A NOISY WORLD

 

Send Forth Labourers by Greg Collins

“Inspiration comes more easily in peaceful settings. Such words as quite, still, peaceable, Comforter, abound in the scriptures: “Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalms 46:10). And the promise, “You shall receive my Spirit, the Holy Ghost, even the Comforter, which shall teach you the peaceable things of the kingdom. (D&C 36:2)

“The world grows increasingly noisy. Clothing and grooming and conduct are looser and sloppier and dishevelled. Raucous music, with obscene lyrics blasted through amplifiers while lights flash psychedelic colours, characterizes the drug culture. Variations of these things are gaining wide acceptance and influence over our youth. This trend to more noise, more excitement, more contention, less restraint, less dignity, less formality is not coincidental nor innocent nor harmless.

“The first order issued by a commander mounting a military invasion is the jamming of the channels of communication of those he intends to conquer. Irreverence suits the purposes of the adversary by obstructing the delicate channels of revelation in both mind and spirit.” 

The above was spoken by Elder Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles during his talk, “Reverence Invites Revelation” in General Conference of October 1991. That was 35 years ago. The world has grown much busier and louder since then. Technology has made sure of that. Today we cannot exist without our phones and social media connections.

Technology has become the adversary’s greatest tool of 21^st century. Not only has he used it to keep our minds occupied with the voices of the world, he has used it to spread his loudest message yet by calling “evil good and good evil” (Isaiah 5:20). This is true of even the most innocent messages through technology today. Misinformation of all sorts  is spread from all corners of the world and mistrust has become rampant in our society. AI created content is a large part of that mistrust.

We live in “spiritual Babylon” today: “Each era of the earth has known its own Babylon, but the Babylon of the latter-days was seen by the prophets as being among the most wicked of any era and the object of destruction at the coming of the Lord…..ancient Babylon with its evil and judgment was a shadow and a type of present-day Babylon, or the world. It is to present-day Babylon that Isaiah delivered the sharpest warnings.” (Old Testament Student manual 1 Kings – Malachi, p 153)

Among these sharpest warnings of today, lies also the call for the “sanctified ones”, the Saints of the latter days, to gather together and join with God in overthrowing wickedness and spiritual Babylon from the world to coincide with the Second Coming as contained in chapter 13 of Isaiah.

Considering the population of the world and the wickedness which abounds, that’s an enormous call to action but there is hope in Nephi’s vision of us:

“And it came to pass that I beheld the church of the Lamb of God, and its numbers were few….and their dominions upon the face of the earth were small….and it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory.” (1 Nephi 14:12-14)

The more righteous we are, the more spiritual light we emit throughout the world which fights the forces of evil and opens the channels of inspiration and revelation from the realms above for the benefit of all the nations upon the face of the earth.

The spiritual war begun in heaven with Lucifer and his angels continues, only the venue has changed….(Revelation 12:7-9)

There is a desire in my soul

That wants to conquer Goliath

And watch him fall….

This warrior within me never sleeps

And yearns to hear the angels’ call,

A call to battle to make the devil fall.

And when Christ comes in clouds so holy

He will conquer that enemy

And we will confess His glory.

 

-      Cathryne Allen

RICHES

 

Your truth pierces my soul

And binds me to Your loving heart.

Your teaching moments

Find my hungry mind

And feed me like a bird in flight

Searching for a morsel

That gladdens its hungry heart.

Your mysteries are laid at my feet

And I, when I come home, will be

Clutching these riches that are mine to keep.

- CATRYNE ALLEN

(Artist Unknown)

 

GLORY OF THE PRIESTHOOD

 

Studying about the patriarchs this year has given me a greater understanding of the priesthood. I am developing a reverence for it I have never felt before.

I was reading the other day about the power of godliness through the priesthood ordinances without which no man can see the face of God, ‘even the Father, and live’ (D&C 84:19-22). Then something else caught my attention I hadn’t noticed before.

Verse 19 tell us that the greater priesthood administers the gospel and holds the key of the mysteries of the kingdom , “even the key of the knowledge of God”. I understood then that it was through the priesthood that all the revelations pertaining to the human family are given.  

I remembered Adam, the Ancient of Days, who bestowed his last blessing upon the patriarchs and his righteous posterity three years prior to his death at Adam-Ondi-Ahman at which time he ‘predicted whatsoever should befall his posterity unto the latest generation’  (D&C 107:53-56) (see also “Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith” p 158). It was the priesthood keys he held that entitled him to the knowledge he received regarding his posterity.

I also remembered Abraham and the knowledge he was given of the universe, our pre-mortal life, the eternal nature of spirits, foreordination, the creation, the choosing of the Redeemer and the second estate of man, all of which we have at our disposal in the Pearl of Great Price. If it wasn’t for Abraham’s overwhelming desire to have the rights of the priesthood, he could never have been given this information relative to the covenant he made with God.

