Wednesday, August 22, 2012

95: SETTING THEMSELVES UP FOR A LIGHT

Below is a short excerpt from a Conference address given by Elder Maxwell in his 1993 Conference address, "Behold the Enemy is Combined".
...........
"While living amid the foreseen “distress of nations, with perplexity,” members also have prophetic leadership which provides direction. Several times a year, we sustain fifteen Apostles as prophets, seers, and revelators. So we know to whom to look, even though a few “seek not the welfare of Zion” and “set themselves up for a light.”
...........................

Who are the few that Elder Neal A Maxwell is referring who seek not for the welfare of Zion and are setting themselves up for a light? When listening to this, one could assume the "few" are some of the fifteen Apostles sustained as prophets, seers, and revelators. If you don't believe the quote..  here is the audio recording of it below, and actual video footage is as well.
.

Actual footage. (approximately at the 10 minute and 30 second time mark)



Now... What is even more interesting is that Maxwell's quote was changed and "corrected" in the Ensign: Here is the altered version in the printed Ensign.

"While living amid the foreseen “distress of nations, with perplexity,” members also have prophetic leadership which provides direction. Several times a year, we sustain fifteen Apostles as prophets, seers, and revelators. So we know to whom to look, even though there are a few members who “seek not the welfare of Zion” and “set themselves up for a light.”

The altered version shifts from the Brethren to a few the members of the church. Is this what Maxwell meant to say? Did Maxwell simply make a mistake in Conference? Or was this statement too damaging to the Brethren from one of their own who was calling a few of them out to repent and stop setting themselves up for a light?

Elder Maxwell is known for using precise and exact words. When you listen to the talk, it is my opinion (and I could be wrong)  that Elder Maxwell's said it exactly right the first time, that a few of the fifteen Apostles seek not the welfare of Zion and set themselves up for a light. So, I don’t know which is more disturbing, the fact that Maxwell said this in conference over the pulpit exposes some of the Brethren.. or that it was changed/covered up later on by the Church Correlation Committee.

This is not the first time something like this has happened. In the October 1984 General Conference Elder Ronald E Poelman delivered a sermon entitled "The Gospel and the Church". Controversy ensued when the version of his sermon that was published in the November 1984 Ensign differed from the sermon Poelman had delivered orally. His talk was revideotaped and copies of general conference that were included in church archives and distributed throughout the church contained Poelman delivering the revised version of his sermon. A "cough track" was included in the retaping to make it appear that the revised sermon was delivered in front of an audience. This could give a “false impression” about this being the original.

There is no doubt that those who edit, change, alter have good intentions. I don't post this as criticism. I do post these things for others to be aware that All is not Well in Zion. Using Maxwell's quote, there are some not seeking for the welfare of Zion.. and some are setting themselves up to be the light for us to follow.


......................

Sidenote:

GALA CELEBRATES LDS Church President Monson's birthday

The life and times of President Thomas S. Monson, 16th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, were celebrated in song and story Friday night at the church's downtown Conference Center during a special 85th birthday gala featuring the music of his life.

In front of a near-capacity crowd that included President Monson and his family on the first row, "Golden Days: A Celebration of Life" featured Broadway show tunes, popular songs and religious music that are either meaningful to President Monson or representative of special times in his life.

At the conclusion of the concert, President Monson stood at his front-row seat. He turned to face the audience and waved with both hands high over his head. The audience responded in a way they can never respond when they see him in this building during LDS General Conference: They applauded and cheered their prophet.
link to story
...