Holding Aaronic Priesthood is an extraordinary privilege

I write today for my son and other young men about what an extraordinary privilege it is to be an Aaronic Priesthood holder. You have been ordained and given POWER, by someone with authority from God, to act in God’s name on the earth today.

You know all about superheroes. It’s fun to watch movies and see the powers superheroes like Spiderman, Batman and Superman have. But that’s just the movies and not real.

However, from the moment you are ordained a deacon in the Aaronic Priesthood, you are given more power than all the superheroes in the world combined -- and it is REAL power. It’s a special power, of course, and it can only be used if you are living the commandments.

It’s also a power that lets you help others, but you can’t use it for selfish reasons: to get things or do things that Heavenly Father doesn’t want done. However, when you use your priesthood power righteously, wonderful things will happen and you will see miracles, from simple to awe-inspiring, in your life.

What does it mean to be ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood? First, it means God has enormous confidence in you. Imagine a powerful king who rules over millions of people telling you he trusts you so much that he is going to give you his signet ring.

When you have his ring you have the authority and power to do things in the king’s name. That king would have to love you very much and he would have to have enormous faith that you will make good decisions and do what is right.

But this is not a make believe situation; it’s real. Priesthood is the greatest power in the universe and our Heavenly king, God, will trust you with his power throughout your life as long as you remain worthy. He expects you to be sober, to keep the commandments, share the gospel and use priesthood power to help and serve others.

Second, more than the fact that you have power, being an Aaronic Priesthood holder means that you have duties and responsibilities given you. God requires you to do certain things and you will answer to him somedayabout how well you did what he asked you to do.

You can still have fun and enjoy life, but he wants you to be serious in representing him, honoring the priesthood and setting a righteous example for others.

A good way to understand what it means when you are ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood is to consider some of the responsibilities and blessings that come to you as a deacon, a teacher and a priest. All young men ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood hold the keys of the ministering of angels.

This is a literal promise and at times angels with attend and watch over you although you will not necessarily see them.

As a deacon you are to pass the sacrament, watch over the church, bear testimony of Christ, warn, expound, exhort and invite all members to come unto Christ. To do this you will need to keep the commandments, and carefully study the scriptures and the teachings of today’s prophets and apostles.

You are charged with helping the bishop by gathering fast offerings, caring for those in need, fellowshipping quorum brethren, and strengthening and uplifting the members.

When you become a teacher, under the direction of your priesthood leaders, you are to prepare the sacrament and are charged with speaking well of others and strengthening members by encouraging them to live the commandments.

You too warn, expound, exhort, teach and invite all to come unto Christ by home teaching, speaking in church, being an example of righteousness and integrity, and speaking kindly about others.

A priest adds to these duties baptizing and administering the sacrament. He is commissioned to visit members in their homes and to urge them to pray and attend to their family duties.

Isn’t it amazing how much the Lord trusts the young men in the church and how much he depends on them?

When Wilford Woodruff went on his first mission, he "went out as a priest, and my companion as an elder, and we traveled thousands of miles, and had many things manifested to us.

"I desire to impress upon you the fact that it does not make any difference whether a man is a priest or an apostle, if he magnifies his calling. A priest holds the key of the ministering of angels. Never in my life, as an apostle, as a seventy, or as an elder, have I ever had more of the protection of the Lord than while holding the office as a priest.

"The Lord revealed to me by visions, by revelations, and by the Holy Spirit, many things that lay before me.”

What a wonderful honor it is to hold the Aaronic Priesthood and how important it is to do everything in your power to always be worthy of this great privilege given you by God.

P.S. The Church was restored.

Not for long!

