Episode#50: The State of Mormonism Today W/Taylor Smith

0:05 So, Joe, Biden gave his State of the Union Address this week and despite all the hype speech and all the lies, I think we all know things aren't good. Well, it's funny. How God works on this episode. I have Taylor Smith back on the podcast. Taylor breaks down what he thinks the state of Mormonism is Taylor and I cover some fascinating scripture about prophesied apostasy in the last days, we then touch on this week's Temple ordinance changes as well as the changes made over the decades, then we talk about what those Those changes really mean for the exaltation of those who participate in those changed ordinances. Now, you'll notice that while Tyler and I don't agree on everything we do, come to the same conclusion and that is all is not well in Zion, and that's next on this episode of the Mormon Renegade podcast. So I want to take just a few moments here and just say, thank you for listening.

0:57 I can never tell you how much it means to me that you spend your time here with me. Now, on top of that. Last year, I received donations, that help me upgrade the audio equipment and software. This year, I want to do the same thing for video. Now, if you want to help out and make a donation, you can do that by going to Mormon Renegade.com, and making a donation. They're also check out the Mormon Renegade, supply store at Mormon, Renegade.com, and pick up some merch. Now, if you can't, Any of those I completely understand. It's not like it's been a banner year necessarily for our finances so maybe just keep the podcast in your prayers. Finally as I've started to do more video, there's a YouTube channel up for the podcast but just between you and me. Yeah, I'm going to be there very long. So I have a feeling I might get kicked off. So to stay one step ahead of that, I've made a channel on Rumble, so head on over to rumble, look up the Mormon Renegade podcast Channel there and Crush that like And subscribe button.

1:52 Thank you. You. You're listening to the Mormon Renegade podcast. So Taylor, how you been, man? Living the dream as always. Nice nice. So I gotta tell you last time, we talked man, we had an epic conversation on on the last days and stuff. And what I loved about it.

2:40 What I loved about it was that we really kind of honed in on how it affects the restoration and then Mormons in particular. Are we going to focus on that again? Are we going to expand this? A little bit. I actually think we're going to get even more targeted tonight. Okay. This is where I will lead. I mean, who knows? Maybe as we get going, something else will come. But the thoughts, as I have had preparing and thinking about how we can kind of wrap this subject up, not that we can wrap it up, but as far as we can expand on it a little bit more build on what we started a couple weeks ago. That's kind of where I've been feeling. So, all right, I guess.

3:26 We'll see where we go. So last time we left off and we were kind of around Isaiah, right? We were talking about some things that we're going to happen. There is that where we want to pick up again? Or what would you have in mind there? You know what, I think that's a great place to kind of kick off will pick up and kind of close the thread a little bit more, I couldn't believe when you, when I noticed the time and we've been going for what 3 plus h 3 and a half hours, I was like, wow. There was more than I expected. It took more time, but yeah, nothing wrong with that. No, no, um look, it's hard to break down any principle in the gospel, in 30 seconds, right?

4:09 Or or or even in an hour, right? You're peeling your peeling layers back and this topic, especially right. I feel like this one has a lot of layers to it. So no, dude. I figured three hours was just about right for a part one. Alrighty. Well, you know, let's Dive Right In to S Nephi chapter 28 because, you know, we were kind of going through some of the groundwork, the Isaiah chapters and then Nephi really unlocking, the understanding the proper perspective on some of those Isaiah chapters that are quoted. Second by chapter 28, is kind of a current events analysis if you will whoo-hoo And so this is where it gets, I guess, kind of real and personal for us in our day, right? And beginning with verse 3, it shall come to pass in that day. Today, that the trigger is, which are built up and not unto the Lord.

5:13 When the one shall say unto you, the other behold, I, I am the Lord's, and the other shall say, I am the Lord's and the shall everyone say that has built up churches and not unto the Lord. Now just a little commentary on that. It's so easy for us to point the fingers at the Lutheran's and the methodists and the Catholics. And, you know, all of these other sex and and, you know, various denominations of Christianity and and kind of say, yeah, you're not built up unto the Lord but you claim to be and I think that the, the usefulness of the scriptures are our, as a tool. It's not just an academic exercise. I mean, there is a locket, a lot of kind of, you know, thought and intellectual exercise that goes into analyzing critically and and in very great detail these scriptures. But to me, the only value the only benefit that comes to us personally is when we apply them to ourselves, like Nephi says likening the scriptures unto ourselves makes it for our profit and learning.

6:15 And so to me Would I would submit that all of us, especially Mormons should look in the mirror and take a close look and say, do I think that I'm the one true church on the earth? Do I think that my church is the one true church going on verse 4. They shall contend one with another, their priest shall content one with another and they shall teach with their learning and to deny the Holy Ghost we which giveth utterance and they deny the power of God. The Holy One of Israel and say unto the people the hearken unto us here. You our preset for behold, there is no God today for the Lord and Redeemer, has done his work and he hath given his power unto men and you know this As a former, you know, completely mainstream faithful true blue through and through Mormon, I had these understandings that well, you know, the Brethren are righteous, they're inspired. And you know, they're telling us good things, giving us Good Counsel, it's on us.

7:22 It's the membership that is at fault and you know, it's taken years of the spirit working upon me to You understand like some of the scriptures that we read last time about the, they that lead because the two are, you know, in talking about some of those other kind of scriptural phrases, that clearly are addressed at the leaders of the folk of the people, not just the people and they're, you know, the wickedness of the people the membership. And, you know, and I don't say this personally against any individual. I think it's just indicative. This is a prophetic statement. Scribing things that the Lord has opened my eyes to see some interesting connections. Behold harkinian to my preset.

8:10 If they shall say, there's a miracle wrought by the hand of the Lord. Believe it not you. No. Denying people denying that Miracles are happening saying, oh no, don't you can't trust in faith and in the priesthood and in herbs. And you know the Wholesome foods to heal, people know, you have to go to the doctor. You have to get you know, these pharmaceutical interventions and these other modalities. It's Kind of scary to think how much we have misplaced our faith as a people and as leadership into the arm of Flesh. Okay. So let me stop you there because I want to explore this just for touch because I'm kind of fascinated by this. So um Artie.

8:58 Are you saying that we should you know not use. Doctors at all. No, not at all. Okay, we should. Yeah I mean for instance, if I get in a car accident tomorrow, if I'm driving down I-15, and somebody some idiot Cuts me off or whatever, and I get in a wreck, never happened in Utah. We're all golden people fright, right? I sure hope that we ambulance comes. And, you know, puts me back together. Takes me to the ER, like, like that is I think the, the quality of Western medicine in as far as like treating acute Injuries and Trauma is unparalleled in recorded history and I think that that's a gift.

9:39 And a blessing that has preserved a lot of people's lives. There's a difference though between, you know, acute trauma treatment versus Health, right? And and I think that anybody that just thinks that oh well I have this pain, I go to the doctor. And I take this pill and that'll make me healthy because the pains gone, I think that that has some problematic implications and it's not necessarily the sinful, it's just It's hacking at the branches of problems rather than addressing the roots, which tree. It's really, we need to do treating the symptoms. Nothing. Not the issue.

10:21 Yeah, you know a lot of the the illness that's in the world. Today is a matter of, you know, like in the section 88 or 89. Excuse me, the word of wisdom, it talks about. I give you these words of wisdom not by commandment, but to be to warn you because there will be evil and conspiring men in the Last days, like it literally says that in section, 89 her sickening, three or four. And so like in consequence of that God has warned us and given us some principles and, you know, ultimately most of the illness in our modern society. Our modern culture is man-made either.

11:01 Either our own faults because we don't take good care of ourselves. We don't eat healthily like according to light knowledge that we possess we indulge we You know, maybe justify the oh well, I don't have time to and I don't have the money to eat these other things. Well, you know, and there could be some Merit to that. I'm not criticizing. You're condemning any individual. I'm just saying that. What is our goal? I think our goal should be to take personal responsibility. If you don't have the money to buy all the organic produce, if you have a 10 foot by 10 foot square, in your garden are in your backyard, make a garden and that's at least cheap and it'll at least supplement and offset some of Of the toxicity and poisons in the, in the normal food that we consume and if we make that a spiritual Pursuit, not just like a temporal focus of physical, you know, Endeavor it the the blessings can be magnified, you know?

11:54 Many-fold similarly, you know, a lot of our food supply has been basically devalued like the the nutritional value of produce. Even if you just get organic stuff at the store is The fraction of what it was 100 years ago and that's not an accident. That is a consequence of modern farming practices. I mean, I didn't mean to. I don't want to go get into the Weeds on is too much but I've done a lot of research into the, you know, you can use chemical fertilizers to produce really, you know, large high-yield, you know, tasty produce, but if It doesn't have the micro nutrition, then it's not going to do our bodies.

12:43 The the good that it could happen that it should. And that we need, we are very nutritionally deficient even though we are, you know, as a population, extremely overfed and and, you know, OB some others, a lot of that. And, and so, like I say, this is not something that I am saying to condemn anybody in any individual, but just as invitation to say, Physical health is really important. And you know, our bodies are two vessel for our soul, our spirit. And if our bodies are breaking down and you know, failing on us and if they're just chronically starved of the nutrition that we need to actually live at full functionality, then our Spirits are going to be hindered and hampered.

13:29 Yeah, so I'm glad you did dive into this because it was something I wanted to get into tonight because Just like you pointed out in D and C 89 Joseph says, you know, through or the Lord says through Joseph, you know to to beware of conspiring men in the last days, right? I don't think there's any argument at this point that our food supply is junk, right? We, we live in a time now where you are constantly on the run, you were constantly busy and that sets up perfectly for eating like crap right there. That's just all there is to it and people forget that it dis this experiment that we're doing right now with how we're living is really unheard of.

14:14 Right? And and I think that's one of those things that we do need to be cognizant of just as a side note, couple of instances here when I went down to Nevada, First time I went down there. I have horrible gut issues. I got salmonella bet once, and I mean, it was like bad, it was bad salmonella. It was like, I think I'm checking out kind of bad, right? Like time to hit that time card but because some of the symptoms were really gnarly and most of those folks down there, grow their own food. And so almost all of its grown on their own.

14:56 And I ate that and my gut problems, just shut off, just like that. Lee, likewise just a couple weeks ago, I had to go in for a root canal. And tooth pain sucks. And if we're feeling like crap and if we're not, if we're constantly in pain that does make it a little tough to hear the spirit. And so I think it's really important that I don't look at temporal and spiritual things as being all that separated right? If the ultimate goal is to have a body with flesh and bone as well as Spirit. Well, then And it's a whole and I think we have to start treating it a lot more like a whole especially in the last days, where it's so important that we're in tune with the spirit.

15:49 And then that's a ways perfectly into verse 7, which is right where we left off. Yeah, there shall be many, which shall say, eat drink and be merry for tomorrow. We die and it shall be well with us. And verse 8, there shall also be many, which shall say, eat drink and be merry. Nevertheless, fear God. He will justify and committing a little sin. Ye lie, a little, take the advantage of one because of his words, dig a pit for Thy Neighbor. There's no harm in this. Do all these things for tomorrow, we die. And if it's Be that we are guilty. God will beat us with a few Stripes to not. Last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God. This recklessness is, is indicative of deep spiritual problems.

16:33 I mean, the manifestation is kind of physically. It's described in more outward ways, but to me, they're symptoms of a much deeper spiritual problem. I think it also speaks and sorry. I think it also speaks really clearly to what Joseph had encountered in his time, right? If you look at that burned over, District, it was a lot of, you know, just say, you believe in Jesus and everything else gets taken taken care of Yep. Totally. Yay. There shall be many which shall teach chapter this manner, false and Vain and foolish doctrines and shall be puffed up in their hearts and shall seek deep to hide their councils from the Lord and their Works shall be in the dark.

17:21 Verse 11. Yay. They have all gone out of the way. They have become corrupted because of Pride and because of false teachers and false doctrines, their churches have become corrupted and their churches are lifted up because of Pride, they are puffed up. They robbed the poor because of their fine sanctuaries. They robbed the poor because of their fine clothing. They persecute the meek and the poor and heart. Because in their pride, they are puffed up. They wear stiff necks and high heads ye because of Pride and wickedness and Abominations and whoredoms. They have all gone astray, save it be a few who are The Humble followers of Christ. Nevertheless, they are LED that in many instances.

18:03 They do are because they are taught by the precepts of men. Do the wise and learned the rich, they that are puffed up in the pride of their hearts and all those who preach false doctrines and commit whoredoms. And pervert the right way of the Lord. Whoa, whoa. Whoa, he unto them saith the Lord God Almighty for, they shall be thrust. Down to Hell. Now. it doesn't make sense that the Lord would Inspire Nephi to write this and the Joseph would, you know, have this record preserved for centuries and bring it forth and condemned the people who aren't reading them Like to me it's just self-evident that how could this be addressing any other group, besides the Latter-Day Saints. Nobody else is reading this stuff. So again, let's get out that mirror and see. How does this apply to me?

18:54 And how can I Repent of my wickedness? Because whoa, whoa, whoa, that's a big like warning when the the word. Whoa just means watch out, you know, be careful, take heed. And when it's repeated three times, Is that should to get our attention. This is serious. You can say something. Yeah, as you were reading that, I just imagined the, the Wasatch Front, right? I just imagined, you know, you just look. We've become a really prideful people, not all of us, but a lot of us have, right?

19:36 I mean, if you look up and and I don't, but I don't begrudge anybody for having me. Right? Course, I think that it's A great thing. When you've busted your butt and you've worked hard and that pays off even extravagantly. I don't have an issue with that good for you, but when you When that becomes your identity, that's an issue. When your worth is attached to your bank account, you got some issues and we see, you know, I know, plenty of men who are very wealthy that you'd never know it. Right.

20:17 And I think we have to be careful not to make those things Who We Are. And then because where your, where your treasure is, there will your heart be. And so like if we, if we, if we allow ourselves to justify setting our heart on our riches, well because I earned them by the sweat of my brow. Like this is mine again, we should, it's what it's it would be well for us to revisit the words of King Benjamin where he's talking about the unprofitable servants. Like, if you could do everything all day every day to pay back, God for your riches, you'd still be in Indebted. Because guess what? He gave you the are your the very air. You're breathing to thank him and to express your gratitude came from him. It's impossible for us to.

21:02 So in noting that the Lord section, I'm going to just pull this up. So I don't butcher the quote but section 59. Oh no, 58. Oh no it was 59 gosh. Where did it go? In nothing that man offend God, 59 verse 21 and in nothing, that man offend God, or against none in his is his wrath Kindle say, those who confess not his hand, in all things, and Obey, not his Commandments. So again, I have no problem with riches. I think that the more wealthy a man becomes the greater a potential.

21:55 He has to be an instrument to serve his fellow men to build up God's Kingdom on the earth. I mean, I would love to be independently wealthy and get out of all my debt and have, you know, the luxury of devoting 80 hours a week towards building up, Zion and teaching, and helping others, you know, if I didn't have to worry about feeding my family, think to me, That just opens up doors of possibility of well how can I serve God and how can I serve my fellow men and be a tool? And so again it's just a matter of where is our heart. Now God has never got. His never tried me with wealth so who knows, maybe, maybe I won't pass the test as well, as well, as I think I do right now in, you know, relative poverty, and I'm very grateful. The Lord has blessed me abundantly but he hasn't given me the test of great wealth yet.

