One more Key and two you already know...

In revelation John tells us that those who overcome the world will be made pillars in the temple of his God to go no more out. For us latter-day folk this reference may be  hard to understand. In John's day large buildings were difficult to build and if there was any height to the building it required the use of pillars. Not just pillars around the outside of the building but all through the interior of the building.

Most of the Greek and Roman Temple were filled with pillars and the open rooms were very small. The pillars would be massive and would hold tremendous weight. They were elegant and very impressive features. They stood motionless and they were very capable in fulfilling the function they were designed for.

The first century Christians were also taught that they were the body of Christ. This analogy would be easy to understand. As we become righteous we become part of God's abode and we become fully capable in fulfilling our callings no matter how much pressure is place upon us.

Now to my point. I recently decided to read the Book of Mormon. I started reading a couple of months ago but I haven't gotten past the first 10 pages. I keep seeing things differently, so I just keep going through the 10 pages trying to get it all.

In the first chapter Nephi talks about the dreams and vision that his father had. His father prays to God and see a pillar of light on a rock and he learns much. He is so tired from the experience that he goes home and falls on his bed and has a vision where he thinks he sees God.

I've wondered why he thinks that he sees God. At first I thought maybe since this was the first time for him to see God he just wasn't sure. I also wondered why he would use an image like a pillar of fire.

As you read on you find out that the Jews didn't like what Lehi had to say and they wanted to kill him. That was one of the reasons that he left Jerusalem. I have since come to realize that prophets had the same problem that Christ had. Christ often wouldn't come right out and say he was the Son of God, cause if he did the Jews would seek his life. I believe the ancient prophets had the same problem. If they came right out and said they saw God, the Jews would seek to take their lives.

So they would use images to describe who they were speaking with. Until recently I didn't know for sure who Lehi was talking about. Lets apply the keys we know have and decide who he spoke to.

So he spoke to a pillar of fire that was on a rock. The pillar an impressive piece of architecture that demonstrates strength and greatness. Fire represents the presents of God. So which God is he speaking to? Remember a few weeks ago I show you that there were multiple reference in the old testament that indicate that Jehovah is the Rock of Israel.

So Lehi is speaking to the pre-mortal Christ, to Jehovah himself. He has just vailed the being he is talking to in images that would only be understood by the faithful few who understood the scriptures and were looking for the truth. Everyone else would just be confused and think that Lehi was some batty old guy that wasn't worth their time.

I was excited to learn this as I have always wondered about this and feel the Spirit showed me the answer. I hope you learned something. My next post will answer the question.. "What three gifts do wise men give us?" If you know the answer please leave a comment or send me an email.

Oh one more thing. The next time you read the Book of Mormon, pay attention to how many of the prophets in the book claim to have see Christ. I would say that all of the writers of the book make the claim and many of the prophets make the claim. I think that is one of the prime purposes of the book, to teach us to see Christ.

Two new keys!

Sitting in High Priest Group today I had a wonderful experience. First of all the brother that gave the lesson on obedience did a wonderful job. He had a very nice manner and had great insight and there was allot of good discussion. I love those type of group meetings. The Spirit was very strong and after class as I was wiping away my tears, our Group Leader indicated that we should have had a box of Kleenex to pass around. I was relieved, I thought I was the only one.

As I was looking at this picture I started to wonder. I had never seen it and I started thinking differently. I have always loved this passage of scripture. "I know not save the Lord commanded me." We often worry too much about what the world thinks and don't realize that simple faith leads to great faith.

But looking at the picture I wondered what the fire represented.  So I open to the Bible Dictionary and looked up fire. "Fire represents the presents of God....". The Jews keep a fire burning in the temple at all times. A beautiful illustration of the fact that God will dwell with us, if we offer the right type of sacrifice.  I look on the next page and there is the word "Flesh". A little ways into the definition it states that "Flesh represents mortality". So now the brain is in high gear and I am exploring the many ways that we need to sacrifice the mortal man in order to be close to God or even to be like him.

I'm just coming to understand the full meaning of these images, but know I have a place to start. An idea a concept that illustrates eternal truth that God is trying to teach us and help us to understand his ways.

