Ghosts, Graves and Cemeteries

SCRIPTURE:

“O how great the goodness of our God, who prepareth a way for our escape from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that monster, death and hell, which I call the death of the body, and also the death of the spirit.

“And because of the way of deliverance of our God, the Holy One of Israel, this death, of which I have spoken, which is the temporal, shall deliver up its dead; which death is the grave.

“And this death of which I have spoken, which is the spiritual death, shall deliver up its dead; which spiritual death is hell; wherefore, death and hell must deliver up their dead, and hell must deliver up its captive spirits, and the grave must deliver up its captive bodies, and the bodies and the spirits of men will be restored one to the other; and it is by the power of the resurrection of the Holy One of Israel.”

–2 Nephi 9:10 - 12

Death and Dying are Central Themes

for Remembering our Dead in Holiday Celebrations

            Usually when Halloween approaches we find ourselves deciding upon costumes for ourselves and our children, buying candy to give out as treats, decorating our homes, carving pumpkins or jack-o’-lanterns, visiting haunted attractions, bobbing for apples, telling scary stories and watching a lot of horror movies. My mom used to dress up to greet the kids at the door (often scaring them a bit) and then after we were all tucked in for the night would go to visit and party with neighborhood friends. She always decorated the front door and porch area. This was at a time in the 1950’s when not many were doing this, so our house became a sure stop for trick-or-treaters.

            The word Halloween comes from All-Hallows-Even (evening) or the night before all Hallow’s Day or All Saints Day. Trick or treating –resembles a late medieval practice of “souling” when the poor would go door to door on Hallowmas (Nov.1) receiving food in return for prayers for the dead on All Souls Day (Nov. 2). This tradition of trick-or-treating was called “Guising” in Scotland and Ireland –children disguised in costume would go door to door for cakes, fruit or money, often carrying a lantern carved from a turnip to light the way (1895). Today’s U. S. tradition began about 1930 although mention of parts come as early as 1911. 

The Grim Reaper by autistic boy in Tucson

            When I lived in Guadalajara, Mexico in the late 1990’s, I was surprised to find children celebrating a typical U.S. style Halloween with costumes, trick or treating , and gathering great bags of candy. I was surprised because the most popular and traditional celebration in Mexico is called the Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos). This is where family and friends gather on the Catholic holidays of All Saints Day (Nov. 1) and All Souls Day (Nov.2) to pray for family members who have died. In remembrance of a specific deceased person, they will build private altars using marigold flowers, photos, memorabilia and sugar skulls then prepare the deceased person’s favorite foods and beverages. They take these gifts to the grave site of their ancestor. This three day event finds families cleaning the graves and cemeteries before they decorate. Then the celebrations take over. Some have picnics or even spend the night beside the graves of their ancestors telling humorous events and stories about the departed.

Day of the Dead Offerings in Mexico

Decorating Ancestors Graves in Mexico

Similarly themed traditions and holidays appear all over the world. Some of these include Bon Festival in Japan; Chuseok or Hangawi in Korea; Ching Ming and pin yin in China; Gai Jatra in Nepal. Brazil and Spain also celebrate similar to Mexico. African cultures have bits and parts of this celebration or remembering of the dead in ceremonies spread throughout the year.

The anniversary of this little boy's birth is remembered

This is the memorial of Cooper Hamblin Koffer - What Fun!

Located in East Lawn Cemetery, Provo, UT

           

MY QUESTION FOR YOU: Will you remember a deceased person this week? You might take a moment to think of your ancestors or those who have recently died in your circle of family and friends. Will you write a humorous memory about them or a story that will entertain their descendants for years to come? Or perhaps you will find someone on this date was born, died or was married in your genealogies.

MY SUGGESTION: Read the Bible Dictionary description of Death and ponder the two deaths described. Death and dying are part of the Plan of Salvation. Physical dying must come to us all. I call this an ordinance date for it is one of three dates that we record for identifying a specific person in our family history research to prepare them for submission for temple ordinances. We can not provide this work for a deceased person before they have been dead for exactly one year. Our responsibilities also are for our own direct ancestors first; these usually take us back about 100 years. 

As we ponder our own mortality we, as Latter-day Saints, must surely think about the consequence of our own sins for we do indeed make our own spiritual death by our works, our thoughts and our actions. It is this spiritual death that the world worries so much about. Granted, we sorrow and mourn for our dead. We miss them and think about them. What a glorious and joyful light has broken upon the world with the restoration of the gospel and the saving ordinances performed for our dead. The rest of the world is focused on the grave. We are focused on the Resurrection and the promise and hope of eternal life.

