Patrick Kearon

Thursday, 12/14/23  Hello Brandon, I sent you an email yesterday. I hope you are well. I leave a blank _____ when I hope you will answer a question. @ Elder Patrick Kearon is our new apostle. In April general conference ‘22 E. JRHolland teased him in his talk!  In front of everybody! Elder Kearon teased him right back as he began, he was the next speaker. What an interesting way for us to get to know him a little better!  Here are their two teases: 

1-This cri de coeur comes from my eight-year-old friend Marin Arnold, written when she was seven. I will translate for you her early reformed Egyptian:

Dear Bishop

generle confrins

was Boring why

Do we half to

Do it? tell me why

Sinserlie, Marin

Well, Marin, the talk I am about to give will undoubtedly disappoint you again. But when you write your bishop to complain, it is important that you tell him my name is “Kearon. Elder Patrick Kearon.”

2-Marin, I’m Elder Holland, and things are about to go downhill.

They both lied Brandon!  So cute. So funny.

Dec. 23, 2023 Hello Brandon, Today is JS’s bday. Happy Birthday Joseph! And you, JS must have been phenomenal in the premortal existence.  @ Sandra’85 started a dialog about a family Christmas gathering to play games. It happened last night. We all brought food, potluck without any coordination and it was spectacular! Karen’87 & Louis‘80 both offered to host it. They have nice big roomy houses and swimming pool or tramp and zip line in back yards.  When I saw Louis offer I was pleased because he has a gas stove that gives off tons of BTUs/heat and I can get two pans of oil cooking french fries to keep up with 20-30 people. Well, Louis’ house was where we ended up and I made french fries for over an hour! @ The bishop and the youth brought me a hickory smoked ham with honey glaze on Wednesday night and they caroled: Rudolf, and Silent Night.

I was emotionally fragile afterwards with inadequacy. But it wore off by the next morning. @ Pineapples were on sale for $1 at Smiths and I got 5. So did Robert n Amber so they didn’t want one last night. I gave one to Karen and four to Sandra. @ Clementines were on sale (digital download) 3lbs/$2. Louis and Sandra were the happy recipients of those. @ I also had artisan rolls from the freezer from Thanksgiving that I thawed and Karen ended up with those. @ I checked out 5 books from a Saint George editor and writer/author named Lyman Hafen. He spoke in the first dedicatory session and I decided I needed to get to know him better. Yesterday I read the one called: “A Snowball's Chance” with my old media coordinator from PVMS, Ester West, as the illustrator. I took it with the hope that I would be able to share it with all the grandkids. 4,4,2,2 (I guess we had 21 people at his house last night. @ I also took two boxes of Quirkle that I  bought in ‘17 because we needed more tiles if we wanted everyone to be able to play. I don’t think we have played it since then. So I had high hopes, as you can see. I did not get to do those last two, but BnS have invited me over for Monday and perhaps I can use them then.  @ Sandra & Bonnie both asked for Christmas ideas for me. So they both paid for some prescription rainbow computer glasses. $20/each. I ordered them on Thanksgiving from Zenni and they arrived. I love useful presents!  These glasses have held up really well so I wanted a pair for at home and the FSC.

     Louis has been out of work for a year and been living on savings. He put tons of money away. Everytime we can get Louis & Bonnie involved in a family activity it is a blessing. @ I heard Louis saying how he rises to take care of family crises, but crashes when things are level/smooth/normal. His wife Bonnie is the opposite. She shuts down in times of crisis. Ever since Lincoln was born they have been in a family crisis, almost. I think I mentioned that Lincoln’s’11 meds cost over $1k/month. Louis makes the meals and takes care of the meds etc. @ I think Bonnie told me that she has had about ten surgeries in the last 18 months. Pins in two broken ankles, appendicitis, broken jaw and lost teeth from being knocked down and stepped on by her horse, tooth abscess this last month, etc. etc.. @ As you probably recognize. . . this is the family I try to keep in touch with by reading with Lincoln every school day.  @ So when I heard him explaining how each person is different in how they handle difficult times, I was interested and pleased. Owning our abilities and disabilities is so key! 

