Stake Conference

We had priesthood leadership session of stake conference tonight. It was the relatively new satellite-broadcast format. Marlin K. Jensen conducted, and Thomas S. Monson presided. Both of them spoke. David A. Bednar also spoke.

When the stake conference was announced, we were told it would be Southern Alberta and Calgary and that it would be 2-3 hours in length. According to President Monson, all six Calgary stakes were in attendance as well as twenty other stakes in BC (presumable Cranbrook since it is in the Canada Calgary Mission), Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, as well as the Fort Frances Branch in Ontario. Presumably, the stakes are as follows:

BC

Cranbrook

ALBERTA

Calgary (6), Cardston (2), Edmonton (4), Fort MacLeod, Grande Prairie, Lethbridge (3), Magrath, Medicine Hat, Raymond, Red Deer, Taber

SASKATCHEWAN

Regina, Saskatoon

MANITOBA

Winnipeg

These stakes comprise roughly 80,000 Latter-day Saints (based on 2003 figures), or roughly half of all Church membership in Canada. The area is covered by three missions and three temples.

It was a very good session that went four hours. The last time I attended a four-hour leadership session was when James E. Faust presided over one in Vancouver in 1997. I really enjoyed tonight's session. The leaders had a lot to say and what they said caused me to ponder my own life and what may lay ahead in the near future.

It's been a long time since I have been this moved at a stake priesthood leadership meeting.

Some around me were impatient and just wished it would end. I enjoyed it. I could have stayed another hour.

My only regret is that I had to sit in the dark straining my neck while looking at the screen.

UPDATE (01 May 2005): According to Elder Jensen, the broadcast was sent to 96 meetinghouses, including the Yellowknife Branch.

Third Watch

Did anyone watch Third Watch last night?

I have to say that was the worst episode I have ever seen. Every scene was drawn out and anti-climatic. It was if a 13-year-old intern wrote the script.

I hope it gets better than this.

Miracles

The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language defines a miracle as "an event that appears inexplicable by the laws of nature and so is held to be supernatural in origin or an act of God."

But natural laws according to whom? Does God have laws to which He adheres that we do not know? Would these be considered laws of nature?

If we infiltrated a primitive tribe and showed them a flashlight, would that be inexplicable using their understanding of nature? Would it be considered a miracle?

Did Jesus consider what He did miracles?

Despise the Poor

But wo unto the rich, who are rich as to the things of the world. For because they are rich they despise the poor, and they persecute the meek, and their hearts are upon their treasures; wherefore, their treasure is their god. And behold, their treasure shall perish with them also. (2 Ne 9:30)

It seems that Jacob is saying that because one is rich, one will despise the poor. Is this really automatic?

First, what does 'rich' mean? Is there an absolute measurement to determine when someone is rich? I am sure that because my salary is above the provincial average, Tent City residents would think I am rich. Yet at the same time there are many people who make six, seven and eight figure amounts of an annual salary, which I do not.

Second, why would be rich automatically make one despise the poor? wouldn't that depend on the person's disposition? If one was disposed to being selfish and boast in his/her higher status compared to others, wouldn't that person despise the poor? Would others without those dispositions automatically despise the poor if they were rich?

Lastly, was this just a Nephite phenomenon? Does it not happen in our day?

For My Mum

I remember Daddy's hands working till they bled,
sacrificed unselfishly just to keep us all fed.
If I could do things over, I'd live my life again,
and never take for granted the love in Daddy's hands.

Daddy's Hands, Holly Dunn

There. Happy?

Wisdom is Foolishness

O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish. But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God. (2 Ne 9:28-29)

What causes a person to supplant his/her faith in God with secular knowledge? Why do some individuals not reconcile the two?

I consider myself to be a relatively intelligent person, yet I do not consider myself one to not hearken to the counsels of God. I am sure there are others like me. So why can we do it and many others not?

Talking to Myself

And I'm talking to myself at night
Because I can't forget
Back and forth through my mind

Seven Nation Army, The White Stripes

Wasting the Days of Probation

But wo unto him that has the law given, yea, that has all the commandments of God, like unto us, and that transgresseth them, and that wasteth the days of his probation, for awful is his state! (2 Ne 9:27)

Is it truly a waste? Does this time of probation still serve a purpose even if we don't return to live with God? Is there still worth in it?

