Called by the Prophet - The Lord's Battalion

Moroni is the captain of the armies and one very good man!  He raises the title of liberty among the people (v12), puts on his own armor, dedicates himself to the cause by praying unto God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of Christians remain to posses the land (v13).  He went forth among the people, waving the rent part of his garment in the air, that all might see the writing which he had written upon the rent part, and crying with a loud voice, saying: Behold, whosoever will maintain this title upon the land, let them come forth in the strength of the Lord. . .”  (v20)

As I was reading this, I was hit hard with the similarity between Moroni and what Pres. Nelson has been doing since the day he was sustained as our prophet.  He has traveled to many countries and called the youth to commit to being on the Lord’s battalion.  He has called the women of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to this same cause.  I suspect (and pray) strongly that the same thing will happen at the next Priesthood session.  He is organizing the Lord’s Battalion in preparation for the Savior’s return. 

How is he doing this?  He is getting out amongst the people, for one thing.  But he is calling us to rededicate ourselves to the cause of the Savior.  What is that cause?  “. . . To bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39).  What is he asking us to do?  This is the list he gave to the Relief Society:

·       Read the Book of Mormon

·       Talk of Christ in conversations with family and friends

·       Increase temple attendance  

·       Participate fully in Relief Society

Without researching, he has given similar call to the youth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  He has literally called them to join the Lord’s Battalion.  

I can’t help but wonder if in President Nelson’s quiet moments, he had this Ah-hah moment, aka inspiration, that he is today’s Moroni and must call us all to repentance and commitment to this great cause – the preparation to usher in our Savior’s return.  Oh how I pray that I will be worthy to be at this great event.  The Lord is hastening His work.  It is electric, very visible, and so thrilling to me.  I’m grateful to be where I can see this happening.  

Alma 32-34 - Come Back!

As I was reading from some of my favorite chapters in the Book of Mormon this morning, I could not help but ponder the horrible state one of my children is in. She is by far the most miserable person I have ever known.  She believes in God, but she does not believe Him.  She prays, but she doesn’t listen.  

As Alma is teaching the poor who have lost the privilege of worshiping in their synagogues because they are poor, he gives counsel that is priceless.  We can worship God in whatever circumstance we find ourselves.  This we have proven as we see our brothers and sisters in the poorest of nations blossoming with the Spirit, just as the Lamanites have done in the Book of Mormon. God is no respecter of persons. He loves all his children and blesses them according to their faith in Him.  I believe strongly he aches to bless each one of us.

As I was reading these three chapters, I couldn’t help but reflect on my own “rescue” from a very dark abyss.  I was miserable.  My life had been spoiled, or so I thought.  What I didn’t realize is that the Lord was humbling me.  We cannot have the blessings we seek when we are not living in accordance to his commandments.  

Amulek in Chapter 34 speaks such beautiful truths.  The Son of God has suffered so that we might not have to suffer.  What about this is so hard to understand?  Why do some refuse to see the feast that others are enjoying and turn away because they don’t believe what they are doing is what is bring them joy?  Amulek says in Chapter 34:31 that if “. . . ye would come forth and harden NOT your hearts any longer; for behold, now is the time and the day of your salvation; and therefore, if ye will repent and harden not your hearts, IMMEDIATELY shall the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you.” Immediately!!!  What does that mean to you?  Well, I know from my personal experience that it means as soon as you start drinking from the waters of the gospel, you will begin to feel something.  You cannot read the Book of Mormon with real intent without realizing it was written for you personally.  The beautiful thing about this is that the more you read it, the more you come to realize this very thing and the more you want to continue reading.  

Do I have the courage to post this in my scripture blog?  I don’t know that it is even read.  Not writing in it regularly is not a reflection on my diligence in studying my scriptures, but rather in being in a different place in my life currently.  Things change and we need to be willing to change as well.  My testimony of the gospel, as well as my testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon has never been stronger.  They are the way to happiness in this life and eternal life after our experience on earth.  I want to cry every time I read chapters as plain to understand as the three I read this morning.  Come back!!! If you are lacking faith, do as Alma suggests in chapter 32.  Try an experiment upon the “word”.  If you’re sincere, it is impossible not to feel the Spirit of the Lord cheering you on and giving you the power to endure your trials until you feel the love of God so fully that you are in a constant state of happiness.  Have your circumstances changed?  Maybe not, but your mind and heart have changed which allows you to change your circumstances.