22:48 But I hope that if he ever does, give me that blessing that I will not just go out and, you know, buy a bigger house and get a lot of nice cars. I mean, not that there's anything wrong with luxuries and the fine things, but if it just, it becomes a Temptation a stumbling block, to put our hearts there. Rather than what we should be focused on which is fleeing Babylon, building up the kingdom of God on the earth. That's what we should be concentrating. All of our time Islands. In resources to write and certainly can't forget the hand of Providence that gave us those blessings. Absolutely. Speaking of behold, in verse 18, this is back to second. If I 28 verse 18 behold that great an abominable Church, the horror of all the Earth must come to the Earth in a great must be the father of for the kingdom of the devil must shake. They which belong to it.

23:42 Must needs be stirred up unto repentance, verse 24, behold it that day. Shall the devil rage in the hearts of the children of men and stir them up to anger against that, which is good. Speaking of, you know, hate mail for standing up for principles. Right. That's that's something that is inspired by, you know who first 21 though, I think is a better description for. I guess you could say the body of most people others will he pacified and low them away into carnal security that they will say all is well in Zion ye Zion prospereth. All is well and thus the devil cheetah their souls and leadeth them away, carefully down to Hell.

24:22 So that to me, pacify it. What does that word mean? In this context, it's just like he's putting us to sleep. He's he's he's saying things in such a way that will that will keep us in action and and carnal security. We think that so everything's okay. Oh it couldn't happen. You know, maybe there's bad things happening in the world but it couldn't happen here. You know, because this is Zion, you know, with this is where the church is Stronghold is and all that. And and that just is coming from the devil and it's he's cheating are Was in leading us carefully down to Hell. If we indulge in those types of ideas, So, I mean, there's a few others. I guess I'll mention this verse 22 behold, others, he flattered at the way Philip.

25:11 Then there's no and he saith unto them. I am no devil for there is none. Thus, he whispers in their ears until he grasps them with his awful chains from whence. There is no Deliverance woe be unto him. That is at ease in Zion woe be unto him that crieth all is well, verses 2425 yea woe be unto him. That harken, a thunder the precepts of men and danaiah the power of God and the gift of the We ghost, ye woe be unto him that saith we have received and we need no more and in find woe unto all those who tremble in her angry because of the truth of God for behold, he that is built upon the rock receiveth it with gladness woe be unto him. That shall say, we have received the word of God. We need no more of the word of God for. We have enough.

25:54 And I'm just going to pause here in and just say, just because just because the leadership of the church make changes that's a little bit different and Revelation. I mean, we kind of presume that these changes that may make, whether it be to Temples or missionary ages or meeting structures. Like like all of these changes, I've have had friends and family members, and loved ones. Tell our evidence that God is speaking to the leadership of the church and I'm not going to take away the possibility that they that some of those changes and things are inspired, maybe they could be but there's a big difference between that versus Getting angry because of the truth of God and saying we need.

26:43 No more of the word of God. The word of God is literally explicit. It's when when a prophet or president of the church or anybody says thus saith the Lord. In my opinion that's when it's God speaking. We don't have to play these semantical games of well but he's you know there was a consensus amongst the the prayer, the first Quorum of The Twelve in the first presidency. And so these These are endorsed by the body of the Brethren like that's fine and that's great and that, and they're within their rights to lead and govern the church as in the Lancer to God for those actions. But there's a big difference between that and just publishing a thus saith the Lord on To my servant, you know who fill in the blank, whoever the name is and that's something that sadly has been lacking in the church for, you know, several Generations. Now, I mean, if you ask the average LDS member, when was the last time that of thus saith, the Lord Revelation was received, Yeah, you know, I mean if you were absolutely I have and if we're going to be real honest about it, it's 1889, right?

27:54 It's John Taylor's last Revelation, that he that receives from that. What were your words? Yep, from that point forward, there has been no other thus, saith the Lord Revelations published, right? They've they published proclamations, they have published And a festo's manifesting manifestos, they have published, they have made changes, you know, declarations but they have not had a thus saith the Lord Revelation and if they have and they're withholding it, well that's a whole different ball of wax now that we have to get into ya.

28:36 Say, so going back here, verse 32. Woe be unto the Gentiles saith. The Lord God of hosts or notwithstanding, I shall lengthen out. Mine arm unto them from day to day. They will deny me. Nevertheless, I will be merciful unto them. Saith the Lord God if they will repent. And ten come unto me for. My arm is lengthened out all the day, long safe, Lord, God of hosts. So, if anybody listening here, I mean, I this, I hate to be like critical or, you know, a Debbie Downer when discussing because to me the resounding and recurring message of the Gospel is, there's always hope.

29:22 Now, that may not mean that there's hope for a group for it, like an institutional, Sent an Institutional sense, but there's always hope individually. And so to me like if you, if you look in this mirror and you find yourself in need of repenting, even if the church says, you don't need to repent of this or that or the other, if the spirit tells you to please hearken to the spirit, put don't put your trust in the Brethren. Don't put your trust in the program's of the church, the institution because ultimately, you know, even if they're inspired, that's a misplacement of our faith and our trust, our trust can only be reliably placed in God and the spirit speaks to each person individually and we all have this beautiful opportunity. To repent.

30:12 And what that looks like for every individual. I'm, I'm not here to say I'm not here to dictate order to judge anybody, but it is an important message. We can't be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. These are the words of Christ through Nephi through Joseph Smith for our day and you know, we ignore them at our own Peril so there's always hope let's just repent. That's yeah, no. To go back to what you said. The Lord, there's been several times in scriptures where the Lord has had it so to speak with the people, right? We see it in the Book of Mormon with the Nephites and I recall something from Jeremiah where the Lord, basically tells Jeremiah stop praying for him because the hour of judgments here, there there, I do believe there's a point of no return at which the Lord says. Okay.

31:06 All right, here we go. And judgments come. Totally. Well, let's skip ahead. If I haven't persuaded anybody listening that this is addressed to the Latter-Day Saints, yet. Let's try Mormon chapter 8. Okay, and Mormon chapter 8. Kind of in some ways. Convenient, condenses second, if I 28 and makes it much more direct. So this basically is talking about this book, The Book of Mormon and it's saying that it shall come in a day when there shall be great pollutions upon the face of the Earth. There shall be murders and robbing and lying deceiving whoredoms, this isn't Mormon 8:31. Sorry if I didn't say the first before, perfect and all manner of Abominations, when there shall be many who will say do this or do that, and it matter if not for the Lord will uphold such of the last state, but woe unto such for their in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity this, this plague of moral relativism of my truth, rather than God's truth like this again, really reminiscent of what we were just reading. And second, if I chapter 28, Let's continue on verse 32. Yeah, it shall come in a day when there shall be churches, built up that she'll say come unto me and for your money, you shall be forgiven of your sins.

32:31 Now we like to point the finger at Catholics and, you know, the indulgences and what do you know as far as that goes? But how could we have? Let's, let's pull that mirror back out and let's take a good look in the mirror and say, how could this apply to the Latter-Day Saints? You know the church, the mainstream Church fundamentalist groups, whatever, who say, you know, we are The Gatekeepers. We we you have to receive ordinances from our legitimate. He stood line. And if you don't you can't get to heaven. And how do you get us to give you these priesthood ordinances? Well, you have to come and you have to kind of swear fealty to argue. No great and wise leader you have to pay your tithes.

33:14 You know, we have these these kind of criteria. And I'm not saying that that there should be no criteria, you know, for receiving ordinances. But to me, the scriptures never talk about the criteria of pay money or you have to join the church. And be faithful active for a year hit. Go to all your meetings. There's there's no that's not the criteria for receiving ordinances. Ultimately the criteria is you repent of your sins and you desire baptism and and you know and then as you learn about other higher ordinances again you repent and you desire them and it is it then becomes the duty of priests you know bearers of the priesthood of God.

33:59 To administer these ordinances. And if they withhold, these ordinances, how are we not condemned by verse 32 of Mormon chapter 8? Saying no you have to pay your money for first. You have to, you have to come unto me and join our group, join our church to join our religious institution. That's, that's kind of a has scary implications, but it's really important for us to consider them sure. So let me Let me push back here just a little bit on that. Because when Joseph establishes the church, he does make the bold declaration that this is the only way. Right?

34:39 So there, there was a certain amount of exclusive exclusivity that that Joseph talked about with that. How do you reconcile the two? I reconcile the two with. You know, if I had. So let's just go back to let's, let's just pick marriage because that's a Sacrament. That's an ordinance. Sure we Mormonism consider extremely sacred sure. You know, in the sacrament or the ordinance of marriage, there are certain, you know, ordinances like the laws and, you know, think of city ordinances. Like, these are the ways that it must be done. You know, if the person who is administering must have been ordained.

35:25 Must have this Authority because it's spoken in the name of God, not just not just the name of Christ is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. So like, we must have their, our consent, their approval, to be able to speak these words in their names, and have them receive it and recognize it. That is a truth, that's an eternal principle. That's that's an ordinance of God. However, even if you went to the special place you, you had a special man, say, all the special words and then you're a piece of crap husband, that's abusive and neglect, your wife and, you know, and or even if you're, you know, a provider but you know, but if you don't build a Celestial quality relationship with your wife, do you think that your wife is going to want to be with you forever for eternity?

36:20 No, you know. Yeah without compulsory means I mean past to be a voluntary Association and so you know we know that the ordinance is without the voluntary, you know, desires are empty on the flip side. You look at a man and, you know, could be a member of the church could be a total Heathen, right? If he is a faithful husband, if he takes Of his wife if they build a, you know, maybe they're kind of at a TLS show Law so to speak. But but they build a Celestial quality relationship and in the next life, they receive the Gospel and they're like, oh yeah, we will live those laws because we want we want to be together like if there is a true relationship.

37:10 There we have vicarious work for the dead. Like it's much easier in other words to fill in the gaps on from an ordinary. Annin spree stood perspective administering. Those ordinances then it is to fill in the gaps of a broken relationship of a two-tier estriol or TLS Jewel quality relationship. And so the god that we worship is not going to deprive individuals who live a Celestial and who form a Celestial quality marriage, just because they didn't have an opportunity to abide by the laws upon which that blessing is contingent God. I provide away. So again, My pie.

37:56 Guess my point is that, yes, Christ is the way the truth and the life. No man cometh unto the father. But by him, no man, receiveth or and woman receiveth the ordinance of celestial marriage without abiding, the laws upon which that blessing is predicated, but it's much easier to fill in those gaps later than it is to mend. A TLS Jewel quality. Ship. So I guess my point is live the laws, regardless of whether you have opportunity. Now, if you do make those covenants, if you do have access and if you have received those ordinances, those are wonderful, those are real.

38:37 But it doesn't make you any better than a key than, you know, couple out in China that are just scraping by living off the dirt. And, and but they have true relationships that will last an eternity. I get does that kind of address what your what your question kind of Of. Yeah. I was looking at it more from, you know because because God tells Joseph all the rest of the churches are an Abomination, right? Yeah. So so the Lord and in his in his opening moments, if you will with Joseph Smith and his ministry, make it very clear that that the rest of them have gone astray.

39:20 We're going to restore what was there and through Joseph. If there was a certain, you know, again exclusivity with with with Joseph, right? And so I think that that's important to recognize as well because I think also is bearers of the priesthood. We need to be in a capacity to where I think we receive Revelation before some of that, just gets passed on, you know what I mean? Because we are hundred, we We Are The Gatekeepers there, so to speak, right? I mean the Lord. Lord, I hate using the word gatekeeper. That's, that's, that's the wrong term. We're responsible for what we pass on.

40:02 And if Abby little, if we pass that along to someone, who's not ready, who's not worthy. Some of their damnation May overflow onto US. if if she willfully Go against that. Does that make sense? I guess to my point, you know if people have sincerely brought forth fruits of repentance sure and and sincerely desire, an ordinance lay such as baptism or married or you know a ceiling or whatever. I mean I'm not talking about people who are hiding their sins. If people are hiding their sins and come forth and kind of fake to that again, though, it does Acquire the Revelation but Joseph also ordained a bunch of Scoundrels in his lifetime. He gave who ya know, who your rhino who proved to be absolute, you know, jackasses and and that's not I would not necessarily put that on Joseph's head, you know, maybe he will have to account to the Lord if he did something along those lines without getting Revelation, but I'm fully I believe that God is far more liberal. And I hate to use the word because of all the bag page today the modern baggage.

41:18 But in a classic sense God gives freely and you know come without money, come buy honey without money without and wine without price. Like this is goes back to second. If I chapter 9 Christ is the Holy One of Israel. He employed and he is The Keeper of the gate, he employs. No servant there. Right now again, let's, let's take a step back and look at our. Look at the concept of priesthood and Authority. You know, if you think of it as well, my priesthood. And I'm going to have to account account to God for how I use my priesthood. To me, that is a misplacement of ownership. It's not my priesthood, it's God's priesthood and I want to do what God wants me to do with his priesthood.

42:06 I'm just a Steward. I'm just a tool I'm you know, I'm a hollow bone and it's the spirit of God flowing through me that has any efficacy whatsoever. And so You know, if God was to give me a revelation to withhold, an ordinance, that's his prerogative but again that would be coming from him. Not me, I'm just the I'm just the messenger here. No, no, I'm so we're on the same page here, death, okay, perfect, perfect. And so, like to me, promising forgiveness of sins for money is is Is very arrogant priest G and do not get sin.

42:50 Its priestcraft. Yeah, men do not forgive sins. God, does it is our role in it's our opportunity to lift, you know, if we look at priesthood as a as a light to the world, we shouldn't be hiding it. Under a bushel, we shouldn't be burying the talent that God has given us. The gift, he's entrust us with. We should put it on Candlestick that giveth light unto all that are in the house where the city on the hill. Hill. And if we are playing a gatekeeper and barring certain individuals, you know, they may not be worthy of it but if God, Authorizes us to administer ordinances. That's between them and God. They'll have to answer, like the jhansi Bennett's of the world, like Kane himself.

43:35 I actually had a quote, I was just reading recently that talks about Kane still holds priesthood but it is a cursing rather than a blessing to his soul. So you know the Lord is far more liberal generous, then then We in with in Mormonism kind of with like because I completely understand and I had that Paradigm for most of my life of kind of, we're special. We were chosen, we held the priesthood, it's the one true priesthood and all these things and and you know, there is true law, there's true principles to that but it cannot be used as a tool to control or deprive.

44:20 Others know it's cool to bless and to say, come Yeah, I guess that was that was the point where I was making, there was that we need to make sure that we're getting Revelation on on these things or else we put ourselves in Jeopardy. Also, I would say this, you know, maybe there is a reason why the Lord would say, yeah if he's not worthy but go ahead, right? Maybe you know, it's an opportunity for him to either shape up or condemn himself. Oh, yeah. And I think that's the key that life is a test. God never deprives a man or woman of our agency, and many are called few are chosen.

45:03 Why are they not chosen? Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world and aspire to the honors of men. And and so they forget that just because you're ordained to the priesthood. Doesn't give you license to speak in the name of God and God's going to uphold it. No. That gives you the burden of responsibility to obtain the mind and will of God. And then Deliver it right and you know Joseph talked about how the closer he gets to Christ. The more he desires to put others on his back and carry them into the kingdom and to me that's like that's that's the ultimate embodiment of christ-like attribute is am I willing to maybe even pay a price for somebody else's sins that? That that that I had nothing to do with. I mean, that's what Christ did.

