Chapter 24
Bewitched By the Bear
"When we are weak, boast of strength. . . .
when we are strong, feign weakness. . . .
We advance through retreat . . .
They disarm, we build."
— Vladimir Lenin

One of the statements that we quoted from President Benson was, "Let us not be deceived in the sifting days ahead." Part of that sifting may come from our long-time cold-war enemy, the Soviet Union. In Chapter Four of this book we discussed the sameness of communism and socialism, and some of the deceptive means by which we are lead to believe the wolves in sheep clothing. And because we have mingled ourselves in with the deceptive flock, our ignorance has brought an indictment upon this nation, and the elders of this Church in particular. When God’s people are unrepentant and continue to transgress His laws, He takes measures to bring them to humility. And it does not take a scriptural scholar to realize that God uses the enemy of proud and sinful Israel to bring them to obedience. It happened time-and-time again to the ancient Israelites and Nephites. This chapter may help show how that might be accomplished today upon modern Israel.

The Glasnost/Perestroika Deception
The Glasnost/Perestroika movement by the Soviet Union is nothing new. These claims of desiring free enterprise for their people, freedom for the oppressed, democratic forms of government, and cooperation with the United States and Western Europe, have all been presented before — at least five different times. The first was in 1921 under Lenin; the second was in 1936 under Joseph Stalin; the third was again with Stalin, in 1941; the fourth was in 1956 under Khrushchev; and the fifth was under Brezhnev in 1970. Now we have a sixth sponsored by Mr. Gorbachev, which began in 1985.

During each of these periods, the Soviets told the West a lot of good stories, and made commendable promises which America and other Western countries bought at face value. The first Glasnost under Lenin was called "The New Economic Plan." Lenin was able to convinced the West that Russia was turning to democracy and a free economic system, and he begged moneys for support. Glasnost number one lasted until 1929 when over eight million Russian people went to the firing squad or to prison camps.

The second, with Stalin’s leadership, also claimed economic change along capitalistic lines, with free elections, etc. As with Lenin, massive amounts of aid went to Stalin. This second period ended suddenly in 1938 by a purge called "The Great Terror."

The third Glasnost, 1941-45, occurred because Hitler double-crossed Stalin, and he said that they wanted to do a lot of trade with the U.S. He also requested aid. Sure enough we sent him and the Soviet people about $10 billion. After the war, the Soviets annexed the three Baltic States, Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania, and parts of Poland, Romania, Prussia, Finland, and most of eastern Europe. And again, internal purging occurred and over one hundred million people stood before the guns or were imprisoned in camps.

Then came Glasnost number four. Khrushchev talked about economic and political reforms, free market, restoration of democracy, etc. And of course, western aid went pouring into the Soviet economy. Glasnost four ended in 1959, however, with the Soviet-backed communist takeover in Cuba, the shooting down of the American U-2 plane, and the erection of the Berlin wall.

Under Brezhnev, we have the fifth claim of economic reform, the desire to become capitalist with a free market, the ending of world revolution, etc. Their goal was to get America to sign the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, which we did in 1973. We did not put up a missile defense, but true-to-form, the Soviets violated that treaty. We now sit defenseless, and they sit with all the weapons. This Glasnost started losing impetus when the Soviet-backed North Vietnamese invaded South Vietnam, with the resumption of covert activities abroad, and the invasion of Afghanistan in 1979-80.

With the Glasnost/Perestroika tactic, the Soviet government has sucked billions of dollars from the treasuries of the gullible governments of Western Europe, and in particular, the United States. Those funds have been used to build and stock pile a tremendous amount of arms instead of producing and distributing foodstuffs to their people. Their intimidating threat was intimated as: "If you do not help us, our people will starve and it will be your fault." So we bought it. We are now in Glasnost number six. We are sending them billion of dollars in aid. And we are still buying it the sixth time around.

President Bush now wants to send $24 billion in aid to Russia to help bolster up their, supposedly, poor economy. The Soviets still have an active space program, an aggressive military build up, but cannot transport food across the country. That seems odd. Why can’t they divert some of their military spending to feed their own people? What is their real goal? Is it to suck more money from the American taxpayer (money which we must borrow at high interest rates to send to them) while they continue to build arms at our expense.

When Secretary of State James Baker visited Russia, he asked to see a community called Arzonos 16. Some call it "the city that never was." He was told that it did not exist. (It is not listed on any maps). On Paul Harvey news, however, Mr. Harvey announced that Arzonos 16 had been found. It is surrounded by forest and barbed wire. It is a community of 81,000 people of which 25,000 work on nuclear weapons. It is where the Soviets built their first hydrogen bomb.

The Soviet military is well acquainted with the ancient philosophy of Sun Tsu, a Chinese military strategist who, in about 500 BC, wrote a book called "The Art of War." Some consider it the military bible for the Soviet military. In it Sun Tsu said, "The most consummate art is to subdue your enemies without having to fight them on the field. Destroy by all means the weapons supplies of your opponents. . . . All warfare is based on deception."

Another writer which has greatly influenced the Soviet mind, is Niccolo Machiavelli. Machiavelli was an Italian historian and statesman (1469-1527). He was a master diplomat, seeking his objective values which supported his own theories. He made his facts to be as he wished them, rather than as he knew them to be. Shakespeare, reflecting English thought, uses his name as the superlative for craft and murderous treachery. Machiavelli’s book, The Prince, his most popular work, has been a staple in the deceptive political and military diets of Europe since the fifteen hundreds. Throughout this book one can find very strange moral contradictions. One of the things Machiavelli said in that very small but powerfully influential work was: "For the great majority of mankind are satisfied with appearances as though they were realities . . . and are often more influenced by the things that seem, than by those that are."

A NATO Commander’s Warning
The goal of the Soviets is world conquest. It always has been, and it still it today. As General Bernard W. Rogers, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander (Europe, 1979-87) said, "The Soviet goal remains world domination." And from another former NATO Commander-in-Chief, General Sir Walter Walker, we get the following warning:

"I consider it my duty, as a former NATO Commander-in-Chief, to tell you of the extremely dangerous threats that lie ahead. It is because I know for certain that we are now in a period of the greatest strategic deception, perhaps in all history, that I feel I should not allow this occasion to pass without warning you of the future that lies ahead in the next decade. I say most emphatically that the Cold War is not yet over, but only in a state of remission. To give you examples: in spite of the numbers of Soviet citizens still queuing for food, the Soviet Union is continuing to provide arms not only to Iraq, but to the communist regime in Afghanistan and to its satellites, such as Cuba and Libya.

The man in the street has not been told that the Soviet Union is still devoting a vast proportion of its resources to sustain a military machine capable of threatening the West. As an example, their Navy is engaged at present in a major rebuilding program. It has launched the 65,000 ton Tiblisi - its first major carrier. The [Western] public is unaware that Gorbachev is launching one new nuclear submarine every six weeks. Amid all his difficulties, Gorbachev has now increased the Soviet military budget by 37% at the insistence of the Generals and KGB masters. This represents 40% of the country’s GNP. On the same day that he made this increase, our Defense Secretary announced that 40,000 British troops, a quarter of the entire British Army, would be axed. A suicidal decision. The Soviet military threat has NOT evaporated. The neutralization of NATO has long been one of the Soviet’s prime glasnost deception goals. Production of tanks continues unabated, replacing old tanks, and they have also introduced several new helicopters, a huge transporter, a fighter designed to kill other helicopters, and a sophisticated anti-tank helicopter. Despite the collapse of the Soviet economy — the Kremlin - under pressure from the military — is actually increasing the military budget by $42 billion to more than $160 billion. In contrast, only $7.5 billion is being earmarked for education, and a mere $4.5 billion for health. In spite of the signing of the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty on the 19th of November 1990, the Soviets have already moved about 17,000 tanks plus much more equipment [i.e., 70,000 units in toto] to the other side of the Ural mountains — beyond the geographical area of the Treaty. And some Soviet aircraft from Hungary were repainted in Soviet naval colors, also outside the Treaty. The hard truth is that the dreaded KGB is being strengthened and expanded. Last year the American FBI apprehended 30 foreign spies, 28 of whom were KGB, a new record. Today the KGB employs one and a half million people and six million informers. And despite the Soviet economic crisis, the KGB has received a 20% increase in its latest budget. I leave you with the stark fact that unless we stand fast and stop the rot, the demonstrable truth is that, contrary to the Kremlin’s self-serving pose of humility, the Soviet Union is not "on the verge of collapse." Western defense, on the other hand, is." (The McAlvany Intelligence Advisor, Phoenix, Arizona; Special Issue, November 1991, pp. 21-22.)

The leadership of the Soviet Union have never honored their peace and disarmament treaties. Why? Because they have a dream. And that dream, as stated before, is world conquest. And one of their tactics is to lull the sleeping Western world into a greater stupor than they have ever known. Along that line then, here are a few statements from Mr. Lenin who has set the style for Soviet deception: "Telling the truth is a bourgeois prejudice. Deception, on the other hand, is often justified by the goal. . . . When we are weak, boast of strength . . . when we are strong, feign weakness. . . . We advance through retreat. . . . They disarm, we build."

