41w The Three Josephs. Passages from the Book of Mormon Inform Us That a Latter-Day Prophet Named Joseph, Whose Father Would Also Be Named, Joseph, Would Accomplish God's Will Before Being Martyred. Much of this Post Was Borrowed From My Post 36a.

To Access This Blog's Index, Please Scroll Down To the Fifth Paragraph From the End of This Post!

Please note, at the regular end of this post 41w, I have added a (partial) response comment to the Comment submitted by BOMC (Arlin Nusbaum) found in the Comments at the end of my Post 41v.

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Preparation for TODAY'S THEME:

Please Read and listen to: Genesis 37: 1-36



Joseph, Son of Jacob is Being Sold To Merchants Traveling to Egypt! - Painting: Ted Henninger



In this painting Joseph, the eleventh son of Jacob, (Israel), is being sold by his jealous brothers to merchants for twenty pieces of silver.

These traders then took Joseph to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officers, the captain of Pharaoh's guard."

Remember what you can of Joseph's dreams in that scripture you just read. His dreams indicated that Joseph would come to be like royalty of the highest degree. His telling of those dreams is what caused his brothers to be jealous of him to the extent of determining to "get rid of Joseph "once and for all."

I must remind you, however, that his oldest brother, Reuben, did not want his youngest brother harmed. He showed feelings of responsibility for Joseph's safety. When his plans to return him to their father didn't work out, Reuben was very upset. Reuben, the oldest brother, you get high marks for that! You didn't always do what is right, but your intentions were right in this case.



Joseph Successfully Resisted Potiphar's Wife - Painting: Del Parson

 If you have seen the ever popular musical, "Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat", you will have seen, with some alterations, the story of Joseph, Who Was Sold Into Egypt. Perhaps that musical has been produced in your country as well as in the United States of America. It has been very popular here.

Angry at Joseph for resisting her advances, this woman accused him of making advances on her. Potiphar had him imprisoned in the king's prison, a place where the king's prisoners were kept. Read about this in Genesis Chapter 39.

An additional scriptural account, (Genesis, chapter 41) tells us how Joseph, who was worthy to possess the gift of Prophecy and Revelation (or the testimony of Jesus), was brought, by the use of that gift, from the lowly status of a Hebrew slave and jail prisoner to becoming second in command over all of Egypt, just under Pharaoh.

Through this spiritual gift Joseph had learned to use, God was able to lead him to the point where, as second in command to Pharaoh, Joseph was able to have the nation of Egypt fully prepared when a great famine struck all that part of the world including the land where his father, Jacob, and the rest of his family lived.

Many of you may have read in the Old Testament, the touching story of Joseph being reunited with his brothers and eventually with his father who had deeply, and for a long time, mourned the supposed death of his favorite son. (Please read, when you have time, Genesis Chapters 42 though 50.)

I'm sure you'll agree with me that seventeen year old Joseph's dreams about his family bowing down before him, were proven to be true. Those dreams had come to him through the gift of Prophecy and Revelation which God had granted him!

TODAY'S THEME

Father Lehi, at God's Command, Unsuccessfully Calls His Fellow Citizens to Repentance - Painting: Del Parson

Now let's go to the Book of Mormon account of Father Lehi and his family. Just above is a painting in which Lehi is preaching to others in Jerusalem. (600 B.C.)

After unbelieving people in Jerusalem sought to kill Lehi, the Lord commanded him to take his family out of Jerusalem. The Lord then lead them through the Arabian Peninsula on their way to their promised land (which was to be in the Western Hemisphere.) The final portion of their trip was by ship, which the Lord instructed Nephi, Lehi and Sariah's third oldest son, to build.

Lehi's Family's Long Journey By Sea Nears Its End - Painting: Arnold Friberg 

Lehi didn't die until long after they had become firmly established in what is now known as, Central America. Shortly before Lehi died, he gave blessings to each of his sons. Besides, Laman, Lemuel, Sam and Nephi; Lehi and his wife, Sariah, had become the parents of two more sons, Jacob and Joseph, while still traveling eastward on the Arabian Peninsula to the seashore, where through the Lord's guidance given Nephi, a ship was built and they were led by the Lord's hand to what we now know as Central America.

Please read and (if you so choose) listen also to II Nephi 3:1-25.

Here are, as I see them, the key points Lehi was inspired to make in his blessing of his youngest son, Joseph:

1. Lehi and his family are descendants of  the Joseph who was sold into Egypt.

2. The Lord promised Joseph through his father Lehi's blessing that He, the Lord, would appear to his descendants in their promised land (Central America) after His atonement, crucifixion and resurrection.

3. The Lord also promised to raise up a choice seer to help Lehi's descendants in the latter-days. (in our day)

4. That seer would only do the work the Lord gave him to do.

5. That seer would, like Moses, deliver his people, Israel, from bondage.

6. That seer would bring forth the Lord's word, the Book of Mormon which was to confirm the truths contained in an earlier book of scriptures, the Bible.

7. In the blessing he was giving, Lehi told his son Joseph that religious confusion would be stopped among his descendants in the last days (our days) when those two scriptures would be used together. Speaking of that Latter-day Seer:

II Nephi 3:13 And out of weakness he shall be made strong, in that day when my work shall commence among all my people, unto the restoring thee, O house of Israel, saith the Lord.

14 And thus prophesied Joseph (who was sold into Egypt), saying: Behold, that seer will the Lord bless; and they that seek to destroy him shall be confounded; for this promise, which I have obtained of the Lord, of the fruit of my loins, shall be fulfilled. Behold, I am sure of the fulfilling of this promise;

15 And his name (Joseph) shall be called after me; and it shall be after the name of his father. And he shall be like unto me; for the thing, which the Lord shall bring forth by his hand, by the power of the Lord shall bring my people unto salvation.

16 Yea, thus prophesied Joseph (who was sold into Egypt): I am sure of this thing, even as I am sure of the promise of Moses; for the Lord hath said unto me, I will preserve thy seed forever.(Clarification and Emphasis Added)

8. The Lord, through Father Lehi's prophetic blessing, told Joseph, the son of Lehi, that the efforts of others to destroy that seer (Joseph Smith) would be prevented until that seer had finished his work!

9. The work done by this promised seer would bring salvation to this Joseph's descendants (we call them Lamanites), and eventually bring about the gathering of all Israel.

11. The Lord, through Father Lehi's prophetic blessing, promised Lehi,'s son, Joseph that his posterity would last forever (echoing the promise given to his ancestor Joseph, who was sold into Egypt.