The following list is taken from the book Divergent Paths of Restoration:

FOUNDED BETWEEN 1830 AND 1844

Pure Church of Christ, Wycam Clark, 1831
The Independent Church, Hoton, 1832
Church of Christ, Ezra Booth, 1836
Church of Christ, Warren Parrish, 1837
The Church of Jesus Christ, the Bride, The Lamb's Wife, George M. Hinkle, 1840
Church of Christ, Hyrum Page, 1842
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, F. Gladden Bishop
True Church of Jessu Christ of Latter Day Saints, Law, Foster, Higbee, 1844
Church of Christ, William Chubby

NON-EXTANT MOVEMENTS FOUNDED 1844-1860

Church of Christ / Church of Jesus Christ of the Children of Zion, Sidney Rigdon, 1844
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, James Emmett, 1844
Church of Christ, S. B. Stoddard, Leonard Rich, James Bump, 1845
Indian Mormon, 1846
Church of Christ, William McLellin, David Whitmer, 1847
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, William Smith, 1847
Congregation of Jehovah's Presbytery of Zion, Charles B. Thompson, 1848
Church of Christ, James C. Brewster, 1848
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Lyman Wight, 1849
The Bride, The Lamb's Wife or Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Jacob Syfritt, 1850
Church of Christ, Hazen Aldrich, 1851

EXTANT MOVEMENTS

Splinter Groups and Sub-movements of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, James J. Strang, 1844

Church of Christ, Aaron Smith, 1846
Church of the Messiah, George J. Adams, 1861
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite)
Holy Church of Jesus Christ, Alexandre R. Caffiaux
House of Ephraim and House of Manasseh of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Jerry Sheppard
The True Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, David L. Roberts
Marriage Counseling Group
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, John J. Hajicek
Strangite Believers in Pennsylvania

Splinter Groups and Sub-movements of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Brigham Young, 1847

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints or Church of the First Born, Joseph Morris, 1861
The Prophet Cainan or Church of Jesus Christ of the Saints of the Most High God, George Williams, 1862
Morrisite Group, John Livingston, 1864
Church of Zion, William S. Godbe, 1868
Church of the First Born, George S. Dove, 1874
Priesthood Groups (Fundamentalists), 1890
United Order of Equality, Ephraim Peterson, 1909
The Church of Jesus Christ of Israel, J. H. Sherwood
Order of Aaron, Maurice L. Glendenning
Church of Freedom of Latter Day Saints, 1950s
Zion's Order of the Sons of Levi, Marl V. Kilgore, 1951
The Church of the Firstborn of the Fulness of Times, Joel F. LeBaron
The Church of the Firstborn, Ross W. LeBaron, 1955
Perfected Church of Jesus Christ of Immaculate Latter Day Saints, William C. Conway, 1958
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, John Forsgren, 1960
Church of Jesus Christ, William Goldman, 1960
LDS Scripture Researchers/Believe God Society, Sherman Russell Lloyd, 1965
The Church of the Body and of the Spirit of Jessu Christ, Max Powers, 1965
United Order of the Saints of Guadeloupe, Michel Gamiette, 1966
United Order of the Family of Christ, David E. Desmond, 1966
Split from Zion's Order of the Sons of Levi, Eldon Taylor, 1969
Homosexual Church of Jesus Christ, Denver, Colorado, 1972
Latter Day Saints Church, N.S. Park, 1972
The Church of the Lamb of God, Ervil M. LeBaron, 1972
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Mikhail Krupenia, 1972
The New Jerusalem Group, Kathryn Carter, 1972
The Watchmen on the Towers of Latter Day Israel, Miltenberg, Braun, 1973
Church of Jesus Christ in Solemn Assembly, Alexnader Joseph, 1974
Evangelical Church of Christ, Church of the New Covenant in Christ, John W. Bryant, 1974
Split form Zion's Order of the Sons of Levi, Barton Kilgore, 1975
Affirmation, 1975
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Robert Simons, 1975
Church of the Firstborn of the Fulness of Times, Bruce Wakeham, 1975
Aaronic Order Break-off, 1977
Christ's Church, Inc., Gerald Peterson, 1978
Church of Jesus Christ, Art Bulla, 1978
The Restorers or School of the Prophets, Robert C. Crossfield, 1979
Zion's First International Church, LeeAnn Walker, 1980
The Free Will Mormon Church, Franklin Lee Coleman, 1980
Church of Jesus Christ, Jorge Mora, 1981
Sons Ahman Israel, Davied Israel, 1981
Samoan LDS Church, New Zealand, 1981
The Millennial Church of Jesus Christ, Leo P. Evoniuk, 1981
Peyote Way Church of God, Immanuel P. Trujillo, 1981
The Chruch of Jesus Christ of the Saints in Zion, Ken Asay, 1984
Break from the Church of Jesus Christ in Solemn Assembly, 1984
Church of Jesus Christ of All Latter-day Saints or Restoration Church of Jesus Christ, Antonio A. Feliz, 1985
Church of Christ of Latter-day Saints, Robert P. Madison, 1985
Church of Christ the Firstborn of the Fulness of Times, Siegfried J. Widmar, 1985
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Fundamentalists, Wight Family, 1985
Mormon Fundamentalists, England, Alan and Marian Munn, 1986
Churchof Jesus Christ Omnipotent, 1987
Community of Zion, Central Utah Division
Church of the First Born, General Assembly

