Memo #23 (Written April 1, 2002)

Memo #23                   ( blogged June 1, 2014 )

April 1, 2002

From: Richard M. Pratt (Dad, Grandfather, friend etc.)

Re: Miracles

February, Tuesday 26, 2002 I was diagnosed by Dr. McKay Platt as having numerous cancerous tumors in my bladder. He removed them Friday March 1 with the declaration that he was 98% sure that I would need further surgery and lose my bladder and other good news.

However in a Priesthood blessing by Roger, Chad, Nelson and Gibb I was promised complete recovery. The next day my brother Leroy gave me a brother’s blessing with the same promise. Also the family and some friends combined in fasting and prayers on my behalf which were muchly appreciated.

When I came out from the operation I promised my five sweet daughters not to worry the Doctor’s forecast would not come to pass. And if it did hallelujah! I’ve got to get out of this life someway.

Carolyn stayed overnight with me. Fixed a nice breakfast and went home. I vacuumed the carpets did some washing and worked a couple of hours in the shop. 

30 April 1981 about 9 P.M. I was operated on for a ruptured appendix again by the power of the Priesthood and medical skills I lived although it was doubtful for three days in intensive care.

Two weeks before Mother’s demise I was operated on for intestinal blockage and again my life was saved by faith and medical skills.

I have also been healed by the power of the Priesthood when medical help was not available. (Look up one time in Grandpa’s book page: 204!)

 June 6, 1958, at age 45, I experienced a major heart attack,  a massive coronary thrombosis which killed 1/3 of my heart. The Doctor said I couldn’t live till morning. I was healed instantly by the Power of God thru the administration of the Holy Priesthood. And have never had a recurrence although I have lived an extremely active life. While the Doctor warned me never to exert myself physically again.

These close calls with death have caused me to run back thru my memory for 90 years and I have literally lived 90 years of miracles and survived to this point only because my Heavenly Father has decreed it.

Following are some near death experiences that have happened to me.

My life has been a life of miracles not a few but very many. Here are some that I can remember. I am sure I have also forgotten many.

My Patriarchal blessing promised me when I was 15 years old that my life would be prolonged to a very old age.

I started life by being born dead. The doctor just dropped my lifeless body and went to work to stop the bleeding that was rapidly claiming the life of my 17 year old mother. The faith of my Grandmother and my Father finally coaxed my spirit to enter the body. With this start I will barely mention other miracles. (I may give details later if anyone is interested.)

I have drowned twice.

Twice wicked men have tried to murder me because I was a Mormon. 

Seven times I have fallen from roof tops, all of them more than ten feet. And during the many years of professional pruning, thinning and picking fruit before dwarf trees we used 16 foot ladders from which I fell often also fell out of the trees. I don’t know how many times. Statistics show that 50% of falls from 10 feet or more are fatal and the survivors usually suffer broken bones. I have never had a bone broken.

The second summer we were married I sprayed fruit trees for over 90 days averaging 12 hours a day every day with two deadly poisons, “arsenic and lead.” I was literally soaked in it and it often ran into my mouth. And I suffered no ill affects. I was paid the grand sum of 25 cents an hour. 

I fell from a tree, my heavy pruning shears following hit me on the top of the head and the sharp point should have penetrated my skull but it didn’t however I lost 3 pints of blood and was on the edge of death before I was able to get help.

In my first 45 years of farming using horses, I have had every conceivable accident. I have been bitten, kicked, stomped on, dragged, in fearsome runaways, bucked off and had one 1000 pound horse fall down, roll over with me under and get back on its feet and I was still in the saddle.

Five times mad bulls have charged me and a miracle each time saved me. In one instance the bull killed my horse by literally disemboweling him. Then just as his horns were touching my stomach an unseen power picked me up and set me atop of a 15 foot high hay stack some 100 feet away.

Five times I have stepped on or sat down on rattle snakes. (They don’t always rattle) and escaped with out being bitten.

