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.

To share with anyone who doubts the prophets, seers and revelators.

I continue to be concerned about how it seems as though the faith of some of my beloved familial and gospel brothers and sisters has apparently been shaken.

I have been impressed by how Sheri Dew shared how prophets see around corners.

She points out the unanimity that arises as they counsel together – it is not Russell M Nelson that leads on his own, but it is this council of 15 prophets, seers and revelators that lead as one. This council counsels together, with their combined backgrounds, training and personal experiences that include medicine, law, managing law firms and healthcare systems, fitness, medical and research training, education, science, business administration, history, war, refugees, travel, mentoring, technology, international affairs, government, real estate, commerce, accounting and auditing. This council includes Russell M. Nelson, Dallin H. Oaks Henry B. Eyring, M. Russell Ballard, Jeffrey R. Holland, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, David A. Bednar, Quentin L. Cook, D. Todd Christofferson, Neil L. Andersen, Ronald A. Rasband, Gary E. Stevenson, Dale G. Renlund, Gerrit W. Gong, and Ulisses Soares.

I know enough about science to question some arguments such as those that vilify vaccines, insecticides, fertilizers, and GMOs. I do not say that they are without fault, but their faults are almost certainly overemphasised or exaggerated. I have done enough in similar research to know that variables that are very applicable to some populations may not apply to other populations – but that does not negate the conclusions drawn in the first populations that were studied. As with our 24 000 species of plants in South Africa, what was perfectly valid for some species might have been very different for some other species, or even populations of the same species. Similarly, humans have different populations and genetics that might make some things that are fine for the general population be unsafe for other populations, but that does not necessarily negate the conclusions for the populations where those problems have been demonstrated to not exist.

I remember reading an amusing article at Gobabeb while working at the Namib Desert Research Station in about 1976. This article stated that carrots were to be avoided because almost everyone who had a variety of illnesses in the past year had eaten carrots shortly before dying; Almost everyone with eye problems had eaten carrots; And the list went on and on about negative things that happen to almost everyone, including the most certain outcome of life – death – and pointed to the truth that almost everyone who had suffered those fates had eaten carrots. The point of the article was that although there may be a strong correlation between people succumbing to those outcomes and the consumption of carrots, the carrots cannot necessarily be blamed for those outcomes. I acknowledge that some people may genuinely have problems that suggest that it would be wise for them to avoid carrots. The same can surely be said of milk, wheat, maize, sunlight, and all sorts of wonderful things given to us by a loving, gracious and merciful Heavenly Father. More importantly, it highlights how easily evil can be called good, and good can be called evil.

I know relatively little about law and legal matters, but I know that not all legal victories are righteous. When someone uses the millions of US$ charged in fines against pharmaceutical, pesticide, or other companies as evidence of their guilt in committing crimes against humanity, my mind goes back to the Gadianton Robbers and Secret Combinations and, quite frankly, raise more questions than give answers. To be fair, I believe that the inappropriate outcomes are rare exceptions, but they are there – I think of two cases – a friend who was evidently falsely accused by a spiteful woman of him abusing her daughter; and of Joseph who was in Egypt and falsely accused by the wife of his slave-owner of trying to assault her. These two examples help me to conclude that sometimes legal victories are not necessarily a true indication of guilt – that some convictions are not beyond reasonable doubt. Caution is essential in preventing abuse! I also know that in most instances those winning legal victories or promoting their arguments are earning a living. It is usually not altruism, charity, or a Zion spirit, that causes their activism, but self-success. One victory then provides precedents that help to gain victory over subsequent litigation over those things that they are opposing – but that does not necessarily mean that counter-arguments do not have their place. My mind turns to the injunction of the Saviour –he that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone. There are surely imperfections on both sides of every argument.

My faith is strongly in favour of following the prophets, seers and revelators – in the mouth of two or three witnesses – or fifteen in this case – shall the word of God be established. I witness that there will be far more value in following God’s prophets, seers and revelators than in doing things that are not in harmony with what the Lord leads them to say. As we well know, there are some who are allergic to gluten, milk products, groundnuts, and so forth. Those are very real, sometimes fatal, albeit relatively rare exceptions.

I am inclined to give most of my time to studying what the Lord’s council of prophets, seers and revelators is saying, and following that counsel, rather than looking for reasons why I, Les Powrie, might know more truth than all fifteen of God’s mouthpieces knows. God has lovingly called them to lead and guide us. Their set of combined knowledge, wisdom and understanding is amazing. God has chosen well – He knows perfectly what is needed to guide His people to safety in 2022 and as we approach the Second Coming.

