34: LATTER DAY DIVISION

33: SPRING EQUINOX, FULL MOON, PASSOVER and EASTER in 2012

Here are some thoughts about the upcoming days that I think are very important. (Please see below the calendar with some information on attending a Passover Meal with Avraham Gileadi in junction with the Isaiah Institute.)

Next week is the Spring Equinox. It is my opinion that this year is really an important year since many of the dates with Jewish and Christian traditions (the Passover/Crucifixion, the Full/New Moon, the Triumphal entry on Monday and Easter (Resurrection) and First Fruits on Sunday. I also think it is symbolic that Easter this year is on the April 8^th. The number 8 which is a renewal, rebirth and new beginning.  

Just a quick observation that came to mind when creating this calendar.  The Jewish calendar uses the new moon to set their Holy Days.  The new moon is not visible in the sky even though it is there. The Christians use the full moon to set the holy day of Easter. The Full moon is visible, fully present in the sky. I think the new and full moons are symbolic for the unseen Messiah for the Jews (new moon), and the seen and visible Messiah for the Christian (full moon).

A great way to observe the Passover:

Everyone observes this time of year usually with family. Most probably have never even participated in a Passover meal. It you are interested, Avraham Gileadi in conjunction with the Isaiah Institute are putting together their sixth annual Passover dinner. It would be a great way to celebrate the  Easter weekend,  a season of renewal and to acknowledge our Savior as the Lamb of God. You can learn about the Jewish Passover and its rich symbolism from an LDS perspective and why it is meaningful today as a type of things to come.  It will be held Saturday, 7th April 2012, 6:30–8:30 p.m., For more information you can go here: http://josephandjudah.com/

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Sidenote:  The following is written by my cousin and good friend John Pratt. It is an excerpt from an article he wrote in the 1985 July Ensign

 

The Passover feast centered on the paschal lamb, which was a sacrificial lamb, a male without blemish and with no broken bone, even after death. Likewise, Jesus was the "Passover," the "Lamb of God" , a male without blemish and with no broken bone, even after death (John 19:36).

The Passover lamb was to be chosen on the 10 Nisan, the tenth day of the Jewish lunar month Nisan. It was to be killed by "the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel" on 14 Nisan, which was usually the day of the first full moon of spring. Jewish sources state that the lamb was sacrificed between 3:00 and 5:00 P.M. on that day.[3]

Jesus, too, was "chosen" on 10 Nisan at his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, when he was hailed as the Messiah which had been prophesied by Zechariah. The multitude who had assembled in Jerusalem for Passover later consented to his death when they "all" cried out on 14 Nisan, "Let him be crucified.". The Lamb of God died about 3:00 P.M. on the day of preparation for Passover, 14 Nisan, just when the paschal lambs were also being slain.

Of course, at the triumphal entry the multitude did not understand that they were choosing the Lamb of God to sacrifice, but believed they were choosing a king whom they expected to liberate them from Roman rule. And at the Crucifixion they were unaware that they were sacrificing the Lamb of God, but believed they were slaying an imposter who could not even save his own life.

The preparation of the lamb for the feast had to be hurriedly completed before sunset, after which would begin the first day of Passover, 15 Nisan, a day sanctified as a special Sabbath day. After sunset, the lamb was eaten with bitter herbs, unleavened bread, and wine. This ritualized Passover meal was also called the feast of unleavened bread; it began a week in which no leavened bread was eaten, symbolic of the haste of preparation which did not allow enough time for bread dough to rise.

Likewise, the body of Jesus had to be hurriedly prepared for burial before the sunset would commence the Sabbath, which would be a "high day"  because it was not only Saturday, the weekly Sabbath, but also 15 Nisan, the first day of Passover. It was on 15 Nisan, after the slaying of the first-born, that Pharaoh declared liberty to the captive Israelites. After their long period of bondage in Egypt, it must have been a day of great rejoicing. One reason that 15 Nisan was sanctified as an annual feast day was to commemorate that day on which the Lord brought Israel out of bondage and released them from the chains of slavery.

Similarly, on 15 Nisan A.D. 33, the Passover feast day, the Savior declared liberty to the captives in the spirit prison after their long period of bondage.  Before the Savior arrived, they had been "assembled awaiting the advent of the Son of God into the spirit world, to declare their redemption from the bands of death." In fact, they were already "rejoicing in the hour of their deliverance from the chains of death." The fact that they were assembled, rejoicing in the hour of their deliverance, suggests that they expected his arrival on the Passover feast day, the day of liberation.

The law of Moses states that "on the morrow after the Sabbath" of Passover, the priest should wave before the Lord a sheaf of the firstfruits of the harvest. On Easter Sunday, 16 Nisan, the morning after the Jewish Sabbath, the Savior, through his resurrection, became "the firstfruits of them that slept."  Jesus had already taught that he was like a kernel of grain which must abide alone until it dies in the ground, whereupon it can bring forth much fruit. Lehi also explained that the Savior, "being the first that should rise . . . is the firstfruits unto God, inasmuch as he shall make intercession for all the children of men; and they that believe in him shall be saved."

Thus, the carefully prescribed elements of the Passover ceremony precisely foreshadowed both the events of the Atonement and the time each would occur. The annual sacrifice of the paschal lamb on 14 Nisan was not only in remembrance of the Israelites' having been saved by the blood of the lamb on the houses in Egypt. it was also anticipating the 14 Nisan when the great sacrifice of the Lamb of God would occur. The feast on 15 Nisan celebrated not only the liberation of the captives of Egypt; that day would also be the time of even more rejoicing when the Savior would declare liberation to the captives in the spirit prison. And the third day, 16 Nisan, was not only the time when the firstfruits of the harvest of barley were presented to the Lord, it was also the glorious day of the Resurrection­the firstfruits of the harvest of souls.

