Study BYU-TV’s “Come Follow Up” and Become Ben Lomu

I had a recent chance to watch the “Come Follow Up” program on the BYU-TV channel (find it here: https://www.byutv.org/come-follow-up ) and I saw in several episodes a good model of how our second hour discussions could be better conducted.  Every week or so, the discussion leader (Ben Lomu - handsome polynesian host) brings a gospel scholar and a one or two “Random AnySaints” in front of a group of “spectators” and they chat about the week’s “Come, Follow Me” study. Although informative to just watch the episode, I urge you to take a step back from what is being discussed and see how this weekly presentation flows and who fills what role in their “class”.

The discussion leader kicks things off with a very short summary of what the reading was about. I am not kidding, I timed a few of these summaries and they lasted less than two minutes. This is a good lead-in to help people recall their home scripture study and be ready to discuss what they learned and what touched them.

Then, there is the introduction of the gospel scholar and other guests. These are the people to whom Ben poses the occasional question. The bulk of the discussion is between the gospel scholar and the guests and maybe an audience member, with the discussion leader listening intently to what the speaker is saying and smiling and nodding in an encouraging way.

 

The gospel scholar often seems to be making a bit of a presentation, working off preparation for teaching an institute or old-time gospel doctrine class. “Look what it says here and what it means…”

The guest participant usually tells personal experiences that relate to what is being said, almost interrupting the scholar but still getting Ben’s listening smile and encouragement.

As I sit in on second-hour time, I get the impression that the “Come Follow Up” gospel scholar has taken over the stage, dismissed Ben, and is giving their prepared institute topic presentation, just like the gospel doctrine teachers of old. If I am not too obnoxiously repetitive, the brethren in leadership want our second hour time to look more like a “Come Follow Up” episode rather than an institute class. To put it another way, those who lead in the second hour should look and behave more like Ben Lomu and much less like the show’s visiting gospel scholar.  

Check out a few episodes and see the way the discussion leader behaves. Ben doesn’t have a chalkboard or give out hand-outs. For all we know, the scholar wrote the show’s summary and Ben just reads it off the prompter.  Maybe, like so many of our second-hour friends, Ben might not remember what he read during the week or maybe even didn’t read the assignment at all.  Not to say that discussion leaders should ignore the content, but your role is to initiate and forward a gospel discussion from instruction that happens elsewhere.

I have never been in a church gathering of any type that didn’t have a very willing gospel scholar in the group, quite able to take over the time and never give it back. So, in the second hour discussions that you lead, you already have your “Come Follow Up” gospel scholar (you know who they are) who needs no encouragement to fulfill their duties in that role. The discussion leader just needs to help the scholar give others a chance to contribute.

Harder to see during second hour is the “Random AnySaint” that might share their experiences from their own home gospel doctrine instruction during the week.  As the discussion leader, you may have to coax one or two (or more) group members into talking about what insights were discovered in their home study.  Ask questions that help bring out the “Random AnySaint” and their experience.

Each “Come Follow Up” episode also includes a “studio audience”, often painfully quiet, much like most of your second hour participants. The television episode wouldn’t work without the quiet majority in the room and you, as the second-hour discussion leader, should accept that silent group’s role as almost passive listeners. You won’t see Ben spending much effort in getting the crowd to respond, though, when the occasional audience member raises a hand and comments, he is just as attentive and smiling and nodding appreciatively for their contribution as he is to the scholar and featured guest.  Give place and acknowledgement for the irregular contribution without strong-arming to get it.

In any given episode, between Ben, the ever-present gospel scholar, and the guests at the front of the stage, the episode time is taken up with discussion and the entire assembled group gets their promised uplift in their own way. 

Watch Ben Lomu a few times and see how he leads these discussions. Your role is to be a discussion leader like he is. Let others in the group be the gospel scholar. Work out any ”gospel doctrine teacher” urges in your own home, where the real instruction needs to happen according to the brethren.  In second hour, listen to contributors attentively, smile that “Ben smile”, and nod in acknowledgement. The more we lead the group discussions as Ben Lomu does, the closer we come to honoring the Brethren’s charge to us.

