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And, finding there was greater happiness and peace and rest for me, I sought for the blessings of the fathers, and the right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same (Abraham, vs 2)

Saturday, October 4, 2014

Awful Situation Part 2: Kingdom of the Devil Inside the Kingdom of God

"Once again the Book of Mormon and modern revelation give us the guidance we need so that we are not taken out of our places by too much concern over what on the landscape of history may after all be a very temporary thing, real and menacing though it may be. In the Book of Mormon is a verse I wish I fully understood, but which I draw to your attention. It is 2 Nephi 28:19, which says “the kingdom of the devil must shake.” It is a very intriguing verse. I do not presume to know what this redemptive turbulence will be like, but it will be such that a few people now caught up in that generic kingdom of the devil will be “stirred up” and find their way out and into the kingdom of God. I don’t know how that will happen, but it will happen. I rather imagine, and this is sure speculation, that there will be in this redemptive turbulence some jarring inconsistencies brought to the fore—jarring enough that they will cause some people who are caught up in the subsets [traditions of our fathers] to leave [the traditions of our fathers not the church] and find the truth. As prophesied in the Book of Mormon, full of portent for Latter-day Saints, there will be real turbulence." (President Neal A Maxwel, here, Sharing Insights from My Life)
Normally when i mention 2 Nephi 28, most people say "that is not talking about the latter day saints!". But it is. Here Maxwell applies it to us. Not to mention the language of Nephi here is speaking to "Zion". I don't think Babylon is anything related to Zion.

The best quote in the talk is this.
"Submission to Him is the only form of submission that is completely safe." (ibid)
Mormon Chronicles had an exclusive article on a seventy, Elder H Verlan Andersen. (an article written entirely by Elder Andersen written to President Benson) http://www.mormonchronicle.com/exclusive-elder-h-verlan-andersen-on-apostasy-of-the-church-members/ 
Nephi prophesies that Satan will stir the people up to anger against that which is good in our day. (2 Ne. 28:20) Also Moroni indicates that the blood of the saints will be shed in our day by these secret combinations. (Ether 8:22
I am rather firmly convinced that the great deception being practiced upon LDS today largely comes from our socialized educational system. Satan’s doctrines are being boldly taught to our children and we are failing in our duty to set them straight. 
I have read Moroni’s statement in Mormon, Chapter Eight wherein he states every Church has become corrupted and where he says that we Gentiles have polluted the holy church of God. (verses 36, 38) I wonder if he is speaking of our restored Church. What do you think? (Compare this with 2 Ne. 28:9–14.) 
Then there is reference to a great division which will take place among the people. (2 Ne. 20:10, compare D&C 63:54) When you get these matters figured out let me know.…(Letter to Ezra Taft Benson, 4/20/1968)

Who considers it either impossible or unlikely that a person can belong to the Devil’s organization and Christ’s Church simultaneously? The Nephite scriptures provide some interesting information. No one who believes that the Book of Mormon is the word of God doubts that the secret combinations described therein were built up by the devil. The record is most explicit about this fact. But notice in the days of the reign of the judges among the Nephites, that when this secret society came among them, they seduced even the more part of the righteous to join them. (Hel. 6:38
Then in that period of time immediately preceding the terrible destruction which almost obliterated the Nephite nation, the very people who formed the secret combination which was largely instrumental in killing the prophets and bringing about this awful disaster, included, almost all the lawyers and the high priests. (3 Ne. 6:25
If the more part of the righteous and almost all the lawyers and the high priests can be deceived, how can anyone feel safe? (Personal notes: Can one belong to the Church of the Lamb and the Church of the Devil at the same time? 1970)
 Remember what maxwell said that verifies what Elder Andersen said?

"Full of portent for Latter-day Saints, there will be real turbulence." Lets assume those scriptures do apply to us.

A secret combination among the latter day saints.
Seduced the more part of the righteous to join in
Included almost all lawyers and high priests
A great division in the land
We have polluted the holy church of God.
Satans doctrines are being boldly taught from the church
Kingdom of the devil will become part of the kingdom of God.

How can anyone feel safe?

By doing what maxwell said to do.
"Submission to Him is the only form of submission that is completely safe."
By weighing everything against the scriptures even the words of modern leaders, prophets, or apostles. If it contradicts scripture you are to discard it . This is what the scriptures mean by "casting off unbelief" or removing the "false traditions of our fathers" as Joseph said unless you "remove all your false traditions" you cannot be saved. We are only to accept the lords servants when they are "moved upon by the holy ghost".

We wrest the scriptures at our peril. It is not enough to read ensigns over and over because we will never know what is the false traditions that are among us. The four standard works that the lord has vouched for repeatedly, Bible, Book of mormon, pearl of great price, and the doctrine and covenants. Take the holy spirit as your guide and it will show you the truth of all things.
"The words and the way they are used in the Book of Mormon by the Lord should become our source of understanding and should be used by us in teaching gospel principles. (Ezra Taft Benson)
D&C 18:2-4.2 Behold, I have manifested unto you, by my Spirit in many instances, that the things which you have written are true; wherefore you know that they are true.3 And if you know that they are true, behold, I give unto you a commandment, that you rely upon the things which are written;4 For in them are all things written concerning the foundation of my church, my gospel, and my rock. 
Joseph Fielding SmithDoctrines of Salvation 3:203-204. (Italics in original.) It makes no difference what is written or what anyone has said, if what has been said is in conflict with what the Lord has revealed, we can set it aside. My words, and the teachings of any other member of the Church, high or low, if they do not square with the revelations, we need not accept them. Let us have this matter clear. We have accepted the four standard works as the measuring yardsticks, or balances, by which we measure every man's doctrine.
Harold B. LeeImprovement Era, Jan. 1969, p. 13; Living Prophets for a Living Church, p. 60. All that we teach in this Church ought to be couched in the scriptures. It ought to be found in the scriptures. We ought to choose our texts from the scriptures. If we want to measure truth, we should measure it by the four standard works, regardless of who writes it. If it is not in the standard works, we may well assume that it is speculative, man's own personal opinion; and if it contradicts what is in the scriptures, it is not true. This is the standard by which we measure all truth. 
Even A Prophet Will Fail You.
President George Q. Cannon:
Do not, brethren, put your trust in man though he be a bishop; an apostle, or A PRESIDENT. If you do, they will fail you at some time or place, they will do wrong or seem to, and your support be gone, but if we lean on God, He never will fail us. When men and women depend on God ALONE, and trust in Him ALONE, their faith will not be shaken if the highest in the Church should step aside. They could still see that He is just and true, that truth is lovely in His sight, and the pure in heart are dear to Him. Perhaps it is His own design that faults and weaknesses should appear in high places in order that His saints may learn to trust in Him and NOT IN ANY MAN OR MEN! Therefore, my brethren and sisters, SEEK AFTER THE HOLY GHOST and his unfailing testimony of God and His work upon the earth. Rest not until you know for yourselves that God has set His Hand to redeem Israel, and prepare a people for His coming. (Deseret Weekly, March 7, 1891. pg. 322, No. 10 vol. XLII a Discourse by Pres. George Q. Cannon, Manti, Sanpete County  on the evening of February 15, 1891).

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