May you have the the peace of a loving Father in heaven today.

D&C 105:3 But behold, they have not learned to be obedient to the things which I required at their hands, but are full of all manner of evil, and do not impart of their substance, as becometh saints, to the poor and afflicted among them;
4 And are not united according to the union required by the law of the celestial kingdom;
5 And Zion cannot be built up unless it is by the principles of the law of the celestial kingdom; otherwise I cannot receive her unto myself.
6 And my people must needs be chastened until they learn obedience, if it must needs be, by the things which they suffer.

Are you sinless? Are you perfect and blameless (Greek “teleios”/Hebrew “tam”), walking uprightly before God? We are still being chastened because until we can abide a terrestrial sphere which is governed by the principles of the laws of the celestial kingdom (think Ananias and Sapphira in the book of Acts), we will not be able to build Zion, much less dwell there.

Only Zion people can and will build a Zion city. But scattered throughout are believers of all faiths who are even now learning by sad experience what it truly means to be one heart, one mind and have no poor among them. If you want Zion, start right now in your own heart and in your own homes and in your own neighborhoods.

What are you doing to elevate those around you who cannot elevate themselves? What are you doing to ease the burdens and suffering of those less fortunate than you? Do you practice the law of consecration in your lives? Or are you waiting for some church leader to tell you how it should be done? Do you not have the Holy Ghost and your own connection to the Lord? Are you seeking His face? Do you pray incessantly without fainting? Do you spend hours on end on your knees? Why must so many wait until they are commanded in all things when they are agents unto themselves and can bring to pass much good of their own free will, being anxiously engaged in good causes?

“There are many Christians who are looking for the mark of the beast. Though none seem to get what that will be, there are those who are getting closer in their guesstimates. The mark of the beast will indeed be a specific thing. However, it doesn’t come out of nowhere. Those with eyes to see recognize that it is merely the last step on a path that began some time ago. 

Unfortunately, almost all of those who watch for the mark of the beast–heeding the warning of the terminal nature of the choice to accept it–are already on the path to accepting it. They don’t realize that if they criticize those who are cancelled instead of offering to help them, if they stay in a geographical place they know is not best for them and their family even when they have the ability to move, if they stay silent to protect their income even while harming their conscience, if they take a mandated experimental [vaxxine] instead of losing their job–they are already on the path to taking the mark of the beast. They are already conforming to the presently available previews of the future situation. The future situation will be much harder to avoid than these things are now. If you can’t or won’t do the right thing now, it is extraordinarily unlikely you will do the right thing later.

Wake up.”

Reblogged from Upward Thought.

After six months of recording, I have finished narrating my book By A Thread which anyone may listen to freely or read freely. No need to watch it. Just listen while you drive to work, hike around the park, whatever. Each chapter is around half an hour in duration but if you’re like me, you’ll listen at 1.25 or 1.5 speed minimum. I recommend 1.25 because I narrated it rather slowly. Instead of linking the playlist, I’ll just link the final chapter titled “Sacrifice” and let you judge using it as a litmus test whether the rest of the book is worthy of your time. I believe it is. While each chapter is a standalone essay, they build upon each other to form a specific narrative arc. While it is written for and dedicated to an LDS audience, it can be appreciated by any freedom loving disciple of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank you to everyone who has read this book and shared it with others. I am thankful that people have found hope in reading it, especially during these turbulent times.