To build their arms, the Soviets need steel, and in The McAlvany Intelligence Advisor, May 1990, it is pointed out that the majority if the Soviet steel goes to the military. In quoting that report we learn:

"In 1959, the Senator John F. Kennedy was struck by a discrepancy between the Soviet output of steel (i.e., 54.9 million metric tons) and the small amount of that steel used for cars and other consumer goods. Kennedy concluded that the vast lion’s share of that steel (i.e., probably over 90%) was going into military production, and that was at a time when less than 1% of US steel production was going into military weapons production. In 1989, the Soviets produced 160 million metric tons of steel . . . but they only produced 1,217,000 cars, using less than 5% of total Soviet steel output. Other consumer products and new construction are only estimated to use another 5% or so of the Soviet steel production. QUESTION: Where is the rest of the Soviet steel production (i.e., about 144 million metric tons per year) going? ANSWER: Into the building of the biggest military machine in history."

Soviet Military Supremacy
Now let us get into some comparison figures for military buildup, or disarmament, whichever the case may be, for both the United States and the Soviet Union. The following chart is a partial list as presented by Howard Phillip’s Issues and Strategies Bulletin, Vienna, Virginia. It is based on U.S. Defense Department and intelligence statistics showing the superiority of the Soviet military might compared to the U.S. in 1990 (As presented in The McAlvany Intelligence Advisor, May 1990, pp. 12-13).

The following comparisons are shown as: US=United States / SU=Soviet Union (The figures for the United States being shown first).

ABM (Anti-Ballistic Mis.): 0 — 8,000
Aircraft (Attack): US-2,813 / SU-8,250
Aircraft (Interceptor): US-18/SU-2,200
Aircraft (Tactical Nuclear Delivery Type): US-2,813 / SU-8,250
Ballistic Missile (Sub.): US-37 / SU-70
Ballistic Missile (Short-Range Tactical): US-100 / SU-1,600
Chemical Weapons, tons: US-0 / SU-50,000
Combat Divisions: US-31 / SU-214
Cruise Missile (Sub.): US-101 / SU-256
Cruise Mis. (Sea-Launch): US-400-600 / SU-3,000-6,000
ICBM’s (Warheads):US-2,450 / SU-7,000-8,200
ICBM’s (Counterforce): US-2,000 / SU-6,140-7,372
ICBM Test per Year: US-10 / SU-150
Intercontinental Delivery Vehicles: US-1,900 / SU-2,920
Navy Battle Ships: US-546 / SU-914
Personnel Carriers (Armored): US-33,000 / SU-78,600
Predominant Average Age of Strategic Systems, years: US-20 / SU-4
SAM’s (Surface-to-Air Missile): US-0 / SU-13,000
Satellites for Detecting Submerged Subs., systems: US-0 / SU-2
SLBM’s Intercontinental: US-0 / SU-738
Space Launches per Year: US-10 / SU-circa. 100
Space Launch Sites (Military Mission Type): US-10 / SU-150+
Tanks: US-22,224 / SU-70,000

The weapons production for the years of 1988-1990 also show a vast deficiency for the United States in comparison to the Soviet production. The following is just a small listing to show the reader how far we are falling behind. Remembering our discussion on the Disarmament Treaty of 1961, we know that it is by design.

The figures comparisons below are structured as those above (US=United States / SU=Soviet Union):

Armored Vehicles: US-2,325 / SU-15,950
Bombers (All of the U.S. were Produced in 1988, None in 89-90): US-23 / SU-215
Helicopters: US-920 / SU-700
ICBM’s: US-33 / SU-415
Major Warships: US-14 / SU-29
SLBM’s: US-103 / SU-215
SRBM’s: US-0 / US-1,950
Submarines: US-14 / SU-29
Tanks: US-2,190 / SU-6,500

What Does It All Mean?
All of the overtures of freedom (as we are told in the West) in such countries as Poland, Romania, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, etc., are deceptions. The communists — now being referred to by the Soviets as socialists — are still in control in those countries. The Soviet military is still present, and their secret police are still in force, although they have changed their names in many cases. The government in Russia is restructuring. It may be changing the names of organizations and principles, under the guise of throwing out the old, but in reality, the Soviet leadership is still on the same road they have been traveling since 1917. The vehicle they travel in gets a new name and a new paint job, but it is still the same vehicle. In Chapter Four we quoted a statement by Dimitry Manuilsky which was made at the Lenin School of Political Warfare in Moscow, 1931. He said,

"War to the hilt between communism and capitalism is inevitable. Today, of course, we are not strong enough to attack. . . . To win we shall need the element of surprise. The bourgeoisie will have to be put to sleep. So we shall begin by launching the most spectacular peace movements on record. There will be electrifying overtures and unheard of concessions. The capitalist countries, stupid and decadent, will rejoice to cooperate in their own destruction. They will leap at another chance to be friends. As soon as their guard is down, we shall smash them with our clenched fist!" (Quoted by W. Cleon Skousen, The Naked Communist. pp. 208, 235.)

As Lenin said, "When we are strong, feign weakness." When the enemy seems to be weak, the threat seems to diminish. This type of philosophy dupes the western world, especially the trusting Americans, and they let their guard down. In the Fall of 1991, President Bush announced a military cutback unparalleled in American history. Within hours he had grounded all of our SAC bombers, took all of our nuclear missiles off of alert and off of our submarines, etc. On January 25, 1992, Russian President Boris N. Yeltsin announced that all of their nuclear missiles were not aimed at the U.S. anymore. And on this same date our President announced he was ordering our manufacturers to discontinue the production of the W-88 nuclear warheads. In March of 1993, as this book goes to press, President Clinton is closing down 30 military bases in the United States, saying that the cold war is over. Yet on the news we also hear that the "hard-liners" in Russia are still in charge, and the U.S. Defence Department is wondering who has control of the Soviet nuclear arsenal.

Of course, we all hope and pray for the best; but what might all this add up to? At the risk of being overly pessimistic (in light of history), this author feels that the American eagle has been plucked, is now in a military stew, and ready to be devoured by the bear. If the reader actually has any doubts of what it really means, he is encouraged to go back and re-read Chapters 3-5, 14, and 20.

Because of our nature, we Americans will not strike first, or take an offensive stance — only defensive. The Soviets, on the other hand, will do whatever is expedient to achieve their goal. They will even sacrifice a few countries (pretending to give them freedom) to win a larger hand. Remember, they are the chess champions of the world. They are willing to lose a few players to capture the king. Let us remember what was quoted in a previous chapter, that is: "Men prefer to believe what they prefer to be true."

There is a heavy and ominous atmosphere hanging over the political world today. It may be good to remember what the Apostle Paul told the Thessalonians, "For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape." (1 Thes. 5:3.)

". . . if ye are prepared ye shall not fear."
— D&C 38:30.

Chapter 25
Serious Times Ahead For the United States
"Therefore thus saith the Lord;
Ye have not hearkened unto me, in proclaiming liberty,
every one to his brother, and every man to his neighbor:
behold, I proclaim a liberty for you, saith the Lord,
to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine;
and I will make you to be removed into
all the kingdoms of the earth."
— Jeremiah 34:17

We are told that if Israel is obedient it shall be blessed spiritually and temporally. As previously mentioned, we are Israel. We are as much Israel as the Israelites mentioned in the Bible, and the laws and covenants entered into by our ancient forebear are as binding on us today as they were upon them. The twenty-eighth chapter of Deuteronomy pronounces great blessings upon obedient Israel: "And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God." (Deut. 28:1-2.)

Then the Lord goes on for the next twelve verses and enumerates various great blessings which shall be for His obedient followers. In verse 15, however, He warns them of what will befall them if they are not obedient: "But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee." (Deut. 28:15.)

Then the Lord, in the remaining fifty-three verses, enumerates the many diseases, plagues, and oppressions which shall come upon ancient Israel, and us, modern Israel.

If we have kept note as we read along through the previous chapters of this book, it will be seen that we have fallen short of such required obedience. It might be interesting to read all of that chapter in Deuteronomy and see what the Lord might have in store for many of us, the (latter-day) disobedient of Israel. If we understand what occurred to ancient Israel because of their disobedience, then we know that not all of that which was foretold in that chapter has been fulfilled. There is still more to come.

At this time, we will be concerned about our latter days and what a few Church leaders have said in regard to our serious times. One quote is from General George Washington while at Valley Forge during the Revolutionary War. The statements that we will be reading are not presented here with the intent of being overly dramatic. They are, however, presented so that the reader will be able to get an idea of the seriousness of today’s situation, and what prophecies have been foretold due to our lack of attention to the critical things of liberty and righteousness.

