PROSELYTING WITHOUT PURSE OR SCRIP - JUST LIKE IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS

I am a big believer in sending the missionaries out two by two, to reprove and bear witness to the world of the truth and to call them repentance and prepare the way of the Lord.

Here is a quote by George Q. Cannon regarding this practice that I really think sums up how I feel on the matter:

Undoubtedly preaching "without purse or scrip" has a purpose. George Q. Cannon explained the reasons the Lord has sent out missionaries in this fashion:

There are two objects to be accomplished by the Elders going out without purse or scrip upon the apostolic plan. In the first place, they learn for themselves that God lives and that He hears and answers prayer; in the second place, they test the world. The Savior says: "Whoso receiveth you receiveth me, and the same will feed you, and give you money. And he who feeds you, or clothes you, or gives you money, shall in now wise lose his reward; and he that doeth not these things is not my disciple; by this you may know my disciples."

We test the world in this manner and prove whether they will receive the servants of God and supply their simple wants when they travel preaching the Gospel without salary or pay of a pecuniary character; but looking unto the Lord for the reward that He has promised to bestow. (JD 26:282.)


However, as should be obvious, it is very possible for missionaries to "learn for themselves that God lives" and to also "test the world" without specifically preaching "without purse or scrip." This understanding helps us to comprehend how the Lord is able to change such directives.

Here [D&C 84:86] the Lord lays forth His law. All who are called to preach the "gospel of the kingdom" must "from this hour"; [Sept. 22, 1832], not take purse or scrip that goes forth to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom... This is an eternal law. Its repeal has never been made public by revelation."

GREAT CONVERSATIONS TODAY

I spent about five hours rehearsing everything I have learned to two different fine people I know through church. I just got off the phone with a good older friend from the mission - Fortaleza, Brasil.

Scott A. was the best missionary in the whole mission. He had been inactive before going deciding to go on the mission and when he came back he did so with a vengeance. So much so, that he was known (at least to me) as "the machine". I could not keep up with him - and I would run the legs off my companions - to the point that I was specifically told by my mission president to slow down for fear of a few of them losing too much weight and becoming ill. Many a weekly letter to the mission President was sent complaining about my over-zealous work habits or off the charts boldness calling people out to repentance. After all, I was not there to soft-peddle the gospel to people - it was about getting down to the brass tacks and saving souls - even if it hurt them a little in the process or wore out my comps' shoes for all the running around. I had one companion that I trained right before I headed home, Elder Smith, who was so on fire that he and I would spend our entire P-day deep diving into the scriptures just to see what we would learn. It was a chore to have to quit so we could do a little shopping and the basics of self-maintenance for the week.

I was that intense as a missionary; and then there was "the machine". Scott could run me into the ground in a heart-beat. The guy was unstoppable - the love of the Lord burned so strongly in him. He would get up earlier than the 6:30am start of day time and lift weights and be dressed by the time I rolled out of bed. He was truly over the top and made a righteous goal to baptize 100 souls in the last few months of his mission and I believe he achieved that goal or came very close to it. I think he is still that same way.

So we had a chance to talk tonight - and I gave him the synopsis of the whole Elenin thing. He seemed respectful (not dismissive, as many are when they hear something that is off the charts like I am presenting to them) and is digesting this. He made a comment in the middle of my two hour long monologue - basically to the effect of, "You have known about this for months now and you are just now telling me four weeks before it happens??". He lives on the West Coast and would take a direct hit from the EQ and the resulting tsunami. I felt badly I had not considered that he should be given an earlier warning. I have one more week where I basically can have the luxury of time telling people the story two hours at a pop - and then I am over in Montana going pedal to the metal for the last three weeks getting the enormous list of things ready.

So - what I am trying to say is this: if you have developed some sense of urgency to this thing (that it will go down, as posted), please do go out on a limb and tell people you care about and give them as much heads up as you can. It may make the difference between them just saying "Why try" because there is too much to do in too short of a time and them feeling the motivation to 'git 'r dun' with what time and resources they have left.

I have many co-workers (not LDS) that are making plans (one guy that I am mentoring as he rotates through our group is renting a 32' RV from Cruise America and loading it with crazy amounts of food and heading to Northern Idaho above 2600' elevation. Another is conveniently planning his vacation with his family back to Vietnam during that time period. Another is planning to take his family to Toronto where he will be blowing the shofar in his synagogue on September 26th which is Rosh Hoshanna - the feast of trumpets where they symbolically herald the coming of the Messiah. The significance of that "coincidence" is not lost on him....

