Author Archives: Colby Alexander

5 Josephs

28 Monday Dec 2015

Posted by in Example, Fatherhood, General, Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, Prophets, Resurrection

≈ 1 Comment

Joseph

Joseph

One of the cool things that comes with Christmas, are the new videos that the church puts out around this time. This year was a good one showing the birth of Christ through Joseph’s eyes. If you missed it, Here it is. These videos keep getting better and better. I really liked the fact that Mary and Joseph, and everyone around doesn’t look like they were born in Idaho, or that they are in the theatrical production department at BYU. They actually look, and speak as if they were in that part of the world. It makes it a lot easier to imagine what it would have been like in Jerusalem during that time.

We don’t really know a lot about Joseph through the scriptures, but we can draw several conclusions based on what we do know. The one simple thing that stands out to me is the name “Joseph”. I don’t think anything, especially having to do with the life of Jesus Christ, is by chance. Joseph’s name was not by chance. This was the man who would raise a perfect son. He would be the fatherly example to the one who would be the perfect example.

Just for fun, lets check out all the other Josephs we know. The pattern we see will show us that the name Joseph is kind of a big deal. As we think, maybe it will be even more obvious how great a man he must have been simply because God gave him a name was destined to be so meaningful.

Joseph #1.

Joseph in Egypt

Joseph Greets his Brothers in Egypt

Probably the Joseph after which most other subsequent Josephs are named. Was one of the 12 sons of Jacob, or Israel. He was sold into Egypt by his own brothers as a slave and, as the story goes, won over the heart of the Pharaoh, received visions from God warning of the 7 years of plenty and of famine, and basically saved or brought salvation to Egypt, and in turn, his whole family, the covenant family of Israel, from certain death. A branch of this Joseph’s lineage also happened to be a group led by Lehi, and Nephi, who were the first authors of a book called the Book of Mormon. Not too shabby at all.

Joseph #2

CIS:SD.972

Joseph of Arimathea

Joseph of Arimathea. This Joseph is just briefly mentioned in scripture as well, but what a privilege he had. He provided the tomb for the Savior after he was crucified. He acted against his peers and almost all the contemporaries around him, and provided a safe place for the body of the Lord. It was from his tomb, that the Savior would emerge in his resurrected glorified form. It was from his tomb, that the gift of immortality for all men would be realized. It was from his tomb that the realization of eternal life could be possible! It was from his tomb, that salvation came in the form of the glorified resurrected Lord!

Joseph #3

Joseph Smith Sr.

Joseph Smith Sr.

Joseph Smith Sr. was responsible for raising the future prophet that would restore the complete gospel of Jesus Christ in the last dispensation. He instilled in his son, and his whole family, the values, and lessons that gave  a young 14 year old boy the understanding that he could go to a grove of trees and ask the questions that would eventually change the world. As an added bonus, he was also the first patriarch of the restored church.

Joseph #4

Joseph Smith Jr

Joseph Smith Jr.

One of the beneficiaries of the amazing Joseph Smith Sr. was his son, Joseph Smith Jr. This Joseph grew to be the great prophet of the restoration. He received more by way of revelation, and prophetic writings than any other prophet. Ever. He saw God the Father and Jesus Christ. Through this Joseph, the Gospel of Jesus Christ was restored, which provides the necessary ordinances that brings salvation to all men.

Joseph #5

jm_200_NT1.pd-P7.tiff

Joseph and Jesus

All of these Josephs are amazing, they make up an elite All-Time All-Joseph team. So, is it any wonder, that the final Joseph, the Joseph that raised Jesus, the humble carpenter, also carries that name?  Our Father in Heaven would not leave his son in the care of an ordinary man. He needed a humble, righteous, obedient, and loving man. He needed a man that would, quite literally, fill his own role in an earthly sense. He needed a man who would teach and raise the only begotten Son of God as if he were his own. He needed a man in whom he would entrust the Savior of the world. He needed a man, who would be humble enough to accept his calling, even though the boy he would raise, knew at a very early age, who his real Father was. Joseph was that man. So, even though we learn precious little about Joseph the man who raised Jesus, we can imagine that he may be one of the greatest men to ever walk on earth, because God the Father trusted him, and only him, to care for his little boy, the Savior of us all!
So, whats in a name? A lot. when we pause and think about the intricate symphony that our Father in Heaven is directing, it is evident. Every name has meaning, every note is where its meant to be, every moment, every place, every event is just as its meant to be. The name Joseph, by itself, is an honor. Lets think about that great man a little more this Christmas, and give him his place among the greatest Josephs of all time!

P.S. Other Josephs that that were also awesome but for this list earned “honorable mentions” include Joseph (brother of Nephi), Joseph Fielding Smith, Joseph F. Smith, and the apostles Joseph F. Merrill (1931), and Joseph B. Worthlin (1986). As a side note, it is interesting that since the restoration of the gospel in 1830, 3 of the 16 presidents of the church have been named Joseph.

The Crumbling Walls of Stone

22 Tuesday Dec 2015

Posted by in Battle, Faith, General, Jesus Christ, Loyalty, Poems, Prison, Trials, Weakness

≈ Leave a comment

nevitsky-castle-zakarpattia-region-ukraine-1

No matter what is happening in our world, or even in our own neighborhoods, or communities, we can be safe. Its hard to believe sometimes given the nature of our enemies. Real safety isn’t a mortal achievement at all, but an eternal one. Once we realize that our lives don’t really start  when we are born, nor end when we die, we can see with the proper perspective to understand this.

Sometimes it seems like we are living in a modern day movie of history repeating itself. If that is so, lets look to what our ancient forefathers did to keep themselves safe, or what they didn’t do to bring on their demise.

In the scriptures, we learn that our modern difficulties will only increase, times will be harder, and evil will grow in scope, and power. We need to be able to recognize what is really happening all around us, and not repeat the same mistakes that so many throughout history have made- the mistake of forgetting God. We cannot forget who we are, why we are here, and in whom we must rely to find real safety, and real peace.

 

The Crumbling Walls of Stone

The walls of stone around us built by hands of mortal make,
have claimed to offer solace from dark storm, strong wind, and quake.

Protecting from our foes without, this shelter here inside,
constructed by the hands of those who fought, and bled, and died.

And for these many years have stood, sustained by God alone,
As men within these walls have knelt before our Maker’s throne.

But now, dark forces in and out, relentlessly conspire,
to weaken all these stones, by fear, and flame of dragon fire.

