Post 7 - A Striking Answer To Two Fathers' Prayers

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TODAY'S THEME



An Angel of the Lord Chastizes Alma the Younger and the Four Sons of King Mosiah -by Gary L. Kapp


This painting is a depiction of a remarkable answer to fervent prayer on the part of two fathers, Alma, the High Priest of the Ancient American land, Zarahemla, and his close associate and king, Mosiah. Alma, the younger and the king's four sons had gone through the kingdom secretly trying to destroy the Church of Jesus Christ and were having success.

These two fathers' prayers of faith were fully rewarded by the Lord. In our book of books, the Book of Mormon, we read what happened:  Mosiah 27:11-37  (you most likely will choose not to use the Listen function provided you because this scripture begins with verse 1.)

Having just read that, you will have learned that because of their experience with the angel of God, all five of these young men made a complete turnabout in their lives. Alma became a great prophet and government leader. The sons of Mosiah, after pleading long and hard with their father for his permission to serve as missionaries to their nation's chief enemies, the Lamanites, were granted that opportunity. They became valiant and successful missionaries. They all remained faithful members of the Church of Jesus Christ for the rest of their lives.

As a teenager in my hometown of Roseville, California, I first heard that Book of Mormon account at a fireside at the home of a family in our LDS ward. I was surprised that such a great prophet as Alma, could have once been an evil sinner.

I was old enough to know what sin could do to a person, namely, to me. I thought it amazing that one could make such great changes in themselves as Alma did. It actually gave me hope that I could be forgiven for my sins if Alma had been forgiven for all the greater evil He had done. I learned from Alma's experience that it was through the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ that his and my redemption became possible. What comforting assurance to each of us!

The above-mentioned Book of Mormon account gives us the basic history of what happened when the prayers of the two fathers were answered. In Alma, Chapter 36 Alma the younger tells one of his sons about this experience. This account gives you Alma's first-hand account of this astounding event. You can read that entire chapter from your own copy of the Book of Mormon or by clicking: Alma 36:1-30

Just in case you decided not to do that much reading now, let me quote here a key thing Alma told his son in it: Alma 36:

15. Oh thought I, that I could be banished and become extinct both soul and body, that I might not be brought to stand in the presence of my God, to be judged of my deeds.

16. And now for three days and for three nights was I racked, even with the pains of a damned soul.

17. And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world.

18. Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death.

19. And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more.

20. And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!

There are other very sensitive, touching words spoken by Alma then, but I may be keeping you too long. If you desire to read it all, go back above and click on Alma 36:1-30 and read it.

THERE IS HOPE FOR EACH OF US NO MATTER WHAT EVIL WE MAY HAVE DONE!

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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 Blog Post You Desire To Access): After You Have Read All of This Paragraph, Please Scroll Back Up and Click on the Following: Alma the Younger, Son of Alma the Elder was converted. . . Post 7 When The Picture of Our Savior, Jesus Christ Sitting Next To a Little Boy Comes Onto Your Screen, Please Scroll Down In The Index To Your Target Item Or Use the Alphabetical 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

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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 in it. 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

Post 6 - American Idol Finalist Worships God

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TODAY'S THEME

David Archuleta of Murray, Utah (U.S.A.)

As I sit typing on my lap-top with my wife sitting nearby, we are about one minute away from the beginning of the American Idol "Season Finale."

The Idol host just said: "It is the final vote show." He told us that 97 1/2 million votes came in since yesterday, 54% were for one "David" and the other 46% were for the other "David."

We have been told that in two hours we will know whether, 25 year old David Cook of Blue Springs, Missouri or 17 year old David Archuleta of Murray, Utah will be this current season's "American Idol." I won't be typing during the entire time, but I won't finish this blog post typing session until after the winning David is announced.

I have chosen to begin this blog this way for a special purpose. You'll just have to read along as I write to see how I tie this American Idol event into this current Blog title, "Have You Really Read the Book of Mormon? Part 6"


David Cook just said something like:

"I guess I'd like the bar-room setting that's coming up, because that reminds me of what I did before I began doing this."

I heard him mention last week that he had been working as bar-tender. I'm sure he performed that job conscientiously. He obviously knows how to work hard because of his having developed such musical talent as he has. The other David, David Archuleta, didn't make a comment at this point.

I won't focus on David Cook in this post, but I will focus on 17 year old David Archuleta. I have never personally met him, but inasmuch as we live about a half mile from where David had been attending High School in Murray, Utah and we live no more than about 2 miles from his home, I have read and heard much about him.

I believe I understand why the younger David is quite humble and expresses appreciation for what is happening to him, through many difficulties, and even why he chooses the songs that he was allowed to choose to sing in this very challenging competition. His fellow students at Murray often have called him "shy."

However, David A. is clearly very confident of his ability to sing and it is very obvious he loves:

"good music."

 I personally think he regularly makes the songs he sings, better by singing them. His "favorite song" which I believe he sung yesterday has in it the words

"Make the Whole World One."

