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Years ago, sea-faring men watched and studied the horizon in order to be able to predict the weather. We’ve all heard the sailor’s lines, 

“Red sky at night,

A sailor’s delight!

Red sky at morning, 

Sailors take warning!”

Because of necessity, and using very basic tools, men became adept at watching for minute changes in temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure, which allowed them to notice changing conditions and to interpret what they saw on the horizon. With this information, they were able to prepare ahead of time for developing storm conditions. 

The development of almanacs and other printed publications, helped people to add historical perspective to their observations, by providing data about historical measurements of temperature, wind, rainfall, weather cycles, and other things relative to the calendar months and years. Thus they could, with some degree of assurance, know what they could expect during specific seasons.

Over time, advanced instruments were developed to help them measure more accurately the changes in conditions, and to more easily predict the degree to which weather would change over a given period of time. Today, we sit in our homes and offices and check the weather on our favorite television or radio channels, on the Internet, or on our smart phone. We seldom even bother to look past our own back yard or driveway to personally check weather conditions, and when we do it is not to look for storms on the horizon, but to check whether we can safely go outside or drive to work or school that day.

One result of these technological advances is that we have, as individuals, largely lost the capability of looking to the horizon and comprehending the changes coming from afar. We tend to focus on things that are immediately before us, often not noticing subtle and gradual changes in our immediate surroundings, much less those more ominous changes on the horizon. We may easily fail to see dangerous weather conditions gathering on the horizon, as we look to the computer to tell us whether we should carry an umbrella to work.

In much the same way, we may fail to recognize subtle changes in our moral and cultural surroundings. We may become so focused on specific issues and minute details of our individual lives that we fail to notice the greater waves of change developing all around us, as we move ever closer to the turbulent and trying times foretold by prophets of God throughout history.

I remember as a young man, in my teens, hearing my father speak of how times had changed and that I faced challenges he had no reason to even consider as a youth. I fully comprehend now what he was saying, as I see commonplace things today that would have utterly shocked me as a boy. We speak of the dangers of pornography, yet we patiently wait through sensual advertisements to get back to our television show. Many commercial advertisements that only a few years ago would have been considered sexually provocative, if not illegal, are now normal. Programs that today are not considered explicit enough for regulation or rating, only a few short years ago would have been considered unacceptable for public broadcast by the majority of our society. Many new social issues, such as gender-identity and same-sex marriage, were not heard of until just a few short years ago.

Well did the psalmist write, “They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.” (Psalms 82:5)

Captain Moroni, leader of the Nephite armies in the Book of Mormon, built fortifications around the cities of the Nephites to protect them from their enemies. He caused “that they should commence in digging up heaps of earth round about all the cities, throughout all the land which was possessed by the Nephites.

2 And upon the top of these ridges of earth he caused that there should be timbers, yea, works of timbers built up to the height of a man, round about the cities.

3 And he caused that upon those works of timbers there should be a frame of pickets built upon the timbers round about; and they were strong and high.

4 And he caused towers to be erected that overlooked those works of pickets, and he caused places of security to be built upon those towers, that the stones and the arrows of the Lamanites could not hurt them.” (Alma 50:1–4)

Might we not also build fortifications of spiritual strength and temporal security around our homes, by increasing our study of the Holy Scriptures, improving our family prayers, better keeping of the Sabbath Day, paying full tithes and generous offerings, increasing volunteer service, gathering our emergency storage, reducing or eliminating debt, living within our means, and more strict obedience in keeping our covenants with the Lord?

Or, are we like the man who licks his finger and holds it in the air to determine which way the wind blows? Do we look to a weathervane, which changes direction with every change of the wind, for guidance? Or do we look to a compass that gives guidance relative to sure, fixed points. For guidance in our lives we may look to the sure compass of personal revelation, the words of the prophets, and the scriptures as our guides, which give true guidance and direction, regardless of which way the winds of societal change may blow. 

