I have said that we must be closer than we realize.
As part of that "closeness factor", we will need to see the Dream Mine come in.
I love this book by Ogden Kraut. It is the best info we have on the matter:
http://woodyoubelieveit.blogspot.ca/2012/07/bishop-koyles-dream-mine-by-ogden-kraut.html
Enjoy!
Tuesday, March 20, 2018
THE VIEW FROM UNDER THE BUS
I have been wanting to write this piece for quite some time now as I have seen several troubling incidents come into my view.
I stand for the truth. I do not really care where it takes me or what the consequence may be. I have seen too much to know that the Lord has my back. There are some who have erroneously - but understandably - come to the conclusion that Joseph Smith and Jesus Christ/John the Baptist and even Abinadi have stood up for the truth and have gotten thrown under the bus in the greatest way possible for their efforts. I will knock that notion down right here - in that they had to die to seal their testimony, as testators of a new covenant (or, in other words - they brought in a new era or way of thinking that required their blood in order to more fully condemn those whose false or twisted words they were combatting). See Hebrews 9: 16-17
I enjoy the luxury of being in a position where I can anonymously say what needs to be said in no position of authority - and I can mostly get away with it with little or no repercussion. I have little to nothing to lose - and the satisfaction factor is VERY high. There needs to be millions of people like me. People who just don't give a damn about social cost - who are willing to just lay it down as it really is. I have always done it - and the results have been stunning. Once you get the feel that God will back you no matter what - then the more bold the stance. When evil knows you will stand firm and stand up to it (just as President Trump has done), then the tide of evil turns. It starts with you and I. We are the groundswell; the grass-roots in the (seen and unseen) battle on this telestial orb. God would that we were either hot or cold; He can do little with someone who is luke-warm as it states in Revelations.
I have one guiding principle - and that is a nearly unshakable faith that God will sustain me and that the consequences will work to my good and to the glory of God's kingdom.
I have shared my story from the Boeing days when Romney was running for President. As a "Moron" in a very liberal group of folks in the 777 Systems and Installation Support Cell, I was catching all kinds of heat. There was the liberal "free love" former hippy who was point man on the group with about 10 other Millennials who made the bad decision to challenge me on the Law of Chastity. After listening to the diatribe about the "hook-up" culture and FWB (friends with benefits - which means just casually sleeping around with one person with no commitment) culture that my younger associates were pushing, I decided to stand my ground on the Law of Chastity. In the end, after a pretty hostile exchange (yes, people can get quite charged when you challenge them on whether it is their right to be able to have an "endorphin release" with whomever they want - because this is tantamount, from a physiological standpoint, to taking the coke from the cokehead), Gene the hippy-dude let me have it, screaming and profaning God with f-bombs and the whole nine yards in our cube farm. It was unprofessional as I simply was defending myself and my beliefs - that are NOT my own. Gene was literally foaming at the mouth as I received my scathing rebuke for my "ignorance" and stupidity for believing in this mythical "sky god". That was a tough thing to have to take. In light of what I was going thru at the time, due to my wife's health situation, it was kind of about the last straw for me.
I got down on my knees after everyone had left for the day and asked that the Lord "stay his tongue" because I was at the end of my rope with the hostility towards my beliefs and my faith. That was a Friday evening. Monday morning came and Gene was there early as usual. When I rolled in, all Gene could do was croak at a whisper level. He was training the 'newbies' as part of a pre-retirement knowledge transfer exercise. Instructions were given on a large post-it from then on out until a day before he retired when he went in to have it checked out. I never had to listen to him above a whisper for the rest of that time with him. At the appointment, he was immediately diagnosed with throat cancer and was sent immediately to the Fred Hutchinson cancer center in Seattle. He succombed to throat cancer 13 months later. I have to interject here that throat cancer really only comes about in one of three ways. Due to a viral load - mostly associated with cancer from oral sex with multiple partners who have the Human Papiloma Virus on their soft parts, from a lack of selenium in the diet (there are only a few clusters related to this found world-wide - biggest being in India) and also from smoking; Gene was not a smoker and there are no clusters of this due to low selenium in our diets in the USA - that I am aware of. Sooooo..... how ironic would it be that he happened to get the most common cancer found among "free-love" players.....). You might say it simply was a cancer of "bad Genes".... I just consider it bloody ironic - now that I think of it.
I stayed in touch with him after he left the company on a medical leave and urged him to allow the guys in white shirts into his home (that he had openly bragged about humiliating on his doorstep, when he still had a voice). I promised him that if he entreated them and the message that they had, they had the keys to help to make him whole again. As far as I know, he never did, choosing to rely on the arm of flesh (with chemo treatments) - which happened to let him down as he slid further and further under the bus he had attempted to throw God under.....