Listening to him sing that song made me, a Mormon, realize why David Archuleta, also a Mormon, believes like I and other Mormons (or more properly stated, Latter-day Saints) do, that the more righteous people of the World will, before long, after the Lord Jesus Christ has come for the second time, become fully united, or as David's favorite song prays for: "Make the Whole World One."

Because it has been reported that David and his family are active "Latter-day Saints," I have taken the liberty to assume he has learned and really believes and lives according to what is taught in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In my view, David comes across as a very talented, spiritual and humble young man instead as a just a talented entertainer who could be described as "worldly."

Just about a year or two ago, LDS prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley, requested that the entire Church membership read the Book of Mormon during that year. If I were a betting man I would bet that young David Archuleta read the Book of Mormon all the way through sometime during that year, or did the best he could to do so. For this reason I am going to highlight several significant things that David Archuleta most likely read and believes in fervently, if I read him right. Please read the following from your own Book of Mormon, I Nephi 3:7, if you have one or click on the following:

1 Nephi 3:7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.This was said by young Nephi just before he took upon himself an exceedingly difficult task of accomplishing something crucially important that his father, Lehi told him the Lord wanted him and his three brothers to accomplish. If you aren't aware of what this assignment was and how Nephi, with the Lord's guidance accomplished what the Lord, through his father, Lehi, wanted him to do, Please open the Book of Mormon right here and read I Nephi, Chapter 3:1-31 to read about these accomplishments. You may also want to read: 1 Nephi 4:1-38.

If you were to ask David Archuleta if he tries to emulate the kinds of challenging things Nephi accomplished as a young man about David's own present age when Nephi started to accomplish what God and his own father wanted him to accomplish, I would guess he would say something like, "I could never do what young Nephi did," but actually what he, David Archuleta, has recently accomplished, in many ways, is equally challenging.

David took upon himself a very challenging opportunity by competing with a number of other talented young people in the American Idol contest. He has performed at his very best through a long and drawn out challenge and during all of this I am convinced that he kept his humility and faith in His Heavenly Father and in Our Savior, Jesus Christ.

It was just announced that the vote has gone to David Cook. This older David is weeping with what I see as humility. You don't have to learn about humility only from reading scriptures, you can learn it through facing hard challenges such as David Cook has done and by being a basically good person. Humble David Archuleta said this about David Cook after the announcement: "I watched him and learned from him."

Afterwards it was said that David Archuleta, despite the decision having gone against him, was in good spirits. They are trying to have David Archleta make his comments. That didn't happen for some reason.

One spectator said, "David Archuleta won a lot of little girls' hearts." I, Neil Birch, think he won the hearts of many people of all ages, because of his good character.

I hope young David was able to share some of his beliefs with the older David. I have no doubt that David Archuleta's faith in God remains very strong. I am positive that David Archuleta will continue to be a very dedicated member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and will continue to be strengthened by this book of books, The Book of Mormon.

I would even guess that if David could speak with you personally and you asked him about the Book of Mormon, he would suggest you read Moroni 10: 3-7, like I am sure, if I am reading his character correctly, he, David Archuleta has sometime before personally done.

I personally believe that the Lord had a hand in what happened tonight to both Davids. I think that David Archuletta will be guided in his life by the Lord because of his great faith and ability to face hard challenges much like Nephi, son of Lehi, did.

I have focused on David Archuletta in this post, but I would like to focus on each of you , the readers of this blog post. You are as important to the Lord Jesus Christ as either Nephi, David Archuletta and David Cook. The invitation given above by Moroni to each of us, are the words of Jesus Christ as written by one of His great prophets, Moroni, son of Mormon. Hopefully, each of us will whole-heartedly accept Moroni's words as the Lord's words and then you, like Nephi of old will say,

I Nephi 3:7 I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.

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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 Desire To Access), After You Have Read All of This Paragraph, Please Scroll Back Up and Click on the Following: David Archuleta, American Idol Finalist, Is . . . - Post 6. When the Picture of Our Savior, Jesus Christ Sitting Next To a Little Boy Comes Onto Your Screen, Please Scroll Down In the Index To Your Target Item Or Use the Alphabetical 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


_____________


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 in it. 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

Post 5 - The Mormon Church Doesn't Allow Practicing Polygamy

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

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TODAY'S THEME

President Gordon B. Hinckley 

The purpose of this blog post is to provide evidence as to where the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stands on the subject of plural marriage or as it is often called, polygamy. Later in this post you will read words on the subject by recent Church President, Gordon B. Hinckley, whose photo you see here.

As is usual in this blog, we look to that book of books, the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, to shed light on the subject being considered. Jacob, one of Father Lehi's younger sons became a formidable prophet in ancient America much like his older brother, Nephi. Speaking for the Lord as a prophet, we find these words in the Book of Jacob:

Jacob 2: 27 Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none;

28 For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts.

29 Wherefore, this people shall keep my commandments, saith the Lord of Hosts, or cursed be the land for their sakes.

30 For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things. (emphasis added)

This very clearly stated scripture lets us know that plural marriage was not to be allowed among the Nephites. In verses 28 and 29 the Lord explains what He wants His Nephite people to avoid by disallowing plural marriage.