45:58 And I think that Joseph, that's to me a great marker of that. He was approaching that christ-like perspective and that was kind of towards the end of his ministry and all of you period. Yeah, yeah. No, I think we're on the same page here. I was just dive in a little deeper on that. Absolutely. What? One of the things that I I think that definitely the LDS church has has messed up, is this idea of we're just just work the plan, right? Just work. The plant, get born. Receive a name and a blessing. If you're a male move up through the priesthood ranks serving, those areas and there's it's definitely a plan now, right, there's not much Revelation left.

46:47 It to those things, right? It's well look, who's 12 or look. Who's going to be turning 12? Let's get him in here for a deacons interview and as long as they say, the right things, they're going to get the priesthood and And I don't think working a plan can ever replace revelation. Amen. Yeah, it I I would call that like programs. There's a lot of programs programming in the church and that is not a replacement for personal connection to heaven for personal conversion. And I think that the the disaffection rates within the church, these days are a testament to the the in efficacy of the inadequacy of these programs. They can't replace true conversion. Right?

47:40 Shannon, and keeping someone busy is not the same as having a testimony. Those are two different things as well. Totally, totally keeping all along Mormon 8:33. Oh, you Wicked and perverse and stiff-necked people. Why have you built up churches unto yourselves to get game? Why have you transfigured, the holy word of God that you might bring damnation upon your souls behold. You look ye unto the revelations of God for behold the time cometh that that day when all These things must be fulfilled, behold the Lord, hath shown unto me, great and marvelous things concerning that, which must shortly come at that day when these things shall come forth. Among you behold, I speak unto you as if you were present and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ.

48:26 Hath shown you unto me and I know you're doing, okay? He is a, he's breaking the fourth wall, he is directly addressed seeing you me and everybody that's reading this and he's not addressing the Catholics the Protestants that the Buddhist that are not reading this book. And I know that you do walk in the pride of your hearts and there are none, save a few only who do not lift themselves up in the pride of their hearts into the wearing of very fine, apparel and to envying and strife, Saint Alice, and persecutions and all manner of inequities in your churches. Yeah, even everyone have become polluted because of the pride of your hearts for behold. You do love money and your substance in your fine apparel and the adorning of your churches more than you love the poor and the needy the sick and The Afflicted OU pollutions ye hypocrites.

49:15 Teachers, who sell yourselves for that? Which will conquer. Why have you polluted the Holy Church of God? Who thinks that they're the Holy Church of God, just every single Mormon in the world, you know, they think that they're, they're part of the Holy Church of God. Well, how do you get around the fact that he's addressing you and saying, why have you polluted this holy church? Why are you ashamed to take upon you the name of Christ? Why do you not think that graders the value of an endless happiness than that misery? Which Never Dies because of the praise of the world? Why do you Adorn yourselves with that? Which hath? No life. And yet suffer the hungry and the needy and the naked and the sick and The Afflicted to pass by you and notice them. Not.

49:56 Yay. Why do you build up your secret Abominations to get gain and cause that widows should mourn before the Lord and also orphans to mourn before the Lord and also the blood of their fathers and their husbands to cry unto the Lord from the ground for vengeance. Upon your heads, Behold The Sword of Vengeance, hangeth over you in the time soon cometh that he avenges the blood of the Saints upon you. For he will not suffer their cries any longer You know, Joseph gave a talk in Nauvoo and he said search your hearts and see if you were like God I have searched mine and feel to repent of all my sins. That's to me the big takeaway here, pull out that mirror.

50:40 See how this applies to me, to my church, to my leaders to my heart. And Yield to that spirit and humble ourselves and repent, to me, that's the big message here. These are tricky versus to work with and I'm going to tell you why. Because as we look at them, right, if we feel like we're doing what we're supposed to and we're, we're, we're supposed to be the still says that, you know, That that maybe we're coming up short.

51:28 Right. And to me, I think the message of this and second Nephi that we just read is what my football coach used to tell me, right? Which is we would walk in after just a dominating game. I mean don't we could we could have ran the score up 56. Nothing and I promise you he would have found something. To complain about and bring us back down a little bit. And I think that this, this is like the coach saying, yeah, you might be doing, okay? But gosh, you could clean this up and, you know, you could have could have got a block here or you ran that route wrong or maybe in a gospel sense. You know, you could have helped out more, you could have done, X, Y, and Z.

52:17 I think the thing that that we need to take away from this is that we're never done, improving. We're never done the second. We think we have it figured out. Two things are about to happen, either. We fulfilled our mission here on the earth and we've done way better than we thought. And we're about to expire or were about to be humbled and nine times out of 10. It's the ladder. Totally. Yeah. And so like I think that I think that what I'd like to do is pull in some quotes from Joseph and from from from church history. Yeah, yeah, absolutely.

53:01 And and you know maybe expound on some of them but just let these a lot of these Ideas principles, speak for themselves. So this is From 1836 Orson, hide wrote a prophetic warning. It was edited and published by Oliver cowdery July 1836. It says, this many are flattering themselves with the expectation that all the world is going to be converted and brought into the Ark of Safety. Thus the great Millennium in their opinion is to be established vain delusive expectation. The Savior said to his disciples that as it was in the days of Noah. So shall it?

53:45 Be also Also, in the days of the coming of the son of man. Again he said as it was in the days of lot. So shall it be in the days of the coming of the son of man. Query, we're all people converted in the days of Noah were mostly destroyed. Were the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah saved, or destroyed in the days of lot. The answers to these questions are familiar to almost every person in further. Comment is unnecessary. The prime, cause of all these calamities coming on the earth, is the apostasy of the church if the church was, all right. Aegis. They could save the nation's from destruction, but the salt has lost its Savor and all men seem determined to pursue their own course.

54:25 You know, I that is so. That's so indicative of a lot of what the early leaders talked about because when you go back, well let me rephrase this as we're taught a lot of times. It's we're God's special people, and we're over here and and we're blessed and we just do these things and we're okay. For the Pharisees somewhat. Yeah. But if you look at what those early found, those early church leader said it was hey, be on guard, understand we can fall And some went so far as to prophesy that that the mother Church would fall, right? I think of what was it?

55:22 What I think it was Taylor. I could be wrong. So, please don't quote me on the source, but there was a prophecy made that said, that one day, you'll walk down Salt Lake, and you won't be able to tell a priesthood holder from what they refer to as a gentile. Right? You just it was going to be so polluted that that was going to happen. Yeah, sorry. I think the connection my bat a little bit right thing. Oh, it was going to be so bad. I think is what you were saying? Yeah. Yeah. He just said yeah. It those early church leaders and you're stood that just because they were in the church did was not a guarantee. that the church couldn't fail as its mission and some even prophesied to say that that it would Yeah, well and let me maybe make a distinction here because we tip we tend to refer to the church as kind of an all-inclusive term in in the days of Joseph, the church.

56:38 And the priesthood were kind of distinct in the minds of people like the proof. For instance, the priesthood was restored and Men held the priesthood before the church was organized, Now, you know, section 10 of the Doctrine, and Covenants, versus 67-68 talks about how all, who come into me and repent of their sins. The same as my church, anyone who declares more or less than this is not of me and is against me. Therefore, he's not at my church so you could make the argument that, you know, the church pre-existed, but not the formal institution, you know, there's the church which is the pure in heart, the Church of the Lamb, people who are serving Christ, even if they haven't received ordinances and then you have the formal organization of the The church which is which was established in 1830, the priesthood can exist outside of a formal organization organization of the church. Now in addition to that, The Doctrine and Covenants, refers to at least two different churches. It refers to the general assembly of the Church of Christ and it refers to the Church of the firstborn. Now, that phrase Church of the firstborn. When I first started seeing that noticing that as I was reading the Doctrine and Covenants.

57:55 It kind, I got it, got me thinking like, what's that and it took me some time. Oh, you know what? So I have these working these quotes organized chronologically. So as we started in 1836, I thought that was a good segue to you know, transition from these prophecies that to me are very perilous into the church. These are warnings that the church must repent and if we don't we'll be destroyed along with their all the rest of the Gentiles while the rest for the wicked. And so just chronologically, I'd like to go through a few of these and feel free to like we can discuss. And comment on them as we go through.

58:35 But I want to lay a really solid foundation for some kind of principles that we'll get to in a bit. In 1839, Joseph in July, 1839 Joseph Smith, said quote, if there is no change of ordinances, there is no change of priesthood. I know where you're going. So now this was in 1839, this was prior to Joseph administering, you know, the endowments, the higher, you know, the higher ordinances they had done Washings and anointings in the Kirtland Temple, but they hadn't done the full, you know, first and second endowments at this point in history.

59:19 And and so if there's no change of ordinances, there's no change of priesthood. Joseph also describes Well, let me just keep going chronologically. Okay to that 1840. Now, this is in Nauvoo October 5th, 1840 Joseph Smith says, the Power Glory and blessings of the priesthood could not continue with those who received ordination only as their righteousness. Continued for Cain, also being authorized to offer sacrifice, but not offering it in righteousness, was cursed it signifies, then that the ordinance is must be kept in the very way, God has appointed Today. Otherwise, their priesthood will prove a cursing, instead of a blessing. So again, change ordinances, change priesthood. Change ordinances priesthood becomes a curse. Instead of a blessing they have to be kept in the very way. God appoints 1841 Joseph and this is December. 19th 1841. Joseph Smith says, the reason we do not have the secrets of the Lord revealed unto us is because we do not keep them but reveal them.

1:00:28 We do not keep our own Secrets but reveal our difficulties to the world. Even to our enemies. Then how could we keep the secrets of the Lord? I can keep a secret till Doomsday. Now there is a, you know, there's a difference between keeping things secret or working in darkness so to speak versus keeping sacred things to ourselves, you know in you know that's this is actually one of the favorite accusations, the the polygamy, deniers, who claimed that Joseph wasn't a polygamist, didn't teach or practice polygamy and it all came from Brigham, bring them was a key. And Joseph was, you know, whatever. Or like that. They like to point to these public denials that Joseph made as well.

1:01:16 He, he either was a liar or he was telling the truth and he can't, you know, he wouldn't be a liar but he would make public denials. And what's interesting is it's about these public denials are very carefully worded, they definitely publicly deny the charges of adultery whoredoms, and all that. And, you know, Joseph will say Things like I can only find one wife. I think he was playing a little bit of semantics there, but the thing is, I don't believe for one second. That that makes him a liar because in 1828, Daniel Webster, wrote a dictionary that became kind of the definitive capture of the English language. What words meant in the days of the 1830s and 40s? We don't have to guess, we don't we don't have to have, you know, modern recency bias and And think that what we understand the word to mean is, how it was understood in those days. Now, in the 1828 dictionary, it talks about lying in the context of if you withhold information from somebody who has a right to that information, that would be a lie. Well, did the public have a right to all of the details of Joseph personal life at that point? The answer is self-evidently.

1:02:40 No. And so like to me it's just a total straw man. Argument to say that will Joseph Smith was a liar if you if he was a polygamist. No, he was protecting the sanctity of his delicate and sacred and you know, very risky from a public perspective relationships with his plural wives. I mean, ultimately it is what got him killed. So he had grounds for concern that the These things should get out and get into the wrong hands. And so the, you know, again, terms of said he could keep his secret till doomsday, that's I think why God revealed so much to him is because he wouldn't run his mouth, right?

1:03:25 Yeah, so I want to go back to something here because we're not going to avoid the elephant in the room here, right? Let me say this first that I got news that the temple ordinances were going to be changed the morning. It happened about about 4:30 in the morning. I received an email From. Somebody will just leave it there that those were going to be changed and I had a little heads-up on what the changes were going to be. I want to focus on this change. The ordinance change the priesthood sort of thing because I think it ties in very closely with and you know, and X kind of Prophecy.

1:04:21 Right. Isaiah speaks to it. I understand that there are many people out there who have nothing, but good things to say about these changes, right? It made him feel good. It made them. It made it easier to digest. Just because something feels good and this is kind of a foreign concept to, to, to a lot of Mormons just because it gives you the warm fuzzies doesn't always mean it's the, the spirit right? That can be your own biased at some time.

1:05:02 So, we have to be very careful. Joseph made it clear that the Lord had spoken to him when he said those things weren't supposed to be changed. And now that they've changed. What do you think that means Taylor? I think that a lot of the changes, Over the history because this, this is just the most recent in a long line of changes over the years, over the generations, hmm, you know, you know, there are certain I would say, false Traditions amongst fundamentalist. Now fundamentalists, I think are very, you know, logically consistent and sincere in their desires to preserve things. Exactly how they were but sometimes the the Traditions can get in the way of the principles. Yes.

1:05:58 And to me, I believe that, you know, for instance the Garment I don't have it right with me. But but the Garment and this may be news for some of the LDS audience that's listening here, the the marks of the Garment are the Garment and it's not just the shape, it's the fact that they were cut, so the Garment is a representation of making a covenant in in in in the Hebrew language. When you say you make a covenant, that's actually a mistranslation. It's that's an English version of the Hebrew original, which is you cut a covenant. Covenants are cut. You know, Abraham, when he covenanted with the father, he literally cut. Can't remember.

1:06:44 It was a bullock or some kind of an animal into pieces. He walked through the severed animal into pieces as at to, to enter into this Covenant relationship with God that That the symbolism of cutting is really important. The other thing is the the, you know, the marks of the veil like like that correspond with the Garment, when, when the marks of the Garment are cut, that is symbolic of us having the ability to pierce the veil to community Through The Veil when those cuts are just embroidery or just a, like, a stamp of, you know, on a mark on a piece of cloth.

1:07:27 Lose all of that symbolism or perhaps you have a different type of symbolism, which is that you can't Pierce the Veil. You are not capable, you are barred from being able to commune through the veil and so. But to me, those marks are what constitute the Garment, not necessarily the design because, you know, the original garment had a caller. The original garment was risk to ankles and, you know, I think there's Beauty to and that Is tied. You know, it wasn't just like a two-piece that you'd put on a T-shirt and then pull on your bottoms. It was a it was one piece and it had ties across the center in the front. And, you know, this is all it, you can Google it. I mean I I'm not sharing anything I'm under covenant not to disclose guess know they do.

1:08:21 I go down there. I don't think you are, I don't think. Yeah. And and so I Wanna shoot some of these things. Just for the sake of both, our LDS audience to understand how much has changed because you know I knew when I was a kid, my grandpa had this what they call it like the unit. Like I can't remember what they called it but it was like a one piece but it was shorts and had the short sleeves and it had, you know, zipper and stuff. And but that was a variation in iteration after the original as well. But for my for are fundamentalist, folks, That are listening to this call. There's a gentleman by the name of Joseph white muster who's pretty kind of prominent and well-respected for good reason. He was a great man and he wrote in his journal, something really interesting.

1:09:14 He said that people could use whatever they wanted. They had this unit something as like a shooter I'm blinking on the word but they like back in the Days, they had this, you know, long thermal underwear, you know, that the end and he's like, you could use one of those suits and if you cut the marks in that would be just as valid of a garment as whatever, and, and this comes from Joseph white muster. And I think he later changed his perspective on that. But, but again, this is this is one of the things that he recorded in his journal because it was causing a big hullabaloo in the 1920s amongst some circles within the church.

1:09:55 When Heber J, Grant Change the pattern of the Garland. And and so I just thought that was really interesting to kind of give perspective for both the LDS listeners as well as our fun. Any fundamentalist listeners that to me, the takeaway is this, the principle of the Garment is it is. It's the clothing of skins. It's a representation of God giving us a shield and a protection through mortal life, and it's the marks that are the point and the rest of the pattern, I mean, there's Beauty. I actually love the original pattern of the Garment and I think it's beautiful and meaningful and all of that.

