Place of Trial

                The topic of discussion for the Constitution Monday comes from Article III, Section 2, and Clause 3:  “The Trial of all Crimes … shall be held in the State where the said Crimes shall have been committed….”  This provision in the Constitution allows defendants to be tried in a location where the witnesses and relatives can attend the trial.

                W. Cleon Skousen quoted Edmund Pendleton of Virginia who “commented on the safeguards which the Founders were endeavoring to provide the accused in a criminal case.  He said that this provision and the one preceding it guarantee `that the trial shall be by jury [and] that it shall be in the state where the offense is committed….  We have this security – that our citizens shall not be carried out of the state, and that no other trial can be substituted for that by a jury.’

                “One of the most serious complaints in the Declaration of Independence against King George III was the fact that he was condemned by the American colonies `for transporting us beyond [the] seas to be tried for pretended offenses.’

                “Under the new Constitution the founders did not want similar incidents of injustice to occur where a citizen was tried in one state for a crime allegedly committed in another” (The Making of America – The Substance and Meaning of the Constitution, pp. 620-621).

                Rachel E. Barkow of The Heritage Foundation explained:  “Article III (and the Sixth Amendment) also contain[s] provisions relating to venue, the place where a case is to be tried, and vicinage, the place from which the members of the jury pool trying the case are to be drawn.  The Declaration of Independence condemned the English practice of transporting colonial defendants overseas to England for trial by juries of Englishmen.  In response, the Constitution guarantees a criminal defendant both the right to be tried in the state where his alleged crime was committed and by a jury drawn from the population of the state and district where the alleged crime occurred” (The Heritage Guide to the Constitution, p. 263).

Understanding Sacred Covenants

                As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we make sacred covenants with our Heavenly Father when we participate in the ordinances of the gospel.  When we make covenants, God sets specific conditions, and He promises to bless us as we obey those conditions.  As we better understand our covenants, we will be able to honor them and receive the blessings promised by our Heavenly Father.

                The word covenant as used in a legal sense “denotes an agreement between two or more parties.”  A sacred covenant means so much more. In a religious context, a covenant is a sacred promise with God.  Elder Russell M. Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained that God “fixes the terms.  Each person may choose to accept those terms.  If one accepts the terms of the covenant and obeys God’s law, he or she receives the blessings associated with the covenant….” (See “Covenants,” Ensign, November 2011, p. 86; emphasis added.)

                Modern revelation tells us that there “is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—

                “And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated” (Doctrine and Covenants 130:20-21).

                Heavenly Father has made covenants with His children throughout the ages, and His covenants are part of the fulness of His gospel.  An example of His covenants is the covenant that God made with Abraham.  Because of this covenant, the children of Israel are also known as the children of the covenant.  The Apostle Peter explained the covenant that God made with Abraham and renewed with Isaac and then Jacob while teaching in the temple in Jerusalem:  “Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed” (Acts 3:25).

                The resurrected Lord told the people in the New World, “And behold, ye are the children of the prophets; and ye are of the house of Israel; and ye are of the covenant which the Father made with your fathers, saying unto Abraham:  And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed” (Book of Mormon – Another Testament of Jesus Christ, 3 Nephi 20:25).

                The Abrahamic Covenant contained several promises, including:  1) Jesus the Christ would be born through Abraham’s lineage. 

2) Abraham’s posterity would be numerous, entitled to an eternal increase, and also entitled to bear the priesthood.  3) Abraham would become a father of many nations.  4) Certain lands would be inherited by his posterity.  5) All nations of the earth would be blessed by his seed.  6) And that covenant would be everlasting – even though “a thousand generations” (Deuteronomy 7:9; 1 Chronicles 16:15; Psalm 105:8).

                Elder Nelson explained that some of these promises have already been fulfilled but others are pending.  He quoted “an early Book of Mormon prophecy:  `Our father [Lehi] hath not spoken of our seed alone, but also of all the house of Israel, pointing to the covenant which should be fulfilled in the latter days; which covenant the Lord made to our father Abraham.’  Isn’t that amazing?  Some 600 years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem, prophets knew that the Abrahamic covenant would be finally fulfilled only in the latter days.

                “To facilitate that promise, the Lord appeared in these latter days to renew that Abrahamic covenant.  To the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Master declared:

                “`Abraham received promises concerning his seed, and of the fruit of his loins—from whose loins ye are,… my servant Joseph….

                “`This promise is yours also, because ye are of Abraham’ (Doctrine and Covenants 132:30-31).”