The True Spirit of Freedom - Alma 60

Moroni sends a scathing epistle to Pahoran, who is really a team player, but Moroni is beginning to wonder and makes some pretty harsh accusations and promises if things don’t change.  Moroni uses some descriptive words of what the True Spirit of Freedom is, i.e. strive to strengthen and fortify, support, faith, patience, desire for freedom.  He also makes it clear that he does not fear Pahoran nor is authority in the government.  He makes it clear that the inner vessel must be cleansed first (v23). 

What is the inner vessel?  In this instance (Alma 60), it happens to be the government and their lack of support as Moroni and his armies are fighting their battles.  What would be the inner vessel in my life?  What supports me?  Definitely, my heart.  Where is my heart?  Do I have the Spirit of Freedom?  Am I supporting those things that will bring me nearer to God, nearer to winning the battle against the evil one in my own life and the lives of those around me? Is my inner vessel cleansed?  Am I doing what I do for the right reasons? For my fear of God more than my fear of what others might think?  Am I a support to others who are fighting battles I cannot, yet battles in which I believe are a true cause?  What might those battles be?  Maybe they are as simple as caring for the sick and needy, rescuing those who have lost their way, maybe it’s just making my surroundings and the friends and neighbors nearest me feel of my support and love as they go through their own battles of life.

Generally, I don’t know what I’m going to write before I start writing.  That’s true this morning, but I like the direction this has taken me.  I had underlined these key words (1^stparagraph) as I was reading this morning. As we go through our days, we need to look for opportunities where we can fortify or strengthen others in their battles, be a support wherever we can and have faith and patience in our own battles. This is the True Spirit of Freedom – not just for us, but also for the good of others.  That needs to be the marching orders for each one of us.  We don’t do anything we do for our own welfare. We invite and encourage those around us by building, uplifting and supporting them in their trials.  When our kids were little we called this B.U.S. = Build, Uplift and Support.  This was our family motto, and it fits really well as I compare it to the True Spirit of Freedom.

Behold, it mattereth not - Alma 58:37

We must learn to trust that God loves us.  We can pray and know of his love through the sweet feeling we get when we just say “Heavenly Father”.  It feels like we are speaking to our Father.  When we pour out our hearts in anguish and despair, somehow it feels better when we say, “thy will be done”, and then get up off our knees.  I’ve come to recognize this miracle as the Holy Ghost. It is powerful and consistent.

At this time in the Book of Mormon, the Nephites are in quite a spot as the Lamanites are numerous and preparing for war.  Although Moroni and his troops are doing the best they can, the Government is of little support in their efforts to sustain life and they are running out of provisions.  It would be so easy to murmur and Moroni even mentions that (v35).  

It is apparent that murmuring is of little value to anyone.  Those who would be hearing it are rarely within ear shot and those murmuring just find themselves in a position where they get lathered up over the conflict.  I love Moroni’s response to the grievances he had with the powers that be.  He took it to the Lord.  We need to learn this lesson from Moroni’s example.  God can do much more through our pleas to him than any government official who really doesn’t care what our situation is. Sharing our grief with the Lord is where we need to go.  Verse 10: “Therefore, we did pour out our souls in prayer to God, that he would strengthen us and deliver us out of the hands of our enemies, yea, and also give us strength . . .”  

Heavenly Father loves us and wants us to go to him for our needs and our sorrows.  Let’s face it, you might have a friend that you can dump it on, and they may listen and be compassionate.  At the end of the conversation, they’ll go their way and you will go yours.  What has been accomplished?  Not much.  But you take it to the Lord and you have a listening ear with someone who can make a difference.  You can counsel with the Lord.  You can tell him your concerns and your thoughts on solving them.  Ideas will come to your mind.  You are inspired to act on those ideas.  He can make it happen.  I’ve seen it happen too many times not to trust it.  Maybe it won’t happen immediately.  And that is where my tag line comes from – “It mattereth not – we must trust in God that he will deliver us.”