12. The Latter-day descendants of this Joseph, son of Lehi were to hear words of salvation that shall "cry from the dust" in the latter-days. The record contained on the golden plates from which the Book of Mormon was translated have provided that.

According to what the Lord told Joseph who had been sold into Egypt, this mighty Latter-day seer would become an instrument in the hands of God in bringing about much restoration to the House of Israel in our time, including the Books of Moses and Abraham. in the first half of the Nineteenth Century).

Joseph Smith Translates the Book of Mormon While Oliver Cowdery, His Scribe Records. - Painting: Del Parson

The Prophet, Joseph Smith, Organizes the Relief Society of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. - Painting: Walter Rane

The Book of Mormon is the word of God spoken of by Joseph who was sold into Egypt, perhaps not long before he died. He promised that this modern day Joseph would bring forth God's word which along with the Bible would stop religious confusion.

That which has been shown in this blog post, "The Three Josephs" really shows the tight eternal bond that exists between Joseph, the Prophet who had been sold into Egypt, Lehi's son, Joseph and the latter-day prophet of God: Joseph Smith, Jr.

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COMMENT by Neil Birch in Reply to Arlin Nusbaum's (BOMC) Comment made at the end of my Post 41v.

I have just added this section to my most recent Post 41w as a reply to the most recent Comment made by "BOMC" (Arlin Nusbaum) submitted at the end of my Post 41v.

In my Comment submitted in reply to his I indicated I would send my reponse to his Comment in an e-mail to him because it was too long to be accepted by Google's Comment Section. In my actual very brief comment to his comment I indicated that I would send him my comment by e-mail if he would provide me with his e-mail address. Arlin evidently decided against doing that. That was probably best as providing his e-mail could be an invasion of his privacy. I shouldn't have suggested that!

Because I can't e-mail Arlin I decided to add This Comment to this post in which I have discussed the prophecy given through Father Lehi to his sixth son, Joseph.

My new friend, Arlin, (we are friends because we both accept the Book of Mormon as containing vital inspired words of God and having been translated by the power of God.) I must say that what is written in II Nephi 3: 1-25 is very convincing regarding that which members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints affirm that the Prophet Joseph Smith not only succeeded in translating the Book of Mormon by inspiration received from God (by several means) but did all that was expected of him before the end of his life, including founding Jesus' church. It is sure that the work begun by Joseph Smith was continued by those church prophets who have succeeded him, including those who are leading it now and who will be leading the church in the future.

Arlin, Either Professor Terryl Givens or Richard L. Bushman indicated that the Urim and Thummim was used only very briefly in the translating of the Book of Mormon. I will provide that quote in my next post. (41x)

Thank you very much for your comment to which I'm responding. I understand now why you use the title, "Book of Mormon Christian." I highly respect you for your faith in the Book of Mormon. However, as shown in the Book of Mormon scriptures above and some below, you are way off track regarding what is taught in them about the mission of Joseph Smith and the church which was founded by the Lord through him!

Now, Arlin, (I hope you don't mind my calling you by your first name.) I, Neil, have copied the following from the Book of Mormon for you (I have run this one by you previously). I would like to put a number of this sort of B.of M. messages before you and my blog viewers to more adequately answer some if not all of the questions you asked of me in your most recent Comment.

The prophet Nephi, son of Lehi, wrote:

I Nephi 14:10,  "And he (the angel) said unto me: Behold there are two churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb of God and the other is the church of the devil. . .


12 "And it came to pass that I beheld the church of the Lamb of God and its numbers were few, . . .nevertheless, I beheld that the church of the Lamb, who were the saints of God, were also upon all the face of the earth; and their dominions upon the face of the earth were small. . .


14 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." . . .


17 . . . then at that day, (in the distant future from Nephi's perspective) the work of the Father shall commence, in preparing the way for the fulfilling of his covenants, which he hath made to his people who are of the house of Israel." (Clarification and Emphasis Added)

The above set of verses fully supports what was written in II Nephi 3: 13-16 which was dealt with above.

It is clear to me, and I believe to anyone who reads the above chapter of the Book of Mormon to will agree: there is only one (legally organized) church that holds the Book of Mormon to be the Word of God and owns its copy write, that it is: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (who have since changed their name and stopped using the Book of Mormon) does not accept The Book of Mormon as scripture any more. In my post 41v I refer all to a quote in my Post 41h.

You can click on the link just given you at the end of the previous paragraph. When you are in that post, please scroll down until you see Terryl Givens' photo. There you can read what Professor Givens said about the RLDS Church having changed their name and stopped accepting the Book of Mormon as scripture!

It is easy to discern that the angel who was speaking to Nephi was speaking of the Latter-days of this earth's history, Our Time On Earth.

Now, my key point is (as I reported in post 41v), there is only one Book of Mormon accepting church that matches the above description of the Church of the Lamb of God in our day and time. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is very literally established across the face of the entire earth (not in every nation, but new nations continue to be added continually.).

At the same time it meets the other key criteria given by Nephi in 1Nephi 14, i.e., its numbers are (relatively)few. The LDS Church membership is now fourteen million which reflects tremendous growth since it was established in April 1830 by the hand of the Lord.

I'm not sure of the estimated population of today's world, but it is huge compared to fourteen million. Therefore the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints easily meets the criteria set by the Lord in I Nephi 14, with its numbers of members being (relatively) few.

Despite its relatively small membership compared to the total population of our world it is having a huge impact throughout the world in very many positive and outstanding ways. this church (LDS Church) does amazing things, things such as assisting in a magnificent way in helping states (in the U.S.A.) and other nations when natural disasters take place. See my post: 39p Please click on this link: 39p

Also LDS temples have been built all over the world, thus fulfilling the promise that our (yours and my and that of all mankind) Savior made in: 

3 Nephi 25:


5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord;


6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

The Prophet Elijah (who never tasted death) Appears in the Kirtland Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery- Painting: Dan Lewis

Now Arlin, (and the rest of you out there who may be reading this) The Prophet Elijah did come in fulfillment of that prophecy.

Remember, the Lord Himself told all the readers of the Book of Mormon that event had to happen before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord;



The Coming of the Great and Dreadful Day of the Lord! - Painting: Harry Anderson

I must remind us that all of our Savior's prophecies recorded in the Book of Mormon must be fulfilled. Elijah appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland (Ohio) Temple on April 3, 1836.

Salt Lake Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Because of that visit and bestowal of authority on the head of the Lord's Latter-day church, temple ordinances for the living and the dead began and continues in a grand manner with there being 134 fully functioning temples world-wide with a good many more under construction or in the planning process. 