If anything is not in harmony with what the council of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve say, I would doubt that before doubting my faith in God’s power over the Church. He would not allow His prophet and that council to lead the Church astray. He can easily allow any one of them to die from whatever cause – especially things arising from old age – so that His word will not be compromised by anything that is not for the best of His children. As out-of-place as anything that they say might sound in the philosophies of the world, I would place far greater trust in the word of God’s prophets, seers and revelators than in any other source.

There are so many kinds of voices, so many trumpets sounding, that I place my trust in my one landmark experience that told me as a missionary in 1973 that There are certainly individuals among all other faith groups that are outstanding in their contributions to good works, but God has declared to me, personally, that there is only one church – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – that is the only true and living church upon the face of the Earth with which He, the Lord, is well pleased, speaking to the Church collectively and not individually. I have a complete confidence that He will not allow His mouthpieces to lead us astray.

I share my complete faith and trust in God’s loving grace and mercy, and of His infinite power over all things such as the health problems arising from the evil intents of men, as we approach Him with a broken heart and contrite spirit, and His ability to cause any obstructive prophets, seers and revelators to die should they cause any problems to His saints, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

So many kinds of voices - responding to the COVID-19 lockdown and wearing masks

This morning I was sent a video by someone who asked 'Plz tell me what to think about this'

It would appear that this video was prepared by someone from The Unity Group, Standing Together South Africa, and the logo in the video matches that on https://www.theunitygroup.co.za/ 

In essence, this video encourages us to be part of the masses who would fight against lockdown and wearing masks, encouraging us to think and to not just follow what the government is imposing on us due to conspiracy theory or conspiracy fact because the government wants us to lose everything so that we will become totally dependent on them. The video encourages us to refuse to take the vaccine when it is developed, that Cyril Ramaphosa and the politicians are all corrupt and plundering South Africa, and to fight against any further lockdown.

My response was basically as follows.

What do you think of what President Russell M Nelson is saying? He was a world renowned heart surgeon. Is he now the Lord's mouthpiece? Is he a living prophet and apostle, or not? Does God live? Does God guide us through a living prophet, or not? Did He make a mistake by not causing Russell Nelson to die before being sustained as prophet, seer and revelator? Or, did the Lord direct the calling of Russell M Nelson in 1984 so that he would be president of the Church 36 years later in 2020 at precisely the time of a global pandemic when he would be the right person to be His prophet?

Russell Nelson is someone who has worn a mask for many hours on end in the process of carrying out surgical procedures to save lives. He is a strong proponent of the hygienic practices of sanitizing and directed the Church to adopt such practices and responsible social distancing by closing meetinghouses and temples worldwide even before the government of South Africa imposed its lockdown in March 2020.

How many minutes have you spent studying, praying and pondering about the scriptures in this past week? How many minutes have you given to alternative voices like social media, the channels of Babylon, and other sources? How much airtime do you give to the Lord's word as opposed to what comes to us on the World's TV channels, news channels, and the like? 

What have you learnt from pondering Moroni 7 in which Moroni teaches us to judge so that we can know good from evil, what is from God and what is from the devil? Moroni says 'the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night.' Is what Russell Nelson says good or is it evil? Is what this video is saying good or is it evil?

Is the lockdown pure evil, or will some good come from it? Yes, there is bad that has come and will yet come, but will the overall balance between good and evil be more good or evil when one looks back two or three years from now, just as the Spanish Flu pandemic was devastating,  but the recovery was better in many ways than if the pandemic had not struck? Who will accurately measure this balance? Each person will have her or his own opinion - how will you decide which opinion is beyond reasonable doubt? What is the sure source of pure truth and light - the unnamed man in this video, or Russell Nelson, or Heavenly Father?

I do not reject what this man says - but, it would take extensive personal study to be able to know beyond reasonable doubt if what he says is true about Cyril Ramaphosa plundering the country, or if that is the voice of Cyril's enemies spreading lies about him.

Similarly, it would take extensive personal research to know what is the best way to prevent the virus from spreading, or if I should refuse the vaccine or not. There are so many alternative opinions - how should I decide which opinion to adopt? 

