PRIDE AND THE GENTILES - THE BOOK OF MORMON WAS WRITTEN FOR US

I think the greatest thing I have learned in the last 20 years of my life (besides the composite lessons of having been married), is that we are the Gentiles that the writers of the Book of Mormon were talking about.  We are the ones who would eventually go astray as a body (see my previous post about Joseph's dream about the Kirkland farm) - and who would then need to be cleansed and then purged as a people; as a body.  The greatest thing we can learn in this life - is that we are nothing before the Lord.  Humility can be learned and self-implemented into our lives as a form of Consecration; the giving of our spirits/wills completely to Him - or it can be taught to us by a school-master with an all piercing eye to root out the cancer of pride from the very recesses of our souls until we are clean every whit.  That is a hard road that President Benson warned about when he said that we can choose to be humbled, or we will be externally humbled (paraphrased).

When it hit me about 5 years ago that we (I) am the one who has gone astray and that the last few chapters of 2 Nephi were written specifically to me, I was floored; and I began to have my eyes opened to further light and knowledge - and therefore, growth.  No more arrogant denials, smugly pointing out how the Catholics or the Protestants were the ones in the divine cross-hairs - it is me who is slated for everlasting destruction unless I come to a true knowledge of my Redeemer.  Denver Snuffer - although he has taken much heat for his opinions, was my first witness that I was on the right path when it comes to 2 Nephi 28-31.

Here is an excerpt from a book or compilation written by a reader's former Mission President that denotes the same concepts - and calls for repentance; and who talks about the coming divisions within the Church as the "fluffies" or luke-warmers are spewed out in the purge:

Chapter 13
THE POLLUTION OF THE CHURCH OF GOD

Mormon scathingly rebukes the latter-day Gentile church— that’s us, for
transfiguring the word of God and pollut[ing] the holy church of God.
Mormon 8:33
33 O ye wicked and perverse and stiffnecked people, why have ye
built up churches unto yourselves to get gain? Why have ye
transfigured the holy word of God, that ye might bring damnation
upon your souls? Behold, look ye unto the revelations of God; for
behold, the time cometh at that day when all these things must be
fulfilled.
Mormon 8:34
34 Behold, the Lord hath shown unto me great and marvelous things
concerning that which must shortly come, at that day when these
things shall come forth among you.
Mormon 8:35
35 Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are
not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know
your doing.
Mormon 8:36
36 And I know that ye do walk in the pride of your hearts; and there
are none save a few only who do not lift themselves up in the pride of
their hearts, unto the wearing of very fine apparel, unto envying, and
strifes, and malice, and persecutions, and all manner of iniquities;
and your churches, yea, even every one, have become polluted
because of the pride of your hearts.
Mormon 8:37
37 For behold, ye do love money, and your substance, and your
fine apparel, and the adorning of your churches, more than ye love
the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted.
Mormon 8:38
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38 O ye pollutions, ye hypocrites, ye teachers, who sell yourselves
for that which will canker, why have ye polluted the holy church of
God? Why are ye ashamed to take upon you the name of Christ? Why
do ye not think that greater is the value of an endless happiness than
that misery which never dies--because of the praise of the world?
Mormon 8:39
39 Why do ye adorn yourselves with that which hath no life, and
yet suffer the hungry, and the needy, and the naked, and the sick
and the afflicted to pass by you, and notice them not?
It ends up that virtually the entire Book of Mormon is a record about the second
church of the vision of the tree of life, the Nephites, polluting the church by their
pride and greed, just as the first church, the early Christian’s of John’s day, polluted
the church, for the very same reasons, by removing many of the plain and precious
parts of the gospel. And that the record of these pollutions has been preserved to be
handed down to the third church as a prophetic type and shadow of the Gentile
church of the latter days (us), doing the very same thing— changing the true gospel
of personal sacrifice to a false gospel of personal success to justify our love of the
world. The vision of the tree of life shows that these pollutions have destroyed the
saints and brought them into bondage to the adversary in virtually every dispensation.
In our day the pollutions are becoming increasingly subtle. And their insidious
stealth appears to be making them more destructive than ever. We must remember
that God has restored the plain and precious parts of the gospel again. He has
revealed to us anew the priesthood and plain and precious things of faith, repentance,
baptism by immersion for the remission of sins and the laying on of hands for the
Gift of the Holy Ghost. Additionally, he has revealed the plain truths of the temple:
the laws of obedience, sacrifice, the gospel, chastity and consecration as well as
revealing the precious principles of eternal marriage and families and the central
place of marriage and family in the kingdom both now and in the eternities to come.
