Memo #128

May 1, 2011

To: My Loved Ones

From: Dad, Grandpa etc Richard M Pratt

Re: Marriage

“In the heavens are parents single? No, the thought makes reason stare.

Truth is reason, truth eternal, Tells me I've a Mother there.” Eliza R. Snow

Or in the words of President Brigham Young, “We were created upright, pure, and holy, in the image of our father and our mother, the image of our God. Discourses of Brigham Young 51

Mankind are here because they are the offspring of parents; who were first brought here from another planet, and power was given them to propagate their species, and they were commanded to multiply and replenish the earth.” Ibid 105

How does God transfer mortals from one planet to another? By the process of “Translation.” What this means exactly we don't know but the mortal body is still mortal and must die at some later time. A few examples from the Bible was the “City of Enoch” and John the Revelator and from the Book of Mormon, the Three apostles known as the Three Nephites. All of these remain in that condition until the coming of the Lord.

Apparently then Adam and Eve were translated from a previous world to this one and placed in the Garden of Eden and were given an opportunity to go back to a mortal stage subject to death by eating something that would change their bodies.

“When was there a beginning? There never was one; if there was, there will be an end; but there never was a beginning, and hence there will never be an end.” Ibid 47

There never has been a time when there have not been worlds like this, and there never will be a time when there will not be worlds organized and prepared for intelligent beings to dwell upon...there never was a time when man did not exist, and there never will be a time he will cease to exist...the Priesthood of God is unchangeable in its system of government and its gospel of salvation.

Man is the offspring of God ~ No human being has the power to organize his own existence. Then there is a greater than we. Are we our own in our bodies? Are we our own in our Spirits? We are not our own. We belong to our progenitors ~ to our Father and our Mother and our God.

Things were first created spiritually. The Father (and our Mother) actually begat the spirits and they were brought forth and lived with him (them).

I want to tell you, each and everyone of you, that you are well acquainted with God our Heavenly Father (and God our Heavenly Mother). You are all well acquainted with them, for there is not a soul of you but what has lived in their home and dwelt with them year after year, and yet you are seeking to become acquainted with them, when the fact is, you have merely forgotten what you did know. There is not a person here today but what is a son or daughter of these beings. In the spirit world their spirits were first begotten and brought forth, and they lived there with their parents for ages before they came here. This perhaps, is hard for many to believe, but it is the greatest of nonsenses in the world not to believe it. If you do not believe it, cease to call him Father; and when you pray, pray to some other character. Ibid 50

The Lord created you and me for the purpose of becoming Gods like himself; when we have been proven in our present capacity, and have been faithful with all things he puts into our possession.

How many will become thus privileged? Those who honor the Father and the Son; those who receive the Holy Ghost, and magnify their calling, and are found pure and holy; they shall be crowned in the presence of the Father and the Son. Ibid 57

of securing to yourselves eternal life ~ to live and enjoy these blessings forever; you will say that is the greatest blessing that can be bestowed upon you. To live forever and enjoy the society of wives, children, and children's children, to a thousand generations, and forever; and also the society of brethren, sisters, neighbors, and associates, and to possess all you can ask for to make you happy and comfortable. What blessing is equal to this? What blessing is equal to the continuation to live, to the continuation of our organization? Ibid 96

How much matter do you suppose there is between here and some of the fixed stars which we can see? Enough to frame many, very many millions of such earths as this. Ibid 398

and were it possible that man could number the particles of the earth, (I take it a particle to be a speck of sand) yea millions of earths like this, it would not be a beginning to the number of thy creations; and thy curtains are stretched out still; and yet thou are there; and also thou art just and thou art merciful and kind forever. Moses 7:30

Yet with all this vast kingdom. Our Father has but one goal. ~ “TO BRING TO PASS THE IMMORTALITY AND ETERNAL LIFE OF MAN.” Moses 1:39

Like any good Father (and Mother) his eternal energies are to give to his children all that they are willing to receive. And in the quote above the two words IMMORTALITY AND ETERNAL LIFE have two different meanings.

Immortality is to live forever in some degree of happiness or even intense misery as will be the sons of Perdition. Immortality was automatically assured by the Savior, Jesus Christ, on the cross to every soul. Nothing has to be done to earn it. It is a free gift.

Paul explains why by telling us that we did not bring death into the world:saying, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept.

For since by man came death, (Adam) by man came also the resurrection of the dead. “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” but every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; after ward they that are Christ's at his coming.” 1 Cor. 15:17-23

Now I'm going to take a dangerous course, and word the rest of this in modern jargon. It's dangerous for you, because if you are motivated to qualify yourself simply for the grand reward then you will still be disqualified as an eternal manager. But hopefully the modern wording will be so clear that you will be motivated to develop that pure love of Christ which is absolutely essential to Eternal life or leadership in the kingdom. (Yes, I know I’ve used this quote a few memos back but it is absolutely imperative that you understand it.

“For who so is faithful unto the obtaining these two priesthoods of which I have spoken, and the magnifying of their callings, are sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies. They become the sons of Moses and of Aaron and the seed of Abraham, and the church and kingdom, and the elect of God.

And also all they who receive this priesthood, receive me saith the Lord;

For he that receiveth my servants receiveth me, and he that receiveth my Father receiveth my Father's Kingdom; THEREFORE ALL THAT MY FATEHR HATH SHALL BE GIVEN UNTO HIM.

And this is according to the oath and covenant which belongeth to the priesthood, Therefore all those who receive this oath and covenant of my Father, which he cannot break, neither can it be moved.

But who so breaketh this covenant after he hath received it, and altogether turneth therefrom, shall not have forgiveness of sins in this world nor in the world to come.

And wo unto all those who come not unto this priesthood which ye have received, which I now confirm upon you who are present this day, by mine own voice out of the heavens; and even I have given the heavenly hosts and mine angels charge concerning you.

And I now give unto you a commandment to beware concerning yourselves, to give diligent heed to the words of eternal life.

For you shall live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God.

Comment: Notice that God is making a covenant with an oath to all who qualify themselves which He cannot break. You in turn also will make a covenant with an oath to live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God. Included in that oath and covenant you will receive two priesthoods, the lower being called the Aaronic and the higher the Melchizedek. ~ Priesthood means that God delegates to all who receive it the right to act in his name. And by appointment over any area of his vast holdings you govern, control, speak and officiate as tho you were God.

This life is a proving ground to see if we are dependable. Perhaps the smallest assignment we might receive here is home and / or visiting teaching. Only responsible for three to five families, if we can't be dependable in serving their needs, how can we be favored with Godhood and be trusted with the welfare of a world or worlds?

How about tithing? How can we be trusted with the vast riches of a world or many worlds if we are not dependable in our paltry little contributions here.

Or if we are not faithful in our prayers how could the Father let us rule over a vast area if we were not faithful in communicating with the head office. And all of the rest of the commandments.