For not all men within now kneel before the strength and pow’r,
of Him whose hand would strengthen all in desperation’s hour.

Now as the walls around us fall, and enemies abound,
He still extends His call to us, His safety can be found,

And we can be untouched by flying shards of rending stone,
To walk in peace and safety- even though we walk alone,

And as our father Alma walked with pow’r from prison rent,
So can we, if we rely, on Him who Father sent.

These great walls, sustained by God, now stand all on their own,
Relying on the strength of men, and crumbling ancient stone.

Are we now ready, in our hearts, to face the world outside?
To kneel, to walk, and stand alone, and in the Lord confide?

Come feel His warming love, and light, that neither fades nor dims!
Petition his eternal peace that comes through faith in Him!

Though enemies deride, and tempests beat before our face,
Our souls can stand fulfilled, instilled, with everlasting grace!

 

Graduating from the Obliviousness of the Benchwarmer

16 Wednesday Dec 2015

Posted by in Battle, Divinity, General, Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, Sports

≈ Leave a comment

 

bench

When I was a sophomore in high school, I was able to dress out, and sit on the end of the bench during the varsity basketball games. There were 4 or 5 of us. We loved it because we felt absolutely no pressure to win because we were just afterthoughts, or decorations really. We were basically cheerleaders in uniforms, as we were so far down the bench we could barely see the coaches at the other end.

On occasion, however, when we (the varsity team) were up big, we would get our chance to play in garbage time. We would get in and play our hearts out for our shot at getting our name in the paper by scoring a point. That was the ultimate goal, in our 15 year old minds, to become famous by getting our name in print.  Of course, we also had a great time inventing the now infamous celebratory dance that we named “the chicken”. The game itself meant nothing to us really, because we weren’t seniors, and it wasn’t really even our team. We just thought about how awesome we could dance, and hoped we could get some playing time, maybe. We looked a lot like these guys..Who are hilarious by the way…

Although we had a great time, and made fools of ourselves dancing, the thing we didn’t understand really until later, was that the games actually meant something. Not that what we were doing was anything bad, but we kind of missed the opportunity to be more of a part of the real game that was going on. We were a little oblivious to the reality of what was at stake. We were a bit blinded by whatever-ness, or lack of perspective. We were content in our little party space at the end of the bench, while the real game was happening all around us.

Today, I feel, many of us are still living our lives like we are the benchwarmers. We are content in our little corners of our lives and sometimes fail to see the importance and gravity of the game that is going on all around us. We are in a game for our lives. The outcome determines our  place in the eternities. And sometimes we are only concerned if we can get mentioned in the paper the next morning.

If we take a step back, and look at the test we are in we can think…who are the players? Who are we playing against? Do we even realize we are living right in the middle of the final minutes of the most important game ever?

So how does this look in real life? Over the last few months, there have been an increase in dramatic events that have changed the way many people feel about their lives. With terrorist attacks in Paris, and now in San Bernadino right here at home, it has created an increased level of anxiety and fear. People are grasping at anything, everything, and anybody who claims to offer safety and security. Safety and relative peace cannot be guaranteed, and seem unattainable even impossible. But, we need to remember… what game we are playing?

Are we playing the “whoever dies with the most stuff wins” game? Or,  the “whoever gets their name in the paper the most wins” game? Or, the “whoever can dance the most awesome chicken at the end of the bench” game? If so, we will look for peace and safety in the wrong places. We will fall prey to the illusion of secular security, which is nothing more than false security.

When we look at our lives differently, the way we should see them, everything changes. We then begin to realize that the real game is between good and evil and we are here to choose for ourselves which team we want to be on, and then become key players on the team. The only way to win, and achieve true safety and real peace is to align ourselves as close as possible to the One who will ultimately win the game. He is the author of the peace we seek, the Prince of Peace.

Jesus Christ is the only way to find peace. He alone provides the real lasting safety that we all seek, because that is the whole point of this game of life we are all playing. In this game, the elusive sentiment of true happiness is only awarded when we completely and fully disregard the world’s mirage of secular security. When we stop concentrating only on how awesome our chicken dance is, and actually start playing to win.

It is then we will realize that we are involved in a game on a much larger playing field than we ever thought, and we aren’t just hoping for the few minutes of playing time awarded to the scrubs in garbage time, our minds and hearts can be more committed to the pursuit of real and lasting peace, love, security and divine safety that comes only through the Savior of the world.

Joseph Smith wrote about the way the game will end, and its perfect to read when we feel overwhelmed with all the negative or when the evil in the world seems overwhelming, and the game seems to be lost. Just remember, we choose which team we want to be on!

He wrote, “the Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done” (History of the Church, 4:540).

Real peace and safety can come to us. But, it comes when we look to Christ. He pours it upon us when we try to be like Him, and follow Him. He has invited all of us to do so, and find the peace and safety only He provides.

“I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.” (Psalms 4:8)

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” (Isaiah 41:10)

“Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail.” (D&C 6:34)

The Overwhelming Importance of Tee Ball

02 Wednesday Dec 2015

Posted by in Discernment, General, Prophets

≈ Leave a comment

giphy

One of the most difficult tasks in all of sports is to hit a good curveball. It comes at you traveling sometimes up to 90 miles an hour, from only about 60 feet away. You have only a split second to recognize the velocity and direction, make a decision on whether to swing or not, and then adjust your hands, wrists, arms, legs, and head to make contact with the ball. It takes years and years and hours and hours of practice to be able to do it with even a little bit of consistency. But for the most part, we would all look foolish standing in the batter’s box facing the worlds best pitchers and their wicked curveballs. The professional hitters often do.

So what would it take to get to where we could hit that curveball? It would take the same amount of time, effort, practice and experience that the best hitters in the world put in. But even they started with the basics. Tee Ball.

When kids start playing baseball, they’re usually tiny, and are just as interested in the butterfly’s floating in the outfield as they are with the bat and ball. But hitting is taught with the ball sitting stationary, on a tee, ready to be hit. Its simple, easy, and the perfect way to practice your swing.

As the years go by, and you become more experienced, hitting becomes more advanced and difficult, the coach pitches to you, then the other kids. Eventually those kids get older, better, grow muscles, and a mean streak, and pretty soon, instead of that friendly floating ball thats easy to hit, its a hurled projectile that may or may not have any control on it. sometimes its within the strike zone, and sometimes you duck to save your face.

After a while, the simple straight fast ball isn’t the only thing coming your way, its mixed with an off speed slower one, a curving bender, a sliding knee buckler, or the knuckleball that dances just like the butterflies from tee ball.

