April 1, 2009
To: All I Love
From: Grandpa Richard Pratt
Re: The Greatest Missionary
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1
In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. John 1:1-3
In the beginning when our Heavenly Parents had reached the status of being “God” and they became God the same way that you and I may be come God. Their first-born was a son. Because of His obedience, total and complete to his parents, he achieved the status of God while yet a spirit and was authorized by his father to be in charge of all the creations of our Father. In modern terms, “He is the superintendent of construction of all our Father has.” Also, under his Father and our Father, He is in charge not only of construction but the perfecting and eternal life of all that is created including the eternal lives of the rest of God’s family of which you and I are a part. Not only are we also sons and daughters but thru obedience may become as they are ~ Gods. What a fantastic future!
This creation started so long ago and has continued till now. And will continue into the eternities, that man, mortal man, cannot count them. ALL CREATED, governed and saved by our oldest brother even Jesus Christ.
Though He had reached the status of Godhood the creator of all the worlds and those that live on them, he would still have to go thru a state of mortality, as you and I and prove himself in the flesh, make important decisions as faith, baptism, though he had no sin but in order to fulfill all righteousness to be an example to us all he fulfilled and was obedient to ALL law. Gave up his mortal life voluntarily and came forth three days later as the resurrected fully obedient son of our heavenly parents. Even to the fulfilling of a three-year mission and that is what I want to talk about now.
I can understand his leaving his Heavenly home, comforts, and status to gain a body and fulfill the other gospel requirements but to serve a mission! How could he do it? And there is only one answer ~ TO BE COMPLETELY OBEDIENT and to rescue all that would follow him into the waters of baptism. Did the Savior of us all perform baptisms? Why that is the crowning joy of missionary service. A missionary is not fulfilled until he has had his first baptism.
And the Savior said to his disciples, “If any man will come after me, let him DENY himself (the pleasures of the world) and take up his cross, and follow me. Matthew 16:24
“Now after John was put into prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.” Mark 1:14
“And after these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judea; AND THERE HE TARRIED WITH THEM, AND BAPTIZED.” John 3:22
“When therefore the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John. JST. 4:1
NOTE: In the King James translation it reads: “When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more than John.” John 4:1 ~ and that is correct.
Then in verse 2 some ancient unbelieving scribe inserted in parentheses (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples)
YES JESUS ALSO BAPTIZED even more than John the Baptist.
Can you imagine in your church membership records what it would be like to show you were baptized by the Lord Jesus Christ? Well many were!
Now the baptismal words used today as I remember them are: “Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen”
He would probably or might have said: “Having been commissioned by my Father, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of myself, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen” Interesting to think about!
Is there baptism anymore valid than your own? NO because the Lord has said, “Whether by my own voice or THE VOICE OF MY SERVANTS IT IS THE SAME.”
Why did the Lord wait until he was thirty years old to go on his mission? Because, that was Jewish law. And he ALWAYS obeyed the law unless it was contrary to the law of God. The Jewish law stated that age before a man could qualify to be a rabbi (teacher of God)
An interesting side light. The scripture reads, “When he came to be about thirty years old.” Remember the average family did not have a calendar as we do today. This was driven home to me in the islands. They couldn’t afford a calendar and apparently none were available. So time was reckoned by “ABOUT” about 9 in the morning because they didn’t have clocks and watches, meant sometime before the sun reached its zenith overhead.
One day I was working with a native and I was losing track myself. I asked him what day of the week it was. He looked at me rather blankly and then responded with, “what month is this?”
One day I was invited to come speak to a congregation of Non-members on another island. I was told the meeting would start about nine in the morning. We, mother and I were the only ones there other than our host. About ten o clock the first started showing up. I asked the host what the problem was. He answered, “No Clocks!” we finally got the meeting started about 11:00 AM with 29 present. And we soon had a branch there.
So the Savior filled the requirements to be a rabbi, a teacher, and a missionary when he became ABOUT thirty years old. And served about three years before his death.
Incidentally, he served without purse or script. As did the early elders in our time. In fact my first mission was such. I don’t remember having as much as fifty cents. We were fed and given a bed by the people. It was common courtesy to look to the needs of others.