This is what confirmed to me that the priesthood is ‘the portal’ to the knowledge of God. Joseph records in his history the time that he and Oliver went into the woods to pray in May of 1829 to inquire about baptism for the remission of sins that they found mentioned in the translation of the plates. While they were praying John the Baptist appeared and conferred on them the Aaronic Priesthood.

He recounts this: “No sooner had I baptized Oliver Cowdery, than the Holy Ghost fell upon him, and he stood up and prophesied many things which should shortly come to pass. And again, as soon as I had been baptised by him, I also had the spirit of prophecy, when standing up, I prophesied concerning the rise of this Church, and many other things connected with the Church, and this generation of the children of men.” (JSH vs 72,73)

And then this: “Our minds being now enlightened, we began to have the scriptures laid open to our understandings, and the true meaning and intention of their more mysterious passages revealed unto us in a manner which we never could attain to previously, nor ever before had thought of.” (v 74). It is important to note that at this time they did not have the gift of the Holy Ghost. John the Baptist promised that was yet to come (v 70).

I think of all of Joseph’s revelations that are contained in the Doctrine and Covenants which give us pure knowledge about the Gospel and the mysteries of God’s kingdom. I also think of revelations of the living prophets since Joseph, the greatest of all being the revelation of 1978 making the priesthood available to all the males in the Church. What other Church has what we have? No other.

At last my mind was taken to the One who possesses all the keys of the priesthood and all knowledge of the mysteries of God, the Saviour of all mankind who is our High Priest forever (Hebrews 3:1; 4:14). When He returns He shall reveal all knowledge:

“Things which have passed, and hidden things which no man knew, things of the earth, by which it was made, the purpose and the end thereof – things most precious, things that are above, and things that are beneath, things that are in the earth, and upon the earth, and in heaven.” (D&C 101:32-34)

Last thought….Application of the priesthood pertaining to our lives is worth the personal pursuit….

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Joseph and Oliver Pray by Del Parson)

A LIGHT IN THE WILDERNESS

 

This was Abraham wherever he went. He was 62 when he arrived into the land of Canaan that the Lord promised him as an inheritance, but also ‘to make of him a minister to bear His name in a strange land’ (Abraham 2:6;14). And bear His name he did for the famine in Canaan necessitated Abraham and all who came with him to end up in Egypt on a prolonged mission, possibly as long as 13 years.  

The land of Canaan was overrun by the idol worshipping descendants of Cain. Going to Egypt would have been like going from a frying pain into a fire. It was by the hand of an Egyptian priest that Abraham nearly lost his life in the land of Ur. Egypt was the hotbed of human sacrifice to false gods.

The famine of Canaan proved to be a blessing in disguise because at the end Abraham returned to Canaan richer than he was before he left on account of Sarah whom the Pharoah desired to take for his wife. Abraham’s sojourn in Egypt reads like Arabian nights. It’s a fascinating story.

What is of most importance of this part of Abraham’s life is the light that he was in this evil infested land where idolatry was blinding the children of men and the truth was obscured from their understanding.

Before Abraham left for Egypt, he had an encounter with the Lord who told him: “Abraham, I show these things unto thee before ye go into Egypt, that ye may declare all these words” (Abraham 3:15). Thus proceeded a revelation which enriched Abraham’s personal knowledge of the field of science: astronomy, the plan of salvation and organization of the world for human habitation.

“The great truths shown to Abraham were not for him alone. He was to declare “all these words” to the Egyptians. The Lord knew that some of the learning of the Egyptians would be passed on to the Greeks and that the Greeks in turn would teach the Romans. He also knew that through Rome this knowledge would spread to other parts of the world as a blessing to humanity. During these transitions many precious truths were lost but some of them survived and became the foundation for modern science.”  (W. Cleon Skousen, The First 2,000 Years, p 285)

“In the Egyptian Alphabet compiled by Joseph Smith at the time he translated the Book of Abraham, we are given the added information that Abraham was called as a missionary of Christ to go into Egypt and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Egyptians.” (Clark, James R., “Before Ye Go Into Egypt”, Vol 2, p 2)

I think of the recent mandate of the leaders to the membership of the Church to flood the earth with the gospel. We need to be well informed of the doctrine, convinced of its efficacy, bold and unafraid of the opposition. The light needs to shine from us as bright as the sun.  

I stand in awe of Abraham and his fortitude in spreading the light in a darkened world. He is the prototype of Christ who came to enlighten our understanding of the truth. Without His light we would be lost in this world of darkness which seeks to engulf us in its misery and woe. He is the light that shines, the light we must follow. He is the light of the world, the only light…..

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: A Light in the Wilderness by Rose Datoc Dall)

THE ANCIENT OF DAYS

 

There is a place in Daviess county, Missouri, which is called Spring Hill. This place “was named by the mouth of the Lord, Adam-Ondi-Ahman”, literal translation being “Where Adam-having taken-God” (Ahman being the name of God in pure language) (“History of the Church”, 3:34-35). This is the place where one of the most tender events occurred on the American continent, the knowledge of which we owe to modern-day revelation through the modern-day prophet Joseph Smith.

