By Alan on May 20 in Blog tagged good and evil, NOIZ, open your mouth, Satan, speak up, The Family, turn the world around, war, Zion | No Comments

IT’S TIME TO GET NOIZ !!! (NOISY)

Let’s

TURN THE WORLD AROUND

The Family is at WAR

with SATAN over

Eternal Life!

Boyd K. Packer, President of the Twelve Apostles said,

“Satan cannot directly take a life. But apparently his effort to stop the work will be reasonably well served if he can just bind the tongue of the faithful.

Brethren, if that is the case, I am looking tonight for men young and old who care enough about this battle between good and evil to sign on and speak up. We are at war, and I want to be a one-man recruiting station.”

“We Are All Enlisted”!  

“We are waiting now for soldiers; who’ll volunteer.”  Of course, the great thing about this call to arms is that we ask not for volunteers to fire a rifle or throw a hand grenade. No, we want battalions who will take as their weapons “every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God.”  So I am looking for missionaries who will not voluntarily bind their tongues but will, with the Spirit of the Lord and the power of their priesthood, open their mouths and speak miracles by which faith’s “mightiest works have been, and will be, performed.”

I ask for a stronger and more devoted voice, … a voice for good, a voice for the gospel, a voice for God.

The Lord said,

D&C  60:2  “But with some I am not well pleased, for they will not open their mouths, but they hide the talent which I have given unto them, because of the fear of man. Wo unto such, for mine anger is kindled against them.”

If we “Turn the World Around” . . . NOIZ will also “turn around” and spell ZION!  ”The happiest people that ever lived.”

By Alan on Dec 09 in Blog tagged agency, atonement, blessings, choices, Christ, commandments, deternal life, execute, free, Freedom, God, good and evil, Jesus, knowledge, laws, liberty, obedience, ordinances, power, restraints, sin, the Fall, truth | Comments Off

THE BLESSINGS OF FREEDOM

  “Because they are redeemed from the fall
they have become free forever”. 
2 Nephi 2:26

Without the Atonement, there could be no freedom: “We proclaim the atonement wrought by Jesus Christ . . . is to all people; it is the message of deliverance from sin and its sorrow, the decree of liberty, the charter of freedom.” James E. Talmage

As with each of the other blessings of the Atonement, this one does not stand alone.  It complements, supplements, and overlaps others. 

In truth, the freest of all beings is God himself.  “God could not make men like himself without making them free,” said David O. McKay.

It is a greater manifestation of divine power to make beings that can make themselves than to make beings that cannot, for the former are men and the latter are puppets, and puppets after all are only things.” Dr. Iverach, a Scottish philosopher.

GOD MAKES MEN FREE

Freedom is described as the power or agency to act for oneself.  “The Lord god gave unto man that he should act for himself” (2 Nephi 2:16) (D&C 29:35) (Moses 4:3)

Man could never enjoy the full powers of agency without the intervention of God.  Samuel told the people of Zarahemla, “Ye are free; ye are permitted to act for yourselves,” and then he added, “He [God] hath made your free” (Helaman 14:30).  Under Christ ye are made free.  “And there is no other head whereby ye can be made free” (Mosiah 5:8) The Savior taught that true freedom comes “if the Son . . . shall make your free” (John 8:36).  Paul urged the saints of Galatia to retain their “liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free” (Galatians 5:1).

THE FOUR COMPONENTS OF FREEDOM

How does God endow us with agency, and what part does the Atonement play in making us free?  This is best understood by dissecting freedom into its four principal components, namely the need for an intelligent being, a knowledge of good and evil, the availability of choices, and the power to execute or carry out such choices.

1. The need for an intelligent being.  Simply stated, there can be no freedom without a decision maker, an intelligent being.  Man is a conscious, thinking entity, thus fulfilling the first requirement for freedom.

2. The need for a knowledge of good and evil.  Man’s initial knowledge of good and evil was triggered at the time of the Fall.  The Lord said, “Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil” (Genesis 3:22)  Eve said, “Were it not for our transgression we … never should have known good and evil” (Moses 5:11)  Absent that grant of knowledge, Adam and Eve would have been confined to a state of innocence.  It was a vital link, but it was the beginning – the gateway to knowledge.  The scriptures reveal that “the eyes of them both were opened” (Genesis 3:7).  This was essential, but it was only the commencement, not the end of the road.  With increased knowledge comes the opportunity for increased freedom.  The Savior’s testimony to the scribes and Pharisees: “Know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).  They retorted, “We . . . were never in bondage to any man” (John 8:33).  How wrong they were.  They had secular knowledge, but not the spiritual truth that makes man free.  The essence of freedom is to know the Savior and obey his truths.  As we do so, we become free from prejudice, falsehood, sin, contention, and every other injurious practice or evil nature known to man.  The Fall opened the gate to the road of knowledge, but it was the Atonement that provided the vehicle to proceed through the Atonement where we are cleansed in the waters of baptism, making us eligible for the gift of the Holy Ghost.  It is such a gift that “will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13).  As we come to know the Savior and his truths we enlarge our capacity for freedom.  This is so because knowledge is power; and power, in its consummate expression is godhood; and godhood is the quintessence of freedom.

