bhporter.net

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The Book of Mormon, An Everlasting Decree

 

Brother Porter,

 

I purchased your book several years ago when you made a presentation at one of Rod Meldrum's BOM Heartland Theory Symposiums.  You had just released the book and had to leave the meeting soon after your presentation to fly out to some other commitment.  You did take time to sign a few of your "new" books just prior to leaving the event and I was fortunate enough to get one of those signed copies.

 

I later contacted you about getting a copy of your presentation at the symposium because you covered information and concepts that were influenced by the new book of yours that you were introducing.  I told you how impressed I was with your presentation and that I felt that it was one that every citizen of the United States needed to hear and know about.  Nothing has changed my mind on those feelings even to this day.

 

I was able to read a goodly part of the book and picked it up for some short reads several times through the years since.  I gained enough information to know and realize that every citizen of this great nation is under a 'deed restriction' because of our living in the promised land.  Due to many other things that seemed to take precedence, I never did completely finish the book.  The book does have some of the information highlighted that I covered so later I could find some of the more choice reads that meant a lot to me.

 

I finally made the choice to "semi-retire" and supposedly open my life up for other opportunities.  Instead I have been given other challenges.  For more than a year now I have been fighting cancer for the second time in my life. . . Finally the recovery time has provided me the opportunity to once again reach out to your book and this time take the time to really read and let soak in the impact of your writing.

 

What can be done to try and get this book more well known and recognized?  As I listen to the news and listen to the things going on politically I can see very clearly where a lot of what you discuss ties and fits.  I can see where if the people of this great nation really knew what we have and the responsibilities that come with being allowed to live here, things of this election cycle would certainly be looked at a lot differently.

 

I am surprised that not many members of the church know about and understand the three main reasons that the Lord provided the world and especially this country with the BoM.  Most will understand and agree with (1) it contains the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and (2) it is a record of a fallen people.  Nobody seems to understand the third reason; it contains the deed restriction for the Land of Promise.  Like most, I knew the BoM talked many times about this being the Land of Promise, but again most of us did not have our eyes opened to the extent that we understood the concept of a "deed restriction".

 

Your talk/presentation at the symposium in Utah prepared me for what to expect to find in your book when it comes to the concept of a "deed restriction" and I have taken that concept in and made it apart of my Gospel understanding ever since.  Still, when mentioning this concept to most members of the Church without them being aware of your book and teachings, they are in the dark and unaware of the meaning or implications.  Going back through your book slowly, page by page, and paragraph by paragraph have certainly given me a much better understanding of the concept of the deed restriction and many other concepts as well.

 

I want you to know that you have expanded my understanding of several concepts presented in the Temple ordinances.  I joined the Church while in college between my junior and senior years in 1969.  I pride myself in knowing that I have tried to educate myself about Church history and doctrine as much as I could have all these years.  I have served in many callings both at the local and stake levels over the years and tried to be a faithful saint.  I have had more than my share of special spiritual experiences that have helped me understand and have a more sure testimony of the Church and its doctrines.  I learned of Hugh Nibley very early on and was heavily influenced by his teachings and testimony.  I have realized that I have been allowed access to more knowledge than most and I am humbled to have been given the testimony and knowledge that I have.  

 

I tell you all of this because I want you to know how appreciative I am for what I have been able to learn and understand through reading of your book.  I really wish now that I would have found the time much earlier to look into your book in the depth that I have recently been able to do. 

 

That brings up the question as to what can be done to get this message out to both the members of the Church and the citizens of our great nation?  It is obvious that this is what the Lord wants and expects his followers to do.  I cannot believe that I see those with influence like Glenn Beck that says they cannot figure out what needs to be done at this point in time when he has all these people around him, members and non-members, that could be taught about the deed restrictions and they could help him spread the concept.  From what I read in your book, even the non-members need to understand this is a Promised Land and that our country needs to turn to God/Jesus Christ to escape our destruction.  I believe this is a concept they can believe and run with.  What are your feelings about where we are headed and how do we turn things around?  How do we get engagement from as much of the Christian community as possible?  Besides just trying to be a good citizen what level of involvement does the Lord expect from us?

 

Thanks again for putting this great book into print.  Somehow we need to find a way for as many of the members of the Church as possible to know of its contents and understand what is says to us.  Where possible we need to get the basic message of the concept of the deed restriction understood by both Church members and non-members.

 

 

Thomas