Matthew Watkins
@ITalkOfChrist • 6,001 subscribers
Child of God. Child of the Covenant. Disciple of Christ. Author (https://t.co/iT3UtPSYHu). Podcaster (https://t.co/PHZVjf86EQ). I #ThinkCelestial.
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The The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released 15 new hymns today, including the famous "This Little Light of Mine." Along with the announcement, the Church released this video, showing the song being sung in the full Baptist Gospel Choir style. I don't know if we'll be singing with quite this "energy" in Sacrament Meeting, but I could see Primary singing time getting a lot more vibrant soon. The Church is definitely branching out in its music styles. I think it's going to be a gradual but BIG adjustment for us during the next few years. Buckle up!
Matthew Watkins92,893 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr
!["What are the fruits of Joseph Smith?" There are dozens of good fruits I can list-- our language training program the government tries to copy, our ministering program other faiths try to copy (and fail), our youth and missionary culture-- and so much more. But I'll focus on the three most important fruits: 1. The Book of Mormon I can't overemphasize this one. The Book of Mormon is the keystone of our whole religion-- a "sudden death proposition." All our claims live or die based on the veracity of that book. If it's a fraud, then Joseph, his revelations, the church he organized, priesthood authority, Joseph's successors-- everything goes with it. On the other hand, if it's true (as I know it is), then all that it implies is true, too: living Prophets and Apostles, priesthood, revelation, temples, dorky prom invites and carrots in your jello (obvious jk on those last two 😉). For 196 years, this book has been critically analyzed perhaps like no other book in modern religious history. No critic can account for how an uneducated farm boy correctly wrote inexplicable Hebraisms, dozens of short and long Near Eastern style poems, a story more intricate than Lord of the Rings with an internally consistent geography, verified distinct wordprints across characters, hundreds of names, interwoven storylines, rich theology, etc. Then to leave easter eggs for archaeologists and linguists to discover centuries later. He supposedly made scores of ridiculous (at the time) guesses about the Old and New World that were eventually corroborated by archaeology—making Joseph an astronomically good guesser if he wrote the thing. Oh, and he dictated one of history's most rich and complex religious texts in a single draft over about 65 work days. When you begin to study it, you'll find the case for the Book of Mormon is deeply impressive. The evidence, in the words of Farrer, "does not create belief, but it maintains a climate in which belief may flourish." For those who say "Well the Bible says any other scripture is impossible," we respectfully suggest that you're reading that message into 2-3 Bible verses when it's not there, and we'd be happy to explain why there is ample space in the Bible for continued revelation. 2. The lives of the people Charles Dickens (yes, that Charles Dickens) boarded a ship of Latter-day Saint immigrants. He fully expected to find the "Mormons" would fit the stereotypes he'd heard, and was prepared to write about all the horrid things he saw. But after observing the Saints, he wrote: "To my great astonishment they did not deserve it; and my predispositions and tendencies must not affect me as an honest witness. I [felt] it impossible to deny that, so far, some remarkable influence had produced a remarkable result, which better known influences have often missed... [they are] in their degree, the pick and flower of England." Most people who join our Church don't become interested by an ad for a free copy of the Book of Mormon or a 19-year-old in a suit. It's because they knew members of our Church and could tell, like Dickens, that there was something wonderfully different in their lives. And it's not anecdotes; it's quantifiable. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints produces higher outcomes in longevity, marital happiness, family togetherness, income, education, health, and virtually every other positive socioeconomic indicator there is. They are more devoted to God and more biblically literate than any other Christian faith per Pew Research. If you're interested in the stats, Clint Teeples has made it his hobby to accumulate all that data-- check his account for the receipts. Latter-day Saints are happier, more devoted to God, and successful in their personal lives than virtually any other group in America. That's because of the truths we build our lives on-- the truths we learned from the revelations of Joseph Smith. What about the "bad fruits?" "He was a con man, a fraud, an adulterer, etc!" None of those things are true. Dig past Reddit anti-Mormonism and look at the actual history. It's not that hard-- this was the nineteenth century-- not the ninth, after all. Thousands and thousands of documents-- journal entries and meeting minutes and newspaper accounts, etc. And I'm sure it will come as a shock 😉, but most credentialed historians aren't Latter-day Saints. Yet what do they see when they study his life? A get-rich-quick scheme? No. He lived and died penniless (and often houseless). He died in debt in large part because he was too generous with people who came asking. And he broke the mold by insisting members not be paid for their part-time service in the Church. A sorcerer and a gold-digger? No. He was as superstitious as other 19th-century rural Americans as a youth, then abandoned his superstitions when he began his work as a prophet. A philanderer? No. And the inspired, temporary practice of polygamy is a subject deserving a much longer explanation than a few sentences here. Historians as a group do not accept Joseph as a Prophet. But they almost universally acknowledge Joseph was sincere-- that Joseph truly believed God had spoken to him, that he believed the revelations he received. Even to the extent that as he knew he was about to die, he turned to the Book of Mormon (which he supposedly fabricated) for comfort and inspiration as he went to his Maker. Get past the sound bytes and caricatures and get to know Joseph Smith. 