The Lord, through the prophet Jacob, in verse 30, makes it clear that plural wives will be allowed only at times when the Lord indicates, through his authorized servants, His prophets, that there is a great need in the expansion of the numbers of the Lord's people. (emphasis added)

In the case of the great prophet, Abraham, because his only wife Sarah was unable to conceive children, the Lord, after Sarah had give her consent to it, allowed Abraham to have a child through her servant, Hagar. This surely was an example of there being a case where: "For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people... (emphasis added)

Certainly such was also the case with the prophet Moses having a number of wives while the Children of Israel were struggling to be of sufficient numbers to retake the land of Israel which God had given their forefathers.

In Jacob 2: 23-26, the verses just previous to the quote from Jacob in the Book of Mormon above, we read that the Lord was very displeased with the excesses in regard to plural marriage by King David and his son, Solomon. Their bad examples in regard to plural marriage was certainly something Book of Mormon Prophets wanted their people to avoid following after.

For fifty years early in this Church's history, (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) polygamy, or plural marriage was authorized by the Lord through a series of presiding prophets. Having been driven from the United States proper, and even before, while living in Missouri and in Illinois where they were driven and persecuted , the Church had a great need to grow in numbers. The average age of wives entering into this form of marriage was very comparable to the average marriage age of women throughout the USA at that time.

The following is an up-to-date statement by a prophet of this Church regarding Plural marriage:

The Ensign, November 1998- Questions, Gordon B. Hinckley ("What Are People Asking About Us? (Question 4. What is the Church's position on polygamy? pp.71,72)

"We are faced these days with many newspaper articles on this subject. This has arisen out of a case of alleged child abuse on the part of some of those practicing plural marriage. (emphasis added)

I wish to state categorically that this Church has nothing whatever to do with those practicing polygamy. They are not members of this Church. Most of them have never been members. They are in violation of the civil law. They know they are in violation of the law. They are subject to its penalties. The Church, of course, has no jurisdiction whatever in this matter.

If any of our members are found to be practicing plural marriage, they are excommunicated, the most serious penalty the Church can impose. Not only are those so involved in direct violation of the civil law, they are in violation of the law of this Church. An article of our faith is binding upon us. It states, "We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law" (A. of F. 1:12). One cannot obey the law and disobey the law at the same time.

There is no such thing as a 'Mormon Fundamentalist.' It is a contradiction to use the two words together.

More than a century ago God clearly revealed unto His prophet Wilford Woodruff that the practice of plural marriage should be discontinued, which means that is now against the law of God. Even in countries where civil or religious law allows polygamy, the Church teaches that marriage must be monogamous and does not accept into its membership those practicing plural marriage."

As a young undergraduate at BYU in 1951 I worked part-time at the Heber J. Grant Library there and enjoyed, when on my own time, looking through books in the special collections room downstairs. I do not have any notes on this, but my memory is very clear on what I read there on several occoasions. A writer whose name I do not recall, told of how several women, who were women's rights advocates from back East in the United States, came West to Utah in about the 1870s to liberate the Mormon women who were "trapped" in Polygamy. The efforts of these Easterners to "liberate" plural wives were rebuffed by the women they were trying to "save."

Basically, plural marriage, which was, at that time, authorized by the Lord through His servant, the President of His Church, was succeeding. I'm positive that the Lord directed this to happen as instructed in Jacob 2:30 ("For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people...)(emphasis added)

There were divorces among a few of those who had plural marriages, but there were very many happy families from which came children who made great contributions to society in many ways.

One woman was unhappy that her husband had built a more magnificent home for one of his other wives than he had for her, but she and the other wife remained great friends. There certainly were difficult challenges to be faced in plural marriage families, but surely these faithful members of Latter-day Saint families were guided by the Gift of the Holy Ghost given to all faithful members of the Church, that guided them through their special challenges.

I will end this blog post by mentioning that all through my seventy six years of life, I have seen example after example of virtuous Latter-day Saint men and women (monogamists) who were married for "Time and all Eternity" in holy temples of the Lord. I have observed closely their marriages and know they are worthy examples to be followed by all. Their children accomplish much good in this world and are ensuring a great place for themselves, through the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, and through their faithful, upright lives, in the next world!

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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 Desire To Access), After You Have Read All of This Paragraph, Please Click on the Following: Plural Marriage (Polygamy), The Mormon Church Doesn't Allow its Practice - Post 5. When the Picture of Our Savior, Jesus Christ Sitting Next To a Little Boy Comes Onto Your Screen,Please Scroll Down In the Index To Your Target Item Or Use the Alphabetical 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
____________

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 in it. 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