Stedying the ark part three

 The church and policy and procedures

Sometime in the past few years a former bishop demonstrated in front of the church headquarters because he thought that bishops should not interview young people in the ward.

There have been demonstrations at BYU trying to influence a change in policy in regards to the proclamation on the family. Some have even suggested that if the church did not allow same sex marriage in the temple and by local priesthood leaders that the tax exempt status be revoked by the government.

These people are trying to steady the ark.

We belong to the Church of Jesus Christ. He sets the policy and the procedures. Those who try to influence the church to change to their way of thinking are in danger of loosing their place in the celestial kingdom. 

 

Keep your hands off the ark.

 

Love,

Grandpa

Steadying the aek part 2

 The priesthood and the church

We must ask whose church is this? Whose priesthood is this? The answer is simple.  It is Christ's.

Originally Adam was given the priesthood and gave it to his children and his descendants. Noah had this priesthood. He had the garment of the Holy Priesthood. Canaan wanted to wear the garment to show people he had the priesthood. When Noah was drunk he came in to steal the garment and left Noah naked and as a result was denied access to the priesthood as well as his posterity. (Genesis 9:26)

The Higher priesthood continued in the righteous posterity of Noah down to Jethro who gave it to Moses.

Because of the iniquity of the children of Israel Moses and the higher priesthood were taken away and only the descendants of Aaron were allowed to hold the priesthood. None of the other tribes of Israel could hold the priesthood.

Christ restored the higher priesthood which remained on two continents until apostasy did not allow anyone on earth to claim true authority from God, although there were false Christs and false priesthoods.

A restoration of the true priesthood occurred when John the Baptist and Peter, James and John came and ordained Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdrey. For reasons debated those of African descent were denied access to the priesthood. No amount of protests made a difference. At one time a reporter from California asked President David O. McKay when those of African descent would receive the priesthood. His reply was, not in my lifetime or yours.

It required a revelation to the presidency of the church and council of the twelve for the Lord to grant access to His power and authority to all worthy male members.

Just because women tried to get into general conference priesthood session or demonstrated on temple square doesn’t change who will gain access to His power and authority. These try to steady the ark and are mislead.

At one time before the above mentioned revelation, a bishop in the church ordained an African to the office of Elder. The bishop was excommunicated. 

After the revelation a temple ordinance worker in the Salt Lake temple told the temple president that he could not perform those sacred ordinances to any African. The temple president replied, you are hereby released from your position in the temple. 

This is Christ's church and His priesthood. We go by His rules.

 

Try and remember not to touch the ark.

 

Love,

Grandpa

 

Steadying the Ark

 Money and the church

A recent television news show featured a former employee of the church who was involved in investing church funds. He no longer works in that capacity. It was his feeling that the money should be used in a different way. He went on national television to criticize the church.

This reminds me of an account in the Bible. It seems that a man who was not a Levite saw something that he thought was happening that he could control. The ark of the covenant was tipping and he feared that it might drop to the ground. He reached up his hand to keep it from sliding and touched the ark. The account records that the Lord struck him dead on the spot.

Why? Because he took over a priesthood responsibility that he was not authorized to assume. We call this type of action steadying the ark.

No matter what our personal desires and opinions are we have no right to question the church or its leaders. We may die a spiritual death if we do.

Recently a rather wealthy man sued the church to have them return the tithing that he paid because he did not think the church was using the money he way that he thought it ought to be used. He wasted his money by bringing suit, because he did not recoup any money. He has left the church.

During the history of the church, funds have been required to cover expenses. In lieu of money members have donated goods or labor. As example; the building of the Kirtland and Nauvoo temples.Then after the saints moved west the three temples in Utah as well as numerous tabernacles, stake and ward buildings.

When the chapel was built in Lander the local members had to raise 30% of the cost of the building before construction could begin. My family contributed labor as well.

I have a receipt in my files that shows that I contributed money to the building of the Idaho Falls temple. Later we were asked to contribute money to the building of the Jordan River temple. Now the church uses funds to purchase lands and provide funds for the building of temples all over the world. They do not ask members to specifically contribute to the funding of temples.

When I was stake president we had ward and stake budget assessments as well as welfare assessments. I was appointed to be the regional welfare coordinator. The Wyoming region was asked to provide a certain amount of money for welfare. I talked to the stake presidents of the Casper and Big Horn stakes and we agreed on each stake's share of the assessment that we received from church headquarters. Each stake would then assign the wards their share.

At tithing settlement the bishops would meet with each family and suggest an amount for each to contribute to the budgets in addition to tithing and fast offering.

As things progressed the welfare assessment was filled by welfare projects with members working in the various canneries and farms and orchards. No money was asked for.

Each ward and stake had a building fund provided by the church to cover future building needs. No money was asked for members to contribute to and paid janitors were replaced by donated labor. This also happens in cleaning of the temples.

The monetary assessments were then covered by the funds from the proceeds of wise investments of excess church funds. 

The Savior taught the principle of stewardship in Matthew 25:14-30. Most people read this and think it is just a nice story.

Most of you are not even aware of these changes. 

"Isn't it wonderful that faithful tithe-paying by rhe members and prudent investment of church funds have made it possible for the Church to cover all of these needs without additional financial sacrifice of church members?

My dear grandchildren please remember whose church this is. Do not try to steady the ark.

Love,

 

Grandpa

Sin like illness is best treated early in its course

 Sin like illness is best treated early in its course

Today my daughter was visiting our neighbor. She has been coughing and complaining of pain and the cough was productive of colored mucus. This was accompanied by a sore throat.

It was 8:00 PM. I thought she had a bronchitis and needed an antibiotic. I had a sulfa based antibiotic on hand, but the neighbor was allergic to sulfa based drugs. All the drugstores in the area were closed for Memorial Day.

My daughters who live in the area did not have any antibiotics. Had we known a few hours earlier I could have been of help by phoning in a prescription. Now she will have to wait until tomorrow to get treatment.

She may get pneumonia by waiting too long to seek treatment.

The phrase at the beginning of this post was one that I used to quote to people to emphasize the need to repent early. If one does not, then the spiritual illness that accompanies sin may become more serious and lead to spiritual death.

So, my dear grandchildren repent early and often.

Love,

Grandpa