Taking in the Refugees.....Needed Salvation for Ourselves

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In the book of Alma in the Book of Mormon, the poor of the Zoramites who were cast out of their land went with Alma to the land of Jershon,*  There these refugees were taken in and given food and clothing and lands for their inheritance,  They weren't just given temporary aid but they were welcomed as brothers and sisters and permanently assimilated into the society of the people of Ammon who had once been Lamanite refugees themselves and were given lands by the Nephites.

8 Now the people of the Zoramites were angry with the people of Ammon who were in Jershon, and the chief ruler of the Zoramites, being a very wicked man, sent over unto the people of Ammon desiring them that they should cast out of their land all those who came over from them into their land.
9 And he breathed out many threatenings against them.  And now the people of Ammon did not fear their words; therefore they did not cast them out, but they did receive all the poor of the Zoramites that came over unto them; and they did nourish them, and did clothe them, and did give unto them lands for their inheritance; and they did administer unto them according to their wants.

(Book of Mormon | Alma 35:6 - 9)

Today there are 60 million refugees in the world, many who are women and children.  Almost entire populations from some areas are shifting in mass around the globe.  It seems that the Lord has a work to do, that his hand in some way is involved.  Who knows what purposes are being fulfilled through this massive migration!

In the mean time we have the opportunity to reach out and succor those who stand in need.  Perhaps the greater blessing and rescue is for those us who are materially secure and self-absorbed in an unending stream of self-aggrandizement and pleasure seeking.  Perhaps the opportunity to forget ourselves and share of our substance is drastically needed salvation for ourselves and will aid in lifting our own condemnation.

It is interesting to note that in the previous chapter Alma and Amulek had taught the following to the wealthy and affluent Zoramites, most of which rejected their words.  It was the poor among them who received the messsage of salvation from these servants of God.

28 And now behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, do not suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need—I say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold, your prayer is vain, and availeth you nothing, and ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith.
29 Therefore, if ye do not remember to be charitable, ye are as dross, which the refiners do cast out, (it being of no worth) and is trodden under foot of men.

(Book of Mormon | Alma 34:28 - 29)

A few of the many pictures documenting the refugees plight.

https://www.lds.org/refugees?lang=eng&cid=rdb_v_IWasAStranger_eng_IWasAStranger#

http://www.sltrib.com/home/3719210-155/new-mormon-program-brings-surge-in

*Side note: The name, (Jershon)  though not found in the Bible, has an authentic Hebrew origin, the root *YRŠ meaning “to inherit,” with the suffix -ôn that denotes place-names, and may have the meaning “place of inheritance.”  Stephen D. Ricks, "A Nickname and a Book of Mormon Slam Dunk: Notes on the Book of Mormon names, Zeezrom and Jershon."

Seeking the Promised Gifts.....

George Q. Cannon

A needed challenge for all of us.  We have too great a tendency towards complacency.

President George Q. Cannon Wrote:

"How many of you are seeking for these gifts that God has promised to bestow?  How many of you, when you bow before your heavenly Father in your family circle or in your secret places, contend for these gifts to be bestowed upon you?  How many of you ask the Father in the name of Jesus to manifest Himself to you through these powers and these gifts?  Or do you go along day by day like a door turning on its hinges, without having any feeling upon the subject, without exercising any faith whatever, content to be baptized and be members of the Church and to rest there, thinking that your salvation is secure because you have done this?"

"I say unto you, in the name of the Lord, as one of His servants, that you have need to repent of this.  You have need to repent of your hardness of heart, of your indifference and of your carelessness.  There is not that diligence, there is not that faith, there is not that seeking for the power of God that there should be among a people who have received the precious promises we have."

George Q. Cannon,  "Receiving Gifts of the Spirit,"  Matthew B. Brown, pg. 25

The Glory of God vs Personal Aggrandizement

Greatest in the Kingdom by J. Kirk Richards

1 THESE words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:

(New Testament | John 17:1)

Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor.


(Pearl of Great Price | Moses 4:1)

The only legitimacy in receiving glory unto ourselves is so that we may glorify the Father, and as the Father's work and glory is to bring about the eternal life and immortality of mankind, using what small degree of praise and honor we receive in this life, for whatever reason, to serve God's children in humility allows us to not be taken in by our own quite small successes.

2 But, behold, my Beloved Son, which was my Beloved and Chosen from the beginning, said unto me—Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever.