The Savior was asked, “Where do you live?” He answered the foxes have dens, and the birds have nests but I haven’t a place to lay my head. I could say the same thing of my first mission. And we got along fine but in today’s delinquent world the missionaries would not receive consideration for their needs. So we no longer as a church practice “without purse or script.”
I have filled four missions totaling six years and two months and have participated in 400 plus baptisms. Probably our most rewarding conversions were Dan and Zuk Grey and their children in Tama or Toledo, Iowa. They now live in Seattle and are active ~ both children are temple married and Andy filled a mission. Dan and Zuk receive this memo and I express my love and appreciation to them by their making that mission worth while. Thank you Dan and Zuk!
Now back to the greatest missionary of us all and oh how gladly we should follow him and assist him until every soul is saved to some degree of glory. For every ear must hear the
glad news before He comes to claim his own. The total population to live upon the earth from Adam till the end is quesstimated at 80,000,000,000 (80 billion) that great missionary is not going to stop until every soul is converted.
He said to his disciples in Jerusalem; “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be dammed.” Mark 16:14-15
“Dammed” means to be stopped. They can not go any further down the stream of salvation until the “dam” is removed by faith, repentance and BAPTISM.
The Savior didn’t even rest the three days his body laid in the grave for his spirit went to the world of spirits and there from among the righteous, he organized his forces and appointed messengers (missionaries) clothed with power and authority, and commissioned them to go forth and carry the light of the gospel to them that were in darkness, “even to all the spirits of men; and thus was the gospel preached to the dead.” D & C 138:30
When this fantastic Savior of ours came forth in his resurrected body he spent the next 40 days in eight separate, recorded meetings with his disciples preparing and authorizing them to go into All the world and teach the gospel and baptize them that believe.
“And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.”
And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold two men stood by them in white apparel. (Angels)
Which also said, ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. Acts 1:9-11
And he has now returned as promised and this I know for a surety. And has given the command again for the last time in this dying world. And it can best be summed up in the prophet’s words, “EVERY MEMBER A MISSIONARY.” And these memos are my last feeble effort, not having much strength left to influence all I can to accept and if they have already accepted to strengthen each of us to be true and faithful that we might be like a beacon on a hill. But most particularly is that call to young men who only have a small window of time to enjoy this great blessing from the age of 19 – 26. After that, unless called to be a mission president a man cannot go on a mission until his last dependant has left home and then only if he is married and they go as a couple.
The world is dying. The people are perishing never has there been a greater need for our young men to go out and literally rescue souls. The fact that convert baptisms are running around one third of a million a year shows that the field is ripe and ready to harvest. But there isn’t much time left. For the hour and day of the cleansing of the earth was set in the beginning and when that day comes the earth will be cleansed with fire. People are silently crying out for help. We must not fail them. Oh that I could go again, but this is the best I can do for now.
Any young man approaching missionary age who may perchance read this who feel that for some sin, real or imagined are therefore not planning on a mission, get rid of it. Go to your Bishop he is there to help you be free of eternal regrets. And go on a mission. You will rejoice forevermore. For if you don’t one of two things will happen. One you will be forever regretful that you failed to go or two you will drop out of the church. Please, PLEASE do not face either of these.
Let us all join our Savior in this mighty work of saving ours and his brothers and sisters from the sure and certain fate that otherwise awaits them.
I was drowning one dark night in the turbulent Wenatchee River. I was about 18 years old, fully dressed with heavy boots, all my fishing tackle and a large number of fish. As I made, what I thought was my last gasp, my feet touched bottom. But just before that I would have given everything in this world for a helping hand and that is the way your converts will feel about you. You are that helping hand!
Over fifty years after my first baptism of a mother with three little girls under the age of eight up in the state of Washington, I was visiting, as the Bishop, sick ward members in the current Provo hospital. I passed an open door and a feeble voice called out, “Elder Pratt!” It was that mother, now at the close of her life. What a joyful reunion for both of us and her report still warms my soul and made all my missionary efforts worthwhile. All had stayed faithful. The three girls were temple married, each had several children, and all the boys had filled missions. And as near as she could remember about 50 people were now members of the church because of that one baptism 50 years earlier and it never stops. This is what is called, in the scripture, “being a Savior on Mt. Zion.”
