A Beautiful Moonrise at Sunset

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Last night while hiking, I witnessed true beauty.  The full moon was slowly rising above mountains in the eastern sky while the sun was slowly setting above mountains in the western sky.

I was heading north across a ridge near twilight.  As I looked to the west, the sun was nearly setting.  The moon and the sun each occupied the same amount of space in the sky.  Each sphere also located the same distance above the horizon, one rising and the other setting.  The full moon was located to my right and the full sun was located to my left.  I stood in awe, between these two heavenly bodies, which represent our Mother and Father in Heaven.

https://scriptures.info/scriptures/tc/section/86

The earth rolls upon her wings, and the sun gives his light by day, and the moon gives her light by night, and the stars also give their light as they roll upon their wings, in their glory, in the midst of the power of God.

Unto what shall I liken these kingdoms that you may understand? Behold all these are kingdoms, and any man who has seen any or the least of these has seen God moving in his majesty and power. I say unto you he has seen him. Nevertheless, he who came unto his own was not comprehended. The light shines in darkness, and the darkness comprehends it not. Nevertheless, the day shall come when you shall comprehend even God, being quickened in him and by him. Then shall you know that you have seen me, that I am, and that I am the true light that is in you, and that you are in me; otherwise, you could not abound.

from the Book of Enoch: "Those who sleep not bless Thee, they stand before Thy glory and bless, praise, and extol, saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of Spirits.  Blessed be Thou and blessed be the name of the Lord forever and ever!"

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The Light Between Us

Along with many, I believe that our spirits/souls continue learning and progressing long after the death of our physical bodies.  There is reason and purpose, established long before the creation of our heaven and Earth.  There are lessons for each of us to learn, and loyalty for each to prove.  

In this life, we are constantly making choices.  In order to walk with Him, we need to be like Him.  We need to make choices that bring us closer to Him, instead of choices that move us away from Him and into the darkness.  We have a perfect example to follow in Jesus Christ.  He has asked each of us "to hold up His light".  How do we do this?  

His many examples of love, kindness and patience are precisely His message and exactly what constitutes "His light".  Jesus is the "light" and life of our heaven and Earth.  What does Jesus ask people to do?  

To follow Him!  He is asking each of us to be like Him, to act like Him (using love, kindness and patience) and follow His guidance, which is constantly available to each of us.  In order for us to become like Him, we need to be found listening for His instruction and emulating Him, while making our decisions each day.  

Our spirits existed for eons, before this physical world was created and our spirits will continue living for eternity.  Our time dwelling on this fallen, temporal (temporary) physical world is exceptionally short, when compared with the vast amount of time we spent, getting ready to come here and prove ourselves.

This physical test is tough, refining the willing participants into spiritual children. Many of us have trouble finding the correct path, as the gate is straight and the way is narrow that leads to eternal life.  In order to receive our spiritual Father, each must choose to abandon the natural men and women tendencies that are so inherent with the fleshy bodies we each have received.  Our flesh is the yoke that holds us here in this telestial (fallen) world.  Our flesh also veils the glory of our spirits. 

Even though we may understand these concepts, diligence and effort is required every hour, according to Paul, (because our souls are in peril) as death and decay are constantly attacking life and growth.  The dark side continues their rebellion, in opposition to our Father's will.  The wicked choose darkness, instead of light.  Satan desires to sift each one of us as wheat, yet take courage, Jesus prays for us and supports each one of us.  Jesus explained to me that "All flesh is in His hands".  

Physical death is only a temporary separation between us, "here", and the ones we cherish, "located on the other side of the veil".  While we are here in this condensed physical experience, the grief and loss associated with losing someone close to us, is very real.  After losing a loved one to physical death, the grief experienced seems almost too much to bear.  The pain and suffering is real.  At some point we will see our loved ones again, however the struggle without them, can be daunting.  Finding the courage and strength required for living each new day (without them here in our physical world) is easier when looking to Jesus, our Messiah.  He is the way.  He is the Great Spirit, the Creator.  He conquered death.  He is the only one offering salvation and He allows us to be reunited with our loved ones once this temporary, physical experience ends.  Glory to God!  I am so looking forward to seeing my loved ones again!