                The Lord also told the Prophet Joseph Smith, “As I said unto Abraham concerning the kindreds of the earth, even so I say unto my servant Joseph:  In thee and in thy seed shall the kindred of the earth be blessed” (Doctrine and Covenants 124:58).

                Elder Nelson continued, “With this renewal, we have received, as did they of old, the holy priesthood and the everlasting gospel.  We have the right to receive the fulness of the gospel, enjoy the blessings of the priesthood, and qualify for God’s greatest blessing—that of eternal life.  [See Doctrine and Covenants 14:7.]

                “Some of us are the literal seed of Abraham; others are gathered into his family by adoption.  The Lord makes no distinction.  [See Acts 19:34-35.]  Together we receive these promised blessings—if we seek the Lord and obey His commandments.  [See Exodus 19:5.]  But if we don’t, we lose the blessings of the covenant.  [“I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise” (Doctrine and Covenants 82:10).]  To assist us, His Church provides patriarchal blessings to give each recipient a vision for his or her future as well as a connection with the past, even a declaration of lineage back to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob….”

                Elder Nelson later said, “Children of the covenant have the right to receive His doctrine and to know the plan of salvation.  They claim it by making covenants of sacred significance….

                “At baptism we covenant to serve the Lord and keep His commandments [Doctrine and Covenants 20:37].  When we partake of the sacrament, we renew that covenant and declare our willingness to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ.  Thereby we are adopted as His sons and daughters and are known as brothers and sisters.  He is the father of our new life [“We talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ,… that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins” (Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 25:26).]  Ultimately, in the holy temple, we may become joint heirs to the blessings of an eternal family, as once promised to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their posterity.  [See Galatians 3:29; Doctrine and Covenants 86:8-11.] Thus, celestial marriage is the covenant of exaltation.

                “When we realize that we are children of the covenant, we know who we are and what God expects of us.  His law is written in our hearts.  He is our God and we are His people.  Committed children of the covenant remain steadfast, even in the midst of adversity.  When that doctrine is deeply implanted in our hearts, even the sting of death is soothed and our spiritual stamina is strengthened.

                “The greatest compliment that can be earned here in this life is to be known as a covenant keeper.  The rewards for a covenant keeper will be realized both here and hereafter…” (“Covenants,” Ensign, November 2011, pp. 86-89).  

                I have made sacred covenants with God and have received many blessings for keeping those covenants.  I intend to be a “covenant keeper” from this point forward because I desire the blessings promised by God.  I know that God keeps His promises and will bless me as I keep my covenants with Him.

Family Proclamation #7

Families, communities, and nations are strengthened when individuals understand and live the principles contained in the inspired document known as “The Family:  A Proclamation to the World.”  The proclamation on the family is inspired counsel from living apostles and prophets and contains counsel to help strengthen marriages and families.

The seventh paragraph of the Proclamation states:  “The family is ordained of God.  Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan.  Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity.  Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities.  By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families.  Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners.  Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation.  Extended families should lend support when needed.”

This paragraph contains many principles applying to marriage and families.  First of all, it teaches us that God wants us to marry and to live in families, but He has only one definition of a marriage and family.  God ordains marriage between one man and one woman and has made this marriage an important part of His plan for the eternal happiness of His children.

The second important principle defines the rights of children to be born “within the bonds of matrimony” and “to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity.”  It is a sad fact in our society that the rights of children are so often forgotten by selfish adults who put their own desires and needs ahead of those of their children.

The third important principle is that the teachings of Jesus Christ are the foundation for happy and successful families.  Parents and children who live the gospel of Jesus Christ are more likely to be truly happy and successful.  The gospel principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities are the exact principles that strengthen and prolong relationships.

No man is “superman” and no woman is “superwoman.”  We all have limitations in our abilities, time, and energy.  This inspired document divides the duties of husbands and fathers from those of wives and mothers and thus makes it possible for us to “cover all the bases.”  When husbands and fathers preside, provide, and protect their families, their wives are more likely to have the time and energy to care for and teach the children. 

Our Heavenly Father has given us the pattern for the ideal family and has provided teachings to help us develop these ideal conditions.  We all know families who live under less than these ideal situations – whether temporarily or more permanent – and need assistance and support from other people.  Grandparents, aunts, uncles, and even siblings should take this opportunity to give service in such cases.

