"ADDITIONAL PROCEDURAL ADJUSTMENTS" - The new Politically Correct Term for TEMPLE CHANGES?

Today is Memorial Day, May 31, 2021. A day originally meant for honoring the men and women who have died while serving our country. It has now become a day where we remember all of  our family members and friends who have died, not just in battle. It is day we are reminded of loss.

It is hard to lose someone or something we care about. Sadness and grief doesn’t follow any rules. We all hurt and heal in our own ways. While grieving is unique to each of us, some experiences are common. People grieve for many different reasons, including loss of a:

• A family member, neighbor, friend or pet
• A job or career
• Life role, when children move into adulthood
• Physical ability, such as hearing or seeing
• The break-up of a relationship or marriage
• Home when moving 
• Plans for the future when life changes unexpectedly
• Possessions
• Beliefs — in a person, idea or cause

I thought today would be fitting to share a recent loss I have felt. It is the latest change to the LDS Temple Endowment. I was saddened to go back to the Temple last week only to find one more thing that has been removed from the Endowment. This change is being called an "Additional Procedure Adjustment". In my opinion, it is hardly "additional", and I find it offensive to call it just a  "procedure" (since it involves something sacred), and is more than an "adjustment"; It is a deletion and change. For those who came up with the description of an "additional procedural adjustment", it might be good to look up what each of those words mean.

Additional: added or extra to what is already present or available.

Procedural: a series of steps taken in a legal, legislative or law enforcement agency.

Adjustment: the act of bringing something back into conformity. 

The change is not additional, more than a procedure, and is a removal, not an adjustment.  

The First Presidency continues to use the word 'adjustment' instead of the word 'change'. However, I am not sure that it is the best word to use when you remove, take away and/or completely change something. When you adjust something,  you put it back to its proper place.   For example, when you go to the chiropractor to get an adjustment. When you get your car tires adjusted which puts them back into alignment, or when you adjust your dress or tie, you are fixing things back into its proper place. 

I think it is just a carefully crafted term to make the changes more palatable for the Temple patrons.

This is the statement that is read now before the endowment: 

"Before beginning the endowment session, we share the following statement from the First Presidency of the Church. Brothers and Sisters: Since the temple endowment was first administered in this dispensation, occasional adjustments have been made by the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles acting unitedly in their capacity as prophets, seers and revelators. You will notice that additional procedural adjustments have been made in the presentation of the endowment. These adjustments do not effect the fundamental doctrine of the Temple and its saving ordinances."

These changes were announced over a year ago in an official statement by the First Presidency. Link the LDS CHURCH NEWS

Due to the sacred nature of what these "additional procedural adjustments" are,  it is not appropriate to discuss, so I won't go into detail. Let's just say there is no more desire for all to receive, but instead just enjoy being a spectator while you remain comfortable in your seat while watching someone else receive.

NEW LDS-OWNED COMMERCIAL OFFICE TOWER in SLC - ALMOST COMPLETE

The new upscale commercial office tower, 95 State at City Creek, that the LDS Church has been building is almost complete. It is the latest addition to the Church's City Creek Center. The skyscraper will be Utah's third tallest building, behind the Church Office Building and the Wells Fargo Building. The Church builders announced that this will be Salt Lake City’s newest state-of-the-art, 25-story tower that contains approximately 515,000 rentable square feet. Connected directly to City Creek Shopping Center through The Link, an underground pedestrian tunnel beneath State Street, the building is centrally located right in the heart of downtown. Here is an archived News Release LINK.

One of the most impressive features of this skyscraper is the 11 FT floor to ceiling glass which are an integral part of the distinctive architecture. There will be specialized blinds that will ascend and retract automatically throughout the day–providing worry free impact of sun/heat on employees. Here is the architect rendering of what the offices might look like. 

The building is located just a block south of the Brigham Young's Beehive House and the Eagle Gate as seen in the below photo. While the location is great, it will be interesting to see if the Church will have difficulty renting the offices with more and more businesses allowing their employees more flexibility to be working from home. 

Sidenote:

In another news article this week, it was announced that the LDS Church made millions and millions in profit on buying stock in GameStop, a company that sells video games. Here is a LINK TO BUSINESS INSIDER article

Clearly the LDS Church is wealthy, owning billions and billions in stock, including Video Game  company's stock which have made 900% gains. The Church also continues to expand their retail and commerical building projects. What I find so ironic is that this year we have been studying the Doctrine and Covenants in the Come Follow Me manual. I read this week the following verse from Section 104. 

18 Therefore, if any man shall take of the abundance which I have made, and impart not his portion, according to the law of my gospel, unto the poor and the needy, he shall, with the wicked, lift up his eyes in hell, being in torment.