That which follows in this chapter will be set a little differently than in other chapters. This presentation is done with no dialogue running between the quotes; the object is to let the reader analyze them for his own purposes. These references, as presented here, are not intended to be the last word on the subject, many more could also have been used. These are just a few quotes that might be of interest, and pertinent at this time in our nation’s history, as a result (speaking collectively and not individually) of our not living up to our covenants. We must not think that these coming plagues are due to the wickedness of the "Gentiles" only.

We Have Been Warned
(EZRA TAFT BENSON)
"If American freedom is lost — if America is destroyed — if our blood-bought freedom is surrendered — it will be because of Americans . . . it may be by Americans who salute the flag, sing the national anthem, march in patriotic parades, cheer Fourth of July speakers — normally good Americans, but Americans who fail to comprehend what is required to keep our country strong and free, Americans who have been lulled away into a false security." (CR, April 1968, p. 50.

"Unfortunately, we as a nation have apostatized in various degrees from different Constitutional principles as proclaimed by the inspired founders." (General Conference, October 1987; The Ensign, Nov., 1987, p. 6.)

"Our complacency as a nation is shocking — yes, almost unbelievable! We are a prosperous nation. Our people have high-paying jobs. Our incomes are high. Our standard of living is at an unprecedented level. We do not like to be disturbed as we enjoy our comfortable complacency. We live in the soft present and feel the future is secure. We do not worry about history. We seem oblivious to the causes of the rise and fall of nations. We are blind to the hard fact that nations usually sow the seeds of their own destruction while enjoying unprecedented prosperity. I say to you with all the fervor of my soul: We are sowing the seeds of our own destruction in America and much of the free world today. It is my sober warning to you today that if the trends of the past thirty years — and especially the past five years — continue, we will lose that which is as priceless as life itself — our freedom — our liberty — our right to act as free men. It can happen here. It is happening here. The sad and shocking story of what has happened in America in recent years must be told. Our people must have the facts. There is safety in an informed public. There is real danger in a complacent, uninformed citizenry. This is our real danger today. Yes, the truth must be told even at the risk of destroying, in large measure, the influence of men who are widely respected and loved by the American people. The stakes are high. Freedom and survival is the issue." (AEHDT pp. 90-91.)

"I testify that wickedness is rapidly expanding in every segment of our society. It is more highly organized, more cleverly disguised, and more powerfully promoted than ever before. Secret combinations lusting for power, gain, and glory are flourishing. A secret combination that seeks to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries is increasing its evil influence and control over America and the entire world." (CR, October 1988, p. 103.)

(JOSEPH SMITH)
"Verily thus saith the Lord, peace shall soon be taken from the earth, And it has already begun to be taken; for a lying spirit has gone out upon all the face of the earth and shall perplex the nations, and shall stir them up to anger against one another. . . ." (A revelation on war, November, 1837; Elders’ Journal I, November 2, 1837, p. 28; Unpublished Revelations, Vol. I, Part 41:1-2.)

(EZRA TAFT BENSON)
"We live in a day of great challenge. WE LIVE IN THAT TIME of which the Lord spoke when he said, "Peace shall be taken from the earth, and the devil shall have power over his own dominion." (D&C 1:35.) We live in that day which John the revelator foresaw when "the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Rev. 12:17)." (Priesthood Leadership Meeting, April 4, 1986; The Ensign, May, 1986, p. 79.)

"Should it be of concern to us when the mouthpiece of the Lord keeps constantly and consistently raising his voice of warning about the loss of our freedom as he has over the Years? There are two unrighteous ways to deal with his prophetic words of warning: you can fight them or you can ignore them. Either course will bring you disaster in the long run." (CR, April 1965, p. 122.)

"Too often we bask in our comfortable complacency and rationalize that the ravages of war, economic disaster, famine, and earthquake cannot happen here. Those who believe this are either not acquainted with the revelations of the Lord, or they do not believe them. Those who smugly think these calamities will not happen, that they somehow will be set aside because of the righteousness of the Saints, are deceived and will rue the day they harbored such a delusion. The Lord has warned and forewarned us against a day of great tribulation and given us counsel, through His servants, on how we can be prepared for these difficult times. Have we heeded His counsel?" (General Conference, October 1980; The Ensign, November 1980, p. 34.)

God’s Controversy
(JOSEPH SMITH)
"Verily, I say unto you, that the day of vexation and vengeance is nigh at the doors of this nation, when wicked, ungodly and daring men will rise up in wrath and might, and go forth in anger, like as the dust is driven by a terrible wind; and they will be the means of the destruction of the government and cause the death and misery of many souls; but the faithful among my people shall be preserved in holy places during all these tribulations." (A Revelation given west of Jackson County, Missouri, on July 17, 1831; Letter from W. W. Phelps to Brigham Young, dated August 12, 1861, Joseph Smith Collection, Church Historian’s Office; Unpublished Revelations, Vol. I, Part 10:6, p. 57-58, Compiled by Fred C. Collier.)

(J. REUBEN CLARK, JR.)
". . . one thing seems sure, we will not get out of our present difficulties without trouble, serious trouble. Indeed, it may well be that our government and its free institutions will not be preserved except at the price of life and blood. . . ." (Quoted by Ezra Taft Benson, Conference Report, April 1963, pp. 111-112.)

(BRIGHAM YOUNG)
"Every man that used his influence to send an army here, if the Constitution is carried out, (and the day will come, as the Lord lives, when we shall be able to carry it out), will be at the disposal of the hemp, if we say so." (JD, 8:225.)

(EZRA TAFT BENSON)
"The great destructive force which was to be turned loose on the earth and which the prophets for centuries have called the "abomination of desolation" is vividly described by those who saw it in vision. Ours is the first generation to realize how literally these prophecies can be fulfilled now that God, through science, has unlocked the secret to thermonuclear reaction." (CR, October 1961, p. 70.)

(JOHN TAYLOR)
"God will speedily have a controversy with the nations of the earth, and as I stated before, the destroyer of the Gentiles is on his way to overthrow governments, to destroy dynasties, to lay waste thrones, kingdoms and empires, to spread abroad anarchy and desolation, and to cause war, famine and bloodshed to overspread the earth." (JD, 23:63.)

(BRUCE R. McCONKIE)
"Peace has been taken from the earth. The angels of destruction have begun their work, and their swords shall not be sheathed until the Prince of Peace comes to destroy the wicked and usher in the great Millennium. Bands of Gadianton robbers will infest every nation, immorality and murder and crime will increase, and it will seem as though every man’s hand is against his brother. It is one of the sad heresies of our time that peace will be gained by weary diplomats as they prepare treaties of compromise, or that the Millennium will be ushered in because we will learn to live in peace and to keep the commandments, or that the predicted plagues and promised desolations of latter days can in some way be avoided. We must do all we can to proclaim peace, to avoid war, to heal disease, to prepare for natural disasters — but with it all, that which is to be shall be. We know that the world will go on in wickedness until the end of the world. . . . We do not know when the calamities and troubles of the last days will fall upon any of us as individuals or upon bodies of the Saints. . . . We can rest assured that if we have done all in our power to prepare for whatever lies ahead, He will then help us with whatever else we need. We do not say that all of the Saints will be spared and saved from the coming day of desolation. But we do say there is no promise of safety and no promise of security except for those who love the Lord and who are seeking to do all that he commands. It may be, for instance, that nothing except the power of faith and the authority of the priesthood can save individuals and congregations from the atomic holocausts that surely shall be. And so we raise the warning voice and say: Take heed, prepare; watch and be ready. There is no security in any course except the course of obedience and conformity and righteousness." (Special message for Mapleton Stake members, October, 1980, "Stand Independent Above All Other Creatures"; The Ensign, May, 1979.)

"Nor are the days of our greatest sorrows and our deepest sufferings all behind us. They too lie ahead. We shall yet face greater perils, we shall yet be tested with more severe trials, and we shall yet weep more tears of sorrow than we have ever known before. From the top of the peak where the soles of our feet now tread, we can look forward, crest upon crest, to the Zion of God which one day will be ours if we walk in the course charted by those who have gone before. We cannot see the whole course; many things are hidden from our view. Mountain trails wind through valleys and over crests, around ledges, and through forests. We do not know the length of the journey nor the perils that await us. But what we can see causes us to rejoice and to tremble. We tremble because of the sorrows and wars and plagues that shall cover the earth. We weep for those in the true Church who are weak and wayward and worldly and who fall by the wayside as the caravan of the kingdom rolls forward. . . . All that is yet to be shall go forward in the midst of greater evils and perils and desolations than have been known on earth at any time. As the Saints prepare to meet their God, so those who are carnal and sensual and devilish prepare to face their doom. As the meek among men make their calling and election sure, so those who worship the God of this world sink ever lower and lower into the depths of depravity and despair. Amid tears of sorrow — our hearts heavy with forebodings — we see evil and crime and carnality covering the earth. Liars and thieves and adulterers and homosexuals and murderers scarcely seek to hide their abominations from our view. Iniquity abounds. There is no peace on earth. We see evil forces everywhere uniting to destroy the family, to ridicule morality and decency, to glorify all that is lewd and base . . . Gadianton robbers fill the judgment seats in many nations. An evil power seeks to overthrow the freedom of all nations and countries. Satan reigns in the hearts of men; it is the great day of his power. The wicked and ungodly shall be swept from the Church. The way ahead is dark and dreary and dreadful. There will yet be martyrs; the doors in Carthage shall again enclose the innocent. If we, as a people, keep the commandments of God; if we take the side of the Church on all issues, both religious and political; if we take the Holy Spirit for our guide; if we give heed to the words of the apostles and prophets who minister among us — then, from an eternal standpoint, all things will work together for our good." (CR, April, 1980; The Coming Tests and Trials and Glory; The Ensign, May, 1980, pp. 71-73.)

