This Election and Another Look at the Great Plan of Happiness

Since this piece contains my political views for this Presidential Election, I want the reader to know that the views are mine. The Great Plan of Salvation is taught in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The suggestion to vote for the Presidential candidate whom I see as supportive of principles in that Plan is mine.


I firmly believe in our Father’s Great Plan of Happiness. In our Pre-mortal lives, we lived with our Heavenly Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. When Father presented His Plan for us to come to this earth, gain bodies, have a testing period, learn obedience, and have the chance to become like Him, we all shouted for joy. We were excited to be born into families and gain a body and help our Father in accomplishing His great plan.

We learned that we would all fall short in our abilities and sometimes our desires to do right. We would be lost forever from returning to live in our Father’s presence if it weren’t for the perfect gift of His Son Jesus Christ and His willingness to suffer and die for us, and be resurrected again. Because of the gift of His Atonement, we can all repent, be forgiven, progress, find happiness here through the Spirit that God sends the obedient, and have joy in the eternities forever with Him.

We accepted our Heavenly Father's Plan. We chose life! Whenever there is a viable choice, I believe that we should choose life. When we consider that we accepted God’s Plan while we lived with Him in heaven, we should consider again now what we can do to help further that Plan on earth.

The family has been under attack for years; and the sacred means by which children enter the world has also been under attack. Abortion remains the most barbaric and greatest evil of our day. 

Our Country has become increasingly wicked. The world has become much less safe for everyone; but, in the last while, we have seen that it is becoming increasingly dangerous for believers in Jesus Christ. So we need to assess what we can do to make sure that we are faithful ourselves in keeping the commandments of God, and also that we are seeking leaders, who want to uphold those principles of righteousness, even if they do not have an understanding yet of God’s Plan and our role in it.

Our government has become increasingly corrupt. We see those in power, upholding and defending each other in their wickedness, so that they do not have to bear accountability for their actions. This was also true in The Book of Mormon times. We also see citizens who do not value the freedoms that this Country has had to offer, but seek more and more for government entitlements; which will actually enslave them and rob them of their freedom. The more accountable we are able to be, the more free we become. One measure of our accountability is taking responsibility for our vote. 

We have an election coming up very shortly. Some have felt certain that one Latter-day Saint candidate came into this race with the intent to do good, “because it is never too late to do the right thing,” he said. We know that our Prophet and Apostles do not endorse candidates, but ask us to study the issues and prayerfully consider whom we should vote for. There is not a perfect candidate, and all of them are tainted in some way to some degree. So the erroneous quote that if we vote the lesser of two evils, we are still voting for evil, is just wrong here, for a number of reasons.

First , of all, as stated already, each candidate is flawed. Second to that, I believe that we can all count higher than two. If we were looking at two candidates and didn’t like either of them, then we should not just accept a third one because he is a member of the Church. What is his purpose in running? He obviously, did not make a serious commitment to do so through thoughtful planning and prayer. He did so as a last resort move among the Society of “Never Trump”. He did not give the citizens of the United States a chance to even know who he is; and, he has told his following that they will not win, that he will not be President, but that they will be able to stop Trump.

Now, I am not endorsing any evil that anyone who is running has done. But let’s face the facts: Hillary has a long record of criminal activity for which the government, the media, the FBI, and half the Country is turning a blind eye. McMullin, a rather unknown single man without the experience gained from having a family of his own and without any real leadership experience entered the election solely to stop Trump from winning the Presidency.

Now, this is the principle I am endorsing: Trump has said that he wants to appoint Pro-life Supreme Court Justices and, with that, he seeks to reverse Roe vs. Wade. Do we believe in our Heavenly Father’s Plan? Do we believe that abortion is a great evil? Do we know that there are spirits waiting to come to earth and get a body? Abortion was legalized in my youth. Since then, I have not heard of one politician who has said that he wants to repeal it. Most politicians only seek to make each other happy and keep the status quo, and take us spiraling down with them.