Forbidden Marriage and Vegans of False Gods

I haven't met a vegan who didn't think they were more pure than others around them.  Veganism is a religion where practitioners are the gods and get pretty testy when they are not worshiped by others for their superior culinary practices. It is the ultimate worship of the self and they tolerate no other gods meddling in their self-love.

The same sort of self-love informs the modern idea that remaining unmarried is the best state of being.

1 Timothy 4:3

Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

This may be the most basic attitude against God in the Western world right now - rejecting what the Lord has given for our use. We are meant to marry and bear children in marriage, which brings us closer to the state of God and our relationship to him.

Eating fruits and vegetables more than meats is actually a good thing, but "religiously" avoiding meat is setting up a false god that demands an abstinence from meat in the place of the true God of the Bible that never commanded such abstinence.

Later revelations from the Lord confirm his attitude about veganism:

18 And whoso forbiddeth to abstain from meats, that man should not eat the same, is not ordained of God;

19 For, behold, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which cometh of the earth, is for the use of man for food and for raiment, and that he might have in abundance.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/49?lang=eng&id=p18-p19#p18

Make sure that you actually obey God and don't set up bizarre counterfeits.  

Apostles rather than Influencers

It's disconcerting when I hear the wisdom of Youtube, Tiktok, and other "outside" sources used in Sacrament talks and lessons in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. With the sacrifice and effort put out to safeguard and translate the Bible and Book of Mormon records for our use, coupled with the inspiration and wisdom of Christ-appointed prophets and apostles, the use of such lesser sources as references in Church meetings smacks of ingratitude for the authorities that Christ has already established to give us spiritual guidance.

Modern social media provides compelling voices and personalities the opportunity to reach broad audiences that only accomplished and recognized leaders and theologians could muster in the past. Although more people have the chance to be seen and heard more widely via the internet, the messages presented have a greater tendency to be tailored toward "itching ears" rather than inspired truth. 

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/nt/2-tim/4?lang=eng

When bringing knowledge into church settings such sacrament talks and second hour lessons, it is important to use the Lord's appointed authorities rather than popular personalities or favorite teachers.

Peaceable Christians on a Peaceable Walk

I have been spending time in very foreign places lately and the difference in culture are stark. Although I feel this way in most situations every day, the contrast to the stranger feeling is far more stark some four thousand miles away from my wife!

Santiago in Chile has no particular enemies as far as I can see, unlike the United States. Border control is a simple matter in this part of South America compared to the grilling I will get when I re-enter the USA. I suppose more terrorists are interested in attacking "the land of the free and home of the brave" as they say, rather than the longest and skinniest country around.

It is interesting to see the people on the streets of Santiago, stopping often, shaking hands, pairing off and often kissing each other. if you can get past the frustrated drivers that regularly toot their horns, it is all very (in a word) peaceful. It isn't very noisy for a congested city center and I don't see a lot of anxiety in anyone's faces.

Perhaps such a situation was what the prophet Mormon was talking about:

3 Wherefore, I would speak unto you that are of the church, that are the peaceable followers of Christ, and that have obtained a sufficient hope by which ye can enter into the rest of the Lord, from this time henceforth until ye shall rest with him in heaven.

4 And now my brethren, I judge these things of you because of your peaceable walk with the children of men.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/moro/7?lang=eng&id=p3-p4#p3

This is an interesting situation for Mormon to speak this way.  His people and especially his fellow Christians are being annihilated, fighting a running retreat to nowhere. The record kept now by his son Moroni is written for people many centuries in the future, including those who will shortly slaughter his father and himself. Yet, here is this word "peaceable".

What does it mean to be peaceable? Walking the streets of Santiago, I think it might mean to wish and do no ill to others. No one here is getting in my face or in my way, and the language barriers here are handled with mutual shrugs and gestures, enough to get money, food and services exchanged.

More broadly, It could mean to "live and let live". To hold one's standards yet not force them on others. To promulgate the doctrine of Christ among Latter-day Saints and to invite others to do likewise without compulsion if they want to join in.

Christ is surrounded by the idea of peace. It is proclaimed at his birth and he displays it as he is escorted to his death. The resurrected Jesus leaves his peace with his disciples as he ascends to heaven, rarely to return. Outside of cleaning up the temple and clashes with those who attack him, the Savior walks city streets and country paths in relative peace with others. He is civil and even likable, which makes the actions of leaders who have him put to death most bizarre. They certainly were not very peaceable toward him.