(JOSEPH SMITH)
"You will see the Constitution of the United States almost destroyed; it will hang by a thread, as it were, as fine as the finest silk fiber. Father will be against son, and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother. The most terrible scenes of murder and bloodshed and rapine that has ever been looked upon will take place. When you see this land bound with iron you may look toward Jackson County." (A prophecy supposedly made by Joseph Smith, Jr., in the presence of Edwin Rushton and Theodore Turley in Nauvoo, Ill., 1843, as recorded by Rushton, Commonly known as the "White Horse Prophecy".)

(GEORGE ALBERT SMITH)
President Smith said, "I have had a troublesome vision of another great and terrible war that made the war (WW II) look like a training exercise, and people died like flies. It began at a time when the Soviet Union’s military might dwarfed that of the United States, and we, that is the United States, would have missiles that carried an atomic bomb in Europe. I saw the United States withdraw its missiles to appease the Soviet Union, and then the war began." He also said that we would have big missiles in deep holes he described like grain silos which the Soviets would try to destroy by their own missiles. They would hit military installations and certain cities also. He said that the President at that time would be of Greek extraction. Until then all the Presidents would be of British or Northern European ancestry. He continued that the U.S. would be bound by numerous entangling alliances and would take away weapons owned by the people. He talked some about the initial attack and the ground warfare. . . . One tactic, especially in Europe, was to transport thousands of tanks in big trucks like semitrailers on the super highways to have them located where they wanted them when the war was to begin . . . he repeated to our parents, "Think of the worst condition of the depression. Can you think of something? . . . You know how Sunday School picnics are complete with salad, chicken, root beer, and dessert, and everyone has a wonderful time. That worst time of the depression will seem like a Sunday School picnic when compared with how conditions will be after that great war ." (Extracted from the "Vision of George Albert Smith," (Winter of 1946) as personally witnessed and recorded by David H. Horne.)

(GEORGE WASHINGTON)
"I do not know whether it is owing to the anxiety of my mind, or what, but this afternoon as I was sitting at this very table engaged in preparing a dispatch, something in the apartment seemed to disturb me. Looking up, I beheld standing opposite to me a singularly beautiful female. So astonished was I, for I had given strict orders not to be disturbed, that it was some moments before I found language to inquire the cause of her presence. A second, a third, and even a fourth time, did I repeat my question but received no answer from my mysterious visitor except a slight raising of the eyes. By this time I felt strange sensations spreading through me. I would have risen, but the riveted gaze of the being before me rendered volition impossible. I essayed once more to address her, but my tongue had become powerless. Even thought itself suddenly became paralyzed. A new influence, mysterious, potent, irresistible, took possession of me. All I could do was to gaze steadily, vacantly, at my unknown visitant. Gradually the surrounding atmosphere seemed as though becoming filled with sensations, and grew luminous. Everything about me seemed to rarefy, the mysterious visitor herself becoming more airy, and yet more distinct to my sight than before. I now began to feel as one dying, or rather to experience the sensations which I have sometimes imagined accompany dissolution. I did not think, I did not reason, I did not move, all were alike impossible. I was only conscious of gazing fixedly, vacantly, at my companion. Presently, I heard a voice saying, ‘Son of the Republic, look and learn.’ While at the same time my visitor extended her arm eastwardly. At this the dark, shadowy angel placed a trumpet to his mouth and blew three distinct blasts; and taking water from the ocean, he sprinkled it upon Europe, Asia and Africa. Then my eyes beheld a fearful scene: From each of these countries arose thick, black clouds that were soon joined into one. And throughout this mass there gleamed a dark red light by which I saw hordes of armed men, who moved with the cloud, marching by land and sailing by sea to America, which country was enveloped in the volume of the cloud. And I dimly saw these vast armies devastate the whole country and burn the villages, towns and cities that I had beheld springing up. As my ears listened to the thundering of the cannons, clashing of swords and shouts and cries of millions in mortal combat. . . . The scene instantly began to fade and dissolve and I at last saw nothing but the rising, curling vapor I at first beheld. This also disappearing, I found myself once more gazing upon my mysterious visitor, who, in the same voice I had heard before said, ‘Son of the Republic, what you have seen is thus interpreted: Three great perils will come upon the Republic. The most fearful is the third, passing which the whole world united shall not prevail against her. Let every child of the republic learn to live for his God, his land and union. With these words the vision vanished, and I started from my seat and felt that I had seen a vision wherein had been shown me the firth, progress and destiny of the United States." (Excerpted from "George Washington’s Vision" of the destiny of the United States, while in Valley Forge, 1777, as recorded from the account of Anthony Sherman, who claimed receiving the account from General Washington just after the vision.)

(ORSON PRATT)
"The Lord, therefore has a controversy among them [all the nations of the Gentiles], the same as he had with the Egyptian nation, with this difference, that the Egyptians did not have the same length of time to consider the message which you have . . . if you do not receive it, the Lord, who is long suffering, will . . . withdraw his servants from your midst. When that day shall come there shall be wars, not such wars as have come in centuries and years that are past and gone, but a desolating war. When I say desolating, I mean that it will lay these European nations in waste. Cities will be left vacated, without inhabitants. The people will be destroyed by the sword of their own hands. Not only this but many other cities will be burned; for when contending armies are wrought up with terrible anger, without the Spirit of God upon them, when they have not that spirit of humanity that now characterizes many of the wars amongst the nations, when they are left to themselves, there will be no quarter given, no prisoners taken, but a war of destruction, of desolation, of the burning of the cities and villages, until the land is laid desolate. What about my own nation — the American nation? What can I say more than I have said in times that are past? They have had a great desolating war; a war between the North and the South in which many hundreds of thousands were destroyed. . . . That war . . . was nothing, compared to that which will eventually devastate that country. The time is not very far distant in the future, when the Lord God will lay his hand heavily upon that nation [America]. . . . What then will be the condition of that people, when this great and terrible war shall come? It will be very different from the war between the North and the South. Do you wish me to describe it? I will do so. It will be a war of neighborhood against neighborhood, city against city, town against town, country against county, state against state, and they will go forth destroying and being destroyed and manufacturing will in a great measure, cease, for a time, among the American nation. Why? Because in these terrible wars, they will not be privileged to manufacture, there will be too much bloodshed — too much mobocracy — too much going forth in bands and destroying and pillaging the land to suffer people to pursue any local vocation with any degree of safety. What will become of millions of the farmers upon that land? They will leave their farms and they will remain uncultivated, and they will flee before the ravaging armies from place to place; and thus will they go forth burning and pillaging the whole country; and that great and powerful nation [America], now consisting of some forty millions of people, will be wasted away, unless they repent. Now these are predictions you may record. You may let them sink down into your hearts. And if the Lord your God shall permit you to live, you will see my words fulfilled to the very letter. They are not my words, but the words of inspiration — the words of the everlasting God, who has sent forth his servants with this message to warn the nations of the earth." (Discourse delivered in the North Branch Meeting Room, of the London Conference, Sunday, March 9, 1879; Journal of Discourses, 20:150-151.)

(JOHN TAYLOR)
"He saw Salt Lake City become a great and beautiful city, with cement streets and roads and the people had become wealthy. Great beautiful homes covered the city and he said that the city was extended to almost the point of the mountains south of the now 1951 State prison. The people had become indifferent to the counsel and advice of the authorities of the Church and were more interested in the accumulating of wealth than they were in living their religion, and at this time there began to be war and bloodshed. He saw blood running down the gutters of Salt Lake City as though it were water. People were fighting among themselves until it became so serious that the entire Church records were all taken across the Colorado River. President Taylor said to her: "If you are alive at that time, be sure that you are not far behind the records, because after the Church records leave and are secure, the very powers of hell will be turned loose, and there will be such destruction that but very little life will remain. Not only Salt Lake but other adjoining cities will be destroyed and in the east, in Missouri, in Jackson County, civilization will become entirely extinct. All means of transportation such as railroads and highways will be destroyed, the only means of travel will be on foot, and all manufacturing of all kinds will be entirely destroyed. Be sure when you see these things come, see that you have buttons, needles, and things to work with in order to make yourself clothing, thread and cloth as far as possible because all tools and every kind of machinery will be destroyed. It will become such a destructive war that the sufferings and driving of the people from Nauvoo will only be as a drop in the bucket compared with the suffering that will take place at this time, until one-half of the people will not follow the leaders and one-half of the others will die and turn because of the sufferings they will have to go through, but the Lord will bless those who stay with authorities and they shall not all be destroyed. They will travel south and will finally form a circle something like a horseshoe before they return to Jackson County, Missouri. Those who will be privileged to help build Jackson County will be those who are willing and glad to obey the counsel and advice of the authorities placed over them, and they will not only be willing to listen to their counsel and advice but will ask that they might receive it in order to be guided and protected out of this great time of want and distress. The saints will be taxed so heavily that they will cry to the Lord day and night for deliverance. He said also that we would be few in numbers and would assist the Lamanites in building the New Jerusalem in Jackson County. The vision was so terrible that he asked the Lord to close it but he saw that those who would keep the commandments and adhere to the authorities of the Church would survive and God would protect them as He did the children of Israel." (A Vision of John Taylor, as recorded by Edward Lunt, as an event that took place during a Conference at Cedar City, Utah, which President Taylor was attending; Found in the Lundwall Rare Manuscript file, Microfilm Roll #2.)

