February 1, 2009
To: All I love
From: the ancient one (Richard Pratt)
Re: More on Prayer
Prayer and its importance in our mortal life if we are to survive. Of course if there is no God we have nothing to be worried about. For if there is no God then we do not exist. But we do exist therefore there is a God. He is the creator of all things. He is our Heavenly Father. He loves each and every one of us, even the most unruly and rebellious and is doing everything in his endless power to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of even the most stubborn of his children.
As our Eternal Father He has established a means whereby each one of us can be in constant and instant contact with him. In fact the Savior said: “Pray always less you be deceived.”
It should be very easy, in this modern day of miracles, to understand how constant and immediate communication can be had with Deity. God, our Father, and his first-born Son are resurrected men with bodies of flesh and bones. “The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as mans; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of spirit. Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us. A man may receive the Holy Ghost, and it may descend upon him and not tarry with him.” D & C 130:22-23
What does the physical body of the Father and the Son look like? When the prophet Joseph Smith, saw them in the first vision, what did he see? Two men! Isaiah describes them very well: “They have no comeliness; and when we shall see them, there is not beauty that we should desire them.”
(Note; comliness means extra handsome and there is no beauty or good looks that would set them apart from other men. There is nothing that physical that would make them stand out in a crowd. They then would be under six feet tall and of average size. Now I’m talking about their physical body without their glory. I am talking of when they were mortals as we are now. Those who have seen their resurrected bodies say things like this: “I saw two personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description.” Joseph Smith History vol. 17
“His head and his hairs were white like wool as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire, and his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace, and his voice as the sounds of many waters. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. AND HE LAID HIS RIGHT HAND UPON ME SAYING”… Revelations 1: 14-17
But when they appear without their resurrected glory. They have no great distinguishing beauty that makes them different. For the resurrected Savior appeared to his disciples just as another man. (Note: We are created in the image of God.)
The Savior’s first recorded visit to mortals was on the morning, before daylight, of his rising when he appeared to Mary Magdalene who mistook Him for the gardener. And later that day he suddenly appeared to two of his disciples as they walked down the road and they didn’t even recognize him.
On our modern scales they would probably weigh 150-165 pounds and it is sure they were not overweight. They therefore occupy the small amount of space in the vast Universe that a 150-165 pound mortal body would fill. But we are told that they are “everywhere present”. This must be in some other way than their being everywhere at once, and so it is. And how is it that they can be everywhere at once? Really very simple: by representations. Men who have proven that they live by “every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God.” For the Lord has said, “whether by my own voice or the voice of my servants it is the same.” “For he that receiveth my servants receiveth me.” D & C 84: 35-36
After John, who had known the mortal and immortal Savior, saw him as described in the beginning of this memo. He had the rest of the revelation given to him by representatives, Priesthood holders, who spoke in the first person as tho they were God. It was so real that John fell at their feet to worship them:
“and I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, SEE THOU DO IT NOT: I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. Then the messenger drops back into teaching John in “the first person” speaking as tho he was the Savior. Revelations 19: 10---
And another angel appeared saying: “ behold I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book (Note: he is also speaking in the first person) and I John saw these things, and heard them and when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.”
Then saith he unto me, “ see thou do it not: for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets. And one of them which keep the sayings of this book: Worship God.” Revelations 22:8-9
Now we get to the third member of the God- head, the Holy Ghost who appears to be in charge of communications. It says: “that He can dwell in us.”… that he can reveal to us…that he can answer our prayers.
In the light of the development of communication in the past ten years this should be more easily understood. It “boggles” my mind that anyone, anywhere can receive my memos now by using the following: prattmemos.blogspot.com (Note: this is just one of man’s ways of communications. And then there are cell phones etc.)
When a person is baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, they then receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, which if that person will develop it, it will put them in instant contact with God in all places and at all times. Or as God has instructed, “pray always that ye be not deceived.” That is keep your “spiritual cell phone” with you and always on, and the Holy Ghost can be with you constantly to teach, direct, comfort and answer your prayers.
We usually speak of the Holy Ghost as a still small voice. This is true BUT HE IS MUCH MORE THAN THAT if we learn how to use it.
The requirement is to pay our bill regularly and the bill is the ten commandments and the few other rules that we have been given of God. Most people cannot come up with ten more commandments in thirty minutes. Try it. So this great power of interplanetary communication is a real bargain. And thru it, no matter where our Heavenly Father is at the moment, we are still in His presence.
Now our Father never uses His endless resources unwisely or frivolously or wastefully. So if a whisper will get thru that’s what he uses. But your conversations, thru the Holy Ghost
can range from a whisper to a natural voice, to a shout, visions in which one sees a vivid TV like picture, dreams and presentiments. And I have experienced them all. All available by strict obedience by which they work. And after nearly 97 years of living I know what I am talking about. And so hope that all you readers have discovered this “master cell-phone” and if you haven’t, pay your dues, follow the instructions and gain this priceless gift.
At times the Lord cries out to the whole world as he did prior to the Flood of Noah’s day in which only eight souls were saved by water. Yet the number drowned was probably much greater than the worlds present population. Not one needed to die. Had they been tuned in all would have been saved provided they obeyed.