Several families in our ward have already hit the streets (or are heading out) for points east. Many have told me I am full of bull puckey.... Oddly, the ones that have told me that have little or no food storage, most do not have "as much education as possible", most are deeply in debt and living beyond their means, most love sports and spend inordinate amounts of time in front of the tube wasting countless hours in worthless pursuits (what - so you can intelligently talk with your compatriots around the water cooler about some element of yesterday's pre-season game??), most have a 50" television or bigger with dolby surround sound (as much as a two years supply of food for their small family would cost) and the list goes on and on - and I AM THE FREAK and the one who is out of line for basically following what I am asked to do of the Lord through His servants. It will be interesting to see what happens when we cross paths again. I pray for them - but do not hold out much hope - good people; just conditioned by the world to label and ridicule; and then suffer with the worldly......

PREPARING FOR STORMY WEATHER AHEAD

I just talked to my friend from Church tonight before coming in for work. He is one who is awake and walking a very interesting walk to prepare for what is coming. I have never seen the kind of faith the he and his supportive companion are experiencing. He quit his job cold-turkey and made a jump into the dark to pursue direction that he was receiving from the Spirit. I have been at a loss to explain their actions - but then realized that they know more than I have in the past - even though they may not fully comprehend their future, they know that God knows the beginning from the end and that they just need to follow the promptings of the Spirit. He mentioned that he has also had a dream of an impending earthquake and that he was given instructions on how to mitigate its effects.

I have told him that I would like he and his wife to raise our children if there were ever anything to happen to my wife and I. We feel they are easily of a terrestrial nature. I just need to somehow get them up to speed on the nature of the doctrines about what is coming shortly to pass. I think they will see things clearly once they have the vision that Eliza R Snow was given. The more good people you surround yourself with, the better chances you have of threading the needle. The Lord will provide miracles commensurate with the level of faith and diligence. I have such a strong witness of that principle.

So, there are many others out there who are expectantly watching and waiting - and I am heartened and pray for them. One of them is my old mission companion, David Christenson whom I have featured before on this blog with some of his videos. I watched this one and it sent a thrill through me in light of what recently felt is coming:

CLICK LINK

My only regret is that he did not go back further and get quotations talking of a 7 year food storage, then the 2 year, and dovetail it in with the Pres Benson quote of a one year store and then the latest which is basically 'just get something!!!'.

May we all feel the urgency of our situation - the children and innocents will suffer for our lack of concern. And we ultimately will pay for that indolence as we are weighed in the balance.

WITHOUT PURSE OR SCRIP

I loved my mission - but the only thing that could have made it better would have been to go without purse or scrip. I love reading stories of those early Saints who did it the hard way and am envious of the challenge to truly live by the Spirit. I believe it makes the missionary and the mission. Truly sink or swim.....

77And again I say unto you, my friends, for from henceforth I shall call you friends, it is expedient that I give unto you this commandment, that ye become even as my friends in days when I was with them, traveling to preach the gospel in my power;

78For I suffered them not to have purse or scrip, neither two coats.

79Behold, I send you out to prove the world, and the laborer is worthy of his hire.

80And any man that shall go and preach this gospel of the kingdom, and fail not to continue faithful in all things, shall not be weary in mind, neither darkened, neither in body, limb, nor joint; and a chair of his head shall not fall to the ground unnoticed. And they shall not go hungry, neither athirst.

81Therefore, take ye no thought for the morrow, for what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, or wherewithal ye shall be clothed.

82For, consider the lilies of the field, how they grow, they toil not, neither do they spin; and the kingdoms of the world, in all their glory, are not arrayed like one of these.

83For your Father, who is in heaven, knoweth that you have need of all these things.

POWER IN THE PRIESTHOOD - CASTING OUT OF AN EVIL SPIRIT IN BRAZIL

I decided to enter some interesting spiritual experiences while an LDS missionary in Brazil (Fortaleza Mission) from 1988-1990.

Here is one of the most bizarre experiences - okay just one of many. How come it is that my life is just filled with these??

Here goes from my journal entry of 12/25/1988:

"We are here in Brazil in Natal in the NE state of Rio Grande do Norte. I'm going on 10 months on my mission (3 months in the MTC, 3 months in Anaheim waiting for my Brazilian visa) and just four months in Brazil. The time has gone by incredibly fast. Anyway, I had heard alot about the evil spirits they have down here so I had prayed at times in the MTC, in California, and even here to have an experience with an evil spirit so I would have the experience - and knowing I would have an experience thusly according to my patriarchal blessing.

