Memo 18 WRITTEN November 1, 2001
To: All Pratt adults and selected others
From: Dad, Grandpa etc. Richard Pratt
Re: World conditions at the Second Coming of our Lord.
The Lord God never does anything to and for his children here on earth without first telling them about it and what the results will be to them if they accept or reject that which he tells them. He communicates this knowledge thru holy men called Prophets. To them he reveals the past, the present, and the future as needed for the guidance of the conduct of all who will listen to them.
“Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” Amos 3:7
Apostles and prophets are the foundation upon which the organization of the true church rests. (1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 2:20) Where there are no apostles and prophets there is no divine church. The inspired promise is that these officers will remain in the church “Till we all come to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God....”
The church of “Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints: is the ONLY church on the face of the earth currently claiming to have apostles and prophets. This always being the mark of the true church of God, automatically rules out all other religious bodies, both Christian and non-Christian as having any claim to being God’s church. It also rules out the “Latter-Day Saints” as being the true church UNLESS their works testify to the divinity of that church by their prophets harmonizing with all the prophecies of past prophets as revealed in the Holy Scriptures.
The first man, Adam, was also the first prophet for he walked and talked with God and three years before his death in a great conference of his believing descendants Adam stood up in the midst of them; and, notwithstanding he was bowed down with age, being full of the Holy Ghost, predicted whatsoever should befall his posterity unto the latest generation. (D&C 107:56)
Our first reaction is, “this would be impossible for it would take days to outline the future history of the world.” Not so: Example: In about 6 pages in the Old Testament, the great prophet Moses outlined in detail what would happen to Israel and especially the Jews down to the present moment in time. (About 3500 years) Deut. 28-31. He also tells them of their past even before the earth was formed. Deut. 32:6-8 (You can read it all in about 10 minutes.)
God knows all things and always reveals the future via prophets to his believing children. Prophecy, defined then, is simply history foretold before it happens and is much more accurate than history. For history is told by mortal and biased men after it has happened and is often if not usually so distorted that it bares little resemblance to what really happened. So if you want to know what is going to happen on the earth and to it’s inhabitants in this generation search the scriptures, study the prophets then listen to and read the current news and watch events unfold along the prophetic forecasts.
God created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. Including us. So everything belongs to him including us. He is the only source of all light and all life. And the whole purpose of the creation is to give to his children happiness. He calls it “A fulness of Joy.” We are literally the children of Heavenly parents. He designated his first born son in the Spirit world to be the author or superintendent or the Savior of us all.
Unfortunately most of the world has rejected him and having cut themselves off from the presence of God, the source of all life, they must perish. And be swept into the Spirit World into some kind 2
of confinement where a loving Father will continue to teach them until they accept some part or portion of the great “plan of Happiness” also called the Gospel. This is the fate of those who were drowned in what is called “Noah’s flood.”
The history of the world is divided into 7 equal periods of 1000 years each. A 1000 years is called a millennium (Greek for 1000). We are just entering the 7th millennium. All who have rejected him will be swept off the earth by war and the natural causes of disease and violent disruptions of nature and the earth will be cleansed by fire.
The picture is not a pretty one so I will make it brief. All tho many 1000s of the disobedient will be swept off the earth by acts of nature such as earthquakes, violent storms and other phenomena that are increasing and will continue to increase in their frequency and violence by far the greatest part will die by their own hands in a war and other acts of violence that will destroy more souls than all wars of the past. John prophesied that 1/3 of mankind will perish in this third world war. Rev. 9:18-20 and the survivors will still not repent.
In final desperation, the nations will unite (one world government) and blame the Jews for all their problems. They will send a great army to Palestine to destroy every Jew of every age and sex. The prophets call this “the Battle of Armageddon”. Two mighty prophets will call down the powers of heaven and forestall this destruction for 3 ½ years. The Lord will then permit their death. They will lie unburied in the main intersection of Jerusalem for 3 ½ days while the wicked army destroy and loot the city. ( Rev. 9)
Then the Savior appears with a shout and the trumpets blowing with a great host of heavenly beings. The resurrection of the just takes place, they and the living saints will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. The wicked will be destroyed by the command of the Lord and the millennium of peace will be ushered in. The Lord and those with him will descend upon the cleansed earth and rebuild a glorious and peaceful civilization.
The Prophet, Joseph Smith, sums up all the prophecies on world conditions today in the following:
“The world presents one great theater of misery, woe, and distress of nations with perplexity...that man is not able to govern himself to legislate for himself, to protect himself, to promote his own good, nor the good of the world.”
The time is soon coming, when no man will have any peace but in Zion and her stakes.
“I saw men hunting the lives of their own sons, and brother murdering brother, women killing their own daughters, and daughters seeking the lives of their mothers. I saw armies arrayed against armies. I saw blood, desolation, fires. The Son of Man (Jesus) has said that the mother shall be against the daughter and the daughter against the mother. These things are at our doors... Satan will rage, and the spirit of the devil is now enraged. I know not how soon these things will take place; but with a view of them, shall I cry peace? NO; I will lift up my voice and testify of them. How long will you have good crops, and the famine be kept off, I do not know; when the fig tree leaves, know then that the summer is nigh at hand.” Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith pages 160-161---Simply a summation of Old and New Testament Prophets. Matthew 24:11-14 gives us the final clue as to the end:
11.“and many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
13. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14. AND THIS GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM SHALL BE PREACHED IN ALL THE WORLD FOR A WITNESS UNTO ALL NATIONS; AND THEN SHALL THE END COME.” or the destruction of the wicked which is the end of the world.”
