To see if it works

I wanted to try posting a scanned photograph to see if it would work. In addition to temple work, I am spending considerable time researching my ancestors.

This is a picture of Alexander McKinney, Jr. who was born in Ireland in 1833. He is my father's mother's father's father or my great-great grandfather. I have spent quite a bit of time researching dates and places and names. Now I'm trying to spend more time and attention learning what I can about exactly who these people are. I am who I am because of the  combination of lots and lots of people who came before me. Some day I will meet them.

War- what is it good for?

     I have no idea who or how many may read this. I'm composing this particular blog because I want to organize the things I have been learning as I read the scriptures in the temple. (It's an extension to thoughts I recorded in the March 20, 2014 blog.) Jesus promised His disciples a "Second Comforter" when He left mortality. That is also known as the Holy Ghost or the Spirit as well as other names. This special messenger from God can truly educate us if we want it. The temple is a house of worship and the more time I spend there, especially combined with searching God's words, the more I get from the Spirit.
     During the late 60's there was a song that started, "War- what is it good for? Absolutely NOTHIN!" That is so true. I have come to understand yet another reason why. James 4: "From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? (Lusts are not always about sex. That can refer to anything we mortals desire strongly. And members refers to our various parts, physical, emotional, and mental.) Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses (meaning those who are not faithful to Christ), know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." It goes on but basically the point is, the only reason people fight is they want something they don't have. God and Jesus Christ do not want us to fight. They fight evil only to destroy it before it destroys all of us. They want us to prosper and live forever. We can't do that if we "suffer ourselves through the power of the devil to be overcome." I so wish I could tell everyone in the world that there is a valid alternative to being self-centered and destroying each other. The world (which the Lord calls Babylon) tells us to seek whatever we enjoy, get whatever makes us supposedly happy. The problem is, it doesn't! Countless humans get money, fame, sex, and all that comes along with it and are miserable. Artificial "happiness" in the form of drugs or alcohol don't work either. Drug overdoses, suicide, ending up in jail, bitter divorces, gang feuds, everything up to wars are the result of humans trying to get what they want without concern for anyone beyond themselves. This is all good news to Satan. His primary goal is to get power, however he can. He wants to beat God. He wants to prove that we are not capable of being like God thereby showing that he is the supreme being with all of his minions who have chosen to follow his ways.
     Often otherwise "good" people justify not following God's commandments claiming that : He is merciful and loves us anyway or we will be forgiven because Jesus died for us or if there is a God I will find out when I die and can "change my tune" then willingly follow His directions. Ummmmm- that's not a good plan. Alma 32-43: "For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors. And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed. Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world." In other words, you're not going to change when you die. If you challenge and rebel, you will continue to find reasons to do so. If you choose to be humble and teachable, you will continue to be so. This does NOT mean being weak or weak-minded. In fact, the Lord has said He doesn't want "slothful servants". He wants us to be of good courage, strong, and singly minded. On the other hand, He will not spend eternity fighting with those who question greater wisdom. He is happy to teach those who will learn. If we want our own rules, He is happy to let us go where we can live by our own rules which means NOT with Him or others who want to live in peace living a higher law.
    So, my additional insight into the uselessness of war- You cannot get rid of your enemies if you are your own enemy. Death is not the end. Thinking you will find peace by killing those who don't agree with you will not work. Suicide will not work. You will continue to have enemies even after you are resurrected. Overcoming the natural man, who is the enemy of God, is the only way to "win". If you can control your own lusts: greed, laziness, gluttony, sexual lust, pride, anger, hatred, prejudice, etc.- then you can achieve eternal peace. It really does simply come down to the Savior's admonition to LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

So, what is the solution?

