Reflections on as deep a Temple and Garden of Eden experience as possible

It was special to be at the ground-breaking ceremony for the Cape Town South Africa Temple on Saturday 25 October 2025. The land was dedicated from the Temple and for each one of us who will spend time on it.

Sally and me turning the soil

My father particularly loved this picture of Jesus Christ.

I love to reflect on some significant things regarding this special site. 

We could see Lion's Head where the church work started in South Africa, and maybe in Africa as a whole in 1853. The journal of Elder William Holmes Walker

'On May 23rd we all went on the top of a mountain called The Lions Head, the guide for all approaching ships, to pray and council.
'We organized a branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, composed of 3 members. Returning in the evening, we continued making every possible effort to get an
opening, in every direction.'

This site of the Temple would have been close to where these three missionaries walked very often. They may well have walked on the very spot where the Temple will stand.

I love Heavenly Father's sense of humour - across the Liesbeeck River from the Temple Grounds is Devil's Peak. But Pam Cerff pointed out that there are also views of Groote Schuur Hospital, a place of healing, and University of Cape Town, a place of learning. Then someone else pointed out that on the other side of Table Mountain are the Twelve Apostles. 

My father often said (and I love to repeat this ) that Kirstenbosch is part of the Garden of Eden that has remained intact, also in view beyond UCT. DNA studies show that human DNA traces back to southern Africa, and fossils show that stone age people were in the Dell at Kirstenbosch. We don't know if the Garden of Eden was one hectare or a million hectares, or what... Nice to dream about Adam and Eve maybe treading on the soil where the Cape Town South Africa Temple will stand . I love that when we leave Kirstenbosch through Gate 1 we go out from the east side into the lone and dreary world.

Ja well, no fine, I love Cape Town and all that we enjoy here. We look forward to having the Temple here! My first ancestor came here in 1806 when Britain took the Cape, and then formally moved here in 1820. My parents were married here in 1943. I moved here from the West Rand in 1981. And our original ancestors come from 'here', the Cradle of Humankind. What better place to live on Earth? And now we look forward to having a Temple here.

Miracles and blessings performed through the priesthood now

I was asked by someone yesterday to come and give him a priesthood blessing. He had injured himself and had an infected wound. It was a privilege, as always, to be the agent of the Lord, doing His will, doing for His disciples or children what He would do if He were present. That sounds daunting, but I am trying to improve in it. I think that I still have a long – a very long – way to go.

Just as Jesus ordained His apostles, seventies and other people to represent Him, He continues to guide the ordination of apostles, seventies, high priests, elders, bishops, priests, teachers, deacons, and leaders to represent Him today. Mark 3:14; Luke 6:12–16; John 15:16

I felt impressed to say things that I do not believe I have ever said in a blessing before. I promised that the natural healing processes would be done. I mentioned that it is a miracle that our bodies have so many wonderful natural processes provided. But, there are some things that need additional interventions such as surgery, antibiotics, prostheses, splints, and the like to heal or to supplement these natural healing processes.

Things that the Saviour might have healed by simply applying clay to the eyes, or casting out an evil spirit, might be resolved now by spectacles, cataract removal, medication, or things that were not available in 20 AD, so He used the priesthood. Now, in 2025 AD, He continues to inspire so many people to develop so many devices and interventions and procedures that give new hearts, kidneys, eyes, limbs, reduces the impacts of disorders, prevents illnesses, and so much more.

I also mentioned blessings promised through obedience and faithfulness.

We are promised, according to the oath and covenant of the priesthood in Doctrine and Covenants 84, ‘For whoso is faithful unto the obtaining these two priesthoods of which I have spoken, and the magnifying their calling, are sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies.’ I realised one day as I pondered this, that it applies equally to sisters, children or youth, or anyone who does not hold a priesthood office. They can ‘obtain – or receive, or welcome – the priesthood when any elder in Israel or deacon or any holder of a priesthood office ministers to them.

I realised after my father passed away that he had been sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of his body such that we were not aware of his emphysema until his mission was fulfilled and then the Spirit stepped back and stopped sanctifying his body and he died very quickly. Similarly, my dear wife was able to be a healing influence for many people for more than two decades, even saving lives, and that sanctifying influence was apparently withdrawn, and suddenly she was no longer able to practice as a family doctor because of a disorder that she realises she had as a teenager, but it had not been diagnosed.

