Quite some time ago, I heard a person declare that Jesus was coming quite soon and that the group I was with would be there. Another person recently told me that basically all the signs of the last days have been fulfilled, and there is not much left to do. Yet another person prophesied to me that a huge earthquake would take place in Utah and only members of the church who had a full year supply of food storage would be saved. Then Lord would allow all the other church members to starve as punishment, and that I should be stockpiling weapons to protect my food storage from slothful Christians. (I should point out that the earthquake DID NOT occur as prophesied.) In addition, I have heard of all sorts of rumors, visions, and angelic manifestations in recent months.

As a consequence of this, I have been doing significant study of the Book of Revelation to understand the truth of the matter. It is my habit when I hear a rumor or saying, to turn to the scriptures and find out what they say on the subject. I then try to gain a measure of inspiration to determine how my family should be acting.

As President Hinckley has mentioned (Oct 2001), there are members of the church receiving revelation and inspiration regarding to the last days, for PERSONAL instruction. I can further point out that there seems to have been an equivalent increase in false revelations, false visions, false spirits, lying wolves pretending to be church members, and deceived individuals whose trusting natures have been used against them.

In reference to the above listed “teachings”, I would like to point out that any teaching which seems to put us in a “special” group which is somehow better or more knowledgeable than other saints or church leaders may be safely ignored. It is a common trick of Satan to use pride to tempt us into believing something that is otherwise foolish. For numerous reasons, I believe I can safely ignore the teachings with which I began. I am shocked and somewhat concerned at the number of people I see who are so eager to be prepared and do the right thing that they jump at anything which appears even slightly credible.

It seems to me that the MOST important way to prepare is spiritually. The reason is that physical goods (food, shelter, clothing) can be stored, shipped and shared with those who need them. Spiritual preparation and the inspiration of the Holy Ghost cannot be. Not everyone can afford to fully prepare temporally, but ANYONE can be just as spiritually prepared as God’s prophet. One prophesy teaches that a number of church members will have good incomes, become interested in boats, toys, houses, cars, sports and being physically attractive. This interest becomes an obsession and they begin forgoing spiritual matters in order to pursue these goals. The time then comes when the Lord will test his saints, and they feel abandoned because “church leaders did not prepare them” or “God didn’t protect them” like they thought he should.

Someone quite sincerely recently asked me, “Why aren’t church leaders warning us about earthquakes, tsunami’s, the illuminati, or any of the other rumors flying around on google and youtube?”

I believe the answers is this: “Perhaps they are”.

I believe the best way to prepare for whatever may happen is to read the scriptures, perform your church duties, and have the Holy Ghost in your life.

What we need isn’t:

New/more scriptures

Podcasts from the New Jerusalem

A pile of Uzi’s so we don’t have to share the food storage we have with others

People who “know more” than their leaders

Going to special meetings of select people who attempt to set themselves up as authorities

People who look down on others because they struggle with a particular thing (food storage, word of wisdom, home teaching)

Special conference addresses where the prophet spells everything out for even the most dull-witted to understand.

What we need is:

Obedience

In the parable of the 10 virgins, it should be remembered that the foolish virgins were not without oil. The problem was that they did not have enough oil. They ended up waiting longer for the Lord to come than they anticipated. How do we get oil? I think Alma 7:23-24 gives some ideas.

One last thing. The parable of the 10 virgins is NOT about food storage.

What is charity?

Last week my wife and I studied charity. We read that Charity is the pure love of Christ and never fails. (Moroni 7:46; 1 Corinthians 13:8) We read that charity is the greatest of all spiritual gifts, and leads people to Christ (Moroni 7:46; Ether 12:28) We also read that without charity, one cannot be saved in the kingdom of God (Ether 12:24; Moroni 10:21)

It seemed pretty clear to us that we need more charity in our lives. We read scriptures which said things like, charity vaunteth not herself.. etc. Ultimately I think charity means learning to love people in the way that God loves them. I would like to increase the amount of charity I have. So what do all hese scriptures mean on a practical level? Some people do not have a gift for applying the scriptures. Help me make a list of what charity looks like in practice!

Here are some ideas we came up with:
Charity...

1. means giving someone the benefit of the doubt
2. when someone does something against you, it means giving them time to repent before you try to correct them.
3. When that person does not repent, change, or show remorse - it means you recall all the times when God was patient with you while YOU changed.
4. It means where correction is needed (and it is your responsibility to do so) the wound you create by correction is no bigger than your ability to heal.
5. You avoid pointing out the failings/weaknesses of others
6. You can receive, as well as give gifts, comfortably.
7. You accept deserved (and undeserved) correction/criticism humbly.
8. You forgive all trespasses against you.
9. Charity avoids sarcasm (So sorry to The Daily Skinny readers...)

