One Generation Away from Extinction
Between today's Sunday School Lesson and this month's Relief Society lesson, I'm starting to put something together-an overview that I hadn't been able to define before now.
Point one:
We have been told by Latter-day Prophets that the Book of Mormon is written specifically for our time. It spans a long length of time where many generations pass away. One generation holding firm and fast to the gospel principles and another who has chosen to no longer believe.
Point two:
In the Relief Society lesson this month Pres. Julie Beck says: "Without nurturing, our rising generation could be in danger of becoming like the one described in Mosiah 26. Many youth didn't believe the traditions of their fathers and became a separate people as to their faith, remaining so ever after. Our rising generation could likewise be led away if they don't understand their part in Heavenly Father's plan."
Point three:
Hosea speaks of the same issue in his day: "For she (Israel) did not know that I (Jehovah) gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal." Why wouldn't the children know? Nobody taught them... and taught them... and taught them again and then had them teach the concepts.
What really tied this all together for me was listening to a talk given by Jeffrey R Holland one morning this week: "…a simple reminder that this Church is always only one generation away from extinction. That does not change, however many decades old we are now. It was true in 1840, it was true in 1891, and is true in 1981. We are always just one generation away from extinction. All we would have to do, I assume, to destroy this work is stop teaching our children for one generation. Just everybody stop, close the books, seal up your heart, keep your mouth shut, and don't bear a testimony. In one generation it would be 1820 all over again." ~Jeffry R. Holland, Campus Education Week; 25 Aug. 1981
Interesting. We (humankind) will serve, do, give, sacrifice, for whatever/whoever we feel so strongly moved to serve. We are willing to take all of that commitment/servitude and transfer it to false gods, rather than the only true and living God.
I have listened to people from other cultures talk about how their religion goes back before religion was recorded and that Christianity came after all of them-as it were the 'new kid on the block'. I have listened to professors repeat from textbooks about how religion came after man was invented (created), therefore religion is invented/created by mankind as a way to explain (or explain away) natural and what feels like unnatural phenomenon.
In my mind there are too many writings from too many cultures that are 'found' that indicate that mankind existed in heaven with theocracy running the show, that I can't accept religion as the invention of a frenzied mind. God lives. A truth is a truth whether you believe it or not. You cannot lie truth away. We existed in Heaven before this earth was formed. Theocracy was the governing body.
Some, to disprove this ask, "Where is God when we watch someone suffer and or die in unrighteousness when someone uses unrighteous dominion?" The victim is His child too. He is right there. What a hard line for we as mortal/imperfect parents to draw. To love both children even though we see one exercising unrighteous dominion over another of our children. We don't love either less or more, we just hurt. I think Father hurts too.
Point one:
We have been told by Latter-day Prophets that the Book of Mormon is written specifically for our time. It spans a long length of time where many generations pass away. One generation holding firm and fast to the gospel principles and another who has chosen to no longer believe.
Point two:
In the Relief Society lesson this month Pres. Julie Beck says: "Without nurturing, our rising generation could be in danger of becoming like the one described in Mosiah 26. Many youth didn't believe the traditions of their fathers and became a separate people as to their faith, remaining so ever after. Our rising generation could likewise be led away if they don't understand their part in Heavenly Father's plan."
Point three:
Hosea speaks of the same issue in his day: "For she (Israel) did not know that I (Jehovah) gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal." Why wouldn't the children know? Nobody taught them... and taught them... and taught them again and then had them teach the concepts.
What really tied this all together for me was listening to a talk given by Jeffrey R Holland one morning this week: "…a simple reminder that this Church is always only one generation away from extinction. That does not change, however many decades old we are now. It was true in 1840, it was true in 1891, and is true in 1981. We are always just one generation away from extinction. All we would have to do, I assume, to destroy this work is stop teaching our children for one generation. Just everybody stop, close the books, seal up your heart, keep your mouth shut, and don't bear a testimony. In one generation it would be 1820 all over again." ~Jeffry R. Holland, Campus Education Week; 25 Aug. 1981
Interesting. We (humankind) will serve, do, give, sacrifice, for whatever/whoever we feel so strongly moved to serve. We are willing to take all of that commitment/servitude and transfer it to false gods, rather than the only true and living God.
I have listened to people from other cultures talk about how their religion goes back before religion was recorded and that Christianity came after all of them-as it were the 'new kid on the block'. I have listened to professors repeat from textbooks about how religion came after man was invented (created), therefore religion is invented/created by mankind as a way to explain (or explain away) natural and what feels like unnatural phenomenon.
In my mind there are too many writings from too many cultures that are 'found' that indicate that mankind existed in heaven with theocracy running the show, that I can't accept religion as the invention of a frenzied mind. God lives. A truth is a truth whether you believe it or not. You cannot lie truth away. We existed in Heaven before this earth was formed. Theocracy was the governing body.
Some, to disprove this ask, "Where is God when we watch someone suffer and or die in unrighteousness when someone uses unrighteous dominion?" The victim is His child too. He is right there. What a hard line for we as mortal/imperfect parents to draw. To love both children even though we see one exercising unrighteous dominion over another of our children. We don't love either less or more, we just hurt. I think Father hurts too.
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