Part II: God's Gift to Us

Cut off From Happiness

While any practicing Christian could rattle off the purpose of Christ’s ministry and the blessing of the atonement, how many have truly considered the atonement’s significance -- and how wonderful a gift it truly is?

Without Christ’s intercession on our behalf, we would have descended and become just like Satan, cut off from happiness, drowning in the depths of hell. 

As Christ explained in D&C 19, without his atonement we would have suffered the full consequences of sin -- which caused Christ, God himself, “to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit.”  

The wages of sin are death -- both temporal and spiritual.  Without the atonement, we would die never to rise again, our spirit subject to the devil to rule over us, never again to have a body and the joy that is found through properly subjecting it to the Spirit.  Our father would be Satan subject to his rule for all eternity.

Without the atonement, our spirits would have been cut off from the source of our life, and we would lack any awareness of the good. Instead our lives would be filled with torment and misery.  God’s love, while present before us, would pierce us to the core due to the piercing fires of our conscience and we would desire the mountains to fall and cover us if such were possible. 

Encircled by His Love

In the Book of Mormon, the righteous describe their relationship with God of being encircled by his love.  What a beautiful image!  Our Father of Heaven, as a tender and loving parent, brings us close into his arms, filling us with his love. 

But just as this image is beautiful, there is its opposite -- Satan encircles us with his chains.  Indeed, the Book of Mormon writers juxtapose these images throughout, pointing to the fact we will be encircled in the end, but the manner of this encircling is up to us. 

Consequently, not only did Christ free us from the devil’s grasp if we came to him, but his atonement gave us the agency to blaze our path.  For if we could not be redeemed, we could not have agency to choose eternal life or death -- God’s kingdom or Satan’s.  

And because of the intercession for all, all men come unto God; wherefore, they stand in the presence of him, to be judged of him according to the truth and holiness which is in him…Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself. (2 Nephi 2:10, 27). 

 Truly, through Christ, we are free. 

It has been Satan’s modus operandi from the beginning to subjugate us into his dominion -- “for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.”  Satan subjugates us into his dominion by taking over our hearts.  A hard heart serves as an impenetrable stone to the beneficent light of God.

What do the scriptures exhort us to do time and time again?  Turn and believe!  Plant the seed of truth in our heart and let it grow into the tree it will become.  Nourish and care for it and it will spout and develop. 

Yet we need not walk the path alone.  Christ is our succor and support.  He knows our weaknesses because he felt each and every one of them.  Thus, not only did God provide a way out of hell, but he provided his Son to serve as our tour guide. 

Turn to Him and Live 

But like any gift the receiver must accept it. 

We accept through repentance. 

Repent and turn.  Turn away from sin and darkness and face the light.  Turn to Christ.  Turn to his matchless gift.  Turn to his mercy --- with his arms extended -- and to his grace which he freely gives. 

Paul counted all of his worldly attainments as but dung for the knowledge of Christ.  King Lamoni and his father were willing to give all their kingdom to receive this gift -- the pearl of great price. 

When we are found in Christ, we have the assurance of our salvation.  This brings peace, “not as the world” provides, but peace that transcends the darkest and deepest depths of mortality. 

This is why Paul and others were willing to give up what they had for something greater -- because they could find it no other way. 

Peace calms the mind and inspires the soul.  When confronted with seemingly insurmountable challenges, the peace infused into us by the Spirit gives us resolution to press forward and obtain the crown of life.  

It’s no wonder Enoch did not receive comfort from the wickedness of the word until he witnessed the coming of the Lord who would overcome sin blazing the trail for us to follow. 

Alma remarks that Christ was lifted up to draw all of us to him.  Could it be that Christ’s humiliation by the world and in display of it, was designed as a magnet to pull us towards him?  Does not the selfless act of another prick our conscience and stir within a desire to transcend our banal state of existence into something more praiseworthy and honorable -- even if it is only for a second.  Do we not indeed stand amazed at Christ’s love? 

Taking Christ For Granted

How amazing that such a gift could come from an infant laying in a manger?

The fact that God’s greatest gift came from an infant wrapped in clothes, born in the outskirts of Bethlem --- mostly obscure from the word -- suggests that God’s greatest gifts are often undiscerned and go unseen unless we are paying attention.  Christ spent the majority of his life in obscurity until he preached for three years and then was crucified.  The majority of those with whom he interacted rejected him -- and his own town completely disbelieved to such a degree that Christ was unable to perform any miracle to them. 

Indeed, this seems to be the sad course of humanity -- taking for granted the things of greatest value.  God, for instance, gave the Jaredites and Nephites a land of promise, separate from the pagan influence of the Old world, yet they squandered it through their unrighteousness, bringing upon themselves misery and sorrow.

Are we different?  Has modernity with its advances swept away our child-like ability to believe -- or even realize -- that God has great things in store for us as manifested through his Son?

Is it really possible that the obscure birth of a manager born child caused the angels to rejoice and the hosts of heaven to sing?  

If them, why not us? Do we discount the stirring of the Spirit within us calling us to greater things if we would just believe? O, what privileges we squander. 

Christ’s birth was and is everything.  

His birth, life and sacrifice was the truest expression of God’s love for us -- which blessings are multiple. 

If we ever are tempted to question or doubt God's character, just look upon what he has given us through his Son. 

God be praised! 

Part I: God's Gift to Us

Past Christmases 

As another Christmas approaches, I reflect upon my previous understanding and perspective regarding this holiday.  

My attitude during my childhood years was mixed. Sadly, I wish my focus would have been more on Christ than on presents. 

As I grew older and into my college years and early adulthood, the magic of Christmas began to wane and I saw it merely as a cheap marketing ploy by businesses to increase revenue -- which I saw as nothing more than greed.

 Part of this came from my “enlightened state,” as (perhaps) well meaning professors made sure to remind me about the oppressive nature of capitalism and that true freedom came from within their hallowed “ivory” walls, even though probably half couldn’t balance their own checkbook yet they somehow had the solution to solve the world ills.  

And I bought it, hook, line, and sinker.  

Change of Heart 

Fortunately for me (but not quickly enough for my family) this scrooge-like attitude changed as I dedicated myself more to Christ.  

Well, my attitude sort of changed --as my wife is witness.  For a period I could still not get past the over-commercialization that seemed to obscure the true meaning of Christmas and consequently, despite the message of Christmas and the attendant holiday good will, I had some bitterness when this holiday season came around. The non-stop Christmas music didn’t help either.  

Now as a father of a very excited and impressionable two-year old, my view on Christmas has once again changed.  

My daughter is at the age where she understands the idea of presents and the concept of Santa.  Last year he was the boogie-monster, as attested by her Santa photos -- all tears and no joy.   

Yet this time around, not only is she excited for Santa and friendly when she sees “him” but she knows she needs to be on the nice list or else she is getting coal.  And yes, we have leveraged this to counter her toddler obstinacy, which she is perfecting at the worst possible moments -- run away from mom in a crowded parking lot, done.  Sit down in the middle of the store aisle, perfected.  However, little does she know that given the rise of price in oil these days (and in the future), a lump of coal in her stocking might be the better option -- but I won’t tell her. 

Consequently, she is very eager for Santa to pay a visit -- and I am very eager to spoil her rotten.  Of course, I’ll refrain -- at least I hope so, but Amazon doesn’t make it easy. 

But with saying this, I think the change in my attitude has come from my overwhelming desire to see my daughter happy -- and the fact that I have yet to hear “Last Christmas” by Wham!.  It brings joy to my heart to see her excitement as she talks about Christmas and munches her way through her advent calendar -- and even mine.  