Indian Traditions

By Golden Buchanan, President Southwest Indian Mission

Published in Improvement Era, April 1955

As I have lived and worked among the Indian people, I have about come to the conclusion that the story of the race, as we know it from the Bible and the Book of Mormon, can be found in their legends. This story would have to be pieced together -- a little from one tribe, a little from another. Tradition has a way of becoming garbled and mixed, but, running through most of their stories is a silver thread of truth. A wise Hopi once told me, "We have our stories and our traditions. They follow down a trail, but every little way, we in our traditions have gone around a rock. But, we always get back to the trail and manage to go down it."

This seems to be pretty largely true with most Indian legends. But by careful sorting, eliminating, and piecing together, many stories from Adam to the destruction of the Nephites on this continent can be found among them.

Even today the old men of the tribes get together on long winter nights and spend much time telling and retelling stories. It is the privilege of all listeners to speak out if they think the "singer" has made a mistake. Thus these traditions have come down through the years with a core of truth in them, though they may be modified in part by the individual storytellers.

There are many people who do not understand the term "medicine man." Many think he is a false healer. But the true medicine man is a great, gifted individual. He has a knowledge of the herbs and plants indigenous to the area, and knows how to use them to cure certain ills. These he uses in his "sings." But the main purpose of the "singer", as he paints his sand painting, or goes through the various rituals pertaining to healing ordinances, is to offer a prayer. The white people speak their prayers the Indians sing theirs. Great good comes to the people. It is true that there are fakers among them. There is a certain amount of "black magic" but by and large, the old healer is a great man. He has a prodigious memory. His "sings" last at least one night, many of them for nine nights. Many of his songs have hundreds of verses and are sung night after night without repetition, without a word out of place.

I have heard medicine men sing by the hour with scarcely a pause. The story goes on, unfolding from verse to verse and from song to song: prayers of thanksgiving, prayers of praise, stories of the people, and finally the asking of great blessings upon the sick or upon the tribe. If we would remember the purpose of these ceremonials and sings, it would help us to understand our neighbor, the Indian. He is not without his prayers and his thanksgiving. He believes in a personal God.

In this article, I shall not go into great detail. Neither shall I try to be complete. But the few stories that I shall tell will be accurate and authentic as I have received them from the various tribes. Much of what I have received has been given to me by old medicine men in strict confidence, telling me things that few white people know, with the promise that they would not be divulged, and I shall not violate that confidence.

In some of the old Navajo stories there is made mention of "The First Man" and "The First Woman." The Navajos have special names for them. They believe that these individuals were brought to the world from another sphere. They do not think they "just happened" but that they came in consequence of pattern or purpose of a divine Creator.

Behind the story of "The First Man" and "The First Woman" is the story of an all-wise personage, generally spoken of as a "man" who is a supreme being. Working with him is his Son, who is consistently spoken of as "the man who never died." Associated with these two individuals is a messenger, "Someone who is able to talk to the people." The evil one is present always in opposition to the Great One. It is not hard to teach the Indian people the truths of the Godhead.

The story of the flood is common among many tribes. Men and women, these stories tell, were destroyed because of wickedness. Water covered the land. Men, beasts, and the fowls fled to the tops of the highest mountains to escape the wrath of an angry sea.

According to one legend, the turkey has white tips on his tail feathers because in his exhaustion as he climbed the San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff, Arizona, his tail was continually in the frothy water as the water rose and finally enveloped the land. They believe that a few men and animals escaped the flood.

The story of the confusion of tongues, the breaking up into tribes, the scattering of the people upon the earth, are common among many tribes. They believe the people were scattered and their tongues confused because of the wrath of the Supreme Being.

I have never met an old Indian who believed that he came from the north. They disagree with the books and students of racial history. They say, "We came from the south."

Several years ago, I was on the Umatilla Reservation near Pendleton, Oregon, talking with a young Indian some twenty-four or twenty-five years of age. He had just completed his tour of military service in the Pacific. He had been the private orderly of a prominent general.

The general had encouraged this young man to go to school. And, upon his return from the army, he enrolled in a university, planning to study anthropology. He wanted to know more of the history of his people. He said, "As I went into the classes and heard them teaching that my people migrated across the Bering Straits and came from the north, I knew there was no need of my spending more time in that university. They didn't have the truth -- they didn't know.