But the greatest qualification for eternal leadership is marriage for time and all eternity which can only be performed in a temple dedicated for that purpose. No man will ever preside over a world or even a house in town who does not have one of our Father's daughters sealed to him, to walk by his side to bare his eternal children and be a forever helpmeet which means to help him meet the challenges of worlds without end. And that daughter is to rule with her husband as an equal partner forever.

Who desires to enter the eternal world and be a servant, when the promise is held out that we may be sons and daughters of God, Kings and Queens. Let us be among those who qualify to rule and reign in the Celestial worlds forever. Few there will be that arrive at that glorious state, and why; because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world and aspire to the honors of men that they do not learn this one lesson. That the rights of the Priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principle of righteousness.

That they may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon souls of the children of men in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is with drawn, Amen to the Priesthood or the authority of that man. Behold ere he is aware, he is left unto himself, to kick against the “pricks” to persecute the Saints, and to fight against God. D&C 121:34-38

I love the following description of a women worthy to be an eternal Mother in Heaven.

“Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.

The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. She is like the merchants ships; she bringeth her food from afar.

She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a protion to her maidens.

She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. She girdeth her loins with strength and strengtheth her arms.

She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land, she maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.

Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and she shall rejoice in time to come.

She looketh well to the ways of her household; and in her tongue is kindness. Her children rise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.” (Proverbs 31:10-31)

(Marriage continued next memo)

Love, Dad, Grandpa etc. Richard Marden Pratt

The Women in our lives by Gordon B Hinckley October 2004 General Conf. (see it at: lds.org)

“And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

“And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman” (Gen. 2:20–23).

And so Eve became God’s final creation, the grand summation of all of the marvelous work that had gone before.

Notwithstanding this preeminence given the creation of woman, she has so frequently through the ages been relegated to a secondary position. She has been put down. She has been denigrated. She has been enslaved. She has been abused. And yet some few of the greatest characters of scripture have been women of integrity, accomplishment, and faith.........

How thankful I am, how thankful we all must be, for the women in our lives. God bless them. May His great love distill upon them and crown them with luster and beauty, grace and faith. And may His Spirit distill upon us as men and lead us ever to hold them in respect, in gratitude, giving encouragement, strength, nurture, and love, which is the very essence of the gospel of our Redeemer and Lord. For this I humbly pray, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen. (READ THE TALK IT IS POWERFUL!)

LDS Women Are Incredible! By Quentin L. Cook of April 2011 general conference

Author and historian Wallace Stegner wrote about the Mormon migration and gathering to the Salt Lake Valley. He did not accept our faith and in many ways was critical; nevertheless, he was impressed with the devotion and heroism of our early Church members, especially the women. He stated, “Their women were incredible.” 1 I echo that sentiment today. Our Latter-day Saint women are incredible!

God placed within women divine qualities of strength, virtue, love, and the willingness to sacrifice to raise future generations of His spirit children.

A recent United States study asserts that women of all faiths “believe more fervently in God” and attend more religious services than men do. “By virtually every measure they are more religious.” 2

I was not surprised by this result, particularly as I reflected on the preeminent role of families and women in our faith. Our doctrine is clear: Women are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves them. Wives are equal to their husbands. Marriage requires a full partnership where wives and husbands work side by side to meet the needs of the family. 3

These two talks are powerful and you can enjoy them as modern day witness about women, going along with Dad's memo. lds.org is a wonderful site - try it out and learn!

Memo #127

April 1, 2011

To: My Loved Ones

From: Dad & Grandpa Pratt etc.

Re: Continuation of personal life in a distressed world

Interesting story before I type Dad’s memo. I was thinking of Dad’s poem about I can’t and could not recall it clearly. I looked on google and found some similar but then a few more words and bingo it came up! Something in my head said to read the paragraph above the poem and it was like a hug from Dad. A sweet tender mercy that touched my heart. I hope you enjoy the poem and we can live by it’s words. Dad sure did!

“On days when I wonder how I can keep going, I remember the words of a poem that one of my favorite high school teachers, Richard Pratt, taught me years ago:”

I can't—a poor, pale, puny imp

Too lazy to work and from every duty does shirk.

I can—a giant, unbending he stands.

And he can conquer who thinks he can

In spite of the throngs who doubt him.

Memo 127

War has cursed the earth since Cain slew his brother Abel, yet the Father of us all uses war, “He certainly doesn’t cause them, wicked men must bare that responsibility,” but He brings to pass his great purposes of eternal peace by allowing wars to happen. Certainly man has been taught peace and love. And to physically restrain wars could only be done by removing free agency from the earth and that God will not do. And to physically refrain would be war.

Many miracles happen during war time. I’ve recounted some in the past. Many more will happen as wars escalate in frequency, ferocity, and brutality until the Lord comes at which point the war-mongers will be removed from the earth and only peace loving, peace practicing people will remain.

Starting with the Revolutionary War our nation has been involved in (I’m not sure of the number) ten or twelve conflicts. Half or more of them in my lifetime including World Wars one and two. Which are labeled the most destructive of history.

I was too young to serve in World War I and too old for all the rest or engaged in an occupation that made me draft free such as farming in the case of World War II. I’ve had mixed feelings of both relief but also regret that I missed that experience.

I think of my boyhood friend and our family farm hand, August Auckarook. Born in Russia about 1900, witnessed the awful Russian Revolution and the loss of his entire family therein. Escaping to America, drafted into the United States army, serving with great distinction in France and Germany. Buried alive by an exploding shell and before he suffocated unburied by another shell and severely wounded. He died as a result of those wounds by his mid-twenties. However he lived four or five years after and worked on our ranch. Then four or five years ago, he came to me from the World of Spirits and asked to be baptized and given the Priesthood so that he could be called on a mission to serve his people in that Paradisaical glory where the departed spirits live.

Or my friend Bill Ames we were home teaching companions in Wenatchee, Washington Branch about ethe same age and same number of children. The President assigned us to work with a young family who were leaving the church and joining some Pentecostal group. We set up an appointment with them. We arrived at the designated time only to find that the husband had gone fishing to avoid us. After an unsuccessful half hour with his wife in which she treated us very coldly we got up to leave with no intention of returning. As we started to leave she warmed up slightly and said. “Before you go administer to my sick daughter. She has been diagnosed with cancer and given only six months to live.” we thought what a strange request from someone leaving the church. We told her we would leave it up to the girl, whom of course we knew. We were ushered into a back bedroom and there lay this beautiful little nine year old. They had taken her out of school and were trying to make her as comfortable as possible at home. We explained to that sweet baby as best we could that Jesus could heal her and explained the administration procedure. Her eyes lit up and she eagerly asked us to give her a blessing. We did and left. Two or three days later we called back and found that the child was back in school and free of cancer. The mother coldly informed us that the doctor must have made a wrong diagnosis and closed the door in our face. Now I mention this to bring me up to the real story of Bill.

