Memo #136

Memo #136
January 1, 2012 (written 4/1/08)   Share at: http://www.prattmemos.blogspot.com
To: My Beloved Family
From: Dad ~ Grandpa Pratt
Re: Prophetic warnings

My desire is to stimulate thru these memos a positive, exciting outlook toward the future, hoping to overcome the negative, anxious feelings that so many have. These feelings of uneasiness and even despair are prevalent all over the world, but it should not be among members of the church, FOR GLORIOUS IS THE FUTURE. The Lord is in control and he will bring the end of the world to a fantastic and happy conclusion for those who are trying to know the future which is all prophesied and following instructions called keeping the commandments. True, difficult days are ahead. But the Lord is going to bring them to a triumphant conclusion and even the wicked will rejoice when they finally open their eyes and listen with their ears. For even the Telestial Kingdom which will be their ultimate destination is greater than a human eye has ever seen. So the saints of God should have an eager desire to prepare for his coming and a joyous anticipation of that great event.
Everything of a major nature that will affect our mortal and eternal lives has been spelled out in detail by the Prophets of God. Only dates have been withheld. And how wise that is for it is the nature of man to put off preparing for some great event until its about to happen and if we knew the dates we would delay until it would be everlastingly to late. Prophecy is the hand of God extended in love to a groping, floundering world.
Emotions of fear, anxiety, dread, gloom, and discomfort are prevalent even among the most faithful. And this need not be so if we have even a tiny glow of faith in our God. And it comes mostly from a lack of knowledge. So I will endeavor to help abate that lack in the next few memos. This is a glorious time to live and we have nothing to fear if we understand how hard our God is working “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” Moses 1:39
Therefore, I will try to endeavor to expose us all to some of the predictions pertaining to the immediate future and to the second coming of our Lord and Savior; and the roll we may and should play therein. And as I have already discussed somewhat the future of the most persecuted people ever known ~ The Jews and their brilliant future so I will attempt to show how the future of all Israel and Gentiles who repent will be equally as glorious.
While it is clear that warning the inhabitants of the earth is one major purpose of prophecy, the conclusion that the Lord seeks to strike terror into the hearts of his children is unfounded. When a parent describes to his child the pain and suffering that may result from playing with electrical outlets, he may have to use rather ominous predictions and graphically plain terms. But it is plain that this parent is motivated out of love for the child, not out of some desire to see him cowering in fear. So it is with God. At times what he predicts is necessarily terrible to contemplate, but this is so because the choices his children make bring upon themselves terrible consequences.
More clearly evident is the comfort that comes to the soul from knowing that God has foreseen the end and has assured us that no matter how dark the intervening days, eventually his work shall emerge triumphant. The prophetic promises of the new Jerusalem, of the millennium reign, of the absence of war, disease, pain, sorrow, and of course, greatest of all, the promise of eternal life ~ all of these promises light the lamps of our hopes and brighten the gloom that is deepening all around. The prophets point out to us clearly that, even in crisis and disaster, the hand of the Lord may be moving to bring about his greater purposes for the children of men. Let us not forget that one of the great and significant purposes of the Lord in sharing his vision of the future with us is to give us comfort. From: the coming of the Lord by Lund 10-12
There are many places I could begin but the one that comes to mind is. “Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said, .....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.” Job 38:1-7 (reminder “sons of God” means His children)
Yes, where was Job? When Jesus began the creation of the earth. He was of course one of the sons of God who shouted for joy. Where were you? Where was I? Are not we also the sons and daughters of God? Would not we have been there? Would not we have shouted for joy? Of course, because all the spirits that were to come to this earth had been born as spirits, grown to maturity, taught the need of the next step toward immortality and eternal life, and how we rejoiced that the building site had been secured, the permits issued, and the building (earth) commenced.
“Thus I, Abraham, (contemporary of Job) talked with the Lord, face to face, as one man talketh with another; and he told me of the works which his hands had made;...Now the Lord had shown unto me Abraham, the intelligences that were organized 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 he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, (YOU WERE THERE!) And he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born.” Abraham 3:22-23
you, my dear reader, are a descendant of Abraham and you were there for you were chosen before you were born as is clearly taught in so many of the scriptures.
And now comes the greatest event of all, at this great gathering the Father asked, whom shall I send?
“And there stood one among us that was like unto God and he said unto them who were with him (us among them!) WE will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell; and we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them.
And they who keep their first estate shall be added upon; and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate (here on earth) shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever.” Abraham 3:22-26
We kept that first estate. We are now in the second estate or liken it to school here, the first estate as the primary grades prepared us for the higher classes of this mortal estate likened to high school, and eternity the third estate will be the university where we can learn all things. But there are many, many dropouts all along the way from Cain who flunked miserably, to those who graduate “magna cum Laude” and become Gods in their own right.
“And thus the Gospel began to be preached, from the beginning, being declared by holy angels sent forth from the presence of God, and by his own voice, and by the gift of the Holy Ghost.
“And thus all things were confirmed upon Adam, by an holy ordinance and the Gospel preached, and a decree sent forth, that it should be in the world until the end there of; and thus it was amen.” Moses 5:58-59
“And in that day Adam blessed God and was filled, and began to prophesy concerning all the families of the earth, saying: “Blessed be the name of God, for because of my transgression my eyes are opened, and in this life I shall have joy, and again in the flesh I shall see God.
And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad saying: “were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient. And Adam and Eve blessed the name of God, and they made all things known unto their sons and their daughters....but they believed it not.” Moses 5:10-12
One of the things that they taught was that the earth has to have the same ordinances as man ~ that it must be baptized by water, and it was. And that it must receive the Holy Ghost which will be a cleansing by fire ~ yet in the future. That both of these ordinances would temporarily remove all mankind from off the face of the earth. They would be removed by the power of God if they are in obedience to him. Or they would be removed by the water or the fire and great and dreadful it would be (for the disobedient).
But not one soul needed to drown in the baptism (flood) nor one soul burned in the fire (at the second coming of Christ). But the majority of the worlds population were drowned and the current majority will be burned if they don’t mend their ways. But in each case the real horrors of the world were the things the wicked do to each other prior to these great cleansing efforts. Allowing the Spirit of the devil to possess them the world then as it is now was filled with violence and war and every horrible thing that a devil inspired society can inflict on each other and this is the part that fills even the obedient with apprehension. But if we will exercise our faith and act in obedience to the prophetic warnings we will be safe. Yes, we may suffer inconveniences as our society crumbles and is destroyed. Think of the havoc when transportation, manufacturing and communications are destroyed. But we have been instructed ever since I can remember how to prepare that we may not suffer as the dammed souls will surely suffer. And we definitely will not suffer eternal damnation.
When Adam was 682 yeas old, he still had 250 years to live, a seventh great grandson was born. He became the great prophet to warn of the immanent coming of a world wide flood. He founded a city named Zion (means pure in heart) and gathered all who would believe there to. And what did he teach? Why the same thing we teach today. Faith in the living God, repentance, baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. And to prepare for the coming cleansing of the earth by water. Today the only difference is the cleansing of the earth by fire.
Five years before Noah was born which was 605 years prior to the flood Enoch and his people were removed from the earth by translation to a paradisaical glory where they remain to this day and will be returned to earth after the fire.
Noah and others continued to instruct and warn the people after Zion had fled and “angels also descending from Heaven, bearing witness of the father and the Son; and the Holy Ghost fell on many, AND THEY WERE CAUGHT UP by the powers of heaven into Zion and the last righteous man other than the eight who survived in the ark died the year of the flood, the oldest man recorded to live in mortality, Methuselah, 969 years old.
So the billions still left on the earth suffered death by drowning but worse was their agony as they were  about to be submerged, in those last few minutes as they climbed on the roof tops or clung to any floating thing and thinking, “I was warned! I could have escaped this.”
And Enoch recorded the words of God: “Wherefore, I can stretch forth mine hands and hold all the creations which I have made; and mine eye can pierce them also, and among all the workmanship of mine hands there has not been so great wickedness as among thy brethren....wherefore should not the heavens weep, seeing these shall suffer.” Moses 7:37
and so it is today and God weeps and warns and warns and weeps but the world is as wicked today as then and must suffer for it. Please be prepared. It’s simple really! Just learn and live the gospel of Jesus Christ. For those who choose to live the commandments there is a glorious future! Do not despair but be excited to live by the guidance of living prophets and the wonderful scriptures. Our Heavenly parents and Jesus Christ want us to succeed and we can if we align ourselves with them. They are after all the winning team. Like I said in the beginning of the memo, GLORIOUS IS THE FUTURE! The Lord is in control and he will bring the end of the world to a fantastic and happy conclusion for those who are trying.......