Though we cannot pay for the sins of others or initiate the universal resurrection as Christ did, we can manage to walk more peaceably among others as Jesus did. That is powerful way to show that we are followers of Christ in our daily "walks". 

A Few New Lessons from Single Parenting

Women become the most vaunted victim/heroes when they are anointed single mothers. And it is a bequeath, complete with a judge that raps a gavel to make it happen. 

I was just watching a video where a single mom was talking about how hard it was to parent alone. They are beautiful and endurant and sacrificing, which means the cast-away husband/father must have been blind, abusive, and self-centered, right? That was why this most wonderous and beatified mother could ever divorce or so it seems
.  It is an accepted sociological fact that men are monsters and if a woman hasn't divorced random man yet, it is only a matter of time before the monster reveals itself and a new saintly single mother is born.

If single parenting is such a hard task and requires so much above and beyond mere human ability, that should speak volumes about the absolute benefit of keeping husbands around. Women shine up both mother and father badges when they say they wear them both with crushing heaviness, it begs the question of why a reasonable woman would put herself in the situation of raising children largely alone. Perhaps it has more to do with many women enjoy bathing in victim/hero status that society bestows on the single mom after her late (might as well call it what it is - the killing of a man) husband/bedmate/monster is legally crucified.  Society is perfectly happy to have men practically murdered to mint a new single mom/goddess who can never do wrong again.

Wouldn't it be better to keep marriages and families intact? Society might do family a favor by spending even a fraction of the resources applied to broken families to setting more realistic expectations with women and men, appreciating (even just a little) the contribution of fathers to families, eliminating silly no-fault divorces that often tear a family to shreds for no justifiable reason beyond selfishness. Women could put aside the cultural hatred and distrust of all men and be the main driver in building model men as protectors and providers.

Homeschooling Gospel Learning

The essence of home-based church-supported gospel learning is what I call homeschooling. Parents guiding the discussion and teaching Christ and his gospel to their children.

The Sunday church second hour is content review - sharing with your peers what you learned in your home study.

The quarterly Teacher councils is a style review, for parent and teachers,  sharing How we teach. Again, home is for study and gospel doctrine style teaching, the What we teach.

"...the Spirit of the Lord had ceased striving with them,..."

I have heard many authorities say something like - It is never too late to repent. True, but...

This is one of those scriptures that let you know that a person can divorce themselves so completely from the Lord that:

But behold, the Spirit of the Lord had ceased striving with them, and Satan had full power over the hearts of the people; for they were given up unto the hardness of their hearts, and the blindness of their minds that they might be destroyed; wherefore they went again to battle. 

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/ether/15?lang=eng&id=p19#p19

We can go so far away from the Lord that the Spirit will stop working to save us.  I tie this to my axiom of "don't count on it", that someone tests Christ's ability to overcome a pretty slimy and unrepentant personal nature.  We all need to do our best to come to Jesus humbly and fully repentant, not to challenge him like some sumo wrestler for how hard we can make it for him to redeem us. What an idiotic concept.

Any of us can go beyond the Lord's willingness to save you, irrelevant of his ability to do it. We would all do better to work to make our redemption worth Christ's while.

Accepting Suffering and Sacrifice in Service to a Better Future

I looked back at my working life and I saw that for the most part, I have always worked for either a government entity or a government contractor.  I am currently yet again a government contractor so the Donald Trump-pushed DOGE efforts have every chance of affecting me and my income directly. I am going to suffer a bit if efforts at "government efficiency" eliminate my employment.

Regardless, the work of DOGE is absolutely essential to the government downsizing that needs to happen and that politicians have never brought themselves to do.  As long as government is ruled by the puerile desires of those who want to profit of the labors of others, it will continue to lead in the destruction of societies, families, and individuals. 

Everyone accuses the adults of today for continuing the ruination which children will have to live with as they grow older.  Young social justice warriors love to scream this at their elders. I say this is the way to silence such obnoxious voices. Trump and DOGE is working to fix the worst of the systemic problems that make life miserable, practically untenable, and offer little hope for more widespread personal success, all especially for those with lower capacity. Of course, this angers SJWs, for they do not authentically want a fix for these things, nor do they want the hated Trump to be a part of any fixes - it seems that their ten seconds of fame and their "righteous" hatred is all such people seek. It is a mark of corruption at the personal level, if you are marching in the streets and demanding that governments remain large and grasping so that you may profit off of this situation. I was once a professional "do-gooder" and I saw quickly that this wasn't a good thing, both for me as a government worker and for those I was supposed to be helping.

