PLANETARY CONJUNCTION AND SUMMER SOLSTICE WEEK 2022

This morning before sunrise Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn lined up with the moon and sun for a rare alignment. A thunderstorm rolled in last night but the clouds cleared to allow us to see the planets appear through the clouds one by one. As we were hiking to the top of the top of the Peak it not only rained on us but snow also fell. It was amazing that it cleared up in time for us to see this Heavenly sign (actually a continuous scene of a drama being played out in the sky).

Below are a few photos that I took. It was difficult to get all the planets to show so I had to piece together a couple of photos.

 

TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE - May 15, 2022

"Nature is full of symbols with meaning. The most obvious, frequent, and repetitive symbol that you can find everywhere is the difference between the light and the darkness. When the sun is up you can see stuff. When the sun is not up and the moon is not up, you can’t see stuff. If you go into a room and there is no outside window, or it is dark at nighttime, and there is no light, you can hurt yourself in the dark. Light and darkness are everywhere testifying to you about the difference between truth and error, comprehension and confusion, what is right and what is wrong, what is true and what is error. It is just the biggest symbol of all in Nature."

Photo taken last night of the total lunar eclipse as it was beginning to emerge from totality. 

Yesterday was a significant day. Not only was it the commemoration of the Aaronic Priesthood, but two different talks were given in two different venues by two different men with two different messages to the youth. Below are two different excerpts from the talks regarding gender identities or "labels" meaning male and female, man and  woman, and boy and girl.  From what I understand these "labels" are very important to God. And God created humankind in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Gen 1:26–27

Talk A:

"Right now, it doesn’t matter where you go or what you look at, every single institution in this world is in the process of losing light, losing grip on true principles and sliding into increasing error, confusion, disorder, disorganization. It doesn’t matter if the institution you are looking at happens to be businesses, or governments, or churches or civil organizations. It doesn’t matter what it is. Right now there are unrelenting voices advocating the cause of confusion. Unrelenting voices advocating for destruction, decay and overthrow. Everywhere. One of the places that should have been safe from this nonsense is our schools. This crusade to overthrow everything has penetrated into the public school system advocating sexual confusion so that you might a boy you might not be a boy, you might be a girl or you might not be a girl. But for heavens sakes, the one thing they want to advocate now is the overthrow of the family. Because the one thing which sexual confusion will result in is the destruction of a happy relationship that produces a stable family inside of which children are produced and raised with an understanding of the difference between godliness and ungodliness, truth and error. Don’t let yourself get sucked into that effort that is deliberately aimed to try to achieve a specific result. The specific result is the destruction of the family. You have been targeted in order to achieve that result. It exists everywhere. You are either a boy or you are a girl. And your ultimate destiny is either a father or a mother. Don't ever lose sight of that. That is what God ordained in the beginning."

LINK TO TALK NOT YET AVAILABLE

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Talk B:

"The adversary rejoices in labels because they divide us and restrict the way we think about ourselves and each other. How sad it is when we honor labels more than we honor each other. Labels can lead to judging and animosity. Any abuse or prejudice towards another because of nationality, race, sexual orientation, gender, educational degrees, culture, or other significant identifiers is offensive to our Maker."

LINK TO TALK

SLOW DOWN

The older I get, the more my body wants to stay in bed and not get up early in the morning to go hiking. Despite wanting to just sleep in, I try to still get up really early on important dates and head up into the mountains. Here are a few photo I took last week on Easter morning. It snowed alot up the mountains the night before so the fresh powder made the hike slower than I had planned. It is quite an experience to be the only blazing a trail without any tracks in the snow.

Here are a few paraphrased thoughts that I have heard recently:

Instead of demanding for more, 

simply become content 

and grateful for what you have. 

The more gratitude we show to God and the more grateful we become, the more aware we will be of all the extraordinary great blessings we have received from God. 

When we become content, when we become grateful, when we begin to acknowledge the goodness of God to us in our state, in our standing, in our station...when we are content with that and grateful. Then the Lord will bless us and change things completely.

Set aside all of your desires to control Heaven. Set aside all your ambition and to get God to surrender to your will. Willingly accept God's will for you and be grateful for it because we have more to rejoice and be grateful for than most people who have ever lived on this planet.  We don't always need to be seeking for more. Instead, rejoice in what upi have.

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Last Sunday, on the live broadcast of  Music and Spoken Word, one of the worlds most talented singers  performed live at the Tabernacle. Her name is Sissel Kyrkjebø and she is from Norway. Here was an excerpt of the spoken word that was given before she performed. 