Janice Kapp Perry wrote the words and music for a beautiful song entitled “Love Is Spoken Here” that teaches both children and adults how to put these principles into daily life.  I enjoy hearing my children and grandchildren sing this song because I can feel the love in their homes and families when they do.  The girls usually sing the first verse, and the boys usually sing the second verse.  Then all come together for the ending of the song.  The words and music of the song are beautiful and bring such a wonderful spirit into a home or meeting.

I see my mother kneeling with our family each day.

I hear the words she whispers as she bows her head to pray.

Her plea to the Father quiets all my fears.

And I am thankful love is spoken here.

Mine is a home where ev’ry hour

Is blessed by the strength of priesthood pow’r,

With father and mother leading the way,

Teaching me how to trust and obey;

And the things they teach are crystal clear,

For love is spoken here.

I can often feel the Savior near

When love is spoken here.

The Book of Mormon – Another Testament of Jesus Christ contains a story about 2060 young men who went to war to protect their families, homes and nation.  These warriors were involved in several fierce battles; all of them received injuries but none of them were killed.  They were blessed because of their faith, obedience, and righteousness.  Helaman, the leader of these stripling warriors, wrote the following in a letter to his commander:  “Yea, and they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them; and I did remember the words which they said unto me that their mothers had taught them” (Alma 57:21).

I know the importance of establishing our families on gospel principles.  The principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ strengthen us as individuals and unify us as families.  Our families, communities and nation can be strengthened when we live the gospel principles.

Land of Promise and Refuge

                The liberty principle for this Freedom Friday is the simple fact that God established this land as a land of promise for the righteous and a land of refuge for the oppressed.  Various groups of people were brought to the American continents to establish a land of righteousness, for religious freedom, or to escape oppression.

                This principle is beautifully stated in the following words of a prophet of God, even President Joseph Fielding Smith:  “America is not only a land of promise reserved for a righteous people, but it is also a land of refuge for the downtrodden and oppressed.  The Puritans came here seeking religious freedom when oppression raged in the old world.  The same is true of earlier colonies.  The Jaredites came seeking a land of freedom.  The Nephites came out of Jerusalem because the Lord had called them from a land of sin and bondage whose people were about to go into captivity as a punishment.

                “There was also another colony which came to this land of promise from Jerusalem at the time Nebuchadnezzar was waging war on the Jews.  This colony was also led by the hand of the Lord.  We know very little of their journeyings, how they came and the number in their company, for they had no records.  We have learned, however, that they brought with them the youngest son of Zedekiah, king of Judah.

                “The Bible states that the sons of Zedekiah were slain before his eyes, and then the Babylonians put out his eyes and carried him in fetters into Babylon [2 Kings 25:7].  Mulek, son of Zedekiah, was spared by the power of the Lord and with other fugitives was directed across the `great waters’ to this land.  Here they multiplied, but without religious teachings.  It was this people who discovered Coriantumr, the Jaredite, who lived with them for nine months before his death [Omni 1:21].  These Mulekites were later discovered by the Nephites and the two people became one, the Mulekites being known henceforth as Nephites, sharing with them in the blessings of their faith.

                “In brief, such is the story told in the Book of Mormon of the ancient inhabitants of America.  They were highly civilized.  They worshiped the true and living God, in a land which is dedicated to his worship and held in reserve for a righteous people until they became confirmed transgressors.  Let the Gentiles upon this land heed the warning and serve Jesus Christ, lest destruction also come upon them, for it has been prophesied that the present inhabitants if they turn from the worship of the true and living God shall bring down upon them the same destruction, `as the inhabitants of the land have hitherto done’ [Ether 2:11]” (Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. III, pp. 322-323).

                God established this land as a promised land for the righteous and a place of refuge for the downtrodden; He has decreed that only those people who worship Him will be allowed to live on this land.  Several colonies of people have lived in America and were swept off the land because of unrighteousness.  I believe that we will also be swept off the land if we fail to worship Jesus Christ, the God of this land.

Heritage on Obamacare

                The Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, is slowly being implemented in our nation.  As the various dates near for implementation of specific parts of the law, changes have been made.  Another change took place recently when the Obama Administration decided to delay the mandatory employer and insurer reporting requirements for a year – until after the 2014 elections.  Their reason: they have been “engaging in a dialogue with businesses” and “have heard concerns about the complexity of the requirements and the need for more time to implement them effectively.”

                The Heritage Foundation published an article entitled “Obamacare’s Dirty Dozen Implementation Failures” in which we are warned against being fooled by the Administration’s “reason” for the latest postponed implementation.  “Even Democrats have admitted the law has turned into a massive `train wreck,’ with delays, glitches, and problems aplenty.”  The article then listed “a dozen more Obamacare implementation failures.”