"I stood up in a class and told the professor that what he was teaching was false. That we migrated from the south. We had gone north -- we knew how far we had gone because the marks and our records are still to be found on the rocks and the ledges. Our people went up into southern Canada and then turned around and came back to the Columbia River, where we have made our home for generations."

He said, "The professor laughed at me and called me foolish. But I left school and enrolled in another thinking still to pursue my quest for knowledge of the origin of the Indian people. There again I found the same information being taught to the students. I only stayed a few months. It seemed so hopeless because they wouldn't listen to me -- they thought they knew it all. But we know we did not come from the north:"

The Hopis say that they came across the ocean. The Navajos believe they came up from the other side of the earth through a tube. The Papagos believe they were guided to this land by divine means.

Recently I was on the Papago Reservation. One of our new converts to the church there told me this story:

"I had never joined any church because the ministers and the priests did not teach the Bible as I read it. I couldn't read it and make it say the things the other churches said it did. I speak the Papago language; I have lived among them all my life. I know their story and their traditions and as I read the Book of Mormon that was placed in my hands by missionaries I recognized the stories of the Papagos, and I knew the book was true. Your missionaries read the Bible the same way I did. These are the reasons I joined the Church. The Papagos believed they crossed the ocean and came to this land, that in the ships and on the trails they were guided by a ball. In this ball was a needle that pointed the direction they were to go. In the Papago language yet today, the name of the ball is "Liahona."

Navajo tradition tells that a man and his wife and four sons came to this land a long time ago. They have, in their native language, the names of these four sons, but I cannot write them. The oldest two of these sons rebelled against the youngest who were appointed leaders. The older sons and their children lived in the forest. They made their living by hunting and by use of the weapons of warfare. They warred and preyed upon their two younger brothers. They covered their bodies with mud and became a dark people. Their two younger sons [brothers] became builders and built cities and houses of stone. They planted gardens and fields. They did not place mud upon themselves and thus remained white. For generations there were fightings, wars, and difficulties, the children of the older sons being the aggressors.

Then came a night in which the sun didn't go down, and it was light all night, and the people were much disturbed and distressed. But still there were troubles. Some years after this, came an extended period of darkness.

In Hopi tradition, this same story is given, but more in detail as to the period of darkness. During these days of great destruction came upon the land; the face of the land was changed. Towns and cities were carried away by whirlwinds. Great fear and death reigned. Even today Hopis have a dread of whirlwinds. Should one come towards them as they work in the fields, they will run and hide. Should they be caught in one, they stand upright with their right hand on their heart and left hand on their head. They do not want to be carried away as were the people many years ago.

The Navajos believe that shortly after these days of darkness and destructions, a great white personage appeared to the people and taught them and lived among them and brought them much good.

The traditions of the "Great White God" is prevalent among most of the tribes, in fact, among all of the tribes I know. It is in the Mayan and Aztec traditions. After the visit of the "Great White God" there were many years of peace. The people joined together and lived as one. And for many years there were no wars, no bloodshed, and all the good things of life were enjoyed.

Then came a period of time in which they began to fight again. Wars and contentions broke Loose, at the end of which the white people were destroyed. Only Indians were left.

Again they had a period of fighting and dissension, and they broke up into many tribes with different languages.

The people lost their records and their "books." But as the Hopi say, "We were not left without hope; we were told that someday young white men, with blue eyes, would come knocking at Hopi doors and would bring back to us our records and our true story. They would come from the east, and we would know them by their outstretched hand, and they would call us 'my brother' and 'my sister'."

They, too, are expecting the return of the "Great White Spirit." They are expecting the return of their true church which will come in the days when there is much confusion upon the land. There will be many churches, each claiming to be right. They are to join none of these churches but are to worship in the kivas until the time comes that the proper messengers with the proper signs are found. One does not have to learn of the genuine welcome that was given to Cortez and Pizarro by the tribes of Mexico and Peru.

Among Hopis, too, at the present time, is a "Stone Book." I have seen it, but only a few white

men have had that privilege. I cannot describe it because I have promised not to speak of it. I can only say that a distance of four or five feet anyone would easily take it for a modern book. Their stories say that the mate to this book will be brought back to them. The books will be opened, and someone will be able to read the message in them.

