I realized that I forgot to explain my new hat in my last post. Nate doesn't think I should write of such things because he's certain I am landing myself on some watch list. Pretty scary that we live in times where that is a legitimate concern. How could we have come so far only to fall backward. Have we learned nothing?
While Nate was looking for the appropriate gear for our trip I needed to pick out a patch to put on my hat. When I came across this symbol I didn't know what it meant. I was intrigued so I decided to look it up. When I found the meaning I had to have it. It symbolizes 3 percenters. It has to do with the 2nd amendment and that it was only 3 percent of the Colonial British that took up arms against the king during the revolutionary war. 3 percent, that's it. It makes me think of David and Goliath.
It can be hard to keep going when you've got the government and media working hard to convince you that you are in the minority on every issue. There is a war being waged on religious freedom. Those who are religious are being painted as fringe and a threat. Those who want to uphold the constitution are painted in the same light. We are lied to every day about measles outbreaks, the economy, our interests in the middle east and what/who exactly is a threat. Israel is evil. You would think that every other person is a member of the LGBT community, you would think that all people who own guns are going around looking for people to kill. That everyone is a racist - especially the police. That every single person believes in late term abortions except you, the woman hating choice squelching hate monger. The list goes on and on. We are being led to believe that we stand alone. What do you need to do to stop people from figuring out that they aren't alone? Regulate the internet. Well, even if we do stand alone, we only need 3 percent to stand together.
Here's an interesting thing I learned today. Did you know that J Reuben Clark said this:
“To me, my brethren and sisters, that statement of the Lord, ‘I have established the Constitution of this land,’ puts the Constitution of the United States in the position in which it would be if it were written in the book of Doctrine and Covenants itself. This makes the Constitution the word of the Lord to us. That it was given, not by oral utterance, but by the operation of his mind and spirit upon the minds of men, inspiring them to the working out of this great document of human government, does not alter its authority” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1935, 93).
What are our weapons of war? The truth. Light. Unity. Forgiveness. Love. We need to make sure we are in line with the teaching of the Savior and the Prophets. It's so important to be inline or you will miss the mark. We need to keep a hard focus on the front sight. We need to stand firm in the gospel and be not afraid. We need to live our lives "at the ready." Doctrine and Covenants 6:36 "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not."
Actually, a ton of scripture mastery verses come to mind that are applicable here, but I'll move on with a couple last reminders.
In Alma 60 is where Moroni is complaining to Pahoran for the neglect of the armies and he says this about the people needing to deliver themselves:
27 And I will come unto you, and if there be any among you that has a desire for freedom, yea, if there be even a spark of freedom remaining, behold I will stir up insurrections among you, even until those who have desires to usurp power and authority shall become extinct.
28 Yea, behold I do not fear your power nor your authority, but it is my God whom I fear; and it is according to his commandments that I do take my sword to defend the cause of my country, and it is because of your iniquity that we have suffered so much loss.
OK, being in the environment that we are, let me clarify one more time. The sword is the above mentioned. Truth. Light. Unity. Forgiveness. Love. The gospel of Jesus Christ. It's the only way we are going to win this war. Today we read in section 101 how the Lord told the saints to work within the law and petition the government about their plight of being attacked and kicked out of Missouri (there were also 3 great parables in that section starting in 43-my favorite was the vineyard with the watchtower). My prayer is like Moroni's earlier in chapter 46:
16 And therefore, at this time, Moroni prayed that the cause of the Christians, and the freedom of the land might be favored.
And a few verses before that one when he did this:
13 And he fastened on his head-plate, and his breastplate, and his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it the title of liberty) and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of Christians remain to possess the land—
So long as their be a band - maybe it's only 3 percent, I believe it's more. Another thing that I got out of our 2 day course in Pahrum Nevada was that there are lots of good people in the world. People who believe in the 2nd amendment. I met a lot of them during that 2 days. If/when the crap hits the fan, I know who to look for for help.
Btw, the sun did come out for our second day. It was perfect beautiful weather surrounded by lots of great people. ps, that's me in the white shirt.
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