A swarm of black wasps attacked me and before my head swelled into one hideous unrecognizable mass I counted more than 50 stings. One sting can be fatal. 

In the islands I was stung by scorpions and bitten by four inch long centipedes.

A rabies infected wild jack rabbit charged me and I was only able to escape, by you guessed it, another act of God. 

A vicious dog leaped for my throat without warning.

I was struck by a car and ended up on the hood looking thru the windshield at a hysterical driver, I wasn't even bruised.

I was accidentally catapulted out of a hay loft turned a somersault and landed on my feet some 15 to 20 feet below.

Standing on top of a heavy wagon load of hay the horses bolted into a dead run jerking the load out from under me. I went into a somersault and landed on my feet still holding my pitch fork. My buddy fell off the front end and both iron wheels ran over him. We buried him. 

At least once evil spirits have tried to kill me and nearly succeeded. In the words of the Prophet Joseph Smith’s First Vision, “Thick darkness gathered around me and bound my tongue so that I could not speak, it seemed for a time as if I was doomed to utter destruction.” This was not imaginary but very real and extremely frightening.

I’ve suffered a ruptured appendix and should have died, also a bowel blockage and now a cancer operation.

In all of these numerous bouts with death a doctor was only involved a few times. They just weren't available. You lived or you died. 

Now if this sounds like boasting, I am not boasting in me for I am nothing with out God. But I AM BOASTING IN MY GOD who has preserved my life to this point.

“And when I consider that God, his son not sparing, sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in. That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin.

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation, To take me home, what joy shall fill my heart! Then I shall bow in humble adoration and there proclaim, “My God, how great thou art!” (From the Hymn, “How Great Thou Art”)

My strength is as nothing, but with God I can do all things and have done many things and hope to do more things in preparing for the Second Coming of our Savior Jesus Christ. In preparing us all for that great and very dreadful day. Dreadful only to the unprepared.

 BECOME PREPARED!   

LOVE,

                                Dad, Grandpa etc. Richard M. Pratt

Memo #22 (Written March 1, 2002)

March 1, 2002   (blogged May 1, 2014)

From: Dad, Grandpa Pratt etc. Richard M. Pratt

Re: Earth Life

In February’s memo I wrote about our pre-mortal life. How our eternal individuality, called intelligence was fused with a spirit body in a spirit birth to our Heavenly Parents. There we must have spent eons of time as the billions of spirits who would be sent to this earth were born and all of us were taught and experienced all that that stage of existence could furnish.

In as much as this took place in the home of the parents of our spirits and in as much as they live in HEAVEN and in as much as  the goal of all true Christians is to return to Heaven and as we were already there THEN WHY DID WE EVER LEAVE TO COME TO THIS WORLD OF VIOLENCE, TRIALS, TEARS AND GRIEF AND ENDING IN THE TRAUMA CALLED DEATH??? 

The word “Heaven” is actually a loose and nebulous word and means many things to many people and most of their ideas are just not true. Some actually believe and I've had them tell me this, that heaven is where our Lord lives in a beautiful city with streets paved of pure gold. That those few of this world who make it back to there will be angels (and they can’t define angel except that it will be a sexless it!) And forevermore these “its” will walk the golden streets strumming on their golden guitars and singing praises to God forever and ever. How Boring! Especially to God!! And to those of us who are not musical! 

The Heaven, as is easily observed, is composed of countless planets, stars, suns etc. they are divided into at least three orders or ranks named Celestial, Terrestrial and Telestial. God lives on a Celestial Planet which is the highest of all. (I’ll consider the other two in a future memo.) There are innumerable Celestial Planets and Gods but we only have a few details on the one our God dwells on. Most of these details were given by God in a face to face conversation with Moses who lived on the earth about 1500 B.C. 

Among other things God told Moses that his creations cannot be counted by man. But he knows them all. That the Celestial globe he lives on was once an earth like ours and our earth is destined to become a Celestial globe after it passes thru some mighty changes.