The original wording the Doctrine and Covenants used the work "Dives" instead of 'wicked'

Therefore, if any man shall take of the abundance which I have made and impart not his portion, according to the law of my gospel, unto the poor and the needy, he shall with Dives lift up his eyes in hell, being in torment.

The original wording the Doctrine and Covenants used the work "Dives" instead of 'wicked'. For those who don't know why the reference to Dives was used, Dives was the used in Christ's parable of the rich man and Lazurus found in Luke 16: 19-31.  Jesus told this story between an unnamed rich man and a poor beggar named Lazarus. The traditional name Dives is not actually a name, but instead a word for "rich man".

We would do well to take these warnings from the Lord seriously and take of the abundance and impart unto the poor and the needy. It doesn't bode well for those who continue to acquire more and more wealth and continue to build taller and taller buildings and not impart to the poor and the needy. Heavne forbid that we could find ourselves next to Dives in hell being in torment. 

THE GOD OF THIS WORLD BUYING UP ARMIES AND NAVIES... AND SILENCING THOSE WHO STAND UP FOR FREEDOM

Today is Armed Forces Day. A day to honor all who currently serve our country in the military, both active and former, in the reserves, National Guard or on active duty. A day to show our appreciation  for all of the men and women who sacrifice to defend our freedom.

How ironic that today is when the news broke that Lt.Col. Matthew Lohmeier, a commander of a U.S. Space Force unit of a Space-based missile warning squadron in Colorado, was fired for taking seriously his military oath which is to 

..solemnly swear to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; and  bear true faith and allegiance to the same.

It was reported here on miliary.com  that Matthew Lohmeier was fired for comments made during a podcast promoting his new book which claims Marxist ideologies are becoming prevalent in the United States military.

From the article: 

Earlier this month, Lohmeier, a former instructor and fighter pilot who transferred into the Space Force, self-published a book titled "Irresistible Revolution: Marxism's Goal of Conquest & the Unmaking of the American Military." 

From his perspective as a commander, Lohmeier said he didn't seek to criticize any particular senior leader or publicly identify troops within the book. Rather, he said, he focused on the policies service members now have to adhere to to align with certain agendas "that are now affecting our culture."

Here is the full article printed in the Washington Examiner:

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/space-force-officer-relieved-from-post-after-criticism-critical-race-theory-marxism

“What you see happening in the U.S. military at the moment is that if you're a conservative, then you're lumped into a group of people who are labeled extremists, if you're willing to voice your views. And if you're aligned with the Left, then it's OK to be an activist online because no one's gonna hold you accountable," Matthew Lohmeier said.

Sidenote:

Interesting to see that the Army just released this month their new recruitment video featuring girl raised by lesbian couple.  Link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIYGFSONKbk

The video was highlight in this article. 

 Army advertisement comes as the Central Intelligence Agency released other woke-style ads in a series called "Humans of CIA," which drew criticism from many on social media.

“Growing up gay in a small Southern town, I was lucky to have a wonderful and accepting family. I always struggled with the idea that I may not be able to discuss my personal life at work,” said a man in a CIA advertisement. He says he was surprised to see the CIA Director at the time, John Brennan wearing a rainbow lanyard while taking his oath.

Another advertisement released by the CIA shows a woman of color who describes herself as "A cisgender millennial who has been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder." The woman also proclaims that she is "intersectional."

"The CIA needs to be focused on intelligence gathering and recruiting the best and brightest," Tennesee Senator Marsha Blackburn said. "We can’t afford to risk our national security and waste resources to pander to the Left’s divisive rhetoric," she added.

RECYCYLING THE SALT LAKE TEMPLE -THE GRAVESTONE FOR PRESIDENT NELSON

The gravestone for President Nelson was just erected in the Salt Lake Cemetery. This towering monument stands at over 8 feet tall and almost 2 feet wide of solid granite. It is not just any granite though, it is the granite that has been removed from the Salt Lake Temple. There is plaque that appears at the bottom of the North facing backside of the gravestone which reads, "This monument was crafted of stone from the Salt Lake Temple 2020 renovation. 

Although President Nelson is still alive, his grave monument has been placed right next to his first wife. See below. Not only does the size of the monument dwarf all other gravestones in the cemetery but it is interesting that it is not facing the same direction as all of the other graves. Instead of facing east, it is facing south. 

Christian graves in churchyards were traditionally aligned on an east to west axis. The coffins were placed with the head of the person at the west end of the grave and the foot at the east. This is because they believe in the second coming of Christ and scripture teaches that he will come from the east. In this manner, they place their dead in a position so they can meet Christ face-to-face during his second coming. The gravestone with name also faced east. It is interesting that President Nelson chose to have his grave facing south.