     Amber is 30 weeks pregnant and Robert was exhausted from work. Nevertheless, Robert rose to the challenge of putting kids shoes and jackets on and taking them out back to play. Lydia loved the tramp. Oliver pushed a 3ft car around the backyard in bliss.

     Karen subbed for Jen Shaw (baby Shaw)at Tonaquint Intermediate school. Lisa Shaw (mommy Shaw) asked her to say hi to me.  Brooklyn Brock had Jen Shaw last year for honors English and Hailey Brock has her this year. Karen said that the honors classes are a dream to teach but the leftovers/regular classes are awful/difficult/rambunctious. She couldn’t figure out how some unrestrained students ended up coming back to Jen’s class a second time?  I absolutely disagree with offering honors classes in the 6th grade. I believe that every class benefits from having bright students in it. And when the hormones are taking control. . . every ounce of brain power/role modeling and good behavior is needed!  Preadolescence! Karen says she is getting along with Brooklyn just fine but it is driving Larry nuts/crazy.  Sunday, Dec. 24, 2023 Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Glorious Sabbath Brandon! We had the best Christmas program you could ever imagine. Have you ever plucked a string on a Bass? (Big brother to a cello.) We had a Silent Night solo (Mathew Walker) on it as well as later sung by the congregation. We had a flute duet by Lydia Larsen and Amy Adams (YW) and a number of organ & piano accompaniments and lastly A Flute counterpoint/harmony on the last 3 hymns by Andra Garrett. I had bassesTed Fifield’39(84) & Jim Cox’42(81) on each side of me’55 so I can guide them to the right notes. So fun!  We had 4 speakers between the musical numbers: EQpres. Josh Borgerson, RSpres. Kathy Averett, 1st couns. Derek Larson, & Bishop Karl Torgerson.  It was so glorious Brandon!  What a blessing to be part of this ward. Plus I got to participate, and I love that. What is your favorite scripture about Jesus? That was their topic.  That would be a tough call for you and me wouldn’t it? _____ @ I came home exhausted. I don’t know why. Maybe it was all the Christmas treats I ate last night. Lloyd Simpson brought me a quart of homemade candies and cookies and I studied and listened to the CFMe Christmas lesson and ate them one by one. Way, way too much sugar! But man was it fun and good. I did feel a bit sick afterwards. @ Our meetings have been at 9am. We make sure we are there to put out the chairs at 8:30 because we are the first ward. Today I was the first one to put out chairs and I did it my way! I lined up the first row on the basketball line! And I got 5 or 6 rows done so by that time no one was willing to move them back to the regular place. Ha! My Bishop sent out this message at 7 am this morning:” 

Bloomington Hills 2nd Ward

Brothers and sister Happy Christmas Eve! 

I know myself well to know that tomorrow on Christmas morning I will wake up and spend all my time with my kids and not think about sending off a Christmas message; so I'm going to do so now:)

I read a quote that I would like to share with you all by Elder J. Thomas Fyans:

"When the angel announced the birth of the Savior to the shepherds, these men "came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger."...

The good news of the gospel throughout the ages has been accompanied with a rapid pace and a sense of urgency.  The Prophet Joseph Smith exhibited this haste as well as have all modern-day prophets. ...

Where do the streams of our thoughts flow? Are we reading the scriptures? Are we listening to the counsel of our present-day prophet? Are we catching the vision of really living the gospel? Are we feeling the sense of urgency--an urgency to repent, to share the gospel, to prepare for the second coming of the Savior, to obey all God's commandments?"

Brothers and sisters, as we visit today in sacrament meeting and celebrate the life of our Savior today and tomorrow please consider how we can all, individually, hasten the work of the Savior and come unto him.

I love all of you! Merry Christmas brothers and sisters!

Love, 

Bishop Torgerson

Brandon, I don’t share these things to make you feel left out. I share them to remind you and help you feel included.