Before it reaches the Celestial stage, all the spirits foreordained to live on this earth will have the privilege of doing so. The earth will then be Celestialized and join that rank of heavenly bodies and will be in the presence of God. Then will the Saviors statement in the “Sermon on the Mount” be fulfilled, when he said, “blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.”   (The word meek at the translation of the Bible 400 years ago didn’t mean a milksop as it does today but it meant a strong, bold person who stood for truth and above all OBEYED GOD!)

Heaven, then, to the inhabitants of this earth, is to be prepared for by obedience to be numbered among those who will be judged fit candidates to inherit a portion of this Celestialized Planet. All others will go to inferior ranks or orders of Heavenly satellites. (There are numberless scriptures on this subject, just believe me.)

In February’s memo I quoted the Lord in the book of Job wherein he states that when this earth and its purposes were explained to us that we literally shouted for joy. There are many reasons why we were so happy to leave our Heavenly Home for this inferior world. I’ll only have room to mention the first four or five and most important ones.

#1 Our spirit body was not complete. We could easily see some of the great advantages our Heavenly Parents enjoyed in their RESURRECTED bodies, and like all children we longed to be like them. To achieve this we had to follow in their footsteps. We had to begin with a temporal

 (temporary) body of flesh and blood that could only be acquired on a temporal earth. Further progress was closed to us until we lowered ourselves to a physical world where bodies of temporal material were available. And when we obtained these bodies we had to learn the laws by which the materials of these bodies could be controlled.

#2 This was the course the Lord said we had to follow in order to attain “A FULNESS OF JOY,”  like unto his.  one writer has said: “For centuries men have tried to find this fulness of joy by artificial and Satanical means by resorting to alcohol, drugs of various kinds and some to physical dissipation, but all of these are counter productive and lead to early death.”

However, a fulness of joy can only be attained when our bodies have been resurrected and are inseparably connected with our spirits forever. 

“Spirit and physical, inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy. Our spirits, when alone, are for some reason incapable of enjoying this experience in its fulness.” 

Mortality is the gateway thru which man had to pass to attain the maximum of happiness.

“They are they into whose hands the Father has given all things---they are they who are priests and kings, who have received of his FULNESS, and of his glory...wherefore they become Gods, even the Sons and Daughters of God, wherefore all things are theirs, whether life or death, or things present, or things to come, all are theirs and they are Christs, and Christ is Gods.”

 D&C 131:1-4 

#3 Spirits cannot form families and have children. They do not have the power to do so. They are as small children in this respect. Only at this late stage of our development when we have become potential candidates for a place in the council of the Gods are we permitted to partake of these powers. Parenthood upon this earth is but a training period for parenthood in eternity. 

The vast majority of those who live upon this earth and enjoy the TEMPORARY power of procreation, by disobedience, will lose this power and will literally be resurrected without it. They will be angels and not Gods and will be servants to the Gods eternally, for by their own actions of not listening to and obeying God, they will not have this power restored to them in the resurrection. 

This life, then, is our time to form eternal family ties and start our own kingdom in obedience to the laws of that kingdom, even the Celestial Kingdom of God.

Grandma and I have obeyed these laws and I have every expectation of soon being with her and continuing our ROMANCE ETERNALLY.

#4 This life is a testing to see what we will do while away from home. One third of our brothers and sisters led by Lucifer refused this exciting adventure and rebelled and were cast out of heaven and placed on the earth without any hopes of ever having the 4 blessings itemized above.

#5 Earth life is an experiencing of good and evil. Every good thing has its’ evil opposite. Here we have a choice to choose and learn by our own trial and error to know that good choices always bring good results and evil choices evil results. Thru this pain and sorrow we MAY LEARN. Thru these experiences we learn the bitterness of disobedience (sin) and the sweetness of obedience. Here we may learn that God’s way is the safe, proven, reliable way. Indeed there is no other way. Eventually either here or in the world of the dead, called the spirit world and before the resurrection, every soul will learn that there is no other way than God’s way. But for most it will be to late to receive “ALL THAT GOD HAS TO GIVE.” 