1.  The CLASS Act was a long-term care entitlement was actually a Ponzi scheme according to one Democrat.  The Department of health and Human Services (HHS) admitted in the fall of 2011 that this program “could not be implemented in a fiscally sound manner;” Congress later repealed the program.

2.  Exchanges:  Most states chose to let the federal government run the required insurance exchanges, and the federal government have missed the deadlines for implementing the exchanges.

3.  HHS mandate for employers to “fund products they find morally objectionable or pay massive fines.  This mandate is under legal challenge by “many employers,” and its implementation has been delayed.

4.  Small business plan choices has been delayed until next year – “a delay that liberal blogger Joe Klein called `a really bad sign’ of `Obamacare incompetence.’”

5.  Child-only plans:  This part of the law has “unintended consequences” because insurers in 17 states “are no longer selling child-only health insurance plans.”  The insurers “fear that individuals will apply for coverage only after being diagnosed with a costly illness.”

6.  Basic health plan has been delayed and is being criticized by at least one Democrat.

7.  High-risk pools:  This is a program for those individuals who have pre-existing conditions; but it is facing “higher costs and lower enrollment than advertised.”

8.  Early retiree reinsurance:  This program is “broke” because it ran out of money “two years ahead of schedule.”

9.  Waivers were given to employers – “more than half the recipients of those waivers were members of union health insurance plans” – because Obamacare’s “new mandates would raise costs so much that employers would drop coverage rather than face skyrocketing premiums.”

10. Co-ops:  “Congress blocked additional funding to this Obamacare program in January.”

11. “Employee free choice:  Under this provision “certain workers” “would have been allowed … to use contributions from their employers to buy exchange health plans.”  It was repealed in April 2011 because “businesses considered it too complex and unworkable.”

12. Medicaid expansion:  This provision was “rejected by many states” under the Supreme Court ruling that it was “optional.”  The states recognized that an expansion of Medicaid would “saddle them with additional, unsustainable costs.”

                These twelve “implementation failures” prove that the Affordable Care Act is actually unaffordable for any of us.  It is a total disaster should be totally defunded and then repealed in its entirety.  It was passed by a Democrat-controlled Senate and Democrat-controlled House without any Republican votes.  Republicans should refuse to bail out the Democrats and simply vote for de-funding and repealing.

God Is In Control

                Are we nearing the end of the world as we know it?  Will Jesus Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of the world, be returning to earth soon in glory and power?  What are we to expect from all the different events that seem to be turning our nation and our world upside down and inside out?

                We know from the scriptures that there will be a great war called Armageddon that precedes the Second Coming of Christ.  “And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon” (Revelation 16:16).  This war will take place in the valley of Megiddo, which is located about 50 miles north of Jerusalem in the western portion of the plain of Esdraelon.  This valley was the scene of violent and crucial battles during Old Testament times.  (See Judges 5;19; 2 Kings 9:27; 23:29.)  “A great and final conflict taking place at the second coming of the Lord is called the battle of Armageddon because it will be started in the same locale and will be decisive”  (Bible Dictionary, “Armageddon,” p. 614).

                Knowing that a great and final war is in our future, I quickly pay attention at any mention of World War III.  Doug Hagmann, founder and director of the Northeast Intelligence Network and a multi-state licensed private investigative agency, claims we are quickly nearing World War III and are almost out of time to fix the problems in our nation and our world. 

                In his article entitled “Time Is Running Out,” Hagmann related the experience of an unidentified Christian pastor in Nazi Germany (Erwin W. Lutzer in When a Nation Forgets God).  The pastor met with his congregation in “a small church located adjacent to railroad tracks.”  He revealed how “every Sunday morning” the “congregation could hear the whistle of the train in the distance, the noise of the wheels over the tracks, and as the train passed, the cries coming from inside the train.  The cries were those of the Jews being transported to concentration camps….”

                The Christians heard the whistle blow “week after week” and “dreaded the sounds they heard.  The screams tormented them.  So, what did they do?  As the train approached and in anticipation of the screams from the Jews, herded like cattle into the train cars, the Christians sang louder to drown out the screams.  Soon, they heard them no more.

                “The eyewitness ended his account by describing the torment of hearing the train whistle in his sleep, and pleaded for forgiveness for not only himself, but for all of those who called themselves Christians but did nothing to intervene.

                “Regardless of your faith or station in life, chances are great that you are exactly like that eyewitness, and equally, if not more accountable for the actions of our government today.  What is coming is going to be far worse than the world has ever seen, and is going to blindside many.  Don’t be one of them.