I will not go into detail further, other than to say that there were two other people who did the same during my career there at Boeing who ended up in a very bad way (there was death involved in both cases and extreme sorrow). Both additional cases involved me being humiliated for being open about my beliefs, and me asking simply for respite from that. Usually, it involved asking the Lord to judge between me and the actions of these people and to let the chips fall where they may (in favor of them, or in favor of me). The results in each case were stunning. I am a fallen and imperfect man. I have to wonder what God would do for a man who is fully just and holy (a subject of another blog piece).
I am a home teacher to a "just man" who is from Africa. His story of how he came to be here is stunning. He is a miracle man. There are many who are being gathered here (to Cardston) that will largely be able to avoid the heartache that countless others will have to endure on the purifying journey as they come off the West Coast and from other areas. It will be difficult beyond imagination, for a reason. We must all be completely stripped of our pride (including myself and my family) until we are ready to receive and be in the presence of the Savior. There were some unfortunate circumstances which led to this man's family being persecuted (older children no longer come to church). The family was unrighteously judged for the action of one member of that family. I sorrowed for him and his family and asked the Lord to judge between his family and those who had judged him and to give the family relief so that they could feel good about fully supping at the Lord's table. God has and will judge for them. God will have a Zion people, stripped of pride and who judge only righteous judgment. We can either choose to be humble - or we can compelled to be humble. It really is our choice - or we can choose to de-select ourselves on a Millennial scope of things.
We have several litmus tests that can be used in the judging of righteous judgment. First, when talking to a person, do they throw the Savior under the bus? The people of His day did - and they paid a horrific price. Josephus writes that they had resorted to cannibalizing their own progeny in order to survive shortly before they were wiped nearly clean by the Romans. Ironic, in that they rejected the "Bread of Life" in that they were invited to symbolically take and break in remembrance of the body that was broken and the flesh that was given up on the cross, and they were, out of desperation, driven to take and break the literal flesh of their own. What a sad and filthy contrast..... How the outcome would have been different with the opposite scenario playing out. They would have had the very King of Heaven as their guide and nothing could have stopped that Kingdom - but it was not to be.
Amongst the Saints here in Cardston, it is largely implied that we believe in Jesus and The Book of Mormon, etc. Another litmus that I use to develop a feel for where a person is at, is and the vision of Sols GuardistoVisions of Glory. I feel that these two pieces of writing were written for us. My daughter recently went in to receive her PB. The Patriarch is a good man. I can tell that. I shared with him our "Dallin story" prior to the blessing and then afterwards, shared with him some more thoughts and asked him about his feelings on Visions of Glory. He had read it - but said he did not have a favorable view of it. Not a caustic view of it - just not favorable. When I told him that it will happen just as written, he back-pedaled a bit - but I did not want to punk the Spirit that was there and we politely brought the conversation to an end and we left his home. I had borne my witness of things to come - to one who has those keys to pronounce the same - and my job was done.
About six weeks ago, I had the chance to randomly run into my daughter's Seminary teacher at a basketball tournament. Before the game started, I was sitting there with my daughter in an area outside the gym where it was quiet and I proceeded to tell him the "Dallin story" and other events. For the most part, he was polite (what do you tell a person who shares such a story? - "Sorry, sir - you are deluded and full of hu-hu?"). Then for the ultimate litmus - "Have you read Visions of Glory?". "What do you think of it?". His first statement was that he did not think it was inspired. And that he could NOT believe it as an official emissary of the Church - Seminary teacher. I then clarified - and said that I did not expect him to teach it across the pulpit nor to my children - but what did he think of it personally? The same thing. His defense was that he had read the FAIR assessment of VoG (click the hyper-link to read that Pharisaical assessment) and that was all that he needed to know. I sat there kind of speechless - he had let that useless group of intellectual Pharisees guide his thinking???????? Just wow. I officially became a little concerned for my daughter's spiritual well-being as his student. Just what else had he rejected? Modern miracles? True power in the Priesthood? Because of our unbelief, we are living WELL below our means. Myself included, at times.
The game was about to start and we moved towards the gym. I told him that we would have to have his large family over for dinner so we could chat more. I told him that I could help straighten him out on the "Spencer question" at that time. I kind of punked him - but I was a little incensed at the ignorance and mild arrogance I had seen. I expected more of him. I had heard great things about him.
We did invite him over the other night, and it did not go well. It was kind of an ambush, but he and his wife were having none of what we were serving on the menu. Sadly, they have judged and they will have to go through some learning and possibly sorrows on that account (only God knows their true hearts). The elect are usually not blinded by their professions, their status in life and much else, and hear the call to truth and do not throw it under the bus - as the socially and powerfully connected priestly class did in Jesus' or Abinadi's day. I have experienced the same reaction from all of those who are in official Church capacities in the Cardston area. From Stake Presidents to regional Seminary coordinators to ranking temple workers. Those in positions of power have summarily thrown Spencer under the bus. Those in lesser stations, only whisper approval in hushed tones. On the flip side of that, there are many who have been in positions of leadership, who hold an opposite view.