Ask yourself, "When will another President seek to end abortion in our Country?" We may not get the chance to see a leader committed to doing so again.

Not only does Trump want to end abortion, he wants to help families through the creation of more jobs and economic growth, better education, and better insurance. He also wants to support and sustain and build our law enforcement and our military. And he wants to ensure that our Constitutional freedoms, as found in the Constitution and The Bill of Rights, are protected. We should also seek to safeguard those freedoms, including freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of press, and all other freedoms that we hold dear which have been under attack.

Hillary has shown that she is dishonest. McMullin and the “Never Trump”ers have shown that they are Kingmen who do not want the average citizen voting in a way with which they disagree. We as citizens, need to defend our freedoms in every way we can: first, through righteous living, keeping the commandments, being faithful, and serving; but also, we must take the chance when an opportunity presents itself to vote against the establishment which we already know is evil.

I have had so many losses in my life. Sometimes I really am saddened by them. Then I remember my God and His Son Jesus Christ and the promise of those I love being restored to me again. Indeed, it is a Great Plan of Happiness. But, if we think that we can just have faith that God will protect our freedoms without taking thought to do what we can to defend them, we are wrong. Freedom has never, ever been free. Jesus paid a great price; our military has paid a great price over and over; our Forefathers paid a great price; and, if we do not do what we can now to support these principles of freedom, we will also find ourselves paying a great price. If we do not value the cost of freedom, we will have to learn it.

More than anything, I see this election as a chance to give our voice to the desire to support those principles which will aid in furthering our Father’s Plan for our happiness. 

Abortion and Trafficking Children

Thoughts on Abortion and Trafficking Dead Children

(Shortened link for this post: http://tinyurl.com/opovckp)

The recent exposure of the inhumane trafficking of human baby parts is soul stirring, or at least it should be. Some say that it's merely propaganda, and that the presentation is given out of context. It really doesn't matter. There is enough evidence against Planned Parenthood, and the practice of abortion for that matter, for those who value life to know that the slaughtering of babies and the trafficking of their body parts for both commercial and scientific gain is evil. A society that does not value the life of an unborn baby, but places value on his or her dismembered body, is not a civilized society.

I can't help but think of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Speech. Do we have a dream of brotherhood? Do we? For all of those who speak about rights, please note that abortion is a wrong. How can all children walk hand-in-hand when their hands are torn off before they are even born? Whether you believe that there are exceptions to rules or not, there are rules of civility and ethical rightness. No matter what anyone believes about equality, all choices are not equal, which means that all outcomes are not equal either. Ending life will never be equal with giving life. Even without organized religion, every human being is born with the Light of Christ. We all must know that ripping a child limb from limb is wrong. When abortion is accepted as a mores of society, not only are those facing abortion at risk of losing life, but civility itself is lost; and civilization is following suit.

Abortion is the greatest evil to ever happen in this Country. Yet we condone or accept it. We hear the same old rhetoric over and over. Some defend all abortions for the few extreme cases. Killing millions of babies in order to secure the right to get rid of a few pregnancies that are due to rape, incest, or illness is bizarre. For those of us who were reared in civilized homes, were we not taught the importance of life and love? Do we not realize that life itself is more important than the length of life, or what some people would deem the quality of life? Certainly, the life of a child is more important than his or her flesh made dead through an abortion.

I had an emergency C-section with my fifth child. When I was eight months pregnant, the specialist told me that he did't think the baby had any kidneys, so did I want to just have him naturally since he'd die anyway? Are you kidding me? I am his mother. Why would I want to terminate his life purposefully and perhaps prematurely? Why would a doctor? Isn't a doctor's concern to protect and preserve life? Was my son's life of less value than mine, or yours, or the doctor's? No his life held significance, and he left a positive imprint in the lives of many.

