Memo #47 (Written April 1, 2004)

To: Those I love

From: Grandpa Pratt

Re: The Second Coming (continued)

“A new heaven and a new earth are promised by the sacred writers. Or, in other words, the planetary systems are to be changed, purified, refined, exalted, and glorified, in the similitude of the resurrection, by which means all physical evil or imperfection will be done away.” 

Parley P. Pratt

The first step towards this glorified perfection will be at the Saviors appearance when the earth will be renewed as it was in the morning of the creation and the first couple was placed thereon. This step is imminent and the scriptures testify that it will happen sometime in the beginning of this millennium which has just started. So it could and should and will happen in the lifetime of the current generation.

The final step in its perfection will be at the end of this millennium when it will become a Celestial globe and the meek will inherit it.

So the question now is: “What was the earth like when the first inhabitants took up housekeeping there on?” When a prophet speaks of the restoration of all things, he means that all things have undergone a change and are to be again restored to their primitive order, even as they first existed.

When God had created the heavens and the earth, and separated the light from the darkness, his next great command was to the waters. “And God said, let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. Gen. 1:9

“From this we learn a marvelous fact which very few have realized or believed in this benighted age: we learn that the waters, which are now divided into oceans, seas and lakes, were then all gathered into one vast ocean and consequently, that the land which is now torn asunder and divided into continents and islands almost innumerable was then one vast continent or body, not separated as it now is.

Second, we hear the Lord God pronounce the earth, as well as everything else, very good. From this we learn that there were neither deserts, barren places, stagnant swamps, rough, broken, ragged hills, nor vast mountains covered with eternal snow; and no part of it was located in the frigid zone so as to render its climate dreary and unproductive, subject to eternal frost or everlasting chains of ice. 

The whole earth was probably one vast plain, or interspersed with gently rising hills and sloping vales, well calculated for cultivation; still its climate was delightfully varied, with the moderate changes of heat and cold, of wet and dry, which only tended to crown the varied year with the greater variety of productions, all for the good of man, animal, fowl or creeping thing; all the vast creation of animated beings breathed naught but health, and peace and joy. “ Neither sigh nor groan was heard through out the vast expanse; neither were there sorrow, fear, pain, weeping, sickness, nor death; neither contentions, wars, nor bloodshed; but peace crowned the seasons as they rolled forth, and life, joy and love reigned over all God’s works. But oh how changed the scene!” “Voice of Warning”  page 84 Parley P. Pratt

      Of all the earths surface only a small portion remains fairly unchanged. We served a mission in Iowa. The most beautiful of the 50 states equaled only by the surrounding states and matches the early creation except for the weather.

The Garden of Eden was located where Independence, Missouri now is and when Adam and Eve were driven out they moved about 70 miles North to a valley called Adam-an-Diahman meaning the place where Adam dwelt. But other than the surfaces of the central states, all else has been changed until 71% of the earth is now covered with three major oceans and their connecting salt seas such as the vast Mediterranean and Arctic and Antarctic. Another 29% is vast desolate deserts and huge space of wasteful mountains, swamps and rivers and fresh water lakes. It is claimed that only 6% of the earth currently is inhabitable and even some of it is barely so. For one thing the climate becomes so increasingly harsh beyond the 45th meridian North or South of the Equator that one wonders why people live there at all. I’ve experienced cold -40* and it’s anything but pleasant.

Yet there is ample evidence that the Poles once enjoyed semi tropical weather. North of the arctic circle, through Alaska and Siberia, in the past two hundred years more than 30,000 mammoths and other large animals have been found frozen solid and in such perfect preservation that the flesh could be eaten. In fact when I was a young man a Fairbanks restaurant featured mammoth steaks on its menu. Furthermore the contents of their stomachs revealed that they had feasted on plants of a semi tropical nature. Some even had unswallowed plant growth in their mouths. And while the findings of animal life in the Antarctic has not been as prolific. Still they are found along with plant life. Just recently a large tree, still standing erect with leaves on it was fond frozen solid in the ice.

What changed all this? Wickedness! The earth reeled to and fro like a drunken man; the great flood, earthquakes and other natural or unnatural storms of violence were triggered by sin.

The flood, probably, more than any other phenomena would have changed the entire earths surface and then about 200 years after the flood: the Bible simply states; “In the days of Peleg was the earth divided (Gen. 10:25) into its present ocean and continents with some great changes 2000 years later at the death of the Savior which will be covered in our next memo.

