Tuesday, August 25, 2020

AD CAMPAIGN USING SMALL CHILDREN WEARING MASKS OUTSIDE RUNNING FREELY IN THE SUN

I saw this billboard today in Salt Lake City. It made me sad to see a brother and sister holding hands running outside in the summer sunshine.. wearing masks. Nothing about that image is normal... and we should fight against it becoming our "new normal"

BILLBOARD: Two small children running outside wearing masks



We should think twice on what we are promoting. News article about 2 boys who died while running (exercising) because they were wearing masks. Let's make sure we don't kill the young to protect the high risk elderly who have underlying medical conditions. See story that was fact checked.

Two schoolboys in China reportedly collapsed and suddenly died within a week of each other after they were forced to participate in gym class while sporting face masks:
  https://www.nydailynews.com/coronavirus/ny-coronavirus-two-chinese-boys-die-face-masks-gym-class-20200507-ruyinz7czjbqde3tprx647q3dm-story.html



After seeing that I decided to edit together a few clips and make the following video: 



"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore, take unto you the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand."
 Ephesian 6:12

Tuesday, August 18, 2020

DISCONTINUED: Ensign Magazine. The LDS Church will cease publication


The Ensign of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly shortened to Ensign is an official magazine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Some members would consider this periodical as modern day scripture since it contained a monthly First Presidency Message written by the Prophet or one of his counselors. Every month, Home Teachers shared that message with their assigned families so every member would hear the Prophets' message. Well, that was the goal at least.

Once he was sustained as the Prophet by the members in April 2018, President Nelson never wrote a First Presidency Message for the Ensign. This broke an almost 50 year history of the one of the main purposes of the Church's premiere publication. 

Announced this week, President Nelson takes things one step further. The discontinuation of the Ensign magazine altogether. The December 2020 issue will be the last one printed.



Here is the official announcement:


I know for many whose entire life as a members where this magazine graced their living room coffee table will find the elimination of the Ensign to be surprising. The Church will continue to print the Friend, the New Era (to renamed For the Strength of Youth, and the International magazine, The Liahona formerly known as Tambuli in the English-language version)


Sidenote:

It seems like the Church is also discontinuing placing the Angel Moroni's on top of their Temples. In The Church released this week a new rendering of the Taylorsville Temple which will be built in the middle of the Salt Lake Valley. Missing from the top of this to-be-built temple is the Angel Moroni. This is looking like this is the "new-normal" for the Church. 

Rendering of the Taylorsville, Utah Temple that will begin construction in the coming weeks. 
_________________


Sidenote #2:

 the latest news about another Temple being built in Tooele about 30 miles away from this Taylorsville, UT Temple.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint leaders have withdrawn their plan to build a residential community surrounding the announced Tooele Valley Utah Temple

https://www.ksl.com/article/50007804/latter-day-saint-leaders-withdraw-rezoning-request-for-proposed-tooele-valley-temple-community

“We acknowledge the efforts of those who have raised questions and sincere concerns about the Tooele Valley Temple project, including the residential development surrounding the temple. There is a sincere desire on the part of the Church to avoid discord in the community,” the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said in a statement released Tuesday.

“Therefore, regardless of the outcome of a pending signature-gathering effort, we have determined to withdraw our rezoning request for the residential portion of the temple project.”




Thursday, August 13, 2020

Bad Things Happen to Good People - #sayhisname

People often ask, "Why do bad things happen to good people?"  When we ask that question, we often forget the Good One who suffered/felt/experienced/atoned for more "BAD" things than we can even imagine. I post this in response to a story I read today that is not being reported very much in the media because it doesn't fit well with the current agenda sweeping our country. It is the shooting of a 5 year old boy, Cannon Hinnant. Here is a link to the story: LINK



excerpts from the chapter entitled Gethsemane in the book Come Let Us Adore Him. 

"As the Lord knelt in prayer, His vicarious suffering began. He was overcome by pain and anguish. He felt within Him, not just the pains of sin, but also the illnesses men suffer as a result of the Fall, and their foolish and evil choices. The suffering was long and the challenge difficult...
The Lord experienced all the horror and regret wicked men feel for their crimes when they finally see the truth. He experienced the suffering of their victims whose righteous anger and natural resentment and disappointment must also be shed, and forgiveness given, in order for them to find peace. He overcame them all. He descended below them all. He comprehends it all. And He knows how to bring peace to them all. He knows how to love others whether they are the one who has given offense or the one who is a victim of the offense.
In the final wave, the most brutal, most evil, most heinous sins men inflict upon one another were felt by Him as a victim of the worst men can do. He knew how it felt to wrongly suffer death. He knew what it was like to be a mother holding a child in her arms as they are both killed by those who delight in their suffering. He knew how it was for ambitious men to rid themselves of a rival by conspiracy and murder. He knew what it was to have virtue robbed from the innocent. He knew betrayal, treachery, and abuse in all its worst degrading horror. There was no cruelty, no offense, no evil that mankind has suffered or will suffer that was not put upon Him.

He knew what it is like for men to satisfy their ambition by clothing their hypocrisy in religious garb. He also felt what it was like to be the victim of religious oppression by those who pretend to practice virtue while oppressing others. He knew the hearts of those who would kill Him. Before confronting their condemnation of Him in the flesh, He suffered their torment of mind when they recognized He was the Lord, and then found peace for what they would do by rejecting Him. In this extremity there was madness itself as He mirrored the evil which would destroy Him, and learned how to come to peace with the Father after killing the Son of God, and to love all those involved without restraint and without pretense even before they did these terrible deeds. His suffering, therefore, encompassed all that has happened, all that did happen, and all that would happen in the future.

As a result of what the Lord suffered, there is no condition - physical, spiritual or mental - that He does not fully understand. He knows how to teach, comfort, succor and direct any who come to Him seeking forgiveness and peace.  He obtained this knowledge by the things he suffered. He suffered that we might avoid sin by being obedient to His commandments. None of us need harm another, if we will follow Him. He knows fully the consequences of sin. He teaches His followers how to avoid sin.
He can bring peace to any soul. He can help those who will come to Him love their fellow man. He alone is the Perfect Teacher because He alone has the knowledge each of us lack to return to being whole and at peace with the God and Father of us all after our transgression of His will..."