Onward Christian Soldiers... The War is Here

The world is a more dark, hostile, and nasty place. "That old serpent, which is the Devil" reigns in the hearts of many. People use the power that they have and abuse it, not just in this country, but all over.

Yesterday, I was looking for articles about 76 people who were held by a group of murderous people called Boko Harem (the same people who kidnapped 276 school girls to become brides or kill them) in central parts of Africa. Four of these hostages, their Christian leaders, were killed because they won't deny Christ or their Christian faith. Before anyone else died, people said they saw Christ who told them "all would be well." The assailants suddenly started screaming "Snakes! Snakes!" and one of them dropped down dead. One of the hostages grabbed the dead soldiers fallen gun to shoot the fleeing Boko Harem soldiers when a child stopped him and said, "You don't need to do that. Can't you see the men in white fighting for us?" (ANGELS!! Anyone who knows me, knows how much I love and appreciate angels.) 72 of them, many being women and children, were able to make it out alive.

Sadly, this hasn't been the case for many others. Just from Boko Harem, hundreds of thousands have been terrorized, kidnapped, murdered, and horribly tortured. Many have left their home countries as refugees, seeking safety, and sanctuary.

My heart aches for all of them. I wish I could save them and stop the brutality that Satan has happily influenced.

I know that these aren't the only bad things that are going on in the world. Mass shootings in churches and schools, shopping malls and concerts. Abductions and child marriages/prostitution and abuses of every kind. Things range from national news level to family hostilities and neighbor conflicts. The world is so full of hate and anger and animosity that it makes me sick.

Many many ask, "How can God let this happen?" "How can He stand by and let His children be massacred?" "They believe in Him, why isn't He saving them?" "How can a 'loving' God do this?"

I turn to Alma and Amulek and the destruction that happened to the Christians at Ammonihah:

"9 And it came to pass that they took Alma and Amulek, and carried them forth to the place of martyrdom, that they might witness the destruction of those who were consumed by fire.

   10 And when Amulek saw the pains of the women and children who were consuming in the fire, he also was pained; and he said unto Alma: How can we witness this awful scene? Therefore let us stretch forth our hands, and exercise the power of God which is in us, and save them from the flames.

   11 But Alma said unto him: The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in glory; and he doth suffer that they may do this thing, or that the people may do this thing unto them, according to the hardness of their hearts, that the judgments which he shall exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness against them, yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day." (Alma 14: 9-11)

Alma and Amulek saw the martyrdom of Amulek's family and the other women and children who wouldn't say that they didn't believe in Christ. It is a good chance that Amulek's wife and children were there being thrown into the fire. Oh, how similar it is to the 76 and other martyrs throughout the ages. Some times we are enable to do anything to help those who are suffering, especially when they are across the world and dying for Christ. It is so then they can be witnesses against them to the horrific things that others are doing so then God can judge them accordingly and they will be cast into the place that is prepared for them. It isn't God hates the people who die. Not at all. He's simply calling them home and their test in mortality has ended. It's okay (Sad?Yes, but okay), because this isn't the end of everything.

I remember these thoughts when there was a shooting in Las Vegas in 2017. How 58 people died and over 400 were injured. I remember people asking "How can God let that happen?" Christ isn't going to stop people from making their choices. He's not going to stop them from pulling the trigger, but they will have to stand before their God (whether they acknowledged Him on earth as such or not) with witnesses beyond belief. At which point, I wouldn't want to be them.

But for those "which had not worshiped the beast" but follow Christ and are martyred for Him they will "live and reign with Christ for a thousand years" (Rev 20:4). Those who do, will be well. Those who pass on who may not have known Christ will have the opportunity to learn of Him and draw to Him. There is hope. Eternal hope.

There are those, however, who's test is not done who are still needed for something else. Those 76 people are valiant soldiers in God's Army. A pastor who talked with those 72 surviving saints, "credits Jesus' appearance to the group to the fact that these people knew no other Biblical text to visit. They are all illiterate and thus no access to scripture so Jesus proved it himself." How marvelous and miraculous would that be? Miracles happen all the time if we are willing to open our eyes to see it.

"Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war with the cross of Jesus going on before." It is war and it's right smack dab in front of our faces. Satan is around because he is a nuisance and he hates us with a passion that rivals the heat of brimstone. Satan doesn't give up on you, so we need to double down our efforts to be better and draw closer to God who also doesn't give up on you.

Remember that God loves us. He loves you. He loves me. He even loves those who are choosing poorly, though their choices sadden Him greatly.

We can do this. We can face the fight and with God on our side we will win.

Pioneer Day

Happy Pioneer Day everyone!

For those of you not from Utah let me explain.