32: BEHOLD THERE ARE SAVE TWO CHURCHES ONLY

“Behold there are save two churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb of God,

and the other is the church of the devil;

wherefore, whoso belongeth not to the church of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church,

which is the mother of abominations; and she is the whore of all the earth.”

Nephi 14:10

Which church do you belong to?

I took the below photos today of some of the advertisements being used for next week’s  Grand Opening of the LDS Church’s City Creek Center. Enormous photographic ads have been blown up to cover entire buildings.  Slogans such as GO FOR IT, MAKE IT, DISCOVER IT are cleverly intertwined with the City Creek Center name. Many of you know that I have been critical of the billions spent on what I consider the great and spacious shopping center. Many have accused me of being too critical of the Church and their use of money.  They make apologies for those in charge as they are trying to beautify the surrounding areas of the temple. So my question is this. Are we really beautifying the Temple surroundings or actually distracting from it?
Here are a few of the images:

·         An attractive “Angelia Jolie” like woman showing her slender leg sporting stiletto heels.

·         A glamorous woman in a low cut black evening gown holding a glass of wine/champagne, (not to mention that the low cut dress is not “garment friendly”)

·         Large “building-sized” images of men who look like characters from the book Twilight (which used to be one of Deseret books best selling books).

If you were hoping to be one of the first to shop at City Creek Center, you will need to buy a ticket for $50.00 to attend the City Creek Center Charity Preview Gala which is the night before the red ribbon ceremony. However, I heard the tickets are all sold out.  Sounds like it will be quite the party since this is what is being offered:

·         Continuous Entertainment 

·         Food and Refreshments throughout the Center 

·         Access to the Hospitality Suite with music, Hors d' oeuvres, and Beer and Wine 

·         Shopping throughout the evening 

Did I read that correctly?… Beer and Wine? (Well you can’t accuse City Creek of false advertising, since the woman IS holding a glass of wine.) Here is the link to more information on the Charity Gala:  http://shopcitycreekcenter.com/events

In a few weeks, we will have our World Wide General Conference. We have come a long way since the early days of the Church. Yes, we can say, “ We thank thee, O God, for we are a chosen people unto thee.” That same phrase is used in the Book of Mormon. Here is the entire verse found in Alma 31: 27-28

“Behold, O God, they cry unto thee, and yet their hearts are swallowed up in their pride. Behold, O God, they cry unto thee with their mouths, while they are puffed up, even to greatness, with the vain things of the world.

Behold, O my God, their costly apparel, and their ringlets, and their bracelets, and their ornaments of gold, and all their precious things which they are ornamented with; and behold, their hearts are set upon them, and yet they cry unto thee and say—We thank thee, O God, for we are a chosen people unto thee while others shall perish.”

It is not hard to see similarities to us today to the prideful Nephites in the Book of Mormon prior to their destruction. If a Samuel the Lamanite figure climbed on top of the wall surrounding the Salt Lake Temple and preached repentance and exposed our worldly ways.. would we also shoot arrows at him?  

Side note:

Last Friday, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was honored by the Salt Lake Chamber for the City Creek Development. President Uchtdorf  and Bishop Burton both received and accepted the awards. One of the awards was a small statue of Brigham Young. Here is a link.

 http://slchamber.com/blog/drive-on-chamber-honors-lds-church-for-dedication-to-downtown-slc-10002892.htm

31: REACTIONARY VS. REVELATORY

Revelation: Truth given to man by a divine God. It is progressive.

Reactionary: An opinion or action given in response to a situation or another man actions. It is regressive.
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We sometimes use the term ‘revelation’ with the word receiving ‘prophesy’. The verb "prophesy" means "to speak before" (from Greek pro, before, and phemi, to speak). The spirit of prophesy is also meant in having the testimony of Christ. This gift includes both the idea of foretelling and forthtelling, predicting the future and preaching truth. A prophet is God's mouthpiece, he speaks for God and gives His message. Sometimes this message is regarding the future...other times it concerns the present, even the past, or simply doctrinal truth, but it was always God's message spoken forth.
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Right now the Church seems to be stuck between a rock and a hard place on how to deal with new light being shed on past “reactionary” church statements that were taught as “revelation”. I recently became aware of two Religion teachers, one a BYU professor and the other a CES seminary principle who have made public statements and/or interviews regarding our past church history which does not mesh with Church Correlation.
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It is my feeling that we are approaching some very interesting times ahead of us.. as a country and as a church. I am currently taking a microbiology class. In that class, I have received insight from studying the smallest of things. We have been learning about the life cycle of living cells, bacteria and viruses. I made the below chart of the Four Phases of Cell Growth for Bacteria.

• First phase: Initial growth (slow at first) It is a new beginning. Truth is revealed and established.
• Second phase: Growth multiplies exponentially. The nutrients and environment for growth are in abundance.
• Third phase: The growth phase slows as a result of nutrient depletion and accumulation of toxic products .
• Fourth phase: Growth diminished and death occurs due to lack of nutrition and build up of toxic waste.