     As you probably know. . . I hate red tape. Is buying presents red tape? To me it is. :( But I have figured out a way to buy everyone presents, all 32 of us, and never go to the store. I like to put it off until all regular Christmas shopping is done. Last night I did it. Amazon gift cards! Karen didn’t notice her one from last year until August or September. Louis never noticed his, so I had to resend it this month! ha! I texted them last night so they would have an extra reminder and they responded in delightful ways: Saturday · 10:11 PM 

I sent out my Amazon Christmas 🎁 gift cards tonight. Don't miss them like Karen n Louis did last year. . . although Christmas in Oct or November might be fun for variety. Ha V

😂

Sandra Morgan

Thank you for the heads up! 

Louis Jensen

Redeemed it tonight so I don't forget. Lol. Early Christmas 

Karen Brock

Oh wonderful! Thank you Dad!! Merry Christmas! 🎄

 So Brandon, once again, sharing this with you makes me smile. I love efficiency! Can you get any more efficient than that?

     There is the sweetest picture/painting of a baby for the Christmas lesson in the CFM manual. 

I wrote the following on the highlight I made last night:I felt the condescension of God as I imagined what JC felt as that tiny newborn in Mary's arms last Friday during the video in prayer meeting./For some reason it was a brand new experience for me. Tyhf! [Brandon, you and I were born and cared for. So was Jesus. A God, grew up as a child on this earth. Doesn’t that make him much more relatable? He experienced what you and I experienced. Wow.] 

December 18–24. Christmas: “Good Tidings of Great Joy”

Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: New Testament 2023

Why does the birth of a baby bring such great joy? Perhaps because a new baby can be a symbol of hope. There’s something about a brand-new life full of possibilities that invites us to ponder what life might hold for that child and what wonderful things he or she will accomplish. Never has this been truer than at the birth of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Never has there been more hope placed in a child, and never has there been one born with so much promise.

     ok, on to lesser things. I qualified my third current account as a REVIEWER this week by getting 1k Italian death certificates indexed. Since this account will have Louis’ membership number associated with it. . . I should be able to get an accurate measurement of time for how long it takes to get temple work done by someone on a record I have indexed. I imagine it will take at least a year. We will see. 

     Next week will be another week here at home because the FSC is closed. GBY-bltpjs- your friend Vern

 

What verses did Moroni quote 4 times?

I listened to 2N21 over and over again this week because I wanted to know: What in the world was so important from it that Moroni would quote it to JS 4 times in one night! When JS was only 17 years old! There were some other scriptures Moroni quoted as well:

Moroni appears to Joseph Smith—Joseph’s name is to be known for good and evil among all nations—Moroni tells him of the Book of Mormon and of the coming judgments of the Lord and quotes many scriptures—The hiding place of the gold plates is revealed—Moroni continues to instruct the Prophet. (Verses 27–54.)

27 I continued to pursue my common vocations in life until the twenty-first of September, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-three, all the time suffering severe persecution at the hands of all classes of men, both religious and irreligious, because I continued to aaffirm that I had seen a vision.

28 During the space of time which intervened between the time I had the vision and the year eighteen hundred and twenty-three—having been forbidden to join any of the religious sects of the day, and being of very tender years, and persecuted by those who ought to have been my afriends and to have treated me kindly, and if they supposed me to be deluded to have endeavored in a proper and affectionate manner to have reclaimed me—I was left to all kinds of btemptations; and, mingling with all kinds of society, I frequently fell into many foolish cerrors, and displayed the weakness of youth, and the foibles of human nature; which, I am sorry to say, led me into divers temptations, offensive in the sight of God. In making this confession, no one need suppose me guilty of any great or malignant sins. A disposition to commit such was never in my nature. But I was guilty of dlevity, and sometimes associated with jovial company, etc., not consistent with that character which ought to be maintained by one who was ecalled of God as I had been. But this will not seem very strange to any one who recollects my youth, and is acquainted with my native fcheery temperament.

29 In consequence of these things, I often felt condemned for my weakness and imperfections; when, on the evening of the above-mentioned twenty-first of September, after I had retired to my bed for the night, I betook myself to aprayer and supplication to Almighty God for forgiveness of all my sins and follies, and also for a manifestation to me, that I might know of my state and standing before him; for I had full bconfidence in obtaining a divine manifestation, as I previously had one.