Simply put - does God care enough for us to guide us through a prophet today? If He does, then what is that prophet directing me to do? Does that prophet join in demonstrations fighting against masks, lockdowns and vaccines, or is he wearing a mask, directing the lockdown of the Church meetinghouses and Temples, and speaking positively of those working to develop a vaccine? By their fruits ye shall know them. I have observed the fruits of Russell Nelson. I have no idea what the fruits are of this unnamed man.

Does this give any indication of what I think about this?

Sumerian tablets - are they in harmony with the writings of Abraham and Moses?

Some time ago, while working in the garden, I listened to something about Sumerian tablets. I had also listened to other reports about ancient civilizations and subjects. My thoughts were turned to my readings of the Bible, Qur'an, several of the works of Charles Darwin and other valuable and interesting books as I listened. I found a wonderful harmony between each of these - a reminder to me that there is one story of the creation and early history of man that has been passed on through generations in different groups of descendents of Adam and Eve who have changed the story according to their traditions and cultures. My impression was that there is a common thread in each of the accounts, and I can see the basic harmony with the account of the creation as told by Abraham who lived about 2000 years after the fall of Adam and the start of mortality. Abraham lived about 2000 years before Jesus Christ, and we live about 2000 years after Jesus Christ. Adam lived for nearly half of the time between Adam and Abraham, and many patriarchs who would have faithfully recounted the stories lived to ripe old ages and would have shared the more true accounts with their descendents who would listen. We are told in the Book of Moses that there was a book of remembrance kept in the language of Adam, so I am confident that there is a reliable source of the true story.

The world as a whole have the account of creation as given by Moses who lived about 500 years after Abraham. We know that Abraham had taught the Egyptians of the creation, history, astronomy, and versions of the same stories would have been recounted in all civilizations before and after the time of Abraham.

It is not surprising to me that there are many versions of the same story. If we look at our own history, there are many versions told in official sources and newspapers of the same events. There is a common element to each story, but each account differs. There are some fictional and non-fictional accounts including research tomes, historical novels, fantasies, and representations of facts that add embellishments to the simple stories. I would not be surprised of some of the differences in ancient records are similar in their telling about the stories.

There is one God who does know the actual facts, and each of us can look at whatever version of the story we have and ask that one God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, what we need to take from the account that we read in order to be faithful followers of His plan for us. He will help us to have insights to guide us in our individual understanding of the fundamental principles. It is not likely that He will give to each and every person an individual audience to hear the full story, especially if we fail to do what we can easily do to find what is readily available to us to read and ponder, then to pray for confirmation or guidance. 

We are able, particularly in the year 2020, to gain access to the alternative accounts of the story and not rely only on the one with which we grew up if there is more truth available. The interpretation of what we read is guided by the spirit of God with which each of us was born. The Spirit will guide the honest reader to the most reliable account of the story of the creation and the plan of life and salvation. If the reader lets God lead him or her to truth, God will lead, because He wants us to know Him. I was impressed that the Qur'an advises the reader to read the Torah - and I understand this advice because the Qur'an talks about Abraham, Adam, David, Aaron, Noah, Solomon, Jesus, Mary, John, Zechariah, and other biblical characters, but does not give as much detail as is in the Old Testament and New Testament.

I have conducted the experiment that millions have conducted and I have come to know God. I have studied the Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon, the Pearl of Great Price containing the books of Abraham and Moses, Doctrine and Covenants and other words of modern representatives of that God who spoke to man from the days of Adam and continues to do so today. I have learned about these scriptures, and have come to know them rather than simply knowing about them. I have come to know God rather than simply knowing about Him. 

I have come to know personally that, if any person will do the will of the Father, she or he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or if they are simply the stories of men. I have knocked and the door has been opened. I have done my seeking and I have found. I have asked and I have received. I know you can too.

Let Him In

I have come to know that simply being exposed to facts does not make the difference. The children of Israel personally experienced the sea parting and themselves walking on dry ground, they saw the pillar of fire and the cloud, they were eating the manna, and yet they hankered for the flesh pots of Egypt because they were not switched on to trying to do the will of Jehovah. Laman and Lemuel had seen an angel, felt the shock when Nephi touched them, but were failing to do the will of the Father and just said that God did not make such things known to them. The citizens of Jerusalem saw Jesus of Nazareth, but some cried out 'Crucify him!' while others followed Him.

There is an abundance of fascinating information available, like decoding the Exodus, and other speculations and deductions relating to the stories told in the Old Testament. I have been edified considering many descriptions given by people of their research into these ancient events and accounts. 

