Memo #4 (written October 3, 2000)

From: Grandpa Richard M. Pratt

To: All Pratt Family Adults & Selected Others

Re: Jesus Christ

“In the beginning was Jesus, and Jesus was with God...The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.” John 1: 1-3

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” John 1: 12

How impossible to condense on two pages the thousands of pages that have been written of Jesus (Greek for “Savior”) Christ (Greek for “anointed”). Hence, “Jesus Christ” in English means the “anointed” or “appointed Savior” of all mankind, the creator of heaven and earth and all things that in them are. So, I will simply state some facts, praying that you all will believe them for they are so vital to your happiness now and eternally. For further information, call me at....(since we can’t call Dad / grandpa now, we can do what he suggests next,) or contact your local ward and stake leaders. ( You can also look on lds.org for answers.)

In the beginning, before this earth was, our Heavenly Parents, having successfully lived on a prior earth, died, and were resurrected and reached the stage where they could have Spirit Children (us). And their firstborn they named “Joshua” or “Jeshua” (Savior) or in Greek, “Jesus”.

(Remember, Greek is the original language of the New Testament.)

A spirit body, in order to reach perfection, must be clothed with a body of immortal flesh and bones. This “forever body or house: can only be had by coming to a mortal earth via earthly parents. And the mortal earth is ruled by God’s enemy, a rebellious son called Satan, etc., who would destroy our happiness forever by having us disbelieve in God and His Son, Jesus Christ.

Satan got 1/3 of our siblings in the Spirit World to follow him, and they have been placed on this earth, never to have a body of flesh, to try us and test us to see if we will do all things that

God through Jesus has commanded us to do. Satan’s goal is our eternal misery. God’s goal is our eternal happiness.

An immortal body of flesh and bones is the result of mortal birth (that is a spirit at birth being placed in the body) and mortal death (which is separation of spirit and body). Then through Christ’s resurrection comes the resurrection of all, the judgement and final placement of each of us in some degree of happiness. But to be as God and Christ are entails living as they live, to obey the laws that they obey. This brings the ultimate in everlasting happiness and a continuation of family, romance, children, etc., forever. this is only possible because of Jesus Christ. He died and rose again that we also may have this glorious experience.

After Jesus fed more than 5,000 people in a great miracle of multiplying five loaves and two small fish, He tried to teach the people the necessity of obedience. Without exception, they turned and left, exclaiming, “This is too hard.” He then turned to His twelve disciples and asked, “Will you, too, go away?” to which Simon Peter answered, “To whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life, and we know and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God,” meaning that he was that one that from the days of Adam, all of the prophets had prophesied of, His birth, life and mission, there is no other.

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Without Jesus, there is nothing, no future, death is the end, the grave is victorious. How dismal! One better eat, drink and be as merry as possible for death ends everything if this is true.

But there IS a Savior called Jesus Christ, the firstborn of us all and the only begotten in the flesh. Our Heavenly Father is the Father of both His spirit body and his fleshly body. Through His earthly mother, Mary, He inherited the ability to die and through His Eternal Father, the power to resurrect, that is, His spirit joined again with His earthly body, never again to die and, thereby, making our resurrection assured, and our judgement also. Jesus commands men everywhere to repent and believe in Him for he is coming soon (called the “Second Coming”) to redeem all who have sought after Him.

After the Savior’s resurrection, over a period of 40 days, He appeared at least eight times to the twelve and about 500 other people.

On His final visit, “When He had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men (angels) stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1:9-11

He also appeared in His resurrected body to people in America. See Book of Mormon 3^rd Nephi 11:6-10 . And He has appeared in these last days to the Prophet Joseph Smith as prophesied by Old and New Testament prophets to prepare the people of the earth for His return in power and glory, to cleanse the earth by fire and to prepare it for a thousand years of peace, justice and righteousness.

“For the Lord shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first, then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the air to meet the Lord in the clouds and thus shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

                                                                  See you there!