 

I see the similarities to what has happened in our country and the church as an institution. The Church, according to their stats, is growing at a much slower pace today than it has over the last 30 years. The indicators include much slower membership growth, a decline in conversions, a decline in conversions for each missionary, and a lack of retention. Many are leaving the church. Just like the four phases of cells growth, once there is lack of nutrition and a build of toxicity, cells diminish, and die off. The key is to find the nutrition from an never ending source and avoid the toxic waste material in order to continue to live in an uninhabitable environment.

30: The Prophets New Tie/Clothes

We just received the new March Ensign yesterday. There is a large portrait of Thomas S Monson on the cover. He is wearing a beautiful tie with all of the flags from around the world. I was able to count over a 100 flags visible on his tie, symbolic that Mormonism is now a global faith.

The bulk of the articles in this month's Ensign is to reiterate and emphasize in the minds of the Church members the importance of Following the Prophet and sustaining our leaders. Here are a few of the articles:

• · "Follow the Prophet"
• · "Led by a living prophet"
• · "Following the Prophet makes me happy."
• · "We sustain our Leaders"
• · "Why do we need prophets?"
• · "Preparing for General Conference"
• · "Life Experiences of President Thomas S. Monson"

In addition to the headlines, I thought I would share a few excerpts from one of the articles, "Follow the Prophet" written by Elder Randall Bennett, one the General Authorities.

• "We have learned not to question the validity of what prophets and apostles teach or to wonder if it makes sense."
• "Some might call our actions blind obedience. But we have the Lord's personal promise that the prophets will never lead us astray."
• "She had confidence in knowing that she was following the prophet. And that was more important than anything else." 
• "Our determination to always follow the prophet."

One of the featured and longest article in this month's Ensign is a six page spread on the life of President Monson entitled , "Have I Done Any Good in the World today?" It is written by Heidi S. Swinton, who was commissioned by President Monson to write his autobiography. The article highlights some of Monson's acts of service and accomplishments throughout his life. In the article there is a compliment given by President Boyd K Packer referring to President Monson, "He is more Christlike than the rest of us". (Sidenote: This same quote is the opening sentence in Monson's autobiography).


Without question, there is an over abundance of stories and examples that we hear about how wonderful our Prophet is. In fact, in the latest Worldwide Training Meeting held a few weeks ago, the General Young Women's President said, " "I want to be like the prophet because he is like our Savior."

A few more quotes from the Ensign article:

• "He (Monson) relates to a visiting dignitary from a foreign country with the same attention he does the man who polishes his desk at night." (Sidenote: I guess the bottom in worldly importance is a man who polishes President Monson's desk each night)
• "President Monson does what most people only think about doing."

Preparatory to General Conference, once again in this months Ensign we are reminded of the good deeds and exemplary life of President Monson before the world will hear him speak to us..

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Sidenote:

One of the advantages of having young children is that you can read them bedtime stories. In addition the Ensign, the Church produces magazines like the Friend. However, sometimes it is fun to read classic fairy tales. I think we can learn a lot from fairy tales. Since both of my parents come from Denmark, as a child, my parents read to us tales written by the Danish author, Hans Christian Anderson. The Little Mermaid and the Ugly Duckling were some of our favorites growing up. One of his lesser known tales is "The Emperor's New Clothes." In case some are unfamiliar with the story, here is a very brief summary:

Once upon a time, there was an Emperor who loved to show off his beautiful clothes to his people. One day, the Emperor hires two tailors that promise him the finest, best suit of clothes from a fabric invisible to anyone who is unfit for his position. The Emperor cannot see the cloth himself, but pretends that he can for fear of appearing unfit for his position; his ministers do the same. When the suit is finished, the Emperor then marches in procession before his subjects, who play along with the pretense. Everyone said, loud enough for the others to hear:
"Look at the Emperor's new clothes. They're beautiful!"....

"What a marvellous train!"

"And the colors! The colors of that beautiful fabric!

"I have never seen anything like it in my life!"

Suddenly, a child in the crowd, too young to understand the desirability of keeping up the pretense, blurts out that the Emperor is wearing nothing at all and the cry is taken up by others. The Emperor cringes, suspecting the assertion is true, but holds himself up proudly and continues the procession, deciding never to be so vain again and to take his position more seriously.

29: The GRAND OPENING OF Beautified ZION... or BABYLON?

On March 22, 2012, one month from today,  the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will unveil their multi-billion dollar beautification project around the Salt Lake Temple called CITY CREEK CENTER.  It will be interesting  to see how the billions upon billions of dollars funds were spent. Already billboards (see below), advertisements and even a large permanent rock countdown clock are being used to get the public excited for the grand opening. Not sure the Church has announced their dedicatory plans for their red-ribbon ceremony, but I am guessing that it will be similar to both President Hinckley’s and also President’s Monson dedicatory prayers at the new Zion Banks a few years ago.

I thought I would share a few photos I took of the billboard ads along the I-15 corridor today. The church’s advertising agency are using catchy slogans and imagery to hopefully draw us to the City Creek Center to spend our money. From the looks of what this woman is wearing, I am not sure the target market is for a temple recommend carrying Mormon. But looking on the positive side, this is  a new Missionary Campaign to entice the non-members to shop and then come over to the visitors’ center. (A little bait and switch… once baptized someone will eventually need to tell them that once you go through the temple, you can’t wear some of the clothes you purchased at our shopping center).  However, in the meantime.. MAKE IT YOURS.

I have been reading lately from Hugh Nibley’s Approaching Zion. I thought I would share a couple of highlights.  

·         “Saints start out building up Zion and end up Building Babylon.”