This is where Adam, the Ancient of Days, bestowed his last blessing upon the patriarchs and his righteous posterity three years prior to his death (D&C 107:53-56). When the Saviour appeared to this congregation, Adam’s posterity “rose up and blessed Adam, and called him Michael, the prince, the archangel”. The Lord then administered comfort unto Adam and said unto him: I have set thee to be at the head; a multitude of nations shall come of thee, and thou art a prince over them forever.” (D&C 107:54-55).

After the Lord administered to him, Adam stood up even though he was ‘bowed down with age, and being full of the Holy Ghost, predicted whatsoever should befall his posterity unto the latest generation’ (v 56). When Joseph Smith visited Spring Hill in 1876 he was privileged to see Adam, the Ancient of Days, in a vision of this momentous meeting (“Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith” p 158).

Adam lived 930 years according to Genesis 5:5 and Moses 6:12 but died in the ‘same day’ he partook of the fruit as the promise of death was spoken by God when the earth was still subject to the Lord’s time which was after the time of Kolob (Abraham 5:13). Imagine living and enduring that long…..

There will come a time when Adam will return to Adam-Ondi-Ahman: “He will call his children together and hold a council with them to prepare them for the coming of the Son of Man”…..The Son of Man will stand before him, and there will be given Him glory and dominion. Adam will deliver up his stewardship to Christ, who holds the keys of the universe, but will retain his standing as the head of the human family (“Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith” p 157).

This is the great Council of which neither the Church members nor the world will know about which will take place prior to the Saviour’s Second appearing as a ‘thief in the night’ (D&C 106:4) (Elder Joseph Fielding Smith, “Way to Perfection” pp 290-91; also D&C Student Manual p 288)

There is no greater summation of the Plan of Salvation that is as emotionally touching as this.  Adam, the head of the human family, having fulfilled his role so righteously as the father of all living, delivers his stewardship to the Saviour, the executor of the Plan of Salvation, at the winding up scenes of this earth. Promises kept, mission completed, humanity reared and saved.

Whereas Adam is the prince over us ‘forever’, the Saviour is the King. If not for Him, we would not be. And if not for continuous revelation we would not have glimpses of momentous occasions like this which bring to life the truth of our existence and which light the fire of our testimonies.

Every time I read the Doctrine and Covenants, my testimony of Joseph as the revelator and prophet increases. There is not one verse in that book of scripture that can convince me that Joseph had the intelligence and seership to produce such of himself.

The Saviour lives and guides His Church through living prophets. May our testimonies be such that we will bear witness of this when one day we kneel at Jesus’ feet.

 - CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Joseph Smith at Saviour's Feet by Liz Lemon Swindle)

 

THE PATRIARCHS

 

Between the more prominent patriarchs like Seth, Enoch, Noah and Abraham, there are those which are less prominent but of equal importance because they carried the priesthood line throughout all the generations of time. They are: Enos, Cannan, Mahalel, Jared, Methuselah, Lamech, Shen, Arphaxad, Salah….

Moses tells us that a book of remembrance was kept from the time of Seth, “in which was recorded, in the language of Adam, for it was given unto as many as called upon God to write by the spirit of inspiration.” (Moses 6:5). I would love to know what these other patriarchs wrote in this book: their views, their sacred experiences, their faith and challenges.

This book is not even mentioned in the Old Testament. The chronology of the patriarchs receives only a mention in Genesis 5. It starts with Adam and within a matter of one chapter arrives at Noah. It basically only states how long these men had lived. Enoch is the only one that gets a longer mention and that of only 4 verses that say how long he lived, that he walked with God and that God took him (v 21-24). We know nothing from the Old Testament about him as a man, his calling, his city, his return to earth in the Millenium.

This brings me to my point….modern-day revelation, namely the Book of Mormon and the Pearl of Great Price. This is what we know further about the Book of Remembrance thanks to these books of scripture: Enoch and his people wrote in it (Moses 6:46); it was brought to America by the Jaredites which is a good indication that it survived the Flood  (Ether 8:9); it was possessed and cherished by Abraham (Abraham 1:31). 

We know that the first five books of the Old Testament were written by Moses. They are collectively called the ‘Pentateuch’. Such vital information was lost from these five books that the Lord in His mercy revealed it to Joseph Smith from June 1830 to February 1831. When I think of all the knowledge and insight I have received about Enoch alone from the Book of Moses, I want to weep with gratitude for the power of revelation and especially for the Prophet Joseph Smith.

From the beginning of time, God has called prophets to cry repentance, to direct the work of God and to lead people to Christ. They have been listened to, followed, rejected, and even stoned and killed (Matthew 23:37).

Generally, when the world looks back on the prophets of old, they do not remember them as humans with flaws and imperfections. They revere them because they were rejected, reviled and killed and because they are canonized in the scriptures……except for Joseph. It would seem that the very jaws of hell opened when he was called to be the prophet of this dispensation but what a witness he became of the burden these men carry that even leads them to death!