In those temples ordinances for the dead are done by their loving, living descendants or by others assisting them, thus fulfilling the promise made by the Prophet Malachi as quoted by our Resurrected Savior, Jesus Christ, as He spoke to His Nephite Flock in Ancient America soon after His resurrection and ascension into Heaven.

I hasten to suggest, Arlin, that Elijah would not have been able to appear, as promised in the Book of Mormon, in our day if the Lord's Church had not been established officially in our day and time and His Holy Temple erected and dedicated to Him was built through the devotion and faith of His Latter-day Saints under the direction of His First Latter-day prophet, Joseph Smith.

Arlin, I plan to reply to all of the statements you made in your most recent post, but I realized this post is much too long. Therefore, please return in five days (December 7th). About 1:00 a.m. Mountain Time my next post, 41x will be published. Somewhere in it I will respond to the rest of your statements made in your Comment at the end of my Post 41v.

May the Lord bless you Arlin and your family in all you may be doing! Your friend, and I hope you consider me as such, I didn't mean this comment to be so long, but what I wrote is pertinent to what we have been discussing in our ongoing exchange of comments.

Neil Birch

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In the United States of America we celebrated our Thanksgiving Holiday on November 25th and I failed to show you a Thanksgiving Video. I thought I ought to do that now. Here is: "The Spirit of Thanksgiving."

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DISCLAIMER
This website is not owned by or affiliated with the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon or LDS Church). The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the position of the Church.


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TO ACCESS NEIL BIRCH'S BLOG INDEX To Either Read the Full Index Item Which Refers To This Blog Post, (Or An Item Which Refers To Any Other Blog Post You May Desire To Access): After Reading All of This Paragraph Please Click on the Following: (The) Book of Mormon - The Three Josephs Play Important Roles in Its Coming About. - Post 41w. When You See the Picture of Our Savior Jesus Christ Sitting Next To a Little Boy, Please, Scroll Down To Your Target Item Or Use The Alphabetic Scrolling Device (When It Has Been Installed.)

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"Have You Really Read the Book of Mormon?" Legal /Statement. Thank you for visiting. The author retains intellectual property and creative licensing rights. Permission to use or reprint must be given in writing. © Est.2008 Neil Birch Legal /Statement.
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I deeply appreciate your readership and hope you found very beneficial, that which was presented to you in this blog post.

If you have any questions about what you have read or viewed in this post or in any previous posts of mine, or if you even have a curiosity about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and or its teachings, please e-mail me. I'm Neil and my e-mail address is: jneilmelva@gmail.com. If you contact me I'll get back to you just as soon as possible.

I invite you to let your friends and relatives know about this blog if you think they would be interested. Please be advised that I also have an additional blog. It is in Spanish:  Its content is translated from the English in this blog.

Neil Birch

41v The Only True and Living Church Upon the Face of the Whole Earth, With Which the Lord is Well Pleased, Speaking Unto the Church Collectively and not Individually!

To Access This Blog's Index, Please Scroll Down To the Fifth Paragraph From The End of This Post. Much of this post is a repeat of my post 40l.


This post has been written in response to the most recent comment made by "BOMC".  It can be found at the end of my Post 41t

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TODAY'S THEME



The Resurrected Jesus Christ - Painting: Harry Anderson

Sometime in A.D. 34 somewhere in what we now know as Central America, the following words were spoken from the sky in total darkness. This darkness was a part of the great cataclysm which had completely destroyed large numbers of Nephite cities, killing all of those who lived in them, by various means, i.e. earthquakes, floods, mountains falling upon and covering cities, etc.  These words were spoken by the Resurrected Jesus Christ to the more righteous of that people who had been saved from total destruction by their righteousness. They could not see Him. They only heard His voice at this time. They were to see Him and to be taught by him later.

Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 9:18 I am the light and the life of the world. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.

19 And ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away, for I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings.

20 And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.

21 Behold, I have come unto the world to bring redemption unto the world, to save the world from sin.

22 Therefore, whoso repenteth and cometh unto me as a little child, him will I receive, for of such is the kingdom of God. Behold, for such I have laid down my life, and have taken it up again; therefore repent, and come unto me ye ends of the earth, and be saved. (Emphasis Added)

That message given to that particular people, was included in the Book of 3Nephi by the Prophet Mormon under the direction of the Spirit of the Lord. Therefore, those words of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, apply to all of us in our day and time on earth! That would appear to include both you and me, "BOMC."

"BOMC", it appears to me that you haven't yet taken the time to use my Blog Index to review what I have put in my approximate 240 blog posts about the importance to all of us getting to know the Book of Mormon very well and learning to live in accordance with its teachings because You have continued to assert that the Book of Mormon is not considered important by Latter-day Saints.

By using my Blog Index under the subject title, Ezra Taft Benson you could have read the General Conference talk he gave about the Book of Mormon and the importance of it in one of my posts. That is his talk you mentioned in your most recent blog Comment.

Also in your just previous Blog Comment you appeared to intimate that I and most other LDS members have continued to ignore that council President Benson gave at that Conference talk.

His talk actually motivated many LDS members to repent of their having not paid enough attention to the Book of Mormon. After his talk he received many letters from Latter-day Saints thanking him for his great talk and promising to repent of their neglect of that sacred book. I and my wife did not need to repent because we had been reading from the Book of Mormon once every day for many years, in English and in my mission language. I am sure many others had been doing as we had done.

Additional LDS prophets since President Benson have made special efforts to urge church members to read and use that great book in their daily lives. Church members responded positively and enthusiastically to their urgings! Our LDS ward bishop and his counselors even helped our ward members (children included) to keep track of their reading using a chart posted on the wall just opposite our bishop's office about two years ago. That was accomplished very enthusiastically by both children and their parents!

I had even taken the time and effort needed on February 27, 2010 to insert electronically the many scriptural links President Ezra Taft Benson provided in that particular blog post: Post 39r.

Please, ("BOMC" and other Viewers of this Blog post) click on that post link just above to read President Benson's great talk about the Book of Mormon. After having clicked on that link so that you are in my post 39r, you'll need to scroll down about half way through that post to read that most significant talk about the Book of Mormon, The Keystone of our Religion. (Significantly, that terminology was first used by the first president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Joseph Smith whom you criticise frequently.)

"BOMC", Below the following short paragraph is another quote from your just previous comment at the end of my Post 41t:

"I now seek "to set you straight on one matter you, ("BOMC") brought up in your most recent Comment: It was regarding your assumption that there were already official Church members prior to April 6, 1830. . ."