And I now close this memo, wishing my choicest blessings upon each of you as if you and I were the only people on earth. May you especially be blessed to believe! Believe that I know what I am writing about. Believe in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for he certainly knows and testifies of the Father and all the blessings relating to all of us who believe. Especially believe that there is more so much more than just the pleasures of the world.
Finally some parting words from the great prophet Moroni, the lonely survivor of several million people.
“Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in CHRIST, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth…go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature; and he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be dammed;
…These signs shall follow them that believe… in my name shall they cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues;…they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.”
BUT MOST IMPORTANT, “whosoever shall believe in my name, doubting nothing unto him will I CONFIRM ALL MY WORDS, EVEN UNTO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH.
Note: I have experienced or witnessed all the above many times. “Doubt not, but be believing, and begin as in times of old and come unto the LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART.” (Mormon 9:21-27)
I know these things to be true! And may you know too that we may rejoice together forever with our Lord and Savior even Jesus Christ.
All My love,
Dad, Grandpa, brother etc.
Richard Marden Pratt
(Just a side note from Rose. My sweet Father’s health is not good. Sheryl and Gibb are sleeping at his house nights. All of us are taking turns to comfort and fill Dad’s needs. We have some sweet folks from Hospice helping us too. It is wonderful to me to know that Heavenly Father has a plan and that we are seeing our sweet Patriarch taking the next step in his eternal journey. He has worked hard to have memos for you continuing on and he hopes you will all learn and grow from what he is trying to share. He has an abiding love of our Savior and for his gospel and an abiding love for each one of us. Love, Rose
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 2, 2009
Memo #102 ~ (89 to go to my 105th birthday)
March 1, 2009
To: My loved ones
From: The ancient one (Richard M Pratt)
Re: The current persecution of the church by Gays
NOTE: Just a quick reminder: You can access the memos at: prattmemos.blogspot.com A GREAT BIG THANKS TO THOSE OF YOU WHO GIVE POSITIVE FEEDBACK via email, blog and letters! Congratulations on the mission calls and happy family events you have shared. Feel free to share the blog with others. Also the blog has pictures! Dad had a bout of illness but is on the mend. March 14th is Dad’s 97th birthday! How many cards or letters do you think he will get? We can celebrate his good life and relish his wisdom!
No one can successfully take issue with the fact that God is the creator of all things and all his children are subject to his laws of love and when they refuse to live by his law of love they must, by justice, suffer until they comply. And then they receive an eternal reward. The ultimate reward is to become as they are, an eternal Father and Mother.
The greatest of all the temptations to disobey is centered around the power invested in us at our mortal birth to have children. But the temptation to exercise this power for sensual satisfaction is so overwhelming that it is diverted into actions that would thwart the Lord’s great plan of eternal families and has been the cause of destruction and suffering from the days of Adam.
The world is teetering on the edge of total financial collapse. Morally it has already fallen and unknowingly faces a terrible time of suffering until they again re-throne the home as the center of all happiness.
September 23, 1995, President Hinckley and counselors issued to the church members a one page “Proclamation to the World”. It is recommended that every LDS family have a copy of it in their homes and that they refer to it often. Here are a few quotes. “We solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of his children…. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.”
“We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.”
And this is what I want to warn about. Many good people are now siding with those who call themselves, “Gay” because the “gays” keep preaching that their citizenship entitles them to all the rights of any other citizen. Hopefully, I can give a little enlightenment. Only God can issue rights. Any rights, so called, issued by any man-made laws that are contrary to god’s edicts are not rights. And if pursued will soon destroy that person and persons and their government who promote, encourage, sympathize or support such wicked practices. It has been so from the days of Adam and will be so eternally.
The breakdown of the family, abuse, pornography and sexual deviations have caused the destruction of billions and will be that which will finally destroy the current world in the near future UNLESS WE CAN HALT IT! God, the Father of us all, never allows a people to continue after the majority become hopelessly ensnared by their illicit appetites and passions.
The earth, to fulfill its destiny as the final home of the “meek”, had to be baptized. Not one soul needed to perish and all who BELIEVED were removed from the earth except Noah and the seven that were with him. In spite of that awful tragedy in which billions were drowned, by the time of Noah’s death 350 years later, the whole world had fallen back into the slime pit of immoralities ranging all the way from abortion, to human sacrifice to homosexuality.