My love always,
Dad, Grandpa etc.
Richard Marden Pratt
a couple of quotes from Memo #100 January 2009
 I hope you enjoyed the Christmas letter. Without our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ there is no Christmas and neither is there anything else as so beautifully expressed by that great prophet Lehi; “And if ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there is no sin. If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness and if there be no righteousness there be no happiness. And if there be no righteousness nor happiness there be no punishment nor misery. And if these things are not there is no God. Neither the earth; for there could have been no creation of things, neither to act nor to be acted upon; wherefore, all things must have vanished away.” 2 Nephi 2:13........
For fear that you won’t turn to your Book of Mormon to read it, I am going to quote verse 14. “And now, my sons, I speak unto you these things for your profit and learning; for there is a God. And HE hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are, But the Lord will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away the tears from off all faces who have waited for Him. What a glorious time to live. Jesus is the Christ the son of the Living God.  I know this to be true! Believe and enjoy the peace it brings to you. You all are so important to me and I love you dearly.
A side note. I have spent a few days in the hospital and came home just before Christmas. My home was all cleaned and cozy. I told the girls I thought I was in the wrong house. I have had many cards and letters and visits even flowers and candies etc. In all of this I have felt very loved. I’m still baking bread and reading and enjoying the love of family. I am much weaker now but sitting still in my chair I feel great. It is a day at a time that we conquer life and I choose to enjoy it and be happy in it. Life is what we make it. And with the teachings of Jesus Christ life is good.

I send my love to all of you and my hope that your new year will be filled with wonderful blessings.
All my love,
Dad, Grandpa Pratt etc.

Memo #135

December 1, 2011 (written March 31, 2008)

To: My Beloved Family

From: Dad, Grandpa etc. Richard Marden Pratt

Re: The Triumph of the Jews

The immediate future of the Jews includes the destruction of all their enemies and the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Keep your eyes on Jerusalem for the final scenes and the coming of the Lord will be played out there. I will try to outline in this memo what we can expect in the lifetime of many of you.

The most dramatic and significant thing about events which are transpiring in the Middle East today is the fact that they were anticipated by practically every prophet in the Old Testament. In an age of cynicism mankind is confronted with the miracle of historical events unfolding in an orderly pattern just exactly the way they were predicted by inspired men of God living nearly 3,000 years ago.