Those are some ideas that we thought of. If you have additional ideas that could be added to our list of what charity is... add a comment and let us know. Or if you would like to disagree with (or add to) something we already thought of, pass it on.

I believe most people would recognize Psalm 46:10 if they heard it. "Be still and know that I am God". I was recently thinking on this verse and wondered, "What does it mean to be still?"

It seems that this is an important concept because 1 Kings 19:12 says that God speaks to us in a still small voice. I know what a small voice is, but what does it mean to speak in a still voice? I thought that perhaps a still voice can only be heard in a still medium. Like the way that still water can only be seen if there is an absence of waves. Perhaps a still voice can only be heard if we are also still.

I don't think that stillness is something that can be put on like new shoes or a smile. I do not think it is an unresponsive stoniness towards life, but a recognition that we are not our circumstances.

2 Chronicles 20:17 says to me that stillness is not a dull-witted inaction, but a stillness of perception. That is, being able to see things rightly and respond rightly to them.

I picture stillness like an ocean. Many people live in a boat on the surface of life, and every wave of stress, contention, and trouble tosses them about. But if a person were to travel deep into the ocean, there is place below the mightiest hurricane which is still. I guess the closer we are to that place (spiritually speaking) the more likely we are to hear the still, small voice we seek.

The point though is that it is easy to find stillness when everything is going your way. When things are not going your way in life, what do YOU do to find stillness?

I'm a grown up now (in age at least). They say admitting "it" is the first step to recovery, but then "they" also think that microwaves cook from the inside out. (I smell a Daily Skinny on that...) Anyway, so here goes. Let's have a confession: I really like food. No, seriously. The Food Network is my CNN. Papa John is practically a member of my family. In fact, I affectionately refer to him as P.J. I just started doing research on my thesis, but it is slow going because I keep finding myself trolling google for new foods that some genius has begun stuffing with cream cheese. Why is there no Nobel Prize in food?! I would nominate the guy who thought of stuffed french toast. I must say that I do not envy really skinny people. To paraphrase Perry DeAngelis: "The amount of years that [they] will live longer than us because of [their] diet is directly proportional to the horror of [their] life." However, for my own good, I am learning to control my desire to consume all things cheesey, powdered, or fried.

I have a young child who apparently has a similar disposition for exuberance over all things tasty. When I get him up in the morning what is the first thing he wants? Candy. Come to think of it, I believe he could sign "candy" and "cheese" before he could say "daddy". (That's my boy!) We all know that this is no way for a child to eat. I have been trying to get him interested in healthier snacks like rice cakes, but I am not making much progress. The fact is that kids like to eat candy and junk food. They don't understand the importance of nutrition, so they just go by one thing - the taste.

You are probably wondering where I am going with this. I was reading in Isaiah the other day and I came across a verse that really got me thinking since it relates to food. "Hear, O Heavens, and give ear O earth: For the Lord hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me" (Isaiah 1:2) Isaiah goes on to say (I am super paraphrasing) that even dullwitted animals know where they get their food, but God's people wouldn't stop their hedonistic rush long enough to even think of him (v3). The people had rejected the Lord and his nourishment, and as a result were spiritually full of putrifying sores (v4-6). The children of Israel knew (as we do) that when God tries to nourish your spirit, it is usually not easy, fun or tasty.

I thought a lot about the word nourishment. As far as I know, "nourishment" does not mean "calories". In fact I read a story not too long ago about a family in Haiti that starved to death surrounded by food. They had plenty to eat, but not enough of certain nutrients to keep them alive. Similar to the unfortunate family in Haiti, the children of Isaiah's day were still spiritually "eating". They were still doing the sacrifices, and performances required by the law of Moses. However, they were not giving proper attention to their hearts. They were cultivating the inner spiritual life. Like my two year old, the only thing they cared about was whether or not "spirituality" was fun, popular, or politically correct. Their belief in God and his church only went as far as socially "reasonable".

I guess the point that I ended on was a lesson I always ponder when I read Zenos' allegory of the olive tree in Jacob 5. For me, one of the main messages here is that no matter where you are planted, and no matter how bad your situation is, you can produce great "fruit" if you let God nourish you.

It is an interesting irony I think of often. It is possible to eat and not be nourished, to skip a meal and not be fasting, to pray without praying and serve others without loving. Clearly I have much to learn about letting God nourish me (even when it is not fun). I am trying to increase my nourishment by serving more. Doing things for other people helps me remember how much I need Christs grace, and some how in giving I recieve more nourishment.