Splinter Groups and Sub-movements of The Church of Jesus Christ, Alpheus Cutler, 1853

Church of Jesus Christ, Clyde Fletcher, 1953
The Restored Church of Jesus Christ, Eugene O. Walton, 1979

Splinter Groups and Sub-movements of The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 1851-1860

Church of the Christian Brotherhood, Richard C. Evans, 1917
The Church of Christ, the Order of Zion, John Zahnd, 1918
The Church of Jesus Christ, Thomas W. Williams, 1925
Church of Jesus Christ Restored, Stanley M. King, 1970
New Jerusalem Church of Jesus Christ, Barney Fuller, 1975
Church of Christ Restored, Paul Fishel, 1976
True Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Forrest Toney, 1980
Church of the Restoration or Churches of Christ in Zion, Robert Chambers, 1981
Lamanite Ministries for Christ or New Covenant Ministries for Christ, 1984
Restoration Branches Movement, 1984
Church of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, A. Lee Abramson, 1985
Church of Jesus Christ, Zion's Branch, John Cato, 1986
Church of Christ, David Clark, 1986
Independent Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Christopher C. Warren, 1986
Native Indian Church

Splinter Groups and Sub-movements of The Church of Jesus Christ, William Bickerton, 1862

Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ, Allen Wright, 1907
Primitive Church of Jesus Christ, James Caldwell, 1914

Splinter Groups and Sub-movements of Church of Christ (Temple Lot), Granville Hedrick, 1863

Church of Christ, Independent, Informal, Frank F. Wipper, 1927
The Church of Christ, Otto Fetting, 1929
Church of Christ, P.A. Ely, 1929
Church of Christ, C.W. Humphrey, 1929
Church of Christ, Samuel Wood, E.J. Trapp, 1930
Church of Christ (Restored), A.C. DeWolf, 1936
Church of Christ, E. E. Long, Thomas Nerren, 1936
Church of Christ, Paul Hilgendorf, 1942
The Church of Christ With the Elijah Message, W. A. D. Draves, 1943
Church of Christ, Pauline Hancock, 1946
Antarctica Development Interests or the New American's Mount Zion, John Leabo, 1955
Church of Christ at Zion's Retreat, Gerald Hall, 1973
The Church of Israel, Dan Gayman, 1973
Break from the Church of Christ (Hancock), Davison, Michigan, 1973
The Church of Christ, Restored Gospel 1929, 1985

These threads only strengthen the intended targets, and only offer you a quick fix for your addiction to antagonism. Grow up.

http://scriptures.lds.org/en/js_h/1/17#17

17 It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!
18 My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong)—and which I should join.
19 I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.”
20 He again forbade me to join with any of them; and many other things did he say unto me, which I cannot write at this time. When I came to myself again, I found myself lying on my back, looking up into heaven. When the light had departed, I had no strength; but soon recovering in some degree, I went home. And as I leaned up to the fireplace, mother inquired what the matter was. I replied, “Never mind, all is well—I am well enough off.” I then said to my mother,
“I have learned for myself that Presbyterianism is not true.”

