Kings and Memories

A number of years ago (1987 to be exact) Ezra Taft Benson made the following statement:

The record of the Nephite history just prior to the Savior’s visit reveals many parallels to our own day as we anticipate the Savior’s second coming.  (Ensign, May 1987, 4)

Here is a verse I found in the book of 3rd Nephi that seems to foreshadow events of the past few months:

And they did set at defiance the law and the rights of their country; and they did covenant one with another to destroy the governor, and establish a king over the land, that the land should no more be at liberty but should be subject unto kings. (3 Nephi 6:30)

As our congress was attempting the Health Care Bill, there were some representatives in the Democratic party who were concerned about the provisions allowing government support of abortion.  These “Right to Life” members profess to believe in the sanctity of life and would not vote for a bill that gave the people the ability to stop a pregnancy while using government money for the procedure.

I applaud the convictions of these men and women and hope they will continue to apply these principles to their decisions but, in this case, they compromised themselves because of a promise made by the President.  Mr Obama assured the anti-abortion Democrats that by issuing an “Executive Order” forbidding the government to use any tax money to fund abortions the problem would be solved.

There are two things wrong with this compromise solution:

1. This “Executive Order” does not seem to do the things the President and others have said it will do.  The wording of the order is such that it would be very easy to circumvent the restrictions established by the Hyde Amendment.  It is also questionable if the President really has the authority to essentially make a “line-item” change in the bill.

2. IF Congress DOES allow the President to issue this order AND they honor it, the Congress has given the President powers that are not part of the Executive Branch.  They have, essentially, declared that the President can change any law simply by issuing an Order from his office.  That is not Presidential power, that is Kingly Power.

If you reexamine the verse of scripture at the head of this post, you will see a glaring similarity with what was happening in the days before the Savior came to the Americas.  

My point is not to create fear or to lead some to worry about the state of our nation because I am confident that if we follow the Living Prophet we will find our way through.  What I wish to encourage is a desire to be prepared for the days of challenges before the Savior comes the 2nd time.  Whatever happens in the world, if we are in the right place, we will find the peace that comes from the Holy Ghost.  As King Benjamin (a real and righteous king) taught,

But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish.  And now, O man, remember, and perish not. (Mosiah 4:30)