     All my life I have heard people talk about separating themselves from others who don't agree with their beliefs/philosophies/political opinions. Growing up in New York, people upstate often resented the power that New York City wielded simply because there were so many people concentrated in a small area who wanted government to supply things whereas the rest of the state preferred to be more independent. Many expressed hope that the City would separate themselves so those living upstate wouldn't have to support them with high taxes and be impacted by their opinions on legislation. Then there have been the voices for Texas to separate themselves from the United States to avoid federal legislation that is too interfering in personal lives. (Remember the Civil War??) The United States was formed when people left countries they felt were unjustly ruled so they could form a country of their own. From my perspective, the biggest difference is that those who formed the United States of America did not want to just be free from someone else's ideas. They wanted to form a country based on superior principles, principles as given by a Superior Being.
     For thousands of years, God has promised us, His children, that we could prosper wherever we are if only we can manage to keep His commandments. That doesn't just mean that He would wipe us out if we are naughty. It is a natural consequence of our behavior. If we can't love one another and follow rules like not cheating, lying, killing, robbing, etc., then there is no way that we can prosper. No entity, country, city, nation, can last if the citizens of it destroy each other. We are all different. Even if we have the same ethnicity, gender, or choose the same philosophical belief, there will be differences between us. That is simply an unavoidable circumstance. No rose is like another rose. No robin is exactly like another robin. And no human being is exactly like another human being. We don't look alike or think alike. In order to endure/survive, we need a solution to avoid destroying each other. Avoiding each other simply is not a solution. We will always interact with others at some point. God knows all this. He has been telling His children for millennia how to prosper. Every time a group of His children understands His counsel and follows it, they do pretty well for awhile. The United States has done pretty well for a couple hundred years. That is because our laws and basic beliefs were primarily based on God's commandments. We are starting to move away from that. Just as every nation throughout the history of the world, we will decline if our morals decline. If we choose to try to allow or accept every idea of what's right and wrong, every different moral belief, or principle, we cannot endure long. If our youth have no strong foundation or standard, they will wander aimlessly without success that comes from ethics of hard work, honesty, compassion, sacrifice, and willingness to discuss. If we don't purposely teach those ethics, the earth will have to endure generation after generation continually trying to re-invent the wheel. God's principles or commandments as explained in Judeo-Christian scripture are the only solution. That does not necessarily include added interpretations of men. Later writings of rabbis, priests, and other leaders that do not align with the original laws are not going to provide a solution, only create a new group of followers who then separate themselves from others. God does indeed exist. He will reveal Himself to those who seek Him and who have sincere intentions to live as He would have us live- with Peace on Earth and Good Will toward all men.

Screams and whispers

     A lot of people, when they consider communication from God, picture Cecil B. DeMille's movie depiction of that experience for Moses in "The Ten Commandments"- bright light and booming voice. However, the word of God (scriptures) tells us otherwise. 1 Kings 19:11-12 relates Elijah's experience- "the Lord was not in the wind...the Lord was not in the earthquake....the Lord was not in the fire....after the fire a still small voice". Hannah was so earnest in desiring a son that she gave Samuel to the Lord when He answered her prayers by giving her a child. As a child, Samuel had to learn how to understand the Lord speaking to him. In 1 Samuel, "Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord", so when the Lord spoke to him, he didn't realize who was communicating with him. God does not leave us without instructions on how to communicate with Him. There are countless instructions from prophets on how to pray and how to listen. In Ether 3 there is a unique experience for the brother of Jared-
     "The Lord stretched forth his hand and touched the stones one by one with his finger. And the veil (this was not an actual physical cloth draped over his eyes but a symbol of mortal man's inability to see though he has eyes and hear though he has ears) was taken from off the eyes of the brother of Jared, and he saw the finger of the Lord; and it was as the finger of a man, like unto flesh.....(the Lord then asks)  Sawest thou more than this? And he answered: Nay; Lord show thyself unto me. And the Lord said unto him; Believest thou the words which I shall speak?"
     Isn't it interesting that before showing Himself to the brother of Jared, He asks him whether he would believe what He said? In Romans 10:17 "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Where do we get the word of God therefore faith? Through the words of prophets by reading scriptures and attending church meetings. In Doctrine and Covenants 63:9-10 "But, behold, faith cometh not by signs, but signs follow those that believe. Yea, signs come by faith not by the will of men, nor as they please, but by the will of God." God doesn't have to prove His existence, power, or anything else according to the selfish whims of His children. We first have to choose to WANT to listen to Him by showing our willingness to heed Him.
     Lest this seem too vague and "religious" I want to connect it with what I have learned about our physical brain. Every person has to construct neurological paths for themselves. We can only offer to others ideas to ponder and provide experience. We have each been given this freedom to choose by our Father who created us in His image. As our brain grows, certain pathways are favored, learning or the constant use of one neuron causes growth in the number or size of neurotransmitting tissue. This is called potentiation. Early response to learning is slow because it requires the physical formation of new tissue. Favored (more used) pathways expedite the movement of signals. The more you know, the more quickly and easily you can know more. So when the Lord says (D&C 50:24) "That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light and that light groweth brighter and brighter."- then also promises that from he who rejects the light will be taken even that which he already has, it's not just a punishment from God. It's a natural consequence of OUR OWN CHOICE! I have noticed that even in my computer, if I decide to open a file that I haven't opened in a long time, it takes more time than when I click on something I use frequently.
     So, we need to understand that hearing God's voice is going to require effort. When you have a baby in the house or are on security duty, you can't hear what you need to hear if you are being blasted by loud noises and are focused on distractions. Our brains will have a more difficult time detecting the subtle messages from the Spirit if we are inundated with the din of the world. That includes loud music, flashy visual images, sensual feelings and even obsessions with taste. If we have attention-demanding substances screaming through our bodies and impacting our brains, we cannot focus on hearing the still, small voice. That would include alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, drugs including some prescription drugs, and more. I would not advocate avoiding nerve-numbing medications when there is real pain or brain-chemistry altering prescriptions when there is an imbalance. I would only recommend that we not self-prescribe the world's solutions to feeling tired, needing comfort, feeling sad, or feeling anxious. We can experience happiness without alcohol or even excess adrenalin for "fun". We can relax without nicotine to calm us down. We can use our own willpower to motivate ourselves without caffeine. We can CHOOSE to focus on hearing the Lord's voice. Everything we take into our bodies has side affects. Everything we think, say, or do also has side affects. We choose and we receive the consequences of our own choices. We can't blame anyone or anything else.