My concern is this: we are supposed to be a place of refuge and ready for the influx. If we are busy rejecting things as they will be, then we will NOT be ready. When my wife and I were discussing this (at times, she has been mildly annoyed with my preps and obsession on the matter), she asked me why I did not throttle back a bit and let "the Elders of Israel" handle this. I said, "I AM the Elders of Israel!". I feel that if I do not show a little backbone and leadership (at least plant some seeds or sprinkle some phosphates around - then the ground will be simply sterile when the time comes.
When it becomes painfully clear that he was right (by force of circumstance), or the official word is disseminated from SLC - then people will suddenly change their tune. But not til then. Even with the official statement from SLC, that the Mrs. Sols Guardisto vision is all good, few believe it nor accept it. As someone who knows how well that first temple President, Edward James Wood is revered in this area (who embraced the Sols vision and forwarded it to the Prophet of the day for review), this is shocking to me. How easily the people forget.
Thus my assessment, without a mighty change of heart, less focus on materialism and so much else, that the purge will be equal here in Cardston to anywhere else - before the lesser remnant are allowed to turn it into a hallowed gathering spot. The purge will begin in the Lord's house first. Then it will go forward from there.
So, yet one more time, I put out a generic warning that there are "just men" and "just men made holy" among us and I always give this warning to people when it concerns these two classifications of men and women: "it is not they who are being judged in the balance, it is you!". I said the same thing to my wife years ago, when she chose to side with the feminist wenches who threw Joseph Smith under the bus with the rest of the foulest of the eternities. I warned her that she would pass through a sort of furnace of affliction until she saw things as they truly are. And she has. We have, jointly. It has been excruciating - and I am not sure if that is strong enough of a word. I understand the metaphor of the winepress. It is crushing in all senses of the word.
When we throw those who are just and holy under the bus - the outcome is not good. YET, God has spoken through unlikely channels that the Saints WILL be ready here. If the official priestly class is resistant and even hostile to what is coming - then who will lead the official charge forward? Things must be done in wisdom and in order. As Joseph said, it is the Lord's economy to send out personal revelation to many so that they will be ready to receive the truth when it is disbursed through official channels (happened with polygamy) - but only those with keys have the ability and stewardship to move forward with the "program".
Until then it is a waiting game. For now, it is comforting to know that those at the top, in positions of power and who hold the keys, know the program and that it is just a matter of patience and time until it is laid out and revealed.
I stand for the truth. I do not really care where it takes me or what the consequence may be. I have seen too much to know that the Lord has my back. There are some who have erroneously - but understandably - come to the conclusion that Joseph Smith and Jesus Christ/John the Baptist and even Abinadi have stood up for the truth and have gotten thrown under the bus in the greatest way possible for their efforts. I will knock that notion down right here - in that they had to die to seal their testimony, as testators of a new covenant (or, in other words - they brought in a new era or way of thinking that required their blood in order to more fully condemn those whose false or twisted words they were combatting). See Hebrews 9: 16-17
I enjoy the luxury of being in a position where I can anonymously say what needs to be said in no position of authority - and I can mostly get away with it with little or no repercussion. I have little to nothing to lose - and the satisfaction factor is VERY high. There needs to be millions of people like me. People who just don't give a damn about social cost - who are willing to just lay it down as it really is. I have always done it - and the results have been stunning. Once you get the feel that God will back you no matter what - then the more bold the stance. When evil knows you will stand firm and stand up to it (just as President Trump has done), then the tide of evil turns. It starts with you and I. We are the groundswell; the grass-roots in the (seen and unseen) battle on this telestial orb. God would that we were either hot or cold; He can do little with someone who is luke-warm as it states in Revelations.
I have one guiding principle - and that is a nearly unshakable faith that God will sustain me and that the consequences will work to my good and to the glory of God's kingdom.
I have shared my story from the Boeing days when Romney was running for President. As a "Moron" in a very liberal group of folks in the 777 Systems and Installation Support Cell, I was catching all kinds of heat. There was the liberal "free love" former hippy who was point man on the group with about 10 other Millennials who made the bad decision to challenge me on the Law of Chastity. After listening to the diatribe about the "hook-up" culture and FWB (friends with benefits - which means just casually sleeping around with one person with no commitment) culture that my younger associates were pushing, I decided to stand my ground on the Law of Chastity. In the end, after a pretty hostile exchange (yes, people can get quite charged when you challenge them on whether it is their right to be able to have an "endorphin release" with whomever they want - because this is tantamount, from a physiological standpoint, to taking the coke from the cokehead), Gene the hippy-dude let me have it, screaming and profaning God with f-bombs and the whole nine yards in our cube farm. It was unprofessional as I simply was defending myself and my beliefs - that are NOT my own. Gene was literally foaming at the mouth as I received my scathing rebuke for my "ignorance" and stupidity for believing in this mythical "sky god". That was a tough thing to have to take. In light of what I was going thru at the time, due to my wife's health situation, it was kind of about the last straw for me.