(WILFORD WOODRUFF)
"I went to bed at the usual hour, half past nine o’clock. I had been reading the Revelations in the French language. My mind was calm, more so than usual if that were possible. I composed myself for sleep, but felt a strange stupor come over me and I apparently became partially unconscious. Still I was not asleep nor awake, but had a strange far-away dreaming feeling. Then I was in Salt Lake City walking through the streets. In parts of the city and upon the door of every house, I saw a badge of mourning, and I could not find a house, but what was in mourning. The next I knew I was this side of Omaha. It seemed I was above the earth looking down upon it as I passed along on my way east. I saw the roads full of people, principally women, with just what they could carry in bundles on their backs, traveling to the mountains on foot. And I wondered how they would get there with nothing but a small pack on their backs. It was remarkable to me that there were so few men among them. It did not seem as though trains were running; the rails looked rusted and the roads abandoned. Indeed, I have no conception of how I traveled myself as I looked down upon the people. Next I saw Washington, D.C., and found the city a desolation. The White House was empty and the Halls of Congress likewise. Everything was in ruin and the people seemed to have fled from the city and left it to take care of itself. I was next in the city of Baltimore. . . . The dead were everywhere. I saw their bodies piled up, filling the square. I saw women cut the throats of their own children for the sake of their blood. I saw them suck it from their veins to quench their own thirst, and then lie down in the streets and die. I thought this was the end; but not so. Seemingly in an instant I was in Philadelphia where everything was still. No living soul was to be seen to greet me. It seemed as though the whole city was without inhabitants . . . everywhere I looked the putrefaction of the dead bodies created such a stench that It was impossible for any creature to remain alive. I next found myself on Broadway in New York. There it seemed as if the people had done all they could to overcome the disease. But in wandering down Broadway, I saw the bodies of beautiful women lying, some dead, and others in a dying condition, on the sidewalks. I saw men crawl out of the basements and violate the persons of some that were alive, then kill them and rob their dead bodies of the valuables they had on them. Then before they could return to their basements, they themselves rolled over a time or two in agony and died. And wherever I looked, I saw the same sights — horror and desolation, rapine and death. No horse, no carriages, nor omnibuses, nor streetcars — nothing but death and destruction everywhere. I cannot paint in words the horrors that seemed to encompass me about; it was beyond description or thought for me to conceive. Immediately after, I seemed to be standing on the left bank of the Missouri River, opposite the city of Independence — but I saw no city. I saw the whole states of Illinois and Missouri and part of Iowa, a complete wilderness of desert with no living human being there. I then saw a short distance from the river, twelve men draped in the robes of the Temple, standing in a square, or nearly so. I understood it to represent the twelve gates of the New Jerusalem. And they with uplifted hands were consecrating the ground and laying the cornerstone of the Temple. And I heard the angels singing the most heavenly music. The words were: "Now is established the Kingdom of God and His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever! And the kingdom shall never be thrown down, for the Saints have overcome! I rolled over on my bed and the clock struck twelve. The vision had occurred between 9:30 p.m. and midnight." (Excerpted from Wilford Woodruff’s vision of the United States, as found in his journal, December 16, 1878.)

(HEBER C. KIMBALL)
"Lay up your stores, and take your silks and fine things, and exchange them for grain and such things as you need, and the time will come when we will be obliged to depend upon our own resources; for the time is not far distant when the curtain will be dropped between us and the United States. When that time comes, brethren and sisters, you will wish you had commenced sooner to make your own clothing. I tell you, God requires us to go into home manufacture; and, prolong it as much as you like, you have got to do it. You will also see the day that you will wish you had laid up your grain, if you do not do it now; for you will see the day, if you do not take care of the blessings God has given to you, that you will become servants, the same as the world will. We have told you this before. You have been exhorted, year after year, to prepare for hard times: you have been told this often enough. . . . This will come to pass. I suppose there are many who don’t believe it. to such it is like a tune that strikes upon the drum of the ear, passes off, and is forgotten." (JD, 5:10.)

Chapter 26
Awake and Arise
"Awake, and arise from the dust, O Jerusalem . . .

that thou mayest no more be confounded,

that the covenants of the Eternal Father which he hath made unto thee . . .

may be fulfilled."
— Moroni 10:31

We live in the most serious, difficult, and demanding times this world has ever known. The prophets have repeatedly told us that the wickedness will exceed that evil which was experienced in the days of Noah or Sodom and Gomorrah. The calamities which are to befall the world in the last days have been echoed from prophet to prophet from the beginning of time. But what is most exciting, and very challenging, is the fact that this is the Lord’s time and we know that He will win in the end. This will be the time when He will pour out His judgments, bring His Kingdom, and reign as King of Kings and Lord of lords, and His saints will reign with Him.

For this momentous time that is swiftly approaching He has given us prophets to lead the way, time to preach the gospel to the world and to warn our neighbors, commandments so we can get our lives in order and be prepared, and to gather spiritual oil for our individual lamps.

What will add emphasis to all this is the fact that we, modern Israel, have not done all that we were supposed to do in protecting our rights and the rights of others. Can we see now how we have let many of those precious threads of our freedom become severed, because of our ignorance and apathy? Brigham Young said that instead of our country developing, it has regressed: "The progress of revolution is quite considerable in every government of the world. But is the revolution for the constitutional rights of the people in progress? No: It is on the retrograde." (JD, pp. 14-15.)

Our Present Situation
It looks like we, as a nation, have done all that we could to NOT protect our God-given rights of agency. We have let secret combinations control our lives. We have nullified many of those rights by contract and agreements, using the world’s values.

The Lord chose good and wise men to found this nation, and this country was fashioned as a republic, but we have been led to believe it is a Democracy.

We have entered into treaties that have been treasonous and have taken away the sovereignty we once enjoyed as a free people. And we have let Congress relegate its authority to make laws to the Executive and Judicial departments and other various government agencies. Even the States have not stood up for their rights, by allowing regionalism to creep in and by the adoption of the Seventeenth Amendment.

We have let a private corporation control our financial affairs, tax us to extremes, and then send that money to foreign countries which have been our enemies for more than three quarters of a century.

Religion has been taken out of our schools; the discussion of freedom, government, and the Constitution has — for all intents and purposes — disappeared from our churches; and our national moral posture is condemning.

Not only are we living all ten planks of the Communist [Socialist] Manifesto, but many are pushing to have a new constitutional convention, which could result in the establishment of an entirely new constitution without the liberties we now enjoy.

Is all well in the Zion of America? No it is not! The Constitution is truly hanging by a thread.

In speaking about some of the ancient civilizations that once graced this proud land, Spencer W. Kimball reflects:

"Why, why aren’t these Mayan Indians still building temples and other magnificent structures? . . . Why do they grovel in the earth today when in the long-ago-past they had their observatories and looked into the heavens? The answer comes ringing back with great force: Because they forgot the purpose of life! They forgot the thing for which they had come to earth and they dwelt in the earth and lived an earthly life. And the time came when God could not tolerate it longer and they were permitted to be decimated and destroyed." (The Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 137.)

After reciting the fall of another great people and the resort city of Pompeii, President Kimball adds:

"It seems strange that with all these historical examples of peoples who were destroyed because of unrepented sin, so many pursue a similar course today, including many in America. Yet the promise has been given to the great nations of the Americas that they shall never fall if they will but serve God. Those in the service of the Lord in those nations are but a token number. The devil reigns; sin is rampant in political, religious, and social circles. Evil is called good, and good evil." (Ibid., p. 139)

Elder Mark E. Petersen once said, "The extinct civilizations of the past now speak to us out of the ages, giving warning against the same conditions which brought them down to oblivion. Listen to what they say!" (The Ensign, June 1971, p. 48.)

