Money

Money is a medium of exchange used to buy goods and services in societies that have not yet evolved to a condition in which they live in harmony with the natural laws that govern the free flow of temporal needs. Societies of people who are pure in heart, perfect, and holy enjoy fellowship with people wherein "all" members of the society, direct their desires and motivations toward the happiness and welfare of one another rather than to self. In fact, there is no need to concern oneself with one's "personal" interest or desires in a society wherein everyone truly loves you as they love themselves. The love you give "freely" to others is multiplied back to you an hundred fold. It is impossible not to have your desires and needs fulfilled when everyone truly loves you as much as you love them. Each member in such societies express their love by using their sacred gifts to help meet one another's needs.

God's higher laws of love cannot be brought into operation by compulsion, such as occurs in socialistic and communistic societies. How then is one admitted into such a society or how does one become an heir to such a blessed state of existence? It is by overcoming the natural man that one possesses. The natural man forever seeks to make self happy and secure, without sufficient though or desire toward others. The natural man tramples upon many sacred and holy laws as it always places "self-interest" over the welfare of others. It never learns this one simple lesson, that "self-interest" is best and most naturally served as one discovers their greatest joy in using their unique gifts and talents to serve the interest, welfare, and happiness of others.

For example, in the true laws that govern temporal welfare it is not given that one man should ever possess that which is above another. The natural resources of the earth are here for all men and are a gift of the earth for man, but not to used by extortion or to excess. Each man is only to take from the earth sufficient for his needs. No man is to collect more than is sufficient and to usurp and then extort money from others so that they can then enjoy what is already a gift of mother earth to them. All men who do such things are filthy and evil. They are the pimps, prostitutes, whores, and false rulers of the earth.

Therefore, that which cometh of the earth is ordained for the use of man, for food, for raiment, for shelter, that all man might have in abundance and always sufficient for their needs. It is sinful and an abomination against all that is sacred and holy when one man seeks to place himself between the gifts of the earth and those to whom the gifts rightfully belong. All such greedy and evil men will be cast down to hell as abominations to all that is sacred and holy, for it is an abomination to desire more than is sufficient for one's own needs, unless the desire to possess more is strictly motivated out of a desire to take all excess and distribute it to the poor, the widow, the fatherless, and the needy. There is no place or admittance into the heavenly family or society for those who do not overcome the natural man that seeks his own welfare above others, or to those who "trust" in accumulating riches more than they trust in the higher laws of love.

How does one put off the natural man to become worthy to overcome a society that employs only "me-centered economics" wherein everyone tends to grub away their lives in the continual pursuit of "self-interest?" And how is that same person made worthy to become an heir of a society that lives in complete harmony with the natural laws of abundance?

All men once enjoyed life in a heavenly society, but they lived in innocence for they knew no evil. They did not know of men who are abominations to all that is good and right and holy. Therefore, in order for innocent members of a holy society to know the difference between these two opposites, it was necessary that they leave their heavenly home to learn for themselves the difference between that which is good, sacred, and holy, and that which is evil, corrupt, and abominable. They would go to earth where they would have the choice to learn to live according to the "higher laws" of heaven or where they could also choose to live according to the laws of unrighteousness and misery. For the one, they would learn by faith, how to become sanctified and holy, or in other words, filled with pure love, virtue, and a fullness of knowledge. And through the operation of that love, virtue, and pure knowledge, they would obtain an "unchanging scepter of righteousness," just as the scepter of righteousness which their Heavenly Father possesses and which governs his characteristics, attributes, and perfections. Once a person obtains this scepter, they then are qualified to receive a dominion that flows to them forever and ever without compulsory means. Through perfect love, unceasing virtue, and the receipt of God's pure knowledge (pure doctrines of the priesthood) such a person qualifies as an heir to the heavenly family.

The opposition to all that is sacred, pure, and holy encountered by innocents spirits who come to this earth is for a singular purpose. For ever perfect truth, there is its corrupted and abominable opposite. In order to obtain an unchanging scepter of righteousness, one must not only become filled with perfect love and virtue, but must also possess a fullness of knowledge. Without the knowledge of how hell operates, or in other words a perfect knowledge of the laws which oppose truth, one is not prepared sufficiently to become a permanent member of a heavenly society. We must come to understand every truth, as well as its opposite, if we will be enabled to walk the razor's edge of truth and righteousness for eternity, or in other words, if we will possess an unchanging scepter of righteousness.

