!
(smile)

Relief Society Dinner - March 2011

Jennifer Oliverson's DISPLAY for her wonderful TALK

Amber Spillett - The night begins... in the setting up!

Kari Beagley - working on the "Pork" roast
for our "Hawaiian luau"

Sonja Lloyd had too much fun with that tape!
Heidi Stott - Worked so hard on this event!
She and Kate Van De Carr headed up our Birthday Celebration!
THANKS, Heidi and Kate for ALL THAT YOU DID!

Our FOOD LINE!

It was so fun...JUST TALKING with one another!

We, also, took time to wish one of our Sisters
A HAPPY BIRTHDAY...!
Who is currently living in FRANCE!
SURPRISE! We all said at ONCE
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACKI (Pitts)!"

Sylvia Luehr and Judy Gray
Judy is visiting her son - She is from Sacramento, California!

Sarah Stoken and Tawna Chery

Sandy Shaffer and her two daughters
Tara Douglas and "didn't get the other daughter's name"

Pat Turner and Mary Lou Hartman

Grace Guest and Amy Robinson
THANKS AMY for YOUR TALK - On being a "8" Cow Woman!
We watched the movie "Johnny Lingo"
(smile)

Fran Mc Carrel - Vicki (Stefanie's mother) - Stefanie Walter - Nell Johnson

Diane Denney and Marcia Jennings Head

Diana Beam and Debbie Perrone

Back Row: Anita Denney and Sonja Lloyd
Jennifer Sherratt - Mary Holt - Julianne Denney - Amber Spillett

Amber Olsen and Anna Denney

THANKS SISTERS for ALL that you DID! Thanks for COMING!

Becoming...What we want to be...

"We BECOME what we WANT to BE by consistently BEING what we want to BECOME each day. Righteous character is a PRECIOUS manifestation of what you are becoming. Righteous character is more VALUABLE than any material object you own, any knowledge you have gained through study, or any goals you have attained no matter how well lauded by mankind. In the next life your RIGHTEOUS CHARACTER will be EVALUATED to ASSESS how well you used the PRIVILEGE OF MORTALITY."

Elder Richard G. Scott
General Conference - October 2010
Ensign - November 2010 - Page 43

O...Remember...Remember

Any one relate?

"Our house is clean enough to be healthy and dirty enough to be happy!"
Author Unknown

Love Letters of Joseph and Emma

Becoming...

"After this life, you will be restored to that which you have here allowed yourself to become."

Elder Richard G. Scott
"Ensign" - May 1997
Page 54

Joseph - "The Prophet"

Sisters...We are going to do something "Extraordinary"

Relif Society RAP SONG!

Oh...my goodness...Melanie Labrum brought this Relief Society RAP SONG to my attention! I would have never imagine...having the Relief Society in this form of music...but, you can't help but SMILE!

"Stand Independent above All Other Creatures"

Elder Bruce R. McConkie
WELFARE SESSION - Saturday March 31, 1979
General Conference - April 1979
"Ensign - May 1979"
Pages 92-94

I stand before the church this day and raise the WARNING VOICE. It is a PROPHETIC VOICE, for I shall say only what the apostles and prophets have spoken concerning THIS DAY.

It is the voice of Jesus on the Mount of Olives, of John on the Isle of Patmos, of Joseph Smith during the mobbings and murders of Missouri. It is a voice calling upon the Lord's people to PREPARE for the TROUBLES and DESOLATIONS which are about to be poured out upon the world without measure.

Fore the moment we live in a day of peace and prosperity but it shall not ever be thus. GREAT TRIALS lie ahead. All of the sorrows and perils of the past are but a foretaste of what is yet to be. And we MUST PREPARE ourselves TEMPORALLY and SPIRITUALLY.

Our spiritual preparation consists in KEEPING THE COMMANDMENTS of God, and taking the HOLY SPIRIT for our guide, so that when this life is over we shall find rest and peace in paradise and an ultimate inheritance of glory and honor in the celestial kingdom.