I look forward to the day when Joseph will be recognised as much as the prophets of old, when people will have a witness of his divine calling. I will bow in reverence before him that day and my gratitude will know no bounds for giving us a glimpse of heaven through the revelations he was given. 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: The Translation Process by LDS Art)

 

 

A BOOK OF ROOTS

 

I have gravitated towards the Old Testament during my entire Church membership and for one reason. It has so many roots: the root of our existence, the root of the Abrahamic covenant, the root of the identity of the House of Israel, the root of the generations of Christ.

I love beginnings and roots are beginnings. I love to see how things started and I love seeing people rise to great heights: Abraham, the father of the faithful with whom God made the greatest covenant ever for the benefit of the children of men; the mighty Jacob who became Israel; Moses, who rose to be the great lawgiver of God’s favoured people; the Plan of Salvation which propelled the Son of God to become the God of Creation and Redeemer of mankind. I love beginnings and I love evolvement.

The Old Testament begins with the root of Creation but to me it begins with its author, Moses, who wrote the first five books of the Old Testament and to whom was revealed the why and how we came to be here…..the most important part which was lost and which the population at large wonders about still.

God knew that this would happen so he promised Moses that He would ‘raise up another’ like him to restore His words which were taken away (Moses 1:40-41). Enter beloved Joseph who received this vital information through revelation whilst translating the Bible in June 1830 to February 1831.

Both these men prove one thing – God chooses His most valiant children for key positions on earth as they can be trusted to accomplish their assignments, because “the works, and the designs, and the purposes of God cannot be frustrated, neither can they come to naught (D&C 3:1)

God knew in the very beginning that Moses would have the fortitude to turn his back on the luxuries and glories of the Egyptian court, accept the role of a shepherd for forty years and then be called to lead 2 million people out of Egyptian bondage and slavery.

Imagine being an 80 year old shepherd, removed from a complicated life in Egypt and enjoying the ease of pastoral life until one day you happen to come across a burning bush and are asked to take the shoes off your feet and show reverence to the maker of the Universe (Exodus 3:4-5)

That sacred experience was the beginning of the tutoring of Moses to whom God revealed himself and showed him the roots of man’s identity who is in the similitude of God’s Only Begotten, the Saviour of all mankind (Moses 1:6). And then the greatest root of all, God’s purpose of creation of this earth and of all the living on it: “For behold, this is my work and my glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” (Moses 1:39) 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Moses by Greg Sargent)

JUDGMENT BAR

 

I had a personal moment with the powers of heaven yesterday which led me to contemplate about Him who affords the salvation to my inadequate soul, a soul which would otherwise be doomed for eternity.

As I reflected, my most favourite scripture, from Paul, came to my mind: “….I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.” (Philippians 3:8-10)

Paul was ‘a real Jew, circumcised, of the stock of Israel, a Pharisee of the tribe of Benjamin’ (Philippians 3:5; Romans 11:1). He was highly respected in his Jewish community yet he turned his back on it and his Jewish family. He abandoned it all for the ‘excellency of the knowledge of Christ’.

Paul endured terrible hardships and paid an enormous price for his discipleship and thereby became the greatest missionary of early Christendom. Repeatedly imprisoned, thrice beaten with rods, once stoned and left for dead, survived three shipwrecks, spent a night and a day in waters' deep, dwelt in peril of robbers and of his own countrymen, lived amongst heathen, in hunger and thirst, in cold and nakedness (2 Corinthians 11:23-27). And this supersedes it all....he was scourged by the Jews 5 times, 39 lashes each time (2 Corinthians 11:24). And he considered it all worth it for the ‘excellency of the knowledge of Christ’.

I could write pages about Paul. What fascinates me the most about him is that he viewed his earthly troubles as dross compared to knowing and having Christ in his life. I imagine we will all one day come to see the advantage and beauty of this.

This is the truth that came to me yesterday: There will come a day when all we have ever stressed over in this life will seem as dross: our sins, our weaknesses, our worries, our inadequacies, our earthly indignities, our failings, our hurts, our lack, our embarrassments, our wrongs, our insecurities, our injustices…..

When we stand at the judgment bar of God with Christ between us and the justice of the Father, we will then see that all we have been through in this life is but dross compared to our ‘excellency of the knowledge of Christ’ and our faithfulness to Him as our personal Saviour. Nothing else will matter but this. His mercy will be extended, the debt to justice paid, the forgiveness given, the slate wiped clean. We, the penitent, will bow before Him and wash His feet with our tears and we will go free.

 

If you were not,

I would not be,

Silence would have wept at Calvary!

 

If you were not,

I would not be,

Joyless would be my eternity.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Light of the World by Douglas Bentley)

THE PATH OF FAITH

 

I love Lehi of The Book of Mormon. I love him because he was a dreamer. He certainly proves that the path of faith is not for the faint hearted. Dreams, visions and revelations are in the spiritual realm and that’s where Lehi was.

His older sons couldn’t accept their father’s inclination for the spiritual because he was ‘a visionary man’ (1 Nephi 2:11). If that’s Nephi’s description of him, I am certain it was a complimentary one. If it was his brothers’, it would have been a scornful one leaning to opinions of lunacy. And this is how all unbelievers view the spiritual realm.