But with time, experience, practice and some luck, you can still hit them. Even the best pitches can be hit. Even though at times it seems nearly impossible. But one thing is for sure, if you haven’t practiced, or seen them before, your chances are slim. You may even have a slight heart attack simply watching the pitch scream towards you.

The same concept is playing out today in our society. Especially in a spiritual sense. Our opposition in society is throwing curveballs, sliders, knuckleballs, and a nasty heater almost every pitch. But it seems like not all of us have put in the time, and practice to have a reasonable shot at fending off those pitches and being successful at the plate.

We need to go back to basics. back to Tee Ball.

When we were little, in primary, we all learned the how to do what our Heavenly Father asks of us. Choose the right, follow the prophet, love one another, and love God. We learned who we were, and what our purpose on earth is. The gospel was taught in a simple way that was simple to understand. It was tee ball.

As we grow older, life seemingly gets a little more complicated. But the basics are still the same, just like keeping our eyes on the ball, taking a smooth step, and having a level swing. We still need to love God, love our neighbor, choose the right, follow the council of the prophets, and recognize who we are, and why we are here.

The game changes as we grow older spiritually as well. Just as in baseball,  the opposition gets better, grows muscles, and a nasty streak. He tries to cheat, and fool us by throwing different pitches. He tries to deceive us. And he has a nasty curve.

So how do we hit his curve, his split finger, or his dancing knuckleball? We have to start with the basics.

We need to follow the formula for success, and practice and practice, and practice. We do this by being close to the Lord, His spirit, and follow and live His teachings. As we do so, we become familiar with it, and recognize when He is influencing us, when He is speaking through His prophets, and most importantly, we begin to recognize the curveball. We see it coming, we are prepared for it, and we can hit it.

The basic fundamentals of the gospel are as simple as keeping our eyes on the ball. Its being in the scriptures, praying, and genuinely wanting to be like our Savior. If we do that, we will be ready for the curve, because we will see and recognize it.

And the curves are coming. Today, a lot of people, even within the gospel, are having a hard time with some of the curveballs coming from the opposition. The society norms are being passed off as good, and touted as progress, but in reality are in direct opposition to the gospel truths taught by the Lord and His prophets. The best curveballs look just like a fastball until the last second when the bottom falls out, but then, its too late, because we’ve already started to swing.

If we start young or old, it doesn’t matter, we need to keep our eyes on the ball, and practice, practice, practice. If we do, and listen to, and follow the advise, council, and teachings of the living prophets and apostles (best 15 coaches you could ask for), we will be prepared for, and recognize the curves when then come. It is the 9th inning after all, and the game is coming to an end, and we need to really decide….whose team are we on?

chipper-jonescolor

The Divine Duality of Adversity

22 Sunday Nov 2015

Posted by in atonement, Faith, General, Opposition, Patience

≈ 1 Comment

fullwidth.59cefd6d

Sports can teach us almost anything. Growing up, I played baseball, basketball, football, golf, pickle ball, wiffle ball, and, everyone’s favorite 5th grade sport, butt ball. Each one of these sports taught me about how to work hard, practice, work as a team, and all of those happy feel good things that are common to sport analogies. But, it also taught me about the reality of loss, pain, sorrow, discouragement, and disappointment.

In today’s society, there seems to be a growing trend to try and shelter our kids from these realities. We give out trophies to all who participate, no one gets thrown out at first, no one loses, and no one wins. We do this to make sure that we don’t hurt anyone’s feelings. The problem with this thinking, is that it can create a false bubble of reality where nothing but contrived happiness and joy exists and never teaches the lessons of how to process the reality of losing, or the unavoidable disappointment that life will bring.

When we do this, we find ourselves just like the inside of Riley’s head in the movie, Inside Out, where “Joy” the happy emotion, tries to completely eliminate “Sadness” from ever having any kind of control over Riley’s emotions, she tries to protect Riley from ever feeling anything but joy. A great idea right? But, in the end, Joy realizes that sadness is not only acceptable, but an essential necessity to feel the complete fullness of joy. The contrast, or recovery from sadness, is what highlights true happiness in its fullness.

Some of us go through challenges that are nothing short of devastating. For some, the disappointment or sorrow hits hard as in when a child passes away. For others its watching a son or daughter lose their way. Some circumstances seem almost unbearable, with no hope for any good to come of them. What do we do then? How do we deal with devastation? We need help. We cannot do it alone. That is the whole point of passing through disappointment, and sorrow, or pain and suffering. We are supposed to learn from them.

These scenarios have played out since the beginning of time, and they will continue. Lets just look at a few examples of adversity and painful things happening, even to good and righteous people…

o-ye-fair-ones

Mormon was the prophet and military leader that knowingly watched as his entire people ignored his inspired pleas for repentance, and openly chose wickedness. These were his people, the very ones for which he was responsible. His teaching fell upon deaf and rebellious ears, and 230,000 of his men, the Nephites, were slaughtered in a single battle. They were completely wiped out by the Lamanites, because they chose wickedness. We can only imagine the disappointment and sorrow he felt. He wrote, “O ye fair ones, how could ye have departed from the ways of the Lord!..how could ye have rejected that Jesus who stood with open arms to receive you! How is it that ye could have fallen! But, Behold ye are gone, and my sorrows cannot bring your return.” (Mormon 6:16-19)

IMG_5907

Moroni, Mormon’s son, also witnessed this last great battle as a captain over 10,000 men. He then watched as the Lamanites killed his father, and turned after him. He then spent the remaining years of his life completely alone, running for his life.

IMG_5897

Ether, a Jaradite prophet, just like Mormon and Moroni, witnessed the entire wicked self destruction of his people when they refused to listen to his pleadings for their repentance. The great final battle claimed the lives of over 2 million men women and children. They not only rejected his teachings, but tried to kill him for doing so.

There are countless examples of devastating disappointments and sorrows. How did they deal with them? How did they continue to go forward while it seemed everything in the world was against them, even though they were doing what was right?

Think of it this way, what positives came of the examples of Mormon, Moroni, and Ether? What can we learn from them? Mormon, and Moroni both penned some of the most powerful chapters in the Book of Mormon, probably at the same time they were dealing with the destruction of their people. Moroni’s promise, that has led to the spiritual conversion of countless people, was written while completely alone, wandering in the wilderness. One of the best chapters in scripture on the principle of faith was written by the prophet Ether as he watched his people completely self destruct. Sometimes bad things do happen to good or great people, but sometimes great things come from it.