The principle of eternal marriage is not new to many of the tribes. The Hopi wedding, a beautiful ceremony, with the bride dressed in a lovely white garment woven by the hands of her fiancé, is a sacred affair, and is meant to last for the eternities. It is not until "death do you part." Children are pure, they believe, and need no baptism or ordinances. When they die, they return immediately unto God who created them. For that reason, children are never buried. They are taken to the cracks of the rocks in the cliffs where the spirit may pick up the bodies easily.

Indian tribes have their own ceremonies. They have their own religions. This was particularly true before the advent of the so called Christian churches among them. Some of them profess Christianity and give token obedience to the so called Christian churches, but deep in their hearts they are still waiting for the return of the Great White Spirit and the truth.

In many dances, which are largely prayers, significant handclasps are sometimes given. Connected with some of these kiva ceremonies is the wearing of certain types of clothing, and in these are certain marks sacred to the people. I have been told that only the faithful may wear these marks in their clothing, and that only the very good and true may receive these ordinances.

Certain washings and anointings are common in many tribes. Usually these are done with water and corn pollen or cornmeal, all of which are sacred to the Indian. If it were not for violating confidences I could take you among the Utes and Piutes, and tell of certain "ordinances for the dead." Among many of the tribes there is a tradition that someday the people will lose their dark color and become white.

Some months ago I spent a few days in the hinterlands of the reservation. Among others that I visited was an old medicine man. His home so remote that up to this time he had never heard the gospel. As we sat in his home, I began to tell the story of the gospel, using his lovely daughter as an interpreter. As the story progressed, I could see his interest rising, and by the time our story reached the part of the visit of the Savior to this continent and his choosing of the Twelve he could contain his eagerness no longer.

In his native tongue, for he could speak no english, he said, "I know of that," and putting up his hands he named the Twelve disciples chosen by the Savior. He gave all the names in order. As the story continued, more and more he entered into the discussion, supplying parts of it. He was so completely enthralled that he seemed not to notice that we were white people. He fitted in the stories of the people with the message of the restoration.

Later on in the day, as we sat in the shade visiting, I asked him if he would let me have and write the names of the Twelve as he had given them. He thought a while and then cautioned that should I write, I must never give them to the world. They were sacred, and not to be used lightly.

But since I was his friend and knew the story anyway, he would give them to me and I might write them if I would keep them to myself. He then named them one by one, each in its place; there could be no variation.

As we sat there visiting, I thought to try him on another point. "Which of these Twelve are the three that did not die?" I asked. His eyes flashed, he looked at me searchingly. I seemed to read the thoughts of his mind, which were something like this. "How could you white men know about such things?"

I said further to him, Yes, I know about it. It is here in your book, The Book of Mormon. It is no secret. Your forefathers wrote it, and we have it here. I just wanted to see if you could give me the names of the three."

He sat for some time with his head bowed, and then finally looked up and said, "The names of the Twelve I have just given you, are not the Twelve that he chose on this continent, they are the Twelve that were with him across the waters before he came here. Their names are sacred and must not be used lightly." After some little time I asked him if he would give me the names of the twelve chosen here. He looked up at me with a twinkle in his eye and said, "My friend, you have enough for one time. Come again some other time." He got up from the log and hurried away and busied himself with some sheep that were in the pen. As I sat there pondering, his wife came over and warned me again of the sacredness of what I had learned and suggested that they should only be used on rare occasions.

On other occasions I have been told the story of the three who never died. Some of the old patriarchs claim that they have seen the three, that they have sat with them in conference and have discussed the program of the Navajo people. But, said one, "They are not just like us although they look like it. They are not dead, but something has happened to their bodies because they can sit with us in council an then, quick as a flash, they are clear across the reservation with another group of Navajos. I do not know how they do it, but I know them and have talked with them many times."

I have scarcely scratched the surface of even a few things that I know, and I am sure that there are countless times of interest and information that have not come to my attention.

It is interesting to note, in closing, that I know of no Indian language in which one can take the name of the Lord in vain. Indeed I do not know of an Indian language in which they can even swear. They have to learn English or some white man's language before they can defile the name of Deity.

Christ is the Rock

I believe understanding what the Jews knew is central to comprehending the scriptures. When we have that in mind the greater meaning of the scriptures becomes clear.

