CAUGHT IN THE NET

In the Saturday Morning Session of General Conference, Elder Oaks spoke about commandments, explaining that there are two types: Permanent and Temporary. He also talked about the importance of the phrase, "Follow our Perfect Role Model and His prophet."

He began his talk with, "This year, millions have been inspired by the gospel study plan known as the Savior’s invitation, ‘Come, follow me.’ Following Christ is not a casual or occasional practice. It is a continuous commitment and way of life that should guide us at all times and in all places."

As we watched, I recorded his talk and noticed something unusual. When President Oaks mentioned "Following Christ," a photo of President Nelson was shown instead of the Lord. I found this intriguing and wondered if it could be perceived as a subliminal message suggesting that following Christ equates to following President Nelson—or even implying that Christ = Nelson. I truly hope it was an oversight and that they intended to show an image of Christ. Unfortunately, this was broadcast to the millions of members who watched the conference that morning.

Below is the my video recording:  VIDEO LINK

Yes, we should look to Jesus Christ as the Perfect Role Model. However, I often struggle with the command to follow any man, no matter how righteous. A better approach might be to "give heed" or "listen," but never to simply follow.

Research indicates that relying on others for information, and worse, just following them can affect our cognitive processes. Studies suggest that when we offload our thinking and adopt the LDS slogan, "When the prophet speaks, the thinking is done," we diminish our own critical thinking and problem-solving skills. 

I share this context to illustrate an experience I had during a hike last week.

The past year or so, I would hike almost weekly with friends, following a predetermined trail  by one person in our group.  When you can simply follow the person in front of you, you tend to pay less attention than if you were hiking alone. Unfortunately, due to some circumstances, we no longer continue these weekly hikes. However, as a group, we managed to go on one last hike last week to a beautiful mountain summit where you can see both Salt Lake City and Utah County Valleys It was crucial to stay together, as there were many different trails, and it would have been easy to get lost or separated from the group.

I wanted to hike back up to the summit last Saturday evening before sunset, observing Yom Kippur. I knew how to reach the trailhead and believed I had paid enough attention to remember the correct path. I recalled that we veered off the main road after about a quarter mile, and when I spotted a sign that read "Designated Hiking Loop," I assumed it was the trail I should take.

As I hiked, I noticed I wasn’t climbing as I expected and felt uncertain about the direction. I encountered another hiker and asked, “Is this the trail to the summit?” They replied, “Oh no, this is just a loop trail. It won’t take you to the top.”

So, I turned back, left the "Designated" Trail, and found the steep path that would take me to the peak. Since I had simply followed someone on the previous hike, I wasn’t familiar with the route on my own. I had lost precious time and had to run most of the way, despite the pain in my body. It was important for me to experience the end of Yom Kippur by witnessing the sunset.

Here is an aerial view of the two trails. The green trail represents the "Designated Trail" I was on, while the gold trail shows the steep path I had to navigate to reach the tower at the summit.

This hike was very important to me, much like the hike I took ten years ago to Lake Mary, which I briefly mentioned in this blog post.. LINK TO THE REST OF THE STORY

Symbolically, this hike resonates with the constellation of Pisces, represented by two fish swimming in opposite directions. One large fish is caught in a net, endlessly looping and circling the equator, while the smaller fish has broken free from this stagnating cycle. This smaller fish is heading north in search of God.

The best part of the hike was reaching the top just minutes before sunset. At the summit stands a spiral rock formation. The spiral is a powerful symbol found in various cultures, often representing growth, evolution, and the journey of life. In many spiritual traditions, it signifies the path of enlightenment and personal development, suggesting a continual unfolding of understanding.

In some Native American cultures, including the Navajo and Hopi, spiral formations are considered sacred, symbolizing the connection between the earth and the cosmos. They represent the journey of life, spiritual growth, and the cycles of nature.

To remember this hike, I paired some of the photos I took with words from the soundtrack of Jonathan Livingston Seagull.

Jonathan Livingston Seagull is a short book written by Richard Bach in the year I was born. The story follows a seagull named Jonathan who seeks to master the art of flight. He yearns to understand the nature of flying and the exhilaration it brings. Ultimately banished from his flock, he perseveres in his passion, transcending his physical limitations and becoming something greater than an ordinary seagull.