I recently read a great book called: "The Light Between Us".  I found help and healing within the book, in addition to light and love.

The Light Between Us: Stories from Heaven. Lessons for the Living. Book by Laura Lynne Jackson


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Holding on to Christ

How are we to lay hold upon every good thing?

According to Mormon, all of the good available in this fallen world, comes from Jesus Christ.  Therefore, In order to lay hold upon every good thing, we must put our faith in Jesus Christ.  Mormon explains that our faith in Jesus, allows us to become His sons and daughters.  We must lay hold upon every good thing, by holding on to Christ.

https://scriptures.info/scriptures/bofm/moroni/7

According to Mormon's son, Moroni, Faith, together with Hope, and Charity, become the fountain of all righteousness.  "And I will shew unto them (the Gentiles) that faith, hope, and charity bringeth unto me, the fountain of all righteousness."

https://scriptures.info/scriptures/bofm/ether/5

Moroni also shares an epistle from his father, Mormon and reviews the importance of the fountain of all righteousness in the Book of Moroni:

Our Faith is to be centered in Jesus Christ.  We are to Hope in the Eternal Life, offered by Him.  We must have Charity, if we desire to be purified by Him.  In other words, we must become like Him.  Charity is the pure love of Christ and the greatest of all:

https://scriptures.info/scriptures/bofm/moroni/7

And if a man be meek and lowly in heart, and confesses by the power of the holy ghost that Jesus is the Christ, he must needs have charity. For if he have not charity, he is nothing; wherefore, he must needs have charity. 

And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all. For all things must fail, but charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth for ever. And whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with them. 

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified, even as he is pure.  Amen.

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Right here in River City

There is a popular false tradition among us Gentiles that goes like this: 

"Soon we will be responsible for building the New Jerusalem, right here in our very own America".

The truth as received in the scriptures, explains the following: Once the people of this land are humble, ready and find themselves worshiping Jesus Christ (the God of this land), then, and only then, will Zion come down from heaven and be established among the New Jerusalem in America and Jesus will dwell there.  

By the time Zion actually arrives in America, the world, including America, will feel dramatically different.  Our relatively prosperous and peaceful circumstances will no longer exist.  At that time, the king of Assyria (from Isaiah) will be sweeping the nations of the Earth before him.  The world will be completely at war, and the only place survivors may flee for protection will be Zion.

Who are the people responsible for this land of America and for building the New Jerusalem on this land?  

According to the Book of Mormon, the people who received this honor and mandate directly from Jesus Christ, are a remnant from the tribe of Joseph/Jacob.

https://scriptures.info/scriptures/bofm/3nephi/10

"But if they (the Gentiles) will repent, and hearken unto my words, and harden not their hearts, they shall come in unto the covenant and be numbered among this the remnant of Jacob, unto whom I have given this land for their inheritance

(Who was given the land?  The remnant of Jacob/Joseph, the people of the land).

And they (the Gentiles) shall assist my people, the remnant of Jacob, and also as many of the house of Israel as shall come, that they (the remnant of Jacob) may build a city which shall be called the New Jerusalem. And then shall they (the Gentiles) assist my people, that they may be gathered in, who are scattered upon all the face of the land, in unto the New Jerusalem. And then shall the Powers of Heaven come down among them, and I also will be in the midst".

Notice, the responsibility for establishing the New Jerusalem was not given to the Gentiles, as our instruction involves assisting.  The most noted Gentile assist mentioned in the scriptures is the sharing the scriptures (Book of Mormon and Bible) with the remnant of Joseph/Jacob.  

Who are the people in the Book of Mormon that fit this description of the remnant of the house of Joseph/Jacob? 

Correct, the Native Americans of North and South America are the people being described throughout the Book of Mormon as the remnant of Joseph/Jacob.  

How many Native Americans are currently living in North and South America?

Fifty three million!

Recent estimates for North America are close to eleven million, with approximately two million Native Americans located in Canada and seven million living within the U.S.  South America is estimated to contain forty two million indigenous peoples living there.