As a young man, I was once told about an animal called the “Mugwump.”  A Mugwump is a fairly common large animal that often takes on human proportions. It is known for sitting on fences with its mug on one side and its wump on the other.  The words of John the Revelator seem appropriate here: 

“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” (Revelation 3:15–16)

Nephi, quoting the Prophet Isaiah, wrote, 

“For behold, at that day shall [Satan] rage in the hearts of the children of men, and stir them up to anger against that which is good. And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.” (2 Nephi 28:20–21)

The scriptures tell us there will come a great division or separation among the people, those who seek righteousness from those who seek prideful, selfish desires and personal gratification. This divide, which we are seeing develop in our world at this time, will become greater and greater until the ill-fated mugwump will become forever extinct. There will be no fence-sitters. Choices will have to be made, and those choices will not be passive, nor ignorant, nor will they be made secretly and in the dark. They will be made in the full light of day.

As that day approaches, we will begin to see righteous men and women of all races, cultures, faiths, and disciplines begin to shine forth in the world like stars in the night sky. We will see them coming forth in all walks of life, in places both high and low, while those who choose to follow Satan to satisfy their selfish, prideful, and base desires, will, individually, and as a people, fall further and further into moral and economic ruin, decay, and darkness. There will come a day, not long into the future, when all those who seek for peace and security in this world will necessarily seek unto Zion, as foretold in Section 45 of the Doctrine and Covenants:

“And it shall be called the New Jerusalem, a land of peace, a city of refuge, a place of safety for the saints of the Most High God;

67 And the glory of the Lord shall be there, and the terror of the Lord also shall be there, insomuch that the wicked will not come unto it, and it shall be called Zion.

68 And it shall come to pass among the wicked, that every man that will not take his sword against his neighbor must needs flee unto Zion for safety.

69 And there shall be gathered unto it out of every nation under heaven; and it shall be the only people that shall not be at war one with another.

70 And it shall be said among the wicked: Let us not go up to battle against Zion, for the inhabitants of Zion are terrible; wherefore we cannot stand.

71 And it shall come to pass that the righteous shall be gathered out from among all nations, and shall come to Zion, singing with songs of everlasting joy.”

(Doctrine and Covenants 45:66–71)

The harbinger of this great division is the moral decay we are seeing today, which is fueled and accelerated by pornography, alcohol, other mind-altering substances, and other unhealthful and unholy practices, which dull the sensibilities, confound wisdom, and make evil appear as good. “Wo unto them that call evil good, and good evil, that put darkness for light, and light for darkness, that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (2 Nephi 15:20). How like is our time unto the days of the Prophet Jeremiah, as he foretold the total destruction of Jerusalem, “Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. (Jeremiah 6:16)

I often reflect on my church mission, which I served more than 40 years ago. I remember a painting by Marilee B. Campbell, depicting two young missionaries symbolically harvesting golden wheat in a field. The painting shows beautiful blue skies and puffy white clouds in the background.

I believe that if that scene were painted today, the artist would be impressed to paint dark and foreboding storm clouds on the horizon. I believe she would paint an expression of urgency on the faces of the two missionaries, and show multitudes of other righteous people in the background assisting the missionaries in gathering the wheat from among the tares.

I also believe that if that painting were to be painted again, another ten years from now, it would show these two missionaries and other righteous laborers wearing storm gear and working hard in the wind and rain to gather in the remaining sheaves of wheat.

We have been told since the days of the Prophet Joseph Smith, that we are living in the 11^th hour and 59^th minute of all time. The prophecies contained in all the Holy Scriptures are being fulfilled before our eyes. There are few yet unfulfilled.

We have read the prophecies. We have heard the warnings of the Brethren. We can see the storm clouds gathering on the horizon. But let us not fear, rather, let us prepare, for the Lord will be with us as He was with the Children of Israel in the wilderness. Those who are faithful to their covenants with the Lord will see marvelous signs and wondrous miracles occur for their good. They will stand forth as beacons in the night and the Lord will prosper and protect them in righteousness, so “that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel,” (1 Samuel 17:46) and that none may be left with excuse in the Last Day (Romans 1:20).

Brothers and sisters, now is the time to finish our preparations. Now is the time to heed the warnings of the prophets. Now is the time to fortify our lives and homes, to reduce or eliminate debt, to pay full tithes and generous offerings, to learn to live within our means, to gather our emergency supplies, to keep ourselves unspotted from the world, to refine and perfect our righteousness, to better keep our covenants and serve the Lord. Now is the time. 

