My Father Died

I was born to goodly parents who taught me to love the Lord. From my youth I was taught to have faith in, pray to, and worship Jesus Christ. I was taught about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. Our family held early morning scripture study, weekly Family Home Evening and nightly family prayer. My father, Mike, was a man of honor and integrity and was faithful to my mother, to the LDS Church, and was faithful to God.  Dad was a man without guile who had a solid belief in the Savior and served his fellow man all his days. Dad was loyal to the LDS Church and strove to help build up what he believed was the kingdom of God on the earth.  Even as “early on-set Parkinson’s” ravaged his body for over 25 years he faithfully attended church each week and studied the scriptures each day until he slipped into a coma just before his death.

My mom, Trudy, first noticed my dad in ninth grade LDS seminary when my dad bore his testimony of the Savior.  Mom was smitten and their love story began at that moment and lasted for over 56 years on this earth and is now continuing in heaven. Mom sacrificed her mental, emotional and physical health to bring eight children into this world. She struggled with fears, anxieties, and physical ailments that plagued her and were difficult for her to overcome. Through it all she never lost her devotion to the religious heritage her parents instilled within her. She remained loyal to the Mormon Church and to Dad. For some reason her faith and belief in Jesus Christ was not something she openly shared or talked about with me. My parents passed away within one year of each other, my mom on February 17, 2017 and my dad on February 22, 2018. I love and miss them.

My father was my hero. As a little girl I would wait at the bus stop every night, anticipating his return from a long day of work. I had a desire for him to be proud of me. I wanted to marry a man just like him. Since my mom’s passing last year, I have been taking care of my dad as much as possible. He lived at home until a bad fall last July and a subsequent hospital stay of several weeks. We then moved him into an assisted living center in order to have people who could be there to cook and clean for him and to help him when he fell. He sustained more injuries, as he fell several times each day.  I was feeling a great burden on my shoulders, taking care of dad’s house, his finances and his health. Last August, moving him into an assisted living center made my siblings and myself more aware of dad’s decline in health. My siblings were a great blessing to me and my father as they helped where ever and in what manner they could in his care.

On February 15 my dad was taken to a higher level care facility because he was having a severe Parkinson’s episode which mimicked seizures. Within 3 days he had slipped into a comma and never came out of it. He had a huge lump on his left temple with bruising down to his collar bone.  We believe he suffered a "bleeder" on the brain. I was by his side as much as possible that final week. Hours before his death I shared some private, final words with him. I worry that my parents felt like they had failed me because of the journey I have been on to find Christ. This journey has put me at odds with the LDS Church. In my parents’ minds, if I am not active LDS then I am not following Christ. I asked my dad to trust me, that I know what I am doing, that I know he doesn’t understand, but that I am seeking Jesus Christ. I encouraged him to find mom and together to seek Jesus Christ, to not allow the traditions of men to cause them to stop searching. I then read to him Ether 12:41, “And now, I would commend you to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written, that the grace of God the Father, and also the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of them, may be and abide in you forever. Amen.”

My dad passed away 30 years to the day of the death of his own father and one week and one year after the love of his life, my mom. He was surrounded by almost all of his children, his daughter-in-laws and son-in-law, grandchildren and lots of love.

My Mother Died

My father called me on Friday, February 17, 2017 a little after 5 pm to tell me that my mother had passed away.  She was 71 years old.  She had lain down to rest and my father was in his home office down the hallway from their bedroom.  He heard her loudly gasp and when he arrived by her side he knew she was gone. He tried administering CPR, but the height of their bed along with his Parkinson’s prevented him from being able to do so effectively. By the time the paramedics arrived they realized that there was no hope in even trying resuscitation efforts.

My father shared with me that five days earlier her body was going into weird contortions and spasms and he gave her a blessing, in faith, using the priesthood authority that he believes he has been given.  During the blessing he heard a voice tell him to release my mother from this life.  My dad couldn’t do it. I’m not sure many people who have loved a spouse for as long as my dad has my mom could have either.