30 While I was thus in the act of calling upon God, I discovered a alight appearing in my room, which continued to increase until the room was lighter than at noonday, when immediately a bpersonage appeared at my bedside, standing in the air, for his feet did not touch the floor.

31 He had on a loose robe of most exquisite awhiteness. It was a whiteness beyond anything earthly I had ever seen; nor do I believe that any earthly thing could be made to appear so exceedingly white and brilliant. His hands were naked, and his arms also, a little above the wrist; so, also, were his feet naked, as were his legs, a little above the ankles. His head and neck were also bare. I could discover that he had no other clothing on but this robe, as it was open, so that I could see into his bosom.

32 Not only was his robe exceedingly white, but his whole person was aglorious beyond description, and his countenance truly like blightning. The room was exceedingly light, but not so very bright as immediately around his person. When I first looked upon him, I was cafraid; but the dfear soon left me.

33 He called me by aname, and said unto me that he was a bmessenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Moroni; that God had a work for me to do; and that my name should be had for cgood and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people.

34 He said there was a abook deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang. He also said that the bfulness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants;

35 Also, that there were two stones in silver bows—and these stones, fastened to a abreastplate, constituted what is called the bUrim and Thummim—deposited with the plates; and the possession and use of these stones were what constituted c“seers” in ancient or former times; and that God had prepared them for the purpose of translating the book.

36 After telling me these things, he commenced quoting the prophecies of the Old Testament. He first quoted part of the athird chapter of Malachi; (which part?) 1 Behold, I will asend my bmessenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly ccome to his dtemple, even the emessenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.

2 But who may aabide the bday of his ccoming? and who shall dstand when he appeareth? for he is like a erefiner’s ffire, and like fullers’ gsoap:

3 And he shall sit as a arefiner and purifier of silver: and he shall bpurify the csons of dLevi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an eoffering in righteousness.

4 Then shall the offering of aJudah and Jerusalem be bpleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years.

5 And I will come near to you to ajudgment; and I will be a swift witness against the bsorcerers, and against the cadulterers, and against dfalse swearers, and against those that eoppress the hireling in his fwages, the gwidow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the hstranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts.

6 For I am the Lord, I achange not; therefore ye sons of bJacob are not cconsumed.

7 ¶ Even from the days of your afathers ye are gone away from mine bordinances, and have not kept them. cReturn unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?

8 ¶ aWill a man brob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In ctithes and offerings.

9 Ye are acursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

10 Bring ye all the atithes into the storehouse, that there may be bmeat in mine house, and cprove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not dopen you the ewindows of heaven, and pour you out a fblessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

11 And I will arebuke the bdevourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.

12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.

13 ¶ Your words have been astout against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?

14 Ye have said, It is avain to serve God: and what bprofit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?

15 And now we call the aproud happy; yea, they that work bwickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.

16 ¶ Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a abook of bremembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.

17 And they shall be amine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my bjewels; and I will cspare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

18 Then shall ye return, and adiscern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

and he quoted also the fourth or last chapter of the same prophecy, though with a little variation from the way it reads in our Bibles. Instead of quoting the first verse as it reads in our books, he quoted it thus:

37 For behold, the aday cometh that shall bburn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly shall burn as cstubble; for they that come shall burn them, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

1 aFor, behold, the bday cometh, that shall cburn as an oven; and all the dproud, yea, and all that do ewickedly, shall be fstubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor gbranch.[It makes me wonder: Who are THEY that come? Destroying angels? Will I be one?] 2 ¶ But unto you that fear my name shall the aSun of righteousness barise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the cstall.

3 And ye shall atread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts.

4 ¶ Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I acommanded unto him in bHoreb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.

5 ¶ Behold, I will asend you bElijah the prophet cbefore the coming of the dgreat and dreadful eday of the Lord:

38 And again, he quoted the fifth verse thus: Behold, I will reveal unto you the aPriesthood, by the hand of bElijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the cLord.[I suspect that “the Priesthood” means that there will be a work that needs to be done! Temple ordinances.]

