It has a 3600 year cycle.

Joseph Smith talked about this, too!

The Doctrine is deep.  But after all that we see that we have, on earth, that can be seen from the sky.. what if?

And look at this map!

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Brother Smith, If you wish to have this removed, pleased let me know. I post this here as wonderful history and encouragement to everyone who may read it. ~Heidi

Meridian Magazine
Missionary Moment – Emma: I was Too Tired to go West
By Mark Albright

Mark Albright is the president of the Washington DC South mission and shares these missionary stories with Meridian Magazine.  This letter comes from Bob Smith, a direct descendent of Joseph Smith.

Dear President Albright,

I was the 108th direct descendant of the Prophet Joseph Smith to be baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (the Mormons).   I was the 2nd direct descendant of Joseph to be endowed in the new Nauvoo Temple.  I think it is time to share my story with a larger audience.

I was raised in the Reorganized LDS church, now known as the Community of Christ.  All of my life I had been taught to distrust and fear the Mormon church which is headquartered in Utah.  My journey to become a Mormon started in the summer of 2005 when I ran across a web site: JosephSmithJr.com.  I spent several hours reading what was there. I e-mailed the site and explained who I was.  I was contacted the next day and was invited to visit Utah in August for a Joseph Smith Family Reunion.   I was fearful to go, and was actually concerned for my safety and well being.  I left thinking I was like a sheep being led to the slaughter, and I might be going out on a nice plane, but I was coming back in a pine box!  But contrary to my beliefs, it actually was a delightful experience. My niece Kim Larson and I were picked up at the airport by John and Gwen Smith, the great-grandson of Hyrum Smith, Joseph’s brother.  They were our hosts for the next 3 days.

Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve, a Smith cousin as a descendant of Joseph’s brother Hyrum, addressed us. About 200 descendants attended the gathering.  Most, like me, were not members of the Mormon church.  We were also hosted by descendants of Samuel Smith, another of Joseph’s brothers. Our reception was totally awesome.

The warmth shared will last a lifetime.  We went to a play at the Marriott Center at BYU celebrating Joseph’s 200th birthday.  I will never again in my life have the feeling of total emotion I felt as I stood in the middle of the stadium with my family as we received a standing ovation from 23,000 people.  We were also guests of honor at the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s weekly broadcast, during which music director Craig Jessop welcomed us and paid tribute to Joseph’s wife, Emma, for her collection of hymns.  The choir sang hymns centered on Joseph, “Oh, How Lovely Was the Morning,” and “Praise to the Man.”  When they sang “Joseph’s First Prayer,” I wept openly for the first time in 50 years.  This had never happened to me before, not even at the deaths of my parents, wife or son.

We were also shown various displays regarding Joseph and Emma Smith in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, as the Church celebrated the 200th anniversary of Joseph’s birth. Under the direction of descendants Michael Kennedy and his wife, Darcy, and Gracia Jones — the first Smith descendant to join the Church and receive her endowments — we held a family dinner in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in Salt Lake City.  The art department at BYU presented me with a beautiful book about my Great Great Grandfather, Joseph Smith.

I was also presented with an LDS Hymn Book in memory of Emma’s contributions to Church music.  After I returned home to Nebraska, I placed both of these new books in my living room. At this point I was a total emotional wreck, but I knew what I needed to do. For the next few months I did much research and soul searching.  I looked back to the Reorganized church only to find out they had changed the church name, denounced the Book of Mormon, and denounced Joseph Smith as the prophet–all of which I was very opposed to.  I felt that the original Church was the one to pursue.

In January of 2006, two young Mormon missionaries came knocking on my door, Elder Batin and Elder Williams.   When I invited the elders to come inside, they immediately noticed the LDS hymnal and the art book about Joseph Smith on my table.   Needless to say, when the missionaries discovered I was NOT a Mormon, they stayed in my living room teaching me for most of that day.  Our discussion was fascinating for them and for me, because I already knew so much about their church history which intertwined with RLDS history; however, many of the gospel principles were different.  Over the following weeks I took all the missionary lessons and struggled with the huge disparity between what the elders were teaching me and what my RLDS friends and family had taught me my entire life.