VIDEO LINK

CUTTING OUT, REMOVING, SHORTENING and DISCARDING TRUTH

I've spent some much-needed time in the mountains over the past couple of weeks. Despite the challenges we all face in life, I always find comfort in spending time hiking even though I am getting older and have to deal with the pain and sore muscles, I am always in awe of  God's creations.  We are at the cusp of a season change, from summer to Fall. Probably my favorite time of year. This world is a world of change. Nothing remains the same. Either we are gaining more light or we are losing light. I recently read that "One either searches out new truth — finds it, lives it, and thereby becomes restored to truth — or one backs away from it. If one is backing away, losing it, neglecting it, and discarding it, one is in the process of apostasy. With respect to God’s people, apostasy is always marked by a change of ordinances and breaking of the covenant."

Photos taken in July 2024 up Big Cottonwood Canyon

As everyone knows, over the past few years, the LDS Church has undergone numerous change especially to the Temple.  It seems like this is the new normal. Every time I go to the temple there is something that has changed.  Makes me wonder if these changes are driven by convenience, survey results, public opinion, or the needs of the rising generation. For instance, if it were deemed crucial for everyone to read the Book of Mormon for their salvation and we sought to make it easier, would we consider removing entire sections of scripture, such as the war chapters in Alma? Removing almost a quarter of the content without warning or divine revelation would be significant. While one might argue that removing repetitive or contentious passages could be inspired, it raises the question of how we would react if large repetitive sections of the Temple Endowment narrative were removed out. Were they not inspired in the first place? Was there is purposed for the repetition? If it is inspired to do this to the sacred rituals. Why stop there? maybe we could consider removing all repetition and editing things down to only to shortened versions of our scriptures, conference talks and Sunday School lessons. 

"If we fail to keep God’s ordinances exactly as prescribed, 

they are broken and no longer effective."

(Isaiah. 24:5.)

"House is always to be built for His presence. When accepted by Him it must remain exactly as He ordered it, or there are only two results: First, If the ordinances are not kept, He withdraws and the house is no longer His. Men are then free to do what they choose within the temple because God neglects it. The other result is that if the Lord still claims it, then those who offend within His House offend God.

Given the vanity and pride of mankind, it seems unlikely there will ever be people who are willing to strictly observe only what He asks as He asks it. It is a mistake to think we can improve on what He gives us, and yet we do.

When there is a House built for God (New Jerusalem), it will necessarily be through people of restraint, meekness, humility and patience who take no credit and think themselves no better than their fellows. It will be an undertaking requiring a heart like our Lord’s, full of the virtues He displayed. There will need to be a priest, like Moses, who was the meekest of all men. (Num. 12:3.) There will need to be someone, at last, who knows the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the Powers of Heaven, and when the heavens are offended, they withdraw. When withdrawn, other false spirits rush in to please and reassure us in our vanity and pride."

WHEN IT RAINS, IT POURS

The phrase "when it rains, it pours" is an idiom used to describe a situation where multiple negative events or problems happen in quick succession, often overwhelming the person experiencing them. The idea is that when one thing goes wrong, it seems like everything else starts going wrong too, much like how a light rain might suddenly turn into a downpour.

My wife and I were driving home on the I-15 freeway a few days ago when, out of nowhere, a sudden downpour descended from the sky. I snapped a quick photo as it swept across our path. This moment captured perfectly the past month for our family. We've experienced a heartbreaking series of losses—my dad, a close friend, and most recently, our beloved dog of 15 years. It’s true what they say: "when it rains, it pours"

Despite the difficulties we try to move forward with faith and hope. 

Yesterday, a friend shared with my the following story. 

A woman who was terminally ill was discussing her final wishes with her pastor. She told him that she wanted to be buried with her scriptures and that she wanted to be holding a fork in her right hand. The pastor was puzzled by the unusual request and asked her to explain.

The woman smiled and explained that throughout her life, she had attended many church dinners and social gatherings where a meal was served. After the main course, the servers would often lean in and tell the guests to "keep your fork" because something better was coming—usually a delicious dessert like pie or cake.

She told the pastor that this phrase, "keep your fork," had always reminded her that the best was yet to come. So, when people saw her in her casket holding a fork, she wanted them to wonder why. Then, she wanted the pastor to explain that the fork was a symbol of her faith—her belief that even after death, something better was coming, a beautiful afterlife with God.