Even at six months into my pregnancy, I knew that our son had some problems, but I did not know that he wouldn't be able to live long after birth. Should I have ripped him apart because of that, or burned him with saline solution? No way. I enjoyed each time he rolled or kicked and every single ultra sound. Would it have been easier for me to have aborted him than to have lost him two months later? By no means; No. There is healing in love, even when there is pain. For the poor women who have chosen abortion, there is just pain.

While some cry that the current undercover videos exposing Planned Parenthood are merely propaganda, I can agree that the presentation may be propaganda; but I won't agree that the content isn't true. How long will we idly stand by, burying our heads in the sand, while millions of unborn children are massacred? This is happening. It has been happening since the 70's. Children are burned, torn apart and slaughtered while yet alive. It is gruesome. I don't need to watch videos, whether in or out of context, to inform me how evil Planned Parenthood is or how evil it is that any thinking and feeling human being can become so clouded and calloused in his or her judgement to call mass murder freedom of choice. This should sicken us all.

Legalizing things that are clearly unlawful will never make them ethical or good. Not yesterday, not now, not ever. I can only hope that some good will come from these disturbing undercover videos which show the true nature of this wicked practice and evil organization. Maybe, just maybe, some people will finally understand that these are babies with body parts the same as you and me. They are not merely tissue. They are real. And their souls have value.

I believe that shedding innocent blood ranks up there with crucifying our innocent Lord. And still He reaches out to us to forgive us. But we had better hope that He doesn't say, “Father, they knew what they were doing.”

Do you see a contradiction in supporting Planned Parenthood and in valuing human life? I do, and I know others that do as well. There are those like me who have lost sons or daughters way too soon, who would have done everything possible to keep them here with us. So it is difficult for me when I see people still supporting the killing of their own babies, or even saying, “I don't agree with the practice for myself, but I think everyone should have the right to choose.” To choose murder? Really?

Everyone should have the right to choose whether or not to have sex. Beyond that, take responsibility and be an adult.

Whether you think that these babies' body parts are being trafficked for money or not, why are they used at all? I personally have the right to say whether my organs are used for someone else or for science, should I die an accidental death. Life is sacred, and my body is mine. But these babies are being denied the right to life, and their “tissue” is not even considered theirs. It truly, truly is sick.

So when we consider checking the facts, we might actually begin by checking our own consciences, even before we check the news media, right or left; because, it looks like the “right in our society “left” a long time ago. We might actually try using our hearts along with our minds to consider why our own lives have value, and why we should extend that value to every other human being, both those born, and those waiting to be born.

The safety of all children is important. Where there is life, there is hope.

I have personally taken the time to write these thoughts and to contact the Representatives and Senators for my state. Please do the same. We need to take a stand, and we need to walk hand-in-hand.

Contact Your State Representatives

Contact Your State Senators

And If That Mockingbird Won't Sing

And If That Mockingbird Won’t Sing

Part 1:

Our cat has been leaving us far too many presents this spring.

Yesterday my husband was downstairs before me. When I joined him, he told me that he wished he’d had his camera. Two mockingbirds were taunting our cat incessantly. He hadn’t fed the cat yet, so I fed her. Since he plays the organ at church, he left for church before my daughter and me as well.

We were running a bit late, but I thought that we’d make it in time for Sacrament Meeting. When we got in the car though, we saw the mockingbirds pecking at our cat who was just hanging out on the front fence. I decided to get her off the fence, so I went in the house and opened the back door, and she immediately ran to me.

I grabbed some treats to put in her food dish. And that is when I noticed that there were two baby mockingbirds just outside the back door. I’d missed them before, so I don’t know if they were both there or only one of them. Now that would explain the mockingbirds’ behavior. Oh, I was so sad.

I went back to the car and told Christine that we were already too late. I told her that there were two baby mockingbirds outside the back door, and that one of them was still alive. At that point, I knew that we needed to go see how that mockingbird faired and if there was something we could do. If there are hurt animals, Christine will help them.