However God rarely if ever reveals dates when things will occur. His prophets are only allowed to describe the signs of the times or the general period when they will occur. It is a characteristic of false prophets to constantly emphasize dates. Secondly, when prophecy is given, it may be subtle, even metaphorical, but when it comes to pass the fulfillment is literal. The destruction of the temple was literal. The destruction and scattering of the Jews happened as prophesied, the Six Day War and all future efforts by the wicked is literal and will end with the tiny nation of Jews being triumphant. As we shall see things which are happening in the Middle East are literal. When a handful of Jews could triumph over an army one hundred times larger than theirs who were also backed, armed, trained and financed by one of the worlds superpowers, Russia, who can doubt what the outcome will be in future wars as the whole world comes against the Jews to destroy them.

Or as recorded in “Fantastic Victory” by W. Cleon Skousen ~ page 260 ~ “On one of my visits to the Middle East I was told that the Israelis were pushing for a permanent peace treaty and making all kinds of overtures to the Arabs which, if they accepted, would have frozen the existing boundaries of Israel. At the time, the Jewish leaders simply declared that what they wanted was peace, not territory.

But whether the leaders of Israel wanted more territory or not, the fact remained that the scripture said they were going to get more in order to perform certain services and obligations which are essential to the welfare of mankind. Of course it should be appreciated that many Jews are not scriptorians. So the Jewish leaders were offering commitments which would have made it extremely difficult for them to do all the things the canon of scripture says they literally must do.

Nevertheless, it was amazing how it all worked out. Instead of accepting the Jews offering of peace, Egypt provoked a war, intimidated Jordan and Syria into joining her, and even though Israel pleaded with Jordan and Syria to keep out of the conflict, they insisted on coming in. As a result, Israel had to fight all three of them and ended up with vast quantities of new territory, most of which she is now compelled to hold in order to protect herself from similar attacks in the future. Whether Jewish leaders wanted it or not circumstances catapulted them into territories which they were not even seeking. And the end is not yet.

The Prophet Ezekiel described what the boundaries of Israel ultimately must be. It includes most of Jordan and most of Syria.

Brother Skousen finishes on a humorous note: “Some day the Islamic people must realize that the diabolical stratagem of the Soviet is to fight Israel down to the last Arab.”

The next thing in prophetic history that we must look forward to is the rebuilding of the temple for the third and last time. The first temple was built by Solomon about 1000 B.C. the second temple was built after Solomon’s was destroyed about 587 B.C.; shortly after Lehi was led away and his family was preserved, was built by Zerubbabel, a descendant of King David. It was dedicated 516 B.C. and was destroyed in 70 A.D. The Jews now are planning the building of the third temple, the one Jesus will return to.

They know exactly what the temple will be like for the prophet Ezekial gives such an accurate account of it, its size, number of rooms etc. that modern architects have the plans all drawn up. They are already to build it. Just one big problem, the Holy house of the Arabs is sitting on the exact spot where the temple is to be built. And the Jews actually guard this Arab shrine (Dome of the Rock) for fear some fanatic would destroy it and precipitate a holy war of destruction from the three hundred million plus Muslims.

When the Jewish leading rabbi was asked what they were going to do about getting rid of the Mosque, he replied, “We’ll let God take care of that.”

So here is a direct challenge from the Arabs in defiance of Biblical prophecy. No one has the slightest idea of how it is going to happen but unfortunately that magnificent building must go. And it is truly a beautiful structure, mother and I have been in it.

The fact that the whole thing looks so utterly impossible to us now is something we should remember after it finally comes to pass. If it follows the pattern of other prophecies it will be worked out and in such gradual phases that its final accomplishment will seem nothing more than a natural evolution of events. So just to dramatize the fulfillment of this prediction when it does finally come to pass: “That as of 1967 the practical possibility of the Jews building a temple in Jerusalem appears to be a fantastic and impossible dream. A major lesson of life, of course, is that all things are possible with God. That’s why it should be exciting to see just how He is going to work this one out.” Skousen page 268

All of the architectural details of the temple are given in the last ten chapters of Ezekiel. There is no doubt but what this generation will live to see a beautiful temple of Israel arise on the Temple Plaza in Old Jerusalem.

Brother Skousen further records: “as this book (Fantastic Victory) was about to go to press the following remarkable development came to our attention. According to an article in 

“The Christian and Christianity Today” (Aug. 4, 1967) “five hundred railcar loads of stone from Bedfor, Indiana, considered to be among the finest building stone in the world, is being freighted pre-cut to exact specifications, and one consignment has already been dispatched to Israel.

This report, received from authoritative sources in Sellsburg, Indiana, said cornerstones for the third Jewish Temple are already in Israel. Materials for this Temple have been secretly in preparation for several years, and it is believed American Jews are mainly responsible for financially undergirding the whole project.” Skouson page 282)

I might add that other reliable sources for the past several years report that the Jews, have all the materials arranged for and the money to pay for them including even the golden dishes and the priestly apparel. I find it extremely exciting (maybe I’m part Jew ~ but no, I’m just a member of Israel and as a fellow Israeli am cheering them on and know it will happen as prophesied and soon.)

Some time soon we shall see and hear of the battle of Armageddon in which all the nations of the world are going to join the Arabs in an effort to finally, once and for all, destroy every Jew from off the face of the earth. Too bad they are not reading their Bible. Surely would save them a lot of suffering. Many of the prophets saw it in vision and left some extremely interesting and remarkable details concerning that tragic, soon coming event.

John in Revelations says that there will be two mighty prophets raised up by the Lord who thru a series of mighty miracles will forestall the combined armed forces of all the world from destroying the Lord’s people. John even gives the size of all the combined military sources of the world saying that it will be two hundred million strong. (And that is the current size of the worlds military might.)

Thru mighty miracles this immense military power will be withheld from totally destroying the Jews by these two prophets, who incidently will come from the church for where else will they receive the Priesthood to perform these miracles.