In our Chaotic world, what we need most from God is peace. But he doesn't want to force it upon us. He speaks to those who sincerely want to hear, who make the effort to hear. And it does take effort to hear. It means striving to mute the noise in our lives, to clear the clutter from our minds and the pride from our hearts. It means seeking sacred moments alone with the Lord. Simply stated, if we slow down and be still, we will know that He is God. 

Below is a heavenly song based on these words from the 46th Psalm; Be Still and Know that I am God. It is an invitation to peace and reassurance that resonates through the ages. 

LYRICS to  SLOW DOWN sung by Sissel

In the midst of my confusion
In the time of desperate need
When I am thinking not too clearly
A gentle voice does intercede

Slow down, slow down, be still
Be still and wait, on the Spirit of the Lord
Slow down and hear His voice
And know that He is God

In the time of tribulation
When I'm feeling so unsure
When things are pressing in about me
Comes a gentle voice so still, so pure

Slow down, slow down, be still, my child
Be still and wait, on the Spirit of the Lord
Slow down and hear His voice
And know that He is God
And know that He is God

A RARE OCCURRENCE, THREE WORLD FAITHS OBSERVING TODAY AS A HOLY DAY

A rare conjunction of three major holidays of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam occurs today on April 15, 2022. The Top Three religions of the world are all observing a Holy Day on the same day: Islam is observing Ramadan, The Christians are observing Good Friday and the Jews will be begin their Passover at sundown.

 A photo that I took near our home. 

Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying “This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: ‘On the tenth of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household...Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight."

The Symbolism of the Paschal Lamb:

• On the 10th day of Nisan (The first month of the year in the Jewish calendar) each family was to select a lamb. (symbolic of the same day of Christ Triumphant Entry)
• The lamb was to be male, at least one year old, and perfect without spot or blemish
• The lamb was brought into the family home for 4 days. This gave time for the family to bond and have attachment with the lamb, making the sacrifice more poignant.
• The lamb was killed on the 14th day of Nissan. (which corresponded to the exact time and day of Christ’s death. 
• Lamb was roasted on an upright pomegranate stick. Another stick inside it’s chest cavity. (symbolic of the cross) It was to be done by sundown and no bones broken. (just as Christ was)
• They were to take the blood and “strike” it on 2 side posts and upper post, go inside, shut their doors and not come out until morning. This was done by using a Hyssop branch which is a healing herb that treats leprosy (a death and decaying disease). Symbolic of the Israelites when they were instructed to mark the doorposts of their homes with the blood of a spring lamb and, upon seeing this, the spirit of the Lord protected them from the destroying angels.

Just as a sidenote that I learned from a friend:

A lamb is very easy to kill. One account I read concerned a butcher who had been asked to slaughter a family’s Passover lamb. The butcher anticipated a routine experience, as he had slaughtered many animals. He related how after slitting the small creature’s throat, the little lamb turned and licked the blood off of the butcher’s hands. This hardened butcher deeply moved and forever changed. The tender licking of the blood from the man’s hand was a sign of unconditional love and forgiveness.

 

The Kirtland Temple and the 2024 Solar Eclipse

One week from today marks the 2 year count down until the second Total Solar Eclipse that crosses over America. I am trying to understand the significance of this cosmic event. It is interesting to look at the cities that fall within the narrow width of the Path of Totality. One of the cities that is almost dead center of the 2024 Solar Eclipse is Kirtland, Ohio. I just got back from visiting Kirtland this week. So many significant events happened in that small little city. If you didn't get to see the 2017 solar eclipse, it might be an interesting place to be at on April 8, 2024 to witness the next solar eclipse. 

Where the two path meet is considered part of the "Heartland of America". 

Here are a few photos of the Kirtland Temple.  On Sunday, March 27 was the anniversary of the Temple Dedication and this upcoming Sunday on April 3 marks the anniversary of the Lord appearing to Joseph Smith and Oliver to accept His Temple. Building the Kirtland Temple required the sacrifice of virtually everything of value the Saints had at the time. It is a Holy Place.

While the Temple has been closed for over two years, the Community of Christ Church plans to reopen the Temple in a few month in May.

Here is the account of April 3, 1836.

On the third day of April 1836, Joseph and Oliver were in the temple in Kirtland, Ohio. The veil was taken from their minds and the eyes of their understanding were opened. They saw the Lord in his glory standing above them and the breastwork of the pulpit; and under his feet appeared as it were a paved work of pure gold, in color like amber. His eyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was white like the pure snow; his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun; and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the voice of Jehovah, saying:

I am the Alpha and the Omega; I am he who was slain, I am he who lives; I am your advocate with the Father.