Bill was studying to be a doctor and enlisted in the Korean War as a medic. He was soon promoted and placed in charge of a group of medics. One night after a fierce battle the valley floor was covered with the dead and wounded. The wounded, moaning and crying out for help. Bill was ordered to wait 'til dark and then they would have a chance to bring out the wounded with less casualties of their own as the enemy still had the area under their control. But the full moon made so much light that Bill's men would be fired upon every time they tried to enter the area. Finally Bill told his men to lay low for a few minutes and he would be back.

Withdrawing to where he could be alone, he raised his hands heavenward and by the power of the Holy Priesthood, commanded a black cloud to form in the cloudless sky and hide the moons light. Almost instantly the moon was hid and the darkness such that they could only be guided to the wounded by their distress calls. And of course the enemy couldn't see to fire on them. As soon as they finished removing all they could hear, the cloud disappeared and no further efforts could be made in rescuing anyone but Bill felt that they had gotten them all.

Bill returned safely got his degree and moved to Canada to practice. He visited me a couple of times here in Provo. I assume he is now dead as most of my generation are.

Then there was the young man from a Southern Idaho town serving in the army in Vietnam. At that time after one year of service the soldier was sent home for a month and then returned to duty. For the last four or five nights before coming home for his thirty day rest he had a recurring dream. In the dream he was leading a patrol of four or five men into enemy territory. Coming to a turn in the jungle trail, he was shot by a sniper in the heart and killed instantly.

He had a great reunion with his family, told only his grandmother of the dream and told her he would not be coming back. Shortly after he had returned to his unit he found himself leading a patrol as he had dreamed. As he approached the turn in the trail, he thought, “no use trying to avoid it”, and pushed on, a shot rang out and he was shot right on the heart by a high powered armor piercing bullet. It knocked him flat on his back and he lay there hurting terribly. He thought, “so this is what being dead is. Then he thought, “but I was taught in primary that you don't hurt when you're dead.” He reached up to his tunic pocket right over his heart and pulled out his tiny serviceman’s Book of Mormon. They are about three inches by five inches and one half inch thick There was the bullet. It had penetrated about half way thru the book, about three eighths of an inch and stopped on page three hundred eighteen, Alma Chapter 44 and had slightly indented the word God in verse four which reads:
“Now ye see that this is the true faith of God; yea, ye see that God will support, and keep, and preserve us, so long as we are faithful unto him, and unto our faith, and our religion; and never will the Lord suffer that we shall be destroyed except we should fall into transgression and deny our faith.”

He returned home safely at the end of his second hitch and of course carried his much cherished Book of Mormon.

The Korean War took place in the early 1950's and was a scourge indeed. Utah was represented in that struggle by the 213^th Field Artillery from Southern Utah. It was composed of about six hundred men. They came mostly from Richfield, Cedar City and Fillmore. They were engaged in several terrible battles yet all of them returned home alive.

We also had the 1457^th Engineer Battalion who performed a decade before the Korean War. This was in the first war with Iraq. Engineers are in the most hazardous areas of wars. They go before the regular troops clearing the way, therefore they suffer the heaviest of casualties. They are always the most decorated of any troops. When they were gathered at Kuwait to come home it was discovered that all were present, all were alive; not one was killed. In fact when the government heard of it they sent several high ranking officers to Salt Lake to inquire about it and to express national gratitude for their service.

But the most interesting of them all I've saved for the last. It's the story of a man from Vietnam. He is a small man physically but a giant spiritually. In his home town, Saigon; which is the capital of Vietnam with near two million residents he was known among the church members as the “good shepherd of Saigon.”

Barely five feet tall he weighed sixty eight pounds when inducted into the Vietnamese Army. The minimum weight was supposed to be seventy pounds but they took him anyway. His rifle was taller than he was. He fought for over two years in the front lines and not even wounded. He said he was too small for a target. He finally was promoted to Captain and assigned to non combat duty.

Some where along the line he came upon a U.S. Soldier with a stalled motor bike. Speaking good English he asked if he could help. He soon had the bike going and as the soldier got on to leave, he asked, “by the way what do you know about the Mormons?” “Tay” had never heard of them and answered that he was Buddhist. Soon he was a member of the church and then became the president of a branch of two hundred fifty members or more.

Oh! His name was NGUYEN VAIV THE later when becoming an American he changed it to “THE VAN NGUYEN” for their custom is the reverse of English in that their sir name is first. His name is pronounced “TAY VAN WIN”.

In his near forty years in Vietnam he never knew peace, war was the way of life and his youthful years were ones of constant loss of family members. He remembers his childhood with great love. Listen to a description of his home and marvel. He described it as half of a building about twenty five by thirty feet divided in half making it a sort of duplex each side being one room about fifteen by twenty feet. The floor was just dirt, hard packed dirt. There were no glass windows and only the exit door with a glassless window with wooden bars. The end opposite the door was partitioned off by a bamboo curtain behind which his father and stepmother slept, no furniture. He and a sister five years older slept together during his early years on a mat. There was a home made stove of sorts made of mud and all the walls were of dried mud, nothing painted and he has fond memories of that as a happy home. Even tho his mother died when he was only two and four or five years later his father was shot while coming home from work. Their stepmother abandoned them taking everything that was loose. An uncle and aunt moved in to take care of them, each dieing within two years followed by a grandmother who also soon died and another uncle and aunt who also died.

Then at the age of 10 and 15 years they alone and dependent on supporting themselves he and his fifteen year old sister, “BA” made a pact to always take care of each other. Which they have faithfully kept.

At this early age, ten and fifteen, they either starved or took care of themselves. They decided to go into business for themselves. They sold their half of their home and had a much smaller one built. How could it be much smaller? With the few dollars left they rented an outdoor stall in the open market place. Getting up each morning before daylight, they would walk four or five miles out into the country, buy all the produce they could carry and sell it in their stall. In the evening they ate their one meal of the day, of whatever they had left over. They succeeded and in a year or two hired a helper.

Then his sister married and Tay could return to school. Here he excelled especially in languages. (I wonder how “BA” found time to be courted, but she did.) She was also very upset with Tay joining the church and herself has remained a Buddhist.

Tay writes to her regularly and remembering their covenant to take care of each other sends her, in his words, “a little money”.

Today things are very desperate in that country since it fell into the hands of the communists. Starvation is the way of life. Many live on as little as five to ten dollars a month and what they can raise.

Today “BA” with her husband and children still live in the same area in the same kind of house, one that she and Tay built. Now at sixty five, Tay lives in a nice home in Salt Lake City with his wife “Lien My Le” (Leen). They have three grown children and grandchildren. Tay is an agent for the FBI and serves as a translator in several languages. At conference time the church uses him to translate and broadcast conference and often at other occasions.