John even gives an account of some of the miracles performed: “and if any man will hurt them fire will proceed out of their mouths (be able to call down fire from heaven) devouring their enemies, and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.

These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy; and have power over the waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with plagues, as often as they will.” Revelations 11:5-6

and the prophet Zechariah 500 years earlier says: “And it shall come to pass in that day, that I (the Lord) will seek to destroy ALL the nations that come against Jerusalem.” 12:9

“For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled and the women ravished. And half the city shall go forth into captivity.” Zechariah 14:2

The Lord will allow the two prophets to be killed and the triumphant wicked hosts will rejoice and refuse to allow the bodies to be buried and they will have three and a half days to celebrate. The two prophets will then suddenly be resurrected!

“And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; their flesh shall consume off their bones while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth. And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the Lord shall be among them; and they shall lay hold everyone on the hand of his neighbor, and his hand shall raise up against the hand of his neighbor.” (the wicked will destroy each other)

Zechariah 14:12-13

To add to the tumult, the same terrible earthquake which split the Mount of Olives in two will have rocked and cracked the crust of the earth across whole continents. The great cities of the earth will crumble into rubble and mens hearts will fail them for fear, only one sixth of the great army of evil will survive.

Zechariah sums it up in this manner ~ after Jesus has descended, met the surviving Jews in the Valley created by the splitting of the Mount of Olives, the Jews fall at His feet and finally accept him as their Savior. And they (the Jews) shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him and finally accept him as their Lord, King and Savior and when they have purged themselves of their sorrow they will rise up to perform the great work that God has in store for them.

Yea, the dead in Christ shall be resurrected and we which are alive and remain shall be caught up to meet him and thus shall we ever be with the Lord.

Hooray! These are exciting times to live in! The Savior will come and the things that have been foretold will come to pass.

My love always,

Dad, Grandpa etc. Richard Marden Pratt

Steamed pudding (Grandma Adaline Pratt’s recipe)

(this is 2/3 the original ingredients but makes a large pudding!)

2 cups carrots grated

2 cups spuds grated

2 cups sugar

2 cups raisins

1 1/3 cups shortening  melted

4 eggs

1 cup flour

1 tsp soda

1 scant tsp salt

2 tsp each: nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves

1 ½ cups chopped walnuts

stir all together. Pour in well greased pyrex or double boiler with a lid on. Steam for 1 hour. Will test done like a cake.

Use lemon sauce or caramel sauce as a topping.

Mother always had pretty cut glass dishes to serve this in! What a treat at Christmas time!

You can do this ahead in quart jars and fill wide mouth jars half full follow your pressure canner for potatoes and it saves well.

Christmas thoughts:

“The highest of all ideals are the teachings and particularly the life of Jesus of Nazareth, and that man is most truly great who is most Christlike.” David O McKay

“Here is something more than a babe in a manger; here is the creator of all that is good and beautiful. I have looked at majestic mountains rising high against the blue sky and thought of Jesus, the creator of heaven and earth. I have stood on the sand of an island in the Pacific and watched the dawn rise like thunder-- a ball of gold surrounded by clouds of pink and white and purple and thought of Jesus, the word by whom all things were made and without whom was not anything made that was made. I have seen a beautiful child, bright-eyed, innocent, and loving and trusting! And marveled at the majesty and miracle of creation. What then shall we do with Jesus who is called Christ?” President Gordon B Hinckley

“ Just as a light set upon a hill serves as a beacon to weary travelers, so Jesus Christ stands as a shining example to all the world, showing us a better way to peace and happiness. His light illuminates the path of life, leading us along the straight and narrow way. Those who press on, with their gaze fixed upon the light of Christ, have their own lights kindled within. He is real, and ye, HE LIVES!” Greg Olsen

“Each of us is an Inn Keeper who decides if there is room for Jesus!” Neal A Maxwell”

  

Family Pictures

(Scroll to the end of the pictures to find the November memo)

1950 Dryden

1950 Pratt Family
Back Row: Richard, Adaline, Kay, Carolyn
Front Row: Stephen, Rose, Dawn

1953 - Moses Lake, WA

Pratt Family 1955
Back Row: Stephen
Middle Row: Kay, Carolyn, Dawn
Front Row: Rose, Adaline, Richard, Sheryl

Memo #134

November 1, 2011

To: My Beloved Family

From: Dad, Grandpa etc. Richard M. Pratt

Re: Fantastic Victory ~ extracted from that book by W. Cleon Skousen

(This is good reading! Go for it!)

One of the greatest signs of the imminent coming of our Lord Jesus Christ is the gathering of the Jews to Jerusalem. They are his people. He is a Jew and tho they have been rebellious and crucified him, He has never disowned them and when they finally repent and except Him as Savior they will regain their leadership in the millennium.

Here are two great prophecies of many from the ancient prophets concerning NOW and the future of the Jews: “Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom (means the whole world) shall be a desolate wilderness, for their violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land. But Judah shall dwell forever, and Jerusalem form generation to generation. For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the Lord dwelleth in Zion.”

Joel 3: 19-21

“And the Lord shall inherit Judah his portion in the Holy Land and shall choose Jerusalem again.” Zechariah 2: 12 Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem... all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it...and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again...In that day (now) shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem,...and it shall come to pass in that day, (now) that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.  Zechariah 12:2-9 (Better not mess around with Jerusalem and the Jews)

Note: Joel was prophesying about 850 B.C. and Zechariah four hundred years later. And both over twenty five hundred years ago. In the last ninety years those prophecies have been and are being fulfilled.