2 Nephi 10:2 - Restore, Perish; More questions than Answers

I came away this morning having a few more questions than answers.  Of course, I always read my scriptures through the lens of my children.  I don’t believe I wring my hands and stew, but I am concerned about those who have wandered off the path of righteousness.  What mother wouldn’t be?  

In verse 2, for a brief moment, I was quite comforted.  “For behold, the promises which we have obtained are promises unto us according to the flesh; wherefore, as it has been shown unto me that many of our children shall perish in the flesh because of unbelief, nevertheless, God will be merciful unto many; and our children shall be restored, that they may come to that which will give them the true knowledge of their Redeemer.”

Clyde walked into the room just as I wrote the last paragraph and we had one of the best conversations.  You see, after I read verse 2 and felt relative comfort, then I read verse 16:  Wherefore, he that fighteth against Zion, both Jew and Gentile, both bond and free, both male and female, shall perish; for they are they who are the whore of all the earth; for they who are not for me are against me, saith our God.”

What does it mean when you say, “they who are not for me are against me, saith our God”? What does “being for God” mean?  We talked about “being for a team”.  When you are being for a sports team, you cheer for them.  You go to their games, you wear their logo proudly.  If you are against that team, it is quite the opposite.  You find reasons to “dis” them and let others know you are not for that team by wearing the exact opposite.  Say if you were for BYU, you’d be wearing blue, you’d bleed blue, it would be all about blue.  If you were against them and for U of U instead, it would be all about the red. You’d wear red to a blue game. You’d be in your face about the team you’re supporting.  

So everything I read always boils down to my own family; my children who have wandered and don’t wear the team colors anymore.  You could say they fight against Zion.  So what does “restored” mean in verse 2 then?  I think I understand what perish means – “complete ruin or destruction” according to Webster Dictionary.  I think I understand what “whore of all the earth” means – “debase oneself for unworthy motives, typically for money”.  To be the whore of all the earth - would that be you’d sell anything of Godly or worldly worth for perceived wealth of the earth?  Maybe I’m digging too deep here, but in observing those who have turned against God, I notice they don’t value the simple beauties of the earth over their own gluttonous pleasures.  

So what is the “restored” talking about in verse 2?  What are our children restored to who have lost their way?  In our discussion, we talked about those things we knew before we came to earth.  We knew about God’s Plan of Salvation and we shouted for joy at the opportunity to come to this earth and prove ourselves worthy of returning to Heavenly Father and progressing on our path to be as he is.  We are restored to that knowledge.  And the perish part will be the knowledge that we blew it.  We have one shot at this amazing life and the choices it gives us.  If we waste that opportunity, it will never return.  Have you ever met someone who reached the end of his/her life and thought to yourself, “There goes a life that was a total waste; He accomplished nothing but create trouble for others”?  I’ve met a few.  I think the word “perish” will be very pertinent when they wake up on the other side of mortality and realize they could have had so much more at this one shot at earth life.  

I’m not certain that this rumination leaves me any smarter, but I still believe God loves each of His children and although I have children who have wandered and at least one of them is angry with God and shakes her fist at him, I have hope that my covenants and determination to keep them will somehow be of value to them in the next life.  I have hope that they will see God as He really is, they will remember the promises they made before they came to earth as well as the ones they made on earth and failed to keep, and they will be sad for their choices.  I believe they will desire to change, and for that reason, I’m grateful that the Millennium is indeed a very long time for that change to occur.

2 Nephi 9 - How Great the Wisdom and the Love

As I read this chapter this morning, I was impressed at the lines I’ve underlined previously.  I’m always intrigued when I see songs of the hymns laced with scripture.  I think this chapter is particularly filled with such lines. The hymn that came to mind mostly was “How Great the Wisdom and the Love”, one of our sacrament hymns.