The calm before the storm is past. The gusting winds are even now whipping about us. Look out at the horizon and see. Look to the scriptures and understand. There will be no more respite. Now is the time to batten down the hatches, gird up our loins, and round-up our shoulders to make the final push to the end.

We are about to enter the most wondrous era of human history. Never has there been a day wherein the power of God has been more greatly manifest in the world. Never before have there been holy temples dotting the globe and the ordinances of salvation made available to so many. Never before has there been such an army of true priesthood holders throughout the world as in our day. This will be a blessed time for the righteous, but it will not be an easy time. It will be, as Dickens so aptly penned in A Tale of Two Cities, the best of times and the worst of times.

“Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.” (Ether 12:4)

Brothers and sisters, look forward in faith and righteousness for a better world, for “signs shall follow them that believe.”(Ether 4:18–19) and God shall fight their battles for them. (Isaiah 31:4)

In the holy name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

TTHenrie 04/04/2021

Several years ago, I was assigned to speak in church on the topic of “Real Growth”. 

As I began preparations for the talk, I found my mind continually reaching back to my youth, searching for those things that brought me “Real Growth”. Let me tell you a little about myself.

I was born January 30, 1959 to Gordon and Mardella Henrie. 

My father is from Panguitch, Utah. He was born, as we say, “under the covenant”, meaning his parents were sealed in the temple, for time and eternity, prior to his birth. In fact, so were his parents, and their parents, and their parents, dating back to January 22,1846, when William and Myra Henrie were sealed in the Nauvoo temple, prior to the great exodus of the church westward to the Salt Lake Valley. However, in his youth, my father became what is commonly known as a “Utah Mormon. In other words, he wasn’t particularly close to the church. His conversion began in his late teens, when he left home and joined the US Air Force. Now, in his 87^th year, he remains steadfast in the Gospel, having been a faithful servant of the Lord.

My mother is from Clanton, Alabama and was raised a Southern Baptist. Her youth was considerably different than that of my father. Concepts such as eternal marriage, temple covenants, and even personal revelation and testimony were entirely foreign to her, despite the fact that she was raised in a religious home. She was introduced to the Gospel by my father, who attempted unsuccessfully to teach her before they were married. Failing that, he introduced her to the missionaries, whose teachings she received with a whole heart. She was baptized before I was born just over a year later. Now in her 84th year, she is faithful to all her covenants and is a revered mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.

How was it then, that it took so many years for my father to become “converted”, yet it took my mother only a matter of months. While my father was raised in the church, my mother was introduced to it in her early 20s by my father. While my father’s roots run deep in the church, my mother’s family still share their deep concern for her salvation, believing the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to be a false religion.

One day a couple years ago I asked my daughter, Gina, what “real growth” means to her. Her answer was a very wise one. She said, 

“Real growth is when you begin to recognize what things are really important and what things are not.”

I think that explains why it took my dad as much as 18-20 years to become converted to the Gospel, even though he was raised in the church, while it took my mother only a matter of months, once she was first exposed to the truth.

Sometimes new converts to the church feel a little disadvantaged, when they see around them those who have been members all their lives, and who are intimately familiar with the church and its workings, or who have gained deep knowledge of the scriptures over many years of study, or who have held high and holy callings in the church.

Ironically, many times, those who have been members all their lives envy those same new converts for the burning testimony they feel that compelled them to change their lives, to be baptized, and to share their testimony with all their friends.  Often, lifetime members long for that burning in the bosom they hear described in the scriptures and experienced by so many new converts, yet which they don’t seem to feel themselves, despite their faithfulness to their covenants.

Brothers and sisters, I would like to share with you some of the “Real Growth” experiences of my life.

I remember my mother kneeling with me by my bedside, when I was a very young child, teaching me to pray. I remember my first memorized prayer: 

Now I lay me down to sleep,

I pray the Lord my soul to keep,

And If I die before I wake,

I pray the Lord my soul to take.

I remember how important it was to my mother that I pray every night. Eventually she taught me how to talk to my Heavenly Father.

As I grew older, I had a few years, as most children do, when bad dreams and nightmares were my greatest fear. Monsters lived under the bed and in the closet. I remember learning quickly that when I had a nightmare, I could pray and Heavenly Father would protect me and the bad dream would go away.

