Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd

When I was engaged to be married, I was first introduced to off-road recreation by my soon-to-be in-laws. In Utah, we called it four wheeling. In my fiancé’s family they called it “quadding”. Whatever you want to call it, I had no clue what I was doing. But, to not deter my bride-to-be, I donned my heroic, daredevil mask and strived to exude a strong air of confidence as I jumped behind the wheel and had my fiancé slide in behind me. I’d like to say that I was a natural, but I was at least passable, and my fiancé didn’t dump me for my lack of spine.

The next desert outing came after our vows, so I felt a little less in the hot seat and was able to enjoy myself that much more. On one ride, I had my younger sister-in-law in tow on a quad that might more aptly be called a tractor. It had rained the previous day, so the ground was soft and muddy. We raced up an unexplored, narrow incline only to slow as we approached the top. We quickly discovered that the path ended in a sharp drop off. Despite my desire to be a carefree daredevil, I was no Evel Knievel. I slammed on the brakes and attempted to turn around to head back the way we had come. But the path was too narrow and the quad was too large, and my only hope was to slowly descend in reverse. At this point, my sister-in-law was ready to abandon me, and my own insecurities led me to want to abandon myself as well. I hugged those brakes, but the thick mud took over, and the machine continued to slide down the incline gathering speed. I quickly lost control and shouted at my sister to jump off and get out of the way. As the quad began to flip over, it was all I could do to shoulder the weight of it long enough for the two of us to scramble free. One or two fruitless minutes were spent in vain before I realized that I didn’t have the muscle power to flip that massive tractor of a quad back upright, and I began the long walk of shame back to our base camp while my sister-in-law guarded the downed toy.

Well, it took a long time for the jokes and dinner table stories to change topics from my moment of shame to some other more humorous family lore. In fact what it took was my brother-in-law. When he began courting my wife’s sister, I silently watched and prayed that he could take the scepter and crown away from me and become the new family Darwin Award candidate. And as I got to know him better, I realized that it was just a matter of time before he would do something to rival me. Of course I say this in jest, but sure enough, on one family outing, he climbed up onto a racing quad and collided headlong into a large cement wall. Of course I took no pleasure in his pain or the trauma of the moment, but the situation was pretty darn funny, and I was glad to be on the other side of a family joke for a change. But even then, I knew it was only a matter of time before I stole the crown right back. And steal it I did.

Several years later, we were out for our seasonal quadding foray into the desert. We chose a new location that had a great deal of trails and paths extending in all directions for as far as the eye could see. When my turn came, I climbed up on a small quad that had great maneuverability but not a lot of power. I started off up a long incline that led up to the top of a tall and long ridge. On the far side of the ridge, I could see a sandy wash that ran parallel and had many offshoots. I rode up and down this wash a few times and explored over a few of the nearby hills before I decided to head back to camp. By the time I returned to the wash and the path leading up and over the ridge to the camp, one of the front tires had lost a fair amount of air, and I found it more difficult to climb steep inclines at a run. I tried to climb this return path two or three times with difficulty and found that I could only get about halfway up before losing power and rolling back down the incline. The failed attempts shook me up a little, and I began to lose confidence in myself as a driver. I decided to drive farther down the wash to find a gentler incline to ascend back over the ridge. I attempted a few other paths that I found led farther away from camp rather than back over this ridge. After a little while of seemingly driving in circles, I began to lose my sense of direction. When I eventually climbed to the top of what I thought was this ridge that separated me from more familiar terrain and my family’s camp, I only found unfamiliar land in all directions. At this point, I tried to retrace my tracks, heading in directions that I thought would get me back to familiar ground, only to doubt myself, double back, and try yet another path. By now, I had even lost the original wash as a reference. I was lost.

Prior to this moment, I had seen a few other riders as I had roamed about. A few times, I felt prompted to ask for help, but felt too proud and confident in my own ability to stop and ask for directions. But that was just me being a typical, stubborn man, right? As I realized that I was getting nowhere on my own, I finally decided to break down and get some help. I heard an engine in the distance and headed in that direction. When I flagged down the rider, I described the base camp my family was using. This gentleman knew the area and pointed me in the general direction. With newfound determination, I raced off down a path in that direction only to find that the path veered off a few times, and I quickly lost my bearing. Again, I was lost and disoriented. I heard another rider, and got help a second time. This rider was very familiar with the area and offered to escort me back, but I declined the help, again took a bearing, and raced off on my own yet again. When I found myself lost a few minutes later, I regretted declining further help. This regret quickly faded as I found a third rider and asked for directions. Stubborn to the end, I was determined to only accept a prod in the right direction, resolved to get to my destination on my own steam.

After this third prodding failed to lead me back to camp, I found myself completely alone. There wasn’t a fourth rider, or a fifth. I had been given three chances to humble myself and accept a helpful hand, and I had failed. By now, my tires were running extremely low, and I had lost all confidence in myself as a driver and all sense of direction. I was near breaking point. I shut off the engine, listening in vain for that fourth rider. My desperation humbled me to the point where I was finally ready to let someone else do more than just point me in a general direction. I was ready to let someone hook up a chain and tow me out if necessary. I waited several long minutes without hearing another soul. I felt totally alone, with no idea how I was going to get back home. I tried to restart the engine, but had unexpected problems with the starter. I knew I needed help, and it seemed like there was none to be had.

Why didn’t I drop to my knees and pray? I had learned about the power of prayer as a child in Primary and in my child-like faith had often longed for moments like this where the Lord would sail in to rescue me from my hopeless predicament in some miraculous, faith-promoting way. I knew without a doubt that He could and would rescue me. But I felt undeserving this day. Not just because of my stubborn pride in refusing help from these other riders. This physical helplessness and isolation in the desert had led me to think of my spiritual isolation from my God, to think on my weaknesses and sins which are many. And these weighed extremely heavy on me at this moment when I, in my pride, did not want to allow the Lord to extend his mercy and help out a lost and imperfect soul. I didn’t feel worthy of a miracle and didn’t feel worthy to pray for such. In my self-condemnation and my pride, I denied the Lord’s grace through my refusal to pray.

I struggled with that starter for who knows how long before I was compelled to humility. I had to swallow my pride and fall to my knees. Tears sprang to my eyes, not so much over my physical predicament but more due to my personal spiritual insecurities. My prayer was simple. I promised the Lord that if He would send help, I would fully allow myself to be helped. I could not do it alone, so if He in His mercy gave me one more chance, I would humbly accept the help of another.