Part of life is understanding that we will have problems, that we will lose, we will be dealt a crap sandwich once in a while. But, what do we do with that crap sandwich? Do we bury our head in the sand and give up? Or, do we try to deal with it like the best chef’s on Chopped, and add bacon, chipotle peppers, and transform that crap sandwich into a chorizo preschutto, drizzled with a poblano pepper aoli?

The Lord told Joseph Smith while he was illegally imprisoned in the Liberty Jail, “that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.” (D&C 122:7)

The Lord also taught this when his disciples were feeling abandoned, lonely, helpless, and overwhelmed (and he will say the same to all of us), “I will not leave you comfortless, I will come unto you” (John 14:18) “Come unto me all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yolk upon you, and learn of me;…. and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” (Matt 11:28,29)

When we turn to the Lord, our Elder Brother, He comforts us, He succors us, He changes us. As hard as it is, we need to try and see our lives as our Father in Heaven does. We need to try and see our disappointments and sorrows as opportunities to allow Jesus Christ to be the one who stands by our side to lift us up.

The ultimate lesson from our Father in Heaven is this, He wants us to grow, experience a full life. We really gain the experience He wants us to have when we pass through disappointment, and then use the gift of the Atonement of His Son to help us through the hard times. So, even though the sorrow is real, and the disappointment unbearably hard and devastating at times, these times are, in reality, opportunities to better know His Son. This is the divine duality of adversity. They are opportunities to open ourselves to the fullness of His Comforter. The contrast we then feel becomes the knowledge and experience our Father in Heaven needs us to understand. And maybe our experiences will benefit us in the future, or may benefit others who can learn from us.

Where can I turn for peace?
Where is my solace
When other sources cease to make me whole?
When with a wounded heart, anger, or malice,
I draw myself apart,
Searching my soul?

Where, when my aching grows,
Where, when I languish,
Where, in my need to know, where can I run?
Where is the quiet hand to calm my anguish,
Who, who can understand?
He, only One.

He answers privately,
Reaches my reaching
In my Gethsemane, Savior and Friend.
Gentle the peace here finds for my beseeching.
Constant he is and kind,
Love without end.

Hymn 129 Where can I turn for Peace?

Endure to the End!

18 Sunday Oct 2015

Posted by in General, Preparation, Pride, Sports, Strength, Success, Types

≈ Leave a comment

IMG_5717

I love college football. This is my favorite time of year. Each year I have renewed hope at what possibilities lie ahead. New players emerge, older players get better, every game counts. It it exciting, thrilling, heartbreaking, and devastating all at the same time.

Sports in general can teach us so much about life, and overcoming obstacles, opposition, and adversity. It is an almost perfect type for our own lives. College football yesterday, gave us that perfect example of a principle I have been thinking about lately. Enduring to the end.

This example, is of a game between bitter rivals. It was a hard fought game between Michigan, and Michigan State. All game it had been a grudge match back and forth, neither team could move the ball very well against the other, both defenses had dominated the opposing offenses, and as time ran down to the last 10 seconds, Michigan found itself ahead by two points with the ball, and just about a minute left. They could almost just take a knee, and let time expire and win the game. Almost.

As time slowly clicked away, Michigan ran the ball to make sure the clock didn’t stop and were able to get time down to just about 10 seconds left. It was 4th down, the ball was on Michigan State’s 48 yard line, and all they had to do was punt the ball away, make one tackle, and the game would be over. They would win the heated rivalry game over their higher ranked bitter enemy. Life was good for Michigan fan. They were basking in the eminent victory. They were on cloud nine. Years of being second fiddle in the state and listening to Michigan State fans trash talk would finally end. The battle was nearly over, and they would be victorious!

Then Michigan snapped the ball. And their 10 second nightmare began.

The punter for Michigan bumbled the snap, the ball fell a few feet in front of him, and in his sudden panic, lunged forward, grabbed the ball, and made a last second heroic effort to kick the ball away. But Michigan State hit him with 3 guys just as the ball left his hand headed towards his foot.

IMG_5719

The momentum of the hit sprayed the ball to the right, through the air, and landed perfectly into the hands of a surprised Michigan State player. Upon receiving the miraculous gift of a fumble, he took off, headed towards the end zone 45 yards away. He had a procession of blockers, and only 2 potential tacklers, time seemed to stand still and Michigan fan went from the peak of elation to the depths of despair in mere seconds. Michigan State rolled down the sideline, and lunged into the end zone with no time left to win the game.

IMG_5718

Michigan fan could do nothing but stare in disbelief. That actually just happened. One of the most unlikely wins and final plays that could even be conceived. If any of a number of things didn’t go exactly right, or exactly wrong, the game would have ended with Michigan on top. It was unbelievable. The odds of Michigan State winning that game before the final snap were 0.2%. 2 in a thousand! Yet it happened. Michigan State never quit. Michigan State endured to the end. Michigan did not.

IMG_5720

The punter had made a huge mistake, but, in the moment, when all the pressure was heaped on him, he actually made it worse by trying to kick the ball again. Had he just fallen on the ball, it would have been downed, and Michigan State would have had to pull off a hail mary pass to win, another unlikely chance. But, in the moment when panic set in, the situation became critical and the decision he made while in that mindset was horribly bad and exactly wrong. And it cost them the game. Had he thought out all the options should anything unplanned happen, the outcome might have been different.

All the hard work, battle, struggle, sweat, and effort for 59 minutes and 50 seconds just went up in smoke. It was kind of like performing a perfect face plant 25 yards from the finish line of a marathon, and never making it to the end. Sometimes we get SOOOOO close!

On the other hand, Michigan State never gave up. They played every last down until the whistle blew, there is ALWAYS a chance that things may bounce your way. But in order to get those bounces, we need to be in the right spot, and playing as hard as we can.

Whether its in a football game, basketball game, baseball game, tennis, running a marathon, or any other competition or challenge, the principle is the same, Never quit! Never stop fighting, clawing, pushing, crawling or clenching towards the finish. Never slow down, never let up. Ever.  Our lives are a race, a race to finally get back home, to our Heavenly home, and in the process, be as close to our Savior as we can be, and as much like Him as we can be.

Its never easy, sometimes it seems like its impossible to win, that we might as well just leave, because we are getting our butts handed to us. But thats not why we are here. We are here to compete, to get better, and to endure.