3. The third element of freedom is the availability of choices.  Only to the human being did the Creator say, “…thou mayest choose for thyself, for it is given unto thee . . .(Moses 3:17)  Were it not for the Atonement, there would have been no choice between eternal life and eternal damnation. The Fall would have opened the gate to one road and one road only.  The Atonement is the means of deliverance, the means of freeing our bodies from the grave and our spirits from hell, of offering another road, another choice, another option.  The message is clear.  We can accept the Atonement, a choice that leads to eternal life (the ultimate in freedom); or we can choose the way of the Evil One, a choice that leads to destruction, chains, and captivity (the ultimate in bondage).  As we choose the Lord, he gives us more rope; as we choose Satan, he tightens the noose until we are in his grasp.  “Ye are free to act for yourselves – - to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life” (2 Nephi 10:23).  That freedom of choice comes through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

4. The one element yet lacking for a fullness of freedom is the power to execute or carry out the choices before us.  We may have knowledge of good and evil; we may even have choices placed before us; but unless we have power to execute, the power to fulfill, then our freedom is but a façade.  The issue is not choice.  The issue is simply power – the power to see and hear and do without restraint.  While God is certainly a proponent of earthly knowledge, he also wants us to know that powers of a higher source flow from the acquisition of spiritual truths.  It is this spiritual power that parted the Red Sea. That caused the sun to “stand still,” rivers to change their course, and mountains to flee (Exodus 14:21-29; Joshua 10:12-14; Moses 7:13)  This power is of such magnitude that it has penetrated and softened even the hearts of those who were known to be “a wild and a hardened and a ferocious people” (Alma 17:14) Both earthly and spiritual power (which ultimately are but one power) constitute the power of godhood, for gods “have all power” (D&C  132:20)  With each new power acquired, we develop greater control not only of the elements but of our destiny.  In this way, we become the driver, not the driven – - the cause rather than the effect.  We act for ourselves rather than being “acted upon” (2 Nephi 2:26) ; and in this manner we become free.  While knowledge is essential to the acquisition of power, there is yet another ingredient, often ignored, and sometimes even ridiculed, that is a prerequisite to receiving the “higher” powers – -  those powers necessary to enjoy a fullness of freedom.  It is obedience.

OBEDIENCE – A KEY TO FREEDOM

Some might contend that freedom comes when there are no laws or restraints.  They contend that freedom in its purest form is the right to do anything, anytime, anywhere, without consequence.  About twenty-five hundred years ago it was prophesied of those misguided souls who would teach, “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die; and it shall be well with us” (2 Nephi 28:7)  Does it not seem ironic that such a philosophy is authored by the master slave himself?  It was he who was cast out of heaven, who was deprived of a body, who will be bound a thousand years, and who will ultimately be banished to outer darkness.  The freedom he promises is illusory; it is a mirage on the desert; it is the very condition that has always eluded his grasp.  It was the same lie promulgated by Cain after he slew his brother Abel: “I am free” he said (Moses 5:33)  In truth, he was never in more bondage.  He was the servant, even the slave of sin.

How then does the Lord propose to make us free?  The answer is obedience.  Contrary to the belief of many, obedience is not the antithesis of freedom, but the foundation of it. There are two freedoms; the false where one is free to do what he likes, and the true where he is free to do what he ought. Commandments are no more restrictive to the spiritual man than street signs are to the motorist.  Neither prohibits our progress; to the contrary, they enhance it by serving as guideposts or directional signs to help us find and reach our destination.  “We are too inclined to think of law as something merely restrictive; the opposite of liberty.  But that is a false conception.  God does not contradict himself.  He did not create man and then, as an afterthought, impose upon him a set of arbitrary, irritation, restrictive rules.  He made man free – and then gave him the commandments to keep him free.  We cannot break the Ten Commandments.  We can only break ourselves against them – or else, by keeping them, rise through them to the fullness of freedom under God.”  Cecil B. De Mille.

Freedom requires a knowledge of good and evil, the availability of choices, and the power to execute or carry them out. Each of these is enhanced by obedience to God’s will.  As we obey God’s laws we receive increased knowledge of God’s plan, and with increased knowledge comes increased capacity for freedom.   Obedience broadens the lost of our choices. It generates power; power comes by obedience. We gain power over the elements as we obey the laws of God. Obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel brings increased knowledge, a multiplicity of choices and an enhanced power to execute, all of which results in added freedom.

The difference between the righteous and the sinner, eternal life or death, happiness or misery, is to those who are exalted where there are no bounds or limits to their privileges.

Now that is freedom!

Excerpts from: The Infinite Atonement
By: Tad R. Callister

For The Family

By Alan on May 27 in Blog tagged after this life, another room, celestial, children of God, death, disease, divine attributes, earth, Endure To The End, finish line, God, good and evil, Jesus, kingdom, life=threatening, many mansions, mortal life, mortal mission, our father, pathway, Plan of Salvation, prayer, President Thomas S. Monson, purpose of life, race, resurrected, savior, scriptures, seasons of life, teach your children, telestial, Terresterial, The Book of Mormon, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, The race of life, The Spirit, travel, treasures, victory over the grave, Where are we going, Where did we come from, why are we here, your heart | Comments Off

The Race of Life

By President Thomas S. Monson

 Where did we come from?

Why are we here?

Where do we go after this life?

No longer need these universal questions remain unanswered.

My beloved brothers and sisters, this morning I wish to speak to you of eternal truths—those truths which will enrich our lives and see us safely home.

Everywhere people are in a hurry. Jet-powered aircraft speed their precious human cargo across broad continents and vast oceans so that business meetings might be attended, obligations met, vacations enjoyed, or families visited. Roadways everywhere—including freeways, thruways, and motorways—carry millions of automobiles, occupied by more millions of people, in a seemingly endless stream and for a multitude of reasons as we rush about the business of each day.