Love,

Dad, Grandpa etc. (Richard M. Pratt)

Grandpa and Grandma have both written wonderful autobiographies of their lives. If you have not read them, please take the time to do so. In Grandma’s life sketch which was given at her funeral by her oldest daughter, Carolyn, we read:

“This is grandma’s life story. She wrote it for you, her kids, and their kids. You should read it. She tells about how she overcame sore trials, and of some fun things she did, as well as some of the funny things that happened to her. She made sure that each one of her 112+ descendants, which includes 6 children, 37 grandchildren, and 67+great grandchildren, each can have their own copy of her book. This way, those of you who are young and who did not get to know her very well, can see her pictures, learn about her, and get to know her, we want to learn more about her, so that we can become more like her. We can become more loving, give more service to the needy, avoid sin, and trust in the Lord, just like she taught us to do.”

“Mother said that she was ‘glad to have lived in the early years of the past century, and to have enjoyed such thins as horse-drawn buggies, wagons, tiny twinkling candles on Christmas trees,

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and all those old-fashioned parts of life in that long ago era.’ She says in her life history that she was ‘glad to have shared new inventions, such as cars, radios, permanent wave hair-dos, television.’ She was amazed when we told her how fast we can now send messages via e-mail computer clear across the ocean to her cousins in Germany.”

(Note copies of these two books were donated to the Provo Public library and also are in the genealogy library in Salt Lake City, Utah)

Pioneer Spoon bread is grandpa Pratt’s favorite bread, the kind he was raised on. He got the recipe from his sister, Melba. Who got it from their mother, Lilly Cecilia Shirk Pratt, who got it from her mother, Anna Nell Daykins Shirk, who got it from ancestors in medieval Germany, who (myth has it) can trace it back to Mother Eve in the “Garden of Eaten”. (tee hee)

2cups warm water

1 tsp. Salt

2 Tbsp. Sugar (Dad like Molasses, brown sugar or honey)

1 rounded tsp. yeast

flour to make a stiff spongy dough (about 2 ½ cups)

Mix all in a deep bowl, cover and let rise for 45 minutes. Stir down and pour into a well greased 9 x 9 inch pan or large bread pan. Cover and let rise 45 minutes. Place in preheated 350* oven for 45 minutes. Remove, slice off a slab, liberally butter it. Place in mouth and slowly chew as Paradise engulfs you. The loaf in the square pan will be about 2 inches thick. Dad liked to have lots of crust. He used a variety of flours and at times added things like sun flower seeds or raisins.

I’m sure we all have memories of going to visit grandpa and coming away with a loaf of his bread or a slice of his pies. He was a great cook. His mother taught him! 

Memo #3 (written September 1, 2000)

To: All Pratt Family Adults and selected others

From: Grandpa Pratt (Richard M.)

Re: The Nature of God

We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. (L.D.S. Article of Faith #1)

A seventeenth century Englishman, John Locke, 1632-1704, had little patience with Atheists (who say there is no God) and with Agnostics (who don’t care if there is or isn’t a God).

For said he,  common reason proves that he exists. Reason: I Am, therefore I am something. Something cannot come from nothing. Therefore, a something created me and everything that makes life possible. This something is ‘Good’ or in old English, ‘God’. Our word good is the modern word for the old Anglo-Saxon word God. God or Good is not the name of Deity, but is an adjective summing up all of His attributes, character, etc.

But we do not have to depend on reason for we have “the more sure word of prophecy.” Yes, “Holy men” called prophets have seen God, beginning with Adam, the first man. Also many Holy women have had this glorious experience.

And what have they seen? The whole body of the scriptures attests to the eternal truth that God is a Holy Man and that all men are created in His image. (All women are created in the image of their Mother in Heaven).

And God said, “Let us (plural) make man in our (plural) image, after our likeness....so God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Gen. 1:26-27 How could it be more plainly said? Believe it for it is true!

After being placed on this earth in a paradise called the Garden of Eden, God visited them regularly and taught them how to survive in a mortal world of opposition of sin and righteousness.

The records of those ancient days are so very brief. And we know so little of Adam’s and Eve’s lives. But they were taught the good news...that a Savior would be provided (next memo’s subject). We know of one other visitation to Adam and a large congregation of holy people.

“And the Lord appeared unto them, and they rose up and blessed Adam, and called him Michael the prince, the archangel. And the Lord (God) administered comfort unto Adam...”

D&C 107:53-54.

Yes, I know the two scriptures that men use in their unholy efforts to disprove that God can be seen. John 1: 18 “No man hath seen God at anytime....” Remember our New Testament is a poor English translation of ancient Greek and should read, “No unholy man hath..etc.”