Anyway, my companion (Elder Venancio) were in our house after Christmas letting the food from the Christmas dinner digest and me rejoicing in the fact that I got out of eating lambs feet that our dinner host (who is also our maid) offered me. I've gotten good at that here in Brazil.... Anyway, the neighborhood Mormon boy came into our home and asked if he could use us for a little while (or in other words, use our Priesthood) as he was only a Teacher at that point. He told us that the screaming and carrying-on that we heard was the neighbor lady possessed with a devil and that he wanted us to come and cast it out. I recognized this as a good chance to fulfill my desire and we left right away. We got to the house kitty corner to ours and the gal (about 30 years old) who lived there was on the ground, in the sand, screaming her head off and babbling at times after laughing hysterically. Quite frankly, I thought she was drunk or was having some kind of breakdown. There was a man holding her down and talking to her. I asked the man, who was holding on to her what was going on. He said she and her live-in boyfriend had been to the beach (drinking, etc) and as they were returning on the bus, a bad spirit entered her. I laughed to myself picturing her on a crowded bus carrying on like that - I bet she freaked some people out!

Anyway, they got her to the house and inside and tried to keep her inside by locking the front door. She went bezerk and five men could not hold her down. She got to the front door and ripped it right off of the door frame and was able to get back out side (this gal was about 85 lbs - very small build). The force required to rip the deadbolt out of the frame and spring the hinges would have taken at least four of me. Anyway, she was saying all the time that she wuold run our in the street and jump in front of a car to kill the body she was in. She said it once more as she was headed for the street and then she said "I can't do that!" or something to that effect and then she fell limp to the ground when the spirit left her for the first time. A little bit later the evil spirit returned to her and that's when Elder Venancio and I came upon the scene. I frankly thought she was just a drunk - which was partly true because she had been drinking at the beach with her live-in boyfriend. We observed for about 5 minutes. She was subdued somewhat now and just babbling. I was made a believer (to her condition) when I heard and understood what the spirit was saying over and over - "Ganhei um corpo..." = I got a body and that she was not going to let anybody take it away from her - and that she 'finally got her chance'. Freaky!!

After knowing that this was for real I started thinking of how Jesus Christ and the Apostles had cast out the devils and remembered the story of Jesus and Legion and the swine and so I asked the spirit's name. She said she didn't have to tell me because she already told the man who was holding her down. He had forgotten - and I was thinking 'Great, this is like the army where you only have to give your name, rank and serial number once!'. I talked with Elder Venancio and he seemed to think we should command it out as if we were giving a Priesthood blessing by the laying on of hands. He did so (laid hands of her head) but she just struggled to break loose - this devil didn't like anyone touching the new-found body! The crowd of around 30 people who had gathered around were getting pretty anxious to see these two guys in white shirts and ties cast the devil out - and then the boy who had called us to this started saying "Well, come on and use your Priesthood and cast it out!". So I'm going "Great! Group peer pressure to use the Priesthood. Of all the things I've ever seen!". I just sat there for two or three minutes about how my comp hadn't successfully cast it out and then I thought of how they'd successfully cast devils out in the New Testament. Finally, the Spirit said, "Now, do it now!". So I just raised my right arm to the square and proceeded to do the sloppiest prayer I had ever done in my life. It was part in English, part in Portuguese, but I got through it. It was the strangest feeling - doing an ordinance in public for a group of gawking spectators - and not really sure of what I was doing. Anyway, I got done and looked down at her and she was calm and was listening intently as if someone in the distance was calling to her or talking to her. Then she started saying "Alguem e me chamando" = 'Someone is calling me' - over and over. I was sure something had worked but a little flustered that the evil spirit hadn't left right away - like I thought it should have.

Alot more to come - this is alot of typing.....

THE GOOD STUFF - UPLIFTING WORDS, MUSIC, AND VIDEO

I HAVE WANTED TO POST THIS STUFF FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW. DAVID WAS A COMP IN JOAO PESSOA (A TOWN CALLED JOHN PERSON IN PORTO... HA, HA, HA) AND WAS THE POOR UNFORTUNATE AND BEWILDERED JUNIOR ZL COMP THAT HAD NOT LEARNED THE PRINCIPLE OF A WICKED AND ADULTEROUS GENERATION (PREVIOUS POST). ANYWAY, DAVID WAS QUITE THE ARTIST THEN AND I AM JUST IMPRESSED WITH WHAT HE IS DOING NOW IN PUTTING GREAT WORDS, MUSIC AND VISUALS TOGETHER FOR A SMORGASBORD OF THE SPIRIT AND SENSES. HE HAS USED HIS TALENT ON A COMMON SITE WE VISIT (WHERE I FIRST BUMPED INTO HIM), CALLED LDSAVOW.COM. I HAVEN'T HAD MUCH CONTACT WITH DAVID OTHER THAN A FEW E-MAILS - BUT HE SOUNDS MORE PREPAREDNESS AND FREEDOM MINDED THAN I AM.

HERE IS ONE OF HIS LATEST VIDEO CREATIONS:

MY HEAVENLY FATHER LOVES ME

IF YOU LIKED THIS ONE - CHECK OUT HIS OTHER STUFF ON U-TUBE. YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.