The Lord continued his great love and mercy to remove millions more from the earth that they might be rescued from their own wickedness and have a second chance to repent and learn to obey that they might have some happiness in a Telestial heaven, separate and single, eternally.
According to the proclamation, the final end of wickedness and perversions in general has been for told by modern and ancient prophets. I will briefly allude to one of each and will start with my own great grandfather Parley P. Pratt. Remember, all the prophets both modern and ancient tell the same story.
“The people before the flood, and also the Sodomites and Canaanites, had carried these corruptions and degenerations so far that God, in mercy, destroyed them physically and thus put an end to the procreation of races so degenerate and abominable.
The over throw of those ancient degenerate races is a type of that which now awaits the nations called “Christian”, or in other words,…”for her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered their iniquities.” (Revelations 17:1, 18:5)
NOW LISTEN AS HE CONTINUES: And there is no way we can deny it.
“Where is the nation called “Christian’ that does not permit prostitution, fornication, and adultery with all their debasing, demoralizing, degeneration and corroding effects, with all their tendencies to disease and crime, to leaven and corrode all classes of society?
Where is the “Christian nation” that punishes the crime of adultery and fornication with death or other heavy penalties?”
NOTE: Parley P Pratt probably never heard of homosexuality or he would surely have included it. I was probably middle aged before I heard of it and had to look it up in the dictionary and it was probably another ten years before I heard the word, “lesbian”.
In my life time, and I’ve lived longer than most, yet it’s still a short time, our once great nation has gone from a strictly moral people to a cess-pool of filth and immoralities. It has gone from a nation of loving families to a nation of children betrayed. Where a third of all pregnancies end in abortion. The murder of innocent blood. And nearly half of the children given birth are raised in broken homes or in many cases no homes. Is it any wonder that these children often subject to physical and mental abuse grow up confused as to their identity and uncertain as to who they really are ~ male or female. But still there are many good and moral people and happy families who need to be proselyted. We must redouble our efforts. There is still time. If there had been only ten such people in Sodom and Gomorrah. The cities would have been spared. A future memo will be on missionary work and its importance. Wish I could go again. Remember our Heavenly Father, through his Son, Jesus Christ, is going to save all his children in some degree of happiness if they will let him.
“Wherefore, I the Lord, knowing the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth, called upon my servant Joseph Smith, Junior. And spake unto him from heaven, and gave him commandments; For I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance; nevertheless, he that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven;…for I am no respecter of persons, and will that all men shall know that the day speedily cometh; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand, when peace shall be taken form the earth, and the devil shall have power over his own dominion.” D & C 1:17-35
That day of peace has been taken from the earth and that ancient prophet Isaiah describes it perfectly: Isaiah chapter 24
“Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.”
“And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him.” (Notice, all people will be included in the following described mishaps.)
“The land shall be utterly emptied and utterly spoiled: for the lord hath spoken this word.”
‘The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.” (“Haughty” means the upper class and so called “learned”)
“The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the (moral) laws, changed the ordinances, broken the everlasting covenant.”
“Therefore hath the curse (disobedience) devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.”…”All joy is darkened. The mirth of the land is gone.”…The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones (corrupt government) that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth. And they shall be gathered together, as the prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited. Then the moon shall be confounded and
The sun ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.” Isaiah 24:1-6, 19-23
We learn a great number of things in these 13 verses.
God will not tolerate the breaking of HIS law in the least degree. If we are to live eternally in his presence we will live by every word that proceedeth forth from his lips. Where is free agency? Why it’s right there. We can choose to live HIS law or move. That is the choice. But to live the law is so highly rewarded that only a moron would choose otherwise. Listen to this: Jesus is speaking, “He that receiveth my Father, receiveth my Father’s Kingdom and he that receiveth my Father’s kingdom, receiveth all that my Father hath to give.” And all that He has to give is to be LIKE HIM, a God and what more could one hope for.
He maketh the earth empty. In these last days war, famine, disease and other calamities will remove the disobedient.
He maketh the earth waste.
He scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.
The land will be utterly emptied.
It will be utterly spoiled.
The haughty people will languish.
The earth will be defiled.
The people will be left desolate.
All joy will be darkened.
All mirth will be gone.
The earth will be utterly broken down.
The earth will be clean dissolved and returned to its paradisiacal glory as it was before Noah and the flood.
Rulers to be punished.
