Dear Everyone,
I feel like we are stuck in a black hole... this hole is the government and all the c-r-a-p that we have to deal with because of it. I just feel like we are doomed. Government wants to control every aspect of everything...except as members of the church, "We believe that governments were instituted of God for the benefit of man; and that he holds men accountable for their acts in relation to them, both in making laws and administering them, for the good and safety of society. . . .We believe that all men are bound to sustain and uphold the respective governments in which they reside, while protected in their inherent and inalienable rights by the laws of such governments; and that sedition and rebellion are unbecoming every citizen thus protected, and should be punished accordingly; and that all governments have a right to enact such laws as in their own judgments are best calculated to secure the public interest; at the same time, however, holding sacred the freedom of conscience. We believe that every man should be honored in his station, rulers and magistrates as such, being placed for the protection of the innocent and the punishment of the guilty; and that to the laws all men show respect and deference, as without them peace and harmony would be supplanted by anarchy and terror; human laws being instituted for the express purpose of regulating our interests as individuals and nations, between man and man; and divine laws given of heaven, prescribing rules on spiritual concerns, for faith and worship, both to be answered by man to his Maker" (D&C 134:1, 5-6).
In this day, governments are seeking to fulfill their own agendas. The UN is seeking to become a global government by getting every country to agree to the Law of Sea Treaty. This law would give the UN access to control every nation's trade. Also, it was found out about a month ago that President Barak Obama is not a citizen of the United States, or at least has no documentation. His birth cirtificate was found not to be able to hold up in court. What?! It's true. Why the *bad word* is he still in the presidency? Why hasn't he been impeached? There are many other things that that man is doing to make our government/nation vulnerable to attack; not just attack from other nations, but attack by immorality.
We can see the attack on the family ever clearer now. I would like to remind everyone of The Family: A Proclamation to the World. It's not that we do not love every single person, but does loving them mean we have to agree with their every thought, their every opinion? No. I can remember the days when I full heartedly disagreed with my parents telling me to go to bed, or that I could not attend a party. We still love each other. Same gender marriage is not of God; it never has been and never can be. We read about it in the Bible, and we read about it in the other standard works of the church. Our prophets and apsotles have been preparing us for this war on the family for a long time. It was 1995 when the Proclamation came out. We are seeing a need for it now in the year 2012. Seventeen years in advance Heavenly Father saw a need to warn us. Since that warning many things have happened. There has been a great falling away from the church because members have ceased supporting the prophet who would never lead us wrong. When a prophet gives specific direction on a matter (which such blunt instruction is so rare) we best do it because it is important and it is the Lord's will. When our wills are aligned with His will, we will be blessed. But since that warning the rising generation is getting stronger and resilient in the way of the Lord.
My ray of hope is this email sent by my dear friend Meeshell Jewell who is serving a full time mission for our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, in the West Indies. She says:
This week started off a little rough but at the end Sister Dayton and I had the great opportunity to witness a miracle. This miracle is a woman named Maria. This is how we found her.
We were driving to an area where we would be finding people for the day. While driving we were sharing about some individuals we taught and baptized in our last areas and how they loved learning about the gospel. So much that they would almost beg for lessons. Of course, begging was never nessesary since we would always freely and gratefully give them. While speaking of these choice individuals we asked, "Why can't we teach people like that here? People who actually want to see us?" At that point I pleaded with Heavenly Father to please help us.
Then we pulled up to our regular parking spot for that area. As we pulled up, the security gaurd standing in the booth in front of us looked at us. I smiled and waved at her. She smiled a very friendly smile and waved back. Sister Dayton and I prayed and then got out of the car. We walked over to the security gaurd to chat with her. As I walked up to her booth she said, "Missionaries! Come in! Come in!" She said she had seen us praying in the car and she knew we had to be missionaries. Although, she did not know which church we were from. We introduced ourselves and included how we are from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She said very softly, as if to herself, and almost contemplatively, "I go to the 'Church of God' but I like that its Jesus Christ's church. They don't really talk about that."
We proceeded and taught her about the restoration. She was very excited and so happy. She loved reading her bible and had it there with her to read at work. She described when she read her bible that she just felt filled. She said that everyone would ask her why she's so happy and she says it is because she has the Spirit of the Lord in her. She obviously recieves that Holy Spirit from reading her bible so much and living in accordance with it. She loves the book of Isaiah. She told us a lot about her husband and about how much she loves him.
As we went over through the lesson about the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ she listened very carefully. She understood better than anyone I have ever taught. When we talked about the Priesthood she said, "Like Melchezdik." And when we taught her about the great of apostasy and basically the absense of that Priesthood Authority. She told us that her husband had once told her regarding churches, "You know, none of them have it right."
After learning about the restoration of that Priesthood she was excited and wanted to be baptized.
After the lesson, Sister Dayton and I went and had lunch at the park she was the security gaurd for. While walking back past her booth she had already read through the pamphlet and was then reading the definitions in the back. Which she was very happy for.
We went out for a few hours teaching whoever would listen to us. When we arrived back at the car, where her booth was, she had already begun reading the Book of Mormon. And she asked us when we could come back and if we could come back the next day.
Now, the greatest part about this is: it gets better.
Our new mission presdient, President Mehr and his wife Sister Mehr were visiting for the weekend getting to know the island and missionaries. We invited Sister Mehr to come with us to teach Maria while President was in meetings.
There are not words to describe how truly inspiring this lesson was but I will share with you some of the things Maria shared with us.
Maria had already read halfway through the Book of Mormon and had begun reading it from the begining again. She said while tenderly holding the Book of Mormon in her arms, "It is the most magnificant book! I cherish it." She also told us referring to the day before, "Before I even read the book, when you were talking with me God told me, 'Welcome to the truth" She said, "I always knew there was more". When we invited her to begin thinking and praying about baptism she said, "Can I be baptized next month? Is that too soon?" Of course that is not too soon we told her and we will help her.
She was so grateful for us and told us that she would not have gotten it if she had just read the track (pamphlet). But when we shared with her about the gospel she was able to carry it deep into her heart. She told us, "Everyone else preaches, you teach so I understand."
She wants us to bring her tracks about the restoration so she can share it with all her friends and explain to them like it was explained to her. She said, "They need to know the truth. Their blinded".
Maria has such strong faith of anyone I have ever met. She has a strong relationship with our Father in Heaven and it was evident. She told us things about the gospel that we have not even mentioned yet. Hearing her talk the Spirit was so strong tears filled my eyes. After, Sister Dayton, Sister Mehr and I were amazed, almost dumbfounded. Never having experiencing a lesson such as that. A miracle.
The Lord truly guides us to those who are seeking. Those who know, "There has to be more".
Sincerely,
Sister Jewell
This lady, Maria, and the missionaries are the only thing that give me hope because somehow truth and righteousness will conquer all. Maria is an example of those that are ready and willing to accept the will of the Lord, and the missionaries are an example of the hard work, dedication, and sacrifice that goes in to feeding the souls of men for our Spirits need strengthening just as much as our bodies need it.
My mom told me a quote that President Spencer W. Kimball said, "tend your own garden." This means to take care of your family. Raise them in righteousness. Do the work you have been called to in the ward you have been assigned to. Then expand to your neighborhood. In other words, "lift where you stand."
Two great talks related to this post are:
The False Gods We Worship and Lift Where You Stand.
I am sorry of this was heavy to read, but I needed to get my feelings out of my head and off my chest.
Love,
Christiana
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