39 He also quoted the next verse differently: And he shall plant in the hearts of the achildren the bpromises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers. If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming. 6 And he shall aturn the bheart of the cfathers to the dchildren, and the heart of the echildren to their fathers, lest I come and fsmite the gearth with a hcurse.[This one is very different! The children will have the seed planted! And Utterly Wasted is huge to me!]

40 In addition to these, he quoted the aeleventh chapter of Isaiah, saying that it was about to be fulfilled. (I took 2N 21=Is 11)

1 aAnd there shall bcome forth a rod out of the cstem of Jesse, and a dbranch shall grow out of his roots.[Jared Hal. says a better translation of stem would be stump. Stump of a tree.]

2 And the aSpirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of bwisdom and cunderstanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;[fear=reverence]

3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord; and he shall not ajudge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears.[spiritual understanding, eyes & ears.]

4 But with arighteousness shall he bjudge the poor, and reprove with equity for the cmeek of the earth; and he shall dsmite the earth with the erod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.[breath=HG, spirit]

5 And arighteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

6 The awolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.[millennial time frame]

7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’s den.

9 They shall anot hurt nor bdestroy in all my holy mountain, for the cearth shall be full of the dknowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.[JH-the sea is already water! but. . .]

10 And in that day there shall be a aroot of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the bGentiles seek; and his crest shall be glorious.[JS]

11 And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall set his hand again the asecond time to recover the remnant of his people which shall be left, from bAssyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from cShinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.

12 And he shall set up an aensign for the nations, and shall assemble the boutcasts of Israel, and cgather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

13 The aenvy of Ephraim also shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off; Ephraim shall not benvy cJudah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.[How interesting these two tribes are singled out.]

14 But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the aPhilistines towards the west; they shall spoil them of the east together; they shall lay their hand upon bEdom and cMoab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them.

15 And the Lord shall utterly adestroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind he shall shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over bdry shod.[Moseslike miracle]

16 And there shall be a ahighway for the remnant of his people which shall be left, from Assyria, like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.

He quoted also the third chapter of Acts, twenty-second and twenty-third verses, precisely as they stand in our New Testament. He said that that bprophet was Christ; but the day had not yet come when “they who would not hear his voice should be ccut off from among the people,” but soon would come.

22 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A aprophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.

23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be adestroyed from among the people.[more revelation from JC]

41 He also quoted the asecond chapter of Joel, from the twenty-eighth verse to the last. He also said that this was not yet fulfilled, but was soon to be.

28 ¶ And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will apour out my bspirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall cprophesy, your dold men shall edream dreams, your young men shall see fvisions:

29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

30 And I will shew awonders in the bheavens and in the earth, blood, and cfire, and pillars of smoke.

31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into ablood, before the great and the terrible bday of the Lord come.

32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall acall on the name of bthe Lord shall be cdelivered: for in dmount eZion and in fJerusalem shall be gdeliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the hremnant whom the Lord shall icall.

 And he further stated that the fulness of the bGentiles was soon to come in. He quoted many other passages of scripture, and offered many explanations which ccannot be mentioned here.

42 Again, he told me, that when I got those plates of which he had spoken—for the time that they should be obtained was not yet fulfilled—I should not show them to any person; neither the breastplate with the Urim and Thummim; only to those to whom I should be commanded to show them; if I did I should be adestroyed. While he was conversing with me about the plates, the vision was opened to my bmind that I could see the place where the plates were deposited, and that so clearly and distinctly that I knew the place again when I visited it.

43 After this communication, I saw the light in the room begin to gather immediately around the person of him who had been speaking to me, and it continued to do so until the room was again left dark, except just around him; when, instantly I saw, as it were, a conduit open right up into heaven, and he aascended till he entirely disappeared, and the room was left as it had been before this heavenly light had made its appearance.

44 I lay musing on the singularity of the scene, and marveling greatly at what had been told to me by this extraordinary messenger; when, in the midst of my ameditation, I suddenly discovered that my room was again beginning to get lighted, and in an instant, as it were, the same heavenly messenger was again by my bedside.