Pioneer Day, July 24th, is the day we celebrate the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (AKA "Mormon Pioneers") entering into the Salt Lake Valley and finally finding refuge from the mobbing and harassment they received from every place they gathered. They had the opportunity to go to California, Oregon, parts of Canada instead of Utah. Places that were green and lush and easy for farming, but instead chose Utah because it was a place no one else would want. Dusty, hot, rocky and sandy, covered in brush...

I'm sure many of the hard working men and women who walked into the valley looked at the barren land and asked themselves, "We're stopping here?" I'm sure many of them wanted to go back to Ohio or farther East instead of stopping here in the desert and somehow making it habitable.

Many--many, many--though took up the challenge and relying on the Lord when further hardships came and made this grizzly land flourish. If you go hike up the mountains now and look down at either Salt Lake or Utah Valleys, you will see so much green. So much tilled and usable soil and tall, leafy trees. The Saints who came and their children for generations who worked after them would probably be surprised at how large we have gotten.

So Happy Pioneer Day!

A few years ago, I was in a Non-Fiction Creative Writing class in college. I wrote about my grandpa in WWII and "the Bus Crash," others wrote about accidentally setting fires to a field, motor cycle gangs, family vacations, and other things that happened in their lives. There was one young lady who wrote about how it was hard being in Utah. There are many reasons why people find it hard living here. I know that the culture and "the Mormons" are a big reason people do struggle, though there are many others. This story in particular described how she struggled with everyone's "Pioneer Heritage" and how it made her feel like an outsider. She was a member of the Church, but because she didn't have people from the Willy and Martin handcart companies or come across the plains at all she felt like she couldn't be apart of things. As if she wasn't "Old Money" in the Utah culture.

It was such an interesting take on things. My mind was revealing a little. "It shouldn't make a difference if they had Utah Pioneer blood or not. She is here. Shouldn't that be what counts?" Yes, it should be what counts.

I do have pioneer ancestry, people from the Willie and Martin Handcart companies, wagon company captains, town/city founders, people who had plural wives, and regular farmers. On the other hand, I also have horse thieves and probably some other kind of liars, thieves, and abusers. Just like everyone else. My family tree is just as colorful as everyone else's with good people, great people, normal people, and bad people. People who did hard things, people who gave in to temptation, people who spoke up, people who were silent, people who didn't know better, and many other kinds of people.

Who they were can't honestly change who I am, that is unless I let them.

I am proud that some of my ancestors chose to do hard things and came out stronger for them. Just because I'm proud of them, doesn't mean I flaunt them though. (I think my husband references them more often than I do.) But just because mine are officially in pioneer companies, doesn't mean that someone else's ancestors didn't do hard things. So many hard things happen in everyone's life! Everyone can be a pioneer doing amazing things.

For that one girl in my class who wrote her story, she became a friend of mine on Facebook and I followed her and she did some family history work. And found that her ancestors were from Eastern Europe and found living family because it was only a generation or two back that they came over (possibly during WWI or II) to the USA. She ended up going over to Eastern Europe and meeting those distant relations, gained so many stories from her family, and (I'm sure) found her own versions of pioneer stories.

No pioneer story was ever the same and that's what makes each one special. It's what makes everyone special is their story, official "pioneer" or not.

So, again, Happy Pioneer Day to all the different types of pioneers out there and all the amazingly good things that have happened!

Ask, And It Shall Be Given You

In the KJV, Matthew 7:7-8 says, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened."

This whole morning I've been asking things of God. Please bless this food that it will nourish my body. Please bless my husband with safety while he is working. Please bless me with patience (as my son is practically yelling in my ear) throughout the day. And so on as the normal morning routine goes. Then I remembered that today President Nelson was going to speak and I really wanted to hear what the new Prophet had to say. I tuned in as my son was finishing his breakfast and listened to Elder Christofferson relate to us who the new First and Second Counselor to President Nelson would be. My prayers and love go out to President Dallin H. Oaks and President Henry B. Eyring. The joy of the Lord was on all of their faces. Their countinances were bright and full of love.

As they spoke, I listened to President Eyring say that he knew that the men round him were called of God. In a quick, half-thought out idea of a prayer I asked if they were called of our Father. As Eyring continued to speak, I gained that confirmation. These are men of the Lord who are directed to lead the Christ's Church on the Earth today. These men are prophets, seers, and revelators for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Days Saints. They will lead and guide the church as the Lord sees fit. The Lord will not let them do anything that is contrary to His Will; if they were to try, they would be removed before they had the chance. Though I know that they wouldn't even try, because they love the Lord. You can see it in their eyes. Unlike many other leaders around the world in different capacities who have ulterior motives and are constantly trying to get gain, these men want all people to know the love and light of Christ.

Over the past few years since President Nelson became President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, I feel we've gotten to know him more. He's spoken more often, or so it appears to me, in Conferences and his addresses have hit me more at my core than in previous years. (This might be do to some lack with I have, which very well might be, at which point I apologize.) But even before he became President of the Quorum of the Twelve, he always seemed so happy, so positive, and loving whenever he spoke or was out amongst people. His smile is contagious.