The solution: “Do it NOW!” Learn of Christ and His Father and Our Father and how to be able to receive ALL that they have to give.

I love you,

Dad, Grandpa etc.




A Note from Rose:
I have been posting just the spiritual memos. If you kept your hard copies it would be fun to re read the stories Dad put out. Your kids will get a big kick out of them. We all grew up to Dad's wonderful stories and it's fun to keep them going.

love to you all,

Rose

Memo #21 (Written February 1, 2002)

February 1, 2002   Blogged April 1, 2014

From: Dad, Grandpa Pratt and otherwise

Re: Pre-Existence

Of course it is impossible to pre-exist. How can you exist before you exist? However, this term is now used universally in the (LDS) church, and is understood by most, as relating to our existence before we were born into this earth life called mortality, which is also known as pre-mortal life. Knowing something about who we are and why we left that sphere of action, to live, for a short time, in a mortal body, gives us a better understanding of our individual potential and worth.

In my years of studies of the many major Christian and non-Christian religions, none of them know of this great truth. All teach that life begins with birth. Isn't this somewhat absurd? Mortal parents can only create a mortal body.The life that activates the body, sometime between conception and birth, comes from God. When that doesn't happen, the baby is born without life and referred to as “still born”. This is why abortion is such a grievous sin, for abortion is literally the murder of innocents. The 1.5 million estimated abortions yearly in the U.S. alone, makes wicked King Herod look like a novice. For in his attempt to kill Baby Jesus, it is estimated that he only killed 200-300 babies.

Now let us explore the exciting, so very exciting past, before the world was. Modern prophets have verified the Bible teachings to be true. So, hook up your seat belts and hang on.

Let’s start with Jesus. He was the first-born in the Spirit, before the world was. He is literally our elder brother. God said: “I will make Him my First-born”. Ps. 89:27 “In the beginning was the Word (meaning Jesus). He was the First-born of many.” Romans 8:29. “Mine Only Begotten, in the flesh, which was with Me from the beginning.” Moses 2: 26 “Christ redeemeth....bringeth them (us) back. Into the presence of God”. Heleman 14:17 This same Jesus, under the direction of the Father, has created all things, both the Heavens and the earth and everything in and on them. (There are so many scriptures on this, that I will only give one. “Thine hands have made me.” Job 10:8

“Then the Lord answered Job, out of the whirlwind and said: ‘Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?...Answer thou me. Where wast thou, when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding....when the Morning Stars sang together, and ALL THE SONS OF GOD SHOUTED FOR JOY?” I might add that the daughters also shouted for joy. YOU and I were there!

All the spirits that were born to our Heavenly Parents, who would live on this earth, were born and had grown to spirit adulthood, before the earth was made. When it was explained to us, the purpose of earth life, mortal birth, death, resurrection, etc., and the hadships and risks thereof, one third of our spirit brothers and sisters refused to accept the plan. They rebelled against God, the Father, as is so dramatically related in the book of Revelations 12:7-11

“And there was war in heaven. Michael (who became Adam) and his angels fought against the dragon. And the dragon fought and his angels and prevailed not; neither was their place found anymore in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil and Satan, which decieveth the whole world. He was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him...and they (us, with our spirit brothers and sisters) overcame him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb (Jesus was still to be born on earth thousands of years in the future.) And by the word of their testimony.”

No. Spirits can’t be killed. So it wasn’t a shooting war, but a war of truth versus error; or testimony versus non-testimony, until every spirit had taken sides with one or the other. Satan and his followers then, not willing to go along with God’s plan were ejected from heaven and put on the earth as spirits, to serve as an opposition, so that mortals could still have a choice.

Now, let us look at other individuals, starting with Abraham. We could start with Adam, but space is limited. Abraham was born about 2000 B.C. exactly halfway between the fall of Adam and the birth of Jesus Christ. It was also about 250 years after the great flood, when Noah was just finishing his long and illustrious life. 

“Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the spirits that were born before the world was; and among all these, there were many of the noble and great ones. And God saw these souls, that they were good, and He stood in the midst of them and said: “These I will make my rulers, (families) for He stood among those that were spirits. And He said unto me, ‘Abraham, thou art one of them. Thou wast chosen before thou wast born.’” (YOU WERE THERE AND RECEIVED THE SAME PROMISE!)  

Out of that vast host of spirits, many have been named. I can only mention a few. Adam, before mortality was known as Michael, the Archangel (meaning first angel). He led us in the battle against Satan. Adam is next to Christ in authority. Moses was also chosen before he was born on earth. He wrote the first five books of the Old Testament. Genesis had to be written by revelation to Moses from God, for it happened before Moses’s time in mortality. In Genesis 2:5,

it was revealed to Moses, that all life, both plant and animal were created as spirits. “And every plant of the field, before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field, before it grew; for the Lord, God, had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no man to till the ground.”

The prophet, Joseph Smith, taught, “That which is spiritual, being in the likeness of that which is temporal; and that which is temporal, in the likeness of that which is spiritual. The SPIRIT of man is the likeness of his person, as also the spirit of the beast, and every other creature which God has created. “ D.& C. 77:2

But the testimony that I like best of all is that of the great prophet, Jeremiah, who was the prophet at Jerusalem in 606 B.C. when Daniel, as a teenager, was carried away captive to Babylon. Only six years later, in 600 B.C., Lehi and family left that city (Jerusalem), soon to be destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. They were brought by the Lord to America. Jerusalem was destroyed 13 years later.

Jeremiah 1:45, “Then came the word of the Lord unto me saying, ‘Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee and before thou camest forth out of the womb, I sanctified thee. And I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” how can it be said any plainer? 

And finally, for each of us. We are part of Israel, God’s chosen people, chosen before the earth was created, because of our valiance in the war in heaven, in casting out Satan and his followers. Moses tells us in Deuteronomy 32:7-8 and Paul, in Acts 17:24-27, ....”and hath made of one blood, all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the Times BEFORE APPOINTED, AND THE BOUNDS OF THEIR HABITATION,”

Israel means PRINCE or PRINCESS, and thereby eligible to become KING and QUEEN, as one of the rulers mentioned in Abraham. “We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the ten tribes.” Articles of Faith 10.

Grandma and I are both of the tribe of Joseph, through his son, Ephriam. The modern day Jews are from the tribe of Judah, who was the fourth son of Jacob and Leah 

I LOVE YOU! 

From, Dad, Grandpa Pratt etc (Richard Marden Pratt)

Roger found a wonderful quote and I will add it here as Dad would love it and want to share it too.

Elder Lansing of the Seventy said, “Sometimes we forget that in pre-mortality we fought alongside the Savior in defense of the Father’s plan of moral agency. And we won! Lucifer and his followers were expelled, and we received the opportunity to experience the life we fought for. The Father’s plan included the Atonement. Our job is to face our challenges  and endure them well. As we do this, the Atonement has meaning in our lives and we fulfill the Lord’s work and glory: “To bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” Moses 1:39

You may want to pull out your memos and read the sequel to How Grandpa got a shiner. And open grandma’s book and read  page 30 and read the chapter (2 ½ pages) you will enjoy it with your children and laugh at the Easter story and be amazed at the time she fell through the ice and was saved.  ENJOY! Sorry to those of you who don’t have their books. 