There is only one who can redeem us from the fallen state in which we now exist and who is capable of enabling us with all the love, virtue, and knowledge which we must ultimately possess in order that we may become redeemed from our fallen state. His name is Jesus Christ. His light exists in the hearts of all men when they are born into existence upon this earth. As a man walks in truth according to that light, the light grows brighter and brighter, until at last that man possesses sufficient love, virtue, and knowledge that he meets the Christ whilst still in the flesh and sees his face and knows that he is.

Christ is the author of such a persons faith by supplying him with the initial light, and Christ authors greater and greater faith within that person as he comes to fully place his faith and trust in Christ. After a person obtains sufficient light to enter Christ's presence, then Christ commences a finishing process where he further enables this person until he becomes sanctified, holy, and washed clean of all the sins and corruption of this world. After a process of time, Christ then introduces such a person directly to the Father of all spirits and that person is chosen and accepted into the Eternal Family of God. This entire process is to occur during a person's lifetime upon this earth, and has been called the "Path of Redemption" by every saint in every dispensation who has successfully walked this path.

Summary
We come to this earth where we are subjected to people who live both the higher laws that govern a heavenly society and to people who do not place their "trust" in these higher laws, but cling to false and foolish traditions and precepts of man. We ourselves are subjected to concerns for our personal welfare and happiness, causing us to have to choose between "trusting" in the laws of hell, or the laws of heaven. Hell promotes fear in man, causing us to worry about what will become of us if we do not have money. Heaven promotes a trust in the laws which govern that natural flow of temporal blessings. Heaven provides a perfect example -- even Jesus Christ -- who issues an invitation to each of us.

His invitation is this: Come Follow Me! He is our perfect example; he is our perfect mentor, master, and guide. He has mastered the laws of pure love and virtue and has obtained the pure knowledge required to lay hold upon his unchanging scepter of righteousness. His dominion is already flowing to him forever and ever without compulsory means. If we will but forsake all sin, come unto him with a pure and real desire to be led by him, and we call upon him to receive the guidance we need to day, and if we keep his commandments and obey his voice each and every day, then we shall put off the natural man one day at a time and we will become perfected in Him -- attribute for divine attribute.

When we have proven sufficiently that we will not depart from this path, he will accept us into his presence and will succor and comfort us personally as we become fully clean without spot and are prepared by him to meet the Father. He then introduces us to the Father and our faith in God passes to a sure knowledge as we behold his face and know that he is. We are then chosen and anointed as heirs to his Eternal Heavenly Family, wherein we will enjoy a perfect and holy society forever.

If our life's mission is not complete, after meeting the Father we will then be given a mission to fulfill to help others on earth become redeemed and also chosen as members of the heavenly society. It is the right of every child of God to come to know and live according the each and every law that governs heaven as they live upon this earth. It is the right for them to also exist as pure and holy societies. Becoming chosen to live in such a society is a "self-selection" process wherein each person can receive all the light, knowledge, and truth they need, in order to live by these higher laws, just as fast as they are willing to receive that light. To the extent any man resists the enticings of the Holy Spirit to embrace this light fully, they are not forced to do so, nor do they enjoy the attendant blessings that are achieved only through laying hold upon pure love, virtue, and perfect knowledge.

Members of lower societies that exist upon this earth, extort from the earth and usurp or take that which is not theirs. They do not share of the earth's bounty "freely" as the natural laws of abundance demand. Rather, they are filled with greed and lust, and they trust in storing up riches rather than abiding by the perfect laws that govern their own infinite security, welfare, and happiness. Money is a non-essential in societies of sanctified and holy people because all members of higher societies spend their labor only to serve the happiness of the society. They consecrate all that they have and are to serving the happiness of one another. They never consider the lower laws of "fair exchange" of energy, because energy flows freely and infinitely to all who live by higher laws, thus they give their all to others always by their very nature. They never worry about laying up in store for tomorrow, but like the ancient children of Israel who received manna daily for 40 years, they too always receive sufficient for their needs.