Good advice

     I have not always been really willing to be taught. Although I have always loved learning and even liked going to school, I have had rebellious moments when I was determined to learn on my own. However, the older I get, the more I see the wisdom in listening to others who have greater knowledge or more experience. It doesn't necessarily mean I will always listen, believe, and follow. I still want to ponder and weigh opinions and analyze perspectives.
     Recently I listened to a church leader talk about councils- specifically family councils. It has been my observation over nearly 65 years that communication is essential in developing relationships between people. One lone hermit can do whatever he/she wants whenever he/she wants and believe whatever he/she wants. It's not a problem. But when even one person enters the space around another, there will be a relationship- good or bad depending on the reactions of the individuals. My daughter had a friend as a teenager who claimed he truly believed in anarchy as a form of government. Any thinking individual can see that having no government, no laws, no enforcement, no means of control would lead to chaos even death when considering a whole country or society. Within a family, if people don't communicate or agree on policies or schedules they can continue to survive, but mostly by avoiding each other so they don't clash. I see that very thing in some households. Most or even just one will simply come and go, doing as they please. Occasional clashes come when what someone planned to eat has already been consumed (or thrown out), the washer and dryer are occupied when someone has come planning to do their laundry, noise and lights come when someone is trying to sleep, etc. Communicating with each other doesn't mean you control each other. It simply means you can know what to expect. I realize some people don't like "planning" or being "tied down" by the expectations of someone else. As I mentioned before, if you're a hermit that works out just fine. Even in the case of roommates who are not legally or blood- related, there has to be some kind of communication of plans, schedules, and philosophies or they soon get in each other's way and animosity builds. It is only logical to decide ahead of time what your preferences are and anticipate what your schedule might be so you can discuss it in order to inform each other to try to avoid potential contention.
     Family councils are a way of sharing experience, wisdom, fears, hopes, and expectations with those you love and with whom you share life. Making a plan doesn't mean it's iron-clad with harsh punishments when someone breaks the schedule. If Mom plans to have a meal ready to eat at a certain hour, it's good when everybody else knows what that hour is and works our their life to be there when it's served. If Dad is planning to wash the car, it's helpful for the teenage driver to know transportation may be unavailable to go out with friends- and maybe even to know when he/she could be helpful with the chore. If a child isn't sure what to do with dirty laundry or clean laundry, it's helpful to have a family policy so the laundry can be done more efficiently. If parents expect children to be home by a certain hour, it's important to have a discussion as to what that hour should be then all should respect the decision. It doesn't have to be a really formal thing but when the whole family gathers together to discuss, share, and hear each other, every individual's life can still be up to personal choice but include coordination in a way that makes each one feel a part of a peaceful whole.
     So talking about stuff is really good. And don't claim you don't care when you really do! You may say you don't really care whether you go to the movies together or stay home to play a game, have spaghetti for dinner or shepherd's pie, but don't be disappointed if you don't get what you secretly hoped for and didn't bother to think about it or mention it!

