I Witnessed the Savior’s Life—I Saw Him Suffer in Gethsemane, Die on the Cross, I Saw Him After the Resurrection Go Among the Nephites, I Saw Him with Joseph Smith in the Sacred Grove

Posted on May 19, 2013 by Jared

Recently, I met with a man who suffered a series of heart attacks resulting in two near-death experiences. We talked for two and a half hours about his experience meeting the Savior and being shown a comprehensive view of the Savior’s life.

He said that the Savior stood by his side as the events we’re familiar with from the scriptures unfolded in real time. He said it was a three-dimensional view of things as they took place. He stood in the stable when the Savior was born and saw all that occurred there. He was observing events as they happened. He couldn’t interact with others, but he was actually there observing and hearing all that transpired. 

NDE (near death experiences) can’t be ignored, especially by people of faith, there are just too many of them. The NDE I am familiar with can be backed-up by hospital records of a health crisis resulting in “death”. This of course adds to there validity. 

This will be the first time I’ve discussed NDE on my blog. I’ve tried to keep my focus on subjects that build faith in Jesus Christ. After talking with Ralph V. Jensen, I decided that discussing his NDE is a legitimate means of increasing faith. That said, I am aware that church leaders don’t discuss NDE in General Conference or the Ensign magazine—with one important exception. In Oct 1989 General Conference, Elder David B. Haight related his health crisis and apparent NDE and the “panoramic view” of the Saviors life he was shown (Another apostle, Elder Jedidiah M. Grant related his NDE from the 1850′s).    Continue reading →

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Are We Living in the Day Prophesied by Heber C. Kimball?

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Jared

 Click here for the Table of Contents

I’ve been exploring the internet going on five years, viewing websites and blogs that present information about the Mormon church. Most of the sites I visit are created and visited  by members and former members of the church. The subject matter of post and the comments made range widely.

On one side of the continuum are sites written and frequented by church members who are filled with faith, on the other extreme are members who have left the church, but can’t leave the church alone. Then there is a large group of members who are in the middle. Their sites are frequented by members whose faith can be described as fragile.

This is a very general description and isn’t meant to be critical in any way. My heart aches every time I read a post or comment that details a members loss of faith. The battle for the faith of church members is real and has been going on from the day the church was organized. However, the internet has increased the reach, speed and intensity of the various players in this battle. Continue reading →

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Example of Faith: New General Authority Vs. Evil Spirit

Posted on April 27, 2013 by Jared

I read, Yearning for the Living God, by F. Enzio Busche a few years ago. He was a Seventy in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

The account I have quoted is informative on many levels. As you read this, I hope you can feel Elder Busche’s testimony and gain understanding about the workings of the spirit, both the spirit of God and an evil spirit.

“The following experience is probably one of the most sacred in my whole life. It happened in the very beginning of my service as a General Authority…On one trip…I…stayed in the basement of the mission home…I was very tired when I finally went to bed at around 11:00. I fell asleep as soon as I was in bed. I woke with a start when, at about 1:00 A.M., the mission president came into my room. The light was on and he was speaking to me, but I was still half asleep and did not understand what he was saying…I focused on listening to him and was surprised by what he said. He said that in the evening, a missionary had been possessed by an evil spirit. His companion had called the assistant to help cast it out. The assistants had gone and done that, but as they got back to their own apartment, the evil spirit had entered one the assistants. The other was so shocked that he did not know what to do, so he went straight to the mission home.

The mission president was appalled, of course, because this was not just an ordinary missionary. This was one of the stalwart, experienced missionaries who was speaking gibberish and not in control of his physical movements. The mission president had tried to cast out the evil spirit but had failed. He began to panic, but then he realized that he had a General Authority in the basement. That was when he came down to try and wake me up. Continue reading →

Posted in Example of Faith, Holy Ghost, Mighty Prayer, Satan, Things of the Spirit | 5 Comments

Satan’s Success:Diverting Attention from the Atonement to Far Lesser Concerns

Posted on March 30, 2013 by Jared

This Easter Weekend I wish I could be more confident that the message of the Savior’s atonement and resurrection is near to the hearts of church members. However, my experience in the Bloggernacle in the last six years has opened my eyes to the fact that there are many other concerns on the minds of church members than the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. I don’t think the author intended the following quote to include Latter-day-Saints but unfortunately it applies and fits all to well when it comes to what is routinely discussed in the ‘nacle.