Prophets

From my perspective as a teacher of dietary lifestyle, I know the following: I cannot help anyone to receive all the help they need to make necessary dietary transitions in their own lives. I can teach the principles, I can provide helpful principle-based recipes, I can answer questions, and I can discern issues quite readily. However, I do not live in anyone's skin but my own skin 24/7 and unfortunately I cannot be at the crossroads when others really need the help in the moment. Therefore, about two years ago I came to fully realize the critical importance of teaching others to enable the Savior as their personal coach in these matters. Those who have learned how to do so, have learned that he can help you far better than I can to actually enable the principles, the recipes, the ideas, and so forth that I diligently seek to share. In a flash of intelligence, he can help you when you aren't even sure what to fix as you browse your refrigerator or pantry. He enables you to be taught more perfectly than anyone else could ever teach you, and he is available as your private mentor for no charge whatsoever.

Well, a prophet faces a similar dilemma to the one I experienced teaching diet. We have a bit of a mistaken or incomplete notion of the purpose of a prophet. He can provide timely guidance and counsel, but if you had only a few words to describe his true mission statement, it would be the following, "To Teach Others How to Be Prophets." Start a topic and figure out why this is the primary role of a prophet and why it is critical that you not only live daily with the Spirit of Prophecy and Revelation, but that salvation isn't possible to anyone who does not become a prophet.

Just as the pathway to a successful dietary lifestyle is very customized, so too is the path of salvation. General Authorites are like a really good general nutritionist. They teach how to receive and live by revelation, but they certainly cannot receive for you what the Lord's will is for you today. We must go beyond a prophet's general and wise counsel directly to the Lord if we are to be taught more perfectly what has been given to us generally. God alone is available 24/7 and requires that we come to Him for instruction and timely help. We are not to wait upon the Prophet, any more than we would wait upon the Road to Damascus for a visit from an angel. Rather, we are to seek the Lord's Spirit and to heed it daily. All revelation, including that which we receive from Prophets fulfill one central role in our lives, to provide the added understanding that we need today, which enables us to walk in obedience to greater light and knowledge today.

As our lives so move forward daily, we only are grateful for the light that comes that enables further ascension and we care not from whence it comes, be it a ministering angel, from God's own voice, or from the silent whisperings of the spirit. Each provides specific light we must come to terms with if that light is to have any saving power in our lives. Ultimately, only the spirit of prophecy and revelation that operates within us daily through faith, repentance and a continual remission of our sins, and obedience and submission to greater light, enables us with greater faith and knowledge. If we hold back regarding any light we receive, our faith grows dormant in that thing and it does us no good, whether we receive it from the quiet and insubstantial whisperings of the spirit, or as the dews from heaven, or from an angel, or from God's own voice. None of this adds to our faith or knowledge unless we act upon the light given. Therein we render the veil to a degree and the Lord's power and influence then operates more fully in our physical worlds.

A Prophet's primary role is to instruct us sufficiently in repentance, faith, action, and obedience that the spirit of prophecy and revelation comes to flow to us daily and we become independent in our relationship with God, the only one who can take us beyond the "general" to the customized path we must walk.

When I awoke this morning I was impressed thoroughly that we must become entirely confident and capable of receiving all the light and knowledge we need from the Lord. There is no other way. It's the only way. I'm sure President Monson would say as did Moses, "I would that all my people were prophets."

Sunshine, Rain, and Love

As I rode horses with a special friend one day I asked him if he had ever become angry in his lifetime, for I had never seen him remotely angry, not ever. He paused thoughtfully, and eventually replied, "No, I don't believe so." When I asked how this was possible he replied, "My mother taught me very early in life that the way I choose to see the events that unfold in my life determines how and what I think; and my feelings then become the offspring of my thoughts; and my actions and all that I do and am are the byproducts of how I choose to see, think, and feel." He said, "Mom taught me how to always seek to see, think, feel, and act as my Father in Heaven would act if he were walking in my shoes." He said, "Many times a day we are enticed by stimuli, and if we pause sufficient to seek the Father's face, we quickly see the stimuli as he does; then our thoughts, feelings, and actions become as if he were walking in our shoes."