Superman

I’m more than a bird...I’m more than a plane
More than some pretty face beside a train
It’s not easy to be me

Superman, Five For Fighting

Holiday

The shame, the ones who died without a name,
Hear the dogs howlin' out of key,
To a hymn called faith and misery

Holiday, Green Day

Lake of Fire and Brimstone

For the atonement satisfieth the demands of his justice upon all those who have not the law given to them, that they are delivered from that awful monster, death and hell, and the devil, and the lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment; and they are restored to that God who gave them breath, which is the Holy One of Israel. (2 Ne 9:26)

On the surface, this verse seems to offer solace to those who have ignorant of the law. They seem to have a chance of redemption from death, hell, the devil, and the lake of fire and brimstone.

The way Jacob mentioned the lake of fire and brimstone is interesting,. He states that it is endless torment. This could be read two way. It's not literally a lake of fire and brimstone, but rather representative of what infinite torment is like. Or it could be read to mean that being in a lake of fire and brimstone is infinitely tortuous.

What makes this statement even more interesting is D&C 19:10-12:

For, behold, the mystery of godliness, how great is it! For, behold, I am endless, and the punishment which is given from my hand is endless punishment, for Endless is my name. Wherefore—
Eternal punishment is God’s punishment.
Endless punishment is God’s punishment.

So not only is the lake of fire and brimstone possible symbolic of infinite torment and suffering, this endless torment may not actually be infinite after all.

Technically speaking, there is a beginning to the torment and infinity does not have a beginning, so the torment would not be endless or infinite by definition anyhow.

But it does raise the question of what happens to the damned once their torment is over?

Sinéad and Regan

Here is what will possibly the last professional photograph taken of the Siever children while there are only two of them. Well, okay. It was Sears, so maybe "professional" is not the right word. But something sort of like it anyhow.

Made of Steel

You wanted a hero tonight
Well I'm not made of steel
But your secret's safe with me

Made of Steel, Our Lady Peace

Come Out and Play

Hey, man you talkin' back to me
Take him out
You gotta keep'em separated
Hey, man you disrespecting me
Take him out
You gotta keep'em separated
Hey, they don't pay no mind
If you're under 18 you won't be doing any time
Hey, come out and play

Come Out and Play, Offspring

Definition of Sin

Wherefore, he has given a law; and where there is no law given there is no punishment; and where there is no punishment there is no condemnation; and where there is no condemnation the mercies of the Holy One of Israel have claim upon them, because of the atonement; for they are delivered by the power of him.

I understand how the atonement covers little children, those not mental accountable, etc, but I have to wonder if there's more.

Certainly there are many throughout the world and history who have not had "the law" with which to govern their lives. Is Jacob suggesting their "wrong" actions are claimed by the Christ? If so, then what is the definition of sin? I had always thought it was wilful disobedience to God's commandments.

If those unaware of His commandments are still delivered by the power of the atonement, what does that mean for the definition of sin?

Innocent

Tina's losing faith in what she knows
Hates her music hates all of her clothes
Thinks of surgery and a new nose
Every calorie is a war

And while she wishes she was a dancer
And that she'd never heard of cancer
She wishes God would give her some answers
And make her feel beautiful

Innocent, Our Lady Peace

Only a Kiss

It started out with a kiss
How did it end up like this?
It was only a kiss

Mr Brightside, The Killers

Damn

And if they will not repent and believe in his name, and be baptized in his name, and endure to the end, they must be damned; for the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has spoken it. (2 Ne 9:24)

I was thinking about the use of the word 'damned' this morning.

Until this morning, I always viewed the usage of this word to mean that one's eternal progression would be stopped. However, in the real sense of a damn, the progression of water is not stopped, but simply hindered and then controlled.

I wonder if Jacob had this in mind when he used the analogy.

Uh...yeah...so...um...scratch that.

Imperfect Faith

And he commandeth all men that they must repent, and be baptized in his name, having perfect faith in the Holy One of Israel, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God. (2 Ne 9:23)

What is imperfect faith?

New Pope

The cardinals chose a new pope.

Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church elected Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany Tuesday as the new pope to succeed John Paul II, reaching an early agreement on the second day of voting. He took the name of Benedict XVI.

What I liked about this article was a quote from Pope Benedict:

An adult faith does not follow the waves of fashion and the latest novelty.

Very cool. I wonder how long until our faith is an adult faith.

Suffering and the Resurrection

For as long as I can remember, I was under the impression that Jesus suffered for our sins. Jacob, however, seems to say that He suffered for even more.