In this fast-paced life, do we ever pause for moments of meditation—even thoughts of timeless truths?

When compared to eternal verities, most of the questions and concerns of daily living are really rather trivial. What should we have for dinner? What color should we paint the living room? Should we sign Johnny up for soccer? These questions and countless others like them lose their significance when times of crisis arise, when loved ones are hurt or injured, when sickness enters the house of good health, when life’s candle dims and darkness threatens. Our thoughts become focused, and we are easily able to determine what is really important and what is merely trivial.

I recently visited with a woman who has been battling a life-threatening disease for over two years. She indicated that prior to her illness, her days were filled with activities such as cleaning her house to perfection and filling it with beautiful furnishings. She visited her hairdresser twice a week and spent money and time each month adding to her wardrobe. Her grandchildren were invited to visit infrequently, for she was always concerned that what she considered her precious possessions might be broken or otherwise ruined by tiny and careless hands.

And then she received the shocking news that her mortal life was in jeopardy and that she might have very limited time left here. She said that at the moment she heard the doctor’s diagnosis, she knew immediately that she would spend whatever time she had remaining with her family and friends and with the gospel at the center of her life, for these represented what was most precious to her.

Such moments of clarity come to all of us at one time or another, although not always through so dramatic a circumstance. We see clearly what it is that really matters in our lives and how we should be living.  

Said the Savior:

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

“But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”¹

In our times of deepest reflection or greatest need, the soul of man reaches heavenward, seeking a divine response to life’s greatest questions: Where did we come from? Why are we here? Where do we go after we leave this life?

Answers to these questions are not discovered within the covers of academia’s textbooks or by checking the Internet. These questions transcend mortality. They embrace eternity.

Where did we come from? This query is inevitably thought, if not spoken, by every human being.

The Apostle Paul told the Athenians on Mars’ Hill that “we are the offspring of God.”² Since we know that our physical bodies are the offspring of our mortal parents, we must probe for the meaning of Paul’s statement. The Lord has declared that “the spirit and the body are the soul of man.”³ Thus it is the spirit which is the offspring of God. The writer of Hebrews refers to Him as “the Father of spirits.”⁴ The spirits of all men are literally His “begotten sons and daughters.”⁵

We note that inspired poets have, for our contemplation of this subject, written moving messages and recorded transcendent thoughts. William Wordsworth penned the truth:

Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting:

The soul that rises with us, our life’s Star,

Hath had elsewhere its setting,

And cometh from afar:

Not in entire forgetfulness,

And not in utter nakedness,

But trailing clouds of glory do we come

From God, who is our home:

Heaven lies about us in our infancy!⁶

Parents ponder their responsibility to teach, to inspire, and to provide guidance, direction, and example. And while parents ponder, children—and particularly youth—ask the penetrating question, why are we here? Usually it is spoken silently to the soul and phrased, why am I here?

How grateful we should be that a wise Creator fashioned an earth and placed us here, with a veil of forgetfulness of our previous existence so that we might experience a time of testing, an opportunity to prove ourselves in order to qualify for all that God has prepared for us to receive.

Clearly, one primary purpose of our existence upon the earth is to obtain a body of flesh and bones. We have also been given the gift of agency. In a thousand ways we are privileged to choose for ourselves. Here we learn from the hard taskmaster of experience. We discern between good and evil. We differentiate as to the bitter and the sweet. We discover that there are consequences attached to our actions.

By obedience to God’s commandments, we can qualify for that “house” spoken of by Jesus when He declared: “In my Father’s house are many mansions. … I go to prepare a place for you … that where I am, there ye may be also.”⁷ 

Although we come into mortality “trailing clouds of glory,” life moves relentlessly forward. Youth follows childhood, and maturity comes ever so imperceptibly. From experience we learn the need to reach heavenward for assistance as we make our way along life’s pathway.

God, our Father, and Jesus Christ, our Lord, have marked the way to perfection. They beckon us to follow eternal verities and to become perfect, as They are perfect.⁸

The Apostle Paul likened life to a race. To the Hebrews he urged, “Let us lay aside … the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.”⁹

In our zeal, let us not overlook the sage counsel from Ecclesiastes: “The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong.”¹⁰ Actually, the prize belongs to him or her who endures to the end.

When I reflect on the race of life, I remember another type of race, even from childhood days. My friends and I would take pocketknives in hand and, from the soft wood of a willow tree, fashion small toy boats. With a triangular-shaped cotton sail in place, each would launch his crude craft in the race down the relatively turbulent waters of Utah’s Provo River. We would run along the river’s bank and watch the tiny vessels sometimes bobbing violently in the swift current and at other times sailing serenely as the water deepened.

During a particular race we noted that one boat led all the rest toward the appointed finish line. Suddenly, the current carried it too close to a large whirlpool, and the boat heaved to its side and capsized. Around and around it was carried, unable to make its way back into the main current. At last it came to an uneasy rest amid the flotsam and jetsam that surrounded it, held fast by the tentacles of the grasping green moss.

The toy boats of childhood had no keel for stability, no rudder to provide direction, and no source of power. Inevitably, their destination was downstream—the path of least resistance.

Unlike toy boats, we have been provided divine attributes to guide our journey. We enter mortality not to float with the moving currents of life but with the power to think, to reason, and to achieve.