We can do, and need to do, what we can to look after our bodies – the temples of our spirits – and then the Lord will pour out blessings that we will not have room to receive them. He will rebuke the devourer for our sakes and bless the harvest of our fields, enlighten our minds, and bless our lives by providing our daily bread as manna in our unique wildernesses.

We need to magnify our callings, multiply our talents, sow our seeds. We can receive strength by being branches firmly attached to the true vine and being the fruitful branches mentioned in John 15 and our fruit will add glory to the True Vine. We can be as light to the nations, leaven in our loaf of family or community or congregation, and salt in our area of influence.

 

Some thoughts about moving from dependent to interdependent

I responded to a message from a friend that I have not seen for a few years, but with whom I have continued to share some messages that I hoped would be uplifting to him. I hope that this adaptation of my message may be meaningful to someone who reads this.

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Good morning to you 😉

Haauw! This is turning out to be a long message in response to your long message 🙂 But hang in there…

It is really good to hear from you. I often see your videos on WhatsApp Status or Facebook and I remember well your involvement in [our congregation], and then COVID hit, and [your girlfriend] moved. I really missed seeing you. I have wanted to share the light of Christ with you and I am happy if some of that light has helped you to have a glimmer in the darkness that you have been experiencing. 

My friend is a very talented stuntman 

and I enjoy seeing him sharing his skills

You may have heard me share some insights that I have received over many years. I share several of those insights with friends like you in the hopes that the seeds that I sow will help someone to have a good harvest. I do not expect replies, but it is a delight when I do receive the occasional reply like this one from you 🙂 

I am now one of the Free Guided Walks guides at Kirstenbosch where I worked as an ecologist in the Kirstenbosch Research Centre up to the time that they 'put me out to pasture' to make place for the younger generation. I have continued to share some of my experience and skills with others since retiring, including the walks at Kirstenbosch - 'my garden', leading the Battle of Blaauwberg walks where I lead people on the battle grounds where the battle of 1806 led to British occupation to prevent Napoleon from occupying the Cape, and then the Cape becoming the Cape Colony in 1814, then the Union of South Africa in 1910, the Republic of South Africa in 1963, the democratic nation that we became in 1994, where sadly men with light skins like yours and mine have been treated as though we are not wanted amongst the 'Diverse People Uniting'... But we continue to sow seeds in the hopes that some will germinate, and some of those will germinate in good soil rather than by the wayside or be eaten by birds, and some of those roots will penetrate deeply enough to survive the next dry season, and grow tall enough to not be killed by fire, and become a tall tree that will produce thousands of seeds every year, most of which will be food or nutrition for tens or millions of other living organisms, and only a very small number will become trees themselves…

I will be starting the firefly walks in early November, the walks that stopped a few years ago. I love to share how we cannot see an ant walking on a tree twenty or so metres away, but if we walk to the tree we are almost certain to see one or many ants walking on that tree! Or a butterfly flying on the slopes of Table Mountain kilometres away, but if we walk to the mountain we will see tens or thousands of butterflies. But - that firefly, only about 3mm long, with the light being produced in just the last one or two segments of the abdomen - less than 1mm - will be visible in the dark at 20 metres. Or, walkers on the mountain with their headlamps that are smaller than a butterfly will be visible from kilometres away. In many ways you have been sharing your light with tens or millions of people on social media - and a very small percentage of people who were delighted by your antics will Like, and a very small number of those will Comment… But you delighted many more than that small minority 🙂 

This tiny insect is very visible in the dark!

A view of some fireflies between about 1 and 20 metres from the camera.

I hope that I am successful in sharing some light, or being that tiny cell called yeast in that tiny part of the bread dough where I respire and multiply to form more tiny cells, that will respire and multiply, and their respiring will produce the carbon dioxide gas that will cause the bread dough to rise and become that loaf that you enjoy with the beans.

My daughter and her family are currently living in a tent at a nearby Holiday Resort while they get themselves on their feet! We support them to some extent, but they need to become self-reliant and they are working on that. I shared something with their one daughter this morning while taking her to school that Jesus Christ was, at one stage, needing Mary and Joseph to change His nappies, and to feed Him, and teach Him to walk, to be a carpenter, to play with other children, and so forth. But He did not remain dependent - He became independent, and then He set a wonderful example of becoming interdependent - and I try to follow that example. I know that I still have a long way to go, but I do try. Some people were offended by what He said and did, calling Him a devil, a winebibber, and other demeaning things, but He still atoned for their sins. Someone needed to crucify Him to fulfil His mission - but I hope that I did not put up my hand to volunteer to do it, but someone had to! And He said 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do' and He atoned for their sins.