And he suffereth this that the resurrection might pass upon all men, that all might stand before him at the great and judgment day. (2 Ne 9:22)

Jacob seems to be saying that without the suffering Jesus experienced, we would not be resurrected. Or, rather, that a purpose of His suffering was to bring about the resurrection. It seems then that bringing the resurrection into fruition required more than simply dying and raising oneself from the dead. It also brings a whole new perspective on the amount of suffering He endured, considering it was more than just our sins for which He suffered.

In addition, Jacob also says that we must be resurrected to stand before the Christ at the day of judgement. So, having resurrected bodies must somehow be required for us to be judged.

The Pains of All Men

And he cometh into the world that he may save all men if they will hearken unto his voice; for behold, he suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living creature, both men, women, and children, who belong to the family of Adam. (2 Ne 9:21)

I find this scripture interesting; particularly given the popular belief among some Christians (including some Latter-day Saints) that when we sin, we add to the pain and suffering of the Christ.

Jacob is saying that Jesus suffered the pains of all who belong to the family of Adam. Considering not everyone will repent of the sins s/he commits, one must assume that Jacob also means Jesus suffered for all sins.

In light of the recent post on the omniscience of God, and the ability for us to choose between righteousness and sin, I am left pondering how the suffering panned out. How could the Saviour suffer for our sins when they had yet to be committed and we still had the choice to avoid the sins for which He potentially suffered? Did He suffer for every possible sin? If God knows every possible decision we can make and every possible thread of our futures based on those decisions—as I asked in my previous post—perhaps then Jesus also could also suffer for every possible sin.

The Seventh Day

During companionship scripture study last night we read about the creation of the world. It took God six days to make the world and He rested on the seventh.

Many profess that the six days sued to create the Earth were not 24-hour periods of time, but rather undetermined lengths of time and each day was not necessarily the same length as the others.

If this is the case, then how long is the seventh day? If God used the seventh day for resting from creating the Earth and its inhabitants, is it still the seventh day?

Symbol of Christianity

I went home teaching last night and we shared April's First Presidency Message. It is by President Hinckley and he discusses what is the symbol of our faith. He states that rather than using the cross, the symbol of our faith is the way we live our lives.

I think this is a good point. Jesus contributed more to humankind than simply dying on the cross. He taught religious/moral principles radical for His time. He performed many miracles, and showed unconditional love. He suffered for our sins (not just died for them). He was resurrected.

If we are keeping the commandments, then we are trying to live as Jesus did. We are trying to emulate is live and live His teachings. A much more appropriate symbol of what He contributed to humankind.

It left me wondering though why the cross was chosen as a symbol of Christianity. Certainly his death is significant, but the whole suffering process should not be overlooked because of the cross. As well, for the atonement to have effect in our lives, we need to have a change of heart and repent for our previous ways. The resurrection, on the other hand, is a free gift to all. That seems then to be even more significant.

So, why the cross? Why not something else?

Church Spokesperson a Woman?

The Boston Phoenix ran an article on specualtion about Mitt Romney running for US president. I could care less about the purpose of the article, but I found this interesting.

Kim Farah, an LDS spokeswoman, says this is correct. "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a longstanding policy of political neutrality," Farah said via e-mail. "The Church does not endorse political parties, candidates or platforms."

This is the second article I've read this week where Kim Farah is mentioned.

What happened to Dale Bills? Is the Church moving to having the official spokesperson be a woman?

That'd be cool.

He Knoweth All Things

O how great the holiness of our God! For he knoweth all things, and there is not anything save he knows it. (2 Ne 9:20)

If there is one attribute of God I have always found fascinated and of which I have pondered the most, it is His omniscience. Particularly of interest is His omniscience in relation to our freedom to make choices and how those changes affect our lives.

It has always amazed me that given the ability we have to choose and how those choices can alter our lives that God still knows all things.

For example, say I am in a grocery store with no money. Say there is a chocolate bar that looks and reads so deliciously. I want this chocolate bar so bad that I am faced with the decision to steal it, ask someone else to buy it for me, leave and buy it another time, or many other situations. If God knows all things, then He knows what will happen in each of these instances.

Now, let's say I stole the chocolate bar. Several things could happen. I can make it out of the store uncaught. I can get caught and told to get out of the store. I can get caught and held until the authorities arrive. And so forth. Again, if God knows all things, then He knows what will happen in each of these situations.