Our Heavenly Father did not launch us on our eternal voyage without providing the means whereby we could receive from Him guidance to ensure our safe return. I speak of prayer. I speak too of the whisperings from that still, small voice; and I do not overlook the holy scriptures, which contain the word of the Lord and the words of the prophets—provided to us to help us successfully cross the finish line.

At some period in our mortal mission, there appears the faltering step, the wan smile, the pain of sickness—even the fading of summer, the approach of autumn, the chill of winter, and the experience we call death.

Every thoughtful person has asked himself the question best phrased by Job of old: “If a man die, shall he live again?”¹¹ Try as we might to put the question out of our thoughts, it always returns. Death comes to all mankind. It comes to the aged as they walk on faltering feet. Its summons is heard by those who have scarcely reached midway in life’s journey. At times it hushes the laughter of little children.

But what of an existence beyond death? Is death the end of all? Robert Blatchford, in his book God and My Neighbor, attacked with vigor accepted Christian beliefs such as God, Christ, prayer, and particularly immortality. He boldly asserted that death was the end of our existence and that no one could prove otherwise. Then a surprising thing happened. His wall of skepticism suddenly crumbled to dust. He was left exposed and undefended. Slowly he began to feel his way back to the faith he had ridiculed and abandoned. What had caused this profound change in his outlook? His wife died. With a broken heart he went into the room where lay all that was mortal of her. He looked again at the face he loved so well. Coming out, he said to a friend: “It is she, and yet it is not she. Everything is changed. Something that was there before is taken away. She is not the same. What can be gone if it be not the soul?”

Later he wrote: “Death is not what some people imagine. It is only like going into another room. In that other room we shall find … the dear women and men and the sweet children we have loved and lost.”¹²

My brothers and sisters, we know that death is not the end. This truth has been taught by living prophets throughout the ages. It is also found in our holy scriptures. In the Book of Mormon we read specific and comforting words:

“Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection—Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life.

“And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.”¹³

After the Savior was crucified and His body had lain in the tomb for three days, the spirit again entered. The stone was rolled away, and the resurrected Redeemer walked forth, clothed with an immortal body of flesh and bones.

The answer to Job’s question, “If a man die, shall he live again?” came when Mary and others approached the tomb and saw two men in shining garments who spoke to them: “Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen.”¹⁴

As the result of Christ’s victory over the grave, we shall all be resurrected. This is the redemption of the soul. Paul wrote: “There are … celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.”¹⁵

It is the celestial glory which we seek. It is in the presence of God we desire to dwell. It is a forever family in which we want membership. Such blessings are earned through a lifetime of striving, seeking, repenting, and finally succeeding.

Where did we come from? Why are we here? Where do we go after this life? No longer need these universal questions remain unanswered. From the very depths of my soul and in all humility, I testify that those things of which I have spoken are true.

Our Heavenly Father rejoices for those who keep His commandments. He is concerned also for the lost child, the tardy teenager, the wayward youth, the delinquent parent. Tenderly the Master speaks to these and indeed to all: “Come back. Come up. Come in. Come home. Come unto me.”

Our thoughts will turn to the Savior’s life, His death, and His Resurrection. As His special witness, I testify to you that He lives and that He awaits our triumphant return. That such a return will be ours, I pray humbly in His holy name—even Jesus Christ, our Savior and our Redeemer, amen.

  President Thomas S. Monson

  Joe Ollivetti
For The Family

By Alan on Aug 14 in Blog tagged Come follow me, darkness, day and night, destruction, forefathers, God bless America, good and evil, Jesu Christ, light and darkkness, Lucifer, new world order, Satan, secret combinations, secret works, the devil, we must become a light shining in darkness, weeping, wickedness | Comments Off

We Need To Be Taking Light To Those In Darkness

If truth is Light, then the absence of light is darkness.

Light is more powerful than darkness.

You cannot take darkness into a lighted room and make it dark.  But, you can take a darkened room and fill it with light.

When God created this world, He created the day and the night; Light and darkness.

“And God ^said, Let there be ^light: and there was light.

And God said, Let there be ^lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for ^signs, and for ^seasons, and for days, and years:

15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.” Gen. 1: 3, 14-15

“For as the light of the morning cometh out of the ^east, and shineth even unto the west, and covereth the whole earth, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.” JS-M 1: 26

And God allowed there be no light, or darkness.

“Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it.

Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day.” Gen. 1: 3, 14-15

The darkness is the glory of Satan or Lucifer, the devil.  (No image available because Satan has no body.)

And was called ^Perdition, for the heavens ^wept over him—he was ^Lucifer, a son of the morning.

27 And we beheld, and lo, he is ^fallen! is fallen, even a son of the morning!” D&C 76: 26-27

Why must there be day and night; light and darkness;
good and evil?

“For it must needs be, that there is an ^opposition in all things. If not so, my first-born in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.

And to bring about his eternal ^purposes in the end of man, after he had ^created our first parents, and the beasts of the field and the ^fowls of the air, and in fine, all things which are created, it must needs be that there was an opposition; even the ^{forbidden fruit} in ^opposition to the ^tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter. “2 Ne. 2: 11, 15

God also governs by laws.

“The ^glory of God is ^intelligence, or, in other words, ^light and truth.

Light and truth forsake that ^evil one.” D&C 93: 36-37

The Lord speaks through His Prophets.