Moon and sun darkened.
And finally the earth will be BURNED and few men left.
As no one needed to drown in the flood neither does anyone need to be burned in the great holocaust at the coming of the Lord; but the majority will be because they refuse to live by law. THE LAW OF GOD, OUR HEAVENLY FATHER.
God loves them too much to allow them to continue on the downward road to destruction. What then happens to them as their spirits leave their bodies in the change we call death? Why they go into the “spirit world” but not where the righteous dead go, for their area of that great “waiting room’ is called “paradise” where the obedient are at rest from all the trials and troubles of this wicked world.
The spirits of the disobedient are in a spirit prison where they will have a second chance to learn to obey and receive a degree of eternal happiness. But they must suffer until they have paid for their own misdeeds. For the Savior’s blood and suffering only pays for the sins of the repentant.
As the Savior’s spirit left his mangled body on the cross where did he go? The scripture gives us a quite clear picture: “I saw the hosts of the dead both small and great. And they were gathered together in one place an innumerable company of the spirits of the just, who had been faithful in the testimony of Jesus while they lived in mortality. I beheld that they were filled with joy and gladness, and were rejoicing together because the day of their deliverance was at hand. They were assembled (in Paradise) awaiting the advent of the Son of God into the spirit world, to declare their redemption from the bands of death.”
While this vast multitude (righteous) waited and conversed, rejoicing in the hour of their deliverance from the chains of death, the Son of God appeared, declaring liberty to the captives who had been faithful. But among the wicked he did not go…Where these were darkness reigned, but behold, from among the righteous, he organized his forces and appointed messengers, clothed with power and authority and commissioned them to go forth and carry the light of the gospel to them that were in darkness even to all the spirits of men; and thus was the gospel preached to the dead. D&C 138:16-30
“And the chosen messengers went forth to declare the gospel and proclaim liberty to the captives who were bound, even unto all who would repent of their sins and receive the gospel (Good news) Thus was the gospel preached to those who had died in their sins, without a knowledge of the truth, or in transgression, having rejected the prophets.
These were taught faith in God, repentance from sin, vicarious baptism for the remission of sins, the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. And all other principles of the gospel that were necessary for them to know in order to qualify themselves…” for the eternal blessings of a loving Heavenly Father.
And thus the Lord prepared messengers that they might carry the message of redemption unto all the dead, unto whom he could not go personally, because of their rebellion and transgression, that they thru the ministration of his servants might also hear his words. Thus the dead who repent will also be saved thru obedience. What a loving Father! We thru our obedience to gospel principles can create strong family units where joy and peace can be felt. Cast off sin and feel the peace of the Savior surround you.
From this loving Father,
Dad, Grandpa, brother, etc Richard Pratt
PS. March 14th is Grandpa’s 97th birthday! How many cards or letters do you think he will get? Next Month’s memo is: The Greatest Missionary! VIEW memos on the blog at: prattmemos.blogspot.com
To: My loved ones
From: The ancient one (Richard M Pratt)
Re: The current persecution of the church by Gays
NOTE: Just a quick reminder: You can access the memos at: prattmemos.blogspot.com A GREAT BIG THANKS TO THOSE OF YOU WHO GIVE POSITIVE FEEDBACK via email, blog and letters! Congratulations on the mission calls and happy family events you have shared. Feel free to share the blog with others. Also the blog has pictures! Dad had a bout of illness but is on the mend. March 14th is Dad’s 97th birthday! How many cards or letters do you think he will get? We can celebrate his good life and relish his wisdom!
No one can successfully take issue with the fact that God is the creator of all things and all his children are subject to his laws of love and when they refuse to live by his law of love they must, by justice, suffer until they comply. And then they receive an eternal reward. The ultimate reward is to become as they are, an eternal Father and Mother.
The greatest of all the temptations to disobey is centered around the power invested in us at our mortal birth to have children. But the temptation to exercise this power for sensual satisfaction is so overwhelming that it is diverted into actions that would thwart the Lord’s great plan of eternal families and has been the cause of destruction and suffering from the days of Adam.
The world is teetering on the edge of total financial collapse. Morally it has already fallen and unknowingly faces a terrible time of suffering until they again re-throne the home as the center of all happiness.
