God, Country, and Our Fellowmen

                I had the wonderful opportunity to participate in a city-wide day of service on September 10, 2016. Members of churches and organization all over Anchorage went door-to-door to collect canned goods and other staples to fill the local food pantry. I drove the car while my son, his wife, and daughter collected the food. It was good to be a part of a huge and successful annual program.

                The next morning when I went to my local meetinghouse, I found the building surrounded by American flags. The sight of the Stars and Stripes always thrills me, but it really hit me on September 11, 2016. I walked into the chapel, and my eyes immediately focused on the red, white, and blue bouquets on the podium and other places on the stand. I assumed they were there for the patriotic program scheduled for that evening, but I certainly appreciated seeing them during the church services.

                Sunday evening I attended the chorale event, “God and Country,” that was held to commemorate 9/11. Prayers, music, and speakers came from many different organizations. The opening prayer was given by the local chaplain of the Alaska National Guard. The flag ceremony was under the direction of the Young Lions of the Shiloh Baptist Church and the Anchorage Police Department. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by a Boy Scout.

                The first music of the evening was by a soloist singing “The Star Spangled Banner” and “The Alaska Flag Song.” Other musical numbers were “America the Beautiful,” “Amazing Grace,” “For the Beauty of the Earth,” “Come By Here My Lord,” “Oh Happy Day,” “My All Is Thine,” “American Hymn,” “Mansions of the Lord,” “American Anthem,” “We Will Stand,” “God Bless America,” and “Battle Hymn of the Republic.”

                There was a large choir consisting of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from the Anchorage area. There were presentations by choirs or parts of choirs from St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, Shiloah Baptist Choir, and the Midnight Sons. The combined choirs gave a powerful rendition of “Battle Hymn of the Republic.” Wow!

                Narration, in the form of statements from various former Presidents of the United States, was given by local and state politicians. A former lieutenant governor dressed like Abraham Lincoln to read the Gettysburg Address and a short history of the speech. Senator Dan Sullivan was represented by his wife because he had to stay in Washington, D.C., and she read a letter from him. The closing remarks were given by a local stake president. The closing prayer was given by the pastor of Grace Ministries.

                The entire evening was very enjoyable, and the music was absolutely beautiful. I appreciated the willingness of people of all colors, races, religions, political parties, etc. to come together to commemorate 9/11.

I particularly appreciate the closing remarks. The stake president retold the Parable of the Good Samaritan. Then he discussed the fact that the Good Samaritan was hated by the Jews, but he was willing to take care of the injured traveler. The speaker spoke about how we are all children of God, spiritual brothers and sisters. We should be willing to come together to love, support, and serve one another.

                I was very touched by the entire evening. I felt the love of God and country in the chapel. I know that the people speaking, singing, and listening were there out of love for God and country. I hoped that the events of the evening would carry us through the coming days and weeks and help to unite the people of Anchorage, Alaska.

                The next morning I happened to read an article titled “After Love, Then What?” by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf. President Uchtdorf states, “Love is so important that Jesus called it `the first and great commandment’ and said that every other particle of the law and word of the prophets hang upon it. Love is the central motive for all we do in the Church. Every program, every meeting, every action we are part of as disciples of Jesus Christ should spring from this attribute – for without charity - `the pure love of Christ,’ we are nothing.

                “Once we understand this with our mind and heart, once we declare our love for God and for our fellowman – what then?

                “Is feeling compassion and love for others enough? Does declaring our love for God and our neighbor satisfy our obligation to God? ….

                “The answer to the question `After love, then what?’ can be simple and straightforward. If we truly love the Savior, we incline our hearts to Him and then we walk in the path of discipleship. When we love God, we will strive to keep His commandments.

                “If we truly love our fellowmen, we extend ourselves to help `the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted.’ For they who do these selfless acts of compassion and service, the same are disciples of Jesus Christ. This is what comes after love. This is the essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

                President Uchtdorf answered my pondering question, “How can we maintain the feeling of love we feel tonight?” We can become less selfish and more willing to help others. In other words, we can become the people that God would have us be.