Awake and Arise
We have drifted a long way from the intent, not only of our Founding Fathers, but of the Lord, when He redeemed this land and had this nation established. President Benson says that we are headed for another conflict:

"We must keep in mind that collectivized socialism is part of the communist strategy. Communism is fundamentally socialism. We will never win our fight against communism by making concessions to socialism. Communism and socialism, closely related, must be defeated on principle.
"Communist dupes and left-wingers use every stratagem to make socialism sound appealing and seem inevitable. Their aims for the United States include greatly expanded wasteful spending, higher and higher taxes, increasingly unbalanced budgets, wild inflation followed by government controls over our economy and lives, greater centralization of power in Washington and so on ad infinitum. We will never win the fight against communism by making concessions to socialism. (TRC, p. 75.)
"To all who have discerning eyes, it is apparent that the republican form of government established by our noble forefathers cannot long endure once fundamental principles are abandoned. Momentum is gathering for another conflict — a repetition of the crisis of two hundred years ago. The collision of ideas is worldwide. Another monumental moment is soon to be born. The issue is the same that precipitated the great premortal conflict — will men be free to determine their own course of action or must they be coerced?" (CHB, p. 27.)

At another time he mentions ten points, or cycles, that many past civilizations went through on their road to destruction and ruin. They are:

1. Bondage - Civilization always begins with bondage.
2. Faith - Out of bondage, comes faith in God.
3. Courage - Out of faith in God comes courage.
4. Liberty - With courage, men acquire liberty.
5. Abundance - This comes with liberty.
6. Selfishness - This follows abundance.
7. Complacency - This comes with selfishness.
8. Apathy - This comes after complacency.
9. Dependency - The "gimme" stage when we put more emphasis on security than we do on opportunity and challenge.
10. Then bondage again -Weakness under dependency leads to bondage. (TRC, p. 137.)

We, as a country, have never known bondage since the inception of this nation. We need to take time to discover the needs of this country. The unfortunate thing, it appears, is that most people believe, as President Benson has said, "It cannot happen here." And then he continues with, "We must never forget that nations may, and usually do, sow the seeds of their own destruction while enjoying unprecedented prosperity." (CR, October 1962; The Improvement Era, December 1962, p. 910.)

The Book of Mormon warns us often about the secret combinations in our present day. The book of Ether is especially pointed when it comes to warning us, and tells us to wake up to what is happening:

"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 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, . . .
"Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when you shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, . . ." (Ether 8:23-24.)

One of the oldest statements which exhibits the mindset of the Soviet leadership came in 1931. This quote was shared with you earlier, and it was made by Dimitry Z. Manuilsky at the Lenin School on Political Warfare in Moscow. At that time he stated:

"War to the hilt between communism and capitalism is inevitable. Today, of course, we are not strong enough to attack. . . . To win we shall need the element of surprise. The bourgeoisie will have to be put to sleep. So we shall begin by launching the most spectacular peace movements on record. There will be electrifying overtures and unheard-of concessions. The capitalist countries, stupid and decadent, will rejoice to cooperate in their own destruction. They will leap at another chance to be friends. As soon as their guard is down, we shall smash them with our clenched fist!" (Quoted in The Naked Communist, pp. 208, 235.)

It is their desire that we be asleep so that they can do their work of subversion. Remember, the book of Ether says that we should "awake to a sense of" our "awful situation." We as a nation have been asleep and need to awaken. In her biography of Ezra Taft Benson, Sheri Dew quotes the Prophet recalling what Nikita Khrushchev said about this very thing: "During the contact between Nikita Khrushchev and Ezra Taft Benson in 1959, Khrushchev boasted. . . . ‘Your grandchildren will live under communism. . . Americans are so gullible. They are in the process of being fed small bits of socialism and one day will awaken to find themselves living under a totalitarian order.’" (Ezra Taft Benson, p. 339.)

Let us follow a few more statements by Ezra Taft Benson in regard to this topic of "We the People" slumbering, when we should be vigilant:

"As a people who have known only liberty, we are inclined to feel, ‘it cannot happen here.’ We have become lulled away into a false security." (General Conference, October 1962; The Improvement Era, December 1962, p. 912.)
"The devil knows that if the Elders of Israel should ever wake up, they could step forth and help preserve freedom and extend the gospel. Therefore the devil has concentrated, and to a large extent successfully, in neutralizing much of the priesthood. He has reduced them to sleeping giants." (CR, April 1965, p. 123.)
‘It is the devil’s desire that the Lord’s priesthood stay asleep while the strings of tyranny gradually and quietly entangle us until, like Gulliver, we awake too late and find that while we could have broken each string separately as it was put upon us, our sleepiness permitted enough strings to bind us to make a rope that enslaves us." (AEHDT, p. 313.)
"There are many ‘awake’ passages in the Book of Mormon, such as: ‘O that ye would awake; awake from a deep sleep, yea, even from the sleep of hell . . . awake . . . [and] put on the armor of righteousness. Shake off the chains with which ye are bound, and come forth out of obscurity, and arise from the dust" (2 Ne. 1:13, 23). (CR, April 1986, p. 4.)
""And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, and they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well — and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell." (2 Ne. 28:21) (Ibid., April 1965, p. 124; AEHDT, p. 277.)
"I like the word ‘carefully.’ In other words, don’t shake them, you might awake them." (CR, APRIL 1965, P. 124.)

And perhaps we can offer a statement from the Lord through the Prophet Joseph Smith in this scenario, when He said to Edward Partridge:

"Awake my shepherds and warn my people! For behold the wolf cometh to destroy them — receive him not." (Joseph Smith to Edward Partridge, January 7, 1838; Joseph Smith Collection, Church Historians Office; Unpublished Revelations, Vol. I, Part 42:3.)

"Yea, let the cry go forth among all people:

Awake and arise and go forth to meet the Bridegroom;

behold and lo, the Bridegroom cometh;

go ye out to meet him.

Prepare yourselves for the great day of the Lord."
— Doctrine and Covenants 133:10

Chapter 27
Let Us Follow the Prophet
"Stand ye still, and see
the salvation of the LORD with you,
O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed;
to morrow go out against them: for
the LORD will be with you."
— 2 Chronicles 20:17

Someone once said that action without knowledge is dangerous, and knowledge without action is useless. And since we know what is happening and why, we now need to do something about it. President Spencer W. Kimball would most likely tell us to "lengthen your stride." To help us lengthen our stride, and stretch our faith, we will cover a few things that President Benson has admonished us to do — things which too many have neglected after receiving the Lord’s word from His Prophets.

President J. Reuben Clark tells us that we are all in this fight, whether we want to be in it or not. This is important to realize since we were no neutral spirits in the pre-earth life. We chose a side there, and we are choosing a side here: "This gigantic world-wide struggle, more and more takes on the form of a war to the death. We shall do well and wisely so to face and so to enter it. And we must all take part. Indeed, we all are taking part in that struggle, whether we will or not. Upon its final issue, liberty lives or dies." (PPNS, p. 318, from Vital Speeches, 5:174-175.)

A Mission to Perform
Before we get specifically into what our Prophet has instructed us to be doing, we will read a few preliminary words from him in relation to our duty. As an Apostle of the Lord, he said,

"The Lord’s priesthood has a mission to perform for liberty-loving people everywhere. We cannot, any more than Jonah of old, run away from our calling. . . . Our responsibility, as in Jonah’s case, is to see to it that the people have a chance to choose decisively after they have been shown clearly the Lord’s way and what the Lord expects of them." (CR, October 1954, p. 222.)
"Freedom is a weighty matter of the law; the lesser principles of the gospel you should keep but not leave this one undone." (CR, April 1965, pp. 123-24.)
"Those who support only the popular principles of the gospel have their reward.
"While the gentiles established the Constitution, we have a divine mandate to preserve it." (Ibid.)
". . . there should be no doubt in the mind of any priesthood holder that the human family is headed for trouble. There are rugged days ahead. It is time for every man who wishes to do his duty to get himself prepared — physically, spiritually, and psychologically — for the task which may come at any time, as suddenly as the whirlwind." (CR, October 1961, p. 70; "The American Heritage of Freedom - A Plan of God," p. 5-6.)
"Many of the prophecies referring to America’s preservation are conditional. That is, if we do our duty we can be preserved, and if not, then we shall be destroyed. This means that a good deal of the responsibility lies with the Priesthood of this Church as to what happens to America and as to how much tragedy can be avoided if we do act now." (CR, April 1965, p. 125.)
"We need a vast awakening of the American people as to the true nature of the Communist [Socialist] blueprint for revolution. Considering the degree to which the controlling influences of the federal government and many of the communications media are now furthering this Communist [Socialist] revolution, it is unrealistic to expect most of our present leaders or the networks to bring about this awakening. In fact, they may be expected to resist it. That means that individual citizens must stand up and assume more than their share of the responsibility. The speaker’s platform, hand distribution of literature, study clubs, home discussions — all must be pressed into service. . . . Each of us must be willing to discuss the problems openly with our friends. . . ." (CR, October 1967, p. 39.)
"Our stand for freedom is a most basic part of our religion; this stand helped get us to this earth, and our reaction to freedom in this life will have eternal consequences. Man has many duties, but he has no excuse that can compensate for his loss of liberty. . . . You cannot fully live the gospel without working to save freedom and the Constitution." (Conference Report, October 1966, p. 122.)
"Knowing what we know as His servants, can we hesitate to raise a warning voice to all who will listen so that they may be prepared for the days ahead? Silence in the face of such calamity is sin!" (Come Unto Christ, p. 113.)