"BOMC", you need to be set straight on that matter: The definition for "church" which you, BOMC cited is found in D. and C. 10:67 (which was revealed in the summer of 1828 : "Behold, this is my doctrine - whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the SAME IS MY CHURCH." (Emphasis was yours!)

As I attempted unsuccessfully to help you understand before,  the word, 'church,' as used in that scripture is a generic (Webster: typical not concrete) definition of the word, "church," or in other words, the state of heart and mind in which people can place themselves in. It is not referring to the legal or official establishment of Jesus' church.

The Lord was, without doubt, referring to the good number of people who had been following Joseph Smith's efforts to prepare himself to receive and translate the record found on the Plates of Gold. Those people believed in what the Lord was doing through Joseph Smith and were coming to the Lord in their hearts in preparation to be eventually baptised (as He commands of all) into His only true church which, at the right time, would be set up! The Lord knew they officially would become His Saints at the time His Church was officially organized at His insistence!

Also, I have stressed in the majority of my blog posts the importance of making the Book of Mormon a key guide in our lives as I did at the very beginning of this post. You claim that book is not considered by Latter-day Saints to be important.

One thing has become very clear to me about you. You are an avowed critic of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and you do not accept the Lord's statement in Section 1 of the Doctrine and Covenants:

30 And also those to whom these commandments were given, might have power to lay the foundation of this church, and to bring it forth out of obscurity and out of darkness, the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth, with which I, the Lord, am well pleased, speaking unto the church collectively and not individually— (Emphasis Added)

It has also become very obvious to me and surely to the other viewers of this blog that you pick and choose from the revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants only that which supports your personal views. You also, incorrectly, intimate that I do that.

Now I'll turn to the Book of Mormon itself to let the prophet, Nephi point out the error of your claims. You somewhere in one of your Comments, quoted from part of this scripture but neglected a very clarifying part of it regarding the world-wide stature or character of  Jesus' true church!

Although there are as of very recently, fourteen million members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, compared to the total population of the world, that world-wide LDS Church membership is a relatively very small portion. That is just as the Prophet, Nephi pointed out to us in verse 12 of Chapter 10 of 1 Nephi above. Here is that complete scriptural reference:

1 Nephi 14: 10 And he said unto me: Behold there are save two churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil; wherefore, whoso belongeth not to the church of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church, which is the mother of abominations; and she is the whore of all the earth.

11 And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the whore of all the earth, and she sat upon many waters; and she had dominion over all the earth, among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people.

12 And it came to pass that I beheld the church of the Lamb of God, and its numbers were few, because of the wickedness and abominations of the whore who sat upon many waters; nevertheless, I beheld that the church of the Lamb, who were the saints of God, were also upon all the face of the earth; and their dominions upon the face of the earth were small, because of the wickedness of the great whore whom I saw.

13 And it came to pass that I beheld that the great mother of abominations did gather together multitudes upon the face of all the earth, among all the nations of the Gentiles, to fight against the Lamb of God.

14 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.

15 And it came to pass that I beheld that the wrath of God was poured out upon that great and abominable church, insomuch that there were wars and rumors of wars among all the nations and kindreds of the earth. (Clarification and Emphasis Added)

"BOMC', as you ought to know, there is only one actual church on the earth which accepts and actually provides The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ to the world because it is their book, given to them by the Lord through His prophet, Joseph Smith. It owns the copy write to that sacred book. It is available in many languages in a huge number of countries. Our congregations (stakes and wards) can be found throughout the earth. No other Book of Mormon believing church can claim that!

Previously, the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints shared with this church that sacred book. However, they now deny its being the Word of God. You can use my Blog Index by clicking on the link below and then scrolling down in that post of mine to the picture of: Professor Terryl Givens in a fairly recent blog post of mine. In my post 41h which you can link with below, scroll first, down to his photo and the replica of the cover of his book.

Then please scroll down to the final several paragraphs of Professor Given's quote to verify that statement I just made about the Reorganized LDS Church (which is not their name any longer) is true!

Professor Given's Given's quote to verify that statement I just made about the Reorganized LDS Church (which is not their name any more) is very accurate! Please click on this link: Post 41h


Hyrum and Joseph Smith

By the way, "BOMC", are you aware of something very significant about Joseph Smith and his firm commitment to the Book of Mormon. As he and his brother, Hyrum were about to be killed by a drunken mob, they chose to bear testimony to those few others who were with them in the Carthage, Illinois Jail, of the truthfulness of that book. 

If that book were a fake (and I'm not implying that you believe such is the case -you've convinced me that you believe in the Book of Mormon) , in those dire circumstances they surely would have admitted to that being the case. However, the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, had been a basic focus in their ministries and in those crucial circumstances they bore solemn witness of it! And Joseph Smith had prophesied that the Book of Mormon would continue to be a crucial part of the Restored Church's ministry!



An Artist's Perception of the Martyrdom of Joseph Smith



Another matter, you obviously have not taken time using my Blog Index to review what I have put in my approximate 240 blog posts about the importance to LDS members getting to know the Book of Mormon very well and and living in accordance with its teachings. 

You implied in your most recent blog comment that I and other Latter-day Saints treat lightly the teachings of the Book of Mormon. I have stressed in the majority of my blog posts the importance of making the Book of Mormon a key guide in our lives.

Although you, "BOMC" quote fairly liberally from the Doctrine and Covenants, as I imply elsewhere in this post, it appears that you actually choose to believe only those sections that meet the criteria you set!

One thing has become very clear to me about you. You are an avid critic of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and you do not accept the Lord's statement in Section 1 of the Doctrine and Covenants:

1:30 And also those to whom these commandments were given, might have power to lay the foundation of this church, and to bring it forth out of obscurity and out of darkness, the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth, with which I, the Lord, am well pleased, speaking unto the church collectively and not individually— (Emphasis Added)

It has become very obvious to me and surely to the other viewers of my blog that you pick and choose from the revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants only that which supports your personal views. The order in which these revelations are given is not crucial. They are each revelations to the Lord's chosen prophet!

You never tell us what the initials in the name you have given yourself in these Blog Comments, “BOMC” stands for. I and perhaps many of those who read this blog, feel like I do that you are very reticent in telling us who you really are and what you really stand for.

Does "BOMC" stand for "Book of Mormon Church?" If so why doesn't your church, if there is such, or any other like it, meet the criteria given for the Lord's Church in 1 Nephi 14: 10-15 given previously, ie. its membership being "upon the face of the whole earth" If there were such a church or church we surely would have heard about it! 

