Memo 17 - October 1, 2001 (added to Dad’s blog August
1, 2013)
To: All Adult Pratts and selected others
Re: World Condition at the Second Coming
Before I continue last months theme
of world conditions at the time of the imminent second Coming of Christ, and
because of the horrible tragedy imposed upon this nation by evil men in the
destruction of property and the murder of more than 5000 people, I will
parenthetically insert in this memo, why this is happening and this tragic
incident is only the beginning of the horrors that man Is inflicting upon his
fellow beings and it will continue to escalate until the whole world will be
one vast battle field with no mercy shown as the human race is reduced to only
2/3s its population and still the survivors will not repent and accept God as
their father and Jesus as their Savior. See Old Testament (Joel) and
(Revelation Ch. 9)
An ancient prophet, Isaiah nearly
3000 years ago, sums it up with these words: “ the earth also is defiled under
the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the
ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore hath the curse devoured
the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate; therefore the inhabitants
of the earth are burned, and few men left.” (Isaiah Ch. 24:5-6 also read 25:1-4
and 24: 19-23)
Isaiah is speaking of our day
and clearly states that the people of the world (here after just called
“world”) are guilty of three offenses 1. Transgression of God’s law, 2
changing the ordinances, 3. And breaking of the covenant.
I will address #3 first. What is
the covenant? In a few words it is:
“He that receiveth my servants receiveth me; and he
that receiveth me receiveth My Father; and he that receiveth my Father
receiveth my Father’s Kingdom; therefore all that my Father hath shall be given
unto him. And this is according to the oath and covenant which belongeth to the
Priesthood. Therefore, all those who receive the Priesthood, receiveth
this oath and covenant of my Father, which he cannot break,
neither can it be moved. But whoso breaketh this covenant after he hath
received it, and altogether turneth therefrom, shall not have forgiveness of
sins in this world nor in the world to come. (Doctrine and Covenants 84:36-41)
The promise of receiving all
that God has, called a covenant, began with Adam and Eve and God has
attempted to renew this covenant from generation to generation down to the
present time but with little success. In the modern business world we refer to
a covenant as a contract. Someone contracts to buy a car with monthly payments.
If he makes all the payments he receives the title. But miss any one payment
and he looses the car and all he has paid in even if it is the final payment.
The contract is made valid by the signatures of both parties plus witnesses
signatures. Then notarized and recorded in the local records.
God’s contract - covenant becomes
current and valid by certain actions called, “ordinances.” There are several
ordinances, I will only mention a few:
The first ordinance is to repent of
sins (transgressing the law of God) and accept Jesus as the
Savior and to witness to the world that they do so by the ordinance of
baptism by immersion in water by a man authorized of God to do so. The
authority this man holds is called Priesthood. Which is given to all
baptized males according to their worthiness and age.
The Lord has specified that no one
under 8 years old should be baptized. He tells why in the following: “For awful
is the wickedness to suppose that God saveth one child because of baptism, and
the other must perish because he hath no baptism.”...Little children cannot
repent.” they can’t sin until they are old enough to recognize right from
wrong. Which the Lord says begins at age 8.
There are other ordinances many of
which can only be performed in Holy Places called Temples and only for members
who by obedience can qualify for a recommend which will allow them to enter
therein and receive the ordinances that will make families eternal. God
calls this “Eternal Lives.”
All who do not accept these Temple Ordinances will enter into the Spirit
World at death with neither roots (ancestors) nor branches (children) what a
dreary future that would be.
Also in the Temple we can perform
these ordinances for our dead who never had a chance to receive them while
alive. What a wonderful plan, none will be left out. From Adam to the present
time all who would have accepted the ordinances will have them performed by the
living.
In conclusion let us look at
the law of God which is go glibly trampled under foot by the “world.”
there are not many but if we break anyone of them we are guilty of breaking
them all. (James 2:10) Hence we all need to repent.
The 10 Commandments given to
Moses
1. Thou shalt have no other Gods before me.
2. Thou shalt make no graven images.
3. Thou shalt not take my name in vain.
4. Thou shalt keep the Sabbath Day Holy.
5. Honor thy Parents.
NOTE: Keep these first 5 and we will find the rest easy!
6. Thou shalt not kill.
7. Thou shalt not commit sexual sin.
8. Thou shalt not steal.
9. Thou shalt not lie.
10. Thou shalt not covet.
These are basic. There are a few
more. The following will not be all inclusive and tho I’ll number them to show
how few there are. They really have no number as the first 10 have.
11. Missionary work. This good news must sound in every ear
both on earth and in the world of the dead until all have heard and accepted or
rejected “All God has to give.” NOTE; only a few will accept it in full, more
will accept Jesus but not the fulness of the father. The bulk of the world will
reject it hence the terror of wars, storms, drought, etc. etc. and a final
cleansing of the earth by fire to remove all the filth man has blighted this
beautiful earth with.
12. Tithes and offerings. NOTE: No person can pay Tithes and
offerings without receiving blessings till they can’t contain them.
13. Prayer
14. Genealogy work, finding our dead and performing all the
ordinances for them that they may have claim, if they so choose, to receive
“all the Father has to give.”
15. Receiving the Temple ordinances that will make us an
eternal family. Yet even in the Church of Jesus Christ so few members are doing
this.
The Savior said: “for strait
is the gate, and narrow the way that leadeth to the exaltation and the
continuation of the lives, and few there be that find it, because ye receive me
not in the world neither do ye know me. Doctrine and Covenants 132: 22
Well that’s about it. Yes there are
a few more, but they are more admonitions than they are laws such as “love your
enemy”, “follow the prophet”, “Do unto others”. Etc. But all the laws can be summed up in ONE “Love
the Lord thy God with all your heart, might, mind and strength.”