Can I share your message with the current stake president? You can approach the bishop in the area where you live, but it sounds like you might not be steadily in one ward area! But let the Lord call you to serve in His Kingdom, and receive assistance from the Fast Offering, and share your talents in turn, building children, youth, adults in multiplying their talents, magnifying their callings, and building Zion.  

A thought crosses my mind that I shared with my son-in-law that I mentioned is trying to get his family back on their feet. I also shared a similar thought with a baker who lost his job because of what sounds like an unkind action by his manager towards him and some other employees… You could go to a school like Tafelberg School that caters to students with a variety of learning difficulties. You can volunteer to teach stunts, activities that will build physical, mental and emotional strength for one or many students that might find that to be just the right thing for their future career. Then, if you demonstrate your value, they might allow you to contribute in meaningful ways and pay you for your time and contribution. 

A career like yours is not guaranteed to be wonderfully remunerating, but if it contributes to society, it is rewarding and fulfilling to you and maybe you can help others to get that reward and fulfilment. Sally's father was a professional actor and always advised people to choose very wisely before going on the stage! He would use Noel Coward's song 'Don't put your daughter on the stage, Mrs Worthington'. He survived reasonably by contributing to the stage, radio, TV, film, and One Man Shows in about the 1970s, performing in libraries in small and large towns all around South Africa (like Kakamas, Keimoes, and Kuruman) and in large cities such as in Artscape in Cape Town. Her mother was a musician who had more predictable and permanent employment playing the violin in the National Philharmonic Orchestra, but not every excellent violinist can be a lead violinist on NPO! And every lead violinist will not be lead violinist forever!

Don't lose hope! Let the Spirit guide! Most importantly, I encourage you to be part of building Zion and you will succeed in Zion. That yeast cell will not survive outside the dough that provides it with food that enables it to respire and divide and multiply and cause the dough to rise! 

I have known your adoptive family since I was a child, mourned with them when their daughter died, rejoiced with them when members of the family did well in so many careers, occupations, companies, organisations, sharing talents, skills and abilities to build their families, communities, and our nation - and Zion. I have not been aware of any stories about you, so you can be comforted knowing that the entire world does not know. Just continue to live worthily of the Lord's approval, remembering that He beholdeth not the countenance, but He looketh upon the heart.

You have heard me share my testimony - the Lord has told me, personally, that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is His true and living church. I know that if you follow the same recipe that I followed, you will enjoy the same pudding that I enjoy every day. That does not mean that I never have hungry times, or indigestion, or poor health, or some other opposition - but we are told that there must needs be opposition in all things. I smile and reflect on how any doctor that I consult, or lawyer, or accountant, or stunt artist, got there by facing, coping with, hard work and labour, agonising over exams, practicals, oral exams, social pressures, and all sorts of difficulties that were part of getting their accreditation to serve me in the way that I engage them to serve me.

Why don't you join me at Kirstenbosch, or on the Battle of Blaauwberg walk to enjoy being with your brother, enjoy Heavenly Father's delightful Creation, and sommer to renew our brotherhood? We can chat and I'll give you dates when I will be there. I see so much possibility of exciting ways that you can use your particular talents, gifts or strengths to earn at least enough to be able to be fruitful, to multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it, and have [some] dominion over it and be able to deliver it up with surplus to the Lord when He returns. You can have Him say 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Thou hast been faithful over a few things. I will make thee ruler over many things.'

Sorry for this very long reply to your long message 😉

I look forward to your response.

Your brother in the Gospel.

Les

Learn from others while overcoming our own faults

I just lost a note that I had compiled about the paragraph in Come, Follow Me because I made a mistake. Ever happen to you?

When people judge me, I hope that they will give as much attention to
the argument for the defence as they do to the argument for the prosecution!

Yesterday I met a young man who has moved to the Cape. He fixes or builds dams and there are more dams here than anywhere else in South Africa, so here he is. He is also involved in promoting aquaculture and hydroponics. I salute all those who try to use the talents that the Lord has given them to try and improve health and well-being. I believe that they will be blessed for every effort to 'Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.' (Gen 1:28) I sincerely believe that they - and I - will be given credit for the good that they or I do, and for the intent of our hearts when there is a question about any injuries or damages that arise through our imperfections.

