HAPPY 4TH OF JULY TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A day to express my gratitude and appreciation for the country of the Restoration of the Gospel, for the freedoms I have enjoyed and to pray for government leaders and the people of the nation that they will seek for Divine guidance in the difficult situations that are facing them and the world at this time.

In the last couple of weeks, the security of our area at home was again threatened when Pres. Meredith Romney was kidnapped and released unharmed after the payment of ransom. He and his family attribute his humane treatment to the influence of prayer and his release to the unity of family, church, and civic leaders.
We received e-mails telling of the organization of the people of the area in " the caravan that went to Chih. yesterday (Wed, July 1) in a peaceful demonstration to show that we want and expect the government to do something about the kidnappings, extortion, etc. in our area. We are praying and hoping to see, with time, that the Chih. government IS DOING SOMETHING to restore more security and peace.
Photo accompanied an article at
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=7009188
Some feel that church is the only safe place in an area spiraling out of control with violence. [Karyn]Longhurst said her stake recently unveiled a theme about finding refuge in holy places.

"Basically with everything that's going on around us, we just need to stay in holy places where, hopefully, we will be safe," she said.

We are seeing more polarization in ideas such as the issues of government control of our lives vs. self-determination, secularism vs. religion in daily life. It will be very important that we have the influence of the Holy Ghost to help us make decisions, both publically and privately. Following the inspired counsel of Church leaders will help us stay in safe paths.

Early in life I learned Article of Faith 11: ""We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where or what they may."
This now has the potential in our own country of being in cdontradiction to Article of Fath 12: "We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers and magistrates, and in honoring obeying and sustaining the law."
I find interesting the comments from Church history scholars about the Nauvoo period:

The work of God and the progress of the United States were no longer one in the same.... There was to be a bright future, but it didn't include America.

But then, as the Saints left their City of Joseph, and set their hope on the West, something changed. Brigham Young agreed with a request from the United States to raise the Mormon Battalion.

"On July 9, 1846, Parley Pratt, his disillusionment concealed, transcended or forgotten, communicated Young's endorsement of the call to arms to the reluctant Saints," Tobler said.

Pratt told them that it was divine providence that they could do this to "secure a permanent home in that country and thus lay a foundation for a territorial or a state government under the Constitution of the United States . . . and to assist in the redemption of our country."

The act of raising the battalion re-attached the LDS Church to the American Republic..... There would be additional conflicts, but "the question of political identity was settled." "In time, and over generations, the Saints were able to forgive the United States its trespasses. They rebuilt a tradition of patriotism and love of country. Ultimately they came to believe that the cause of God had more to do with the United States than they had previously imagined.

May we always be found supportive of and actively engaged in the cause of God-given life, liberty based on Constitutional rights and the pursuit of true happiness.