·         “Some of the Latter-Day Saints had an idea that they could take the follies of the world in one hand, and the Savior in the other, and expect to get into the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

·         “Lusting after the things of this world., the Latter-day Saints are shaking hands with the servants of the devil, instead of sanctifying themselves. When I think upon this subject, I want the tongues of seven thunders to wake up the people.” Quoting Brigham Young.

·         “Do we glorify the four things Mormon says will destroy a civilization, lust for power, riches, popularity, and desires of the flesh?”

The Lord teaches these same lessons when he tells how members of the church fall away because of “the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, which choke the word and it becometh unfruitful (Mark 4:19, Matthew 13:22).

A past modern day living prophet declared in 1979, “Unfortunately we cannot proclaim that “All is well in Zion.” We find that we Latter-day Saints are also vulnerable to the destructive forces of evil that are all about us in this sin-sick world.”. Spencer W Kimball.  A little different message than what we hear today from our living prophet, “Now, my brothers and sisters, I am pleased to report that the Church is doing very well.”  Thomas S. Monson, “Welcome to Conference,” Ensign, May 2009, 4–6.

Well, the church must be doing very well to spend the kind of money it has on City Creek Center. Yes, on March 22.. IT ARRIVES!

As a family, we have finished up 2 Nephi. We are reading it a little slower than most. Chapter 28 is especially good. I wanted to point out Hugh Nibley commentary of  Jacob’s discourse early in II Nephi.

“It is at the climax of his great discourse on the Atonement that Jacob cries out, “but wo unto the rich, who are rich as to the things of the world. For because they are rich they despise the poor.” This is  very important statement, setting down as a general principle that the rich as a matter of course despise the poor, for “their hearts are upon their treasures; wherefore, their treasure is their God. And behold, their treasure shall perish with them also: Why does Jacob make this number one in his explicit list of offenses against God? Because it is the number one device among the enticing of “that cunning one” (2 Nephi 9:39) , who knows that riches are his most effective weapon in leading men astray. You must choose between being at one with God or with Mammon, NOT BOTH; the one promises everything in this world for money, the other a  place in the kingdom after you have “endured the crosses of the world, and despised the shame of it.”

Are we being enticed? The billboard read, “Discover it”.  (Remember,  you can have anything in this world for money)

Just thought I would end with one of my favorite poems:

“All the water in the world, no matter how it tried,

could ever sink the smallest ship, until it got inside.

All the evil in the world, and every kind of sin,

could never damn a human soul, unless we let it in.”

Are we letting Babylon in?

28: AUTHENTIC VS COUNTERFEIT

Below are two different artist renditions of Jesus Christ.
The one on the left is painted by Karl Bloch
(I took a little liberty and made the face a little more round, with more red in the hair and made the beard a little more full.)

The image on the right is by Simon Dewey.
(Most LDS artists tend to paint Jesus Christ as a very handsome, "GQ looking", with "Mitt Romney" hair/cheekbones)

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We live in a day when Satan deceiveth the whole earth. (Revelations 12:9). While many of us can discern between obvious truth and error, see the difference between black and white, or feel the difference between hot and cold… it is more difficult to discern between what is real and what appears to be real, to discern what is “authentic” and what is counterfeit. Unfortunately, many times the counterfeit version actually looks better, seems to it make us feel better and sounds better to our ears. These counterfeit look so real that "if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect" (Matthew 24:24), all the while they believe they are following the real thing.


Authentic : the author or maker, Embodies the truthfulness of origins, attributions, commitments, sincerity, devotion, and intentions.

Counterfeit: an imitation or variation of the original. Assuming the appearance of something, made by another. Counterfeit products are often produced with the intent to take advantage of the superior value of the orginal.

We should always be careful not to be deceived. It is unfortunate when we honor, worship or follow things that are counterfeit, thinking it is the real thing. Here just a brief example.




Michelangelo selected a used piece of marble. It was heavily scarred by previous sculptors who had given up on carving this particularly difficult stone. Skeptics doubted that anyone could produce anything worthwhile from this battered and overworked chunk of marble, but Michelangelo saw something within it that nobody else could see. Other sculptor created pieces of art from beautiful, unmarked and without outward flaws.

As Michelangelo’s Statue of David was being transported to the place of honor, the statue was stoned and attacked by unknown assailants. We also know in later political upheavals, the David was knocked of its perch and its right arm broken. Fortunately, another artist and supporter of Michelangelo salvaged the pieces and had the statue repaired when social order was restored. However, in 1873, it was decided that the David statue would be safer indoors, and a copy was set in its place.

It is very difficult to tell the difference between the two statues. (The photo on the right of the statue of David is the replica and to most, it actually looks better than the one on the right... because it is newer and without blemish or scars.

Sidenote: The temple stone that the builders rejected for Solomon's Temple was "blemished" and in their opinion, unworthy to be used. (Psalms 118:22)  That is symbolic of Christ when we read in Isaiah 53:3 - “he was despised, and we esteemed him not”.
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The reason for this is from the following comment on the mormon stories podcast;

http://mormonstories.org/?p=2471

"I've been surprised at appearances. I've avoided making any effort to provide a description of the Lord's appearance. In the early church there are passing references to the Lord's "round face" from which I can affirm they saw Him. Most of the LDS artwork depicting "Jesus" are pretty good likenesses of Lucifer. I think there is wisdom in not making an image of the Lord because most of the images are quite misleading."