In the destruction of the people in the Americas at the crucifixion of the Savior a voice spoke from heaven naming some of the destruction of many great cities and often the entire population of an area. There was a storm like they had never seen before, terrible tempests and thunder and earthquakes till it seemed the whole land would be torn asunder. Cities were burned with no survivors. Some sank into the sea and the inhabitants were drowned. Some were buried under mountains. And the whole face of the land was changed. Highways were broken up, and the level roads were spoiled and many smooth places became rough. There were some cities remained; but the damage thereof was exceedingly great, and there were many who were slain. Some were carried away in whirlwinds and the whole face of the earth became deformed. All of this destruction was followed by three days and nights of such darkness that not a single flicker of light could be seen, neither the sun, nor the moon, nor the stars. This all happened in the Americas while Jesus died on the cross and came forth three days later in his resurrected body at Jerusalem.
“and it came to pass that there was a voice heard among all the inhabitants (who hadn’t been killed) crying: “Wo, wo, wo unto this people; wo unto the inhabitants of the whole earth except they shall repent; for the devil laugheth, and his angels rejoice, because of the slain of the fair sons and daughters of my people; and it is because of their iniquity and abominations that they are fallen.”
(Note if only they had their “cell phones” on. If only they had listened but they did not, their phones were spiritually dead. They had forgotten how to listen. LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN. And DO, DO, DO.
There were survivors at least 2500 out of hundreds of thousands. Then a voice spoke from Heaven declaring. “ O all ye that are spared because ye were more righteous than they, will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins and be converted, that I may heal you? Ye, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life, behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me. Behold, I am the Son of God, I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are.”
The resurrected Savior then descended from heaven and stood among these few survivors and taught them after each one had felt him with their own hands. (Note: Please read the whole account in Third Nephi chapter 8 to the end of Third Nephi …that’s in the Book of Mormon!
Now let me try and describe how this “phone” (the Holy Ghost) works. Pray vocally at least three times a day as an individual and pray as a family. They need not be long, but after saying “amen’ if you have asked for something specific stay on your knees for a few seconds to hear the answer. Meal times and bed times are convenient times for this. The morning prayer would be the longest for you are asking for protection, guidance and strength to solve the day's problems. The evening prayer the shortest and you just pray for family and home and protection and say goodnight. Each prayer we offer should be full of gratitude. First always pray by starting with such words as “Father in Heaven’ and any adjectives you want to add such as Dear or Holy etc. Second express your gratitude for the blessings in your life. ALWAYS be thankful. Third make your requests if any And Fourth close in the FULL name of Jesus Christ adding Amen. Always use his full name. Never, never say in “Christ’s name” for that is profanity which you often hear among the crude and spiritually dead. Also never in the name of “Jesus” only for there are thousands of mortals with this name, especially among the Spanish speaking peoples. ALWAYS SAY IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST AMEN. The literal translation of Amen is “so be it” In other words “ I have said it, so let it be.”
As you practice it your listening skills will grow. Most often just “promptings” come to do something and do it quickly. Such as when mother and I independent of each other were
prompted to sell our prospering dairy farm. It seemed foolishness. But we did it and had we not we would have been bankrupt by the government freezing the price of milk but not the cost of production.
Sometimes we are guided without our knowing it until after. Like the time I stood by a bus stop in Kiribati. Buses went by about every 20 minutes. Two came by in that order so loaded that people were hanging out the windows. Neither bus stopped. Then my executive secretary came running down a jungle path I hadn’t noticed, exclaiming when he saw me, “I knew you would be here!” (I didn’t even know I would be there.) and he said, “come quickly my little son very sick.” About a hundred yards into the jungle a thatched roof, no walls, no doors, no windows, and a dirt floor.
The baby, about two years old, looked nearly dead and laid listlessly in his mothers arms. the blessing was given and instantly the baby bounds out of his mothers arms and starts running around and playing. I go back to the bus stop just as an almost empty bus pulls up. Fifteen minutes and eight miles later I am back to my own “shack.”
When we hold positions of authority we may receive revelations for those we are responsible for. When I was first counselor to our District (Stake) President, John Zitting, in Central Washington; we were having sad troubles with one of our bigger branches. They were reaching “ward” size and needed a new building about half wanted it built on a hill for the view. The other half in the valley, where they could have a ball field. Tension became so strong; they were almost at fisticuffs. Even the inactive were coming out and taking sides. After several trips, about 150 miles each way, to no avail, President Zitting said we will settle this next Sunday or excommunicate the whole branch. We arrived; the hall was packed. The yeas on one side the nays on the other. The President called the meeting to order, stated why we were there and after a song and prayer he had me speak. After I finished, various voices were calling out demanding to speak. The first one recognized by the President came boldly up from from the back. I knew if he spoke the branch was finished. I bowed my head and silently commanded that man’s tongue be bound. He reached the pulpit grabbed both sides leaned forward and opened his mouth. Not a word came out. After what seemed an eternity he returned to his seat. The whole spirit changed. The branch was saved! Three years later the branch became a ward with that good man its first Bishop. After the Amens he tried to explain why he couldn’t talk ~ but I knew why. President Zitting and I had offered the same prayer to bind the mans tongue. Pray always lest ye be deceived. Pray daily in your homes. Show your gratitude and honor the Lord with your devotions. YES THE CHURCH IS TRUE! GOD IS REAL! HE LOVES EACH ONE OF US!
My love always,
Dad, Grandpa etc. Richard Pratt