If I make it out of the store uncaught, then again several situations could happen. I could be tempted to steal again, perhaps something more valuable. I could feel guilty and decide to bring it back. I could eat it and feel guilty and bring some money another time, and so forth. Again, if God knows all things, then He knows what will happen in each of these situations.

So, given this one choice, He can know all the possible decisions I could make. As well, He can know all the outcomes of those decisions and the snowball effect the additional outcomes on these outcomes will have.

To top it all off, if He knows all things, He can see this near-infinite, multi-branch future of billions of people every day.

That is mind boggling.

Free iPod

Many of you may have seen the free iPod contest that has been circulating around the Internet. This is probably old news to many. The new thing though is that the contest is finally available to Canadians.

The deal is you sign up, choose one of seven offers (I choose a week supply of vitamins and paid 15$ CDN for shipping—cheaper than over 200$ for the iPod), then invite five other people.

If you want an iPod (for guys, read "need an iPod"), just visit www.freeipods.com.

His Law Must Be Fulfilled

God is bound to do what he says, according to Jacob.

O the greatness and the justice of our God! For he executeth all his words, and they have gone forth out of his mouth, and his law must be fulfilled.

Jacob is saying that every word God speaks must be executed. His law must be fulfilled and the righteous will receive a righteous reward and the filthy will receive a filthy reward.

One can see the wisdom God had when He put forth that He was going to require a Saviour. He knew that we would all sin and fall short and that He would be obligated and bound to make sure our sins were reciprocated with judgement. Yet, just because He is just and all His words are fulfilled did not mean He could not show any mercy.

Nigerian Scams

We've all seen them, or at least heard of them. Nigerian scams. The ones where they promise you a share of a multimillion dollar reward, but reality only want to kidnap you, hold you for ransom and maybe kill you.

Anyhow, I created a new webpage to document my interaction with such scam artists. At this point, I have only interacted with one, Mumba Tama from Ghana.

Read it and enjoy. (It's long).

Filthy and Righteous

Speaking of the final judgement, Jacob said the following:

And assuredly, as the Lord liveth, for the Lord God hath spoken it, and it is his eternal word, which cannot pass away, that they who are righteous shall be righteous still, and they who are filthy shall be filthy still; wherefore, they who are filthy are the devil and his angels; and they shall go away into everlasting fire, prepared for them; and their torment is as a lake of fire and brimstone, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever and has no end. (2 Ne. 9:16)

What I find interesting is what appears to be a diametrical idea between the righteous and the filthy. Jacob states that the righteous will be righteous till and the filthy will be filthy still. In other words, the reward we receive will be directly influenced by our level of righteousness.

Naturally, anyone reading this would assume that Jacob is speaking of two opposites: the righteous and the unrighteous (or filthy). Yet later in the verse he clarifies that the filthy refer to the devil and his angels.

Does this imply that all others are righteous? That all who have gained a body are not filthy?

Or does it mean that Jacob left out one or more groups—those who are neither righteous nor filthy?

UPDATE: It appears later in the chapter that Jacob identifies the righteous.

But, behold, the righteous, the saints of the Holy One of Israel, they who have believed in the Holy One of Israel, they who have endured the crosses of the world, and despised the shame of it, they shall inherit the kingdom of God, which was prepared for them from the foundation of the world, and their joy shall be full forever. (v. 18)

Certainly there are more to judge than the devil, his angels and the saints of the Holy One of Israel. I wonder why he left out the others.

Terry Fox

Today marks 25 years since Terry Fox, arguably Canada's most inspirational person, started his cross-Canada run for cancer in St. John's, NL.

Terry only finished half of his run despite running a marathon every day for 143 days. Five months after he started, he stopped near Thunder Bay upon discovering the cancer that cost him his leg was now in his lungs. He died nine months later.

In the last 25 years, thousands upon thousands of other Canadians have run the remaining 5,000+ kilometres in races named after him. Over 360 million dollars has been raised in his name for cancer research.

Terry is an inspiration to many and a symbol of hope to disadvantaged people everywhere.

The Holy Judgment of God

This morning's read into 2 Nephi 9 was verse 15.

And it shall come to pass that when all men shall have passed from this first death unto life, insomuch as they have become immortal, they must appear before the judgment-seat of the Holy One of Israel; and then cometh the judgment, and then must they be judged according to the holy judgment of God.