Giving Brings Joy 

This is not to say that material gifts are the sole source of happiness or that we can expect to satisfy our kids' happiness through the gifting of material things, but it does show that for loving parents, we can express our love for our children through gifts.  And in turn, we also receive joy as we see that we’ve given them some happiness -- even through it is fleeting as more wishes (demands) accumulate each and every year. 

Nevertheless, I think this principle gives us insight into God’s character and his relationship to us as our Father who gives good gifts to us because he loves us. 

Indeed, God, who loves us more than we can imagine, granted us the gift of his Son.  

I do look forward to Christmas morning when my toddler will see what Santa has brought and the joy she'll have playing with her new toys.  I'm also excited that unlike previous Christmases, where the focus was on me and what I wanted, I will take joy in making my daughter happy -- however slight.  

In some sense this is a view into the long awaited Zion society.  Each will find greater joy in the success and happiness of others than their own.  I think of Ammon and the sons of Mosiah and the extended joy they had in reclaiming the lost Lamanites. 

The Gift of Everlasting Joy 

But Christmas gifts can only do so much to express the love I have for her.  Toys become outdated only to be replaced by some new toy that is better and cooler.  Kids also age and their interest changes. 

I look at the toys I've collected through the years.  I remember opening up and thinking life could not get any better -- until something else caught my attention And the only time I've paid attention to them was when I had to find a place to store them.  They haven't provided much value to me for a long time. 

As I am thinking about what are the best gifts I could give my daughter, would it be any different from what God would give when it comes to his gifting (and blessing) his children?  If God is loving (which he is) and desires bring us everlasting joy (which he does), and the gift of Christ was the greatest thing that God gave us, then his giving of his Son to earth must be a big deal and the source of true joy. 

But just how big? 

And what kind of joy?

That's the focus of the next part. 

Moroni's Warning to the Gentiles: Part II

 

Returning to Moroni's Warning

Moroni declares in Ether 8 that "when ye shall see these things [secret combinations] come among you...ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation" (Ether 8:24). 

At this point, we can now understand why we "shall awake to a sense of [our] awful situation." Secret combinations lead to the destruction of society because they are a parasite.  Once they attach to the host, they cripple it, rendering it weak and vulnerable to further attacks.  Secret combinations, in their pursuit of power and money, corrupt societies and lead them into destruction.  

Their influence is so strong that they seduce the righteous to join them.  And because they're an enemy to righteousness, they attack, kill, and persecute the righteous.  As secret combinations seek to control others, they destabilize society, resulting in fractures, rebellion and eventually war. 

But here's the rub: secret combinations do exist among us.  How do we know?  Simple, the scriptures tell us so.  In Mormon 8, Moroni explains that when the Book of Mormon comes forth it "shall come in a day when the blood of saints shall cry unto the Lord because of the secret combinations and the works of darkness."  Thus, the Book of Mormon comes forth when secret combination are in existence. 

Elder J. Rueben Clark warned what would happen to the United States if it allowed secret combinations to flourish:

"President [J]. [Reuben] Clark [Jr] warned us that 'we stand in danger of losing our liberties, and that once lost, only blood will bring them back, and once lost, we of this church will, in order to keep the Church going forward, have more sacrifices to make and more persecutions to ensure than we have yet known...' [In Conference Report Apr. 1944, p. 116] 'And he stated that if the conspiracy comes here it will probably come in its full vigor and there will be a lot of vacant places among those who guide and direct, not only this government, but also this church and ours.'" in Conference Report, Apr. 1952, p. 80

What Elder Clark forewarns is telling.  Yet, we may not fully comprehend and appreciate  the gravity of his warning because the vast majority of us living in the United States haven't faced severe persecutions and those who are part of generation x to now (such as myself) haven't faced serious conflicts, as we have lived in the most peaceful era the world has likely known -- and will know until the Savior returns. 

To get a sense of what might lay in store, it's wise to refer to the experiences of the saints in the early church. The injustices they faced by the mobs provide a sketch of what the righteous experience in the future.  There are also many books available written by those who experienced state-sponsored oppression under the hands of a tyrannical government, such as Soviet Russia.  Reading these accounts will give perspective about what is coming down the pike. 

Going Forward

Although secret combinations are in existence, they are hard to detect, because, well, they're secret.  Their secrecy is what makes them so insidious.  They can influence us without us even knowing.  

Some people have gone to extremes in declaring the existence of these combinations and opining how these networks operate.  Although these people mean well, much of the evidence they provide is tenuous at best and non-existent at worst.  Moreover, it creates unnecessary and unhealthy fear and emotion, leading to its own problems. 

Nevertheless, there are measures we can take to counteract the influence of secret combinations. 

One step is to vote for political leaders who desire to protect individual liberties (those rights and privileges that belong to all mankind, See D&C 98: 5) and shrink the presence of the government.  

Centralized power is rife for abuse.  It is also susceptible to being co-opted.  When all the power is concentrated into the hands of the few, secret combinations only have to corrupt those few to gain influence.  And when the scope of the centralized power is wide and encompassing, secret combination can easily exert greater influence on those who fall within the scope of government's extended control.  This is why the increasing centralization of American power into the hands of the federal government is a troubling trend.  The more they regulate our daily lives, the more power they'll have to shape them.  

This doesn't mean that all the federal laws are evil, per se, but it does mean that the our liberty depends on the government acting justly -- which history shows doesn't happen.  What we gain in convenience and uniformity, we risk in the loss of liberty and autonomy.  

Accordingly, diffuse and limited governmental power is the greatest political and legal protection against secret combinations.  

As elections near, vote for leaders who understand this danger and who are committed to promoting liberty instead of aspiring to their own advancements.  And in the instruction of the Lord, vote for leaders who are wise and good men -- and women.   

7 And as pertaining to law of man, whatsoever is more or less than this, cometh of evil. 8 I, the Lord God, make you free, therefore ye are free indeed; and the law also maketh you free. 9 Nevertheless, when the wicked rule the people mourn. 10 Wherefore, honest men and wise men should be sought for diligently, and good men and wise men ye should observe to uphold; otherwise whatsoever is less than these cometh of evil. 11 And I give unto you a commandment, that ye shall forsake all evil and cleave unto all good, that ye shall live by every word which proceedeth forth out of the mouth of God (D&C 98)

Sadly there are many in office, among both political parties, who are foolish in their decision-making and seek political power only to gratify their lust and ambitions.  These leaders are not interested in the public good and create a vacuum that can be exploited by those with nefarious intent. 

But this recommendation is a stop-gap measure and won't cause us to avoid be overtaken.  This means that we are to brace ourselves for future persecution.  If we haven't, we should begin storing up at least a year's worth of food -- as well as water. Gordon B. Hinckley was well known for issuing this counsel.  But he was not the only one.  Ever since the saints entered the Salt Lake valley the leaders of the church have exhorted the members to have sufficient food storage.

It is time to lay up stores -- and even ensure that we can produce food to lay up additional stores.  We've seen that our way of life can change quickly when prices inflate.  We've seen that our modern way of lives is predicated on the optimal operation of complex systems that can easily go awry.  And great things can be brought down by small "attacks."  For instance, setting aside havoc COVID made, the national power grid is so vulnerable and fragile that it could be brought down by attacking four key places -- or simply using a laptop.  The result would be no electricity, leading to lack of water since pumps wouldn't work and food going rancid, and no fuel, since the pumps would cease to work.  Restoring the grid would take years, plunging us into the 19th century which few of us know how to live in. [1]

Having a food storage will ease the strain and will make us more independent, not having to rely on government and surrendering of values in the process. 