I, for one, am trying to prepare for the economic fallout of lower taxes and the provision of fewer government services upon which I have relied for a living most of my life. There are other jobs to do and service to others should be done outside of structures of force and inescapable government manipulation.

Standards vs. Exemptions

Standards: a level of quality or attainment.

Exemption: the process of freeing or state of being free from an obligation or liability imposed on others.

There are two basic sorts of people, those who measure themselves against standards and those who work to exempt themselves from standards, usually by eliminating measurement. These sorts tend to gravitate to the brightest light or the grossest darkness.

James 4

17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

It is far better to find the best standard by which you can live your life, especially one patterned after the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, rather than the fruitless search for exemptions from responsibility for those around you.

Prisons of Mediocrity for the Unconditionally Loved

I once worked in a prison, keeping equipment running so that prisoners could call those outside of prison, among other things. The vast majority of the prisoners had people that would accept their phone calls, even though such calls were collect calls and very expensive. People paid hundreds of dollars to talk regularly with one inmate or another, helping them feel less lonely and more loved.

Doesn't that sound nice?

I also worked with other prison employees who monitored these phone calls.  Many of them were called "grooming" calls, where an inmate praises the callers and then would ask for favors, often illegal activities, from those called. There were regular prosecutions of prison guards as inmates "groomed" them into doing something illegal to prove love or loyalty to that inmate. Sometimes, it was just a game that bored inmates would play with gullible guards just to see if they could turn them into criminals. I saw it happen time and time again, watching guards turn into prosecuted inmates.

Whenever I hear the phrase "unconditional love", I recall that inmates would often use such phrases to "groom" a future victim - "If you really love me unconditionally, you would do this thing for me."  The favors would start with innocent requests and then move up to something unethical, then illegal; the game being how far you could get a victim to go. I don't hear just the voice of a pleading inmate, playing a "let's get them in trouble" game, I hear manipulative children extorting their parents. "You won't punish me for something horrible I have done.  You will shield me from the authorities because if you don't, you must not really love me and that makes you a terrible parent/friend."  And the victim usually does what is requested, just to avoid appearing or being accused of being unloving or not "proving" their love.

This is why the use of "unconditional love" in glowing terms just turns my stomach, especially from religious leaders who should know better. I know people who are doing prison time for being baited by "love" into compromising moral requirements by looking the other way or doing an illegal act.  People who act on such appeals are either being groomed by evil forces or inviting evil to play around them with impunity and excuses until they are destroyed and helping others to also be destroyed.

We don't become better people by hanging around those preaching unconditional love. You don't have to be a better person if those around you fail to hold you to a higher standard. God wants better out of you and your "loving" parents and mentors should want better from you as well.  There is no room for excused behavior and attitudes that want no more than a mediocre lack of effort - excused people don't improve and don't grow into better people. Let it and them slide and people will go as low as people's "unconditional love" will tolerate.

I hope you are as suspicious of such talk as I have become.

The Fallacy of Retroactive Repentance

Some eager Latter-day Saints have an idea that everyone can seek repentance, even Lucifer and his followers. All they would have to do is to be contrite.  Although this sounds good and "loving", these rebellious souls sealed their fate by flatly rejecting Heavenly Father's plan.

Lucifer and his followers cannot repent.  Repentance was a facet of Heavenly Father's plan which the Satanic rejected before it was even put into place.  Repentance is for those who received Jehovah as the Savior and participated in the plan.  The Satanic walked away from the plan before repentance existed.

It is like buying a car with a $100,000 price-tag.  In a few months, that car model goes on sale for $50,000.  You get grumpy because now you feel like you paid $50,000 too much.  You can't retroactively go back to the car place and demand the return of $50,000 and actually get it.  You paid the price as set at the time. 