There is not much new here. I already knew all will be resurrected. I already knew all will be judged. I already knew that Jesus would do the judging. What did stick out this morning was the phrase "then must they be judged according to the holy judgment of God".

It seems that this phrase could be interpreted several different ways.

1. God will do the judging
2. Jesus is referred to as God
3. Jesus/God judges in holiness

However, there seems to be one other interpretation that I kept pondering this morning. Perhaps Jesus will use some set guidelines when He judges. Perhaps God has set these judgement guidelines and they are eternal. Perhaps these same guidelines are used as He judges individuals every day.

So another interpretation is that "holy judgment of God" refers to these guidelines God may have set up and Jesus will adhere to them at the final judgement.

Righteousness

In 2 Nephi 9:14, Jacob speaks somewhat concerning the life after the resurrection, specifically our recollection of all we did that was bad and good.

Wherefore, we shall have a perfect knowledge of all our guilt, and our uncleanness, and our nakedness; and the righteous shall have a perfect knowledge of their enjoyment, and their righteousness, being clothed with purity, yea, even with the robe of righteousness.

Predictably, I initially started thinking about the difference there; how we will remember all we did that was unclean, yet remember all we did that was right. I also briefly thought about how it seems everyone will remember the bad (righteous or not), but not everyone will have good to remember.

But then I started pondering the phrase "and their righteousness". I pondered the whole meaning of righteousness—what Jacob means my righteousness, what God means by righteousness. As I reflected on this during my commute, I wondered if sometimes we approach righteousness from a misguided directions.

I wondered if the Word of Wisdom is not really about tobacco and coffee. I wondered if tithing is not really about the money. I wondered if bearing false witness isn't really about honesty. I wondered if all the commandments we have before us are not really about the issue on which we focus.

What I also wondered if righteousness is more about simply following God's will. I wondered, for example, if God gives us a commandment to not smoke tobacco that He's doing so not because it's healthy for us, but because He wants us to obey Him. I wondered, for example, if He gives us a commandment to pay 10% of our increase to the Church that He's doing so not because He wants us to sacrifice, but because He wants us to obey Him.

This scripture made me reflect on whether the reasons we seem to attach to the commandments are simply icing on the cake. The health from living the Word of Wisdom, the sacrifice from living the law of tithing, the fidelity from living chaste lives, and so forth.

It gave me a completely different outlook on what righteousness really is.

A Year of Celebration

The Church has issued a new website that has ideas for celebrating the 175th anniversary of the Church and the 200th anniversary of Joseph Smith's birth.

It has ideas for activities as well as events for areas within Utah.

Paradise of God

In 2 Nephi 9:13, Jacob starts to say some things that don't make sense given the universality of the previous verses.

O how great the plan of our God! For on the other hand, the paradise of God must deliver up the spirits of the righteous, and the grave deliver up the body of the righteous; and the spirit and the body is restored to itself again, and all men become incorruptible, and immortal, and they are living souls, having a perfect knowledge like unto us in the flesh, save it be that our knowledge shall be perfect.

Whereas Jacob previously indicated that hell was the resting place of all spirits, he now seems to be indicating that the spirits of the righteous have a separate resting place than the spirits of the wicked. While he doesn't explicitly state it, perhaps Jacob is implying that hell is for the unrighteous and paradise is for the righteous.

So then, as I mentioned in yesterday's post, maybe spiritual death really is sin. Nevertheless, unless God lives in this spiritual paradise, I'm not to sure we can say scripturally that spiritual death is a separation of us from God.

At the same time, does 'paradise of God' man that God dwells there, or does it mean that it's possessed by God or created by God.

Spiritual Death

When I was a missionary, we all taught that just as physical death was the separation of the spirit and body, spiritual death was a separation of our spirits from God, which we interpreted to be sin.

Jacob, however, seems to say that spiritual death is something else. He calls spiritual death hell.

O how great the goodness of our God, who prepareth a way for our escape from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that monster, death and hell, which I call the death of the body, and also the death of the spirit. (2 Nephi 9:10)

Subsequent verses go on to describe hell as the place where spirits dwell as they await the resurrection. They also go on to describe the grave as physical death.

And because of the way of deliverance of our God, the Holy One of Israel, this death, of which I have spoken, which is the temporal, shall deliver up its dead; which death is the grave.

And this death of which I have spoken, which is the spiritual death, shall deliver up its dead; which spiritual death is hell; wherefore, death and hell must deliver up their dead...(vv. 11-12)

It seems then, that Jacob is saying that death is not the separation of the spirit and the body. Rather the spirit and the body separate to their own death: the body to the grave and the spirit to hell.

