One Small Candle

If it was tough reading through my three previous posts, just imagine how tough it was to live through them! Truth is, many of the passengers and sailors didn't make it; half of them had died by April of 1621, beginning shortly after their first joyous sighting of land. One Small Candle gave me a deeper appreciation of the sacrifices, faith and courage of the Pilgrims. They rank right up there with Lehi's family leavingJerusalem, and the pioneers crossing the plains!Their trials were by no means over when they landed. Maybe I'll continue their story next Thanksgiving. But for now it's enough to say that I love them and am grateful for learning more about their inspiring lives.

Another thing that jumps out at me is that even though a journey, an assignment, a calling, a marriage, a life, etc., etc. is ordained of God, it does not mean the going will be easy. It's a myth that if something is "meant-to-be", things will fall smoothly into place. There are divine reasons for the trying of our faith, character, patience, and obedience. Darn it!!!

I'll bid farewell to my new-found Pilgrim friends with these words from William Bradford:

"As one small candle may light a thousand, so the light kindled here has shown unto many, yea in some sort to our whole nation. ... We have noted these things so that you might see their worth and not negligently lose what your fathers have obtained with so much hardship."

Make A Joyful Noise Unto The Lord

Morning on November 9 was no different from the other mornings since they had come aboard. Abovedeck the crew plodded through their routines. Out of the west came a curious gull, to dip and weave above the weary freighter. An old salt scrubbing down the deck vowed he could smell land. A seaman pointed to the changing color of the water -- indigo blue had blended into emerald. Another good sign. Land was close, and they had better begin to take soundings. In a few moments the hiss and plop of the lead line was followed by the singsong call of twenty, thirty, forty, fifty fathoms. Then a sudden break in the sleepy chant and the excited bellow: "Andbottom at eighty fathoms, sir!"

Land. It was there, beneath the Mayflower's encrusted keel, the continent of North America, reaching out into the sea to welcome them. The sun was making the ship'sworn sails gleam as if woven with gold. Then from the maintop lookout burst the cry that passengers and crew had been hearing in their dreams for weeks.

L-A-N-D HO! L-A-N-D HO!

Ding dong, ding dong, ding dong went the ship's bell. It was seven o'clock on the morning of November 9. Shouts of joy and tears of relief mingled. Many fell on their knees and thanked God with simple spontaneity. William Brewster suggested a song of gladness and gratitude, and from the Mayflower soared the words of Psalm100.

Shout to Jehovah, all the earth

Serve you Jehovah with gladness

Before him come with singing mirth

Know that Jehovah he God is

It's he that made us, not we

His folk and sheep of his feeding

O with confession enter ye

His gates, his courtyards with praising.

Confess to him, bless you his name

Because Jehovah he good is

His mercy ever is the same

And his faith, unto all ages.

Excerpts from the book by Thomas J. Fleming,

ONE SMALL CANDLE

The Pilgrims' First Year In America

Perils Intensify

At this season of the year, heavy weather on the Atlantic was inevitable. Finally it came, the cold breath of the Arctic, tearing down the long reach of white-capped sea. "All hands, all hands," roared the boatswain's mate. Into the shrouds went the shivering seamen, while others heaved on the groaning, squealing yards. Aboard the old square-riggers, sails were furled by hoisting, never an easy job, and worse now with the wind tearing at them. Then came the job of lashing them, sixty feet above the careening ocean.

The masts swayed crazily against the lowering sky, and the bow lifted hesitantly over first one swell and then a second, and finally a third gave her no chance to come up and she plowed into the heart of the onrushing mountain of water, which came thundering over the forecastle. Now sea after sea broke over the old ship, sending her reeling first to the port and then to the starboard. Belowdeck the passengers huddled together praying for God's help. To make matters worse, the pounding seas opened all the seams in the Mayflower's upper works, and with every wave, freezing water cascaded down upon the hapless passengers. The weary ship plunged down, down into immense hollows of water, fighting her way up the other side, while the foaming ocean stormed over every inch of her decks.