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27: THE COLOR OF MONEY

photo taken of the Salt Lake Temple and the high rise building of Zions' Bank in the background

ZION'S BANK ( An Oxymoron) :

Last week as I was driving home from work,  I had the impression to stop and take some pictures of the temple. It was getting dark, and the lights on the temple had just turned on. Just after setting up my camera, the lights on the Zion’s Bank building also turned on. I was surprised to see that the lights were the symbolic color of green. However, the green light only lasted for about 15 seconds until the lights were fully warmed up. Fortunately I was able to capture this photo with the centered words of Zion’s Bank lit up in green above the temple. It has led me to write the following thoughts. 
Besides the scriptures, one of the best books about Zion is written by Hugh Nibley entitled “Approaching Zion”. Here are a few quotes from the book:

·         “The gulf steadily widens between the Zion of God and those Babylonian institutions in our midst that brazenly bear the fair name of Zion as a gimmick to  promote local business”. Approaching Zion, pg 249

·         “The institutions of Mammon are made respectable by the beautiful name of Zion. Zion and Babylon both have their appeal, but the voice of latter-day revelation makes one thing perfectly clear as it tell us over and over again that we cannot have them both.”  Approaching Zion, pg 21

·         “There is an unbridgeable gap between Zion and Babylon. We cannot compromise on the two ways, because the two ways lead in opposite directions. When we try and mix Babylon and Zion and Babylon, Babylon has already won the game”. Approaching Zion, pg 18-19.

And then this quote by Brigham Young in the Journal of Discourses:

·         “When I see this people grow and spread and prosper, I feel there is more danger than when they are in poverty. Being driven from city to city is nothing compared to the danger of becoming rich and being hailed by outsiders as a first-class community.” Journal of Discourses 12:272

It was publicized in both the LDS Church News and the church owned Deseret News that both President Hinckley and President Monson dedicated these newly constructed Zion’s Bank Buildings, in Salt Lake and Provo respectively. Interesting that they both used exact wordings.. praying that the bank may be a bright and shining star.

·         In his dedicatory prayer, President Hinckley said, "We commend those who made the decision to locate the bank and its associated properties in this location. May it ever be a bright and shining star in the business community of Salt Lake City, and may its influence extend and be felt across the nation." 

·         LDS Church President Thomas S. Monson joined elected officials, business leaders and prominent Utah County residents Friday to dedicate and celebrate the Zions Bank Financial Center. In dedicating the building, President Monson prayed, "May it ever be a bright and shining star in the business community of Provo, and may its influence extend far and wide."

Sidenotes:

I think it is unfortunate that just like the other failed banks in the country. Zions Bank entangled itself with the US Government and received  bailout money. It was reported that Zions Bancorp. sought between $500 million and $1.5 billion of the $250 billion the U.S. Treasury Department that was given to banks to encourage lending and help thaw the credit-market freeze.

After receiving the accolade of International Executive of the Year from BYU's Marriott School of Management Nov. 6, 1998, President Gordon B. Hinckley explained that the Church's business is salvation. In his acceptance speech, President Hinckley noted that the Church owns Bonneville International Corporation, the Deseret News Publishing Company, the Deseret Book Company, Zions Securities Corporation, Beneficial Life Insurance Company and other establishments. "Each is expected to make a profit."

Presiding Bishop of the Church, Bishop H. David Burton will receive the most prestigious honor that can be given in the Utah business community this March. The Deseret News article states, ..”as a businessman he has overseen the unprecedented investment in our capital city at the City Creek Center."

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I learned a new Latin term yesterday. It is “stare decisis”, which is short for a longer phrase meaning: “to stand by decisions and not disturb the undisturbed.” This term is mainly used in the legal profession which requires us to respect the precedents established by prior decisions. As Latter Day Saints, we too feel it is our responsibility to  respect, stand by and not disturb the prior decisions of our church leaders. They deserve our love and prayers as we all are trying to survive in this telestial world in which we live. I hope that this short email is received not in a spirit of criticism, but of concern similar to the others who have seen our day and raised a voice of warning like Moroni:

Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing. For behold, ye do love money, and your substance, and your fine apparel, and the adorning of your churches, more than ye love the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted.O ye pollutions, ye hypocrites, ye teachers, who sell yourselves for that which will canker, why have ye polluted the holy church of God? Why are ye ashamed to take upon you the name of Christ? Why do ye not think that greater is the value of an endless happiness than that misery which never dies—because of the praise of the world?” (Morm. 8:34–38.)

One thing I know to be true, Satan is the great deceiver. He claims that you can buy anything in this world with money… Not true. Zion CANNOT be bought with money.  
Unfortunately nowadays, all that is quintessentially Babylon now masquerades as Zion.  
Whenever the Lord prepares for Zion, there must be a division among the people. Because, no man can serve two masters… Ye cannot serve God and Mammon.

26: The Cunning Methods of the Adversary

Saturday night, my wife and I went to the stage adaptation of C.S. Lewis’, The Screwtape Letters. For those not familiar with this book, it is based on a series of letters from a senior demon, Screwtape, to his nephew, a junior “tempter” named Wormwood. The letters contain “professional” advise on methods of securing damnation of a man known only as “the Patient”.

Here are a few of the methods as outlined in the letters that we might see being used on us today.

• “Indeed the safest road to hell is the gradual one – the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.”

• “If you can once get him (the Patient)  to the point of thinking that 'religion is all very well up to a point,' you can feel quite happy about his soul."

• "watering down the faith to make it easier for a supposedly incredulous and hardheaded congregation”

Despite Wormwood valiant attempts of implementing methods to tempt and lead the Patient astray,  the man remains valiant to Christ and is taken up into heaven.