I arose from my knees and was shortly able to jump start the quad. I started driving, trying to yield my direction to the promptings of the Spirit. I didn’t have a profound spiritual enlightening. I heard no voice; there was no Liahona sent to guide me. I simply drive on with a hymn in my heart, repeating my promise to ask for complete help over and over in my mind. As I drove along, I thought about all of my weaknesses and my personal struggles in life. I thought about how natural it was for me in life when requesting the assistance of another to accept a prod in the right direction and then race off determined to cross the finish line on my own. That prodding might come from a meaningful Sunday School lesson, by partaking of the Sacrament, through a special tender mercy of the Lord where the Spirit would strongly prompt me to a course of action, or by the loving counsel of a loved one or a Priesthood leader. But it is in my nature, perhaps it is part of the natural man in all of us, to want to save myself, to want to do it on my own. And in this moment, where my spiritual weaknesses and shortcomings seemed so heavy on my shoulders, I knew that the Lord wanted me to keep this promise, not just in this moment of physical tribulation, but also in my personal life. How many times had He sent riders to help me through my personal struggles? How many times had I casually dismissed that help and wandered aimlessly on my own? And so, continuing along, with a hymn in my heart, I renewed my promise to break my emotional isolation in my personally life and to more fully open my heart to those others who would stand to help me in my struggles.

Eventually, help did come. I came across some guys in a truck who were somewhat lost as well, and I asked them if I could follow them out as they looked for an outlet. On a few climbs, they had to patiently wait as my quad struggled to reach the top. When my engine stalled, they helped me jump it again. At one point, they even hooked up a rope to help pull me to the top of an especially difficult clime. When we eventually found a base camp, it wasn’t the same one I’d started at. We parked the quad, and they gave me a lift out onto the highway and back to the other inlet where my family was anxiously waiting. As we pulled up and I saw the sheriff trucks, it dawned on me how long I had actually been lost and reality set in. The sheriff’s informed me that a Search and Rescue helicopter was about to be deployed and it was lucky I had arrived just then. And as my father-in-law made jokes with the patrolmen about his son-in-law engineer who would have had difficulty fending off the coyotes without his Eagle Scout mother there to consult, I knew that I had stolen the crown of family jester right back from my brother-in-law.

When Elder Holland spoke in general conference the following month about The Ministry of Angels, I was especially touched by his message and I wished that I had contact information for those brothers in the truck who had been angels for me in my time of need. Speaking of angels, Elder Holland said,

“Usually such beings are not seen. Sometimes they are. But seen or unseen they are always near. Sometimes their assignments are very grand and have significance for the whole world. Sometimes the messages are more private. Occasionally the angelic purpose is to warn. But most often it is to comfort, to provide some form of merciful attention, guidance in difficult times… In the course of life all of us spend time in “dark and dreary” places, wildernesses, [deserts], circumstances of sorrow or fear or discouragement… But I testify that angels are still sent to help us, even as they were sent to help Adam and Eve, to help the prophets, and indeed to help the Savior of the world Himself.

"I have spoken here of heavenly help, of angels dispatched to bless us in time of need. But when we speak of those who are instruments in the hand of God, we are reminded that not all angels are from the other side of the veil. Some of them we walk with and talk with—here, now, every day. Some of them reside in our own neighborhoods. Some of them gave birth to us, and in my case, one of them consented to marry me. Indeed heaven never seems closer than when we see the love of God manifested in the kindness and devotion of people so good and so pure that angelic is the only word that comes to mind."

These spirit brothers of mine truly can only be described as angels to me. Surely, they forgot about me and my plight minutes after dropping me off that day. But, whether they knew it or not, these men were sent to me in my time of need for a purpose. And that purpose was not just to bring me out of my physical trial… As an answer to my simple prayer, these men helped to bring me out of a spiritual and emotional isolation in my personal life as well. They helped to teach me that we are never beyond help—we are never too unworthy to fall to our knees and humbly ask for help. They also taught me that if we are going to ask for help, we must be willing to fully accept that help. Truly, whenever I have strived to save myself on my own, it seems that the harder I try, the worse my predicament becomes. This day, I was carried out of the desert in the arms of angels. And I learned a powerful lesson in submissiveness. I love the powerful words of King Benjamin:

For the natural man, [including our reliance on ourselves and our stubborn self-will] is an enemy to God and will be forever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit and putteth off the natural man… and becometh as a child: submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeith fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.

Yield. Submit. Willing. Humble. These words are so contrary to the pride of the natural man. When our lives warrant a course correction, the first step is recognition. We must freely admit that there is a need for change, that our lives are headed in the wrong direction or that our lives could be headed in a better direction. Perhaps our lives do not seem unmanageable. Perhaps the necessary corrections are indeed minor. But when we humbly inquire of our Lord and Savior, He will show unto us our weaknesses; He will show us who He wants us to become. But along with this recognition, however dire or lost our circumstances may seem, we must likewise recognize the all-important need for a helping hand along the way. The Lord does not just want to help us see that we are lost and tell us where we should go on our own. He wants to take us there Himself, whether He takes us by the hand Himself or sends a special angel to serve His purposes. With a firm faith in His divine grace and healing wings, we can and we will find rescue and eventual refuge in the safety of His fold.

In the aftermath of my desert adventure, one of my sisters-in-law often burst into song, hymning the words, “Out in the desert he wandered… hungry and helpless and cold…” Of course her antics brought a smile to all, but the words of that hymn truly relate directly to my experience that day:

Dear to the heart of the Shepherd, dear are the lambs of his fold.
Some from the pastures are straying, hungry and helpless and cold.
See, the Good Shepherd is seeking, seeking the lambs that are lost,
Bringing them in with rejoicing, saved at such infinite cost.

Dear to the heart of the Shepherd, dear are the “ninety and nine”;
Dear are the sheep that have wandered out in the desert to pine.
Hark! He is earnestly calling, tenderly pleading today:
“Will you not seek for my lost ones, off from my shelter astray?”

Out in the desert they wander, hungry and helpless and cold;
Off to the rescue he hastens, bringing them back to the fold.

I think we all take turns either being the one lost lamb or one of the ninety and nine that is invited to join in the angelic rescue. Unfortunately, through my wilderness excursion and through other numerous experiences, I too often find myself as the one requiring rescue, the one who pridefully resists that rescue when it comes. My prayer is, first and foremost, that I might be a little more humble, a little more prepared to accept the divine ministry of angels and the tender mercies of my Savior as He rescues me from myself. May I be a little more submissive, meek, humble, willing, and childlike. My prayer would also be that I might be in tune with the Spirit and serve my brothers and sisters, my fellow lambs, as one of the ninety and nine when invited to join my Shepherd in the search and the rescue of His other lost sheep. I pray that I might be able to say with the many that I dwell safely among the flock of the Good Shepherd, that when the one that is lost is crying out for rescue, I might be an instrument in the hands of my Shepherd in bringing that dear lamb back to the fold.