45 He commenced, and aagain related the very same things which he had done at his first visit, without the least variation; which having done, he informed me of great bjudgments which were coming upon the earth, with great desolations by cfamine, dsword, and pestilence; and that these grievous judgments would come on the earth in this generation. Having related these things, he again ascended as he had done before.

46 By this time, so deep were the impressions made on my mind, that sleep had fled from my eyes, and I lay overwhelmed in aastonishment at what I had both seen and heard. But what was my surprise when again I beheld the same messenger at my bedside, and heard him rehearse or repeat over again to me the same things as before; and added a caution to me, telling me that Satan would try to btempt me (in consequence of the indigent circumstances of my father’s family), to get the plates for the purpose of getting crich. This he forbade me, saying that I must have no other object in view in getting the plates but to glorify God, and must not be influenced by any other dmotive than that of building his kingdom; otherwise I could not get them.

47 After this third visit, he again ascended into heaven as before, and I was again left to aponder on the strangeness of what I had just experienced; when almost immediately after the heavenly messenger had ascended from me for the third time, the cock crowed, and I found that day was approaching, so that our interviews must have occupied the whole of that night.

48 I shortly after arose from my bed, and, as usual, went to the necessary labors of the day; but, in attempting to work as at other times, I found my astrength so exhausted as to render me entirely unable. My father, who was laboring along with me, discovered something to be wrong with me, and told me to go home. I started with the intention of going to the house; but, in attempting to cross the fence out of the field where we were, my strength entirely failed me, and I bfell helpless on the ground, and for a time was quite unconscious of anything.

49 The first thing that I can recollect was a voice speaking unto me, calling me by name. I looked up, and beheld the same messenger standing over my head, surrounded by light as before. He then again related unto me all that he had related to me the previous night, and commanded me to go to my afather and tell him of the vision and commandments which I had received.

50 I obeyed; I returned to my afather in the field, and rehearsed the whole matter to him. He breplied to me that it was of God, and told me to go and do as commanded by the messenger. I left the field, and went to the place where the messenger had told me the plates were deposited; and owing to the distinctness of the vision which I had had concerning it, I knew the place the instant that I arrived there.

As I, Vern read all those together I felt the surety of their fulfilment and the hope of the 2nd Coming and Millennium. I thrill with how saints all over the world are being gathered to the stakes of Zion. tyhf!

Temple/Family Treasure November 6, 2023 by Rand Packer  SGFSC
As many of you have noticed, what FamilySearch was in the past is not what FamilySearch is in the present and certainly will not be in the future. It is changing as does the world in these latter days. Our mission statement we recite every prayer meeting no long mentions the Church but has expanded to include all of Heavenly Father’s children in every nation. FamilySearch currently has 6,058 centers throughout the world. Before the war in Ukraine began we had 34 such centers in that country with an active temple. [v-I am pasting this because I haven't really been interested in the past but may be in the future.] FamilySearch impact is growing exponentially throughout the world like a ‘giger-counter gone wild’ to use the words of Hugh Nibley. It is up to us to grow with it.

We rejoice when we are told that of the 5,500,000 new accounts in FamilySearch last year, 97% of those new accounts were of non-members of the Church. [The non-member part is cool! v] Furthermore, of the 120,000,000 names added to the world-wide family tree, 80% of those names were added by non-members. [v-That means that non-members are doing work and AND notice it is the world-wide family tree! ]Every day as we come to serve here in this center it is good to know that FamilySearch adds over 1,000,000 searchable records to the Church database. (Elder Kevin S. Hamilton, Chairman of the FS Board) Surely we can see what’s happening and the preparations being made in light of these latter-days in which we live.

