Why Homesteading?

 Part of the journey we’re seeing develop in the United States and in the world is a thoughtful migration from urban to rural. What is described in this podcast covers so many of the deep stirrings of my mind and heart. My thought is that many have studied traditional skills and want to make the plunge but are tiptoeing in but not sure if it’s for them or if they can hack it. I’d encourage you to listen to this podcast and if you want to try it out for a day, please go to our websites. Happy trails!

https://youtu.be/d52OcWJI6l0

www.hymasfarmstay.com

www.hymasfamilyfarm.com

Some great quotes from the podcast:

“Ultimately, you do not have staying power if you are running away from something in fear. You have to embrace something in faith.”

“There is an intuitive desire in all of us that if the wheels fall off, we do not want to be in the city. We want to be somewhere where we can shoot a deer, get some firewood, make a shelter and survive. That is not fear.

That is simply wisdom that moves us to a place of more stability and security. We create that for ourselves.”

“How do we raise kids that shake hands and look you in the eye and who are affirmed and know who they are? How do we create beacons of hope and help when society is hopeless and helpless?”

“We are building an ark, and we are going to the ark. If you want to come with us, that is fine. If you do not, that is fine, too. But we are not going to get pulled off of our ark to argue with somebody who does not even know it is raining. It is not prideful or selfish or greedy to

- stay on mission.”

“It is a powerful thing to be reminded every day that I am not the center of the universe. There is something way bigger than me, and I have the privilege of viscerally participating in it. That is a profoundly humbling and stabilizing thing.”

“There comes a time when you have to give up on a top down strategy. We are not going to solve this by changing the president or

congressman. What we are going to do is we are going to make enclaves of stable, secure, resilient oases.” [Thus the need to point out and recognize false prophets who teach “all is well in Zion”. Have the courage and faith to follow the promptings of your heart, mind and warnings of scripture.]

“We are trying to make places scattered around the country where there is resiliency, community, morality, openness to share ideas. You are not going to be censored. You are not going to be accused of evil intent because you didn't say the right word or recognize the right political jargon. Many of us are craving that.”

“The homestead movement is also a community-building movement. If you are geographically proximate to people who know how to grow things, fix things, and build things, that is worth more than a 401k.”

JOEL SALATIN

Why Homesteading?

A Candid Chat About the Homestead Tsunami

HOMESTEADERS OF AMERICA PODCAST

“A lot of people started homesteading because they wanted better food.

Now, people are starting to homestead because of the culture, the economy, the government, the way the world is. We feel convicted and compelled to have a homestead for ourselves, but also at the end of the day, to help other people.” [As much as Noah wanted to help people, there came a time when he couldn’t open the ark for others who clambered to get in. The parable of the 10 virgins comes to mind.]

“There is an incredible satisfaction in getting your hands in the dirt and cultivating something of life, no matter how small or big it is. I think it stems back to Genesis and being in the garden and being created to be stewards of the earth and being created to work.”

AMY FEWELL

Why Homesteading?

A Candid Chat About the Homestead Tsunami

HOMESTEADERS OF AMERICA PODCAST

Let’s get back to Eden! It’s right under our noses. 

Holiness to the Lord

 Reading and pondering upon the things of God invites the spirit or the mind of God into our minds and hearts. Repentance, acting on those truths communicated to us, is what brings about the mighty change of heart and eventual redemption from the fall because we change our minds and hearts permanently. 

After repentance the blood of the Lamb redeems us. The sin or ignorance once lived in is gone and continued sanctification through the blood of Jesus Christ continues to lift us up. As we come unto Him we see more and more of our unworthiness and allow Him to teach us how to be. 

When he says, I AM, I believe he is teaching us volumes of light and truth. A state of being holy is beautiful. I long for that and hopefully don’t give up on it for myself as it can be discouraging sometimes.  

One of the beautiful attributes of Jesus is his grace. He never stops offering it, always desiring to extend mercy to us as we become more sanctified and holy. 

Jesus’ Words

 Mormon was one of the final authors in The Book of Mormon, a compilation of writings of prophets in the ancient American continent. He compiled the writings of many of the prophets and put them together. In this form Joseph Smith was led to them hundred of years later and translated them into The Book of Mormon by the gift and power of God. 