“For many, the beautiful and deep doctrine of the Atonement is summarily dismissed and placed on the back shelf with the facile response, ‘Just believe and be saved.’ Why such an approach? Perhaps Hugh Nibley best articulates the reason:

‘So cool has been the reception of the message [of the Atonement] that through the centuries, while heated controversy and debate have raged over evolution, atheism, the sacraments, the Trinity, authority, predestination, faith and works, and so on, there has been no argument or discussion at all about the meaning of the Atonement. Why were there no debates or pronouncements in the synods? People either do not care enough or do not know enough even to argue about it. For the doctrine of the Atonement is far too complicated to have the appeal of a world religion.’

Satan has been successful in diverting much of the Christian world’s attention from the one doctrine that can save us, the Atonement of Jesus Christ, to the ancillary doctrines that have meaning only because they draw their sustenance from this redeeming event. Like a skilled magician, Satan’s every move is to divert our attention and dilute our focus from the primary object at hand, namely Christ’s atoning sacrifice, in hopes we will turn exclusively to doctrines of secondary and far lesser import. His diversionary tactics have been, and will be, of such global proportions that John tragically exclaimed, ‘Satan . . . deceiveth the whole world’ (Revelation 12:9; see also D&C 10:63). After all the sleight of hand ceases and the smoke clears, it is still Jesus Christ, his Atonement, and our obedience to him that saves us—nothing else can do it.” The Infinite Atonement, Tad R. Callister, Pages 15-16. Continue reading →

Posted in Atonement, Precepts of Men | 5 Comments

“…Ye Ask Not, Neither Do Ye Knock; Wherefore Ye are Not Brought into the Light…”

Posted on March 19, 2013 by Jared

If we desire to learn the gospel of Jesus Christ we need to study it like we would any other subject. The familiar process of reading, attending class, writing, and discussing will allow us to acquire information. However, there is a difference between knowledge and understanding. Knowledge is to understanding, what an acorn is to an Oak tree.

Years ago I attended a series of lectures where the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha, the Bible, and the Book of Mormon were discussed. I later learned that some of the scholars who lectured were agnostic. This surprised me. I was hard pressed to understand how someone could spend their life studying these subjects and never experience the things of the spirit.

Since then I’ve come to understand that the gospel net gathereth of every kind. The gospel and the church are attractive in many ways. Some individuals are drawn to the message of the restoration, others by those who proclaim the gospel, some are intrigued by the doctrine and or history, and still others are drawn to the culture and the social aspects, while some find the moral and ethical principles to their liking.

Whatever our initial reason or interest is in the phenomena of Mormonism there comes a time when our acorn of knowledge needs to be transformed into understanding. The scripture teach there is only one way this can be done: Continue reading →

Posted in Doubt, Spirituality, Things of the Spirit | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Recognizing Answers To Prayer

Posted on March 10, 2013 by Jared

The purpose of prayer is to access things of the spirit. We are repeatedly taught in the scripture that the Lord will answer our prayers. Receiving and recognizing answers to our prayers is the topic of this post.

Like many of you reading this post, I have had many prayers answered.[1] Therefore, I am familiar with the workings of the spirit. It takes time and experience to grow in our ability to recognize answers. Based on my experiences, most prayers are answered by the subtle workings of the spirit.[2] However, these soft, delicate answers can be misinterpreted.[3] The solution to this problem is to cry unto the Lord for help, asking to know his will and avoid mistakes. Notice the use of the word “cry”[4]. If you think that crying unto the Lord is a little over the top, then I suggest you read more carefully from the scriptures. The scriptures portray the prophets frequenting “crying unto the Lord” to gain answers to their prayers.

I believe the Lord is anxious to answer our prayers and to teach us of His ways, however, we are required to obey the law upon which blessings are predicated.