Perhaps Lucifer's decision to oppose God was a gross act of impatience, wanting God's "honor" earlier than it was available to him through righteous living and the stipulations of Heavenly Father's plan. Perhaps he thought it could just be demanded and God, out of love, would give it outside of the plan in the offer to force all his children into complete devotion. It seems Lucifer didn't understand the criteria for exaltation and he became ungrateful and indignant when God's "honor" didn't come to him.  Nevertheless, Lucifer rebelled against the Father and his plan and was thrust out before repentance was instituted and gave us a deep example of really bad timing among other insults to God and his ways.
.

Are your leaders committed to "overthrow the freedom of all lands"?

There is all sorts of talk about wicked people in high places. Depending on who you talk to, the American President is either one of the wicked people or someone who is trying to dethrone the wicked people. It has become quite the issue in the United States of American to either tear down the established bureaucracy or defend the "sweet" deal friends enjoy in service to the establishment.

It really is a difference between government "reform" (not really) and tearing down the established evil.

In the scriptures below, "it" refers to a group called the "Gadiantion Robbers" who work wickedness so that they can enjoy power (control) and gain (money) without interference.  See if you see the powerful and rich in the verses below.

Ether 8:25

25 For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by the devil, who is the father of all lies; even that same liar who beguiled our first parents, yea, even that same liar who hath caused man to commit murder from the beginning; who hath hardened the hearts of men that they have murdered the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out from the beginning.

These people who seek power are doing the work of Satan, which rewards those who serve him lavishly but only for enough time to destroy them and take thousands to hell as well. 

Ether 8:26

26 Wherefore, I, Moroni, am commanded to write these things that evil may be done away, and that the time may come that Satan may have no power upon the hearts of the children of men, but that they may be persuaded to do good continually, that they may come unto the fountain of all righteousness and be saved.

It is our responsibility to "do good continually". It will be our individual and collective righteousness that will render Satan powerless in our lives.  We will do away with evil as we choose to follow Christ and elect people to positions of power over us who also follow Christ.  This binds Satan and gives us Liberty from the consequences of sinful natures that we abandon.  This is the only "freedom" that will bring us lasting joy.

Forgive Others and the Lord will Forgive You

We live in a time and world that will pick apart everything that a person says or writes, often in the interest of destroying people. In a world where the greatest ability is to tear down you competitors in order to raise one's personal status. As identified later, this indicates a lack of charity. You make mistakes, I make mistakes, we would do well to be kind to each other.

The Nephites, especially Moroni himself, says he has no great gift for writing. He was shown that there would be many detractors that would dismiss his words out-of-hand given the use of a wrong word or another.

Ether 12

35 Wherefore, I know by this thing which thou hast said, that if the Gentiles have not charity, because of our weakness, that thou wilt prove them, and take away their talent, yea, even that which they have received, and give unto them who shall have more abundantly.

36 And it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord that he would give unto the Gentiles grace, that they might have charity.

37 And it came to pass that the Lord said unto me: If they have not charity it mattereth not unto thee, thou hast been faithful; wherefore, thy garments shall be made clean. And because thou hast seen thy weakness thou shalt be made strong, even unto the sitting down in the place which I have prepared in the mansions of my Father.

There are several situations in which the Lord highlighted in New Testament the idea that if one doesn't "dig a pit" for your neighbor or give them the same consideration you would hope for from others, the Lord will forgive one of their shortcomings as well.

Moroni was talking about those who reject the Book of Mormon over poor writing. Those how are looking for offense can certainly find such in the work of men who are trying to convey spiritual concepts for which they sometimes lacked words to describe to satisfaction. Grace is plead for and grace would forgive something akin to bad grammar and not taking the opportunity to vilify, which our times are most apt to do.  Moroni saw us and our doings, so he knew that his writing weakness would be used against the Book of Mormon as sacred scripture.

Note that the Lord doesn't fault Moroni for his weakness and promises him a fine reward for his efforts. The general lack of charity these days (I think the use of charity in this situation can be applied broadly as it is used in other scriptures) will not be visited on the writer, but on those who reject the writing. God works through men and giving those men given "a break" in doing their service to the Lord will be rewarded with not only a break from Christ, but rewards that any of us should expect from a God that sees into our hearts and doesn't damn us for our stylistic weaknesses.

God is kind, and we all should be to each other.  Everyone deserves a break. 

Don't Let Evil Get Above You - You Actually Might be to Blame for America.