Divine Creator

The topic of discussion for this Freedom Friday is contained in the belief that "all things were created by God, therefore upon Him all mankind are equally dependent and to Him they are equally responsible." The writings and speeches of our Founding Fathers show that "the foundation of all reality is the existence of a Creator" (W. Cleon Skousen in The Five Thousand Year Leap, p 73).

We can all know that God created this earth and rules over the affairs of mankind because the earth itself and the universe around it is evidence of God. I see God in all the creations around me. I see God in the fact that day follows night. I see God in the orderly way that seasons follow each other in an orderly manner. I appreciate the fact that we can depend that spring will follow winter each year. It is this belief that helps many people to endure the cold, dark winters in Alaska. We know that “when the sun comes back" that the snow will melt, the grass will turn green, and the trees will produce leaves.

An unbeliever once asked the prophet Alma for a sign that he might know the reality of God. Alma told him that there were signs of God all around him, including the testimonies of holy prophets and scriptures. He said, "… all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator" (Alma 30:44).

We can all know also that God is near to us. He loves us and is anxious and concerned about us. He wants us to be free and successful. Comments made by our Founding Fathers indicate that they were very much aware of God and His help in winning the Revolutionary War and the writing of the United States Constitution. In his first inaugural address, President George Washington said, "No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the invisible hand which conducts the affairs of men more than the people of the United States. Every step, by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation, seems to have been distinguished by some token of providential agency." (Fitzpatrick, Writings of George Washington, 30:292 as quoted in Five Thousand Year Leap, p 76.)

Belief that God created this earth and helped to establish this nation can help all of us to stay free. Progressives try to convince us that there is no God or that He is dead or that He is not involved with His children. They do this in order to convince us that our independence from England and our Constitution are the results of the intelligence of mankind. If the people believe that God inspired our Founding Fathers in both the war and the establishment of our government, then the progressives will have a more difficult time convincing us to move further down the road towards socialism.

A belief that "all things were created by God" and that we are dependent upon Him and responsible to Him will help to keep our nation free. It is all together fitting that the motto of our nation is "In God We Trust."

Our Heavenly Father

A prophet named Alma lived on the American continent many years before the birth of Jesus Christ. He wrote on the golden plates that were translated and printed as Book of Mormon: “All things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator” (Alma 30:44).

Like Alma, we can look up into the sky at night and see the millions of stars and planets, all in perfect order. We know that they did not get there by themselves or by chance. It is easy for us to see the work of God in the heavens and on earth. Even the plants, animals, mountains, rivers, and clouds in the sky testify to us that God is real.

I know that there is a God in heaven. I have felt His presence many times and have received many answers to prayers. I have numerous reasons why I believe in God. I look at the world around me and see everywhere proof that God exists. I see the sun rise and set every day without exception. I see the seasons follow in order - winter, spring, summer, fall - every year. In the spring I see my tulips and other flowers come back as well as the grass turn green and the leaves come out on the trees and on my raspberry bushes. Summer brings much more sunshine and warmth, which brings even more plants out of the ground. When the summer is over, I see the leaves turn beautiful colors and fall to the earth. Then I see the snow fall to insulate the earth from the bitter cold of winter. I see proof that God is in control whenever I look at the sky at night and see the millions of stars and constellations, all organized and in perfect order.

I saw the hand of God in my life on the day that my first grandchild was born. It was a wonderful blessing to be able to watch this miracle take place! I see evidence of God whenever I look into the faces of my little grandchildren and see their sweet spirits shining out through their eyes. I consider that it is a major miracle that all of my grandchildren were born with all of their parts in the proper places and in good health and strength.

The prophets of God have taught for many years that He is the Almighty Ruler of the universe who lives in heaven (see Doctrine and Covenants 20:17). God, through His Son Jesus Christ, created this earth and everything on it for the benefit of all His children. He also created the universe and other worlds. He did this in order that His children might have a place to go to obtain bodies and to learn to be like Him. I believe that all of us are created in the image of God as taught in Genesis 1:26-27 and as Stephen saw in Acts 7:55-56. We look like Him because we are His children. I believe that His glory is beyond description. I believe that God is perfect, has all power, and knows all things. I believe that He is full of goodness, love and mercy. I believe that all good things come from God.