At such times even sailors prayed.But still the wind thundered and the ocean smashed at their ship. Another monstrous wave boome down, and with the crash of a cannon shot, a main beam amidship cracked and buckled. Pandemonium now, both from men and weather. Water gushed through new openings, and the terrified passengers huddled against the ship's sides to escape it. Would their makeshift repairs hold? Should they turn back now, halfway over, or go forward?All eyes turned to Captain Christopher Jones. The mates had given their opinions, but they did not really count. It was the captain who must decide -- and their lives hung in the balance between his courage and his prudence. True, wind and weather would be more favorable on a run back to England. But the old ship was still solid under the water, and that was what counted. He had seen her through bad weather before. She was a solid, dependable old girl, and he was ready to swear by her for a few more years, at least. A deep sigh of relief ran through the listening passengers.

Then a new crisis. Cries of pain from the Great Cabin. Elizabeth Hopkins was in labor. Neither she nor her husband ever expected to have their child during an Atlantic gale. By every sane calculation, they should have been in the New World by now.Childbirth was dangerous enough, but in a damp, foul cabin, without heat or warm water -- no, it was better not to think about what might happen. William Brewster suggested they join in prayers for Elizabeth, and the Leyden exiles and the London strangers knelt together while the quiet, steady voice of the ruling elder led them in asking help for her. Then Mary Brewster came out of the cabin holding a small bundle in her arms, a lusty yowling baby boy. Stephen Hopkins promptly named the new arrival Oceanus.

The birth cheered everyone. Even the sailors regarded it as a good omen, and vowed that land could not be far away now. But the Atlantic was not through with them yet. As the tenth week at sea drew to a close, William Butten, a husky twenty-two-year-old, took to his bunk complaining of a terrible weakness. One moment he was pouring sweat, unable to tolerate a blanket over him, the next he was shivering with a tremendous chill. Then came agonizing pain, stabbing lances of fire in his arms and legs, and a terrible, nameless fear. It was the first case of scurvvy, soon complicated by pneumonia. The trapped voyagers sat in the darkness listening to his rasping struggle for life. William Brrewster led them in prayers once more. But this time the Atlantic would not be denied. Before morning Butten was dead.

It was a time for prayer and pleading. This death would be the first of many if they did not get off the Mayflower soon. Belowdeck there were ominous signs of trouble.Men were complaining of swollen legs; one or two women were in their bunks with WilliamButten's chills and torpor. The young men and boys were particularly bad. Perhaps they, as well as Butten, had been careless of their diets, disliking the lemon juiceand dried fruit recommended by shipboard veterans as an antidote to scurvy.

Excerpts from the book by Thomas J. Fleming

ONE SMALL CANDLE

The Pilgrims' First Year In America

Perilous Pilgrimage

It was August 5, 1620, already late in the year for a voyage to the New World. It would have been far better to have left in the late spring, when the Atlantic winds were more favorable, and arrived in time to build houses and explore the country in mild summer weather. Even so, with a good crossing they could still arrive by earlyOctober, and have some kind of shelter before the worst of winter came.

But not even this mild share of good fortune was to be theirs. Two ships, the Mayflower and the Speedwell, set out to cross the ocean, but twice, they were forced to turnback to make repairs on the leaky Speedwell. At length, it was determined she was altogether unseaworthy, and the Mayflower began the voyage for the third time, alone.By now it was September 6, and they could look forward to arriving on a savage coastat the beginning of winter. With the delays, they had already consumed all the provisions they had calculated for the voyage. Now they were eating food that they might need to stay alive after they landed.

A "fine small gale" sent theMayflower bounding out upon the North Atlantic at a six-or seven-knot pace. A welcome gift, but it had its dark side. Almost everyone promptly became seasick. With sanitation facilities limited to buckets and 102 passengers, including some 34 children aboard, life belowdeck must have been anything but pleasant.To add to the bedlam, there were two dogs aboard, a husky mastiff and a small spaniel.

