40e - Among The Lord Jesus Christ's Foremost Priorities is That EACH OF US Have the Opportunity of Attaining Eternal Life!

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TODAY'S THEME

The Resurrected Jesus Christ Visits Central America in A.D.34 -by John Scott

In the above painting our Savior Jesus Christ is shown teaching (in A.D. 34), citizens of the Nephite Nation near the Temple which they had built under the direction of their prophets. Most of that portion of their nation had been saved from the cataclysmic destruction which had come upon them while the much larger portion of that nation, the more wicked portion, was completely wiped off of the face of the earth. This destruction had been personally initiated by the Savior of mankind (The Resurrected Jesus Christ) even although He had previously declared, long before He began His own earthly mission, through His prophet Moses when Moses was speaking with Him on the Mount located somewhere on the Sinai Peninsula:

Moses 1: 39 For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

We should recall that through the Lord's righteous Nephite prophets and saints, the more wicked portion of their nation, which eventually were destroyed by the great cataclysm the Lord brought upon them through His almighty power, had been urged continuously to repent to save themselves from the impending disaster of which had been prophesied. They rejected the warnings of all those prophets and saints, many of whom they killed.

Those Nephites who were on the verge of being destroyed possibly may have been reminded by those prophets and other righteous Nephites who would be saved from that vast destruction of that very sacred teaching given above which the Lord had revealed to Moses. It most likely was recorded on the Brass Plates of Laban, which contained the Nephites' holy scriptures, which they had brought with them from Jerusalem to guide them in living their lives righteously both on their long journey and after having arrived in their Promised Land, known now as Central America.
I urge you to review prayerfully that which the Resurrected Lord Jesus Christ told these Nephites while speaking from the sky before descending to earth to bless and teach them:

3 Nephi 9: 1-22

You may have noticed that in verse 14 of the scripture you have both read and listened to, the Lord said:

3Nephi 9:14 Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me. (emphasis added)

In that scripture, the Lord repeated in essence, His promise given to us and to all mankind in Moses 1:39. We need to come to understand that our achieving eternal life depends on our living in accordance with all of His holy commandments.

Perhaps those Nephites who were destroyed were past the point where those prophets and righteous saints would attempt to share such a sacred truth with them, but those teachings may have been in their scriptures which they had most likely completely  come to ignore.

Of course there were innocent children among them, but their having been destroyed with their wicked parents and other family members will not hinder those innocent children's' spirits from opportunities to eventually achieve the eternal life spoken of in the scripture above.

It should be obvious to each of us that the blessings of eternal life promised by our Savior can come to us only by our living worthily of them. In the eternal view of things it would seem to me to be a great blessing to the future, yet unborn, children who could have been born to them had their potential parents not have been destroyed, would not inherit the curse of having been born and then grown up among such evil living which would have deterred them from inheriting eternal life. Those spirits could then be born to other people in the world, perhaps even among perhaps, the righteous Nephites about which we are learning.

After Jesus Christ had spent some time with this people, the following occurred:

3 Nephi 17: 15 And when he had said these words, he himself also knelt upon the earth; and behold he prayed unto the Father, and the things which he prayed cannot be written, and the multitude did bear record who heard him.

16 And after this manner do they bear record: The eye hath never seen, neither hath the ear heard, before, so great and marvelous things as we saw and heard Jesus speak unto the Father;

17 And no tongue can speak, neither can there be written by any man, neither can the hearts of men conceive so great and marvelous things as we both saw and heard Jesus speak; and no one can conceive of the joy which filled our souls at the time we heard him pray for us unto the Father.

18 And it came to pass that when Jesus had made an end of praying unto the Father, he arose; but so great was the joy of the multitude that they were overcome (emphasis added)

Soon after Jesus had first descended from the sky and mingled with these Nephites,  each one of them had the sacred privilege of feeling the wounds in His side and hands so they each became witnesses to what He had gone through in bringing about the great atonement that only He could bring about. Having had that sacred privilege must have helped multiply the joy that they felt while hearing the great and marvelous things He was praying for on their behalf.

Their remembering the words He had spoken to them from the air before coming down before them, must also have left a very lasting impression upon each of them! It should impress us deeply as we try to sense the power of those unrecorded words He uttered in the prayer described above, to remember the words He had spoken to Moses long before He had taken upon himself mortality:

Surely, that prayer and all the things Jesus subsequently taught them were key factors in these Nephites being able as a unified nation to live in exemplary righteousness for almost 300 years afterwards and bring promises upon their subsequently unrighteous posterity that many of their descendants would be reclaimed by His Latter-day Church in our days.



