Eternal Life

Eternal Life is a state of being, and our Heavenly Father has figured out how to be.

And all He wants is for us to have eternal life also. So he freely gives us the method that He follows.

If we want to have eternal life then we have to be as He is.

If we follow the method that He follows, then we will have what he has. We will have eternal life.

So here is what to do: Go through the scriptures and write down everything that God says to do, and do it. Then take note of the principles that govern those things. Now, go through the scriptures again and write down all the things that God is; patient, long suffering, etc. And notice how the principles, that you wrote down before, and characteristics of God match. This is a key. If we therefore, be as God is, have the same characteristics that God has, then we will have eternal life as He does.

"For behold, this is my work and my glory - to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man."

All Can Be Prophets

Just a few scriptures out of many.

D&C 1:20 
But that every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world;

Numbers 11:29 
And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them! 

D&C 88: 68 
Therefore, sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will.

Matthew 5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 

All can become prophets if they follow the principles of the living God.

No One Has A Monopoly On God

I have often heard people say that God would not do something without doing it through their priesthood leadership, but I must say, no one has a monopoly on God.   

It is true that God does give authority to some people, but that authority is to serve and not to control.  And if those to whom God gives His authority abuse it or misuse it, it is taken away and given to others, as is amply recorded in the scriptures.  

No one has a monopoly on God.   

If anyone should try and tell you that you have to do more than what Christ said, or they won’t give you the blessings that you seek, then know that that person(s) is not of God.  They are anti-God, anti-Christ.   

Go directly to the source, and He will answer you.  If you are having difficulty seeing His answers, keep going and follow that still small voice, you will improve and eventually be able to hear His actual voice very clearly, just as clearly as you hear someone standing right beside you.   

Don’t give up.  Go directly to God.  He has His own Church and will speak to you directly.  Only He can, and will, grant you exaltation and eternal life.  He will not deny you.  Just qualify yourself.  Don’t be afraid to do good.  

No one has a monopoly on God.  

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Faith And The Love Of God

I thought I would share a little miracle. 

A few years ago we were living on a small acreage outside of a little village.  It was a beautiful little location, and was ideal for raising a family.  On this acreage we got our water from a shallow well on the edge of the property.  The well had the best water in the entire county and the older generation of locals often commented on it.  Then one spring something went terribly wrong! 

At first the water began to have a slight odour, which continued to get worse day by day.  Soon, the water even began to taste bad.  In fact it got so bad that even the farm animals would not drink it if they had a choice.  Something had to be done, but we didn’t know what to do.  So we went out to the well and opened it up, shone the flashlight in and I got a terrible sick feeling in the pit of my stomach! 

The surface of the well water was covered in rats.  They were dead and rotting.  It was disgusting! And the smell!! 

We fished all the carcasses out of the well.  At least all we could get, because some of the bodies were so rotten that they just fell apart and dissolved into the water.  It was nasty! 

Then we tried several different methods to clean the well.  We drained it, bleached it, treated it with whatever chemical stuff they sell, but nothing worked. 

A couple of weeks later, when we had exhausted all other avenues, we went to the Lord in prayer.  Of course we had been praying all along, but this time we were desperate for help and direction.  And finally humble enough that we could at last hear the answer. 

The story of Elisha cleansing the well came into my mind.  It seemed like a huge leap of faith for me.  I mean to do a miracle of that magnitude seemed way too far out of reach.  But I decided to follow the Spirit and do as I was directed.  I re-read the story from the Old Testament, gathered all the supplies I would need; a bowl, salt, etc, and when no one was looking I went out to the well.  I performed the ordinance as best as I could, with all the faith that I could muster, then went back into the house to test the water. 

I failed! 

The water was drinkable again, but still tasted horrible.  The smell was perhaps slightly less strong, but …

I knew that I was just kidding myself.  I had failed.  What kind of miracle only worked half-way?  I was so ashamed.  I was ashamed to tell my children.  I was ashamed to face my wife.  And most of all, I was ashamed to even face the Lord.  I felt as though I failed Him. 

I fell to prayer.  What else could I do?  I apologized for failing and begged what to do.  What did I do wrong?  I followed the promptings, didn’t I?  Then the Spirit revealed it to me.  I failed because I feared.  I had snuck out when no one was looking.  I wanted to perform the ordinance in secret because I was afraid to fail in front of my children.  But that is not what the Lord wanted.  He wanted everyone to see.  He wanted all His children to see His love for them.  I asked Heavenly Father what I should do, and I was told to do the ordinance again, this time in front of my children. 

So I went to my family and confessed.  I told them that I prayed about what to do about the poisoned water in the well, and how I got the answer to perform the same ordinance that Elisha performed.  I also told them how I feared, and how I failed.  I confessed everything, and repented.  I told them the story of Elisha cleansing the well, then we gathered up the required ingredients, and the older children and I headed out to the well. 