What do you do to make sure you are allowing God to nourish you? Leave a comment and help the rest of us.

(In the following, all names have been changed)

A few years ago, some really good friends of ours went on a trip. I will call them Hubert the Viking and Edna the Basque. They were flying back into town in the middle of the night, and since my wife and I lived reasonably close to the airport, they asked us to pick them and give them a ride home. I don't mind telling you that I felt very heroic for being asked to do such a big favor! My wife and I were all set. I wrote the date in the calendar, and we were very prepared to impress our friends with our level of commitment. The day before we were to pick them up, we got a call from Edna. I immediately wondered, "Did their plane get delayed? Are they changing plans?" I was wrong on both counts. Edna pointed out that we were supposed to pick them up LAST night. They had spent quite awhile trying to get in touch with us, and had finally given up and called a cab, or some real friends to pick them up in the middle of the night. Can you imagine? While they were exhausted in an airport in the middle of the night, my wife and I sleeping the night away because I had written in the wrong date on our calendar. Despite an attempt at revenge when Edna stuck gooey popcorn ball mush in my elbow, I can't help but feel stupid about the whole thing. Can you believe they still speak to us? I should say, my wife was not very impressed either. My mistake sort of reflected on her a bit. Being in the wrong place can be very bad or everyone involved.

Fast forward a little bit. Some good friends of my wife and I were recently sealed for eternity in the Salt Lake Temple. For those readers not familiar with the subject, it means that they have been married by an authorized representative of the Lord and that their marriage will continue indefinitely if they live worthy of it.

In any case, we were waiting one of the waiting rooms, and there some confusion because the friends we had come to see did not appear to be on the list of scheduled events that day. We finally got things figured out, but I was sweating bullets and thinking that I had remembered the wrong date or something. Soon other people from our ward and neighborhood began showing up, and there was a crowd of people relying on my ability to be somewhere at the right time and place. They didn't realize it, but they should have been scared. As we were waiting there, our Bishop said to the group, "Well if you believe the "Smith's", then we are in the right place."

Here I was sitting in a room of very good people, and a large portion of them were relying on how well I had led them to the correct place. They were not aware, but they should have been terrified! In fact, I have joked with a friend several times that if it had been me leading the saints across the U.S. instead of Brigham Young, we would have ended up in Milwaukee.

It is easy to doubt whether or not we are in the right place. I have heard some stupendous arguments for many things which I know are not true. In fact, sometimes the things that God wants us to do seem to make no sense. I realized that while I may feel unsure of my dates, and wonder why God does some things the way he does, there some things that I do know. Elder Dennis Neuenschwander gave a talk that I just listened to wherein he made the point: It is not enough to know what you believe; you must also believe what you know. For me, this was the quiet reminder that that Holy Ghost whispered to me in that waiting room: "You do not know everything, but you do know some things."
He is quite right. If you were to trust me to get you to something at the right day and place you might be in trouble. I don’t know how dinosaurs fit in the plan of salvation, I don’t know why some people are born with intense trials and temptations, and I don’t know how Australopithecus Afarensis fits in with the creation story. In fact, I could write a shelf of books of things that I do not know. Many questions could be asked me for which I would have no answer.
But there are things I do know. I do know that God is our Father. He exists despite all “reasoning” to the contrary. I do not know all things, but I know that he loves his children. God has a son, and true faith in him leads to eternal life. In that respect I know I am in the right place. That my friend, is something you can take to the bank. This is a handrail that, for me, is bolted into bedrock.

**I should note that we were indeed in the correct place for the wedding.**

Is there anything which God cannot do? (Jeremiah 32:17) As an omnipotent being, God has all power. (Revelation 19:6) For one thing, this means that he can and does do whatever is necessary for our salvation and improvement.

It is not surprising to learn that as an all powerful, and all knowing being, God's way of doing things is different from what we might think is best (Isaiah 55:8). Wisdom would indicate that we let the omniscient person decide how things will work. Since we may not always be able to discern God's plan and his work in our lives, the prophet Amos gives us this comforting promise: "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets" (Amos 3:7 KJV).

One reason this is a striking statement, is that an all powerful and all knowing God has promised us that he will use authorized messengers (prophets) to keep us apprised of necessary elements of his plan, and what we should be doing about it. As God speaks to these prophets, and they write his words, the message becomes scripture (2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:21). It may seem obvious, but God never has and never will lie to us (Titus 1:2). That being the case, doesn't he still speak to prophets? He does, and his words do not end (Moses 1:38). The Book of Mormon is an ancient compilation of the words of prophets in ancient America who knew and testified of Jesus Christ. Not only is this an indication that the promise God made through Amos is a promise that he intends to keep, but The Book of Mormon was translated by a modern Amos, a prophet named Joseph Smith.