I wrote a small booklet some time ago titled "You are Not to Blame for America" which highlighted the corruptions of GUS (Government of the United States) and how any individual voter had no power to stop its demise. One vote won't change the direction of the world, but your one vote speaks to God of your loyalty to righteousness and its enthronement in your life.

Much of the world is now led by elected officials. This means that your obligation to vote and empower righteous people as leaders does not let you ignore the culpability of your choices. If your leaders cause your community and nation to turn from God, the fault lies as much in those who voted for such as those ruining things in the voter's name.  No one can claim that they were powerless to prevent the enshrinement of wickedness and evil - if you vote for wickedness, you wanted it to rule.

I know it is hard for those who think themselves insignificant little victims, but the unchecked spread of wickedness in this world that God gave us as a stewardship is caused by those who give them power, either through their utter ignorance, desire to have others pay the price of their living, or foolishly vote for people who promise some "free" ride or socialistic utopia of enslavement.  If you choose to abdicate your power through not voting or "just following the crowd", you will be punished alongside the evil leaders that you empowered.

Ether 8:23

23 Wherefore, O ye Gentiles, it is wisdom in God that these things should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you, which are built up to get power and gain—and the work, yea, even the work of destruction come upon you, yea, even the sword of the justice of the Eternal God shall fall upon you, to your overthrow and destruction if ye shall suffer these things to be.

"...and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you,..."

It should be obvious that this situation already exists in much of the world. The seeds of our destruction at the hands of God are already sown, though it is still possible to eradicate the evil who have been allowed to rise to positions of great power. The rise of figures that "drain the swamp" are very promising and may rescue us from "the work of destruction". 

"...the sword of the justice of the Eternal God shall fall upon you,...if you suffer these things to be."

Yet again from the Book of Mormon, we see that God himself will execute judgment on us if we allow ourselves to be ruled by "these murderous combinations".  The Lord doesn't pity your poor use of citizenship, he will punish us for allowing our personal vote (or deciding not to cast it) to put evil into power.

Being complicit in the rule of evil will get you the same judgment as those you have empowered, so take your ability to vote very seriously.  Letting yourself vote uninformed or choosing not to vote is absolutely no excuse in judgment!

Honoring God as your best Father and Benefactor

Pursuing what we know of God's purpose and commandments and furthering the understanding and compliance with them.

Bringing honor to your "earthly" father and mother (even if they don't merit much respect) becomes an indication that you place the concept of fatherhood highly and that a chief purpose is to present God this fatherly honor, knowing him to be an exemplary father, honored best by obedience and gratitude and making God's purposes your own. When you were sent to earth, which is distant from God, you could cultivate whatever relationship you wanted with your Heavenly Father, including none at all. There would be very little overt reaction from the Father either way during life. A worthy God is not raised through compulsion.

This all presupposes that what one desires is within a father's gift to provide. A knowledge and understanding of more feudal forms such as fealty (from faithfulness) and tenure (being a tenant), as humans are living on the Lord's (very proper title) world. Several parables from Christ indicate these relationships very strongly, and that our tenure in this life is pretty much the only thing we can honestly "own". Everything else belongs to the Lord and your acknowledgement of this will be required.

 Your larger future is God the Father's to bequeath, which term I choose specifically. It is nothing that one such as ourselves can either take or earn. If you are to seek a lofty status, such as exaltation, it is most likely to be gifted to you from a father who has seen your ability to hold it in accordance with his wishes and as something lose to his worthy successor.

Of course, God doesn't die and doesn't leave you "his things". He lives on and is actively engaged in his present pursuits, but the expanding nature of the universe lets him gift you "godhood" and a realm to "lord over" without any diminishment to what is his own.  I can see in his expansive holding, his granting you a galaxy or some such, which also expands as much for the one getting the gift as the one giving.

Our ultimate example of a person who has received the Father's bequeath is Jesus Christ. He accomplished a very heavy assignment, which "pleased" the Father, that can be translated into the gifting of exaltation. I don't think others are meant to do what Christ did specifically, but they are certainly given mortal assignments to perform and opportunity to "please" God.

We reference the parable of the talents where the servants are given stewardship over much. This comes from pleasing the Lord in early, small stewardships. The Lord controls these stewardships and grants them as he wills and as we prove our loyalty to him.

