Please note that beginning with post (41x on December 7, 2010) a new post is being published every Tuesday morning. This will allow me to better accommodate the relatively large number of those (as Google Analytics informs me) who view my posts on Saturdays and Sundays. I had been publishing a new post every five days for several years.
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TODAY'S THEME:
I repeat TODAY'S THEME which I quoted in the introduction of this post in order that you can more intently focus on its words and better understand its prophetic meaning: Nephi, son of Lehi wrote this between 600 and 592 B.C. An angel of God caused this vision to to be seen by the prophet Nephi. It is a repeat of TODAY'S THEME of the previous post!
1 Nephi 14: 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. (emphasis added)I recently discovered in the newly renovated lds.org, a map system which can you show you the world-wide status of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It has great ability to show more detail than ever before. After you click on the link several paragraphs below, with that which comes onto the screen you will experience more than perhaps ever before, the world-wide-ness of this church. As Nephi was told by the angel, the Church of the Lamb will "be scattered upon all the face of the earth." He was also told their numbers would be few.
The population of the world was estimated to have surpassed six billion in 1999 while the membership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints just reached fourteen million this year: 2010. fourteen million is a large number to most of us, however compared to the world's total population given above that makes the numbers of members of this church (relatively) few as the angel informed Nephi would be the case.
Note: after clicking on the World Map below, you will need to experiment in using the data which will be made available to you. Note: after the map is on the screen I suggest you click on the image of the world that is within a vertical bar along with other images, and select: "Bing Shaded." In my opinion that choice appears to work best. It is set right now to show you the location of LDS Church meeting houses world wide.
World Map Showing Location of Various LDS Facilities World Wide.
In the post I published a week ago the post - World War II beginning of the LDS Church in Japan was emphasized. In this post an example of how the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ has affected a Russian woman and her husband and sons is focused upon.
The following life vignette came from the book, RUSSIA AND THE RESTORED GOSPEL by GARY BROWNING Published by Deseret Book Company, Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A. (1997)
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Author, Gary Browning of BYU, a Former Mission President in Russia |
The circumstances of my birth were remarkable. On the day of my birth, my mother sent my older brother to the hospital for an ambulance because contractions were beginning. No one was at home, there were thundershowers outside, and my brother had been gone for a long time. My mother began to feel terrible. She started to cry and began praying, when suddenly the door opened and in walked my grandmother--my father's mother. She lived very far away, and she would rarely come for a visit. She helped Mother with the delivery, I was born, and everything necessary was done. The ambulance came and they took me and my mother away to the hospital only after I had been swaddled and my life and my mother's were no longer in danger. When I was younger, I used to wonder how it was that I survived such an experience, and now I know that God works through other people....
My father had a common education and worked in a factory. He had grown up in a large peasant family. . . . My mother was a simple working woman. She had two years of schooling in a parochial school. Her father was a Russian Orthodox priest, but after the Revolution, they put him in jail and no one heard from him afterwards. As a result, my mother was always afraid of speaking about religion in the home. My parents were very good people, despite our poverty and unhappiness. Somewhat later, my father became an alcoholic, and as a result we suffered a great deal, both as a family and as individuals. But as I now know, God is merciful to all of his children. . . .
My relationship to faith [as a young woman] was, first, fear and uncertainty. Second, school and even all society taught that there is no God and that people are highly developed apes, and there is no God and so on. But I often asked myself the same questions over and over. I don't know why, but I always wondered where I and others came from, why there is sorrow and happiness, why there are good people and bad people. My mother often said that God sees everything and that he knows each one of us. She would say such things very quietly, always worrying that someone might hear her. In school we were all, of course, Pioneers and Komsomol members. At all the parent-teacher meetings, our teachers would reprimand and criticize any parents who told their children about God. Thus, I found that my life had two sides to it--one at home and the other at school. But despite all this, my soul yearned for something.
