To: Those I love
From: Grandpa Pratt
Re: The Second Coming
“No man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.”
Eccl. 3:11. Behold, great and marvelous are the works of the Lord. How unsearchable are the depths of the mysteries of him; and it is impossible that man should find out all his ways. And no man knoweth of his ways save it be revealed unto him; wherefore, brethren, despise not the revelations of God.
For behold, by the power of his word man came upon the face of the earth, which earth was created by the power of his word. Wherefore, if God being able to speak and the world was, and to speak and man was created, o then, why not able to command the earth, or the workmanship of his hands upon the face of it, according to his will and pleasure?” Jacob 4: 8-9
Now for a few things that we do know: Adam and Eve were the first people on the earth. (THERE WERE NO PRE ADAMITES.) They were not yet mortals. For mortality is a serious and dangerous business. But it is the only way we can gain a body of flesh, which can reproduce itself, for spirit bodies cannot. So god gave Adam the choice of remaining in the Garden of Eden forever, which would have frustrated the whole plan or take into his body that which would trigger mortality and death. Note: physical death is separation of Spirit from the fleshly body.
Eve had already eaten, whatever it was and would soon be cast out and die. Adam perceiving this CHOSE TO FOLLOW HER. That’s love! “Adam was not deceived, but the women being deceived was in the transgression 1 Tim. 2:14 and “Adam fell that men might be;
and men are that they might have joy. (men often refers to both men and women) 2 Ne. 2:25So, be grateful to them both, but more especially to Mother Eve. For had they not elected death and birth we would still be in the Spirit world begging our Heavenly Father to replace them with someone who would get the job done. Notice: they were married by God while still immortal and in as much as God does nothing save it be forever, their marriage was the first eternal one performed on this earth.
Not only did they bring death and birth on themselves, but also on all life including the earth itself. And lowered the earth from a Terrestrial stage, or paradise, (where all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created. And they must have remained forever and had no end and they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin. 2 Ne. 2:22-23) to a Telestial stage where Satan could tempt us, try us, and prove whom we would follow. Violence and evil became the lot of man and animal.
Adam and Eve, of course, began to have a family, and their grown sons and daughters paired off and started families. A veil had been drawn over their minds so that they remembered little of their former life. The earth was also cursed for their sake. In other words the cursing was a blessing; now man would have to work and struggle which would produce growth and happiness and satisfaction in their achievements. How grateful I am for work!
Because Cain and Abel are the first of their children named, we get the idea that they were the first of their family. BUT TIS NOT SO. A careful reading shows that Adam and Eve were
over 100 years old when Cain was born, then Abel, and it specifically mentions that Adam was 130 when Seth, who replaced Abel as heir, was born. Note: Yes, before the flood they lived into the 10th century and would have had children for the first several hundred years of their life. Noah is mentioned as to age and he was 450 years old when Japheth was born, and 492 at the birth of Shem, and when he was 500 years old Ham was born, Moses 8:12, Gen. 5:32
and Adam and Eve called upon the Lord, and they heard the voice of the Lord.....and he gave unto them commandments. And they were obedient...an angel appeared unto Adam and Eve and taught them of the Savior and his great redeeming sacrifice that thru obedience they could return home clothed with a resurrected body and blessed with an eternal companion. Adam was commanded “thou shalt do all that thou doest in THE NAME OF THE SON, and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forevermore. And the Holy Ghost fell upon Adam, which beareth record of the Father and the Son, saying: I am the only Begotten of the Father from the beginning, henceforth, and forever, that as thou hast fallen thou mayest be redeemed, and all mankind, even as many as will.
And in that day Adam blessed God and was filled, (with the Holy Ghost) and began to prophesy concerning all the families of the earth, saying: Blessed be the name of God, for because of my transgression my eyes are opened, and in this life I shall have joy, and again in the flesh I shall see God.
And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying: were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the Eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient.
They made all this wonderful news known to their then existing family and they refused to accept it. “And thus the Gospel began to be preached, from the beginning.” Moses ch. 5
and Adam was baptized by the Spirit of the Lord and with the Holy Ghost and given the Priesthood whereby he would have baptized Eve and any believing children. Behold, thou art one in me, a son of God; and thus may all become my sons.” Moses 6:64-68
the rest of the earth was corrupt before God, and it was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth.
And God said unto Noah: the end of all flesh is come before me, for the earth is filled with violence, and behold I will destroy all flesh from off the earth.
Doesn’t this sound familiar today? Isn’t the whole earth filled with violence? Look around and see the necessity of a loving Father stepping in to stop it all.
I plead with you and pray for you that you will find where you are in the plan of our Father in Heaven. Honor HIM by living it. ......continued next month
Love,
Dad, Grandpa, brother, friend
Richard M. Pratt
Poem by Dawn Alta Pratt Taylor written for Dad's 92nd birthday (We just past what would be his 104th birthday!
Generation Stones
Faces from the past look out from frames and smile,
Album pages full of legacy worthwhile.
His jaw looks just like Daddy's her eyes are my eyes too.
There heritage and history wrapped up in me and you.
Work ethics from my Grandpa and humor from Grandma.
Singing from dear Auntie and values from Ma and Pa.
Lives' stories eked in sweat and tears pave a path for me ~
boosting, helping me to become all that I can be!