Sidenote that I thought was interesting: 

The phrase "when it rains, it pours" became associated with Morton Salt through an innovative advertising campaign launched in 1911. At that time, one of the challenges with salt was that it tended to clump together in humid weather, making it difficult to pour. Morton Salt developed a solution by adding a small amount of magnesium carbonate to the salt, which prevented clumping and allowed the salt to pour freely, even in damp conditions.

THE PASSING OF MY FATHER - SACRED SUNRISE and HIKE

I have seen many sunrises and shared photos of some, but the most sacred and significant sunrise occurred a week ago this morning. Instead of from a mountain top, I watched the sunrise from my parents' bedroom window right after my dad passed away. It's hard to believe it's already been a week since he left us.

My love for nature and hiking in the mountains was a gift from my dad. His favorite hike and fishing spot was Lake Blanche, a challenging 7-mile trek in Big Cottonwood Canyon. This week, I embarked on that hike as a tribute to him. I felt his presence with every step, and he sent me signs to let me know he was aware of me and watching over me.

My dad loved chiasms and would always find them in scriptures, helping us gain insight from their deeper meanings. Right at the trailhead of my hike to Lake Blanche, a moose appeared out of nowhere. It’s not very common to see a big bull moose at 4:00 AM on a well-traveled trail. When I reached the lake at the end of the trail, I looked across and saw another big bull moose accompanied by a young bull moose. Chiastic in structure, a moose at the beginning of my tribute for my dad and then two moose at the end—it had my dad's signature all over it.

Words can't adequately express the feelings of losing a parent. No matter how old you are, it is never easy to lose your dad.

SUMMER SOLSTICE 2024

 Photos from this morning's solstice hike. Always a different experience, but never a disappointment.

 

MORE DARKNESS BEFORE MORE LIGHT?

Tomorrow is the Summer Solstice, the day when we experience the most sunlight of the year. Before I post more about the Solstice,  I wanted to quickly post today about our new National Holiday called JUNETEENTH. I titled the blog, More Darkness before More Light (?)

Our son-in-law is currently serving in the military. We are proud of him and the sacrifice he is making for us in protecting country. However, I don't think they train the military to protect the country from ourselves.

 A friend of mine shared the below photo taken today of a Juneteenth flag hanging in the U.S. military dining facility. Instead of flying the red, white and blue American Flag, a flag that says "JUNETEENTH *THE REAL* Independence Day is hung.  This "National"  flag uses all the black pride colors and symbols used in Communist propaganda with the raised fists. 

Not just in the military dinner halls, but similar flags are being flown all over the country. In addition to these Juneteenth flags, homes are also flying several different versions our flag for PRIDE Month. 

A video trending on line of how some have been celebrating this holiday. Looks like a fun pool party.
https://x.com/revraycistman/status/1803115221721964980?s=46&t=tg-s8Ij8NZ-Hzg_uxSsfrw

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Long lost are the days of just flying the American Flag. It is sad that when you see someone flying the American Flag, they might be considered a racist or hater.. and even worse a threat because you showing who you might be voting for in the upcoming Presidential Election. 

Sidenote: 

I have been pretty overwhelmed lately and unfortunately I haven't been able to post everything I have wanted to including our trip to New York.  A few months ago our family flew back East to New York to witness the Total Solar Eclipse on April 8,2024. That weekend prior to the eclipse was full of believable signs. The day we flew into New York on April 3 there was a devastating storm.  Two bolts of lightning hit the Statue of Liberty during that storm. A couple of days later on April 5, there was a 4.8 earthquake (prior to the 4/8 date for the eclipse). And then to experience total darkness on April 8. Hard to describe in words.  I found a few photos to document those events but did not take them personally)

UNBELIEVABLE OF WHAT WE DESTROY AND WHAT WE PRESERVE

 Last week I drove by and took photos of the demolition of the Provo Temple. I wasn't prepared for what I saw. It looked like a bombed building in a warzone. What was once a sacred Temple dedicated and consecrated to the Lord is now being torn down and destroyed. Still sitting on a peaceful green hill, it looked like a dead corpse, abandoned and left in a heap of rubble. 

On the other hand, the Chapel for the LDS Church that was used for Sacrament Meetings at the Utah State Prison is being preserved. The entire prison surrounding the church was demolished recently and the small, brick building is going to remain standing. See below the lone church  on the barren acres and acres of land where the State Prison once stood.