I got down on my knees after everyone had left for the day and asked that the Lord "stay his tongue" because I was at the end of my rope with the hostility towards my beliefs and my faith. That was a Friday evening. Monday morning came and Gene was there early as usual. When I rolled in, all Gene could do was croak at a whisper level. He was training the 'newbies' as part of a pre-retirement knowledge transfer exercise. Instructions were given on a large post-it from then on out until a day before he retired when he went in to have it checked out. I never had to listen to him above a whisper for the rest of that time with him. At the appointment, he was immediately diagnosed with throat cancer and was sent immediately to the Fred Hutchinson cancer center in Seattle. He succombed to throat cancer 13 months later. I have to interject here that throat cancer really only comes about in one of three ways. Due to a viral load - mostly associated with cancer from oral sex with multiple partners who have the Human Papiloma Virus on their soft parts, from a lack of selenium in the diet (there are only a few clusters related to this found world-wide - biggest being in India) and also from smoking; Gene was not a smoker and there are no clusters of this due to low selenium in our diets in the USA - that I am aware of. Sooooo..... how ironic would it be that he happened to get the most common cancer found among "free-love" players.....). You might say it simply was a cancer of "bad Genes".... I just consider it bloody ironic - now that I think of it.
I stayed in touch with him after he left the company on a medical leave and urged him to allow the guys in white shirts into his home (that he had openly bragged about humiliating on his doorstep, when he still had a voice). I promised him that if he entreated them and the message that they had, they had the keys to help to make him whole again. As far as I know, he never did, choosing to rely on the arm of flesh (with chemo treatments) - which happened to let him down as he slid further and further under the bus he had attempted to throw God under.....
I will not go into detail further, other than to say that there were two other people who did the same during my career there at Boeing who ended up in a very bad way (there was death involved in both cases and extreme sorrow). Both additional cases involved me being humiliated for being open about my beliefs, and me asking simply for respite from that. Usually, it involved asking the Lord to judge between me and the actions of these people and to let the chips fall where they may (in favor of them, or in favor of me). The results in each case were stunning. I am a fallen and imperfect man. I have to wonder what God would do for a man who is fully just and holy (a subject of another blog piece).
I am a home teacher to a "just man" who is from Africa. His story of how he came to be here is stunning. He is a miracle man. There are many who are being gathered here (to Cardston) that will largely be able to avoid the heartache that countless others will have to endure on the purifying journey as they come off the West Coast and from other areas. It will be difficult beyond imagination, for a reason. We must all be completely stripped of our pride (including myself and my family) until we are ready to receive and be in the presence of the Savior. There were some unfortunate circumstances which led to this man's family being persecuted (older children no longer come to church). The family was unrighteously judged for the action of one member of that family. I sorrowed for him and his family and asked the Lord to judge between his family and those who had judged him and to give the family relief so that they could feel good about fully supping at the Lord's table. God has and will judge for them. God will have a Zion people, stripped of pride and who judge only righteous judgment. We can either choose to be humble - or we can compelled to be humble. It really is our choice - or we can choose to de-select ourselves on a Millennial scope of things.
We have several litmus tests that can be used in the judging of righteous judgment. First, when talking to a person, do they throw the Savior under the bus? The people of His day did - and they paid a horrific price. Josephus writes that they had resorted to cannibalizing their own progeny in order to survive shortly before they were wiped nearly clean by the Romans. Ironic, in that they rejected the "Bread of Life" in that they were invited to symbolically take and break in remembrance of the body that was broken and the flesh that was given up on the cross, and they were, out of desperation, driven to take and break the literal flesh of their own. What a sad and filthy contrast..... How the outcome would have been different with the opposite scenario playing out. They would have had the very King of Heaven as their guide and nothing could have stopped that Kingdom - but it was not to be.
Amongst the Saints here in Cardston, it is largely implied that we believe in Jesus and The Book of Mormon, etc. Another litmus that I use to develop a feel for where a person is at, is and the vision of Sols GuardistoVisions of Glory. I feel that these two pieces of writing were written for us. My daughter recently went in to receive her PB. The Patriarch is a good man. I can tell that. I shared with him our "Dallin story" prior to the blessing and then afterwards, shared with him some more thoughts and asked him about his feelings on Visions of Glory. He had read it - but said he did not have a favorable view of it. Not a caustic view of it - just not favorable. When I told him that it will happen just as written, he back-pedaled a bit - but I did not want to punk the Spirit that was there and we politely brought the conversation to an end and we left his home. I had borne my witness of things to come - to one who has those keys to pronounce the same - and my job was done.