In thinking about what to share from the Screwtape Letters, I just received an email that I felt was very important to send out for others to read. The author of the following would prefer to remain anonymous. I think the adversary and his minions are alive and well in using his tactics on us, the “patients” in this world.  Nephi prophesies of us in these latter days when he says, “they have all gone astray save it be a few, who are the humble followers of Christ; nevertheless, they are led, that in many instances they do err because they are taught by the precepts of men. 2 Nephi 28:14.

Follow the Savior:

Culturally we’ve been molded in recent generations to fasten our eyes and eternal hope upon mere men rather than upon God and upon His Son who paid the price of salvational acquittal, and ransomed our freedom Himself. Somehow these singular and cosmically profound salvational acts have been given perfunctory position and superficial status, set off to the side, or reserved for closing remarks, in favor of cliché platitudes of men for other men.

Popular, though ill conceived cultural rhymes which are taught to our children, ingrain such erroneous thinking at an early age, and unless checked, these can form lifelong habits unmerited by scripture or doctrine or reason. One family’s course correction attuned the hearts of their children to the proper polestar of our lives as they would sing, “Follow the Savior.”

Those of us living in these times where mankind has lost its direction and cannot see afar off, would do well to check our own course and adjust our compass as necessary. We live in a time of mortal hero worship where men are placed upon pedestals and podiums, lauded for their seeming extraordinary service, forgetting that the servant of all spoke of Himself in the lowliest of terms.

These sacramental words come to mind; “And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.”

Why then do we not talk of Christ, rejoice in Christ, preach of Christ, prophesy of Christ, and write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins? Rather, we hear more and more insipid banality of men and the acts of men.

One of the greatest caveats of caution ever spoken were these words: “We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion. Hence many are called, but few are chosen.”

Few choose in indeed. As for me and my house, we will follow the Savior!

—Anonymous

January 29, 2012

25: A FINE SANCTUARY: The Joseph Smith Memorial Building

Last year marked the 100 year anniversary of this elegant  LDS Church Memorial Building that is located east of and overlooks the Salt Lake Temple. This prominent location was previously the site of the Bishop’s Tithing Office. In 1911, the tithing office was moved, and the finest hotel in the Intermountain West, known as the “the Grande Dame of Hotels” was built. After two years of construction and a 2 million dollar price tag, the building was completed on June 9, 2011 with the cooperative effort of church and business leaders.   

Most are unaware that the largest and finest bar in the West was built in the basement of the Hotel to pay off the $2M construction loan. The financing was secured by Presiding Bishop Charles W. Nibley from New York financier Charles Baruch.  The terms of financing  required the sales of hard liquor. When informed of the need to sell alcoholic beverages, “President Joseph F Smith went through the ceiling. Which was it to be? the word of Wisdom or fiscal soundness?”…. The dollar won.” (Hugh Nibley, "Approaching Zion", p. 470. Deseret Book 1989). An unfortunate compromise.

In order to maintain the eloquence and beauty, the Hotel Utah underwent a massive remodeling in the 1970’s that was projected to cost $6 million, but actually exceeded $15 million at completion. Two and half times overbudget.  In the late 80’s and early 90’s, the Church undertook another major remodeling project to change the hotel into a retail and multi-use church building including adding an LDS meeting house and chapel.  The cost was undisclosed.  On the anniversary of the martyrdom of the Prophet, The Joseph Smith Memorial Building was rededicated on June 27, 1993. It was President Gordon B Hinckley who chose the name of the building when he observed that there were many monuments to pioneer leader and Utah founder Brigham Young but none to Joseph Smith.

http://lds.org/ensign/1993/09/a-tour-of-the-joseph-smith-memorial-building?lang=eng

Inside the building are the following features:

• Three dining restaurants: Two upscale restaurants, The Roof (range of $30-60 dollars a plate) and The Garden which are both on the top floor, providing views of the Temple; and the Nauvoo Café on the main floor.
• Many banquet and conference rooms that can be rented out for wedding receptions or dinners.
• A gift shop.
• Church Meetinghouse and Chapel for LDS church services on Sunday.
• Offices for the bishops and other church leaders.
• The Legacy Theater,  a 500 seat theatre with an IMAX sized screen where the public can enjoy inspirational church-produced movies including the Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration.  
• The Family Search center, where the public can use the provided computers and materials to do family history research and genealogy.
• Church headquarters office for Public Affairs and Family History.

This week I took my family to the Joseph Smith Memorial Building to see the new version of the Joseph Smith movie playing in the Legacy Theatre. This new release is expected to help those unfamiliar with Smith's story understand it better than the original did. The revisions to the film included a new narration given by Smith's mother, Lucy Mack Smith, and 40 percent of the film is new content. The revised film is available online, on the Church's YouTube channel—Mormon Messages—and is available for download on their radio service website, the Mormon Channel.
At the beginning of the movie has a disclaimer. “The historical events represented in this story are true.” As to leave no doubt in the viewers mind that everything they will see is truth.  The church has done an amazing job at creating an emotional and an inspirational  movie. Media is very powerful at convening information and events in our minds as truth.  There are interesting subtleties that are put into the movie;  for example, when Lucy bears her testimony at the end of the film, we see Brigham Young putting his arm around her, and kindly helping her back to her seat. Even if certain events did not exactly happen, subconsciously they have a huge impact on us. Nothing that was put in the new movie is on accident, there is a reason. The movie ends with a fly-by of the Salt Lake Temple with the following statement: The Church Jesus Christ re-established in 1830 is today a global faith.  
Interesting choice of words… re-established, global, Church.
I think I would prefer:  restored, personal, and Gospel
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Addendum:

Just an interesting quote from President Gordon B Hinckley’s given at dedication of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in 1993:

“This is a wonderful day—the completion of a tremendous project, which I am confident was inspired by the Lord,” remarked President Hinckley during the dedication ceremonies. “I am satisfied He wanted it this way. I am satisfied that the time had come when the Church should no longer be in the business of running the Hotel Utah as a hotel. ..Some people may feel in their hearts that we have been extravagant,” he observed. “We hope there won’t be any feelings of that kind. … Nothing is too good to remember the Prophet Joseph Smith, called and ordained of God to open this, the dispensation of the fulness of time.”