Even without the minor irritations created by dogs and children, the pasengers and the crew were poorly matched. The average sailor of 1620 was an illiterate, profane brawler with nothing but contempt for landlubbers. They took special pleasure in bawling oaths and profanities at the top of their lungs. One sailor, described byWilliam Bradford as a "proud and very profane young man, of a lusty able body, which made him the more haughty," was particularly nasty. "He would always be condemning the poor people in their sickness, and cursing them daily with grievous execrations, and did not let to tell them that he hoped to help to cast half of them overboard before they came to their journey's end, and make merry with what they had."They were at sea a little more than two weeks, when this proud and profane young man was inexplicably stricken with a sudden disease. In the space of a few days, he died "in a desperate manner," raving and cursing to his last breath. The other sailors were more than a little appalled by the sudden demise of their champion, and for the rest of the voyage no one in the crew was inclined to taunt or torment thepassengers with such uninhibited malice.

If their food was typical of other sailing ships, there were always a multitude of insects burrowing through it -- little brown grubs, weavils, and maggots. Rats, too, were certain to be prevalent, and they would also leave their unpleasant deposits in the food. The range of food available was not wide. The only way to preservemeat was to salt it or to pickle it in brine. Beef, pork, and fish, thus treated, were on the menu, along with biscuits made of wheat flour and dried pea flour. Mush, oatmeal, and pease pudding were also occasionally available. They may have had pease soup or a lobscouse, a thick stew containing chunks of salt meat. Soup was always welcome because it gave the diners something to soften their biscuits in -- after a few weeks they became as hard as cannon balls. For a treat, there may have been burgoo, oatmeal sweetened with molasses, or doughboys, dumplings of wet flour boiled in pork fat, or best of all, pplum duff, a suet pudding containing raisins or prunes.

All of this was washed down with quantities of beer. No one in 1620 would drink water except as a last desperate recource. The best medical opinion held that it was injurious to health and often fatal. Aboard ship, water was carried in charred casks. For the first few weeks at sea, it would stink so foully that no one could gag down a mouthful. But after another week or two it cleared and became relatively odorless, though somewhat slimy.

Excerpts from the book by Thomas J. Flemming

ONE SMALL CANDLE

The Pilgrims' First Year In America

Jujubean: The Fairest Bean in All the Land

Names in order
Back row: Jim (standing)
Front row left to right:
Jenny, Bonnie, Julie, Jamie, Becky

Long, long ago, in a far away land, a sweet baby girll skipped among the stars, danced across the moon, and slid down the rainbow, right into the hearts and home of her eagerly awaiting family. A little of the magic of her entrance into the world still clings to her these many years hence. Peacemaker, confidant, righter of wrongs, first to lend a helping hand and last to leave, we celebrate the birthday of Julie Anne, aka Jujubean, this day!

Truly, there is no one like Julie. Her caring compassion and creativity are boundless. Former President Bill Clinton popularized the words, "I feel your pain," but Julie epitomizes them. When I described my first meeting with my counselor to her a few weeks ago, she asked, "Did you tell her about ---- (mentioning the name of a family member)?" "No," I replied. "Well, did you tell her about ---- (another family member)?" Again, I answered in the negative. I share her concerns, but apparently not to the same extent that she feels them. She has much in common with the Savior, in that she is able to take upon herself the burdens and pains of others. At the same time, she is cheerful, optimistic, and laughs often.

Besides the little book I gave you for your birthday when you wer here last week, Julie, I have one more gift for you. No more tears. I don't want to add any more burdens for your tender heart to carry. For the rest of my days, I will be laughing all the way.

7Up

Colin's home! Home from a two year church mission in Washington DC and parts of Maryland.Can you tell there was a whole lotta huggin' goin' on! He was a little taken aback by Girlfriends #1, #2, and #3 (one of whom he'd never met) who joined us in welcoming him at the airport. Thanks for being such good sports, Jennie, Kirsten, and Tori!






Greg and Neil announced their arrival with a sudden burst of explosions at the front and back doors the next afternoon. When their fireworks detonated, I was seated near the front door reading, and I jumped up and ran to the family room, momentarily startled. Then I wised up, "Hey, it's Greg and Neil!" That's a little something they picked up from Dan. He used to do the same thing to his mom when the boys were small. What goes around comes around, I reckon. Kimball landed about 11:30 PM after an eight hour stay in the Denver airport. Dan and I got trapped there overnight last Jan. so we could heartily sympathize with him.