About six weeks ago, I had the chance to randomly run into my daughter's Seminary teacher at a basketball tournament. Before the game started, I was sitting there with my daughter in an area outside the gym where it was quiet and I proceeded to tell him the "Dallin story" and other events. For the most part, he was polite (what do you tell a person who shares such a story? - "Sorry, sir - you are deluded and full of hu-hu?"). Then for the ultimate litmus - "Have you read Visions of Glory?". "What do you think of it?". His first statement was that he did not think it was inspired. And that he could NOT believe it as an official emissary of the Church - Seminary teacher. I then clarified - and said that I did not expect him to teach it across the pulpit nor to my children - but what did he think of it personally? The same thing. His defense was that he had read the FAIR assessment of VoG (click the hyper-link to read that Pharisaical assessment) and that was all that he needed to know. I sat there kind of speechless - he had let that useless group of intellectual Pharisees guide his thinking???????? Just wow. I officially became a little concerned for my daughter's spiritual well-being as his student. Just what else had he rejected? Modern miracles? True power in the Priesthood? Because of our unbelief, we are living WELL below our means. Myself included, at times.
The game was about to start and we moved towards the gym. I told him that we would have to have his large family over for dinner so we could chat more. I told him that I could help straighten him out on the "Spencer question" at that time. I kind of punked him - but I was a little incensed at the ignorance and mild arrogance I had seen. I expected more of him. I had heard great things about him.
We did invite him over the other night, and it did not go well. It was kind of an ambush, but he and his wife were having none of what we were serving on the menu. Sadly, they have judged and they will have to go through some learning and possibly sorrows on that account (only God knows their true hearts). The elect are usually not blinded by their professions, their status in life and much else, and hear the call to truth and do not throw it under the bus - as the socially and powerfully connected priestly class did in Jesus' or Abinadi's day. I have experienced the same reaction from all of those who are in official Church capacities in the Cardston area. From Stake Presidents to regional Seminary coordinators to ranking temple workers. Those in positions of power have summarily thrown Spencer under the bus. Those in lesser stations, only whisper approval in hushed tones. On the flip side of that, there are many who have been in positions of leadership, who hold an opposite view.
My concern is this: we are supposed to be a place of refuge and ready for the influx. If we are busy rejecting things as they will be, then we will NOT be ready. When my wife and I were discussing this (at times, she has been mildly annoyed with my preps and obsession on the matter), she asked me why I did not throttle back a bit and let "the Elders of Israel" handle this. I said, "I AM the Elders of Israel!". I feel that if I do not show a little backbone and leadership (at least plant some seeds or sprinkle some phosphates around - then the ground will be simply sterile when the time comes.
When it becomes painfully clear that he was right (by force of circumstance), or the official word is disseminated from SLC - then people will suddenly change their tune. But not til then. Even with the official statement from SLC, that the Mrs. Sols Guardisto vision is all good, few believe it nor accept it. As someone who knows how well that first temple President, Edward James Wood is revered in this area (who embraced the Sols vision and forwarded it to the Prophet of the day for review), this is shocking to me. How easily the people forget.
Thus my assessment, without a mighty change of heart, less focus on materialism and so much else, that the purge will be equal here in Cardston to anywhere else - before the lesser remnant are allowed to turn it into a hallowed gathering spot. The purge will begin in the Lord's house first. Then it will go forward from there.
So, yet one more time, I put out a generic warning that there are "just men" and "just men made holy" among us and I always give this warning to people when it concerns these two classifications of men and women: "it is not they who are being judged in the balance, it is you!". I said the same thing to my wife years ago, when she chose to side with the feminist wenches who threw Joseph Smith under the bus with the rest of the foulest of the eternities. I warned her that she would pass through a sort of furnace of affliction until she saw things as they truly are. And she has. We have, jointly. It has been excruciating - and I am not sure if that is strong enough of a word. I understand the metaphor of the winepress. It is crushing in all senses of the word.
When we throw those who are just and holy under the bus - the outcome is not good. YET, God has spoken through unlikely channels that the Saints WILL be ready here. If the official priestly class is resistant and even hostile to what is coming - then who will lead the official charge forward? Things must be done in wisdom and in order. As Joseph said, it is the Lord's economy to send out personal revelation to many so that they will be ready to receive the truth when it is disbursed through official channels (happened with polygamy) - but only those with keys have the ability and stewardship to move forward with the "program".
Until then it is a waiting game. For now, it is comforting to know that those at the top, in positions of power and who hold the keys, know the program and that it is just a matter of patience and time until it is laid out and revealed.