Verse 8 – “O the wisdom of God, his mercy and grace!”  Were it not for Christ’s mercy and grace, all of us would go to the grave and be subject to the devil eternally. We would be devils and shut out from the presence of God.  Ugh! What a horrible thought.  

Verse 10 – “O how great the goodness of our God, who prepareth a way for our escape from the grasp of this awful monster [Satan], death and hell. . .”  Because of the good of our God, he knew we would sin and he prepared a way for us to be forgiven and move forward with our lives when we do. I for one am so grateful for this blessing in my life.  I WAS miserable!  It was a horrible existence I had created, and I haven’t forgotten for a day in my life what a blessing my own rescue has been.

Verse 13 – “O how great the plan of our God!”  Have you ever given thought to what happens after we die and why?  We will be reunited with our bodies once again. They will be whole and complete.  We will be reunited with those we love.  Why?  Because of God’s great plan of redemption.  We will have a perfect knowledge of our guilt, uncleanness, and nakedness; and the righteous shall have a perfect knowledge of their enjoyment, righteousness and be clothed with purity!  This is one reason why the sacrament is such a critical ordinance and repeated weekly.  We must repent of those things which keep us from our Heavenly Father.  They occur daily, minute by minute.  The Sacrament gives us opportunity to be freed from those sins and try harder the coming week.

Verse 17 – “O the greatness and the justice of our God!”  God is just.  If we repent, we “inherit the kingdom of God . . . and our joy will be full. . .” What does it mean to have our joy full? John 16:20 says “. . . your sorrow shall be turned into joy. . .”  My sorrow is that my children don’t believe.  3 John 1:4 says “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”  Well, that would do it for me.  2 Nephi 25 says that “Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.”  God intended that his children might have joy.  That was why we were created.  

Verse 19 – “O the greatness of the mercy of our God, the Holy One of Israel!”  He delivers us from the devil, death and hell.

Verse 20 – “O how great the holiness of our God!”  He knows our pains, sorrows, joys and knows how to succor us when we are sorrowful because he has been there.  He has suffered anything we could suffer for this very purpose: so that he might know how to help us when we are in need of help.  Why would he do that?  V22 – “So that the resurrection might pass upon all men . . . at the judgment day.”  Because he loves us!  How does that happen?  What will qualify us for that greatness?  It’s rather simple and covered in v23 and boiled down in the 4^thArticle of Faith.  “We believe that the first principles and ordinance of the gospel are first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

And there you have it – a rather simple plan given to us by the greatness of our God, our Savior and Redeemer.  What a blessing!  No wonder Jacob started each of these verses with “O how great. . .”  We are so blessed.  We are blessed to know of these things.  We are blessed to be given opportunity each week to re-qualify as we partake of the sacrament.  We are blessed to have ministers who will gently call us back into the fold when we have strayed.  We are blessed to have parents and grandparents praying daily – several times daily – that we will return to His fold.  

I am so grateful that was the case with me.  My parents literally prayed me back.  It was remembering their prayers that gave me the courage to even try.  Somehow, in spite of my lifestyle at the time, I thought about this.  The gentle nudging in so many different ways turned me around and I have felt nothing but joy and love since that time.  Oh, yes, there have been tough times, but nothing that could over ride the joy of the gospel in my life.  I’ve kept my eye on the ball (so to speak) every day since.  And it is glorious!  And way too long to describe in this already rather long post.  

O How Great the Wisdom and the Love that filled the courts on high and sent the Savior from above to suffer, bleed and die! (See Hymn #195)

2 Nephi 1 - Never Give Up; Never Surrender

Lehi and I are kindred spirits.  I know him.  I feel his pain.

As I read this chapter, I can relate so much to Lehi.  I wouldn’t be surprised if I’ve posted my thoughts on this very thing before.  

You love all your children.  They are all precious to you – even those who have strayed from the teachings of their parents.  You can see how their minds have become skewed in how they view their world - a series of unfortunate events.  You can see that these events really were tests that they failed.  It’s a sad thing to watch, and Lehi expresses my feelings completely when he says:  

13. O that ye would awake; awake from a deep sleep, yea, even from the sleep of hell, and shake off the awful chains by which ye are bound, which are the chains which bind the children of men, that they are carried away captive down to the eternal gulf of misery and woe.