Behold, your sins are forgiven you; you are clean before me, therefore, lift up your heads and rejoice. Let the hearts of your brethren also rejoice, and let the hearts of all my people rejoice, who have, with their might, built this house to my name. For behold, I have accepted this house and my name shall be here, and I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house. Yea, I will appear unto my servants, and speak unto them with mine own voice, if my people will keep my commandments, and do not pollute this holy house.

Behold and see: The hearts of thousands and tens of thousands shall greatly rejoice in consequence of the blessings that shall be poured out and the endowment with which my servants will be endowed in this house. Behold, the fame of this house shall spread to foreign lands; and this is the beginning of the blessings I shall pour out upon my people. Even so. Amen.

As this vision closed, the Heavens were again opened to their view, and they saw and beheld, and were endowed with knowledge from the beginning of this creation to the ends thereof. And they were shown unspeakable things from the sealed record of Heaven, which man is not capable of making known, but must be revealed by the Powers of Heaven.

They beheld Michael, the archangel, Gabriel, and Raphael, and divers angels, from Michael or Adam down to the end of time, showing in turns their dispensations, their rights, their keys, their honors, their majesty and glory, and the Powers of their Priesthood; giving line upon line, precept upon precept; endowing them with knowledge, even here a little and there a little; holding forth hope for the work God was yet to perform, even the revelation of all things which are to come upon the earth until the return of the Lord in glory with His holy angels — to pour out judgment upon the world, and to reward the righteous.

And they were unable to take it in; therefore, they were commanded to pray and ask to comprehend by the power of the spirit, to bring all things to their remembrance, even the Record of Heaven which would abide in them. Amen and Amen.

THE HEAVENS ARE OPEN AGAIN: Spring Equinox 2022

Today is the Spring Equinox. I wanted to wake up early and go hiking up in the mountains, but due to the snowy weather, I observed it in my own backyard and took this photo and then went back to bed. I haven't been a huge fan of daylight savings time this year. (or really ever).  The photo from our garden shows  both the winter and spring seasons come together into one image. It is symbolic of  the promise of new life of spring emerging out of the dead cold snow of winter.

I received an email this morning from a friend that said, "Happy Equinox! The Lord's true birthday! and attached a short paper that included this additional information:

In the Encyclopedia of Mormonism under the entry of 'April 6' it states that Christ was probably born in the spring at the time of the spring equinox. There seems to be more evidence to point to that, including evidence from early Christians like Origen. Origen lived around 250 A.D. and he certainly, among others, says that Christ was born on the spring equinox, which would've been a little bit different dating back then than it would be in our time. While others may disagree, one thing is for certain about the Spring Equinox. The Northern Hemisphere has the increase of light after the period of darkness, which symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness. This goes back as far as 6000 to 7000 B.C. where the ancient Egyptians celebrated the "Festival of the Triumph of Horus over Set." . 

I am looking forward to the beginning of the spring season. 

Sidenote:

It was two years ago from today that the first of seven videos in a three part series was released entitled The Heavens Are Open Again. Below is the compilation of all seven videos into one.

THE TESTIMONY OF SAINT JOHN

Now available in a stand alone edition in both hardback and paperback. 

You can order a copy on Amazon:  Amazon Link  or on Aerio: Aerio link

The book also includes a side-by-side comparison of the King James Version of St. John along side the this new account of John’s record that has now been revealed. Here is an example of one section that I highlighted in yellow that I thought is beautiful. 

Sidenote:

Scriptural precedence for the fulness of John’s record to be revealed

Ether 4: 16

"And then shall my revelations which I have caused to be written by my servant John be unfolded in the eyes of all the people. Remember, when ye see these things, ye shall know that the time is at hand that they shall be made manifest in very deed."

D&C 93:6, 18-19

6 And John saw and bore record of the fulness of my glory, and the fulness of John’s record is hereafter to be revealed. And it shall come to pass, that if you are faithful you shall receive the fulness of the record of John.

18-19 And it shall come to pass, that if you are faithful you shall receive the fulness of the record of John. I give unto you these sayings that you may understand and know how to worship, and know what you worship, that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive of his fulness.