In Matthew Christ asks the disciples who people say that he is. There is a whole list of people that the world think that he is. He then ask who do you think that I am. Peter accurately identifies him as the very Messiah, the Savior of the World. Christ acknowledges that Peter knows this by revelation and that by revelation the truths of the God will be know.

For centuries this has been misunderstood by many religions. Peter is given the nick name of the "Rock" and Christ says that upon the is "Rock" I will build my church. Why would  Mathew make this mistake? Turns out it wasn't Matthew. The Greek equivalent of Cephas is Petros which means stone and the word Petra was used in the exchange to refer to Christ the "Rock". So it was the translators that didn't understand the meaning and significants of the two words.

So lets understand who the Jew would have consider the "Rock". Looking at the Topical Guide we find that there are several reference to "God" being the "Rock"

• He is the Rock, Deut. 32:4
• lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation, Deut. 32:15
• neither is there any rock like our God, 1 Sam. 2:2
• Lord is my rock, 2 Sam. 22:2
• Rock of Israel spake to me, 2 Sam. 23:3
• Lord is my rock, and my fortress, Ps. 18:2
• who is a rock save our God, Ps. 18:31
• my rock … the God of my salvation, Ps. 18:46 (1 Ne. 15:15; 2 Ne. 4:30; 2 Ne. 9:45; Jacob 7:25).
• lead me to the rock that is higher than I, Ps. 61:2
• He only is my rock, Ps. 62:6
• a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, Isa. 8:14
• not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, Isa. 17:10
• rock whence ye are hewn, Isa. 51:1 (2 Ne. 8:1).
• drank of … spiritual Rock … and that Rock was Christ, 1 Cor. 10:4
• Lamb, and my rock, 1 Ne. 13:36
• rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, Hel. 5:12
• I am Messiah, the … Rock of Heaven, Moses 7:53

There are enough reference here that  make it clear to me that if there were any discussion of who was the "Rock" that the Jews would already believe that it was "God".

I would also like to point out that Joseph Smith added to our understanding in the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible. When Peter is called to work with Christ he is given the name Cephas. John points out that means a "Stone". Joseph Smith adds in the footnotes a "Seer" or a "Stone". 

I found this interesting. Seer Stones where had among the Jews at various times. They would  have been familiar with their uses. I think Joseph Smith adds the idea that Christ knew of Peters mission as the First Prophet, Seer and Revelator of his time. He highlights his ability to receive revelation in the discussion outlined above.

Christ is the "Rock" and Peter is the "Seer Stone". Stark contrast that demonstrate how Christ will run his church until that great millennial day when he will rein personally on the earth.

Then thanks to the Book of Mormon it become plainly clear who the "Rock" is. This is from the Book of Helaman 5:12

"12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation ; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."

I testify that Christ runs his church through great prophets like Peter, Joseph Smith and President Thomas S. Monson. All Seer and Revelators!

The Good Samaritan

I have always enjoyed this parable. The unlikely hero of the story stands as an impressive witness to the good that is in all people. As I tried to understand how this parable teaches us of Christ, I have wondered who he is in this parable. It seemed obvious that he was the Samaritan, but why would he refer to himself as a Samaritan. He is the only perfect being that walked the earth, He is the King of Kings and there is none greater.

As I pondered this, I thought that perhaps Christ used the Samaritan as a metaphor for how the Jews perceived him. They didn’t like the fact that he socialized with sinners. He would touch those that were unclean and heal them. He broke the Sabbath by healing and he and is disciples defile themselves by eating with unclean hands. How can this man be clean as he transgresses many of the laws?

It made the most sense, when you think who binds up our wounds and pays the price for our sins. That would be Christ.

This was finally confirmed to me one day while I was reading in John 8:48. The Pharisees where have a difficult discussion with Christ and at the end of that discussion they said “say we not well that thou art a Samaritan”. This is what they thought of him. We don’t often relate to this, but this is an insult. Christ then uses this image in the parable of the Good Samaritan to obscure his identity. His disciples would understand this and learn how the atonements heals us and prepares us for his second coming.

Two Sundays ago in church we were discussing this parable. I opened my scriptures and found this last scripture and I was prepared to explain this idea to the class. The teacher then uncovered the chalk board where he had an outline of these ideas and he referenced to an article in the Ensign where a BYU professor out lined these ideas and attributed them to the beliefs of first century Christians. (The Good Samaritan Forgotten Symbols) I had never heard this taught before and all of a sudden the idea appears to confirm my beliefs. I consider this one of Gods tender mercies. He directed me in my learning and then confirmed it through the Ensign and our Sunday school class.