Jesus Christ -by Heinrich Hofmann

I now take us away from those such special sacred circumstances to attempt to increase our perspective of these very special and sacred experiences and truths. (I repeat His words for emphasis!)

Moses 1: 39 For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

Just before I wrote my very first post and published it back in March of 2008, I was appalled by what had been said by participants in PBS's TV Presentation entitled, "The Mormons" (which was shown in April of 2007) in their treatment and neglect of the Book of Mormon. In it, a so-called, "scholar" (a male instructor at the Utah Valley University located not far from Salt Lake County, UT (U.S.A.), described this Book of Books (The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ) as flawed literature.

I heard him say that every time he reads from the Book of Mormon he sees evidence in its pages of the rough frontier nature of Joseph Smith who he supposes wrote that book. With his saying that, I have to question whether he, that misguided university professor, has ever read the Book of Mormon. I have never seen such evidence of what he suggests anywhere in that book. I have seen just the opposite: much complexity and spiritual profundity!

That is when I decided upon the title for this blog: "Have You Really Read The Book of Mormon?" I think you will quickly agree with me the Book of Mormon is an exceedingly complex and divinely inspired book, even after just having read the first part of this post.

One of the great advantages the Book of Mormon gives readers, is information about our Savior, Jesus Christ that we don't learn from the New Testament. For instance, as the Glorified Son of God and Having His Father's full powers after His glorification (which came about because of His atonement, crucifixion, and resurrection and being exalted on high with His Heavenly Father) He, among other Godly attributes had become a God of Judgement which allowed Him to obliterate a huge group of corrupt, wicked people who had been warned and forewarned and who had killed many righteous prophets and saints. Because of the great extent of their wickedness, their time to leave this life had fully come in His and in His Heavenly Father's unified knowledge and wisdom regarding what should be done!

How dare that terribly uninformed university professor from a University located not far from where the Church is headquartered, insist that every time he reads the words of the Book of Mormon, he reads the words written by a poor and uneducated young farm boy, Joseph Smith! He ought to pick up that sacred book and begin, perhaps for the first time (most likely) in his life, to really read it!

Each of you readers can begin to perceive that that which is told about during our Savior's time among the Nephite people in Ancient Central America uniquely contains some of the most important things we are able to learn about the post-mortal Savior of the World, Jesus Christ.

My hope and personal prayer is that each one of you readers of this post will become regular readers of the Book of Mormon and will seek spiritual confirmation from God of its truthfulness (If you haven't already done so!)

Moroni 10: 3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

I, Neil Birch, bare you my personal witness of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon! What a power and blessing it has been in my life!

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For your further enlightenment and spiritual strengthening here is a Mormon Message.

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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: Eternal Life. Who Among All of Us On This Earth, Past, Present and Future, Has the Opportunity of Attaining It? . . . - Post 40e. When You See the Picture of Our Savior Jesus Christ Sitting Next To A Little Boy, 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 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 an additional blog. It is in Spanish: Its content is translated from the English in this blog.

Neil Birch

40d - "SAINTS"

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TODAY'S THEME

In a popular TV quiz show in the U.S.A. I happened to be viewing recently along with my wife, the contestants were asked to name the only Hawaiian to have become a Saint. I have known for many years of a procedure by which a prominent Christian Church periodically nominates a deceased church member they have determined had lived a sufficiently exemplary life to be designated a Saint. That church has a specific set procedure to bring those relatively few, so chosen, to become canonized or officially named saints!

After watching that quiz show I checked the Internet and found the following which I have summarized below the photographs of the only Hawaiian Saint:






Father Damien as a Young Catholic Priest and later in his life after having contracted leprosy.

He was a Flemish Catholic Priest, who, though not meeting all the requirements of Catholic priesthood, learned to speak Latin the language of that priesthood, from his brother who was already a Catholic Priest. When his brother, because of illness, was unable to take an assignment he had been given to serve their church in Hawaii, Father Damien, was assigned to travel to Hawaii to serve in his brother's place there. He  actually was ordained a priest in Hawaii after arriving there.

Father Damien sacrificed much when he chose to serve the Hawaiians in the Lepers' Colony located on one of the islands there. Eventually he too contracted leprosy and eventually died of it. He was recognized by the Hawaiians he served as a hero and was nominated by the Roman Catholic hierarchy in Rome, Italy to be designated a Saint.

More than 500 Hawaii pilgrims joined tens of thousands of people at a canonization mass at the Vatican in Rome, Italy which was held under the direction of Pope Benedict XVI. Monday, October 12, 2009. On that day Father Damien officially became a "Saint" of the Roman Catholic Church.