                “A global war of unimaginable atrocities is being planned as I write this.  It has been in the works for some time, yet few will want to read what I have written.  Rather, most will instead choose to `sing louder’ to drown out the screams of innocents, except this time, the screams will be too loud, too frequent, and too many.

                “The United States of America has been overtaken from within by a group of heartless and soulless individuals with designs on reshaping the world into a state of global governance.  They are members of both political parties, and part of their plans includes reshaping the Middle East at any cost, including the inevitable and incalculable cost of human life.  Currently at the helm is Barack Hussein Obama, although his way was paved by the majority of his predecessors and elected officials of both parties.

                “He was purposely selected as the man for the job to insure that the inappropriately celebrated Arab Spring that swept North Africa and the Middle East was conducted as planned.  It was a staged and orchestrated event by the globalists and those in power in the U.S. and elsewhere.  Using your tax dollars and in your name, the United States has been providing funding and operational support to the groups toppling governments in favor of radical Islamic control.  Such control is nothing but a necessary means to an end.  While many correctly decry the brutality of Islam, few realize that is a tool of the globalists.  They are not thinking big enough.  The lie is bigger than you have been told.”

                Hagmann explained that the terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya, on September 11, 2012, is “a window of understanding, or a glimpse into this agenda.”  He wrote that “Full disclosure into this event would reveal a criminal enterprise so vast and staggering that it would eclipse anything we’ve ever seen.”  He said that it was not simply a protest or a botched kidnapping, but “about weapons smuggling to Syria to assist Islamic terrorists to topple Assad, install a Muslim Brotherhood-backed regime, causing further regional destabilization leading to a massive global war.  Full disclosure would reveal that the United States, through the approval of members of both political parties we elected and acting in our name, are siding with associates having direct ties to al Qaeda and other Islamic groups.  The truth is sickening, revolting and shocking.”

                The author concludes his article by stating that by remaining silent, “we are complicit in the most evil agenda of modern times.  A multifaceted agenda that is being accomplished by your individual and our collective silence, which amounts to tacit approval of the evil that is being done in our name….

                “We must not choose to cover the screams by merely singing louder, but by making a choice.  Are we going to allow this evil to progress unabated, or are we going to take a stand?  Time is running out as World War III looms on the horizon.”

                I am of the opinion that we are nearing the time of Armageddon.  There are too many signs along the way to doubt what is happening, and more signs will be appearing.  One very important sign took place in November 2012 when the majority of Americans chose evil over good.  Mitt Romney is one of the most righteous men who have ever campaigned for the office of President of the United States.  Yet, a majority of American voters chose Barack Obama, a man who lies and deceives every time he opens his mouth.  The re-election of Obama glaringly tells me that we are running out of time.

                King Mosiah told his people, “Now it is not common that the voice of the people desireth anything contrary to that which is right; but it is common for the lesser part of the people to desire that which is not right; therefore this shall ye observe and make it your law – to do your business by the voice of the people.

                “And if the time comes that the voice of the people doth choose iniquity, then is the time that the judgments of God will come upon you; yea, then is the time he will visit you with great destruction even as he has hitherto visited this land” (Book of Mormon – Another Testament of Jesus Christ, Mosiah 29:26-27).

                A second sure sign is the corruption in the government of the United States.  Our Constitution was written for honest, law-abiding, and moral people.  President John Adams  stated, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people.  It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”  We have a President who rules by Executive Order whenever Congress and/or the Court says no.  We have a Senate that seems determined to pass every law that will further weaken our nation.  We have a Supreme Court that is legislating laws rather than simply ruling on the constitutionality of the laws passed by Congress.  I am convinced that there are secret combinations that have taken over our government and are carefully leading us into destruction.  We are no longer a country that is ruled by law but have become a nation of law breakers.

                Still another sure sign for me is the strength of the same-sex marriage crowd and the latest rulings from the Supreme Court.  It appears that we are quickly becoming like Sodom and Gomorrah, two cities that were destroyed because of immorality.  Marriage between a man and a woman is ordained by God.  Any other sexual relationship is immoral.  Immorality is a serious sin and no amount of legislating or legalese can make it anything but sin.  Since God does not condone sin, we are now further down the slippery slope to destruction.

                So what do we do?    We may be too late to save the U.S. government or to avoid some very painful times.  I do not believe that we have reached point when it will be too late to repent even though there is much iniquity in our nation.  