I can relate to Lehi. For many years now I have held Section 76 of the Doctrine and Covenants close to my heart. It contains a promise to the faithful saints, the fulfilment of which I have often prayed for: revelation of mysteries of the kingdom, wonders of eternity, wisdom, understanding, enlightenment, knowledge of things ‘which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor yet entered into the heart of man’ (v 5-10). This was the world of Lehi.

I can also relate to his son Nephi. He also thirsted for knowledge of ‘the mysteries of God’ (1 Nephi 2:16). Because of this noble desire, Nephi was ‘highly favoured of the Lord’ and his wish was granted (1 Nephi 1:1).

Since my quest to understand God’s ways, I have been blessed over the years with dreams, revelations and memories from my pre-earth life. At times I have wondered if my imagination was just a tad too fertile but I know deep down, I too have been favoured of God. All that was revealed to me has been pertinent to my life and my progression, even my understanding of the scriptures.

I know there are many of you that have enjoyed the same privileges. We are all entitled to them, if we want them….as long as we want them for the right reason.

I have reflected on Lehi’s spiritual riches and have realised what a responsibility it is to be so endowed with such knowledge and understanding…..”for of him unto whom much is given much is required, and he who sins against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation” (D&C 82:3). Lehi endangered his life by preaching to the Jews (1 Nephi 1:20) but how dangerous his path would have been if he disregarded God’s messages? Can you see the responsibility of the path of faith that Lehi honoured? What is given us is not to be trifled with.

Surely we are blessed above all the people of the earth……if we are faithful, the Saviour of this world who guides His Church and oversees the salvation of humanity, will fill our spiritual cup daily with His Spirit which will enlighten us and give us understanding that will reach to heaven….(D&C 76:9,10).

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Fill My Cup Lord by Danny Hahlbohm)

A PROMISED LAND

 

I have always had the Brother of Jared on a pedestal because of his perfect faith that rent the veil and revealed the Saviour standing before him. This faith has been the identifier we use in the Church for this man but I am fascinated with a couple of things that occurred prior to this event.

The Brother of Jared was ‘highly favoured of the Lord’ and his mighty and frequent prayers were ‘cries’ unto God to separate him and his company of family and friends from the situation of the Tower of Babel (Ether 1:34; 43). The Lord obliged and promised to lead them to ‘the choice land above all other lands’ (Ether 1:42; 2:13).  

The company travelled in the wilderness and crossed many waters in the barges they had made and were constantly led by God (Ether 2:5,6). And this is the puzzling thing. When they arrived to the coast, they pitched their tents and settled there for four whole years! (2:13). Were they tired of all the travel? Did they survey the area and thought, ‘this is good enough’, we’ll stay here? Did they get too comfortable in having been removed from the situation they tried to evade and accepted the coast as their promised land?

I rather suspect it was this. The Brother of Jared did something uncharacteristic when they arrived there. He stopped praying….and so the guidance to keep going stopped too.  Did he think it was no longer necessary? When the Lord came to him after four years, He ‘stood in a cloud and talked with him and chastened him for the space of three hours ‘because he remembered not to call upon the name of the Lord’ (2:14). Obviously, it was very much necessary.

Can we relate this to us? Often we settle for something that is ‘good enough’ when in reality God has something so much better for us. We take the reins of our lives and think we don’t need to be guided so much so we stop turning to God.  I know many people who are very grateful to be on this earth and don’t want to go further because there is much to be liked and enjoyed here. The promise of eternal life seems just too costly and far away.

People of the world fear death and view it as something dark and terrible. I know someone who is 101 years old and has a 10 year plan. He is determined not to die. The world is invested in anti-aging and longevity. This earth however, is our coast, and the promised land is waiting. There is more, so much more, if we are brave enough to cross the great waters to enter ‘the choice land above all other lands’.

Let’s not settle and become too comfortable. The Brother of Jared didn’t. He repented and the next step of the journey surpassed all his expectations. The heavens parted, he saw the premortal Christ and he stepped through the veil to see the mysteries of eternity (Ether 3:18,20).

This brings me to more food for thought. The Lord solved the problem of needed air in the barges but he asked the Brother of Jared to solve the problem of needed light (Ether 2:25). I don’t know why this man thought of the stones which could be illuminated. There are a number of Jewish sources that say that God had Noah suspend precious stones or pearls inside the ark to lighten it (Tvedtnes, John A., “Ancient Texts in Support of the Book of Mormon”). Perhaps the Brother of Jared had heard about this and reasoned he should do the same.

The important thing here is that the Lord asked him to think deeply and see the possibilities beyond the obvious which require faith to be brought into reality. Following the illumination of the stones came the greatest spiritual illumination known to man (Ether 4:4). So great were the things that the Brother of Jared was permitted to see, that he was forbidden to tell no man (Ether 3:21).

