Sacramento Temple High-Res Download

Here is the link to the high resolution Sacramento Temple picture.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1421566/SacramentoTemple.jpg

Screwtape Revisited: Letter Two (1838)

Dear Wormwood,

I am impressed at the zeal in which those you have been working with were so eager to join the cause against the Mormons. I wouldn't assume so much credit though, as I mentioned politicians are easily swayed. I don't know that it is to our benefit though, to have all the Mormons "exterminated." I believe that with proper luring, we could have great allies in the master's cause. After all, it is those Mormons with the most passion and fervor that can become their greatest enemy, as Mr. Phelps has shown. As long as emotion runs their decisions, any man can be led away from his cause. If we keep their minds focused on their emotion no "other" influence can reach them. Pride is a glorious tool for us. I must warn you though, the influence you have with emotion is grand, until they come to their senses. When that happens they fall victims to guilt, which opens the door to feeling repented and apologetic. Let's hope Mr. Phelps stays on the path he has currently chosen.

I have it on good authority that, though they have pledged not to leave their location in Missouri, many of the Mormons are beginning to flee. I would have assumed it was completely based in fear, but I think our adversary has put forth efforts to find them refuge westward. With a icy and cold winter ahead, it would benefit your efforts greatly to expedite their leaving. This shouldn't be very difficult as it seems that we have so many wayward souls in Missouri. It is my expectation that Mr. Smith's efforts will stagnate immediately when his congregation begins to suffer the throws of winter.

As you don't seem to need assistance at the moment, I will continuing my influence among those dealing with the natives. The Mormons aren't the only ones being forced out of their lands.

Your Uncle,

Screwtape

Screwtape Revisted: Letter One (1838)

My Overzealous Nephew,

Wormwood, it seems that you have gotten a head full of yourself. Your desire to take on a Mormon, should be quite easy actually. But, your past efforts have proven me wrong, so I will not overly credit you. If I understand you correctly, the environment for this young man is fairly trying at the moment. It seems, a few of his fellow Mormons have become quite unhappy, with Mr. Smith's financial decisions and taken their issue to the governor. As you know, politicians are easy to sway with the lure of power and wealth and Mr. Boggs is no exception. I think that you could simply let things play out, and we can be rid of these Mormon Restorationists once and for all. That being said, it is more advantageous for us to have a Mormon switch to our side, than it is to simply have him removed from his earthly life. I soul marinated in treason and lies, is far better than one that simply loses faith.

I would recommend that you watch this young man and look for an opportunity to have him find fault in those leading the city. I believe, that asking him to pick up and leave the home he and his wife built will present a prime opportunity for dissension. You should be able to plant a seed that it is for personal gain that his leaders ask him to leave. That they might take over ownership of what he leaves behind. It will not be hard for him to do as, it has been the case in other areas, the Mormons have been asked to leave.

I will tell you this, nephew, you will need to be dedicated in your efforts, it seems that our angelic friends have grown fearful of our efforts and are manifesting themselves to some. Though our efforts to excuse the apparitions as false visions and storytelling, it seems some are quite convincing. Do not fret though, many a clergymen have decide to argue that this visits cannot be real, saying they are no longer needed. It is so helpful, when mere mortals take up our cause.

Carry on and continue to update me on your progress. As I find them little a threat, I haven't not tried to claim a Mormon myself.

Your Uncle,

Screwtape

An awkward apology...

First let me say, I know I don't communicate very well...

Today, I think I offended a few people at church. We were talking about the Pre-existence and the question was asked how knowing that we lived before effects our life now...I carefully thought about it and rasied my hand and said, "For me it doesn't."

I'm not sure how that was taken but, it may have been the wrong way and I feel like I should explain my answer. I think that the knowledge of the Pre-existence is fantastic information to know. I also think that for some it explains so much about the choices they made of the circumstances they have been placed into in mortality and in no way, was did I mean to belittle that knowledge. But FOR ME, know those things doesn't change how I live my life now. Why? Because, I knowing that isn't going to save me...it's what I do here in mortality that will decide what happens to me.

I think again FOR ME, the fact that I was valiant in the Pre-existence and made the choice to follow the Plan of Salvation and gain a mortal body was just a step in a long process. It's time to prove myself in this phase.

April 2009 General Conference Archives

The direct link to the English version of the April 2009 General Conference downloads can be found below.

http://lds.org/conference/sessions/display/0,5239,49-1-1032,00.html

Family Safety on Facebook

I was talking to someone the other day about the pros and cons of facebook. Obviously, everyone has their opinions but for those of you who have children on facebook or are on facebook yourself, I have a few suggestions that may improve your experience and keep you safe.