And, continuing thru the years, the high ranking leaders of that Organization have done the same!

Joseph Smith continues: "for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible" (from Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith-History 1:12). "What is it that inspires professors of Christianity generally with a hope of salvation? It is that smooth, sophisticated influence of the devil, by which he deceives the whole world" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.270).

Questions put to Joseph Smith: "'Do you believe the Bible?' [Smith:]'If we do, we are the only people under heaven that does, for there are none of the religious sects of the day that do'. When asked 'Will everybody be damned, but Mormons'? [Smith replied] 'Yes, and a great portion of them, unless they repent, and work righteousness." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 119).

Brigham Young stated this repeatedly: "When the light came to me I saw that all the so-called Christian world was grovelling in darkness" (Journal of Discourses 5:73); "The Christian world, so-called, are heathens as to the knowledge of the salvation of God" (Journal of Discourses 8:171); "With a regard to true theology, a more ignorant people never lived than the present so-called Christian world" (Journal of Discourses 8:199); "And who is there that acknowledges [God's] hand? ...You may wander east, west, north, and south, and you cannot find it in any church or government on the earth, except the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" (Journal of Discourses, vol. 6, p.24); "Should you ask why we differ from other Christians, as they are called, it is simply because they are not Christians as the New Testament defines Christianity" (Journal of Discourses 10:230).

Orson Pratt proclaimed: "Both Catholics and Protestants are nothing less than the 'whore of Babylon' whom the Lord denounces by the mouth of John the Revelator as having corrupted all the earth by their fornications and wickedness. Any person who shall be so corrupt as to receive a holy ordinance of the Gospel from the ministers of any of these apostate churches will be sent down to hell with them, unless they repent" (The Seer, p. 255).

Pratt also said: "This great apostasy commenced about the close of the first century of the Christian era, and it has been waxing worse and worse from then until now" (Journal of Discourses, vol.18, p.44) and: "But as there has been no Christian Church on the earth for a great many centuries past, until the present century, the people have lost sight of the pattern that God has given according to which the Christian Church should be established, and they have denominated a great variety of people Christian Churches, because they profess to be ...But there has been a long apostasy, during which the nations have been cursed with apostate churches in great abundance" (Journal of Discourses, 18:172).

President John Taylor stated: "Christianity...is a perfect pack of nonsense...the devil could not invent a better engine to spread his work than the Christianity of the nineteenth century." (Journal of Discourses, vol. 6, p.167); "Where shall we look for the true order or authority of God? It cannot be found in any nation of Christendom." (Journal of Discourses, 10:127).

James Talmage said: "A self-suggesting interpretation of history indicates that there has been a great departure from the way of salvation as laid down by the Savior, a universal apostasy from the Church of Christ". (A Study of the Articles of Faith, p.182).

President Joseph Fielding Smith said: "Doctrines were corrupted, authority lost, and a false order of religion took the place of the gospel of Jesus Christ, just as it had been the case in former dispensations, and the people were left in spiritual darkness." (Doctrines of Salvation, p.266). "For hundreds of years the world was wrapped in a veil of spiritual darkness, until there was not one fundamental truth belonging to the place of salvation ...Joseph Smith declared that in the year 1820 the Lord revealed to him that all the 'Christian' churches were in error, teaching for commandments the doctrines of men" (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 3, p.282).

More recent statements by apostle Bruce McConkie are also very clear: "Apostasy was universal...And this darkness still prevails except among those who have come to a knowledge of the restored gospel" (Doctrines of Salvation, vol 3, p.265); "Thus the signs of the times include the prevailing apostate darkness in the sects of Christendom and in the religious world in general" (The Millennial Messiah, p.403); "a perverted Christianity holds sway among the so-called Christians of apostate Christendom" (Mormon Doctrine, p.132); "virtually all the millions of apostate Christendom have abased themselves before the mythical throne of a mythical Christ whom they vainly suppose to be a spirit essence who is incorporeal uncreated, immaterial and three-in-one with the Father and Holy Spirit" (Mormon Doctrine, p.269); "Gnosticism is one of the great pagan philosophies which antedated Christ and the Christian Era and which was later commingled with pure Christianity to form the apostate religion that has prevailed in the world since the early days of that era." (Mormon Doctrine, p.316).