To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven; a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; … a time to heal; …a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance[1]

Back when I was an active and believing Latter-Day Saint Mormon I had great comfort and “carnal security”[2] in the fact that she had received her endowments and been sealed to my dad in the Salt Lake Temple.  I believed then that “Families are Forever” and that the spirits of those who have been members of the LDS Church would be taken to “Spirit Paradise”.

I have no such comfort today.  I can understand why Alma, in the Book of Mormon, inquired diligently of the Lord:

And now I would inquire what becometh of the souls of men from this time of death to the time appointed for the resurrection? Now whether there is more than one time appointed for men to rise it mattereth not; for all do not die at once, and this mattereth not; all is as one day with God, and time only is measured unto men. Therefore, there is a time appointed unto men that they shall rise from the dead; and there is a space between the time of death and the resurrection. And now, concerning this space of time, what becometh of the souls of men is the thing which I have inquired diligently of the Lord to know; and this is the thing of which I do know. And when the time cometh when all shall rise, then shall they know that God knoweth all the times which are appointed unto man.

Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection—Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life. And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.[3]

I have no assurance in regards to my mother.  I do not know if God judged her righteous and that she is, even now, in a state of paradise where she is resting from all troubles, care and sorrow.  I hope that this is the case, because above all else she craved peace and rest.

Joseph Smith said, “When you climb up a ladder, you must begin at the bottom, and ascend step by step, until you arrive at the top; and so it is with the principles of the gospel—you must begin with the first, and go on until you learn all the principles of exaltation. But it will be a great while after you have passed through the veil before you will have learned them. It is not all to be comprehended in this world; it will be a great work to learn our salvation and exaltation even beyond the grave”[4]

Joseph F. Smith, at the age of 80, had been sick for many months and felt very close to the Spirit of the Lord. On the night of October 3, 1918 while pondering on 1 Peter chapters 3 and 4 concerning Christ’s preaching to the spirits in prison, his eyes were opened and he saw the spirit world. The next day, after the LDS Church General Conference, he dictated the vision to his son, Joseph Fielding Smith.  This vision was later canonized and added to the Doctrine and Covenants in 1976 and is known as section 138.[5]  I believe that Joseph F. Smith really did have this vision.  What is not clear is how much of what is now D&C 138 is a correct interpretation of what God was trying to teach him. There is, in my mind, concern that what was “seen” and “understood” was interpreted and flavored by his belief that the LDS Church was the only true church on the earth as well as the doctrine and beliefs he possessed at the time of the vision. Since there is no voice recording of his dictation to his son, nor other witnesses to the proceeding, there is also concern in my mind as to how much of what is now recorded was enlarged, added upon, etc. by his son, Joseph Fielding Smith’s agenda to strengthen the Brethren’s[6] position in the Church as well as the missionary program of the Church.[7]

One thing I have been learning in life is that when God tries to give us more light and knowledge we invariably interpret it based on our current understanding and therefore we generally interpret things partially or even take them to incorrect conclusions. It must be an enormous task for God to teach us, yet he patiently continues to do so whenever we ask to be taught.

I have lost sleep over the past few weeks worrying about, praying about and asking the Lord to give me comfort in regards to my mother and asking Him to teach me. Slowly, He is teaching me.  I know so very little. I believe that the spirits of all men and women, whether good or evil, are taken back to a world of spirits after their mortal body dies. While there they still have the opportunity to learn about the Savior, to repent of their sins and to believe on His name. Nowhere in scripture can I find that the spirit world is divided into separate spheres.  Rather, I believe that Joseph F. Smith saw one spirit world, much like the world we now live in, there are righteous and good people co-mingled with the proud and rebellious and they that do wickedly.  Those trying to be valiant in their testimony of Jesus hear His voice when he calls to them and find themselves in the light, or in other words, paradise.  Those who cannot hear the Savior are in darkness in this life as well as the next, or in other words, prison. According to Joseph F. Smith’s vision, all spirits look upon the absence of their bodies as a bondage. I believe that the world of spirits resembles the Telestial Kingdom or the world in which we presently reside.  In this life and in the next the only way to be free from the bondage of sin and unbelief is to search for the Savior, to hear Him, to see Him, to know Him.