Saturday, March 17, 2018
FAITHFULNESS IN LIGHT OF PERSECUTION BY MEMBERS OF OUR OWN FAITH
This is a great story that I was given permission to share by someone on a FB group that I am a part of:
Two weeks ago tomorrow my 17 year old daughter had a very horrible experience happen to her with the girls at church. She will be 18 mid-June and graduating late May and then going up to our cabin to work with her soon to be returned missionary brother, I will not be with them. Because of how mean the incident was she is now attending Sunday School and Relief Society with me. She has wanted to for a very long time and since I will not have that opportunity when she turns 18 we are taking advantage of it now. She is quiet and beautiful and never speaks ill of others. She lives so very close to the spirit. She has a confidence about her that all children of God should have. Her confidence and self-esteem come from within, not from without. She chooses the right without care of what others may think. It is a God-given gift that she has this confidence and surety from within. I wish all youth had this same gift. I wish the adults had it, too. I think that sometimes this confidence unnerves others who are not so self-assured.
I am working on my minor in family history through BYUI. This week I was doing some research for one of my classes. I was getting frustrated not finding records I needed for an assignment, but what I did find was a great blessing to me.
Charles Lambert was a British convert to the Church. He had been a fine stonecutter and was experienced and had moved up to being an overseer. He arrived in Nauvoo with a great talent and a desire to serve the Lord. Upon his arrival he sought out the temple and offered his services. He was told there was a great need for his trade, but the funds had long ago been exhausted and there would be no pay. He gladly accepted the job or rather service. The next day he showed up to work in his suit and silk top hat, the only work clothes he had since he had not cut stone for awhile as he had been the overseer. He quietly hung up his suit coat and top hat, put on an apron and made a makeshift cap.
What Charles didn't know was that the Americans weren't so impressed with these "dandy" men who were so formal. Whatever their motivation they began to throw granite chips at his top hat until it was shredded to pieces. At the end of the day Charles found his silk top hat and didn't say a word. He never said a thing to anyone and because of his gentle demeanor he was quickly accepted by the other men and loved.
What really struck me about this story was that these were members of the Church, temple workers, no less, who shredded his hat. Charles was pretty much destitute even though he wore fine clothes, they were all he had. Shortly after he arrived he married Mary Alice Cannon, the daughter of George Cannon and sister to George Q. Cannon. Her mother had died on their voyage to America and shortly after the martyrdom her father died of heat exhaustion looking for work in St. Louis. George Q. was living with his sister and her husband, Lenora Cannon and John Taylor. My grandmother, Anne, was living with another relative. This left 15 year old Mary Alice to care for her three younger siblings. It was at this time that the 25 year old Charles asked for her hand in marriage and offered to care for her and her three siblings as he served working on the temple. He did not have a job and they often relied on the Lord for their sustenance and the Lord provided. This destitute little family lived close to the Lord as they struggled to live the gospel. When Charles' hat was destroyed he had every right to be angry, but he wasn't.
I thought about how as members of the Church we haven't changed much in the nearly 190 years since the Church was organized. Joseph longed to raise a Zion people and was disappointed that the people weren't ready. I believe every prophet since has strived for this. The experience we had and reading Charles' story helped me realize I have a long way to go, too. I like to think that I am preparing myself, but I learned a lot about me this past week. I wondered how I would have reacted if I had been Charles. His story has been very forward in my mind all week. I am so very grateful for him recording this and his quiet example of faith. I've realized I need to record more of these kinds of experiences for my posterity and for my profit and learning. It can be used as a measuring stick to see how I am progressing.
I wish the jealousy and lashing out hadn't happened to my daughter especially unprovoked. I've learned from Charles that there really is no such thing as a 'righteous indignation' and sometimes we are wronged, it is what strips us of our pride as we willfully submit. All that matters is that we stay right with the Lord.
One last story about Charles. He and another stonecutter made a vow together that they would stay and work on the temple until it was finished. Other men were leaving the worksite to go find work as they were also desperate for money. Shortly thereafter Charles was walking down the road towards home when a man called out to him by name and then introduced himself as Higgins. He told Charles that he lived in Missouri and was in need of a stonecutter and had heard of his fine workmanship and had plenty of work with good pay, "just name your price," and he pulled out several $10 and $20 gold coins and temptingly played with them in his hand. He said Charles would be treated much better than he was on the temple project. Charles did not even think about the job and the money that his family needed. He said he had no complaints about his work at the temple and declined the offer then turned to leave. As he did so he wondered how this stranger knew his name, how to find him and how he heard of the fine work that he did. He turned around almost instantly and the man was gone "as if the earth had swallowed him up." He hadn't time to travel any distance from where they had spoken, but there was no sign he had ever been there. Until his dying day Charles swore that Satan had been the one to try to woo him away from his work on the temple. He was glad that he honored his vow and stayed true to the Lord.