Background History

There is a new edition of the scriptures being prepared which will use the JST of the Bible. That will result in both the Book of Moses and JS-Matthew being removed from the Pearl of Great Price. When I was asked to take a look at the project I had the impression that a new translation of John's Gospel was needed and ought to replace the missing texts. I asked a qualified Greek Scholar to undertake that project and he declined. But the impression remained that it needed to be done.

I made it the subject of prayer and was told to do the work. I spent a few days working with an English-Greek New Testament, the JS Translation of John, and a Greek Lexicon before becoming hopelessly discouraged by the many options and choices. I prayed about it before retiring for the night and essentially quit. I explained that it would take years for me to accomplish this, and that I was not going to be able to solve the riddles of the text. I went to bed assuming I was done with it.

In the middle of that night I was awakened and given the solution to every dilemma I had been facing in the work on the text. So the next day I continued on from where I had abandoned the work and, to my surprise, everything was opened to my mind so clearly and continuously that the entire project was completed in less than three weeks. The light of heaven opened the material in a way I had never thought of nor had previously attained to in considering the Gospel of John. At times it progressed so rapidly that I was unable to finish one part before the next came rolling out. Many new and different things were added, and at least one thing was dropped entirely because it was not part of John's original composition. Because of the rapid way it rolled out, once I finished the text I went back to clean up a lot of what had been left as incomplete sentences, run-on sentences, missing words (particularly conjunctions) and cryptic or inadequate explanations. The intent of the writer, John, was revealed, including why some things were included in the text and the manner he wrote.

When it began it was an attempt at a "translation" but by the time it was completed it was clearly a "revelation" and not merely a translation of a text. Therefore the result does not have my name on it, because I cannot claim any credit for the content. I failed in what I was attempting. What resulted came from heaven. -DS

Some advice to the youth

On Sunday, I attended a youth fireside with my teenage daughter. The speaker shared some great advice to the youth that I wanted to post. One of the things he shared was an excerpt from Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts' commencement address at his son’s ninth-grade graduation in 2017.  Judge Roberts gave some advice that ran counter to many typical commencement speeches. Here is an excerpt from the speech that was repeated to the youth on Sunday:

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"Now the commencement speakers will typically wish you good luck and extend good wishes to you. I will not do that, and I’ll tell you why. From time to time in the years to come:

• I hope you will be treated unfairly, so that you will come to know the value of justice. 
• I hope that you will suffer betrayal because that will teach you the importance of loyalty. 
• I hope you will be lonely from time to time so that you don’t take friends for granted. 
• I wish you bad luck from time to time so that you will be conscious of the role of chance in life and understand that your success is not completely deserved and that the failure of others is not completely deserved either. 
• And when you lose, as you will from time to time, I hope every now and then, your opponent will gloat over your failure. It is a way for you to understand the importance of sportsmanship. 
• I hope you’ll be ignored so you know the importance of listening to others, 
• and I hope you will have just enough pain to learn compassion. 

Whether I wish these things or not, they’re going to happen. And whether you benefit from them or not will depend upon your ability to see the message in your misfortunes."

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Typically, as parents and youth leaders we want the best for our youth. We want them to succeed. I thought this address was so interesting to wish for the kids to be treated unfairly, to be lonely, to have bad luck, to lose, to be ignored, and suffer pain.. all for their growth. Because Chief Justice Roberts is right, all of these things WILL happen in a person's life, but only the wise will learn and grow from the experiences.

Sidenote: 

Yesterday ended a month-long fast that was organized by some amazing youth. One of the organizers asked me to post this thank you to those who joined them in their invitation at the beginning of the year. While his dad called me personally to see if I would post this, it was the young man's personal email to me that I couldn't turn down. This is for you Lucas.  

Freedom from mandates, masks and mayhem.

A good friend of mine gave me some advice a few years ago. He suggested that I should post something positive in between blogposts that might come across as critical. So here is one such post.

Every year in January, I take a day off of work and spend it up in the mountains either to snowshoe, snowboard or ski. Here are a few photo that I took this year. It is a whole new world up there. Free from mandates, masks and mayhem. 

Another piece of advice that I thought was super helpful that I want to incorporate into my life.

Do something deliberate for God every day, to bless someone else–even if they do not appreciate it or recognize what motivates you.

Modern Day Samuel the Lamanite in Salt Lake City?

And it came to pass that in this year there was one Samuel, a Lamanite, came into the land of Zarahemla, and began to preach unto the people. And it came to pass that he did preach repentance unto the people. Therefore he went and got upon the wall thereof, and stretched forth his hand and cried with a loud voice, and prophesied unto the people whatsoever things the Lord put into his heart.