For those interested, there is a helpful (and free) resource that provides the steps to preparing for emergencies. 

But temporal salvation won't be enough.  To fully prepare ourselves requires that we develop the core attributes of Faith, Hope, and Charity. 

Faith 

As Moroni teaches us, faith, hope, and charity are bring unto the Lord the "fountain of all righteousness." And there's a reason for this. Faith and charity allows us to lay hold upon every good thing, which by doing we avoid deception. 

Faith causes us to trust in the Lord. When we trust in the Lord his will, not ours or the world's is front-and-center.  Thus when we have faith in the Lord, we are willing to seek out his will for our lives. 

But developing faith also involves improving our ability to receive revelation.  We can't know the Lord's will for our lives if we are not are not adept at understanding his will for our lives currently.  We access the Lord by turning to him through faith.  We, in faith, trust that the Lord is speaking to us and we obey his promptings.  We choose to believe that he can do all things and that he cares about our lives.  With these beliefs, we take the leaps of faith forward. 

Along the way, we'll likely make mistakes.  We may discover that what we thought was the Lord was either our own minds or a false spirit.  But those with faith persist until they find the Lord and our confident in knowing his will for them. 

We further increase our faith through humility.  It is the poor and afflicted who attract the Lord's attention.  This is because the humble don't rely on their own thoughts and understanding, but on the Lord's. The Lord is able to reach out to them, to touch their hearts, and teach them. 

However, we can't exercise faith in the Lord until we are his friends.  Being his friends requires more than professing to believe in him or being part of a church that professes belief. It requires our lives to be in accordance with his will.  Moreover, it doesn't matter what the Lord has done for our ancestors in the past.  We each must be in a relationship with him. 

As Isaiah explains, 

7 I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses. 8 For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour. 9 In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old. 10 ¶ But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them. (Isaiah 63)

Here, the Lord explains that Israel was his people, which means they were blessed.  He delivered them from captivity and suffered when they suffered.  But because they rebelled from him, they were no longer his people but his enemies -- despite all the Lord had done for their ancestors and despite the fact that they called themselves after his name.

The Israelite nation (both Israel and Judah) chose to be part of the world and not part of God's fold. As result, they become enemies of the Lord.  We don't want to make the same mistake. 

Hope

The next attribute is hope.  Hope is the expectation we have on future outcomes based on promises we've received from the Lord.  Hope is the by-product of faith and can only come from faith.  Having hope anchors us in righteousness because we know that our promise (whatever the promise is) will be fulfilled if we remain faithful. 

For instance, Jospeh Smith faced serious persecution for his beliefs throughout his entire life.  But he never wavered in his faith.  This is because he was skilled in receiving revelation.  And because he was skilled in it, he could receive promises and assurances about the state of his soul.  These promises and assurance gave him hope to endure. 

Hope is what allowed the saints of all ages to endure life despite the suffering they experienced.  It is also an outgrowth of faith.  After we've developed faith in the Lord, we'll receive promises from him.  These promises include both temporal and spiritual ones (see Hebrews 11).  With having received these promises, we center our hope of their future fulfillment.  In other words, these promises give us to the "why" to be able to endure. 

Charity

Charity is love. However, it's not any kind of love, but is the love possessed by Christ and to receive it is to be filled with this love, which is a process.  The time start developing this love is now.   

Simply defined, charity is a love that focuses on welfare of others at your expense. 

When it comes to charity, there is the gift of charity and there is showing charity -- or in other words, showing love.  These two things -- receiving the gift of charity and having charity are distinct in important ways. 

In order to truly show charity, or the be charitable person, we need to have the gift of charity. 

The gift of charity is not simply the gift of love, but is more precisely and accurately the gift of God's love for us.  When we are given this gift, we are filled with God's love.  

Having the gift is important because when we are filled with his love, we are able to show love to others.  Moreover, being filled with God's love changes our nature. 

And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. (Moroni 7:45) 

The error of the word is that we try and change behavior by addressing the symptoms of the behavior instead of the root cause.  The gift of charity (or being filled with God's lvoe) goes directly to the heart of the person.  When a person is infused with God's love, they cannot help but be changed into righteousness.  That's what God's love does. 

When we have the gift of charity, we possess the core attribute of God.  The result is that God's spirit dwells with us in great abundance.  A person possessed with charity is gifted with an abundance of the Spirit.  This is why the Lord commanded the saints to "let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men..."  Those who do so will have the Holy Ghost as their "constant companion" with their confidence "wax[ing] strong in the presence of God" (see Doctrine and Covenants 121:45-46).  The Holy Ghost will be the source to discern whether something is good or evil. 

Charity then is the channel by which God can be a part of our lives.  We will need this in order to discern correct choices and to know what we should do -- or even where to go.  Each person will have different responsibilities.  Lehi was commanded to flee, Jeremiah was commanded to stay and witness the destruction, and Ezekiel was called to preach to the captives in Babylon.  

But knowing our assigned role is only possible through personal revelation, which is produced by having love.  When we have love, like God, the Holy Spirit will constantly be our guide. 

Choosing the Lord 

Whether we like it or not, it's time to recognize that the battle lines are being drawn.  In the coming years, it will be impossible to be lukewarm in our devotion to the Lord.  As the influence of evil grows, many of the purported righteous will inadvertently find themselves in Satan's camp, having been seduced by secret combinations.  These people will believe themselves to be justified by the Lord only to find that he has cut them off from him.  

We can avoid this by ensuring that we're in constant connection with the Spirit and that we've developed sufficient trust in the Lord.  This is particularly relevant for those who live in the United States.  For us, we've been privileged to being able to both participate in the world while practicing our religion.  In fact, no other nation has provided such robust constitutional protections.  But that privilege (and this right) won't last forever because the Lord's spirit can't dwell forever when wickedness abounds.  The increasing level of wickedness has caused the Lord's spirit to be further removed from the earth, furthering allowing more wickedness to prevail.  It will only get worse.  

Footnote

[1] To get a sense of the gravity of losing electricity, NYC, in 1977, suffered a 25-hour blackout caused by lightning strikes at two power plants.  The result was 1,000 cases of arson, 3,800 arrests, and more than $1 billion dollars in damage.  That was for 25-hours.  Imagine the scene after a few months -- with still months before any power is restored -- and occurring in a nation growing in violence, with many people unable to be self reliant. 

Moroni's Warning to the Gentiles: Part I

 

Moroni's Warning to the Reader 

Towards the middle of Ether, Moroni interjects with a strong warning to the reader: 

And whatsoever nation shall uphold such secret combinations, to get power and gain, until they shall spread over the nation, behold, they shall be destroyed; for the Lord will not suffer that the blood of his saints, which shall be shed by them, shall always cry unto him from the ground for vengeance upon them and yet he avenge them not. (Ether 8:22) 

Here, Moroni is explicit that any nation which tolerates or even supports secret combination is setting themselves up for destruction.  Moroni goes on the explain: 

23 Wherefore, O ye Gentiles, it is wisdom in God that these things [secret combinations] should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you, which are built up to get power and gain—and the work, yea, even the work of destruction come upon you, yea, even the sword of the justice of the Eternal God shall fall upon you, to your overthrow and destruction if ye shall suffer these things [secret combinations] to be.

Moroni explains the purpose of knowing about secret combinations, through the Book of Mormon, is to wake the Gentiles (us) up to repent.  The idea is now that we know what secret combinations can do and the havoc they release, this will prompt us to repent to ensure avoid the fate of Jaredites (and the Nephites).  