September 23, 1995, President Hinckley and counselors issued to the church members a one page “Proclamation to the World”. It is recommended that every LDS family have a copy of it in their homes and that they refer to it often. Here are a few quotes. “We solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of his children…. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.”
“We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.”
And this is what I want to warn about. Many good people are now siding with those who call themselves, “Gay” because the “gays” keep preaching that their citizenship entitles them to all the rights of any other citizen. Hopefully, I can give a little enlightenment. Only God can issue rights. Any rights, so called, issued by any man-made laws that are contrary to god’s edicts are not rights. And if pursued will soon destroy that person and persons and their government who promote, encourage, sympathize or support such wicked practices. It has been so from the days of Adam and will be so eternally.
The breakdown of the family, abuse, pornography and sexual deviations have caused the destruction of billions and will be that which will finally destroy the current world in the near future UNLESS WE CAN HALT IT! God, the Father of us all, never allows a people to continue after the majority become hopelessly ensnared by their illicit appetites and passions.
The earth, to fulfill its destiny as the final home of the “meek”, had to be baptized. Not one soul needed to perish and all who BELIEVED were removed from the earth except Noah and the seven that were with him. In spite of that awful tragedy in which billions were drowned, by the time of Noah’s death 350 years later, the whole world had fallen back into the slime pit of immoralities ranging all the way from abortion, to human sacrifice to homosexuality.
The Lord continued his great love and mercy to remove millions more from the earth that they might be rescued from their own wickedness and have a second chance to repent and learn to obey that they might have some happiness in a Telestial heaven, separate and single, eternally.
According to the proclamation, the final end of wickedness and perversions in general has been for told by modern and ancient prophets. I will briefly allude to one of each and will start with my own great grandfather Parley P. Pratt. Remember, all the prophets both modern and ancient tell the same story.
“The people before the flood, and also the Sodomites and Canaanites, had carried these corruptions and degenerations so far that God, in mercy, destroyed them physically and thus put an end to the procreation of races so degenerate and abominable.
The over throw of those ancient degenerate races is a type of that which now awaits the nations called “Christian”, or in other words,…”for her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered their iniquities.” (Revelations 17:1, 18:5)
NOW LISTEN AS HE CONTINUES: And there is no way we can deny it.
“Where is the nation called “Christian’ that does not permit prostitution, fornication, and adultery with all their debasing, demoralizing, degeneration and corroding effects, with all their tendencies to disease and crime, to leaven and corrode all classes of society?
Where is the “Christian nation” that punishes the crime of adultery and fornication with death or other heavy penalties?”
NOTE: Parley P Pratt probably never heard of homosexuality or he would surely have included it. I was probably middle aged before I heard of it and had to look it up in the dictionary and it was probably another ten years before I heard the word, “lesbian”.
In my life time, and I’ve lived longer than most, yet it’s still a short time, our once great nation has gone from a strictly moral people to a cess-pool of filth and immoralities. It has gone from a nation of loving families to a nation of children betrayed. Where a third of all pregnancies end in abortion. The murder of innocent blood. And nearly half of the children given birth are raised in broken homes or in many cases no homes. Is it any wonder that these children often subject to physical and mental abuse grow up confused as to their identity and uncertain as to who they really are ~ male or female. But still there are many good and moral people and happy families who need to be proselyted. We must redouble our efforts. There is still time. If there had been only ten such people in Sodom and Gomorrah. The cities would have been spared. A future memo will be on missionary work and its importance. Wish I could go again. Remember our Heavenly Father, through his Son, Jesus Christ, is going to save all his children in some degree of happiness if they will let him.
“Wherefore, I the Lord, knowing the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth, called upon my servant Joseph Smith, Junior. And spake unto him from heaven, and gave him commandments; For I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance; nevertheless, he that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven;…for I am no respecter of persons, and will that all men shall know that the day speedily cometh; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand, when peace shall be taken form the earth, and the devil shall have power over his own dominion.” D & C 1:17-35
That day of peace has been taken from the earth and that ancient prophet Isaiah describes it perfectly: Isaiah chapter 24
“Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.”
“And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him.” (Notice, all people will be included in the following described mishaps.)
“The land shall be utterly emptied and utterly spoiled: for the lord hath spoken this word.”
‘The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.” (“Haughty” means the upper class and so called “learned”)
“The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the (moral) laws, changed the ordinances, broken the everlasting covenant.”