This knowledge remains hidden from the world to this day in the sealed portion of the gold plates to be revealed when we, the Gentiles ‘become clean before the Lord’ and exercise faith in Him as the Brother of Jared did (Ether 4:6,7). This knowledge of eternity is more valuable than the promised land of America the Jaredites arrived at. This knowledge is a glimpse into our eternal home. This is the real promised land.

“Come unto me, O ye house of Israel, and it shall be made manifest unto you how great things the Father hath laid up for you, from the foundation of the world……” (Ether 4:15)

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Worlds by Greg Olsen)

THE WORD

 

Some years ago I fell into following a lovely lady on YouTube who had her own ministry in America.  She was inspirational and called herself ‘the cheerleader of your dreams’. She quoted a lot of scriptures but took many out of context and adapted them to her premise of ‘living your dreams’ and getting everything you wanted.

With time I realized her understanding of the scriptures was rather limited and even shallow because she did not understand the connection of most of them to the House of Israel concept, Christ’s Church or the Plan of Salvation. In other words, she didn’t understand them deeply enough. She presumed the scriptures were tailored to the individual and missed the bigger picture.

In the end her scripture quoting frustrated me because I knew better what those scriptures meant, not because I was smarter but because I had been exposed to additional scriptures we have in the Church which give us the complete truth. I became so grateful for the treasure trove of scriptures we have and the continuous revelation we believe in.

I reflected on all the people in Christendom who believe that the Bible is complete and who cry: “A Bible! A Bible! We have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible” (2 Nephi 29:3). Christ called such people fools who supposed that the Bible contains all His words. Those who reject so thoughtlessly more of His words, reject Him.  

Just recently I read an absolutely excellent article printed in the January 1995 Ensign titled “Scripture Reading and Revelation” by Elder Dallin H. Oaks. I could not possibly summarise here the wealth of knowledge and instruction given by Elder Oaks but there is something that stood out to me that I would like to share.

The premise of the article was gaining understanding of scriptures with what he called ‘open canon’, meaning the scriptures are open to greater understanding through revelation by the Holy Ghost and the living prophets, just to name a couple. I highly recommend you read this article.

The greatest proof of revelations of the living prophets comes to us through Joseph Smith. The Church has adopted these revelations into our theology and compiled them into Doctrine and Covenants. This set of scripture is actually an ‘open canon’ in a very important way because it continues to incorporate additional revelations as they come from the living prophets.

One example of this is one of my favourite sections in the entire Doctrine and Covenants, Section 138, which records the vision President Joseph F. Smith had of the Saviour’s visit to the spirit world during the three days His body lay in the tomb. This Section records the most powerful moment in time when the Saviour, having completed His crucible, came to the faithful in the world of spirits who awaited Him anxiously ‘rejoicing in the hour of their deliverance from the chains of death’ (v18).

When He appeared “….they bowed the knee and acknowledged the Son of God as their Redeemer and Deliverer….the radiance from the presence of the Lord rested upon them and they sang praises unto His holy name.” (v 23, 24)

This vision was accepted as scripture and added to the Doctrine and Covenants in 1918. The point is this. If our present prophet had a vision that the Council of the Twelve accepted as scripture and they added it to the Doctrine and Covenants, how would each of us feel about ‘open canon’? How we would feel would be a sure indication of how strong our testimony is of our present prophet.

When I study Doctrine and Covenants I know the icing on the cake is coming at the end. I know I will meet the Saviour there in Section 138 and I will cry tears of joy for the life He laid on the sacrificial table for all the faithful who love Him and accept His word.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art by Land of Dreams)

A LAMP UNTO OUR FEET

 

There are two valuable privileges that we have in the Church that go together as well as bacon and eggs. I speak of the scriptures and revelation. This is my favourite subject and this is why, they both involve the heart to be understood. I have a personal testimony of this because I understand the scriptures more emotionally than intellectually.

I always thought we are all wired differently so my understanding comes differently to others but it would seem the operative word in the scriptures and revelation is ‘the heart’, which we all have:

“Revelation comes as words we FEEL more than HEAR. Nephi told his wayward brothers, who were visited by an angel, “Ye were past feeling, that ye could not FEEL his words” (1 Nephi 17:45). The scriptures are full of such expressions as: “I will tell you in your mind and in your heart” (D&C 8:2), or “Speak the thoughts that I shall put into your hearts” (D&C 100:5). There are hundreds of verses which teach thus of revelation.”  (Boyd K. Packer, in CR Oct 1994, p 77, Ensign Nov 1994, p 60)

But this is not all, something is needed of us who are listening: “Nephi teaches us, “When a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost, the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth [the message] unto the hearts of the children of men” (2 Nephi 33:1). Please notice how the power of the spirit carries the message UNTO but not necessarily INTO the heart.

“A teacher can explain, demonstrate, persuade, and testify, and do so with great spiritual power and effectiveness. Ultimately, however, the content of a message and the witness of the Holy Ghost penetrate into the heart only if the receiver allows them to enter. (Elder David A. Bednar, “Seek Learning by Faith” [An Evening with Elder David A. Bednar], Feb 3, 2006] www.ldsces.org

It is obvious from these two quotes that we ultimately receive the most knowledge and understanding from the scriptures and revelation combined together with our willingness to receive and incorporate into our lives the truth that is given.

