Fulness of Times

I've been wondering a little about the Nephite calendar. Some of this post had been in a previous post, but when I started adding more to it, I decided it needed its own post. In the Nephite calendar the destruction that happened at the Savior's birth began "in the thirty and fourth year, in the first month, on the fourth day of the month"(3 Nephi 8:5). Do we know if their calendar was similar to ours, where the first month is at the beginning of the year? Maybe they used a calendar like the Mayans. Or, maybe their calendar followed the Hebrew calendar, where the new year begins in the fall (the month of Tishri) but the "first month" is in the spring, the month of Nissan, when Passover occurs (see this article for more information  http://www.jewfaq.org/calendar.htm ). This would make it confusing if someone said an event happened in the "first month" but that first month is in the middle of the year. To add to the calendar confusion, the...

Regarding coming events, I have mentioned this in other posts, I still think we are heading into a period of increasing famine. There are several examples in the Book of Mormon about famines happening after the people become increasingly wicked, to the point of destruction. After repenting, prosperity returns. But it's usually only a few short years before the people are ripening in iniquity again. The United States hasn't really experienced an actual famine, yet. But famine is definitely one of God's methods of trying to get his children to turn away from sin and return to him. It would be reasonable to believe that there could be a nationwide (probably in conjunction with a world-wide) famine, or shortage of food, along with areas of severe drought. In conjunction with an increasing famine, there will probably be a severe recession/depression. This year (2018) will probably see the best prices for a lot of food for a few years. Prices will likely increase substant...

I've been giving this some more thought since last week. First, I'm not sure about what might constitute the beginning or ending of the approximate 20-year cycle. It was just something that I was guided to discover, and it happened to be with the king-men. Or, instead of king-men we could generalize it more by saying the cycle appears to be mostly around those who are attempting to reduce freedoms and subject the people to rulers, and an increased period of wickedness. It would definitely appear that with each cycle the people become more wicked. Something I am curious about, and it will require more in-depth study, are the cycles before major destruction a little shorter? There are periods of repentance when the people also appear to have their hearts turned back to God more, but that doesn't last. One example is after the robbers are defeated in 3 Nephi and the people return to their lands in about A.D. 26. The people had gathered together against a common cause, ...

My, how time can get away. I did not intend for a month to pass. But, I've been back in school, taking another two graduate classes. Added to working full-time and a family with four kids. Usually I can squeeze some time in for a post during the day, but January is a very busy time at work. And, of course, the kids bring home illnesses to share. And, the baby isn't sleeping through the night yet, so there is the chronic sleep deprivation. The short of it is, I decided other things were more important than getting a post in. But I do miss writing. On to my thoughts... A few days ago, while reading Alma chapter 51 I had an interesting thought pop into my head. I'm sure it was a whisper of inspiration. Here's a refresher of the beginning of the chapter: Alma 51 is after the chief judge Nephihah passes away and the people choose his son Pahoran to take his place as the chief judge and governor of the land. There had been peace, except for a group of people who ...

I've had a couple past posts regarding anger, one of which was a talk I gave last fall. Our emotions can be powerful motivators. Politicians, and those seeking for power, often use fear to move people to action. They may also get people riled up against something, which is basically the same as the scriptural term "stirred up to anger." Those who do allow themselves to get stirred up in anger often lose their ability to see things in a rational, reasonable, or even logical light. Their emotions make it difficult for them to even want to see things from a different perspective. Consider the following verse found in Alma 43:8, which is about a wicked leader of the Lamanites named Zerahemnah: "For behold, his designs were to stir up the Lamanites to anger against the Nephites; this he did that he might usurp great power over them, and also that he might gain power over the Nephites by bringing them into bondage." Zarahemnah was stirring up the Lamanites t...

In several posts I've mentioned that I believe an economic crash is coming, but I think it will probably become worse than that, although it may not start out bad. The reality is I think we are already amidst the beginnings of it, and it probably had it's foundation laid with the 2008 recession when the markets were not permitted to fully become corrected, but were, and are, artificially propped up. There are some similarities in the current environment to that of the time right before October 29, 1929, when the Great Depression had its "official" start. But there were telltale signs the economy was faltering long before that date. Similarly, there are economic signs that things are not well. It would not take much to knock the props out. Personally I think we will probably see an economic downturn in mid-to-late 2018, although I'm not convinced it will be a market crash. The globalists don't want to risk a full economic collapse, yet, and they undou...

President Russell M. Nelson is the next prophet. This is not just the order. It is not just how things worked out. President Nelson is who the Lord wants as the prophet and president of his Church at this time. I felt that confirmation as he began speaking. A few things from his words: Keep on the covenant path Endowed with power. Sealed as families. It is an exciting time. President Nelson does not look as old as his age. I was surprised to see Elder Oaks called as first counselor, but it has been the more traditional order for the next most senior apostle to be called as the first counselor, although it has not always been the case. I did receive the comforting peace of the Spirit confirming President Oaks call. I expect Elder Utchdorf will be kept just as busy (if not more so) as a member of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles. There will be some who will be disappointed, maybe even disenchanted, with him no longer being a member of the First Presidency. Some will even s...