3. The ultimate fruit: Revelation I have studied the fruits of the Book of Mormon for 30 years. I have studied the fruits of Church membership for a little longer than that. I have studied Joseph's life and read the gamut of literature from apologetic to apoplectic. Most importantly, I have prayed to God about these things and received pure light and knowledge to my mind-- not "some warm fuzzies," but a divine witness, a seal, confirming to my spirit and my intellect the authenticity of the Book of Mormon and all that it implies. I echo all the words of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland below and likewise ask that my testimony "be recorded by men on earth and angels in heaven." I wish I could make the whole world know that I know. The Book of Mormon is true. And Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God.](https://image.24vids.com/tw-2038820841790521857/amplify_video_thumb/2038819396295233537/img/GdtoQAQS3FKxVKfx.jpg)
"What are the fruits of Joseph Smith?" There are dozens of good fruits I can list-- our language training program the government tries to copy, our ministering program other faiths try to copy (and fail), our youth and missionary culture-- and so much more. But I'll focus on the three most important fruits: 1. The Book of Mormon I can't overemphasize this one. The Book of Mormon is the keystone of our whole religion-- a "sudden death proposition." All our claims live or die based on the veracity of that book. If it's a fraud, then Joseph, his revelations, the church he organized, priesthood authority, Joseph's successors-- everything goes with it. On the other hand, if it's true (as I know it is), then all that it implies is true, too: living Prophets and Apostles, priesthood, revelation, temples, dorky prom invites and carrots in your jello (obvious jk on those last two 😉). For 196 years, this book has been critically analyzed perhaps like no other book in modern religious history. No critic can account for how an uneducated farm boy correctly wrote inexplicable Hebraisms, dozens of short and long Near Eastern style poems, a story more intricate than Lord of the Rings with an internally consistent geography, verified distinct wordprints across characters, hundreds of names, interwoven storylines, rich theology, etc. Then to leave easter eggs for archaeologists and linguists to discover centuries later. He supposedly made scores of ridiculous (at the time) guesses about the Old and New World that were eventually corroborated by archaeology—making Joseph an astronomically good guesser if he wrote the thing. Oh, and he dictated one of history's most rich and complex religious texts in a single draft over about 65 work days. When you begin to study it, you'll find the case for the Book of Mormon is deeply impressive. The evidence, in the words of Farrer, "does not create belief, but it maintains a climate in which belief may flourish." For those who say "Well the Bible says any other scripture is impossible," we respectfully suggest that you're reading that message into 2-3 Bible verses when it's not there, and we'd be happy to explain why there is ample space in the Bible for continued revelation. 2. The lives of the people Charles Dickens (yes, that Charles Dickens) boarded a ship of Latter-day Saint immigrants. He fully expected to find the "Mormons" would fit the stereotypes he'd heard, and was prepared to write about all the horrid things he saw. But after observing the Saints, he wrote: "To my great astonishment they did not deserve it; and my predispositions and tendencies must not affect me as an honest witness. I [felt] it impossible to deny that, so far, some remarkable influence had produced a remarkable result, which better known influences have often missed... [they are] in their degree, the pick and flower of England." Most people who join our Church don't become interested by an ad for a free copy of the Book of Mormon or a 19-year-old in a suit. It's because they knew members of our Church and could tell, like Dickens, that there was something wonderfully different in their lives. And it's not anecdotes; it's quantifiable. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints produces higher outcomes in longevity, marital happiness, family togetherness, income, education, health, and virtually every other positive socioeconomic indicator there is. They are more devoted to God and more biblically literate than any other Christian faith per Pew Research. If you're interested in the stats, Clint Teeples has made it his hobby to accumulate all that data-- check his account for the receipts. Latter-day Saints are happier, more devoted to God, and successful in their personal lives than virtually any other group in America. That's because of the truths we build our lives on-- the truths we learned from the revelations of Joseph Smith. What about the "bad fruits?" "He was a con man, a fraud, an adulterer, etc!" None of those things are true. Dig past Reddit anti-Mormonism and look at the actual history. It's not that hard-- this was the nineteenth century-- not the ninth, after all. Thousands and thousands of documents-- journal entries and meeting minutes and newspaper accounts, etc. And I'm sure it will come as a shock 😉, but most credentialed historians aren't Latter-day Saints. Yet what do they see when they study his life? A get-rich-quick scheme? No. He lived and died penniless (and often houseless). He died in debt in large part because he was too generous with people who came asking. And he broke the mold by insisting members not be paid for their part-time service in the Church. A sorcerer and a gold-digger? No. He was as superstitious as other 19th-century rural Americans as a youth, then abandoned his superstitions when he began his work as a prophet. A philanderer? No. And the inspired, temporary practice of polygamy is a subject deserving a much longer explanation than a few sentences here. Historians as a group do not accept Joseph as a Prophet. But they almost universally acknowledge Joseph was sincere-- that Joseph truly believed God had spoken to him, that he believed the revelations he received. Even to the extent that as he knew he was about to die, he turned to the Book of Mormon (which he supposedly fabricated) for comfort and inspiration as he went to his Maker. Get past the sound bytes and caricatures and get to know Joseph Smith. 3. The ultimate fruit: Revelation I have studied the fruits of the Book of Mormon for 30 years. I have studied the fruits of Church membership for a little longer than that. I have studied Joseph's life and read the gamut of literature from apologetic to apoplectic. Most importantly, I have prayed to God about these things and received pure light and knowledge to my mind-- not "some warm fuzzies," but a divine witness, a seal, confirming to my spirit and my intellect the authenticity of the Book of Mormon and all that it implies. I echo all the words of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland below and likewise ask that my testimony "be recorded by men on earth and angels in heaven." I wish I could make the whole world know that I know. The Book of Mormon is true. And Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God.
Matthew Watkins14,314 Aufrufe • vor 7 Monaten
Prayer should be "muscular, urgent", and "out loud." How can I receive more revelation from prayer, feel the Spirit closer during prayer, and find "more purpose in prayer," as the hymn says? This has been the subject of my study recently. I've collected hours of sources and quotes and stories about this topic. But no other source, no other teaching, hits me as hard as this short, powerful video from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland urging us to get serious about "muscular, urgent" out-loud prayer alone and with no time limits. Throughout my adult life, most of my prayers have been exactly what Elder Holland said not to do-- a quick recap of the day, silently, at my bedside while my wife waits for me. What kind of son am I that-- instead of calling my Father, I just leave Him short voicemails-- I give a quick report on my day, ask for some things, then hang up the phone before He can answer. And then spend my next voicemail complaining He's been quiet lately! When I look back at the times when my prayers actually reached up and connected to Heaven, it's always been during those rare times I've separated myself, went into my car or my office, ignored the clock, and truly "cried" to the Lord. "Muscular" prayer. That's when revelation flowed. That's when my will aligned. That's when I felt God's approval. These past few weeks, the Lord (through Elder Holland and other sources) has corrected me and told me those "muscular" prayers need to be more the norm-- not the exception. Consider whether the Lord might be issuing you the same invitation. Transcript: "There are many lessons that come out of the Sacred Grove experience-- not the least is the opposition that Joseph faced before the great, revelatory moment of the Father and the Son. Joseph said that he exerted all his power, took everything that he had. "So, there's a pretty good lesson in that for all of us about muscular prayer--urgent, determined prayer--to fight through... the cares of the day or the distractions of our mind... "I need to say the words. Prayer is an expression of the heart, and we can pray silently. We ought to pray silently. We ought to always have a prayer in our heart. But there is something about saying the words--and for me, saying them out loud. "And so, I'm reminded to not get by on the cheap, if you will, about prayer. We need to carve out time--good time, high-priority time--when we can say the words. Kneel where possible, be vocal, be out loud, and really have that communication. "Individuals who might wait for their evening prayer until , and they're exhausted, and the day has taken its toll... get a kind of a half-hearted prayer out before we tumble into bed. "I'd say move that prayer up when we're alert and attentive and can think about it and be powerful. This ought to be high-priority expression. Just managing our life a little better, I think, can lead to that kind of vocal communication with the Lord."
Matthew Watkins25,187 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr
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