LDS Freedom Forum

Thank you for taking the time to compile this. I needed to be reminded that "Although they may not be testifying of the corruption, conspiracies, etc. in the world today, they are giving us (and people around the world) what we need to survive the journeys our lives take be, it the trials and tribulations of the last days or a more personal experience.
"To me, the focus of the Brethren is on building our faith to be able to withstand upcoming difficulties, strengthening our relationships with our fellow man and our families in order to help each other through whatever trials and tribulations come our way, and being worthy to wield/use the priesthood in any capacity that is asked of us."

Thanks.

Wonderful post gyrlgeek. Thanks for putting all the points on such a succinct list. Love it.

"study New Testament, it should be central to our lives as the Savior should be central to our lives"

Reading your list re-confirmed a few things that my family has been doing lately. For example, My family just finished reading the Book of Mormon, now we are starting on the New Testament (felt impressed this is what we should study). My wife and I really are enjoying reading it with the kids (it's the first time for them).

Thank you Gyrlgeek for posting that list. I personally have greatly tired of the complaining on the forum about the brethren not taking on the powers that be and revealing all of their evils, to the point of almost leaving the forum. The general authorities are giving us what we need to get through the coming trials. This conference was one of the most spiritually uplifting that I can remember. The leaders of the church know what is going on. They pray for guidance to know what to talk about, and then give us what the Lord wants us to hear. When we criticize them for what they speak to us about, we criticize the Lord.

Thank you again for posting that list. I am rereading all of the talks from conference in the Ensign. Each talk is like a spiritual feast, and is very uplifting.


Believer

It is clear to me that we are now expected to do our own homework and learn for ourselves or together with others what is really going on. I'm reminded of the message given by President Uchtdorf in the October 2009 General Priesthood Meeting when he said "“For members of the Church, education is not merely a good idea—it’s a commandment. We are to learn “of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad;” The remainder of that Verse 79 reads “The wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgements which are on the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms– A knowledge about these things is essential to understanding the threats that prophets have warned will afflict us in our time.

As for what we do with this knowledge, In the Book of Mormon we are told by Moroni to: "....suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you. . . . 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. and ....awake to a sense of your awful situation. . . ." [Ether 8:20-26]

Are we "....befriending that law which is the constitutional law of the land;" [D&C 98:6], or as President Packer put it on 2 July 2009, "To honor the Constitution and to honor freedom is a sacred duty for all of us." ?

Our stake priesthood recently got chewed out in a special stake priesthood meeting for batting about 49% at home teaching. I doube we have 4,9% of active members even aware of any of the above.

Not wanting to argue of fight but the thought accured to me as I read this post how it reconciles with our doctrine "to be subject to the powers that be" until Christ comes to reign. It just seems to me that there is an "appointed time" for prophesy to be fulfilled like for instance the prophesy of the Elders rescueing the Constitution when it is dangling on its last thead. Would it be premature if right now the Elders all of a suddenly awakened to their awful situation and stepped forth and confronted our criminal leaders? I'm talking about timing here! Would this fit in with all the other latter day events and prophesies schedualed with their "appointed time" to happen? Wouldn't our premature actions flop if we're not in time with the Lords time-table.

I realize this could be considered as an excuse not to act, which arguement is also valid and I concede to it.

How are we susposed to know when the time is right for the "elder of Israel" to be awakened to their "awful situation" and to step forth and confronted our criminal leaders? The Lord told us thru Moroni that when we see the secret combinations coming among us that we are to sight tight and wait for the Prophet to....Oops, that isn't right, now, is it. What did He say to do. Homework assignment for tonite, to find out. Aalso, think about why President Packer made mention of this so recently in his August 2010 Ensign article on Pg. 23.

lundbaek wrote:How are we susposed to know when the time is right for the "elder of Israel" to be awakened to their "awful situation" and to step forth and confronted our criminal leaders? The Lord told us thru Moroni that when we see the secret combinations coming among us that we are to sight tight and wait for the Prophet to....Oops, that isn't right, now, is it. What did He say to do. Homework assignment for tonite, to find out. Aalso, think about why President Packer made mention of this so recently in his August 2010 Ensign article on Pg. 23.

Here is the answer in my opinion:

Prophecy of Joseph Smith, as recorded by Parley P. Pratt (January 21, 1841):
The government is fallen and needs redeeming. It is guilty of blood and cannot stand as it is now, but
will come so near desolation as to hang as it were by a single hair! Then the servants go to the nations
of the earth, and gather the strength of the Lord's house! A mighty army! And this is the redemption of
Zion when the saints shall have redeemed that government and reinstated it in all its purity and glory!
[D&C 101:43] (Source: George A. Smith Papers, Church Archives, Box 7, Folder 5; D. Michael
Stewart, Ensign, vol. 6, No. 6, Jun 1976, pp. 64-65)

Let me put it this way: Is there any reason we should not now, at this time, be educating ourselves as President Uchtdorf told us we are commanded to be doing, and thereby recognize that (awake to) the secret combinations are now among us (actually, above us) and do what we can to oppose them now without waiting for the Prophet to command us any more than we have already been commanded ?