President George Q. Cannon said: "After the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized, there were only two churches upon the earth. They were known respectively as the Church of the Lamb of God and Babylon. The various organizations which are called churches throughout Christendom, though differing in their creeds and organizations, have one common origin. They all belong to Babylon" (Gospel Truth, p.324).

President Wilford Woodruff stated: "the Gospel of modern Christendom shuts up the Lord, and stops all communication with Him. I want nothing to do with such a Gospel, I would rather prefer the Gospel of the dark ages, so called" (Journal of Discourses, vol. 2, p.196).

Do they believe that the Old Testament is also translated incorrectly?

Evidently - the BOLD words are the TRUE ones; the ITALICS are the ones ADDED by JOSEPH SMITH.

JOSEPH SMITH TRANSLATION
GENESIS 50: 24-38

Moses, Aaron, and Joseph Smith were all named in this prophecy of Joseph in Egypt. Also, Joseph prophesied that the Book of Mormon would become a companion to the record of Judah. (compare Genesis 50: 24-26; see also 2 Nephi 3)

24 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die, and go unto my fathers; and I go down to my grave with joy. The God of my father Jacob be with you, to deliver you out of affliction in the days of your bondage; for the Lord hath visited me, and I have obtained a promise of the Lord, that out of the fruit of my loins, the Lord God will raise up a righteous branch out of my loins; and unto thee, whom my father Jacob hath named Israel, a prophet; (not the Messiah who is called Shilo;) and this prophet shall deliver my people out of Egypt in the days of thy bondage.

25 And it shall come to pass that they shall be scattered again; and a branch shall be broken off, and shall be carried into a far country; nevertheless they shall be remembered in the covenants of the Lord, when the Messiah cometh; for he shall be made manifest unto them in the latter days, in the Spirit of power; and shall bring them out of darkness into light; out of hidden darkness, and out of captivity unto freedom.

26 A seer shall the Lord my God raise up, who shall be a choice seer unto the fruit of my loins.

27 Thus saith the Lord God of my fathers unto me, A choice seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins, and he shall be esteemed highly among the fruit of thy loins; and unto him will I give commandment that he shall do a work for the fruit of thy loins, his brethren.

28 And he shall bring them to the knowledge of the covenants which I have made with thy fathers; and he shall do whatsoever work I shall command him.

29 And I will make him great in mine eyes, for he shall do my work; and he shall be great like unto him who I have said I would raise up unto you, to deliver my people, O house of Israel, out of the land of Egypt; for a seer will I raise up to deliver my people out of the land of Egypt; and he shall be called Moses. And by this name he shall know that he is of thy house; for he shall be nursed by the king’s daughter, and shall be called her son.

30 And again, a seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins, and unto him will I give power to bring forth my word unto the seed of thy loins; and not to the bringing forth of my word only, saith the Lord, but to the convincing them of my word, which shall have already gone forth among them in the last days;

31 Wherefore the fruit of thy loins shall write, and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write; and that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together unto the confounding of false doctrines, and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing them to a knowledge of their fathers in the latter days; and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord.

32 And out of weakness shall he be made strong, in that day when my work shall go forth among all my people, which shall restore them, who are of the house of Israel, in the last days.

33 And that seer will I bless, and they that seek to destroy him shall be confounded; for this promise I give unto you; for I will remember you from generation to generation; and his name shall be called Joseph, and it shall be after the name of his father; and he shall be like unto you; for the thing which the Lord shall bring forth by his hand shall bring my people unto salvation.

34 And the Lord sware unto Joseph that he would preserve his seed forever, saying, I will raise up Moses, and a rod shall be in his hand, and he shall gather together my people, and he shall lead them as a flock, and he shall smite the waters of the Red Sea with his rod.