The problem was that I thought I had to kneel by my bed to pray. It may seem a small thing to you, but it took enormous faith on my part to slide out of bed and kneel by my bedside to pray to my Heavenly Father, when my greatest fear lived under the bed.

I eventually learned that if I remembered to pray for good dreams before I climbed into bed, I would not have bad dreams at all. Imagine to yourself the faith growing in my little heart regarding my Heavenly Father’s love for me, and his protecting hand.

My mother’s teaching about prayer stayed with me. To this day, I cannot climb into bed without saying my nightly prayer. I simply cannot sleep until I have done so. Consequently, I cannot finish a day without clearing the air between myself and the Lord. This has been a great protection and blessing to me throughout my life.

I remember the day I was sealed to my parents in the Mesa, Arizona temple. I was about 4 or 5 years old. I remember having to sit in a waiting room, where I was bored. There were no toys. My parents were somewhere else and were gone a long time. I remember sitting by a window, looking out and wishing I were somewhere else. Yet, I also remember the peaceful feeling in the temple, and that I knew I had to be reverent there. I knew that whatever was happening, it was important to my parents and to my Heavenly Father. Over the years it became important to me. I knew I wanted my family to be an eternal one, and that the temple was the only place on earth where that could become a reality.

Now fast-forward a few years into the future. In my youth I considered that I had a strong testimony. I was called to leadership positions on several occasions. I was quite proud of myself. I was doing things right, and I made sure others knew I was the example they should follow. I was planning on serving a mission. I was on-track. So proud was I, in fact, and so sure of myself, that I often fell into errors I might have avoided, had I been a humble follower of Christ. To this day I know of not one person who ever joined the church during my high school years due to my influence. In later years, I learned that righteousness is more than skin-deep. It must reach into the soul and come from the heart.

Fast forward again. I served a mission. I served well. I held leadership positions. I returned home honorably. I was married in the temple to the right woman (the same temple in which my parents, and hers, were sealed) and we have been married going on 40 years. I continued my education, which lead to career opportunities that allowed me to support a family and provide opportunities for their growth and welfare. I learned that making correct choices and doing the right things leads to the opening of doors of opportunity that would otherwise be closed to me.

When I was 30 years old and had three children, I was just beginning my career as an FBI Agent. I had struggled with the decision to become a federal agent for quite some time, having also felt a desire to be a high school teacher. I felt the Lord had not answered my prayers, but had left me unto myself to make that choice. I was somewhat discouraged that I would receive so much help from the Lord in other aspects of my life and in church callings, but that I would receive no answers for such an important decision for my life and family. I finally told the Lord I was going to go ahead and do what I thought was best and if I was wrong, I asked that he should guide me in the right direction and promised I would follow, regardless of the consequences.

Shortly after I graduated from the Academy and we were settled in our first duty station, Midland, Texas, I was called as a Stake Missionary and a Ward Mission Leader. I was called to be interviewed by the First Counselor in the Stake Presidency. As I sat before him, he reviewed my name and asked, “Are you related to any Henries from Utah?” I explained that my great-grandfather, Norm Sargent, was from Panguitch, Utah, and that my dad, Gordon Henrie, was born and raised there.

This humble man, then with tears in his eyes, said, “Gordon Henrie taught me the Gospel.” As it turned out, he and my dad had met in flight school for the US Air Force as young cadets. Dad started taking him to church meetings, where he became converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. My great-grandfather, Norm Sargent, baptized him.

This experience I received as my confirmation from the Lord that He was pleased with my decision and approved my choice of career. I had learned that sometimes the Lord’s guidance in our lives is less a matter of Him telling us what to do, but rather, His saying, “You choose the path you desire to take, and I’ll help you walk it.”

When I was about 32 years old, a couple years into my career, already with 4 children, I was away from my family for specialized training at the FBI Academy at Quantico, Virginia. I had been, at the time, studying the Doctrine and Covenants. I was nearing the end of it. As I studied the book, the feeling had been growing within me that I wanted a greater knowledge and testimony of God than that simple one I had always had, since my early childhood. This desire worked within me and became a topic of prayer as I studied the revelations in the D&C.