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“The prophet which ^prophesieth of ^peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the ^prophet be known, that the Lord hath truly sent him.” Jer. 28: 9

“For behold, this is my ^work and my ^glory—to bring to pass the ^immortality and ^{eternal life} of man.” Moses 1: 39

“To open their eyes, and to turn them from ^darkness to ^light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” Acts 26: 18

“For the ^word of the Lord is truth, and whatsoever is truth is ^light, and whatsoever is light is  ^Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ.” D&C 84: 45

“And the ^mists of darkness are the temptations of the devil, which ^blindeth the eyes, and hardeneth the hearts of the children of men, and leadeth them away into ^broad roads, that they perish and are lost.” 1 Ne. 12: 17

“Which dark and blackening deeds are enough to make hell itself ^shudder, and to stand aghast and pale, and the hands of the very devil to tremble and palsy.” D&C 123: 10

Jesus himself came to the earth.

“Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the ^light with you. Walk while ye have the ^light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in ^darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

36 While ye have light, ^believe in the light, that ye may be the ^children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.” John 12: 35-36

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the ^light of the world: he that followeth me shall not ^walk in ^darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John 8: 12

“And he beheld Satan; and he had a great ^chain in his hand, and it veiled the whole face of the earth with ^darkness; and he looked up and ^laughed, and his ^angels rejoiced.”

“For God, who ^commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath ^shined in our hearts, to give the ^light of the knowledge of the ^glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” 2 Cor. 4: 6

“And the children of ^men were numerous upon all the face of the land. And in those days ^Satan had great ^dominion among men, and raged in their hearts; and from thenceforth came ^wars and bloodshed; and a man’s hand was against his own brother, in administering death, because of ^{secret works}, seeking for ^power.” Moses 6: 15

“But if we ^walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the ^blood of Jesus Christ his Son ^cleanseth us from all sin.” Jn. 1: 7

“And our spirits must have become ^like unto him, and we become devils, ^angels to a ^devil, to be ^shut out from the presence of our God, and to remain with the father of ^lies, in misery, like unto himself; yea, to that being who ^beguiled our first parents, who ^transformeth himself nigh unto an ^angel of light, and ^stirreth up the children of men unto ^secret combinations of murder and all manner of secret works of darkness.” 2 Ne. 9: 9

“And they were kept up by the ^power of the devil to administer these oaths unto the people, to keep them in darkness, to help such as sought power to gain power, and to murder, and to plunder, and to lie, and to commit all manner of wickedness and whoredoms.” Ether 8: 16

“And then shall it come to pass, that the ^spirits of the wicked, yea, who are evil—for behold, they have no part nor portion of the Spirit of the Lord; for behold, they chose evil works rather than good; therefore the spirit of the ^devil did enter into them, and take possession of their house—and these shall be cast out into outer ^darkness; there shall be ^weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, and this because of their own iniquity, being led captive by the will of the devil.” Alma 40: 13

Satan, known as Lucifer or the devil, tries to tempt us and is the father of all lies, secret oaths and secret combinations.

“And it came to pass that the wicked part of the people began again to build up the secret oaths and ^combinations of Gadianton.

“And when these things have passed away a speedy ^destruction cometh unto my people; for, notwithstanding the pains of my soul, I have seen it; wherefore, I know that it shall come to pass; and they sell themselves for naught; for, for the reward of their pride and their ^foolishness they shall reap destruction; for because they yield unto the devil and^choose works of ^darkness rather than light, therefore they must go down to ^hell.

And there are also secret ^combinations, even as in times of old, according to the combinations of the

^devil, for he is the founder of all these things; yea, the founder of murder, and ^works of darkness; yea, and he leadeth them by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever.” 2 Ne. 26: 10, 22

Our world today is filled with wickedness and darkness.

These secret oaths and secret combinations are among those that lead the various nations of the world today and it is all about money, riches and power.  This was Satan’s problem!

Have we not seen and wondered why certain things have taken place that didn’t seem likely?  Why leaders of nations have secret meetings and go against policies and laws for which they stand?  Why we support nations that want to destroy us and give secret trade secrets to our enemies?

It is most likely that these secret oaths, which have been here since the days of Cain, with under the table negotiations and secret combinations or promises with one another to fulfill secret goals and ambitions like a New World Order.  Satan’ Dream!

May we all realize these things.  May we pray as in times of old for our God above to reveal these lies and wickeness and restore us to peace on earth.  Just as our forefathers prayed, 

“O Lord God ^Almighty, maker of ^heaven, earth, and seas, and of all things that in them are, and who controllest and subjectest the devil, and the dark and benighted dominion of Sheol—stretch forth thy hand; let thine eye pierce; let thy ^pavilion be taken up; let thy ^hiding place no longer be covered; let thine ear be inclined; let thine ^heart be softened, and thy bowels moved with compassion toward us. 
”  D&C 121: 4

We are living in the Last Days upon this earth.  May we pray for light and be found and not be found in darkness, but to come forth seeking those truths of righteousness that light bringeth to all.

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May we listen to these recorded words from our Prophets and  let go  of sins of evil and repent of those works of darkness.  For this purpose, our Lord Jesus Christ came to this world and died for our sins and if we would come unto Him and repent, He will help pay the price for our sins if we but follow Him.

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“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself,
and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”
Luke 9: 23

Alan Osmond
For The Family

By Alan on Jul 09 in Blog tagged Allen Wykle, Bible, Book of Mormon, everlasting darkness or Eternal Life, God Lives, good and evil, government, Jesus Is the Christ, other records yet to come, Plan of Life, prophets, secret combinations, test, testimony, the familiy, theFamily, truth and light, under the table, video | Comments Off

It is so nice to have so many friends who over the world these past 50+ years who have become dear friends. We have been asked so many times what it is that has kept our family together and strong. It is our family, beliefs, and knowledge of Jesus Christ our Savior with God’s Plan of Life.