After reading a brief history of Father Damien on the Internet I came to appreciate the exceedingly great selfless service he rendered to afflicted Hawaiians much of his life. However, I have to question his church's practice of officially naming deceased members of their church, Saints! It appears to set them apart from the rest of members of the church both living and dead who may also have been living "saintly lives" After all, it appears that it is not God who declares such persons Saints, but rather, the leaders of a church who have clearly assumed the right to make a final judgment, based on their following strict, set guidelines, that that person had become sufficiently qualified in his/her lifetime to be officially termed a Saint.

I searched the Holy scriptures to find the definition of "Saint" used in them. Here are several I found, both in the Bible and in the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ and from the Doctrine and Covenants: This first is from the second book:

Mosiah 3:19 For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father. (emphasis added)

That scriptural definition allows for each of those who are actively and sincerely involved in the Lord's Restored Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to be classified as saints. A person doesn't have to be a dead martyr or any kind of publicly acclaimed hero to be thought of as a saint. In the following scripture the Apostle Paul gives further clarification to what a Saint is.

Ephesians 1: 1 PAUL, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:

2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times (the day in which we now live) he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise. (clarification and emphasis added )

What more assurrance does a living saint of God need than that which is given in verses 4 and 13. That which is in verse 4 has to do with the foreknowledge of God, not of any predestination that precludes our using our free agency in choosing the direction we choose for our lives. That which Paul writes about in in the highlighted portion of verse 13 has to do with the great blessing that comes to proven individuals who are sealed by that holy Spirit of promise which is a very personal assurance far superior to any other kind of approval.

Then I found this question while searching the Internet for information about Saints. It surely was asked by a member of the church who nominates people they consider to be spiritually accomplished, as saints: Why is it some Christians feel it is OK to ask a friend or family member to pray for them but not a saint?

I, Neil Birch, have read of very good people not of my religion who have asked (prayed to) the Virgin Mary (an approved saint of the Catholic Church) and also to other approved, (by their Church) saints for assistance. However, doing that is not in accordance with the Gospel of Jesus Christ as revealed to the Lord's Restored Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I agree fully with my Church's stand!

I then turned to the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ to read the words spoken by our Savior Jesus Christ to a large gathering of his saints A.D. 34 in what is now known as Central America, shortly after His resurrection from the dead and His glorification.

3 Nephi 23: 9 Verily I say unto you, I commanded my servant Samuel, the Lamanite, that he should testify unto this people, that at the day that the Father should glorify his name in me that there were many saints who should arise from the dead, and should appear unto many, and should minister unto them. And he said unto them: Was it not so?

10 And his disciples answered him and said: Yea, Lord, Samuel did prophesy according to thy words, and they were all fulfilled.

11 And Jesus said unto them: How be it that ye have not written this thing, that many saints did arise and appear unto many and did minister unto them? (emphasis added)

This took place long before the Roman Catholic Church even existed so the saints Jesus referred to in the scripture above did not include individuals chosen to be saints through that church's Sainthood procedures.
And now a scripture from the Doctrine and Covenants. In it we are told of the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ which will occur at the end of the earth in the form it now is in:

D and C 45: 44 And then they shall look for me, and, behold, I will come; and they shall see me in the clouds of heaven, clothed with power and great glory; with all the holy angels; and he that watches not for me shall be cut off.

45 But before the arm of the Lord shall fall, an angel shall sound his trump, and the saints that have slept shall come forth to meet me in the cloud. (emphasis added)

And here is another scripture quoting the Apostle Paul:

Romans 1: 7 To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. (emphasis added)

Here are two other significant scriptures which bring the truth to light about this matter.

2 Nephi 9: 18 But, behold, the righteous, the saints of the Holy One of Israel, they who have believed in the Holy One of Israel, they who have endured the crosses of the world, and despised the shame of it, they shall inherit the kingdom of God, which was prepared for them from the foundation of the world, and their joy shall be full forever. (emphasis added)

3Nephi 18:16 And as I have prayed among you even so shall ye pray in my church, among my people who do repent and are baptized in my name. Behold I am the light; I have set an example for you.

17 And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words unto his Disciples, he turned again unto the multitude and said unto them:

18 Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always lest ye enter into temptation; for Satan desireth to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.

19 Therefore ye must always pray unto the Father in my name;
20 And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you.

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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 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: a Saint, Just What is a Saint? -Post 40d. 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 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 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

40c - Within the Sacred Pages of the Book of Mormon are Promises of Great Blessings to Those Who Choose to Live Righteously.