Christ sends His true messengers to us in this life as well as in the next. Their message is the same: faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ, repentance and baptism.

I hope that my mom has found the peace and joy that can only come through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

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[1] Ecclesiastes 3:1-4

[2] 2 Nephi 28:21 “And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well-and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.

[3] Alma 40:7-12

[4] King Follett discourse

[5] https://rsc.byu.edu/archived/you-shall-have-my-word/obscurity-scripture-joseph-f-smiths-vision-redemption-dead

[6] Referring to the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve

[7] See, in particular, verses 53-57

The Testimony of St. John

In June 1830 Joseph Smith, Jr began a project to re-translate the Bible. The main work of revising, correcting, or translating the Bible was done during the three-year period from June 1830 to July 1833. During this time Joseph and his scribes went through the Old and New Testaments of the King James Version and produced nearly 500 pages of manuscript, containing thousands of variant readings and new passages. On March 7, 1831 Joseph was specifically commanded by the Lord to re-translate the New Testament.

When he was finished it was considered an inspired translation and much of the plain and precious things removed from the Bible were restored. He declared: “I believe the Bible as it read when it came from the pen of the original writers. Ignorant translators, careless transcribers, or designing and corrupt priests have committed many errors.” (DHC, vol. 6, p. 57.)

In May 1833, towards the end of Joseph’s re-translation of the Bible he received a revelation on the testimony of John:

Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am; And that I am the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world; And that I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I are one—The Father because he gave me of his fulness, and the Son because I was in the world and made flesh my tabernacle, and dwelt among the sons of men. I was in the world and received of my Father, and the works of him were plainly manifest. And John saw and bore record of the fulness of my glory, and the fulness of John’s record is hereafter to be revealed.

And it shall come to pass, that if you are faithful you shall receive the fulness of the record of John. I give unto you these sayings that you may understand and know how to worship, and know what you worship, that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive of his fulness. (Doctrine and Covenants 93:1-6; 18-19; emphasis added)

Is this the testimony of John the Baptist or the testimony of John the Beloved or is it John the Beloved writing or revealing the testimony of John the Baptist?

Regardless of whose testimony this is we are given a beautiful promise that if we are faithful we will receive the fullness of the record of John.

Is this a collective “you” or an individual “you”? Can more than one person receive the “fullness of the record of John”?  If so, could their accounts be different based on their hearts, their desires and their own knowledge? If this revelation is received through vision could each person who receives the vision see different things or an emphasis on different things?  (For example Lehi’s vison of the Tree of Live versus Nephi’s vision)

Does the Lord mean that the while Joseph was re-translating the Bible God had not revealed to him the fullness of John’s record?

In May 1833 when the Lord told Joseph that the fullness of John’s record was  yet to be revealed did God mean a new translation from the original Greek or  a revelation?

Sometime in 2016 Denver Snuffer was asked to take a look at a project which a group of individuals were working on to print scriptures which contain, among other writings of Joseph Smith, his inspired translation of the Bible.  Following are Denver’s words on this subject:

"When I was asked to take a look at the project I had the impression that a new translation of John's Gospel was needed and ought to replace the missing texts. I asked a qualified Greek Scholar to undertake that project and he declined. But the impression remained that it needed to be done.

"I made it the subject of prayer and was told to do the work. I spent a few days working with an English-Greek New Testament, the JS Translation of John, and a Greek Lexicon before becoming hopelessly discouraged by the many options and choices. I prayed about it before retiring for the night and essentially quit. I explained that it would take years for me to accomplish this, and that I was not going to be able to solve the riddles of the text. I went to bed assuming I was done with it.