To me, one of the most fascinating parts of the Book of Mormon comes in the final few years of the Nephites  just before the coming of Christ to the Americas. At this time, the Nephites and righteous Lamanites actually come together in one body because the Gadianton robbers are so powerful, that they had overtaken nearly the entire country. All the people that followed the prophets gathered together to join forces and preserve their food and protect themselves from invasion.  After a long siege, and with the help from God, the Nephites eventually defeated the Gadianton robbers after a massive battle, (the slaughter was the greatest since Lehi had left Jerusalem) and completely eliminated them from the country. God had helped and preserved them according to their faith and trust in Him.

This major battle happened in the 19th year after Christ was born, and lingered until sometime after the 21st year. Christ would begin his ministry halfway around the world in a mere 8 years! So, 600 plus years had passed since Lehi and Nephi left Jerusalem, with countless prophets, wars, contentions, missions, etc. And now, in the 4th quarter, the Nephites had just seemingly defeated the last enemy and could now live in peace until the Lord would visit! Right? They just had to hang on for another few years. And they would celebrate with Christ himself!

After this massive battle, this is the mindset of the Nephites:

”And they did rejoice and cry again with one voice, saying: May the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, protect this people in righteousness, so long as they shall call on the name of their God for protection.

31 And it came to pass that they did break forth, all as one, in singing, and praising their God for the great thing which he had done for them, in preserving them from falling into the hands of their enemies.

32 Yea, they did cry: Hosanna to the Most High God. And they did cry: Blessed be the name of the Lord God Almighty, the Most High God.

33 And their hearts were swollen with joy, unto the gushing out of many tears, because of the great goodness of God in delivering them out of the hands of their enemies; and they knew it was because of their repentance and their humility that they had been delivered from an everlasting destruction.  (3 Nephi 4:30-33)

The very first verse in chapter 5 says, “Now behold, there was not a living soul among all the people the Nephites who did doubt in the least the words of all the holy prophets..”

A few verses later, it says,”And there had many things transpired which, in the eyes of some, would be great and marvelous; nevertheless, they cannot all be written in this book; yea, this book cannot contain even a ahundredth part of what was done among so many people in the space of twenty and five years;

They seem to be sitting pretty don’t they? Now its down to the final 8 years until the sign of Christ’s death and resurrection. kind of like being up by 2 points with the ball,  and only 10 seconds left? All they needed to do was make a decent punt, and make one tackle, and they would be celebrating with the Savior. But, lets watch what happens in just a few very short years…

In the 26th year, they all separated again, and went back home after having lived together as one people.

In chapter 6, it sounds the warning bell, “And now there was nothing in all the land to hinder the people from prospering continually, except they should fall into transgression.” (3 Nephi 6:5)

Kind of like a scouting report that warns about the stone hands of the punter.

Fast forward 3 short years, and this is what you get, “But it came to pass in the twenty and ninth year there began to be some disputings among the people; and some were lifted up unto pride and aboastings because of their exceedingly great riches, yea, even unto great persecutions; (3 Nephi 6:10)

Uh, oh. The punter just bumbled the snap. Better just land on it, and take your losses, repent, and get right with the Lord.

But, just like the football game, the worst possible thing that could have happened did.

“Now the cause of this iniquity of the people was this—Satan had great power, unto the stirring up of the people to do all manner of iniquity, and to the puffing them up with pride, tempting them to seek for power, and authority, and riches, and the vain things of the world. (3 Nephi 6:15,)

Now, the opposing player is running towards the end zone, and the game is slipping away.

“And thus in the commencement of this, the thirtieth year, they were in a state of awful wickedness.” (3 Nephi 8:18)

“…and there were but few righteous men among them.” (3 Nephi 7:7)

Year 30. Christ is just beginning his mortal ministry, and will eventually come to visit the Americas in just 3 more years! Thats it! 3 years. After 600 years of preparation, they bumbled it all away at the last moment. They couldn’t quite endure till the end.

We cannot let this happen to us! We need to play every down, every play the best we can. we have to endure, and persevere through the finish line. The tricky part is that we don’t know exactly when the finish line comes, but we cant let ourselves turn into the Nephites who face planted 3 years before the finish line.

Christ was so close! All they had to do was hold on just a little bit longer, and finish strong! He is our end goal! He is why we are here. He is why we can win, and why we even have a chance at all.

Sometimes we can learn lessons from other people’s mistakes. Lets look at the punter for Michigan, and the Nephites, and learn what not to do, so that we can be better prepared to work, and fight, and endure all the way through the finish line!

He is there waiting for us, coaching us, and rooting for us to succeed. Lets all try just a little bit harder to never let up, never slow down, never give up and never lose hope for the win!

Practice Makes Perfect

06 Tuesday Oct 2015

Posted by in Grace

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

all-the-gear-no-idea

Notice anything wrong with his helmet? Close, but not quite…

Have you ever thought that you knew it all? Or, that at least you had it pretty much figured out? I have. But, sometimes, we get a little slice of humble pie, when we least expect it.

A great man I know had a funny experience with this. He was always a very active guy, an avid runner. He would run every day, for years. After he got a little older, his knees eventually wore out and his doctor told him that his running days were over, and that he would have to try something else, like maybe a bike, or soon he would be signing up for knee replacement surgery.

So, needing to get his exercise in, and taking the doctor’s advice, he went out, bought a bike, and a helmet, and was ready to get after it again. It was all new to him, as he had never done any exercise other than running.

One morning, he got up, just as he had always done, put on his helmet, hopped on his bike, and proceeded to bike along the same route where he had run through all those years before. He finished his trek through town, and at the end, decided to run through the drive through at Mcdonald’s. No big deal, he’d done that before, just to grab a quick something before heading home.

When he got back home, his oldest son was there to visit, and kind of looked at him with a confused look, and said, “Where’ve you been?”. He then explained that he’d just been on his bike ride and ran through the drive through on the way home.  His son then said, “You went through the drive through with that helmet on?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“Because, I think you have it on backwards.”

He had ridden his entire route through town, waved at people, smiled, and gone through the drive through at McDonald’s with his bike helmet on backwards! He had thought that the mesh head support were eyeholes! It was all his son could do to not die laughing. It is now a classic story, that we repeat over and over again!

The helmet was right, just used slightly in the wrong way! The basics were good, just needed a little tweak to be perfect.

Something similar happened to me over this last week. Not about bike helmets or humble pie, but in the way I understood the principle of “Grace”.