The next day it was time to get serious about putting the final touches on Shane'sEagle court of honor. We were hoping Ethan and Missy would make it in time, but they called and said they were still in TriCities, WA, around four o'clock. I gaveGreg a couple of ideas for a talk, and found a song for Colin to sing. Dan made the hot cocoa, Shane picked up the Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Kimball, Greg, Neil andShane hauled in some wood from the Hobsons, built a roaring fire, set up chairs, and we were ready for business. Ha, in the midst of this flurry of activity, just ten minutes after Missy called with the disappointing news that they wouldn't arrive in time, they showed up at the door! With very little preparation, Greg gave a wonderful, funny talk, featuring Shane's earliest attempts at driving. (He was three years old, and he hit our house....twice!) Shane's great chipmunk hunt was also described, followed by a hilarious story from the outdoor humorist, Patrick McManus. Great job, Greg, tis sure'n you have the gift of Irish blarney! Next, Colin sang For the Beauty of the Earth. My heart was full of thoughts of Jordan when he came to the third verse:

For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth, and friends above,
For all gentle thoughts and mild,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.






Missy and Brianna were up bright and early the next morning, off to a yoga class together. Shane had been asked to the annual high school Harvest dance, so he was swept off to do some horseback riding, painting of ceramics, dining and dancing. The rest of us spent what always feels to me like sacred moments visiting the cemetery. Our Jordan's headstone was set in place just two weeks beforehand, and everyone approved of its selection. We read a psalm that has special meaning for us, Psalm 136, and had a family prayer there as well. I know Jordan would have loved being with all his brothers this weekend. I don't know how these things work, but I hope and pray he felt our great love for him throughout every second.

Missy made her famous guacamole and sallad for us, along with a new to us soup recipe from the Olive Garden, Zuppa Toscana. The guys spent a good deal of time playing video games, and they even got in some shooting. Greg and Neil came packing heat. Brooklyn and Lilly were little angels. And Dan and I just sat back and soaked up the joy of having our family together once again. Props to their wives and children back home for holding down the fort while they were away.

Julie and Lonnie drove up from Utah, for a quick visit and to hear Colin speak in church. His simple, sincere humility stood out to me. Due to all these things, thanksgiving has come early this year to the Washburn household!

Now Let Us Rejoice

When last I blogged, the world was ablaze! Prophetic warnings of war, earthquakes, floods, famine, pestilence, disease, family breakups due to love waxing cold, had been given and were being fulfilled. What could possibly be the reason for all this devastation?

Orson F. Whitney
And what is the purpose—the ultimate purpose of it all? Destruction? No, a thousandtimes no, except in so far as destruction must at times precede reconstruction, and is necessary to preserve what is worth preserving. The world's welfare is the object in view. God's wrath, however fiercely it burns, is not comparable to petty human anger. His work and his glory is “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man,” and if, in the process, He uses the powers of destruction, as well as the powers of construction—for “all power” is his, “in heaven and in earth”—it is because such a course has become necessary and is for the best. However severe his chastisements, we can rest assured of this: Hatred of humanity has no place in the heart of Him who “so loved the world” that he “gave his Only Begotten Son” to save it from eternal damnation. (Saturday Night Thoughts [Salt Lake City: Deseret News, 1921], 201.)

So after all these horrors, what's next? First, a period of silence, followed by angels flying, trumps sounding, and ... well, let's read it straight from scripture.

D&C 88:95-98
95 ... and immediately after shall the curtain of heaven be unfolded, as a scroll is unfolded after it is rolled up, and the face of the Lord shall be unveiled;
96 And the saints that are upon the earth, who are alive, shall be quickened andbe caught up to meet him.
97 And they who have slept in their graves shall come forth, for their graves shall be opened; and they also shall be caught up to meet him in the midst of the pillar of heaven --
98 They are Christ's, the first fruits, they who shall descend with him first, and they who are on the earth and in their graves, who are first caught up to meet him; and all this by the voice of the sounding of the trump of the angel of God.