The children were so excited to see the glory of the Lord performing a miracle just for them.  I, on the other hand, was terrified.  The more excited the children were, the more afraid I became.  What if I failed again?  What would that do to their faith?  Would they ever believe me again when I teach them about Heavenly Father?  Would my children go the way of the world and I lose them forever?  Then, I remembered what the Lord told me before, that I failed the first time because of my fear.  So I pushed all the fear out of me and gathered all the faith I could.  We prayed together, and my faith increased.  This time I dedicated and consecrated everything that was involved.  I wanted to leave nothing out.  Then came the big moment. 

With the faith of my children, we performed the ordinance as God wanted us to, and the Holy Spirit bore witness.  Then excitedly we went into the house to test the water. 

The water flowed clear.  We didn’t even have to run the system to clear it out.  It flowed clear from the moment we turned it on.  The smell, also, was completely gone!  Nothing, not even the slightest odour remained.  And best of all the water tasted great!! 

It wasn’t long after that we had another addition to the family.  And there in that county it is required to have all wells tested when a new baby is born.  And our well passed with flying colours!  Not a thing wrong with it.  And we had the certificate to prove it. 

Our Heavenly Father had shown forth His great love for us.  His tender care had certainly increased our faith in Him.  We were renewed.  Our faith in Him was renewed and strengthened.  May Glory and Honour be to His Name forever!! 

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Producing Good Fruit

“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” 

The command to be fruitful was given to our first parents Adam and Eve, but what kind of fruit does the Lord want?  Almost anyone can bear fruit. 

In fact, the Jews at the time of Jesus were willing to justify themselves and claim that they were saved, just because they were the children of Abraham, the fruit of Abraham.  But John told them that just being children of Abraham was not enough, they were still expected to keep the commandments of God.  They were to be good fruit. 

“And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.” 

Hewn down and cast into the fire.  Our families will not last if we do not bear good fruit.  How could they?  In other words, how can we have our children with us in heaven, if they are corrupt?  No unclean thing can dwell in the presence of God.  We must have good children.  If we produce bad fruit, then that marriage/family will be hewn down and cast into the fire. 

The highest and noblest calling is to bear fruit.  It is what our Heavenly Father does.  Who imagines a God that refuses to care for His children?  When in all the scriptures do we read that God denied his children love and care because he had to go to work?  Where does he say ‘I’ll talk to you after the game?’  The care of children is not only His highest priority, but His only priority. 

“For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”

For those who want to become like our Father in Heaven, the care and salvation of children is the top priority. 

And those who would justify themselves by disclaiming any responsibility for the sins of their children, need to take another gander at the scriptures. 

The Lord taught this principle in the Doctrine and Covenants to the early Saints: 

“40 But I have commanded you to bring up your children in light and truth. 

 41 But verily I say unto you, … , you have continued under this condemnation; 

 42 You have not taught your children light and truth, according to the commandments; and that wicked one hath power, as yet, over you, and this is the cause of your affliction. 

 43 And now a commandment I give unto you—if you will be delivered you shall set in order your own house, for there are many things that are not right in your house.”   

Here is one of my favourites: 

“For it is given unto them even as I will, according to mine own pleasure, that great things may be required at the hand of their fathers.”

How sad it is when a young couple is having so much joy in the birth of their new child, and our society strives with all it’s might to tear them apart.  Imposing their will by peer pressure to get the new parents away from the child, claiming such lies as ‘you cannot enjoy life with children.’  Children are a wonderful blessing, and bring joy and rejoicing to the family.  Stay strong, and raise good children.  You will have joy and rejoicing throughout the eternities. 

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Parable Of The Talents

On Sunday, April 2^nd, 1843, the Prophet Joseph went for a walk with Benjamin F. Johnson and opened to him the subject of plural and eternal marriage.  Brother Benjamin was shocked to say the least, and even though he expressed his trust in the Prophet, he stated that if he “ever should know that you do this to dishonor and debauch my sister, I will kill you as sure as the Lord lives.”  Joseph reassured Brother Johnson that the ancient order of marriage was indeed from God. 

Joseph asked Benjamin to talk to his sister Almera, to which Brother Johnson replied:  “But how, can I teach my sister what I myself do not understand, or show her what I do not myself see?”  Joseph replied, “But you will see and understand it, and when you open your mouth to talk to your sister, light will come to you and your mouth will be full and your tongue loose, and I will today preach a sermon that none but you will understand.” 

That sermon was taken from the text of the parable of the talents.  This parable can be found in Matthew 25:14-30, and in Luke 19:11-27.  I am not going to quote the whole thing here, but it is well worth it to read both versions again.  Basically, the parable relates that the Lord expects those who have been given talents, to improve on their talents and gain more talents.  This is pretty basic stuff and is often required in any aspect in life.  But in this situation the Prophet Joseph applied it to family.  That a man should improve on the gifts the Lord gives him. 