The conflict within my heart and soul grew to the point that I finally told the missionaries that even though I believed their message and all their LDS doctrines, I could not join the Mormon Church until I could find out for myself why Brigham Young had left Emma behind in Nauvoo with five children to raise.   I was conflicted and could not come to a resolution that would comfort me.  It did not make sense to me that Emma had been left to fend for herself, after being so instrumental in the Restoration. I also spent several evenings in the home of David and Jodi Edwards who were LDS friends of mine, and where Elder Sandhu and Elder Johnson taught me further doctrines.

In April of 2006, I was driving down the highway to work and singing along loudly to a Southern gospel radio station.  I still remember the song I was listening to was titled:  “Joy, Joy Wonderful Joy” by the gospel group Bill and Gloria Gaithers.  Suddenly, to my dismay, the radio went completely silent.  I was a bit irritated at this since the car I was driving was almost new.  How could the radio break so soon?  I hit the dash and fiddled with the radio dials, but finally gave up and just drove along the road alone and in complete silence.

In the quiet I started to ponder about my dilemma.  Should I join the Mormon church as I wanted and enjoy fellowship with the Saints?  Would this upset my family and the many generations of Smiths who were angry that Emma had not been taken West along with the Saints?  Suddenly,  to my surprise,  I clearly and distinctly heard a women’s voice speaking to me.  It was as clear as if it had come through the radio speakers. The voice said:  “Robert, Follow your heart. I stayed in Nauvoo because I was tired and could travel no further.”

I knew instantly that the voice belonged to Emma Smith, my Great, Great Grandmother.   It was made clear to me at that moment that Emma had just given me her permission to be baptized into the Mormon Church!  My ancestors would not be angry with my decision to join my new found faith.

My last remaining concern and stumbling block had just been miraculously removed.

I was baptized on May 13, 2006, by my cousin Michael Kennedy, the President of the Joseph Smith Family organization, and the first descendant of Joseph to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood.  I was confirmed by my good friend and stake president David Edwards.  Also baptized at the same baptismal service by Michael was Caleb, the son of my good friends David and Rebecca Denning.  David is the son of my second cousin Gracia Jones and is stationed here in Omaha. I was overwhelmed with emotion that the great-great grandson and the great-great-great-great grandson of Joseph were to be baptized during the same service! It was a joyful occasion. Caleb’s and my baptism was the first time that a descendant of Joseph and Hyrum had worked together in the baptism of a family member.

Robert W. Smith baptized by Michael A. Kennedy, pictured here with Elders Batin and Williams and Caleb Denning, a 4th great grandson of Joseph, was baptized at the same time in Omaha, Nebraska.
I could only imagine the rejoicing and tears that were shed by the two brothers on the other side of the veil.  Their families were being united again after 150 years.  The beautiful dedicatory prayer at the Kirtland Temple offered by Joseph, especially D&C 109:70, is continuing to unfold, that the prejudices of Joseph’s posterity “may be broken up and swept away as with a flood that they may be converted.”

Among Joseph and Emma’s posterity are now some 125 living adult descendants who are members of the Church, and of them, at least 14 have served full-time missions.  Our prejudices have indeed been swept away as if by a flood as we are converted to the Gospel of the Restoration!  I was endowed in the Nauvoo Temple in June 2007. Thanks for your efforts to spread the light of truth!

Warm Regards,

Bob Smith

Omaha, Nebraska

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I write to you from the future. Yes, I’m serious.

If you are after September 21, 1823, then you should seek out The Book of Mormon.

If this time has yet to come to pass, I would tell you of the most important truth that I have the honor to share.

I know not your personal circumstance, but this much I can say..

No matter who, or where you are from, this information applies and can aide you.

These are simple truths.

• There is a God.
• He does care for you.
• He has a personal hand in your life.
• He has a son, Jesus Christ.
• Jesus Christ loves you, enough, that he died and provided a personal atonement, for you.
• You have a purpose.
• You matter, more than you know.
• Choosing the right is the way back to live with God.
• If you live righteously you will have true happiness.