I am saddened by those who find fault and contend with those who sincerely try to bless the lives of others because of very real injuries or challenges that a small proportion of the population may experience as a result of the good efforts of those who are trying to make a positive difference.

Those who offer alternative medicine or food often accuse those in normal agriculture or medicine of exploiting everyone, but they themselves charge high prices for their food or alternatives. Some even say that the prophet of God is wrong to use these products anywhere in the world.

I always encourage others to honestly consider that these people almost certainly do not intend to kill or maim or exploit, but honestly hope to improve the health and well-being of as many as they can, and the church leaders use those things all around the world to help Heavenly Father to improve the health and well-being of millions in all nations, kindreds, tongues and peoples. I wonder if the people challenging the farmers, manufacturers of pharmaceuticals and so forth by taking them to court, leading to very large penalties, that push up the prices of their research and development that causes their prices to be higher they would otherwise be.

Yes. Some will be negatively impacted. But I believe that Heavenly Father will bless and help those with good intent as they seek to improve. And He can bless and heal and reverse the negative impacts for those in the small minority who might be negatively impacted. Our support and efforts to help them to improve their efforts will be more in harmony with seeking to be one than any effort to destroy those who the Lord is helping to feed and heal the millions that are benefitted by their efforts.

We need to look inwards and try to do better in our own stewardships instead of looking for faults in others. We also need to help their efforts by bringing to their attention the concerns, but as constructive criticism and not in contention. We will be judged for our efforts and not the efforts of others.

I strongly encourage that we each 'Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven:' (Matt 5:44-45)

Every doctor, lawyer, engineer, farmer, scientist, or any human will make mistakes in their best efforts. I love the way that Thomas Edison described his journey "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." Let us look for and try to improve our own faults, learn from the imperfections of others, and lovingly help others to do better rather than always looking for their faults.

Brain or no brain... and agency, acting, or just sommer being acted upon

 

I was clearing aliens at Bothasig Fynbos Nature Reserve and found this black bag
with several items of litter lying around it.

I am sorry that I did not take a photo of what I saw at the time, but it clearly had been picked up outside the reserve, taken into the reserve, where things were then taken out of the bag and left lying around. There were some baby nappies (diapers), some popcorn, and other litter that had been in the bag, but now they were simply under the power of the the Cape Doctor - the wind.

Some person with a brain did this. 

Someone outside the reserve had placed his litter into this black bag. The person who picked up the bag then surrendered their control over the litter that they had taken out of the bag to the wind.

The wind has no brain. 

This human with a brain allowed the wind that has no brain to blow the litter wherever it listed to blow. This litter was then driven by the wind and tossed. The person evidently ate some of the things that had been in the bag, as unhygienic as that might have been since they had been together with the nappies that were in the bag!

I was in the reserve with three other volunteers. We were removing Port Jacksons (PJ), the common name for the species Acacia saligna. They are growing in the reserve and are highly invasive, although biological control is helping to reduce its invasive impact. We were removing seedlings of PJs that had been brought from Australia to the Cape in the mid 1800s for the purpose of stabilising sand dunes and for firewood. It has been somewhat useful for that, but has become an aggressive alien invasive species. 

A gall forming rust fungus (Uromycladium tepperianum) has been introduced as a biological control. This is a natural pest from the natural habitat of A. saligna that greatly reduces the densities of populations. This fungus has a negative impact on the PJWs, but it does not eliminate it. A biological control is very helpful in managing invasive species. It spreads naturally, attacks the target species, and has been very carefully tested to ensure that it will not impact negatively on any indigenous species. It then spreads and does its work, even when you and I are asleep. It does not kill the target species, but limits it and reduces its invasive potential.

I was saddened to see the number of items of litter, as well as seedlings of the PJWs. People who are employed by the City of Cape Town to maintain the reserve have not removed the litter or seedlings, even those seedlings and litter that are right next to indigenous plants that they have planted for restoration purposes, and that they water and care for. These employees have not removed these other problems right within reach. Volunteers do alien hacking with no financial reward - but we do get to enjoy nature, our wonderful natural environment, and we certainly get a lot of good exercise!

