April 2021 General Conference: Stand and Gather

President Russel M. Nelson is the current president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is the Lord's prophet and mouthpiece on the Earth. In a talk during the April 2021 Priesthood Session of General Conference, President Nelson reminded us that to overcome trying times and adversity in these Last Days we must "stand in holy places". Saints can stand in holy places by establishing our home as a place of faith, and a place of spiritual and temporal refuge. President Nelson also admonished us to gather together, finding strength in our priesthood quorums which is our Church of Jesus Christ faith community.

President Nelson's admonition to "stand and gather" is in stark contrast to the modern prepper movement's doctrine of "bugging out" and "isolation".

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2021/04/36nelson?lang=eng

Government vs. Church Jurisdictions

1. Government operates on "do no harm" to another principles. No specific law needs to be written for harm to be illegal and prosecuted. The rule of law should deal more with due process than what specifically is illegal. All harm to life, liberty, and property is illegal. If someone has been harmed by another, a jury of peers can determine if a victim has been harmed, If defendant is guilty of said harm upon the victim, and the appropriate penalty.

Laws should focus on punishing harm-doers, and not punish everyone by restricting liberty and freedom in the name of prevention.

Government can make laws to punish harmful behavior of others such as for murder, assault, rape, stealing, lying, theft. extortion, lible, slander. Government can prohibit and punish harmful behavior.

Government should not make laws that determine virtuous or good behavior and legally require such behavior.

2. The Church and other NGOs deal with self harm as a consequence of addiction, and sexual immorality. Illicit drug distribution and sales harms the addicts and should therefore be illegal. However, Illicit drug use itself should not be criminalized. Accicts need rehab and therapy. The Church can restrict membership privileges,

disfellowship and excommunicate. Self harm behaviors are at higher risk to and can quickly lead to other behaviors that do harm others.

According to James 1:27, welfare and virtue is the jurisdiction of the Church or other NGOs. Governmenr shoukd maje no law with regard to religion which means it should provide No individual welfare (visiting fatherless or widow) or determine or proscribe virtuous behavior. Welfare and virtue are the business of pure religion. Only Church can require that its members buy and eat broccoli.

if a person is worried about COVID exposure, he can quarantine himself, he can choose to be vaccinated. He cannot force another to be vaccinated.

If a person is knowingly sick and infectious and knowingly infects others and harms others, then that person could be criminally penalized.

New Years Reflection

There's a popular Chinese proverb that says: “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”

When it comes to making changes in our life, becoming a better person and improving our lives; the best time to have started would have been 20 years ago. But since going back on time is not possible, the next best time is today.

President Nelson Call for Gratitude

https://youtu.be/tlcILxGmVrI

President Russell M. Nelson is the presiding authority, chief apostle, and prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ if Latter-day Saints. At the start of this holiday and Thanksgiving season, President Nelson has invited us to pray and use social media to express our gratitude for our blessings each day for 7 days using #givethanks. Gratitude is scientifically proven to biologically change our brain and brain chemistry and help us feel happier and more satisfied with life. Expressing gratitude daily is a therapy better than taking any pill.

https://youtu.be/WPPPFqsECz0

Apostolic Succession

This is from an account of Orson F. Whitney, who was an Apostle for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints:
"Many years ago a learned man, a member of the Roman Catholic Church, came to Utah and spoke from the stand of the Salt Lake Tabernacle. I became well-acquanted with him, and we conversed freely and frankly. A great scholar, with perhaps a dozen languages at his tongue’s end, he seemed to know all about theology, law, literature, science and philosophy. One day he said to me: 'You Mormons are all ignoramuses. You don’t even know the strength of your own position. It is so strong that there is only one other tenable in the whole Christian world, and that is the position of the Catholic Church. The issue is between Catholicism and Mormonism. If we are right, your are wrong; if you are right, we are wrong; and that’s all there is to it. The Protestants haven’t a leg to stand on. For, if we are wrong, they are wrong with us, since they were a part of us and went out from us; while if we are right, they are apostates whom we cut off long ago. If we have apostolic succession from St. Peter, as we claim, there is no need of Joseph Smith and Mormonism; but if we have not that succession, then such a man as Joseph Smith was necessary, and Mormonism’s attitude is the only consistent one. It is either the perpetuation of the gospel from ancient times, or the restoration of the gospel in latter days."