           

QUOTE:  “Ode: Intimations of Immortality” –by William Wordsworth

Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting:

The Soul that rises with us, our life's Star,

Hath had elsewhere its setting,

And cometh from afar:

Not in entire forgetfulness,

And not in utter nakedness,

But trailing clouds of glory do we come

From God, who is our home:

Heaven lies about us in our infancy!

Shades of the prison-house begin to close

Upon the growing Boy,

But He beholds the light, and whence it flows,

He sees it in his joy;

The Youth, who daily farther from the east

Must travel, still is Nature's Priest,

And by the vision splendid

Is on his way attended;

At length the Man perceives it die away,

And fade into the light of common day.

THOUGHT:  Our birth is indeed a sleep and a forgetting; and we do enter this earthly body trailing clouds of glory, just ask any parent who has looked upon a newborn baby. Our Father in Heaven must say good bye to us for a small season when we come down to live upon the earth. He watches over us, rejoices in our repentance, baptism and our obedience to his commandments. He delights in our diligent prayers and scripture study. He wants us to succeed so that when we die, we return to Him having lived a righteous life from youth to the end. Our death to Him is a joyful reunion, for we are his heirs and he will give us the greatest of all treats when we knock upon His door, that of eternal life and the promise of “all that he has.”

In your patriarchal blessing do you  find such phrases as “rightful inheritance in the promised land”, “binding  for time and all eternity”, “a kingdom that shall never fail”, “a place in the celestial kingdom” or “come forth in the morning of the first resurrection to receive an inheritance”?  These phrases will be a comfort to you and a reminder to reverence the Lord, and provide for your ancestors the opportunities and blessings they did not have when they lived here upon the earth.  

Death or dying is the gateway to these wonderful promises

Why I go to church

     Yesterday was a perfect example of why I love going to church. Speaking frankly, I‘ve been a little depressed lately. But there was never any question about whether I would attend our church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where we have a three hour block of meetings (mine begins at 1pm and goes to 4pm) beginning with sacrament meeting where we partake of bread and water in the name of Jesus Christ and covenant to remember him and his atoning sacrifice; next comes Sunday School where various age groups meet together in a course of study (as an adult I attend the Gospel Doctrine class); finally we break into Priesthood for the men, Relief Society for the women, the youth ages 12-17 attend Young Men or Young Women, and the children ages 3 to 11 attend Primary (little ones 18 months to 3 go to the Nursery) which began an hour earlier.

     Now you will understand what I am talking about, these terms being defined.

In my Sunday Meetings I asked Myself this Question:

“What should I be doing NOW to accomplish the work God has entrusted to me?”

     During the sacrament, I determined to repent of my depressed state and begin to find joy in my life again. I covenanted to humble myself before God and to repent of recent behavior patterns that have weakened my spiritual strengths and gifts.

     I have determined to begin with might prayers. I had become so sad and depressed over my inability to work out the Hicks of Baltimore Maryland Family Groups, as well as not being able to remember things that I’d previously read or done during research of this surname.

     Also, I’ve felt such a failure in my own family because my daughter and her husband won’t even entertain the possibility that this is the Lord’s church and thus could perish in their unbelief. I love my daughter and her hard heartedness breaks by own heart.

     Thirdly, I’ve spent too much time on things that have less eternal value, often choosing good over better or best. Fourth I’ve gained 30 lbs back, my clothes are not fitting, my legs have swollen and my knees are killing me.

     The only way to break this chain that physically binds me, is to rely on the atonement of Jesus Christ…. His gift to me, and all of us who find ourselves up against tough circumstances. I can’t do this alone, apparently. I must beg Him to help me. Thus, I turn to mighty prayer.

Sundays Lesson from a Prophet, Lorenzo Snow, Spoken in the 1880’s

     Lorenzo Snow says, “It is now time for Latter-day Saints to humble themselves before the Almighty… to find out wherein they have committed themselves; …and to repent of their sins and follies and call upon the Almighty, that His aid may be given;… that we may go forward and accomplish the great work entrusted to our care.”

     Does this sound familiar. You see how Sunday’s lessons infiltrated my mind. Now begin to see how today I saw God’s hand in my life.

     During the Sacrament I determined to begin praying more, reading and studying the scriptures more diligently (for sometimes weeks go by where I’ve only glanced at or read a few verses); and write in my journal and begin again to write here in my blog. I’d become discouraged about the blog because what I am interested in, most others aren’t.

