Happy 4th of July!

As we ponder on the meaning of today, the 4rth of July, I can’t help but be grateful for those true patriots that have made this day possible. Many times it is not necessarily the soldier who deserves so much of the credit for the freedoms we enjoy although they do deserve much of the credit. Many offered the ultimate sacrifice in many wars that have been fought. Although the political scope of the wars may have been in question, I have no doubt that these people will be rewarded in heaven for what they did and it is our obligation to remember them as well. They fought for our freedoms and I will forever be in awe of their sacrifices.

Today I write this blog to thank those who fight for our freedom on a different front and yet deserve just as much thanks. Today their are many patriots who are putting their lives on the line, not necessarily on the battlefield as we would think it, but in the real battlefield for the survival of our country. Most people think that the battlefield for the freedom of our country is in Iraq or Afghanistan, but I promise you that that battlefield is pale in comparison with the battle that is being fought in our own country for our freedoms. The outcome of this battle will determine whether we are free to raise our families according to the gospel, or whether we are in bondage. This war, just like the war in heaven is not being fought with guns and swords and other weapons of war. It is being fought by true patriots who are getting involved and doing all they can to uphold and defend the constitution of this land as it is being ripped to shreds. These people can be found in various places, unfortunately not where they should be found though at the head of our government. These are the people who deserve our help and support just as much if not more than the soldier who is fighting the supposed “War on Terrorism”.

The true outcome of our freedom will not be determined on if we win the war on terrorism, but rather if we can determine who the real terrorists are. Terrorists in my opinion are those who would fight to take our freedoms from us and enslave us just as the Lamanites tried on many occasions to enslave the Nephites in the Book of Mormon. If we are not actively striving to defend the constitution and those who would defend it and hold it absolute, who is to say that we really deserve to be free. Many people in this country and even in the church have no more right to be free than the Nephites did in their wicked state. These people think that freedom is a right and not a responsibility. We should not be surprised if one day we wake up and there are no more holidays like the 4rth of July to celebrate if we are not willing to pay the price to maintain that freedom. We are all under this obligation, myself included. The only way that I could expect to be free in this land is if I am willing to get involved as the founding fathers had in mind and “Exercise Eternal Vigilance” to maintain our republic and the constitution.

As we celebrate this holiday with our families and go camping or whatever it is we do, let’s at least give a little thought to remember the purpose of this holiday and rededicate ourselves to making sure there are many more 4rth of Julys to celebrate in the future. Teach your children of the sacrifices that were made not only by soldiers, but also by patriots such as the Founding Fathers of this country. Don’t let the day pass without doing something to both remember the sacrifices given by others for our freedoms, but also in dedicating ourselves to likewise being patriots of freedom.

"If America is destroyed, it may be by Americans who salute the flag, sing the national anthem, march in patriotic parades, cheer Fourth of July speakers - normally good Americans who fail to comprehend what is required to keep our country strong and free - Americans who have been lulled away into a false security." (April 1968, General Conference Report)

"If the Gentiles on this land reject the word of God and conspire to overthrow liberty and the Constitution, their doom is fixed, and they 'shall be cut off from among my people who are of the covenant' (1 Nephi 14:6; 3 Nephi 21:11, 14, 21; D&C 84:114-115, 117). (God Family, Country, p. 345.) (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson p. 618-119.)

First Dental Checkup

Last month Brooklyn had her first teeth cleaning, and her Dental Hygienist was....Holley. Big Surprise I know. She did better than I thought she would. She loved going up and down in the dental chair. She also really liked the suction. Every few seconds she would grab the suction and stick it in her mouth. It was very funny.

Awakening to a Sense of our Awful Situation

As members of the church, it is our responsibility to defend the freedoms we enjoy in this land so that the work of the Lord can continue to go fourth. This can only be done when we have our agency and are able to choose right from wrong. With this being said, there are some very sobering scriptures that we have been given in both the Book of Mormon and by modern day prophets concerning our liberty and freedom.

As we go through and read the Book of Mormon, we come to understand that one of the main lessons we are to learn from that scripture is about the pride cycle. We all should know what the pride cycle entails. As we are blessed, we begin to forget to keep the commandments and we begin to get arrogant and over time the Lord sends trials in our lives to humble us so that we will remember him and his commandments. One thing that seems to happen almost in every instance when the people get wicked, secret combinations begin to arise which seek to take away the freedoms of the majority for the benefit of the few. This is almost always the case in the Book of Mormon. When the people become wicked, you can count on secret combinations being introduced into the land. The Lord will usually use these combinations to try and humble the people so they can repent and be blessed of the Lord once again. If they do repent, and turn unto him, then he will destroy these works of darkness for the blessings of the people once again.