How did his success all happen. He gives all the credit to his Heavenly Father and his church membership.

At the end of the war as Branch President he helped many of his Saigon branch to escape to the point that he was captured and spent three years as a prisoner of war in a “re-education facility” where the treatment was more than brutal. Tay's 135 fellow prisoners appointed him as cook to help him from having to participate in the inhuman hard toil they were forced into. They never had enough to eat. One day he was allowed one chicken and a few wilted vegetables. Imagine that for 135 hungry men. To divide the chicken equally he ground it up into fine pieces and put it in the soup, mostly water. Each got one cup as their main meal and usually the only meal of the day.

He finally escaped and after four years was reunited with his family. His three children didn't even know him. And somehow they and the branch members wound up here in Provo, Utah. The branch was reorganized here in Provo with him as President. At his release I was blessed to follow him as President and he served as my clerk and translator. So I've heard these stories from his own mouth, and he is indeed my brother.

He has also written a two hundred fifty page book of his miraculous experiences and how the Lord has preserved his life for so very many times. The name of the book is “When Faith Endures” you will find it a gripping story. And is available at LDS book stores.

These stories are about people who in the face of great odds turned their lives over to God and he helped them to move forward. Turn your lives over to our Heavenly Father and live the gospel for it is true!

My love always,

Dad, Grandpa Pratt etc.

Memo #126

March 1, 2011

To: My loved ones

From: Dad, Grandpa etc. Richard Marden Pratt

Re: Continuation of personal life in a distressed world

(NOTE: Some of you have asked if you can share these with other folks. YES! Dad would want that. He has such an amazing testimony and hoped that his study and faith and prayers and good works would draw people to Jesus Christ. You are also welcome to comment on the blog site as well.)

From the time Lehi left Jerusalem 600 B.C. until the final destruction of the Nephites about 385 A.D. covers one thousand years. What most of us don’t catch is that the wicked Nephites were destroyed twice during that one thousand years. Which indicates that the average dispensation of the gospel lasts about three hundred to three hundred and fifty years. In last month’s memo you read about the destruction at the coming of Jesus to the survivors at his crucifixion and resurrection. The first destruction took place about 320 years after leaving Jerusalem and is briefly mentioned in Omni V.5 “Behold, it came to pass that three hundred and twenty years had passed away, and the more wicked part of the Nephites were destroyed.”

Fourth Nephi fills only four pages and covers nearly three hundred years from total righteousness to preparation for total destruction. Or in other words the 530 pages of the Book of Mormon would only be about twelve pages long if righteousness had always prevailed. But it didn’t neither is it now. And I’ll cover that in some detail as soon as I finish this currant theme of “Personal life in a distressed world.”

But always remember that the obedient who suffer a martyr’s death in war or no matter the cause, will receive a martyr’s reward which is all that the Father hath to give.

“For the eternal purposes of the Lord shall roll on, until all his promises shall be fulfilled.” Mormon 8:22

“And if we will but cleanse ourselves and our covenant before God, to serve HIM, it is our privilege to have an assurance that God will protect us at all times.”

“Until we have perfect love we are liable to fall and when we have a testimony that our names are sealed in the Lambs book of Life we have perfect love and then it is impossible for false Christs to deceive us.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith page 9)

Moroni finished the record of his father Mormon after the awful battle at Cumorah where his father was killed. Moroni writes what is now chapters eight and nine in Mormon’s personal book.

That terrible battle resulted in the lives of millions being destroyed around the little hill Cumorah, a very small hill perhaps two or three hundred feet high, one quarter of a mile long and two or three hundred feet wide and rises up out of the surrounding plains. The early settlers in the area had to clear the ground of human bones before they could farm it. One of the early farmers not knowing what to do with the bones built a large shed and filled it with the remains.

In the monastery at the foot of Mt. Sainai built about 600 A.D. the monks have preserved their predecessors bones in a like manner. One room contains just skulls an estimated fifteen hundred of them. Two other rooms are filled with the rest of the bones stacked like cord wood. Quite an interesting sight. Mother and I had the privilege of staying overnight at the Monastery when we were in Palestine. Not in the same room however.

Moroni reports: “My father hath been slain in battle, and all my kinsfolk, and I have not friends nor whither to go; and how long the Lord will suffer that I may live I know not...and behold, the Lamanites have hunted my people, the Nephites, down from city to city and from place to place, even until they are no more; and great has been their fall; yea, even great and marvelous is the destruction of my people, the Nephites.” Mormon 8:5-7

So far as Moroni knew there were no surviving righteous but himself. And apparently he lived the last twenty to twenty five years of his life without meeting a single survivor. But there were some survivors and one modern group are the Hopi Indians, now numbering about five thousand souls living on a reservation in Northern Arizona. I wrote about them several memos back but will give a brief refresher here.

Archaeology indicates that the Hopi village of Old Oribi is the oldest continually lived in settlement in North America and date its settlement back to about four hundred A.D. when the last battles of Lamanites and Nephites were being wages.

The Hopi legends of their people are as follows. A few families were fleeing from a terrible war. Their leader had a vision in which he was shown that if they fled westward they would come to ten mesas (a mesa is a mountain with a flat top and cliffs dropping off all the way around for four or five hundred feet. The flat top varies in size but appears to be about one city block square on the average. And in the case of these mesas there was a spring of cold sweet water at the base of each. The mesa of Holtvill, which we were familiar with, had four hundred stone steps they had carved in the cliff side down to the spring. I know, I carried water up from that spring, counting the steps, using four one gallon milk jugs that’s thirty two pounds. You didn’t need to go to the “health spa” after a couple of daily trips, and you didn’t waste water.

On top of each mesa they had, over the centuries, erected a communal home all three stories high. The first story sat back about twenty five feet from the cliff edge, the next two stories receded back from the story below several feet and it had a flat roof covered with brush over large poles and covered with twelves inches or more of clay. All building materials had to be carried up from the valley below over a precarious trail and ladders. They had been at it for fifteen hundred years.

One village or mesa named Pollaca now has a passable car road to the top. It was surely scary to drive up and down. And when you started there was no turning around and going back. We did it just once.

There was no barrier of any kind on the cliff edge. So the kids had that narrow strip between the buildings edge and the cliff edge to play on. I asked do your kids fall off? And the answer was, “Yes, we lose one now and then.” Today many have their homes down on the valley floor.

They are a peaceful people and have never gone to war against any others. They exist by a unique harvesting of the scanty rain fall and are farmers. The Spanish conquistadores tried to defeat them but had no luck. The Hopis would just retire to their Mesa tops and drop rocks on anyone trying to scale the cliffs. They always had a year or more supply of water and food up there with them and still do. So after a few hopeless tries the Spanish pretty well left them alone.