Over time, this doctrine grew and grew.  It was expanded and adulterated many times.  Until the modern false doctrine of ‘polygamy will save and exalt a man’ arose.  Polygamy and the Ancient Order of Marriage are most definitely not the same thing, but that is a topic for another post.  In this post I wanted to stick to the doctrine of increasing our talents in the way that the Lord expects us to.  For not only must it be done, it must be done in accordance to the way God wants it done.  No other way is acceptable to Him.  But, like I said, that is a topic for another post.  Back to the parable of the talents… 

Upon His return, the Lord calls his stewards forward and requires of them an accounting.  One gains many more talents than he was given, and he is received with gladness into the Joy of the Lord.  Another steward gains a few more talents, though not as many as the first, but he is still received with joy and given a proportionate reward.  In fact, as with all parables, the term reward is analogous.  The reward that we get is the fact that we have our families, our wives and our children with us for eternity.  Notice the fella that increased to ten talents, had the reward of ten cities, or in other words, ten families.  The rewards of God are in all actuality natural consequences to our behaviour. 

Then we come to the last steward.  Him who has been given but one talent, who when his Lord came, found that this slothful servant went and buried his talent in the earth and did nothing with it.  The Lord, of course, told him you should have at least lent out the money so that I could have my own with interest.  Then the talent that wasn’t taken care of, the talent that was abused and hidden away, that wasn’t even allowed to live up to the measure of it’s creation, was taken from that wicked servant and offered to someone who would cherish her and allow her to blossom. 

That statement; “I should have mine own with usury.”  An interesting concept!  Since this parable is being related to family, it is obvious that the “usury” refers to children.  If that slothful servant had of lent out the money to the exchangers, then he would have earned interest.  In other words he should have at least raised children.  Even if he couldn’t attract another wife, he should have at least had children, increasing his talent.  Then when the Lord comes he could have presented children.  Then his one talent would not have been taken from him.  He would not have been cast out. 

But a person cannot be expected to be saved to the highest heaven just because they can pop out children.  They, of course, must be good children, remember the parable of the fruit tree.  The exaltation and dominion of the Saints depends on the number of righteous posterity they have.  Not just the number of posterity, but the number of righteous posterity.  The Lord wants us to raise a righteous posterity.  To raise a nation of Priests unto the Most High God.  He wants a God fearing people, who love Him and have nothing but charity, the pure love of Christ, toward their fellow man. 

I will continue this topic in the next post Producing Good Fruit. 

Sealing and Authority

A strong belief in the Mormon world is the doctrine of Eternal Families.  It is a doctrine that was introduced by the Prophet Joseph Smith under the term Sealing.  To seal people together is to perform the priesthood ordinance under the direction of the Holy Spirit of Promise, promising the parties involved that they will have the opportunity to be together in the Resurrection and beyond.  I say the “opportunity” because we always have our agency. 

The Holy Spirit of Promise is a subject that can take up several posts, and perhaps I will get to that at another time. 

The types of sealings that go on today in most of the Mormon churches/groups that I have witnessed, are preparatory sealings.  They are (should be) performed by those who hold, at least the preparatory Patriarchal Priesthood, and they seal by stating something to the effect of; ‘According to your faithfulness.’  Of course if the ordinance was done with the proper authority, and according to the laws that the Lord set out to govern that ordinance, and if those parties involved qualify themselves, then they will realize that blessing. 

Most Mormons are aware of two priesthoods, the Aaronic, including the Levitical, and the Melchizedek.  The Aaronic tends to the temporal concerns, and the Melchizedek tends to the spiritual.  The Melchizedek Priesthood is the highest priesthood that can be given from one man to the other. 

But there is another priesthood that is not often spoken of or even named, though it is sometimes common knowledge; the Patriarchal Priesthood.  The Patriarchal Priesthood is given usually in two stages.  The Patriarchal Priesthood is often only given by revelation or when necessity dictates, but there have been many exceptions.  It is first given by the performing of ordinances often referred to as the Second Annointings or the Higher Endowment (actually it has many names).  In all actuality, this is just a preparatory endowment, and it is not complete until it is ratified by God.  (Another subject for a later post.) 

The Patriarchal Priesthood holds the keys of sealing, and even at the preparatory level, those keys are valid, as long as the priesthood holder uses them in accordance with the rules that the Lord has set forth to govern them.  If the sealing is not performed according to the laws that the Lord dictated, then of course it is not valid.  Oh, how many will be crying at that day! 

This brings up a whole new aspect.  Those who have not had the opportunity to have that ordinance performed by someone legally holding that authority, will have the opportunity at some future time, provided that they have lived in such a way as to have qualified themselves.  If they have not lived up to that standard, they do not qualify for the blessing.  The Lord is extremely kind to those who have kept, and are keeping His commandments.  Although, it is our responsibility to pray and find out who has that authority, so that we can have that ordinance performed, and live that covenant. 

Again, do not fear, Heavenly Father is extremely kind to those who are keeping His commandments, and will have abundant mercy on them.  They will have an opportunity to receive all the blessings that they have qualified for.  So do not fear, go forth in faith, be not afraid to do good, seeking His will in all things, and you will receive all that you have qualified for, nothing will be lost. 

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