From Dad 9/29
Hi everyone,
The young adults did an awesome job on the dance last night. There were about 30 young people between the ages of 18 and 30 plus another 12 adults. The food was great. Mom made an unbelievably good potato salad. The floor show was excellent. Sister Thomas sounded like Whitney Houston. Two young men who have been working at it for two years performed “hip-hop” to “Mormon Rap”. After the dance one group of about 12 went to one member’s home to watch a movie and sleep over. Another group of about 9 went to the young adult leader’s home for a sleep over. It was lively and helps us feel much alive too. We didn’t even mind walking into our home as the clock struck 12!
Our Father in Heaven has done and continues to do an awesome job. Here are some of my thoughts. We have always lived. There was no beginning nor will there be an end. Science has a hard time with this concept. They try for dates of 80 million or older, because they can’t comprehend things were organized and not created from nothing. “Man was in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be.” (D & C 93:29). And, “These two facts do exist, that there are two spirits, one being more intelligent than the other; there shall be another more intelligent than they; I am the Lord thy God, I am more intelligent than they all.” Abraham 3:19
We were created first as spirit children of our Father in Heaven. “For I, the Lord God, had created all the children of men; and not yet a man to till the ground; for in heaven created I them; and there was not yet flesh upon the earth, neither in the water, neither in the air;” Moses 3:5 We were taught and grew spiritually until it became necessary to leave our Father’s presence and come to earth to continue our growth to become more like Him. A plan was presented. We supported the plan. We knew mistakes would be made. We knew heaven is a clean and pure place and will never change. We would need to be made clean to return to our Father. Jesus Christ offered to come, live without sin as the Only Begotten Son of the Father and to suffer all the punishment necessary for justice to be satisfied. Then mercy could be applied to everyone of our Father’s children who would be willing to recognize what Jesus Christ had done for us and who would also be willing to make every effort to keep the commandments the Father would give us to follow and live on earth. Those who chose not to accept His sacrifice and to work diligently at following the way the Father wanted us to live would have to pay the price in full for our own sins and would receive blessings according to the level of faith and obedience we were willing to give but would lose the opportunity to return and live with the Father again. Lucifer thought he saw an opportunity to take over. He presented his plan to take over and displace the Father and the Son. He said we could come to earth and he would guarantee no one would be left behind. To do this we would be required to give up our right of making our own choices. He would make them all for us and because he would bring all of us back he didn’t need the Father and the Son. He would claim us as his children and we would no longer belong to the Father.
Two out of three in the end stood by the Father and the Son in the plan of the Father. “…There was war in heaven:….And that great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceived the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Revelations 12:7-9 And further, “And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth:…” Rev. 12:4 As mom quoted, these spirit children of our Father in Heaven continuously seek to misguide and mislead us away from the Father and His Son and all that is good. After those who opposed the Father’s plan were no longer present the final preparations were made. All the leaders were called and foreordained. “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee;…and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5 Our Father in Heaven knows everything and could plan perfectly for what would happen on earth. A veil over our memory was drawn to allow us to exercise our agency. After this life we will report to our Father and the Son to give an accounting. When the veil of what we knew before we were born into this life is taken away we will judge ourselves and know perfectly how fair and just, and as far as we were willing to accept the atonement we will have mercy applied to our final judgment. We can choose how we will conduct ourselves here on earth but the consequences of those choices are not optional.
We see people exercise their agency daily. We see progress and then some fall back. How painful it was for us when Satan rebelled. “”…an angel of God who was in authority in the presence of God, who rebelled….was thrust down from the presence of God and the Son, and was called Perdition, for the heavens wept over him – he was Lucifer, a son of the morning.” D & C 76:25-6 While we are still here on earth we hope and work to help one another give up our rebellion against the Father and the Son agitated by the Adversary of all that is good. Each small step toward the light we take brings less power and influence by the adversary until the Millennium comes when he will be bound. “…he shall have no place in the hearts of the children of men.” D & C 45:55
It is so important never to give up. From day to day the battle for men’s souls continues. Love is the only way y the adversary cannot fight. The Holy Ghost gives each of us the knowledge we need to know how love is to be applied. Sometimes a parent’s actions are not perceived as being motivated and guided by love. I know each step of the way we follow the spirit we will feel that it is right and feel the peaceful confirmation even when the world around us may seem to be in total chaos. Life is good. Blessings can be found everywhere in every day. Obedience blesses and makes us free. Restrictions are only placed upon us when we follow the influence of the adversary. The Spirit is always ready to help us understand and see the difference to make good choices. May our Father in Heaven feel welcome in our lives.
We love your letters and cards. Daily stories about life bring welcome smiles to our faces and warm our hearts. Thanks for taking the time to write. Have a great week.
