Carrying the Message of Salvation to the 4 Corners

[stargazer450]

Hi, I've been a guest reader for a long time but finally decided to join. This is my first post.

When I was younger I always knew in my heart I was never going to serve a typical lds mission [for the record I am a woman and 24 yrs.] and I turned out to be right as I went to college, met my amazing husband the first day and now 6 years later I'm blessed to be a mother to two wonderful boys.

For as long as I can remember I've had strong feelings, connections and interests about the last days, Book of Revelations, signs of the times and all that. My patriarchal blessing I received at age 16 mentions many things in connection with that. But a few things have always left me wondering.....

It mentions me paying heed to the signs of the times, aiding in the building up and strengthening of Zion, ushering in the millennium, and carrying the message of Salvation to the four corners of the earth....but how does someone carry the message to the four corners of the earth?? Obviously it involves missionary work, but now that I'm married it's always puzzled me. How could that phrase play out (other than serving as an old married couple)? Does anyone have anything similar mentioned?

On a different note, for my tribe - it says I am the lineage of Joseph with the blood of Ephraim AND Manassah in my veins. I had never heard of being both before! I'm from a family of twelve kids with one brother given Manassah, but all the rest Ephraim. Why the difference? Is it simply a matter of genetics? I'm assuming the duty of spreading the gospel is basically the same... Any other hybrids out there??

Thank you for reading! Sorry it was kind of long.

[creator]

Welcome and enjoy!

[Silver]

Hi, I've been a guest reader for a long time but finally decided to join. This is my first post.

It mentions me paying heed to the signs of the times, aiding in the building up and strengthening of Zion, ushering in the millennium, and carrying the message of Salvation to the four corners of the earth....but how does someone carry the message to the four corners of the earth?? Obviously it involves missionary work, but now that I'm married it's always puzzled me. How could that phrase play out (other than serving as an old married couple)? Does anyone have anything similar mentioned?

Thank you for reading! Sorry it was kind of long.

Welcome!

One interpretation of you spreading the gospel to the 4 corners might be that your sons and their children could be called to work in many areas of the world. You can also serve as a couple when you've retired from work.

Your message is not too long. Thanks for joining us.

[stargazer450]

I had never considered that being fulfilled through my sons before.... interesting possibility. Thank you. Do you think that the methods and rules of "church missionary work" (ie. Only Young single adults/old couples called) will be different in the millenium? I've wondered if whole families would ever be called to different places around the world, somewhat like how pioneer families were asked to settle new locations.

[Silver]

I had never considered that being fulfilled through my sons before.... interesting possibility. Thank you. Do you think that the methods and rules of "church missionary work" (ie. Only Young single adults/old couples called) will be different in the millenium? I've wondered if whole families would ever be called to different places around the world, somewhat like how pioneer families were asked to settle new locations.

That's a lovely idea. Wouldn't that be a wonderful way for a family to grow?

[lundbaek]

I believe that if you ask Heavenly Father for direction/guidance in "paying heed to the signs of the times, aiding in the building up and strengthening of Zion, ushering in the millennium, and carrying the message of Salvation to the four corners of the earth...." He will be pleased at you willingness to ask, and will give you the guidance when He sees the time is right.

[brianj]

Welcome to the forum.

Regarding missionary work, I have a friend who met a Chinese woman online who was asking questions about Christianity and the LDS faith. He took the time to answer her questions, get to know her, discuss gospel topics, and offered to send her a copy of the Book of Mormon and Bible. He was a missionary to a far part of the world without needing to travel.

Some people think they can be missionaries by re-posting every gospel related message they see on Facebook, but I don't see this as effective.
Some people think they can be missionaries by trying to live the commandments but never explaining why and even dodging questions when asked, but i don't see this as effective.
The most effective way to be a missionary is to pray to be guided to people prepared to accept the gospel, grow personal relationships with them, and fearlessly speak of what we have come to know is true. We can be missionaries to people around the world without leaving home by seeking out those ready to learn online.