Now You Will Hear Me Boo Hooing!

     I miss my late husband, Bob. I’m in a home in the desert and not one by my beloved ocean. My car is old. My body is old. And it appears that I have very little influence in other people’s lives.

     So Lorenzo Snow’s words, “We are engaged in the work of God. The prospects before us are glorious, but let us be impressed, in every work of our hands, that we are the servants of God and doing His will. Let not our integrity be impaired, but our faith be continually increased as we proceed through life” lift my Spirit, continuing he and I, too, “….would (will) be satisfied to act where Providence has placed me, and ask God, the Lord, what I can do to aid in building up the kingdom of God in that place.”

“Move on! Move on, and see the salvation of the Lord.”

     This morning I see God speaking to me through the scriptures when I first opened them my eyes fell upon this verse that I’d highlighted in Doctrine and Covenants 25:10 given to encourage and reveal God’s will to Emma Smith, the Prophet’s wife: “And verily, I say unto thee that thou shalt lay aside the things of this world, and seek for the things of a better.”

“Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God”

     I then turned to Luke 12:31 JST “Therefore seek ye to bring forth the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you…” and in verse 33 “… provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.”

     In Jacob 2,  I found a wonderful discourse on seeking not after the things of this world, but to seek after your treasures in heaven.]

     “But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God. And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, and feed the hungry, and liberate the captive (whether someone bound by chains of sin via missionary work, or captives in spirit prison via temple ordinances for the dead) and administer relief to the sick and afflicted.”

Remembering the Stories of Our Forefathers

     Then, as I turned to Helaman 5, where I’d left off reading previously in the Book of Mormon, I find Helaman talking to his sons, Nephi and Lehi, “Behold I have given unto you the names of our first parents who came out of the land of Jerusalem; and this I have done that when you remember your names ye may remember them; and when ye remember them ye may remember their works; and when ye remember their works ye may know how it was said, and also written that they were good.”

     “Therefore, my sons, I would that ye should do that which is good, that it may be said of you, and also written, even as it has been said and written, even as it has been said and written of them.”

     Oh, my goodness, we’ve been asked to record the stories about our ancestors that make them come alive, and try to find the good!

     Helaman continues, “And now my sons, behold I have somewhat more to desire of you, which desire is, that ye may not do these things that ye may boast, but that ye may do these things to lay up for yourselves A TREASURE IN HEAVEN, yea, which is eternal, and which fadeth not away; yea that ye may have that precious gift of etrnal life.”

     “…Yea, remember that there is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, who shall come; yea remember that he cometh to redeem the world.”

Remembering the Savior

     This is such an important principle that Jesus Christ tells us this very thing when he appears to the Nephites at their temple in Bountiful on this continent after His resurrection. He first shows them how to pray (The Lord’s Prayer; and how to pray properly) then he says, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt and thieves break through and steal; But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal; “

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

     To answer the question of what should I be doing NOW to accomplish the work God has specifically entrusted to me, I reread my patriarchal blessing and know that I must refocus my efforts in these areas:

1.     Pray often and fervently

2.   Diligently read and study the scriptures

3.    Be an influence for good among my fellow associates and friends

4.    Bring to pass much righteousness upon the earth

5.    Finally, continue in my calling helping others find their ancestors, as well as my own, and as my blessings states that I “will not rest until I do all within my power to seek out my forefathers and perform for them a work they cannot do for themselves.,” These are the opportunities and blessings that I enjoy as being a member of the Lord’s Church

     See why I go to church? 

    I go to receive guidance from the Holy Spirit through inspired teachers who prepare prayerfully, material that our prophet and apostles have reviewed in correlation meetings, to come forth in the Lord’s good timing. It is like reading the Scriptures… they reveal just what you need to hear to help you in life right when you need it. 

First Anniversary of My Husband's Death

Anniversaries of memorable and life changing events 

are celebrated in many ways. 

     You don't think of the death of a loved on as a day to celebrate an anniversary, but it is! Whether you want to or not, the date brings back vivid memories. As the date approaches there are intense emotions and changes in the physical, intellectual and spiritual dimensions of your life. 