In fact this is made clear by John 6:46 “Not that any man hath seen the Father,

SAVE HE WHICH IS OF GOD (holy) HE HATH SEEN THE FATHER.”

The other scripture is Exodus 33:11 “And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend.” but verse 20 says...”no man shall see me and live.” obviously it read in the original Hebrew, “no unholy man...etc.”

Why can’t unholy people see God? He really wants us to see Him. Moses tried to prepare all Israel to see God at Mt. Sinai. Exodus 19: 11 “...the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai...and Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with

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God.”...and the Lord said no, we had better not, for many of them would perish. verse 21

So a loving Father will not appear to disobedient children for the simple reason that they would die of fright.

I have only mentioned a few of the Biblical prophets who saw and talked with God. But unholy man disclaims the Bible saying it is only a collection of worthless legends.

Aren’t we fortunate to have a second witness of Jesus Christ, even the Book of Mormon which verifies that God also appeared to holy people, both men and women, in America?!

3 Nephi chapter 11 and Ether chapter 3.

And a third witness, the Doctrine and Covenants which testifies of the truthfulness of the Holy bible and the Book of Mormon.

Modern prophets beginning with Joseph Smith have seen the Father and the Son (both called Good or God).

“The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit. Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us.” D&C 130:22

We know Jesus was resurrected, therefore we know that the Father is also a resurrected man... and that we will all be restored to an immortal body of flesh and bones (not blood).

The Father is literally the Father of our spirits, Jesus being his first born and thus our oldest brother and the only one also begotten in the flesh and designated to bring us back into the Father’s presence, individually and as families, if we will just do as He says and as he did.

There are degrees of belief, degrees of salvation. To believe all the saving truths of the gospel is to gain full salvation; it is to become a son or daughter of God to dwell as families in His presence forever, even to become as He is, a Creator of families and of worlds. Other degrees of Salvation will be glorious but without family or the Creative Power of God. Or in the words of President Lorenzo Snow: “As man now is God once was, and as God now is, man MAY become,” by obedience to natural law, His law.

Please, Please believe me, I KNOW whereof I speak!

Love,

Grandpa (Richard M. Pratt)

Excerpt from Grandma Pratt’s book, page 10. Writing of her baby brother Freeman’s death and burial...

“Each winter, soft white snow blanketed that first, tiny, hallowed grave. Then when spring came, the family returned to revisit and care for the family lot...when the last weed was removed,...and the tiny grave tenderly smoothed, it was covered with a blanket of fragrant wild flowers.

I remember vividly seeing my young parents kneel, with heads bowed as their tears fell, like a benediction, on that tiny grave. We all cried. They were tears of grief, sorrow, humility, and acceptance, accompanied with HOPE. Then Papa and Mama drew we five children close to them as we knelt in family prayer. Mama rearranged the flower-blanket as if to tuck it more securely around her sleeping babe, the after one last parting look, we turned homeward.

At the time, I did not realize that any good could come as a result of such sadness, but now I know that we learned lessons that only come from experiences. Our family bonds grew stronger as we learned lessons about life, death, home and resurrection.”

Memo #2

Written August 9, 2000 reprinted for the blog September 1, 2012

share at http://www.prattmemos.blogspot.com

From the pen of Grandpa Pratt (Richard M.)

To: All Pratt family Adults and selected others

Re: Natural Law

Note: No answer expected but appreciated

note: I will only be re publishing what Dad wrote. The things family members contributed in the early memos are wonderful and I enjoyed re reading them but for the blog I will publish Dad’s memo and the few quotes he chose from Mom’s book. In the beginning we sisters took turns typing and those memos which I didn’t type myself I am having to retype. It’s a privilege to share my father’s works with all of you. Love, Rose

Since my last memo, I have spent much time in meditation and have come to the realization that I have acquired a vast pool of knowledge that will go to my grave with me unless I speak out plainly and soon. Some of this knowledge is vital to your individual happiness now and in the hear-after. Because I love you, I must make an effort to share it!

Oh, I know that each one of you is a good, honest and truthful person and generally treat your fellow beings as you would be treated. And most certainly you will receive a measure of joy here and later. But why settle for a beat-up old used “car” when you could drive a “Cadillac”.

