MLC

An experience was shared where the missionaries had the opportunity to speak in the class anthropology of Mormonism at the University of Victoria. When the opportunity arose, President Gill, wasn’t too fond of the idea of having the missionaries attend. He brought the idea to his councilors and after some discussion and thought the Spirit inspired him to allow the missionaries to attend contrary to his initial thoughts. He had his councilor, President Gainor join them and it was a very uplifting experience. They shared a presentation and they planned to do a 15 minute Q&A but it turned out to be 45 minutes. People want to learn more about the church, and some of the students even attended church on Sunday after that experience.

President shared that our mission has 67 units. All of those units, except two, have a chapel. The House of the Lord came 13 years ago, and the number of units didn’t grow rapidly, but the attendance at these units did. We are beginning to see that as the Victoria temple is coming.

They also shared the purpose of gathering is to bring about the covenant. Any time saints gather, that is the gathering of Israel. Gather spiritually first, and then the physical gathering will follow.

It was announced that the Christmas giving machines will be coming to Victoria and Vancouver this upcoming Christmas season for the first time in British Columbia. This was announced at Missionary Stake Coordination by President Anderson in Victoria. He also shared that the restrictions and blocks that they were facing in preventing the preparation for the Victoria temple has been removed.

I knew you wouldn’t turn me away

Around 7am in the morning the phone began to buzz, we were getting a call. The caller ID appeared on the screen, I didn’t recognize the name, despite that I quickly answered. He said that he was at our church. His motorcycle died in the night, and he’s freezing cold and soaking wet, and his phone was about to die. As I began asking him some questions, the call hung up, his phone was dead. At this point we weren’t sure if it was a prank or not, but we gave him the benefit of the doubt. We quickly got dressed, grabbed a towel, a warm coat, and drove over. When we arrived, we saw him just as he described. He stood outside the parking lot cold, and dripping wet in the rain. He definitely was in need, and didn’t look like he was causing any trouble, so we let him come into the church building to dry off and warm up.

He shared that he’s on his way to a place to stay in Penticton and he was heading over from Burnaby. Just for reference, Penticton is 4 hours away from us. And Burnaby is about 45 minutes away from us. When we asked him about his motorcycle, he said that the battery that powers the lights was dead, but the rest is fully functional. This prevented him from riding at night, and it forced him to sleep outside till daylight came.

The struggle he was facing was that he was too cold and wet to ride. It was still raining, and even if he got dry, he would inevitably get cold and wet again. We called some members in the Willoughby ward for guidance and anyone who could help. After making a few calls, we couldn’t get through to anyone. We wanted to help, but there wasn’t much we could do, all we could do is turn him to resources that could help. One of the members called us back. We explained the situation to him, and he told us that there’s a warming shelter called Gateway of Hope that’s near us. Once he gets warm enough, he can ride over there and they can help him dry off and warm up more. After the call, he texted us and said he’ll be here in 20 minutes.

In the meantime, we waited for his phone to charge. We plugged it in prior to the call, and due to water being in the port it was struggling to charge. Luckily, we had it charging again. Now that he was getting a bit warmer, we started to get to know him a bit better. We asked him if he believed in God, and he shared some examples in his life where he undoubtedly knew that God was real. He also shared how this morning he was praying to be led to someone that would help him. God led him to the church and the Spirit confirmed to him that we wouldn’t turn him away. He told us, “I knew you wouldn’t turn me away.” He was very grateful for us coming out and helping him. He began sharing more about what he believed, and he said that misery is needed for happiness. You cannot have light without darkness. Basically quoting 2 Nephi 2, it was pretty neat haha.

When the member arrived, he had McDonald’s breakfast and hot chocolate for all of us. He also had some dry clothes in a sealed Ziploc bag, and a quick lunch in a sealed Ziploc bag as well. He brought his young son to come and witness the experience too. This member was such a legend! He wasn’t able to stay, he had to get going, but he went out of his way to help and serve. And not only that but he brought his son with him to witness it.