Memo #20 (Written Januray 1, 2002)

You may notice that I did not blog #19, It's a beautiful Christmas message. Go back in your own set of memos it has some choice stories in addition to the memo. Great for your families. Dawn was the typist and interviewed Dad about his Christmas traditions. Oh so humble! I have some of Great Grandpa's sleigh bells to this day and enjoy them at Christmas time too. 

love,

Rose

Memo #20 January 1, 2002 BLOGGED MARCH 2014

To: All Pratt Adults and Selected Others

From: Dad, Grandpa and otherwise

Re: The Kingdom of God

 The great prophet Daniel, carried away captive into Babylonia while yet a boy in the year 606 B.C., prophesied in Babylon for over 50 years of the key events in the world to happen from then down to the end of the world. (Parenthetically Lehi and his family left Jerusalem six years later in 600 B.C. and were brought to America by the Lord to replace a people who had ripened in iniquity until they destroyed themselves as recorded in the Book of Mormon. Daniel would have been about 6 years older than the also Great Prophet Nephi who was the son of Lehi. They likely knew each other.) 

Daniel, speaking of our day prophesied that the King of Heaven (God) shall set up a kingdom on earth, which shall never be destroyed...and it shall break in pieces and consume all earthly kingdoms and governments and shall stand forever. It will be as a little stone cut out of the mountain without hands (human hands) that it will roll forth until it breaks down all earthly kingdoms and then the King of Heaven (Jesus) will come and rule the earth forever and personally the first 1000 years which is know as the Millennium. Which chronologically has now started. (Daniel ch. 2) Look for great and dreadful things to happen soon, oh so very soon, in the life times of many of you and be prepared to be a citizen of that Kingdom that will last forever.

There are 5 requisites to an eternal Kingdom.

1. There must be a King all powerful, just, and merciful.

2. He must have laws that are just and equatable

3. There must be authorized officers to administer the laws.

4. There must be subjects (us) or the above 3 are worthless.

5. There must be a country large enough to sustain all the subjects in comfort, might and glory.

“Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.” Matt. 5:5 (Meek means obedient to the laws of the Kingdom of God. Based on the World’s disobedience, the earth in its renewed and Paradisiacal glory will amply accommodate ALL the meek. Just be concerned that YOU are among them. For only there will one be able, in FAMILY UNITS, to progress forever, have a fullness of joy, and rule and reign, under the Great King, as Kings and Queens, Fathers and Mothers over their own Kingdoms.)

John the Baptist, a cousin of Jesus and 6 months older came out of the wilderness crying to the Jews repent, repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, the King is here, accept him.

Jesus appeared, John baptized him (the first law qualifying for citizenship) and the Father spoke from Heaven saying, “This is my beloved Son, in who I am well pleased.” (Matt. 3:17)

And the Holy Ghost descended upon him and a white dove (bird) descended and landed on the shoulder of Jesus as a sign to John that he had indeed baptized the son of God.

The purpose of the restoration of the Kingdom at that time, for it had been on the earth before and always destroyed by the subjects refusing to be law abiding; the purpose was for the King (Jesus) to receive his body of Flesh, prove his obedience to the Father, be an example to all AND CONQUER DEATH, all of which he did.

But again the Kingdom was destroyed. 1. The King was killed. 2. The laws were broken. 3. The authorized officers were murdered. 4. The subjects reverted to their old false deities and paganism. The world then endured the awfulness of the “Dark Ages”. And they were awful for I have read much about them and of the suffering and misery during nearly 2 millennium. 

But now the time prophesied by Daniel has arrived. The Kingdom has been restored. The 

King has appeared. His laws have and are being preached. Officers, led by a living Prophet, are administering the laws of the Kingdom and subjects are being recruited by obedience to the laws of that Kingdom in preparation to eternally inherit the earth in its resurrected and eternal Glory. And to be governed forever by that great and glorious Son of God, even Jesus, under the Father, and each of us to inherit with Jesus All that the Father has to give. 

“Each succeeding generation, governed by these same principles, will improve till male and female may live and multiply for a hundred years or more upon the earth.” and after the resurrection their union still renew.

“With this view of the subject, what man would be so base, so groveling, so blind to his own interest as TO NEGLECT those duties, self denials, sacrifices that are necessary in order to secure a part in the first resurrection, and a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory in that life which never ends.” P. P. Pratt

In Memo 19 I quoted D&C 46:13-14 which indicates that a person who can’t believe in what I have just written may still receive all the benefits of the Kingdom by following someone who knows, that is to obey the laws as he or she obeys them. 