With this being said, as we read in Ether Chapter 8, we are given a very interesting statement in the highlight of the chapter. As we go down it states, “Secret Combinations are of the devil and result in the destruction of nations---Modern Gentiles are warned against the secret combination which shall seek to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries. “ Now why is that so important to understand? If it were plural, it would be referring to secret combinations in general which is what most members generally think of when they read that verse. If you look carefully though, it is not plural, it is singular. As you read on in that chapter it states, (Ether 8:18-26) “ 18 And it came to pass that they formed a secret ^acombination, even as they of old; which combination is most abominable and wicked above all, in the sight of God;

19 For the Lord worketh not in secret combinations, neither doth he will that man should shed blood, but in all things hath forbidden it, from the beginning of man.

20 And now I, Moroni, do not write the manner of their oaths and combinations, for it hath been made known unto me that they are had ^aamong all people, and they are had among the Lamanites.

21 And they have caused the ^adestruction of this people of whom I am now speaking, and also the destruction of the people of Nephi.

22 And whatsoever ^anation shall uphold such secret combinations, to get power and gain, until they shall spread over the nation, behold, they shall be destroyed; for the Lord will not suffer that the ^bblood of his saints, which shall be shed by them, shall always cry unto him from the ground for ^cvengeance upon them and yet he avenge them not.

23 Wherefore, O ye Gentiles, it is wisdom in God that these things should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you, which are built up to get ^apower and gain—and the work, yea, even the work of ^bdestruction come upon you, yea, even the sword of the justice of the Eternal God shall fall upon you, to your overthrow and destruction if ye shall suffer these things to be.

24 Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this ^asecret combination which shall be among you; or wo be unto it, because of the blood of them who have been slain; for they cry from the dust for vengeance upon it, and also upon those who built it up.

25 For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up seeketh to overthrow the ^afreedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by the devil, who is the father of all lies; even that same liar who ^bbeguiled our first parents, yea, even that same liar who hath caused man to commit murder from the beginning; who hath ^chardened the hearts of men that they have ^dmurdered the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out from the beginning.

26 Wherefore, I, Moroni, am commanded to write these things that evil may be done away, and that the time may come that Satan may have ^ano power upon the hearts of the children of men, but that they may be ^bpersuaded to do good continually, that they may come unto the fountain of all ^crighteousness and be saved.” In verse 24, it states again the presence of a particular secret combination rather than secret combinations in general. It states, “When ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you…” With this you have to conclude that either the Book of Mormon has two errors, there is a major coincidence that it states twice to be aware a secret combination, or that there is one particular secret combination that we need to be especially and critically aware of. Verse 25 states that that secret combination “seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by the devil, who is the father of all lies…”

Now let me give a quote that was given by President Ezra Taft Benson in General Conference October 2, 1988, “Secret combinations lusting for power, gain, and glory are flourishing. A secret combination that seeks to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries is increasing its influence and control over America and the entire world.” He once again repeats the singular sense of a secret combination and adds a little more detail that it was increasing its influence over America and sought to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries. I would like to add a little note to that. Out of all the prophets in our dispensation, no other prophet had more of a right to say those words from experience than did Pres. Benson. He served simultaneously as a member of the Quorum of the 12 while serving under President Dwight D. Eisenhower as Secretary of Agriculture for both terms, 8 years.

Moroni states in verse 21 that secret combinations had caused the destruction of the Jaredites and the Nephites, both entire civilizations that lived upon the Americas. He then states, “And whatsoever nation shall uphold such secret combinations, to get power and gain, until they shall spread over the nation, behold, they shall be destroyed.” He then gives a very very sobering reminder to us that must be placed as one of the most important lessons to be learned from the Book of Mormon for our time, “Wherefore, O ye Gentiles, it is wisdom in God that these things should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you, which are built up to get power and gain, and the work, yea even the work of destruction come upon you, yea, even the sword of the justice of the Eternal God shall fall upon you, to your overthrow and destruction if ye shall suffer these things to be. (Verse 24) Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you; or wo be unto it, because of the blood of them who have been slain; for they cry from the dust for vengeance upon it, and also upon those who built it up.”