14.  Awake! and arise from the dust, and hear the words of a trembling parent, whose limbs ye must soon lay down in the cold and silent grave, from whence no traveler can return; a few more days and I go the way of all the earth.

But the brethren constantly counsel us not to give up on these precious spirits.  We love them and someday that love will shine through the dark clouds their minds have created in their lives.  I know this is a truth, as I went through it myself. When I was ready to change, I knew where to go for support.  It was my family.  They saw me through the change and the warmth of their love, of the gospel and the hope for a better future kept me strong until my testimony of the Lord and my Savior’s love was evident to me.  And that is why I tell other parents this same thing.  Never give up; never surrender.  There is always hope.

1 Nephi 18:21 - Effectual Prayer Availeth Much

The prayers of a righteous man (or woman) can bring about change.  Nephi had been bound with cords and left unable to steer the ship in the sea.  The result of this caused the ship to sail into stormy seas that threatened the lives of the entire company.  The brothers were stubborn even amidst the threat of their own lives.  (Can I just say how typical this seems to be in the examples of those I know close to me who refuse to let go of their sins?)  Eventually, the brothers loosed the cords and Nephi was able to steer the ship to calmer seas.  Nephi prayed to God and “the winds did cease, and the storm did cease, and there was a great calm.”  Can we as parents and loved ones who have lost their compass hope for a great calm – eventually?  I have faith that we can.

In James 5:16 it says, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” Fervent means “passionate intensity”. 

In my extreme trials, are my prayers intensely passionate?  Have I ever been so stricken that my pleas were passionate and intense? Perhaps before I had the courage given me to divorce myself from a horrible existence?  Perhaps when I knew I was about to do something so frightening that I knew I could only do it with the Lord’s help.  I have really learned that the Lord listens to every plea we express both in words or silent thoughts.  

This wasn’t an extreme need, but a desire.  When we were first married and Clyde was serving an assignment as veil worker in the Provo Temple, I spent my time in the temple doing endowments so we would finish together.  One such night I thought (mostly to myself), “Oh, it would be so nice if Clyde would be the one to take me through the veil.”  As I stood waiting for my turn, I watched the workers doing their jobs assigning us to different places.  The sister started to take me to one place that had freed up and had a "second thought" to move me to another spot that had just become available. Would you believe it was my eternal companion on the other side of me?  That was such a testimony to me that the Lord is listening.

There have been many experiences since then.  The most recent was because of our dive trip.  I prayed and yes, even pleaded that I would not be the tall pole on this adventure.  I prayed that my joints would be “happy” so I could not slow anyone down.  We pay a lot for these experiences, and I didn’t want to be a burden.  It would be quite truthful to say I felt 15 years younger the entire trip.  My stamina was stronger than I’ve experienced in a long time.  I felt energized and eager to do what I truthfully was a little nervous to do. The second I entered the water on the first dive, I felt supported and sustained by an unseen presence.  I was exhilarated beyond expression!  I saw the beauties under the sea and praised my maker for this experience.  The entire week was a joy and I was never hesitant to do yet another dive.  I know the Lord cares about what’s happening in our lives.  This experience was for fun, but it wasn’t my kind of fun.  It became fun for me though.  Our thoughts and prayers do matter.

I have shared with my son, who is going through an excruciating experience as a surgical resident, the power of prayer and positive thinking.  He knows this stuff, but seems to have forgotten that it is for him too.  It is very effectual.  I could write pages on it, but will spare you.  Prayer is one of the biggest tools in our tool chest to help us draw closer to the Lord and to help us through the trials of this life.  

1 Nephi 14:7 Peace or Destruction? Your Choice!

It’s 4:00 a.m. and I’m unable to sleep.  I’m not a big fan of jet lag.  Add to that the bug I brought home from Indonesia as a souvenir, and you have a sleepless night.