In the Sermon on the Mount the Savior taught that we become our Father in Heaven's children as we love the way God loves. It is easy to love those who love us and even the wicked love those who love them. However, to qualify ourselves as Eternal Heirs to the Father, we must come to love as he loves. God sheds forth the sun and the rain upon everyone, not just those who do right. Are the sun and the rain spoken of by the Savior also a shadow and type to teach us how to love as our Father loves? If so, what can we learn from the sun and from the rain?

The Sun as a Type
As I consider the farm upbringing I enjoyed I am grateful to the Lord for providing the sunshine that worked to energize the plants and to supply the energy required to fuel the 1000s of chemical reactions that enable the growth and health of the plant. The sun's rays provide energy within the plants to sustain the very life of the plant. As I consider the sunshine, I think of infinite rays of energy that energize and sustain life. The sun shines continuously whether the skies are overcast and no matter whether it is day or night. The sun is ever constant and infinite in its shedding forth its infinite light and warmth.

The Rain as a Type
The winter snows and the summer rains enabled sufficient water to flow down our river, and from our river into our ditches, which carry life-preserving water to our crops. Mother Earth provides the vitamins, minerals, proteins, and so forth that are carried into the plants through the medium of water. Without proper nourishment that is carried by water, the plant cannot survive or thrive. Water can also help to transform the drooping, wilting, and dying plant into a robust, full, and resplendent plant.

Liken Unto Us
Let's now consider the Sun and the Rain in context with the very purpose of life, or in other words to be made perfect as our Father in Heaven is perfect. The higher law was given to help us be made perfect and to be able to enter into the presence of the Lord. As we come to love God with all our heart, might, mind, and strength and as we come to love our neighbor's as ourselves we are made perfect.

Recently I learned that when my heart shines for love to another, that person is enabled with sufficient trust to share their burdens and their sorrows in a manner that they could otherwise not do. Most of the time we tend to keep our problems to ourselves because the world has taught us it does not want to know about our problems. However, we are not meant to carry our burdens alone; therefore, when someone truly allows their light to shine upon us, we readily share our innermost self with them. Therefore, to come to love others as we ourselves want to be loved, we must first shine forth as the sun with warmth and love. As we do so, only then are the secrets of the heart and mind revealed to us.

I recall a moment when a neighbor "trusted" me because I chose to love them. As she unburdened her heart, I was touched deeply. I had thought her to be just a cranky person and had no idea regarding the terrible burdens that she had locked away tight within her. She had actually done harm to my wife and my initial intent was to set her in her place. However, I succumbed to heavenly enticements and expressed my families great desire to be neighbors whom she knew loved her.

In the moments that followed she shared sorrows and burdens that were weighing upon her. They were so terrible that my heart swelled in size that day. I truly felt her burdens and my eyes began to form tears that formed into the shape of rain drops. As they fell to the ground new understanding flooded into my mind and heart and like the rain's water, I quite suddenly new what my wife and I could do to lift the burden of a new sister. We knew how to nourish a soul that needed lifting and in the years that followed we did what some said could not be done. We came to cherish this sister and her family and beheld the transformation that occurred as our tears of understanding transformed to graceful nourishment.

Conclusion
As the sun shines continually in the heavens and casts forth its infinite and loving rays, it strengthens all that it touches, and it continues to do so for as long as we live; so too must our hearts and our countenances shine forth with infinite and loving light to our neighbor, regardless of the circumstances or the clouds that may exist or whether it is day or night in their lives.

As the rain falls upon the earth and carries the nutrients into the plants and causes plants to become robust, full, and resplendent, we must come to know our neighbor's burdens and sorrows, to the extent that our hearts swell to overflowing and our eyes brim with water and pour forth tears -- as drops of rain. Only as the understanding of these burdens swells within us do we come to know how to nourish and love the wilted and drooping soul, that we may thereby strengthen our neighbor perfectly in her need.