To our detriment as members of the church and as citizens of this great nation which we live, that secret combination has gotten above our heads, and we are now seeing the work of destruction as is stated in verse 23. President Benson stated that it was increasing its influence over America in 1988 and it has progressed in leaps and bounds since then.

It is absolutely critical that we awake to a sense of our awful situation and do something about it. That work of destruction will continue at least until we as members of the church, and particularly priesthood holders, awake and remember the constitution that was given to us by the shedding of blood. In D & C 101:80, it states, “I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the shedding of blood.”

The time has come for us to remember the words of Joseph Smith when he stated it would be the members of the church who would defend, uphold, maintain, and save the constitution if it is saved at all. We have no more time to waste. It is a commandment for us to get informed as to this secret combination that is mentioned in the scriptures and by modern day Prophets, and to do everything in our power to save the constitution. It stands in great jeopardy at this time as never before. As we become aware of this secret combination and seek the direction of the spirit, we will be directed by the spirit in our efforts to maintain our liberty and uphold the constitution. It is hard to be directed by the spirit when we are not even aware of what is going on around us.

It is my conviction that just as a loving Father in Heaven sent wise men to establish the Constitution of the United States, he also sent people such as Ezra Taft Benson and other wise men to preserve it. Stand tall. Read the constitution. Support it. Let the spirit guide you as the spirit guided our Founding Fathers. This is a vital work that has to be done and it will be done.

Without the Constitution and our freedom, we lose the gospel, our families, and we stand in jeopardy if we do nothing of losing our salvation both temporal and spiritual. The work of the Lord can only be brought about in a climate of liberty. The Lord has held many of this generation in reserve for the very purpose of defending our Constitution and freedoms so that the work of the Lord can continue. This is the work of the Lord in our day. Rise up and take your places ye Elders of Israel and through the Power of God and the Holy Priesthood which we hold, do that which we promised we would do in the pre-mortal existence. It will not be done without us, but with the Lord’s help, it will be done! The members of the church are as sleeping giants right now when it comes to things of the constitution, but as they are awakened, nothing in this world will be able to stop them from defending what is right and saving the Constitution. Many have been awakened and are already doing everything in their efforts to defend our freedom. God bless them for their efforts, for we owe them a world of thanks. God bless us in our efforts to maintain those liberties we have come to love and cherish and that are essential to the progression of the Gospel. He loves us and will not let us fail, if we do everything in our power to preserve that sacred document. This is the real war to which every faithful Latter Day Saint should be devoted. Lets work together to see that this happens.

19

“Secret combinations lusting

A lighter thought for the day!

I just had to share a thought I had today as I was preparing my lesson in the Joseph Smith manual. I was in lesson 9 where it is talking about the gifts of the spirit. I was all serious trying to prepare a really good lesson and all involved in the text. As I got to the end, I was trying to think about the last paragraph that states:

"The Lord cannot always be known by the thunder of His voice, by the display of His glory or by the manifestation of His power; and those that are the most anxious to see these things, are the least prepared to meet them, and were the Lord to manifest His power as he did to the children of Israel, such characters would be the first to say, 'Let not the Lord speak any more, lest we His people die. '(See Exodus 20:19.)"

As I read that verse I pictured a loving Father who would be willing to do anything to help his children, and what do they ask for. They ask over and over for a sign. Show us a sign. We want a sign. Show us a sign. Finally the Father says, ok, ok, I heard you, enough is enough, I will show you a sign. It will be a tough one, but I will show you a sign. Tomorrow all who want a sign will wake up with chicken pox and you will have them for the rest of your lives. The next day, the people wake up with chicken pox as had been predicted, and what is their response? No more signs. We don't want any more signs. Please, Please don't show us any more signs!

Just thought I would pass that on as a little lighter moment of the day!