“Therefore hath the curse (disobedience) devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.”…”All joy is darkened. The mirth of the land is gone.”…The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones (corrupt government) that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth. And they shall be gathered together, as the prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited. Then the moon shall be confounded and
The sun ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.” Isaiah 24:1-6, 19-23
We learn a great number of things in these 13 verses.
God will not tolerate the breaking of HIS law in the least degree. If we are to live eternally in his presence we will live by every word that proceedeth forth from his lips. Where is free agency? Why it’s right there. We can choose to live HIS law or move. That is the choice. But to live the law is so highly rewarded that only a moron would choose otherwise. Listen to this: Jesus is speaking, “He that receiveth my Father, receiveth my Father’s Kingdom and he that receiveth my Father’s kingdom, receiveth all that my Father hath to give.” And all that He has to give is to be LIKE HIM, a God and what more could one hope for.
He maketh the earth empty. In these last days war, famine, disease and other calamities will remove the disobedient.
He maketh the earth waste.
He scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.
The land will be utterly emptied.
It will be utterly spoiled.
The haughty people will languish.
The earth will be defiled.
The people will be left desolate.
All joy will be darkened.
All mirth will be gone.
The earth will be utterly broken down.
The earth will be clean dissolved and returned to its paradisiacal glory as it was before Noah and the flood.
Rulers to be punished.
Moon and sun darkened.
And finally the earth will be BURNED and few men left.
As no one needed to drown in the flood neither does anyone need to be burned in the great holocaust at the coming of the Lord; but the majority will be because they refuse to live by law. THE LAW OF GOD, OUR HEAVENLY FATHER.
God loves them too much to allow them to continue on the downward road to destruction. What then happens to them as their spirits leave their bodies in the change we call death? Why they go into the “spirit world” but not where the righteous dead go, for their area of that great “waiting room’ is called “paradise” where the obedient are at rest from all the trials and troubles of this wicked world.
The spirits of the disobedient are in a spirit prison where they will have a second chance to learn to obey and receive a degree of eternal happiness. But they must suffer until they have paid for their own misdeeds. For the Savior’s blood and suffering only pays for the sins of the repentant.
As the Savior’s spirit left his mangled body on the cross where did he go? The scripture gives us a quite clear picture: “I saw the hosts of the dead both small and great. And they were gathered together in one place an innumerable company of the spirits of the just, who had been faithful in the testimony of Jesus while they lived in mortality. I beheld that they were filled with joy and gladness, and were rejoicing together because the day of their deliverance was at hand. They were assembled (in Paradise) awaiting the advent of the Son of God into the spirit world, to declare their redemption from the bands of death.”
While this vast multitude (righteous) waited and conversed, rejoicing in the hour of their deliverance from the chains of death, the Son of God appeared, declaring liberty to the captives who had been faithful. But among the wicked he did not go…Where these were darkness reigned, but behold, from among the righteous, he organized his forces and appointed messengers, clothed with power and authority and commissioned them to go forth and carry the light of the gospel to them that were in darkness even to all the spirits of men; and thus was the gospel preached to the dead. D&C 138:16-30
“And the chosen messengers went forth to declare the gospel and proclaim liberty to the captives who were bound, even unto all who would repent of their sins and receive the gospel (Good news) Thus was the gospel preached to those who had died in their sins, without a knowledge of the truth, or in transgression, having rejected the prophets.
These were taught faith in God, repentance from sin, vicarious baptism for the remission of sins, the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. And all other principles of the gospel that were necessary for them to know in order to qualify themselves…” for the eternal blessings of a loving Heavenly Father.
And thus the Lord prepared messengers that they might carry the message of redemption unto all the dead, unto whom he could not go personally, because of their rebellion and transgression, that they thru the ministration of his servants might also hear his words. Thus the dead who repent will also be saved thru obedience. What a loving Father! We thru our obedience to gospel principles can create strong family units where joy and peace can be felt. Cast off sin and feel the peace of the Savior surround you.
From this loving Father,
Dad, Grandpa, brother, etc Richard Pratt
PS. March 14th is Grandpa’s 97th birthday! How many cards or letters do you think he will get? Next Month’s memo is: The Greatest Missionary! VIEW memos on the blog at: prattmemos.blogspot.com
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