Elder Holland concluded his powerful talk on angels with these words:

“My beloved brothers and sisters, I testify of angels, both the heavenly and the mortal kind. In doing so I am testifying that God never leaves us alone, never leaves us unaided in the challenges that we face. ‘[N]or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man [or woman or child] upon the face thereof to be saved.’ On occasions, global or personal, we may feel we are distanced from God, shut out from heaven, lost, alone in dark and dreary places. Often enough that distress can be of our own making, but even then the Father of us all is watching and assisting. And always there are those angels who come and go all around us, seen and unseen, known and unknown, mortal and immortal.

“May we all believe more readily in, and have more gratitude for, the Lord’s promise as contained in one of President Monson’s favorite scriptures: ‘I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, . . . my Spirit shall be in your [heart], and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.’ In the process of praying for those angels to attend us, may we all try to be a little more angelic ourselves—with a kind word, a strong arm, a declaration of faith and ‘the covenant wherewith [we] have covenanted.’ Perhaps then we can be emissaries sent from God when someone, perhaps a Primary child [or an engineer son-in-law], is crying, ‘Darkness . . . afraid . . . river . . . alone.’”

I echo those words of testimony as one who has wandered in the desert alone. There are indeed angels among us. And the Lord is indeed mindful of us in our darkest moments, whether they be of our own making or not. I am thankful for the Good Shepherd and His constant, tender, pleading call to me and, above all, His infinite patience as I learn to be a child once again.

God bless!

Is Anybody There? Does Anybody Care?

Is anybody there? Does anybody care? Does anybody see what I see?
I see fireworks! I see the pageant and pomp and parade.
I hear the bells ringing out; I hear the cannons roar;
I see Americans - all Americans - free forever more!

Do these lyrics ring a bell with anyone else? This past weekend, with Independence Day falling on a Sunday, we were able to celebrate the 4th of July on the 3rd, the 4th, and the 5th of July. With each of the neighboring cities electing to shoot off fireworks and host all manner of pageant, pomp, and parade on different days over the extended weekend, I've gotten my fill of gratitude and pride for my nation. And of course, as tradition demands, I sat through nearly three hours of witty jokes and one-liners and catchy tunes from John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson, in the classic musical 1776. Hands down, my favorite number from the musical is one sung by John Adams (played by Mr. Feeny for those of you who grew up with the TGIF show Boy Meets World). He sings:

They want to me to quit; they say John, give up the fight
Still to England I say 'Good night, forever, good night!'
For I have crossed the Rubicon; Let the bridge be burned behind me!
Come what may, come what may! Commitment!

I absolutely love that attitude of commitment toward a noble cause! Adams' words taken on added meaning with a brief history of the Roman Empire. In 49 BC, Roman law explicitly forbade any General from crossing the Rubicon River with a legion. This statute was intended to protect Roman citizens from internal military might. The Roman government was a conglomerate of three primary factions led by political rivals. After carrying out military campaigns abroad, General Julius Caesar, one of these rival powers, returned to Rome with his legion of active soldiers. The act of crossing the Rubicon without first disbanding his army was an act of treason and sacrilege, punishable by death--an act that began a civil war among political factions that ended with Caesar emerging as emperor of the Roman nation. Even Caesar had strong reservations as they neared the river crossing, uttering the famous saying 'ālea iacta est' (or 'the die has been cast'), and some accounts describe a supernatural apparition as the motivating force behind the ultimate order to cross.

So when John Adams sings, "I have crossed the Rubicon, let the bridge be burned behind me," I see a man who does not share Caesar's reservations. He does not need a sign from Heaven urging him to put pen to parchment and affix his name to a treasonous declaration. He was fully and unequivocally committed to the cause of freedom. And he had a vision, one that was described in the quoted lyrics above. Adams may indeed have seen millions of American men and women getting time off of work to barbecue and catch up on yard work, to proudly display flags in their yards, to stand on the side of crowded streets in the blistering July heat with happy children perched high on their shoulders laughing and pointing at clowns, horses, and marching bands, and time off to stretch out on blankets or in the back of pickups under a dark night sky to watch an ooh-and-aah-inspiring display of colorful lights and thundering sounds that never fails to raise a patriotic fervor to loftier heights. But, greater than the fireworks and bells, more important than the pageant, the pomp, and parade, he saw Americans--all Americans--free!

Free? Free to what? Free to choose our nation's leaders... free to criticize and disagree with those leaders... free to define our own governing laws... freedom to break those laws... free to say what we think, to write what we feel... free to worship the God we revere... free to share that God with others... free to gain an education, to choose our own careers, and to prosper according to our diligence and hard work... free to live where we want, to choose our own spouse, and to raise a family however we see fit... and so the list could go on and on.

Many describe the American dream as a posh job, a sporty car, a fancy house in Little Suburbia, and a growing nest egg for a comfortable retirement spent doing all those things we didn't have time to do while devoting our lives to acquiring the aforementioned American necessities. This American dream, regardless of the number of Americans who share it, is not the dream that we are collectively striving to share with the world: with those nations currently led by tyrants and dictators and with those many across the world who painfully labor for the prosperity of the few that are higher than them in the social ladder. Rather, I would like to hope that the message we carry to the world is this same vision of freedom so passionately sought after by the millions of men and women who, like Adams, sacrificed their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor for the ideals and freedoms we enjoy in our nation today.

General George Washington seems to have shared this vision of freedom that would have impact across the entire world. In November 1775, seeking to motivate the colonial troops to re-enlist for another year of service, Washington delivered a powerful speech including the following:

As I have the honor to be an American, and one among the Free Millions, who are defended by your valor, I would pay the tribute of thanks, and express my gratitude, while I solicit you to continue in your present honorable and important station. I doubt not America will always find enough of her sons ready to flock to her standard, and support her freedom... [but] every friend of America will be desirous that most of the gentlemen who compose the present army may continue in the service of their country until "LIBERTY, PEACE, AND SAFETY" are established.

Although your private concerns may call for your assistance at home, yet the voice of your country is still louder, and it is painful to heroic minds to quit the field when LIBERTY calls, and the voice of injured millions cries, "To arms! To arms!" Never was a cause more important or glorious than that which you are engaged in; not only your wives, your children, and distant posterity, but humanity at large, the world of mankind, are interested in it; for if tyranny should prevail in this great country, we may expect LIBERTY will expire throughout the world. Therefore, more human glory and happiness may depend upon your exertions than ever yet depended upon any of the sons of men. He that is a soldier in defense of such a cause, needs no title; his post is a post of honor, and although not an emperor, yet he shall wear a crown--of glory--and blessed will be his memory!