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

 
Here is a promise made regarding persons such as Danny Osmond and other persons who set examples of living righteously given in this Holy Book:

2 Nephi 9: 18 But, behold, the righteous, the saints of the Holy One of Israel, they who have believed in the Holy One of Israel, they who have endured the crosses of the world, and despised the shame of it, they shall inherit the kingdom of God, which was prepared for them from the foundation of the world, and their joy shall be full forever. (emphasis added)

Of course, the Lord's words given above through his ancient Israelite prophet, Nephi, apply to each of the righteous of our day, which even includes a number of the righteous who may have also achieved unusually high success in the entertainment business! I give you an example:

I copied the following article from The Mormon Times Section of the Morning Deseret News (of Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A.) dated April 14, 2010.

Photo: Scott G. Winterton



For Donny Osmond the church is more than religion, it's life
By Lynn Arave

Deseret News
Wednesday, Apr. 14, 2010


Entertainment can be a troubling profession these days, with temptation, pornography and immorality more rampant than ever before. Probably few members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints know that better than Donny Osmond.

However, his membership in the Mormon church isn't just his religion, it's his very lifestyle, he told the Deseret News during a recent 30-minute telephone interview from Las Vegas.

"I would never do anything that would compromise my membership or standing in the church. Because it's more than just a religion to me. It's my way of life. In my opinion, it's what's been able to keep my family stable in this crazy business called show business."

"Donny" is at a pinnacle in his lifelong entertainment career, having just come off a victory late last year in "Dancing With the Stars." He also boasts a regular Las Vegas show with his sister, Marie, and is a guest host on some TV magazine entertainment programs.















After 10 weeks of surprises and dazzling performances, Donny Osmond and Kym Johnson were crowned champions of "Dancing With the Stars." Photo: Adam Larkey, ABC

He also has a new syndicated radio show that airs on more than 60 U.S. radio stations, including weekdays, 3-7 p.m., on KBEE (FM-98.7) in Salt Lake City.

"We're so fortunate," Donny said of his family's blessings.

However, he said not all his life has been smooth sailing.

When Donny was 25 years old, newly married and with two children, he said he was very confused what to do with his life.

The "Donny and Marie Show" had just ended and he said his career was "in the toilet" and on a downward spiral.

"I didn't know where to go. Everybody and their dog were giving me advice and information on what I should do."

He traveled to Hawaii, where his parents were on a full-time church mission.
He told his father, "I need a father's blessing and I need direction basically," as he recounted some very personal experiences.

"We fasted and prayed for a couple of weeks prior to that moment." He keeps that father's blessing, as well as his patriarchal blessing, in his BlackBerry.

"It's my road map. It's my guideline ... that's what I live by," Donny said.
When questionable offers in show business come along, he said he regularly consults the two blessings for advice.

One of the most relevant parts in that father's blessing regarding show business is this:

"Never do a show or an appearance that you wouldn't do in front of a (L.D.S.) general authority. That's my guideline,"

Donny said of one of the cornerstones of his entertainment standards:
"There are certain things I won't endorse."

He said his parents' wisdom and examples still live on in his life, too.
"My parents, they walked the walk and talked the talk," he said. "They were great examples of what a marriage should be like, what membership in the church should be like, what commitment should be like, integrity and honesty."

Photo:
Craig Sjodin, ABC
Donny ponders on how much he wanted to quit "Dancing With the Stars," before he eventually became its oldest winner ever.

His father used to say, "If there's anything worth doing, it's worth doing well."

His mother also had a common saying: "In tough times, this, too, shall pass."

And Donny said, "That is the only thing that got me through 'Dancing With the Stars,'" he said, laughing. "Because I wanted to quit so many times ... My body ached so bad. ... Those two sayings got me through the whole ordeal."

His Las Vegas show has been going on almost 18 months now, and Donny said there's talk of it being renewed into October 2012, or beyond. (The show was originally only going to be a six-month run.)

"I love this gig in Vegas. Yes, it's a lot of work, but it's fulfilling."

He says the show's success is proof that good, clean entertainment can thrive -- even in racy Las Vegas.

What about the undesirable aspects of Vegas?

"Yeah, they call it 'Sin City' for a reason, but it's not all sin city," he said, stressing that there's great entertainment there; and that it is not just the "Strip," there are great neighborhoods there, too.

"The church is very, very strong here in Vegas, a lot of LDS people. So, it's really a slanted or skewed view on Vegas, if that's what you think Vegas is, is just the Strip, because it's not." (This was added by Neil Birch: "there is an LDS Temple in Las Vegas.")

He said he has a long history with Vegas.

