His Organizations

In D&C 51:15 it says,

 " And thus I grant unto this people a privilege of organizing themselves according to my laws. "

I believe and agree that our Father in Heaven's order and pattern of organization is a blessing and privilege for us all. 

My testimony of Christ's Restored Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is strengthened each and every time that I am surrounded by His organizations in the gospel. 

As I consider the scriptures which explain the variety and types of individuals needed to support, and enhance His Kingdom on Earth, I am able to see the necessity of organizing His people in stakes, wards, branches, zones, callings such as teachers, visiting and Home Teachers, etc. 

I am able to see His organization working to bless us each after our personal needs and abilities to serve Him.

1 Corinthians 12:

 12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

 14 For the body is not one member, but many.

 15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

 16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

 17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?

 18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

 19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?

 20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.

 21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

 22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:

 23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.

 24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:

 25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

 26 And whether one member suffer, all the memberssuffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

 27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

 28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

 29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?

 30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?

 31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

As I consider the way that each of God's creations are organized and used after a pattern and process in which each part helps support and sustain each other, I can see that in His church, He is teaching us the value of this pattern in His work. I can see the way that our Father in Heaven wants us to also value organization and working together to perfectly arrange and create after the pattern that He does. 

Consider with me His creations down to each detail :

The Earth...its size is perfect. The Earth's size and corresponding gravity holds a thin layer of mostly nitrogen and oxygen gases, only extending about 50 miles above the Earth's surface. If Earth were smaller, an atmosphere would be impossible, like the planet Mercury. If Earth were larger, its atmosphere would contain free hydrogen, like Jupiter.³ Earth is the only known planet equipped with an atmosphere of the right mixture of gases to sustain plant, animal and human life.

The Earth is located the right distance from the sun. Consider the temperature swings we encounter, roughly -30 degrees to +120 degrees. If the Earth were any further away from the sun, we would all freeze. Any closer and we would burn up. Even a fractional variance in the Earth's position to the sun would make life on Earth impossible. The Earth remains this perfect distance from the sun while it rotates around the sun at a speed of nearly 67,000 mph. It is also rotating on its axis, allowing the entire surface of the Earth to be properly warmed and cooled every day.

And our moon is the perfect size and distance from the Earth for its gravitational pull. The moon creates important ocean tides and movement so ocean waters do not stagnate, and yet our massive oceans are restrained from spilling over across the continents.⁴

Water...colorless, odorless and without taste, and yet no living thing can survive without it. Plants, animals and human beings consist mostly of water (about two-thirds of the human body is water). You'll see why the characteristics of water are uniquely suited to life:

It has wide margin between its boiling point and freezing point. Water allows us to live in an environment of fluctuating temperature changes, while keeping our bodies a steady 98.6 degrees.

Water is a universal solvent. This property of water means that various chemicals, minerals and nutrients can be carried throughout our bodies and into the smallest blood vessels.⁵

Water is also chemically neutral. Without affecting the makeup of the substances it carries, water enables food, medicines and minerals to be absorbed and used by the body.

Water has a unique surface tension. Water in plants can therefore flow upward against gravity, bringing life-giving water and nutrients to the top of even the tallest trees.

Water freezes from the top down and floats, so fish can live in the winter.

Ninety-seven percent of the Earth's water is in the oceans. But on our Earth, there is a system designed which removes salt from the water and then distributes that water throughout the globe. Evaporation takes the ocean waters, leaving the salt, and forms clouds which are easily moved by the wind to disperse water over the land, for vegetation, animals and people. It is a system of purification and supply that sustains life on this planet, a system of recycled and reused water.⁶

The human brain...simultaneously processes an amazing amount of information. Your brain takes in all the colors and objects you see, the temperature around you, the pressure of your feet against the floor, the sounds around you, the dryness of your mouth, even the texture of your keyboard. Your brain holds and processes all your emotions, thoughts and memories. At the same time your brain keeps track of the ongoing functions of your body like your breathing pattern, eyelid movement, hunger and movement of the muscles in your hands.

The human brain processes more than a million messages a second.⁷ Your brain weighs the importance of all this data, filtering out the relatively unimportant. This screening function is what allows you to focus and operate effectively in your world. The brain functions differently than other organs. There is an intelligence to it, the ability to reason, to produce feelings, to dream and plan, to take action, and relate to other people.

The eye...can distinguish among seven million colors. It has automatic focusing and handles an astounding 1.5 million messages -- simultaneously.⁸ Evolution focuses on mutations and changes from and within existing organisms. Yet evolution alone does not fully explain the initial source of the eye or the brain -- the start of living organisms from nonliving matter.

By Marilyn Adamson 

To read full article visit :

http://www.everystudent.com/features/isthere.html

I am eternally thankful that I can be a member of Jesus Christ's beautiful creations and organizations within His Church, and also within my own personality, being, strengths and gifts. I hope that I can learn to use all the the orders that He has placed in me to benefit the building and strengthening of His Kingdom upon the Earth. That is my greatest desire, to be of benefit to Him. 

I say this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Law of Consecration

So it is likely that you may have heard me talk about this before, but I have not included it in my book for my children, nor have I discussed it with any of my online religion classmates on our Discussion Boards, so excuse me for being redundant please. 

This week as we have been reading in D&C 42 we are introduced to " The Law of Consecration ", which is as explained in verses 30-39. I will highlight a portion of those verses:

" And inasmuch as ye impart of your substance unto the poor, ye will do it unto me; and they shall be laid before the bishop of my church and his counselors, two of the elders or high priests, such as he shall appoint or has appointed and set apart for that purpose. "

I find it to be a great witness of Joseph Smith the prophet truly being led by God in His translating and organizing of Christ's Church on the earth as I am reminded that the early Saints were given this revelation as to live this way. 

This was also the way that the early apostles organized Christ's Church as recorded in the New Testament. 

We can read about this in Acts 2:44-45 it reads:

"And all that believed were together, and had all things in common;

And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had a need."

This was also shown as a correct pattern revealed by prophets in the Book of Mormon after Christ had come and established His church there. 

We can read in 4 Nephi 1:3 :

" They had all things common among them; therefore there were not rich and poor." 

Though the " Law of Consecration " may come across as extremely difficult, I can testify from experience I know that it becomes easier and easier to desire to live after this law, as we truly love God, and our brothers and sisters here on this journey with us. 

As I consider this quote by Bonnie L. Carson I can see the way that if we truly felt as she speaks, we would have no more than a desire for our sisters and brothers to have all that we could give them, and even if it meant that we would not have as much ourselves.

" To be sisters implies that there is an unbreakable bond between us. Sisters take care of each other, watch out for each other, comfort each other, and are there for each other through thick and thin. The Lord has said, " I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine. " 

President Henry B. Eyring stated in his address titled, " Our Hearts knit As One " :

" We yearn, as spirit children of our Heavenly Father, for that joy which we once had with Him in the life before this one. His desire is to grant us that sacred wish for unity out of His love for us. He cannot grant it to us as individuals. The joy of unity He wants so much to give us is not solitary. We must seek it and qualify for it with others. "

When we love others enough, and desire for them to have all that we have, we are actually becoming like our Heavenly Father who desires us to be one with Him and His Son, Jesus Christ. After all, They want us to have all that They have. Shouldn't we also want our brothers and sisters to have all that we have also? (John 17) 

I know that I sure do. 

I say this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.