I found myself wanting to leave home because things there were not always good. And thus, I met my future husband and got married. He is a very kind and good person, but after a little while following our sons' birth, I began to notice that my husband was starting to drink a lot more than before. And our family started to become more and more like the one I was in as a child. At first, I did all that I could to insure that our lives might be happy. I hadn't known, however, that alcoholism could be a terrifying and burdensome sickness for the whole family--spiritually, emotionally and physically.
Our family life had turned into a nightmare. Our two sons grew to adolescence, and our family relationships seemed to be getting only worse. My sons began to drink and smoke, and it seemed as though my sorrow would be endless. My teenage boys would spend all their free time out on the streets with others who would also smoke and drink. I continuously blamed my husband for all our problems and demanded that he do something about his drinking problem. It was all in vain.
In those years of despair I turned to both the hospital and the police for help. I even started going to church. I stood for two hours in a cathedral. I understood nothing and left the church in the same disconcerted state that I was in before, only to return to my nightmarish home. All I could think about was, "Why is God punishing me like this? What for?" I felt worse and worse. At the end of 1988 I found out about Alcoholics Anonymous, a program for alcoholics and their families. This wonderful program helped me to understand and accept God as a friend, and thus I began to grow spiritually.
A year later, I met an American [Dohn Thornton] who was working in Moscow and had started coming to AA meetings for the friends and relatives of alcoholics. After about a year, this friend began telling about God and about his church. He felt as though I needed to find out more about God, so he brought me a Book of Mormon in September of 1989 and urged me to read it....I now know that God brought me to the AA program and that he sent this good person to me. I now know that God loves every single one of his children and he doesn't cause them suffering.
I began reading the Book of Mormon and I started receiving answers to my questions: "Where have I come from?," "Why am I here on earth?" and "Where am I going after I die?" As I read the Book of Mormon, I was filled with warmth and light. My fear of God began to be replaced with gratitude and love. In December of 1989, my friend Dohn invited me to my first LDS Church meeting. The meeting took place in his apartment. There were only about eight or ten people in attendance: one girl from Moscow, me, a woman from the Baltic states, and several Americans.
I was most amazed by how everyone at the meeting spoke about God. They spoke of him as a friend and savior, and said that he lives and helps each of us. And that meant he helps me. Two hours went by, and it seemed to me as though I had had a brief and yet marvelous dream. There was a unique, warm and friendly spirit in the room. Now I know it was the Holy Ghost who had been with us. Everyone there was so warm and kind to me that my heart was filled with wonderful feelings which I had never before experienced. It seemed almost as if I had grown wings and was able to fly home.
When I walked into my home, I began telling my family about the meeting, and my husband and children immediately noticed that something had happened to me. From that moment I started going to these meetings every Sunday at ten o'clock. . . .
It was then that my friend said he felt I was ready to be baptized, but that first I would need to have an interview with the group leader--Daniel Souders. I was very worried that he wouldn't allow me to be baptized or that maybe I wouldn't know something I needed to know before being baptized. Dohn put my mind at ease, and the day of my baptism was set for the ninth of June, 1990. . . .
[On the day of my baptism] it was a cold morning and the sky was filled with storm clouds. My elder son, Sasha, cheered me up and came with me to the baptism. More people came to the baptism than I could have ever imagined. When we got to the river we took some time picking out just the right spot. As soon as we found the place and got everything, set up, the sky cleared and the warm, bright sunlight shone down on us. God was showing his joy at my baptism into the true Church. Everything was wonderful. The water was cold, but I couldn't really feel the cold--God's love kept me warm inside. I wore my long white wedding dress for the baptism. God made me so beautiful and so happy. All of my friends stood close by and were also very happy about my baptism.
After being completely immersed in water, I stepped out of the river a thoroughly new person. My body felt free and my thoughts were joyful, and enlightened. The fear and despair of my life left me completely. In its place was hope for a new and happy life on earth, and eternal life with my Father in Heaven. I knew then, as I know now, that there is still much to learn: kindness, honesty, and diligence. I also know I must be a worthy example for my sons and others I might chance to meet along my path. I am no longer alone. God is helping me, and I have an elder brother, Jesus Christ, who loves me and who shed his blood for me. I am very grateful to my Heavenly Father for the plan of salvation.