1:10:36 But I don't think it's the one true garment. I mean, and there's records that the caller was an innovation from Emma because some of the sisters approach her like, well how do we finish the top around the neck and she just was like, well just I guess put a collar on, but that wasn't like the angel commanded Emma to put a collar on the original or, you know, those types of things. so I, you know, it maybe this might just be me but I tend to To go back and look very carefully. History on why they did what they did because they didn't live in a time. Like we do now.

1:11:16 We're convenience was a thing, right? So most of the things that they did were very, very deliberate and it had very, very a lot of significance. And so when we talk about things, like the Garment, I tend to be like, if we can go Back to what was originally revealed. I think we're going to be better off, right? There's a reason they did what they did now, my mom. Yeah, I just tend to always think that the waters are purest at their source so that's where I tend to go. Absolutely. But I think it gets even worse than just the Garment. Right?

1:11:58 I guess that was, I was like, starting point. Okay. But so I guess what? I'm the reason I want it to kind of start there is because does the the actual dialogue of the endowment presentation, the text that the copy, you know, the people would read Was pretty unchanged. You know, there were things taken out like the lecture at the veil was removed. I think in the 20s the or maybe that was the 70s, it's been a while since I've well the lecture at the veil got parsed out quite a bit even before they got completely rid of it.

1:12:41 So it wasn't what it was in the seventh in the 70s as compared to what it was in the 20s. Right. And then in the 9 in, I think it was 1994 early 90s, they removed the penalties, which I actually have a quote on that here in a second, but I'll just discuss it real briefly here. And, and, you know, because the penalty is they were kind of, you know, people, they were unpleasant and and it made people uncomfortable. And so again, it was in an effort to make the endowment more accessible to a broad range. Range of people who rather than preparing them, you know, prior more deeply.

1:13:23 It was just well. Let's just cut out these icky parts and make it more palatable for the general public. And so that happened in 1990 but the covenants were mostly preserved up until just a few years ago and, you know, and so to me, I think that even if you're missing certain key pieces of the endowment, the endowment wasn't Lately broken until they change the covenants now. You know, at this point in time the church presentation of the endowment, women do not make any covenants to, you know, sustain their husbands which going back to section 130.

1:14:12 There's a la irrevocably decreed before the foundation of the world and if we obtain any blessing, it's by obeying the law upon, which that blessing is predicated. Now, this does not demean women. This this is not in any way like making women a second-class citizen re or anything along those lines. It's just an acknowledgement of Eternal principles and eternal truths that women fill a very different role. And they answer very differently for the and sins of the generation compared to their husbands. And, you know, women men are intended to be a shield to their want to the wife.

1:14:53 It's not that the woman is less than the man. And if anything, it's the woman is to be protected and the man is responsible. He has a greater burden of responsibility to be that role of protector and not just his own wife, but all truth and virtue. And those are the Types of covenants that, you know, I guess, you know, I will go back to one other thing, you know, the initiative initiatory ordinances were changed, pretty drastically, and this is within my memory. So I was endowed in 2003, serve my mission and in my last area, my, the Temple of you know, it was in Bloomfield Hills.

1:15:35 That was my assigned area. And so I talked to my mission president and he's like, oh yeah, if you want to go on Preparation days, So I went every week, my last four and a half months, I was at the temple every week during pide and it was kind of shocking to me. That the initiatory was very dramatically changed from when I first went in 2003 compared to, you know, mid 2005. When you know you were no longer washed and anointed it was just symbolically and you you were no longer clothed in the Garment, it was just the Garment placed upon you. Is now authorized and and those were pretty, I guess symbolic. Yeah, yes.

1:16:21 They were, you know, Yeah, and and so yeah, we have this history, but to me the greatest departure and to me the point at which the the endowment was, I think not even partially acceptable was when the covenants were changed right again because of just who I am being extremely black and white on things, I'm like, do it the way that it was set, right? So I want to explore this a little bit. Because again, I think it does tie in with this idea of an abomination of desolation, which were told about will occur in the last days, so I feel like it's super important.

1:17:06 I want to touch on what happened when I left the LDS church, because I had a very telling meeting with the gentleman who was in my stake presidency that I had to have kind of my exit interview with, right? Because I was in leadership, and I had to go in and I had to be like, I'm out and he wants to know why. And he actually is somebody who does a lot of management for Bonneville communication, so he has a lot of conversations with higher-ups, right? He told me that he is presented and he has talked with, with the top three, you know, Russell, I'm Nelson, and I ring and Oaks, he talks a lot with the twelve. L've Apostles for the church.

1:18:04 And one of my big reasons to leave is. I felt like the church had crossed the Rubicon in 2019, when they got rid of that part of the endowment that had to do with family relationships. Right. Yeah, and I said this bill and the veil over Ivan, right? Yeah. It was a bridge too far. You, you've crossed a bridge that can't be taken back. And he said, well, why? And I said, because you've altered the ordinances significantly drastically Beyond repair and he said, well, what do you mean by that?

1:18:47 And I read him this and this is from Joseph Smith ordinances instituted in the heavens before the foundation of the world in the priesthood for the Salvation of men. Are not to be altered or changed. All must be saved on the same principles. There is no getting around that. There's no wiggle room. Joseph through inspiration set the standard. And so his rebuttal to that was yes but brother Sanders. So you have to understand that for the first time in our history as a church and as a people there are more single people in the church than married people.

1:19:32 And I said, so you're willing to change not just the pattern for Humanity but you presume that you can change the pattern upon which men become like Gods because of a demographic and rather than figure out why these young people aren't getting married, Your solution is to change the Covenants. And he had nothing Taylor, nothing had nothing. I said, if the bulk of your membership, all the sudden, Started. I don't know. Drinking smoking your. Are you going to repeal the word of wisdom? He had nothing to that.

1:20:15 The other thing is, is that I feel like these changes have been coming for a long time, and they have been coming for a long time in increments, because we change the nature of God or attempted to change the nature of God. People forget that the odd that that the endowment was the ultimate dissertation on the atom God doctor. That lecture at the veil wind it out, really clearly and they started to parse that out years ago. So when you start messing with, with the very nature of God, everything else has to follow and this this is a huge deal.

1:20:55 And for anyone out there listening on the fence I would I would beg you to ask yourself. One question at what point does your perceived worship of God? Become mockery because I think we're getting awfully close. So I think that God is very merciful and you know, I think that there are a lot within the church who are sustaining these changes. I think there are a lot in the church that are just squirming and don't know where to turn and don't know how to react and how to respond to these types of changes and I think that God looks on our hearts. And so I don't mean this in any way to like be throwing stones. In casting stones or you're pointing out the mote in anybody else's eye because that's not my place and that's not, I don't feel that's Justified but we can't apologize for the truth of God.

1:21:59 We can't concede principles of Salvation. And exaltation that were intrinsic like these are core essential, you know, Pinnacle types of teachings of the restoration. And when we force Take them when we corrupt them. When we reject them, there will be consequences. And so if we want to escape the judgments that follow abomination of desolation and all those types of prophecies, the only solution is to repent. I want to take go back to these quotes that. So you've actually there were a couple that I was going to get to because Joseph made that statement about the ordinances are instituted in 1843 let's back up to 1842, I apologize.

1:22:45 Oh, you're all good. Brother in January 6th, 1842 Joseph, Smith recorded. This truly. This is a day long to be remembered by the Saints of the last days. And just as a quick aside, like I read that as like, who remembers this? We've completely forgotten this but Joseph, actually marked January 6 down, is a really important day 1842 a day in which the god of Heaven has begun to restore. The Ancient Order of his kingdom unto his servants. In his people that day in which all things are concurring to bring about the completion of the fullness of the Gospel, a fullness of the dispensation of dispensations, even the fullness of times a day in, which God has begun to make manifest and said, Order in his church, those things which have been.

1:23:33 And those things, which the ancient prophets and wise men desired to see, but died, without the holding them a day in which those things begin to be made manifest, which have been hid from before the foundations of the world in which Jehovah has promised should be made known in his own due time, and to his servants to prepare the Earth for return of his glory, even a Celestial glory and the kingdom of priests and Kings to God, in the land Forever on Mount, Zion and with him, 144,000 whom, John the Revelator. Saw, all of, which is to Come to pass in the restitution of all things. Now, that's a beautiful statement that is a statement of hope that just inspires me that it's it's it resonates. It just rings. So true. Like when he's starting to talk about this we're approaching the Pinnacle of the restoration.

1:24:21 Now the restoration isn't complete even to this day because we haven't built Zion yet, for instance and you know, there's a lot of prophecies that are still upon us. Stu to, you know, be take part in fulfilling and beat the instruments of God and bring to pass his purposes. But this was in January, 6th 1842 him glorying in the imminence of the completion of his work of the restoration now, either the restoration failed or it did not if the restoration did not fail. Then we have to take a really honest inventory. And and do some introspection and decide. Well, are we living up to these promises? Are these things part of our daily lives. Yes, or no.

1:25:11 If the answer is no, I think the invitation is what we should do our little bit more homework. Live a little bit later, a few months later, on May 1st 1842. Joseph says I preached in the Grove, and by the way, these are all and the Joseph Smith papers, I'm giving you the date so you can just pick a key phrase if you want to corroborate any of these things. But primarily pulling from his journal which was then included in history of the church and the teachings of Joseph, Smith's of the words of Joseph Smith, I preached in the Grove on the Keys of the Kingdom. Etcetera. The keys are certain signs didn't words by which false spirits and percentages. May be detected from True which cannot be revealed to the elders till the temple is completed.

1:25:58 The rich can only get them in the temple. The poor may get them on the Mountaintop as did Moses, the rich cannot be saved without charity, giving to feed the poor. When and how God requires as well as building. There are signs in heaven Earth and Hell, the elders must know them. All to be endowed with power to finish their work and To prevent in position the devil knows many signs, but does not know the sign of the son of man or Jesus. No one can truly say, he knows God until he has handled something, and this can only be in the holiest of holies. Now, there's a lot to unpack there, but when talks about signs in heaven, Earth and hell, you know, I think that it's possible that those penalties could be signs in hell that in. He says, the elders, must know them, all to be endowed with power.

1:26:46 So, You know, again, I think that it's the wrong solution, right? Remove think it's just because they're making people uncomfortable, you know, because your demographic is change. So to speak compared to just helping and preparing people to receive them. And the penalties are important there and unfortunately they've been removed for those 33 years going on. I 1842, this one's kind of hurts. The world always mistook false prophets for True ones. And those that were sent of God, they considered to be false prophets, and hence, they killed Stone punished in and prison the true prophets. And these had to hide themselves in deserts, and dens and caves of the earth.

1:27:34 And though the most Honorable Men of the earth, they banished them from their society is vagabonds, will they cherished honored and supported knaves vagabonds hypocrites? It's imposters and the basest of men, can we stop right there and unpack that? Because I feel like that that is so important for this discussion about where we're at now, as a people, let me ask you this. Those true prophets that weren't received by the people. Why do you think that is? Probably because they triggered them, you know, you know I think woke snowflake is MM, you know we'd like to think it's a recent phenomenon. I think it goes back a lot further than the last few years. And I think that, you know, Joseph lamented multiple times that even the Saints are slow to understand and you know, they can suffer, all they have for the gospel and they'll fly to pieces like glass when something is proposed that is against their sensibilities or their Traditions, you know. So, Is not something that's exclusively. Joseph is referring to non-members. This is this is something that all of us can profit from taking a close look in the mirror, like, to me, one of the greatest signs of, you know, the Book of Mormon gives us three really good archetypes of anti-crime,

1:29:04 ice, you've got me whore, you've got korihor and you've got am Le site. And these three, guys, the In thread in all of them is that they preached flattering things that were pleasing to the carnal minds of the people. And so they were very persuasive and they got popular. They had a lot of, you know, people that following like a personality cult and that is really one of the fruits of false prophets and you know, false christs and false, you know, Antichrist. I think that true prophets are those who are going to All the people to repentance who are going to identify the sin that people are struggling with in their day and age and tell them, this is against the will of God.

1:29:57 Repent. And, you know, not to say that you don't want to be overbearing, you don't want to be like, just intentionally trying to just say things with the goal of offending people and getting them to hate you. It needs to be coming from a place of love and sincere concern for their Eternal Souls welfare. It you know, we don't do anybody any favors. If we fail to declare the whole counsel of God we you can't succeed with Being a partial truth or telling a, you know, a pleasing lie that may you know, be maybe short-term Comforts people but long term. It's going to they're going to be damned it's going to lead to damnation and I think you know there's so many sins that plague Our Generation.

1:30:45 It wouldn't take a whole lot of inspiration to identify one of them and come out against it. You know even as a youth president Hinckley, he came out full Guns blazing against pornography. And I have that, you know, I still remember exactly the steak center. I was in watching the broadcast with my dad and brothers. And, you know, that was a memorable thing. It because it was just a warning and a calling to me that, you know, these this is a problem and that we can't just give up ground on this issue. And you know that unfortunately is it's still a plague just as much today.

1:31:27 Days. It was 30 years ago or 25 years ago whenever that talk was given and and we've just added, you know, to the laundry list of the, the sins of Our Generation. And I think that a true Prophet is going to identify those correctly. It's he's going to or she, you know, I'm just prophetesses, there are scriptural, precedence is for women, filling these roles as well. They're going to raise a true warning voice against the evils and the consequences of sin because the only true salvation, the only true Bert and bomb is to repent. You can't just pretend that it's okay. And, oh, we can just love and tolerate and it, you know, God will work it all out. There are Eternal consequences to when we break Eternal loss. Yeah, I was, I was trying to draw a straight line, right back to the temple on this, right?

1:32:21 People got pissed at the prophets when the prophets call them out on what they were doing wrong. It Made them uncomfortable. And here's here's what I'll say about faith and religion. When this happens, if you're not challenged, By your professed religion or faith. It's not working for you. It's not working for you. I don't have. Yeah, go ahead because if it's not challenging you to be better to do better to wrestle with your own imperfections to figure out what it is. You can do better. What good is it?

1:33:01 It's a country club at that point, right? It's a place to go. It's a place to go hang out with some other people. You should be look. I didn't choose Mormonism because it looked like fun, right? I mean, we're in really long underwear and, you know, going to church a bunch and go into the temple. Although I do enjoy the temple quite a bit and church as well. Now as I'm older, but it, you know, those things come after you practice them, right? The enjoyment in the enrichment of it. It challenged me to be different to be better and so if all you're getting is pleasing things, then what are you doing then? What are you doing?

1:33:49 What why why go Yeah. Well and Joseph said any religion that doesn't require the sacrifice of all things will not produce the faith necessary for salvation. Absolutely. Yep. Yep. So there's a danger in this idea of being too comfortable people don't like it but it's the truth. There is a danger in being too comfortable. Yeah. So, This is three days later after he was like, you know, the day that will be remembered. I think this is it's a little bit more boring, but it's an important thing to I think include in the chronology because there are many people those who are kind of getting seduced by men's claiming that Joseph wasn't a polygamist. I mean, where does that lead at leads to rejecting the temple, you know?

1:34:46 And so I think that this is really important. It's from the the Joseph Smith journals this. From May 4th 1842 three days later. I spent the day in the upper part of the store in council with General James, Adams of Springfield patriarch Hyrum Smith, Bishops new, okay with me and George Miller and president Bigham, Brigham Young and Elders Heber C, Kimball and Willard Richards. Instructing them in the principles and Order of the priesthood attending to Washings anointing endowments and the communication of keys pertaining to the aaronic priesthood. And so on to the highest order of the Melchizedek priesthood setting forth, the order pertaining. The Ancient of Days and all those plans and principles by which anyone is enabled to secure the fullness of those blessings which have been prepared for the Church of the firstborn and come up in abide in the presence of the Elohim in the Eternal Worlds.