24 Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things [secret combinations] come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you; or wo be unto it, because of the blood of them who have been slain; for they cry from the dust for vengeance upon it, and also upon those who built it up. (Ether 8) 

Moroni then warns the us that if the secret combinations gain power over us, "awful is our situation."  For the nation that supports these secret combinations will be destroyed. 

Taking the Book of Mormon Seriously 

The purpose of this post is to explain why Moroni issued such a strong directive warning his reader about these secret combinations.  But before doing that, I'd like to first address the (possible) elephant in the room. 

For many, myself included at one point, the idea of secret combination seemed to "fringy" to be taken seriously.  And on the surface it makes sense, since talking about a group of people who use oaths and covenants to get gain in society or even usurp control seems more Hollywood than reality.  

However, one purpose of this post is to persuade us (especially the skeptical reader) otherwise.  This is because a close-reading of the Book of Mormon reveals that secret combinations are a big deal, and we shouldn't treat it lightly, as church leaders throughout the modern era have warned: 

Satan has control now. No matter where you look, he is in control, even in our own land. He is guiding the governments as far as the Lord will permit him. That is why there is so much strife, turmoil, confusion all over the earth. One master mind is governing the nations. It is not the President of the United States…it is not the king or government of England or any other land; it is Satan himself. (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. 3, pp. 314-315)

And do not think that these usurpations, intimidations, and impositions are being done to us through inadvertence or mistake; The whole course is deliberately planned and carried out; its purpose is to destroy the Constitution and our constitutional government; then to bring chaos, out of which the new Statism with its slavery is to arise, with a cruel, relentless, selfish, ambitious crew in the saddle, riding hard with whip and spur, a red-shrouded band of night riders for despotism.”(J. Reuben Clark, jr.,Church News, September 25, 1949)

[Wickedness] is more highly organized, more cleverly disguised, and more powerfully promoted than ever before. Secret combinations lusting for power, gain, and glory are flourishing. A secret combination that seeks to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries is increasing its evil influence and control over America and the entire world. (Ezra Taft Benson, I Testify, Conference, October 1988).

If we are to take the Book of Mormon seriously (which we should), we need to take the entire book seriously (which many don't).  This means that we can't skip or ignore concepts that don't make sense to us.  The writers' purpose in writing the Book of Mormon was to  teach undiluted doctrine and warn the future inhabitants of the America lands (i.e., us) about what lays in store if we don't repent and when we allow secret combination to gain a foothold in society.

It's important to remember that the Book of Mormon was written for us.  As President Benson reminded us, "[I]t was written for our day.  The Nephites never had the book; neither did the Lamanites of ancient times.  It was meant for us." 

It's also worth remembering that Book of Mormon was recorded on gold.  Unlike paper or papyri, the act of writing would have taken time and been a laborious process.  For instance, I recently read in a Book of Mormon commentary the opinion that it took Nephi almost 10 years to record parts of the wilderness narrative.  Given all that Nephi was responsible for, especially serving as king, his record likely involved a lot of time to complete -- and thus a lot of sacrifice. 

Therefore when Moroni chooses to interject the narrative of the Jaredite nation to warn us (especially given the fact that he was on the run for his life), it's worthwhile for us to pay attention. 

The Purpose of Secret Combinations 

Through both the Book of Mormon and more explicitly in the Book of Moses, we learn how secret combinations came to be.  In Moses 5, we learn that Cain, through the influence of Satan, established the first secret combination.  In a desire to be able to murder Abel, Cain swore a secret oath to Satan.  In exchange, Satan delivered Abel into Cain's hand to kill him. Central to the modus operandi of secret combinations is the ability to murder and rob to get power and gain. 

These secret groups, moreover, appear to be behind the fall and collapse of any society, not just those discussed in the Book of Mormon.  For instance, Ezekiel is shown a vision of 25 men in Ezekiel 8 whose backs are towards the temple, worshipping the "sun god" within the inner courts of the temple.  The angelic guide tells Ezekiel that these men have "filled the land with violence..."  

Later in Ezekiel 11, he sees these same 25 men again and learns that these men "are the men that devise mischief and give wicked counsel in the city."  As a result of their mischief, "the streets" of Jerusalem have been "multiplied...with the slain." 

Secrecy is a fundamental part of secret combinations, as it allows them to avoid detection.  Thus they are able to hide their crimes and commit the wicked deeds of their heart with impunity.  

But in addition to secrecy, secret combinations also use other methods to "get power" and "get gain.  One of these methods is through lies and flattery. 

And it came to pass that in the ninety and fourth year they [secret combinations] began to increase in a great degree, because there were many dissenters of the Nephites who did flee unto them, which did cause much sorrow unto those Nephites who did remain in the land. 29 And there was also a cause of much sorrow among the Lamanites; for behold, they had many children who did grow up and began to wax strong in years, that they became for themselves, and were led away by some who were Zoramites, by their lyings and their flattering words, to join those Gadianton robbers. (3 Nephi 1:28)

 Another way is through gaining positions of power, often by infiltrating the government. 

And seeing the people in a state of such awful wickedness, and those Gadianton robbers filling the judgment-seats—having usurped the power and authority of the land... (Helaman 4:7)

And they increase the positions of power, by seducing more people to join them: 

...the Nephites did build them up and support them, beginning at the more wicked part of them, until they had overspread all the land of the Nephites, and had seduced the more part of the righteous until they had come down to believe in their works and partake of their spoils, and to join with them in their secret murders and combinations.

And thus they did obtain the sole management of the government, insomuch that they did trample under their feet and smite and rend and turn their backs upon the poor and the meek, and the humble followers of God. (Helaman 6:38-39)

Once in that position, they use their influence to further their conspiracy and also insulate themselves from prosecution (see 3 Nephi 6).  These groups consists of the elites, the wealthy, and leaders of society (see Ezekiel 11). 

The purpose of gaining power is to overthrow the liberty of the people

For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it [secret combination] up seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people… (Ether 8:25)  

And 

They [secret combinations] did set at defiance the law and the rights of their country; and they did covenant one with another to destroy the governor, and to establish a king over the land, that the land should no more be at liberty but be subject unto kings. (3 Nephi 6:30) 

Secret combinations seek to overthrow the liberty of the people for a few reasons:

First, to gain power and money.  A well ordered system that protects the liberties and God given rights of its people is a bulwark to the desires of secret combinations.  Moreover, a free people can't be exploited by the wicked.  The wicked who involve themselves in secret combinations seek to turn people into property to use and exploit for their evil purposes.  When that happens, they can do anything they want, which is the true desire of their hearts (see Ether 8:16).   

The second reason is more spiritual.  Given that Satan is the author of secret combinations, he desires to bring others into his grasp so he can rule over them.  Satan receives joy and pleasure through the misery of others.  Thus by overthrowing the liberty of the people, he is able to vicariously, through the work of his wicked servants, glut himself off the suffering and misery of others. 

Sadly for the Nephites, Jaredites, and even the Jews, secret combination were able to gain an upper hand in their society, leading to their downfall.  

How Secret Combinations Gain Influence 

While secret combinations have been around since the beginning of human existence, their influence ebbs and flows.  Certainly throughout the period of Adam to Noah, secret combinations were widespread, leading to endless warfare among the people, and serving as the cause for the Lord's flooding of the earth. 

But an existence of a nation does not necessarily coincide with the existence of secret combinations.  For instance, the Nephite civilization existed many years until secret combinations became more influential.  Neither is there a set timeline for when they arise, as the secret combinations exerted influence earlier on in the Jaredite nation than they did in the Nephite nation. 