God is “the Great parent of the universe” and is the Supreme and Absolute Being in whom we believe and put our trust and in whom we worship. God “looks upon the whole of the human family with a fatherly care and paternal regard” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 39).

We know that the eternal spirit of our Heavenly Father is housed in a tangible body of flesh and bones (see Doctrine and Covenants 130:22). We know from the scriptures that we are made in the image of God (see Genesis 1:26-27; Moses 2:26; 6:9). We know that our bodies look like His body because He is our Father. We also know that God has a perfected and glorified body with a glory beyond all description.

We know that God is perfect and is a God of righteousness. We know that he has attributes such as love, mercy, charity, truth, power, faith, knowledge, and judgment. We know that He has all power and that He knows all things. We know that He is full of goodness.

We also know that all good things come from God. We know that everything that He does is done to help His children become as He is. He told Moses, “Behold, this is my work and my glory – to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39).

The Savior taught the importance of our knowing about God and becoming like Him. He said, "This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent" (John 17:3). When asked what the first and greatest commandment is, Jesus Christ answered, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart” (Matthew 22:37).

I believe that the more we know God, the more we will love Him and keep His commandments. I believe that we can become like Him. Some specific actions we can take to learn to know God better are: 1) Believe that He exists and loves us; 2) Study the scriptures; 3) Talk with Him in prayer; 4) Obey all of His commandments as best we can. By doing all these things we can come to know God and eventually return to live with both the Father and the Son.