In the record of Ether, in the Book of Mormon, Moroni explains which people will be building a holy city unto the Lord, and the Gentiles are not even mentioned:    

"Ether taught that after the waters had receded from off the face of this land, it became a choice land above all other lands, a chosen land of the Lord — wherefore, the Lord would have that all men should serve him who dwelt upon the face thereof — and that it was the place of the New Jerusalem, which should come down out of Heaven, and the holy sanctuary of the Lord.

Behold, Ether saw the days of Christ, and he spake concerning a New Jerusalem upon this land. And he spake also concerning the house of Israel, and the Jerusalem from whence Lehi should come — after it should be destroyed, it should be built up again, an holy city unto the Lord (wherefore, it could not be a New Jerusalem, for it had been in a time of old, but it should be built up again and become a holy city of the Lord, and it should be built up unto the house of Israel) and that a New Jerusalem should be built up upon this land unto the remnant of the seed of Joseph, for which things there has been a type. For as Joseph brought his father down into the land of Egypt, even so he died there. Wherefore, the Lord brought a remnant of the seed of Joseph out of the land of Jerusalem, that he might be merciful unto the seed of Joseph, that they should perish not, even as he was merciful unto the father of Joseph, that he should perish not.

Wherefore, the remnant of the house of Joseph shall be built up upon this land, and it shall be a land of their inheritance. And they shall build up a holy city unto the Lord like unto the Jerusalem of old. And they shall no more be confounded until the end come, when the earth shall pass away. And there shall be a new heaven and a new earth. And they shall be like unto the old, save the old have passed away and all things have become new. And then cometh the New Jerusalem; and blessed are they who dwell therein, for it is they whose garments are white through the blood of the Lamb; and they are they who are numbered among the remnant of the seed of Joseph, who were of the house of Israel. And then also cometh the Jerusalem of old and the inhabitants thereof; blessed are they, for they have been washed in the blood of the Lamb. And they are they who were scattered, and gathered in from the four quarters of the earth and from the north countries, and are partakers of the fulfilling of the covenant which God made with their father, Abraham. And when these things come, bringeth to pass the scripture which saith, There are they who were first who shall be last, and there are they who were last who shall be first".

https://scriptures.info/scriptures/bofm/ether/6

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How do we glorify God?

A true messenger from God, named Ether, taught the people that all things are brought about by faith.  Ether said that we should be hoping for a better world, as this place is fallen.  We should hope with faith, for a place at the right hand of God.  Hope together with our faith, creates an anchor for our souls.  

This faith and hope makes us sure and steadfast, like an anchor of righteousness, always abounding in good works, which is how we glorify God!

https://scriptures.info/scriptures/bofm/ether/5

And it came to pass that the days of Ether was in the days of Coriantumr, and Coriantumr was king over all the land.  And Ether was a prophet of the Lord; wherefore, Ether came forth in the days of Coriantumr and began to prophesy unto the people, for he could not be constrained because of the spirit of the Lord which was in him (a sign of a true messenger from God).  For he did cry from the morning even until the going down of the sun, exhorting the people to believe in God unto repentance lest they should be destroyed, saying unto them that by faith all things are fulfilled.  Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.  And it came to pass that Ether did prophesy great and marvelous things unto the people, which they did not believe because they saw them not.

Moroni explains that faith is hope and belief in things which are unseen.  

And now I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things. I would shew unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen. Wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness — not until after the trial of your faith. For it was by faith that Christ shewed himself unto our fathers after he had risen from the dead, and he shewed not himself unto them until after they had faith in him; wherefore, it must needs be that some had faith in him, for he shewed himself not unto the world but because of the faith of men.

Faith is required to see Him, along with purity of heart.

In the same chapter: https://scriptures.info/scriptures/bofm/ether/5 

Moroni prays for us (the Gentiles) that we may have charity, and receive grace from God.  Jesus explains to Moroni, very few Gentiles will succeed in this process as they will need to humble themselves, asking Him to show them their weaknesses and the Gentiles will also need to be charitable.  We (the proud Gentiles) will find both of these requirements very hard to accomplish.

During his farewell, Moroni repeats the message of the Book of Mormon, which is this:  "I have seen Jesus and you may also see Him.  I commend you to turn your life towards him (seek after Jesus), that you may receive of His grace".