(Pearl of Great Price | Moses 4:1 - 2)

Believing in God Unto Repenatance

Baptism by J. Kirk Richards

3 For he did cry from the morning, even until the going down of the sun, exhorting the people to believe in God unto repentance lest they should be destroyed, saying unto them that by faith all things are fulfilled—

(Book of Mormon | Ether 12:3)

It is one thing to believe in God.  It is another thing to believe in God unto repentance.  

"I AM the True Vine....."

1 I AM the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4 Abide in me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

(New Testament | John 15:1 - 8)

As disciples of Jesus Christ, we must bear fruit.  And to bear fruit we must abide in the true vine.  We are not brought into the fold of God as ends in and of ourselves but something needs to come of our discipleship other than only going through the motions or just enjoying our "privileged" status as one who knows.  And not only does the Lord expect us to bring forth fruit, he will also purge us in order that we might bear more fruit. 

The fruit is the end result of the season's labors and what is it's purpose?.  Is it meant to hang there until it drops to the ground to perish back into the soil?  The fruit fills the measure of it's creation when it nourishes the life of another and if it does drop back into the ground it contains the seeds to create a greatly multiplied harvest the following season.  In the end the fruit is meant to sustain and create as much life as possible.  Followers of Christ abiding in him nourish those around them with truth and light and service and strength.  We bear fruit as we choose to "act" in the kingdom of God with others in mind.  Being a follower of Christ is more than just a profession of belief.

If we truly abide in Christ then we will be known by our fruits and they will be life giving.  If we detach ourselves from the vine purposely by choice or inadvertently by inattention or diversion we will have no power to bear the fruit of salvation.  

Sometimes I hear or read opinions that being Christian is all about love and acceptance seemingly disconnected from sacrifice, commandments and responsibilities.  Obvious Jesus was holding up some significant expectations for his followers in these verses. 

Gratitude for Trials.....

Trials Archive-Loveumentary.com

Letter to my missionaries:

"I had an "ah ha" today in sacrament meeting.  I was thinking about life's struggles and difficulties and trials and for a second I had a clear picture that when we get to the other side we will be extremely grateful for them as we would be very disappointed to have gone through life on easy street without having had these experiences which are the purpose for our coming to earth. We would feel cheated if we went through life without them.  I think of the D&C scripture that tells us to be thankful in all things.  I wonder if we truly thanked the Lord for our difficulties and weaknesses and for what they teach us, if we would be taught some unique things"   

"I am praying and hoping that you will have contacts to teach who will be blessed by the message.  Put it in the Lord's hands.  It is his work.  If you think of his striving with mankind through all the generations and how many thousands of years he has been working with his children you realize he has great patience.  Even when he was here on the earth in person it was a struggle to get people to see the light.  It has never been easy but his hand is stretched out still and you are a part of that stretched out hand extending the offer again and again. " 

19 And he who receiveth all things with thankfulnessshall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more.  (Doctrine and Covenants Sec. 78)

Likening Isaiah 30 - "...speak unto us smooth things,"

 1 Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin:

9 That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord:

 10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:

 11 Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.

 12 Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel, Because ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon:

 13 Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant

 14 And he shall break it as the breaking of the potters’ vessel that is broken in pieces; he shall not spare: so that there shall not be found in the bursting of it a sherd to take fire from the hearth, or to take water withal out of the pit.

Is this us?  Do we walk with an appearance of having the gospel in our lives but in reality it is a covering that is superficial and not of the spirit, that we may continue on in our own paths and lay aside the Lord's counsel? 

I hear many voices from various camps that are telling the seers to not see and the prophets to not prophecy right things because the things the prophets are saying are not in agreement with political correctness and personal agendas.  Do we want smooth things so we can continue to pursue our own traditions and philosophies and/or not offend our associates.  Do we want the prophets to be "on the right side of history," (a futuristic version of revisionist history!:)  Or, do we believe that all is well in Zion, that Zion propsereth and we have no need to change.  Or, do we trust in the arm of flesh more than in the arm of the lord.  

The Lord warns us that this false premise cannot last and will be broken as a potter's vessel which will not be able to carry fire from the hearth or water from the well.  Thus we become unable to hold the spiritual fire of the holy ghost or the living waters from the wells of salvation, and are not nourished and watered by the spirit and we languish in spiritual malnutrition or we leave the well altogether.  Sobering thoughts.