However the Catholic fathers did a little better and managed to convert one of the villages, but as soon as they had moved on the men from the other nine villages waited until the meeting day when all the men and boys twelve and older were gathered in the Kiva for a “priesthood meeting” (The Kiva is underground and accessed by entering the hole at the top about three feet square and descending a ladder. There is no other opening. The attackers threw burning brush down the hole covered it with a lid, stood on it until the trapped ones suffocated.

The women and children were dispersed thru out the other mesas to live. The mesa has never been re-occupied. This was about four hundred years ago when the Spanish were exploring the West.

No other Christian church has been successful in proselyting them until about fifty years ago and because their ancient religion is so near the truth they are now joining in large number and I believe we have large branches at each village but not on the top of the mesa.

They baptize by immersion, we have been to the centralized pool. They practice a form of what they hope is eternal marriage, all dressed in white. Priesthood starts at the age of twelve and many other practices that indicate that they once had the true church of Jesus Christ. Oh! They had a form of home teaching too. Every old person or couple or incapacitated had assigned to them a teen age boy who called on them every day to see to their needs, like water, wood etc. and they were very faithful about it. They also addressed each other as brother and sister.

Back to the final battle between the Lamanites and Nephites. Mormon records that when he was eleven years old in the year 322 A.D. that his family moved from the country to the great city of Zarahemla. He was so amazed at the dense population that he recorded, “The whole face of the land had been covered with buildings, and the people were as numerous almost, as it were the sand of the sea.” 1:7

And a war began that year, but wickedness did prevail upon the whole face of the earth. And the Lord took away his beloved disciples, and the work of miracles and of healing did cease because of the iniquity of the people. They were ripe for destruction. As a fourteen year old boy he tried to preach righteousness to them but his mouth was shut, and he was forbidden that he should preach to them. For they had wilfully rebelled against their God and the beloved disciples were taken away out of the land because of the their iniquity.

But I did remain among them, but I was forbidden to preach unto them, because of the hardness of their hearts; and because of the hardness of their hearts the land was cursed for their sakes.

And then an amazing thing happened. Although he was only in his sixteenth year he was large in stature, the Nephites appointed him to be their leader. For earlier in the book of Alma it tells us that they always chose a prophet to be their commanding officer. For the next sixty years, except when he refused to lead them, he led them in their struggles against the Lamanites.

Now in hand to hand combat the general leads his troops and is the first to meet the enemy and must kill each man that approaches him or be killed. In fifty years of fighting I wonder how many of the Lamanites he personally sent to the happy hunting ground.

And he wrote, “it is impossible for the tongue to describe, or for man to write a perfect description of the horrible scene of the blood and carnage which was among the people, both of the Nephites and of the Lamanites; and every heart was hardened, so that they delighted in the shedding of blood.” Mormon 4:11

In the meantime he is recording all this and abridging the thousand years of Nephite records and depositing them in their final resting place in Cumorah until that wonderful day when his son, Moroni turns them over to the boy prophet Joseph Smith. September 22, 1827 who translated them by the power of God from whence we have our knowledge of those ancient days in the Americas between the years six hundred B.C. and four hundred A.D.

From that date until Columbus discovered America twelve hundred years later the descendant of the Lamanites remained in a stone age culture. Man on the way down and not on his way up.

In his last recorded message to his beloved son Moroni, Mormon wrote; “My beloved son, notwithstanding their hardness let us labor diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should be brought under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness and rest our souls in the kingdom of God.” Moroni 9:6

This was the second people to be destroyed in the Americas, the “Etherites” having preceded the Nephites, Satan had won again.

And he wasn’t doing too bad in the Eastern half of the world either. The great Empire geographically that the world has known was also going to its destruction. Within seventy five years the Roman Empire fell. The date 476 A.D. while they didn’t sink to a stone age culture they were not far from it as all of Europe, the Near East, and Northern Africa all part of that great empire went into a thousand year period known in history as the Dark Ages.

The dark ages was a terrible time to live. One wonders what method God used to choose spirits to be born into mortality under such adverse conditions. All of Europe fell into a decline. The splendid roads developed by the Romans became miserable ruts, fields went back to forests. Towns shrunk to large villages. Travel was only safely done with a strong armed guard.

Cleanliness was unknown. King Henry the eighth was never known to bathe. Perfume came into vogue as a cover up for human stench. Only the elite had any heat in winter and that was a fireplace in those huge stone castles which themselves would have been ice boxes.

The peasants lived in an igloo shaped arrangement of willows woven together and plastered with clay. No doors, just an opening covered by a hanging skin, no windows, no furniture, just a raised platform to sleep on, and raised to keep the cow, pig or other animal out of your bed as they had been brought into your abode to help furnish some warmth. Aren’t you glad you live now?

At its peak less than five percent of the people could read and write. And these few, who kept learning alive, were dedicated monks living in isolated monasteries. Famous Joan of Arc lived in that era. Hers is an exciting story but can’t write it here.

Gutenberg came up with the printing press in the middle fourteen hundreds. At that time not more than twelve thousand hand written books existed in all of Europe. By the end of the 1400's over two million books existed. Finally Satan was on the run.

Visit the Crandall Printing Museum in Provo, Utah and see replicas of those early presses built by my son Stephen and his son Ben and an original Bible from Gutenberg’s first printing all of which made it possible and led to the restoration of the true church of Christ upon the earth for the last time. I bare you my testimony that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is on the earth and it is true. Learn it, love it and live it.

My love always,

Dad, Grandpa etc. Richard M. Pratt

Memo #125

February 1, 2011
To: All I Love
From: Dad, Grandpa etc Richard Pratt
Re: Personal Life in a distressed world