Today ~ all the nations of the world are against Jerusalem and the Jews. If they would read these two prophecies and the many others in the Bible and Book of Mormon of a like nature they would stay away from the Jews. Following is a brief history of the return of the Jews in the past ninety years.

“And verily I say unto you, I give you a sign, that ye know the time when these things shall be about to take place ~ that I shall gather in, from their long dispersion, my people, O house of Israel, and will establish again among them my Zion.” 3 Nephi 21:1

On October 24, 1841, one of the twelve apostles of God, Orson Hyde, returned to Jerusalem and specifically dedicated that land for the return of the Jews. His prayer was most prophetic and has been fulfilled. (Wish I had space to print it here) But it is exciting to know that prophecies that have stood unfilled for hundreds even thousands of years are being fulfilled. Even in our life time!

After the Roman destruction of 70 A.D. it was illegal for a Jew to be found in Palestine. This was enforced until 1917 when the British army freed the Holy Land from the infidel Turks who had ruled if for centuries. This was the opening for the Jews to return. But the British tried to prevent it for world diplomatic reasons. They couldn’t. At that time the land of Palestine had suffered the same fate as the Israelites. And was so barren that it barely supported at an existence

level only about two hundred thousand Turkish nomads.

The land of Palestine is so small that a man can walk across its width in two days, about 65 miles, and its length in a walk of about 160 miles. Its bounded on the West by the Mediterranean Sea, on the North by Lebanon, North East by Syria, South East by Jordan and Egypt on the South. All of these neighbors are Islamic and anti-Judaism. Together they number about one hundred million and have some of the finest soldiers in the world. And their intention since the Jews started returning 90 years ago is to totally destroy them. Three wars have been fought between Jeudah and their combined host from 1948 when the Jews, then less than one million, won their independence and became a nation. The last of the three wars was in 1967 when with a population of about two million, the Jews defeated this great host in one week. Or Just six days. Also their enemy was supplied with ample arms and war materials by Russia who also sent Russian military experts to advise how best to get rid of the Jews once and for all. And all the rest of the world was cheering them on.

The Jews didn’t have a chance to survive. The leaders pondered their dilemma and decided their only hope was a sudden and surprise attack. Every able bodied man eighteen and older and single women of the same age were conscripted to fight.

Monday June 5, 1967 ~ the first day. Their just target was the massed Egyptian army on their South border with seven hundred of the latest heavy bombers and hundreds of tanks. 

The surprise attack started at mid-night. The goal to wipe out 700 bombers while still on the ground. They succeeded. At daylight they concentrated on the tanks with such ferocity that the Egyptian crews abandoned their tanks and fled on foot thru the desert an estimated thirty five thousand perished. The Jews painted their six pointed white star on the captured tanks and used them against the enemy by the end of the third day the Jews were at the outskirts of Cairo and Egypt was suing for peace.

But already Jordan had invaded Palestine from the South East. Jerusalem was a part of Jordan at that time. While peace was being worked out with Egypt. The Jews with little chance to rest, sleep or eat, charged back home to repel the Jordanians. The shrapnel and bomb fragments fell in a heavy hail upon the border sanctuaries  such as the garden tomb. Dr. Matter, its caretaker was forced to take his wife and daughter and seek refuge inside the sacred tomb itself. I’ve been in that tomb and it would be a pretty safe place. Problem was he came out too soon. Mistaken by Jewish soldiers as an enemy they shot and killed him.

Fifteen thousand Jordanian soldiers were killed that day. The Israeli command had decided that the battle of Jerusalem should follow the same tactics as those used by the Roman general, Titus, when he conquered Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

By afternoon of Tuesday the second day of the war, everything had changed by this time Israel had fought and overwhelmingly won the initial phase of her miracle war. Egypt and Jordan were flat on their backs and Syria soon would be. The Soviet Union was faced with traumatic calamity of losing from two to three billion dollars in Arabian military investments. In 48 hours Israel had gone from one of the weakest nations in the Mediterranean Middle East to one of the strongest. And Israel was not through. This was enough for Russia. She sent out the cry of the wounded bear, “Cease fire!” “Cease fire!” 

Severe handicaps were voluntarily assumed by the Israeli commanders as they plotted their attack to capture Jerusalem the third day of the war. They decided to do it without air or tank support. This was so that none of the holy places would be damaged. This cost them heavily in their number of dead and wounded. But even the troops who would pay the cost agreed that this was the only way to do it. For centuries the Jews had been saying, “NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM!”

Organized resistance by the Jordanians collapsed swiftly in the old city, but snipers remained a few days longer. Besides snipers, there was the peril of simple emotion itself. “My men were walking about the old city as in a dream, a platoon leader says, “tears rolled down their faces. They did not even bother to take cover. They had realized the two thousand year old prophecy of recovering Jerusalem. They touched the wall called the wailing wall and sobbed. Unshaven, red-eyed from lack of sleep soldiers, their combat uniforms stained with sweat and blood, donned their skull caps, opened small leather-bound prayer books and rocked back and forth as they chanted, “Thank the Lord, for the Lord has been kind.” Beyond the wall heavy firing could still be heard. One-eyed General Dayan announced that Jerusalem would never be relinquished by the Jews again.” (However in the battle, soon to be fought, called Armageddon it will take the personal arrival of the Savior to save the Jews) (Mother and I visited this area in 1972 five years later.)