"Behold ye, the people of this great city, and hearken unto my words; yea, hearken unto the words which the Lord saith; for behold, he saith that ye are cursed because of your riches, and also are your riches cursed because ye have set your hearts upon them. Yea, heavy destruction awaiteth this people, and it surely cometh unto this people, and nothing can save this people save it be repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ."

 And now it came to pass that Samuel, the Lamanite, did prophesy a great many more things which cannot be written.

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Last Saturday, I took my family to hear a man who was born without arms or legs. While he was not up on a tower, he was up on the steps of Utah Capital that overlooks downtown Salt Lake. In my opinion, this disabled man reminded me of Samuel the Lamanite, the great prophet in the Book of Mormon.  For those who don't know much about Samuel, he was an unlikely prophet who cried repentance to a prosperous people living in the great city of Zarahemla. These people thought they were righteous and had built a magnificent Temple in the center of their city. However, they had set their hearts upon riches and had become prideful. Samuel cried repentance to this people to warn them of their pending destruction if they didn't turn from their wicked ways. 

https://youtu.be/V8clCnqOyBU

Before hearing the man speak on the Utah Capital steps, I walked the around the Salt Lake Temple and multi billion dollar mall that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have built adjacent to the Temple. In a few weeks on March 22, it will mark the 10 year anniversary of the dedication of  the City Creek Mall where the Prophet, President Monson and his two counselors as well as Utah's top government leaders chanted three times, "Let's go shopping". Here is a link to some of the photos I took of the event. 

It is interesting that after ten years, the shopping mall is largely empty with few shoppers.  I can't help but think that the billions of dollars used by the Church to built this mall could have been spent helping to clothe the naked, feeding the poor, and helping the sick. I took this below photo of a man named David and his dog named Peedy. While he was grateful for the assistance I offered to him, he said it meant more to him that I would sit down with him and talk to him like a friend instead of garbage like most people do who pass him by. 

Sidenote:

President Russel M Nelson and his wife Wendy spoke on Sunday at a special meeting for all those who live in Europe. Sister Wendy spoke first. She shared the famous story about the Emperor's New Clothes and the importance of following her husband, the Prophet. 

 

"Today I’d like to talk with you in Europe about truth and prophets. In the literary folk tale the emperor's new clothes by Danish author Hans Christian Anderson, swindlers convinced the emperor that the new attire they made for him is of the most exquisite pattern, material, and colors. They emphasize that anyone who cannot see the extraordinary clothing is unworthy of his office or simply stupid. Everyone is duped by the charlatans even the emperor's most trusted officials. All the town's people join in the chorus telling the emperor how magnificent he looks as he proudly parades in front of them. No one wants to be thought of as stupid. However, one child boldly proclaims the emperor has no clothes on and that was the truth. Today it can be difficult to know who speaks the truth, but my testimony is that prophets of god always speak the truth. While many in the world's great and spacious building convincingly profess that evil is good and good is evil. Prophets speak the truth....


And now how will your life be blessed as you choose to follow President Russell M Nelson the prophet of god on the earth today who for four years has led The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints under the direction of Jesus Christ himself. I’m grateful that my husband is the kind of man who many years before he was called to be an apostle said quote, “I never ask myself when does the prophet speak as a prophet and when does he not. My interest has been how can I be more like him” end quote. As his wife, may I offer you several examples of president nelson's life that you may want to emulate."

To listen to the entire meeting. Here is the link where you can listen to the things in Presidents Nelson's life that  you should emulate in your life... 

or we can read in our scriptures about the life of Christ and how we should emulate Him  like taking care ofthe sick and the afflicted, and the poor and the homeless. 

"There was power in that pointing finger"

Elder Rasband and his wife, Melanie spoke in a devotional broadcast  on Sunday, January 9, 2022. In her talk, Sister Rasband shared the following story about when President Nelson pointed at her when  she arrived late to a meeting. 

There was an article written about it on LDSLiving. 

Here is the excerpt from her talk that was shared in the article.

Years ago, when President Nelson was president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder and Sister Rasband attended an annual mission leadership seminar in Provo. Sister Rasband was scheduled to attend a meeting with the mission presidents’ wives, and for whatever reason, she arrived late.

“The room was full of our devoted sisters,” Sister Rasband says. “I stepped in near the back of the room, looking for a seat I could slip into.”

But as she was looking for a seat near the back, eye caught the eye of President Nelson, who was seated on the stand.