September 11

It is now a year since I started writing my blog. I felt strong and specific promptings to do a blog for several months before I actually started writing one. I remember my procrastination because I didn't even know how to do a blog and much less about how to set one up. I remember questioning what I would write - and then stressing over every single entry. I remember especially the pressure I felt as 9-11 neared and the need for me to actually start the blog. I still feel confirmations that writing this blog is a "calling" from God, but I do not know why or who is to benefit from my thoughts and writings. Yet, I feel a strong prompting to continue writing, hoping and praying that I am writing the words that Heavenly Father would have me write. I have been wondering for several weeks what I should write about for September 11 this year that I didn't write last year. (See my posts for September 8 and 11, 2009.) I still don't know what I am to write, and so I'm just going to write with the hope that something important will come out of it. Nine years ago on September 11, 2001, our world was turned up-side-down when Islamic extremist terrorists decided that they should fly jet airplanes into our historic landmarks. Two airliners hit the Twin Towers, a third hit the Pentagon, and a fourth went down in a field in Pennsylvania before it could hit its target. Why did these men think that they had the right to destroy lives and property of Americans? They apparently were following "instructions" from their God - Allah. Now we have members of the Islam religion who want to build an Islamic community center and mosque- in the name of liberty - near the sacred ground where nearly 3000 Americans were killed and their bodies never found. They are apparently following "instructions" from their God on this idea too. We also have a Christian preacher in Florida who says that God is telling him to burn 200 copies of the Koran, the holy book of Islamists, on September 11 as a way to stand up to the Islamists. How can a God who loves His children give such harsh commands? There is a story in the Book of Mormon about a young man by the name of Nephi who had the assignment from the prophet to go with his brothers back to Jerusalem to get the Brass Plates - records which contained the writings of the prophets as well as family history. The four brothers traveled nearly two weeks to arrive back in Jerusalem where they decided that they would simply ask their relative Laban to give them the records. Laban didn't like the request and sent his armed guards after the fleeing brothers. After hiding from the guards for awhile, the brothers decided that they would gather the family's wealth and purchase the records. When Laban saw their wealth, he coveted it - and again sent his armed guards to kill the brothers. Again the brothers fled from the armed guards and hid themselves. Some of the brothers wanted to return to the prophet and report, "We tried - but failed." The youngest brother Nephi refused to return without the Brass Plates. He told his brothers, "Let us go up again unto Jerusalem, and let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord; for behold he is mightier than all the earth…." When they arrived at the wall of Jerusalem, Nephi went into the city alone after telling his brothers to wait for him by the wall. Nephi didn't know what he was supposed to do when he arrived at the house of Laban but allowed himself to be "led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do." As Nephi neared the home of Laban, he saw a man lying in the street. Upon closer examination of the man, Nephi recognized him to be Laban who was "drunken with wine." As Nephi looked at Laban, he was "constrained by the Spirit that I should kill Laban." Nephi's immediate reaction was to say, "No way! I've never killed a man, and I don't want to start killing now." The Spirit told Nephi again to kill Laban, but Nephi still refrained even though he knew that Laban had threatened his life and stolen his property. A third time, the command was given. "Slay him, for the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands; Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief." Even after three different commands to kill Laban, Nephi still hesitated to obey. He began to reason within himself as to why it was necessary for Laban to die in order for Nephi to be obedient to the command to obtain the Brass Plates. Nephi remembered the promise of the Lord that his people would be blessed if they kept the commandments of God, and he realized that they couldn't keep the commandments if they didn't have the words engraven upon the plates. Nephi then understood the importance of obtaining the plates and realized that there was no other way to obtain them. Upon this realization, he "did obey the voice of the Spirit, and took Laban by the hair of the head, and I smote off his head with his own sword" (1 Nephi 4:18). I believe that this story in the Book of Mormon is a true story. I believe that Nephi actually killed Laban in obedience to commands from God and in an effort to obtain the required records. I know by personal experience that it is a powerful feeling to receive a prompting from God. I too have received promptings to do difficult things, many of which I very much didn't want to do but none of which would break another commandment. The Prophet Joseph Smith said "… I made this my rule: When the Lord commands, do it" (Teaching of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], p 160). Like Joseph Smith, I believe that everyone should be obedient to the commandments of God, but how can we know that the prompting is coming from God and not from the "Dark Side"? The answer comes from scripture. The Lord told Oliver Cowdery through the Prophet Joseph Smith, "I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart" (Doctrine and Covenants 8:2). In Doctrine and Covenants 9:8, the Lord gives more counsel, "… you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right." When we must make a decision about something - even whether or not to obey a prompting - we must "study it out" or reason it out in our mind. Does this make sense? Why would God want me to do this act? What are the pros and cons of this behavior? Does this idea conform to what I have already learned? Does it adhere to the teachings that I know to be true? When our mind is clear on the matter, we must then consult our heart. Does it feel right? If both the mind and the heart are saying that it is right, then ask God for confirmation about the decision. If the decision is right, "your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right." If the decision is wrong, there shall be "no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong…." (Doctrine and Covenants 9:8-9). Sometimes we don't receive a definite answer and must go forward in faith. We can be sure that the Lord will not let us go too far wrong without correcting us if we will continue to listen for His counsel. Most of us will never have the thought or feeling that we should murder another person or to fly an airplane into a building, or even to burn sacred books of other people - but all of us are faced with tough decisions that affect our lives or the lives of loved ones. Let us use September 11 - not only in remembrance of an attack on America by hateful men but as a reminder that we must take the tough decisions of our lives to the Lord for confirmation or disapproval. Let us remember that Heavenly Father loves all of his children and wants to bless all of us. Like any loving Parent, He does not want us hurting each other, but He does want us to live together in love and harmony.