The savage and brutal barbarity of our enemies... is full demonstration that there is not the least remains of virtue, wisdom, or humanity in the British court; and that they are fully determined with fire and sword, to butcher and destroy, beggar and enslave the whole American people. Therefore we expect soon to break off all kind of connection with Britain, and form into a GRAND REPUBLIC of the AMERICAN UNITED COLONIES, which will, by the blessing of heaven, soon work out our salvation, and perpetuate the liberties, increase the wealth, the power and the glory of this Western world.

Notwithstanding the many difficulties we have to encounter, and the rage of our merciless enemies, we have a glorious prospect before us, big with every thing good and great. The further we enter into the field of independence, our prospects will expand and brighten, and a complete Republic will soon complete our happiness. "Blindness seems to have happened to Britain, that the fullness of America might come in;" and we have every encouragement to "stand fast in the liberties wherewith heaven hath made us free." Persevere, YE GUARDIANS OF LIBERTY! May success be your constant attendant, until the enemies of freedom are no more, and all future generations, as they successively tread the stage of time, and taste the JOYS OF LIBERTY, will rise up and call YOU blessed.

General Washington's prophetic vision, one that was not obtained cheaply and has cost a great deal of American blood, has indeed been realized in our day. Across the world, countless millions, including myself taste the joys of liberty and rise up to call those brave men and women, who fought for this great cause, blessed. And so, in reference to this great American dream, John Adams challenges us:

Is anybody there? Does anybody care? Does anybody see what I see?

And so I take the challenge. Do I care? Can I see the vision of what our Founding Fathers were trying to accomplish? Am I doing my part to support that cause? Borrowing from the words of JFK, Am I more concerned with what my country can do for me or what I can do for my great country?

Do I care? My immediate, easy answer is, "Absolutely!" But let's put myself on the chopping block and ask this same question a few other ways:

Do I care enough to honestly study out the issues and drag myself down to the polls not just every 4 years, but every single time there is a vote? Let's just say that my track record here is not fantastic. And when I do make it down to the polls, I'm usually not as educated as I should be.

Do I care enough to suit up and depart for distant shores, should threatening circumstances warrant, and risk my life to defend my family and these ideals? Maybe... But if Lindsey actually let me go, I'd probably be a greater help on KP or on latrine-cleaning duty than I would be employing my subpar targeting skills on the front lines--I never did get either of those dang shooting merit badges!

Do I care enough to speak out on issues that are important to me, to campaign for a candidate who shares my views, or to stand up for these views even when they are unpopular? A couple years ago, when an initiative defining traditional marriage was being considered for addition into the Arizona state constitution, I actually put up a sign in my yard defending the more conservative and less popular viewpoint, one that I felt passionate about. The sign disappeared overnight. I put up another sign. And, yes, I was a little afraid for the safety of my family and the well-being of my house (which did not get egged after all). But, no, I did not do more than put up a dumb sign. With as much as I like to share an opinion, I am surprisingly quiet publically when it comes to matters of politics or items of national significance.

So, do I care? Yes. Could I care more? Absolutely! I love this time of year. Sure, I like all of the holidays--and Thanksgiving is no exception. But at Thanksgiving, my feelings of gratitude are so wide-spread and unfocused that I often end up feeling more gratitude for the turkey, the pumpkin pie, and the sport of football than anything else. So I'm grateful for other holidays when I can bring my gratitude into greater focus. I feel gratitude for my wife and family on Valentine's Day, for loved ones who've gone before me on Memorial Day, for the miracle of forgiveness on Easter, for chocolate on Halloween, and for snow at Christmastime. One of the reasons that I like this summer time of year so much is the abundance of holidays that allow me to focus my gratitude.

This week, I have the opportunity to feel the strongest feelings of appreciation for the John Adams's and the George Washington's, the Abraham Lincoln's and the John F Kennedy's, the paratroopers of Normandy and the unknown soldiers, the Nephi's and the Captain Moroni's, and the countless other men and women who have labored and fought for the freedoms we enjoy in this great land today.

Last week, I had the opportunity to reflect on the life of one man who lived in a nation that espoused religious liberties and tolerance and thus possessed the freedoms necessary to restore divine truths and authorities to the children of men under the inspiration and watchful care of a loving Heavenly Father. These liberties of speech and religion were often tested, as those who clung to these rights were often persecuted. Ultimately, this prophet suffered a martyr's fate, giving his life and defending his testimony (and his rights to believe what he knew to be true) with his own blood.

Later this month, I'll have the opportunity to remember a large populace of Saints who greatly suffered and toiled for this same cause. When these pioneers felt that these God-given and patriot-defended rights were being denied them, rather than carry out yet another bloody revolution against tyranny and oppression, they sought a land where they could truly enjoy these freedoms, for which so much blood had already been shed. Thankfully, today there are fewer religious persecutions resulting in events similar to those of Jackson County, Missouri and Nauvoo, Illinois, and the cold-blooded murder of a man for his religious beliefs, regardless how zealous or extreme they might seem to the public at large, would be prosecuted by the full arm of the law.

As I remember the declaration of American independence, the martyrdom of a prophet, and the persecution and resulting wilderness trek of an outcast people, I find myself in a time of year when I can't help but feel the humblest gratitude for freedom--above all the freedom to worship my God as I see fit--the very freedoms for which such an awful price has been and continues to be paid. And so I hang my stars and stripes proudly, I turn on my annual musical, I listen to David McCullough describe the awful, hopeless predicament of the early colonial army in 1776, I watch BYU's A More Perfect Union, and I soak in the emotion and the power of Rob Gardner's The Price of Freedom.

Can I see what John Adams saw? Yes, I think so. Do I care? Am I doing anything about it? I guess that remains to be seen. And so I take a brief moment now to climb up on my soapbox, to open my mouth, and to stand for something.

We live in a nation that bears the name The United States of America. We may informally refer to our nation as America, but, in truth, we belong to a nation of united states. Furthermore, in our governing Constitution the very first words are We the People, suggesting that ours is truly a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Any government should exist for the betterment and the regulation of its people, contributing to the peaceful coexistence of citizens, groups of citizens, cities, states, etc. All laws exist not to limit or restrict citizens but rather to help keep order. If there were only one driver in the world, there would be no need for traffic signs or speed limits.