"In the middle of that night I was awakened and given the solution to every dilemma I had been facing in the work on the text. So the next day I continued on from where I had abandoned the work and, to my surprise, everything was opened to my mind so clearly and continuously that the entire project was completed in less than three weeks. The light of heaven opened the material in a way I had never thought of nor had previously attained to in considering the Gospel of John. At times it progressed so rapidly that I was unable to finish one part before the next came rolling out. Many new and different things were added, and at least one thing was dropped entirely because it was not part of John's original composition. Because of the rapid way it rolled out, once I finished the text I went back to clean up a lot of what had been left as incomplete sentences, run-on sentences, missing words (particularly conjunctions) and cryptic or inadequate explanations. The intent of the writer, John, was revealed, including why some things were included in the text and the manner he wrote.

"When it began it was an attempt at a "translation" but by the time it was completed it was clearly a "revelation" and not merely a translation of a text. Therefore the result does not have my name on it, because I cannot claim any credit for the content. I failed in what I was attempting. What resulted came from heaven." Denver Snuffer

In the hours of February 5 to 6, 2017 The Testimony of St. John was quietly and without fanfare or announcement, uploaded to the website denversnuffer.com.

There are differences between this newly revealed account and the inspired version of Joseph Smith, Jr.  Does this mean that one of the men is wrong and the other is right?  Could it be that when Joseph was re-translating God kept hidden the fullness of John as it was not yet time for the fullness to be revealed just as Doctrine and Covenants 93 suggests?

Today there are those who have taken the scriptures seriously, and as a result the Lord is offering more.  We live in amazing times, the Heavens are open for business once again!

Those who have ears will hear:

http://denversnuffer.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/The-Testimony-of-St-John.pdf

What is a Prophet?

What is a prophet?

Most of the Christian world today believes in prophets of the Bible but do not believe that there have been any prophets since the days of the New Testament.

LDS Mormons believe that they are led by a prophet today.

What is a prophet, do they exist today and why do we need them?

The scriptures were given by revelation from God and were, in large part, written by men who knew God. According to scripture the definition of a prophet is a man who has entered into the presence of God and has direct communication with Him, it is a man who has repented, called upon God in the name of the Son, received mercy, been redeemed from the Fall of Adam and entered into the Rest of the Lord.

Redeemed: brought back into the presence of the Lord.

Rest of the Lord: to enter the fullness of His glory, to see His Face and to Know that He lives!

The Bible for Christians and the Book of Mormon for LDS Mormons are full of examples of men who have had this experience:  Adam down through the patriarchs; Jesus Christ down through the apostles; Lehi down through Moroni.  These men were called by God, not by men; they were ordained by God and not by men.

Now Melchizedek was a man of faith, who wrought righteousness; and when a child he feared God, and stopped the mouths of lions, and quenched the violence of fire. And thus, having been approved of God, he was ordained an high priest after the order of the covenant which God made with Enoch, It being after the order of the Son of God; which order came, not by man, nor the will of man; neither by father nor mother; neither by beginning of days nor end of years; but of God; And it was delivered unto men by the calling of his own voice, according to his own will, unto as many as believed on his name. (Genesis 14:26-29 Inspired version of the Bible)

Once a man has entered into the presence of the Lord he then labors to cry repentance to the people, teaching them that they also can receive mercy, be redeemed and enter into the Rest of the Lord.  These men do not point to themselves. They do not fair sumptuously while poor Lazarus starves.  They do not set themselves up as a light to the World.  They point to Christ!  For there is none other whereby man can be saved but by and through the Savior, Jesus Christ!

Do prophets exist today and if so why do we need them?

The bible gives us a litmus test for prophets: by their fruits ye shall know them.  If the bible gives us a litmus test, then it must necessarily follow that there will be both false and true prophets that we will need to discern between in our lifetime.