When Mormon was reflecting on the words of Jesus Christ to the ancient American inhabitants, he taught this important truth:

“And now there cannot be written in this book even an hundredth part of the things which Jesus did truly teach unto the people. But behold, the plates of Nephi do contain the more part of the things which he taught the people. And these things have I written, which are a lesser part of the things which he taught the people, and I have written them to the intent that they may be brought again unto this people from the gentiles, according to the words which Jesus hath spoken. And when they shall have received this, which is expedient that they should have first to try their faith, and if it should so be that they shall believe these things, then shall the greater things be made manifest unto them. And if it so be that they will not believe these things, then shall the greater things be withheld from them unto their condemnation. Behold, I were about to write them all, which were engraven upon the plates of Nephi, but the Lord forbid it, saying, I will try the faith of my people. Therefore I, Mormon, do write the things which have been commanded me of the Lord. And now I, Mormon, make an end of my sayings and proceed to write the things which have been commanded me” (3 Ne. 26:6-13; RE 3 Nephi 12:1).

There is so much more the Lord is desiring to give to us but we won’t accept what he already has revealed to us. We ought to think deeply on the precious truths he has given us and act on them. When we don’t, we dam our progress. It will be that much harder the next time around to accept them. 

I know that as we receive the truths he has given us, he then gives us more. If “all is well in Zion,” then we will be content and stopped in our learning and growth. 

I continue to seek more light and knowledge but I first start and continue by feasting on the word and acting on it as given to us in the holy scriptures. 

Loving Rebuke of Jesus

 The love of Jesus. He loved the corrupt leadership of the church in his day perfectly. Insomuch that he spoke boldly and directly to them. In this context below, couched in his rebuke of leadership, he teaches the two great commandments. Then he personifies what love looks like by rebuking them. 

“Then went the Pharisees and took counsel how they might entangle him in talk….What do you think? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness and said, You hypocrites, why do you test me? …

The same day came the Sadducees to him (who say that there is no resurrection) and asked him, saying, Master, Moses said,… Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife shall she be of the seven? For they all had her.

Jesus answered and said unto them, You do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God; for in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in Heaven….

But when the Pharisees heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. Then one of them, a lawyer testing him, asked, saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets….

Then spoke Jesus to the multitude and to his disciples, saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. All therefore whatever they bid you observe, they will make you observe and do, for they are ministers of the law and they make themselves your judges. But do not after their works, for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and lay on men’s shoulders, and they are grievous to be borne, but they will not move them with one of their fingers. And all their works they do to be seen of men. They make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, and love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi — which is, Master.

But be not called Rabbi, for one is your Master, who is Christ, and all you are brethren. And call no one your creator upon the earth, or your Heavenly Father, for one is your creator and Heavenly Father, even he who is in Heaven. Neither be called masters, for one is your Master, even he whom your Heavenly Father sent, who is Christ; for he has sent him among you that you might have life. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant, and whoever shall exalt himself shall be abased of him, and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted of him.

But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you shut up the kingdom of Heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, neither suffer them that are entering to go in.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, for you are hypocrites. You devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore, you shall receive the greater punishment.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you traverse sea and land to make one convert, and when he is made, you make him twofold more the child of hell than he was before — like unto yourselves.

Woe unto you blind guides, who say, Whoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing, but whoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he has committed sin and is a debtor. You are fools, and blind. For which is the greatest — the gold, or the temple that sanctifies the gold? And you say, Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing, but whoever swears by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. O fools, and blind. For which is the greatest — the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift? Truly I say unto you, whoever therefore shall swear by it, swears by the altar and by all things thereon. And whoever shall swear by the temple, swears by it and by him who dwells therein. And he that shall swear by Heaven, swears by the throne of God and by him who sits thereon.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you pay tithe of mint, and anise, and cumin, and have omitted the weightier things of the law: judgment, mercy, and faith. These ought you to have done, and not to leave the others undone. You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel, who make yourselves appear unto men that you would not commit the least sin, and yet you yourselves transgress the whole law.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. You blind Pharisees, cleanse first the cup and platter within, that the outside of them may be clean also.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you are like unto whitewashed sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but are within full of the bones of the dead and of all uncleanness. Even so, you also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchers of the righteous, and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

Wherefore, you are witnesses unto yourselves of your own wickedness. And you are the children of them who killed the prophets, and will fill up the measure then of your fathers, for you yourselves kill the prophets like unto your fathers. You serpents, a generation of vipers, how can you escape the damnation of hell?

Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes. And of them you shall kill and crucify, and of them you shall scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth; from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, son of Barachias, whom you slew between the temple and the altar. Truly I say unto you, all these things shall come upon this generation. You bear testimony against your fathers, when you yourselves are partakers of the same wickedness. Behold, your fathers did it through ignorance, but you do not. Wherefore, their sin shall be upon your heads.

Then Jesus began to weep over Jerusalem, saying, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who will kill the prophets and will stone them who are sent unto you, how often would I have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and you would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate” (JS–Matthew 1:1; Matthew 22:15-Matthew 23:38).

The Truth About LDS Polygamy

 An acquaintance sent this to me. Knock yourself out. If you still believe the current narrative of the LDS church, I don't know how else to persuade you. Remember the Lord's rebuke, "you took no thought save it was to ask me." Instead of praying only, add study to your faith. Here's a lot you can sink your teeth into. 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1c4qa2md3XcjUNyttMJYIstNAdq07U_pZR1OLdqXqHe8/edit?usp=sharing

Honesty?

 To all my extended family, LDS friends, acquaintances and LDS church leadership including the First Presidency, who excommunicated me. When you excommunicate or ostracize someone from your congregation for apostatizing, you make it your obligation to prove how the individual is in a state of apostasy. That was never done. 

I can empathize with those who feel they lack time to research these things. I'm making it easy for you by posting some of the most direct videos and scriptures to help you know if you've judged Joseph's position on plural marriage correctly. In turn, have you judged me justly? If you haven't, I invite you to change, look to God and make it right with me and everyone else you have misjudged. 

My witness before God and you is I have shared the Scriptures, Joseph Smith's words and the words of Jesus Christ. 

Here are my messages to you in video format. I believe videos are easier to communicate with than writing.

https://youtu.be/NwZrwPo4Wrc

https://youtu.be/Q6kRACpNHeo

https://youtu.be/oi-ODwK7yNw

Here are the references I was looking for in my video:

D&C 88:25-33 

3 Nephi 26:6-13 

Alma 34:30-36

Alma 41-42 

Videos, book and blog to simplify your search and give you references to verify:

https://youtu.be/W_wYAXING0M

https://youtu.be/F5heXE5xS5w

https://youtu.be/XIAvjOhpdwA

https://youtu.be/xW8FmY2-BNw

Book:

https://www.amazon.com/Joseph-Smith-Revealed-Exploring-Alternate/dp/1097872726

Blogs:

https://bilbaochristian.blogspot.com/2020/02/polygamy-plural-marriage-and-spiritual.html

https://bilbaochristian.blogspot.com/2020/05/can-prophet-lead-you-astray-part-2.html

https://bilbaochristian.blogspot.com/2020/03/can-prophet-lead-you-astray-how-do-we.html

More Historical Truth Coming Forth

 I invite all to come unto Christ by seeking the truth. He is the way, THE TRUTH and the life. If you can watch this and still believe the lies by the current LDS church, I don’t know what else to share with you. The Book of Mormon reveals the truth of the current prophesied status of the LDS church. It’s time we start believing the scriptures the Lord has given us. 

https://youtu.be/XIAvjOhpdwA

 “And I know that the Lord God will consecrate my prayers for the gain of my people. And the words which I have written in weakness will be made strong unto them; for it persuadeth them to do good; it maketh known unto them of their fathers; and it speaketh of Jesus, and persuadeth them to believe in him, and to endure to the end, which is life eternal.

5 And it speaketh harshly against sin, according to the plainness of the truth; wherefore, no man will be angry at the words which I have written save he shall be of the spirit of the devil.