We believe that we are all children of God and came here to gain a body so that we can become more like our Heavenly Parents.  We came to earth and are being tested with God’s creative powers in this life by being able to create children of our own, and to follow those Commandments that will lead us back to God once again.  If we obey them and are successful, we will be allowed to abide in the various mansions in heaven whose truths we are able to obey.

We each have the Power to Choose between truth and Light, Good and Evil, Everlasting darkness or Eternal Life. 2 Ne. 10: 23 Yes, we all experience TESTS!  We are in a school of life here on earth and every school that I have been to taught us and then gave us TESTS. Life is no different. It’s what we learn, choose,  and desire to become that is most important. Over time, those TESTS become, TESTimonies.

We were NOT left alone in this world as God speaks to us through His Prophets. His words have been recorded for us in the Bible, The Book of Mormon, and in other ancient records that will soon come forth from the Lost Ten Tribes and from the Isles of the Seas, plus others. God is the same yesterday, today and forever and so are His words!  Jesus Christ is His only Begotten Son who came to earth and died for us in order to help us pay the debt for our sins so that we might be able to return home to heaven once again.

As a family, my brothers, sister and I sang songs, we wrote music, and loved sharing those truths which we believe by music  with melodies and lyrics.  Many friends, fans, and followers have shared their feelings openly wth us about our music. Here is what Allen Wykle put together for us:

CLICK FOR VIDEO: The Osmonds

At such a time as this, we are living in the Last Days where the very wicked and greedy, powerful people, undermine those good values and everlasting principles that Jesus taught us.  We need to be aware of those who are around us and even in our companies and governments who have ‘under the table’, secret agendas and conspiring men with ‘secret combinations’ that have been around since the days of Cain.  Yes, they are alive today and most active so be aware!

The time has come when ALL CHRISTIANS need to STAND together and SPEAK OUT with a unified voice for those truths and principles which we hold dear.  We MUST NOT be violent yet open our mouths and defend our families and each other who stand for those God given truths, the Constitution, and this promised land.

“For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads.” D&C 25: 12

Alan Osmond
For The Family

By Alan on May 17 in Blog tagged Endure To The End, good and evil, great and dreadful, hope, Jesus Christ, New Jerusalem, peace, publisher of peace, The Family, theFamily, Zion | Comments Off

We are living in perilous times.

There is and always has been a war between good and evil.

We are living in the last days which was foreseen and recorded as being a Great and a Dreadful Day as we know how this world will end.

As a publisher, we publish peace for those individuals and families who seek to bring forth Zion at that day, for they shall have the gift and the power of the Holy Ghost; and if they endure to the end the shall be lifted up at the last day, and shall be saved in the everlasting kingdom of the lamb.  (1 Nephi 13:37)

Yes, if you take upon yourself the name of Jesus Christ and accept him as your Savior in all righteousness and follow Him, and keep His commandments, there is great hope for you.

“And righteousness will I send down out of heaven; and truth will I
send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine Only Begotten; his resurrection from the dead; yea, and also the resurrection of all men; and righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out mine elect from the four quarters of the earth, unto a place which I shall prepare, an Holy City, that my people may gird up their loins, and be looking forth for the time of my coming; for there shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion, a New Jerusalem.” Moses 7: 62

Learn more?

Alan Osmond
For The Family

By Alan on Apr 30 in Blog tagged Bible, choose ye this day whom ye will serve, good and evil, Jesus Christ, mansions in heaven, missing parts, pick and choose the best fruit of the tree, reliiion, The Family, the fruit of the tree, the way, theFamily | Comments Off

In this life, we each have the power to choose those things which are most important in life.  There is a variety of choices one can make, both good and evil, and hopefully each one of us will choose well, the best of those things that are available.

This imape portrays the tree of life that God desires all of His children to obtain which fruit is desirable to the taste. The tall and spacious building to the right represents the world in which we live with it’s many riches and pleasures that Satan promotes. There is a deep gulf between the tree and the tall and spacious building.  It is where the river runs which many fall into and are carried away.  You can see a line of people lined up and heading to the tree.  Those in the tall and spacious building are pointing and laughing at these people who seek for the good fruit of the tree of life.  So goes with our world and the lives which we are living.

The Lord did not leave us alone here in this world without knowing which things are good and which ones are bad.  He has told us how we can know if a tree is good or bad, and that is by the fruit of the tree.  The same principle applies to most everything and individuals as well.  If the product or the output of a person is negative and not good, then good chances are that that person is a bad person.  On the converse, if a person gives out good continually and is a positive force for good, then that person is most likely a good person.

We have come to this world to be tested and to see what choices we will make and what we will do with our lives.  The most important thing was to gain a body of flesh and bones to house our spirit bodies. What we choose to do with our bodies is part of the test and to see if we will use or misuse those creative powers to create life for good or bad.  We do not remember our past or previous life for a good reason and that is because if we knew the answers to life’s test we are taking, it wouldn’t really be a true test.

In 1832, Joseph Smith prayed to God to ask which church he should join.  He was instructed to join none of them.  The Lord was displeased with the existing churches and Joseph was informed that at some future time the fulness of the Gospel would be made to him, and he would be an instrument in the hands of God in laying the foundation of the kingdom of God.