Following Counsel
Now we will discuss the commandments as received from the Lord through His servant, our living Prophet. These "guidelines laid down by the Lord and His Prophet," have been received since Ezra Taft Benson has become the President of the Church and our Prophet, Seer, and Revelator.

There has been no attempt to collate them. However, some have been abridged for the sake of time and space. Before we start quoting them, let us hear from the Prophet and read his suggestions on how to approach the task:

"Usually the Lord gives us the overall objectives to be accomplished and some guidelines to follow, but he expects us to work out most of the details and methods. . . . Less spiritually advanced people, such as those in the days of Moses, had to be commanded in many things. Today those spiritually alert look at the objectives, check the guidelines laid down by the Lord and his prophets, and then prayerfully act — without having to be commanded "in all things." This attitude prepares men for godhood." (CR, April 1965, p. 121.)

As we study the following guidelines, we will not be receiving anything spectacular, but only what has been presented to us by President Benson. Other Church authorities have offered suggestions about our Constitutional responsibility and government involvement, and Ezra Taft Benson has done so many times before he became our Church President. However, we will be reading only some of those things he has suggested since he assumed leadership of the Church, but they are not all-inclusive.

These guidelines will not be presented in any special order other than chronologically. Sometimes the same suggestion is given in various addresses, so the reader will have to sort out what is important to him. In so doing let us remember that "Every member of the priesthood should understand the divine plan designed by the Lord to raise up the first free people in modern times." (CR, October 1961, p. 69; "The American Heritage of Freedom - A Plan of God," p. 1.)

We will be reading from three of his addresses: The Constitution A Heavenly Banner (1986), which has been published in book form; an address at the Provo Freedom Festival (1986); and a general conference address (1987). There could be other references but these should be sufficient.

THE CONSTITUTION: A HEAVENLY BANNER.
"Will we be prepared? Will we be among those who will "bear the Constitution away from the very verge of destruction?" If we desire to be numbered among those who will, here are some things we must do:

"1. We must be righteous and moral. We must live the gospel principles — all of them. We have no right to expect a higher degree of morality from those who represent us than what we ourselves are. In the final analysis, people generally get the kind of government they deserve.
"2. We must learn the principles of the Constitution and then abide by its precepts. We have been instructed again and again to reflect more intently on the meaning and importance of the Constitution and to adhere to its principles. What have we done about this instruction? Have we read the Constitution and pondered it? Are we aware of its principles? Could we defend it? Can we recognize when a law is constitutionally unsound? The Church will not tell us how to do this, but we are admonished to do it.
"3. We must become involved in civic affairs. As citizens of this republic, we cannot do our duty and be idle spectators. It is vital that we follow this counsel from the Lord: ‘I, the Lord God, make you free, therefore ye are free indeed; and the law also maketh you free. Nevertheless, when the wicked rule the people mourn. Wherefore, honest men and wise men should be sought for diligently, and good men and wise men ye should observe to uphold; otherwise whatsoever is less than these cometh of evil.’ (D&C 98:8-10). . . . Note the qualities that the Lord demands in those who are to represent us. They must be good, wise, and honest. . . . We must be concerted in our desires and efforts to see men and women represent us who possess all three of these qualities.
"4. We must make our influence felt by our vote. We must be wisely informed and let others know how we feel. We must take part in local precinct meetings and select delegates who will truly represent our feelings." (CHB, pp. 28-30.)

PROVO FREEDOM FESTIVAL, JUNE 19, 1986.
"How do we prepare ourselves so God will intervene in our behalf in the days ahead? I would like to suggest four important things we can do.
"1. We must, both as individuals and as a nation, look to God as our maker and as the source of our freedoms and blessings. Our nation has faced many crises since its founding. One of the most grave was the Civil War. Once again the Lord had raised up a great man to be the man of the hour. Abraham Lincoln understood the spiritual foundations of America and the need for divine help and guidance. He called upon the people to have a day of national fasting and prayer. His proclamation contains wisdom and counsel of great worth to us today: ‘It is the duty of nations as well as men to owe their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon, and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord.’
"2. We must make the creation of quality family life a high priority in our lives. Families are the foundation blocks of any society. When the majority of families are strong and self-reliant, the nation prospers and dwells safely. But today there are many forces pulling at the fabric of family life. One of the primary goals of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is to support strong family life.
"We teach and emphasize that the key to family stability is happy marriage based on family worship. Divorce is deplored.
"We are actively engaged in teaching fathers to be compassionate fathers, and mothers, full-time mothers in the home. Fathers are commanded to take the lead in all spiritual matters.
"We encourage parents to teach children fundamental spiritual principles that will instill faith in God, faith in their family, and faith in their country. We plead with parents to spend time with their children, both in teaching them and in building positive relationships. These are the things that create and foster strong family units and a stable society.
"3. We must become informed and knowledgeable citizens. The prophet Hosea said, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." We must not let that happen here. There are two important things we must do:
"A. We must study and learn for ourselves the principles laid down in the Constitution which have preserved our freedoms for the last two hundred years. If we do not understand the role of government and how our rights are protected by the Constitution, we may accept programs or organizations that help erode our freedoms. An informed citizenry is the first line of defense against anarchy and tyranny.
"B. We must teach our children about the spiritual roots of this great nation. We must become actively involved in supporting programs and textbooks in the public schools that teach the greatness of the early patriots who helped forge our liberties. We must teach our children that it is part of our faith that the Constitution of the United States was inspired by God. We reverence it akin to the revelations that have come from His hand. The great heritage of freedom bequeathed to us by our forebears must be handed on to each succeeding generation with great care.
"4. We must become actively involved in supporting good, wise and honest people for public office and assume an active part in improving our communities. Edmund Burke once said, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." It is not enough that we wring our hands and moan about conditions in America. We must seek good men and women and support them in running for public office. We must become involved in programs that seek to stop the decay of morality in America. We must become responsible citizens and carry out our civic duty. We should be "anxiously engaged" in good causes and leave the world a better place for having lived in it." ("Righteousness Exalteth A Nation," Provo Freedom Festival, Brigham Young University, June 29, 1986.)

GENERAL CONFERENCE, OCTOBER 1987.
"My beloved brethren and sisters . . . I ask for an interest in your faith and prayers as I speak to you about a subject that is very close to my heart and that affects the worldwide Church.
"I desire, therefore, to speak to you about our divine Constitution, which the Lord said ‘belongs to all mankind’ (D&C 98:5) ‘and should be maintained for the rights and protection of all flesh, according to just and holy principles’" (D&C 101:77).
"The Doctrine and Covenants states, "We believe that no government can exist in peace, except such laws are framed and held inviolate as will secure to each individual the free exercise of conscience, the right and control of property, and the protection of life" (D&C 134:2). Life, liberty, property — mankind’s three great rights.
". . . The Prophet Joseph Smith called it ‘a glorious standard . . . a heavenly banner’" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, . . . p. 147).
"Unfortunately, we as a nation have apostatized in various degrees from different Constitutional principles as proclaimed by the inspired founders.
"Only in this foreordained land, under its God-inspired Constitution and the resulting environment of freedom, was it possible to have established the restored Church. It is our responsibility to see that this freedom is perpetuated so that the church may more easily flourish in the future.
"How then can we best befriend the Constitution in this critical hour and secure the blessings of liberty and ensure the protection and guidance of our Father in Heaven?
"First and foremost, we must be righteous.
"John Adams said, ‘Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other’ (The Works of John Adams, ed. C.F. Adams, Boston: Little, Brown Co., 1951, 4:31). If the Constitution is to have continuance, this American nation, and especially the Latter-day Saints, must be virtuous.
"Second, we must learn the principles of the Constitution in the tradition of the Founding Fathers.
"Have we read the Federalist papers? Are we reading the Constitution and pondering it? Are we aware of its principles? Are we abiding by these principles and teaching them to others? Could we defend the Constitution? Can we recognize when a law is constitutionally unsound? Do we know what the prophets have said about the Constitution and the threats to it?
"As Jefferson said, ‘If a nation expects to be ignorant and free . . . it expects what never was and never will be’" (Letter to Colonel Charles Yancy, 6 Jan. 1816).
"Third, we must become involved in civic affairs to see that we are properly represented.
"The Lord said that ‘he holds men accountable for their acts in relation’ to governments ‘both in making laws and administering them’ (D&C 134:1). We must follow this counsel from the Lord: "Honest men and wise men should be sought for diligently, and good men and wise men ye should observe to uphold; otherwise whatsoever is less than these cometh of evil" (D&C 98:10).
"Note the qualities that the Lord demands of those who are to represent us. They must be good, wise, and honest.
"Fourth, we must make our influence felt by our vote, our letters, our teaching, and our advice.
"We must become accurately informed and then let others know how we feel. The Prophet Joseph Smith said, ‘It is our duty to concentrate all our influence to make popular that which is sound and good, and unpopular that which is unsound. ‘Tis right, politically, for a man who has influence to use it. . . . From henceforth I will maintain all the influence I can get’" (History of the Church, 5:286).
"I reverence the Constitution of the United States as a sacred document. To me its words are akin to the revelations of God, for God has placed His stamp of approval upon it.
"I testify that the God of heaven sent some of His choicest spirits to lay the foundations of this government, and He has now sent other choice spirits to help preserve it.
"May God give us the faith and the courage exhibited by those patriots who pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.
"May we be equally as valiant and as free, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, amen." (General Conference, October 1987; The Ensign, November 1987, pp. 4-7.)