35 And he shall have judgment, and shall write the word of the Lord. And he shall not speak many words, for I will write unto him my law by the finger of mine own hand. And I will make a spokesman for him, and his name shall be called Aaron.

36 And it shall be done unto thee in the last days also, even as I have sworn. Therefore, Joseph said unto his brethren, God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land, unto the land which he sware unto Abraham, and unto Isaac, and to Jacob.

37 And Joseph confirmed many other things unto his brethren, and took an oath of the children of Israel, saying unto them, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.

38 So Joseph died when he was an hundred and ten years old; and they embalmed him, and they put him in a coffin in Egypt; and he was kept from burial by the children of Israel, that he might be carried up and laid in the sepulchre with his father. And thus they remembered the oath which they sware unto him.

AAAHH! Yes, WATER! That’s important, I had forgotten that.

Most NORMAL folks would BATHE in it; but it appears that something ELSE is used if you are a TRUE Mormon...

THE
DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS
OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS

SECTION 89

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, February 27, 1833. HC 1: 327–329. As a consequence of the early brethren using tobacco in their meetings, the Prophet was led to ponder upon the matter; consequently he inquired of the Lord concerning it. This revelation, known as the Word of Wisdom, was the result. The first three verses were originally written as an inspired introduction and description by the Prophet.

1–9, Use of wine, strong drinks, tobacco, and hot drinks proscribed; 10–17, Herbs, fruits, flesh, and grain are ordained for the use of man and of animals; 18–21, Obedience to gospel law, including the Word of Wisdom, brings temporal and spiritual blessings.

1 A ^aWord OF Wisdom, for the benefit of the council of high priests, assembled in Kirtland, and the church, and also the saints in Zion—

2 To be sent greeting; not by commandment or constraint, but by revelation and the ^aword of wisdom, showing forth the order and ^bwill of God in the temporal salvation of all saints in the last days—

3 Given for a principle with ^apromise, adapted to the capacity of the ^bweak and the weakest of all ^csaints, who are or can be called saints.

4 Behold, verily, thus saith the Lord unto you: In consequence of ^aevils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of ^bconspiring men in the last days, I have ^cwarned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation—

5 That inasmuch as any man ^adrinketh ^bwine or strong drink among you, behold it is not good, neither meet in the sight of your Father, only in assembling yourselves together to offer up your sacraments before him.

6 And, behold, this should be wine, yea, ^apure wine of the grape of the vine, of your own make.

7 And, again, ^astrong drinks are not for the belly, but for the washing of your bodies.

8 And again, tobacco is not for the ^abody, neither for the belly, and is not good for man, but is an herb for bruises and all sick cattle, to be used with judgment and skill.

9 And again, hot drinks are not for the body or belly.

10 And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome ^aherbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man—

11 Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; all these to be used with ^aprudence and ^bthanksgiving.

12 Yea, ^aflesh also of ^bbeasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used ^csparingly;

13 And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be ^aused, only in times of winter, or of cold, or ^bfamine.

14 All ^agrain is ordained for the use of man and of beasts, to be the staff of life, not only for man but for the beasts of the field, and the fowls of heaven, and all wild animals that run or creep on the earth;

15 And ^athese hath God made for the use of man only in times of famine and excess of hunger.

16 All grain is good for the ^afood of man; as also the ^bfruit of the vine; that which yieldeth fruit, whether in the ground or above the ground—

17 Nevertheless, wheat for man, and corn for the ox, and oats for the horse, and rye for the fowls and for swine, and for all beasts of the field, and barley for all useful animals, and for mild drinks, as also other grain.

18 And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, ^ashall receive ^bhealth in their navel and marrow to their bones;

19 And shall ^afind ^bwisdom and great ^ctreasures of ^dknowledge, even hidden treasures;

20 And shall ^arun and not be ^bweary, and shall walk and not faint.

21 And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the ^adestroying angel shall ^bpass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen.

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