"When I was 7, I started working Vegas, so I've been here since the '60s and I've seen so many different incarnations of this city. ... If you let your guard down, I mean there's pornography everywhere you look, if you walk down the street on the Strip. You just don't go there. You don't indulge."

Donny said he strives to avoid being judgmental and mingles freely with others.
"Don't put yourself above anyone else," he stressed. "We as Latter-day Saints need to be very careful. ... Yes, we have the truth. We have the restored gospel. But what you don't want to do is condemn anybody for not believing."

He noted, too, that pride was a recurring problem for the ancient residents of the Americas, which the Book of Mormon chronicles. (emphasis added by Neil Birch)

Yet, Donny also stressed not being too serious.

"Sometimes Mormons need to lighten up," he said. "Enjoy life, put a smile on your face and just represent the fact that Mormons are happy people. And sometimes we as LDS people get so caught up in the seriousness of our religion that we forget to enjoy life."
He said there's a fine line there, being in the world, but not of the world, but if you are committed to the gospel, he believes you can walk that fine line without any problem.

Donny paraphrased what President Gordon B. Hinckley said just before the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake: "Be yourself, don't try to convert everybody. Just be who you are."

Donny said he still hears of some church conversion stories, where he, or his family, were a part of the introduction process.

"I don't force it," he said of missionary opportunities.

He said President Hinckley's TV interview with Mike Wallace was a great example to him of how to act, too.

Donny also said he realizes church membership alone won't necessarily create a better life -- "Yeah, you can be Mormon and still screw your life up big time."

He stressed that his official Web site, www.donny.com, contains a "My beliefs" section and that one portion of his Web site itself attracts millions of hits a year. Questions about the church can be asked there, and Donny said he gets help from another person to answer the questions raised.


"It is amazing how many inquiries I have received over the years as to what is a Mormon," he said. "... There's been some very inspiring conversion stories that I've read over the years, But I don't force it. ... I get a lot of inquiries about the church," he said, explaining that he always reiterates what the prophets have said.

Despite all his fame, Donny still prefers to see himself as a regular person who just happens to mingle with celebrities.

He said like many others, he's a husband, father, grandfather, brother, a regular person.

"I'm not just not a show business person," Donny said. "I'm a real guy ... I do everyday things ... yet I mingle right there in Hollywood."

Donny comes home to Utah many weekends to be with his family and to attend his own ward.

"I love this gig in Vegas. Yes, it's a lot of work, but it's fulfilling."

"I got a plane so I can be home early Sunday morning, and thank goodness we went to the 1 o'clock sacrament schedule earlier this year."

While he's been serving as an alternate instructor in his ward's priests quorum, he's now switching to be a secretary in the Young Men organization, as his youngest son is becoming a deacon. Donny is also a home teacher.

He recently took his wife to Hawaii for a vacation. He has one son in the MTC, headed for Belgium. Once the last two sons are on their own, he and his wife will be empty nesters.

Regarding the late Elvis Presley's keen interest in the Book of Mormon, Donny said that definitely happened. (emphasis added by Neil Birch)

"He was very interested in the Mormon faith, at the very end there before he passed away, not that he was going to join the church, but he was extremely intrigued by the whole concept of a restoration."

Donny has his own copy of the Book of Mormon that Elvis read and marked.
"It's very fun to read through, because you read all of his hand-written notes on each page and things that he underlined or marked down."

"My mom used to talk to him all the time about religion, because he was going to be a preacher, instead of a singer, at one time," Donny said.

E-mail: mailto:lynn@desnews.com

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The Book of Mormon scripture used as part of TODAY'S THEME and Donny Osmond's own words speak for themselves.

However, allow me to just mention a personal experience I, along with my wife, Melva, had several years ago as Donny Osmond played the starring role in the musical entitled:

"Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat"

At that time my wife and I saw that musical live in the Salt Lake City, Utah area Hale Center Theater which is only about three miles from where we live. I really enjoyed the way Donny portrayed Joseph, son of Isaac, and grandson of Father Abraham.

Joseph (who was sold into Egypt) is one of my most favorite individuals told about in the Old Testament. Donny, in my opinion, really brought the real spirit of Joseph into his portrayal of him. And in my opinion, Donny could do that because of the kind of Gospel Oriented life which he lives.
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For your further enlightenment and spiritual strengthening Please view this:

Mormon Messages
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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: Osmond, Donny, An Example Of One Who Has Been Blessed Spiritually As Well As Temporally Because. . . - Post 40c. When You See the Picture of Our Savior Jesus Christ Sitting Next To A Little Boy, 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 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 an additional blog. It is in Spanish:  Its content is translated from the English in this blog.