The main thing is to go to the source of the scriptures - if they are true, as I am confident that they are - then there is a Heavenly Father who loves His children and will want to manifest Himself to those who diligently seek Him. But it does not help drinking from the water downstream after many people have paddled and done other unmentionable things in the water before it reaches you when the God who revealed His word is waiting to speak directly to and guide you and you can enjoy the perfect living water right at its source.

Would I be privileged to be welcomed into the most special marriage feast of all history?

I was thinking as I prayed tonight. I pondered the parable in Matthew 25

Why would Jesus Christ use a marriage feast as an object lesson? What is special about a marriage feast, and an invitation to one?

Would I receive an invitation?

How would I know that I had received an invitation? So many Jews, even the leaders of the Jews, the Sanhedrin, rejected the very Messiah when He came in their midst – would I recognise an invitation to the most significant marriage feast in all of history?

Who would deliver such an invitation? Who would be on the list if invited guests? Would I be among those who would be invited?

If there were to be an invitation given, how would one come, other than through a living prophet? After all, Amos said ‘Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.’ Amos 3:7 Does this apply here? Would the Lord arrive unannounced, or would he have a prophet deliver invitations to the feast?

If I were to be one of the fortunate ten virgins who would receive an invitation to this feast, would I have sufficient oil in my lamp when the cry comes ‘The bridegroom cometh’ and I tried to trim my lamp at the crucial moment when it is most needed?

I bear my testimony that the Lord does indeed have a living prophet. The invitation will not go randomly to all the world, just as an invitation to the wedding feast would not go to all in the town, but to special friends of the bridegroom, and not all of those special friends will have sufficient oil in their lamps to enable them to be prepared and welcomed in to the figurative ‘hall’ where the feast will be held. I hope and pray that I may at least receive an invitation, and hopefully have sufficient oil in my lamp. I know that the Lord lives now – still as He said to His disciples ‘Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.’ Luke 24:39

I know that He still lives, that he still has that body of flesh and bones that his disciples saw and felt. He will come again. All we need to do is to be ready to be welcomed into the marriage feast. I reckon that a Temple Recommend will be a basic requirement, and then living worthy of that, enduring in faith to the end. And then, being alert and attentive to the still small voice as it whispers in the right place at the right time to become aware of the cry that 'the bridegroom cometh'.

I hope that I will be welcomed in and hear those glorious words 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.' Matt 25:21,23. I hope that all of my loved ones will be among those wise virgins who are welcomed in to the marriage feast.

We have a prophet through whom the Lord can deliver us

I shared this with my family this morning.

As I prayed this morning I realised that we do not need to buy 5 litre bottles of water, at least not those who have stored water.

What we shall do is to use stored water for washing and flushing, then wash the bottle, and replace the stored water with fresh water, then put the bottle under a bed as drinking water.

In HIRA (Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment) the first management or intervention option is avoidance, and second is replacement. This is what we can do without increasing our consumption of municipal water, by replacing it so that we can accumulate fresh stored water.

So, we have turned off the taps to the cisterns and use stored or rainwater to refill the cistern after flushing.

We disconnected the washing machine from the tap and use rainwater or stored water.

Then we can store fresh water with clear conscience.

Following this revelatory experience and being comforted by the Spirit, I turned to my daily scripture reading, and the first verse that I read was 2 Nephi 3:9.

And he shall be great like unto Moses, whom I have said I would raise up unto you, to deliver my people, O house of Israel.

Here is a note I made in my study journal.

After pondering our very serious drought in Cape Town in January 2018, and advising my family on how we have been blessed because of following the prophet's counsel to store food and water, this was the first verse that I read as I turned to my daily scripture study. We do indeed have a prophet through whom the Lord can deliver us.

Are we not blessed for having heeded the Lord's anointed all these years? Some of our stored water has been there for more than twenty years and may not be used confidently for drinking.

Another thought I had as I prayed is to use 5 litre fruit juice containers as water dispensers in the bathrooms and kitchen. But I can't think when last I saw one? If you see any, please collect them so that we can wash them to reuse as water dispensers.

Paul Kruger shared a video clip of a 2 litre cold drink bottle with a hole in it and pipe fitted, then a slight press of the bottle releases a bit of water, or loosening the cap releases a flow of water. That will work. Rather like the water feeders for budgies or hamsters as negative pressure prevents water from leaking out and positive pressure releases water.