Memo #9 February 1, 2001 Added to the Blog April 1, 2013
From: Richard M. Pratt
To: All Pratt Family and selected others
Re: Our Heavenly Father’s Plan
Hello to all of you! How thrilling it would be if I could see each one of you more often and give each of you a big hug. Of course I would expect one in return. How I would love to include each of you in my plans as our Heavenly Father wishes to do in HIS. For He is our Father, the Father of our spirits and as a perfect and loving father, He has a great plan tailored to fit each of us as though we were His only child.
He wants us to have true ETERNAL happiness because He loves us. He has prepared a plan for us to achieve this happiness, but gives us the agency to accept or reject it. Those who fail to accept it will be eternally regretful. But unable to make it up. For this life has been given us as the time to accept and act upon the plan.
The plan is called “The Plan of Salvation” or the “Gospel”. (which means “good news”) Without the help of our Father in Heaven we could not benefit from the plan. We make mistakes in this life called sins which makes us unfit to return to Him. So God sent His First Born in the spirit and the Only begotten in the flesh to put the plan into action where by we can become clean and fit for eternal joy.
God literally sent Jesus Christ to carry out the plan. He is the central figure therein. Jesus overcame sin and death as His part of this great plan and made it possible for each of us to do likewise. The plan is simple and easy to understand. BUT WE MUST FOLLOW IT!
God has a simple pattern in revealing this plan to His children. He chooses good men as His witnesses and teachers. These men are called Apostles and Prophets. He gives them the details of the plan and the authority to act for Him. They share this witness in two ways. By teaching directly and secondly by writing their testimonies and the truths He gives them. These are called SCRIPTURES.
People hear the prophets or read their writings and can know they are true by the Holy Ghost. (See memo #6). God will do nothing without revealing his secrets to His servants the prophets. (Amos 3:7)
But the Savior was crucified and the apostles and prophets all suffered a martyr’s death. By the end of the first century S.D. the wicked world had put an end to the apostles and prophets Jesus had established at Jerusalem.
Without prophets or apostles the church He organized soon became corrupted and its corruption was completed in 325 A.D. when it became the State religion and a political football. For the next 1000 years the whole world sank into a dismal state of ignorance now called the “Dark ages”. Had it not been for the dedicated efforts of good men called monks working in isolated monasteries, even the Bible would have disappeared from the earth. The Bible contains the Plan and testifies of its truth.
In our day, NOW, a new dispensation of the Plan has appeared and our Father follows the same pattern by again setting up Prophets and Apostles.
It came about by a teenage (14) boy in 1820 being confused about which church to join, as each claimed to be the only true church. He went into the woods and prayed about it after reading the the Epistle of James 1:5 which assures anyone that is interested that God will answer them.
~2~
Joseph Smith (for that was his name) said that two men (beings) appeared to him in brilliant light. That one pointing to the other said, “Joseph, this is my Beloved Son, hear him.”
Joseph was told to join none of the churches of that day for none of them was authorized by God. And that by following instructions he would become the prophet who again would reveal the “Great Plan of Happiness” to the whole world to prepare it for the return of Jesus to the earth to rescue His followers from a world that was on a trend toward self-destruction. He was also told that he would receive a book written on gold plates by an ancient prophet named Mormon who abridged the 1000 years of history of his people from 600 B.C. to 400 A.D. and how God had revealed His plan to them through prophets.
This book, called “the Book of Mormon” literally becomes a second witness of Jesus Christ. (The Holy Bible being the first witness) and fills God’s instructions that He will establish all His truths by two or more witnesses.
Joseph Smith was much like Moses and other Biblical prophets, for they saw God and were called to preach and record His Plan.
I know that what I am writing it TRUE because I have had a personal witness via the Holy Ghost that it is so. And all or each one may know by the same method. And it is so vital to obtain this witness if we are to have a fulness of eternal joy...to know for ourselves individually as to what we each must do in order for Jesus to bring us back into the presence of our Father and have the Plan of Happiness fulfilled in our behalf. The Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost are one in their efforts to save us from a sad future.
The Holy Ghost confirms the truth and disavows all falsehoods. The Book of Mormon ends with a promise that all who ask shall receive, if they will seek they will find, if they knock it will be opened unto them. That is the key. We individually have to show faith in God and His Son by acting our part. And when we act, they will fulfill their part–and we may know without doubt that those things the prophets teach are true.
How fortunate we are to live in a day of prophets. Not only do we have the Bible and Book of Mormon, but in the past 50 years many other records are being discovered such as the “Dead Sea Scrolls”, the Nag Hammadi (records found in Egypt) and others ALL TESTIFYING that Jesus is our Savior, God is our Father and we may return to Them when this life ends. (Via the Plan). Next month “the plan explained.”
I love you,
Dad, your earthly Father and Grandfather
Richard Marden Pratt
Dad then suggests we read on page 68 of Mom’s book “The Jaws of Death” a huge moment in our family history!
He included from Mom’s book page 110.......I went on a mission on account of my parents. We may be safe to say that whatever good I may have done thus far, was on account of the example of my parents. When I recall the noble work they did with the Mesquakie Indians and in the new nation of Kirabati, my heart fills with pride as I thrill to be part of such a great and noble heritage. Adaline and Richard Pratt are living testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ in Action. They are a blend of hard work, spirituality and fun. Since the days of changing dirty diapers and hauling manure, Mom and Dad Pratt have come a long way. Thank God for these great people. I love my mother and father. Respectfully submitted for reading at their 50th wedding anniversary, Steve Pratt (their favorite son!)
Mom’s book says; “Stephen once made a statement that I will never forget– one that has been comforting through some sorrowful times of my life. The statement was made when he was in great crisis in his life. His words were as follows” ... “No matter what happens, you and Dad will always be my best friends!” “I understand what the Savior meant when He used the word, ‘friend’. No better compliment could be paid.”
It really is a joy when we can associate as family and have the tie of blood and friendship. We can be the example to each other to carry on with noble and exalting principles.
A poem by Sheryl in mother’s book tells us of the example parents can be to their children.
Tribute to My parents by Sheryl Lee Pratt VanOrman
Oh, my mother, how grateful I shall ever be
for the goodness and kindness you have always shown to me.
For eighty long years of righteous endeavor,
from the depth of my heart, I will love you forever.
Through your example, your faith and word,
I have learned how all heartache can be cured.
You have shown how to act, how to think, how to be.
Throughout your wonderful life, you have been a hero to me.
Oh, my dear, dear mother, it is thrilling to know
that throughout all eternity, our relationship will grow.
And where did I learn that this is true?
It was from the lips of my sweet father and you.
Dad also included a thought Susann found for him.
“God bless you to realize where you came from and the great privileges that are yours. If the veil were rolled back and you could just see one glimpse of God’s great eternal plan concerning you and who you are, it would not be hard for you to love Him, keep His commandments, and live to be worthy of every blessing that He has had for you since before the foundations of the world were laid.” LeGrand Richards