Neil Birch

 

40b - A Very Brief and to the Point Recap Video of the 180th Annual Conference Messages of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

To Access This Blog's Index, Please Scroll Down To the Seventh Paragraph From The End of This Post.

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TODAY'S THEME

Before giving you the opportunity of viewing a very informative, brief and fast moving recap video of the messages of the 180th Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I give you the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, our Redeemer and Savior that he gave us through his prophet, Joseph Smith, whom He chose to be an instrument in His hands in blessing us with the re-establishment of His true church early in the nineteenth century.

D. and C. 1: 29 And after having received the record of the Nephites, yea, even my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., might have power to translate through the mercy of God, by the power of God, the Book of Mormon.

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—

31 For I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance;

32 Nevertheless, he that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven;

33 And he that repents not, from him shall be taken even the light which he has received; for my Spirit shall not always strive with man, saith the Lord of Hosts.

34 And again, verily I say unto you, O inhabitants of the earth: I the Lord am willing to make these things known unto all flesh;

35 For I am no respecter of persons, and will that all men shall know that the day speedily cometh; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand, when peace shall be taken from the earth, and the devil shall have power over his own dominion.

36 And also the Lord shall have power over his saints, and shall reign in their midst, and shall come down in judgment upon Idumea, or the world.

37 Search these commandments, for they are true and faithful, and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled.

38 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.

39 For behold, and lo, the Lord is God, and the Spirit beareth record, and the record is true, and the truth abideth forever and ever. Amen. (emphasis added)

No mortal man dictated those words to the young, uneducated, Prophet Joseph Smith nor did he make them up. They were given by direct revelation from the Lord Jesus Christ to him, His first prophet in this dispensation of his Gospel which is taught in His re-established Church on many occasions , but particularly during the General General Conferences of His Church.

You may have possibly availed yourself of the guidance I provided in my Post 39x that was published just before General Conference was held, which could have helped you in tuning into the Annual General Conference of the Church on either Saturday, April 3rd or Sunday, April 4th. If you did I'm sure you were inspired by what you were taught in the Conference speeches.

However, whether you did or did not view any of General Conference, I now give you the opportunity to view a video the LDS Church has just produced which very effectively summarizes and connects the key points the Lord Jesus Christ inspired his living prophets and apostles and other Church leaders to harmoniously emphasize in their conference addresses.

The Conference Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints During a Session of General Conference.

Here is a video which is very inspiring and an excellent re-cap of the General Conference that was held early this month.

After finding a pen and a piece of paper for note-taking (if you so desire), you will be ready to view this video:
It is just several seconds short of ten minutes in length.

LDS General Conference April 2010 Highlight Video

After you have returned here to this post I'd like you to read the words of Lord that are given above at the beginning of this post, once again.

I promise you that you will be able to see that His Church is doing exactly what our Savior said it would do in verse 38 in the scripture at the head of this post which I have highlighted!

I'd appreciate hearing from you by your posting a comment or by using my e-mail address given in the last section of this post to let me know your impressions after having experienced the Highlight Video.

I wish each of you and your families the best in all that you are doing wherever you live in this wonderful 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 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: LDS General Conference, 180th Annual; Conference, April 2010, A 9 Minute and 52 Second Recap Video. -Post 40b. When You See the Picture of Our Savior Jesus Christ Sitting Next To A Little Boy, 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
Special Note: I have not inserted a Mormon Messages Video in this post because of the video that was the main feature of this post. There will be a Mormon Message in my next post.

As usual, I thank my my 21 followers for continuing to come to this blog to learn. I hope this topic helped each of you in some way!
_____________

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 an additional blog. It is in Spanish: Its content is translated from the English in this blog.

Neil Birch

40a - The Nephite Prophets in Ancient Central America, Being Israelites, Understood Full-Well the True Purpose of Mosaic Temple Worship!

To Access This Blog's Index, Please Scroll Down To the Sixth Paragraph From The End of This Post.

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TODAY'S THEME

The Bible and Book of Mormon: Two Witnesses -by Greg K. Olsen

As in a number of previous posts of my Book of Mormon Blog, Have You Really Read the Book of Mormon, I will in this post show, by the instrumentality of two videos produced by LDS scholar, David Bokovoy, how the lives of Book of Mormon people very faithfully mirror the lives of their ancient ancestors, the followers of God through Moses.

I obtained them because of the following: The specific focus of these two videos is to show how temple worship of the Nephites, whose history is found in the Book of Mormon, follows remarkably close the mode of temple worship found among the people of Moses in the Wilderness and later under King David and other kings and prophets of Israel who continued to stress the importance of temple worship.