"The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong in the broken places"

--Ernest Hemingway

Healing Comes When We Honor Our Loved One 

By Sharing and Symbolic Activities

Robert Eugene Field

30 Sept 1930 - 9 May 2012

     As the anniversary of my husband's death approached, I decided to be gentle with myself and include my daughter in some sort of special remembrance of his life and our lives together. 
     Bob loved cooking and food in general. He won my heart by cooking amazing dinners for me when I first visited him in Nashville, TN. I have a video of him making his famous meatballs! But first and foremost he loved Indian food. He often told people that when he lived in England, working for Proctor and Gamble, he would occasionally have to commute to London and catch the late train home to Newcastle located further north. So he'd go to Soho and eat dinner, trying a new restaurant each time. He was walking down the street and this wonderful smell of exotic spices wafted out to meet him as he walked down the street. He followed his nose and found an Indian Restaurant. He said from that day on he always came back to that Indian Restaurant because he was hooked. 
     Whenever we traveled... anywhere in the world from Atlanta, GA to Bangkok, Thailand we found the local Indian Restaurant to try out. My mother, knowing how much he loved Indian food, bought him a wonderful cookbook and from that day on, Chicken Curry became one of our family's  "special" dinner treats. Although he followed the recipe book, Bob would tweek it so that every time it was just a little different. Brianna and I laugh at the memory of that page in his cookbook. It is so covered with yellow and brown spots, greasy prints and stains that it "could almost stand on its own!"
     The restaurant we found here in Tucson is called Saffron: Indian Bistro located on North Oracle. Bob and I went there several times. It was a bit pricey for our budget, but the lunch buffet was within our budget at $8.95. 

Saffron Indian Bistro, North Oracle Blvd., Tucson, AZ

     Brianna and Bob had their last Daddy-Daughter date at this wonderful restaurant about a month before he died. In fact, he never left the house again after this date. I asked if she would like to go there this year to remember him. Yes!
     It was truly a wonderful day!! Could've been sad, but wasn't... Having Bri there was just the sweetest thing, and we did do lots of remembering... like the great waitress at Saffron who had asked Bob, "Is there anything more I can get you?" and Bob answering, "Yes, another little bowl of Khir (tasty rice desert)" and she brought maybe as many as four more little bowls to him!!! 

Visiting Bob's Grave Site Seemed An Appropriate 

Symbolic Activity To Share With Brianna

     Not knowing how long this would take, Bri got a baby sitter and we went to the LDS Binghampton Cemetery, located on North Alvernon Way in Tucson, AZ,  first thing this morning. Yesterday, I'd gone to Michael's to find some type of container and white flowers (preferably Bob's favorite...roses) to place by his grave. Something tasteful, that he would like. I found no roses but did discover white geraniums that said they were water resistant. The only container I could find in metal was a tall vase like shape in a bronze color. I went to Ace Hardware and bought Quik-Crete. Last night I poured this mortar into the vase and set the flowers into it along with a couple tubes that I could insert flags into if I wanted on some later date. This made it full to the edge of the vase so that during the rainy season, water would not sit in it to create a place for mosquitoes to breed.  It also made it heavy enough so that wind wouldn't blow it over. It set up hard as rock overnight.
Just to be certain it wouldn't blow over or be removed, however, we dug a shallow ditch, mixed up more Crete and poured it into the hole, then set the vase into it.

Notice the howling coyote?  Dale Leeson, a very talented metal artist, created the howling coyote that I'd placed there when Taylor Lancaster and I visited his grave last fall.

     Then we noticed that there was a gallon water jug behind his headstone and that someone had planted a barrel cactus just behind his grave to the right. What a cute little surprise. Someone, and I think it was Bob's son, Rob, planted this little barrel cactus. They left a gallon of water there so whoever came to visit could give it a little drink. And we did! 

A Small Barrel Cactus Symbolic of Surviving in a Hostile Land

 What a delightful day of Remembering and Healing!

The Three Day Assimilation Rule

The Three Day Assimilation Rule

    I learned while homeschooling my daughter that it took about 3 days for some new concept or topic or principle to "sink in." This was a very important discovery. That a teacher could try to cram more about a certain concept, topic or principle into non-hearing ears and an uncomprehending mind the next day, but no learning would happen. This would cause complete frustration with herself, thinking what a terrible teacher she was, because the student simply didn't "get it."

     However, after three days, the student herself would begin to talk about that new concept or topic or principle!!! With understanding. It wasn't because the teacher had given the lesson over and over again (like I'd once thought was the case) but it just needed time to germinate quietly in the dark recesses of the mind.

     This past month has been such a period for me.

     RootsTech 2013 completely blew my mind. It turned my thinking upside down... and I needed time to assimilate what I learned. This is the reason that I have not posted here recently. I had gone up to the event with very specific goals and each day drove my scooter around and talked with the most amazing, inspiring people. I collected stories of how God's hand was seen in their lives as they did their "genealogical thing." I also attended fabulous Keynote speakers, along with presenters who were at the top in their fields within the genealogical community. Many of these were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They seemed to shine among their peers. They were looked up to and respected for being innovators. They had fabulous stories to tell and told them well.