Of Churches who hold the Book of Mormon true, there is only one church that meets that scriptural description: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! It is offensive to me and I am sure that it is offensive to most, if not all of my blog viewers, especially those who are LDS, for you to deny the truthfulness of  verse 30 of The Book of Doctrine and Covenants I've shown above, especially in view of what was prophesied by Nephi, Son of Lehi in 1 Nephi 14: 10-15 around 550 B.C.

By the way, "BOMC", were you aware of something very significant about Joseph Smith and his firm commitment to the Book of Mormon. As he and his brother, Hyrum were about to be killed by a drunken mob, they each chose to bear testimony to those few others who were with them in the Carthage, Illinois Jail, of the truthfulness of that book.

You indicate that the LDS Church ignores the Book of Mormon. I now ask you to view a video in which Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles tells us in a church video made from one of his recent general conference talks, about how crucial Latter-day scriptures, including the Book of Mormon is to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and to everyone else.

Elder Holland's Video

Because of the way you expressed yourself in the approximately four comments you have made in this blog, I sense that it is very likely that you are a former member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who either chose to remove himself from church membership or was excommunicated for some reason!

If such was the case I am sure that there are members of this church who know and love you and who continue to pray for your eternal salvation and happiness in this life. I know very well how members of this church react in these situations and I pray for you too!

In closing this blog post, I suggest that both you, BOMC and I, Neil Birch, follow the council that our Savior, Jesus Christ gave to the Nephites as quoted at the beginning of this post: That we each:

Our Savior,  the Resurrected Jesus Christ - Painting: Harry Anderson

"offer for a sacrifice unto me, (Jesus Christ) a broken heart and a contrite spirit." I suggest That we each do this in making and answering comments. I have tried to write what I have written with that spirit. I sincerely hope you choose to do the same.

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DISCLAIMER
This website is not owned by or affiliated with the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon or LDS Church). The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the position of the Church.

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TO ACCESS NEIL BIRCH'S BLOG INDEX: To Either Read the Full Index Item Which Refers To This BlogPost, (Or To Search The Index For Any Other BlogPost You Decide To Access), After You Have Read All of This Paragraph, Please Click on any of the Following link: Church, -Only True and Living Church Upon the Earth. -Post 41v When You See The Picture of Our Savior Jesus Christ Sitting Next To a Little Boy, Please Scroll Down To Your Target Item Or Use the Automatic Alphabetical Finding Device (When It Has Been Installed!)

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"Have You Really Read the Book of Mormon?" Legal /Statement. Thank you for visiting. The author retains intellectual property and creative licensing rights. Permission to use or reprint must be given in writing. © Est.2008 Neil Birch Legal /Statement.

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I deeply appreciate your readership and very much hope you you will find that which was presented to you in this blog post, very beneficial.

If you have any questions about what you have read or viewed in this post or in any previous posts of mine, or if you even have a curiosity about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and or its teachings, please e-mail me. I'm Neil and my e-mail address is: jneilmelva@gmail.com. If you contact me I'll get back to you just as soon as possible.

I invite you to let your friends and relatives know about this blog if you think they would be interested. Please be advised that I also have one additional blog. It is in Spanish:  The content in it is translated from the English in this blog.

Neil Birch

41u Why Neil Birch Began This Blog and Has Introduced in Early June of this Year a Blog Index!

To Access This Blog's Index, Please Scroll Down To the Fifth Paragraph From The End of This Post. Much of this post is a repeat of my post 40l.

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TODAY'S THEME

Elder M. Russell ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Ethiopia in March 1985 - Photo: lds.org

In this post I aim to review briefly how it came about that I became a blogger. I didn't grow up with computers and the Internet. I saw my first computer about two weeks after graduating from high school in Roseville, California (U.S.A.) in early June of 1950.

My father had worked for the Southern Pacific Railroad there since he was 17. He arranged for me to get a job there as a yard clerk only after I promised him I would not let that job keep me from beginning college right away. (I faithfully lived up to that promise. I received both a bachelors and masters degrees over the years from two Universities, one in Provo, Utah (BYU) in 1960  and one in San Jose, California (California State University, San Jose, California) in 1973.

When I first walked into the Clerks' Office from where I would do various jobs throughout that very large railroad yard, the first thing my bosses did was let me become acquainted with a large metal device which had electricity running into it. That was the first computer I ever had laid my eyes upon. As I remember, it was about eight feet long and about four and a half feet tall. It sorted cards which each represented a railroad car that was in our railroad yard right then. Those cards were each eventually sorted by that machine into the particular train in which that railway car would leave that railway yard to go in one of all four directions.

It was just a month or so later while in my first year of Junior College that I saw a television program for the first time.

Over the years in my occupation as a social worker for the LDS Church I began to become involved again with computers and ended up with my own lap-top I used until I retired in April 1996 in Salt Lake City, UT. I don't own a lap-top now but used one for a good number of years, even when my wife, Melva and I served a mission in Finland from 2004 to 2006.

That lap-top eventually wore out and now we have a desk top computer and printer. I learned to use the Internet along the way and it helped us much while serving as missionaries in Finland.

For about six months in late 2007 and in early 2008, I did Family History Extraction work through the Internet on our computer as a church assignment. I regularly did a very large volume of that work each month.

It took much time and was very intensive. I enjoyed it because I knew it was helping LDS families do the necessary research on their family lines to be able to have the temple work done in LDS temples for ancestors who had already passed away from this life without having heard of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. *

In about February or March of 2008 I happened to read a speech on the Internet delivered by an LDS Church Apostle, Elder M. Russell Ballard, whose photo is featured in TODAY'S THEME above.   He gave that speech at the BYU- Hawaii December 15th, 2007 graduation. In the July 2008 Issue of the Ensign Magazine published by the LDS Church Elder Ballard expanded some on what he had said at that BYU-Hawaii graduation. I quote just a brief portion of what he wrote for that article.

"From its beginnings, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has used the power of the printed word to spread the message of the restored gospel throughout the world. The Lord, over the centuries, has had a hand in inspiring people to invent tools that facilitate the spreading of the gospel. The Church has adopted and embraced those tools, including print, broadcast media and the Internet . . ." (Emphasis Added)

Elder Ballard in that article, once again, urged members of the Church to set up their own blogs on the Internet so as to tell of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I had already begun following his advice, after going about getting help, in beginning my own blog. I named it: Have You Really Read the Book of Mormon? I named it that because in an April 2007 PBS Television Nationwide (U.S.A.) broadcast I watched, I couldn't believe that certain ones of that program's Narrators had ever read the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ.


