The Next 4 Years

Well, if you have paid any attention at all to the news as of late, you know that our country will see its first African-American president, Barack Obama. I love the fact that we have really embraced, or at least made another huge step towards true multiculturalism, but there is more that we need to be aware of than just one's race. Now, I wish I could join in with half the country and say I'm excited about the next four years, but I have to be honest and say that Obama's "change" is not the kind I'm looking forward to.

Ok, ok. Before a lot of you go off spewing out threats and wondering how in the world I am against change, let me tell you that I'm all for change, but no matter how you look at it, any of the candidates would be able to change what we currently have. That's not to say that President Bush is a bad president. Sure he has made some poor decisions, but heaven forbid he makes mistakes. Further, heaven forbid he actually attacks many of the problems that are facing our country. Too many people would not have done what he did and who knows what the outcome would be if we just stood still and let bad people do what they wanted. Maybe its not seen now, but in the future sometime, we'll look back and really see the good that Bush has done.

As far as other political ideas go, I'm glad that Prop 8 in California passed. A similar proposition passed also in Arizona and, if I remember right, a couple of other states. It's really comforting to know that there are still people that believe in true family values. I'll even take it as far as there are still people who believe in God, a figure that is seemingly getting crowded out of our country's interests. With that, may I turn your attention to the Book of Ether, found only in the Book of Mormon. For those of you unfamiliar with the Book, the people in the Book of Ether are some of the first people to inhabit the American continent. But it wasn't just that they were here and they lived. The following is a few verses from chapter 2:

And now, we can behold the decrees of God concerning this land, that it is a land of promise; and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall serve God, or they shall be swept off when the fulness of his wrath shall come upon them. And the fulness of his wrath cometh upon them when they are ripened in iniquity.

For behold, this is a land which is choice above all other lands; wherefore he that doth possess it shall serve God or shall be swept off; for it is the everlasting decree of God. And it is not until the fulness of iniquity among the children of the land, that they are swept off.

And this cometh unto you, O ye Gentiles, that ye may know the decrees of God—that ye may repent, and not continue in your iniquities until the fulness come, that ye may not bring down the fulness of the wrath of God upon you as the inhabitants of the land have hitherto done.

Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ, who hath been manifested by the things which we have written.

The other night, when Jen and I were discussing this topic, it came to our minds that throughout the Christian timeline, whether in the Bible or the Book of Mormon, the times when society has been its most wicked, the times when people have forgotten God, there have been many prophets sent to declare repentance. Today there is a living prophet, Thomas S. Monson. However, he alone can't go throughout the world and especially throughout this nation and declare repentance. I assure you he is doing that where he goes, but to have the impact of the prophets of old, the call goes out to us. We must be the source of truth and light. We need to, more so now than ever before, to make our voices heard. We need to stand up for that which we believe in. We need to enforce the principles and fundamentals upon which this country was founded. If we but remember God and serve him, no matter what your faith may be, then the promise is there. We will be fine and we'll have nothing to worry about.

In closing (I know this is terribly long) may I just say that I will support President Obama as far as what he does is in the best interest of the country, as long as what he does will reinforce the almost lost principles the Founding Father once declared. Will he be perfect? No, he's human. Unfortunately, there will still be people who worry about their mortgages. People will still wonder how they will afford gas. Rich people will still get rich and poor people will still be poor. God gave us our agency. If we rely on the government to act upon our agency for us, then we have completely misunderstood our purpose here on earth. I believe in this country. I believe in the ability of good people to do what's right. As mentioned above, the opportunity is ours to make the difference - to make the change Obama foresees. But, in the end, we need to make sure that we are serving our Heavenly Father, for only then are we promised freedom and success.

Thank you.