Good morning to all

Let me begin with an apology for my post yesterday. My circumstances left me with little time for proof reading and consequently it did not flow as clearly as it should have.

My purpose in sharing these initial experiences is two fold. The first objective is to establish a type of journal of personal experiences for friends and loved ones. The second objective is to share with you why I have reservations about accepting doctrinal explanations adopted as conventional wisdom in the Church.

When I first began studying topics on my mission and thereafter, I had a few concerns and one very big assumption. My concern was centered on the number of people I had known who immersed themselves into a study of Church history and doctrine only too leave the Church thereafter. I did not want to become another spiritual casualty and so I thought it wise to take steps to protect myself. Joseph Smith did not have the benefit/challenge of the Journal of Discourses nor was he faced with doctrinal opinions that were constantly evolving with the restoration. Joseph was uneducated and relied solely on revelation from God to interpret scripture. It was Joseph's pattern I wanted to follow because that is the pattern preached in the scriptures. When Joseph knew something it was always learned from the most reliable, unimpeachable sources.

In the beginning I established a few rules that became the foundation of my search. They are:

1. Never leave the Church.
2. Never leave the Brethren.
3. Never leave the Standard Works.
4. Don't lose faith in what you know because of something you don't know.
5. I recently added this last one but it closely relates to #2. Don't become an accuser of your brethren.

Most of these are self explanatory. Number two and number five require some explanation. This has to do with the assumption I made after returning from my mission. It was my belief personal study would be encouraged in the Church. This assumption turned out to be partially incorrect. Over the podium the Brethren encourage everyone to seek greater light and knowledge. In practice, limitations are arbitrarily placed on what can be spoken and what cannot. Ironically, this even applies to the Brethren. Note how Elder Packer's last conference talk was altered to soften his remarks about homosexuals. I have no axe to grind in this controversy. I saw nothing wrong with his original comments nor do I care the decision was made to alter Elder Packer's talk. The issue for me is much broader than Elder Packer's talk.

There exists within the Church an entrenched philosophy that suppresses and sacrifices personal revelation in the name of order. This has given rise to a priestly, academic and scholarly approach to the scriptures. It is as if we encourage all men and women to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it. When they get their answer the institutional Church wants them to set aside their personal experience with God and subordinate their search for light and knowledge to lesson manuals written on a six grade level. The Brethren are rightfully concerned about feeding the newest members of the Church with milk. Unfortunately, those who have been members of the Church continue to spiritually drown in milk because they need meat and don't know where to find it. The search for meat is what draws us to a personal relationship with God. The Church has entered into Melchizedek Priesthood Covenants with God and stand at risk of being rejected if they don't begin to honor the covenants they have made. The Brethren live and exemplify these principles, the Church does not. This is exactly the circumstance that led the Lord to reject ancient Israel. The Brethren talk of "raising the bar" but the truth is, the bar was never lowered.

We are losing many of the rising generation because they have not experienced nor witnessed the gifts of the Spirit. Membership in the Church has become a family tradition that often feels lifeless and institutional. All of this has been done with the best of intentions and that is why I do not want to be an accuser of my brethren. Generally they are dedicated and devoted men who have good albeit misplaced intent.

Deseret Book has become the "Talmud" to our Scriptures. The Jews look to the Talmud for oral interpretations to the Torah, (the five books of Moses.) The Jews have elevated the Talmud above the Torah and consequently their actions have left them with no living prophets.

These issues form the composition of the "mists of darkness" spoken of in Lehi's dream of the Tree of Life. It is interesting to note the mists "arose" after the people were on the straight and narrow path.

I will never leave the Church, never leave the Brethren, never leave the scriptures and never be an accuser of my brethren. One other thing I will never do is leave my salvation in their hands. There is a reason they are General Authorities and not Specific Authorities. The Specifics are between us and God and if we neglect the specifics we, not they, will suffer the consequences. If you have been endowed in the Temple of God you are authorized to represent yourself before the Lord. To do otherwise is to mimic the children of Israel and suffer rejection as a chosen people.

Happy Sabbath to all

This morning I will be attending Priesthood Leadership Meeting and the General Session of Stake Conference. I will have to keep this short. I say that but as Gary Rosenlof knows, it may not end that way, so here goes.

A few key experiences have greatly influenced how and why I study the scriptures. Lehi's dream of the Tree of Life that speaks of the "rod of Iron" is a big reason that I will discuss at a future date. There have been personal experiences that have greatly impacted my opinions.

When I first experienced the influence of the Holy Spirit in my life and studies I came to realize that Joseph Smith had been led by this influence in his search for truth. Joseph was drinking in knowledge directly from the fountainhead where the water was pure and unpolluted by the opinions and interpretations of man. I became convinced that God would do the same for me if I diligently sought greater light and knowledge. I knew God would do that because I experienced it every morning during my personal study. Consequently it became a question of how diligently I would pursue the knowledge rather than a question of whether God would give it. I followed the admonition of Christ to "Seek and ye will find, knock and it shall be opened unto you." My experience has been built on this assumption.

After several months of diligent study I was transferred to Moses Lake, Washington. A few months after my arrival we were told Elder Mark E. Peterson would be meeting with the missionaries from around the central part of Washington State. When Elder Peterson arrived and the meeting commenced, Elder Peterson opened the meeting to questions. One missionary raised his hand and asked, "Elder Peterson are there any books you could recommend that would help us be better missionaries?" Elder Peterson reached for his scriptures, raised them in to the air and said, "These are the only books you should be studying! Don't buy any of those books people just write them to make money." I was shocked by Elder Peterson's candor, particularly since he had written such stellar works as the largely forgettable, "Adam, who was He?" books and similar fare that were not very substantive. This experience planted my first seeds of cynicism when it came to books published by the marketing arm of the Church.