Additional thought on the Law of Consecration

I wanted to continue a little on my thought about the Law of Consecration and how it can be more applicable in our lives today. I was so glad to receive Andy's comments. Andy was my Elder's Quorum President in the 3rd ward at BYU-Idaho. We both met our wives from that ward and had great times together. I was his counselor and he taught me a great deal about the gospel. I thought his comments were of some great value so I am going to place them here for all to see and then I will continue on with my thought. I hope he doesn't mind me putting his comments here. He said, 1.) "I don't remember anywhere in the Temple where we are told that the law of consecration is on hold. In fact I don't recall any talk or message from the church stating otherwise. So we should live it now as much as we can. That means serving others and mentally living it by realizing all we have is given to us to help those around us and none are better than others because of money. 2.) We actually have to prepare a ZION society before it will be established. Its not that we are suddenly going to be rescued out of the world while we still toil to have more than others. There will need to come a shift on our thinking and behavior then the Lord will establish Zion and send the city of Enoch back to the earth to join an existing Zion society." I love those comments.
Now back to some of my thoughts. Considering for a moment that money is nothing more than a means of exchanging service from one person to another. If this is the case, then in all due reality it does not matter what means of currency we use. Obviously the best currency is one backed by a common value such as gold, but for the point I am trying to make, it really does not matter so much the currency as it does the service we perform. We do not need currency to exchange services among people who are of the same mindset and understanding. We all have talents and skills that we can share with each other. In a ward, in a stake, and in the church as a whole their are many things that we can do for each other that requires no currency exchange. What do we do as home teachers and as visiting teachers? We are taught to share our talents and skills with those we serve. As we serve, we are also served. In the church as a whole, we live far below our potential to serve and lift each other up.
How ironic is it that we will go to work for 8-10 hours a week and spend half the money on gas, food, babysitters, etc. and then we will go pay someone the other half of our day's paycheck to fix a simple appliance in our house. All this when the talents and skills to fix that appliance were right there within our ward or stake. It is even more ironic when you consider the fact that the very person who could have come over to fix your appliance will spend a good part of his paycheck to get the very service that you could have gladly exchanged for the fixed appliance. This exchange would have left both of you with more freedom, a chance to have served one another, and more time to have spent with your family. I am not saying we do not need to work at all on the outside since many services can only be provided by larger entities. I am saying that many times we could alleviate much of the heartaches we have by just living a simple version of the Law of Consecration.
When you think of groups of people who live this lower law better than anyone else, who comes to mind? It may be kind of hilarious, but college students at the church schools seem to live this lower law better than any other people. This is probably more by necessity in many cases than by desire, but they still show how it can be done. A college student has little money but quite a few resources and skills available to them. So what do they do with these skills and talents? They share and serve in as many ways as possible so that all can be blessed. In most all of these exchanges, their is no currency exchanged, and yet the service is still rendered.
Now why is this so significant? Their are two ways we can use this knowledge to bless our lives. First, right now we are all in wards and stakes and organizations with people who could use a helping hand with one thing or another. None are excluded from this category. Although many are not quite at the state where this law can be implemented in its entirety, we can rest assured that it will be implemented fully some day, hopefully sooner than later. But inasmuch as the law is able to be lived, it needs to be lived. We have our daily schedules that seem to be so busy, but why are they so busy. What if we spent Saturdays as ward members and as families serving one another? What a great family activity. Then on Sunday, as time permits, we can do the same. One of the reason's we seem to have no time is the very fact that we do not spend the time to give people time if that makes any sense. If we banded together as members of the church, we could alleviate much of the suffering and pain that is felt by many.
The second reason why this is so significant is that if something were to happen to our economy, we would have to realize real fast that we do not need an economy to perform the basics that will keep us alive and happy. The economy does provide for many luxuries, goods, and services, but it can never compensate for actual people helping people and serving one another. Service is eternal, but our currency and economy are very fragile and can fluctuate on a daily basis. If we truly and sincerely learn the essence of true service, which is the key ingredient to the Law of Consecration, we will be able to weather whatever comes our way. When others are fighting each other because things go sour, we can be serving each other and have smiles on our faces!