So in future memos I will treat the subjects of “The Nature of God”, “The Role of Jesus Christ in Our Lives Now and in the Future”, “The Great Plan of Happiness”, “The Resurrection”, and answer any questions.

Now let us consider the subject of “Law”. We obey jillions of laws automatically every minute because it is the natural thing to do. These laws didn’t make themselves. Who did? Only someone who is referred to as GOD. Why did He make them? For our personal happiness.

Example: The next recipe you cook try substituting salt for sugar or corn starch for flour or vinegar for water...what a mess! Or you builders, try building your next house in reverse, the roof first on down to the foundation last. What a hoot! Or try using a saw for a hammer and a hammer for a drill, etc. etc.

Most of nature’s laws are obeyed because it is the sensible thing to do. But there are a few laws that are essential and must be obeyed if we are to enjoy a fullness of joy or complete happiness forever. These laws I will now consider. (Please, PLEASE believe me! For I KNOW WHERE OF I SPEAK. I am not senile neither am I living in a fantasy land.) I am going to address this in the form of a parable as follows.

Suppose that a very wealthy old man names you as his heir, but you will have to wait ten years after his death and meet the following conditions or his entire fortune will go to charity.

*Law 1. Kneel twice a day and verbally express your gratitude to your benefactor (called prayer)

*Law 2. Spend one day in seven promoting his business which you will inherit.

*Law 3. Never use his name frivolously.

*Law 4. Treat all as you would be treated.

*Law 5. Return one-tenth of your income to the business (Remember you’ll get it back and then some!)

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*Law 6. Be married within 90 days and still be happily married ten years later to the same person.

*Law 7. Stay out of debt.

*Law 8. Teach all that will listen that full happiness can only be found by obedience to these laws.

Note: All these laws are for your benefit, not His.

Surely no one in their right sense would pass up such an opportunity. On difference between this parable and our Heavenly Father’s Plan is that YOU die (for He can’t) to inherit all that He has to give. But the teachings of the world would have us believe that there is no God, no Christ, no Savior and that Death is the end. What a dismal future. In fact it is NO future.

In the next memo I will explain who God is and what He is and how He operates and why each one of US is a special Son or Daughter to whom He wishes to give all that He has.

I particularly like the words of one dying father to his children: “If you say there is no law, ye shall also say there is no sin, (Sin is to break the law). If ye say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness, (for that is obeying the law). And if there be no righteousness, tehre be no happiness. And if there be no righteousness nor happiness, there be no misery nor punishment. And if these things are NOT, there is no God. And if there is no God, we are not. Neither the earth, for there could have been no creation of things to act or to be acted upon. Wherefore all things must have vanished away.”

“And now my sons, I speak these things unto you for your profit and learning. For there IS a God and He has created all things, both the heavens and the earth and all things that in them are. Both things to act (man) and things to be acted upon.” (nature).[ 2^nd Nephi 2 Lehi to his son Jacob] This reasoning cannot be refuted!

Even an ancient Roman attorney named Cicero, born 106 B.C., (assassinated 43 B.C.)

before Christ was born, had it figured out rightly. Said he, “and there will not be a different law at Rome and Athens or a different law now and in the future. But one eternal and unchangeable law will be valid for all nations and all times. And there will be one ruler and Master, that is God, over us all. For he is the Author of the Law, its promulgator and enforcing judge. Whoever is disobedient is fleeing from himself and denying his human nature and by reason of this very fact will suffer the worst punishment.”

Cicero is speaking, of course, of the great day, soon to be, when Christ will rule personally upon the earth and all laws will be JUST, and we will be delighted to obey them!

Love,

Grandpa (Richard M. Pratt)

Excerpts from Grandma Adaline Kearl Pratt’s book pg 36

“Once when I was in the mountains at the Homestead, it was necessary that I ride about five miles down to Grandma Ender’s ranch to get milk for our family. I rode a large black horse. It was getting dark and a rainstorm came up with strong thunder, lightning and heavy rain. The thunder cracked like pistol shots, echoing, vibrating, and shaking the very mountains. My horse frightened, bolted and ran. The rain tore at me. Afer a fearful time, the horse began to calm down, only to hear another clap of thunder and smell the sharp, vivid lightning, and began running again. It was terrible mud flew from the horse’s hooves as he ran on. All the while, I was clinging to the saddle horn and praying.