Here is an image of Joseph seeing his first vision of God the Father and His son, Jesus Christ. We are here to become like our Heavenly parents or God, and to become more like Him.  We are to learn God’s ways and His doctrine.  ”Doctrine” is “something taught as the principles or creed of a religion…a rule, theory, or principle of law.” The Savior says: “And I give unto you a commandment that you shall teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom. Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand.”

Are we worthy to become like our heavenly parents to be creators of life for all eternity and create worlds without number?  Is our God above going to allow us to continue to have and use those creative powers if we use them for evil or bad works?  NO!  Just as what we chose in our pre-existent life which determined where we are today, what we choose in this life today will determine the mansion in heaven to where we will go and dwell forever in the tomorrows and will limit us or open the eternities to everlasting possibilities as to what you can become.

It really amazes me as I look at all of the people today in this world who go about day by day making good and bad choices.  What joy comes from choosing bad or evil?  Is it the natural man and the riches and pleasures of man that gets their focus and is that what they like and choose?  Is that what they want most?  What makes someone so loving and helpful to others and who gives of themselves and their time and resources unceasingly in serving others?  Is that choice going to deserve him or her a better mansion in heaven?  Yes!

We are somewhat victims of our past with those foolish traditions of man that try to justify what we do and to do as others have done.  We must be true to ourselves and to our God because this life is most important.

Lets take religion for instance.  I feel so sorry for those who have little to nothing in which to believe.  Some think that they evolved as in Darwin’s theory.  Others believe that we are children of God and are here for a purpose. We have the Bible with many of God’s words to help guide us but be aware that many ‘precious parts’ were lost and taken away from the Bible because of evil and greedy people in those early years after Christ was crucified. This has caused much confusion even among many churches today!

What everyone must do is to listen and learn and to trust  in the Lord with all their hearts and then reach out and carefully choose well.  Some churches teach that one will be damned if they reach out to other things which are not contained in the Bible; they teach that they are the works of the devil and if you do, you are an evil person. Yet, doesn’t it make sense that if you believe in Jesus Christ and wish to follow Him, you would want to know ALL that he has said and not just a part of it? I would!   If God is the same yesterday, today and forever, then His works and His words where ever spoken will be the same.

Jesus warned us about that “great and abominable Church” that for power, greed of gold and silver and precious things, they removed ‘precious parts’ of the Lord’s gospel from the Bible after Jesus died and have caused many to stumble and to not know of those things which are available to them.   He revealed these things to his prophets in America when Jesus visited them there and caused that they should record those happenings of that abominable church in their records which were recorded and are available for us to know about today.

Most churches teach truths but, if you are not satisfied that your religion has all that you desire and are desirous to follow the spirit of Christ and to know about all of the truthfullness of His church, and wish to choose the best fruit of the Lord’s tree that is available today, you should seek for answers to topics such as The Nature of Diety, Jesus Christ, The Plan of Happiness, Eternal Progression, Salvation, One Gospel, Authority, Gift of the Holy Ghost, Scriptures, Families, Mortality, Repentance and Joy.  Here are some things that you should also look to receive that are available to you from the Master, Jesus Christ:

• Through faith, repentance and baptism by emersion, just the way that Jesus was baptized, by one having the authority, you can have  your sins from the past removed and be washed clean because of Jesus’s Atonement.

• You can by the laying on of hands, by one who has the authority, receive the Holy Ghost as your constant companion to help guide and direct you throughout your life.  The “Light of Christ” is what everyone can feel but the Holy Ghost is a personal gift and companion.

• If you are a male, at the age of twelve years old, if you are worthy, you can receive the Aaronic Priesthood of God to administer in the ordinances thereof.

• Upon a recommend of worthiness from your bishop, you can receive your patriartical blessing which tells you which tribe of Israel you are from and have pronounced upon you personal blessings.

• If you have lived worthy, at the age of 19 for men and 21 for women, you may be called to serve somewhere in the world as a full time missionary to go forth among the children of men and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

• As a missionary, the male members will receive the Melchezidek Priesthood and be able to bless and heal the sick, baptize, preach the gosopel and hold leadership positions in the Lord’s church.

• All missionaries and adults who wish to take upon themselves higher laws and blessings must be endowed and take upon themelves sacred promises to the Lord which in return the Lord makes special blessings to you.  These refer to your eternal status in the worlds to come.  You will be blessed with a protective shield to help protect you from the evils of the world.

• If you are worthy and desire to be married, you can get a recommend to be married ‘not just for time where death do you part’, but ‘for time and for all eternity’ in the House of the Lord, or Temples, forever with your partner and that your posterity will be sealed to you for all eternity.

• Women can preside and lead in the welfare of the Church by serving in leadership positions in the Relief Society and Primary programs of the Church as well as in the Holy Temples.

• In the Temples or houses of the Lord, you can perform baptisms for the dead who never had the opportunity to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ so that if they accept Him as taught in the spirit world after they died, they can continue to progress forward with your help.  Elijah the Prohpet returned and gave those keys to Joseph Smith for the turning of the hearts of the children to the fathers and the fathers to the children.

• Families can be sealed together for all eternity through temple sealings performed for the living and for the dead by worthy church members.

You also should choose to be lead by a living Prophet of God with Twelve Apostles who have received the Higher Priesthood of God by one having the authority from Jesus Christ Himself.  This is how Jesus organized his original church.