After he finished his breakfast, he powered on his phone and had enough battery to get going. We walked out to his motorcycle with him. Now when I say motorcycle, it’s most likely not what you are picturing. He had this rinky dink motor bike; I was surprised he was able to get as far as he did with it. After a few tries to start it up, it finally got moving and he made his way over to Gateway of Hope.

I’m grateful for the experience and the opportunity that we had to help him. It was a nice side-quest.

Looking for the Thorns

We talked with this young lady at Tim Horton’s; she was reading her study Bible. Said that I liked her study bible and asked her what translation it was, and I honestly don’t remember what she said. She was super nice, she asked us if we had a chance to talk. She shared her experience converting from Muslim to Christianity. Her family raised her Muslim, and she was very devout in it, it was everything to her. She said that on her spiritual journey she decided to better understand Muhammad’s prophetic call. This led to her conversion to Christianity, as she shared that she found false prophecies that Muhammad claimed. She shared Deuteronomy 18:22, “When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.” She has been using these verses as a litmus test for true or false prophets. She shared that she doesn’t know everything, but she’s researched many denominations of Christianity. She shared that in her research she found false prophecies that Joseph Smith claimed which led her to believe that he was a false prophet. She shared that Muhammad told a child that their generation would be the one that would see the second coming of Jesus Christ. That child eventually grew old and that generation passed. To her, this was a clear sign that Muhammad wasn’t a prophet of God. She shared a very similar prophecy that Joseph Smith had, identifying the time of the second coming. Let’s take a better look at this prophecy that she was paraphrasing:

“I was once praying very earnestly to know the time of the coming of the Son of Man, when I heard a voice repeat the following: Joseph, my son, if thou livest until thou art eighty-five years old, thou shalt see the face of the Son of Man; therefore let this suffice, and trouble me no more on this matter. I was left thus, without being able to decide whether this coming referred to the beginning of the millennium or to some previous appearing, or whether I should die and thus see his face. I believe the coming of the Son of Man will not be any sooner than that time.” (D&C 130:14-17)

She claimed that Joseph Smith prophesied that the second coming was going to happen at this age, and it didn’t come to pass. This seems to be a misreading or misunderstanding of this revelation, because that’s not quite what he said. We know that prophesy is contingent, and the Lord makes this especially clear in this revelation by saying “if thou livest until thou art eighty-five years old.” Then “thou shalt see the face of the Son of Man.” The Lord then affirms this to Joseph in order for him to move on from this question and to “let this suffice, and trouble me no more on this matter.” Joseph then says, “I was left thus, without being able to decide whether this coming referred to the beginning of the millennium or to some previous appearing, or whether I should die and thus see his face. I believe the coming of the Son of Man will not be any sooner than that time.” It seems pretty clear that this may not even be in reference to the second coming of Jesus Christ. Seeing the face of the Son of Man doesn’t quite translate to the ushering in of the millennium. This revelation is quite plain and simple, and it’s ignorant to leave out contingency, and then claim that seeing the face of the Son of Man means the second coming. Despite any of this Joseph would have had to live to 85 years old, to actually claim this prophecy is either true or false.

There’s an important lesson I believe we all can learn from this:

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” (Matt. 7:7)

If you are only looking to disprove prophetic callings by scouring and looking for any false prophecy that you can find, you will find it. Whether it actually be a false prophecy or something that was said once, or a misinterpretation of an actual prophecy, you’ll find that everyone is a false prophet. Why? Because, that’s all that you are seeking out, that’s all that you are looking for. You will never find the rose if you are only looking for the thorns. There can be so many roses and as soon as you find a single thorn, you’ll assume that the whole rose bush is corrupt and prune it.

Jesus Christ himself, teaches in his Sermon on the Mount:

“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” (Matt. 7:15-20)

What is he saying that we should look for? Their fruits. We must look for their fruits. To see if their fruit is good or corrupt. He doesn’t tell us to look for the thorns. Those that sincerely seek the truth and follow the Savior’s teachings will find them, and they will know them by their fruits.