Nevertheless, secret combinations do gain a foothold when a society is slipping into wickedness.  Particularly when there is political strife.  For instance, in the Book of Mormon we learn of their rise upon the death Pahoran, which caused "much difficulty among the people..."  

Something similar occurs in Ether, where the Jaredites had undergone an intense civil war between Jared and his father, Omer -- and later with Omer's additional sons he begat while in captivity. 

In both cases, the political conflict created a vacuum for exploitation by those desirous for power.  For the Nephites, it was the supporters of Pahoran's son, Paanchi, who used secret means to achieve political power.  Similarly, it was Jared's daughter who sought out the records of the secret combinations of old, who "obtain[ed] kingdoms and great glory." 

In addition to this, secret combinations also gain a foothold when division arises.  This was true for the Nephites during the appointment of Pahoran's son.  It was also true for Nephites in 4 Nephi who descended into wickedness.  Secret combinations arose at the time the people started to distinguish themselves by the title Nephite and Lamanite. [1]

While this is not the only way secret combinations gain power, their rise in power does seem to follow a pattern and should cause us to reflect.  Today we see great political conflict and civil division.  Based on the discussed pattern, secret combinations are likely exploiting this to their advantage to gain a foothold or even a stronger one in today's society. 

Effects of Secret Combinations 

The danger of secret combinations is the effect they have upon a society.  Not only do these groups desire to have power, but they desire this power at the expense of others who are merely collateral damage.  Consider some of the effects they have: 

1. The righteous are persecuted 

Condemning the righteous because of their righteousness; letting the guilty and the wicked go unpunished because of their money…” (Hel 7:5) 

2. The laws and commandments of God are set aside

“...having usurped the power and authority of the land; laying aside the commandments of God, and not in the least aright before him; doing no justice unto the children of men;” (Hel 7:4) 

3. The prophets and saints are killed [2]

Therefore they did combine against the people of the Lord, and enter into a covenant to destroy them, and to deliver those who were guilty of murder from the grasp of justice… (3 Nephi 6:29) 

For behold, they murdered all the prophets of the Lord who came among them to declare unto them concerning their iniquities; and the blood of those whom they murdered did cry unto the Lord their God for vengeance upon those who were their murderers; and thus the judgments of God did come upon these workers of darkness and secret combinations. (Alma 37:30) 

4. The righteous are seduced and led astray  

38 And it came to pass on the other hand, that the Nephites did build them up and support them, beginning at the more wicked part of them, until they had overspread all the land of the Nephites, and had seduced the more part of the righteous until they had come down to believe in their works and partake of their spoils, and to join with them in their secret murders and combinations. (Hel 6:38) 

5. Repentance is prevented  

7 And they hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord, because of their wicked combinations; wherefore, there began to be wars and contentions in all the land, and also many famines and pestilences, insomuch that there was a great destruction, such an one as never had been known upon the face of the earth; and all this came to pass in the days of Shiblom. (Ether 11)  

6. They stir up rebellion [3]

5 And it came to pass that the brother of Shiblom caused that all the prophets who prophesied of the destruction of the people should be put to death; 6 And there was great calamity in all the land, for they had testified that a great curse should come upon the land, and also upon the people, and that there should be a great destruction among them, such an one as never had been upon the face of the earth, and their bones should become as heaps of earth upon the face of the land except they should repent of their wickedness. 7 And they hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord, because of their wicked combinations; wherefore, there began to be wars and contentions in all the land, and also many famines and pestilences, insomuch that there was a great destruction, such an one as never had been known upon the face of the earth; and all this came to pass in the days of Shiblom. (Ether 11) 

7. Nations and civilizations are destroyed 

And behold, in the end of this book ye shall see that this Gadianton did prove the overthrow, yea, almost the entire destruction of the people of Nephi. (Hel 2:13) 

And they have caused the destruction of this people of whom I am now speaking [Jaredites], and also the destruction of the people of Nephi. (Ether 8:21) 

How we respond to their influence is the topic of the next post. 

Footnotes

[1] In Mormon 8, Moroni tells us that the Book of Mormon will come forth during a time when secret combinations are around.   Not surprisingly, during the period of the Book of Mormon's coming forth, the United States was growing in division and there was political strife about. 

At the age, then, of sixty years, our blooming republic began to decline under the withering touch of Martin Van Buren! Disappointed ambition; thirst for power, pride, corruption, party spirit, faction, patronage; perquisites, fame, tangling alliances, priest-craft, and spiritual wickedness in high places, struck hands and revelled in midnight splendor. Trouble, vexation, perplexity, and contention, mingled with hope, fear, and murmuring, rumbled through the union and agitated the whole nation as would an earthquake at the centre of the earth the world, heaving the sea beyond the bounds, and shaking the everlasting hills; so, in hopes of better times, while jealousy, hypocritical pretensions, and pompous ambition, were luxuriating on the ill-gotten spoils of the people, they rose in their majesty like a tornado, and swept through the land, till General Harrison appeared as a star among the storm clouds for better weather. – Joseph Smith, 1844, General Smith’s Views of the Power and Policy of the Government.

Some notable and contentious events: 

November 1824: The U.S. presidential election of 1824 was deadlocked with no clear winner, and the political machinations of the controversial election ended the period of American politics known as The Era of Good Feelings.

February 9, 1825: The election of 1824 was settled by a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives, which elected John Quincy Adams as president. Supporters of Andrew Jackson claimed a "Corrupt Bargain" had been struck between Adams and Henry Clay. 

August 21, 1831: Nat Turner led a rebellion by enslaved people in Virginia.

June 24, 1832: A cholera epidemic which had ravaged Europe appeared in New York City, causing enormous panic and prompting half the city's population to flee to the countryside. Cholera was closely linked to polluted water supplies. As it tended to occur in poor neighborhoods, it was often blamed on immigrant populations.

March 27, 1834: President Andrew Jackson was censured by the U.S. Congress during a bitter disagreement over the Bank of the United States. The censure was later expunged.

[2] In addition to these statements, we know from the Book of Mormon that due to Lehi's prophesying his life was in danger.  We know that Jeremiah and Lehi were contemporaries.  We learn from Jeremiah 9: 2-8 that there was a "secret lying conspiracy."  The Lord told Jeremiah that “a conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem” (Jeremiah 11:9). Ezekiel, another contemporary of Lehi, spoke of the same in these terms: “There is a conspiracy of [Jerusalem’s false] prophets in the midst thereof . . . they have taken the treasure and precious things” (Ezekiel 22:25).

Thus when Lehi's life is placed in danger, it was likely not due to the act of a violent mob outraged by his prophecies, but rather, his death was being orchestrated through conspiracy.  The same conspiracy that has killed prophets of old and will kill prophets of the future. 

[3] Although Nephite society became very wicked after about 100 years post Christ visiting, their destruction occurred when they began to allow secret combination to flourish. After the Gadianton robbers came on the scene, they began to infest the land. (4 Nephi; Mormon 1:18). In the year that they"invested the land", war began to break out between the Nephites and Lamanites. (Mormon 2:1). 

When the Spirit Ceases to Strive with Man

 

Incurring God's Wrath

When a people have been given truth and they fail to obey that truth, or in Paul's word, hold the "truth in unrighteousness," they incur the wrath of God. 

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness... (Romans 1: 18)  

When we think of God's wrath, we tend to think of a God who, out of anger, shoots thunderbolts from the sky to punish the wicked.  This is not accurate.  This is because to incur God's wrath is to have God remove himself from us.  In the scriptures, God's removal of his presence is referred to as his spirit ceasing to strive with us. 