One Saturday evening, as I closed my day with prayer, I found myself somewhat discouraged that I wasn’t feeling the progress I desired in my testimony. I wanted more, yet I did not desire to be a “sign-seeker”. I just wanted a greater knowledge and understanding. I felt I had earned it. I had indeed sought and knocked and waited to receive.

That night I had a deep talk with the Lord. I told him that I did not doubt, but that I had questions in my heart. I knew he was there, and that he loved me, and that He watched over me and answered my prayers. I told him that I had kept his statutes throughout my life, that I had kept his commandments: I had served a mission; I had kept the law of chastity; I had paid my tithes faithfully; I had kept the Word of Wisdom; I had married in the temple; I had served faithfully in my callings. I had lived according to all I had been taught, yet I still had this simple childlike faith in Him, with all the questions and blindness that entails. I told my Father in Heaven that I felt that I had paid the price to have greater light and knowledge bestowed upon me. I told him I had done all I had been asked to do. I told him I desired to know more.  

I waited on my knees by my bedside.

Nothing came. I concluded that I was not yet ready.

I awoke the next morning, a Sunday morning, a bit downcast and lay in bed wondering whether I should see if I could find a local chapel, where I could attend church and take the sacrament. I started thinking I might just stay at the academy and maybe attend one of the non-denominational meetings there, just to be in keeping with the Sabbath Day. I began to think I would probably not be able to find a local building in time anyway (this was before the Internet and GPS).

As I lay there, I was suddenly struck with this thought:  “Here you kneeled by this very bedside last night, telling the Lord how you were ready for greater light and knowledge, that you had paid the price to know, and that you were ready. Now here this morning, you lie here in this same bed, wondering whether you should go to church and making excuses for yourself.”

I immediately got out of bed and went to the phone book. I looked up the local building and made a call to the bishop’s office. He answered and in minutes had the address, directions, and meeting times. I began to dress to go to church.  As I did so, I had one of the most spiritual experiences of my life.

I began to ponder some questions that had been prominent in my mind for some time. Suddenly, my mind was opened to things I had never before considered. My thoughts were drawn out into eternal things, and I thought more deeply and understood more completely the things of the Creation, of space and time, of the Atonement of Christ, and of the very existence God, than I had ever before experienced. Many of the scriptures became more open to me, and I understood things I had not before understood. This experience continued for the space of about two hours, even as I drove, closing just as I approached the chapel.

This was the answer to my prayers. I had received what I had so long sought. I had received greater light and knowledge, and even more, I knew the promise was true, that if we seek, and if we knock, we will receive. 

63 Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

64 Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name it shall be given unto you, that is expedient for you.

68 Therefore, sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will.

(Doctrine and Covenants 88:63-64, 68)

It took me until I was 32 years old to receive that additional light and knowledge, having done all I was asked to do, not in perfection, but in diligence and persistence. No one need suppose that I have gained a perfect knowledge, or a sure knowledge of all of the things of God, for much of what I perceived and understood during that experience was closed to me when the experience closed, yet I know I had the experience and I remember the power of it. That memory has, over the years, brought me to shed all doubt regarding His existence, His knowledge of all things, His power over them all, and His love for his children.

Do not be discouraged if your answers do not come according to your own desires and your own timetable. The Lord knows you and your needs. He will answer according to His wisdom and in His time. Be faithful. Be diligent. Be persistent. He will come to you.

Above all, even if you have doubts and questions, do not despair, but trust in the words of those who do know, until your faith is increased and your testimony can stand on its own, for even that is a gift of the Spirit.

I leave you my testimony that our Heavenly Father knows you. He knows your name. He knows your desires, your strengths, your weaknesses, your faults, your sins, and your eternal worth as His child. He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

In the holy name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen. 

The Road Not Taken

I find myself occasionally having what I consider to be deep and poignant thoughts. Now, I realize the deepest depths of my soul may be pretty shallow in comparison to many who may read these pages, but I thought it possible that some little thing I write, or some little idea I present here, may at some time, in some small way, have an effect for good on somebody somewhere. So, at the risk of embarrassment and criticism, I will expose the shallowness of the depths of my soul on the slim chance that somebody may benefit.

I will invite comments, though I may not respond to them all. If you disagree, please do so civilly and do not expect argument from me; your thoughts are likely as valid as mine.

For my shallower thoughts, you may visit my website at westerntrailrider.com.