I believe there are big things that will be happening in the coming years. Some strenuous many positive, but all, hopefully, moving us forward to Christ.

Not only was this a spiritual morning listening to the new First Presidency and praying for spiritual confirmation there, but vigorous, frightened prayers were said for a good twenty minutes. My experience might sound silly, but that I guess is what makes this experience even more of a miracle to me.

I have had the same computer for nearly eight years. It was my first big buy after my first car and has lasted well past that car. My computer had a name, it was silly and now I don't even remember what it was, and it graduated college with me. I origionally bought it for two reasons, school papers/other writings and games. I wanted a big screen with a ten key. It is simple and honestly hasn't changed much over the years. No stickers are on it's screen, my nails have scratched the paint on most of my keys, a few of those self same keys have fallen off a time or two but have been masterfully put back on by myself, and where my hands rest next to the mouse pad are small pock marks where the fancy swooping design has worn away. It has been well loved. I even got thinking about it and if there were a fire in my house, after making sure my family was safe I'd have to make sure my computer was safe also.

So as you can understand, I have quite an attachment to it and the things in it's programing. I have my writing here (and backed up in other places--ALWAYS BACKUP YOUR FILES!!!), I have my games that practically don't work on any other system, and I have pictures from the last seven and a half years. So many adventures and moments that happen that I can remember with fondness about. It would cost me hundreds of dollars to get all of the pictures I've taken printed and many hours sleeving them in photo albums.

This morning after hearing President Nelson and his counselors talk, I was trying to get my son ready for school and he tipped my drink over knocking it into my computer and scriptures which I'd been reading. Neither were drenched, thank goodness. I picked up my scriptures and quickly wiped it off before seeing that my computer had droplets on it too. My computer started freaking out. Instead of the desktop picture I have of my husband and I on our wedding day, white, green, red, and black lines creeped across my screen until it automatically shut down. I, of course, flipped a lid and sent my son out of the room to get his socks and shoes on like I'd been telling him to do for the last two minutes. I grabbed my can of pressurized air (to rid the keyboard of dust) and sprayed where I thought would help the most, all the while still standing in a giant puddle of pink soda on the floor. I moved my computer away from the popping puddle of soda on the table and sopped up the mess with a towel. My phone run its alarm to remind me that my son needed to get to class and I left the mess on the floor  as I walked out the door.

Walking out to the car was the most solemn I've seen my son. He definitely realized that he'd done something wrong that not only a half heart "I'm sorry" would fix things. I was still irritated and told him I was mad which made the ten minute car ride to school very quiet.

All the while I prayed that my computer would be alright. Not only would we not have the money to replace it, but what of the photos? I have my most cherished ones printed already, but what of the other good times? Please don't let them be lost. Please fix my computer.

We just turned down the road to my son's school when he said he was sorry again. By then I had calmed down enough to tell him I was sorry too for being so angry. I told him I knew it was an accident and that I knew he didn't mean to spill the drink. Hopefully it'll be okay if it takes a break.

"We're both sorry," he said.

"Yeah, dude. We're both sorry."

I got him out of the car and gave him a big hug. He still looked distressed even when one of his friends started calling for him as we crossed the parking lot. As little boys do, when he started to play with his friend he got happier forgetting about being sad for a moment until we got inside and things slowed down again and he remembered he was sad. I again gave him a big hug and told him I loved him, kissing him on the forehead before I left. I will do something very nice for him when he gets home, don't worry.

When I got him, after more prayers that was mainly repeating the word "please," I started up my computer again it worked perfectly fine--as this is what I'm typing on. Prayers of gratitude spilled from my lips as everything started up normally. I cleaned up the floor, which was still popping with pink soda and finished my scripture reading.

The moral I guess, is that I know that prayer works. Fervent, heartfelt prayer to know if President Nelson is a Prophet or for a miracle to revive my computer, big things and little things will be answered by the Lord. If you earnestly ask, you will be given an answer; if you seek for a blessing, a miracle, you will find it; and if you knock on the Lord's door He will open it and more miracles, blessing, and answers will fall on you that "there shall not be enough room to receive it" (KJV Malichi 3:10).

"Behold my beloved brethren, remember the words of your God; pray unto him continually by day, and give thanks unto his holy name by night. Let your hearts rejoice" (2 Nephi 9:52).

The Lord is listening and watching out for us. He loves us and gives us Prophets to help guide us. He also gives us our own revelation if we ask and listen for it. Let your hearts rejoice and remember to be thankful for the many blessings He gives us every day.

God bless you President Nelson, President Oaks, and President Eyring. I love you and sustain you.






Picture from:  https://www.lds.org/church/news/new-first-presidency-speaks-to-members-worldwide?cid=HP_TU_16-1-2018_dPAD_fMNWS_xLIDyL1-A_&lang=eng