National Day of Prayer

This land was discovered by Christopher Columbus and founded by many other great men, all or at least most of whom were Christians who prayed. Since the days of George Washington, Presidents have encouraged the citizens of the United States of America to pray. Abraham Lincoln asked for a "day of humiliation, fasting, and prayer" during the Civil War. Franklin D. Roosevelt led a prayer on radio on the evening of D-Day, 1944. He asked all Americans to join him in asking God to help the Allied troops to succeed. Lyndon B. Johnson requested that the nation pray following the death of John F. Kennedy. Gerald R. Ford asked Americans to "confirm me as your president with your prayers" when he assumed the office of President after Richard M. Nixon resigned. It is a natural thing for Americans to pray. Congress established a national day of prayer in 1952. In 1988 Congress designated the first Thursday in May as the official day to hold a national day of prayer as proclaimed by the President. Many cities and states also commemorated this day as a day for prayer. Two years ago the Madison-based Freedom From Religion Foundation filed a lawsuit against the federal government with the charge that the day violated the separation of church and state. United States District Judge Barbara Crabb ruled in Madison, Wisconsin, on Thursday, April 15, 2010, that a National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional because it would be like a call for religious action and violates the First Amendment. Judge Crabb, a Jimmy Carter appointee, ruled that the government cannot enact laws supporting a day of prayer because it would be the same thing as encouraging Americans to fast during Ramadan or attending a synagogue or practicing magic. This case is apparently on its way to another court for appeal. It is apparent that neither the Freedom From Religion Foundation nor Judge Crabb understands the meaning of the First Amendment, which states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; …" The writings of the Founders witness that this amendment was written to stop the federal government from forcing citizens to belong to a particular church and to keep the federal government from favoring any one church. How can a simple request to pray together as a nation be such a bad thing? I fail to see how it would violate anyone's rights or hurt anyone. Christian, Jew, Muslim, atheist or agnostic could still choose whether or not to pray and to which god to direct their prayers. The National Day of Prayer carries no mandates or penalties and includes all religions. Anyone not believing in God or a higher power could simply observe a moment of silence or just ignore the designation. I do not understand how Congress can mandate that we buy health insurances and encourage us to stop smoking, exercise more, eat healthier foods, get immunizations, etc. if a simple day of prayer violates rights. I believe that we should hold our national day of prayer on May 6, whether or not it is officially designated as a National Day of Prayer. I believe that we should include prayers for Judge Crabb and the members of the Freedom From Religion Foundation as well as the leaders of our nation. The United States of America is a great nation, but there is only one way that it can stay great. For this nation to prosper and to stay powerful, the citizens and leaders of this country must turn to the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no better way to turn to the Lord than to join in an official or unofficial day of prayer on May 6. Please join me in praying for the United States of America everyday but especially on May 6, 2010.

Covenant People

God has made covenants with His children from the time of Adam and Eve. When people make covenants with God, they know exactly what God requires of them as well as the blessings they can expect from Him. Individuals and groups who make and keep covenants with God are known as His covenant people. Within the gospel of Jesus Christ, a covenant is a promise or a sacred agreement between God and a person or a group of people. The terms of any covenant with God are set by God and revealed to his prophets. God sets forth the commandment and names the blessing that is promised for obedience to that commandment. We either decide to obey the terms of the covenant and receive the blessing or to reject the covenant with its blessing and sometimes to receive a penalty for disobedience. Abraham was a very righteous man who became a great Old Testament prophet. He recognized that worshipping idols as his father did was wrong. He refused to follow his father's example and kept the commandments of God. Then God made a covenant with Abraham and his descendants because Abraham was so righteous. The covenant that God made with Abraham is known as the Abrahamic covenant. God promised to give Abraham numberless descendants. He promised that all these descendants would be entitled to receive the gospel, the priesthood blessings and all the ordinances necessary for exaltation. The descendants would in turn use the power of the priesthood to take the gospel to all nations. In this way, God would bless all the families of the earth through the descendants of Abraham. God promised that He would renew His covenant with all the generations of Abraham's posterity if they were righteous. There are two different groups of people who are included in the covenant between God and Abraham. The first group includes all of Abraham's righteous blood descendants. The second group includes all those who are adopted into Abraham's family by accepting and living the gospel of Jesus Christ. God told Abraham, "As many as receive this Gospel shall be called after thy name, and shall be accounted thy seed [lineage], and shall rise up and bless thee, as their father" (Abraham 2:10). (See also 2 Nephi 30:2.) People who are baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints enter into the covenant that God made with Abraham and renewed with Isaac and Jacob (see Galatians 3:26-29). If they are obedient, they inherit all the blessings of that covenant. Being part of the covenant people of the Lord brings many blessings as well as responsibilities. The blessings include the right to be guided by the Holy Ghost, the right for males to hold the priesthood, and the right for families to receive the blessings of the priesthood. The greatest blessing of all is to gain eternal life in the celestial kingdom. The Lord's covenant people have the great responsibility to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to all the inhabitants of the earth. The Church is fulfilling this responsibility by sending full-time missionaries out into the world as well as by the missionary work done by members. Taking the gospel to the world is an opportunity which belongs only to the Lord's Church and His covenant people. The Lord requires His covenant people to keep the covenant by keeping His commandments. He said, "I, the Lord, am bound when ye do as I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise" (Doctrine and Covenants 82:10). Without righteousness, the covenant becomes void. The fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ is called the new and everlasting covenant and includes covenants made at baptism, during the sacrament, in the temple, and at any other time. This covenant is everlasting because God is everlasting and because the covenant will never change. God made the same covenant with Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and other prophets. It isn't a new covenant, but each time the gospel is restored to the earth, it is new to the people who receive it. (See Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 37:26.) Any person who accepts the new and everlasting covenant also agrees to repent, be baptized, receive the Holy Ghost, receive temple endowments, receive the covenant of temple marriage, obey the commandments, and follow Christ to the end of their life. In return for a righteous life, Heavenly Father promises exaltation in the celestial kingdom. (See Doctrine and Covenants 132:20-24.) Heavenly Father loves all of His children and desires to bless all of them. He gave commandments for the benefit of His children. His faithful sons and daughters will forever share the blessings and beauties of both earth and heaven.