With time, my elder son and my husband started coming to our church meetings, and then the missionaries arrived. They were sent by our Heavenly Father. They have done a wonderful job helping my sons and my husband to better understand God and his Church. They are Elder [Heath] Thompson, Elder [Adam] West, Sister [Adzislawa] Chudyba, Sister [Stefanie] Condie and many others. My elder son was baptized in February of 1991, and my husband was baptized in May of 1991. My younger son was baptized in July of 1992, and my older sister was baptized in August of that same year. My mother-in-law and my husband's nephew also became members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is the Lord's great blessing that we now gather together not only for important holiday's three or four times a year as we once did, but also for Sunday scripture reading. We help each other, and in doing so, we have become happier and more loving. . .
About twenty of my friends have been baptized into our Church and I am so happy to see how their lives are also changing, and to see how the Lord blesses all of his children.
After my baptism and confirmation, I served as Sunday School teacher. I started teaching on the Sunday after my baptism, June 17, 1990. I was very worried, but a priesthood blessing gave me strength and inspiration. I learned much by teaching others. After about a year, I began teaching the investigator class. This has strengthened my testimony and has helped me to be more patient and humble. In the beginning of 1992, I was called to serve as the Relief Society president in the North Branch, and later in the Timiriazevskii Branch. The Lord then blessed me with anew calling in the Timiriazevskii Branch: I am now the Primary president. I am so happy in my new calling and I really love my young sisters and brothers.
My testimony grows with the baptism of every new member. I know that God lives, that Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer, that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and that he also suffered for the restoration of the Church. The Book of Mormon is true and contains the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that there is a living prophet who guides The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in our day. I express my gratitude to all those brothers and sisters in America and other countries who have prayed for Russia, that the Church of Jesus Christ might finally come to us."
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| The Goncharov family:mother: :Klavdiia Bocharova: daughter-in-law, Galina: Galina's husband: Aleksandr. |
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The Helsinki Finland Temple - The temple in which the Goncharova Family from Russia most likely will be sealed when they are sealed as an eternal family. (They may have been sealed there already)! This temple has been serving that portion of Russia in which that family lives. Sister Birch and I, as a missionary couple, lived two miles from this temple when it was still under construction and toured it before it was completed and dedicated. We were in "attendance" at its dedication in an auditorium of the LDS Conference Center located in Salt Lake City, Utah (U.S.A.) (by closed circuit television) when it was dedicated about three years ago. (Please Note: this temple is much larger than it appears in this photo as much of it is located on the lower part of the hill upon which the front portion is located. |
To Arlin Nusbaum,
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| Arlin Nusbaum |
In the Comment Section of a recent post of mine, you informed me and my blog readers that what you have been telling us has caused me or will soon cause me consternation.
That is not the case and will not be in the future as I am humbly, yet perfectly confident that my knowledge of the truthfulness of the mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as it has been and will continue to be, is as sure and firm as eternity. Because the following Book of Mormon scriptural quote is true and we know you assert strongly that the Book of Mormon is true, any criticisms you may make of LDS Church doctrine or practices becomes totally invalid!
The Spirit of Prophecy and Revelation, played a major role in writing the record which was translated by inspiration to form the Book of Mormon.
The Spirit of Prophecy and Revelation, played a major role in writing the record which was translated by inspiration to form the Book of Mormon.
I 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. (emphasis added)
You have said, Arlin, that the prophet Joseph Smith was not authorized by God to organize the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Then what other church is there upon the earth that could be termed: the Church of the Lamb of God in our day, whose numbers are (relatively) few compared to the total population of the world and yet is spread over the entire earth and is armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory and possesses the Book of Mormon and holds to it and uses that book constantly to bless all of humanity.