I have obeyed and am obeying those laws if you need help please believe me and obey them as I do. Here they are.

Like Jesus, I was baptized by an authorized officer of the Kingdom and thereby became a subject, done at an age when I was old enough to understand. (8 ½ years old, born March 14, 1912 baptized Sept. 14, 1920)

This is the first covenant of the Kingdom and assures the individual all rights, privileges, hopes and promises equally shared with all other subjects.

As I matured I entered into the other covenants. I received authority to act in the name of God called Melchizedek Priesthood Sept. 4, 1930 under the hands of William R. Sloan who was ordained by Heber S. Allen, he by Apostle George Teasdale, he by President Brigham Young, who was ordained by the 3 witnesses of the Book of Mormon, they by Joseph Smith who was ordained by the resurrected Peter, James and John, they were ordained by Moses, Elijah and Christ on the Mt. of Transfiguration as recorded in the Gospels of Matthew etc.

I give this lengthy (although short) account of my authority to act in God’s name. No other man can make this claim upon all the face of the earth except those who have gone thru the same process. 

With this authority to represent God I have officiated in many callings as an officer of God. The ones I am most pleased with is filling 4 missions in recruiting further subjects for the Kingdom, three missions with my wonderful wife as companion for a total of about 6 years all financed by our own selves.

With this authority Grandma and I have filled all the other covenants needed to be eternal Sweethearts and part of Gods eternal family. In that we have been sealed to our respective parents to retain our place there in as a son and a daughter. We have also been sealed to each other to be husband and wife and a Father and Mother forever. This glorious event took place in the Cardston Alberta Temple for it can only be done in a Temple of God. It took place July 25, 1934. Our children were born in this covenant and will be eternally our son and daughters.

These laws and covenants with the 10 commandments are the basic laws of the Kingdom of God. They are not many and are easy and light to bare or as the Savior said: “Take up your cross, and follow me.” (Simply stated “obedience to the laws of the Kingdom” which he, Christ, also obeys as does the Father.) There is no other way that will bring a fullness of Joy. Please don’t miss the boat. Take up your cross and follow me. And together we shall have eternal life. “This is Eternal lives to know the only wise and true God, and Jesus Christ, whom he has sent, I am he. Receive ye, therefore, my law.” D&C 132: 24

                                I love you,

                                Dad, Grandpa etc. Richard Marden Pratt

Then Dad added his story of How to tame a grizzly so here goes. He could tell a fun story too.

How to tame a grizzly 

by Richard Pratt 

Grandpa had a black eye a few weeks ago, boy was it black, not only the eye but the right temple clear up to the hair line. The next day he had a Temple assignment to fill so he whitened it with talcum power and hoped no one would notice but to no avail. Fellow workers gathered around and wanted to know how he got such a shiner. 

Said Grandpa, “You wouldn't believe me if I told you.”

Their pleadings and assurances that they would believe increased until he gave in and the following is his account of how it happened.

Yesterday I climbed “Y “ mountain past the “ Y “ and clear up over the top to a beautiful mountain meadow lush with grass and flowers with heavy timbered slopes. This was named Bear flats by the pioneers.

The trail is little used and over grown with grass and brush. Visibility is not far beyond one’s nose. I turned a corner and came face to face with a bear, a huge grizzly. He must have stood 10 feet tall as he towered on his hind legs.

I was so close I could have touched him and he me. I immediately froze as I pondered my alternatives the main one being his dinner. I knew that trying to out run him was impossible for they can outrun a horse. Then I remembered the old pioneer advice. “Out stare them.” so with my little green eyes boring into his big brown eyes I held my ground and not blinking I stared him down.

He dropped to all fours and started to walk away. I immediately thought, “all my life I've wanted a bear skin rug and I’ll never have a better chance than this.” with that I jumped on his back and grabbed a handful of fur with my right hand.