And now I, Moroni, bid farewell unto the gentiles, yea, and also unto my brethren, whom I love, until we shall meet before the judgment seat of Christ, where all men shall know that my garments are not spotted with your blood. And then shall ye know that I have seen Jesus, and that he hath talked with me face to face, and that he told me in plain humility, even as a man telleth another, in mine own language, concerning these things. And only a few have I written because of my weakness in writing. And now I would commend you to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written, that the grace of God the Father, and also the Lord Jesus Christ, and the holy ghost, which beareth record of them, may be and abide in you for ever. Amen.

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The Book of Mormon, Isaiah and the End Times

Many people take these words (Feast upon the words of Christ) from Nephi to support their search and study of the scriptures, which is a good interpretation. Surely the words of Christ may be found within the scriptures. The Holy Spirit will also attend to and teach those who are engaged in scripture study.

Please also keep in mind, the righteous voice that you hear in your head, the same voice that provides protection for you and also prompts you "to do what is right", that voice, is the voice of Jesus. "Feasting upon the words of Christ" also means to follow the individual direction that He is constantly providing you! This personal guidance and interaction with Jesus is available all day long, each and every day.

Seek His instruction, and be sure to follow His counsel, because He is trying to lead you directly to Him. Directly to that moment (while living in the flesh) when He will visit with you.

A sacred record is available, full of helpful information from Jesus, concerning how each of us may come unto Him. The record is known as the Book of Mormon. To accurately determine if this book of scripture is "from God", one must try the fruit and spend time reading the Book of Mormon:  

https://scriptures.info/scriptures/nc

Over the years, different groups have attempted to organize churches and preach repentance based upon revelations received by Joseph Smith and others. These churches have experienced varying levels of success as organized religion suffers from inherent corruption, leading to eventual loss of the Spirit. The Book of Mormon is a record full of light and truth, while the religions that were organized in connection with Mormon theology are losing their way.

There is much discussion within the Book of Mormon regarding the tribes of Jacob, including the Jews, accepting Jesus Christ, while the Gentiles reject Christ, lose their chance and fall into apostacy.  Our dire situation is covered in the Book of Mormon and also in Isaiah.  The period of wickedness and destruction, known as "the end times", will soon be upon us.  If we survive the coming tribulations, we will find ourselves living during a time of complete chaos, while searching for Zion, because it will be the only place of refuge and protection.  Jesus quotes Isaiah in Third Nephi and commands us to search and study the words of Isaiah:  

https://scriptures.info/scriptures/bofm/3nephi/10:

"And now behold, I say unto you that ye had ought to search these things. Yea, a commandment I give unto you that ye search these things diligently, for great are the words of Isaiah. For surely he spake as touching all things concerning my people which are of the house of Israel. Therefore, it must needs be that he must speak also to the gentiles. And all things that he spake hath been and shall be, even according to the words which he spake".

Up until now, very few have been able to understand the words of Isaiah and honor the commandment above, received from Jesus.  Glory to God!  Avraham Gileadi, has devoted his life to studying and explaining Isaiah.  I have really enjoyed spending time studying and learning from Avraham's website: 

http://www.isaiahexplained.com/

All 66 chapters of Isaiah are listed, each containing extensive explanations and detailed historical background. There is so much information here! Be sure to check this out! There are four tabs in the menu, located above the 66 chapters of Isaiah. By clicking on the "Apocalyptic Commentary" tab, a wealth of information is available in analytical commentary format (each verse is broken down and explained in written text).  A voice recording is also available with insightful additional cultural and period background information, by clicking on the play button.

Recently a devoted group (attempting to follow Jesus) put together a wonderful set of scriptures and all three volumes are easily accessible online.  The information contained within these scriptures has remained true to the original revelations, available here:  https://scriptures.info/

Within these scriptures, the original revelations from Joseph Smith are available, including the doctrine of faith (written lessons of theology) known as the Lectures on Faith. The original text of the Book of Mormon is also included.  These scriptures are full of light and instruction from God, while being free from the uneasy yoke created by organized religion.

“Then spoke Jesus, saying, Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavily loaded, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart. And you shall find rest unto your souls, for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

from Matthew:  https://scriptures.info/scriptures/nt/matthew/6


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