As I see and feel the sun on a bright and sunny day, it reminds me that my light, love, and warmth is to shine forth both continually and infinitely, even to those who may dislike or hate me, or who may persecute, rob, lie, or abuse me in myriad ways. As the sun remains constant in the skies and as it shines forth its infinite warm and strength, so too must my heart shed forth my Savior's love upon all within my reach.

As I watch the rain and the snows fall, they remind me that until I truly come to know my neighbor's, then I cannot possibly come to love them as I would love myself. And, that only as I come to know their burdens and their sorrows will my eyes brim and overflow with tears that bring forth perfect understanding, so that I may know how to love my neighbor gracefully and as tenderly as water that enters and nourishes a plant.

As we come to see, think, feel, and act as the Savior towards our neighbor, both enemy and friend, we qualify to become eternal heirs of our Father. As we choose to love a neighbor whom we dislike, or who has abused or taken advantage of us, and as we choose to shine forth our warmth upon them and pray for the Lord's choicest blessings to be upon them anyway, amazingly, the doors to their hearts and the windows to their minds will open unto us insomuch that we can come to know their burdens, sorrows, and thoughts and by so knowing and feeling we can commence to lift their burdens and strengthen them, as gracefully as the rain's water causes a wilted plant to become resplendent and the entire plant to become nourished.

I'm Available Lord

My brother worked in a U.S. Embassy in Pakistan for several years at the time of the first Gulf war. At this time, there were no Pakistani church members in the country and he and his family began to fast weekly and pray daily that the Gospel could somehow be introduced to the nation of Pakistan. It was against the law to proselyte and he did not know what to do, except to "fast and pray."

After several weeks of daily prayer and weekly fasts, he received a phone call one day from a Pakistani man who had joined the church while visiting America. He had just returned home and called my brother to ask if he was a member of the church. He asked Bob, "When are we going to start the work in Pakistan?" They met and my brother's new Pakistani friend agreed to bring people to my brother's home if Bob would teach them the gospel.

Soon several Pakistanis came to my brother's home to be taught and were subsequently baptized members of the church. Elder Nelson and Elder Maxwell then came to officially open the country of Pakistan to missionary work. Bob baptized, and trained the first full-time, native, Pakistani missionaries who were called to serve in other countries. After returning to Pakistan following their missions, He set one apart as the first "Pakistani" Elder's Quorum President and the other as the first Pakistani Branch President. During his five years in Pakistan, Bob's family participated in helping to lay the groundwork so that the gospel could take root in that nation.

Bob gained a simple but important testimony that the Lord has job openings in his vineyard and that as we make ourselves available to him, he invites us to pick up the cross and to follow Him. When Jesus called his ancient apostles, they straightway left their nets and followed Him.

This article is not about missionary work per se, but is about becoming a servant of the Master. Qualification in his service begins by fasting, praying, and asking the Father what you can do today to help someone. There are opportunities all around us to lift and help others.

Recently two people came to my door who suffered from serious physical ailments. Their physical suffering was caused by unusual stress. They asked me how to overcome the real stresses that plagued them. I asked them what they thought was the opposite of stress and they replied, "Peace and Love." I then asked what they could do to be filled with peace and love. They replied that as you lift another's burdens a spirit of love and peace fills your own heart.

I then shared my brothers feelings concerning "availability" and invited them to pray and ask the Lord daily who they could help. They became excited as they considered the peace and love that might come into their lives through earnestly and purposely seeking to help others.

I too was inspired by the conversation and commenced that day to do likewise. I quickly learned that the moment we make ourselves available, the Lord has "open positions" for "all" who are under-employed and who desire to work in His service. Similar to my brother's experience, it has not taken long for the Lord to provide ample opportunities to serve Him. The sweet joy, peace, and love I have experienced from yielding to the enticings of the Holy Spirit in these matters, surpasses my greatest expectations.

I do not know what the Lord will ask of you or me today, but this much I know, if we will ask who we may help today with real intent, the Lord will call to us gently and lovingly and encouragingly to pick up the cross and to follow Him today. And, as we lift one another's burdens our souls are filled with light, truth, and love and peace. If we would become sanctified and if we would see the Lord's face and become His, we must only pray daily to know the Lord's will for us today and then when he calls, we are to leave our nets and straightway follow Him.