So many lessons in that story, too. I am so grateful for Charles and his fine example of faithfulness and duty to the Lord. He knew in whom he could trust.
TRUE LEADERSHIP
This is good stuff - if you are in a position to lead:
https://www.facebook.com/Mindset2Succeed/videos/903594459793773/
People call Christians brainwashed and deluded. No, we have at our head, the BEST leader ever. If you study how satan works, he is selfish and does not lead, but gets his minions to do the dirty work and then he pulls the carpet out from under them and they are left to themselves. Jesus, the opposite. This is why people will go to their deaths for Him. Same thing with Joseph Smith and so many others. True leadership.
Enjoy!!
https://www.facebook.com/Mindset2Succeed/videos/903594459793773/
People call Christians brainwashed and deluded. No, we have at our head, the BEST leader ever. If you study how satan works, he is selfish and does not lead, but gets his minions to do the dirty work and then he pulls the carpet out from under them and they are left to themselves. Jesus, the opposite. This is why people will go to their deaths for Him. Same thing with Joseph Smith and so many others. True leadership.
Enjoy!!
TYING THINGS TOGETHER - MY BEST CONVERSATION EVER
So I have this older gal at church (whom I call my surrogate mother; even talks and looks like her). She is a prepper and a rock solid good woman. Last Sunday, she asked me if I had anything for her (of blog interest). It is hard to keep on keepin' on when you are not sure where the finish line is, and you are getting older by the day.
Anyway, a contact that I have reached out to me to give me information that assures me that we are close, close, close. It was definitely the best convo ever. I cannot say what it is - just that I can pretty confidently say that we are likely in the 3.5 years prior to the trib (pre-trib time). In retrospect, I can semi-confidently say that the flurry of bad juju activity accompanying the exciting crossing of the sun last August 2017 was a marker of the beginning of the 7 years.
It gives me peace - this information - knowing that I do not have far to go. I get weary of watching and waiting, as well. Now, I know that I just need to plod along, following the Spirit on further promptings of what I need to do to be ready.
Anyway, a contact that I have reached out to me to give me information that assures me that we are close, close, close. It was definitely the best convo ever. I cannot say what it is - just that I can pretty confidently say that we are likely in the 3.5 years prior to the trib (pre-trib time). In retrospect, I can semi-confidently say that the flurry of bad juju activity accompanying the exciting crossing of the sun last August 2017 was a marker of the beginning of the 7 years.
It gives me peace - this information - knowing that I do not have far to go. I get weary of watching and waiting, as well. Now, I know that I just need to plod along, following the Spirit on further promptings of what I need to do to be ready.
THE RELATION BETWEEN THE HYKSOS (JOSEPH OF EGYPT) AND THE IRISH
There is another great video here that talks about the connection of the reddish brown haired people of Egypt and the Irish.
https://youtu.be/uGwgkQUV0H8
Of course, we already knew this due to the blessing of Joseph by Israel.
https://youtu.be/uGwgkQUV0H8
Of course, we already knew this due to the blessing of Joseph by Israel.
Thursday, March 15, 2018
THE BEST OF YIRUMA
I think my wife discovered this quite some time ago. Great bed-time music, or just good for meditating:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKlN18ZIhts
I am always late to the show.... Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKlN18ZIhts
I am always late to the show.... Enjoy!
Wednesday, March 14, 2018
VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS SCALED TO EACH OTHER
This is quite an interesting graphic. Remember that it was the first one (Tambora) that caused the relocation of the Smith family from Vermont to NY by force of circumstance with several years of failed summers due to the ash in the air, blocking the sunlight. This and a couple of major financial setbacks led to the greatest thing since the Resurrection of Jesus Christ on the face of the planet. So, when you have setbacks, whether health or financial or other; remember this little fact - and be grateful that you were not hanging out within about 25 miles of Tambora when she let loose, as a near-ELE event:
LADY - A DEDICATION TO MY WIFE
Love this song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR4if4ble1A
Would love to be able to serenade my lady while playing the piano to this....
Dennis DeYoung (the lead singer), is one of the few people in the rock industry that I can truly say that I would be comfortable emulating. Truly a class act. Married happily and faithfully since the early 70's.
On a parallel note, after 25 years of marriage to my sweetheart, I find this interesting. Hopefully, we swing a little more towards her in the looks dept. She has some pretty great genes from her father's mother - the women on that side look timeless, even into their 70's and 80's:
http://www.msn.com/en-ca/video/wonder/research-suggests-married-couples-really-do-start-to-look-alike/vi-BBKe8HA?refvid=BBKe26W&ocid=ientp
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR4if4ble1A
Would love to be able to serenade my lady while playing the piano to this....