I, the Lord, am angry with the wicked; I am holding my Spirit from the inhabitants of the earth. (D&C 63: 32) 

The Forces of Good and Evil

In this world, there are two, and only two, competing forces vying for our attention.  There is the force of good and the force of evil.  Each of these forces is in a tug-o-war for us.  They attract our attention by enticing us to choose their "side." 

And to bring about his eternal purposes in the end of man, after he had created our first parents, and the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and in fine, all things which are created, it must needs be that there was an opposition; even the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter. Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other. (2 Nephi 15 - 16)) 

As spirits created from light, we are receptors of light.  God deeply desires for us to heed his voice through the light he has given to us -- which is communicated to our conscience.  As we obey our conscience, we receive greater light.  This light grows brighter and brighter until the perfect day.  

As we heed the light, we are rewarded.  We receive blessings, are filled incrementally with God's love, and God prospers our way.  But heeding the light requires effort and diligence.  After all, growth and progression is inherently more difficult to achieve than withering and regression.  To see this in action, compare what it takes to gain muscle compared to gaining fat.  

And trust me, I know this fact from firsthand experience, as I went from being able to lift a tire to gaining a spare-tire through a not-so moderated diet of pita chips and sour cream and cheddar ruffles during the initial lock-down stags of the COVID pandemic.   Noteworthy about my transition from Thor to the Pillsbury doughboy was the amount of effort and time it took me to reach the physical fitness pre-pandemic -- which required four years of dieting and a rigorous workout regimen -- to becoming languid.  But I digress. 

It is this tension between growth and withering that Satan exploits.  Satan's strategy is to convince us that there is a different path to achieving our desires.  He convinces us that this "different" path is easier and that it doesn't require the effort our conscience (and by consequence God) demands of us. 

And with this lie he hooks us, causing us to reject the truth. 

Consequence of Rejecting Truth

When we reject the truth, we grow "vain in our imaginations."  We erroneously believe that there is an easier way to achieve our desires.  Our misguided thoughts and imaginations govern our world, reinforcing our false beliefs.  As we regress from the light, we institute and rework systems to reinforce our falsehood and perpetuate it onto others.  

The result is that our heart becomes darkened by the steady assimilation of falsehoods. 

Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools... (Romans 1: 21 -22)

These systems, which are merely a reflection of our vanity and foolishness, become the god we worship, or in other words, the "gods" which we honor and elevate.  

And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. (Romans 1:23) 

As these systems become further entrenched within society, falsehoods become more prevalent and accepted.  This weakens our ability to discern truth, resulting in more falsehoods being accepted and disseminated.  

Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. (Romans 1: 24 -25) 

As this continues, our hearts calcify and become an impenetrable stone to the light God sends to us.  Like a seed that can't take root to grow, God's light is prevented from taking "root" in the fertile soil of our heart and mind. 

In this condition, truth becomes offensive to us.  As a result, we are unteachable. 

Having cut ourselves off from God and unwilling to receive correction, God turns us over to our wicked desires.  

For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient... (Romans 1: 26 - 28)

Our World Today

Understanding this principle explains why we are witnessing the stupefying and hollowing out of any moral core in our society.  It is why... 

• Public schools are comfortable hosting "drag-queen story hour" for elementary to high school students and are complicit in normalizing sexual deviancy among the youth. 

• School teachers have become less purveyors of knowledge and more promoters of gender and racial ideology, buttressed by their own agenda. 

• Hundreds of teenage girls, with the encouragement of parents, educators, and medical professionals, are undergoing irreversible gender-assignment procedures, which leave them maimed and disfigured, and permanently infertile. 

• A large subset of people were unwilling to condemn violence that ripped apart cities during the racial-reckoning riots of summer 2020, leading to billions of dollars in damages and +20 deaths. 

• Aggression between both sides of the ideological spectrum have become more hostile towards each other, and racially motivated killings have occurred, and will continue to occur -- across both divides. 

• 97% of the content of pornographic videos, "targets of violence and/or aggression were women", according to the findings of one study [1]

• Entertainment in all its forms has become more overtly sexual, darker, and violent over the years. 

• Sex-trafficking is a problem and will continue to worsen. 

• A subset of people, even ostensibly religious people, are comfortable with enfranchising biological women to kill the unborn on the specious grounds of bodily autonomy.   It is also why many support, and some states have enacted, laws permitting abortion up to the birth of the baby -- which is noting short of infanticide, despite the euphemism. 

• Christ has been re-characterized as middle east political revolutionary, concerned with liberating the marginalized from systemic institutions of power.  A man who is more concerned about the elimination of "oppressive" institutions than the personal behavior of his followers.

• A select group of global elites and their army of activist are content with plunging billions of people into starvation in order to promote green and sustainable growth.

In short, it is the reason for the regression and degradation of our society.  Our society is like unto a ship without a rudder that is tossed along the waves of temptation and deception.  We have rejected the truth God has sent to us have been turned over to our desires, while reaping the consequences.

The Battle of Spirits 

As Paul taught, the real battle we wage is not one against the flesh, but against the spirit world.  What we are witnessing in our mortal condition are merely the effects of causes from the spirit world.  God's Spirit can keep these forces relatively at bay.  But when a society enshrines falsehoods into its beings and conduct, then God's Spirit can no longer dwell.

To ensure God's Spirit dwells with us, we need to return...

• love for hate; 

• patience for anger; 

• peace for war; 

• humility for envy;

• compassion for judgment; 

• truth for error.

It is only be doing these things that we are able to abide the day and allow God's light to shine within and without, insulating us against the forces of darkness.  

Footnotes

[1] Archives of Sexual Behavior, A Descriptive Analysis of the Types, Targets, and Relative Frequency of Aggression in Mainstream Pornography July 13, 2020

Like A Thief In The Night

 

The Day of the Lord 

Ever since the fall, in which we lost paradise, the minds of the righteous have been pointed toward the creation of a new heaven and new earth.  This creation is marked by two events: the Lord's redemption of us from sin and the establishment of God's kingdom.

When faced with the scene of utter wickedness, it was the fulfillment of these two events that buttressed Enoch's faith, removing his despair and giving him a fullness of joy. 

54 And it came to pass that Enoch cried unto the Lord, saying: When the Son of Man cometh in the flesh, shall the earth rest? I pray thee, show me these things. 55 And the Lord said unto Enoch: Look, and he looked and beheld the Son of Man lifted up on the cross, after the manner of men...

          ... 

 And it came to pass that Enoch saw the day of the coming of the Son of Man, in the last days, to dwell on the earth in righteousness for the space of a thousand years; 66 But before that day he saw great tribulations among the wicked; and he also saw the sea, that it was troubled, and men’s hearts failing them, looking forth with fear for the judgments of the Almighty God, which should come upon the wicked. 67 And the Lord showed Enoch all things, even unto the end of the world; and he saw the day of the righteous, the hour of their redemption, and received a fulness of joy... (Moses 7)

This day of the earth's rest -- or sabbath -- is referred to in the scriptures as either the day of the coming of the son of man or the day of the Lord. 

Like a Thief

When speaking about the timeline for this momentous event, the Lord likens it to a thief in the night. 

Have you ever wondered why? 

It seems strange, given the numerous descriptions of the day of the Lord, which will be  accompanied by death and destruction, momentous signs and wonders, and massive world events, that this day would come like a thief in the night.   