My prayers were answered when he finally stopped. We then continued on to Grandma’s soaking wet but thankful to be alive and safe. After staying the night with Grandma, I rode back to the homestead with the large bottle of milk in a sack that was tied to my saddle with leather strings.”

Memo #1

July 24, 2000

Memo #1

From: The Pen of Grandpa Pratt

To: All Pratt family adults

Re: Eternal Families and the Passing of Grandma

Note: Memos require No Answer, altho answers will be appreciated.

I have witnessed death many times, but with Grandma’s passing it was impressed upon me as never before that it is so totally final. Never again in this life will the survivors have any contact with the deceased, except in very rare cases when they are allowed to return to certain loved ones with a message. This has happened in our own family but is not the purpose of this memo. Perhaps at a future date, if requested and appropriate, I could recount the few times (very few) that it has happened in our immediate family.

What is the purpose of death? Simply to free us from a mortal body that is not built to last forever. It is a great blessing and the next step in our eternal progression. For we have the assurance that Jesus, the Son of God, has provided a resurrection for ALL, in which at the appointed times, the body (mortal) will come forth from the grave to be enlivened once more by the Spirit to live eternally.

It is part of the great “Plan of Happiness” for the Whole Human Family. The FAMILY is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of his children.

Authority has been conferred upon man once again, whereby in Sacred Temples a man can be eternally sealed to his wife, a woman to her husband; parents to their children and the extended family eternally linked together forever.

The earth and all life upon it are of divine origin. The creation did not happen by chance. It did not come out of nothing. No building has ever built itself. How absurd. Where there is a building or creation of any kind there is always a builder, a creator. It is God who made us. We are his children. The Creation itself testifies of a Creator.

Simply summarized, the earth was created so that families might BE. Scripture explains that a husband and wife “shall be on flesh, and all this that the earth might answer the end of its creation.”

The Creation, great as it is, is not an end in itself but a means to an end. We come to earth for a brief period of time, endure our tests and trails, and prepare to move onward, through death, and up ward to a glorious home coming. And we are to love and care for one another.

129 of us had dinner together and socialized after the funeral out of a possible 160 (112 blood descendants and 38 spouses). What a comfort it was to have you all there. Thank you so much for leaving your cares, jobs and responsibilities to be present. I love you all and look forward to not only earthly reunions, but an eternal reunion.

Love,

Dad

P.S. In a future memo I would like to write to the subject of so-called “Natural Law” or Nature’s Laws which are God’s laws and show how freedom to be an eternal family is based on “knowing the law” and obeying the same to gain total freedom eternally.

Enclosed is a copy of Roger’s masterful talk where, in only seven minutes time, he explained the five steps to Eternal Togetherness.

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“Nothing matters if there is not a resurrection; everything would end in the darkness of death...the reality of a resurrection gives hope; it is uplifting, a joy to the righteous.”

By President Howard W. Hunter

P.P.S. I would like toe expand this to a monthly family news letter. In order to do so, each family would have to send in family news items. (These you could submit by postal service or by e-mail via one of my daughters.) What do you think?

The great plan of happiness - Eternal Families -- Roger Rowbury

Adaline Pratt, our wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, and friend lives.  She is now free of all pain.  She can see, even without her glasses.  She doesn’t have to drag an oxygen cord every place she goes.  Oh what a joyous occasion.  But why do we here in this room shed tears?  It is because we want to be with her - or more exactly because we want her to be with us.

At 2:34 am on July 13, 2000 this wonderful lady slipped through the vail into the arms of her mother and father, her daughter Kay, son in-law Vern, and sisters and brothers and others who preceded her.  Oh what a joyous occasion for them, for they are family, loving and caring just as we in this gathering are a loving and caring family.  I’m sure that she wants all of us to be with her when that time comes.

As this is the largest gathering of her family to this point, let me take this opportunity to remind each one here what has to be done to fulfill the laws which will allow that to happen.

1.  We have to accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and the Redeemer of all mankind. Mosiah 3:17 And moreover, I say unto you, that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent.