Joseph

 Friday, 10/13/23 Hello Brandon, I just got out of my second prayer meeting at the family search center. They have one every 4 hour shift start. I get to come for the 10-2 shift on Saturday too. Anyway, at BoM class last night we studied 2Nephi 3, 4 ,5. Chapter 3 Is spectacularly special! Just because Lehi’s youngest son is named Joseph and he is getting ready to die, he quotes the brass plates about a future Joseph. Joseph Smith. Plus, PLUS the JST fills in the missing parts the KJV is missing. It can be a bit confusing. Some parts are word perfect the same. Just for fun I underlined the parts of both of them that are word perfect the same. It absolutely amazes me today that Joseph of Egypt was so righteous he was able to know this in advance!  So cool. Gby-bltpjs, vj

JST, Genesis 50:24–38. Compare Genesis 50:24–26; 2 Nephi 3:4–22

Joseph in Egypt prophesies of Moses freeing Israel from Egyptian bondage; of a branch of Joseph’s descendants being led to a faraway land, where they will be remembered in the covenants of the Lord[Lehi has found himself in this part!!! vj]; of God calling a latter-day prophet named Joseph to join the records of Judah and of Joseph[Imagine if we only had the bible! vj]; and of Aaron serving as a spokesman for Moses.

24 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die, and go unto my fathers; and I go down to my grave with joy. The God of my father Jacob be with you, to deliver you out of affliction in the days of your bondage; for the Lord hath visited me, and I have obtained a promise of the Lord, that out of the fruit of my loins, the Lord God will raise up a righteous branch out of my loins; and unto thee, whom my father Jacob hath named Israel, a prophet; (not the Messiah who is called Shilo;) and this prophet shall deliver my people out of Egypt in the days of thy bondage.

25 And it shall come to pass that they shall be scattered again; and a branch shall be broken off, and shall be carried into a far country; nevertheless they shall be remembered in the covenants of the Lord, when the Messiah cometh; for he shall be made manifest unto them in the latter days, in the Spirit of power; and shall bring them out of darkness into light; out of hidden darkness, and out of captivity unto freedom.

26 A seer shall the Lord my God raise up, who shall be a choice seer unto the fruit of my loins.

27 Thus saith the Lord God of my fathers unto me, A choice seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins, and he shall be esteemed highly among the fruit of thy loins; and unto him will I give commandment that he shall do a work for the fruit of thy loins, his brethren.

28 And he shall bring them to the knowledge of the covenants which I have made with thy fathers; 

and he shall do whatsoever work I shall command him.

29 And I will make him great in mine eyes, for he shall do my work; and he shall be great like unto him whom I have said I would raise up unto you, to deliver my people, O house of Israel, out of the land of Egypt; for a seer

 will I raise up to deliver my people out of the land of Egypt; and he shall be called Moses. And by this name he shall know that he is of thy house; for he shall be nursed by the king’s daughter, and shall be called her son.

30 And again, a seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins, and unto him will I give power to bring forth my word unto the seed of thy loins; and not to the bringing forth of my word only, saith the Lord, but to the convincing them of my word, which shall have already gone forth among them in the last days;

31 Wherefore the fruit of thy loins shall write, and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write; and that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together unto the confounding of false doctrines, and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing them to a knowledge of their fathers in the latter days; and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord.

32 And out of weakness shall he be made strong, in that day when my work shall go forth among all my people, which shall restore them, who are of the house of Israel, in the last days.

33 And that seer will I bless, and they that seek to destroy him shall be confounded; for this promise I give unto you; for I will remember you from generation to generation; and his name shall be called Joseph, and it shall be after the name of his father; and he shall be like unto you; for the thing which the Lord shall bring forth by his hand shall bring my people unto salvation.

34 And the Lord sware unto Joseph that he would preserve his seed forever, saying, I will raise up Moses, and a rod shall be in his hand, and he shall gather together my people, and he shall lead them as a flock, and he shall smite the waters of the Red Sea with his rod.

35 And he shall have judgment, and shall write the word of the Lord. And he shall not speak many words, for I will write unto him my law by the finger of mine own hand. And I will make a spokesman for him, and his name shall be called Aaron.

36 And it shall be done unto thee in the last days also, even as I have sworn. Therefore, Joseph said unto his brethren, God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land, unto the land which he sware unto Abraham, and unto Isaac, and to Jacob.

37 And Joseph confirmed many other things unto his brethren, and took an oath of the children of Israel, saying unto them, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.