 What is interesting to read online about the Provo Temple being torn down. On ChatCPT I asked the question: Why is the LDS Church tearing down the Provo Temple?

ChatGPT:
As of January 2022, there were no reports of the LDS Church tearing down the Provo Temple. The Provo Utah Temple is significant to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) and its members, and any significant changes to it would likely be well-documented and communicated within the LDS community. It's possible that there might have been renovation or refurbishment work undertaken, but tearing down the entire temple seems highly unlikely without widespread attention and discussion. 

On the day I took these photos, I talked to a Provo Temple Ordinance worker who was also taking pictures. She was heartbroken to see "her" temple being torn down. She told me that a year ago they had a meeting with all of the Provo Temple workers.  Church authorities announce to them that the temple would only be closed for renovation. The purpose was to put in an additional baptistry where the cafeteria was located.  No mention of tearing the entire temple down. No mention of any need to earthquake proof the temple. However that is now the reason given to the public as to why they need to tear down the Temple.

I find it so odd that we even dedicate our buildings since we don't really believe that the Lord will protect our temples. We think we need to tear down and rebuild instead of having faith that the Lord will uphold His House. 

From the Provo Dedicatory Prayer:

"We dedicate all the structural parts from its foundation to the tower. Protect it, we pray thee, from any devastating influence, holocausts, hurricanes, storms, or destruction of any kind."

I guess we forget to mention in the prayer to protect it from destroying it ourselves.

 Here are some more photos of the destruction of the Provo Temple.

THE SIGNS IN THE HEAVENS - A Warning for America on April 8, 2024

Here is the last video I played for an eclipse presentation given on April 6, 2024. I will post more details later but I wanted to post this before the big event tomorrow. 

 LINK: https://youtu.be/uWLw1W1va9s

HEARING THE UNSPOKEN

The artist speaks through his artwork.
The musician speaks through his music.
The poet speaks though his poetry.
The Creator speaks through His Creations.


The following video was the first of two videos that was played for an Eclipse presentation given on April 6, 2024 in Palmyra, New York.

LINK: https://youtu.be/4yT9yezg7OM

Anticlimatic Event: Angel Moroni placed back on top of the Salt Lake Temple

On April 6, 1892, the placement of the Angel Moroni statue atop the Salt Lake Temple was a momentous occasion for members of the LDS Church, signifying the nearing completion of the temple's construction. The ceremony was conducted with great reverence and celebration, attended by church leaders, construction workers, and members of the community.

Today on April 2, 2024,  four years after the 5.7 earthquake when the trumpet held by the statue fell to the ground,  construction workers placed back on top of the center spire Angel Moroni with his new shiny trumpet.. This time, only a few hundred people, mostly construciton workers gathering this morning to see the event.. I don't think there was any mention in the news that this was going to happen today. I was lucky enough to be downtown on Temple Square during my lunch break to witness the event. Here are a few photos I took this morning. 

In my opinion, the Temple and the Temple Square still looks like a warzone from the today's photo that was posted on the internet by the Church. When President Nelson announced the "renovation" in 2019, he said that the Temple would be completed in 2024. Probably with the hope that it would be completed by this weekend on April 6.  However, due to unexpected challenges presented by the excavation of the temple's foundations have led to two announcements of extensions. The temple is now expected to be completed in 2026.

https://www.ksl.com/article/50968626/moroni-returns-to-his-place-atop-the-salt-lake-temple

Sidenote: Construction has begun on the Brigham Young Home. It what looks to be a complete gutting of his home that we call the Beehive House. Like the Salt Lake Temple "renovation".. only an outer shell of this historic building stands. 

A NEUTRAL BALANCE OF OPPOSITES - Spring Equinox 2024

"We tip the scales by our choices, 

and by so doing, we change all eternity."

Today was the first sunrise of Spring. Quickly posting a few photos taken within the past 24 hours. Some of these were taken last night of the last sunset of Winter  as well as photos taken this morning on an early sunrise hike to welcome in first full day of Spring. These blog posts are for me personally to help me remember the significant events and symbolism that happened. Words really can't describe them adequately. 