[Alaris]

Moses 7:
62 And righteousness will I send down out of heaven; and truth will I send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine Only Begotten; his resurrection from the dead; yea, and also the resurrection of all men; and righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out mine elect from the four quarters of the earth, unto a place which I shall prepare, an Holy City, that my people may gird up their loins, and be looking forth for the time of my coming; for there shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion, a New Jerusalem.

Above, we learn that righteousness and truth will sweep thy earth to gather the elect from the four corners of the earth.

Now I understand by this quotation, that God clearly manifested to Enoch the redemption which
He prepared, by offering the Messiah as a Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world;
and by virtue of the same, the glorious resurrection
of the Savior, and the resurrection of all the human
family, even a resurrection of their corporeal bodies, is brought to pass; and also righteousness and
truth are to sweep the earth as with a flood. And now, I ask, how righteousness and truth are going
to sweep the earth as with a flood? I will answer. Men and angels are to be co-workers in bringing
to pass this great work, and Zion is to be prepared, even a new Jerusalem, for the elect that are to
be gathered from the four quarters
of the earth, and to be established an holy city, for the tabernacle of the Lord shall be with them.
Joseph Smith
Tpjs p 84

Above, the Prophet Joseph Smith expounds how righteousness and truth do the gathering and reveals that angels and men will be coworkers in this effort.

[gardener4life]

As far as bloodlines it IS because of Manasseh and Ephraim are both Joseph that you could be from both. And there's a very specific reason why it's saying that. Read below;

Alma 10;3 Lehi descended from MANASSEH. But it says that Ishmael was a descendant of EPHRAIM.

There are not a lot of people that can have that condition, as above. (Also to think about it...also why is the Book of Mormon not the stick of Ephraim or Manasseh, but the stick of Joseph? Because the Lord brought both the tribes together. Lehi from Manasseh or Manashe and Ishmael from Ephraim or Efrain.)

DO you realize what that's telling you? And do you realize how special that is?! And that its there for a very specific reason! By stating both its connecting you to Lehi's posterity somehow. Nobody else that I know of could fulfill these conditions. For this to match those two is a very strong indicator that you are connected to Lehi's bloodline, and his descendants; anyone else it will only say one tribe only. It probably says both to help you know that the Book of Mormon IS your heritage as a descendant of Lehi also, so you can tie it into those verses which state their lineage above which I pulled right out of the Book of Mormon. (Remember the introduction; It says written to the Lamanites (& remnants of Lehi). That's absolutely amazing! It's also SUPER important because part of one of the last days signs is that the Lamanites...(& and any remnants connected to Lehi!) are to blossom as a rose! You are fulfilling that helping them blossom as a rose by raising your children righteously and helping them get on missions someday, and stay faithful and true, which is part of Lehi's heritage as a people that would be faithful to whatever they were taught.

I find it really interesting that in a very real way you had a 'secret message' in your lineage classification that is revealing your heritage, and probably so you can help find those people in your family history.

It's important that this blossom as a rose condition is fulfilled because Heavenly Father does NOT exclude anyone. Everyone needs a chance to be redeemed and brought back. Not excluding anyone is proof of love.

You will feel the spirit confirm this when you read it. I'm sure of it.

[gardener4life]

Additional info;

Elder Erastus Snow (1818–88) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles discussed the importance of Ishmael’s lineage: “Whoever has read the Book of Mormon carefully will have learned that the remnants of the house of Joseph dwelt upon the American continent; and that Lehi learned by searching the records of his fathers that were written upon the plates of brass, that he was of the lineage of Manasseh. The Prophet Joseph informed us that the record of Lehi was contained on the 116 pages that were first translated and subsequently stolen, and of which an abridgment is given us in the first Book of Nephi, which is the record of Nephi individually, he himself being of the lineage of Manasseh; but that Ishmael was of the lineage of Ephraim, and that his sons married into Lehi’s family, and Lehi’s sons married Ishmael’s daughters, thus fulfilling the words of Jacob upon Ephraim and Manasseh in the 48th chapter of Genesis, which says: ‘And let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the land.’