38 So Joseph died when he was an hundred and ten years old; and they embalmed him, and they put him in a coffin in Egypt; and he was kept from burial by the children of Israel, that he might be carried up and laid in the sepulchre with his father. And thus they remembered the oath which they sware unto him.

2 Nephi 3

5 Wherefore, Joseph truly asaw our day. And he obtained a bpromise of the Lord, that out of the fruit of his loins the Lord God would raise up a crighteous dbranch unto the house of Israel; not the Messiah, but a branch which was to be broken off, nevertheless, to be remembered in the covenants of the Lord that the Messiah should be made emanifest unto them in the latter days, in the spirit of power, unto the bringing of them out of fdarkness unto light—yea, out of hidden darkness and out of captivity unto freedom.

6 For Joseph truly testified, saying: A aseer shall the Lord my God raise up, who shall be a choice seer unto the fruit of my bloins.

7 Yea, Joseph truly said: Thus saith the Lord unto me: A choice aseer will I braise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and he shall be esteemed highly among the fruit of thy loins. And unto him will I give commandment that he shall do a work for the fruit of thy loins, his brethren, which shall be of great worth unto them, even to the bringing of them to the cknowledge of the covenants which I have made with thy fathers.

8 And I will give unto him a commandment that he shall do anone other work, save the work which I shall command him. And I will make him great in mine eyes; for he shall do my work.

9 And he shall be great like unto aMoses, whom I have said I would raise up unto you, to bdeliver my cpeople, O house of Israel.

10 And aMoses will I raise up, to deliver thy people out of the land of Egypt.

11 But a aseer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and unto him will I give bpower to cbring forth my word unto the seed of thy loins—and not to the bringing forth my word only, saith the Lord, but to the convincing them of my word, which shall have already gone forth among them.

12 Wherefore, the fruit of thy loins shall awrite; and the fruit of the loins of bJudah shall cwrite; and that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together, unto the dconfounding of efalse doctrines and laying down of contentions, and establishing fpeace among the fruit of thy loins, and gbringing them to the hknowledge of their fathers in the latter days, and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord.

13 And out of weakness he shall be made strong, in that day when my work shall commence among all my people, unto the restoring thee, O house of Israel, saith the Lord.

14 And thus prophesied Joseph, saying: Behold, that seer will the Lord bless; and they that seek to destroy him shall be confounded; for this promise, which I have obtained of the Lord, of the fruit of my loins, shall be fulfilled. Behold, I am sure of the fulfilling of this promise;

15 And his aname shall be called after me; and it shall be after the bname of his father. And he shall be clike unto me; for the thing, which the Lord shall bring forth by his hand, by the power of the Lord shall bring dmy people unto esalvation.

16 Yea, thus prophesied Joseph: I am sure of this thing, even as I am sure of the promise of Moses; for the Lord hath said unto me, I will apreserve thy seed forever.

17 And the Lord hath said: I will raise up a Moses; and I will give power unto him in a rod; and I will give judgment unto him in writing. Yet I will not loose his tongue, that he shall speak much, for I will not make him mighty in speaking. But I will awrite unto him my law, by the finger of mine own hand; and I will make a bspokesman for him.

18 And the Lord said unto me also: I will raise up unto the fruit of thy loins; and I will make for him a spokesman. And I, behold, I will give unto him that he shall write the writing of the fruit of thy loins, unto the fruit of thy loins; and the spokesman of thy loins shall declare it.

19 And the words which he shall write shall be the words which are expedient in my wisdom should go forth unto the afruit of thy loins. And it shall be as if the fruit of thy loins had cried unto them bfrom the dust; for I know their faith.

20 And they shall acry from the bdust; yea, even repentance unto their brethren, even after many generations have gone by them. And it shall come to pass that their cry shall go, even according to the simpleness of their words.

21 Because of their faith their awords shall proceed forth out of my mouth unto their brethren who are the fruit of thy loins; and the weakness of their words will I make strong in their faith, unto the remembering of my covenant which I made unto thy fathers.

22 And now, behold, my son Joseph, after this manner did my father of old aprophesy.