One of the most serious mistakes of mankind has been to assume that they were chosen and accepted of God just simply because of their illustrious ancestors. The righteousness of parents can never save their children. The children must be righteous on their own account or they will be treated like anyone else. (W. Cleon Skousen pg. 3)
After Abraham and Lot separated so they would have more room for their large herds of stock. Lot chose to move into the city of Sodom on the south shore of the Dead Sea. It was not dead at this time but was a tropical paradise stretching out many miles of rich soil and prosperous cities. Then the area was invaded and Lot and his family were taken captive and carried off with their wealth. When Abraham heard of it he quickly called all his herders in, leaving their wives and children tending their flocks. He was able to muster in 318 men of his own camp and followed in hot pursuit. They defeated the spoilers rescued the prisoners and loot and returned home safely. The only military action ever taken by Abraham that we know of.
Later the whole Dead Sea valley was wiped out and turned into a dead sea and barren desert. Only Lot and two daughters escaped.
We’ll jump forward five hundred years to the days of Moses leading Israel in a 40 year camp out in the desert East of the promised land. They had many encounters with the locals but one that is interesting was the Mideanites.
Moses was commanded to destroy them for they were completely immersed in sin and there was no hope of their repentance. Why Moses chose an army of only twelve thousand Israelites is not known. But he called for one thousand from each tribe while the total manpower was in the neighborhood of six hundred thousand. We don’t know the size of the Mideanites but they were numerous.
The Israelites were commanded to destroy all human life except for little girls who were not old enough to have been defiled. These were to be scattered throughout the twelve tribes and raised as Israelites.
When the war ended. The home coming army brought thirty two thousand little girls and babies which alone indicates a good sized enemy.
Moses then asked for a count to be taken of the men, expecting many to be dead or missing. The count was taken and the officers reported: “Thy servants have taken the sum of the men of war which are under our charge and there lacketh not one man of us.”
(This happened nearly 1500 years before Heleman and his stripling warriors.)
Even though you are familiar with Goliath and David. Let me give a few details. This is about 500 years after Moses.
First to Goliath’s size. The Bible reports that he was six cubits and a span high. Using the smallest size given of a cubit which is eighteen inches and six inches for a span. He stood about nine feet tall. I saw a man eight feet six inches tall and my eyes were looking right at his belt buckle. This man I saw was in good physical shape, not fat at all, and weighed a little over four hundred pounds.
Goliath was clad in armor that weighed 156 pounds with a big brass helmet on his head.
David was just average size and only sixteen or seventeen years old. First they clothed him in King Sauls armor. Saul was bigger than most Israelites by head and shoulders. Poor little David couldn’t even walk. He cried “take it off!” Dressed just in his tunic or regular clothing he charged down to meet Goliath. It would have been similar to charging a modern day tank minus machine guns. As he crossed the brook separating them he picked up five round smooth stones about the size of a small chicken egg and slipped them into his pouch.
As he approached the giant, he cried, “you come to me with sword and spear but I come to you in the name of Israel’s God.” then he placed one of the stones in his sling twirled it over his head till it got to maximum speed and let the rock go. It struck the giant just below his helmet and sank into his head. Not having a sword then David ran over and climbed on the unconscious or dead giant, pulled out the giants sword and cut off his head.
The Philistine army was devastated, threw down their weapons and ran for home with the Israelites in hot pursuit. Killing many of the enemy before they reached the safety of their walled cities.
Now the rest of the story. It’s all in the Bible. Don’t know why its never told as part of the encounter.
Goliath had four sons, apparently as large and mean as he was and they grew up and spent the next forty years trying to avenge their Fathers death by killing David. They didn’t succeed but look it up and read it. Look in First Samuel.
As I mentioned before there are two main reasons for dying when fighting for righteousness. One: that man has lived his allotted life. or Two: he dies as a witness against the wickedness that has killed him. Neither will lose their reward but will receive the victor’s crown.
Now to Helaman and his stripling warriors. That seemed to indicate that they were from fourteen to eighteen years of age and you of course, remember that these young men were taking the place of their fathers who had covenanted with the Lord never to kill again and had buried their weapons of war in testament thereof. But when the Nephites were about to be destroyed these men considered breaking their covenant with God. They were persuaded not to by their young sons saying, “We never made that covenant so are free to fight and they asked the prophet Helaman to lead them. (Note: He would have to have been considerably younger than our modern prophets.)
When they approached their first battle Helaman said to them. “ Therefore what say ye, my sons, will you go against them to battle.” and they answered: “Father, behold our God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should fall; then let us go forth; we would not slay our brethren if they would let us alone, therefore let us go, lest they should overpower the army of Antipus.
Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives, yea they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them. And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it.”
In the next battle Helaman reported: “My little band of two thousand and sixty fought most desperately; yea they were firm before the Lamanites, and did administer death unto all those who opposed them. And as the remainder of our army were about to give way before the Lamanites, behold, those two thousand and sixty were firm and undaunted.
Yea they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea and even according to their faith it was done unto them; and I did remember the words which they said unto me that their mothers had taught them.
And it came to pass that there were two hundred, out of my two thousand and sixty, who had fainted because of the loss of blood; nevertheless, according to the goodness of God, and to our great astonishment, and also the joy of our whole army, there was not one soul of them who did perish; yea, and neither was there one soul among them who had not received many wounds.
And now, their preservation was astonishing to our whole army, yea that they should be spared while there was a thousand of our brethren who were slain. And we do justly ascribe it to the miraculous power of God, because of their exceeding faith in that which they had been taught to believe ~ that there was a just God, and whosoever did not doubt, that they should be preserved by his marvelous power. Now this was the faith of these of whom I have spoken; they are young, and their minds are firm, and they put their trust in God continually.”
Helaman chapter 57
“And the Lord has supported them, yea, and kept them from falling by the sword, insomuch that even one soul has not been slain. But behold they have received many wounds; nevertheless they stand fast in that liberty where with God has made them free; and they are strict to remember the Lord their God from day to day; yea, they do observe to keep his statutes and his judgements, and his commandments continually; and their faith is strong in the prophecies concerning that which is to come.” Alma 58
And this is the last we hear of these young men although the war continues on.
However it is recorded that many righteous people were killed and the report of their death is stated thusly; “Do ye suppose that, because so many of your brethren have been killed it is because of their wickedness? I say unto you, if ye have supposed this ye have supposed in vain; for I say unto you, there are many who have fallen by the sword; and behold it is to your condemnation; for the Lord suffereth the righteous to be slain that his justice and judgement may come upon the wicked; therefore ye need not suppose that the righteous are lost because they are slain; but behold, they do enter into the rest of the Lord their God.” Alma 60:12-13
When the Savior was being crucified at Jerusalem terrible destruction took place in the Americas by tempests, fires, earthquakes, whirlwinds and physical upheavals. Most of the people are destroyed and darkness covered the land for three days and nights. Many great and notable cities were sunk, and many were burned and many were shaken till the buildings thereof had fallen to the earth and the inhabitants there of were slain, and the places were left desolate... and the quaking of the earth...and it came to pass that there was thick darkness upon all the face of the earth...and there was not any light seen, neither fire, nor glimmer, neither the sun, nor the moon, nor the stars, for so great were the mists of darkness which were upon the face of the land. 3 Nephi 14-22
“And it came to pass that there was a voice heard among all the inhabitants of the earth, upon all the face of the land crying: “Wo, Wo, Wo unto this people; wo unto the inhabitants of the whole earth except they shall repent; for the devil laugheth and his angels rejoice, because of the slain of the fair sons and daughters of my people; and it is because of their iniquity and abominations that they are fallen.” Ibid 9:1-2
“And many great destructions have I caused to come upon this land, and upon this people, because of their wickedness and their abominations.
“Oh all ye that are spared because ye were more righteous than they, will ye not
now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?
Yea verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold my arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me, behold I am Jesus Christ. 3 Nephi 9
and it came to pass that thus did the three days pass away. And it was in the morning, and the darkness dispersed from off the face of the land, and the earth did cease to tremble, and the rocks did cease to rend, and the dreadful groanings did cease, and all the tumultuous noises did pass away.
And it was the more righteous part of the people who were saved...soon after the ascension of Christ into heaven (Acts 1:9-11) he did truly manifest himself unto them (in the Americas)
and now it came to pass that there was a great multitude (about 2500) gathered together, of the people of Nephi round about the temple which was in the land of Bountiful; and they were marveling and wondering one with another and were showing one another the great and marvelous change which had taken place. And they were also conversing about this Jesus Christ, of whom the sign had been given concerning his death...
(Three times they heard the voice before they realized it was coming from heaven) casting their eyes up they heard a voice saying, “behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name hear ye him.” And they saw a man descending out of heaven and he came down and stood in the midst of them. And he stretched forth his hand and spoke to them, saying: “Behold I am Jesus Christ whom the prophets testified shall come into the earth.” And then he invited them all to come unto him and examine and feel the wounds in his body that they would know for sure that HE was indeed the Son of God.
3 Nephi 11
Then he arranged for their baptism saying, “ whoso believeth in me, and is baptized shall be saved, and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God. And whoso believeth not in me, and is not baptized, shall be damned.” Ch. 11
I hope you will all open to 3rd Nephi at your first free moment and read it in its entirety and thrill with it as I do and then reread it.
After teaching them all day ~ wow, what a missionary!~ “There came a cloud and overshadowed the multitude that they could not see Jesus. And while they were overshadowed he departed from them, and ascended into heaven. And the disciples saw and did bear record that he ascended again into heaven.” 3 Nephi 18 & 19
“And now it came to pass that when Jesus had ascended into heaven, the multitude did disperse, and every man did take his wife and his children and did return to his own home.”
Note: in all the destruction that had taken place the homes of the survivors were still intact.
He then appeared the next day and apparently spent the entire day teaching and loving them. Please read for yourselves for it is a facsimile of things soon to come for Jesus Christ will come again just as he has promised.

