Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 94:1-2, 5-6

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 94:1-2, 5-6
"And again, verily I say unto you, my friends, a commandment I give unto you, that ye shall commence a work of laying out and preparing a beginning and foundation of the city of the stake of Zion, here in the land of Kirtland, beginning at my house.
And behold, it must be done according to the pattern which I have given unto you.
And there shall be a lower court and a higher court, according to the pattern which shall be given unto you hereafter.
And it shall be dedicated unto the Lord from the foundation thereof, according to the order of the priesthood, according to the pattern which shall be given unto you hereafter. "

The word that stood out to me was pattern. The Lord is commanding the saints to build His House. A House of the Lord had not stood since Herod's temple was destroyed in 70 AD. First, I'm not sure the saints knew exactly what they were commanded to build. This was a matter of importance and the House of the Lord needed instructions. By revelation the pattern was revealed. The Lord has established the giving of patterns before to man. I reflected on how Adam was commanded to build an altar and to make sacrifices. Noah was shown how to build the ark that would save his family from the floods. Moses was shown how to build the tabernacle and all the items in it. David was shown the pattern for the House of the Lord and instructed his son Solomon who was worthy to build it.

"Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount."
(Hebrews 8:5)

"According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.
And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount."
(Exodus 25:9, 40)

"Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat,
And the pattern of all that he had by the spirit, of the courts of the house of the LORD, and of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated things:"
(1 Chronicles 28:11-12)

I pondered on how patterns in building the House of the Lord is used today. I can typically enter a new temple and take comfort that I will soon know my way around. I thought of how layouts may change, but what takes place in each has not. There have been marvelous revelations on how more temples could be built quicker and less costly for a time so more saints could receive their blessings. I love the story of President Gordon B. Hinckley and the searching for land for the Hong Kong temple.

"The group was exhausted from the rigorous day of prayerfully reviewing the various properties. President Hinckley retired to his hotel room and requested that Elders Brough and Carmack come back the next morning to further discuss the matter. It was apparent that the Area Presidency had yet to find a solution President Hinckley could accept.
("How the Hong Kong Temple Came to Be", December 2006 Ensign)

[President Hinckley] referring to his experience.... "He went to bed...feeling unsettled about the decision he needed to make. Then the whisperings of the Spirit woke him up early the next morning.

Something very interesting came to my mind, he recorded in his journal. I did not hear a voice with my natural ears. But into my mind there came the voice of the Spirit. It said, Why are you worried about this? You have a wonderful piece of property where the mission home and the small chapel stand. They are in the very heart of Kowloon, in the location with the best transportation... Build a building of [several] stories. It can include a chapel and classrooms on the first two floors and a temple on the top two or three floors. Having received that revelation, President Hinckley said, I relaxed and went back to sleep."
("Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Gordon B. Hinckley", chapter 7, "The Whisperings of the Spirit")

Day 3683

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Nephi 9:34, 47

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Nephi 9:34, 47
"Wo unto the liar, for he shall be thrust down to hell.
But behold, my brethren, is it expedient that I should awake you to an awful reality of these things? Would I harrow up your souls if your minds were pure? Would I be plain unto you according to the plainness of the truth if ye were freed from sin?"

My mind has pondered much on liars lately. In fact I woke early the other day with new understanding on the matter. My mind recalled this scripture.

"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"
(Isaiah 5:20)

It takes a liar to call evil good, and good evil.

"Satan does rage in the hearts of some. Many he will lull away into carnal security; others he flattereth, or he says there is no hell. He has lured and enlisted many followers with enticements of fame, riches, and power. He forges a Rembrandt-quality representation by calling evil good and good evil. He has confused many people, even nations and leaders, to the point of an immoral approach to moral issues."
(Durrell A. Woolsey, "A Strategy for War", Oct 1995 General Conference)

As I pondered on this I recalled an aged man who appeared to be sleeping, but woke every time he heard a lie. I felt it was saying "Wake up to your awful situation."

"Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you; or wo be unto it, because of the blood of them who have been slain; for they cry from the dust for vengeance upon it, and also upon those who built it up.
For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by the devil, who is the father of all lies; even that same liar who beguiled our first parents, yea, even that same liar who hath caused man to commit murder from the beginning; who hath hardened the hearts of men that they have murdered the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out from the beginning."
(Ether 8:24-25)

I reflected then on age and how that is not to be feared over a man of lies. My mind then recalled stories of our prophets and how as they aged they would awaken when the call was needed.