I always looked at Grace as God’s part in the pie chart of my personal salvation. I would do a certain percentage of “what I could do” and then the remaining balance of the 100% would be filled in by the Savior. I envisioned that my part was a certain set of accomplishments, or “works” or duties fulfilled. And that if I fell short, I would ultimately have to answer for that shortfall. Because, after all, “It is by grace we are saved, after all we can do.” Right?

But I had my helmet on backwards. I was close, but I needed to flip it around to get the right fit.

In Sunday school, We watched part of a talk that perfectly explained grace, and how it is sufficient for everyone (Thanks Gena). As in, everyone everyone. Not just the good guys, or super churchy super spiritual Enoch type people, but everyone. People like me. Grace doesn’t just fill in the gap “after all I can do”, It covered the whole pie. 100%. My works don’t satisfy ANY of the demands of justice, because those demands were already paid for, 2000 years ago.

So, why do I have to do any works at all? Cant I just say, “Sweet! Im saved!” and go about my life as if nothing I did mattered? Plenty of people seem to do just that.

Ultimately it comes down to this- I am here to become the person God wants me to be, not just to do what he wants me to do. Not because I have a checklist that needs to be checked off, but because, through my actions, I am showing appreciation and love, and gratitude for what Jesus Christ did for me. He wants me to be like Him, to follow Him, because that is the only way I can be with Him again. I am willing to change to be more like Him.

It DOES matter what I do, because thats how I pay Him back for what He has already paid for!

My life is not meant to be an accumulation of good acts, or resumé of good things done to earn Heaven, but it is practice to be worthy and comfortable and learn what its like to be in Heaven!

So, instead of asking ourselves the question, “Have I been saved by grace?”, maybe we should instead answer the question that Brad Wilcox asks, “Have you been changed by grace?”

He continues:

“The final judgment it will not be the unrepentant sinner begging Jesus, “Let me stay.” No, he will probably be saying, “Get me out of here!” Knowing Christ’s character, I believe that if anyone is going to be begging on that occasion, it would probably be Jesus begging the unrepentant sinner, “Please, choose to stay. Please, use my Atonement—not just to be cleansed but to be changed so that you want to stay.”

“The miracle of the Atonement is not just that we can go home but that—miraculously—we can feel at home there.”

This completely changed the way I see the entire purpose of my life. I am here to learn how to be heavenly and bend my will to His, so I will feel comfortable when I go back home! Home, where we all belong, and where our Older Brother wants us to be.

Enjoy!

Treasure In Earthen Vessels

20 Sunday Sep 2015

Posted by in General, Holy Ghost, Jesus Christ, Light, Love, Motivation, Opposition, Poems, Strength, Trials, Weakness

≈ Leave a comment

jarsofclay

Sometimes we don’t see our own worth in the eyes of God. We are his children, and he knows and loves each one of us perfectly. We mean everything to Him. He knows us, our problems, our fears, our apprehensions, our insecurities, our weaknesses, our doubts, our reservations, everything. He knows how we feel, how we think, how we are afraid to open up to our problems, and admit them even to ourselves. He knows! And He understands. And yet, He still loves us unconditionally! Sometimes, we need to remind ourselves of our true worth in His eyes, not our own, or anyone else’s. Just His.

For our Sunday School lesson this week, part of the scripture reading was in 2 Corinthians Chapter 4. As I was skimming through those verses, I read this which beautifully explained this principle to me. This is Paul speaking…

6 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.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

I loved these words of encouragement. Paul and all the Saints and apostles and disciples were being persecuted for what they believed. But, in their sadness, pain, and worry, they had solace in Jesus Christ and in the comfort that He gives. The closer to the Comforter we get, the greater our resilience to pain, and suffering becomes, and the closer we get to our Savior.

Lets all look at our difficult times as opportunities to become closer to the Comforter, and to Jesus Christ who sends Him to us.

A Humble Prayer

My God! Through vessel weak and frail,
Wherein thy treasure hides,
I beg thy light, through darkened veil,
reveal my worth inside,

And when dark hours with me abide,
And I, alone, can’t see
help me perceive thy treasure’s light,
Thou hiddest deep in me!

A Light to End All Darkness

06 Sunday Sep 2015

Posted by in Faith, General, Joseph Smith, Poems

≈ 1 Comment

jsfv

In this post, I think I should explain why it is that I write a lot of my thoughts down in poems. I never really thought I would ever do that, its just something that kind of happened. But, to me, poetry has an ability to enhance the visualization of the words on the page, or a way to better describe what it is I am trying to say. It elevates the sentiment. Im not saying that I am the next Edgar Allen Poe, or anyone special, but I do enjoy thinking, and visualizing these thoughts into verses that do those thoughts more justice than they would otherwise receive. Poetic words, in a way, almost paint a picture in my mind. I think that poetry or lyrics compromise at least half of the power of music. Take away the sounds of good music, and with just words, the power remains.

Parley P. Pratt (author of several hymns) wrote of a time when he was jailed together with Joseph in the Richmond Jail. Parley described their jailers as men “of the most noisy, foul-mouthed, vulgar, disgraceful rabble that ever defiled the earth”. He describes the event like this…

“In one of those tedious nights we had lain as if in sleep till the hour of midnight had passed, and our ears and hearts bad been pained, while we had listened for hours to the obscene jests, the horrid oaths, the dreadful blasphemies and filthy language of our guards, Colonel Price at their head, as they recounted to each other their deeds of rapine, murder, robbery, etc., which they had committed among the “Mormons” while at Far West and vicinity. They even boasted of defiling by force wives, daughters and virgins, and of shooting or dashing out the brains of men, women and children.
I had listened till I became so disgusted, shocked, horrified, and so filled with the spirit of indignant justice that I could scarcely refrain from rising upon my feet and rebuking the guards; but had said nothing to Joseph, or any one else, although I lay next to him and knew he was awake. On a sudden he arose to his feet, and spoke in a voice of thunder, or as the roaring lion, uttering, as near as I can recollect, the following words:

SILENCE, ye fiends of the infernal pit. In the name of Jesus Christ I rebuke you, and command you to be still; I will not live another minute and hear such language. Cease such talk, or you or I die THIS INSTANT!

He ceased to speak. He stood erect in terrible majesty. Chained, and without a weapon; calm, unruffled and dignified as an angel, he looked upon the quailing guards, whose weapons were lowered or dropped to the ground; whose knees smote together, and who, shrinking into a corner, or crouching at his feet, begged his pardon, and remained quiet till a change of guards.