Orson Pratt
After this great silence, the curtain of heaven shall be unfolded as a scroll is unfolded. School children, who are in the habit of seeing maps hung up on the wall, know that they have rollers upon which they are rolled up, and that to expose the face of the maps they are let down. So will the curtain of heaven be unrolled so that the people may gaze upon those celestial beings who will make their appearance in the clouds. The face of the Lord will be unveiled, and those who are alive will be quickened, and they will be caught up; and the Saints who are in their graves, will come forth and be caught up, together with those who are quickened, and they will be taken into the heavens into the midst of those celestial beings who will make their appearance at that time. These are the ones who are the first fruits, that is, the first fruits at the time of his coming. (Journal of Discourses, 26 vols. [London: Latter-day Saints' Book Depot, 1854-1886], 16: 328.)

Anthon H. Lund
So when the time comes the faithful of the Saints will be quickened and caught up to meet Him and the many thousands that are coming with Him… This, brethren and sisters, is something worth working for. We desire to live so that when this event shall come, whether we be on the earth or in the grave, that this sound may be heard by us —that we may come forth and join that happy throng. (Conference Report, April 1904, First Day —Morning Session 97.)

Joseph Fielding Smith
After the Lord and the righteous who are caught up to meet him have descended upon the earth, there will come to pass another resurrection. This may be considered as a part of the first, although it comes later. In this resurrection will come forth those of the terrestrial order, who were not worthy to be caught up to meet him, but who are worthy to come forth to enjoy the millennial reign. It is written that the second angel shall sound, which is the second trump, “and then cometh the redemption of those who are Christ's at his coming; who have received their part in the prison which is prepared for them, that they might receive the gospel, and be judged according to men in the flesh.
”This other class, which will also have right to the first resurrection, are those who are not members of the Church of the Firstborn, but who have led honorable lives, although they refused to accept the fulness of the gospel. Also in this class will be numbered those who died without law and hence are not under condemnation for a violation of the commandments of the Lord. The promise is made to them of redemption from death in the following words: “And then shall the heathen nations be redeemed, and they that knew no law shall have part in the first resurrection; and it shall be tolerable for them.” (D&C 45:54) These, too, shall partake of the mercies of the Lord and shall receive the reuniting of spirit and body inseparably, thus becoming immortal, but not with the fulness of the glory of God. (Doctrines of Salvation, 3 vols., edited by Bruce R. McConkie [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954-1956], 2: 297.)

How marvelous it will be to live in perfect peace with so many wonderful people! The next two quotes clue us in on what our main pursuits will be during this amazing time.

Joseph Fielding Smith
“Some members of the Church have an erroneous idea that when the millennium comes all of the people are going to be swept off the earth except righteous members of the Church. That is not so. There will be millions of people, Catholics, Protestants, agnostics, Mohammedans, people of all classes, and of all beliefs, still permitted to remain upon the face of the earth, but they will be those who have lived clean lives, those who have been free from wickedness and corruption. All who belong, by virtue of their good lives, to the terrestrial order, as well as those who have keptthe celestial law, will remain upon the face of the earth during the millennium.
“Eventually, however, the knowledge of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters do the sea. But there will be need for the preaching of the gospel, after the millennium is brought in, until all men are either converted or pass away” (Doctrines of Salvation, 1:86–87).

Joseph F. Smith
“That this work may be hastened so that all who believe, in the spirit world, may receive the benefit of deliverance, it is revealed that the great work of the Millennium shall be the work in the temples for the redemption of the dead; and then we hope to enjoy the benefits of revelation through the Urim and Thummim, or by such means as the Lord may reveal concerning those for whom the work shall be done, so that we may not work by chance, or by faith alone, without knowledge, but with the actual knowledge revealed unto us” (Gospel Doctrine, 438).

We'll have to hit the ground running with such a mountain of work ahead of us. And I do mean "hit the ground", given that we'll be descending from heaven with the Savior.;) As for the ground, what will the millennial earth be like?

Joseph Fielding Smith
Christ will reign personally upon the earth, and the earth will be renewed, or restored, and receive its paradisiacal glory when that day comes.“This new heaven and earth which will come into existence when our Lord comes to reign, is this same earth with its heavens renewed or restored to its primitive condition and beauty. Everything is to be brought back as nearly as it is possible to its position as it was in the beginning. The mountains, we are informed, are to be thrown down, the valleys are to be exalted, and ‘the earth shall be like as it was in the days before it was divided.’” (The Restoration of All Things, 294–95).