When John Adams and the other Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence, there was no federal government. If there had been no conflict among the states that emerged from the revolutionary war or no need for mutual protection, there never would have been a need for a federal government. At that time, there was a handful of colonies, each established with different traditions, religious beliefs, economies, lifestyles, and governing bodies. Each colony had shared a frustration and bitterness toward its mother country: an empire that was unfairly taxing and governing its colonial citizens, a nation that was neither of the people nor for the people. And so these colonies united, determined to reclaim the unalienable freedoms that were their God-given prerogative. Once they had claimed this freedom by victory on the battlefield, they continued on as independent, and very unique, states. There were squabbles and skirmishes over trade, conflicting laws, standing militias, and many other aspects of colonial life. The Continental Congress had been established as a means to unite the colonies during the British crisis. In the years following the war, it was apparent that another federal governing body was essential for the endurance of the fledgling nation. Thus was born the Articles of Confederation and the Constitutional Congress that led to our present system of government.

As the Constitution was drafted, there were a few major obstacles to overcome and compromises to be made. One revolved around the issue of slavery. Should slaves count as population? Should the slave trade be allowed to continue? The southern states felt that the trade was essential to their economic survival and that the federal government should not govern their economy or way of life. Many from the northern states felt strong opposition to slavery for moral or political reasons. A compromise was made. The federal government served as mediator between peoples of differing views, but the autonomy of the states was preserved. They could still govern themselves. Another major issue centered on small states and large states. States with large populations argued that they should have a stronger voice in federal matters as they comprised a larger percentage of the American populace a whole. The smaller states feared that they would not be fairly represented in congress and that their sovereignty would be lost. A compromise was made. Two legislative bodies would exist: one whose membership was based upon population and the other with equal representation. The voice of the people as a whole needed to be acknowledged, but the states deserved their sovereignty.

These compromises lead me to a few viewpoints I've recently felt very strongly about that are founded upon these very concepts upon which our nation was founded.

The first concept: one nation. The issue of balancing power between the states and the federal government is nothing new. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson often argued heatedly over this issue. Adams, a federalist, felt that the federal government should be larger and stronger. Jefferson felt that the states should govern themselves and turn to a federal government only in specific matters.

There were those among the founding fathers who felt that the responsibility of electing the President was too great for the common American and that their elected leaders should have that power. Again, a compromise was reached. The people would elect electors who would vote according to their wisdom and feeling. The electoral vote could be decided by popular vote within a geographic region, but the vote as whole would not be based upon nation-wide popular opinion. The number of electors from each state would be based upon population, but each state would maintain its voice. This system mirrors the Great Compromise of the Constitutional Congress. Again, the populace has a larger voice, but each state is represented appropriately. In the 2000 election, Bush did not have the popular vote of the nation as a whole, but in the Electoral College, he won a majority. There were those who felt this to be a travesty, in that the "we the people" of America did not get the president we wanted, and felt strongly that the electoral system should be done away with. However, considering all of the states and precincts who deserved and required a voice, the correct outcome was realized. Perhaps unknowingly, those calling for the abolishment of the Electoral College are in fact requesting that the USA drop its first two letters.

This same dilemma between the sovereignty of the states and the power of the federal government is reflected in current events today. The state of Arizona is being sued for a state law that was put into effect recently concerning illegal immigrants within that state. The federal government has laws dealing with these immigrants that are not currently being enforced at the national level. Due to a large number of crimes in Arizona among these immigrants, who are not registered citizens or contributing tax payers, a state law that is in line with those established at the federal level has been passed and is being enforced. In effect, Arizona is saying, "The national government has a law that they are not enforcing. We have an immigrant problem in our state right now that is endangering our citizens. We are going to enforce the federal law for them." Arizona is defending its sovereignty and dealing with a state problem. They are not sending all immigrants to concentration camps or suggesting inhumane or un-American action. In fact, they are not suggesting anything more than the national government has already suggested. Through the law suit, the federal government is in effect saying, "Arizona does not have the right to deal with this problem. We can enforce our own laws. The immigration problem is a national problem, and the states can wait for the problem to be dealt with on our time-table or when the enforcement of our law is politically favorable for the current governing officers."

Now the last thing I want to do is debate immigration here. I use the example to suggest the ongoing conflict between the national and state governments. One final heated political topic, which I do not want to debate, is homosexual rights. Until there is more pressing need to deal with this issue at the national level, individual states can decide for themselves how to address the issue. There is indeed a need to protect minorities. The Latter Day Saints of 1846 were a minority that was persecuted and driven from state to state for its beliefs and lifestyle. The homosexual minority, like the illegal immigrants, should not be sent to concentration camps or treated less human or less American than anyone else. I am glad that I am not a politician who has to sort out how rights and benefits might be extended to a "domestic partnership". But as an American, I do have a right to defend my personal moral views of marriage. A few years ago, a number of states debated and voted to place a formal and traditional definition of marriage as the union between man and woman in their state constitutions. In some states, liberal and activist Supreme Court justices had assumed the power of granting legal rights to homosexual marriage within those states by claiming the "unconstitutionality" of the exclusion of such. These constitutional amendments returned the power to the people as a whole to decide how to define marriage. Now someone might call me un-American to feel the way I do about the issue, to speak out, to put up a sign in my yard, or to contribute money to a cause. But, in fact, there is nothing more American than taking a stance on an issue and allowing my voice to be heard. The Founding Fathers and millions of soldiers fought for that very right, and I should be allowed to proudly exercise it. Once again, the voice of the people needs to be heard, but those voices should be heard fairly. We truly are one nation of great diversity. And compromise, trust, and understanding are essential qualities for the continuance of our nation.

The second concept: under God. I will not undertake to describe the utterly hopeless and desperate state of affairs of the continental army of 1776 against a vast and powerful adversary. Read McCullough's 1776 and you'll get a good picture. Read that book, and you may join me, Adams, Jefferson, Washington, and many, many others who feel very strongly that American independence was wrought only by divine providence and intervention. God had a hand in the creation of this nation. As Francis Scott Key penned so well in our national anthem, "And this be our motto: in God is our Trust!"

There are those today who would have us remove any reference to God from our anthem, our currency, our Pledge of Allegiance, and any other national emblem. I recognize that there are those who do not believe in a supreme being. The majority of Americans do. There may come a day, as with the Nephites of old, when the majority of our nation falls into unrighteousness and unbelief. And if that majority elects to remove God completely from our nation, I feel that it will be a sorry tribute to those men and women who founded this great country upon that trust and faith. But, in that day, it would be the right of the government of the people and by the people to do as they see fit. I pray that day never comes, for the God we abandon as a people will surely abandon the people as a whole and we will be like Sodom and Gomorrah of old, a people ripe for destruction. Perhaps in that day the Lord may say, "If I can find 50, or even 40, or 30, or 10 who still trust in me and who espouse my doctrines and principles, I will spare that nation."