The failure of the employees to clear the litter and invasives makes me think of something that my mother often repeated to me - 'The world needs street sweepers. But, more importantly, the world needs excellent street sweepers.' 

I have reflected at length on this and other gems that she shared. One day I realised something of importance about streetsweepers. I find it very saddening that many people deliberately litter in order to make sure that there is work for the street sweepers to do. 

People with brains litter! 

But - what if everyone in our dear land were to be responsible and never litter? The Spirit reassured me that there would always be work for street sweepers because the trees would continue to drop their leaves. 

We, as human beings, have brains. We have the charge to 'Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth' (Genesis 1:28). Well, this black bag or litter may not be a 'living thing', but we are charged to replenish and subdue and have dominion over God's creation.

Well - let me consider two questions that I pondered as I cleared the aliens. Let me pose a question to every reader. 

Do you consider Evolution, natural selection, survival of the fittest, or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life to be what led to the existence of all that we have in our amazing and beautiful and diverse and successful natural heritage that surrounds us? Then - when you die, what legacy do you want to leave? Do you want your friends and loved ones, when they formulate your epitaph or obituary, to commend you for contributing well to being part of the solution to the problems of society, or do you hope that they will express retribution for being part of the problems in society? You have a brain. Now is the time to lay the foundation for your obituary or epitaph.

Or - do you consider the God of Abraham, Heavenly Father, or some other 'force or power or influence' to be our God and the Creator of all that is wonderful in our natural heritage that surrounds us? If so, then the time will come that He will ask me - and you - what we did with the wonderful natural resources that He gave to us. 

He will not ask me what you did, but He will ask me what I did. 

I want to be able to say that I tried to be fruitful, to multiply what He has given to me and within the circle of my influence, that I tried to replenish, to subdued it, and tried to have righteous dominion over it. I hope that He will say 'Well, done, thou good and faithful servant'. I am far from perfect, but I do try to use my time, talents and resources to build up my family, community, and those with whom I come into contact.

I think back to what I heard as a little boy when Boyd K Packer spoke to civic leaders in Carletonville that we, as disciples of Jesus Christ, would be 'part of the solution and not part of the problem'. I am far from perfect, but I do hope that when I die my epitaph will mention more solutions than problems as my legacy. I hope that I may have an epitaph somewhat like that of Sir Christopher Wren (1632 - 1723) 'Reader, if you seek his memorial - look around you.' A similar epitaph '‘If ye seek his monument, look around you’ is a fitting one for the man whose vision and energy led to the establishment of Kirstenbosch' appears on the gravestone of HHW Pearson, the first director of Kirstenbosch. He died in the third year after the garden was established and beside a magnificent Atlas cedar overlooking the Cycad Amphitheatre and the Dell.

Finding them thar blessings in our wilderness

Greetings to you as you teach God’s children about the wonderful blessings of the Gospel – the good news – of Jesus Christ.

Some pictures from Gospel Library

I was thinking about an experience last week, blessing the sacrament with Tashinga Mukucha. I am not usually aware of how things are going, but I was watching those passing the sacrament and so I was aware that the bread had run out and at least those serving, and probably someone in the congregation did not receive bread. They could not eat in remembrance of the body of the Son – but, even if they could not eat, they could witness that they are willing to take upon them His name, and always remember Him, and keep His commandments which He hath given them – and as a result they could always have His Spirit to be with them. This sacrament experience was not quite complete for those who missed the bread.

Jesus fed five thousand with few loaves and few fishes (see also Matt 14, 15, Mark 6, 8, Luke 5, 9, 11, John 6, 21, and other examples of His power to multiply as an example of our making five other from the five talents that He gave to us). Could He not have multiplied this bread to feed all who were there to partake of the sacrament? Yes! He could have, but He had delegated the sacrament to the bishop who delegated it to those assigned to prepare the sacrament.

I thought back to Digby Chater, the branch president in Welkom Branch telling us when he was branch president of going out from his home in Virginia to visit members in Harmony, probably travelling about 60 or more kilometres that night. As he turned into his driveway, his Volkswagen Beetle ran out of fuel. He opened the garage door, let the car run down the slope into the garage, went to bed, and the next morning he dealt with putting in fuel. This incident came to mind as I was returning home one evening after visiting some members and attending Institute class, and I ran out of fuel before I got home! I was about 650m from my home and not in the driveway! There were no significant slopes between me and my home. I was on a motor scooter. I could have pushed it home and filled it, or I could have parked it, walked home and returned with fuel to fill it, but I was miserable because I had not been blessed as Digby was.