Interestingly, our sun now spins on its axis 23 ½ degrees from perpendicular, some what like a kids top as it loses speed. This gives us our polar ice caps and harsh seasons. Could it be when the earth reels to and fro like a drunken man it will again spin upright and dispel the arctics????

To be continued next month! 

D. & C. 90:24 “Search diligently pray always and be believing and all things shall work together for your good, if ye walk uprightly and remember the covenant wherewith ye have covenanted one with another.

I LOVE each one of you!

Grandpa, Dad, brother, friend 

                         Richard Marden Pratt

Memo #46 (Written March 1, 2004)

Memo #46 

March 1, 2004

To: Those I love

From: Grandpa Pratt

Re: The Second Coming (continued)

Those who support the false theories mentioned in last months memo #45 must of necessity attack revelation and any communication coming from God or forsake their theories.

The word of the Lord through his servants the prophets is the only safe guide that man, any man, and all men have it. Or as Lehi taught, “If there is no God we are not, 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 2:14

“But there is a God, and he hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth (yes even billions of earth like unto this) and all things that in them are, both things to act (man) and things to be acted upon.” 2 Nephi 2:14

Literally there were two creations:

1. Spiritual Creation: “Every plant of the field BEFORE it as in the earth, every herb of the field before it grew....and there was not a man to till the ground. Genesis 2:5

2. Temporal (temporary) or mortal creation. When the Father announced, a great

council held in heaven, the creation of an earth on which we might dwell, receive a house or body for our spirit and select an eternal companion and form an eternal family; we, and we were all there, sang and shouted for joy. Job 38:7 Naturally, the mortal body is created after the likeness of the spirit. You, and I mean you who are reading this, look like your spirit, and your spotted dog looks like his spirit. Oh you may be larger or smaller but you’ll still look like you.

The brother of Jared saw the finger of the Lord “and it was as the finger of a man, like unto flesh and blood...and he fell down from fear...  “I feared lest he should smite me for I knew not that the Lord had flesh and blood...the Lord showed himself unto him...Behold, this body, which ye now behold, is the body of my Spirit; and even as I appear unto thee in the spirit will I appear unto my people int eh flesh.” Ether 3:6-17 This happened nearly 2000 years B.C.

The thought comes to me that the two creations might be likened to an automobile. The power of the auto, that which give it life is the motor (which is out of sight as is our spirit) and the body of the car represents our physical body. In fact when the motor won’t run, we say , “the car is dead.”

At this great heavenly council, the Father announced that the “first born” of all spirits, even Jehovah (known to us as Jesus Christ) would be in total command and supervise the creation of a mortal estate and would be the Savior there of. In fact his mortal name is a transliteration of two Greek words Jesus and Christo. Jesus in English means Savior and Christo equals anointed or appointed. Or as Paul often writes, “Christ Jesus” which means literally “the Appointed Savior.” 

At this council, the anointed commander stood in the midst of many souls that were good. YOU WERE THERE! And he said, “These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good...and he said unto those who were with him: 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.” Abraham 3:23-25; Deut. 32:7-8, Acts 17:24-26 (NOTE: there is no end to space to buid nor of materials to build new earths with.) 

Of those who assisted in the creation I think of two who are named. 1. “Abraham, thou are one of them.” there were probably more! Michael, the archangel at the finish of the creation became Adam, the first man and the first flesh or mortal upon the new earth. (Note Arch means first and it follows naturally that as the first man, Adam would also be the first angel for an angel is a resurrected man and Adam would have been the first person resurrected after the Savior and would have been in the group of those resurrected souls recorded in Matthew 27:52 “And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose.” 

“And the Lord God, had created all the children of men; and not yet a man to till the ground; for in heaven created I them; and there was not yet flesh upon the earth, neither in the water neither in the air. Moses 3:5"

“And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden...and out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every there that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food.” Gen. 2:8-9

“Hmmm,,” I wonder where he got the seeds and plants to start vegetation on this earth? Could it be that he brought them from an older planet? And what about the animal life? It simply states that out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air. Gen. 2:19 and man also was formed out of the dust of the ground. Gen 2-7

Now were they formed? Why say the prophets the same way God always forms things which is the simple act of bringing together male and female of the same species. This all seed, all life, was brought from an already stocked and thriving planet.