Therefore, it is up to each of us to study the words and teachings of men and choose for ourselves if he is a prophet. How can we know? By their fruits we shall know them.  What are the fruits of a prophet?  The man will have words of eternal life.  His words will be delicious to the taste. They will point us to Christ and by following their words we will receive mercy and be able to stand in Christ’s presence while still in mortality. Prophets cannot give us salvation.  Prophets cannot forgive us of sin.  The only thing a prophet can do is show us the way back into the presence of Christ where we will then receive salvation and forgiveness of sin.

I believe in the prophets of the Bible.  I believe in the prophets of the Book of Mormon. I have studied the words of Joseph Smith, Jr and have found him to be a prophet.  Joseph Smith taught that it is the first principle of the Gospel to know that we can speak to God face to face and that this is not a blessing reserved for the elite but is offered to all mankind, even as many as will. (TPJS pg. 345)

I have studied the words of the men which the Mormons claim to be prophets since the time of Joseph Smith, Jr and have found for myself that they are pretenders.  From Brigham Young down to Thomas Monson today, none of these men have entered into the presence of the Lord, none of them have words of eternal life. They are the blind leading the blind and all will end up in the ditch.

God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Therefore, we can trust God that there are prophets among us today.  If we are seeking this Jesus of whom the prophets testify then we must seek for true messengers from the Father to teach us.  They are out there. God follows patterns.  God calls the humble, the fishers, the carpenters, the farm boys.  It is generally said of a prophet, “a wild man has come among us.”

The Lord has promised that:

It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am (Doctrine and Covenants 93:1)

And now, I would commend you to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written, that the grace of God the Father, and also the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of them, may be and abide in you forever. Amen. (Ether 12:41)

I am seeking this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written.  I am seeking for words of eternal life. I am seeking for true messengers from the Father to teach me. I have found some and their fruits are delicious to the taste. I hope to continue to find more.  Their words serve to turn me to face Christ, to repent and to be baptized.  Their words give me an increase in faith. Their words give me a more correct understanding of the character, perfections and attributes of God. I am indebted to the revelations which God has given to us for a correct understanding of His character, perfections, and attributes. Because without the revelations which He has given to us, no man by searching could find out God (see Job 11;7–9). “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God” (1 Cor 2:9–1 1).

The Book of Mormon: Fact or Fiction?

The Book of Mormon: Fact or Fiction?

There are some who believe that the Book of Mormon is fiction, written by an uneducated farm boy named Joseph Smith, Jr.

There are some who believe that the Book of Mormon is fact, translated from ancient records written in reformed Egyptian by an uneducated farm boy named Joseph Smith, Jr. in a 3 month time period from April to June of 1829.

There are some who believe that the Book of Mormon is inspired fiction, written by an uneducated farm boy named Joseph Smith, Jr.

Does it matter if the Book of Mormon is fact or fiction or inspired fiction?  Does it matter as long as the main purpose of the Book of Mormon is to teach about Christ and to bring a person closer to Christ?

I believe that it does matter.  I believe that the Book of Mormon is fact.  I believe that it is a history of a people who were taken out of Jerusalem by the hand of God and brought to the American continent.  I believe that because this family was taken out of Jerusalem before the great Babylonian siege and desolation that the Book of Mormon contains the most pure record of God’s dealings with mankind and the gospel of Jesus Christ than any other book currently in existence.  I believe the warnings and blessings promised in this book.  I believe that this book is a guidebook for the common man or woman on how to get back into the presence of God, while in the flesh.  Furthermore, I believe that the Book of Mormon is God’s love, mercy and fullness.

The Book of Mormon is feared by many Christians because they assume that if you believe in the teachings contained within that book that you must necessarily believe in and become a member of the LDS Mormon Church.  This is not true!  The Mormon Church does not own the Book of Mormon!  God does!  It is God’s book and while the LDS Mormon Church has done a great service to mankind by printing and distributing the book in the past, this book is now available from other sources outside the LDS Mormon Church.  The Book of Mormon is God’s book and is no longer owned by any institution and is easily and readily available for any soul seeking to know their Lord and their Redeemer, even Jesus Christ.  A quick search of the internet shows sources where you can purchase this book for relatively little cost outside the LDS Mormon Church and with no strings attached.