175 Years

Today is the 175th birthday of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Lord revealed to Joseph Smith that 6 April 1830 was the day on which the Church of Jesus Christ in this dispensation was to be organized (see D&C 20:1). Notices were sent to believers and friends, and some 56 men and women gathered at the log home of Peter Whitmer Sr. in Fayette, New York. Six men were chosen by the Prophet to assist in the organization “agreeable to the laws of our country, by the will and commandments of God” (D&C 20:1).

The Prophet recorded: “Having opened the meeting by solemn prayer to our Heavenly Father, we proceeded, according to previous commandment, to call on our brethren to know whether they accepted us as their teachers in the things of the Kingdom of God, and whether they were satisfied that we should proceed and be organized as a Church according to said commandment which we had received. To these several propositions they consented by a unanimous vote.”

With the consent of those present, Joseph ordained Oliver an elder of the Church and Oliver ordained the Prophet an elder as they had been directed by the Lord. The sacrament was blessed and passed to the members present. Those who had been baptized were confirmed and given the gift of the Holy Ghost. The Prophet said that “the Holy Ghost was poured out upon us to a very great degree—some prophesied, whilst we all praised the Lord, and rejoiced exceedingly.” During this meeting, Joseph received a revelation in which the Lord instructed the Church to give heed to the words of the prophet as if they came from the Lord himself (see D&C 21:4–6).

The elements present at that meeting in 1830 continue in the Church today: exercise of the law of common consent, singing, praying, partaking of the sacrament, sharing of personal testimonies, bestowal of the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, ordinations, personal revelation, and revelation through priesthood officers.

Joseph’s mother, Lucy Mack Smith, recorded a tender scene that occurred that day when Joseph Smith Sr., the Prophet’s father, was baptized: “When Mr. Smith came out of the water, Joseph stood upon the shore, and taking his father by the hand, he exclaimed, with tears of joy, ‘Praise to my God! that I have lived to see my own father baptized into the true Church of Jesus Christ!’ ” Joseph Knight Sr. said of that moment: “[The Prophet] was filled with the Spirit to a great degree. … His joy seemed to be full. I think he saw the great work he had begun and was desirous to carry it out.”

There was a strong bond of love between father and son. Later in a eulogy to his father, the Prophet said, “I love my father and his memory; and the memory of his noble deeds rests with ponderous weight upon my mind, and many of his kind and parental words to me are written on the tablet of my heart.”

The love that existed between the Prophet and his father was also manifested by Joseph Smith Sr. for his father, Asael Smith. In August 1830, Joseph Smith Sr. took copies of the Book of Mormon northeast into St. Lawrence County, New York, to give to his father and mother and brothers and sisters. Asael Smith read the book nearly through before his death in October 1830 and declared that his grandson, Joseph Smith Jr., “was the very Prophet that he had long known would come in his family.” Three more of the sons of Asael eventually joined the Church—Silas, John, and Asael Jr. The Prophet had the privilege of seeing all his immediate family immersed in the waters of baptism, and many of his father’s family. (Our Heritage, "Establishing the Foundations of the Church")

Ronan has posted some ideas regarding ways his family will be observing this special day. I think it is a good idea.

Justin and Christopher have takes on it as well.

Like Unto the Devil

Going along with yesterday's post, in 2 Ne 9:9 Jacob seems to continue—at least in part—the thought of us becoming subject to Satan in the absence of a resurrection.

And our spirits must have become like unto him, and we become devils, angels to a devil, to be shut out from the presence of our God, and to remain with the father of lies, in misery, like unto himself...

When he says we would become like the devil, does Jacob mean in the sense that we will not have a body, or does he mean an actually change comes over us so we become like Satan?

Jacob says we would become devils. This causes me to ponder what exactly a devil is. It would seem to me that a propensity of evil does not a devil make if we would become devil. We would be without physical bodies, so that may be a characteristic of a devil. as well, according to Jacob, we would be miserable, so misery could also be a characteristic of being a devil. Beyond being spirits and miserable, in what other ways are we similar to th devil? Does being miserable beget being evil?

Subject to the Devil

In 2 Nephi 9:8, Jacob states:

O the wisdom of God, his mercy and grace! For behold, if the flesh should rise no more our spirits must become subject to that angel who fell from before the presence of the Eternal God, and became the devil, to rise no more.