Love always,
Dad
The young adults did an awesome job on the dance last night. There were about 30 young people between the ages of 18 and 30 plus another 12 adults. The food was great. Mom made an unbelievably good potato salad. The floor show was excellent. Sister Thomas sounded like Whitney Houston. Two young men who have been working at it for two years performed “hip-hop” to “Mormon Rap”. After the dance one group of about 12 went to one member’s home to watch a movie and sleep over. Another group of about 9 went to the young adult leader’s home for a sleep over. It was lively and helps us feel much alive too. We didn’t even mind walking into our home as the clock struck 12!
Our Father in Heaven has done and continues to do an awesome job. Here are some of my thoughts. We have always lived. There was no beginning nor will there be an end. Science has a hard time with this concept. They try for dates of 80 million or older, because they can’t comprehend things were organized and not created from nothing. “Man was in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be.” (D & C 93:29). And, “These two facts do exist, that there are two spirits, one being more intelligent than the other; there shall be another more intelligent than they; I am the Lord thy God, I am more intelligent than they all.” Abraham 3:19
We were created first as spirit children of our Father in Heaven. “For I, the Lord God, had created all the children of men; and not yet a man to till the ground; for in heaven created I them; and there was not yet flesh upon the earth, neither in the water, neither in the air;” Moses 3:5 We were taught and grew spiritually until it became necessary to leave our Father’s presence and come to earth to continue our growth to become more like Him. A plan was presented. We supported the plan. We knew mistakes would be made. We knew heaven is a clean and pure place and will never change. We would need to be made clean to return to our Father. Jesus Christ offered to come, live without sin as the Only Begotten Son of the Father and to suffer all the punishment necessary for justice to be satisfied. Then mercy could be applied to everyone of our Father’s children who would be willing to recognize what Jesus Christ had done for us and who would also be willing to make every effort to keep the commandments the Father would give us to follow and live on earth. Those who chose not to accept His sacrifice and to work diligently at following the way the Father wanted us to live would have to pay the price in full for our own sins and would receive blessings according to the level of faith and obedience we were willing to give but would lose the opportunity to return and live with the Father again. Lucifer thought he saw an opportunity to take over. He presented his plan to take over and displace the Father and the Son. He said we could come to earth and he would guarantee no one would be left behind. To do this we would be required to give up our right of making our own choices. He would make them all for us and because he would bring all of us back he didn’t need the Father and the Son. He would claim us as his children and we would no longer belong to the Father.
Two out of three in the end stood by the Father and the Son in the plan of the Father. “…There was war in heaven:….And that great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceived the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Revelations 12:7-9 And further, “And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth:…” Rev. 12:4 As mom quoted, these spirit children of our Father in Heaven continuously seek to misguide and mislead us away from the Father and His Son and all that is good. After those who opposed the Father’s plan were no longer present the final preparations were made. All the leaders were called and foreordained. “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee;…and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5 Our Father in Heaven knows everything and could plan perfectly for what would happen on earth. A veil over our memory was drawn to allow us to exercise our agency. After this life we will report to our Father and the Son to give an accounting. When the veil of what we knew before we were born into this life is taken away we will judge ourselves and know perfectly how fair and just, and as far as we were willing to accept the atonement we will have mercy applied to our final judgment. We can choose how we will conduct ourselves here on earth but the consequences of those choices are not optional.
We see people exercise their agency daily. We see progress and then some fall back. How painful it was for us when Satan rebelled. “”…an angel of God who was in authority in the presence of God, who rebelled….was thrust down from the presence of God and the Son, and was called Perdition, for the heavens wept over him – he was Lucifer, a son of the morning.” D & C 76:25-6 While we are still here on earth we hope and work to help one another give up our rebellion against the Father and the Son agitated by the Adversary of all that is good. Each small step toward the light we take brings less power and influence by the adversary until the Millennium comes when he will be bound. “…he shall have no place in the hearts of the children of men.” D & C 45:55
It is so important never to give up. From day to day the battle for men’s souls continues. Love is the only way y the adversary cannot fight. The Holy Ghost gives each of us the knowledge we need to know how love is to be applied. Sometimes a parent’s actions are not perceived as being motivated and guided by love. I know each step of the way we follow the spirit we will feel that it is right and feel the peaceful confirmation even when the world around us may seem to be in total chaos. Life is good. Blessings can be found everywhere in every day. Obedience blesses and makes us free. Restrictions are only placed upon us when we follow the influence of the adversary. The Spirit is always ready to help us understand and see the difference to make good choices. May our Father in Heaven feel welcome in our lives.
We love your letters and cards. Daily stories about life bring welcome smiles to our faces and warm our hearts. Thanks for taking the time to write. Have a great week.
Love always,
Dad
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