Wish me luck.

I am tired of praying for strength. I feel each time God honors my request in the forms of trials which indeed make me stronger. I now feel strong enough so I am going to ask for wisdom from here on out.

Obamas stimulus package

As for the stimulus package of Obama's I had to personally look into what it actually was. From what I have learned Obama will not release one lump sum to the people as the government feels if it was done in this way people would save the money and not spend it. The plan is to release the stimulus slowly over the next two years in twenty dollar increments. Each month for the next twenty-four months the government will deduct a total of twenty dollars less from the taxes we pay from each monthly payment from our employers. This way money will slowly bleed into the economy, with the stimulus being as little as ten dollars a pay period the populace will be more inclined to spend rather than save.

Simply, this is not the government giving us a stimulus package. It is merely the government taking less from us than they normally deduct in the guise of taxes. Allowing us to keep a little more of the money we earn and somehow we thank them for it.....

Beer:

D&C 89:17 Word of Wisdom,

17. Nevertheless, wheat for man, and corn for the ox, and oats for the horse, and rye for the fowls and for swine, and for all beasts of the field, and barley for all useful animals, and for mild drinks, as also other grain.

The revelation suggests that barley-based mild drinks (such as beer) may be permissible. As recently as 1901, Apostles Brigham Young, Jr. and John Henry Smith argued that the revelation did not prohibit beer. However, LDS Church leaders now teach that consumption of any form of alcohol, including beer, violates the Word of Wisdom. -wiki


I thank my sister; she being the only person whom has dared even step to the plate. I have too come to the conclusion from the past two months studies the rejection of alcohol we LDS take is bred from one generation to another, without the direction or revelation through our Prophet from God. Since alcohol is an addictive substance many members have decided it is better to not have strength of conviction and to deprive others and their children from personal growth as they feel it is for the betterment of those they care for. This eerily reminds me of Satan’s original plan to make us all do the correct things without the gift of freewill.

Yet the same standards have not been upheld as in the instance of "no caffeine" that many members adhere too. As the Prophet said no hot drinks, then later on it was defined by the Prophet to be no tea and coffee. Yet without the preaching’s of the Prophets some LDS members say decaffeinated coffee and herbal teas are ok as they do not contain caffeine. My thinking on the matter is the Prophet said tea and coffee, am I to question the Prophet? As mother and father used to tell me, once the Prophet says something the discussion stops.

The Word of Wisdom is not a commandment, yet members must adhere strictly to the Word of Wisdom to be baptized and for entrance into the Temples. These examples I have given of LDS indecisions or misconceptions of the meanings of use of alcohol, tea, and coffee only serves to shock me given that adherence to the Word of Wisdom is necessary for the keys of Heaven.

I find it shocking that members would zealously argue and become heated over personal interpretations of church doctrine rather than take what the Book of Mormon and what the Prophets have said and just love it. I am personally still not living many aspects of the Word of Wisdom, however I am progressing and that is all the action that is required. I am grateful that the only actions I will have to answer for are my own and that I do not have to do anymore than inform others and allow them to govern themselves.

Pursuit of Answers

Yesterday in Elders quorum we talked about indecision and how it is better to make a choice even if it ends up being the wrong choice. If you do not make a choice, time will choose for you. This discussion reminded me of our Father in Heaven’s gift of free will. We here on earth all thought it was important and the correct plan. This idea has shown me that allowing time to decide for us is a waste of the Lords gift of free will.

With my pursuit of answers regarding the question of beer and the Word of Wisdom, some have said that is not the way faith works. I defend my faith, and I feel I have a very strong faith. I find it remarkable how some feel following what men say blindly is what they should do. We were given the scriptures so that we may learn and make choices of our own. Last week I again posed my questions to members of my ward, this time it was my entire Sunday school class.

I came back this week hoping to have some answers to my question, only to see that no one had bothered to look into it. One lady said that her interpretation of mild drinks meant beverages like milk and cool-aid. I almost could scream as the reference to mild drink in the Word of Wisdom referred to drinks made of grains. I can only assume this sister feels milk and cool-aid are made of grain. I contacted two missionaries from the MTC hoping again that maybe the people I have asked just do not have the knowledge of the teachings to know the answers. Yet after being transferred to a third missionary I was no closer to a truth. I am going to write the prophet to ask him in the coming weeks.