24: CLOSER TO BUILDING ZION?

This is a re-post of an email I sent out. A friend needed to reference for a quote, so I am posting it on this blog.

Are we getting closer to building Zion city? or Babylon?Having been born and raised in Utah, I have always considered my hometown of Salt Lake to be the premiere place to live and raise a family. Our city was to be the Ensign to all nations, a city built on a hill, the headquarters of the LDS church, the residence of our living prophet . It is easy to become prideful in thinking that our city is more righteous than all of the other cities… especially when we compare ourselves to other cities like Las Vegas or Los Angeles.Here is a photo that I took today of the Salt Lake Valley from Ensign Peak. (Interesting to note that you have to look carefully to see the temple amongst the tall business buildings, banks, and high rise apartments and hotels.)





While compared to more Babylonian cities, we might look good.. but what if we compare ourselves to a true Zion, the city the Lord will dwell in His Glory at His Second Coming? Are we getting closer to that ideal or are we moving farther away…closer to Babylon? My daughter asked me the other day.. where is Jesus going to live when He comes back? I told her that we need to build a place where Holy people live that love Him. She told me that she didn’t think that was possible because there is so many bad people. Is she right?.. is it possible for us to create such a place in our current state and our love for material and temporal things?

So are we getting closer to building a Zion City? If possible, one of the best people to ask for advice would be ENOCH, the greatest city builders in the world. If only we could see his master plans of his city. I have always been curious to know what he did to build his translated city? Did he build luxurious apartment buildings, high-end retail space with fine dining and upscale department store shopping malls? Would he invest and spend billions of dollars on an extravagant city center in order to attract the world to come to his city? Are we getting closer to that ideal or are we moving farther away…are we moving closer to Zion or Babylon?”

I find that highly unlikely, then so why do we?

From the LDS church website: http://www.downtownrising.com/

“In October of 2006 the LDS Church announced major plans to invest in huge development on two blocks in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City. The investment includes a destination retail development, along with high quality housing and office space. . Nearly $2 billion will be invested in the project during the next five years.” "Some of the most sacred ground for the church ... is immediately adjacent to this project and part of the reason we are proceeding with it," Bishop Burton said.. A mix of condominiums, townhouses and apartments will provide a "wide variety of accommodations for people who desire to live, work, shop and worship downtown," Bishop Burton said.


Is this building Zion? Shopping? Fine Dining? Expensive and luxurious apartments for the wealthy?... What happened to the sharing all things in common? No rich.. no poor among us?


Now available for sale are these million dollar apartment/condos called City Creek Apartments an LDS real estate venture overlooking the temple . Here is a view of this upscale apartment for sale. Beautiful. Make you want to envy those who live there…. Wait we are not to envy, covet etc in Zion.





Here is a picture I took today of the progress of the shopping mall,, next to LDS church dedicated Zion’s Bank across from the Salt Lake Temple. Would this have been approved by the city planners in the City of Enoch?





We all rationalize in thinking that it is not time for us to build Zion. We believe that the Lord will direct the prophet to tell us when it is time. Plus, all of the billions of dollars spent on building this shopping center next to the temple will help convert members when they come visit downtown Salt Lake. Money well spent instead of helping those in need… Do we seriously believe this? Do we really want to attract and receive the praise of the world? Have we read the Book of Mormon lately and read the warnings that are directed to us? How about Mormon 8: 37-39

“For behold, ye do love money, and your substance, and your fine apparel, and the adorning of your churches, more than ye love the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted. O ye pollutions, ye hypocrites, ye teachers, who sell yourselves for that which will canker, why have ye polluted the holy church of God? Why are ye ashamed to take upon you the name of Christ? Why do ye not think that greater is the value of an endless happiness than that misery which never dies—because of the praise of the world?”

Addendum:

When the Church was only a year old, the Prophet Joseph observed that “God has often sealed up the heavens because of covetousness in the Church.” Three years later, God revoked that “united order” by which along Zion could exist on earth (D&C 104:52-53) – in their desire for wealth, the Saints had tried to embrace both Babylon and Zion. We have the word of the Prophet Joseph that Zion is not to be built up by using the methods of Babylon. He says,

‘Here are those who begin to spread out buying up all the land they are able to do, to the exclusion of the poorer ones who are not so much blessed with this worlds goods, thinking to lay foundations for themselves only, looking to their own individual families and those who are to follow them….Now I want to tell you that Zion cannot be built up in any such way.”

Brigham Young explains: “I am sorry that this people are worldly-minded…Their affections are upon…their farms, upon their property, their houses and possessions, and in the same ratio that this is the case, the Holy Spirit of God – the spirit of their calling – forsakes them, and they are overcome with the spirit of the evil one.”