What Is Our Position?
Our position depends on our attitudes, and our attitudes determine our eternal position in the hereafter.
H. Verlan Anderson, a member of the Quorum of the Seventy, has some excellent insights into our eternal situation regarding the attitudes and posture we take here in this life in relationship to free agency. His words offer us a very sobering perspective and some well needed "food for thought". In one of his books he wrote:

"The right of self-government provides the opportunity to follow or reject the Lord’s plan for protecting the free agency of the human race. However, since everyone lives under a government of some type and forms opinions regarding the laws enforced by that government, the Lord may judge all men by those opinions.
"Over and over again the scriptures emphasize that we will be judged according to our treatment of our fellow men. If we are charitable, we will be placed with the sheep in the Lord’s kingdom rather than with the goats in outer darkness (Matt. 25:31-46). If we forgive, we may be forgiven (Matt. 6:12). If we are just, we may rise in the resurrection of the just and dwell with them (D&C Sec. 76). If we refrain from exercising compulsion unrighteously, our dominion in the hereafter may be everlasting and flow unto us forever and ever ‘without compulsory means’ (D&C Sec. 121). In short, we can expect to be treated in the next life, as we treat others here.
"The exact implementation of this law of the harvest is made inevitable by the fact that at the end of this life, we will be divided into groups and each person will be consigned to spend eternity with those with whom he is most like. An unjust person will dwell with those who will treat him unjustly; a kind, forgiving person will enjoy the companionship of kind and forgiving associates, etc. But the fact which is important to our discussion here is that each person will be with that group who will allow him to exercise no more freedom than he is willing to allow them.
"If during this life we have been persuaded to believe that the force of government, or any other agency, should be used to deny our fellow men the stewardships which God has given them over their families, their property, and their private affairs, we can be very certain that we will be placed with a group in the hereafter who will hold similar views. With such an attitude we cannot expect to have stewardships or dominions of our own because we do not believe in them for others and neither will those with whom we will dwell believe in them for us. The poetic justice of God decrees that if we deprive our fellow men of those unalienable rights which, according to the Declaration of Independence, they have been endowed by their Creator, we will lose our free agency to the same extent." (H. Verlan Anderson, The Great and Abominable Church of the Devil, pp. 72-73.)

Considering Political Leaders
The Doctrine and Covenants tells us that "when the wicked rule the people mourn." Our political leaders should be as the Lord has directed. He has counseled us in these words: "Wherefore, honest men and wise men should be sought for diligently, and good men and wise men ye should observe to uphold; otherwise whatsoever is less than these cometh of evil." (D&C 98:10.)

Have we chosen governmental leaders that are not wise and honest? It appears we have done just that, at least for the most part. What kind of leaders should we be putting into office? In the Melchizedek Priesthood Personal Study Guide President Spencer W. Kimball taught that successful leaders must following the Savior’s example: "The Savior’s leadership was selfless. He put himself and his own needs second and ministered to others beyond the call of duty, tirelessly, lovingly, effectively. So many of the problems in the world today spring from selfishness and self-centeredness." (Melchizedek Priesthood Personal Study Guide 1, 1988, p. 119.)

We can find this type of leadership in the Founding Fathers. They were ideal examples of what kind of judges Jethro counseled Moses to choose. Exodus 18:21 reads: "Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them. . . ."

Are we putting such leaders over us today? With the foregoing references cited in these pages, we may be hard pressed to find many such leaders who meet the criteria just quoted.

Wouldn’t it be refreshing to have as a statesman, a man like Captain Moroni? Let us review some of his qualities as found in the book of Alma:

"And thus he was preparing to support their liberty, their lands, their wives, and their children, and their peace, and that they might live unto the Lord their God, and that they might maintain that which was called by their enemies the cause of Christians.
"And Moroni was a strong and a mighty man; he was a man of a perfect understanding; yea, a man that did not delight in bloodshed; a man whose soul did joy in the liberty and the freedom of his country, and his brethren from bondage and slavery;
"Yea, a man whose heart did swell with thanksgiving to his God, for the many privileges and blessings which he bestowed upon his people; a man who did labor exceedingly for the welfare and safety of his people.
"Yea, and he was a man who was firm in the faith of Christ, and he had sworn with an oath to defend his people, his rights, and his country, and his religion, even to the loss of his blood." (Alma 48:10-13.)

It might be well for our Presidents, senators, representatives, governors, mayors, councilmen, all politicians and the like, to ask themselves a few questions, like: What side am I on? What am I made of? What laws am I writing, passing, and supporting? Does the vanity and pride of position have hold of me? Does the intimidation of those in higher places cause me to cower before the world and sink into submissive servitude at the expense of subjugating those who trust me? Have I been lulled away into carnal security and cunningly duped into believing that socialistic and freedom-destroying legislation is just? Since the Lord will conquer all, will I be on the winning side in the end?

Partisan politics only leads to favoritism — favoritism for the position. Hyrum Smith was for integrity and good men, regardless of political leanings. In May of 1844, he said,

"We engage in the election the same as in any other principle: you are to vote for good men, and if you do not do this it is a sin: to vote for wicked men, it would be sin. Choose the good and refuse the evil. . . . Damn the rod of tyranny; curse it. . . . We want a President of the U.S., not a party President, but a President of the whole people. . . . Have a President who will maintain every man in his rights." (HC, 6:323.)

Our Imperative Duty
Of all the wickedness in the world, none will triumph in the end, only the Lord Jesus Christ. Let there be no mistake about it. He will come out conqueror. The question might be asked: "What part will we play in that great outcome?" Are we willing to jeopardize our own salvation because of personal intimidation, fears from the worldly, or pride and vanity? Or, will we join in the fight for liberty, free agency, and God’s brand of government as we did in the pre-earth life?

We cannot expect from the Lord that which we are not willing to extend to others. If we are not willing to get involved in protecting our liberties, and the liberties of others, how can we expect God to preserve them for us? Again from Ezra Taft Benson:

"Men receive blessings by obedience to God’s law. And without obedience there is no blessing. Before the final triumphal return of the Lord, the question as to whether we may save our Constitutional Republic is simply based on two factors — the number of patriots and the extent of their obedience." (AEHDT, p. 55.)
"This is a glorious hour in which to live. Generations past and future will mark well our response to our awesome duty. Ours is the task to try to live and perpetuate the principles of the Christ and the Constitution in the face of tremendous odds. May we, with God’s help, have strength for the battle and fill our mission in honor for God, family, and country." (GFC, pp. 332-333.)

The Lord expects us to be involved without being forced, because to be forced, negates the principle of agency. Therefore, we must be willing to receive the blessings that only come to the obedient and faithful.

The scriptures tell us that we should "begin to be up and doing" (Alma 60:24), therefore we will close this subject with a couple of pertinent scriptures:

"But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." (James 1:25.)
"It is an imperative duty that we owe to God, to angels, with whom we shall be brought to stand, and also to ourselves, to our wives and children, who have been made to bow down with grief, sorrow, and care, under the most damning hands of murder, tyranny, and oppression, supported and urged on and upheld by the influence of that spirit which hath so strongly riveted the creeds of the fathers, who have inherited lies, upon the hearts of the children, and filled the world with confusion, and has been growing stronger and stronger, and is now the very mainspring of all corruption, and the whole earth groans under the weight of its iniquity.
"And also it is an imperative duty that we owe to all the rising generation, and to all the pure in heart —
"For there are many yet on the earth among all sects, parties, and denominations, who are blinded by the subtle craftiness of men, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, and who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it —
"Therefore, that we should waste and wear out our lives in bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness, wherein we know them; and they are truly manifest from heaven — These should then be attended to with great earnestness." (D&C 123:7, 11-14.)

As we get into this freedom battle, it will be wise for us to "Trust in the Lord" with all our hearts, and "lean not unto thine own understanding." (Prov. 3:5-6.) He will direct our path when we acknowledge His hand in all things and realize that it is only by his good graces that we can come out conqueror. We are all in this fight, one way or another — on one side or another. Let us have the faith that Brigham Young had when he said,

"Let us sustain the Constitution that our fathers have bequeathed to us in letters of blood; and those who violate it will have to meet the crushing and damning penalties that will bury them in the mire of everlasting disgrace." (JD, 10:41.)