Thursday June 8, 1967, the fourth day of the war. Russians were discovered as being commanders and military advisors to the Arabs. With Egypt and Jordan subdued only Syria remained in the fray. But perched on the Golan Heights just above the Sea of Galilee they could virtually shell all the center section of Israel. They had to go! June 9, the fifth day of the war, Jewish leaders had hoped they could persuade the Syrians to stay out of the war. The Syrians had answered with bombs and artillery. Israel regrouped their forces from Egypt and Jordan. General Moshe Dayan, the Israeli minister of defense immediately ordered the subjugation and occupation of the Syrian highlands and a penetration into Syria of at least twelve miles. Military authorities who visited the region after the war were amazed that the Israelis ever made it. No amount of bombing and shelling could have dislodged the Arabs. It was a furious frontal assault by Israeli infantry willing to engage in hand-to-hand combat which made the difference. Israeli troops made it to the trenches and cornered the Syrians inside and the fighting was furious.

Saturday, June 10, the Sixth and last day of the war the Israelis had gained the top but the retreating Syrians resisted savagely. But by mid afternoon it was plain that the spirit of resistance was breaking up. Syrian soldiers abandoned their posts. Some fled toward Damascus (capital of Syria) others tore off their uniforms in order to hide among the populace. Many surrendered or were captured. Intelligence reports indicated that Damascus lay naked and defenseless just thirty miles away! As far as Israel was concerned the war was over. It was also over for Syria. At 6:09 P.M. the Syrians accepted the terms of surrender.

World history would never be the same. A tiny beleaguered territory with a population of less than three million had stood up to the mighty Soviet Union and her Arab allies, totaling 110 million. Little David had taken on Goliath and won again. In six days Israel had doubled her population, and quadrupled her territory going form 8,000 square miles to 34,000. And their famous city, Jerusalem, was back in their hands.

Israeli Prime minister said to the Arab leaders: “We fought only because you left us no choice. We deeply regret the money wasted which could have gone to the development of your countries. Since 1952 ten billion dollars has been spent on arms. Had these vast sums been applied to economic and social needs millions of human beings who are steeped in poverty could ~ 4 ~

 by today have enjoyed an appropriate standard of living.”

the Arabs had suffered 35,000 dead and three times that many wounded. To avoid contagion and epidemics Israeli bulldozers covered heaps of sand over the scattered bodies of Egypt’s host who had fallen. Egyptian prisoners were released by the thousands to return home.

The Israelis had suffered 679 dead and 2563 wounded.

The final battle of the Jews is Armageddon, against all the world. It’s all prophesied and will conclude by the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, the rescuing of the Jews, their acceptance of the Christ. The resurrection of the just and cleansing of the world by fire. It is an exciting time to live and to watch it unfolding. The scriptures are true. You can read more about the 6 day war. There were a number of miracles I have not mentioned. With all of my heart I hope those reading this will align themselves with Jesus Christ and his gospel. IT IS TRUE! He will come again!

My love always,

Dad, Grandpa Pratt etc.

A side note to all the readers of my father’s memos. I have counted and there are only 8 more to come out after this one. He told me when he handed me the note books that I was to just put out one each month and there would be enough to last a bit past three years. And that will be the case. We can post earlier memos on this site if you have an interest. Comment if you would like that.   Love, Rose          I think Dad & Mom would have enjoyed the following .

Doctrine & Covenants 78:19

And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold. ......vs. 22 and he that is a faithful and wise steward shall inherit all things.

“The Pilgrims must have been very grateful for their new land of freedom. During this Thanksgiving we too lift grateful hearts and voices to that great Father who led those early pilgrims, who led our founding fathers and who leads those who will follow him today. Let us thank Him for his rich blessings and especially for this great land of freedom and prosperity. What a blessed privilege he has given us to live in a land choice above all other lands.

How shall we show our thanks to our Heavenly Father for this choice land? By being good citizens of our country. By upholding the constitution, by seeking good and honest men to govern, by living virtuous lives and spreading the gospel, there by helping defend our land from the evils of Satan. For only through righteousness will we remain free and strong. As we think of the gratitude we have for our homeland at this Thanksgiving time, let us rededicate ourselves to preserving it in righteousness for our posterity.  

Written by: Kay Pratt Smith 

Twas the Night before Christmas out on the ranch -anonymous

'Twas the night before Christmas & out on the ranch

The pond was froze over & so was the branch.

The snow was piled up belly-deep to a mule.

The kids were all home on vacation from school,

And happier young folks you never did see-

Just all sprawled around a-watchin' TV.

Then suddenly, some time around 8 o'clock,

There came a surprise that gave them a shock!

The power went off, the TV went dead!

When Grandpa came in from out in the shed

With an armload of wood, the house was all dark.

"Just what I expected," they heard him remark.

"Them power line wires must be down from the snow.

Seems sorter like times on the ranch long ago."

“I'll hunt up some candles," said Mom.  "With their light,

And the fireplace, I reckon we'll make out all right."

The teen-agers all seemed enveloped in gloom.

Then Grandpa came back from a trip to his room,

Uncased his old fiddle & started to play

That old Christmas song about bells on a sleigh.

Mom started to sing, & 1st thing they knew

Both Pop & the kids were all singing it, too.

They sang Christmas carols, they sang "Holy Night,"

Their eyes all a-shine in the ruddy firelight.

They played some charades Mom recalled from her youth,

And Pop read a passage from God's Book of Truth.

They stayed up till midnight-and, would you believe,

The youngsters agreed 'twas a fine Christmas Eve.

Grandpa rose early, some time before dawn;

And when the kids wakened, the power was on..

"The power company sure got the line repaired quick,"

Said Grandpa - & no one suspected his trick.

Last night, for the sake of some old-fashioned fun,

He had pulled the main switch - the old Son-of-a-Gun!