Dennis DeYoung (the lead singer), is one of the few people in the rock industry that I can truly say that I would be comfortable emulating. Truly a class act. Married happily and faithfully since the early 70's.
On a parallel note, after 25 years of marriage to my sweetheart, I find this interesting. Hopefully, we swing a little more towards her in the looks dept. She has some pretty great genes from her father's mother - the women on that side look timeless, even into their 70's and 80's:
http://www.msn.com/en-ca/video/wonder/research-suggests-married-couples-really-do-start-to-look-alike/vi-BBKe8HA?refvid=BBKe26W&ocid=ientp
MY SON TURNED 21 Y.O. YESTERDAY
So, he has not gotten called of to war in his 20th year. That is a good thing. We all need more time to repent and get it right, including me.
However, I am a little concerned about what is going on with England and Russia. One of the harbingers of badness to come kind of reared it's ugly head yesterday when things soured significantly over the whole spy poisoning thing the past few days. It came to a head with the death by strangulation of the second spy. Yesterday, Russia warned England that they are messing with a nuclear power (England is as well - but I would put my money on Russia any day - as they have not given in to national degradation, whether by trannies or the muzzy invasion of Londonistan....). Russia has declared themselves a Christian nation and have simply said that they will not tolerate any kind of terrorism. When there have been isolated incidents of school take-overs, etc - they just send the special forces in and wipe them out. Take no prisoners - no holds barred. Real men. The sissified garbage of the West does not even occur to them. Just go for it and git r dun....
So, if I were to gage the average SJW snowflake American "male" vs the average Russian man, my money is firmly planted with the Russian. Same thing in a battle of that joke of a prez we had in the whorehouse vs Putin. At least with Trump, I can firmly state that we once again have a male in the Whitehouse that will kick butt and take names, when it comes to American interests. I am not looking for overbearing here - just someone who will look out for the average American taxpaying individual.
So, I would tread lightly when it comes to England vs Russia, due to this statement. Indeed, with England throwing Russian diplomats to the curb yesterday, an escalation could well end with a quick blow of a bear paw to a lion's head....:
However, I am a little concerned about what is going on with England and Russia. One of the harbingers of badness to come kind of reared it's ugly head yesterday when things soured significantly over the whole spy poisoning thing the past few days. It came to a head with the death by strangulation of the second spy. Yesterday, Russia warned England that they are messing with a nuclear power (England is as well - but I would put my money on Russia any day - as they have not given in to national degradation, whether by trannies or the muzzy invasion of Londonistan....). Russia has declared themselves a Christian nation and have simply said that they will not tolerate any kind of terrorism. When there have been isolated incidents of school take-overs, etc - they just send the special forces in and wipe them out. Take no prisoners - no holds barred. Real men. The sissified garbage of the West does not even occur to them. Just go for it and git r dun....
So, if I were to gage the average SJW snowflake American "male" vs the average Russian man, my money is firmly planted with the Russian. Same thing in a battle of that joke of a prez we had in the whorehouse vs Putin. At least with Trump, I can firmly state that we once again have a male in the Whitehouse that will kick butt and take names, when it comes to American interests. I am not looking for overbearing here - just someone who will look out for the average American taxpaying individual.
So, I would tread lightly when it comes to England vs Russia, due to this statement. Indeed, with England throwing Russian diplomats to the curb yesterday, an escalation could well end with a quick blow of a bear paw to a lion's head....:
Question
Gramps,
N.B. Lundwall refered to a prophecy by Joseph Smith concerning a sign of the times when the bear would put its paw upon the head of the lion. Do you have any information on this Gramps? Thanks.
Reid
Answer
Dear Reid,
An 1890 issue of the Juvenile Instructor records the prophecy you mention as well as an interpretation.
“Elder Jesse W. Fox, Sen., received the narration from Father Taylor, the father of the late President John Taylor. The old gentleman said that at one time the Prophet Joseph was in his house conversing about the battle of Waterloo, in which Father Taylor had taken part. Suddenly the Prophet turned and said, ‘Father Taylor, you will live to see, though I will not, greater battles than that of Waterloo. The United States will go to war with Mexico, and thus gain an increase of Territory. The slave question will cause a division between the North and the South, and in these wars greater battles than Waterloo will occur. But,’ he continued, with emphasis, “‘when the great bear (Russia) lays her paw on the lion (England) the winding up scene is not far distant.’“These words were uttered before there was any prospect of war with Mexico, and such a thing as division in the United States was never contemplated. Vet these fierce struggles came, and though Joseph himself was slain before they occurred, Father Taylor lived to witness some of the world’s most remarkable battles.“The struggle between the bear and the lion has not yet happened, but as surely as Joseph the Prophet ever predicted such an event so surely will it not fail of its fulfillment.” (Juvenile Instructor vol 25, no 6, pg 162).
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