Professor Alex Caldiero - Google Search

One of those Narrators who I have quoted from time to time in my blog posts said, and I quote: 

"I hear Joseph Smith's voice everytime I read it (The Book of Mormon). He was a farmer. He was young. He was unlettered and he put this all together. So you have this rough hewn kind of text..." Alex Caldiero, poet and scholar, Utah Valley University, (Clarification and Emphasis Added)

I, Neil Birch, know personally that Joseph Smith translated that book by the power of God. I had come to understand and know spiritually the truthfulness of that Great Book over many years and from his quoted words above, I knew that man must have never even read a page of it.The Book of Mormon provides us, among other very important things, a history of a complex nation of Israelites that were led by God to what is now known as Central America arriving there in about 570 B.C.

In it, as you may well know by now, there is much in that book about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This Holy book stands side-by-side with the Holy Bible as a divine testament of the mission of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Enough said about that for now. In the October 2009 Issue of the Ensign Magazine, my name was mentioned (on page 24) in an article authorized by Elder Ballard. It was reported that I had begun and had continued my LDS blogging and was feeling very good about what I was doing.

I must also mention the role of the moregoodfoundation (Orem, Utah, U.S.A.) in helping me to begin my blogging. It was from something they had posted on the internet that first gave me access to Elder Ballard's BYU-Hawaii graduation address mentioned above.

That is a non-profit organization that provides much information about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, through the Internet. One of their officials, Richard K. Miller, invited me to their offices in order to give me assistance in beginning to blog for the first time in my life. I not only received very good help from him in learning the basics of blogging, but over two and half years he (although he left that organization over a year ago) and one other moregoodfoundation employee, Fabiola Sikes continued to answer my questions on various matters related to my blogging.

That organization has also, by means of the internet, informed organizations and individuals with whom they have contact, about my blog. That has helped increase my readership considerably!

I have, as of this date, November 22, 2010 published my two hundred and fortieth Blog Post in my English language blog. I have not published that many in my Spanish language blog which is translated by a kind couple who originally came from Argentina and ended up in France, but have just moved to Cairo, Egypt. They are strong members of the LDS Church and I appreciate their translations which are done free of charge. I earn nothing from my blogging, except blessings from Heaven! (I really need those!)

In early June of this year (2010) I took a huge step forward in my blogging. In that month I introduced a new Blog Index from which you readers can search for topics which interest you and then are guided to click on an electronic link which pulls up a post in which I have written about that specific topic.

Now instead of going on with more words I will offer you an opportunity to use a small excerpt of blog post links that I have copied over from my Blog Index to this post.

At the end of this blog post you will be able to gain access to that entire Index. I have not yet had the time to put all of my published posts into it, (I am about forty posts short of doing that) but it won't be too very long until I have done so. Of course, I will continue adding to it as long as I continue to blog which I hope will be for a long time.

Because I first published my Blog Index on about June 8th, which is the annual anniversary of the Prophet of the LDS Church announcing that the Priesthood would then be available to men of all races throughout the world, I would like you to click on the link below for that post. I really enjoyed writing that post.

There is a very beautiful musical video within it that you will enjoy. Maybe today will be the first time you will have had the opportunity to use my Blog Index even though it has been available about six months.

Now, I'm not asking you to click on each of these links I'm providing you from my Blog Index, just the second one down. I added the other links just so you would know better what my Index looks like. Clicking on the link I'm providing will take you right to my Post 38l. I hope you will enjoy that experience. (However, you are welcome to click on the other links too if you so desire!)

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Preparations For The Resurrected Jesus Christ's Visit to Ancient America -Post 31f

Priesthood Revelation Regarding Availability of Priesthood to All Races Commemorated -Post 38l

Prophecy and Revelation Is Always Found in Jesus Christ's Church -Post 35b

Prophets Speak for Jesus Christ -Post 12

(The) Purpose of This Blog -Post 1

Q

R
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I deeply appreciate your readership and very much hope you you will find that which was presented to you in this blog post, very beneficial.

As noted in the first paragraph of the previous post, I initiated on June 7, 2010 an Index for all of the key subjects found in the approximately 200 posts I had then published in this blog beginning in March of 2008. I am still in the process of including each of those posts in this Index. 

I believe you will find it a very helpful tool as you search for information related to the subjects covered in this blog!

Credits: I give credit to Fabiola Sikes for suggesting the need for this Blog Index. Without her suggestion I most likely would have never set this up.

Corollary credit needs to be given to: Richard K. Miller for suggesting electronic linking for this index. He made useful suggestions for doing that.

Jonathan Smith of Genoa, Utah, a relative through my marriage. His technological advice helped me apply some principles learned from Richard Miller.

Bryce Mitchell of Herriman, Utah, a step-grandson. He helped me understand some of the technological advice given me previously.

Bruce Westenskow of Murray, Utah, a member of our LDS Ward. He is a professional in the Internet field. His help was crucial! My lack of training in Internet matters made it difficult for me to pull all of the advice together by myself that I had been provided by the above-named skillful persons!
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I now will provide you the opportunity of experiencing a video of the Mormon Messages Series which is one of my most favorite videos of that special series.  It is entitled: "What My Father Taught Me As a Boy" It is narrated by former president and prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Gordon B. Hinckley (since deceased).


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*
In my recent post, 41r, I quoted from a book of an LDS Expert Microfilmer, Steven W. Baldridge (a friend and Church colleague) who has filmed, along with others, precious records literally throughout this entire earth so that the records of our dead will be easily available to you or me so that the vicarious temple work mentioned above in this blog post can be done for them.

As I mentioned in Post 41r, I personally have read Steve's book once through and have read a good number of his chapters a second time. I am amazed at the scope of the microfilming work that he has done in a relatively short time. I admire the sacrifice he has made in living the life he had to live to accomplish what he did. He has made it possible for many of us to be able to research our ancestors in order to have the temple work done for them which is needed.

I particularly appreciated Steve's enjoyable sense of humor that he seemed to always possess even in the middle of the greatest challenges. I guarantee that your personally having his book will be something you will be glad you did!



Steven W. Baldridge



The Front Cover of Steve Baldridge's Book

This book is available by contacting : Steve Baldridge, 627 East 5400 South, Murray, UT 84107, U.S.A.

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DISCLAIMER
This website is not owned by or affiliated with the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon or LDS Church). The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the position of the Church.