D&C 132:21-24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye abide my law ye cannot attain to this glory.  For strait is the gate, and narrow the way that leadeth unto the exaltation and continuation of the lives, and few there be that find it, because ye receive me not in the world neither do ye know me.  But if ye receive me in the world, then shall ye know me, and shall receive your exaltation; that where I am ye shall be also.  This is eternal lives to know the only wise and true God, and Jesus Christ, whom he hath sent.  I am he.  Receive ye, therefore, my law.

2.  We must show the world that acceptance through baptism by emersion as did Jesus Christ, by someone who has the proper authority.  Then we must renew these covenants on a weekly basis by attending church and partaking of the sacrament.

Matthew 3:13-15 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.  But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?  And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.  Then he suffered him.

3.  All adult males must receive the authority from God or the priesthood.  This allows them to bless their families and others with ordinances they need.  It also allows them to receive their endowment

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from God in his holy temple and do work for those who have passed on without doing this work for themselves.

4.  Every adult must choose a companion and enter into a contract or covenant with our Heavenly Father.  This can take place only in a Temple of God again requiring the proper authority.

D&C 132:15,19 Therefore, if a man marry him a wife in the world, and he marry her not by me nor by my word, and he covenant with her so long as he is in the world and she with him, their covenant and marriage are not of force when they are dead, and when they are out of the world; therefore, they are not bound by any law when they are out of the world.  And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise, by him who is anointed, unto whom I have appointed this power and the keys of this priesthood; and it shall be said unto them- ye shall come forth in the first resurrection, and if it be after the first resurrection, in the next resurrection; and shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths.

5.  We then need to keep the Commandments and endure to the end serving faithfully.

John 6:60,66-69 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?  From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.  Then said Jesus unto the twelve, will ye also go away?  Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go?  Thou hast the words of eternal life.  And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

These five steps allow us to fulfill the law of happiness.  There is no other way.

We must accept Christ, be baptized through his authority, receive the priesthood if we are man and honor that authority, be married in the Temple and sealed for time and eternity, and keep the commandments to the end.  There is no other way.

Now if any here have not started this process or have strayed from the path, or are making and living other laws than these, we whole heartedly invite you to follow the outlined steps.  We want all of this family to be together in the Celestial Kingdom.

That we will do so is my humble prayer In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. 

Memo #142

 This is the last memo but some of you have asked for us to publish earlier ones so we will attempt doing so. Hope you have enjoyed them as much as I have. Dad said these would take us about 3 years beyond his death and he died April 1, 2009. He was right! They’ve lasted 3 years & 4 months. So our dear father wrote memos for us from Mom’s passing July 13, 2000 to July 1, 2012. That’s 12 years worth!

July 1, 2012

To: My Beloved Family

From: Dad, Grandpa etc. Richard M. Pratt

Re: Marriage                                              

Just a year ago you received two memos on marriage, but I feel an urgency to write one more on this so very vital subject. When you receive this I will have had my 100^th birthday and will likely be in the Spirit world. But that is not important. What is important is what have you done to make your marriage a happy one? Even more than a happy one, but one that is so heavenly that you can’t imagine ever living any other way. If I cannot be rejoined after this life with my sweetheart then I would want to cease to exist, but that is not possible. So without my wife what would my future be? The scriptures inform us that we will be eternally separate and single. And that we will be the servants of those who did secure to themselves, by the Law of God, their eternal marriage.

No other church or religion on earth teaches this, why? Because they do not have the knowledge or the authority to do so. Yet, I have friends, who are members of some other church, who admit their church doesn’t teach it, but they believe it. And they usually rationalize like this; “God is a God of love and because he loves us He will not separate us. My answer to that is, yes he loves us, He loves us so much that He has provided a law by which we can have eternal love, eternal romance, eternal togetherness, eternal joy. And because God does everything by law, then to try to bypass that law and do it our way will always bring failure, heartache eternally and eternally be separated from He or she that we loved so deeply in mortal life.

The scriptures say: Know the law and the law shall make you free. They also say that to try and get in any other way than by the door provided by our Lord is to be a thief and a criminal and will be treated as such. So that couple, no matter how much they love each other, and their children, must use the doorway provided or be treated as a common thief.