One of the main messages of The Book of Mormon is that Jesus Christ is just as much the savior of modern people as he was of the biblical people. In fact, a passage in The Book of Mormon warns against thinking that The Book of Mormon is meant to replace or diminish the bible. Through a prophet God instructs: "Know ye not that the testimony of two nations [Jewish and ancient American) is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also" (2 Nephi 29:8). Just like Ezekiel, The Book of Mormon teaches that the records (scriptures) of the Jews and of Ephraim are meant to work together and be as two parts of a unified word of God (Ezekiel 37:15-17).

Can there be too much praise of God? (Psalm 119:171) Can there be too many records witnessing that Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of all mankind in all ages and locations? Can there be too many prophets witnessing that God spoke to them in their times? Can there be too many records of how God's people have been rescued from evil according to their faith?

Why do Mormons have additional scripture that is a witness of Jesus Christ? Because "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets" and God does not lie.

Order a Free copy of The Book of Mormon @ http://www.mormon.org/bookofmormon

There are those in our world who seem to have an inordinate supply of power. Much of our success in life seems to be determined by our credentials. Our schooling, values, morals, and attitudes are to conform to theirs. There are those acknowledged "power brokers" who can raise one to the heights of office or fame, or can subvert all of a person’s efforts if they so wish. There is a common phrase that "it is not what you know, but who you know.

In investigating many jobs in a certain industry in which I have interest, it has become clear that to succeed in some areas one essentially sells themselves to the company. I will not give specific examples of this, as I am sure we can all learn to recognize such offers. However, of the many hours I spent doing research on jobs, the below information is quite typical. I saw quite a few jobs which could enable a person to retire as a multi-millionaire by the time the individual was in their 30s. How exciting! What does one have to do to gain such a position? Work 7 days a week for 80-100 hours, be on call 24-7, and do whatever you are asked. Do this for several years, and voila! You are moving up the food chain, and becoming quite wealthy. Obviously, these jobs are highly competitive because so many people desire that kind of money. It comes at a cost of family time, religious activity, and possibly health. This is a price that many people are more than willing to pay. In fact, there are groups created for the sole purpose of teaching people how to beat out the competition in obtaining these highly coveted positions. I went to a few such meetings, and was told the following by more than one person: "You must be willing to do whatever it takes to make your client happy. If he drinks coffee or alcohol, then you drink them also. If he wants to go to a movie on Sunday, then you volunteer to take him. If you won't, they will find someone else who will."

Big problem there. These particular items conflict with the way I conduct my religious life.

To say that a person much choose success or their moral principles is to create a false choice.

After his baptism, "Jesus was led up of the Spirit, into the wilderness, to be with God" (JST Matthew 4:1). Following this experience, Satan came to him and made him an offer. It is interesting that the name "Satan" means, "one who lies in wait" or in other words, "one who lays a trap". Satan showed to Christ the kingdoms of the world in all their glory, power, and magnificence. To paraphrase, Satan says to Jesus, "I will transfer all of these kingdoms to you, if you will bow to me” (Matthew 4:8-9). The response of Christ was that he would worship only the Father, and would not serve any other person, including himself (Matthew 4:10). The irony here is that Satan's offer ignored the fact that all these things were in Christ's power anyway. He created the earth (Mosiah 4:2). He has power over even the elements of the earth (Mark 4:39). It would seem to be great foolishness for Christ to capitulate to Satan in order to gain something that was His anyway.

I am not so dramatic as to conclude that conforming our standards to certain companies is the same as bowing to Satan. However, the principle still applies. For us, it would be similarly foolish to sacrifice standards or family relationships in order to gain power, friends, money, or influence. We are told that if we endure to the end, in obedience and faith, we will become joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). That sounds like a pretty generous offer! If we “seek…first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness…all these things shall be added unto [us]” (Matthew 6:33).

To be in the employ of certain people, I must be willing to do whatever they ask regardless of what I think of it personally or morally. I think often about the advice I receive to "be willing to do whatever it takes to make your client happy.” After all, “If [I] won't, they will find someone else who will."

When in God’s employ, the requirements are similar except that they demand more of our standards instead of less. Those in God’s employ are to follow the advice: "You must be willing to do whatever will most please God. If he sees people with compassion, I must see them with compassion. If he asks me to serve then I must serve, even if I feel tired, sick, or selfish. If I don't, then he will find someone else who will."

Like many people, I have big choices coming regarding whom I choose as my employer. I must be wary of a conflict of interest between physical and my spiritual employers. In some ways, choosing a spiritual employer is easier. One employer saves, and the other stultifies.