1:35:35 In this Council was instituted, the Ancient Order of things for the first time in the last days, in the communications, I made to this Council where of things spiritual and to be received only by the spiritual minded and there was nothing made known to these men, but will be made known to all the saints of the last days. So soon as they are prepared to receive And a proper place is prepared to communicate them. So this notion that Brigham hijacked the restoration and can't you know, innovated polygamy and the temple and the endowment is nonsense. This comes straight from the Joseph Smith journal and it's documented on May 4th 1842. Later in June of 1842, we get to this all men who become Heirs of God and Joint heirs with Jesus, Christ will have to receive the fullness of the ordinance. His kingdom.

1:36:27 Those who will not receive all the ordinances will come short of the fullness of that Glory. If they do not lose the whole, if a man gets a fullness of the priesthood of God, he has to get it in the same way that Jesus Christ, obtained it, and that was by keeping all the Commandments and obeying all the ordinances of the house of the Lord. And you know, one of the sadly forgotten and kind of buried and written you know, just neglected aspects of the restoration is the second anointing. That's what is kind of being referred to here when he's talked about the fullness of the priesthood, the fullness of the ordinances, you know the first endowment is something that the church has kind of preserved at least in part to up to this day. The second endowment though her He also known as the second anointing or the fullness of the priesthood is something that has been largely forgotten or, you know, devalued by the church. And yet Joseph says right here, June 18, 42, those who don't receive all the ordinances will come short of the fullness of the glory.

1:37:33 If they do not lose the whole Moving on to januarius, January 2nd, 1843 building on the same principle. Whenever man can find out the will of God and find an administrator legally. Authorized from God, there is the kingdom of God. But we're, these are not the kingdom of God, is not all the ordinances systems and administration's on the Earth are of no use to the children of men. Unless they are ordained. An authorized of God for. Nothing will save a man, but a legal administrator for none. Others will be acknowledged either by God or angels. In other words, the second anointing is something that is that it's well, I'll just keep reading some of these quotes. I think.

1:38:27 Maybe I'll let these Brethren speak for themselves, rather than, you know, Meep interpose my own. Going back to what we were discussing, just a moment ago about like false prophets versus true prophets and true prophets challenge. The people, they don't let them be comfortable and don't just flatter them and teach them pleasing. Things Joseph Smith, June 11th. 1843 says many men will say I will never forsake you but will stand by you at all times. But the moment you teach them. Some of the Mysteries of the kingdom of God that are retained in the heavens and are to be revealed to the children of men when they are prepared for them. They will be the first to Stone you and put you to death. It was this same principle that crucified, the Lord Jesus Christ and will cause the people to kill the prophets in this generation.

1:39:15 It has always been when a man was sent of God, to preach the fullness of the Gospel that he was Thrust out by his friends, who are already to butcher him if he teach things, which they imagined to be wrong. Jesus was crucified upon this principle. The Same Spirit that crucified Jesus is in the breasts of some of her though. Some who profess to be Saints in Nauvoo. I have secret enemies in the city. Intermingling with the Saints etcetera, said I would not prophesy anymore and proposed hire him to hold the office of profit to the church. As it was his Birthright, I'm going to have a reformation and the Saints must regard Hiram for he has the authority. That I might be priest of the most high God and slightly touched upon the subject of The Everlasting Covenant. Showing that a man and his wife must enter into that Covenant in the world or he will have no claim on her in the next world. But on account of the unbelief of the people, I cannot reveal the fullness of these things at the present and that was actually shifted to another quote that was July 16th. 1843, There's a lot to unpack there.

1:40:18 What's interesting? Is he refers to Hiram as having the authority to preside over the church? He wanted to basically retire from being the president of the church, Joseph wanted to retire so that he could quote to use his words be priest of the most high God. Now, going back to the scriptures, Doctrine and Covenants, section 124 verse 124. Touches on this and it refers specifically to Hyrum Smith. He says verily, I say unto you, I now or wait, Burt, I give unto you Hyrum Smith to be a patriarch unto you to hold the ceiling blessings of my church. Even the Holy Spirit of Promise whereby, ye are sealed up unto the day of redemption.

1:41:09 That you may not fall notwithstanding the hour of Temptation that may come upon you. What's interesting there is Hyrum Smith, holds the ceiling blessings of the church. You could call that the sealing power ceiling, Authority ceiling Keys. Even the Holy Spirit of promise, this is a clear reference to hire. Him has received his second anointing. Therefore, he has every right holds, every key and all the authority necessary to be a president of the church going back to section 132 Which is to become a recently, controversial section again, the dossier.

1:41:51 Yeah, well, you know, for different reasons. Now, there are factions break off sand and people even within the church, still who believe that will Joseph, this didn't come from Joseph section, 132 came from Brigham and and they use what in my opinion are pretty weak arguments but you know that's that's what they're claiming, that's what they're pushing. It has its appeal again, it appeals to our comfort zones of who you mean that I can believe Joseph was a prophet, but I don't have to believe in icky polygamy. You know, that that has, that does have a certain level of appeal.

1:42:31 I can understand why it's seductive to to folks who are not familiar with the history. But it doesn't take away from the fact that this was a true Revelation from God that was revealed through. Joseph and that he was teaching and practicing all of the principles espoused in section 132. But it talks about in verse 7 will jump right down to the to the nitty-gritty section. 132 verse 7 verily. I say unto you that the that the conditions of this law are these all covenants, contracts bonds, obligations Oaths, vows performances connections associations, or expectations for a long list that are not made and entered it into and sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise of him who is Anointed both as well for time.

1:43:20 And for all eternity and that to Most Holy by Revelation and commandment through the medium of mine anointed whom I've appointed on the earth to hold this power. And there's a parentheses and I appointed unto to my servant Joseph, to hold this power in the last days and there is never but one on the earth at a time on whom this power in the keys of this priesthood are conferred on parentheses are of no efficacy virtue or force in and after the resurrection from the dead, for all contracts that are not made into this, send have an end when men are dead. So, this is literally the ceiling Keys, the ceiling Authority, the power to have a relationship. The Sealed by Authority in this life and have it remained in the next here.

1:44:06 Eternity, I want to point out the fact that it again refers to sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise. What did we just read? In section 124 verse 124, Hiram Was given the the like adjective phrase of Holy Spirit of Promise, why? Because he is Anointed of him who is Anointed? Not this is you know, there's the initiatory anointing which are Preparatory. It's a calling the the second anointing is when that is the election happens and then you know again men can receive the Anointing and still apostatize. So, you know, this is not a guarantee that they, you know, they're all set and how they're guaranteed exaltation at that point.

1:45:00 Because if they apostatize at that point, that is Son of Perdition. So it raises the stakes, a great deal. But but the point is, That if this ordinance hasn't been administered, then the person administering a ceiling ordinance does not have the authority because they're not the Holy Spirit of Promise. They're not, they don't have that Holy Spirit of Promise within them to have any efficacy in the next life. So again just emphasizing the importance of this crowning. Ordinance of the restoration. The second anointing is sacred. It's something that It needs to be.

1:45:45 I guess understood and that is given the the due respect. One of the thing. I want to point out while we're here because this is the this is the verse that most people will point to when they say. Well, our man's the one man. I don't know if you've come across one man, isn't before I just call this idea that only one man can hold the power at a time. On the earth is attributed to section 132 verse 7 and the the history to that is quite interesting. So when the saints came across the Lanes and we're settled in Salt Lake and they got through the first few years that were just like, you know, really close calls. They probably should have died en masse at various points in. So they were miraculous, it was just a fight for survival, but they got to a point where Brigham authorized, Orson, Pratt to stand up and share the, the facts. That yes, polygamy is a thing.

1:46:43 Yes, we're living it. Yes, it is. Part of the Gospel. Oh yes. It came from Joseph and he made this public sermon in a general conference of the church and in that he refers to this Revelation but he doesn't quote it and in his talk he says that only one man can hold these keys at a time and you know, but if you if you look at it closely it says there is never, but one on the earth at a time on whom this power in the keys of this priesthood are conferred. in other words, It doesn't say that. Only one, man can hold it at a time. It says that only one man at a time, can have these these Keys conferred upon him, that changes a lot of context. And as we get into a couple more of these quotes from later in the history, I think I'll be able to drive that point home, but just I guess digest because for me when I first started to question some of the claims at the church. My first instinct was well if president monson's not the one man who's the real one man so that I can you know go join that group or Joanne would go join that church and follow that man and this is I think a very natural human tendency and it is a we've inherited this tradition that has become very sacred you know it's a sacred cow and you know this This concept though is very limiting because it leads

1:48:14 to arrogation it leads to priestcraft, it leads to one man you know, thinking that he's it. And that. So if I don't authorize it or if it you know, then then it's of no effect and that is the opposite of what priesthood is all about, which is service and sharing and assisting others to come unto God coming to Christ. One other note, I've read through various of the various accounts minutes of the Quorum of 12 meetings. And you'd be surprised at how many times they talked about how when administering second anointings they have to close the meeting.

1:48:54 After the first man has received the anointing, the ordinance and and then you know they have to start a brand-new meeting a brand new session if you Will to do another second anointing ordinance. And sometimes they would say, you can only do one in a day. And other times, they would say, well, you know, we'll do, but it always had to be one at a time and ideally it should have been done in the temples. But anyway, for the sake of time and I can talk in. Doesn't it? Are you following you with me here or yeah, no, I'm just listening. Okay, going back. Two.

1:49:38 Joseph Smith's teachings, this is from August 27th. 1843, he calls it, the three granddaughters, there. It's his speech referred to as the three granddaughters speech. Those who limit the designs of God, as concerted by the ground Council of Heaven, cannot obtain the knowledge of God, and I do not know, but I may say they will drink in the damnation of their souls. All those who are disposed to set up Stakes for the almighty will come short of the glory of God to become a joint. Heir of the air, Ship of the son of man must put away all his traditions. In that same speech, he talks about the order of Elias, the order of your life and the Order of Messiah as the three grand orders of the priesthood. Now, we're going to shift gears, I want to share this excerpt from the parley P Pratt autobiography. This is post martyred on it, but before we do that, I want to explore what you were talking about before. I didn't know if it was going to continue on. So I wanted to give you a chance here. So I'm going to push back a little bit. I want to see what, what your response here is concerning the one-man thing.

1:50:49 How do you establish order then? If there. Isn't really order to be had. Does that make sense? Because it's some point if communities were what was intended to be built, how do you do that without any sort of governance? So I think that that's maybe a little bit of a false dichotomy there. I think that the idea that you have to have one dude, in charge to have order, I don't buy it. I think that Joseph, when he was talking about a nation of kings and a nation of priests, he's referring to order. There's no chaos in the nation that he he's referring to. And yet, there is not one man presiding over Buddy. Now I think maybe let's take a step back and discuss the concept of presidency.

1:51:49 So presidency, you know, the way that we interpret the term the day is, he's kind of the guy, the man that the king, you know, he's like the American version of the king of England is the president of the United States and the presence of the church is the, you know, the ecclesiastical equivalent of the king of the u.s. sort of England or whatever. And that is a completely foreign concept to the days of the early American Colonial period, as well as the early church period. You know, when we talk about George Washington and his role within the Continental Congress. When the Earth the yeah, when not the, the body that wrote the Constitution Constitutional Convention. Yes.

1:52:36 So he served as the president. Of the assembly. now interestingly, He said almost nothing right during he presided. Over that whole convention. But like you read the transcript. He almost said nothing because what he usually did was he turned the time over to the chairman of the committee of the whole who would then facilitate discussion from various factions. As they would debate that, you know, various things ideas, Concepts forms of, for the as they were crafting, the Constitution, the president was viewed as the person who regulated discourse, who made it? It's made certain that every voice was heard who made sure that they followed parliamentary procedure or in other words, followed rules to regulate, so that one guy didn't talk for five hours and Cog up all everybody's time. And then the other guy, the counter-argument only got three seconds to rebut it then.

1:53:40 Like there were they followed rules, they call it Robert's Rules of Order. And this was a principle that was very sacred synced like very highly regarded. And And like at the Forefront of the American Colonial period? Well Joseph Smith was first generation after the American Income. You know, Revolution the Revolution and the establishment of the of the nation of America. These things were were very carefully handed down to the Next Generation. And Joseph, and most of his peers had that same perspective and and one really clear. Proof the concrete evidence that what I'm saying?

1:54:22 I'm not just making this up. Is if you go and look at the minutes from the Nauvoo Relief Society, you know the novel Relief Society was organized in Nauvoo and Joseph Smith was present and he presided But he got over ruled on various things for instance. The name of the Relief Society, you know, he proposed some Society. Like I can't even remember exact. It's been a few years but so he proposed us a name. John Taylor, agreed. Hey, I like that name. They were both present at this meeting and, you know, in our modern Minds we would think well, if the profit was to make a suggestion who would dare to, you know, defy that That or disagree you know because we have to sustain the prophet.

1:55:10 You know like this this concept of presidency has become so dogmatist in our minds and and hierarchy is like a hierarchy. Well the function of the president you know he kind of he was presiding over the meeting but Eliza R snow pipes up and he's like I don't think that's a good name at all and it'll confuse us with various other. There's it's like a common you know doll dime-a-dozen type of a name that there's all sorts of others. Societies out there. We need to be called the relief society and she made her case and I think Emma Smith agreed and Joseph like yield, you got it that you you persuaded me. And and so it became known as the female really Society of Nauvoo the organization of the sisters there. So presidency is more a facilitator or to make sure all voices are heard to make sure that order is preserved, but not in any way to be the man, you know, dictating to anybody else what they're going to do, or, you know, issuing marching orders or anything like that.

1:56:13 And you know, sadly, Brigham Young because of the strength of his personality and some of the I guess expediency is of his day. Sometimes ventured into the territory of You know, the more dogmatic top-down, you know, approach of leadership and I'm not Brigham's judge. I'm not saying he, you know, I'm not criticizing and necessarily for a lot of those cases because I think he meant well, he's his heart was in the right place and the, you know, and it good happened. Good resulted from it, but it's sadly set a bad precedent and you know, that precedent became level, you know, elevated to the point of being a tradition and that Mission has become elevated to the point of being a dogma of Mormonism. Which is that you do what the prophet says, no questions asked.

1:57:05 And if you, if you question your on the high road to apostasy does that answer your kind of what you were trying to make think? So I think so I'm I'm just trying to get a good good. I wanted to parse that out a little bit. Yeah, now there were times that Joseph did issued direct marching orders though, correct? Correct? Okay. Okay. Yeah. All right. Yeah. And I think that that that is absolutely when God commands you obey and if God gives a command through a mouthpiece like a Joseph or a Brigham or whatever. That's one thing it's when when Joseph or Brigham if they ever were to venture into this idea of? Well I think that this should happen. Therefore I'm commanding you under my authority rather than under God's Direction.

1:57:57 That's where it becomes problematic. And now we have a man rule of man rather than rule of God, I think that's probably a real good way to put it. When somebody is ruling by the force of Their Own, Their own will rather than the will of God. I think that's where the problem was. So no, I'm good with that. I think we parse that out. Yeah. Sorry to take you off in the weeds. They're not at not a problem. This is just kind of a little intermission before we get back into some other quotes back to the, to the previous points. But I wanted to put this because there are those who say that after Joseph, death visions and Revelations ceased.