The young man who provided the bread could have supplied more than three slices. Tashinga and I could have broken the bread into smaller pieces. We could have done something to prevent the shortage of bread for the sacrament.

Digby would have turned his car to Reserve and I would have turned my scooter to Reserve. We both knew that the fuel was low, but his need being in a car late at night was greater than mine being on a scooter in the twilight.

Why did God not provide enough bread to feed those needing the sacrament? Why did He not enable me to have enough fuel to reach home? He could have, but I needed to be self-reliant. He delegated our self-reliance to us.

We so often bemoan our difficulties, challenges, shortages, lack, loss, or whatever, rather than looking for the miracles in our lives. How often did Israelites bemoan the boring same food every day, breakfast, lunch and supper? Manna, manna, manna, manna, manna, manna…! No variety! Forty years with no variety! Really? Oh – once there were some quail… But then it was back to manna, manna, manna. How inconsiderate of that God who told us to follow Moses away from the flesh pots of Egypt? We were slaves, but hey – at least we had a more interesting diet! And then there are those fiery serpents that caused the deaths of some of our family! There was that brazen serpent, but it was not just standing in my front garden – I would have to walk some distance to gaze upon it before I might be healed – as some said that they had been.

Whether you as a disciple of Jesus Christ, or someone that you are teaching, is facing issues that cause misery, it is important to remember the comment that the devil seeks that all men might be miserable like himself, as opposed to Adam and Eve who could have had no joy, for they knew no misery while in the garden of Eden, and the promise ‘Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.’ all mentioned in the second chapter of 2 Nephi.

You are sharing the gospel of joy. You are helping people to learn about the church of joy. Blessings on you as you look for and recognise the joy and help others to recognise the joy in their lives and acknowledge the hand of God in all things.

I know that we are blessed with immeasurable joy, even although there are times – really – that we feel an absence of joy in our shroud of black misery. Blessings on you as you look for the miracles in the daily bread and being delivered from evil as the Lord directed us to consider as He taught the manner after which we should pray. Seek them thar blessings and ye shall find them. And you will be able to help others to find them thar blessings in the manna in their wilderness. The Sprit – the Comforter – shall help you to acknowledge that the Lord is present, in the details, right here, now, even when we seem to be spending years in a dull, miserable wilderness. He does have a living prophet in 2025.

Thoughts of faith, hope, charity and resilience at Christmas time

I was asked to share some thoughts in our Christmas programme. It was suggested that I share some thoughts of examples of faith, hope and resilience. I reflected on several thoughts that I have had over the many years that I have thought of the example of that Babe who was born in Bethlehem, and the example that He set over the years, ending with His sacrifice that made possible the immortality and eternal life of man. Here is what I shared...

My parents encouraged my two sisters, two brothers, and me to remember some important things. They stressed some often. I guess that they felt that we needed to be reminded very regularly! Here are two things that we heard very frequently, especially during FHE.

• 'Remember that you are princes and princesses in Israel.' 
• They often had us read in 3 Nephi 11 '...And there shall be no disputations among you, as there have hitherto been; neither shall there be disputations among you concerning the points of my doctrine, as there have hitherto been. For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.'

My parents really hoped that we would choose to live worthy of the title of Prince or Princess in Israel. It was not easy!

A young woman trying to be a princess

We watched My Fair Lady yesterday, and my mind turned to how my parents treated us as princes and princesses in Israel, and not as useless gutter snipes. I also reflected on how King Charles stressed during his Coronation that as king, he was there to serve and not to be served.

I have often reflected on how the babe born in Bethlehem whose birth we celebrate at Christmas time would have grown up with bullying, hate, and contention shown towards Him because His mother Mary was pregnant with Him before she married his supposed father Joseph. That rumour or accusation would have gone around - that kind of rumour or news, true or fake, sure does spread rapidly in 2024!

This man who had grown up with such a childhood and youth then frequently stressed that I - that you - should love my/our enemies - those bullies, those mean neighbours who spread false rumours and stories about me/we on social media, or are simply mean, 'orrible an' nasty in any way. 

Angels appeared to some 'shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night', and this caused them to be sore afraid. They said 'Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.'