Memo #133

October 1, 2011 (date written: March 28, 2008)

To: My beloved family & friends

From: Grandpa Pratt (Richard Marden Pratt)

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

Re: The Gathering of Israel

Everything our Father does has a purpose. The scattering of Israel was two-fold. First, through their suffering they would be taught, to obey as it is freedom from suffering, and to disobey brings nothing but misery. And secondly, it scattered the blood of Israel through out the Gentile world. Some times called the “believing blood”. As the ten tribes crossed Russia and Europe, they would have moved slowly as they grazed their animals and frequently a few people would stop by the wayside, because of sickness, death, or a beautiful countryside and other reasons. Also, Ephramites, who are a curious group would have taken side trips and never returned so all of the area they passed through would have salted the later Gentile settlers with “believing blood.”

Judah on the other hand was destroyed and the few survivors were scattered thru out all the great Roman empire from Africa to the arctic circle and into Asia. The Romans hoped to utterly destroy the Jews by, as the scripture says, putting one to a family two to a city. Smaller groups were led away, because they were righteous, for their preservation and protection such as Lehi and his family to America. And the resurrected Lord instructed the Nephites that the Jews did not know of them. And he continued:.. “I have other sheep, which are not of this land (America) neither of the land of Jerusalem, neither in any parts of that land round about whither I have been to minister. For they of whom I speak are they who have not as yet heard my voice: neither have I at any time manifest myself unto them. But I have received a commandment of the Father that I shall go unto them, and that they shall hear my voice, and shall be numbered among my sheep, that there may be one fold and one shepherd; therefore I go to show myself unto them. 3rd Nephi 15:1-3

So besides the lost Ten Tribes, which must soon be brought forth from their hiding place, there are others, who like Lehi, were led away and are yet to be revealed along with the lost ten tribes.

However the gathering is going to be in a certain order and because of the sifting of Israel’s blood thru all nations many gentiles will receive the gospel and be saved. The first to be gathered will of course, be the children of the birthright. The right to lead which is the right to serve their brothers and sisters. Again to refresh our memories, this right belongs to Joseph who was sold into Egypt as a slave. And his twin sons, Manasseh and Ephraim received this birthright, or rather Ephraim did, but Manasseh is not far behind him.

So Ephraim will be gathered first along with Manasseh (The Lamanites) and then Judah. So we will begin with a short history of Ephraim.

Fifty years ago, give or take a few, the members of the church were mostly of the tribe of Ephraim, who are of the remnant of Jacob. We know it to be a fact that the Lord called upon the descendants of Ephraim to commence his work in the earth in these last days. We know further that he has said that he set Ephraim, according to the promises of his birthright, at the head. Ephraim receives the richer blessings, these blessings being those of presidency or direction. The keys are with Ephraim. It is Ephraim who is to be endowed with power to bless and give to the other tribes, including the Lamanites, their blessings. All the other tribes of Jacob, including the Lamanites, are to be crowned with glory in Zion by the hands of Ephraim. Doctrines of Salvation pages 250-251

The remnants of Joseph, found among the descendants of Lehi, will have part in this great work but it is Ephraim who will stand at the head and direct the work.

As this last dispensation dawned with the first vision in 1820 to the boy prophet, Joseph Smith, little or nothing was known about the gathering tribes etc. how then did we get this information. Of course revelation. If Epharaim was to be the leader then how was Ephraim to be identified, the answer of course is thru Patriarchs.

The first Patriarch to the church was the father of the prophet Joseph Smith. Joseph Smith senior was called to be the Patriarch to the church in 1833, December 18^th. Among other blessings that a patriarch may pronounce upon the head of the person receiving it is his lineage. Not surprisingly then, the first blessings designated that the person being blessed was a descendant of Joseph thru his son Ephraim and hence an Ephramite.

My blessing says, “Thou art a pure Ephramite.” What does yours say? As the church grew in its earliest days and members came in as total strangers to each other. Then searching out their ancestors they found that they were in many cases the descendants of a fifteenth century minister, John Lathrop who taught and preached far beyond his time. The Smiths, Taylors, Kimballs and Pratts were some of them. In late years as members are gained in the far flung areas of the world other tribes have been identified and I understand that all of the twelve tribes have representatives in the church now.

I have served on six high councils of twelve men plus the stake presidency and clerks. And on each one I have asked how many are descended from this “believing blood” it averages about seventy-five percent. We don’t need to ask about the general authorities. A high percentage, if not all of them also claim the distinction of being the descendants of Ephraim. Remember this is the right of presidency and it will always be dominated by Ephramites. And the right to direct is the right to serve as the Savior directs and will always serve his family forever.

How does one become a member of Israel? The same way they always have and that’s by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance of sins, baptism by immersion by one holding Priesthood authority and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. As this new member continues in faith and obedience they receive all the other ordinances and covenants that will unite them back into the eternal family of our everlasting Father, and many will be the gentiles that the scattering will have brought into the fold.

Next, the gathering of the Lamanites. Our great grandfather. Parley P. Pratt records in his journal March 16, 1851, “I left Salt Lake City for the Pacific, on a mission to its islands and coasts. Being commissioned and set apart for that work by the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” July 26, 1851, now in San Francisco having traveled from Salt Lake by wagon he records: “I hold the presidency of all the islands and coasts of the Pacific, under the direction of the First Presidency of the church ~ to open the door to every nation and tongue, as fast as the way is prepared and the Lord directs for the preaching of the gospel of salvation.”