And now, when you receive these words, I ask that you open your mind, and ponder with your heart, and your mind, what has been spoken.

I would, also, ask that you pray, on these things, with a sincere heart, and with real intent, believing in God, that he will make known the truth, of it, unto you.

I, also, ask that when you receive this truth, that you would remember the feeling it gives.  For by it you may learn all things pertaining to the mysteries of God.

My final piece of advice, is that you hold to the feelings, and seek out the truth.

Endure to the end.

If you lose your way, remember this letter or start one of your own.

I ask, that when you have finished reading this letter, my testament, that you would add a few words.. a short letter to it, and pass this on.

Together, we shall make our own plates of old.

A wise man once said, that if you spend your whole life crying repentance and have a hand in the saving of one soul, “Great shall be your joy.

Know you this, you have already saved a soul.  My soul.

For in writing this letter, the Lord has allowed me to reach out with my soul and feel yours.

My joy is great, for I am familiar with your spirit and I stand as a personal witness of you.

If your joy be great, with saving one soul, how great shall be your joy, if you save many souls and gain this personal witness?

I love you and look forward to meeting you one day, face-to-face.

Endure to the end,

M.D.F. (Modern Day Fisherman)

(** This is an anonymous letter I have come into contact with. The blog author did not write this.)

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I did not know that conference addresses, are available, in podcast!

Happy.. Happy..

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weary – Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary via kwout

In the beginning of Romancing The Ordinary, Sarah Ban Breathnach mentions “weary” twice, in just her introduction.

“I’m hoping you will discover that God is present in the .. soothing sip of chamomile tea when you’re weary..”

and

“Throughout the book you’ll find seasonal indulgences intended to help you come to your senses by restoring your weary soul (as they did mine) with the things we both love..”

I hope so.

Just last night, I decided I was weary. So absolutely exhausted from things that should not be trying.. things that should not be so difficult.. but are.. and are completely beyond my control.

As a parent, to “religious kids,” it has been my own challenge, to keep my personal challenges, up front, but censored, to a degree. No matter what personal thoughts, that I have, it is my responsibility to not discourage them, in their attempt to find their own path.

Over the last six years, this has been near impossible, however.

The people, in your religious child’s life, that you depend on, to help you walk the child down God’s path.. have simply been my biggest negative advocates.

I may lose this battle, to rear children to be responsible LDS adults. I know it hasn’t been easy. I know I’ve failed, miserably, just doing my very best, possible.. but to witness children lose the fire and desire of getting up, and attending early morning seminary, almost seems unforgivable, to me.

Life doesn’t need to be this difficult.

I just can’t decide if allowing them to choose the path I feel lays before us.. and not go.. is the right choice.

In no way do I expect people to be perfect. I do, however, expect them to be human and to be righteous in their decisions and actions.

Those called to “touch” a teenagers life.. are specifically accountable to the habits we teach them with our own example.

We can’t teach them that its okay to be late.

We can’t teach them that its okay to disregard others.

It is irresponsible to leave parents, as well as another teacher, who provides transportation to your students, in the parking lot, on your own schedule. When your class is scheduled to end at 6:50am, it is irresponsible to ignore the clock, and talk away, even not about your lesson, after 7am.

It should not be “NORM” to run on your own schedule..

Seminary must be uplifting. It must be a spiritual experience, that teenage kids crave to attend.

It can’t be discouraging. It can’t be so full of controversy, angst, and non-order that it forms a negative feeling, for the rest of the day. That is something that should just be unacceptable.

It stifles The Spirit.

Some of my weariness is more specific to my own children.. good kids.. who must be targeted, in what they feel, is a very negative way.. on many fronts..

I’m just so irritated that I don’t know where to turn. Writing letters to this teacher, my bishop, my stake president is useless. I’ve come to feel, that they’ve proved to not care, beyond themselves.

And if they don’t care.. I’ve lost part of my uphill battle.. without getting out of bed, each morning.

When the ward “chain of command” has shown the exact same irresponsibility to their personal actions.. one has no options.. but to hope that prayer is enough..

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