Priesthood

Priesthood is the eternal power and authority of God. He uses His power to perform His work. The earth, the heavens and the entire universe and beyond were created through the power of the priesthood, and they are kept in perfect order by the same power. Heavenly Father delegates His priesthood power to worthy men on earth. With the power and authority of the priesthood, these men are enabled to act in God's name to bless the human family. With the priesthood, men are authorized to preach the gospel, administer the ordinances of salvation and govern God's kingdom on earth. Priesthood authority is necessary to act in the name of God in performing baptisms, confirmations, and temple marriages and in administering the sacrament. Even though a man may be sincere, the Lord will not recognize ordinances he performs if he does not have priesthood authority. Priesthood ordinances must be performed on earth by men holding proper priesthood authority. Priesthood power and authority are also required for presiding in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and to direct the work of the Church. Jesus Christ chose His Apostles and ordained them while He lived on earth. He gave them the power and authority to act in His name and to lead His Church. Priesthood is also needed on the earth so that we can understand God's will and do His work. God reveals His will to His prophets. The current prophet serves as President of the Church and also as God's spokesman for all people in the world. The order for receiving the priesthood was given in the days of Moses. Hebrew 5:4 says, "And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron." Moses was Aaron's priesthood leader and ordained him in the priesthood. In the same way, a worthy male of the Church receives the priesthood "by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof" (Article of Faith 1:5). Men cannot take priesthood authority on themselves nor can they buy and sell this power and authority. The priesthood is here upon the earth to bless the lives of God's children and should be exercised in love, kindness and righteousness. Righteous priesthood holders who use the priesthood to bless others are promised great blessings. Every man who righteously exercises the priesthood "will find his life sweetened, his discernment sharpened to decide quickly between right and wrong, his feelings tender and compassionate, yet his spirit strong and valiant in defense of right; he will find the priesthood a never failing source of happiness - a well of living water springing up unto eternal life" (David O. McKay, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay, [2003], 116). There are two divisions in the priesthood: the Melchizedek Priesthood and the Aaronic Priesthood. The Melchizedek Priesthood was named for Melchizedek, a great high priest, to avoid using the name of Christ too frequently. The lesser priesthood, known as the Aaronic Priesthood, is an appendage to the Melchizedek Priesthood. It was conferred on Aaron and his sons throughout all their generations and thus bears his name. Melchizedek Priesthood holders have the power and authority to lead the Church, direct missionary work worldwide, and administer all the spiritual work of the Church. The President of the Church is the presiding high priest over the Melchizedek priesthood. Holders of the Aaronic Priesthood have authority to administer the outward ordinances of baptism and the sacrament.