Talking at lunch with people from FamilySearch and other attendees

Stories were the Theme of RootsTech 2013

     My goal of collecting stories was right in line with the overall theme of RootsTech. I had even had cards printed to pass out to people, encouraging them to contact me with their stories. On this card it said, Bev Field, author of Elijah's Warriors. Of course I told people, there would be no book until I had collected the stories. The stories are coming, however, now I know there will be no book.

Bev Field author of “Elijah’s Warriors”

   BEEinthedesert.blogspot.com 

bevfieldinaz@yahoo.com

What!!!! NO BOOK?

     Yep, no book. My target audience was to be young teens. I wanted to show them how God's plan was unfolding and that they were His young warriors using the genealogical technology needed to move His work forward, They would be responsible for  finding records, indexing those record collections, identifying specific individuals and then providing the necessary ordinances for all of those who have ever lived anywhere upon the earth. This means ALL who ever lived in China, Russia, Australia… everywhere. That means the youth of those countries will be Elijah’s Warriors. The young native speakers of every language will have to learn how to read OLD manuscript writing in ancient mandarin, historic Spanish, and so on. They’ll have heavenly help, of this I can share my testimony about. 

    

NO BOOK BECAUSE OUR YOUTH DON’T READ BOOKS ANYMORE!!!!

They watch 5 minute fast paced YouTube visual stories. Maybe…just maybe  they might read an E-book on their Kindle, woops the young don’t DO Kindle’s do they? In reality they want short quick bursts of infusion before they go on to their next task; they want TWEETS, they want a continuing FB conversation one sentence at a time. NO BOOK.

Others are pondering this same dilemma: How to Attract the Next Generation

Now What Do I Do?

Mini RootsTech Conferences All Over the World

     RootsTech FamilySearch speakers told of how there are to be Regional RootsTech Events in several countries this year. Then maybe 60 such RootsTech Conferences in 2014. If the youth in American don’t respond to this call, the youth of the world will. The cultures in China have left the burden of their family stories on only one or two children because of bans on large families. They will take up the cause for their families. Our missionaries will find those young people who will be China's warriors for Elijah. They may even be found in California or some other land where they have immigrated. They will recognize the Lord's work and will join in a great army of volunteers who are prepared and educated, with skills to do this work.

DO I ENCOURAGE THESE YOUTH THROUGH SHORT VIDEOS?

IS THIS MY CALLING?

DO I HAVE THOSE SKILLS?

SHOULD I ENLIST OTHERS TO HELP ME?

     James Tanner learned this same lesson at RootsTech and is at this moment preparing his own short videos on topics of personal interest.

Are Videos My Voice? 

     Is my contribution the one I was working on called FamilySearch: The Game? This concept of a board game was one that I designed while living on Kwajalein, Marshall Islands and in Guadalajara, Mexico and even had presented to Deseret Books pre-2000. With no encouragement, or sponsors, it still sits in my files. Of course, the video game had just taken hold and all board games became less popular. Family games such as Monopoly, etc. became individual games played on computers, Playstations, etc. Joshua Taylor,a RootsTech presenter, said it is a small step from board game to video....so who knows. All I know, is that one of my gifts is visual creativity and I would demand quality. I don't know where this gift and my passion for family history will coincide. I guess it's still a gestation question.

     

    

     

RootsTech 2013: The Reason I Am Attending

The reason I am attending RootsTech is to gather inspiring stories of God's hand in the great work of redeeming the dead in the 21st Century.

Isaiah Saw Our Day of Computers and the Internet

I love studying Isaiah! For the past two years, this study has brought me a keen understanding of what an individual member of the Church of Jesus Christ is expected to do.

First of all I must testify that Isaiah, one of the most revered prophets of the Lord in all history, often referred to as “The Prophet,” speaks as if he were the Lord in most instances. In other words this is the pre-mortal Christ talking to me. I picture myself sitting at his feet listening and likening what he says to me and my own time in the 21^st century.

Usually the prophets speak to the Priesthood men, yet I noticed that in Isaiah 1:8 while the Lord is lamenting on having nourished and brought up children that have rebelled against Him (Isa 1:2) and the land has become desolate, overthrown by strangers and devoured by those strangers, thus setting the scene, he talks about the daughters of Zion.