Current Condition of our Nation

As I sit here pondering on things that are going on in our Nation, I feel impressed to say a few words concerning our present condition. It may not be a popular topic, but yet it is one that is in serious need of discussion; not so much discussion as it does action. I must say before I get into my thoughts that overall I am an optimist. I know that a loving Father in Heaven looks after his children and will do the very best for them. With that being said, likewise their are times when action needs to be taken. We stand at a cross-roads in our Nation, one that will determine our fate in the future. Just as a child who loses a finger, you cannot just ignore it and pretend that it will go away because it will not. Action must be taken when things are seriously wrong. That is not being pessimistic, rather that is being realistic.
We have come to a time in our Nation when political answers will no longer do. Their are politicians on all sides of the debates saying this and that about different topics; some good, some bad. When a Nation gets to a point when they can no longer be governed by a Constitution, they can no longer be saved by a Constitution either, no matter how perfect that Constitution may be. When a Nation gets to this point, no matter what political practices are implemented, they will soon be defeated through some kind of corruption or another. The true answer to our Nation's problems and the only one that will have a lasting result on our Nation at this time is not a political solution, rather a spiritual one.
People must understand that their will be little or no return to the prosperous times we have been blessed with and are so used to unless we have a spiritual rebirth as a Nation. Prophets have warned us on numerous occasions, and we are now seeing the results of a Nation forsaking righteousness as a whole. The consequences of this are not just spiritual, but even more so natural consequences of secret combinations and the results of their actions. It is also a consequence brought upon by others participating in these works either knowingly or unknowingly.
Unfortunately our Nation is very sick right now and we can no longer get by with a patch on top of a patch to solve our problems politically. Until this Nation can learn to live under constitutional law, we will be bound to live under a law that is relative rather than absolute. As a Nation we can make that decision. We can either suffer as in times of old when people forsook the commandments, or we can repent as a Nation and have a loving Father in Heaven protect us and keep us safe as is the promise to all who live upon this land. If we cannot do this, then we have no promise and as a Nation we have some very tough times ahead. This being said, even if this Nation does not choose to repent, we can still individually receive the protection and blessings promised upon those who live in this Nation, if we will but listen to the prophets and live worthy of the spirit to direct us. That does not mean that we will be able to avoid much of what lies ahead, but as we do what is right, we will be guided to know what we need to do.
The Constitution of this land is no more relative than the commandments are. They are absolutes in a time when their are few absolutes. As was once said, we cannot break the commandments, we can only break ourselves against them.
Now as I began, I must tell you once again that I am an optimist overall, but the time has come for us to realize that all is not well in Zion. We have some difficult choices to make. For us to change the course we are headed as a Nation and as a people, we cannot do it outside of the framework of the church. We need the activity that comes from church membership, (Holy Ghost) church attendance, and in living what we are taught. Nothing short of this has the power to change the state of our Nation as it currently exists.
We can be optimistic that things will happen in our lives and in this Nation according to the dictates of a loving Heavenly Father. This does not change the fact that we can only last so long as a Nation under our current attitudes and actions. Their is mercy and their is also justice. Unfortunately as a Nation we are currently on the side of justice rather than mercy.
We must live under constitutional law if we ever want to return to the prosperity we have enjoyed in the past, but even more than that, we must return to our spiritual roots. Rather than getting drunk on the weekends, we need to serve others around us. We need to study the constitution. We need to study the words of the prophets and be active in following their counsel rather than just listening only. We need to forget the worldly things of this world, and rather use our resources to help those around us. Only in doing this will we be able to preserve our constitution and freedoms that are enjoyed under that document!

Sold on Fluoride

Those of you who know I am a Dental Hygienist may not be too surprised that I am writing about something I promote all day at work and have been taught in all my classes is a good product. It probably isn't a shocker to you if you keep up on the latest dental info that Fluoride is a very controversial subject, at least when it comes to water fluoridation and the recommended Fluoride treatments.

To those of you who may be interested I decided to do a bit of my own research. I am not saying I questioned Fluoride, I just decided to look at what people who where opposed to it had to say. I did this mainly so I would have a greater knowledge of how to respond to these people. Some of the negative points I have heard are: it is a waste product, it destroys cells, it is toxic, it depresses your system, etc. I even saw a very convincing video by a dentist stating that Fluoride was not good; however, after all my research I can honestly tell you that Fluoride is very beneficial and should be promoted and used as currently recommended!

As with all products there should be some comparison, such as the two different types of filling materials. Unfortunately there is not another product to compare fluoride to so all you can do is look at the long studies of fluoride. When we see people who have grown up drinking well water they have very healthy bodies. The fluoride in this water is typically right around the recommended dosage. These people typically have very few cavities in comparison to a person who has not had fluoride. These people also have less broken bones than a person who does not have fluoride and they live just as long of lives and are not killed by "fluoride destroying their cells". In addition there are many products that we use today that are waste products and they are still beneficial, just like fluoride.

Hopefully you can't see by this very concrete research that fluoride is very safe and beneficial when used at the recommended dosages. Fluoride truly does help our bodies and teeth!