When Jesus taught the people of Capernaum, He taught them in parables. The Gospel of Mark says: “And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.” (Mark 4:33) Joseph Smith changed the word ‘hear’ in the Inspired Version to “bear’ ( v 33a). To bear something involves the mind and the heart.

What we are given in the scriptures is meant for all of us. In fact the Lord confirms this several times in the Doctrine and Covenants by saying: “This is my voice unto all” (25:16) and “I give unto you a commandment that what I say unto one I say unto all” (D&C 61:18; 82:5; 92:1; 93:49. The revelation that we receive though whilst hearing what He tells us adapts the needful application to each of us as we need it and tells us how we can utilize it. Unless we are open to the revelation that follows, we are missing out on the real purpose of the scriptures.

I see your eternal flame

in the deepest caverns of my heart.

Your words are a lamp unto my feet;

The pillar of fire that keeps me warm

The beacon of light that will lead me home.

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art:  Light of the World by Douglas Bentley)

THE POWER OF BECOMING

 

If you want proof of what God can do with you, look no further than Joseph Smith.

In 1856 Emma Smith said this about Joseph’s literacy skills:

“When my husband was translating the Book of Mormon, I wrote a part of it as he dictated each sentence, word for word and when he came to proper names he could not pronounce, or long words, he spelled them out ….and one time while he was translating he stopped suddenly, pale as a sheet, and said, “Emma, did Jerusalem have walls around it?

“When I answered, “Yes”, he replied, “Oh! I didn’t know. I was afraid I had been deceived.” He had such a limited knowledge of history at that time that he did not even know that Jerusalem was surrounded by walls. He could neither write nor dictate a coherent and well worded letter; let alone dictating a book like the Book of Mormon.”   (Edmund C. Briggs, ‘A Visit to Nauvoo in 1856’, Journal of History, Jan 1916, p 454)

Emma acknowledged that Joseph possessed only rudimentary literacy whilst translating the Book of Mormon which was published in 1830. Fast forward 14 years to Joseph’s explanation of an anomaly in the English New Testament:”

“I have an old edition of the New Testament in the Latin, Hebrew, German and Greek languages. I have been reading the German, and find it to be the most [nearly] correct translation, and to correspond nearest to the revelations which God has given to me for the last fourteen years.

“It tells about Jacobus, the son of Zebedee. It means Jacob. In the English New Testament it is translated James. In the 21^st [verse] of the fourth chapter of Matthew, my old German edition gives the word Jacob instead of James…..the Latin says Jacobus, which means Jacob; the Hebrew says Jacob, the Greek says Jacob and the German says Jacob; here we have the testimony of four against one.

“I thank God that I have got this old book; but I thank him more for the gift of the Holy Ghost. I have got the oldest book in the world; but I [also] have the oldest book in my heart, even the gift of the Holy Ghost.”   (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p 349)

So instead of Peter, James and John, we in actuality have Peter, and Jacob and John, the sons of Zebedee. But what really blows me away is that Joseph had the New Testament in four different languages.

Here we have an almost illiterate man who could barely compose a letter to a man, reading Latin, Hebrew, German and Greek 14 years later. No formal education but something far greater…..the Holy Ghost: the testator, the revealer of truth, a member of the Godhead.

The Saviour calls the willing and the pure in heart and makes them great and capable of doing His work. He proved that when He told Joseph, an uneducated man who could barely read and write, that He would give him the words to translate the Book of Mormon (2 Nephi 27:20). No education needed.

You cannot possibly read the Doctrine and Covenants and not see that Joseph would have become polished in his speaking and writing having had the companionship of the Holy Ghost to receive the revelations which he recorded. That superior intelligence of the spirit must have rubbed off greatly.  

Parley P. Pratt once said that the Holy Ghost invigorates all the faculties of the physical and intellectual man (Key to the Science of Theology, p 101). I am convinced he did this with Joseph.

The Saviour has sacrificed His all for us to be tutored, shaped, moulded and refined through the gift of the Holy Ghost so we can become like Him and inherit eternal life. He deserves all the honour and glory for what we eventually become. To Him belongs the credit for the riches of the Gospel through the man called Joseph Smith.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Joseph by Ken Corbett)

HEAVEN'S VOICE

 

 

Since God loves all His children and wants them all saved, the very first chapter of the Doctrine and Covenants indicates that this book of scripture is a voice of warning to the entire inhabitants of the earth, that God will not be mocked and judgment awaits us all.

The major theme of this book is to prepare for that judgment. The word ‘prepare’ is mentioned over 90 times throughout this book of scripture.  

The message to the world is this:

1.      In this day and age where people at large, even in most corners of Christendom, believe that revelation has ceased, the Lord has parted the heavens once again and continues to commune with humanity. In verse 30, the Lord describes His Church as ‘the only true and living Church’. The Church has a life, because it has living prophets to administer to it through revelation. It does not operate on dead doctrine.

