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It is surreal to think I am already at the age of having the privilege and opportunity to listen to my oldest give a talk after serving a full-time mission. Sadly, I haven't been sick all this year and the first time I am sick is the Sunday he is speaking. Fortunately, there is a Zoom meeting I will still be able to view and listen to him. I am looking forward to hearing the increase the Lord has given my son by the power of his Holy Spirit. I hope that he will continue to cherish the experiences and personal revelation he has received, and that he will continue to remain faithful to the Lord.

From the Introduction of the Book of Mormon: From President Ezra Taft Benson in a General Conference address: When the Book of Mormon was abridged, Mormon took those things he thought/was inspired, as most profitable to us. This includes the book of Ether. The heading for Ether 8: The chapter tells us the story of Akish and his rise to power using murder and Secret Combinations. Moroni proceeds to tell us about the horrors of Secret Combinations. In verses 23-26 he is speaking to us. The modern church members. Take particular note of verse 24. It dumbfounds me the lengths members of the LDS church will go to write off the dangers of modern SC's in our world.

I think it would be interesting to record a mission farewell talk and their homecoming talk and then to listen to both the second following the first just to experience the difference. The Traveler

The concept of an “anti-Christ” is understood by many Christians to mean there will be one big bad anti-Christ that will will have to fight against. In reality, there will be many that take on that role. It is similar with secret combinations. It’s not one giant conspiracy of politicians coming together to destroy men. But rather a bunch of small and individual secret plans to exploit men and take them from God.

Them pesky Americans, at it again. In other news... pesky Australians appear to be demanding liberty too.

But this does not happen. Those who fear getting the dread Covid virus have but to "mask up" to gain the near-magical protection offered thereby.

The Lord saw that at some point Simon would be converted, and thus admonished him that, when that time came, he was to strengthen his brethren.

It also means that Peter, the Lord's senior apostle who was already commissioned by him and who had great authority in his Church and greater authority to come, was nevertheless not yet converted. I find this amazing.

Is there any students of the Book of Mormon that doubts the proclivity of evidence of politicians that are connected to and protecting the activities of "Secret Combinations? The Traveler

https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/revelation-15-march-1832-dc-81/1#historical-intro Looks like we are not sure who actually crossed out Gause's name and replaced it with William's. Looks like some pretty informed brethren thought that Oliver Cowdery did the deed. Not sure that I mischaracterized what occurred. Possibly my flippant question about pitting my children against each other? Sometimes I write things to get a response... The above is my point. The Lord gives us blessings. If we do not live up to our responsibilities and fall from our exaltation those blessings go elsewhere. I love this statement. David Bednar - We Will Prove Them Herewith (October 2020 Sat Morning Session)

People who doubt secret combinations only need to look at what has been revealed about Big Tobacco. They did not want to destroy the world, they simply wanted to have power over it. They lied about the product they sold, they had 'scientists' and politicians on their payroll. The only way they were brought to light was that the 'kooks' and 'extremist' did not shut up, in spite of pressure Big Tobacco applied to them. Now a days we are seeing this exact same pressure being applied to those being labelled as 'kooks' and 'extremist' and it is concerning. Not because every 'kooks' and 'extremist' right but rather we are not being allowed to decide for ourselves that whom are 'kooks and 'extremist' whom might have a point.

It seems to be more than just finger wagging https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/latter-day-saint-charities-unicef-covid-19-response

It would seem that with their less than stringent observance of covid related medical advice requiring the temporary lessening of certain social liberties, such as lockdowns, mask wearing and social distancing, some Americans have transformed the old rallying cry of give me liberty or give me death into give me liberty and thereby death. There’s nothing wrong with that, choosing liberty is a valid choice to make. Except when it impacts on the ability of others to make the same choice. Which is what happens when someone dies because someone else has chosen the liberty of not wearing a mask or not following other covid related medical advice.