From Hugh Nibley’s “Approaching Zion”

“So money is the name of the game by which the devil cleverly decoys the minds of the Saints from God’s work to his. “What does the Lord want us up here in the tops of these mountains?” Brigham asked twenty years after the first settling of the Valley. “He wishes us to build up Zion. What are the people doing? They are merchandizing, trafficking and trading.”…”Instead of reflecting upon and searching for hidden things of the greatest value to them, [the Latter-day Saints] rather wish to learn how to secure their way through this world as easily and as comfortably as possible.

“In Zion you labor, to be sure, but not for money, and not for yourself, which is the exact opposite of our present version of the work ethic.

nd lastly from President Spencer W Kimball.

“If we lust…for the riches of the world, and spare no pains [hard work] to obtain and retain them, and feel ‘these are mine,’ then the spirit of the anti-Christ comes upon us. This is the danger…[we] are in.”Many people spend most of their time working in the service of a self-image that includes sufficient money, stocks, bonds, investment portfolios, property, credit cards, furnishings, automobiles, and the like to guarantee carnal security throughout, it is hoped, a long and happy life.

23: KEEP UP THE FULL ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH, SO THAT THE DEVIL COULD TAKE NO ADVANTAGE OF US

“It was necessary to keep up a full organization of the Church all through time as far as could be.

At least the three First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve, Seventies,

and Patriarch over the whole Church …

so that the devil could take no advantage of us.”

Brigham Young

Today, January 9, 2012 is the birthday of Eldred G Smith. He is 105 years old. Eldred Smith is a great-great-grandson to Hyrum Smith, Joseph Smith’s brother. He is the Emeritus Patriarch of the Church.

He is the oldest living General Authority in the history of the Church. Last year in 2011, he surpassed David O. McKay as the longest-serving general authority in LDS Church history. He deserves more attention than he receives.  The Church has undergone tremendous changes since Joseph Smith, including the gradual dissolving in importance of the office of Patriarch of the Church.

Most do not know that Joseph Smith, by revelation, established two presiding offices: The President of the High Priesthood and the Patriarch of the Church. The President (Joseph Smith) presided. But the Patriarch stood by with keys to ordain the next President and provide for orderly transition from one President to the next. The Patriarchal office is by lineage or descent, thus avoiding the possibility of men seeking for power, position and/or control. The Lord’s checks and balances.

Eldred Gee Smith should have become Patriarch in 1932, at the death of his father. However, Pres. Heber J. Grant was "evidently reticent" to have him be the new Patriarch, so the important ecclesiastical office was left vacant for a decade.  Apparently President Grant was conflicted about the Patriarch because he considered himself a descendant of Joseph Smith by sealing and the Patriarch was competition to that; and therefore he did not want the Patriarch to ordain him president. He had the Twelve ordain him.  However, 10 years later, President Grant disregarded the patrilineage and ordained Joseph Fielding Smith to the office. President Grant also had the name change from "Presiding Patriarch" to "Patriarch to the Church."

After the serving for only 4 years,  Patriarch Joseph Fielding Smith was discovered to have had homosexual relations and was released by President George Albert Smith.  Eldred G Smith was then rightly selected as the next Presiding Patriarch and served in that position for the next 32 years. Eldred regularly spoke in General Conferences; hhowever, in 1979, he was placed on emeritus status by the First Presidency and no new Patriarch was called to replace him. At his death, the office of Patriarch to the Church, which once rivaled that of the President of the Church, will cease to exist.

Most don’t even know Eldred G Smith exists as a 105 year old living man today. However, I think we all should sent out a Happy 105^th Birthday Wish to him.

…………………………..

Sidenote:

“Whenever a patriarch after 1844 tried to magnify his presiding office, the Twelve and First Presidency recoiled in apprehension. However, when individual patriarchs seemed to lack administrative vigor, the Twelve and First Presidency criticized them for not magnifying their office. Few men could walk such an ecclesiastical tightrope. For various reasons the First Presidency and Twelve were in conflict with seven out of eight successors of the original Presiding Patriarch, Joseph Smith, Sr. The hierarchy finally resolved the situation on 6 Oct 1979 by making Eldred G. Smith an “emeritus” general authority without replacing him. This permanently “discontinued” the office of Patriarch to the Church. … Vacating the office in 1979 ended the conflicts. However, according to Brigham Young’s instructions, the 1979 action made the church vulnerable: “It was necessary to keep up a full organization of the Church all through time as far as could be. At least the three first Presidency, quorum of the Twelve, Seventies, and Patriarch over the whole Church … so that the devil could take no advantage of us.[15]” It is beyond the scope of this analysis to assess such metaphysical vulnerability. Administratively, however, the decision to leave the patriarch’s office vacant after 1979 streamlined the hierarchy and removed a source of nearly constant tension." Quinn, Extensions of Power, p. 131

Addendum:

Interestingly the term "Prophet" was not applied to a living man holding the office of "President of the Church" until 1955, during the administration of David O. McKay. The term "Prophet" until that time always meant exclusively Joseph Smith, and not the office holder of President. Before then it was "President Young" and "President Taylor" and "President Woodruff" and so on. However, in 1955 the Church News began a new practice of referring to the living President McKay as a "Prophet." It was felt that changing the reference to the living President would result in quicker acceptance of direction from him, and less criticism of the President. (President Grant was the most unpopular Church President in the Church's history, and that was something they hoped to avoid happening again.) It worked. No-one wants to reject counsel from a living prophet of God.