Current Event Commentary

There is another area I would like to comment on; it is the terrible loss of life theses incidents continue to cause. This terrible toll would be much more terrible if this mortal life was all there is. It would be truly devastating to all of mankind, but thankfully there is more to life than this mortal flesh. There is the Eternal Spirit of each one of us. This spirit continues to live when we lay this mortal by, no matter the time or means of mortal death. The physical laws as we know them continue to operate; Matter cannot be created nor destroyed, it can only be changed. I believe our spirits return to that Heavenly Father who spritually created our original intelligence into spirit beings before we were born into this mortal existence. That Heavenly Father sent us here to gain a body and to gain experience and be tried so that we could return to him in due time in a more perfected way with a resurrected glorified body reunited to our Eternal Spirit.

To some, this may sound unfounded and wishful thinking, but there is ample evidence to support it if one just opens their eyes and minds. To do so, many may need to overcome years of teaching and indoctrination by one sect or another and be truly open to knew vistas of understanding. If you are one of those open-minded individuals, you will continue to read this commentary, if you are not, but read on, you may recognize some eternal truths therein.

With just a little added understanding of revealed scriptures we can truly know where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going.

If we examine the scriptures available to most of us, we learn the story of creation, that a loving God created our first parents in his own image and placed them in the Garden of Eden. We further read that man became corrupted by Satan who was cast out of Heaven for rebellion against God. Man became mortal and followed not God's law except for a few who continued to listen. God called Noah as a prophet and caused the Ark to be built before he flooded the earth because of mankind's wickedness.

Later God Called other prophets such as Isaiah and Moses to perform specific tasks, though mankind in general continued to be disobedient to God's laws. Through God's Plan of Salvation for us, he provided a savior, who would take upon himself the sins of the world, whereby man could be redeemed and return into God's presence.We further learn that in the Meridian of Time, Jesus Christ was born through Divine conception to Mary and Joseph and that as an adult he ministered to the people, teaching, healing, and performing miracles. During his ministry, he said, "And other sheep I have which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold and one shepherd." He had 12 ordained Apostles with the power to seal, "Whatsoever ye bind on earth will be bound in Heaven and whatsoever ye loose on earth will be loosed in Heaven." They continued to minister and lead the people after he was cruelly crucified on the cross as he had taught them. That would have been the end of the story had it not been for his glorious Resurrection on the third day when he overcame the bonds of death for all mankind. The scriptures record that other spirits were freed from their bonds of death also at that time and became resurrected beings. The Apostles taught Baptism for the Remission of Sins and Laying on of Hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

I know that there are many who doubt the scriptures for one reason or another, but there is another separate witness to these events that earnest seekers after truth may turn. This separate witness has existed for over 175 years and stands apart from the Old and New Testament witnesses.

This separate witness relates that in the time when Zedekiah was king of Judah around 600 B.C., another prophet was called to preach repentance to the people, but they rejected him. This prophet named Lehi was instructed to take his family into the wildreness. They were subsequently guided by divine direction to the Americas. Lehi took with him a record on Brass Plates which contained his genealogy and a history of the prophets. God directed them to make other plates to record their own history on. Later prophets preached to the people about the coming of the Messaiah in the Old World. One prophet in particular foretold the time of the birth of the Savior and revealed that signs in Heaven would identify the birth of the Savior in the Old World. He also foretold great signs would accompany the death of the Savior.

This separate witness relates the happening of the foretold signs in the Americas at the time of Christ's Birth and also the signs at his death.

It also relates the glorious event of his appearing to them after his Resurrection as he descends from heaven in great light. He causes them to feel the nail prints in his hands and feet so that they might know for themselves it is truly him who was prophesied would appear. During his brief time in the Americas, he ordained twelve Apostles to lead the people when he was gone. he preached and ministered to the people, healing them and teaching them the same message he taught in his mortal life in Jerulsalem. He told them that they are the "Other Sheep" he referred to in his earthly Ministry in Jerusalem.

Around 600 A.D., the then remaining prophet was directed to write his own history and testimony on the plates and to hide them up in the ground until they would come forth in the Lord's own due time.

Here is just a sample of that second witness:

"But, behold, my beloved brethren, thus came the voice of the Son unto me, saying: After ye have repented of your sins, and witnessed unto the Father that ye are willing to keep my commandments, by the baptism of water, and have received the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost, and can speak with a new tongue, yea, even with the tongue of angels, and after this should deny me, it would have been better for you that ye had not known me.

15 And I heard a voice from the Father, saying: Yea, the words of my Beloved are true and faithful. He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.

16 And now, my beloved brethren, I know by this that unless a man shall endure to the end, in following the example of the Son of the living God, he cannot be saved.

17 Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.

18 And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive.

19 And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.

20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.

21 And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen."

To learn how this record was revealed and translated by divine revelation by a Latter-day prophet in our time, one only needs to seek out a member or missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day saints. The Latter-Day Saint Church was officially organized on April 6, 1830 with 6 baptized members. There are over twelve million members worldwide today.