____________

TO ACCESS NEIL BIRCH'S BLOG INDEX: To Either Read the Full Index Item Which Refers To This BlogPost, (Or To Search The Index For Any Other BlogPost You Decide To Access), After You Have Read All of This Paragraph, Please Click on any of the Following links: Why Neil Birch Began This Blog and corresponding Index, Post 41u. When You See The Picture of Our Savior Jesus Christ Sitting Next To a Little Boy, Please Scroll Down To Your Target Item Or Use the Automatic Alphabetical Finding Device (When It Has Been Installed!)
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"Have You Really Read the Book of Mormon?" Legal /Statement Thank you for visiting. The author retains intellectual property and creative licensing rights. Permission to use or reprint must be given in writing. © Est.2008 Neil Birch Legal /Statement.
____________

I deeply appreciate your readership and very much hope you you will find that which was presented to you in this blog post, very beneficial.

If you have any questions about what you have read or viewed in this post or in any previous posts of mine, or if you even have a curiosity about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and or its teachings, please e-mail me. I'm Neil and my e-mail address is: jneilmelva@gmail.com. If you contact me I'll get back to you just as soon as possible.

I invite you to let your friends and relatives know about this blog if you think they would be interested. Please be advised that I also have one additional blog. It is in Spanish: The content in it is translated from the English in this blog.

Neil Birch

41t The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Since its Earliest Beginnings; Some Brief and Partial Glimpses at What it Has Become and Will Yet Be!

To Access This Blog's Index, Please Scroll Down To the Fifth Paragraph From the End of This Post!

Regarding the Promised Reply to the Comment made by "BOMC" at the end of Post 41s, this entire post should be read first down through the second video I present. Then in a section of paragraphs after those videos, down to the Accessing of the Blog Index referred to in blue, above, I, Neil Birch, have written my promised response to him.

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TODAY'S THEME



The Prophet, Daniel Interprets King Nebuchadnezzar's Dream - Painting: Grant Romney Clawson

The following prophecy of Daniel's regarding the "kingdom which shall never be destroyed" refers to that which will eventually evolve from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. That kingdom Daniel refers to is Christ's.  

Daniel 2: 44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

As indicated at the beginning of this blogpost, in order to provide background information which will prepare the other readers of this blog post, and "BOMC" who has inserted 2 COMMENTS in that section of posts 41q and 41s. I will not quote his most recent comment at this point but will refer to it later in this post.

As part of my later presentation further on in this post, I will provide "Latter-day" scriptural evidence that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only church authorized by the Lord Jesus Christ, and Heavenly Father who are one.

Some of it will be a repeat of what I presented in post 41s, but I begin with two videos that demonstrate the kind of spiritual strength that can come to individuals who put their trust in the words of the Book of Mormon prophets and the Latter-day prophets who lead the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The two videos I present were produced by an organization (FAIR) whose organizers agree fully with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. However, FAIR is not sponsored by the Church.

This first video tells the very touching and very intriguing story of a young Utah man, who was raised in another church, who searched for the truthfulness regarding the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and in particular, the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ.

This is a true story

This first part of this post is short with the video you have just experienced being the key part of Today's Theme. This next video is a sequel, or follow-up to the very inspirational video you have just viewed.

It is narrated by the same young man who narrated that first video. This second video portrays how the central figure in it, as it was shown that he did in that previous video, demonstrated great faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. You will easily see this same young man did just as our Savior advises us all to do when we are confronted with weaknesses.

I personally have a special love for the final scripture, of several he will quote for us. It has given me much courage when I needed such. I'm sure you each will find that those words of our Savior Jesus Christ, words from the Book of Ether 12:27 (Book of Mormon) apply to you too. Be prepared for a very special experience

This is a second true story.

Those two videos were shown to assist each of you, including "BOMC" just in case he is sincerely interested in knowing the true value of membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I will now quote that final scripture from the Book of Mormon that young man quoted in the video you just viewed. You may want to copy it:

Ether 12:27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

Next I will respond to one paragraph in BOMC's most recent comments. He wrote:

"You praise the works of the LDS Church, but ignore the darkness of its members with outrageously high Prozac and Porn use in the churches back yard.  Or the low retention numbers through out the world."

"BOMC", I just did some checking on the membership totals of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I did this because of what you claimed in the just previous paragraph.

Responding to the last sentence of your comment above: At the end of 1971 the LDS Church had: 3,090,953 members and as at the end of 2009 there were 13.8 million members and that Church continues to grow rapidly in an increasingly larger number of nations throughout the world. That refutes your charge of "the low retention numbers throughout the world.

There will always be "less active" members in any church. In this church, however, "church activity is strongly encouraged and each ward or branch of this church works hard under the direction of its local leaders to gently and lovingly lead and guide less active members into increased activity as church members and and in increased spirituallity, wherever they may live throughout the world.

The Church is organized in such a way that the highest leadership, the First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, etc. does much to assist the lower levels of leadership to know and perform their duties.

This past weekend a world-wide leadership training meeting was held through the medium of closed circuit TV. (Language Translation services are an important part of these meetings) This kind of leadership causes there to be a remarkably low attrition rate in new members. Your statement: that the Church has member retention problems, is very much off track!

If our retention of members is so poor how is it that this Church provides such a huge amount of disaster recovery support throughout the world. Many LDS members become actively involved in helping people, throughout the world to recover from disasters. Our huge number of faithful Latter-day Saints, under the direction of Church leadership have contributed much effort and financial support in many disasters world-wide for many years.

I have summarized this in a recent post, 39p.
In my post 23 I mentioned a member of the First Presidency of the Church reporting how that during one of the presidency meetings in the Church Office Building in Salt Lake City, UT, the then president of the Church, Gordon B. Hinckley received a telephone call from President George W. Bush, then president of the U.S.A. President Hinckley told his counselors, after hanging up, that the President of the U.S. who was just flying over Salt Lake City in "Air Force 1" (a 747 Boeing Jet)",

"Air Force 1"

and had just  thanked him for the great support the Church had provided in a particular part of the U.S. recently and wondered how the church could move so fast in providing such excellent disaster recovery support.


You also mention: "Outrageously high Prozac and Porn use in the Church's back yard." I don't know what allows you to make such a statement.

Yes, there is illegal drug use among members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as there is among members of most, if not all other churches. But there is much evidence that because of the Church's Word of Wisdom, and strong teachings about living morally clean, the numbers are much less than would otherwise be the case. Being "Temple Worthy" (meaning qualified to attend special services in those sacred buildings) is very important to most Latter-day Saints.