I have seen the ministers of justice, clothed in magisterial robes, and criminals arraigned before them, while life was suspended on a breath, in the Courts of England; I have witnessed a Congress in solemn session to give laws to nations; I have tried to conceive of kings, of royal courts, of thrones and crowns; and of emperors assembled to decide the fate of kingdoms; but dignity and majesty have I seen but once, as it stood in chains, at midnight, in a dungeon in an obscure village of Missouri.

I love the picture in my head that comes as Parley describes the dignity of Joseph Smith.

Words can be so much more than just words. They can move us to feelings of loyalty, honor, indignation, courage, love, or reverence. Even better when those words describe something amazing.

To me, one of the most important events in the history of the world is the story of Joseph Smith and the first vision. It contains an immense inherent power that I feel each and every time I hear it, present it, think about it, or hear songs about it. It happened. There is no question.

So, I have written a few words to try and express my testimony of this event and of this man. I want my testimony to be public, on the record, etched in stone, so that there is no doubt as to where I stand. I want my kids to be able to look back at these words when I am gone, and draw strength from them. I look forward to the day that I can stand shoulder to shoulder with Joseph Smith, embrace him, and thank him for his immense personal sacrifice so that I, with my family, could enjoy the fullness of the blessings of God. I love him. I honor him, and I will praise him forever. God bless Brother Joseph.

 

A Light to End all Darkness

A blinding mist obscured the light that shone above the clouds,
While God withheld His lightning strike that soon would split the shroud-
A blanket o’er the world of man, no light therein allowed-
To see God’s purity and truth through apostatic cloud.

False men with lightless eyes proclaimed to own inspired sight,
while boasting truth within them lay interpretations right,
and damning those not joined with them to suffer hellish plight,
The snake had hissed his blinding mist that shaded God’s pure light.

But stifling darkness o’er the land could not disrupt the Mighty’s hand,
Inspired by whisp’ring spirit voice, a boy, obscure, was meant to stand.
The hosts of angels in the clouds of Heav’n knew the plan.
For God himself would bring the truth- restore to lightless land!

A darkened path seemed naught to be the will of loving God,
Whose prophets taught to follow him- to tread as He had trod,
While preaching mouths did honor Him, inside- their hearts lay flawed,
For bitterness and strife there dwelt, not fertile gospel sod.

This humble boy, confused by all the animosity,
Then read a verse in bible text, that promised he could see,
E’en for himself the truth unknown, if asked in faithful plea,
So on his knees, petition sent, in sacred grove of trees.

And as his mouth to heaven sent that soft and secret prayer,
The serpent came in power to arrest and bind him there,
With deepest black of darkest night, with fear beyond compare,
It overcame that humble boy now filled with deep despair.

His tongue was bound by serpent chains, and could not force a sound,
The overwhelming darkness held him prisoner on the ground
His soul, now on the precipice, black emptiness around,
Almost succumbed to evil’s grip, and helplessness profound.

But, in that very moment of his ultimate despair,
A light of magnitude n’er seen, descended from the air,
And settled on his feeble form, dispersed like lightning’s flare,
A brilliant beam of Heaven’s love and light beyond compare!

All black dispersed, with shrieking wail, in deferential flight,
as every creviced inch of earth was bathed in brilliant white!
And gone were feelings borne of him who’s mist obscured clear sight,
Replaced with overwhelming love- midday replaced the night!

All life then bowed before Creator of the Earth and skies!
Descending in pure majesty- The Father at his side!
The God of all the Universe! Perfected! Glorified!
Restoring revelation’s pow’r, the veil cleared from men’s eyes!

That young and humble, faithful boy, with trembling, shaking hands,
Had just beheld majestic glory of the Son of Man!
And now would rise as Prophet to restore the gospel plan,
To share! Declare! that truth returned to promised cov’nant lands!

The prophet Joseph then subjected to the serpent’s ire,
Would feel the whip, and feathered tar as wicked men conspired,
To snuff the light within him lit, and douse the gospel fire
With violent rage of blinded men, now minions of the liar!

Refined through lonely hours in prison, cold and suffering,
Illegalities unchecked, compounded winter’s sting,
His prayers sent up in sorrow’s bane did heav’nly comfort bring,
As Joseph’s faith through wind and fire became his offering.

Then willingly, to Carthage, midst the snarling mob of hell,
Who’s violent hate, and lawlessness had prov’n intent to quell,
The tidal wave of light o’reflowing from prophetic well,
That fed the flood that o’er the thirsting earth began to swell!

Now musket ball would end the hallowed life of that great man,
Fired from the coward’s rifle, by corrupted evil hands,
His brother Hyrum’s martyred blood would also stain that land,
And cry aloud for vengeance, while their testimonies stand!

This light to end all darkness, true revelations power,
was saved to come to Earth through him in designated hour,
And serve as beacon, to us all- all darkness to devour,
This light to end all darkness, meant to feed the gospel flower.

This mighty man, the prophet dear, My Prophet still, he stands!
and mingles with the Gods above, yet still, for me, he plans,
And I shall know and see his face, embrace, and clasp his hands!
And I shall honor and revere- SHOUT praise to that great man!

72145a65cc0af6bf068b36eba67ffae6

The Land of the Covenant

12 Wednesday Aug 2015

Posted by in Battle, Blessings, General, Poems, Success, Trials

≈ Leave a comment

Abrahampoem

 “…Inasmuch as thy seed shall keep my commandments, they shall prosper in the land of promise.”      -1 Nephi 4:14

                                                                         

God has always made covenants with His people. He promises his blessings of prosperity to those who enter into this covenant with Him, and who obey Him. We learn that this is the case all the way back to the beginning of life on this earth. When Adam and Eve were cast out, they covenanted with the Lord to do his will, and obey him. In return, the Lord would bless them.

Abraham, Moses, Noah, and on and on and on, all were part of this covenant people. In the Old Testament we learn about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Jacob (later known as Israel) has 12 sons, known now as the 12 tribes of Israel. Joseph, who is one of his sons carried on this special covenant. We get a hint of what happens to his special lineage in Genesis..

“Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall…..Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb: (Genesis 49:22,25)

When Lehi sent Nephi back for the plates of brass in Jerusalem, it was partly because they contained a genealogy for their family. Upon obtaining them, they learned that they were descendants from this very same Joseph. Those words in Genesis have a more literal meaning now right? As Lehi and Nephi were lead to their “promised land” they were, in essence, “running over the wall”. They also took in themselves them the lineage of the Abrahamic covenant and the promised blessings.