Prophets of God

"Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets" (Amos 3:7). Many people in the world do not know God's will for them. They believe that God no longer speaks to man and that man must face the dangers of life alone. How grateful I am to know that God does speak to His children and that He does so through His prophets. A prophet is a man that has been called by God to be His spokesman on earth. When a man speaks for God, it is as though God himself were speaking. A prophet testifies of Jesus Christ as His special witness and teaches the gospel of Jesus Christ. A prophet explains or interprets the word of God and teaches His truth. He calls all sinners to repentance. He receives directions, instructions, and other revelations from God to bless all mankind. He can see into the future and know of events to come in order to warn the world. A prophet may be old or young. He may be uneducated or highly trained. He may be an engineer, a doctor or a businessman. He does not look like the prophets of old with long beards, tunics, and staffs. Modern day prophets look like businessmen with their suits, briefcases, and Blackberries. A true prophet can be identified because he is always chosen by God and called through proper priesthood authority. The Lord's prophet for the people on earth today is Thomas S. Monson, the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He is a prophet, seer, and revelator. He is assisted by fourteen other men who are the two Counselors in the First Presidency and the members of the Council of Twelve Apostles. Adam was the first prophet on the earth, and there have been prophets on earth since the days of Adam. Enoch was a prophet whose people became so righteous that the whole city of Zion was translated and taken into heaven. Noah was a prophet who cried repentance for 120 years before he built an ark large enough to save his own family and many animals from a flood. Moses was a prophet who led thousands of people out of Egypt and slavery into the Promised Land. Nephi was a Book of Mormon prophet who left Jerusalem 600 years before the birth of Christ and came to the Americas. He was a great leader and left many important writings in the Book of Mormon. John the Baptist was one of the greatest of prophets whose mission was to prepare the way for the coming of Jesus Christ. Joseph Smith was a modern-day prophet who translated the Book of Mormon, organized the Lord's Church here on earth again, and laid the foundation to prepare the people in our day for the Second Coming of Christ. Many people are able to believe in the prophets of old but do not believe in prophets today. Heavenly Father always works through His prophets on earth. We need prophets today to help us with today's problems. The information that God gave to Noah on how to survive the Flood or to Moses on leading the Israelites to the Promised Land will not help us to know what we need to do today. I know that the Lord speaks to his prophet today and tells him what we need to survive these troubled times. Our duty is to pray for the prophet and to pay attention when he speaks. We should be completely obedient to his teachings. When we follow the prophet obediently, blessings flow down from heaven. I know we have a prophet on earth today, even Thomas S. Monson. I have received many blessings through following the counsel of prophets. I was comforted with the counseled recently given by President Monson. He told us to look around to find someone who needs help and to give them that help. He reminded us that when we are serving God's children, we are only serving God. He said, "… we are surrounded by those in need of our attention, our encouragement, our support, our kindness…. We are the Lord's hands here upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children. He is dependent upon each of us" ("What Have I Done for Someone Today?" Ensign, Nov. 2009, 86). I thank God everyday that He has a prophet on earth today to guide us through these troubled days.

God versus Progressives

Isn't it interesting how a snowstorm can do so much to show the real agenda of the progressive movement? If you remember, the big conference on weather change was shortened for many American representatives by a big snowstorm because they had to get back to Washington before a storm hit. Now another big storm is hitting Washington that has basically shut down the federal government. One of the reasons why people can't get to work is because 25 percent of the snowplows in the city are not working; therefore, the streets are not being cleared as quickly as they need to be to keep the traffic flowing. Specifically, it is keeping Congress out of session where they would shove the Jobs bill down our throats. This example shows how well government works! If the snowplows belonged to a private business whose income depended on being ready for storms, that company would be out of business! When the government runs the business, it just keeps collecting taxes even though it doesn't do the job. Another example is Social Security, which is now paying out more than it is taking in because so many people are out of work. Medicare and Medicaid are forcing doctors to turn patients away. How can we believe that Obamacare would work any better? We keep hearing about all the money that goes to pay for the wars we are fighting. Apparently, these people do not know that "providing common defense" is a basic duty of the government. The bigger our government grows, the more "cogs" there are to turn. A smaller government would cost less in taxes and would work better if it were doing only those jobs that it is supposed to be doing. The best thing this country can do is to get the government out of every area of our lives except those areas that are specifically noted in the Constitution.