But as our nation continues to forget that reliance upon divine providence, by which the founding principles of our country were forged, we are surely headed in that direction.

The final concept: indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Our nation is only as strong as its people. Many Americans, including myself, often see our country as a strong world power that will never fall. In the 1800's, under the doctrine of Manifest Destiny, many felt that this growing nation was Daniel's prophesied stone cut out of the mountain without hands that would roll forth and fill the earth. Perhaps if Caesar, Napoleon, Alexander the Great, Hitler, or any other powerful commander had access to that book of prophesy, he might feel similarly. Many powerful world empires endured much longer than our nation's short 200 year history. We are far from indestructible. But we can be indivisible as long as we work together. Each American must do his part. And there must truly be liberty and justice for all. As John Adams sang, "I see Americans, all Americans, free forevermore!"

I do not believe that Daniel's prophesy was of the American nation. But I do believe that our country is and can continue to be great in our eyes and in the eyes of the world. We can be a light on a candlestick and a city set upon a hill, a people that lives what it preaches, that truly believes in liberty and freedom for all. And we can continue to share this great vision that John Adams saw with our world today. We can be the loving big brother to step in and defend our little brother from bullies. We can be a voice of reason in a disturbed world. We can be the first to aid a friend in need when unforeseen disasters strike. But for us to continue in this role, and to not fall, as did every other great world empire, it is my strong, but humble, belief that we truly must be one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. As a child, I recited this pledge daily in school. Perhaps, as a nation, we would do well to revive this dying pledge and recommit ourselves to the glorious cause of freedom.  

Let the bridge be burned behind me!

God Bless!

Praise to the Men

In driving to Michigan late last night, I spent three hours with church history scholars Susan Easton Black and Truman Madsen remembering the legacy of a man who was instrumental in bringing about a marvelous work and a wonder in our day, a man who helped restore eternal truths about our relationship with God and His son, Jesus Christ, a man who communed with angels and received revelatory instruction directly from our Savior. This man has left a testimony that will stand until the end of time, one that he sealed with his own blood. In speaking of this man and his brother who fell by the bullets of assassins on this day, June 27, 1844, John Taylor wrote,

"They were innocent of any crime as they had often been proved before, and were only confined in jail by the conspiracy of traitors and wicked men; and their innocent blood on the floor of Carthage jail is a broad seal affixed to "Mormonism" that cannot be rejected by any court on earth... a witness to the truth of the everlasting gospel that all the world cannot impeach... an ambassador for the religion of Jesus Christ, that will touch the hearts of honest men among all nations; and their innocent blood with the innocent blood of all the martyrs under the altar that John saw, will cry unto the Lord of Hosts till heaven avenges that blood on the earth."

This man was told of an angel at the young age of 17 that his name would be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues. This prophesy has undeniably held true with the name of Joseph Smith, a man I know to have been a prophet of God; a man who spoke with God and received revelation for the people of his day; a man like Moses, Abraham, Isaiah, and the apostle Paul. And just like many of these men, he was rejected, ridiculed, persecuted, and eventually gave his life for his testimony of the truth.

Well, as I listened to a recounting of events leading up to the martyrdom of Joseph Smith, I couldn't help but feel anger at the injustice and the cruelty, sorrow at the suffering of those inhabitants of Nauvoo, and a great gratitude for the man who "lived great and died great in the eyes of God and his people," a man who "has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it."

I do not believe that these statements, also by John Taylor, seek to deify the man Joseph Smith. Surely we do not worship or pray to Saint Joseph Smith as many might think. But as Brother Taylor states, he has done so much for this world. If you were to make a list of the top ten prophets in their importance to the entire history of the world, I would first and foremost write our Savior's name at the top. From there, I don't want to argue about the rest, but if you were to ask about those prophets who hold the greatest significance and importance to us in our day and in our generation, I would unequivocally agree with Brother Taylor and list Joseph Smith's name in the number two slot, followed by that of our living prophet, Thomas S. Monson, as number three.

Joseph Smith ushered in the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times, meaning he received all keys and restored all the plain and precious truths that had been lost over time, leading to an enlightened era of revelation and truth, where we once again have a direct link to our Heavenly Father and can know of a surety what He would have us do. And because of this and to seal this testimony, Joseph was required to sacrifice his life.

In thinking of his important role, not on the same level as that of the Savior, but certainly along the same lines, I can't help but find many similarities in their last days, as I was remembering the details as related by these scholarly lectures I was listening to.

Joseph Smith was presented with multiple arrest warrants in the two weeks prior to the martyrdom. These warrants charged Joseph with inciting a riot on the streets of Nauvoo in the destruction of the printing press for a paper called the Nauvoo Expositor. This publication was authored by apostates, those who had become disaffected with the church and took it upon themselves to destroy the Mormon church. This paper printed many lies and had the sole purpose to stir the citizens of Nauvoo up in revolution.

The Nauvoo city council spent over fourteen hours deliberating on what to do concerning the paper. There was a dilemma here over the Bill of Rights, with the freedom of press and the freedom of religion at stake. The decision to act was not taken lightly. Legal experts have sought to either defend or condemn that decision to destroy the press as a violation of constitutional rights. I will undertake to do neither. I am convinced, however, that the destruction of the press was conducted as due process of law. It was not the act of vigilantes or a mob. Ironically enough, many will condemn Joseph and justify his murder for the destruction of a printing press, while little thought is given to the destruction of our own printing press by mobs and the countless other unconstitutional violent mob actions in Kirtland, Ohio, Independence and Far West, Missouri, and Nauvoo, Illinois.

Well, Joseph was accused of inciting a riot or a mob and was tried and acquitted before a judge of law. He received a second arrest warrant for the same charges. It was felt that since that first judge had been a Mormon, he should perhaps be tried by a non-Mormon to appease the opposition. And so he was tried a second time and once again acquitted. If the violation of the constitutional right protecting against double jeopardy were not enough, Joseph was served with a third warrant for the exact same charges and was facing triple jeopardy. This time, Joseph was told by the governor of the state, Governor Ford, that if he would come to Carthage, the matter might finally be settled. This brings me to some of the parallels I found between the martyrdom of Joseph and that of Jesus.