My first romance or love came in my senior year in High School. I was eighteen years old. We were the only Mormons in the tiny town of Dryden, Washington. And I fell madly in love with a beautiful, petite girl a year my junior and a junior in High School. She was not only beautiful but also as virtuous and free of the sins of the world as a person could be. My interest in Esther (Bently) soon became obvious to my mother. She tried to cool my ardor by pointing out that a marriage outside the law of God would end at the death of the first one to go. I believed her. But love won out. One Sunday evening I went to Esther’s home determined to propose marriage. I would figure out how to over come the hurdle of Eternal marriage later. I might add that she attended church faithfully, I believe it was the Presbyterian church. I stepped upon the porch and knocked on the door as nervous as a cat on a hot tin roof.

The door opened. The light was dim. She opened the door and couldn’t see me or recognize me until I spoke her name. Whereupon she gave a little squeal of delight, threw her arms around my neck, locked her fingers together, lifted her feet off the floor and literally hung from my neck. Boy, what a welcome, but before I could say a thing, she loudly announced, “I’m saved, I’m saved!”

“You’re what,” says I.

She replied, “I’m saved, I’m saved!”

~ 2 ~

Now says I, “What in the devil are you talking about?” I had never heard such a declaration before.

Why said she, “I went to the mourner’s bench in church today and got Jesus in my heart and I’m saved.”

Says I, “sounds great, how long is it going to last?”

She replied, “for the rest of my life, I can do no wrong.”

Now she’s still hanging on my neck, and a little picture (in my mind kind of like TV) came up in front of my eyes, and in that picture I could see unsaved me with saved her in a home with the usual problems of family life and inasmuch as she could do no wrong I would have to take the blame for all our problems, my heart broke! I knew such a marriage could not be happy. I reached up behind my neck and un did her fingers, dropped her on the floor, and turned and ran into the dark, I didn’t want her to see that I was weeping. My heart was broken.

She cried out, “Where are you going?” and I blubbered back, “I’m going home and I’m never coming back.” Selfish me, I never realized that I was breaking her heart too. Here she was telling me something that to her and her beliefs was a wonderful spiritual experience.

The next six weeks were pure hell. I couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep, couldn’t think of anything but that beautiful little girl. I lost ten pounds and didn’t really have any to lose. Mother got so worried that she finally advised me, against her better judgement, to go back and make up. But even with that encouragement I declined doing so.

Then a few days later I was driving down the road and there she stood. I came to a screeching halt and invited her for a drive. I think we were both elated. But after an hours visit, I wondered what had happened ~ the magic was gone ~ I was no longer in love. And I believe she felt the same way.

Esther married a man that was also saved, I’ve always wondered who got blamed for what. But she died young, in her thirties I think.

I learned a valuable lesson ~ One does not fall in love. The ability to love is within ourselves. We can take it out and place it on whomever we choose and we can take it back again. But when we have chosen “wisely” then we want our love to be eternally placed and maintained. And a loving Father in Heaven has provided the way for it to be so. But do it any other way, than His way and we have a marriage that lasts only until the death of one or the other.

Please, please do not come up to me in some future world and say, oh, Grandpa, why didn’t you tell me? For I am doing everything I can in my weak way to say ~ If you want anything to last that is good including marriage do it God’s way. He has provided a way for us to receive all the eternal blessings. With one exception all lasting blessings are based on His eternal law that one exception is resurrection, because by one man, Adam, death came upon all of us, so by one man, Jesus Christ, will come the resurrection. Every other blessing we desire comes by obedience to the law upon which that blessing was predicated.

Shortly after that I went on my first mission and when I returned I went back to the Colockum and to work on the ranch for my Grandpa. There were no LDS girls in our tiny branch except a fourteen year old whose mother said to mine, “Oh I do hope Richard will wait for my little girl!” Well, her little girl was already six feet tall and no “end” in sight. I couldn’t feature climbing a ladder to kiss her so never got interested. In fact I decided to become a hermit. In riding the high mountain ranges for cattle I even had the spot picked out where civilization would never enter. A beautiful mountain glen, a little meadow of grass and flowers plenty of timber. I

~ 3 ~

could go right to it today if physically able. But then my eternal companion came into view and everything was eternally changed as I now quote my great grand father Parley P. Pratt, as one of the twelve apostles he was also a prophet, seer, and revelator.