April
THE FAIR JOURNAL
2010 The Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research====================================================================
LATIN - apologeticus GREEK - apologetikos Apologetics: "The branch of theology that is concerned with defending or proving the truth of Christian doctrines" (The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th edition, Houghton Mifflin Company, 2009).

I suggest that you consider finding a piece of paper and a working pen in order to take notes on what is said. You may also want to consider the possibility of viewing both videos a second time.

I now suggest that you view one video right after the other. There is a connection between them!

I think you will enjoy David Bokovoy's style of presentation. I think his approach to this subject is very refreshing and informative!

Part 1

Part 2



Moses and the Brass Serpent -by Judith Mehr



In the videos, David Bokovoy quotes from Psalm 95. I have inserted it here so that you can more fully contemplate its meaning, based on what you were told in the videos.

The painting just above could be considered to be part of the "provocation and temptation in the wilderness," spoken of in this Psalm.

You will notice in the painting that some of the Israelites have turned and walked away from the Brass Serpent which Moses used to represent the future sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ (and they evidently never returned), while others remained with Moses as he taught them great Gospel truths.

PSALM 95
Let us sing unto the Lord—Let us worship and bow down before him—Israel provoked the Lord and failed to enter into his rest.

1 O COME, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.

2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

3 For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

4 In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.

5 The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.

6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.

7 For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,

8 Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work.

10 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways:

11 Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest. (emphasis added)

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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 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: Temple Worship Among The Nephites. . . As Shown in the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ Faithfully Mirrors.  -Post 40a. When You See the Picture of Our Savior Jesus Christ Sitting Next To A Little Boy, Please, Scroll Down In The Index To Your Target Item Or Use The Alphabetical Scrolling Device (When It Has Been Installed.)

____________

"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
__________________



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

39z - Education Moments: The LDS Church's Perpetual Educational Fund

To Access This Blog's Index, Please Scroll Down To the Seventh Paragraph From The End of This Post.

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TODAY'S THEME

The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ: Mosiah 2:
41 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it. (emphasis added)

A Photo and a Painting Representing Hispanic College Age Persons Who Desire a Higher Education.


Education moments:

Open opportunities
Published: Saturday, March 13, 2010 (in the LDS Church News)

Returning home to Guatemala in 2001 after serving in the Costa Rica San Jose Mission, I started school at San Carlos University. The cost of school and the daily travel were extremely difficult for me, so I found a job with Buscamed in 2004 as a common laborer in its sawdust plant.

The work was all consuming. I was lifting heavy sacks during the day. I was sweeping all day in the sun. I thought my body was not going to withstand the work. I went home exhausted. I did not have strength to work in the Church or to spend meaningful time with my family.

I prayed a lot to my Heavenly Father to find a better way to make a living.

I had to study at night and show up at the university on Saturdays. On top of that, I was called as a branch president. I not only had to take care of my family, but also the lives of about 150 members in my branch. At one point, I thought I would have to either stop being branch president or stop going to school.

My wife and I decided to consider and pray about the Perpetual Education Fund. We felt it was the best option to help our economic situation, and we decided to do it. Though the money for school helped relieve some of the stress, I still spent eight more months in the sawdust plant.

Finally, education opened opportunities to work in an office. I went through many interviews and finally was promoted to technical control and assets administrator. For me, this was a huge blessing.

In order to apply for the position, I needed two years at the university, which, thanks to PEF, I had completed at that precise time. The technical schooling was a great blessing for me.

I have now been promoted many times. I have worked as an administrator for four years and make three times more money than I used to.

I see how Heavenly Father has blessed me, and I have told Him so. I testify of this wherever I go. I have not failed in making my payments to the Perpetual Education Fund. — Omar Victorino Perez, Cuilapa Branch, Cuilapa Guatemala District

Dear Blog Readers: I decided to give you now as much information and guidance as I could in case you might benefit from just learning about or by possibly participating in the Church's Perpetual Education Fund, either by donating to this marvelous program or by receiving help for your or your children's education if you qualify for such. Therefore: I went into lds.org and did a Search under the topic highlighted right above in this paragraph:

I copied everything from that search thinking that you might receive the answers you might have to your questions. Of course that Education Fund is for people of all races. I emphasized Hispanic members needing help from that source because of the Church News Article I quoted above and because I have heard that many members of the Church from Central and South America have been greatly blessed by that Church program! Be sure to read all of it, even if that makes it necessary to return to this blog again or reading it directly from lds.org.