I haven’t finished the book yet, but I had this insight in a portion of the book I read this morming The common logic behind suicide is “there is nothing more to expect from life except pain” (I recognize this is a gross over simplification, I am not trying to reduce feelings of suicide to just this) When we switch the internal dialogue and ask “what does life expect of me”, it offers further strength. It turns you from a victim into a hero. This reminds me of a man I went to church with. He shared with us in a meeting that he felt that the church had given him everything it could. He has read the scriptures through multiple time, had learned the lessons found in serving a mission, and was married in the temple. He felt lost, there there was nothing left for him to gain from being a member. Over the next few months we watched through the eyes of his wife and daughter, who had grown close to my wife, him leave the church and get a divorce. It wasn’t till later that I made the connection of what had happened. In Luke 22:32, Christ says to Peter “when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” Doctrine and Covenants 84:106 reads “And if any man among you be strong in the Spirit, let him take with him him that is weak, that he may be edified in all meekness, that he may become strong also.” There are two phases we go through when we find a passion or something that gives us meaning. First, there is this expectation that we will be converted. Secondly, we are expected to take that knowledge and give it to others, to strengthen them. Men and women are not content in selfishness, nor in feeling like a victim. Only in realizing life’s and God’s (the Universe’s, Ala’s, future you, Flying Spaghetti Monster’s or any other higher meaning you find) expectation for you can we pull ourselves out of that despair. It takes a higher view of ourselves and a desire to help those around us. The difference between (1) feeling crushed by the world because we are falling short and failing, and (2) feeling energized by the struggles of life and striving to grow so we can be the rock for others who are struggling is simple. It takes realizing who your truly are and what future roles God (or whatever higher being you believe in) has in store for you. Though it is a simple shift, it can be hard. Like sitting on a dining chair on tile floor. You want to shift the chair, but it is stuck on a lip. Sometimes you have to get off of the chair completely to get that small shift you want.

I was thinking about this too. Despite this lack of conversion, Christ was still more than willing to leave it all in his hands.

That is not the only, or even the primary, meaning of "secret combination".

In real life, there's something known as "Caregiver's Fatigue". This is a situation where a person puts so much of their time, energy, and focus into caring for others that they have very little left for themselves or those around them. I actually have a deformity because of this. My maternal grandmother had Alzheimer's, and my parents were so busy taking care of the paperwork and legal materials *in addition to* going to the nursing home to make sure she was taken care of that I couldn't get them to understand that the assorted aches and pains I kept feeling were more than "growing pains" or my "not [being] used to physical activity". It turns out that the aches and pains were scoliosis, and by the time I was an adult and in a position to actually get myself to a doctor on my own accord a pretty bad case had set in. It actually got to my hips and legs because of how long my spine was curved, and I'm now looking at multiple rounds of surgery to correct it. Situations like this, where a person is completely drained or where someone's efforts to care for others left them uncared for, are when #2 turns into #1 and people start walking some very dark paths.

For the Biblical account, see Genesis 48:1-20. In LDS teaching Ephraim is seen as having more of a particularized leadership role in the latter-day gathering of Israel (see D&C 133:26-34). But for Lehi, living 2600 years ago, he explains his own view of the significance of his Josephite ancestry in 2 Nephi, Chapter 3.

Peel them and separate the sections to whatever size you want

Oh, I'm on team frozen grapes. I want to get a freeze dryer to dry out cherry tomatoes. That's an amazing snack.

My wife tells me that she fell in love with me on one of our first dates. We were at a restaurant and the table was covered with butcher paper. When I sat down the butcher paper was in my lap and I noticed that the table was unsteady because the table leg on my left side was too short (it wobbled and tilted as pressure was applied). So I tore off the excess butcher paper folded it a couple times and shoved it under the short leg. She kinda looked at me in awe and I shrugged.

I've had a careful look and I think they're all a bunch of American tourists who happened to be in Sydney last week. You can tell by the absence of beer bottles.