“He smiled. I smiled back, despite my embarrassment for being late,” Sister Rasband says. Then President Nelson held her gaze as he motioned with his finger for her to come take a seat on the front row. Not wanting to draw attention to her late arrival, Sister Rasband indicated that maybe instead she could stay and sit near the back. But President Nelson continued to smile and again beckoned for her to come and take the front-row seat that had been reserved with her name on it.

“There was power in that pointing finger,” Sister Rasband said.

So she smiled back, took a deep breath, and “walked the long walk” to the seat awaiting her on the front row. After the meeting, Sister Rasband bolted from her seat to try to catch President Nelson and ask forgiveness for not responding to his request the first time. His response was to again smile and lovingly say, “Thank you for being obedient.”

“The Son of God has also invited each one of us to come unto Him to step up and be like Him. The Lord taught, lifted, blessed, forgave, and loved, ministering one by one like President Nelson did for me. Like we can do for others,” she said.

Did you catch that last sentence? ....

The Lord taught, lifted, blessed, forgave,

and loved, ministering one by one

like President Nelson..

It might just be me... but I think that sentence has it backwards. That word order puts Nelson as the example being followed by the Lord. It should read...President Nelson ministered like the Lord. Have we started to elevated President Nelson over Jesus Christ in saying that the Lord is like President Nelson?

A Bigger Problem than a COVID Variant? - and a Public Service Announcement #2

The following is an excerpt of an interview by the original inventor of the mRNA and DNA vaccines:

https://youtu.be/mkDIirOwzgA

transcript of the above excerpt from the interview

Mass Formation Psychosis. 

When you have a society that has become decoupled from each other and has free-floating anxiety in a sense that things don't make sense, we can't understand it. And then their attention gets focused by a leader or series of events on one small point just like hypnosis. They literally become hypnotized and can be led anywhere. And one of the aspects of that phenomena is the people that they identify as their leaders, the ones typically that come in and say you have this pain and I can solve it for you...I, and I alone, can fix this problem for you. Then they will lead, they will follow that person through h.. It doesn't matter whether they lie to them or whatever.  The data are irrelevant.  And furthermore, anybody who questions that narrative is to be immediately attacked.  They are the other.  This is central to mass formation psychosis and this is what has happened. We had all those conditions.  If you remember back before 2019, everybody was complaining the world doesn't make sense, blah, blah, blah.. and we're all isolated from each other. We're all on our little tools [phones].  We're not connected socially anymore except through social media and then this thing happened and everybody focused on it.  That is how mass formation psychosis happens and that is what's happened here.  

Now there's ways to get out of it.

 

Matthias's recommendation is you got to get people to realize that what we've got is a situation of global totalitarianism. In his experience in Europe, making people realize there's a bigger threat than the virus can cause a separation psychologically in this fusion this hypnosis that has happened. The problem is then you're just substituting a bigger boogeyman from the current one and somebody else can come in and manipulate that. The real problem, and it gets back to your core point, we're sick as a society and we have to heal ourselves. And one of the things we have to do is come together. We have to recreate our social bonds. We have to buy into integrity, the importance of human dignity, and the importance of community. That's how we get out of this. And I think that this insight of Matthias Desmond is really central to kind of making sense of all of this crazy. We got a world in which the Press is incentivized to push a storyline because they're all controlled by the same large funds that Pfizer is and so is Tech. I don't know how we're going to get out of it but it's got to start with us, all of us, finding common ground.

_________________________________

Public Service Announcement #2

written by my friend who is medical doctor      

On average a person with the seasonal flu infects 1-2 other people, COVID-19 roughly 2- 2.5 people and Delta variant 6-7 persons. The new Omicron variant is higher, perhaps as high as 10. It is likely to spread through the population over the next two months, hence the timing for this posting.

6 months ago I wrote a small piece on Ivermectin that was posted on this blog as a Public Service Announcement.  I have subsequently learned a good deal more about early outpatient treatment of viral illnesses including COVID-19 and its variants that I’d like to share. Rather than delay the information by taking the time to give footnote references, I’ll give a list of sources for those interested in doing their own research.

Bullet point summary of early treatment measures.

• Nasal spray with a virucidal agent twice a day if exposed to the virus or if you develop early symptoms. High risk individuals may benefit from a more frequent flush every 4 hours. These flushes include dilute povidine 1.5% (8 0z. available at Walmart in a 10% concentration for $15.50 or 3 oz. of 5% concentration in a nasal spray for $10, a 1.5% solution is available in a nasal spray as Viraldine at a rather higher cost).