Remember that childeren under the age of eight years old are innocent and need not be baptized.  If they have died before the age of eight, they are NOT lost but return to heaven and you will see them again!

These are some of the “fruits of the tree” of the Lord’s Church.  Every once in a while you will find ‘A Bad Apple’ among the others.  Remember, “One Bad Apple Don’t Spoil the whole bunch!”  Ha!  (Our first hit song)

Yes, Satan or the Devil can tempt you and try to distract you if you let him.  He lost his privilege of having a body and that is why he will try desperately to discourage you and lead you to hell where he is going and where ones future is damned, or stopped.  You must remember that you have total control over Satan unless you let him into your life.  If he is there already, you must cast him out.

This life is the time to prepare to meet God.  Choose ye this day whom ye will serve. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.  Remember to choose from the best of what God has for you.  If there are things here that your church does NOT have, you may wish to inquire more here.

May your ‘TEST’ of life become a ‘TESTimony’ that God lives and that He loves you always, yesterday, today and for all eternity.  I pray that we all may choose well!

Alan Osmond
For The Family

By Alan on Mar 23 in Blog tagged agency, choose, eternal principle, forced, free, freedom to choose, God's plan, good and evil, Jesus, moral aggency, necessary, opposites, Plan of Salvation, principal, Satan | Comments Off

Agency Is an Eternal Principle

“Thou mayest choose for thyself, for it is given unto thee” (Moses 3:17).

God has told us through His prophets that we are free to choose between good and evil. We may choose liberty and eternal life by following Jesus Christ. We are also free to choose captivity and death by following Satan. (See 2 Nephi 2:27.) The right to choose between good and evil and to act for ourselves is called agency.

In our premortal life we had moral agency. One purpose of earth life is to show what choices we will make (see 2 Nephi 2:15–16). If we were forced to choose the right, we would not be able to show what we would choose for ourselves. Also, we are happier doing things when we have made our own choices.

Agency was one of the principal issues to arise in the premortal Council in Heaven. It was one of the main causes of the conflict between the followers of Christ and the followers of Satan. Satan said, “Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor” (Moses 4:1). In saying this, he “rebelled against [God] and sought to destroy the agency of man” (Moses 4:3). His offer was rejected, and he was cast out of heaven with his followers (see D&C 29:36–37).

Agency Is a Necessary Part of the Plan of Salvation

Agency makes our life on earth a period of testing. When planning the mortal creation of His children, God said, “We will prove [test] them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them” (Abraham 3:25). Without the gift of agency, we would have been unable to show our Heavenly Father whether we would do all that He commanded us. Because we are able to choose, we are responsible for our actions (see Helaman 14:30–31).

When we choose to live according to God’s plan for us, our agency is strengthened. Right choices increase our power to make more right choices.

As we obey each of our Father’s commandments, we grow in wisdom and strength of character. Our faith increases. We find it easier to make right choices.

We began to make choices as spirit children in our Heavenly Father’s presence. Our choices there made us worthy to come to earth. Our Heavenly Father wants us to grow in faith, power, knowledge, wisdom, and all other good things. If we keep His commandments and make right choices, we will learn and understand. We will become like Him. (See D&C 93:28.)

Agency Requires That There Be a Choice

• Why is opposition necessary?

We cannot choose righteousness unless the opposites of good and evil are placed before us. Lehi, a great Book of Mormon prophet, told his son Jacob that in order to bring about the eternal purposes of God, there must be “an opposition in all things. If not so, … righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad” (2 Nephi 2:11).

God allows Satan to oppose the good. God said of Satan:

“I caused that he should be cast down;

“And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice” (Moses 4:3–4).

Satan does all he can to destroy God’s work. He seeks “the misery of all mankind. … He seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself” (2 Nephi 2:18, 27). He does not love us. He does not want any good thing for us (see Moroni 7:17). He does not want us to be happy. He wants to make us his slaves. He uses many disguises to enslave us.

When we follow the temptations of Satan, we limit our choices. The following example suggests how this works. Imagine seeing a sign on the seashore that reads: “Danger—whirlpool. No swimming allowed here.” We might think that is a restriction. But is it? We still have many choices. We are free to swim somewhere else. We are free to walk along the beach and pick up seashells. We are free to watch the sunset. We are free to go home. We are also free to ignore the sign and swim in the dangerous place. But once the whirlpool has us in its grasp and we are pulled under, we have very few choices. We can try to escape, or we can call for help, but we may drown.

(see Galatians 6:7; Revelation 22:12).

Heavenly Father has told us how to escape the captivity of Satan. We must watch and pray always, asking God to help us withstand the temptations of Satan (see 3 Nephi 18:15). Our Heavenly Father will not allow us to be tempted beyond our power to resist (see 1 Corinthians 10:13; Alma 13:28).

God’s commandments direct us away from danger and toward eternal life. By choosing wisely, we will gain exaltation, progress eternally, and enjoy perfect happiness (see 2 Nephi 2:27–28).

Think about some examples of actions that limit our choices? What are some examples of actions that give us more freedom?

Additional Scriptures

• Moses 7:32 (freedom of choice)
  Abraham 3:24–25 (earth life a test)
  Alma 41:3; Moroni 7:5–6 (works judged)
  2 Nephi 2:11–16 (opposition is necessary)
  Moroni 7:12–17 (choosing good and evil)
  2 Peter 2:19; John 8:34 (sin is bondage)
  2 Nephi 2:28–29; Alma 40:12–13 (reward according to works)