It will be like the Garden of Eden! We will speak one pure language. Satan will be bound, so there will be no temptation, selfishness, narcicism, persecution, crime, anger, illness, nothing of the kind! A thousand years of purity and goodness. Then, there will be one last mammoth battle, for Satan and his host will be loosed for a short period in order to tempt the children who grow up during the millennium. Finally, they will lose and be eternally banished from the earth. Our garden of an earth will be transformed one last time.

Joseph Fielding Smith
“In that great change, or resurrection, which shall come to this earth, it shall be sanctified, celestialized and made a fit abode even for God the Father, who shallgrace it with his presence. (D.C. 88:19.) Then shall the righteous, those who have become sanctified through the law of God, possess it for ever as their abode. This earth is destined to become the everlasting residence of its inhabitants who gain the glory of the celestial kingdom. It shall become in that day like the throne of God and shall shine forth with all the splendor and brightness of celestial glory in its eternal, sanctified and glorious state” (Way to Perfection, 351).

No matter how much I leave out, I am still too wordy. I'll have to try to tie up the loose ends in one more post. At least we've seen there is, or will be, great reason to rejoice! I'm rejoicing for a different reason now though. Colin returns from his two-year mission in Washington DC in less than 48 hours!!! And the quorum of the seven brothers will once again assemble this weekend!

The Elements Shall Melt with Fervent Heat

My mind has been full of thoughts of the signs of the last days this week.This subject is as fascinating as it is frightening! I'll be teaching a lesson thisSunday about the second coming of Jesus Christ and the millennium, that much looked for thousand year period of peace when He will reign upon the earth. There is so much to understand! Once again gospeldoctrine.com, and a few other sites, have been a great help. Here are a few highlights:

D&C 88 : 87-91
87 For not many days hence and the earth shall tremble and reel to and fro as a drunken man; and the sun shall hide his face, and shall refuse to give light; and the moon shall be bathed in blood; and the stars shall become exceedingly angry, and shall cast themselves down as a fig that falleth from off a fig tree.
88 And after your testimony cometh wrath and indignation upon the people.
89 For after your testimony cometh the testimony of earthquakes, that shall cause groanings in the midst of her, and men shall fall upon the ground and shall not be able to stand.
90 Annd also cometh the testimony of the voice of thunderings, and the voice of lightnings, and the voice of tempests, and the voice of the waves of the sea heaving themselves beyond their bounds.
91 And all things shall be in commotion; and surely, men's hearts shall fail them; for fear shall come upon all people.

Eventually, after great tribulation, the whole earth will be destroyed by fire:
True baptism involves baptism by water and by fire. The earth was baptized by water with the Flood and remains to be baptized by fire at the Second Coming. Indeed, much like us, the earth was created in innocence, suffered the effects of the Fall, has been redeemed by the Flood, will yet be sanctified by a baptism by fire, will eventually die and be resurrected, and finally will receive a celestial glory. (from gospeldoctrine.com)

2 Peter 3 : 9-10
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Elder McConkie noted:
“Not only will the Lord come in flaming fire, but that fire will produce fervent, glowing, intense heat, heat that has not been known in the entire history of the earth, heat that will cause the very elements to melt, the mountains to flow down at his presence, and the very earth itself, as now constituted, to dissolve.” (Bruce R. McConkie, A New Witness for the Articles of Faith [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1985], 645.)
Ezra Taft Benson
“I realize this is not a pleasant picture. I take no delight in its portrayal, nor do I look forward to the day when calamities shall come upon mankind. But these words are not my own; the Lord has spoken them. Knowing what we know as His servants, can we hesitate to raise a warning voice to all who will listen that they may be prepared for the days ahead?
“Silence in the face of such calamity is sin!
“But, there is a bright side to an otherwise gloomy picture— the coming of our Lord in all His glory. His coming will be both glorious and terrible, depending on the spiritual condition of those who remain.” (“Five Marks of the Divinity of Jesus Christ,”New Era, Dec. 1980, 49)