 

                I believe we still have time to do several things that will keep us safe in life or in death.  The most valuable thing we can do is to remember who is in charge.  God is in control of whatever happens in this world, and He has the power to turn messes into miracles.  If we put our trust in God, we will be okay.

                We can pray for our nation.  While speaking in Ammonihah, Amulek told the people, “I say unto you that if it were not for the prayers of the righteous, who are now in the land, that ye would even now be visited with utter destruction; yet it would not be by flood, as were the people in the days of Noah, but it would be by famine, and by pestilence, and the sword.

                “But it is by the prayers of the righteous that ye are spared; …” (Book of Mormon, Alma 10:23-24).

                When the righteous people were cast out of Ammonihah, the Lamanites swooped down on the city and quickly destroyed it.  There are still many righteous people living in the United States who are praying for our nation.  I believe that the prayers of the righteous are protecting us.

                We can repent and improve our own personal righteousness.  President Gordon B. Hinckley counseled at the beginning of the war on terror, “Now, brothers and sisters, we must do our duty, whatever that duty might be.  Peace may be denied for a season.  Some of our liberties may be curtailed.  We may be inconvenienced.  We may even be called on to suffer in one way or another.  But God our Eternal Father will watch over this nation and all of the civilized world who look to Him.  He has declared, `Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord’ (Psalms 33:12).  Our safety lies in repentance.  Our strength comes of obedience to the commandments of God.

                “Let us be prayerful.  Let us pray for righteousness.  Let us pray for the forces of good.  Let us reach out to help men and women of goodwill, whatever their religious persuasion and wherever they live.  Let us stand firm against evil, both at home and abroad.  Let us live worthy of the blessings of heaven, reforming our lives where necessary and looking to Him, the Father of us all.  He has said, `Be still, and know that I am God’ (Psalms 46:10).

                “Are these perilous times?  They are.  But there is no need to fear.  We can have peace in our hearts and peace in our homes.  We can be an influence for good in this world, every one of us.

                “May the God of heaven, the Almighty, bless us, help us, as we walk our various ways in the uncertain days that lie ahead.  May we look to Him with unfailing faith.  May we worthily place our reliance on His Beloved Son who is our great Redeemer, whether it be in life or in death” (“The Times in Which We Live,”  Ensign, November 2001).

                According to this prophet of God, we have no need to fear.  We need only to put our trust in God and rely on Him.  As long as we are living righteously, we will be okay, whether in life or death.  “Be still, and know that I am God.”  He is in control and will not fail us.

Trey Gowdy

                Congressman Trey Gowdy (R-South Carolina) is a very important person (VIP) in our nation at the present time because he appears to stay true to conservative principles.  I have watched him during congressional hearings several times and have been impressed with him.  He protects and defends our Constitution and American way of life like a pit bull.  He is feisty and direct as well as being knowledgeable; he sounds as though he could care less about being politically correct.  I like him!

                During the House Oversight Committee Hearing on excessive conference spending by the IRS, Congressman Gowdy gave a passionate opening statement.  In his statement, he said the institution has a character problem that isn’t going to be “solved with another webinar” and that it may be time to “start over.”

                At a congressional hearing on the SAFE Act, Congressman Gowdy discussed the reasons why state and local law enforcement should be trusted to enforce our nation’s immigration laws. 

                Numerous Democrats have made statements in recent months about the demise of the GOP  and the possibility of never winning another presidential election if they do not pass an immigration law.  Congressman Gowdy obviously is not worried about the views of left-leaning politicians because he recently commented as follows.

                “I was moved, almost to the point of tears, by Senator Schumer’s concern for the future prospects of the Republican Party, but we’re going to not take his advice.

                “The Senate bill is not going to pass the House.  It’s not going to pass for myriad reasons.  I support immigration reform; I think the current system is broken.  But our framers gave us two legislative bodies, and I assume that they did it for  reason.

                “The House runs every two years with the theory that we will be closer to the will of the people.  So, under the assumption that the framers meant to give us two legislative bodies and a House of Representatives with 435 members, we are going to work our will, like we have been doing for the past weeks.  We have passed four separate bills out of House Judiciary and an additional bill out of Homeland Security.   We’re making progress, and we will continue to do so.  I’m more interested in getting it right than doing it on Senator Schumer’s schedule.

                Congressman Gowdy continued by discussing various ways that Washington should approach the issue of immigration.  Watch him in action here.  

                I believe that Trey Gowdy is a man we can trust to protect our Constitution and to stand up for us.  I also believe that he is a man that we should watch closely to see that he stands firm on conservative principles.