8  And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a

garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.

(Old Testament | Isaiah 1:8)

I pondered this domestic reference of a cottage and a garden of cucumbers juxtaposed with the vineyard, that is normally used symbolically for the Lord’s people, and asked, “How on earth can those two references be linked with a ‘besieged city.’

            Here is what I’ve come to understand: The Priesthood is the vineyard’s watchmen on towers, but the scene described here has changed. The enemy (strangers) have overcome the ‘children of the Lord’ and they have become stricken and faint and have rebelled.

            This daughter of Zion verse is followed by the Lord being thankful that He saved a “very small remnant” or else the whole world would have become like Sodom and Gomorrah. Thus we see that the daughter of Zion and her small remnant IS a besieged city. And indeed our cottages, our homes are under constant bombardment of evil from the onslaught of mass communication technology. Our current-day idols are cell phones, smart phones, iPods, iPads, mini pads, laptops, computers, downloadable movie sites such as Netflix and Crackle, and music galore to download. “Apps” are downloaded to make our every wish come true! What a candy store for our children.

            If we are not really diligent, we’ve given our young children permission to enter thru that door into pornography, bullying, malicious gossip, inappropriate music and horror movies. They learn about the dark side the world’s folklore such as vampires, werewolves, gothic images of skulls and dragons, tattoos, body piercings, sexual deviations, and the glorification of fornication, bestiality, adultery, and homosexuality. Now having been surrounded by the flood of these images for several years they honestly think same-sex marriages are okay and that all this dark stuff is normal. They don’t even recognize that a priesthood blessing is NOT the same as a witch’s curse or good witch’s spell! (This is true, because I have heard it first hand from a fourteen year old, baptized member of the church.) Our children do not see the insidious rot and decay of the ‘family’ in our modern day world.

            Is it clear now that the Lord saw our homes as a besieged city?

            The Lord then says in Isaiah 1:16, to repent and cease to do evil: (verse 17) learn to do well, see justice, relieve the oppressed, watch out for the orphans/fatherless and plead for the widow. Even though our sins are as scarlet they can be white as wool (verse 18) if we are willing and obedient (verse 19) we’ll eat the good of the land. But if we rebel we’ll be devoured by the sword (verse 20).

            Yikes! He says the faithful city has become a harlot, lusting after the things of the world and have become murderers (abortion, etc.) see verse 21. The young Priesthood holders are rebellious, merchants fraud consumers and money/silver has become as dross (waste or foreign matter) see verses 21-22. In our day silver is worth little and money is now held captive by foreign debt payments. All you have to do is watch our elected officials arguing over the budget and debt that this country is consumed with to know what I am talking about.

            Our young people love gifts and follow after rewards (verse 23). They don’t think of the fatherless or widows nor give service to the poor and needy, unless their Young Men and Young Women leaders request it and provide the opportunity to learn how to give service.

            In verse 24 the Lord God of Israel, Jesus Christ, will avenge Himself and His people against the enemies of God. Ooooo, better watch out world! He will purge the dross and take away our sins. And will restore judges, counselors and afterwards we’ll again be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city (verses 25-26): “Zion shall be redeemed with (justice) judgment, and her converts (does this sound familiar) with righteousness.”

            Then those that sinned and repented not will be burned or as a mighty oak in drought will fade just as does a garden that hath no water (verses 29-31). This verse ties the Oak tree image to Family Trees, and the garden to a besieged place. The definition of besiege is a link to war also. First it means to be surrounded by armed forces; secondly to press with requests; and finally to cause worry or give distress to.       

            The daughter of Zion verse becomes the fulcrum or tipping point of our latter-day culture. She is the caretaker of the cottage and garden, and although besieged on all sides by wickedness and evil, she must bring the living waters of the gospel to her young princes or children, bears of the Royal Priesthood, so that they may overcome the world and be nourished and serve God by serving others.     

            I am a daughter of Zion. This is what an individual woman can do. I’ve fretted over whether I should speak my peace about what I am learning from Isaiah in a world of very accomplished, erudite writers and biblical scholars who are far more qualified than I to expound on Isaiah. But, I AM qualified because God qualifies me for the work if I remain worthy. So here goes nothing.

Elijah’s Warriors are the Rising Generation

            The battle has already begun. This is the war being fought for the souls of all those who have ever lived on this earth, having died without a knowledge either of the gospel’s good news or of Jesus Christ and the plan of salvation. This war is being fought on both sides of the veil, in the valley of the shadow of death as well as in our very wicked and technologically advanced world.