Tragically, the prophecies are indeed coming to pass. There are now some among
us, professing to belong to the church (see Hel. 3:33), who are polluting the church
today just as in the early Christian and Nephite churches of the past. It is imperative
that we recognize and understand these modern pollutions of our church that their
prophetic writings so passionately warn us would come.
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We have already discussed at length the cause of the pollutions, the pride of setting
our heart upon riches and the vain/fine things of the world and aspiring unto the
honors of men. The first form of the pollutions of the holy church which Mormon
says pertains to this prideful condition of most of the saints has to do with breaking
our covenants by turning our backs on the poor and needy in the spirit of greed and
self aggrandizement. As we have seen, this prideful sin is clearly among us today.
Along with this first form of transgression that always destroys the church of God,
we discover that there is an additional modern strain of this greed and vanity, this
covenant breaking, that has stealthfully crept into the church as well. It appears the
cancer of pride is like any other virulent disease. It can mutate into new strains over
time.
The prophets have taught and re-taught the importance of:
C marriage
C marrying early
C temple marriage
C marital fidelity
C not postponing children
C not arbitrarily limiting the size of our families
C mothers remaining in the home full-time
C and couples and families living within their means
These have not been casual suggestions, infrequent observations or the opinions of
individuals. This counsel has been trumpeted by the prophets of God in resounding
consistent unified warning and testimony. Every single prophet, since antichrist
worldly trends began attacking the traditional family gained momentum in the 60's,
has so warned and counseled the saints. (See author’s book, Power and Covenants:
Men, Women and Priesthood or Womanhood, Priesthood, Godhood). They have
made it clear that these issues are not on the sidelines but at the very core of the
restored gospel and God’s great plan of eternal happiness for his children:
No success will ever compensate for failure in the homes of the
Latter-day Saints. (President David O. McKay).
The most important of the Lord’s work we will ever do will be the
work we do within the four walls of our own homes. (President
Harold B. Lee).
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It is no secret that the trends of Babylon (the world) are directly counter to all this
counsel. It is no secret that this counsel is unpopular with the worldly and considered
foolish and impractical by the educated of the world. It should also be no secret that
a significant portion of the church has chosen to listen to the world instead of the
prophets regarding these important things. Not only do many members listen to the
wisdom of the world (the great and spacious building) but they even seek to establish
this wisdom and learning of men in the church in direct opposition to the counsel of
the Lord’s prophets and revelators. And they do it for the exact same reasons as
those of old— to justify themselves in aspiring to the honors of men and getting gain
and grinding the faces of the poor.
Covetous, foolish and/or lazy men who have either forced their wives to work by
deserting their families (divorce) or want their wives to work for the sake of more
material blessings, and vain and aspiring women who have succumbed to the
mockings and alluring wisdom of the great and spacious building, desiring the
supposedly more glamourous, prestigious (honors of men) and beneficial life styles
of degrees and careers, are seeking to justify themselves in going contrary to the strait
and narrow path laid out by the prophets by teaching these things in the
congregations of the saints, claiming these alternate life-style choices are good and
that they in no way compromise our walk on the strait and narrow path to the Tree
of Life.
It has been a most amazing few decades to watch Lehi’s, Nephi’s and John’s vision
of life unfold right before our very eyes. Some members of the church have humbly
trusted the inspiration of heaven, held to the rod and, in spite of the mockings and
wisdom of the world coming from the way of the great and spacious building, stayed
the course laid out by the Lord’s anointed. In doing so, many have foregone what
President Benson called “fast paced living and securing career success in the single
lane,” as well as opulent homes and the fine clothing, automobiles, cruises and
creature comforts that money can buy, choosing instead to bring many children into
the world according to the commandments of God and in keeping with sacred
covenants made in solemnity at the altars of the temple. These have spent their time,
talents, money and everything with which the Lord has blessed them serving his spirit
children— bearing them, caring for them when sick, feeding them when hungry,
comforting them in sorrow, clothing their nakedness, teaching them to walk uprightly
before the Lord and providing for their every need at great personal sacrifice. In
doing so, these have come to appreciate for themselves the connotations of the Lord’s
inspired counsel, that this is indeed full time work, and coming to see for themselves
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the wisdom of heaven— that this, rather than the glamorous forbidden paths of the
world, is truly the way to the tree with the fruit of eternal happiness.