First, I found it interesting to learn about the second trial in Nauvoo with the judge who was not a member of the Church. According to the law, he acquitted Joseph of all charges. Pontius Pilate had listened to Jesus and claimed, "I find no fault in this man." What was interesting was that this judge asked Joseph to tell his story, to effectively bear his testimony as a prophet of God. Pilate similarly had opportunity to interview the Savior and was moved upon by the Spirit to the point where he not only found Jesus innocent but may have been led to believe in part in his message.

Ultimately, Pilate feared the Jews and the impact they might make on his standing with Rome, and he allowed the capital punishment. This judge of Joseph in Nauvoo ultimately became Joseph's last convert. Like Alma in Noah's court who heard the words of Abinadi, like Agrippa who heard Paul and said, "Almost thou persuadest me to believe...", like the centurion who was there at Golgotha and claimed, "Truly this man was the Son of God," he received a witness of the truthfulness of a divine message by the Spirit of God. And this judge later followed the Saints west as they were driven from Nauvoo.










On to Carthage. The city of Carthage, Illinois, was a hotbed of opposition, hatred, and hostility toward Joseph Smith and the Mormons. For Joseph to follow the summons to Carthage was like Jesus leaving the favorable political and religious climate of Galilee and going to Jerusalem, the political seat of the Sanhedrin and other counsels who wanted nothing more than His blood. Joseph at first refused to go, knowing of the danger that awaited him there, but under the encouragement of many of his people, including his wife, he willingly went to Carthage. There were many Mormons who felt that if Joseph would just go to Carthage, the governor would protect him and that they as a city and as a people might be kept safe. Joseph had faced trials, prisons, and mobs before. Surely, he would once again be protected. But Joseph knew otherwise. Whether he knew of a surety that he would not return from Carthage or not, he clearly knew that he had completed his work as a prophet. In his own words, he had said, "I am just as liable to die as any other man." And, though he felt inclined toward self-preservation, he went to Carthage "as a lamb to the slaughter", saying, "If my life is of no value to my friends, it is surely of no value to me." Christ went to Jerusalem, to Gethsemane, and finally to Golgotha for His friends, for every single child of God. Joseph went to Carthage for his friends.

Appearing before a judge, Joseph was informed that the bail for him and his brother would be $500 apiece. Now in that day, $500 was a great sum of money, money that neither Joseph nor his brother Hyrum possessed. To the credit of Joseph's friends, over $1000 was quickly pooled so that bail might be posted. The judge in Carthage was taken aback, shocked that the sum had been collected, and he would not post bail till the next day as he claimed that his schedule was too full. Before the next day, however, a new warrant was issued, one with charges for which bail could not be made. The charge this time: treason against the United States.

I can't help but think of the crimes for which Jesus was accused. He was accused by those who despised him of blasphemy, the crime of teaching and claiming spiritual truths that the majority of the populace believed to be untrue and a mockery to God. Joseph was similarly hated and persecuted for teaching truths that were not popular or widely believed by the people of his day. The charge concerning the printing press and the riots was just convenient a excuse to get Joseph to come to be near the mobs of Carthage.

When the Jews had laid their hands on Jesus, after paying Judas Iscariot to betray his Lord and committing countless "unconstitutional" acts of injustice according to their own law in the arrest and trial of Christ, they were determined to see that He be killed, and they would raise whatever charges and conjure whatever false witnesses were required to obtain a death sentence. A guilty verdict of blasphemy, however, was not enough to convict Jesus to death according to Roman law, so the charge was changed from blasphemy against God to treason against Caesar. The opposition of Carthage was similarly committed to see Joseph killed, and if the charge of rioting was not enough to hold him in prison, the new charges of treason were raised with a handful of perjured witnesses standing by, prepared to aid their case.

Joseph, as mayor of Nauvoo, one of the largest cities in the state, asked for an audience with Thomas Ford, the Governor, hoping to discuss the plight of his city. Governor Ford answered that he did not have time. He would, however, take Joseph with him the next day as he inspected the Carthage Greys, the military troops of the city. At the time of the martyrdom, the Carthage Greys were responsible for the protection of the Carthage jail. But the military disbanded, abandoning their posts and their duty, and there were many among its ranks who painted their faces black and joined with the mob in the siege on the jail. So an inspection of these troops with Joseph standing by might have been perceived by Governor Ford as an opportunity to parade Joseph before his enemies, perhaps with the aim of appeasing them and cooling emotions.

Pontius Pilate allowed Jesus to be stripped, whipped, robed and crowned in mockery with thorns, and then "paraded" Him before the Jews, perhaps hoping to calm their blood lust and invoke pity. It did not work in either case, but served to only further intensify the mobs.

Joseph told Governor Ford that he would be safe as long as the governor remained in Carthage. The governor promised to not leave the city for Nauvoo without Joseph. However, on the morning of the 27th, Joseph was notified that the governor had broken his promise and left for Nauvoo. At the time that the mob stormed the jail, late that afternoon, Governor Thomas Ford was speaking to the people of Nauvoo, relaxing in the Mansion House, and being served dinner by Joseph's wife. Governor Ford may not have been a Caiaphas or a Herod, but he was clearly a Pontius Pilate. He was one who feared the people, one who took a passive role and let the mob violence rule. Ironically enough, in a book he later wrote, giving his version of the history of the state of Illinois, Thomas Ford expressed three great fears:

1. He feared that there would be those in some future day who would speak of Joseph Smith, and that the name would go far and wide.
2. He feared that there would be place names like Carthage and other places like Palmyra that would be as common to people throughout the world as were such names as Bethlehem and Gethsemane.
3. And he feared that there might be someone who might link his name to such infamous characters that had lived in the past as Pontius Pilate and Herod.

Governor Ford never claimed to be a prophet, but his fears literally became true prophesies on all three counts.

After the inspection of the troops with Governor Ford, there were several commanders and military leaders who came to Joseph's room at the hotel where he was under house arrest. They claimed that during the inspection they had not had a good opportunity to see Joseph and wanted a chance to meet the man. Joseph perceived otherwise and accused these men of being among those who most fiercely wanted his life. He then gave one of his last prophesies concerning these men who would be among the mob that took his life. He said that there would come a day when each of these men would "wallow in their own blood," when they would be so sick of blood that they could not stand it. Each of these men present, after the mob actions of Carthage, later went on to be very successful in the military and all served as generals and officers in the Civil War. In fulfillment of Joseph's prophesy, every single one of these men, at some point during that war, wrote letters to loved ones or commanding officers claiming that they never wanted to see the blood of any man again, that they could not stand the sight of blood.