My love always,
Dad, Grandpa etc. Richard Pratt

Memo #124

To: My Beloved family and friends
From: Dad, Grandpa etc. Richard Pratt
Re: Our Personal life in a distressed world (continued)

You see, the righteous are protected until they have finished their allotted time on the earth. President Spencer W. Kimball said; that we all have an allotted time to live in this mortal life and that the obedient may not lengthen theirs much while the disobedient shorten theirs a great deal.
This is certainly true in my own life. So many times my life has been on the line and it has been preserved by a miracle. While all the male friends of my youth (we were the only LDS) have been dead for fifty years or more, mostly from defiling their bodies with the poisons of the mortal world. Two or three women still survive and we exchange letters two or three times a year. The young ladies of those early days did not smoke or drink so they have lasted longer.
Now I’m going to start with the aftermath of Noah’s flood and describe some of the events in which the Lord protected and saved individuals, groups of people, and whole armies. For as the scriptures say, “not even a sparrow falls to the ground that God is not aware of it. And if you are privileged to have God speak to you or an angel, they will always call you by your first name. I know, I have heard it. In his description of the First Vision the prophet says, “and I saw two men standing in the light above my head, and one pointing to the other, and calling me by name said, “Joseph” this is my beloved Son hear him.”
As the time of the flood approached the allotted animals came and entered the ark and Noah, 600 years old, Japheth 150 years old, Shem 142 years old and Ham 100 years old and their wives, a total of eight entered the Ark. Here is an interesting note, “and they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded them: “AND THE LORD SHUT HIM IN.”
WHY DID THE Lord shut them in? Where did those non-believes outside of the ark suddenly become BELIEVERS? Where did they immediately run to?
Some of these now-believers would have headed for the only safe place, you guessed it. THE ARK. Some would have been family.
As they beat on the side of the ark and cried, let us in, let us in. The parental and friendly love of those inside would be to open the door and let them in. But God closed the door and it took nearly a year before Noah and sons figured out the combination and finally opened the door.
By this time the ark had sailed half way round the world and finally came aground on the top of Mt Ararat. Genesis 8:4 Altitude over 16,000 feet. (Kings Peak the highest in Utah is 13,568 feet. Piolets start putting the oxygen at 13,000 feet.
Mt. Ararat is on the Turkish, Russian border between the Black and Caspian Sea at the headwaters of the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers. Naturally as the occupants, man and beast evacuated the Ark they would have gone down stream to a warmer clime, the Mesopotamia Valley which means the land between two rivers. There we find the remains of mans earliest settlements. And it is assumed that if there was a garden of Eden it would have been in that area. Of course they deny that the flood ever happened. The destructive power of water is unbelievable and all signs of the civilization existing before the flood was washed away and or buried.
There is much more I could write about this perhaps I’ll come back to it in a later memo.
The four families exited the Ark and being the only occupants of the cleansed earth they no doubt stayed together in peace and love, and harmony. Until the babies started coming. The first recorded birth is Arpharad born two years after the flood. He was probably not the first. Genesis chapter 10 gives the names of the male babies born to the three sons or at least part of them and we learn that Japheth was the father of the Gentiles (means all people who are not part of Israel) Ham, whose wife was black of course became the head of the Negroids, Shem named one of his sons Eber from which comes the Hebrews and us. And by these were the nations begun after the flood. “And the whole earth was of one language and one speech.” Genesis 11:1
all was serene, peace and happiness. Yes? No! About the third or fourth generation came a man named Nimrod a grandson of Ham and therefore black. In the Bible he is called a “mighty hunter.” but from other sources such as Josephus we learn that Noah lived to see his descendants reestablish the wicked abominations of the pre-flood period. No doubt Noah labored against these degenerate trends with the last vestige of vigor left in his aging body. Perhaps that is why Nimrod and many of the people journeyed from the East (the Tigris River) and came over to the Euphrates River Valley called Shinar, Where they would not have to listen to Noah and his sons preaching to them. The wicked always prefer working in the dark.
The Jewish historians write that Nimrod began to be mighty in sin, a murder of innocent men and a rebel before the Lord. In another place they say: “He was mighty in hunting and in sin before God, for he was a hunter of the children of men.”
He built a mighty city with the Euphrates River running thru it. The city was fifteen miles square with an avenue every mile both directions the whole surrounded by a rock wall 300 feet high. It was considered invincible. One of the areas inside the city was devoted to building the Tower of Babel, a gigantic structure one quarter of a mile at the base and six hundred forty feet high. The city was later captured in one day and destroyed. But to this day “Babylon” stands as a sign of wickedness and we are constantly reminded to “Come out of Babylon.”
So with in two hundred years after the flood (Noah had 150 years yet to live) the cleansed earth was again drowning in the cess pool of its own making. Human sacrifices, heathen idolatry, imperialistic conquest and institutionalized immorality characterized civilization. Once again the race was corrupting its way upon the earth. It was as tho the majority of humanity had become like a lethal swamp filled with decay and stagnation.
But there were islands of righteousness throughout the people, as the Lord, thru the Priesthood provided areas of safety for the faithful.
Such was the ancient city of Salem later to become Jerusalem. Ruled over by a righteous king, a man named Melckizedek. Because of his influence all the subjects of h is kingdom accepted and lived the gospel. And the power of the Priesthood which is the power of God became known as the Melchizedek Priesthood. Previously it had been called “The Holy Priesthood after the order of the Son of God.” but out of respect or reverence to the name of the Supreme Being, to avoid the too frequent repetition of his name, the church in ancient days, called the priesthood after Melchizedek.
King David in the Bible spoke of the Savior as “A Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek” Psalms 110:4
Abraham visited Salem and payed tithing to the church via Melchizedek.
But a few years later when he took his son, Isaac up on Mt. Salem to sacrifice him to the Lord there was only bare rocks at the site. The city and its people had been translated to join the city of Enoch that had enjoyed the same release from this wicked world.