1:58:42 No. And I want to present this from Charlie Pratt in 1845 444 actually, because it was on his he recorded in 1845, but it was in his journal, his autobiography about something that happened to 1844 doubtless. With the most of the present assembly. It is the beginning of a new era in their lives. They've come to a time they never saw before. Oh wait, did I skip down? Where did it go? There we go. Sorry, I skipped down. So this is 1844 as I walked along over the plains of Illinois. Lonely, in solitary, I reflected as follows. I am now Drawing Near to the Beloved City in a day or two. I shall be there.

1:59:28 How shall I meet The Sorrowing widows, and orphans referring to the, The Smiths widows and orphans? How shall I meet the Aged in Wood a model? For these two Motors? How shall I meet an entire Community bow down with grief and sorrow unutterable? What shall I say? A or how can solo and advise 25,000 people who will throng about me in tears. And in the absence of my president, than the older members of the now, presiding Council will ask council at my hands, shall I tell them to fly to the Wilderness and deserts I mean they just killed the prophet, right? That's going to stop. The Army from coming in and taking care of the rest, or shall I? Tell them to stay at home and take care of themselves and continue to build a temple with these Reflections and inquiries.

2:00:10 I walked onward way down as it were unto death. When I could endure it no longer. I cried out aloud saying O Lord in the name of Jesus Christ. I pray thee, show me what these things mean, and what shall I say to thy people? On a sudden, the spirit of God Came Upon me and filled my heart with joy and gladness Indescribable. And while the spirit of Revelation glowed in my bosom with as visible of warmth and gladness as if it were fire, the spirit said unto me quote, lift up your head and rejoice for behold. It Is Well with My servants, Joseph and Hyrum. My servant Joseph still holds the keys of my kingdom in this dispensation and he shall stand and do time on the earth in the flesh and fulfill that to which he is appointed.

2:00:51 Go and say unto my people in our view that they shall. Continue to pursue their daily duties and take care of themselves and make no movement in church government and to reorganize, or alter anything until the return of the remainder of the Quorum of The Twelve. But exhort them that they continue to build the house of the Lord which I have commanded them to build in Nauvoo. Wow. Beautiful. Yeah, I'm from Orson. Hide a second witness of this kind of approach. This this game plan. We've had a charge given us by our Prophet that charge we intend to honor and magnify it was given in March last 1844. He said, let no man take your crown and do you should have to walk right into death fear, not, neither be dismayed.

2:01:34 You have to die. But once to us, were committed. The Keys of the Kingdom and every gift key in power that Joseph ever had confirmed Upon Our Heads. anointing which brother Rigdon never did receive It was 19th of September 1844. I think that's important because some of the people who are you know having these Faith crises presented by the anti-polygamy crowd are going back and like questioning will. Maybe be Sidney Rigdon was really should have been the rightful successor or maybe you know, James straying or I mean there's various players in this kind of bid for successorship, right? and, you know, these are the types of things that That corroborate the fact that the Quorum of The Twelve. Now they were Apostles.

2:02:28 They were many, some of them were ordained Apostles, back in 1836, but it was really because of the anointing, the second anointing that they held the right to preside in the keys to obtain the Revelation and the duty responsibility to lead the church after the martyrdom. Now, I want to share this, this is actually from my grandfather, one of my grandpa's his name. A misalignment. He was actually a counselor to Joseph Smith in the first presidency. His what's ironic is Joseph Smith, he had two counselors. One was Sidney Rigdon, and one was William law in the first presidency and Sydney, abandoned him move back to. I think it was Pittsburgh or Philadelphia somewhere in Pennsylvania, ironically because Joseph Smith wrote a letter to Sydney's daughter Nancy. And part of the letter is very famous. Everybody knows it.

2:03:20 It's the Part that says, happiness is the object and design of our existence in will be the end thereof. If we pursue the path that leads to it, what is not nearly as widely known is the fact that he was proposing marriage in that letter to Nancy rigged in and she revolted revealed at the idea and told her dad and you know he abandoned Joseph over the principle of polygamy and that's why Sidney Rigdon was not ever involved in the Quorum of anointed and receiving those second anointings. On the, on the other hand, you had William law. Who did attend one Quorum of anointed meeting and never attended again and William law.

2:04:01 Also wrote an affidavit in the Nauvoo Expositor detailing section 132 with a lot of details and a lot of the folks who claim that Brigham Young in invented section 132 or or that it was something that was given afterward. You have to completely ignore the facts. That William law was It has a vocal opponent. He was. This would be like if Dylan a chokes apostatize and then stirred up a mob of folks to go and murder Russell him Nelson. I mean it's just an incomprehensible but that's what we're dealing with here. It was William law was the first counselor in the first presidency and and he was one of the main perpetrators that revile you know, rile up the, the mob and led to the martyrdom. And so the funny thing is Joseph tried to release these guys from From being his counselors and the church voted against him because they like them.

2:04:55 And, you know, they didn't know what was going on behind the scenes and so, they're just like, well, no, we like, brother Rigdon and brother were lost. No, we like them to be your counselors and Joseph, like, fine. I meet a, I need a counselor, I can trust. So he calls animus alignment to be a third counselor, and he was the only one in, you know, in good standing. A misalignment, received a second anointing, he's part of the corpsman of anointed. Anyway, the reason I want to share this quote from him is this, isn't it? Dress. He gave to some of the Nauvoo endowment companies and, you know, because we like to think about what we get out of the endowment, you know, it's were endowed with power and we make these covenants and were promised these blessings and Eternity and stuff, but I think there's a far more practical aspect of the endowment.

2:05:39 We often either miss or just take lightly, or don't understand. And he speaks to this, this comes in 1845 from a misalignment doubtless, with most of the An assembly. It is the beginning of a new era in their lives. They have come to a time they never saw before they've come to the commencement of a knowledge of of things, and it is necessary. They should be riveted on their minds. One important thing to be understood in this that Those portions of the priesthood, which you have received are all essential matters. It is not merely that you may see these things that are promised but it is. A matter of fact, a matter of that has to do directly with your salvation, it puts you in possession of those keys by which you can ask for things you need and obtain them.

2:06:21 This is the key by which to obtain all the glory and Felicity of eternal life. It is the key, by which you approach God, no impression, which you receive peer should be lost. It was to rivet the recollection of the tokens and Covenants in your memory, like a nail in a sure place, never-to-be-forgotten the scenery through which you have passed, his actually laying before. He would picture or map by which you are to travel through life and obtain an entrance into the Celestial Kingdom. Hereafter, if you are found worthy and maintain your integrity integrity and do not run away and think you've got all your endowment, You'll be found worthy after a while, which will make you honorable, with God. You have not yet been ordained to anything, but will be by. And by you have received these things because of your compliance with all the requisitions of the law. And if faithful, you Ro receive more, you have learned how you have now learned how to pray, you've been taught to approach God and be recognized.

2:07:11 This is the principle by which the church has been kept together and not the power of arms. A few individuals have asked for your preservation and their prayers have been answered. And it is this which is preserved you from being scattered to the Four Winds. Those who have learned to approach God and receive. The blessings. Are they better than you? The difference is they have been permitted to have these things revealed unto them, the principles, which have been opened to. You are the things which ought to occupy your attention, all your lives. They are not second to anything, you have the key by which if you are faithful, you will claim on you. You and posterity all the blessings of the priesthood. Now this period of history between the martyrdom and The Exodus is often. And I just glossed over this was a long period of fear and just it's Menace, like there was a lot of things threatening to destroy the church, you know, literally physically like armies mobs.

2:08:06 Wanting to come in and just murder and rape, everybody, and drive him out, let alone, the political pressures of. Hey, you guys are a problem. Get out. We don't want you here, you know, we don't want to deal with you, but the saints were not prepared. R22 to leave and go out west yet. And so, during this point, there were a lot of, you know, trumped-up charges brought against various leaders in the church and the sheriff, like there was a lot of pressure and, you know, you you read the history and its really well documented in Devery Anderson's books. Joseph, scorm of anointed in the Nauvoo endowment companies. He goes through. This is just a documentary, a slight chronologically organized, all of the source materials People journals and the minutes from these corner of anointed meetings and they are addressing the massive threats to the, you know, the preservation of the church and of the lives of various people at different points and they come together and they're like, shoot, do we need to call up the militia? Do we need to take up arms to defend our lives. Our families are in our freedoms. And, you know, they would bring these things to the Lord and they would get an answer that said, I'll take care of it. It.

2:09:21 And lo and behold, God took care of it. Whether somebody just had to die or whether some natural, you know, freak storm out of the blue flash. Flood happened to, you know, prevent somebody from coming into the city limits. Like there were these Divine outpourings of protection and blessing in a bit being upheld. And that's what a misalignment is referring to here. And he's, attributing it to prayer circles. These, these things are sacred, these things are Within the reach of every endowed member. And it's a, it's a damn shame that the church has outlawed prayer circles in our homes. And, and, you know, the even they used to even do them in steak centers. You know, every home used to have an altar every every home with an endowed couple had a home altar that they could have a sacred prayer and approach God in their home in the sanctity of their home.

2:10:15 And and then they kind of centralized it up to the steak centers and okay, well, you know, if you want to do a prayer circle, you gotta coordinate with the stake president and you do it in the steak center. Special prayer room. And I remember when I was really young, look going into the old stick center and being told Bo. Yeah, that's the room upstairs. Where they used to do prayer meetings. But we only do those in the temple now. And so now it's been completely centralized up to the temples and this is one of the great endowments. This is one of the greatest gifts that the endowment gives us his the teaches us how to pray. And an evil spirit teaches man. Not to pray according for the Book of Mormon there. And and so these Divine protections, these Divine outpourings are available and the teachings of men and false traditions.

2:11:08 And you know the power grabs, the the control and the centralization of power has stripped them from the hands of most of our people. And so I think that in and that really is sad, right? Because one of the main thrusts of Mormonism and you can you can hear it in how Joseph speaks about things, right? Joseph really was about look I had my audience with the Lord and you know what you can have it too and a lot of the things that that we do as Mormons were geared around this idea of you can approach God Yeah. Not only you can you should approach God and you should, you should be in a place where you should it, won't always happen, but you should expect to receive an answer, right?

2:12:01 If God is, who we say he is, which is a loving father. Why wouldn't he talk to us, kids? Right. And so if there's one thing that I picked up on early and It, I could never, I didn't know what it was. I was picking up, but I could tell something was just off with in the LDS church. It was this idea of having sacred experience almost, you know, encounters with the Divine. And I think that as Mormons, if we're not having those experiences, we really need to take a step back and say, okay, then the maybe I need to reorient myself here a little bit. Yeah.

2:12:44 And that was one of the. Yeah. And that was one big. Yeah. And that was one of the big things I noticed coming out of the LDS church into fundamentalism was and I had a very sacred experience one that I'm not sure I'll ever reveal coming out of the LDS church and as I revealed this to other people they're like oh yeah. Yeah, no. Totally and I'm like, It wasn't odd, right? And so yeah, if we're not having those encounters with the Divine, I think we really aren't president or yeah, we're not practicing. What Mormonism was designed to be? Yeah.

2:13:34 We're not living up to our Privileges and our callings. Right. And you know what, I guess, one other quick thing kind of going back to one of the many things that we had discussed earlier on the, a misalignment talks about. He's like, I, you know, you've received this, there is more, you haven't received everything because this was the first endowment companies but he's like, but this is enough for now. Let this take your focus and Ponder on these things, rest of your life and by and by there's more. And so like I think that receiving ordinances, yes, that the principal ordinances baptism. Sacrament, excuse me confirmation, you know, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, sack Sacrament, these Preparatory gospels.

2:14:24 The the work of the sun, if you will, the Church of Christ, these are the things that should be given without nearly as much of you. No strings attached to putting, you know, being the playing gatekeeper, or whatever the endowment and particular, the second anointing, you know. Nobody's going to be learning the way. Nobody gets these things because they're worthy of them, nobody earns the ability, the worthiness to get receive endowments. It's always based off of, you know, repentance and willingness but there's a difference between confessing with your mouth and saying, yeah, I want those things. And yeah and they could be completely sincere. The endowment is Preparatory though, the first endowment is a preparation and then there's a time that Lord waits to see, are you going to be true?

2:15:15 And Faithful if so there's more or you know even the Brethren even discussed breaking it out to do like breaking the first endowment into two parts and having the aaronic priesthood being one event, one ceremony, one ordinance and then the priest, the Melchizedek priesthood aspects and the robes changing shoulders. And all of that being a separate ordinance and the point being there is, let's we want people to receive A little bit so that they can then prove through their faithfulness that they really want more and then we give them more and then we see what they do there.

2:15:56 And it's this, it's this progression. And, you know, second anointings were not given lightly to just anybody. It was to those who had proven faithful through the fires of adversity, and it was by Revelation. But even some of those who were invited to receive the It's like William La was invited by Joseph to receive a second anointing. And the way that he responded to that invitation tells you everything you need to know about William law, obviously he felt short from that. So anyway, but yeah, there is I hate to use the term worthiness because then we just translate that into thinking what we eat, we have to follow the checklist and prove that we've Earned it or whatever, it's not about that.

2:16:47 It's just our have we have have, we patterned our lives in accordance with what we feel and desire in our hearts. And what we say with our lips and that takes time and that's important, I don't think there's anything wrong with the word worthiness. I think when we start talking about worthiness, we need to make sure that how I Define worthy as the same way. You define worthy, right? It's one of those things like like we could both be using the term liberal and you I could be speaking about George Washington or you could be speaking about Nancy Pelosi, right? So, so the right that's one of those words, I think comes loaded with, with a certain amount of let's define the terms so to speak and then go from there.

2:17:35 Okay, we're going to be skipping ahead by some dates. Now, this It's hard going back to our our our day, Sammy Richards and November 13th 1852 published an editorial in the millennial star. Some of these ideas were attributed to Joseph Smith but but they're written by Samuel Richards in 1852. We have heard men who hold the priesthood remark that they would do anything. They were told to do by those who preside over them even if they knew it was wrong. But such obedience says, this is worse than Folly to us. It is slavery in the extreme. The Man Who Would thus willingly degrade himself, should not claim a rank among intelligent beings.

2:18:18 Until he turns from his folly. A man of God would despise the idea others in the extreme exercise of their Almighty Authority, have taught that such obedience was necessary and that no matter what the saints were told to do by their presidents, they should do it without any questions, when Elders of Israel will so far indulge in these extreme Notions of obedience as to teach them to the people, it is generally because they have it in their hearts to do wrong themselves. Elves. Pretty, pretty straightforward. Here's a prophecy from Brigham Young in the 1850s when Mormonism finds favor with the wicked. In this land it will have gone into the shade but until the power of the priesthood is gone. Mormonism will never become popular with the wicked. Leave it to Brigham to just draw that line. So start that you can't get around it, there's another bomb from Brigham 1850s.

2:19:15 And when the spirit of persecution, a spirit of hatred of Wrath and Malice ceases, The world against this people, it will be the time that this people have apostatize, Dan joined hands with the wicked. You know that it doesn't surprise me from Brigham. I mean, Brigham Yuri Yuri old-school Brigham man. He was how know how to play. He was kind of gangster. I mean, there's no doubt about it, right? I mean, he was, he was, you know, you never pulled a punch, he never pulled a punch and man, he, you knew exactly where he stood with him. I remember I just this week read something out of the Journal of discourses and I should have wrote it down on where it is and I didn't wear. He's basically railing on the idea of public education. He's like, why would we invite Babylon in to educate our kids. So when Brigham and look at where we are now with that, right.