There is sure evidence in this post (41z) and in the previous one (41y), that the Church of the Lamb of God spoken of by the angel to Nephi, son of Lehi, is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Most importantly, the kind of lives which new converts to the Church begin to live is evidence of the Book of Mormon verse (verse 14 above) being fulfilled. This dear family shows us by what has come of their lives since becoming Latter-day Saints that they are "armed with righteousness." What a positive difference their membership in the LDS Church made in their lives!
I hope you, Arlin, and each other reader of this blog post will feel the great spirit of the Russian LDS woman quoted in the first portion of this post. Her spiritual attitude and her accomplishments are typical of millions of LDS members throughout the world!
There is sure evidence in this post (41z) and in the previous one (41y), that the Church of the Lamb of God spoken of by the angel to Nephi, son of Lehi, is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Most importantly, the kind of lives which new converts to the Church begin to live is evidence of the Book of Mormon verse (verse 14 above) being fulfilled. This dear family shows us by what has come of their lives since becoming Latter-day Saints that they are "armed with righteousness." What a positive difference their membership in the LDS Church made in their lives!
I hope you, Arlin, and each other reader of this blog post will feel the great spirit of the Russian LDS woman quoted in the first portion of this post. Her spiritual attitude and her accomplishments are typical of millions of LDS members throughout the world!
If you are strongly suggesting that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not the Church of the Lamb of God, then the prophecy made by an angel and given through Nephi's writings in the Book of Mormon (quoted above) will never actually be fulfilled because all of the scriptural signs clearly indicate that the Lord's Second Coming is, before very long, upon us. There isn't enough time for such a church to come about and then become fully prepared as the Book of Mormon promises it will be in the limited time remaining before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ!
3 Nephi 24: 2 But who may abide the day of his coming, and who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap. (emphasis added)
Anyone who knows the scriptures knows that the last days are here; the Second Coming is soon to be upon us! There is only one church that meets the description of the Church of the Lamb of God and it has been growing rapidly, of that fact, much evidence is abundantly available. I have provided such evidence of this in my perhaps, not so significant many posts, but more particularly in the just previous post and in this one, that as the angel caused Nephi to see:
1 Nephi 14:14 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. (emphasis added)
Arlin, it appears that you do not believe that scripture refers to the LDS Church. I have provided ample evidence that what was prophesied in that verse is happening constantly throughout the earth now in increasing effectiveness and frequency. The Church has been growing since before it officially became a church in 1830 because of the involvement of those who believed in the Book of Mormon and helped to bring it about, even before the Church was formed.
The Church of the Lamb of God (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) has been growing and developing for 180 years. No other church would have the necessary time needed in developing like this one in the short time remaining before the Second Coming of the Lord in fulfillment of 1 Nephi 14! Remember that in past posts it was shown how much this church has developed in its capacity to aid nations who have experienced great disasters that have come upon them. It has taken a very significant role in those matters throughout the world! That surely is something that would be expected from the church of the Lamb of God about which the angel informed Nephi!
The Church of the Lamb of God (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) has been growing and developing for 180 years. No other church would have the necessary time needed in developing like this one in the short time remaining before the Second Coming of the Lord in fulfillment of 1 Nephi 14! Remember that in past posts it was shown how much this church has developed in its capacity to aid nations who have experienced great disasters that have come upon them. It has taken a very significant role in those matters throughout the world! That surely is something that would be expected from the church of the Lamb of God about which the angel informed Nephi!
The angel made it clear that the Church of the Lamb of God would be God's only authorized church near the end of time as we know it.
If the Prophet Joseph Smith had gone on his own as you say, in establishing a church and that his only calling was to translate and publish the Book of Mormon then you will have to admit that the angel told a falsehood about the church of the Lamb being the only church accepted by God. Of course, he didn't!
What other church in the world today can match the Book of Mormon description of the "Church of the Lamb of God, than the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?
What other church in the world today can match the Book of Mormon description of the "Church of the Lamb of God, than the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?