Our temporal preparation consists in using the good earth in the way the Lord designed and intended so as to supply all our just wants and needs. It is his purpose to PROVIDE for his Saints for all things are his, but, he says, it must needs be done in His OWN WAY. (See D&C 104:14-18)

There is a common axiom among us which states: A religion that cannot save a man temporally does not have power to save him spiritually. If we cannot care for our temporal needs in this world, how can we ever succeed in spiritual things in the world to come?

Thus, speaking of temporal things---of lands and houses and crops, of work and sweat and toil, of the man Adam eating his bread in the sweat of his face (see Gen. 3:19)--the Lord says: "If you will that I give unto you a place in the celestial world, you must prepare yourselves by doing the things which I have commanded you and required of you." (D&C 78:7)

Then he commands both the Church and its members "to prepare and organize" their TEMPORAL affairs according to the law of his gospel, "that through my providence," saith the Lord, "notwithstanding the tribulation which shall descend upon you, that the church may stand independent ABOVE ALL OTHER CREATURES BENEATH THE CELESTIAL WORLD;

That you may come up unto the crown prepared for you, and be made rulers over many kingdoms, saith the Lord God" (D&C 78:11, 14-15)

The Church, which administers the gospel, and the Saints who have received the gospel, must be independent of all the powers of earth, as they work out their salvation---temporally and spiritually---with fear and trembling before the Lord!

Be it remembered that tribulations lie ahead. There will be wars in one nation and kingdom after another until war is poured out upon ALL NATIONS and two hundred MILLION MEN of war mass their armaments at Armageddon.

Peace has been TAKEN FROM THE EARTH, the angels of destruction have begun their work, and their swords shall not be sheathed until the PRINCE of PEACE comes to destroy the wicked and usher in the great Millennium.

There will be earthquakes and floods and famines. The waves of the sea shall heave themselves beyond their bounds, the clouds shall withhold their rain, and the crops of the earth shall wither and die.

There will be plagues and pestilence and disease and death. An overflowing scourge shall cover the earth and a desolating sickness shall sweep the land. Flies shall take hold of the inhabitants of the earth, and maggots shall come in upon them. (See D&C 29:14-20) "Their flesh shall fall from off their bones, and their eyes from their sockets" (D&C 29:19).

BANDS of GADIANTON ROBBERS will infest every nation, immorality and murder and crime will INCREASE, and it will SEEM AS THOUGH EVERY MAN'S hand is AGAINST HIS BROTHER.

We need NOT DWELL more upon these things. We are commanded to SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES where they are recounted with force and fervor, and they shall surely come to pass.

It is one of the sad heresies of OUR TIME that peace will be gained by weary diplomats as they prepare treaties of compromise, or that the Millennium will be ushered in because men will learn to LIVE IN PEACE and to keep the commandments, or that the predicted plagues and promised desolations of latter days can in some way BE AVOIDED.

We MUST do ALL we can to PROCLAIM PEACE, to AVOID WAR, to HEAL DISEASE, to PREPARE for NATURAL DISASTERS---but with it all, that which is to be SHALL BE.

Knowing what we know, and having the LIGHT and UNDERSTANDING that has come to us, we MUST---as individuals and as a Church---use our TALENTS, STRENGTHS, ENERGIES, ABILITIES, and MEANS to PREPARE for whatever may BEFALL us and our children.

We know that the world will go on in wickedness until the end of the world, which is the destruction of the wicked. We shall continue to LIVE in the world, but with the LORD'S HELP we shall not be OF THE WORLD. We shall strive to overcome carnality and worldliness of every sort and shall invite ALL MEN to FLEE from Babylon, JOIN WITH US, and LIVE as BECOMETH SAINTS.

As the Saints of the Most High we shall strive to "stand independent above all other creatures beneath the celestial world" (D&C 78:14) Our ONLY HOPE is to FREE OURSELVES from the BONDAGE of SIN, to RID ourselves from the chains of darkness, to RISE ABOVE THE WORLD, to LIVE GODLY and UPRIGHT LIVES.

Relying ALWAYS on the LORD, we must become independent of the world. We MUST be SELF-RELIANT. Using the AGENCY of GOD has given us, we must WORK OUT OUR OWN ECONOMIC and TEMPORAL PROBLEMS.