2:20:09 I wonder what he thinks about the right University with his name on it. He's pissed. I can't say that for certain but I'm sure there's been more than one conversation. Ation where it's just like, can we just get my name off the building? Can we just get on with something else please? Yeah. Anything else, you know but not that. So yeah. I really think that that Brigham saw it, man. Those all those early guys, they knew it wasn't a matter. I think for them, it wasn't a matter of if it was definitely a matter of when There's one more from the 1860s Brigham said there is nothing that would so we can my hope and discourage me as to see this people in full fellowship with the world and receive no more persecution from them because they are one with them. Yeah, it's almost like we were fulfilling Brigham's every fear. Yeah.

2:21:03 Right. His fears were apparently not unfounded. Now, this one brings it back. 1860 August 26. 1860 Brigham Young said the ordinances of the house of God are expressly for the Church of the firstborn. Now, the reason I think that's significant is because the church today claims to be everything, they claim to be the Church of Christ. They don't really talk about the Church of the firstborn, but I'm sure somebody was depressed and they Chuckling, oh yeah. Well that's us to obviously where the trooper the church. They claim to be the kingdom of God in Joseph. Stay and throughout the, you know, the lifetimes of the Apostles.

2:21:50 Brigham John Taylor Wilford, Woodruff learns of snow Etc. These were very distinct entities with different membership rolls and very different stated missions, and goals and objectives to accomplish the Church of Christ. In other words, the general assembly was to invite all It was an open invitation to the world to come and join come and see and receive salvation the Church of the firstborn. Most of the Church of Christ. Even in Josephson, Brigham's day was not aware that such a thing really. Existed. It was kind of more of a, you know, by invitation by Revelation type of a thing.

2:22:32 And so you know you could there in these concepts are interchangeable scripturally with like the the Church of the Father, the work of the Father, the Church of the firstborn the the Quorum of anointed and this all has to do with temple work that the temple is right. And you know the truth the kingdom who was a there's a council of a 50 and people, you know, you can do a lot of study in the Council of 50. It was a political entity. Hmm. You know, it was it was it didn't even include all members of the church. There were some non members yet account there were and and they had a very stated goal to establish the kingdom of God on the earth in a literal temporal sense, not just a symbolic, you know, spiritual Gatherings, or whatever you want to call it, but literal and building up the Physical City of Zion to fill fulfill those prophecies.

2:23:33 And so like, these are three distinct entities with distinct missions and sadly I think Brigham During the kind of succession crisis, you can't really make claims that you're the rightful successor based off of secret groups that the vast vast majority of the feet people are not aware of and so, but he was the, presiding a member of the Quorum of the twelve. And so, I think a lot of these discrete entities and Concepts were kind of melded went to help this. The Saints sustained. Brigham Young as The ordained success sir to leave the church and it wasn't originally Brigham. It was more like the Quorum of The Twelve. Brigham just happened to be the voice that President, the, you know, the senior member of the Quorum. And so these Concepts were kind of conflated. And so it's like, well was Brigham acting as the president of the Quorum of 12 over the Church of Christ or was he acting as the presiding King and priest in the kingdom of God, or The Church of the firstborn the core of anointed. Like it's it gets a little blurry because he was kind of or territorial Governor or.

2:24:47 Yeah. And likewise We have a lot of what Brigham said, but we don't have from what I can tell, a lot of journals from Brigham. And I wish we had those because I think that would have shed some light on what it was. He was thinking, one of the things I thought about lately is was he holding back on stuff because he felt like, people still weren't ready. Was he still any number of things, right? Brigham. Well, you know, he actually lamented, he's kind of a little bit, comes off a little bit bitter that so many people rejected the atom God Doctrine, right?

2:25:32 And, and, and he took it, kind of personally, he's like, well, if Joseph had revealed that they would have received it, it's like, well Joseph, kind of did reveal it. Like why is Brigham taking the fall for this thing that clearly Joe? Joseph was hinting and alluding to with Ancient of Days references and all of these things and yet it Brigham kind of just cut and dry black and white set it in plain English. And you know, he got a lot of pushback even within the Quorum Orson Pratt. Yep. Was really worse than him. So epic battles and in the thing was that You have to be blind to see that. That was not.

2:26:13 That that that was not given by Joseph. I mean he was the one who revealed Eliza R snow tells you he reveals it. And so yeah. Yeah I think she was taking. Yeah. She was just there all the time. Every day. It's amazing how much you can just believe what you want to believe when you don't know the history, right? Like you start studying the history it's like ah I guess I can't believe that thing. I really wanted to it would have been nice but anyway I want to share one thing that kind of drives back the importance of the. So this is backing up a little bit to 1847 May 23rd parley.

2:26:57 Pratt took some minutes of a meeting. And in Winter quarters of the Quorum and it says, quote, all the 12 are like and keys power might majesty and dominion and the 70 are equal everyone in his place. And so are all who have the fullness of the priesthood? They are entitled to your faith and prayers. There's no middle or higher nor lower family than those who are, who have the fullness of the priesthood. Some say I go into brother, Taylor's family or some a little higher into woodruff's or heber's or Orson hides There is no rigging ISM. String is MM and every other ISM. We are one we are equal so far as our conduct is equal. You are not higher, nor lower in one family than another. My mind is Brigham's.

2:27:43 Mind my mind is the same as heber's. So the the, the 12 held the keys in common. And there were actually, there's plenty of references to there. Are those among the twelve and others who were not in the 12? I mean, he refers to several 70s in this like, Israel, Barlow and various other folks who were had received the second anointing, but we're not part of the Quorum of twelve and yet they held all these keys in common. And again this is I guess kind of harken back to the section. 132 verse seven point that I was making about, it's not that only one.

2:28:24 One, man can hold these Keys. It's the only one at a time can have them conferred upon him and now you have to be United because back to your point about the importance of order, this doesn't make, this doesn't mean every man for himself and it's a free-for-all and Anarchy, and chaos, and God upholds. It know, this really is the thing is about the succession after Joseph smarter down the fact that the 12 The other, you know, leaders of the Saints, they were so United because they were all United individually and personally with heaven, and that's who they were all tapping into the same source and they retained, their very Divergent opinions, and personal beliefs and feelings and, you know, Brigham and John Taylor didn't get along at all. Like they butt heads a lot, Brigham. And Orson Pratt butt heads.

2:29:19 A lot and even parley. Like and yet they were incredibly Unified they couldn't have pulled off the Exodus to the Salt Lake City Valley if they were any less unified than they were. And so that's a testament to me that they were all tapped into one source. Ultimately Yeah and yeah and I think that's ultimately where we need to be whether somebody espouses one-man ISM or not right? It's getting getting to that space where you can Were you can tap into the source, right?

2:30:02 So a cup, I'm almost done with these quotes, take a little bit longer than I had expected. But 1880, there is a publication from that was in circulation at the time in 1880 called the juvenile instructor. Volume, 15 page 110. It says these additional Powers conferred in the second anointing. Include all of the keys that belong to the holy priesthood on the earth, or wherever revealed to man in any dispensation and which admit men and women within the veil, they enable them to pass by the angels and the gods until they get into the presence of the father, and the son, they make of them Kings and Priests queens, and priestesses to God to rule and reign as such over their posterity and those who may be given to them by the law of adoption.

2:30:55 Let's see. 1885 John Taylor says, what would be necessary to bring about the results, nearest, to the hearts of the opponents of Mormonism simply to renounce abrogate or apostatize from the new and Everlasting Covenant of marriage in its fullness were the church to do that as an entirety, God would reject the same size of body. The authority of the priesthood would be withdrawn with its gifts and powers and there would be no more. Heavenly recognition of the administration's. The heavens would permanently withdraw themselves in the Lord would raise up. Another people of Greater Valor and stability for his. Work must according to his unalterable. Decrees go forward for the time of the second coming of the savior is near even at the doors.

2:31:36 If you were of the world, the world would love his own but because you're not of the world I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you John 15 18 and 19 know ye not that, the Friendship of the world is enmity with God whosoever. Therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. James 4:4 This is a it's a quote from an excerpt from teachings of Prophet Joseph, but this is a little bit, you know, the like five sentences prior comes from Ogden crowd, has a big called calling, can we go back and just kind of explore that last statement there a little bit that you read Because this is about to make some people very uncomfortable but I think it's worth pointing out a Sanders.

2:32:26 It's not Taylor Smith speaking. Yeah. Yeah, you don't have to argue with me, you have to argue with Who quote, who was that quoted by again, that was Don, killer Kane, 85. You have to argue with John Taylor. And correct me if I'm wrong, if I misheard. But he said If essentially, if the new and Everlasting Covenant of marriage, which I'm sorry, there's no other way to parse that out in their setting, right? Because settings, important and time is important. Yeah. Right context is important here. When those Brethren spoke of the new and Everlasting Covenant of marriage.

2:33:13 They were speaking about Celestial plural marriage, correct? T'. Okay. And what did he say? The ramifications would be too if they were to get rid of it? Were the church to renounce abrogate or apostatize as an entirety. God would reject the Saints as a body, the authority of the priesthood would be withdrawn with its gifts and powers and there would be no more. Heavenly recognition of the administration's. The heavens would permanently withdraw themselves in the Lord would raise up. Another people of Greater Valor and stability. I find that there are so much there to unpack. so whether we like it or not, When the church disavows out, Celestial plural, marriage.

2:34:06 They took that step, they cross the line. If I'm understanding, Taylor correctly. Well, I would actually soften it slightly because it says, where the church to renounce abrogate or apostatize as an entirety, you know, fundamentalist used to be members of the church, right? It wasn't really till the 30s 40s 50s. I mean, there was these purges and Like that. And even as recently as my lifetime, there were a lot of old heads in the church who still believed in plural, Celestial plural, marriage. They just said it, God has taken it away, but he'll bring it back again. And, you know, that sentiment. I remember hearing like that was kind of common when I was a kid. It's really only been within the last few years. That I think we're really getting close to the church in. Its entirety as an Entirety completely renouncing abrogating and apostatize incur from that Covenant. And you know, changing the covenants of marriage in 2019. It's hard to say whether that that's the nail in the coffin or if that's the final Doom the the final bike because what precedes did it does the change proceed or does the peep the condition of the complete entirety Church?

2:35:32 The hearts of the people, what comes first? I think that. Either way you look at it, either it happened in 2019 in its entirety or It's going to be within the next Generation Complete because these older people are dying off. People have been gaslighted so bad in the last few years that this old notion that was, it was in within my living memory of a being a kid that is going the way side. That's going the way of the dodo. Like, it's almost extinct, but I mean, technically, I'm still a member of the church, so, you know, as an institution, maybe, I don't know.

2:36:17 I could potentially see that being a little bit softer than what your kind of referring to, which was hard lying 1890. It happened and I will say, and again, I'm a very black and white kind of guy. I don't like that in the gray area, so take that for what it is. That's that's the gospel a day. But well, I will say this. I will say this, I even as diluted and kind of dumbed down and you know, corrupted as its head, as it was I I can testify that even in that state, I still had experienced power within the priesthood, you know, as a missionary after my mission, I've given blessings. And this is what when I was still very much within the framework of the LDS church and its claims and I can Testify that I personally experienced power in my priesthood and so that's why I'm a little softer and I think Dave, you, your experiences are a testament that even that when you were in full fellowship and support of the church and its claims, you are experiencing power within your priesthood. So that's why I'm a little hesitant to say, the heart Red Line happened in 1890, Manifesto, or even in the 1904 Manifesto or even in the nineteen or, or even in the 40s when they raided the polygamists and colluded with FBI like I I'm actually open to the my experience which is that it hasn't completely happened yet.

2:37:50 So but it happened in 2019 if not if not, it's going to happen within a generation because when you change those covenants it's going to just delete everything else in the gender, the older generations going to die off or forget within a generation. So I've had to parse that out because Cuz there's there's no doubt in my mind that I was inspired when I was still in the LDS church. I mean, I live plural marriage when I was in in the LDS church. However, I don't think that's because of the church. I think that's an individual thing, right? So, interpret recognizing that there's a difference between the power and the authority of the priesthood. So, but but I, yeah, and here's the thing, right? We also have to look at, you know, some maybe some more context are it again idea there which is, was the Lord speaking was John Taylor speaking.

2:38:55 About the the organization or the people there in, I could get behind the idea that it was the organization. He talks about in its entirety that to me. So I think that we're the church to do that as an entirety goes beyond. Just institutional decisions, top-down decisions. I think that's when even the membership completely forsakes those principles, that's that's And now in as much as the individuals have already forsaken it, I think that this prophecy is already in full force. There's you know, God is not accepting the powers of Heaven. Are you know, are not recognizing the administration's, they're withdrawing themselves, the Lord's raising up.

2:39:43 Another people have greater Valor and stability and that's not easy to hear. That's an unpleasant reality, but it's hard to deny if you have eyes to see what's really going on in the church today. That was that That was the other part of that that that caught me the part about the Lord, raising up a different people with the was more Valiant and more stable. And honestly this ties back into part one beautifully and that's kind of why I wanted to go through this whole exercise, we've just laid a very strong Foundation a solid foundation of what Joseph Brigham John Taylor parley, Pratt Orson High. Various of these other folks in the early days of the restoration clearly taught and testified to. Now let's bring it back to the Book of Mormon And it talks about how the Gentiles would receive the fullness of the Gospel.

2:40:37 And it would be, as a light shining upon those that sit in darkness and they would not individually. But collectively reject, the fullness of the gospel and there would come where God would remove the fullness of the Gospel from among the Gentiles. And at that day, he would begin the commencement of fulfilling the covenants that he made with the Native Americans. The descendants of Lehi, the S of Israel, specifically, the Joseph fight branch, that was brought to the Americas pre Columbus, and that to me ties in with the second anointing, because it talks about how the kings and queens of the Gentiles.

2:41:21 She will be the nursing fathers and nursing mothers to fulfill these covenants. They will kneel down at the feet of these Native Americans, and it says, look up the dust, I think that's kind of a euphemism for, it's A sign of complete, humility and service that we're not putting ourselves above them. We're not doing this in any sign of arrogance. We are kneeling down at their feet and, you know, the second anointing includes washing the feet and anointing the feet with oil. And so to be that's what is very clearly, being described by Isaiah and then in the Nephi quotes of Isaiah X, those quotations. So to me What is our role as white European descent Gentiles in the last days?

2:42:10 Where are we at? What time is it? We are either at or just barely cross the mile marker where the Lord has withdrawn from the institution of the church, and we are the servants. There's just a few of them. I mean, the the, in Jacob chapter 5 Christ is Is the, you know, the, the lord of the vineyard, and he's Gathering the servants. And, and the one servant actually, I think it's the father is the Lord of The Vineyard. Christ is the main servant who's talking with him and then he gathers other servants in their numbers were few. That's where I think we're at and I think that this is the time for men and women.

2:42:54 So here's what here's one of the quick detail since there's so little known these days about the second anointing. The second anointing is also, very simple symbolic and Unique, most ordinances are individual. You can get baptized when you're single. You can, you know, get confirmation and take the sacrament. You can receive the your initiatory as your endowment and, you know, you can't get sealed but, you know, in the marriage. Holy orders matrimony. But but the second anointing, a man has to be married. And when his wife, he when a man and his wife received, this anointing, they receive them as one as one.