I finally got up to read my scriptures.  May as well make use of my time wisely.  1 Nephi 14:7 snagged me this morning.  I’m sure it was because of yesterday’s “event” - my daughter’s third wedding, and the exposure I was given to the truth of this single verse.  It was a beautiful wedding.  Her former bishop performed the ceremony and gave wise counsel.  Before I go on, let’s examine the verse:

7. For the time cometh, saith the Lamb of God (Christ), that I will work a great and a marvelous work (this is the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ) among the children of men (that’s all of us, folks); a work which shall be everlasting, either on the one hand or on the other – either to the convincing of them unto peace and life eternal, or unto the deliverance of them to the hardness of their hearts and the blindness of their minds unto their being brought down into captivity, and also into destruction, both temporally and spiritually, according to the captivity of the devil, of which I have spoken.

I added the parenthesis.  This verse hits home.  There are two choices:  peace and life eternal, or captivity and destruction.  I’m here to tell and to warn you that Satan is very subtle.   I saw his handiwork in full display last night as I watched the evening from the eyes of experience.  In a previous life that seems almost inconceivable to me now, I was in the “captivity and destruct” camp of which Nephi speaks.  It is a dark and dreary place filled with temptations to escape its darkness through one of Satan’s greatest tools, i.e. strong drink.  Let me here say that I was never sucked into its potential to destroy my life; but I entertained it long enough to make some serious mistakes that tripped me up for nine years of my life - the nine years that should be productive motherhood years in a young woman’s life.

Reading my last sentence reminds me of the series of books my grandson asked me to read: “Percy Jackson”.   One of the chapters from which book I don’t remember took Percy into a room where time stopped ticking.  He thought he was there for just a few short minutes, but as long as he kept eating the delicious desserts that were freely available, the passage of time was negligible. This is so similar to the lifestyle of those who make choices that take them away from the “peace and life everlasting” Nephi references in the beginning of this verse.  The many temptations of Satan look appealing at first and feel harmless.  Be not deceived!  They are far from harmless.

Last evening started out beautiful.  It was a happy occasion filled with family from both sides who look forward to this couple doing some great things in their marriage.  They are a dynamic duo and have great potential. But darn that liquor!  They served wine, which, to some, might seem a mild drink. It too is quite subtle.   I was not blind to those who slipped their own strong drinks into the back kitchen where they came and drank freely through the night – even jokingly, thus making it a bit of a sloppy night for them and a stark reminder to me of how blessed I am.  This night was a strong reminder of the “captivity, and also into destruction” that Nephi speaks of in verse seven and of my rescue from that captivity and destruction, even "a great and a marvelous work", aka the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

I pray hard that those of my children who have crossed this line and are experiencing the captivity will somehow find their way back into the peace that comes from living as Christ has taught.  Today they are beautiful daughters, young and full of fun and life. I saw before me their future in a fast-forward type of way as I watched seasoned alcoholics.  As the night wore on, I was feeling the darkness of it all. Walking out the door in hand with my eternal companion was like coming up for clean air after being in a smoke-filled room.  I took a deep cleansing breath and a sigh of gratitude for my life as it is now.  

I couldn’t help but feel gratitude when my granddaughter asked me about my past.  Oh, I’m not grateful to have had that past, although I learned through experience that the things I was taught in my youth are true.  But I was grateful she would ask rather than wonder.  “Grandma, when you were married before, did you drink alcohol?”  Ouch! Getting married to someone outside my faith, values and beliefs was not my first poor choice. It probably began with the first Sunday I was “on my own” as an adult.  My insecurities kept me from attending church because I was afraid to go alone and my roommates didn’t want to be bothered. Actually, it really started before that. What was I thinking when I chose roommates who didn’t put the Gospel as a priority in their lives anyway?  We become like the company we keep.  The trail of poor choices is not hard to trace.  One poor choice leads to another until you reach that fateful day where you see (or others can easily see) that you are living in captivity and will be in the camp of “destruction, both temporally and spiritually”, if you do not reach out to the Savior for rescue.  Oh how grateful I am that Christ has made it possible to be rescued.  The Atonement of Christ is real.  Christ has the power to help you out of the messes you get yourself into.  Unfortunately, Satan’s captivity is also very real.  Those cords that bind you down are hard to break.  How much better to never let them exist in the first place!