Fortunately, Paul's letter to the Thessalonians gives light to this obscurity when he writes: 

1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

Verse 3 provides our answer.  The day of the Lord comes like a thief because the wicked will have misperceived reality.  They will believe things are not as bad as they really are, and therefore will have failed to take any substantial action to acquire truth, choosing to take comfort it their supposed peace and security. 

This ostensible "peace and security" is created by failing to fill one's lamp with oil.  When a person lacks the knowledge of truth -- or reality -- they rely on their ignorance, which obscures their view, much like accumulation of rain does to windshield when the wipers are not activated.  In this condition, the person fails to "see" outside and relies on what they know, thus failing to perceive the dangers that lie ahead. 

13 ¶ Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. 14 Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.  (Isaiah 5: 13 -14). 

Truth Sent Forth Like a Flood  

Falling to the unknown dangers due to ignorance is the fate of the wicked.  But what about the Lord's people?  Turning back to Moses 7, we learn the Lord preserves his people by sending truth out of heaven. 

61 And the day shall come that the earth shall rest, but before that day the heavens shall be darkened, and a veil of darkness shall cover the earth; and the heavens shall shake, and also the earth; and great tribulations shall be among the children of men, but my people will I preserve;

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

To possess truth is to align ourselves to reality, which comes by acting in accordance to God's character and attributes.  

Throughout the past two years, the Lord has sent more truth than we might have realized, and it came in ways that we might not have expected. 

The first instance occurred with COVID and the borderline tyrannical response of many governments without concern for individual liberty. 

How did you respond?  

Did the you realize the fallibility of the arm of flesh, or did you rely on the arm for protection?  Were you inclined to support the power of the state to compel others to undergo vaccinations against their will, especially when the complications were not fully known? 

Or, on the other hand, did you wish ill upon those who were vaccinated, believing that you were wiser and better than they?  Did you believe yourself to be wiser than your fellow men, but disinclined yourself from sharing the knowledge you possessed to help others gain a more accurate perception and better understanding?  

COVID revealed the fallibility of men and institutions, and exposed how much we were willing to be ruled by fear, and the actions we were willing to take as a result.  It also revealed how fragile our economic system is, and how the system is easily disrupted when the coherence is interfered with.  And it also revealed that many of our leaders are not as prudent and rationale as we supposed. 

During the summer of 2020, massive riots broke out in response to the killing of George Floyd. 

How did you respond?  Did you justify or minimize the violence that ripped across American cities, resulting in further deaths and destroyed communities?  Did you pray for the rioters and were you saddened to see them engage in destructive behavior?  Did these events cause you to mourn for the nation? [1] Did these events cause you to hate your neighbor who shares different views than you? 

This event was a wake-up call to many pacified Americans, including myself, about the destructive and violent nature of leftist ideologies.  It served to reveal how fragile and divided our country is, and how close we are to imploding.  It also revealed whether we had charity for all people, not just our friends.  The riots also revealed how many people and institutions have succumbed to false notions about reality. 

Recently, the Supreme Court of the United States in the Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade. 

How did you respond?  Were you sad or did you rejoice in the decision?  Did you enjoy mocking those with whom you disagree?  Did your heart melt with sorrow for those who are misguided to believe that abortion is moral?  Did (and do) you pray for those who are misguided in their beliefs, hoping they will repent?  Or did (and do) you relish in the "victory" -- even to the points of rubbing it in? [2]

The decision and events that followed showed us where our allegiance lies, and whether our heart aligns with God or not.  It showed how much we value life.  It also exposed how prone we are to pride, even in righteous outcomes.  It also revealed who stands for life, and as a consequence who is subject to God's judgment. 

Those who responded appropriately to the foregoing events, will have acquired additional light, which will provide greater ability to discern.  After all, light cleaves to light, and light exposes the darkness.  

These are just some of the events out of the many that will come forth.  The forthcoming events will serve the purpose of dividing the wheat from the tares.  They are inflection points which shape our trajectory. 

Those who embrace reality and align their character to God's, will receive more light, giving them greater discernment for future events, thereby improving their ability to discern subsequent events correctly.  This is how the righteous are gathered in the last days. 

11 And I give unto you a commandment, that ye shall forsake all evil and cleave unto all good, that ye shall live by every word which proceedeth forth out of the mouth of God. 12 For he will give unto the faithful line upon line, precept upon precept; and I will try you and prove you herewith. 13 And whoso layeth down his life in my cause, for my name’s sake, shall find it again, even life eternal (D&C 98).

Those who heed the light fill their lamps with oil. [3]  Conversely, those who fail to do this, will embrace greater darkness, becoming further blinded to the truth - setting snares for themselves to be entrapped. 

20 ¶ Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

          ... 

24 Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. 25 Therefore is the anger of the Lord kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets.  (Isaiah 5) 

Those Fit For The Flames 

We don't become heroes or villains overnight.  Rather, it is a the steady path, taken on a daily basis, that molds our character, setting us on the path to becoming a person of the light or  darkness.  And if we are people of the darkness, then we are only fit for the flames because our existence causes disorder and chaos to God's creation.  In other words, our presence creates hell, not heaven, just like the outgrowth of weeds in a garden destroys the plants.

To avoid this, we must possess truth and our character must align to that truth.  

The events happening now and in the future have a far greater purpose than we realize.  These events are designed to test our character by exposing us to truth in a manner that doesn't overwhelm us. [4]  

But just as person who doesn't understand basic arithmetic will fail to comprehend calculus, those who fail to perceive truth throughout its incremental revelation and align themselves to it, will be unable to comprehend God's workings and unable to discern correct choices in the future.  And as a consequence, they will stumble and be caught "suddenly without remedy." 

These days are ones of fasting, prayer, and study, in the spirit of meekness, with training our eye to be single to God's glory.  The tests have begun, the clock is ticking, and our path will be marked. 

I pray to God that you and I choose correctly. 

12 ¶ A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth. 13 He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers; 14 Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord. 15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy (Proverbs 6). 

Footnote

[1] Lest anyone think I succeeded, they are mistaken.  During this period, I did not pour my heart out for these people through intercession.  And worse, I felt, deep inside, that I was superior because of my knowledge and rejoiced at the downfall of the foolish.  The Lord pointed this out to me and I have since repented. 

[2] As explained in footnote [1], during the riots, I was prideful because of my knowledge and assumed myself to be better.  However,  during this time around, I have learned and turned my heart to praying for those who misguidedly believe that killing the innocent life should be a constitutional right -- or even a civil right.  

[3] Of course, there will come a time where one must have the full gift of the Holy Ghost to accurately perceive truth, as we can't do it on our own and will need God's grace to guide us. 

[4] From my understanding, the Lord is not so harsh as to only give us once chance.  Often the same challenges we face will repeat themselves in different cycles, given us chances to learn and improve.  If we fail our test, the key is to recognize our error and seek for improvement.  

Our Conduct Towards Others

 

The Heart Waxes Cold

Before the Lord returns, we know that there will arise much contention and disputations among men, with the love of men waxing cold.  Already we see many succumbing to this temptation, turning their neighbor into their enemy.  

It is true that the world is increasing in wickedness.  And for the those who possess truthful principles, it is all too easy to see the other side as an enemy with whom one has to defeat in battle -- or at last shame and mock endlessly.  It would be one thing if this behavior was common among non-believers, but sadly this behavior is prevalent among Christians -- across all denominations and sects. 

While it is true that we have to stand up for truth, this doesn't mean that we browbeat our neighbor into submission or return railing for railing, accusation for accusation.  As Christians we walk the path of the Savior, placing the salvation of souls as our highest priority. 