Several years ago I spoke with President Stapley, (who I found out two days ago had passed away) he shared another experience he witnessed with Elder Peterson. At this time Elder Peterson was very advanced in years and felt little reservation when it came to speaking his mind. A missionary approached this great Apostle and asked, "Elder Peterson, how many times have you read the Book of Mormon?" Everyone present was surprised when Elder Peterson replied, "Once!" He then added he had studied the Standard Works topically thereafter. I have done both. I stopped counting how many times I had read the Book of Mormon when I reached fifty. I have done the same with the New Testament, Doctrine & Covenants and Pearl of Great Price. I have probably read the Old Testament about ten times. In tandem with reading I have studied all the books topically. When you study topics across all the Standard Works you begin to see God's hand in all the writings. Newer scriptures frequently define older terms and you come to see a divine hand that works throughout it all.

Ooops! Time got away.

Have a great day.

In the beginning...,

Good morning all,

I grew up in the Sugarhouse area of Salt Lake. In many ways it was Camelot. Great friends and tremendous memories I hope to share from time to time. During my teen years I became a bona fide sports addict. Part time Church attendance was the price I paid to find out what time the next game was. My seminary career lasted two weeks in ninth grade.

Through divine intervention the Lord made an extreme course correction in my life and I found myself submitting mission papers, to the surprise of everyone. Part of that preparation was receiving my patriarchal blessing from Zelph Y. Erickson, an elderly man who wore his righteousness in his countenance. This was the first and only time I would meet this great patriarch. After a few minutes of conversation I sat in a chair and he placed his hands on my head. Blessings are sacred so I will not explore the content except to say I was surprised when he uttered the following words: "I bless you that you may have an increased desire to read the scriptures and that your mind may be enlightened to understand the messages to be found upon the pages of these scriptures." To that point I had never opened the scriptures. I remember thinking to myself, "For that to come true something miraculous would have to happen." I felt no inclination at all toward the scriptures. Sports was all I cared for. Needless to say, something did happen. Actually, many things in the second year of my mission.

Near the beginning of my second year I experienced a deeply spiritual epiphany that taught me how to invite the Spirit of God when I studied the scriptures. Prayer became the mandatory and powerful first step. Personal study was where I experienced profoundly spiritual experiences. Personal study was my time to commune with God and feel His Spirit permeate my soul and nourish my spirit. My appetite for this nourishment is what drove me to search the scriptures. Knowledge was always a residual effect and not my main focus.

Like Joseph Smith, I came to know (albeit in a less dramatic way) of the love God has for all of His children and that His love is not contingent on anything we do. It is unconditional and available to all who seek Him. The restoration of the Gospel has never been about Church membership, (though membership is linked to discipleship,) it has always been about men and women overcoming the fall of Adam and returning to the presence of God. At times I wonder if that is not the best kept secret in the Church.

Studying the scriptures can lead us to knowledge but that is not an end in itself. Paul said people in our day would be "ever learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth." (2 Timothy 3:7) One of the many gifts the scriptures give us is the opportunity to feel the spirit that attends the word of the Lord. It is important to break away from the tendency to be destination driven, which only pushes you to reach the end. If we don't learn to "feel" after God by pondering the content and reflecting on its relevance we will remain members of the Church but never be disciples of Christ. Discipleship is the road to Eternal Life. Eternal Life is "that they might know thee, the only true and living God and Jesus Christ, whom thou has sent." (John 17:3)

Blog wake up and Shake up

Bryndee did a great job putting this blog together but the family has neglected it. I am embarrassed to say this is probably my second time on this site. I think things are about to change. I came to blogspot.com this morning thinking I would check to see how to set up a blog. When this blog came up I thought I might use it. Family and friends are who I would like to address and this might be the perfect place to do so. In addition to having a place to write my thoughts I can look at pictures of the people I love the most and represent best things in my life. Bryndee, you need to get pictures of the Booski-boo on here. She's the best of all.

Many of you know of my interest in the scriptures. I have studied the Standard Works for 36 years topically, using concordances. I have written much of my research but never been able to publish it due to barriers of entry into the publishing world. This blog is about to become my outlet for the content of my research. It will also be a vehicle for sharing research tools and techniques for unlocking sacred truth in the scriptures that are hidden in plain sight.

The views expressed in this blog will by my own and are no way representative or endorsed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The views herein are my own and I accept full responsibility.

Is the whole technology fad over yet?

I guess I'll post something on this good for nothing blog that no one reads. At the Roderick house we're not quite convinced that technology and the interweb are here to stay. Sherri is interested in Facebook but not quite enough to figure out how to log on to her email or remember her password. True story. She actually takes detailed notes on what she needs to do to get places on the internet. But alas, she is slowly jumping on the bandwagon. Scott? He's a youtuber. He can navigate it like columbus on the seven seas. But for some reason no one gives a rats about this red headed step child-like blog. I guess technology is here to stay...but if it happened on facebook, I don't want to hear about it.

Our Christmas Eve....

We walked the snowy roads on Christmas eve because it was so magical. It was perfect.

Christmas Day

We had a great Christmas.  We started the morning early talking to Taylor in Greece. We talked to him for 2 hours and it was so great to hear his voice.