THE MIGHTY ELIJAH PART 3

 

Jehovah Creates the Earth by Water Rane

The most important part of Elijah’s mission was the Melchizedek Priesthood sealing power by which things that are bound or loosed on earth are bound or loosed in heaven (D&C 128:8-18). He was the last prophet to have this power before the time of Jesus Christ.

He appeared on the Mount of Transfiguration with Moses and conferred the keys of this priesthood on Peter, James and John (Matt 17:3). He appeared again, with Moses and others, on April 3, 1836, in the Kirtland Ohio Temple and conferred the same keys upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery (D&C 110:13-16). It is for this purpose that he did not taste death. This was the second part of his earthly mission.

Elijah’s ascension into heaven on a chariot of fire is one of the most endearing accounts in the Old Testament. Elisha’s grief at the parting is heart rendering. As he cried after him, calling him ‘father’, he rent his clothes into pieces in his distress (2 Kings 2:11,12).

There is a significant connection between Elijah’s mission and the planet we presently live on. When Moroni delivered his message to Joseph Smith, he said that the earth would be wasted if Elijah didn’t come to restore the sealing power (D&C 2:2-3). Malachi goes so far as to say that if it were so, the Lord would smite the earth with a curse at His coming (Malachi 4:5).

Our Mother Earth which gave us physical birth (Moses 2:7) was foreordained and consecrated to establish on its face a family system patterned after the order of heaven and to become the future celestial abode of exalted sons and daughters of God. She also has a mission to accomplish like the rest of us.

Had Elijah not come to restore the sealing priesthood power to bind us together, the earth would not have accomplished its foreordained purpose and would not have been able to answer the end of its creation. All men and women would be forever without root and branch, meaning without ancestry and posterity that would otherwise extend into eternity.

Enoch learnt from his encounter with Mother Earth that she had a soul as deep as the river. Grief came  over him and made him weep when he heard her call us her children and witnessed her mourn over our wickedness (Moses 7:48). So overcome was Enoch at her suffering that he asked God three times, ‘’when shall the earth rest” (v 49,54,58).

You think the earth has no soul? Consider how she groaned when the Son of Man was lifted up and all nature suffered at the death of its creator (Moses 7:56; 1 Nephi 19: 12). Imagine this big beautiful perfect planet, the workmanship of God’s hands, with a soul as tender and real as you and I, utterly wasted at Christ’s coming…..Imagine how Father Adam and Mother Eve would feel to see this earth wasted after they paved the way for humanity by ‘the sweat of their brow’ (Moses 5:1). We think we have it hard…..we don’t even have to slice our bread…

When the end comes, this earth will be celestialized and crowned with the Father’s presence to be an eternal abode for those who will accept the sacrifice of His Beloved Son who was lifted upon the cross of redemption so that we can return to live with Him on this Mother Earth forever (D&C 88:17-20). 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

PENNIES FROM HEAVEN

 

 

In one of my recent posts I wrote about the law of tithing. I would like to offer here my experience with living this law because I learnt from it that the Saviour’s focus is always on the one.

I never had a problem paying tithing until I became a single mother with two young children. All of a sudden money became a challenge I lived with every day. Nevertheless, I continued to pay tithing because of my commitment to it before I was even baptized. That story is in my previous post.

I would like to share just three of the miracles I received where the Lord showed me that He watches over His faithful children, especially mothers without husbands.

The first was my lack of funds one week to put gas in my car. One day before I left for work, I prayed and I asked for $20 for this purpose. I left that request in God’s hands not knowing how promptly that prayer would be answered.

At lunch time my co-worker came to my desk and put $20 on it. I was surprised to say the least and asked him why he was giving me this money. He answered he was returning back from lunch and saw this $20 note on the pavement. He said he picked it up and as he wondered what to do with it, I came into his mind. Upon returning to work, he immediately came to my desk and delivered the pennies from heaven.

The second time I was faced with mounting bills to the value of $1,000. I didn’t know how I was going to pay for it. I prayed again and expressed that concern. Two days later a friend and her business partner knocked on my door. They said they had just been over their books and discovered they had $1,000 to spare and I can have it if I needed it.

The third time, I did not have adequate amount of money to cover my car registration. I was short $350. This time I was embarrassed to go to the Lord asking for money again but He was one step ahead of me and proved to me that He knew my life and was aware of me.

I decided to ask my friend for a loan. I suspected she and her husband were having struggles themselves but they were the only couple I was comfortable asking. When they came back to me they said yes they can help because the husband had a strong feeling some months before that he should save all his spare change. When they went to count the money he had been putting away, they discovered they had the exact amount I needed. They said the money was not from them but from Him who is the source of all blessings and there was no need to repay it.

“And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury; and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor window, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.

“And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.” (Mark 12:41-44)

When you have nothing, cast in all that you have and in Moses’ words regarding this law of return: “then thou shalt say before the Lord thy God: Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel…..” (Deut 26:12-15)

 

You flowed like a river through my heart

Showing me the wonder of You;

You lifted me to see the majestic view.

You parted the heavens for me

And showered me with Your love;

Oh the love divine! 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Widow's Mites by Liz Lemon Swindle)