2.      It is an offer of sanctuary to anyone who will come out of the world, repent and enter into the covenants of salvation. Doctrine and Covenants basically says this to the world: I will return; these are the signs of my return; if you will repent and come into my kingdom and make covenants with me, they will lead you to salvation and life eternal. If not, you will reap the rewards of your deeds. The warnings and promises are the same for Church members.

It is amazing to me that a book which contains such strong warnings for our day and contains such important doctrine is judged and rejected so readily, and for one reason: it encompasses the history of the Church. This is a thorn in the flesh of non-members and inactive members alike.

When I was doing my University degree, I studied a lot of history subjects. One of my history professors told us one day to be careful about judging history. He said even though history is factual it is in reality subjective because it is written by humans from humans’ perspective.

Very often we tend to judge people and past events by today’s standards and we readily disparage those who are dead because they are not here to defend themselves. We have no idea what it was like to live 1,000 or even 100 years ago.

We don’t understand the cultural differences, limitations and difficulties people lived with and what impact that all had on their mentality and understanding of the human experience, just as they could not relate to the liberties and privileges of our society today.

When it comes to the Church, we cannot understand the cultural, religious or socio-economic impact of the 1800s on the society of its day.

We cannot relate to being tarred and feathered today where human rights are the rule of the day. We cannot relate to pushing a cart across our continent and leaving our dead children in the frozen ground along the way in a day where airplanes, trains and cars take us wherever we want to go. We cannot relate to not having supermarkets full of food and having to till the ground for our survival.

We do not know what went on in the hearts and minds of people who went before us. We only know what others could see of them and write about them. That’s history. Highly subjective. When I think of Joseph and all he went through from the age of 14 and now see what is written about him, it makes me want to weep.

Imagine the disbelief, the mockery, the aversion towards Joseph when he dared to tell others of his experience. God had parted the heavens and chose him to speak to! Not a professor, not a doctor, not anyone educated and on the pillar of society, but just a man, a humble man, a teachable man, a willing man. “Fools mock, but they shall mourn……” (Ether 12:26)

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Joseph Smith at Saviour's Feet by Liz Lemon Swindle)

A PRICELESS GIFT PART 2

 

I wrote yesterday about the priceless gift the Saviour has given to His Church, that of the gift of the Holy Ghost.

This is why I consider it the greatest gift to me. My favourite section of the Doctrine and Covenants is Section 76. In it the Saviour gives us, the members of His church, an incredible promise. It is this:

“I, the Lord, am merciful and gracious unto those who fear me, and delight to honour those who serve me….to them will I reveal all mysteries, yea, all the hidden mysteries of my kingdom from days of old, and for ages to come….yea, even the wonders of eternity shall they know….. yea, even those things which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor yet entered into the heart of man…….and their wisdom shall be great, and their understanding reach to heaven; and before them the wisdom of the wise shall perish…. (v 5-10)

This promise is my holy grail. I don’t know if it is a curse or a blessing to be a deep thinker. I think deeply and I yearn to known the truths of eternity. For this reason, the Holy Ghost is to me a priceless gift because He has enlightened my understanding as I have searched the scriptures for many years. He is my revealer and testifier of truth.

And this is a wonderful thing, the promise ‘to know’ was not made to the leaders of the Church excluding the membership. This promise is to all.

Immediately following the receipt of this promise, Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon were privileged to receive understanding of the things of God, and upon meditation of the same, the promise was fulfilled by granting them a vision of the Father and the Son of which Joseph and Sidney bore record to the world (v 11-21-23).

The entire Section 76 is filled with amazing doctrinal knowledge which was revealed to these two men. Their entire experience was given to them for the purpose of bearing their testimony to the Church and to the world that God and His Son live, that they are real and that the Church contains the fulness of the gospel.

It is my belief that the Holy Ghost will reveal to us things of eternity according to our capacity to receive them and to the fulfilling our purpose in this life. If it is not necessary for us to have visions, we won’t have visions but we will receive understanding of things we did not understand before that will be of benefit to us in some way. It will serve a purpose.

The mysteries of the kingdom are many and varied. They are things we do not yet understand, hence the name ‘mystery’. As members of the Church, we understand many mysteries that people of the world do not, because of the ministry of the Holy Ghost,  and we will receive even more if we are but worthy.

We are privileged to study the Doctrine and Covenants this coming year. Knowing the true doctrine of Christ in this world of confusion, false ideologies and interpretations of men which are leading many astray, it is one of our greatest privileges to be taught by the Holy Ghost by whom we shall know the truth of all things (Moroni 10:5).

Joseph Smith once admonished the sisters of Relief Society thus: “…..If you live up to your privilege, the angels cannot be restrained from being your associates…..”

When the Holy Ghost takes up his abode with us, he lifts us higher in truth which leads to greater righteousness and causes us to stand on higher ground. This is where the angels are…..

I think Joseph spoke from experience. 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Ascension by Danny Hahlbohm)