At the very same time, other professing members of the church have rejected this
counsel of heaven and embraced the pride of the world and the life styles of the great
and spacious building. They have, in the tradition of today’s wisdom, chosen not to
marry or at the least, to postpone marriage, so that they might pursue the finer things
of life, education, travel, careers and the pleasures of this present world called
Babylon. These that do eventually marry for companionship and sexual gratification,
have chosen either not to have children or to postpone children for the very same
reasons, as children would inhibit them pursuing the forbidden paths of selfishness
they prefer to travel. How could they pursue higher degrees, careers, world travel
and their worldly leisure with children tying them down and draining their resources?
These that do eventually have a few “trophy children” selfishly limit their posterity
for the same reasons. How could they possibly retain their figures, their demanding
careers, their healthy bank accounts and pursue the alluring paths of Babylon with
eight greedy and needy kids to cramp their style? And these are the same who chose
to be two income families in spite of the children’s needs, in spite of the counsel of
the prophets, in spite of the now obvious, if it wasn’t before, toll these things take on
marriage and home.
There are no mysteries here. We can serve God or we can serve mammon. And we
can do either one as ostensible members of the Church. But, what many fail to see
is that when we chose Babylon’s course, we are not only guilty of personally
rejecting the prophets, but of polluting the holy church of God as well. Our contrary
lives and philosophies teach our families and neighbors different lessons than those
coming from heaven. Our priorities and justifications serve and defend the selfserving
kingdom of the devil not the selfless family of God. Our lives become the
adversaries lies, his false advertising, saying to the other members of the holy church
that they too can have it all. Our sophisticated justifications seem so alluring and
cogent, especially to the youth of the church. As we work with the youth we tarnish
them with our exciting Babylonian precepts and examples. It’s all so logical to seek
the things of the world in the wisdom of the world when we are all so much of the
world.
With great agility and acumen these whores justify the forbidden paths with the logic
and wisdom of the world. They preach to us that we can better serve the church by
being successful in the pursuits of the Gentiles— higher learning, successful careers,
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prominence and wealth. These pursuits, they submit, will build the kingdom of God
so much better than staying home and having a bunch of underprivileged kids. They
tell us that some members, contrary to the prophets teachings, are better suited for
professional careers than for domestic duties.
No matter that the covenants at the altars of the temple pertain to multiplying and
replenishing the earth, the wisdom of the great and spacious building says, “Why yes,
but mingle it with our wisdom and it will be better. Postpone and limit your family
that you may seek first the things of this world and aspire to the honors of men, then
you can serve the kingdom so much better, then you can give your three children the
fine things of the world— to say nothing of yourself. Being well educated, a woman
can do so much more. Not being bound down by a brewed of children you will be
able to serve so much more effectively. You will not only realize your full potential
but serve the kingdom so much more effectively. There are more paths to the Tree
of Life than one. Each much choose his own path and find his own course. It is
different for everyone of us.”
But with time, many of the saints come to see that these pluralistic justifications for
going contrary to the prophets are empty attempts to hide what eventually becomes
obvious. The truth is we who make such choices do not really want to serve God and
our fellow man in God’s way with personal sacrifice at all. We have opted to serve
ourselves with personal success instead. We will become great educators with high
degrees, famous athletes who become very popular with the world by breaking the
Sabbath, great businessmen who love and make and ostensibly give much money—
great men and women of the world who the world will respect and admire. And with
these honors of men and the things of the world (D&C 121:35), we then purport we
will serve God and his children. We will be his greatest servants and we will do it
our way, rising to the heights of worldly prosperity and success— having our cake
and eating it too. This thinking may not always even be a conscious thing, yet this
exactly mirrors Satan’s philosophy. He wanted to be the Messiah, but not with any
personal sacrifice. He too wanted to serve his way, in power and glory, not God’s
way, in abasing himself in personal sacrifice. He could not and would not give
himself a sacrifice for all so he proposed another self aggrandizing plan, but our
meek Lord who came into the world not to do his own will but the will of the Father
(Jn. 6:38), both could and did. He sought not the honors of men or the things of this
world. He suffered the will of the Father in all things.
These pseudo-members play havoc with the church. Their pollutions, seeking to
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justify their desires for the vain things of the world literally persecute and destroy the
church and the people of God from within.