Now why the importance of law,
God’s law, which is perfect and which must be lived to inherit “all that God
has to give.”
1. He that receiveth my law and doeth it the same is my
disciple. (D & C 42:2)
2. They who are not sanctified by the law inherit another
kingdom. (D & C 88:34)
3. That which is governed by law is preserved by law. Example:
More than 95% of all traffic accidents are the result of someone breaking the
law, intentionally or otherwise.
4. And many more.
So my beloved family and
friends, love God’s law, it is the only thing that can save the
world from complete destruction, from total terrorism,
that will wax stronger and stronger in spite of all that legitimate governments
can do.
Come unto Christ all ye that
are weary and heavy laden; lay your burdens at his feet and find the happiness
and peace that only they find who do so. Do not procrastinate the day
of your repentance. For we are all in the position of those in the recent
tragedy many of who were instantly vaporized.
I LOVE YOU ALL!
As I sit and type Dad’s letters I feel the spirit of what he
is trying to help us understand! I told him that at times I feel moved to add
my testimony to his. He gave me permission to do so. I watch as he studies and
works to bring us closer to the Savior and to that Eternal family we can be and
I know what he tells us is true. I don’t just hope it is true but I KNOW it is!
I feel such a love for our brother Jesus Christ. He did indeed pave the way for
us to become like our Heavenly Parents. Sometimes a principal of the gospel
seems hard to understand but it is my personal witness that if we embrace them
and live them and internalize them we come to know of the truthfulness of each
principal just as Dad has come to know. Joy and happiness come by living
the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know this
is TRUE. In the Name of Jesus Christ Amen (Rose Marie Pratt Rowbury)
I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do
not what I say, ye have no promise.
(Doctrine and Covenants 82:10)
Dear Uncle Richard, Memo 16 came today. How I love getting
these notes from you. I make copies for Lorette and Bill, and keep the
originals in my journal. It seems that every month, I find something, waiting,
just for me! I’m sure the rest of the family feels the same.... Stay well,
thanks again for the memos, Love, Deb
Peters
Hello Brother Pratt, Thank you for your newsletter. I must
set my sights higher also as there is so much each of us can do, with the
Lord’s help! ......Our world must have faith in the atonement of Jesus Christ
as the book of Alma (in the Book of Mormon) teaches. I’m grateful for prophets,
past and present and future. May all the world also know of them is what is
needed.....Love, Dan
(Dan is one of Richard and Adaline’s
Iowa converts! Like a son!)
Kris Newman (Rose’s son-in-law) wrote a paper for his
college class on his hero. It is a great paper about Grandpa. He says in
essence this is the best hero. Thanks Kris, Great paper and the greatest of heros!
It is important to look up to those who have gone nobly before us. We can
safely follow their example.
Dad was looking for the lines to a poem he had memorized
years ago and Rachel Rowbury a granddaughter went in search and found it! We
will include two of the 12 verses here and the web sight. You might want to
check it out!
The Ladder of St. Augustine by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
(1807 - 1882)
http://www.library.utoronto.ca/utel/rp/poems/longfe33.html
The heights by great men reached and kept Standing on what too long we bore
were not attained by sudden flight, with shoulders bent and downcast
eyes,
but they, while their companions slept, we may discern--unseen
before--
were toiling upward in the night. A path to higher destinies.
President Hinckley shows us the way (The Friend magazine
October 2001 page 34)
1. “Go forward, returning good for evil, being helpful
and kind and generous. I remind you of the teachings of our Lord concerning
these matters....let us be good people. Let us be friendly people. Let us be
neighborly people. Let us be what members of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints ought to be.”
2. “Whether it be going into the mission field, living
the word of Wisdom, paying one’s tithing, it is all the same. It is the faith
within us that is evidenced (shown) in all we do.....
Faith is the basis of testimony. Faith underlies
loyalty to the Church. Faith represents sacrifice, gladly given in moving
forward the work of the Lord. The Lord has commanded us to take upon ourselves
“the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to (defend yourselves against)
the wicked” (Doctrine and Covenants 27:17)
3. “.....Let us go forth with a stronger resolve to live
the gospel, to be more faithful, to be better....sons and daughters....This
is God’s holy work.....Jesus Christ stands at it’s head. He is our immortal
Savior and Redeemer. His revelation is the source of our doctrine, our faith,
our teaching.....Our individual testimonies of these truths are the basis of
our faith. We must nurture them (help them grow) .....We can never lay them
aside. Without them we have nothing. With them we have everything.”
Mom (Grandma Adaline) always
made the most mouth watering delicious foods. Plum duff, apple crisp or pies,
rice pudding, raisin filled sugar cookies, tender rolls, chewy delicious bread,
and on wintery days we could come home from school to find the dough for donuts
ready to fry. She had planned it just right so we were a part of the making and
in the process the memories grew! We went to the china hutch and chose a
special tea cup for hot chocolate and had a mini tea party with the warm donuts
which we had sugared well. We always cherished the donut holes. Funny how even
putting rice pudding together and such simple things somehow reminds me of mom.
It seems appropriate to include the best apple crisp recipe
as we are eating and enjoying apples from Dad’s wonderful garden. APPLE
CRISP from the Rowbury kitchen 9 x 13 inch pan spray with pam then peel and
slice apples to mostly fill the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.CRISP: 2
cubes of margarine softened not melted. 2 cups sugar one brown one white.
2 cups oats. 2 cups flour. Cinnamon to your taste. Mix this
with a fork and put over apples. Bake at 350* for 45 minutes don’t let it burn.
Ovens vary! For the adventuresome try adding raisins and even chopped walnuts
for an extra treat. Serve with ice cream or cold milk and enjoy!