I put the cat in the bathroom and buried the dead little bird. I got Christine a pair of garden gloves to use in attending to the live bird, but she already had it in her hands when I approached her with them. So I found a pot that had soil in it, laid the gloves on it, making a bed for the wee bird.

Although the bird was scratched in a few places, it is a fighter. It opened its big yellow beak (big in comparison to its small body), searching for free food. We gave it a couple of drops of water. Christine looked in the bramble bush where we thought the nest might be (because the birds seemed to be guarding it), but we couldn’t see anything.

With the cat out of the way, we found a shaded spot next to the bush to put the flower pot, and we left for church. We missed the opening, the sustainings, and even the sacrament; but, at least momentarily, we saved a life. “Is it lawful to save a life on the Sabbath day?”

Upon returning from church, we made it our priority to attend to the baby bird. Still alive. Still wanting food. I tried to grind up some bird seed in water. Not effective. So I also added some whey protein and ground again, and then I strained out the bird seed, just leaving the liquid. The bird took a couple of drops of that.

Bob put the flower pot on one of the pillars to our patio cover, out of the cat’s reach. Christine was still searching for its nest, and not finding it, she was searching for a better location. She didn’t want the bird to survive, only to fall directly into the cat’s mouth as a fledgling.

Before checking on the cat and allowing her back outside, we made a nest out of an Easter basket. Christine had researched what to feed the bird, and I knew it needed protein. She found it should be given egg and cat food. I added an egg to the whey mixture and gave the bird another couple of drops. (It pooped.) We added shredded paper to the basket and weaved yarn into it so that it could be attached to the tree. After adding some grass to the new basket, and positioning it between two branches, we tied it securely with the yarn. Then Christine gently transferred the baby bird to its new nest.

Christine did not want me to check on the bird again, but she continued to search for a nest. An hour or so later, I pulled over the step ladder and checked on the bird. It was still opening wide its mouth and I gave it another drop or two. Mouth closed. I went back inside.

After another hour or so, Christine ran into the house excitedly. She had pinpointed where the nest was in the bramble bush. She had been watching the parent birds and allowed them to lead her to the nest. So then we worked to initiate the transfer. We had to cut the basket out of the tree. By this time the bird wasn’t very active. I think more than anything, it was getting later in the day and the bird was cold. Christine returned her (I keep wanted to write her, and not it, so this time I did) to her nest alongside the two other babies already there. (It had been a typical brood with four babies.)

All evening the mockingbirds still attacked the cat. By bedtime we did not know where she had gone. But the birds were quiet as well, so we had to hope that all were safe for the night.

This morning I was happy not to find any present at the back door. It’s always wonderful to not start out the day with mortification. We worked hard to give that baby a fighting chance. It’s up to the parents and nature now. We really don’t know if it’s maimed and can’t survive or of its parents will reject it. But her wings and legs seemed functional from what we could observe when she was stretching for food.

As soon as I fed the cat this morning, a mockingbird was pecking at her, not allowing her to eat. Hopefully, their revenge won’t bring about their demise; and, hopefully, this little bird family will make it through the season. For now the cat is in the bathroom and would rather be outside.

Part 2:

Lessons in Nature:

Babies come to earth with a desire to live. Parents give and protect life. Predators take life. Parents instinctively defend their families, even at peril to themselves. Parenthood is never about personal convenience.

Sometimes it appears that there is more fierce loyalty in the animal kingdom than among humans. These birds devote their entire lives to nest building, having broods, sustaining life, and protecting their young.

With the very tenderness of the human heart, we can all feel sympathy for the little baby mockingbird. I do not know many who would not hope for the survival of a baby bird and who would not feel saddened to see a bird that had been hurt by the claws of a cat. Yet how many human babies have been aborted? And how many human babies have suffered great atrocities at the hands of their own parents and physician, both of which by very definition should be offering them life and protecting their lives at all costs? And how much greater is a human’s life in the eyes of our Lord?

Let’s allow the babies to have a voice and to hear the mockingbirds sing.