2 Nephi 26:29
29 He commandeth that there shall be no priestcrafts; for, behold,
priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto
the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they
[don’t really] seek...the welfare of Zion.
Alma 1:12
12 But Alma said unto him: Behold, this is the first time that
priestcraft has been introduced among this people. And behold, thou
art not only guilty of priestcraft, but hast endeavored to enforce it by
the sword; and were priestcraft to be enforced among this people it
would prove their entire destruction.
[The angel of the Lord] cried again, saying: Alma [a rebellious
member of the church], arise and stand forth, for why persecutest thou
the church of God? For the Lord hath said: This is my church, and I
will establish it; and nothing shall overthrow it, save it is the
transgression of MY PEOPLE. (Mosiah 27:13).
Priestcraft is the magical art of turning the vain priorities of Babylon into the
priorities of the saints. Mingling the philosophies of men with scripture the saints
justify themselves with their own learning in going a whoring after other priorities
than those the Lord has set. The craft is in showing that in seeking the wealth and
popularity of the world the saints are only doing the work and will of God. But it’s
all smoke and mirrors. When the saints love the vain things of the world more than
heaven’s plan of happiness they cease to be the church of God— they become the
other church. Remember, there are only two, and it all comes down to the heart.
The revealed key of happiness is that mankind will only fill the measure of his
creation and find joy and happiness therein by marrying and multiplying and
replenishing the earth:
Man is not complete without the woman. Neither can fill the
measure of their creation without the other. (President Howard W.
Hunter, Ensign, November 1994, p. 49, emphasis mine).
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We seriously regret that there should exist a sentiment or feeling
among any members of the Church to curtail the birth of their
children. We have been commanded to multiply and replenish the
earth that we may have joy and rejoicing in our posterity. (First
Presidency letter to bishops, stake presidents and mission presidents,
14 April 1969, emphasis mine).
Anything that detracts from this plan is the lie. The fundamental unit of both society
and the church is the family. The prophets have fervently and unanimously testified
that no worldly success will ever compensate for failure in our homes. They have
counseled and even plead with the saints not to compromise these marital and
familial values, vouchsafed from heaven, for any other supposed treasures that earth
may have to offer.
I can assure you that the greatest responsibility and the greatest joys
in life are centered in the family, honorable marriage, and rearing a
righteous posterity. (Ensign, May 1988, p. 52, emphasis mine.)
There can be no genuine happiness separate and apart from the
home. The sweetest influences and associations of life are there. We
cannot be successful no matter what goals we attain in the material
world, no matter what honors of men come to us; we will not be
successful in our lives if we fail as fathers and mothers. (C.R. Oct.
1947, p.27, emphasis mine.)
But too many have not listened, both in our society and in our church. The adoption
of these perverted, pluralistic priorities and practices of Babylon (higher learning,
career success, double incomes, limited families, day care and nanny mothersubstitutes,
deficit spending) have brought the family to crisis in our society and in
our church. Just as the prophecies have warned, these things are and will bring the
calamities and judgments of destruction upon us. Our sacred marriages cannot be
merely shared priorities with the educations, careers, pleasures and interests of the
world. The precious children entrusted to us from heaven cannot be part time
priorities in the lives of their preoccupied and overly busy parents who greedily want
it all, and pridefully think or, at least hope, they can have it all.
These deceitfully justify themselves with arguments of the importance of education,
the value of career success and supposedly “being all that they can be” in the cause
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of building Zion. Their erudite rhetoric deceives many, often including themselves,
and tragically pollutes the holy church of God.
But this deceit is far more obvious to some than many know. Some of us come to see
all of this for what it really is— the mockings and vain imagination and wisdom of
Babylon the great, the great and spacious building, the great and abominable church,
even the whore of all the earth.
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I will post the rest of it here in .pdf format once I figure out how to do it.  I have only skimmed at this point - but I found this chapter which gives me assurance that the rest of it is on the mark.

I see my daughter struggling to find her way in a world where Babylon is held up as the standard - and then I see her seminary teacher, a former Bishop whose wife is our RS President who was able to make it on one income, who homeschooled all 8 of their children, who is putting the last one through his mission, and who has all the other 7 kids endowed and sealed in the temple to their companions.  I am blessed to be surrounded by faithful members who understand and have heeded God's counsels with exactness and am able to point to them as examples of faith, courage, and perseverance that back up what my wife and I are trying to pass on to our kids.