• OR dilute 3% hydrogen peroxide. [1] [2]

• Throat gargle twice a day with either of the same solutions at the first sign of a sore throat.

• Many sources recommend Vit D (1000 iU/day or more, Vit C 1000 mg/day, & Zinc 8-11 mg/day depending on weight. (Costco sells a “Super C Immune complex with Vitamins A, C, D, E and Zinc in roughly these doses).

• Zinc ionophores including quercitin (an over-the-counter anti-oxidant derived from apples peels), hydroxychloroquine and Ivermectin (both prescription medications with a long safety record but under attack by many in positions of authority and therefore somewhat hard to get) can get the zinc into the cells infected with viruses (not just COVID-19) and prevent their replication. [3] even in more severe later hospitalized patients. At this point I have not heard the relative efficacy of these ionophores.

Hope this helps. Stay healthy.

McKay Platt, M.D., 

not an infectious disease specialist

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[1] Good sources including Dr. Peter McCullough, Dr. Vladamir Zelenko, and FLCCC (covid19criticalcare.com)

[2] British Medical Journal 2020:368 public. Date March 2020

[3] Zinc sulfate in combination with a zinc ionophore may improve outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients, J Med Microbiol 2020 Oct.

BEGINNING A NEW YEAR

Tomorrow begins a New Year! I am looking forward to what 2022 has in store.  If there is anything that gives me hope for the upcoming year, is to hike with the next generation who are willing to wake up in the middle of the night and  hike in the snow in sub degree weather to see the sunrise. Here are a few photos from our hike last week. 

Starting tomorrow a large group of youth is planning on fasting to overcome the challenges that are ahead of us. A fast is a way for people to band together as a people and become one.  

Here is their invitation: 

The youth have decided to fast, and would love for everyone to join us. We have decided to fast for the Lord's guidance in our efforts to do his work. For the entire month of January, choose a fast that will challenge you individually (examples could be social media, sugar, tv, etc.. these are a few ideas, but we don't want to limit your decision. Let the spirit guide your choice). We invite you to join us in becoming united as a people of one heart and one mind. 

And it came to pass that they journeyed many days in the wilderness, and they fasted much and prayed much that the Lord would grant unto them a portion of his spirit to go with them and abide with them, that they might be an instrument in the hands of God...  

(RE Alma 12:2)

Sidenote: 

A friend of mine sent me a link to a sermon given last week by Pope Francis. I thought there were some excellent things he said. Here is one excerpt: 

“The humble are those who are concerned not simply with the past but also with the future, since they know how to look ahead, to spread their branches, remembering the past with gratitude,” Francis told them. “The proud, on the other hand, simply repeat, grow rigid and enclose themselves in that repetition, feeling certain about what they know and fearful of anything new because they cannot control it.”

When President Nelson says "GOOD JOB" to his wife and it becomes a top Church News story.

 A few weeks ago the Church News featured an article entitled  'How 2 words from the Prophet to his wife touched a missionary - and me.' It describes how inspirational it was for people in attendance to hear President Nelson say "Good Job" to his wife.  

Here is an excerpt from The Church News story that appeared on the back cover.

"The missionary also wrote about inviting friend of the Church to hear the Prophet speak. And the missionary wrote about the joy he felt when a young man walked miles to participate in the meeting. 

It was, however, another observation by the missionary that struck me. He noticed and wrote home about being touched as he heard President Nelson whisper "good job" to Sister Nelson after she spoke. 

The brief, tender exchanged - as they passes between their seats and the pulpit - was a sweet acknowledgment of her effort and his gratitude. For one second - the second before he would speak - he directed attention away from himself to her.

For the missionary, the moment was a sermon between the sermons.

It is hard to describe what that meant. It was the sweetest "good job" any one of us could have imagined. " 

 I look forward to reading the next article written when President Nelson says "THANK YOU" to his wife.

  

DEMOLITION DAY - more sacred LDS Buildings to be torn down.

 

Last week over the Thanksgiving holiday, the Church demolished one of my favorite buildings on Temple Square, the North Visitors Center. It was built over a half a century ago. My family would go down there often to see the larger than life murals depicting scenes from the scriptures. The best was the spiral ascension walk up into the heavens to see the statue of Christ with his outstretched arms. I have great memories at Christmas when we would into this building to see the movie, Mr. Krueger's Christmas, and get warm from seeing the Christmas lights. 

It is now gone. Demolished. Only to be a fading memory. I took one last photo of the building before the wrecking crew came in last week. 