            We read over and over that the Book of Mormon was written/abridged specifically to include those things that we in the latter-days need to know. So we read it carefully, except when it comes to the Isaiah quotes. It’s only then that we skip over important messages to us from our God.  Maybe I’d best show you the way I found out how to find joy in Isaiah because his writings are a road map for our days. He was given the gift by God to see us and know who we are, what our technology looked like and how we were supposed to do great things with this technology. Just how would Isaiah describe a computer or the internet? Bear with me and I’ll show you what I believe is one of his messages to us.

            In 1 Nephi 17 is an example of where the Lord will lead his righteous people in a way that they KNOW they are completely dependent upon Him and that the good outcomes are HIS!

12  For the Lord had not hitherto suffered that we should make much fire, as we     journeyed in the wilderness; for he said: I will make thy food become sweet, that ye cook it not;

13  And I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the promised land; and ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led.

(Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 17:12 - 13)

This next verse sounds just like Isaiah when he is talking. Of course prophets speak for Jesus Christ and so it would sound like the same voice, wouldn’t it?

4 Yea, and the Lord said also that: After ye have arrived in the promised land, ye shall know that I, the Lord, am God; and that I, the Lord, did deliver you from destruction; yea, that I did bring you out of the land of Jerusalem.

(Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 17:14)

Here is where Isaiah speaks similarly:

10  Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.

11  I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.

(Old Testament | Isaiah 43:10 - 11)

But herein also is the message that tells us latter-day saints that he is talking about us. It is the words “ye are my witnesses…and my servant whom I have chosen.” If we go back to verse 1 and read we begin to clarify who he is speaking to.

1  BUT now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

(Old Testament | Isaiah 43:1)

The following verses speak even louder. He tells us that we’ve basically been blind even though we have eyes and are deaf, to Him and His prophets’ words even though we have ears to hear.

5  Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;

6  I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;

7  Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.

8  ¶ Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears.

9  Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things?  let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth.

(Old Testament | Isaiah 43:5 - 9)

As a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints we have sent our missionaries out into the world and they are finding and gathering his sons and daughters from the ends of the earth. We are all called by His name as we take upon ourselves His name as witnessed at our baptism and again every Sunday as we partake of the sacrament. Isaiah has told us in Chapter 41 that we are His and this begins what I feel is the chiastic center of Isaiah’s message about technology and our responsibilities to redeem our dead. The Lord calls us specifically:

8  But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.

9  Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.

(Old Testament | Isaiah 41:8 - 9)

In Isaiah 43:18 God tells us to not remember the former things nor consider the things of old.

            18  ¶ Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.

19  Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it?  I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

(Old Testament | Isaiah 43:18 - 19)

I began to think like a modern day genealogist and read Isaiah likening what he says to myself. But I wondered about this NEW THING. What could it be? This new thing was also referred to in Chapter 42 of Isaiah:

5  ¶ Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:

6  I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;

7  To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

In Doctrine and Covenants 138:36-38  we are told of Christ’s time between the crucifixion and resurrection: “Thus was it made known that our Redeemer spent his time during his sojourn in the world of spirits, instructing and preparing the faithful spirits of the prophets who had testified of him in the flesh; That they might carry the message of redemption unto all the dead, unto whom he could not go personally, because of their rebellion and transgression, that they through the ministration of his servants might also hear his words. Among the great and mighty ones who were assembled in this vast congregation of the righteous…”  And Isaiah was also there:

42  And Isaiah, who declared by prophecy that the Redeemer was anointed to bind up the broken–hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that were bound, were also there.

(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 138:42)

This was Isaiah’s mission, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison where they are being held. He has written specifically about this great work and tells us how the Lord is going to do a new thing:

8  I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.

9  Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.

(Old Testament | Isaiah 42:5 - 9)

Notice how in verse 8 he says that he will not give praise to graven images. What might those be? Are they our computers, smart phones etc.? To make His point he tells us what His NEW THING is. Please know that I had heard about the new thing but never really went looking for it. When I did, what I found was mind blowing. Isaiah saw us and emphasized that it was the Lord that had prepared this for us, not our technological wizards. He knew that we’d think that it really wasn’t the Lord at all.

Isaiah and the Book of Mormon

            Nephi prefaces this section saying in 1 Nephi 20 which quotes Isaiah 48.

3  Behold, I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I showed them.  I did show them suddenly.

4  And I did it because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass;

5  And I have even from the beginning declared to thee; before it came to pass I showed them thee; and I showed them for fear lest thou shouldst say—Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image hath commanded them.

(Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 20:3 - 5)

Isaiah or the Lord chastises us again and again. Will we listen now that it is becoming clear what he will have us do with our idols or graven images? We certainly can’t just sit in the dark playing games and wasting our time with them, worshipping them, in other words. He goes on again:

6  Thou hast seen and heard all this; and will ye not declare them?  And that I have showed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them.

7  They are created now, and not from the beginning, even before the day when thou heardest them not they were declared unto thee, lest thou shouldst say—Behold I knew them.

8  Yea, and thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time thine ear was not opened; for I knew that thou wouldst deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb.

The Lord however defers His anger with us and won’t cut us off. He has refined us in the furnace of affliction. I have seen many of the families in my own ward going through their own personal furnaces of affliction.

9  Nevertheless, for my name's sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain from thee, that I cut thee not off.

10  For, behold, I have refined thee, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.

(Book of Mormon | 1 Nephi 20:6 - 10)

I suggest to you that this great work of redeeming the dead will bring us out of this affliction and set us onto the path of Joy.

Elder Richard G. Scott in his address at October General Conference, “The Joy of Redeeming The Dead” said, “Do you young people want a sure way to eliminate the influence of the adversary in your life? Immerse yourself in searching for your ancestors, prepare their names for the sacred ordinances available in the temple, and then go to the temple to stand as proxy for them to receive the ordinances of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. As you grow older, you will be able to participate in receiving the other ordinances as well. I can think of no greater protection from the influence of the adversary in your life.”

Not only did Elder Scott, an apostle of the Lord link this great work to our youth, but he also linked it to Isaiah’s new thing, by saying, “…the computerization of these records is truly exciting. And when I think of the hundreds of thousands of people who are now and soon will be computerizing huge blocks of censuses and private research disks…(quoting from his wife’s personal journal) ‘I am so excited. It is truly the Lord’s work and He is directing it.’”

Elder Scott, an apostle and prophet of the Lord, continues saying that in the past “…individuals have valiantly faced a challenge that seemed like single-handedly endeavoring to harvest all the grain in Nebraska. Now, many mighty combines are at work.”

Isaiah, the Lord’s prophet whose words are preserved for us in the latter-days, tells us the same thing in Chapter 41 beginning with the orientation that this chapter is about Family Trees:

4  Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning?  I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.

(Old Testament | Isaiah 41:4)

God knows where he has placed us in our family lineages. You know all of those genealogies in the Old Testament? Well I guess they were indeed important to the Lord. His own lineage was foretold. But now Isaiah tells us that we have been called and chosen and he will help us.

8  But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.

9  Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.

10  ¶ Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

(Old Testament | Isaiah 41:8 - 10)

In verse 13 he says that “For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand (a temple covenant), saying unto thee, Fear not: I will help thee.” And again in verse 14 he reiterates, “Fear not thou worm (and I had to look up this one because it seemed a strange word, but it means meek or humble) Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.”

            How will he help us? He and Elder Scott agree, THE LORD WILL MAKE A NEW THING, A NEW THRESHING INSTRUMENT;

15  Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff.

(Old Testament | Isaiah 41:15)

As I’ve read this verse to people, their eyes light up because they recognize the computer which operates with bytes is a wonderful threshing instrument. Also the mountains are the mountains of earthly records containing the names of all of the people who have ever lived upon the earth.

To make sure that we see what he is talking about He says that he’ll plant all types of trees, family trees, in this (cyberspace) wilderness.

19  I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together:

20  That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.

(Old Testament | Isaiah 41:19 - 20)

The trees mentioned above do not grow naturally in the same environment, but here the Lord says that they will be together. In the wilderness and in the desert may have other meanings but I believe that the wilderness is the cyberspace of the internet and that the desert is where we will find the Church of Jesus Christ storing the records of the world’s family trees. FamilySearch Family Trees certainly fits the picture given to us by Isaiah and his NEW THING or new technology.

            This is why I am going to RootsTech. If the Lord is doing this, then he has inspired his Priesthood leaders in this work, developing the technology to make it happen. I want to capture and record their inspiring stories. I am calling them the Captains of Elijah’s army of  Warriors, the youth of the church being raised by wonderful daughters of Zion.

            As a daughter of Zion I now have the confidence and resolve to write these stories for the inspiration of the younger generation, Elijah’s Warriors, thanks to Isaiah and  his writings found both in the Old Testament and in the Book of Mormon.

By Beverly E. Field, Tucson, AZ bevfieldinaz@yahoo.com