This is where the idea of openness and democracy are revealed as telestial props with God far away. The church and celestial places are the Lord's and not democratic institutions. Stewardship are given via the Spirit which is the telestial conduit to the Lord. 

Temples are not open in democratic ways and cannot be accessed democratically. Bishops authorize priesthood advancement as a standard to meet as opposed to a reward for good behavior or training. This is added responsibility not an honor. The Lord sets standards of responsibility in offices of priesthood and callings, not for convenience or capacity. Think of the talents again. Women in Priesthood would be given as a stewardship from the Lord, not a status or honor or leadership like so many think.

Hope for a Better World

Is life getting you down?  I get like that often enough when I consume too much news or opinion, but you have to stay in touch with society, only because they will make changes that affect you that you really need to plan for and know about. Otherwise, I might just check out entirely, at least as much as my wonderful wife and autistic son will tolerate.

The prophet Ether lived in a pretty tough time. The government (known as the King) was changing all the time and not by vaguely smooth elections, but typically through insurrections of royal kids against their fathers. Over time, leaders were just rotten guys on the whole but sometimes at least reasonably decent to their followers.  Later, it was just grasping for power and destroying all opposition to their rule, so they were all wicked.

Ether 12:3-4

For he did cry from the morning, even until the going down of the sun, exhorting the people to believe in God unto repentance lest they should be destroyed, saying unto them that by faith all things are fulfilled— 4 Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.

 Ether's teaching was really exotic in a land of evil. He actually told them what they could have, which must have seemed like some fantasy to the people. I think everyone was ready to be destroyed and it was just a matter of when and how much luxury one could acquire and enjoy before the destruction happened.  I would say that most of the people didn't think much about the future, especially an afterlife, in the push to get ahead today and in the immediate tomorrow.

But that is exactly what Ether was preaching about - a better life and afterlife that God offers to those who follow his ways. It isn't an exclusive offer only available to certain people; this is available to ALL that are willing to pursue it. The key is the words SURITY and SURE above. If you do things that God asks you to do, like repenting of your sins, You will ABSOLUTELY get A BETTER WORLD with a promise from a God that you can completely TRUST.

If you have been tricked or promised something that couldn't be delivered, you might get really jaded and un-trusting.  God can be trusted to do what he says especially as he sent Jesus to do his Atonement to overcome sin and death. Jesus did it and God had him do this most difficult thing. Do you trust God yet?

As we learn that God can be trusted to make good on his promises, we can obey him and reap the seemingly impossible rewards he says he will give us.  I, for one, am working to align with God and his purposes and get the rewards promised!

The Enduring Influence of Women

You have to understand that women are powerful sorts. They can be really good or really evil or something in between. Of course, we can't say women could be evil because they will destroy anyone who makes such an accusation. My basic philosophy is to keep a safe distance from the women unless you are married to one, and then you better keep that one woman very, very happy. If you are blessed (lucky?), she will not have an inclination to see you suffer.

Always start with a bad example...

Read Chapter 8 of the Book of Ether within the Book of Mormon and you will learn about a powerful harpy that the book dare not name, only known as the Daughter of Jared, who practically re-introduces evil into the world of the Jaredite nation.  She seduces her future husband named Akish, and influenced the hubby to murder her father and take his kingship.  Apparently, she was so effective that her sons plotted against Akish and killed their father to take the kingship for themselves, ultimately squabbling amongst themselves and killing their entire tribe and themselves.

It's not every woman can convince every man in her circle to slaughter each other without lifting a finger. That is the kind of power every woman can choose to command.

But remember to follow up with better examples....

Akish was a good girl among a bad people. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/alma/19?lang=eng

Rebekah went off to marry someone she didn't know -  Isaac, son of Abraham. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/gen/27?lang=eng&id=p11-p17#p11

The mother's of Helaman's Stripling warriors that fought but didn't die. - https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/alma/56?lang=eng&id=p47-p48#p47

The harlot in Jericho, who recognized God's people and helped them. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/josh/2?lang=eng&id=p1-p9#p1

Eve in the Garden of Eden understood that having children and learning the difference between good and evil was more important than living a blissful but purposeless life.  https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/gen/3?lang=eng&id=p6-p7#p6