6 I glory in plainness; I glory in truth; I glory in my Jesus, for he hath redeemed my soul from hell” (2 Nephi 33:4-6).

I was disfellowshipped for my blog post about similar findings and scriptural evidence against polygamy. Shortly after I was moving my family to north Idaho and en route, I was sent Rob’s first polygamy video. I wept as I heard a faithful telling of the same things I had found. I could not be silent. Eventually I was excommunicated as well. Rob’s faith bolstered mine as the devil attacked me relentlessly trying to get me to doubt the truths God had given me. That video was a nugget for me to hold on to. The Lord used Rob to extend an olive branch I desperately needed. Rob, Thank you for being true to God! God be praised for the gift of his Son, Jesus Christ!

How much more does the Lord need to reveal for the gentiles, us - many nations (the U.S. is a conglomerate of many nations), to repent and forsake the sins of our fathers and come unto Christ. Here’s Jesus’ prophecy, he quotes the last of  Micah 5 and then adds, “And it shall come to pass that all lyings, and deceivings, and envyings, and strifes, and priestcrafts, and whoredoms shall be done away. For it shall come to pass, saith the Father, that at that day, whosoever will not repent and come unto my Beloved Son, them will I cut off from among my people, O house of Israel, and I will execute vengeance and fury upon them, even as upon the heathen, such as they have not heard” (RE 3 Nephi 9:12; LDS 3 Nephi 21:19-21).

Steadying the Ark

 Is criticism steadying the ark? 

With the latest scandal in church funds, even more are willing to add up the infractions and consider what is happening in the church. But, fear of steadying the ark grabs their heart and they’re tempted to retreat in analyzing for themselves what is going on.

 “Safe and effective,” has clearly been shown to be ignorance or worse, a lie. Now this use of tithing investment funds. This comment on steadying the ark may help you feel more comfortable in applying D&C 8:2-3. He will tell you in your mind and heart so it’s ok to use those instruments in detecting truth and knowledge and learning by the power of the Holy Ghost the truth of all things. 

“The problem with steadying the ark was related to interfering with a function assigned to someone else. No one other than properly called priesthood authorities have the right to: organize a stake, call a stake presidency, organize a ward, call a bishop and his counselors, organize an elder’s quorum and its presidency, call a conference, preside at a conference, conduct at conferences, authorize baptisms, interview for worthiness for baptism, interview for worthiness for callings, interview for priesthood advancement in church assignments, organize auxilary organizations, collect tithing money, build and dedicate chapels, temples, etc. If anyone other than a properly designated authority were to undertake any of these, they would be steadying the ark and without appropriate authority to do so.

On the other hand, every one of us is obligated to preach, teach, exhort, expound and cry repentance as soon as we have been given the Aaronic office of teacher. Every adult who has been warned, is required to warn their neighbor. We are required to teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom.

Further, with respect to this particular effort, Elder Ballard has imposed the obligation to use the Internet to preach the Gospel.

This is NOT steadying the ark.

Finally, you must understand that there are many Saints who are perfectly content with their version of the Gospel and who have no interest in confronting questions or grappling to understand something more. I do not want to trouble them. But there are many more who are inactive and disaffected, or who continue to attend but who are alienated by the teaching which appears in church, or who would leave the church altogether if they wouldn’t disrupt their families. I believe they are struggling becuase they haven’t yet read the Book of Mormon and been informed that this process, this struggle, their frustrations are not a defect in themselves. They can be active, faithful members of the church while searching more deeply into the faith. When eyes begin to open, they needn’t abandon the church because they see issues. It will be alright. There is still hope. I write to help them, to show how to put context to problems. To see that despite all we have and will pass through, the Gospel is a personal journey, and they can remain in that personal journey despite earth and hell.

I should add, also, that none of you either get the off-blog emails or participate in the personal conversations which I have. There are some people whose names you would recognize who are quite supportive of my effort. I have it on good authority that presiding authorities are themselves divided over the correlation process and how it is affecting the church. Some have the identical view I express on this blog. I am not as radical in my view as some of you may think. Or, if radical, there are some in authority who share my view. I am trying to help them, as well” https://denversnuffer.com/2010/07/2-nephi-28-3/.