SPECIAL NOTE: By clicking on the links below, you will have some very special opportunities of learning much more about this inspired program of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Note from Neil Birch: YOU WILL FIND THAT IN THE NUMBERED SEQUENCE BELOW SOME NUMBERS IN THAT SEQUENCE HAVE BEEN SKIPPED. THAT IS BECAUSE THERE WERE REPEATS BECAUSE MANY OF THESE ARTICLES WERE REPEATED IN VARIOUS CHURCH MAGAZINES.

2. Autn:reference - Magazine_122c8d00422fe010VgnVCM100000176f620a

____The Perpetual Education Fund

Gordon B. Hinckley
Based on similar principles to those underlying the Perpetual Emigration Fund, we shall call it the Perpetual Education Fund. The matter of education will rest with the Perpetual Education Fund.

Gospel Library and; Magazines and; Liahona; July 2001

Perpetual Education Fund The Perpetual Education Fund (PEF) was established in 2001 to help young men and women get a good education and become self-reliant after serving a mission for the Church. The program is patterned after the Perpetual Emigration Fund, which helped more than 30,000 early Church members journey to the Salt Lake Valley from Europe in the mid to late 1800s. Background Information
6. Autn:reference - Magazine_f4a01c90483eb010VgnVCM1000004d82620a

____The Perpetual Education Fund: A Bright Ray of Hope

John K. Carmack
The Church was to create a Perpetual Education Fund. The Perpetual Education Fund became a bright ray of hope.

Gospel Library > Magazines > Liahona > January 2004
Michael R. Morris

Thanks to the Church’s then-recently implemented Perpetual Education Fund (PEF), in 2003 Dilson turned that prompting into a profession following an 18-month course in nursing. “Without the fund, it would have been impossible for me to take the courses I needed,” says Dilson, who works for a public hospital in Recife. It has changed our lives.” An Answer from the Lord When members of the Church in Brazil describe the Perpetual Education Fund, they can’t help but use superlatives: miraculoso, inspirado, maravilhoso.

Gospel Library and Magazines; Liahona; April 2009
Michael R. Morris

12. Autn:reference - http://www.lds.org/pef/0,12038,2073-1,00.htmlPerpetual Education Fund Home

13. Autn:reference - http://www.ldsphilanthropies.org/perpetual-education-fund/Perpetual Education Fund

14. Autn:reference - http://www.ldsphilanthropies.org/perpetual-education-fund/news-features/donor-stories/family-gathers-to-repay-pef.htmlFamily Gathers to Repay PEF
Contact Information LDS Philanthropies: Perpetual Education Fund 15E. When President Gordon B. Hinckley announced the Perpetual Education Fund in April 2001, he said it was to be modeled after the Perpetual Emigration Fund, which allowed early pioneers like the John Griffiths family to get funding to travel to Salt Lake City.


15. Autn:reference - http://www.ldsphilanthropies.org/perpetual-education-fund/news-features/education-is-the-key-to.htmlEducation is the Key to Opportunity

18. Thomas S. Monson
The Perpetual Education Fund, established in 2001, continues to move forward. On average, with the 2.7 years of education they are now receiving, they are increasing their income by three to four times.
Gospel Library > Magazines > Ensign > May 2009

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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 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: (LDS) Perpetual Education Fund: (Book of Mormon) Mosiah 2:41 "Those That Keep The Commandments of God Are Blessed in All things, Both Temporal and Spiritual" (A Deseret News Article. -Post 39z When You See the Picture of Our Savior Jesus Christ Sitting Next To A Little Boy, 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

As usual, I thank my my 21 followers for continuing to come to this blog to learn. I hope this topic helped each of you in some way!
____________

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 an additional blog. It is in Spanish:  Its content is translated from the English in this blog.



Neil Birch

39y - An Easter Message: Jesus Christ Lives Now and Testifies of That Through Both Ancient Apostles and Through Living Apostles and a Living Prophet!

To Access This Blog's Index, Please Scroll Down To the Fourth Paragraph From The End of This Post.

I give special thanks to the twenty-one followers of my blog. Thank you for your continuing to be a regular part of those who learn here!

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TODAY'S THEME

Why Weepest Thou? - Painting: Simon Dewey



The Resurrected Jesus and Angels Show Love to Book of Mormon Children - Painting: Del Parson

A SPECIAL EASTER WITNESS BY LIVING APOSTLES AND A PROPHET

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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: (An) Easter Message: Jesus Christ Lives Today! The Message is by Video and Delivered by Living Apostles and a Living Prophet -Post 39y.  When You See the Picture of Our Savior Jesus Christ Sitting Next To A Little Boy, Please, Scroll Down In The Index To Your Target Item Or Use The Alphabetical Scrolling Device (When It Has Been Installed.)

____________



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.

_____________

"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

______

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