Preposterous say thou! Not when we consider that puny man has placed men on the moon and is even now planning how to go farther into space. But God controls the space and traverses it far faster than the speed of light (186,000 miles per second) on man’s journey to the moon, peak speed reached about 20,000 miles per hour. Slow, huh? And the scriptures relate at least two accounts fo people being taken from this earth to reside on other earths until the restitution of all things. The people of Enoch before the flood were translated ~ incidentally no one needed to drown in that deluge as all could have been with Enoch. And with his people was a good sized chunk of our present earth with all their homes, fields etc. they will return!

The second people was the city of Salem under King Melchizedek, but only the people were translated, for Abraham offered as a sacrifice on the Salem City site where modern Jerusalem now is. (“Translation” an exciting subject perhaps I’ll write about it when trough with Creation.)

TO BE CONTINUED! 

I loved you!

Grandpa, Dad, uncle, friend (you choose) 

POST it note from typist:

Grandpa has been writing and studying and has memos ready clear up and past December of this year! Stories and ideas are flowing onto paper and you might ask why? I know why. It is his deep and abiding LOVE for the Gospel of Jesus Christ which is centered in family! His love for yo and I is eternal and his knowledge and wisdom are a boon to me personally. I am sure we all benefit form his prayers on our behalf. Those who come to lift his spirits are the ones lifted when they leave. He would ask us to search, ponder and pray and know for ourselves that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is TRUE. We can know just like he does if we apply ourselves.

Memo #45 (Written February 1, 2004)

To: Those I Love

From Grandpa Pratt

Re: The Second Coming: (Foolish World Philosophies)

“We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (The New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.” 10th Article of Faith

In other words the earth will be restored to the condition it was in at the finish of its creation which is likened unto Paradise which is like unto heaven. 

In order, then, to understand the second coming we must go back to the beginning and discover what the earth was like as it issued forth from the womb of creation. In doing so we will be going counter to the teachings and philosophies of the world. Which are diametrically opposed to the revelations of God. These man-made philosophies are freely taught as though true in all our schools and the media from the earliest grades through college. And are so thoroughly implanted in our minds, that if believed in, can weaken or destroy our faith in God who is our only hope. I will mention first a few and their absurdities.

1. Darwins theory of evolution usually taught as fact and it hasn’t a leg to stand on because the science of microbiology, which has only developed since 1950 by the invention of microscopes of a nature and strength to study the single cell which is the building block of all animal and plant life, shows that the single cell is a tiny solar system with a nucleus (sun) in the center and many tiny revolving particles around it even to its own garbage system to rid itself of waste. The cell is so complex say these scientists that it could not evolve. IT HAD TO BE RIGHT AT ITS FIRST INNOVATION. It constitutes in itself a complete organism.

2. Cavemen are the remnants of a highly organized and advanced society as the American Indian shows, whose ancestors built a great civilization including 10,000 miles of superior concrete highways and vast cities of millions and the world has caveman just backwards. Caveman is not man on his way up, he is man on his way down because of the sins of his forbearers.

3. The so called glacial or ice age or ages is much harder to believe than a universal flood the remains of which are found on the highest mountains.

4. But the most absurd is the current lie, Global Warming. And most real scientists ridicule the idea by pointing out that better than 99 percent of the gases which are supposedly contributing to this calamity are emitted naturally from the earth and its plant and animal life. Yet this element in Australia is so concerned about the flatulence (gas) of cattle that they are trying to devise an emissions system to fasten on each end of the cow similar to the emission systems on cars. These believers also ignore the climate records of the past 100 years that show the earth has cooled sightly.

So as I outline the creation as described by the scriptures try not to let these world taught absurdities weaken your belief. Remember: we have learned by sad experience, that it is the nature of most men as soon as they get a little learning as they suppose, and they are presented with the truth and the false, they will choose the false and cast the truth aside and even after the lie is exposed the majority will go on teaching and believing the lie for two or three generations or longer. Peter tells us...”There shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.” 2nd Peter 2:1

Karl Marx, the father of Communism in his manifesto, which is the communist constitution, wrote, “Communism abolishes Eternal truths; it abolishes all religion and all morality.”

And here is another big lie, we are currently taught by the media, “Communism is dead.” well sorry to say it isn’t. They’ve just changed their name. The majority of the worlds people even now are suffering under its bloody rule. Witness from Cuba to China to Russia to many of the nations in Africa and the terrible slaughter going on by guns, starvation and disease under communist rule.

The day before Columbus discovered America his crew threatened mutiny if he didn’t turn back because of the centuries of old teaching that the earth was flat and one could sail to the edge of it and fall off. And this continued to be taught and believed even after Ferdinand Magellan sailed around the earth in 1520-1523.