I am grateful for the Atonement.  I’m grateful for the love of the Savior which has the power to heal the pains we bring upon ourselves when we make poor choices.  I’m grateful for the continued blessings that come from His Atonement.  They too are real.

Revelations 17 - More thoughts than answers

I don’t know that writing my thoughts on this chapter are worthy of publishing, but I found the entire chapter interesting – mostly because I’ve read it before, and this morning it seemed to be with more clarity, or at least with different questions.  Usually, once I write my first sentence, I get thoughts that are profound. I don't know that's the case today.

I love the language of this chapter.  In the first verse, I could almost visualize a “friend” relationship between John and the angel who was showing him around.   He said, “Come hither; . . .”  I could see the angel beckoning to him, “Come here, John.  I want to show you something.”  It means nothing; just what I envisioned.  

The “whore” is obviously anyone or anything, kingdom, creed, etc., that fights against the kingdom of the Lord, Jesus Christ.  I get this information from reading 1 Nephi 22:13-16 and 1 Nephi 14:11. 

The woman in verse 3, who is sitting upon a scarlet colored beast, represents the wicked rulers and nations of the world.  They are rich and full of filth.  Sounds pretty descriptive of what we see in some parts of the world today. The woman is drunken with the blood of the saints.  You see it in so many ways in the history of the world.

In verse 8, it says “the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.”  I’m wondering if that is referencing the fact that Satan (the beast) was all-powerful and known throughout the world and then “is not”. Does that mean he disappears, as we have been told he will not have power during the millennium?  And then it goes on to say “and yet is”.  We know he exists, but he isn’t in the world during this time.  I have no answer.  These were just my thoughts.

I want to jump quickly to verse 9 though.  That is the verse that caused me to pause this morning.  I’m not certain why I’ve never noticed it before, yet it isn’t a leap. “And here is the mind which hath wisdom. (In other words, if you’re smart you’ll get this.) The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.” Are the seven mountains the seven continents of the world?  It could have multiple meanings.  We know that seven in the scriptures can be replaced with perfect, finished, or complete. At least that’s what I’ve been told. So, “complete world?”  “Perfect world?”, or is it “Finished world?”  I just thought it interesting.  

My grandson has me reading the Percy Jackson books.  Although it’s not my favorite kind of reading, it has been interesting to see some of the similarities between the adventures of Percy and the prophecies of John in Revelations.  There seems to be lots of “beasts” with multiple heads, horns and moving/flying about the world freely in both accounts.  This too means nothing.  Just my thoughts as I was reading.

Hell is a place! It is also a state of mind.

Mormon 9 – So many nuggets!

As I was reading this chapter this morning it was almost with a new set of eyes.  I have read the Book of Mormon dozens of times.  But this time I saw nuggets that in the past did not stand out.  Why is this – especially given the fact I feel a little punk today?  It has something to do with “drops of oil”.  Each time I read anything pertaining to the gospel of Jesus Christ, I am adding to my lamp the drops of oil spoken of in the scriptures. 

I sat and stared at Mormon 9:2 for minutes before I moved on.  Let’s see if I can commit to paper what my mind was doing – and why.  I’ll start with the why.  My granddaughter, Tyler, is the sweetest teenager.  She has figured out that I really love to “chew on the scriptures” and occasionally will send me a text with a question pertaining to the Gospel.  She asked me about Hell the other day.  She asked me after reading 3 Nephi 12:30 if hell is a place.  “. . . is there a hell or does it mean that they will experience hell like conditions in the afterlife?”  My reply was sufficient and probably more than she wanted, but chewing on this one verse today was even better.

“Behold, will ye believe in the day of your visitation – behold, when the Lord shall come, yea, even that great day . . . . (from The Living Christ it says:  “We testify that He will someday return to earth And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.” Isaiah 40:5). This is what the day of your visitation means?  We will all see the Lord come at the same time.  I’ve pondered that statement numerous times.  What is that going to look like?  I have no idea, but I have no doubt that it will be seen by all of us at the same time.  Yes, it will be a great day!