The Creation

There are people who believe that our beautiful world was created by a "Big Bang." If this theory really worked, I should be able to put all my cookie ingredients on the table, shake the table, and have cookie dough! Another comparison would be to put the parts to a watch, etc. on the table and have them become a functioning item. I personally believe that our loving Heavenly Father planned and organized this earth for us. We lived in heaven as spirit children of heavenly parents. Heavenly Father called all of His spirit children together and presented His plan of how we could become like Him. We like His plan so much that we shouted for joy (Job 38:7). We wanted the new experiences even though we knew we would have to leave heaven. We knew that we needed mortal bodies and a new home in order to prepare ourselves. Under the direction of Heavenly Father and using the power of the priesthood, Jesus Christ created or organized this earth out of available materials. God the Father told Moses, "Worlds without number have I created; … and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten" (Moses 1:33). The earth and everything on it were planned and created spiritually before they were created physically (see Moses 3:5). Christ, as directed by the Father, formed the earth and divided the light from the darkness. He formed the sun, moon and stars and hung them in the heavens. He divided the water from the earth. He made the earth beautiful and planted all kinds of plants, such as trees, grass, flowers, and shrubs. He planned that all these plants would reproduce themselves from seeds contained within each plant. He created fish, insects, birds, and animals, all capable of reproducing their own kind. God's greatest creation - mankind - came after the earth was completed and prepared. Man and woman were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27). Adam, the first man, and Eve, the first woman, were formed and given bodies that looked like those of our heavenly parents. After Adam and Eve were created, God announced that He was pleased and knew His work was good. Then He rested for a time. We can know of God and His love for us as we look at the world around us. We have this beautiful world to live in. We have the sun to keep us warm and give us light. We receive rain to make plants grow and to clean and refresh our air. We have our bodies, which are true miracles and which allow us to work, play and rest. All of the creations of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ show us that They love us.

Children of God

One of my most favorite songs is entitled "I Am A Child of God" and was written by Naomi Ward Randall about 1957. It teaches and explains our true relationship to God. I learned this song when I was about twelve years old, soon after it was written. The song goes: "I am a child of God, and he has sent me here, has given me an earthly home with parents kind and dear. [Chorus] Lead me, guide me, walk beside me, help me find the way. Teach me all that I must do to live with him some day." The second verse states: "I am a child of God, and so my needs are great; help me to understand his words before it grows too late" followed by the chorus. The third verse is, "I am a child of God. Rich blessings are in store; if I but learn to do his will, I'll live with him once more" [Chorus]. The fourth verse was added later and states: I am a child of God. His promises are sure; celestial glory shall be mine if I can but endure" [Chorus]. This song teaches a very important doctrine of the gospel of Jesus Christ in a manner that even children can understand it. God is the Creator and the Ruler of this earth and many other worlds. He is all powerful and all knowing. He is also our Heavenly Father who loves us very much. All of us are children of our Heavenly Father, literal sons and daughters of God. All people who were ever born on earth are spiritual brothers and sisters. Because God is our Father, we all have the potential to become like Him and receive a fullness of joy. Just as we are not identical here, we were not all alike as spirits. We were sons and daughters, males and females. We all had different talents and abilities and received different assignments on earth. Even though we do not remember our premortal life, Heavenly Father knows who we are and what we did in our life with Him. He has a plan for each of us to help us reach our full potential as His child and has chosen the time and place for each of us to be born. His plan makes it possible for each of us to learn the lessons that we personally need and to do the most good with our particular talents and personalities. Our Father in Heaven loves each of His children. He sent us to earth to receive physical bodies and to develop godlike qualities. He did this in order for us to be tested, to gain experience, and to progress as individuals. We were sent here to prove ourselves by exercising our moral agency to choose good or evil.