2 Peter 3 : 11-13
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
How will the heavens be destroyed? How could they be completely dissolved? In order to correctly understand what is meant, we need to understand that the term heavens in this passage refers to the earth's immediate atmosphere and not the heavens in which God dwells. In the scriptures, the term heaven is used to refer to our immediate atmosphere, ‘the fowl… may fly above the earth in the open expanse of heaven (Abr. 4:20, Gen. 1:20).
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Joseph Fielding Smith
The passing away of the heavens has reference to the heavens which surround the earth, not the sidereal (of, relating to, concerned with the stars) heavens. So we have a key to the meaning of one earth passing away and another coming. As our earth shall pass away and receive its resurrection, so has it been with other earths and so will it be with earths yet to come. They will be re-created, made eternal and find a place perpetually which the Lord has designed for them in the sidereal heavens. These great orbs that we see in the heavens are not ‘passing away.’ Most of them evidently have attained their state of permanency. They have filled the measure of temporal probation as this earth is now filling its probation of mortality, and when its work is finished as a temporal earth it will be exalted. Likewise will others be exalted as countless earths have been and have attained their state of immortality.” (Man, His Origin and Destiny [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1954], 274 - 275.)

Next comes the marvelous, miraculous, amazing part! I can't wait! But this has grown too long, so I must.

Histrionics in the Making

Freudian slip there, of course I meant history in the making. Well, you win some, you lose some. We won Propositions 8 in California and102 inArizona, which protect the definition of marriage as being between one man and one woman.Hurray! Washington state's infamous I-1000, legalizing physician-assisted suicide, passed. Booooo! The Obama-Biden ticket won convincingly over McCain-Palin. And our choice to represent us in the House of Representatives in Washington D.C., BillSali, lost to his opponent. So sad!What to do, what to do? Let's do this!

1 Timothy 2 : 1-2
1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

Spencer W. Kimball
I hope you’ll pray, brothers and sisters, pray as you’ve never prayed before. Praywith a great earnestness. Pray for the leaders of the nations. Pray for all of our leaders. Pray for our leaders who are filling especially high, responsible positions in all the countries of the world.The Lord will hear our prayers, I am positive of that. And he will in his own way and in his own time cause that we may have success. (Marvin K. Gardner, “News of the Church,”Ensign, Aug. 1979, 79)

Ezra Taft Benson
We should pray for the inspiration and well-being of the president of the Church, the General Authorities, our stake president, our bishop, our quorum president, our home teachers, family members, and our civic leaders. Other suggestions could be made, but with the help of the Holy Ghost we will know about what we should pray. (Romans 8:26-27.) (Come unto Christ [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1983], 25.)

Reed Smoot
Let us pray for our leaders at all times instead of criticizing them; pray that they may be given courage to continue with unflagging zeal from year to year; pray for the power of God to be upon them. (Conference Report, October 1940, First Day— Morning Meeting 21.)

Good counsel? Yes. Let's do it!

Election Day in the USA

Who will it be, McCain-Palin or Obama-Biden? In this household, we've voted and prayed for McCain to become our next president. The polls predict that's unlikely, however, but polls can be manipulated so they're not entirely trustworthy. Which brings up a good question, what, or who, is 100% trustworthy? Am I? Are you?

It's not that I ever set out to be dishonest (I don't personally know anyone who does). But we often form opinions and make decisions and judgments based on our limited knowledge and experience, upbringing, habits, environment and culture, and sometimes when we are certain we're right, we are actually flat out wrong. It's fairly easy to be misled, deceived. Where, then, is our safety?

I trust that it's right here:
1. 2 Ne. 4: 34
O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm.

2. 2 Ne. 28: 31
Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man, or maketh flesh his arm, or shall hearken unto the precepts of men, save their precepts shall be given by the power of theHoly Ghost.

3. D&C 1: 19
The weak things of the world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strongones, that man should not counsel his fellow man, neither trust in the arm of flesh—

I hope the Holy Ghost's guidance has been sought and followed by the majority of my fellow Americans in the crucial issues that are before us in this ellection. What are the chances of that happening?