Now the creation. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” and he did it in six periods of time each of 1,000 years duration. And after each DAY beginning, with the second, he pronounced, “it was good.” and at the end of the sixth day he said, “Behold it is very good.” and Peter tells us, “Be not ignorant of one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years. And a thousand years as one day.” 2nd. Peter 3:8

also from Peter: knowing this first, that their shall come in the LAST DAYS scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: but the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of Judgement and perdition of ungodly men. 2nd. Peter 3:3-7

Then Peter continues on in language that cannot be refuted: “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness. Looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat.” 2nd Peter 3-10-12

TO BE CONTINUED the next several months with a description of the earth from Adam to the present.

It is an exciting time to prepare to meet our Heavenly Father. I love each one of you with all of my heart. Just as I know you pray for me, I pray for each one of you that you will build a relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. 

Love, Grandpa Pratt

Memo #44 (Written January 1, 2004)

To: Those I Love

From: Grandpa Pratt

Re: Heavenly Father’s Work & Glory

Moses stood in the presence of God, and talked with him face to face and God said: “Worlds without number have I created; and also I created them for mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, Which is mine Only Begotten.....and there is no end to my works.....for behold, this is my work and my glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. Moses 1: 32-39

“And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend.” 

Exodus 35:11

“Behold, the Lord God hath showed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth.” Deuteronomy 5:24

Moses is pointing out that righteous men have talked to God face to face and have not perished. And he also declares that the very purpose and goal of God’s existence is to bring to pass eternal joy and happiness for his children. But it has to be done his way, not because he is a dictator but because he is a kind, merciful and loving father who sacrifices his personal desires to elevating all his sons and daughters that will accept his only begotten in the flesh as their Savior. The heavens and the earth and the myriads of twinkling orbs in the evening sky are not there by chance but by choice. They are created and the creation continues onward to make a place for every child of God. Or as the hymn so aptly says:

“If you could hie to Kolob in the twinkling of an eye. And then continue onward with that same speed to fly, 

Do you think that you could ever, thru all eternity, find out the generation where Gods began to be?

Or see the grand beginning, where space did not extend? Or view the last creation, Where Gods and matter end? 

Me thinks the Spirit whispers, No man has found pure space, Nor seen the outside curtains where nothing has a place.

The works of God continue, and worlds and lives abound; Improvement and progression have one eternal round.

There is no end to matter, there is no end to space there is no end to spirit, there is no end to race.”

And I am a child of God and so are you and every other soul who lives on this and the countless other worlds and he has no favorites or putting it another way each of us can be his favorite for the following reasons:

Jesus is his first born and therefore the legal heir to all that our father has and he repeatedly calls him, “My dearly Beloved.” BUT all other sons and daughters who will follow Jesus are also equally loved and HEIR equally with Jesus ALL that the Father has. Isn’t this fantastic?

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that who so ever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

     Now listen to the Saviors own words: “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you, I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:2-3

I marvel that no two people are alike. We each have our traits, gifts, talents etc. and by obedience to Heavenly principles we are each so very unique. Therefore each one is as if they were an only child. And each in his individuality can bless the lives and honor our Heavenly Father as no one else can and that can make each of us a favorite Son or Daughter.

“I am a child of God, and he has sent me here, has given me an earthly home with parents kind and dear.

I am a child of God, and so my needs are great; help me to understand his words before it grows to late.

I am a child of God. Rich blessings are in store; If I but learn to do his will I’ll live with him once more.”

“This earth also all other earths must undergo a variety of changes in their progress toward perfection. A new heaven and a new earth are promised by the prophets. Or in other words, the planetary systems are to be changed, purified, refined, exalted, and glorified in the similitude of the resurrection, by which means all physical evil or imperfection will be done away.

Our mortal body must pass away and be changed so as to be adapted to a wider and more glorious sphere of locomotion, action and enjoyment.

When this planet, as all other planets, on which man dwells has conceived, brought forth, and nourished the number of tabernacles ASSIGNED to it in the beginning, by infinite wisdom it must be acted upon by a process. The purifying elements, such as fire, must needs be employed to bring it thru a refinement, a purification, a change commensurate with that which had before taken place in the mortal bodies of its inhabitants. Thus renovated, it is adapted to Resurrected man.” (Adapted from P. P. Pratts ~ Destiny of the Universe)

This refining process then in which man and planet are purified must follow a set schedule and so it is and because God does nothing without revealing his plans thru his prophets we, his children, have ample warning and instructions as to how and when we can prepare and be ready for each different stage of the purifying process of God’s creations. We can either rejoice because we are prepared or we can weep and wail as the consequences of unpreparedness sweep over us.