“So we see, the great object of our life should be to secure a part in the first resurrection, and also to secure all the glory and dominion and power and might and possession and happiness which it is possible for us to secure, by faith, and obedience to the commandments of the risen Jesus.

In the resurrection, and the life to come, men that are prepared will actually possess a material inheritance on the earth. They will possess houses, and cities, and villages, and gold and silver, and precious stones, and food and raiment, and they will eat, drink, converse, think, walk, taste, smell and enjoy. They will also sing and preach, and teach, and learn, and investigate, and play on musical instruments, and enjoy all the pure delights of affection, love, and domestic felicity. While each, like the risen Jesus can take his friend by the hand and say; “handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.”

Isaiah testifies, “thy people also shall be righteous; they shall inherit the land forever. Isaiah 60:21

And Ezekiel testified, “so I prophesied as I was commanded, and as I prophesied there was a noise, and behold a shaking and the bones came together, bone to his bone. And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them above. And the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet an exceeding great army.”

Thus saith the Lord God, behold, I my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves. O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, and shall put my spirit in you, and you shall live; and I shall place you in your own land; then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it saith the Lord. And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they and their children and their children’s children forever; and my servant David shall be their prince forever.

More over, I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; and it will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them forevermore.”  Ezekiel 37

And Daniel said, “and many (the righteous) of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, and the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High.” Daniel 7:27

And the prophet Zachariah wrote: “and his (the Lord’s) feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives which is before Jerusalem on the East.” “And the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.” “And the Lord shall be king over all the earth; in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.” “All the land shall be turned as a plain, from Geba to Rimmon, South of Jerusalem; and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place from Benjamin’s gate, unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king’s wine-presses. And men shall dwell in it. And their shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited

and it shall be that whoso will not come up of all the families of the land unto Jerusalem to worship the king, the Lord of Hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. Zechariah ch. 14

~ 4 ~

So we see that our noble ancestor is in complete agreement with the prophets of the Bible. “For blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.” and the Savior himself said that.

So at the great judgement bar of truth and righteousness, in my resurrected body of flesh and bones I will take Grandma by the hand in her resurrected body of flesh and bones and we together will receive the verdict of, “Well done my son and daughter enter into thy rest.” there we will be allotted our inheritance on this, then, Celestialized earth and be forever free from the wickedness of this world now dominated by Satan and his followers.

How long will it take to receive all things? Just as fast as we then prepare ourselves in our eternal home. For we must learn all things in order to have all power and become as God and to become Gods.

“And he that receiveth my Father, receiveth my Father’s kingdom; therefore all that my Father hath shall be given unto him (and her). And this is according to the oath and covenant which belongeth to the Priesthood. Therefore, all those who receive the Priesthood, receive this oath and covenant of my Father, which he cannot break, neither can it be moved.” D&C 84:38-40

We can break it, and many do, but God will never let us down!

And whoso receiveth not my voice is not acquainted with my voice, and is not of me. And by this you may know the righteous from the wicked, and that the whole world groaneth under sin and darkness even now. D&C 84: 50-52

How long will it take after the judgement day we don’t know but we have this glimmer of light; “Abraham, as Isaac also and Jacob did none other thing than that which they were commanded; and because they did none other thing than that which they were commanded, they have entered into their exaltation, according to the promises, and sit upon thrones, and are not angels but are Gods.” (Note: Gods are man and wife sealed to each other and they rule and reign as one.) D&C132:37

Oh how thankful that I didn’t marry sweet Esther. For she would have spent a frustrated life of trying to save an unsalable soul, according to her beliefs. And I, too would have been equally dismayed.

Oh how thankful I am that I married Adaline Kearl and that we were sealed in the Holy Temple. I look forward to being with her, my sweetheart, for eternity!

Be sure then that you take the proper steps in harmony with Eternal laws that you will have no eternal regrets when this life ends. The gospel is true! Live it! As you do you will come to understand all the love that it is built upon.

I have finished this memo at 8:30 PM April 9, 2008. I now have forty-eight written ahead. You should receive this a month or so after my 100^th birthday. I don’t expect to be here by then so goodbye until we meet on the other side of the Vail. I love you and so hope that you will so live that we may enjoy eternity together.

As ever yours

My love always,

Dad, Grandpa etc. Richard Marden Pratt