If Joseph Smith, who we both agree, accomplished the translation of the Book of Mormon as God desired, then went on his own establishing a church and doing the things you say are wrong, why didn't the angel who showed the vision to Nephi inform Nephi that a supposed prophet, after doing one thing right (translating the Book of Mormon) did wrong in establishing a church! The ultimate sources of the Spirit of Prophecy and Revelation (Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ) would never miss revealing such a relevelant fact (if it really were such as you insist it was with Joseph Smith)!
Your criticisms of Church practices like baptizing eight year olds who haven't sinned, when our Savior, Jesus Christ who never sinned sought John to baptize him, are basically frivolous criticisms! Eight year olds can sin, but perhaps in some cases like with the innocent Jesus Christ, eight year olds may be innocent. I have raised nine children! Before the age of eight children are innocent and do not sin and are not baptized! (But eight year olds are not considered to be innocent children). The Lord informed His Church leaders of that through the Spirit of Prophecy and Revelation just as the Angel showed Nephi what the only true church would accomplish!
I know from your website that there was a time in your life when you were a dedicated and successful missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As I read about your success I even had thoughts that I wished I could have been more your age and served as your junior companion to share in your special success in blessing many people with baptism!
You should have remained with the Church the angel told Nephi about in 1 Nephi 14.
With a broken heart and a contrite Spirit like the Savior told the Nephites to have ( 3 Nephi 9:20), you can still re-qualify yourself to be rebaptized and become a full member of the Church! I have to remind myself quite often that the Savior's admonition in that scripture applies to me!
Your new friend, (I hope you accept me as a friend!) I wish you the best!
Your new friend, (I hope you accept me as a friend!) I wish you the best!
Neil Birch
Mormon Messages Video:
I shared this same video in my two just previous posts, 41x and 41y. I feel that it portrays the theme of this post so very well that I think viewing it again will reinforce Today's Theme also. By viewing the video I have for you now, you will find yourselves really feeling the Spirit of Christmas on a world-wide basis, (the basis which Nephi prophesied (In I Nephi 14: 12) would be the case with the Church of the Lamb of God). (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
(Christmas is only three days away from the date this post is to be published. Perhaps Christmas may have already come and gone when some of you viewers have accessed it for the first time.) This video is entitled:
"A Light Unto All: A Christmas Gift"
(Note from Neil: I shed tears all the way through that video you just viewed which is not very common for me when watching a video.) Please note: I would like you to view that video one more time. This video is only 5 minutes and 41 seconds long!
Note, this time viewing it: please watch the screen in the beginning scenes of the video for the word, Christmas in various languages. By the way, my mission language, Finnish is represented by the word, joulu which you will see on the screen right under the Star of Christmas not long after the video has begun. I think you will agree that video was worth seeing again!
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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) Gospel of Jesus Christ is being taught to the people of Russia. - Post 41z. 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
Mormon Messages Video:
I shared this same video in my two just previous posts, 41x and 41y. I feel that it portrays the theme of this post so very well that I think viewing it again will reinforce Today's Theme also. By viewing the video I have for you now, you will find yourselves really feeling the Spirit of Christmas on a world-wide basis, (the basis which Nephi prophesied (In I Nephi 14: 12) would be the case with the Church of the Lamb of God). (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
(Christmas is only three days away from the date this post is to be published. Perhaps Christmas may have already come and gone when some of you viewers have accessed it for the first time.) This video is entitled:
"A Light Unto All: A Christmas Gift"
(Note from Neil: I shed tears all the way through that video you just viewed which is not very common for me when watching a video.) Please note: I would like you to view that video one more time. This video is only 5 minutes and 41 seconds long!
Note, this time viewing it: please watch the screen in the beginning scenes of the video for the word, Christmas in various languages. By the way, my mission language, Finnish is represented by the word, joulu which you will see on the screen right under the Star of Christmas not long after the video has begun. I think you will agree that video was worth seeing again!
____________
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: (The) Gospel of Jesus Christ is being taught to the people of Russia. - Post 41z. 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.)
_____________
"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 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