He lives!

Brother B

Finding and matching pieces

Okay so after that last post, your going WHAT! Nice story but what are you talking about Brother B. I want to show you an example of how the pieces of the puzzle are scattered through out the scriptures.

I remember reading the Book of Acts and coming across the phrase "The Promise of the Father". Acts 1:4 Luke 24:49 I remember stopping and thinking what is the promise of the father? My initial thought was this was written before the Day of Pentecost and so he is referring to the Holy Ghost, which hadn't been given the apostles, but had been promised. So I read on thinking I had answered that question.

So in one of the reference books that I have been reading for the New Testament the author pointed to D & C 95: 8-9 which states that the promise is the endowment. I was excited to read this as I had always heard that the early members of the church had the endowment, but I wasn't familiar with the a scripture that made reference to endowment. Now I have one.

Hope you found that interesting.

Brother B

Puzzles

An analogy that I have developed with the help of the spirit is based on a memory of my mother.

In Salt Lake we had a large basement and we inherited a kitchen table from one of our Great Grandparents. Since we had a kitchen table Mom and Dad put the table in the basement. Over the years it was used for a lot of things, but one of the activities I like the most were puzzles.

Mom loved puzzles and it wasn’t unusual that there was a puzzle in process at all times. As kids we loved to participate but found some puzzle too difficult for us to do. Mom would purchase easier puzzles and then teach us how to assemble them. I remember those times distinctly. She would dump the puzzle out and then start turning the pieces over. She would separate out the edges and start sorting the other pieces by color and other similar characteristics. She would then assemble the edge.

We soon learned that the edge was probably the simplest part of the puzzle and we would scramble to find the pieces and put them together as once the edge was done there was a sense of accomplishment that would push us to complete the rest of the puzzle.

We would then look for patterns and similar pieces and begin the process of matching. We often became frustrated when the pieces where hard to find and wouldn't assemble the way we wanted them to. Mom would calm us and tell us to be patient and to keep looking. She seemed to find the pieces with ease, almost like she knew every piece personally. In time the pace of the puzzle would pick up and near the end it almost put itself together.

It was always fun to look at the finish puzzle and admire it and feel a sense of pride for helping to assemble the pictures. Once completed we would tear it apart piece by piece but it in the box, shake it up and then dump it out. In time the puzzle became familiar and we could put it together with ease. We would then tired of it and want another challenge so Mom would buy us another puzzle. One with more pieces.

Each new puzzle present new challenges and were always harder to put together. Some were so difficult that most of us kids would give up and then wait for Mom to finish it. She was always patient and would sit for hours studying the pieces and finally putting the puzzle together. From time to time us kids would try and help and we would find it too difficult and quit. We would pick up pieces and try and make them fit and Mom would instinctively know that it wasn’t the right pieces. She was amazing.

I feel that our scriptures studies are like puzzles. God who is the master puzzle builder has devised the greatest puzzle ever and it is found in the standard works of the church. They are the basis and the foundation of our Gospel knowledge. There are multiple levels or puzzles that one can put together and they testify of the same thing.

Some are very simple and are design for our primary children. They are easy to assemble and simple to understand and help those who have assemble to prepare for greater learning. But at times we look at the finished puzzle and have more question then answers and we have to graduate to harder puzzles that challenge us and push us to a greater understanding. I would say that is the puzzle that our youth use to understand. Much of that understanding comes from seminary and through their youth they put it together. Once completed they have a stronger testimony of Christ and his mission and they have a desire to serve. 

Somewhere in the young adult years they will find the puzzle once again has only provided more questions than answers and then embark on perhaps the most difficult puzzle of their life. Fortunately God doesn’t leave us alone to our own understanding but gives us the temple as a key to that understanding. This puzzle is so complex that the time to assemble this puzzle is considerable lengthy and can consume a whole life time.

In my scripture studies I now spend time searching for the many pieces that are available on any topic. Once the process is completed the picture becomes clear and provides new meaning. So here is a key. You need to search out all the information on anyone topic before you can come to a true understanding.

Try it and see!

Brother B