Stand By Him

Knowing the time drew near in which he would be betrayed, abandoned and crucified, Jesus informed his disciples they would flee and leave him alone saying, “all ye shall be offended because of me this night”. Peter undaunted, emphatically protested, “though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.” (Matt 26:31;33) The Savior, gently but firmly corrected his zealous disciple declaring, "verily I say unto thee, that this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice". Peter however, continued to confidently assure the Lord of his faithfulness replying, "though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny...

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Bring Forth Zion

The Lord has given us the commandment to “seek to bring forth and establish… Zion” (D&C 14:6). In order to accomplish this we must have a clear understanding of what Zion is and what steps we must take in order to establish it. Zion is heaven on earth. It is a group of our Heavenly Father’s children living together in perfect unity and righteousness. In fact the Lord has said that, “Zion cannot be built up unless it is by the principles of the law of the celestial kingdom; otherwise I cannot receive her unto myself” (D&C 105:1-6). Zion is celestial in nature. Groups of faithful saints throughout history have succeeded in building...

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A Beautiful Word And A Marvelous Refuge

When Wayfarer contacted me about writing for the blog, I wasn't sure where to start. What subject will interest people? What wisdom do I really have to share? I decided to make my first contribution about something all of us can benefit from, indeed THE key to all the problems plaguing us. The topic I have chosen is repentance. Before you groan, and move along I'd like you to consider the negative feelings you might associate with the word repent. I'll get you started with some negative words that have come to my mind when I’ve thought of the word repent: Guilt Sorrow Shame Punishment Sadness Hurt We could probably all list dozens of words...

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Book Review: The Law By Frederic Bastiat

Aside from the scriptures, I can think of no writing that I would recommend more wholeheartedly than Frederic Bastiat's The Law. Written in the 1850's, perhaps the biggest hurdle for the modern reader will be getting accustomed to the somewhat archaic and yet elegant style. Yet despite that, the ideas are presented with a clarity and logic that is easily understood, enlightens the mind and arouses the spirit.What is The Law? It is nothing more than an expose of what makes a good government good, and why straying from those principles – even for seemingly good purposes – must always end badly. He also poses some ideas that will be challenging...

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Primer on Sacrifice

There is a distinct pattern that can be found in the scriptures detailing the manner in which faith is developed. This pattern was established before the foundation of the world and has not changed from the dispensation of Adam down to this, the dispensation of the fullness of times. This is namely, the pattern of sacrifice. Joseph Smith taught this principle saying, “A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has the power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation.” (Lectures on Faith, p.69) Here the Prophet explains the direct connection between what we are willing to sacrifice and our level...

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The Political Measuring Stick

How do we prioritize and measure political goals and progress? Are we more free today than yesterday? Are we wealthier and more prosperous than yesterday? Do we reap the fruit of our labors? Are our representatives (politicians) engaged in good causes? Do we measure our politicians against a fixed position or against fundamental principles? Or do we sway back and forth with the whims and passions of the moment…Reagan, Bush Sr., Bill Clinton, Bush Jr., and now Obama says he’s going to bring about change and since we don’t like our current position we’ll vote for him? Now that we’ve gone a ways with Obama and he doesn’t appear to be delivering...

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