Here are some photos to remember what  the building used to be like:

I will also miss standing outside the visitors center and seeing the life sized Nativity Scene that was lit up in lights with the Christus statue visible through the glass. It was almost as if the Lord was looking down at the presentation of His birth.

This is how Temple Square looks today. You can see the demolition of the North Visitor Center in the bottom right of the photo, a historical building that was built over a half a century ago. Not only will I miss the building but also all the trees that have been cut down. Temple Square will never be the same for me.

Sidenote:

Another building on the chopping block that is slated to be torn down is the Provo Temple. I remember going to this temple frequently when I was at the MTC as well as when I went to BYU after my mission. It will be completely demolished and instead an entirely new temple will replace it.

The Church will build a new Provo Temple in it's place with a new design. The spire will no longer feature a statue of the Angel Moroni. I am reminded of what President Boyd K. Packer said in one of his talk, "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without." I am not sure why we need to replace this temple just for the sake of making it match the other current temples that are being built. 

Efficacy of Salt Lake Temple Dedicatory Prayer?

 Here is an excerpt from the Salt Lake Temple Dedicatory Prayer given on April 6, 1893 by Wilford Woodruff. 

"Preserve these buildings, we beseech Thee, from injury or destruction by flood or fire; from the rage of the elements, the shafts of the vivid lightning, the overwhelming blasts of the hurricane, the flames of consuming fire, and the upheavals of the earth-quake, O Lord, protect them."

 Do we no longer believe in the efficacy of our dedicatory prayers for our Temples? Have we found evidence that the Lord is not preserving our temples and so we need to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to solve the problems of cracks in the foundations? flooding? lightning strikes and fires? 

• Flood Damaged Temple
• Fire Damaged Temples
• Lightning Strikes on Temple

Here are a few photos I took of what the Salt Lake Temple looks like today and the new foundation the Church is installing.

Sidenote:

Just in case you want to go down to Temple Square  this holiday season, the Church just released this statement: https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/christmas-temple-square-2021

"Attendees at any events on Temple Square are required to wear masks and be vaccinated if in the eligible age categories."

So the list continues to grow. The Church/First Presidency has set forth these "vaccination" mandates thus far -

* ALL people attending ANY events on Temple Square are required to be "vaccinated".
* ALL members of the Tabernacle Choir are required to be "vaccinated".
* ALL stake patriarchs and their wives are required to be "vaccinated".
* ALL missionaries entering any of the MTC's are required to be "vaccinated".
* ALL missionaries going on foreign missions (regardless of the country they are going to) are required to be "vaccinated".

I would not be surprised in the near future for those wanting to attend the Temple (including the youth doing baptisms for the dead) will be also required to be vaccinated. 

 

INDEPENDENCE FROM A FAILING SOCIETY

This week I had the opportunity to spend some time on Antelope Island. It really is like going to another world, a perfect place to escape from modern civilization. It was a full Harvest moon that night. The Hunter's Moon always follows the Harvest Moon, and is named after the time of year when animals fatten up in preparation for the colder months ahead and hunting season is underway for hunters to stock up on meat for the winter. Later that night when the full moon was almost directly overhead, a bluish ring appeared around the moon. It lasted for about an hour. The photo below doesn't do the experience the justice. 

While hiking around on the island, I was able to see bison and wheat-like stalks, two symbols of the Hunter Moon and the Harvest Moon.

Right after I got home from Antelope Island I received an email from a friend to see if I would be willing to post a written document on this blog. I usually don't post requests public service announcement requests, since this blog is more of a personal diary than an outlet for advertising, but thought it was important to share what was asked. The document can be found HERE. 

I am always grateful for those who use their time and talents for the benefit of others.

Here is a closing quote:   

"In our day of abundance, we are easily be misled into thinking that the blessings of our productive society permit us to be self-reliant. Of course that is only temporary. The principles upon which our society’s abundance are built have been discarded. Therefore, our “riches will become slippery” as the fruit of true principles vanish from those who dishonor the foundation upon which prosperity is conferred.

Safety in the coming scarcity of the last-days will only be found through Zion. Because the occupants of Zion will be one, they will follow two controlling principles which create the “self-sufficiency” of Zion.

First, the counterpart to the world (or Babylon as the scriptures have nicknamed the world) is Zion. Zion will require the laborer to labor only for Zion, not for themselves.

Second, we must perform the required great labor. We cannot expect to eat or be clothed in Zion if we do not work to produce the necessities of Zion."

 reference