2:43:41 In other words, the wife and the husband are one entity. You could say, you know, because there it's a union of marriage. And so like that, this is really a key thing. A single man or a single woman, cannot receive the second anointing. And you you need to receive it as a couple and they have to be The on the same page, you know, you can't have a woman with a crappy marriage. That's not going to work. It has to be a solid Union. And so, but I believe that the time has come for those who hear the call to, to obtain that priesthood.

2:44:23 I mean, it's going back to section. 84 whoso is faithful in, to the obtaining of these priesthoods, this requires effort, it requires sacrifice, he requires faith, it requires As a worthy administrator it requires a humility and it requires a consecration. That goes far beyond the, you know, waiting for an Institutional program to come around or waiting for somebody to start a United order or to you know start a community that's going to live these. These need to be lived individually within our homes and the whole point of obtaining to that position.

2:45:03 She is so that we're prepared. Let's close by going back to S first Nephi chapter 14 real quick because I didn't say one thing before we close here. Yeah, yeah, how. So I'm gonna ask this when I believe it was 3rd Nephi chapter 16 verses 10 through 20 there. You were referencing about the, the covenants being returned back to the house of Israel. Yeah. Is he from not of the House of Israel? Ephraim is of the House of Israel. Okay, so I will. I look at that then because, because Joseph makes a statement several several several several times that most of the people who joined the church or received, The the gospel, the restored gospel were worried for mites.

2:45:58 Yeah, and so I tend to wonder a little bit, if, if those who don't hear that call the strongest in that time. When Christ was speaking in 3rd Nephi 16 aren't those who are maybe more in tune with who they are. Does that make sense? And so sure I tend it's hard for me to look at that and and make it exclusively about the Native Americans, right? I think now. let me say this, I think we do as as he from have a responsibility To let me sit there. Yeah, let me, let me put it this way. I think we might have mentioned it. I don't have my to knock the right handy. It's it's in storage.

2:46:52 Sadly, no. But I have a Hebrew Bible with the Hebrew and the English like side-by-side. And in Genesis chapter 48, it refers to ephraim's patriarchal blessing from Israel. His grandpa being that he would become the father of many Any goyim or Gentiles. So when it says, the kings of the Gentiles in the Book of Mormon and Isaiah, prophesies will be the nursing fathers and the queens of the Gentiles will be the nursing mothers. What I would propose is we should flip that and say the kings of the ephraimites and the queens of the ephraimites will be the nursing fathers and mothers.

2:47:33 To the Native Americans, the seat of Lehigh. And when you put it in that frame, I don't think there's any disagreement. Now, obviously ephraimites are also part of the House of Israel but one another just a little tidbit in the Book of Revelation when it lifts off the 12 tribes being sealed up in, you know, the 144,000 12,000. If each try when it lifts off those those Twelve Tribes, what's interesting? Is what's missing it names off? All of these tribes naphtali Gad, Reuben, Judah manasa.

2:48:16 Guess what's missing you from you, from It lists Joseph, and the way I, you know, and I'm not seeing this definitively authoritatively at all. But the way that that to me this, when I read that and notice that the first time the spirit was like, whoa, that's important and I had not expected. That was like a it just hit me hard and I was like, holy crap. So wait, Ephraim is not a tribe that retains its identity. It's actually I think ephraimites who attain to that level of you know, calling election It'd sure whatever you want to call it, that sealing of the 144,000 they do. So under the name of Joseph, okay? And because I think that the Book of Mormon prophecies about the seed of Lehigh tearing and rending and none shall deliver the Gentiles, like most of the European Gentiles that came to the United States are of Ephraim and they are not going to this doesn't go well for those Pope.

2:49:17 Folks of that ancestry. And again, it's absurd like to even say these things in our modern context, because it's like this is impossible, the Native Americans there, they're not coming up anytime soon and threatening the American Military or the power structures in the technology that the, you know, the white European American citizenry has built up in this land. And yet, that is what is described in. Isaiah 3rd Nephi, The Words of Christ delivered by commandment from his father, like, These are prophecies that are either true or false. I tend to believe that they're true and I don't understand how God is going to fulfill them. Like sometimes it's tempting to be like to lose heart to lose Faith, because it seems so overwhelmingly against the odds. But the spirit Whispers to me, Wait. See what's got, is it, you know, like, I think you've said it a couple of times.

2:50:16 God loves a surprise ending. Yeah. Never. We can never underestimate his hand and his power purposes is plan. Absolutely. Alright sorry, I'm done taking us off into the weeds, your good questions. Let's, let's I'm going to just read going back to first Nephi chapter 14. It's kind of where we started in part one. That's where I think we should end tonight, okay. It came to pass that I beheld, the Church of the Lamb of God. And it's numbers were few because of the wickedness and Abominations of the whore who sat upon many Waters, Numbers were few being the kind of like he term there. Nevertheless, I be held at the church of the Lamb who were the saints of God.

2:51:00 We're also upon all the face of the Earth. In other words, they're scattered. Their dominions upon the face of the Earth were small. We're not wealthy, we don't have any strongholds, we're just scattered and and you know, encircled about by the dominions of the whore, because of the great wickedness of the horror for my saw. And it came to pass that I beheld, that the great mother of Abominations did gather together multitudes upon the face of all the Earth among all the nations of the Gentiles to fight against the Lamb of God. And it came to pass that I Nephi beheld, the power of the Lamb of God that it descended upon the Saints of the church. The lamb and upon the Covenant people of the Lord.

2:51:43 That's interesting that there's a he refers to them almost as two separate groups. There's the Church of the lamb and there's the Covenant people of the Lord. And I would interpret that the Church of the Lamb primarily being, you know, the white Gentile or ancestry folks. The Covenant people of the Lord is a scriptural, phrase, very closely tied to the seat of Lehigh at least in the context of the Book of Mormon Right. Who were scattered upon all the face of the Earth and they were armed with righteousness, and with the power of God and great glory. And when the day come with that, the wrath of God is poured out upon the mother of harlots, which is the great and abominable Church of all the Earth, whose founder is the devil. Then at that day, the work of the father shall commence in preparing the way for the fulfilling of his covenants, which he hath made to his people who are of the House of Israel. First Nephi 14, kind of skipped a little bit, but sure. Well, through seven.

2:52:44 And so like it might sometimes feel difficult to keep Faith to, you know, to believe that these are real like that the plans and Prophecies of God are actually going to happen as described in the scriptures and and it can be discouraging to just, you know, consider that evil forces and powers that are in control of basically the whole world. You know, the like the prophecies. I think it's Paul who talks about men's Hearts shall fail them. Like they're very understandable in the context of like how could a few obscure scattered relatively? Poor people hope to have any chance of like at least successfully defying the powers of the be in the world.

2:53:30 Like the satanic conspiracy that it's running the West, the US the European Union Canada. I mean the West Or the Communist regimes of China, Russia, they're all seeking to overthrow the freedom and the prosperity of all lands, all people and subjugate us all to tyranny and so like, yes it's understandable. That men's hearts are going to fill them in these contexts. But I love these verses from from first Nephi, chapter 14, because it basically assures us it's actually all happening according to the plan, you know it Not be planted a but it's something that was foreseen and has been planned by the foreknowledge of God happen, if I saw it and prophesied of it. And so if we repent and humble ourselves even if the institutions fall, even if our groups even if our families, tragically some of them don't make it, we have this opportunity and and we we control our destiny. We are empowered.

2:54:33 If we repent humble ourselves, the power of God will descend upon us. And I guess I want to say like, in some ways. Being swept and being killed in. Like, if there was a nuclear Holocaust or whatever, there's going to be a death toll, it's just unimaginable. But the people that died are in some ways, the lucky ones because they're spared the far worse aspects to follow. And so like, I don't want to say this, like, in with a judgment value judgement that, you know, people who are only Wicked will get destroyed. No, I don't think that's that at all. I think that people who choose to live in cities that are probably going to be targets if there was Kind of a military Invasion or you Nuclear Strike within the u.s. like, that doesn't mean that they're all Wicked or all evil people. It just means that there's going to be consequences for their decision and I'm I'm guessing that the spirit is going to whisper and give everybody a chance to move. And some people are going to heed. The call other people are not.

2:55:32 And if they don't, that's doesn't mean that they're evil. They're just worthless Souls. They're still children of God. They're still our brothers and sisters. I don't anyway. Judge anybody But there's just going to be natural consequences but in some ways that's a mercy because they're going to be spared from the tribulation that's going to fall all over those of us who, you know, I Aspire, I tried, I want to be close enough to the spirit and I feel a calling that if I'm if I'm diligent, I will be preserved. And I fully expect the aftermath of such military strikes, to be a hell of a lot worse than just dying in the blast. So to speak. I think that that tribulation Is this going to be a sanctifying necessary sacrifice and spiritual preparation, period.

2:56:18 So that so that like Nephi describes, so that we're prepared and worthy when the power of God descends and the work of the father commences despite all the odds. So, I'd and that's kind of a really important thing to, to bring out from those verses, the work of the father I submit that that's very different, from the work of the Sun. The work of the sun is to redeem to save to, you know, to invite all. It's a very broad umbrella. That invites everybody. The work of the father is much more targeted. It's creating helping his sons, become God's to become like him to be exalted.

2:57:02 It's a, you know, eternal life. It's It to like the work of the Father, the work of the sun is all about mercy and Grace and you know, the work of the father is I guess you could say a lot less touchy-feely. It's kind of more black and white, right? Be some judgments and cost. Absolutely. And I think that it's interesting to note that the work of the father, when it talks about when Brigham says that the the ordinances of the temple are expressly for the Church of the firstborn. In other words, the work of the father and if you're not called to be engaged in the work of the father, why would you want to go to the temple? Why would you want to receive those ordinances? And why would the church be promoting people to like, because they're kind of saying everybody in the church should and it's like it's a measure of, you know, faithfulness within the church I think that's a Miss interpretation and a misrepresentation of the reality and it's what's also interesting is that you know the going back to this idea of heart men's Hearts shall fail them, we don't have to worry that God's plan has been delayed or that he's abandoned us or that his purposes have been frustrated.

2:58:17 Despite all of the wicked and evil forces that are amassing themselves in the world today. Because it's very clear that the work of the father commences after the Whore has gathered all of her armies and declared open war against the Church of the lamb. And so that's really important because it helps us to maintain faith in light of where we're at. Because if you know what time it is, it could be concerning to think. Wow, it's coming fast and I don't feel ready at least in speaking for myself, I wish I had another 10 20 years to prepare physically. Temporarily, you know, financially spiritually, emotionally, psychologically.

2:59:01 There's all of these dimensions of preparation and the reality is We may have 10 20 years but we don't and we're not assured and it we may have 10 or 20 months who knows? We don't know, but we need to live every day as if it was tomorrow. And and with that singular focus and that's what's going to give us, I think the level of Faith to make the sacrifices that are necessary to obtain these ordinances so that we can be led by the spirit to find these We men in whom we know not of that, God has hidden up unto himself that I believe are within the Native American populations, just off our radar. I think that these are the callings that we as the ephraimites the kings and queens of the ephraimites have to rise up and fulfill and if we fail it's again it's not going to. It's it's not going to frustrate the plans of God. But we've been called. and, you know, The standard of Truth has been erected.

3:00:09 No one held at hand. Can stop the work from progressing persecutions. May rage mobs make combined armies, May assemble calumny. They ain't made to fame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly and independent till has penetrated every continent. Visited, every clime swept every country and sounded. And every year, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished in the great Jehovah. Shall say, the work is done. Like that is where we're at and it's, it's scary. But with the spirit it is exciting. It's exhilarating and it's empowering. Absolutely amen. Yeah, I I look at all this and it can be discouraging but at the same time I think those of us that are awake not woke are our it's incumbent upon us to ring this Bell a little bit right to sound that alarm to say things aren't all great in Zion and it's time that we maybe look at putting on our big people pants and go to work and and, and Let it not be said that nobody stood against the right. Right.

3:01:28 And I think it's perfectly acceptable and and healthy that we people that maybe we don't agree with we work with right because that's going to provide Push back and push back is always a healthy thing. So now, and I appreciate like, there's been times where I'll say something and you'll push back on me. And, and I'm sure if you were presenting, I could, you know, push back in. And I want to be welcomed that I want to be pushed against the wall and say, why is it, you believe what you believe? Because that's really the only way that we get down to brass tacks, right? I've always said, you know, my Hope was that I I sent a couple of my kids to college.

3:02:19 That's a place. I want them to have their beliefs question. I want them to have the experience, to have to defend what they believe, and not be taught what to believe, but how to defend it? And, and I think that's something that sometimes gets lost, right, whether whether you're part of a group, whether you're independent, we find our own Echo Chambers. And when we do that, That's not healthy. Their love to be in the choir. Yep. You know if you. Yeah, exactly. And and so I think these kind of conversations are so healthy and so important and do die. I respect you and I love you a ton for all the work you've done and let's do this again.

3:03:06 Yeah. Well and I'll guess I'll just throw out the disclaimer here at the end. I'm not speaking definitively or authoritatively about any of these things. This is what the has taught me and I believe that my role in the coming days is very likely totally different from any other. And so, we have this individual opportunity though to be led of God to obtain in the spirit and to fill the role that he's prepared for you. For me for anybody for each individual, and I think that has to be remembered. I think I've told you this before, and I'm not sure if I've ever shared this on the podcast. But I'm I'm going to right now.

3:03:49 I think when the days come that were all required to stand those who are seek honestly seeking to live the gospel as they have received it and how they feel. They've the Lord is ask them to live it. We're all going to stand up at once and we're all going to have a role to play. you're going to see, you know, Joshua Erickson. I love that dude. I love that dude. Like a brother. We don't agree on everything but he's going to stand up when the time comes and you're going to stand up and I'm going to stand up before the world and and you know folks from the the the Nielsen nailers, they'll stand up together and folks from from the branch will stand up and we'll all have a role to play when that time comes and and You know, we can definitely have our differences of opinion and I think that's healthy and I think that's good, but let's not forget that we all come from that same. When you get write that same, you know, we all go back at some point to Joseph, right?

3:05:02 We all go back to the restoration and and I think we can definitely and ultimately, we're all, we have the seat of divinity within we all go back to Adam. We all go back to God, the Father. Yeah, and mother and we have that connection to the Christ. This is something that is common to all regardless of race. Regardless of, you know, nationality regardless of background And so, I mean, I think that it's wonderful that you've raised a voice within the, like, the circles of Mormonism. But I think that this message even ReSound has outside of the Mormon circles. I think that there are members of the Church of Christ that are not members of the of Mormonism, you know, that are that are still serving him even if they don't even know his name or or do it in his in his name, if they're doing if they're living those laws and abiding by those principles they are On his side and we would be fools to turn them away.

3:06:01 I mean, as Ian again, this political kingdom of God idea, which was a precursor to establishing the literal city of Zion. On the Earth was not contingent upon joining the church. It was contingent upon abiding that laws of Zion which, you know, every tongue every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess. But, you know, when it talks about fleeing design because you don't want to have to literally fight for your survival, And to keep your hands on your property every day of the week, like that, people are going to be willing to bend the knee and confess with the tongue. And, you know, if they're willing to abide the laws upon which citizenship in Zion is required, they're willing, they're welcome to stay that now, they may not join the church, they may not join the church of the firstborn. They may not enter those inner sanctum, you know, inner circles.

3:06:58 And that's fine. As long as they're willing to buy the terms of the outer Court you know to grow borrow the Tabernacle of this is day and I was absolutely. So dude. This was fun. Let's do it again. I was a blast. All right they buy everybody might.

3:07:40 You're listening to the Mormon Renegade podcast. You're listening to the Mormon Renegade podcast.