I find this interesting. First of all, does this mean that without a resurrection, there would be no spirit paradise or prison? When we die, our spirits are separated from our bodies but they do not reside with God until after the resurrection. If there was no resurrection, we would still be separated from our bodies and not living with God.

I have to wonder then if the location of our spirits after death has something to do with Satan's governing authority over them. Does Satan have authority over spirits who are stuck on this earth? How does that fit into what Brigham Young stated?

"When you lay down this tabernacle, where are you going? Into the spiritual world…Where is the spirit world? It is right here. Do the good and evil spirits go together? Yes they do....Do they go beyond the boundaries of the organized earth? No, they do not....Can you see it with your natural eyes? No. Can you see spirits in this room? No. Suppose the Lord should touch your eyes that you might see, could you then see the spirits? Yes, as plainly as you now see bodies" (Young, Brigham. Discourses of Brigham Young, ed. John A. Widtsoe, pp. 376-81. Salt Lake City, 1946.)

It would seem by Young's statement that all spirits are on the earth. It would then seem that Satan's authority has to do with the final destination of the spirits.

Ogden

I just found out that one of Utah's biggest cities is named after Canadian fur trader Peter Skene Ogden. It really is true: no matter where you go, Canada's footprint is around the world.

Infinite Atonement

I had always thought that the atonement of Jesus offered salvation to the souls living during the time period spanning from Adam to the last person to be born. Yet, 2 Nephi 9:7 seems to suggest something else.

Wherefore, it must needs be an infinite atonement—save it should be an infinite atonement this corruption could not put on incorruption. Wherefore, the first judgment which came upon man must needs have remained to an endless duration. And if so, this flesh must have laid down to rot and to crumble to its mother earth, to rise no more.

Here, Jacob is saying that the Saviour's atonement is infinite and endless. Is this simply figurative, meaning that the atonement covers a very long period of time? Is it literal, suggesting that there is no beginning or end and that it extends to before Adam and past the last person to be born on this earth?

General Conference Summary

If I had to sum up how General Conference affected me, I would let Joseph Smith sum it up for me.

The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done. (History of the Church, Vol. 4, Ch. 31, p. 540)

or

The keys of the kingdom of God are committed unto man on the earth, and from thence shall the gospel roll forth unto the ends of the earth, as the stone which is cut out of the mountain without hands shall roll forth, until is has filled the whole earth. (D&C 65:2)

or

How long can rolling waters remain impure? What power shall stay the heavens? As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course, or to turn it up stream, as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints. (D&C 121:33)

A good conference.

The River Turner

They lift the eagle through the air
They gave the bees their drone
They guide the dolphin through the sea
They built the lion's throne

They painted monarchs black and gold
They quench the rose's thirst
They lit the sun and kindled stars
They make the geysers squirt

They stir the colours of the sky
When dawn and dusk emerge
They blanket Earth with snowy white
When fall and spring converge

They pause for faith, they guide for fear
They juggle joy and pain
They strike for wrong, they lift for right
They hid when he was slain

Guys Against the Girls

We just came home from a 2.5 hour elders quorum social where we ate snack and played Cranium and Catchphrase. For both games the teams were split "guys against the girls".

Each time the men won a turn, they were jumping in the air, doing high fives, making the touchdown signal and screaming. When the women won a turn they would smile, maybe clap their hands once or twice and perhaps let out a mild exclamation.

I don't usually play games on a wide scale, but whenever we have played games at home—me and Mary or with one or two other couples—I always act as the men did tonight. I thought I was just very competitive, but now I am thinking I'm not alone.

Are men just generally more competitive then women?

Purpose of Death

Continuing my study in 2 Nephi, chapter nine this morning, I was pondering the sixth verse.

For as death hath passed upon all men, to fulfil the merciful plan of the great Creator, there must needs be a power of resurrection, and the resurrection must needs come unto man by reason of the fall; and the fall came by reason of transgression; and because man became fallen they were cut off from the presence of the Lord.

The part I contemplated the most was how exactly death fulfils God's plan. Here's what I came up with.

1. Death offers an opportunity for the spirits of those who have not accepted the gospel a chance to hear it and accept it


2. It tests our faith. Some of us might question the existence of an afterlife as we get closer to death.


3. It provides a trial for the loved ones of the deceased that may not have been possible in the pre-mortal existence.

Are there others?