I know what I have written is true and I so testify in the Name of Jesus Christ Amen.
How can we prepare? Those who are prepared need not fear! Read all about it in December’s memo #19
I love you~
Dad, Grandpa etc. Richard Marden Pratt
excerpt from Grandma Adaline and Grandpa Richard’s Iowa mission journal:
March 19, 1984 ...as the elders travel on bicycles during the summer they received some rather humorous and otherwise safety instructions. Part of it was a movie put out by National Bicycle Safety Council and narrated by Bill Cosby. Among other things he said. “Knowing the rules is not enough, we must obey them every time we ride a bike.” I thought, “how true that is of everything governed or controlled by law! And then I thought, “all things are governed and controlled by law therefore we need to know the law and obey it to have the enjoyment of safely riding a bicycle or any other facet of life.
I believe when an individual can learn this one lesson and that means do it, then that person is on the way to peace and happiness in this life and no worries about eternal life. Or as the Prophets have said: “Learn the truth and the truth shall make you free.” or “He that is prepared shall not fear.”
And the next thought is, “No one can learn for someone else.” This is one area that cannot be accomplished by proxy, not even by God in behalf of us, It is a do it yourself project or never enjoy the “bike ride.”
There are many ways we can help someone to learn to ride a bicycle. We can orally instruct them. We can give them written instructions; we can prepare their bike with training wheels; we can even run alongside and support them, but in the end after all we or God can do they must launch off by themselves and following their instructions learn to do by doing....God’s way is “you do” Satan’s way is “I do”
The following was written by Roger Rowbury: As we approach the Thanksgiving season my thoughts are turned to the many things for which to be thankful. We need to be throughly grateful to those pilgrims who risked life and limb (many lost both) to journey from the old country to America to escape religious persecution. Months of cold, seasickness, disease, enduring extremely cramped quarters and a vast array of other discomforts had to be endured in order to make the journey.
When they arrived in the “promised land,” their trials were not over or for that matter even diminished. The weather was cold and miserable. There was little food for them to eat. The seeds which had been brought had to be saved to plant crops in the spring. Had it not been for friendly Indians, most if not all of them would have died of starvation. Even so many did perish that first winter.
Enough did survive, however, to colonize and be the nucleus of starting this great nation and other nations. The next fall they had the first Thanksgiving feast and invited the friendly Indians to join them.
Out of this meager beginning was born a mighty nation which allowed religious freedom and eventually the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through a modern day Prophet, even Joseph Smith.
The early Saints suffered much persecution and hardships as they were pushed from one place to another in order to find Zion or their place of refuge. Like the pilgrims from the Old Country, many died of diseases, malnutrition, cold even massacre and murder to give us the heritage we now enjoy.
I am so thankful for those who sacrificed all they did that we can have what we now have. I fear however, that we have become complacent. In the last days with its calamities and problems prophesied in the scriptures, we too will be required to face many hardships. We need to be ready and willing to face them with the courage exhibited by our forefathers.
We have been admonished to have food, clothing, and where possible money to see us through tough times. If we will do this, we can avoid many of the calamities which would otherwise not be survivable.
During this season, let us be thankful for those who have provided the examples of courage and bravery to survive unsurmountable times. Let us learn from their example and mistakes to be prepared. If we are prepared we need not fear.
In Loving memory of Bobby Mock
Bob married Carolyn Joyce Pratt Law February 20, 1988 in the Jordan River temple and came into our family in such an awesome way. He was and is a gentle, generous, kind man. All of us enjoyed his cute sense of humor. Even when he was in pain and nearing the end of his life he responded with humor. Roger was visiting Bob and said, “Bob, I came to play a game with you, what game would you like to play?” (Hint neither of them really like to play games very much!)
Bob appeared to be asleep a minute passed and then one faint word passed his lips, “football” and a brief glimmer of a smile. This good natured man kept the faith to the very end. We thought it most appropriate to include his testimony here. “Bob’s testimony that he wrote to one of our guides when we were in Miami, Florida.” “Dear David, here is the Book of Mormon we said we would send you. I would like you to know that this book is true. Read it with an open mind and pray about what you read. Ask the Lord if it is true. I know it is true. I know that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior, that he suffered and died on the cross for our sins. I know he is the Son of God, and the only way that we can get back into the presence of God is through Him. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Later day Saints is the only true church, that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and that we have a prophet at the head of the church now. Ever since I was a little boy, I knew that there was a God, but I did not know how important it was, until I became active in the LDS Church. When you really need help in your life, there is only one person that can help, and that is the Lord, Jesus Christ. So when you read this book, ask God, in the name of Jesus Christ, if it is true and He will manifest it to you....I love my family very much and I am thankful for each one of them. They are all good people, and I am very proud of everyone of them. I pray that my descendants will read the Book of Mormon, so that they can each gain their own testimony, that the Savior lives and that the Gospel is true.
With love from Bobby, (son-in-law, Dad, Grandpa, and great grandpa, uncle, brother) Mock
Bobby was the builder of wonderful wooden trains, spinning wheels etc. and now will build beautifully in paradise.