In the book of Revelation beginning with chapter 5 John is shown a book, the book has seven sections, each section contains Gods plans for the earth and its inhabitants for 1000 years beginning with the fall of Adam and Eve. This awesome event took place as near as can be figured in 4004 B.C. We are now in the year 2004 A.D. or 6008 years have passed since the beginning of mortal time.

We then have witnessed via history and revelation the finishing of the first six planning periods and are now in the eighth year of the seventh period. Each period of a 1000 years. Is called millennium. This seventh millennium, just starting, is the most exciting and fraught with the most danger of all the others put together. 

Christ is to return to the earth sometime in the early days of this period of time, restore it to its paradisiacal glory and reign personally upon the earth.

But the restoration includes much violence for it has taken much violence to bring the 

earth to its present corrupt stage including Noah’s flood and terrible acts of nature, earthquakes, floods, storms etc. all this must be reversed and then a final cleansing by fire and the earth will be a fit habitation for the Savior and all those who by obedience will heir equally with him. 

How to recognize the signs, which are all around us and be prepared and ready to meet the Savior will be the theme of the next several memos.

“And whoso treasureth up my word, shall not be deceived, for the Son of man shall come.”

Thanks to all of you for your Christmas cards and goodies. I’ve enjoyed them immensely! I’m surrounded by the cute pictures of my posterity.  By the way in December I received a wonderful phone call telling me I have my first great great grandchild! (This would be Carolyn’s first great grandchild!) This makes 127 descendants! With the 128th due in May! It’s wonderful to see my family growing. Thanks for remembering me.

I LOVE YOU,

Grandpa Pratt

PS May you all have joy, love, and peace in this new year! Happy New Year! Dad / Grandpa etc.

Memo #43 (Written December 1, 2003)

To: Those I Love

From: Grandpa Pratt

Re: Christmas

This will be the fourth Christmas since my sweetheart passed into the better world. And my only hope of ever seeing and being with her again is solely based on the fact that 2000 years ago a baby was born, the Son of God and a mortal mother. Because of His mother he was mortal and could die and having the Father of us all as his Father he could raise from the grave, break the bands of death and open the way for all his brothers and sisters to do the same and through their obedience heir with him all that the Father has to give. And through obedience the faithful “are no more servants, but a son (daughter); and if a son (daughter) then an heir of God through Christ.” Galatians 4:7

It is totally impossible for the mortal mind to grasp the grandeur, the power the fame, the riches, the joy that will result to the obedient. And perhaps a loving Father has ruled it so. Thus the great majority, the disobedient, will never realize what they have lost and will find a measure of joy eternally in their resurrection and consignment to a Terrestrial or Telestial Kingdom where though limited and restricted, without family they may continue eternally to enjoy the embers and ashes of what they might of had as co-heirs to Eternal Life.

Jesus was in the beginning. He was the first born of our Heavenly Parents. He was entrusted by them to be the creator of the Heavens and our earth and innumerable other earths and as Lord of Lords and King of Kings to teach the inhabitants thereof the Good news (Gospel) that earth life, brief though it is, still it is a mighty step in our everlasting happiness. “And our whole purpose in life, the very reason for our mortal probation, is to enable us to create for ourselves eternal family units patterned after the family of God Our Father. Those who so obtain will have eternal life, and it is the very glory of God to lead his children to this high state.” Bruce R McConkie

this great event then has been trumpeted from the beginning long before this world was and with this world beginning with Adam and Eve “and thus the Gospel began to be preached from the beginning, being declared by the holy angels sent forth from the presence of God.” Moses 5:58

It is the message of all the old Testament prophets and the very story of the mortal Christ and his apostles and is attested to currently by the living prophet and apostles all crying repent ye, repent ye and receive the Son of God. 

May you all do so and have the merriest of all Christmases.

I love each one of you!  Grandpa Pratt

We choose to finish our Christmas message with excerpts from Grandma’s journal pages  

12 - 13 she suggests that there were 5 younger before her. Noreen then was the baby and the year would have been 1925 Grandma would have been 12 years old so enjoy through her eyes a Christmas even of 78 years ago.

12/2/2015

Sorry I didn't retype the pages here from my Mom's book they are so very good I hope you will dig out your copy or ask someone to send them to you. VERY fun Christmas memories. We wish all of you a MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Love,

Rose