Come, read this book for yourself and see if you find this Jesus of whom the prophets testified would come into this world in order to save all mankind.  It is, after all, Christ’s work and His glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

Malachi 3, part 2

Malachi 3:2-3

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 fullers’ soap:

 3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.

This scripture refers to Christ’s second coming.  This verse tells us that when Christ appears He shall be like a refiner’s fire and like fuller’s soap; the refiner (Christ) will use fire to burn off the dross and purify the precious metal (His children). Similarly the fuller (Christ) will use soap to clean the wool and remove the impurities so that what is left is pure.  During the second coming of Christ all that do wickedly shall be burned as stubble.[1]  Who in the modern churches is Christ referring to when he states that he will “purify the sons of Levi”?  If this is referring to the purification of all church leaders in all denominations who claim to have a portion of Christ’s priesthood, how will the purification look and why does it need to be done?  Can it be possible that church leaders of various and sundry denominations have strayed from the ordinances of God and polluted His holy church thereby requiring purification and purging so that an acceptable offering done in righteousness can be performed?[2]

Malachi 3:4-5

 4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years.

 5 And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers[3], and against the adulterers[4], and against false swearers[5], and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right[6], and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts.

Christ alone will be the judge of all mankind.  Christ is the keeper of the gate[7]; no man entereth into His Father’s kingdom but by Him![8]  He alone will judge us.  He will be swift in his witness against those who have done evil in His sight of which they have not repented.  He alone knows the desires of our hearts. “And the King shall answer and say unto them, verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”[9]  This list of behaviors for which we will be judged bears deep consideration.[10]

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[1] Matthew 3:12; 13:30; Luke 3:17; JST Matthew 3:39 (KJV)

[2] Isaiah 24: 5-6  The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.

Doctrine and Covenants 13: 1 Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness.

Burton, Alma P Discourses of the Prophet Joseph Smith 1977 “ These sacrifices, as well as every ordinance belonging to the Priesthood, will, when the Temple of the Lord shall be built, and the sons of Levi be purified, be fully restored and attended to in all their powers, ramifications, and blessings. This ever did and ever will exist when the powers of the Melchizedek Priesthood are sufficiently manifest; else how can the restitution of all things spoken of by the Holy Prophets be brought to pass. It is not to be understood that the law of Moses will be established again with all its rites and variety of ceremonies; this has never been spoken of by the prophets; but those things which existed prior to Moses’ day, namely, sacrifice, will be continued.”

[3] Blank, Wayne “What is Sorcery?”, 2012

The word "sorcery" originated from the Latin word, sortiarius, which meant one who sorts, as in casts lots with the assistance of evil spirits. The King James Version uses "sorcery," "sorcerer," or "sorceress" to translate a number of Hebrew and Greek words, some of which apply as much to pseudo-sciences (e.g. astrology, alchemy) as other heathen religions. The Hebrew word, pronounced kaw-shawf, means to whisper, or to enchant (to "cast a spell over someone or something; to put a hex on someone or something"), the Hebrew word, pronounced kawsh-shawf, or kheh-shef means a magician or magic, the Hebrew word, pronounced awn-nawn, means to cover, or to cloud over, as in to behave in a hidden manner i.e. occult, from which the word cult originated, the Greek word pronounced far-mak-yoos, means to drug; the present-day respectable words pharmacy and pharmacist originated from that Greek word, which originally referred to people who used drugs or narcotics to poison or control people

[4] Jesus extended the definition of adultery to include sexual relations between a married man and a woman other than his wife (Mark 10:11-12, Luke 16:18). Other New Testament teachings also understand it that way (1 Corinthians 6:15-16, 1 Corinthians 7:2 ). Jesus enlarged the concept when he taught, “whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” Matthew 5:28 (KJV)