1. Know the passwords: I think that it is important that you know your family's passwords for each other. Facebook is a social networking site, anyone in the world is aloud to join. Just as we have been recommended to have our computers in a public area, high traffic area of the house sharing passwords is a good way to make sure we are open with our use of facebook.

2. Know your friends: It is important because as mentioned above anyone can join facebook that you know who it is your are selecting as friends. This goes for the rest of your family also. You should be just as selective in adding friends on facebook as you would in real life. The items your friends post on facebook are posted on your homepage and are seen as soon as you log in for good or bad. Be sure you can trust their posts. Also, just as you would want to know your children's friends in person, you should know who they are talking to online.

3. Monitor, monitor, monitor....It may seem a little big brother but the reality is facebook is an open door to anyone who is a member. Anything that you can see others can see, by monitoring what is going on with your children's accounts you can keep them safe.

4. Set the permissions on your account to Friends Only: By default the profiles for facebook are set to friends and their networks. This means that everything you post about yourself will show on your friends site and anything you post about a friend will show up on that friends profile and will show to ALL their friends too. This means that any friends of your friends are a click away from seeing your profile. This goes for your children too.

5. Realize your information is public: Anything and everything you post on facebook should be considered public. Once you post, anyone who has access to your posts can share it with the world. This includes pictures, statuses, notes...everything. All they have to do is click share on the item on their profile and it is immediately shared with all their friends on facebook regardless of whether or not they are your friends. They can also simply copy and paste anything you have posted to another site, blog or simply print it off to share.

6. Watch who tags you and who you are tagging: When you tag people in a picture any comment posted about that tag goes out to everyone you tagged, even if the message is directed toward you. Also, the item you tagged them in appears on your profile. The same goes for any item you have been tagged in. It appears in your profile saying to all your friends you have been tagged in it. If you don't want that item to appear on your profile you must delete it.

Now, in no way am I trying to detour anyone from using facebook. I am an avid user and I know and understand the benefits and dangers of using facebook. It is that reason precisely that I share this information as there are some out there that may benefit from these simple recommendations.

Easter Egg Scripture Story

I can't take credit for this, it is not my own creation. It is something found in several places on the internet with several versions. I put it here to help in it's availability.

Spiritual Easter Eggs

12 plastic take-apart Easter eggs.

List of items to go in eggs with scripture references:
1. Sacrament cup
2. Small silver coins (2 or 3 dimes)
3. Piece of rope
4. Piece of soap
5. Piece of red cloth
6. Small nail
7. Dice
8. Jagged rock
9. Piece of white cloth
10. Round flat rock
11. Spices (cloves, cinnamon stick, etc.)
12. Nothing

Number eggs on the outside with a fine-tip permanent marker or stickers numbered 1-12.
Roll up scripture and insert in the appropriate egg with the accompanying item.

Display in a pretty Easter basket.

With your family, open the eggs one at a time, in order, to share with them the story of Christ's death and resurrection. This is a great "advent" style activity. The first egg is opened with the family. The scripture is read and is placed to the side where the picture is then set up to go along with the egg. The picture and the contents of the egg are visible for a whole day. It really makes you begin to think about what happened to Christ.

And looking at the symbols in the eggs deepens the meaning.
Each day you open an egg (in order) and display a picture until Easter when the last egg is opened.

1. Matthew 26:39
And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt."

2. Matthew 26:14-15
Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, And said unto them, "What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?" And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.
This fulfilled the prophecy in Zechariah 11:12-14 that Jesus would be sold for 30 pieces of silver.

3. Matthew 27:1-2
When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death: And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

4. Matthew 27: 24-26
When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.” Then answered all the people, and said, "His blood be on us, and on our children." Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

5. Matthew 27: 28-30
And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.

6. Matthew 27: 31-32
And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him. And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. [And he was nailed to the cross, and crucified.]

7. Mark 15: 24
And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, ...

8. Matthew 27: 50-51, 54
Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God."

9. Matthew 27: 57-60
When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple: He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock:

10. Matthew 27: 60, 62, 65-66
And he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.
Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate... Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.
So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.

11. Mark 16:1, Matthew 28: 2, 5
And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had brought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. And the angel answered and said unto the women, "Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified."

12. Matthew 28: 6
He is not here: for he is risen, as he said...