Then, this babe in Bethlehem needed to have His nappies changed, to be fed, and I have no doubt had to learn everything from scratch just as you and I did, adult spirits suddenly having an infant's body. I have no doubt that there was a veil drawn over His rememberance just as for every one of us, causing Him to forget everything. He had to grow, to take baby steps, to slowly become less dependent on Mary and Joseph.

Then, at some stage, wise men came from the East and visited Him, declaring things that Mary and Joseph had no doubt taught Him - that He was indeed conceived in a miraculous way and that He had some special mission to fulfil.

Following this, there was a threat on His life that Herod would condemn all children to death in order to remove the potential threat to his ruling over Israel, under the direction of the Romans. He then had to live as a refugee in Egypt for a while.

I have often pondered how He surely had to live in faith just as you and I did. He would have needed to wrap His mind around what His mother told Him about His Divine Nature. I have wondered how much personal confirmation from His Heavenly Father He might have had, and how much He had to live by faith as I had to when my parents taught me that I am a prince in Israel and so need to live like a prince in Israel ought to live. His Divine parentage would have been an infinitely bigger concept and challenge than I had. I am confident that He had to push on in faith that He wasn't delusional! With big dreams of himself!  The accounts of the angels appearing to shepherds who then came to the stable, of Simeon and Anna, and of the wise men, would probably have been reassuring to Him. But it would not have been easy for that young man to live up to those immense expectations.

I was looking at a book that my sister has about the snares of Satan and the first part of this quote that was unfamiliar to me. It referred to Luke 17:1 'Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!'? I was surprised to see how it links to verse 2 that is familiar to me 'It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.'

Brothers and sisters, we need to heed His counsel - our duty as members - to manifest a 'Godly walk and conversation …  walking in holiness before the Lord.' (D&C 20:68-69) This is particularly important at this time when we celebrate the words spoken by the angels 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.' Luke 2:14

May we remember that, probably the most frequently quoted scripture in all of Christendom is the prayer that the Lord taught in the sermon on the mount. 'Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.' Should there any doubt that if our Father is a King, then we are Princesses and Princes?

I am impressed as I read some of my thoughts about Mary and Joseph from my studying their stories a few years back. After the angel appeared to Joseph during the night, he would be realising that he was being called to be the 'father' to the child that would be born to a virgin as had been prophesied. This would be a daunting call! I salute Joseph and Mary for how they accepted and fulfilled their calls. It would have been a heart rending decision for both Mary and Joseph, and for their families! The stigma would be attached to the whole family of Mary being pregnant out of wedlock. Yes, there was the prophecy, but it would not be easy to sell their situation as being the fulfilment of that prophecy as opposed to unchastity or fornication. Being put to death, probably by stoning, was a possible threat, although this might be seen as fornication and not adultery. Roman law might have prevented stoning, but the stigma was real. This was a difficult challenge to accept!  

I suppose that there might have been times during the pregnancy, during early years, at any time, when doubt might have returned? Satan would surely have caused doubt, mistrust, accusation, slander, misery towards Mary, Joseph, and towards their respective families, and towards the boy Jesus! There would certainly be moments of comfort as someone would see indication or evidence of support for this baby, this boy, this youth, this man being special, different, prodigious, divine. But how often were there moments of doubt, niggling, casual, that he was just normal, even distasteful because of the stigma behind his conception out of wedlock? I'm sure that Satan would have used every opportunity to sow and nurture doubt.

Of course, the word that was spread by the shepherds after visiting the stable, of Anna and Simeon in the Temple, and of the visit of the wise men would have been reassuring to them and the families as well. But they would all have needed faith, hope, charity and resilience in fulfilling their unusual and special missions.

It takes faith, hope and perseverance to faithfully remember and live up to what Jesus of Nazareth chose to live up to from childhood, and all the way to adulthood when He fulfilled His mission and promise to live as the Son of God. You and I are princes and princesses in Israel. I think this is somewhat lower than He was. May we each choose to desire to keep the promises that we made at baptism and that we reaffirm every time that we partake of the sacrament - to 'eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him, and keep his commandments which he hath given them'. (Moroni 4:3) We are then promised that we will always have His Spirit to be with us. We need His Spirit. Oh, don't we need His Spirit! Heavenly Father will keep His promise. May we keep our promise and freely give the ultimate gift of surrendering our agency to Him at this Christmas time. May we live in faith, hope, charity, and perseverance as princesses and princes in Israel, is my humble prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.