I think of one of Christ's last prophesies, that which He made in Matthew 24 concerning His second coming and the destruction of the Jews. He prophesied that the temple would be completely destroyed, that not one stone would be left standing on another. He also prophesied that his murderers, the Jews, would be delivered up to be afflicted and killed, that they would be hated of all nations for His name's sake. Yes, Christ forgave his executioners, the Romans, who Christ claimed knew not what they did. But he prophesied concerning the condemnation of those who had actively sought his life, and those prophesies were indeed realized. So were those of Joseph.

When Peter listened to Jesus at the mount of Olives before continuing on to Gethsemane, he was horrified at the prospect of offending his Lord and failing to stand by Him in danger. He said, "Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee." Peter effectively voiced his willingness to die with the Savior or to even die in His place. When the mob came to take the Savior, Peter was the first to draw his sword. When the other apostles fled, Peter was one of the few to follow the mob to the place where Jesus would be tried. The Lord's words, however, were prophetic, and Peter became a changed and a stronger man through his weakness. Peter was not called upon to die in Jesus' place, but he was truly willing. When he was sent to his death years later, he asked to be crucified upside down so as to show respect toward His master's own martyrdom.

There was a Peter-like character, a close friend of Joseph Smith who similarly offered to die in place of his prophet. This man was Willard Richards. He was one of the Twelve. Joseph had once told him that he would one day stand in the midst of a literal rainstorm of bullets and not be injured, a prophesy that seemed even more unlikely given Willard's very large and portly frame. In Carthage jail, when instructed by the jailers to go to the upstairs room where they might be more "safe", and where they would shortly be attacked, Joseph asked Willard if he would come with him up to the room. Willard said (and I paraphrase), "You didn't ask me to come to Carthage, and here I am. You ask me to come up with you, and I will come. If you are to die, I will hang in your place." This offer, so similar to that of Peter, bears even greater significance than might seem at first. Joseph, in previously thinking of mobs and those who wanted his blood, had claimed that if he was to die, he only hoped and prayed that his life would not end by hanging. What a powerful offer by a friend in those last moments. Willard, unlike Peter, would not be required to share a martyr's fate, but his act of friendship and love in that offer cannot be forgotten.

There is probably a great deal more that could be said of the martyrdom of Jesus Christ and Joseph Smith, of Pontius Pilate's and governors, of Judas Iscariots and apostates, of Peter's and Willard's, of centurions and judges, of selflessness and of divine missions. The most important topic however is the answer to the simple question, WHY?

Why was our Savior martyred? He went willingly to Gethsemane, and despite His wish to pass the bitter cup and not carry out that incomprehensible act of love, compassion, mercy, and redemption, He carried out His mission and sealed that act through the Crucifixion, paving the way so that each of us might live again and have the opportunity to return to our Heavenly Father. I wish that the Savior did not have to go through what He went through for my frailties, my weaknesses, my sins, but there is no question in my mind as to why He had to sacrifice Himself, and I thank my God for that pure act of charity.

Why was Joseph martyred? Joseph Smith was not my redeemer, he was not my savior, nor did he ever profess to be more than a man who had been entrusted with a sacred mission to restore precious truths to the world in a day when these truths were so desperately needed. When he was killed, he had already fulfilled that mission. So why was the sacrifice of his life necessary?

There are many prophets of old who were called to seal their testimonies with their blood, and there were many who were not called to die for the truth. John Taylor specifically stated that Joseph Smith was martyred "to seal the testimony of this book (the Doctrine and Covenants) and the Book of Mormon". In seeking to destroy the Church of Jesus Christ in these days, in seeking to scatter the Mormons and cut off the head of the serpent, the mobs provided martyrs crowns for Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum. The mob allowed Joseph the opportunity to give his final, irrefutable, and everlasting testimony to the truthfulness of these two books of scripture that the Lord revealed through him.

So, according to Sister Black, who was entertaining my drive to Michigan, "Was it worth it? Was it worth the best blood of the nineteenth century to bring them forth for the salvation of a ruined world?" Her answer, that I can soundly echo, was 'YES'!

I know that both of these books are the word of God. Joseph, himself, claimed that "the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book." The Bible is indeed the word of God. I love the stories and the teachings contained therein. The life and teachings of Jesus Christ are so plainly and eloquently written that I cannot read that book without feeling the power and the Spirit confirming the truthfulness of those words. That said, I also feel those same feelings and have an undeniable witness of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.

The Book of Mormon is indisputably another witness of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is mentioned in the very first and the very last verses. His name, in over 100 different variations is mentioned on an average of once every one and a half verses. From the first to the last pages, the book conveys many truths, but has one overall message: Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and true happiness and joy come from following Him.

I can't understand why men would call the book evil, why they would take a life because of it. I can understand that some men might read, ponder, and study its pages and yet believe that it is not inspired and of God. But any book on earth that conveys a similar message of Jesus Christ, in my opinion, is not evil. It may not be inspired, it may not be true. Such testimonies of faith would be left to the reader. But I cannot see how I could demand a life for bringing forth a book about Jesus or telling people that they believe in Jesus.

I know many people whose beliefs differ from mine. I may hope that they one day convert to fully sharing my beliefs, and they may hope the same for me. But I can still see their goodness and respect their right and privilege to worship God as they see fit. Unfortunately, not everyone shares my opinion and this mutual respect when it comes to religion, and there are mobs and holy wars, and families, friendships, and even entire peoples are destroyed in God's name. Certainly more than one life has been taken. But in the life of Joseph Smith, I thank my God that he restored truth through the Prophet Joseph, and I thank my God for the Book of Mormon, which has been sealed by the testimony of Joseph Smith through his martyrdom.

So my final question to myself and to you: I may know why Joseph was martyred, and I may answer with a resounding yes that the Book of Mormon is clearly worth the best blood of the nineteenth century, but do I show enough gratitude for the martyrdom? I'm not suggesting that I pray to Joseph Smith or set up a shrine to him in my living room. I am suggesting, however, that I can show my gratitude for his life and for his sealing of the Book of Mormon with his blood in my respect for and my personal usage of that most wondrous book.

Do I appreciate that book? Do I open it up and let the pages breath? Do I take the promise of Moroni in its final pages to heart and ask God to confirm the truthfulness of that book and the teachings I learn again and again? Do I share that book with others or do I keep it to myself?

Praise to the Man who communed with Jehovah! Jesus anointed that Prophet and Seer, Blessed to open the last dispensation, Kings shall extol him and nations revere!

Through me and my testimony of this man and the Book of Mormon, can it be said that Millions shall know Brother Joseph again?

God Bless!