[5] Willfully and knowingly giving a false statement; this may also refer to taking the name of the Lord in vain which, in part, means to claim to speak for God when He has given you no such errand

[6] This condemnation is to ANYONE, church leader or lay member who “fares sumptuously” while poor Lazarus starves (Luke 16:19-31, KJV); taking advantage of another in any way in order to obtain more for themselves; any church or church leader who oppresses the poor through the collection of tithes; Alma taught that those who have not (the poor) do not need to give but instead that they should be given (Mosiah 18:27)

[7] 2 Nephi 9:41 O then, my beloved brethren, come unto the Lord, the Holy One. Remember that his paths are righteous. Behold, the way for man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him, and the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name.

[8] John 14: 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (KJV)

[9] Matthew 25:41 (Holy Scriptures, Inspired Version)

[10] Doctrine and Covenants 76:98-106 includes a part of this list in the definition of who will inherit a telestial kingdom

Malachi 3, part 1

Malachi 3

2 Corinthians 2:17 “Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.” (NIV)

“Experience supplies painful proof that traditions once called into being are first called useful, then they become necessary.  At last they are too often made idols, and all must bow down to them or be punished.” J.C. Ryle, 19th Century English Writer and Minister[1]

“All truth passes through three stages.  First, it is ridiculed.  Second, it is violently opposed.  Third, it is accepted as self-evident.”  Arthur Schopenhauer, 19th century German Philosopher[2]

Malachi 3 is one of the most quoted yet one of the most misunderstood chapters in the Old Testament. It is popular scripture repeated numerous Sundays each year in various congregations all over the world to encourage congregants to give generously, in financial dollars which are called “tithes”, in order to support and sustain their leaders and their church properties.  This is a chapter rich in meaning, rich in warning and rich in blessings and promises.  It is unfortunate that only a small segment is quoted repeatedly when this chapter teaches and expounds some of the greatest blessings the Lord offers to man.

Malachi 3:1

1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.

What qualifies an individual to act as the Lord’s messenger? What would the message sound like?  How can you test the message and the messenger to know they are from God?[3]  God has given us a litmus test; “by their fruits ye shall know them” [4] What are the fruits messengers need to bear?  There have always been and will continue to be both true and false messengers. It is up to us to study their messages and decide for ourselves if they are sent from Him.  This is worth careful study, pondering and prayer. We should have to choose. We should have to test a messenger and their message.  God has made Himself directly known to prophets of old.  He did so with Abraham in Genesis 15:1; and Jacob/Israel in Genesis 46:2; in numbers 12:6.  God has said that He would do so with any authentic prophet.[5]

God does not abandon His children, therefore, He has either already sent or He will send us the messenger spoken of in this verse.  One of the tests this messenger must pass is that of preparing the way for Christ’s return.  He will accomplish this in the same way John the Baptist did: through preaching repentance and baptism and helping turn us away from following false idols to follow Christ. The verse continues “the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger of the covenant.” We are the temple of God.[6]  Christ suddenly coming to His temple is no more and no less than His personal appearance to an individual.  Thus, when we are searching for this true messenger and testing their message one of the tell-tale signs will be that this messenger has had the Lord appear to him.  We are promised that through this messenger the Lord will re-establish His covenant.  The message will bear the weight of scrutiny.  It will be a message that all who seek Jesus should take the time to discover, explore, study, ponder and decide upon.[7]

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[1]Viola and Barna, Pagan Christianity: Exploring the Roots of our Church Practices” 2012

[2] Viola and Barna, Pagan Christianity: Exploring the Roots of our Church Practices” 2012

[3] Sonntag, Robert “What is a Prophet”, 2014; see the article at this link http://secondcomforter.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/What-is-a-Prophet-10.30.2014.pdf

[4] Matthew 7:16, 20 (KJV)

[5] Snuffer, Denver “Baptism is Mandatory”, Aug 25, 2015

[6] 1 Corinthians 3:16 “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” see also 1 Corinthians 6:19 “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?”

[7] See http://denversnuffer.com/