The Body of Christ  

Christians, first and foremost, are a group of people who have been redeemed by the Lord to produce good works for the world.  We are to be a particular people; a kingdom of priests. 

[Christ] gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works  (Titus 2:14).

We are a light that sets the moral standard unto a lost and fallen world

Verily I say unto you all: Arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations... (D&C 115: 5)

Initially, God worked through the nation of Israel to represent his name among the pagan nations.  If Israel would have been obedient, then God could have used their godly example to convert the pagan nations to the gospel -- thereby ushering in paradise. 

But, as we know, Israel failed.  As a consequence, God chose to carry out his work of redemption through church groups. 

Christ has called us out of the world to help the world.  Therefore, our moral obligation is to shine as light, so that others might be saved (2 Timothy 2: 24 - 26; Alma 17: 11).  Accordingly, if our actions put up stumbling blocks for non-believers, then we are not properly performing our obligation.  

When we turn our neighbor into our enemy and engage in contentious conduct, we are hardening their heart.  Our remarks have effectively drawn a marked line in the proverbial sand.  Insulting and pejorative remarks put our neighbor on the defensive, causing them to put their guard up, which prevents us from reaching them.

In speaking of his early childhood experience, where he experienced great contention among different sects, Jospeh Smith remarked: 

For, notwithstanding the great love which the converts to these different faiths expressed at the time of their conversion, and the great zeal manifested by the respective clergy, who were active in getting up and promoting this extraordinary scene of religious feeling... a scene of great confusion and bad feeling ensued — priest contending against priest, and convert against convert... so that all their good feelings one for another, if they ever had any, were entirely lost in a strife of words and a contest about opinions. (Joseph Smith — History 1:6)

In reality, when we engage in this conduct we are playing the role of Satan instead of Christ.  Consider some of the very first remarks the Lord made to the Nephites at Bountiful: 

For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another. (3 Nephi 11:29)

Contention is the result of pride (see Proverbs 13:10).  And prides leads to destruction and disunity (see Moroni 8:27).  These are diametrically opposed to the character and purposes of God.  

The apostles understood this principle very well.  This is why Paul instructed Timothy, who was a bishop of the church in Ephesus, that:  

...[the] servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them [the Gentiles] repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they [the Gentiles] may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will (2 Timothy 2: 24-26).  

The Greek word used here for gentle, anexikakos, describes tolerating difficulties without resentment. As we can see, our conduct should be tailored to open up the way for non-believers to repent.  And this pathway is opened up by a meek and patient demeanor that is void of contention.  

Similarly, through modern revelation, the Lord instructed his church how we are to handle ourselves, even in disagreement: 

Above all things, clothe yourselves with the bond of charity, as with a mantle, which is the bond of perfectness and peace” (D&C 88:125).

Testifying Boldly, But With Love 

To be clear, the principle I'm advocating doesn't mean that we are pushovers or we refrain from testifying of truth.  In the words of Elder Neil L. Andersen, we are not to "shrink[] before those who disparage us.  Rather, we remain confident in our faith, sharing our beliefs with conviction but always void of anger or malice." 

Often, the showing of love requires boldness and candor.  But problems arise when we speak boldly for the sake of being bold or to gratify our pride, instead of for the sake of testifying of truth and winning the hearts of others.  There is no "owning" of the other side. 

Proper actions are those calculated to persuade and win-over non-believers.  Often the best way to show a better way is through our conduct.  We are to seek peace with others and persuade others through our example and in no way should we contend. 

Fortunately, through the scriptures, we have examples of what this looks like and what it doesn't.  As a model for how to engage with non-believers is Ammon.  Sent to a hostile people, Ammon won over the Lamanites by setting an example.  Brought before the king Lamoni, Ammon desired to be the king's servant.  Faced with an attack, Ammon showed faith and courage in defending the king's flock.  His example of love and faith touched the heart of king Lamoni, who wanted what Ammon had.  Ammon's show of love also touched the heart of king Lamoni's father, leading to his repentance as well as others. 

Similarly, David, whose life was threatened by King Saul repeatedly forgave and spared his life, even when, at one point, he could have killed him.  David's repeated extension of mercy caused Saul to recognize his sin causing him to give up in trying to kill David and repent of his sins. 

Opposite to Ammon is his brother Aaron, who, faced with a more hard hearted people, chose to condemn and excoriate the Lamanites.  The result was that he was imprisoned and suffered great hardships.  Similarly, some of the early Saints in Missouri banded with a radical theo-political group called the Danites.  The Danites responded to the injustices in Missouri by issuing fiery rhetoric.   Due to the Danites' incendiary rhetoric, the Missourians believed the Mormons to be a threat and acted out their fear, which resulted in the Mormon's expulsion from Missouri.  And even before this, the Saints caustic attitude towards the Missourians caused them to be expelled from Independence, for which conduct the Lord sternly rebuked them.  

Edify Through Conduct and Action 

Writing to the Colossians, Paul exhorts the members to let their words "be seasoned with salt."  Salt makes food taste better.  Accordingly, our words should do likewise.  This means that the words we speak are to add value to the conversation.  And this value comes by way of edification. 

Accordingly, words and actions that mock, demean, belittle or denigrate others (especially non-believers) are not "seasoned with salt" and instead are more akin to a bitter herb that is hard to digest -- and only leaves an unpleasant aftertaste.  Our conduct ends up creating barriers instead of pathways. 

In addition to using our words and action to edify, we can tap into the powers of heaven through our prayers.  A healthy prayer life will include praying for others. As Paul counseled Timothy,  

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men...(1 Timothy 2:1) 

Intercessory prayer is the act of praying for others.  Daniel's prayer in Daniel 9 is a model of this type of prayer and should be studied.  It is a prayer characterized by fervency, self-denial, expression of love for one's neighbor, and rooted in God's character and glory. 

This prayer is displayed throughout the scriptures.  From Abraham's prayer for Sodom and Gomorrah to the New Testament church's prayer for Peter when he was confined in prison, godly people prayed for the welfare of others.  We are no different.  We are to intercede for:

• All in authority (1 Timothy 2:2); 

• Ministers (Philippians 1:19); 

• Friends (Job 42:8); 

• Fellow countrymen (Romans 10:1);

• The sick (James 5:14); 

• Enemies (Jeremiah 29:7);

• Those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44); 

• Those who forsake us (2 Timothy 4:16); 

• And all men (1 Timothy 2:1). [1]

And finally, like Ammon and David, we can testify of truth through our example.  As the old adage goes, "actions speak louder than words." Often the way we will have an impact is the good example we set, which will draw others to us as they recognize the value we possess. 

The Worth of Souls 

As the Savior emphasized in a variety of his parables, the worth of sole is great in the sight of God (see also D&C 18:13).  God is a being who will do everything he can to reclaim the lost.  Those who follow him, will have the same attitude.  Let us no trifle with the souls of men.  Instead, let us bind hearts together in unity. 

In the words of A. E. Housman, who appropriately remarked: 

If in that Syrian garden, ages slain,  

You sleep, and know not you are dead in vain, Nor even in dreams behold how dark and bright Ascends in smoke and fire by day and night

The hate you died to quench and could but fan, Sleep well and see no morning, son of man.

But if, the grave rent and the stone rolled by, At the right hand of majesty on high

You sit, and sitting so remember yet

Your tears, your agony and bloody sweat,

Your cross and passion and the life you gave,

Bow hither out of heaven and see and save

Footnote

[1] See https://www.gotquestions.org/intercessory-prayer.html