And thus the gospel in this dispensation was launched for Central, South America and the islands of the Pacific. He states: “I am studying Spanish with all diligence, and will I trust master it in the course of a few months. I fear not earth, nor hell, nor men, nor devils, nor death. I desire to do good continually, and to bring about the restoration of His people. I glory in my calling. I

would not exchange it for any other position or calling on this earth.” (Page 387)

September 15, 1851 ~ “Here we are on the deep, bound for Chili. We have all been seasick...we study Spanish every day. It is a beautiful language. I hope to master it during the passage and a few months residence among the Chileans. We pay sixty dollars for passage in the cabin included food. We have a miser for a captain, who thinks more of a sixpence than he does of our lives or even his own. He keeps us on hard moldy bread, full of bugs and worms, and on salt beef and pork ~ the pork being rotten. He has flour, potatoes and good pork but will not allow it to be used.”

“After a most agreeable and tedious passage of sixty four days we at length arrived in port in tolerable health. (“we” consisted of he, his wife and companion) We landed at noon and took lodgings at a French Hotel, where we have a great variety of good eating and front parlor to ourselves ~ price four dollars a day for three of us.”

“The proprietor speaks French, the clerk, French with a little English, the landlady German, the waiter Spanish, and ourselves English, with a little Spanish. So you see we have a little Babel of our own independently of Nimrod or the great Tower.” (Valpariso, Chili November 9, 1851)

And so the gathering of Israel was launched among the descendants of Lehi.

They worked hard with little success and after a few months had exhausted their means and had to sail for home after a very miserable voyage of seventy four days they landed in San Francisco. But the seed had been planted the harvest must surely follow. And my youngest brother David on his first mission which was to the same area Parley had labored in, because he was a descendant was sent, with his companion, to open up missionary work in Valpariso. And later he and his wife served as mission president in Colombia in northern South America. In spite of this feeble and painful beginning there are now tens of thousands of members through out the entire area, upwards of four hundred stakes and many temples at this writing! More when you read this! Nice to know our family had the start of it.

Now to Judah. The Jews have probably been dispersed more widely, suffered more deeply and have had more miraculous preservations than all the other tribes because they crucified their and our Savior. But they also have great promises of a return and it is now taking place, and the world is not even aware of what is happening.

Oh! The blood, the tears, the suffering that the Jews have endured the past two thousand years and they still stubbornly refuse to accept Jesus as their Savior. The efforts to utterly destroy them from off the face of the earth beginning with the Romans two-thousand years ago has never ended and still goes on. In our times it was Hitler and his henchmen. They murdered six million reducing the total world population to twelve million. There apparently isn’t a people today that doesn’t have a Jewish population. The United States the largest number and Russia the next. There are Asian Jews, Black Jews, White Jews etc. Where ever they are the Orthodox among them still maintain their identity and are looking forward to returning to their home land. This they are now accomplishing in spite of the worlds opposition. It’s an exciting story, that which they have accomplished in the last ninety years ~ for ninety years ago their were virtually no Jews in Palestine and hadn’t been since the Roman’s efforts to annihilate them two thousand years ago. Now over half, about six million live in their homeland. A speck of land so tiny, about sixty miles wide by one hundred sixty miles long. That it could be fitted into the state of Utah eight times and leave a large area for public lands.

We no longer need to say that the Jews are going to gather. “I think now we may say they have gathered.” Conference report 1960(when there were only two million now it’s three times that!)

Continued next month under the title “Fantastic Victory!”

My love always

Dad, Grandpa Pratt

(Richard Marden Pratt)

Here is a must for your kitchens:

Dad’s Pioneer spoon bread and is it ever delicious! He often had a loaf of bread for visitors to take home or share a slice with him.

Pioneer Spoon Bread by Richard M Pratt

2 cups warm water 1 T. Yeast

1 tsp salt about 2 ½ cups flour (enough flour to make a “spongy” dough)

2 T. Sugar (or honey etc)

stir water and salt together. Add sugar then yeast then flour. Stir hard. Use a bowl that is big enough to allow this to rise tell double in bulk. Cover let rise 45 minutes.

Stir down and pour into well greased pans ( I use 2 loaf pans. More crust that way!)

Cover and let rise 45 minutes. Bake at 350* for 45 minutes. You can use various types of flour, add raisins, nuts or sunflower seeds. Really GREAT especially when shared with someone you love. Or with a hot cup of cocoa or a cold glass of milk.

Our daughter, Kathy Rowbury Diether, took my bread recipe and “tweaked” it! Well she made perfection!

BREAD by Kathy: YES YOU PUT THE YEAST IN THE

12 cups flour (white or wheat) FLOUR TOO! IT WORKS!!!!! WOW!

½ cup sugar

1 T salt Email me if you have questions!

2 T saf-instant yeast randrflower@gmail.com

½ cup oil or liquid lecithin

5 cups hot tap water

Mix ALL dry ingredients. Add oil and water. Mix in mixer for 5 minutes or by hand for 10 minutes. After kneeding, cover and let rest for 10 plus minutes. This is a sticky dough. (I oil my hands to work with it). Use oil or Pam spray on the counter instead of flour to work the dough. Shape loaves and place them in bread pans, cover and let them rise 25 minutes. Bake at 350* for 30-35 minutes. This recipe makes 4 loaves. Can also be used for pizza crust, rolls, scones, braids and cinnamon rolls.

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The other day I had 6 cups of white 6 cups of wheat flour and had formed 3 loaves and then decided to make a treat with the last of the dough. It turned out so good I have to share it. I was inspired by Mom’s “plumb duff”recipe, But I had fresh peaches and so here it goes:

Peach Supreme better than any Danish you’ve had! By Rose Marie Pratt Rowbury

grease a 9x13 inch pan. Roll 1 loaf worth of dough into the pan. Spread ½ cup softened cream cheese. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon like making cinnamon rolls. Peel and slice fresh peaches over the top. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Cover and let rise 25 minutes. Bake at 350 for 21-25 minutes. This is divine and so easy!