A few important proverbs to consider: 

• The balance between Adam’s Fall and Christ’s sacrifice provides a neutral balance of opposites. We choose what we are willing to do with this balanced universe.
• We tip the scales by our choices, and by so doing, we change all eternity. We change eternity by the choices we make here.
• There is an eternal balance, with infinite results, hanging on our every choice. We stand in peril or stand in glory depending upon our every thought and deed.
• Five minutes of mortality are more precious than all the prior eternities of pre-earth life. Only here can you demonstrate the faith from which creation itself was born.
• Our failures are mourned in the corridors of Heaven with groans for our shortcomings. We have angels and gods wishing our choices were always tipping the scale of balance in this life in favor of obedience to God.
• Our noble acts and righteous deeds are celebrated in joy and song in the corridors of Heaven. As we choose.

The last winter sunset before the 2024 Spring equinox

Photo taken on March 19th, 2024 of the sunset in SLC, UT just before the Spring Equinox at 9:06 PM

First Spring sunrise of 2024

Sidenote: The founding principle that with 'great power comes great responsibility' is found in the scriptures. In Luke 12:48 it reads: "To those who much is given much is required".

It is necessary to be meek first before being trusted with great power. Without meekness a man cannot be trusted with such a power. We need to ask rather than demand. We need to petition rather than decree.   The things of God matter.  Ordinances that connect us with Him matter a great deal. When done correctly, they have power.

Three Additional Symbolic Photos:

The Moon, The Hawk and the Water/Mud

TRUE OR FALSE?

True or False?

Are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the only ones who can claim the title of being a Christian?

Answer: TRUE  

(according to Elder David A Bednar)

LINK TO VIDEO

Transcript excerpt from the talk given by Elder David A. Bednar in January 2024 at a Regional Leadership Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah,

“This is what we are hoping,children and young people that hopefully will understand better.When we exercise our agency to understand the conditions of covenants, and we accept the conditions of the covenants, our agency is enlarged. When we are baptized, we covenant a willingness to take upon ourselves the name of Christ, always remember Him, and keep his commandments. What is our new family name after that? Christian. It cracks me up when people say we are not Christians. We are the only ones who by proper authority can lay claim to the title.”

Oh the irony, we dont like it when other Christians don't think we as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are Christains ... but accordingly to Elder Bednar, we don't think anyone else besides members of our Church have the authority to call themselves Christians. (or more spefically, have proper authority to claim the title of Christian"

 "It cracks me up when people say we are not Christians. We are the only ones who by proper authority can lay claim to the title."

In its most basic definition, a Christian is someone who is a follower of Jesus Christ. And we follow Christ by embodying both the beliefs of the Christian faith by believing in Jesus's life, death, and resurrection, and also by putting that faith into action as true disciples of Christ.  I think all Christains around the world would be offended that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints claim that are the ONLY ONE who by proper authority feel that can claim the title of Christain.

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Addendum:

Speaking about claiming by proper authority. The Church has "reclaimed"  the Kirtland Temple as well as other sides previously owned by the Community of Christ. at the sum of 192,500,000.00 

LDS Church buys Kirtland Temple, historic Nauvoo buildings

from the local newspaper  LINK

"The overall purchase price, according to a fact sheet released Tuesday, was $192.5 million. It did not specify values for each property and item, but the expense would represent only a blip on the financial ledgers of the 17 million-member LDS Church, whose total wealth has been estimated at $265 billion."

SOME SUGGESTIONS:

Happy Leap Day! An added day to our calendar that only comes around every four years.

It is almost as if we have an extra day today. So, how will you spend it?

Here is my to-do list today:

• Try to not take offense from others.
• Spend some time outside. 
• Tell your wife you love her
• Do a random act of kindness.
• Don't speak ill of someone.
• Forgive and /or tell someone you are so sorry. 
• Eat something healthy. 

Sidenote:

Last week I was able to spend some much needed alone time up at Bear Lake. Getting out in nature in the early morning hours is one way I can deal with problems and chaos that occurs in my day to day life. Below are a few photos I took one morning. Each photo holds an important personal message to me. Appreciate my friend who pointed out the significance of a lamppost from CS Lewis', Narnia.

"The lamp-post symbolized direction and finding their way home. Winter in Narnia symbolizes death, since it is always winter when the White Witch reigns. Then when the snow begins melting, it is clear that the spell is fading and Aslan has returned."