There are many ways to improve our ability to receive and recognize answers to our prayers. I would like to offer the following ideas that I believe are essential to opening the channels of communication between ourselves and Heavenly Father. Continue reading →

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Receiving Answers to Our Prayers-A Matter of Desire

Posted on March 3, 2013 by Jared

There is nothing in life as sublime as receiving an answer to prayer! This is especially true if we have been seeking the Lord with all our heart on a matter of deepest import for a prolonged period of time. To experience an answer to prayer is to have our confidence wax strong in the presence of the Lord.

I hope that all who read this have had this sublime experience, or will have a desire to have such an experience in the future.Wherever we’re at in receiving answers to our prayers, the fact remains that we can increase our sensitivity to the things of the spirit–if we desire to. The word “desire” is very important when it comes to the topic of prayer. The scripture teach we “receive according to our desires (Ether 3:2).”

Our desires are the key to receiving answers to prayer. There are many things that can be classified as either barriers or facilitators to receiving answers to our prayers. In my opinion, the primary barrier to receiving answers to our prayers is the lack of desire, and conversely, desire is the preeminent facilitator to opening the channels of communication with Heavenly Father.

Followers of Christ who live in prosperous circumstances can be challenged by the lack of desire to obtain answers to their prayers. I’m not referring to just those who are wealthy in dollars, whatever we may be “wealthy” in, be it intellect, personality, athleticism, social status, good works, church callings, and etc. They already feel blessed. They may not need anything. They feel they know all they need to know. So day by day they may be offering up prayers that are routine.  I wonder if it would be better not to pray at all, as to offer up routine, hasty, superficial prayers to our Father in Heaven (Moroni 7:9). Continue reading →

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Let Virtue Garnish Thy Thoughts Unceasingly

Posted on January 24, 2013 by Jared

The scriptures are filled with wonderful word phrases that grab our attention and lift our minds to greater heights. For example, “Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly”. This phrase appears once in scripture. It is found in the D&C.

“Real intent”, is only two words, but it says so much. This combination of words is found five times in scripture, all in the Book of Mormon.

“Full purpose of heart”, draws our minds to a time when we were children. A time before our fallen natures reached maturity. This phrase is found six times in the Book of Mormon, and three times in the D&C.

“Cleave unto God as he cleaveth unto you” brings into focus the love the Lord has for us, his children. It also teaches us about the quality of love we need to strife for. This exact phrase is found in the Book of Mormon. Using similar words, this phrase is also found in the Old and New Testament. Continue reading →

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20 Minutes to Increased Spirituality

Posted on January 16, 2013 by Jared

Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. D&C 88:63

This is one of my favorite verses of scripture. I’ve accepted the Lord’s invitation in this verse. I’ve sought to do my part to realize the promised rewards of: 1) finding the Lord, 2) asking and receiving, 3) knocking and having it opened unto me.

I have no hesitation in saying that the promises made in this verse of scripture are obtainable. I’ve had many wonderful experiences with the things of the Spirit when I have made the effort to draw near to the Lord. 

I’d like to offer a few thoughts on how to make this verse of scripture part of our lives. Our spirit and our body need to be fed daily. If we don’t daily take those things into our body to sustain life we will quickly begin to lose strength. The same is true for our spirits. If we don’t nourish our spirits then we begin to lose spirituality. The scriptures refer to this starving of the spirit as hardness of heart and blindness of mind (3 Nephi 2:1). Continue reading →

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Doctrine of Christ–Review and Quiz

Posted on January 3, 2013 by Jared

When the Savior was crucified in Jerusalem the Book of Mormon tells about the terrible destruction that occurred among the Nephites. Those who survived were those “who received the prophets and stoned them not; and it was they who had not shed the blood of the saints, who were spared”. 

When the Savior descended from heaven he called on the prophet Nephi and others and taught them what hey should do and teach. He warned them about disputations and contention concerning doctrine. He then taught them saying:

32 And this is my doctrine, and it is the doctrine which the Father hath given unto me; and I bear record of the Father, and the Father beareth record of me, and the Holy Ghost beareth record of the Father and me; and I bear record that the Father commandeth all men, everywhere, to repent and believe in me.

33 And whoso believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God. Continue reading →

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