Another thought

     I know I have been talking a lot about the Lord hastening His work. As I listened to General Conference, another thought came to me. I have wondered how the Lord will get His message to all the world when there are so many areas that are simply unavailable to missionaries of ANY Christian denomination. Refugees. There are so many people desperately struggling to escape tyrannical governments and war-torn homelands. If we can't get the gospel to them, the Lord will bring the people to those who can teach them outside of their homelands. As I have said before, we don't need to worry about hastening the Lord's work. He can do that. All we need to do is OUR part, whatever that might be. We have been urged to do what we can to assist refugees. It will likely have a great impact on people who have been brought up to fear, challenge, even hate Christianity and those who follow it. When they experience being treated as Christ would treat them, they will have a change of heart. Isn't it great to follow someone who is wiser and more capable than we can be? All we have to do is our own little assignment. He will do the rest. Hallelujah!

Preparing

     Most Christians are looking forward with great anticipation to the return of Jesus Christ to the earth, this time to rule and reign. As we watch the news of events all around the world, we try to be the "watchman on the tower", looking for fulfillments of  prophecies concerning the "last days". Recently there have been more admonitions to remember that, not only does the world need to "ripen in iniquity" as Sodom and Gomorrah did, but we also need all the "good guys" on the Lord's side to be prepared to assist the Savior's government. I have noticed so many examples of the Lord "hastening His work" and now I am seeing further evidence of perfecting His people. There are currently 150 operating temples (177 when all announced so far temples are completed) all over the world for ordinances performed for those who have already completed their mortal probation but did not have (or perhaps utilize) the opportunity to complete ordinances God has ordained. Just as He did when He was here teaching prior to His great Atonement, Jesus will delegate authority to others in the functioning of His government. He will have need of those to whom He can entrust authority. We aren't expected to be perfect yet but we are expected to be working on it. There is a greatly increased emphasis on personal prayer and scripture study. We have been getting more teachings to help us understand and recognize the Holy Ghost. I know there are practices going on in the world every bit as repulsive to God as there were in the days of Noah when He flooded the earth to cleanse it and Sodom and Gomorrah when He burned them to the ground. But He is giving time for further improvement to those who have a desire to assist in His work of continuing to educate those who would choose to follow Him once they experience that undeniable awareness of who He is- "Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ."
     So now we are being admonished to become and stay "temple worthy" whether or not we can attend regularly and if we can attend, to do so. We need to live in such a way that we can be gently guided by the still, small voice. His government will not be run by demanding laws with lawyers and armies to enforce them. The war with Satan is not about guns, spears, or atomic weapons. It's about concepts and principles. We do not need to build weapons or fortresses. We do not need to exercise our muscles and improve our physical agility. We need to refine our character and overcome our susceptibility to weakness and temptations. We need to follow the Savior and be more like He is. In the words of Paul, "If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy we seek after these things." We don't need to build bigger and better ways of amusing ourselves. We need to clean our thoughts and control our desires. How can we ever expect to live in a peaceful society if we are not peaceful people? How can we be peaceful if we are lazy and resent having to do our share of any work to be done? How can we be peaceful if we are greedy and want a bigger "whatever" than the guy next to us? How can we be peaceful if we are lustful and crave things to titillate our senses? Just as every man-made medication has side effects, every man-developed desire has consequences. We can be happy, loving, pleasant, and at peace. We can enjoy the beauty and variety of living things. We can bask in the love of others. The exciting movies, amusement parks, and wild parties are only cheap imitations of what we could enjoy- if we so choose.
     In our most recent General Conference, a few quotes go along with these thoughts:
Kent Richards- "We need the temple more than anything else."
Russell M. Nelson- "We are here to qualify ourselves day by day for the positions that our Father expects us to fill hereafter."
W.Christopher Waddell- "We can be of good cheer, we can hope and we need not fear because He declared, 'in me ye might have peace' ."
     I just love General Conference because it is comforting and reassuring to hear words from our leaders that echo my own thoughts. And I love what the Spirit teaches me as I listen to the words and music presented to the world-wide members.