The bear went bezerk as he tried to unseat me. I looked like a rodeo cowboy coming out to the chute on a Brahma bull. In seconds he’s going down the trail at full bucking speed.

I had to work fast. Getting my pocket knife out of my tight jeans pocket was a trial and opening it with my teeth most difficult. But I did and made the first incision right behind his ears. The blood spurted and I gloated. Given another 20 seconds and that old bear would have been running down that trail stark naked. But that sniveling creature didn't play fair. At that moment he ran under a low lying tree limb which whacked me on my right temple so hard that it not only knocked me off the bear but turned me a complete somersault in the air and I landed on my back only half conscious. That’s how I got this black eye. But wait, the story has more.

In my half dazed condition, I realized the bear had stopped, a little trickle of blood dripping from ht end of his nose from my incision.

Slowly he turned and came back. I tried to get up but couldn't. So I just relaxed and resigned myself to being his dinner.

He didn't stop until each of his front feet was planted right beside each of my ears and I was looking right down his throat. Clear to the back side of his belly button. And his tonsils. I didn’t know a bear had tonsils.  Did you?

They were large as tomatoes and just as red. I thought this poor bear has a terribly soar throat. No wonder he didn't eat me. But he’s going to now.

He lowered his head ‘till our noses almost touched and his bloody nose dripped on mine. I couldn't bear to look longer, so I closed my eyes. Then I felt his warm, moist tongue land gently on my aching eye and like she would lick her cub she gently massaged my eye and aching head. In moments the pain stopped and I drifted off to sleep.

It must have been an hour or two before I wakened. And when I did there was no sign of that bear.

I thought, “What a dream!” I didn’t know ‘till I got home to a mirror that I had a black eye to prove my story. But even more, there laid my bloody knife with a tuft of bear hair stuck to it. I examined my own body for cuts to see if it was my blood, and definitely I didn’t have any bear hair growing on me. 

Well there it is. I knew you wouldn’t believe me but I can’t tell the real story and even if I did you wouldn’t believe it either. But if I get at least 2 written request I will tell it. So it’s up to you! NO REQUESTS - NO TRUE STORY!

Grandpa

To go along with Grandpa’s story go to Grandma’s book Kaleidoscope page 43 for “Huckleberrying in Bear Country” and page 24 for “Trapping” the skunk poem only grandma’s stories are true!

Grandma used to make wonderful yummy steamed puddings. We would eat these in the winter on special occasions like new years or at a family gathering. She would serve this in beautiful cut glass dishes topped with a tangy lemon sauce. 

Steamed pudding

1 cup carrots grated

1 cup potatoes grated

1 cup sugar

1 cup raisins

2/3 cup shortening

2 eggs

½ cup flour

½ tsp soda

½ tsp salt

1 tsp each cinnamon & nutmeg 

½ tsp cloves

3/4 cup walnuts

mix all together and place in well greased pan or pyrex bowl and steam for 1 hour. She used a large double boiler on her stove. The smaller pan with the pudding in it was not covered but placed in the larger pan on a rack, with water underneath. This had a tight lid. The steam could really surround the pudding. Wow is it ever good. I think I will make some today and share it with my family!  This is actually 1/3 the size of her original recipe.

For the sauce you can squeeze 2 lemons  and grate their rind, 1 cup water,  sweeten with sugar and thicken with cornstarch to the taste and thickness you like. Some people like a caramel sauce on the pudding but Grandma liked the lemon sauce best!

Don’t forget to have a doughnut fry this winter that was traditional too. 

What a heritage we have in the great testimonies of family relationships and the lives lived full of goodness and faithfulness. We have the examples to follow and we can be a forever family if we just apply the principles they have taught us. Grandpa is still vibrant and strong and his example is to all of us. We can look to him and encourage each other to be Christ centered. 

Memo #18 (Written November 1, 2001)

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.