"The call of a man to fill a vacancy in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is the responsibility and prerogative of the president of the Church....During the months preceding [Apr 1983] conference, President Spencer W. Kimball’s health had become increasingly frail and his memory spotty.
Then on January 11, 1984, a year to the day after the passing of Elder Richards, Elder Mark E. Petersen passed away... President Kimball’s health had deteriorated even further, and his mind was less dependable. To make matters worse, those privy to the situation knew President Kimball was in no condition to receive the revelation to extend such calls.
One of those persons was Dr. Nelson. The week before the April 1984 general conference, Russell’s surgical nurse, Jan Curtis, mentioned how excited she was for the upcoming conference because two new apostles would be called. Russell tried to gently tell her that it wasn’t going to happen. “I was his doctor, and I knew it wasn’t feasible, that President Kimball was not well or coherent enough to do it. I explained to her that calling an apostle is the prerogative of the president of the Church and that President Kimball was simply in no condition to do that.
For months, President Gordon B. Hinckley, the only healthy member of the First Presidency at the time (President Marion G. Romney’s health had also deteriorated), had left standing instructions with President Kimball’s caregivers that if the prophet’s mind ever cleared, they were to call him immediately, regardless of the hour. Month after month passed with no call. From time to time, President Hinckley looked in on President Kimball, but an opportunity to discuss such a spiritually sensitive topic as calls to the Twelve never presented itself.
Then, at about 2:30 a.m. on the Wednesday morning prior to the April 1984 general conference, the phone rang at President Hinckley’s home. President Kimball was alert and wanted to talk to him. President Hinckley rushed downtown to President Kimball’s suite in the Hotel Utah, where the issue of vacancies in the Twelve was raised. President Kimball said simply, “Call Nelson and Oaks to the Quorum of the Twelve, in that order.”
(Sheri L. Dew, "The Miracle Behind President Nelson's Call as an Apostle" LDSLiving, 5 Oct 2019)

My mind was settled on the subject I will not fear an aged man that can recognize lies, if that is my choice today. Yet, overall the greater message is "awake to a sense of your awful situation". Since this experience I have only seen things grow even darker for us. Yet, I feel incredible peace that I can move forward in faith come what may.

Day 3380

Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Timothy 3:7

Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Timothy 3:7
"Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil."

Paul is speaking about the qualification of a bishop. I pondered on the importance of others outside of our faith to hold him in good report. I hadn't really thought of that need. Then I reflected on the great damage some bishops have done when they have fallen by the snare of the devil. Those events have done so much damage not only in the church by outside of it too. For we look like hypocrites when that happens.

Speaking to bishops, President Gordon B. Hinckley identified similar qualifications needed for priesthood leaders in our day:
“You must be men of integrity. You must stand as examples to the congregations over which you preside. You must stand on higher ground so that you can lift others. You must be absolutely honest, for you handle the funds of the Lord. …
“Your goodness must be as an ensign to your people. Your morals must be impeccable. The wiles of the adversary may be held before you because he knows that if he can destroy you, he can injure an entire ward. You must exercise wisdom in all of your relationships lest someone read into your observed actions some taint of moral sin. You cannot succumb to the temptation to read pornographic literature or even in the secrecy of your own chamber to view pornographic films. Your moral strength must be such that if ever you are called upon to sit in judgment on the questionable morals of others, you may do so without personal compromise or embarrassment” (Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Shepherds of Israel,” Oct 2003 General Conference). (New Testament Student Manual, Chapter 47: 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus and Philemon)

Day 3281

Today's Favorite Verse: Numbers 29:35

Today's Favorite Verse: Numbers 29:35

"On the eighth day ye shall have a solemn assembly: ye shall do no servile work therein:"

I don't observe the feasts and make blood sacrifices but I have participated in several solemn assembly. The last was in the April 2018 General Conference when President Russell M. Nelson was sustained as prophet, seer and revelator and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I found it and watched it again. What a spiritually moving occasion that was. I then went back and watched the solemn assembly for both President Thomas S. Monson and President Gordon B. Hinckley. As I have participated in them I always think about how the Lord's house is a house of order.

Day 2305