Moving on:  “. . . when the earth shall be rolled together as a scroll, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, yea, in that great day when ye shall be brought to stand before the Lamb of God. . .”  Why did this stop me in my tracks?  In D&C 130:9 “The earth, in its sanctified and immortal state, will be made like unto crystal and will be a Urim and Thummim to the inhabitants who dwell thereon (This is a place.), whereby all things pertaining to an inferior kingdom (do you get this?  Inferior kingdom is the Telestial kingdom). . . or all kingdoms of a lower order, (think Telestial Kingdom here), will be manifest to those who dwell on it; (who will be dwelling on the Telestial Kingdom? Read D&C 76:83-86) and this earth will be Christ’s”.  Those who dwell in the Telestial Kingdom, aka the earth as we know it, will have become as a sea of glass and easy to read. . . Will be able to see.  Even though we’ve been told even the Telestial Kingdom will be a place of glory.  D&C 76: 84 says “. . . they are thrust down to hell.”  This earth, in its sanctified state, will be the hell spoken of in the scriptures!  It is a place.  It will also be a state of mind though because we will see with clarity those things we might have had, and chose not to have. What do you suppose your mind is going to feel like at that point if you “qualify” to live in the Telestial Kingdom?  I can’t think I’d be real happy about it.  That would definitely describe hell to me.

My morning is moving a lot faster than I am.  I could chew on this a long time.  Yes, the scriptures are full of nuggets.  This chapter is dense with them.  I love reading the scriptures and finding a nugget I can chew on.  I love my Savior, Jesus Christ and his patience with me in this process – and it is a process.  As I wrote earlier, one drop at a time, or line upon line as Joseph Smith wrote (D&C 98:12). 

Revelation 12 - Flood of Water

My time in the scriptures this morning was so enjoyable.  I read from the Book of Mormon and then went to Revelations where I’m reading it again.  I have noticed something.  The more I read, the more I understand what I’m reading.  Awesome!

I read Revelation 12 this morning where it talks about the apostasy and the war in heaven, which continues on the earth today.  Oh brother does it!  The “woman” (v1 and throughout the chapter), is the Church. The “man child” (v5) is the Priesthood.  Of course, we know the “rod of iron” is the word of God, more specifically the Book of Mormon, and Satan’s war to keep that from coming forth was and continues to be relentless.  He does NOT want us to read it and learn of the truth. 

The “wilderness” (v6) I believe is Utah, or what has become Utah.  We know it wasn’t a state when the saints first arrived here, but it was wilderness.  That was my thought this morning.  Verse 15 was an eye opener to me.  “And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.”  The serpent (Satan) cast out of his mouth a flood of water after the woman (the Church).  Never in our history as we know it has the world been flooded with such filth and sleaze as we see daily on the Internet, news, in the work place and it has even slipped into some of the higher echelons of our own beloved Church.  Could this not be considered a flood?  What is the definition of a flood?  “An overflowing of a large amount of water beyond its normal confines. . .”  Certainly evil has spread to every corner of the world.  Could it not be considered as an outright assault against the Lord’s Church – a war (v17) to destroy the remnant of her seed – us! 

I feel sad at the casualties of this war.  I see them daily – some my own family members.  It is heartbreaking.  But I have the faith that the Lord is in charge of this and He will prevail.  I want to be on the winning side of this war.  When I see big trees fall (Priesthood leaders in the Church), it is such a sad thing to me.  Yet we’ve been told that even the very elect will be deceived.  Matthew 24:24 – “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”  I’m having a hard time seeing how a Priesthood leader can be deceived when it comes to a sexual transgression, but we are seeing some serious offenses in this arena. 

We can never let our guard down.  We can never think that we are immune from this flood.  We must read from the scriptures daily, pray for strength to overcome the adversities in this world, attend our meetings and the temple.  These are the tools the Lord has given us to inoculate us against this flood.