We are here on earth to WORK---to work long, hard, arduous hours, to work until our backs ache and our tired muscles knot, to work all our days. This mortal probation is one in which we are to eat our bread in the sweat of our faces until we return to the dust from whence we came.

WORK is the LAW OF LIFE; it is the RULING PRINCIPLE in the lives of the Saints. We cannot, while physically able, voluntarily shift the burden of our own support to others. Doles abound in evils. Industry, thrift, and self-respect are ESSENTIAL to SALVATION.

We must MAINTAIN our OWN HEALTH, sow our OWN GARDENS, STORE our OWN FOOD, EDUCATE and TRAIN ourselves to handle the daily affairs of life. No one else can work out our salvation for us, either temporally or spiritually.

We are here on earth to care for the needs of our family members. Wives HAVE CLAIM on their husbands for their support, children upon their parents, parents upon their children, brothers upon each other, and relatives upon their kin.

It is the AIM of the Church to help the Saints to CARE for THEMSELVES and, where need be, to make food and clothing and other necessities available, lest the Saints turn to the doles and evils of Babylon. To help care for the poor among them the Church must operate farms, grow vineyards, run dairies, manage factories, and ten thousand other things---all in such a way as to be INDEPENDENT of the powers of evil in the world.

We do NOT know when the calamities and troubles of the last days will fall upon any of us as individuals or upon bodies of the Saints. The Lord DELIBERATELY WITHHOLDS from us the day and hour of his coming and of the tribulations which shall PRECEDE IT---all as part of the TESTING and PROBATIONARY EXPERIENCES of mortality. He simply TELLS us to WATCH AND BE READY.

We can rest assured that if we have done all in our power to prepare for whatever lies ahead, he will then help us with whatever else we need.

He rained manna from heaven upon all Israel, six days each week for forty years, lest they perish for want of bread, but the manna ceased on the morrow after they ate of the parched corn of Canaan. Then they were required to SUPPLY THEIR OWN FOOD. (See Exod. 16: 3-4, 35.)

During forty years in the wilderness the clothes worn by all Israel waxed not old and their shoes wore not out, but when they entered their promised land, then the Lord required them to provide their own wearing apparel. (See Deut. 29:5)

When there was a famine in the land, at Elijah's word, a certain barrel of meal did not waste, and a certain cruse of oil did not fail, until the Lord sent again rain on the earth. And it is worthy to note, as Jesus said, that though there were many widows in Israel, unto one only was Elijah sent. (See 1 Kings 17:10-16)

We do not say that all of the Saints will be spared and saved from the coming day of desolation. But we do say there is no promise of safety and no promise of security except for those who love the Lord and who are seeking to do ALL that he COMMANDS.

It may be, for instance, that nothing EXCEPT the POWER OF FAITH and the AUTHORITY of the PRIESTHOOD can save individuals and congregations from the ATOMIC HOLOCAUSTS that SURELY SHALL BE.

And so we RAISE the WARNING VOICE and say: Take heed; PREPARE; WATCH and BE READY. There is NO SECURITY in any course EXCEPT the course of OBEDIENCE and CONFORMITY and RIGHTEOUSNESS.

For thus saith the Lord: "The Lord's scourge shall pass over by night and by day, and the report thereof shall vex all people; yea, it shall not be stayed until the Lord come;...

"Nevertheless, Zion shall escape if she observe to DO ALL THINGS whatsoever I have COMMANDED her, " saith the Lord.

"But if she observe NOT to do whatsoever I have commanded her, I will visit her according to all her works, with sore affliction, with pestilence, with plague, with sword, with vengeance, with devouring fire." (D&C 97:23, 25-26)

O God, our Father, wilt thou grant us peace and security and safety in the days of tribulation that shall come like a whirlwind upon ALL THE EARTH.

Wilt thou hedge up the evil powers, and open up the way before us, they people, that as individuals and as a Church we may stand independent of every creature beneath the celestial world.

And wilt thou enfold us everlastingly in the arms of they love; and finally, wilt thou save us with an everlasting salvation in thy kingdom---for all of which we pray.

In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Meridian Magazine - Godly Parenting--Compassion: The Quality of Our Minds and Hearts

Meridian Magazine - Godly Parenting--Compassion: The Quality of Our Minds and Hearts