We also learn that the Land itself, this “Promised Land”, is a part of this Covenant. The Prophets Lehi, and Nephi, as well as all subsequent prophets of the Americas hammered on this like a drum. They had been led to, and given a promised land, and instructed that: “Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land; but inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my presence.” (2 Nephi 1:20).

So, how did the people on the American continent do? They did fine when they were keeping God’s commandments, but as soon as they slacked off, they were toast. It happened over and over again, the Jaradites? Toast. The Nephites? Toast. All because they couldn’t keep their end of the bargain. The Lord will bless those who follow Him, but eventually destroy those who do not.

So, lets fast forward a little bit. Its now 1776, and there are a bunch of new guys living on this “promised land”. They were guided here by inspiration (1 Nephi 13:12), and started to grow as a people. they were a righteous God-fearing people. And by living the commandments, and turning to God, they invoked the blessings of the land of promise. This people, who were severely outgunned, outmanned, and outmatched, were victorious in their fight for independence and liberty principally because they were righteous, and God had blessed them according to the covenant that lay upon the land.

Lets now fast forward to about 1844, the year Joseph Smith was martyred. Evil was flourishing. The saints were being slaughtered, illegally imprisoned, God’s temples were being burned, and slavery was rampant in the south. The land of the covenant needed a cleansing. The people as a whole had turned from God and chosen not to obey his commandments. And, by so doing, would soon be “cut off from His presence.”

The official cleansing process of the promised land would begin not even 20 years later in 1861. The year of the start of the Civil War. The civil war would claim the lives of 620,000 men, or 2% of the total population at the time, in today’s society thats the equivalent of 6.1 million dead soldiers.

The interesting thing to me that I learned about this war, and particularly Abraham Lincoln, was the mindset of the people, soldiers, and the president. It changed from the early days of the war into an assured and pure understanding of the meaning and reason for the conflict. By the end of the fighting, many soldiers, their leaders, and especially the President understood that the will, and hand of God Almighty was cleansing the land, the north and the south, of its sinful ways.

Its not unlike all the stories in the Book of Mormon, whose people cycled over and over again from wickedness and pride, to forced humility, then repentance and finally renewed blessings for their return to righteousness.

Listen to some of the quotes from Lincoln regarding his role, and the reason for the horrific war that he found himself smack dab in the middle of, and think to yourself – Would the leaders of our country today, this same country and covenant land, say these words?

Said Lincoln:

“Whatever shall appear to be God’s will, I shall do1.”

“I talk to God…When I could not see any other resort, I would place my whole reliance in God, knowing that all would be well, and that He would decide for the right”

“It has pleased the Almighty God to put me in my present position, and looking up to Him for divine guidance, I must work out my destiny as best I can.”

In his private journal after contemplating the war, and its effect on the people, he wrote:

“I am almost ready to say this is probably true-that God wills this contest, and wills that is shall not end yet.”

As the war continued, Lincoln’s understanding of the civil war as God’s will crystallized, and he felt that the war was indeed meant to free all men. He then declared his Emancipation proclamation, thereby freeing all the slaves in the southern states.

“God had decided this question in favor of the slaves” and later continued saying that he would keep, “this promise to myself, and to my Maker”.

In his second Inaugural address he said:

“Fondly do we hope-fervently do we pray-that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away…Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondman’s two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn withe the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said, “the judgments of the lord are true and righteous altogether.”

These are the words of a man who completely understood the covenanted land in which he lived. He understood the reason for the conflict, and he understood the way out was to turn to God, as a people, and by so doing it would invoke His blessing, to once again bring peace.

Abraham Lincoln shares a name with one of the greatest prophets that has ever lived, and whose name is associated with the covenant that God has always kept with his people. That is no coincidence. He was a humble man, a man who was placed in his position to help lead the people in our covenant land back to God.

Do we today look to God as we should? Are we as a people and a society worthy of the blessings of Heaven? Are we fulfilling our end of the bargain, or are we ripening for another cleansing? Lets all try and be more like Abraham Lincoln and recognize that we live in a precious “promised land” but only if we live to deserve it.

The Land of the Covenant

Storm-black skies of thunderclouds,
Had blinded eyes with sinful shroud,
And settled down amidst the proud,
Who’d burned God’s temple to the ground2

The Covenant people fell.

They killed the mouthpiece of the Lord,3
Who’d warned with his inspired words
That soon, all men would meet the sword,
Of justice, heretofore ignored.

The truth rejected by the land.

As saintly blood unjustly spilled,
Cried out for justice unfulfilled,
From underneath Missouri’s fields,
And echoed thrice4 its claim appealed.

The Lord withdrew his hand

The covenant broken, unretained,
By forcing men to live in chains,
Their freedom cry would be sustained,
By his familiar sacred name.

The covenant name of Abraham.

And then the lightning struck with fire,
Dividing houses with God’s ire5,
Fulfilling Joseph’s words inspired6,
Repentance now would be required.

The time had come for Abraham.

To once again restore the land,
Dissevered by the sins of man,
God inspired the humble hands,
And bended knees of Abraham.

Humility across the land.

The war-torn land of death and pain,
Would kneel again, and sing refrains,
Of humble praise, from sin abstain,
And serve the Lord their God again.

Repentant land of Abraham.

And now with blessing from on high,
Gods people now had heard the cry,
For freedom, that was once denied
To men, Who now had wings to fly7

Freed by father Abraham.

Invoked anew this covenant land,
Humbled by the Lord’s own hand,
A nation forced to kneel-NOW STANDS!
God bless the name of Abraham!

Notes

1 All Lincoln quotes were taken from the book, “The Lincoln Hypothesis” by Timothy Ballard

2 On October 9th, 1848, the Nauvoo temple was burned and destroyed by an apparent arsonist.

3 On June 27th 1844, the prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were shot and killed by a mob while in the Carthage Jail in Illinois.

4 Joseph Smith, following this revelation from the Lord, asked for redress for the slaughter of his people in the state of Missouri.  All three petitions fell upon deaf ears.  D&C 101:86 Let them importune at the feet of the judge; 87 And if heed them not, let them importune at the feet of the governor; 88 And if the governor heed them not, let them importune at the feet of the president;

5 On April 12, 1861, Confederate forces fired upon Ft. Sumter in South Carolina officially the start of the Civil War. This would essentially divide the country in half.

6 On December 25th 1832, Joseph Smith received the revelation found in D&C 87 predicting the civil war almost 30 years prior to its actual occurrence.

7 On January 1, 1863, while still in the middle of the civil war, Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, an executive order that, in essence, changed the legal status of 3 million slaves in the southern states from “slave” to “free”.