As a professional Social Worker for LDS Family Services for many years of my life before retiring in 1996 I was privileged to become involved in some extent professionally with the outstanding Addiction Recovery Programs of the Church. These have been established because Church members do have these kinds of problems among them as do members of other churches. This program was based on the Alcoholics Anonymous Program which has been so successful for many years.


Several years ago after my and my wife's returning from a Church Mission overseas where I help set up some of these addiction Recovery groups and led out in having the Church's Addiction Recovery Program translated into the language of the nation in Europe in which we were serving, I, here in the Salt Lake City area attended a good number of these group meetings. By firsthand observation, I can see there is much very effective help in assisting church members, recover from their harmful addicitons.


"BOMC", there is overwhelming evidence that this church continues to be very successful in helping their membership face the challenges of this life as well as helping them prepare for eternity.


NOW, I, as briefly as possible in the approximately next twenty paragraphs, will directly address the other charges made by "BOMC" in his most recent Comment:


These comments of mine originally were intended to be at the end of my previous post, 41s (published November 12, 2010) in the Comments Section. However I thought it better to make it a part of this post 41t which which you are reading right now.


Inasmuch as you, “BOMC” clearly have given your tacit approval of the Doctrine and Covenants (Section 10, one of the books of scriptures held as containing the Word of God, by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), I, in this post, will now use a quote from another section of that same book of scriptures to clarify for you and the other readers of my blog, the truth regarding the position of this church whose stand I have been supporting since this recent exchange of comments began taking place between you and me at your initiation.

Doctrine and Covenants 1:30 (November 1, 1831)“And also those to whom these commandments were given, might have power to lay the foundation of this church, and to bring it forth out of obscurity and out of darkness, the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth, with which I, the Lord, am well pleased, speaking unto the church collectively and not individually-- (Date clarification and emphasis added).

That revelation was recorded about a year and a half after the Church was officially organized.

The next to last verse of that same section of the Doctrine and Covenants also sheds clear light on this subject,
Neil Birch

Doctrine and Covenants 1: 38 (November 1, 1831) What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.

Under the direction of the Lord by revelation, it was his servant, Joseph Smith, with Oliver Cowdery assisting, that the Lord's only true and living church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” was officially established April 6, 1830 as was detailed in my post 41q, quoting from an official publication of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a Priesthood and Relief Society Manual.

It is clear to me and anyone else reading both Doctrine and Covenants 10 and D. and C. 1,  “BOMC” only quoted from D. and C. 10, but not from D and C 1. In failing to quote from D. and C. 1:30 and D. and C. 1:38 “BOMC” is unable to make the inference from D and C 10: 54 -55 that He (the Lord) was then speaking individually and not collectively regarding members of His Church.

There were a good number of future official members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, His “only true and living church” that the Lord was referring to in D. and C. 10:54-55 even though they were not yet baptized and His Church not officially organized, yet they believed in Him and in His Book of Mormon which was in the process of being translated and was being witnessed previous to its completion and printing by Joseph Smith, the first prophet of the Church and a good number of others closely involved with him and his efforts to bring about the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, under the direction of the Angel, Moroni. Moroni, as a mortal hid the golden plates by the commandment of God in the Hill Cumorah anciently in the same place as he as an angel led Joseph to retrieve the plates when Joseph, and the other, spiritually speaking, members of His (Jesus') church believed was taking place!

The Book of Mormon's Golden Plates and other sacred artifacts hid in the Hill Cumorah by the then, mortal Moroni were witnessed by the Three Witnesses, before the official establishment of the Lord's Church, and were shown these things by the Resurrected Moroni who was then, an angel of light! No doubt they were considered then, by the Lord, while serving him as witnesses, as His Saints (members of His Church in the not too distant future). Their serving as such demonstrates that they were a part of the process which would bring about the Lord's one and only Church. This, of course, was followed by the witness of the actual Golden Plates shown the eight witnesses by Joseph Smith (under the direction of the Angel Moroni).

Finally "BOMC", there are several other allegations you make that I will deal with!
You wrote, quoting from the Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 28:3): “For it shall come to pass in that day that the churches which are built up and not unto the Lord when the one shall say unto the other: Behold, I, I am the Lord's; and the others shall say: I, I am the Lord's; and THUS SHALL EVERY ONE SAY THAT HATH BUILT UP CHURCHES AND NOT UNTO THE LORD – (2 Nephi 28:3)

You then ended your comment by instructing me: “Please adhere to the teachings of the Book you claim to love.” I have given you much evidence from the revelations, that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was established by the Lord Jesus Christ on April 6, 1830.

You, "BOMC", are the one clearly in need of considering the teachings of the sacred books (Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants) both of which I dearly love and accept as the word of God for all of us in this day and age of the world!

Finally, you made several other statements in you comments above that I must deal with:

At the very beginning of your above comment you stated:

“I appreciate your passion for the Lord and the Holy Book of Mormon, but must address your error in challenging others whether they “have really read the BoM: with “Do you really follow the Book of Mormon?"

My intent was to show that the particular statement made by a professor of the Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, that “every time I read the Book of Mormon” I hear the voice of the poor unlettered farm boy, Joseph Smith. I, Neil Birch, had just quoted the mortal Moroni in Chapter 8 of Mormon in his prophecies of the unrighteous way people would be living in this age of the world's history! Those clearly were not words written by the Joseph Smith described by that professor!

Who wrote them? The Mortal Mormon and his son, Moroni! They both spoke a form of the Hebrew language their ancestors, Lehi and Nephi, passed on down to them. Joseph Smith translated them by the power of God!

Then again, perhaps not in that particular chapter, but generously throughout the first edition of the entire Book of Mormon, were found Hebrew grammatic phrases, which Joseph Smith, wanting there to be just good English in that sacred book, corrected out all of those Hebrew phrases, before the second edition of the Book of Mormon was published!

As BYU Professor, Dan Peterson pointed out in his so well done Mormon Times article, Joseph Smith may have been unschooled by some standards, but was raised hearing and using Good English and he wanted the second edition and subsequent editions of the Book of Mormon to be in “good English”!

“BOMC”, I don't think you read the article written by Dan Peterson by the response you made in your comment! I don't even think that you sought the Spirit to guide you as (if you did) read Mormon Chapter 8 I quoted in its entirety and illustrated to make its message more vivid!

I have dealt with other charges you made against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the earlier part of this post.

Best wishes to you and your loved ones! Very sincerely!

Neil Birch

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DISCLAIMER
This website is not owned by or affiliated with the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon or LDS Church). The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the position of the Church.


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