And when we are inquiring about the origin of heathen religions. They did not originate or evolve as the teachers teach. THEY WERE PROMOTED by evil men who were trying to destroy God. Idolatrus practices did not come into existence until long after true religion had been revealed from heaven. Heathen worship was set up by defiant and rebellious men. Heathen philosophy was brewed up in the dark minds of men who had apostatized from the truth and had set about to destroy the gospel which was had from the beginning. So again the learned men have it backwards, even as they do on the origin of man. Stone age men are not on their way up, they are on the way down having apostatized from it. So religion did not evolve; but false religion has been and is still being promoted by the wicked.
So the Lord sent a new prophet to earth to try and save his children. Named Abram which the Lord later changed his name to Abraham, meaning the “Father of the Faithful.”
Abraham was born in the ancient city of “Ur” about 150 miles downstream from wicked Babylon in the year 2000 B.C. exactly half way between the Fall of Adam and the birth of Jesus Christ. It was also the death date of Noah even tho Abraham was ten generations later. The evil Nimrod had just died, wicked Babylon was flourishing. Mankind was doomed again or so it seemed to be hanging on one man, Abraham. And then that thread was about to be broken for his idolatress father Terah took his teenage son to the priest to be offered as a human sacrifice. Just prior three sisters had been murdered on the bloody alter because they would not surrender their virginity to the evil priests. Surprisingly only the innocent and the pure were qualified to be sacrifices. Babies were used and were placed in the red-hot arms of a stove shaped like a man with out stretched arms on which the screaming child would be placed and fortunately were roasted to a crisp instantly.
Older victims like the three sisters and Abraham were stripped, laid on their backs and stretched legs and arms secured. The priest then delivered some type of prayer raised the sacrificial knife, plunged it into the abdomen ripped the victim in half and reached in, grabbed the beating heart, ripped it out still beating, and held it aloft to the cheering of the congregation.
Now I’ve hesitated to write such a gruesome account but feel that you need to know how low people can descend and how rapidly.
From the “First Two Thousand Years” by W. Cleon Skousen. (A personal friend)
But the Lord had other plans for that evil Priest and for righteous Abraham. For as the knife was raised an angel appeared and the Priest was struck dead. Abraham was freed and went on his life long mission of establishing the truth or the True God in the World.
Illustrating the point that I am trying to make. “Have NO FEAR in the service of the TRUE GOD.” Those that he allows to be murdered such as the three sisters will stand as witnesses at the judgement day against that wicked generation and will secure their eternal place in the Celestial Kingdom of our God.
While Abram became known as the father of the faithful, and lived to one hundred seventy five - a ripe old age by then as the Lord shortened the longevity from near one thousand years until five hundred years after Abraham the life of man was shortened to three score (60) and ten or 70 years and to eighty it says if they were strong. With all of our modern medicine few live beyond that age.
The Lord said to Abraham, “I will bless thee above measure; “and Abraham was very rich in cattle, in silver and gold.
Third: “I will...make thy name great among all nations. Today Abraham is honored by all the Christian nations , all of the Muhammadans, and by the millions of Jews. Altogether about one-half of the earths population honors the name of Abraham. In time all the rest will honor him also.
(Ibid 278) But that is not all. He was promised that as many as receive the gospel shall be accounted thy seed. (Although half the world profess Abraham as their father, only a few have accepted the true gospel as taught by Abraham. But they all will before the Judgement day.
Abraham was further told. “I will bless them that bless thee and curse them that curse thee. The lord has always promised to bless those who aid his servants. As Jesus said: “He that receiveth you, receiveth me.”
Abraham was further promised. “I give unto thee a promise that this right (of the Priesthood) shall continue in thee.” Only the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints have the least idea what the “Melchizedek Priesthood is.” and many of them do not comprehend its full meaning or enjoy its full blessings. The next two or three memos will have some examples.
He was told, “In thy seed after thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed, even with the blessings of the Gospel.” the blessings of the Gospel, which are the blessings, even of life eternal.
Abraham continued to live in that area until he was sixty two years old. He had married his niece, his brothers daughter, Sarai,(NOTE: like Abram’s name was changed to Abraham, Sarai’s name was changed by the Lord to, Sarah. Try looking her up in the Bible Dictionary.) marrying close relatives was a common practice in those days. By this time he had become very wealthy and owned many thousands of cattle and sheep.
The Lord commanded him to move and that he would be led to a choice land that would be given to him and his righteous descendants forever. He left Haran going Northward up the river taking his possessions and family and “All the souls that he had won in Haran.” and we know from later information that his party and family numbered over one thousand souls.
We haven’t time nor is it my purpose to follow Abraham further. They must have traveled very slowly, perhaps only three or four miles a day as they grazed the livestock forward.
Watch for the next memo in which I hope to illustrate some of the miracles in the lives of our military and others who have OBEYED GOD.

My love always,
Dad, Grandpa etc. Richard Marden Pratt



I thought you might be interested in Dad’s Priesthood line of authority.
Richard M. Pratt was ordained an Elder by William R. Sloan who was ordained by Heber S. Allen who was ordained by Apostle Teasdale who was ordained by Brigham Young who was ordained by Joseph Smith who was ordained by Peter, James and John who were ordained by Jesus Christ.


As we set our goals for the new year let us center our homes and thoughts in Jesus Christ, We will be led to be kinder, more loving, more thoughtful. Indeed we will put on the whole armor of God, becoming as he is. The more we embrace these goals the more we will want to share what we have found. Just like our wonderful parents dedicated their lives to being Christ like. Wow they were well read and Wow did they ever live what they believed. They really set a great example for us to follow.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is JOY! It is PEACE! It is PURE! HE LIVES! We can let our spirits become prepared in every needful thing and when we are prepared the storms of life will not have power over us to weigh us down. Happy New Year. God bless us everyone!