1 Remnant CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST of Latter Day Saints Marlin Texas Branch 204 Live Oak Street Marlin, Texas 76661 THE REMNANT June 2008 VOLUME 9 Number 6 THEME: To Gather In Fellowship SUNDAY MORNING DEVOTIONALS ---------------- 9:45AM SUNDAY SCHOOL ---------------- 10:00AM SUNDAY MORNING SERVICE ---------------- 11:00AM SUNDAY EVENING SERVICE ---------------- 6:30PM (WHEN ANNOUNCED) WEDNESDAY EVENING SERVICE ---------------- 7:00PM (WHEN ANNOUNCED) AVAILABLE PRIESTHOOD: 1 HIGH PRIEST, 3 ELDERS, 1 Aaronic Teacher June 1, 2008 COMMUNION SERVICE HIGH PRIEST ARTHUR ALLEN COMMUNION ELDER RICKEY WELCH OBLATION REMARKS June 8, 2008 June 15, 2008 June 22, 2008 HIGH PRIEST ARTHUR ALLEN ELDER RICKEY WELCH ELDER RICKEY WELCH ELDER ROGER SCHUELKE TEACHER WALTER SHELTON
2 June 29, 2008 ELDER ROGER SCHUELKE HIGH PRIEST ARTHUR ALLEN ELDER RICKY WELCH ATTENDANCE Our attendance for May did not meet our expectation; however, our Goal to fill our Chapel with new faces continues. We continue to encourage others to come and see. A review of our membership and others that worship with us on a regular basis indicates that we should be able to attain our goal. A review of contacts and expected cottage meeting to be held is very refreshing.. TRACT AND TAPE MINISTRY It should be noted that all requests for tracts and tapes must include Name, Mailing Address and E- Mail Address when ordering from our Web Site at www.theremnantchurchmarlintx.homestead.com. Items requested from the web site are sent to the requestor free of any cost. We suggest you review our home page and review a number of changes that have been made in recent months. MAY BIRTHDAYS (Is your name missing?) Charles Allen Jun 27 Winford Herring June 4 OUR WEB SITE Our web site, www.theremnantchurchmarlintx.homestead.com, continues to be updated. Our Web Site has been registered with the Marlin Chamber of Commerce and now appears under Church s on the Marlin Chamber of Commerce Web Site. For those of you that are new to our Web Site, our Web Site is linked to the General Church Web Site, www.theremnantchurch.com, and can be found under church congregations. The Web Site is updated each month to include new information that may be of interest to members of the congregation as well as too many others. A list of available sermons have been added to our web site and your can now listen to these sermons while using your computer in other work. It is suggested that you visit the Web Site regularly. The Branch News Letter is posted each month. GENERAL CHURCH WEB SITE Click on to the General Church Web Site for the latest information about activities going on in the general church. www.theremnantchurch.com Changes are made regularly to the Web Site. You can register with the web site and can receive regular updates by E-Mail. Please check out all of the information furnished on the Site.
3 FROM THE PRESIDING ELDER Just how much can a presiding officer of a congregation expect from the membership? I am so fortunite to have members of this congregation that are responding to the call of the Master. The excitement and enthusiasm that I find within this body of Saints are a first for me. This body of Saints are seeking to respond to the Call of the Master, to seek, learn and understand the requirements of being a part of a Growing Church, to become a citizen of the Coming Kingdom. I ask myself if I am dreaming about my feelings about this group of Saints. These Saints are responding in a manner that can only bring great honor to themselves, this congregation, this Church and most of all to Jesus Christ. We expect at least six individuals to make the 350 mile trip to Miami, Oklahoma for the Oklahoma Reunion. This will be a first for one couple since becoming a part of this congregation and the Remnant Church in 2007. This congregation has had two additional baptisms and one affiliation since my last news letter. This will give us three baptisms and one affiliation for 2008. One cottage meeting is now being held and an additional one will be conducted as soon as a time schedule is worked out. Several other contacts for affiliations and or cottage meetings are continuing. Our previously announced goal to fill our chapel by the close of 2008 is still attainable. So our motto Come and See. We look forward to our one hundred and eleventh year celebration of the church in Falls County. This is planed for the last week-end in September. More information will be furnished; however, make your plans now for the 27 th and 28 th of September. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE BATTLE CRY HOW IS THE BATTLE CRY GOING Ephesians 6:11 20 is the back drop for my remarks today. There have been many great battles some of the far past and some more modern. The first battle that was fought was in heaven Between good and evil the devil and his angels against God. Then we have the battle in the Garden of Eden His, the devil, deception of Eve and then Eve with her deception of Adam. The scriptures The Bible, Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants all record information about many battles. Always THE BATTLE CRY BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL. So here today we continue to struggle with our battle between Good and evil. In our personal struggles in preparing for the coming Kingdom of God I will mention only seven. These seven will affect how we are doing with our Battle Cry. l. Honor How are we doing in our struggle with adherence to the Church s public declared code of values. These are many and examples for Good and Evil are found in the scriptures. 2. Integrity How is our battle for fulfilling the necessary high personal moral standards; honest in word and deed. These standards can be found in the scriptures. 3. Courage How is our battle cry going? Are we manifesting physical and moral bravery in fulfilling the Great Commission? Matthew 28:18-19. Have we learned the basic plan of Battle in order to defeat the enemy of all the devil?
4 4. Loyalty Are we bearing true faith and allegiance to God and to the Church that He established? (Matthew 16:17-20). What about our loyalty to and for our friends? 5. Respect What about our battle to promote dignity, consideration, fairness, and equal opportunity for our brothers and sisters in the faith. What about our battle to promote these qualities with our friends. 6. Selfless Service How is this battle going? Are we placing God s priorities before self? This is a tough battle; however, it is a must and probably is one, if not the most, difficult battle. 7. Duty The struggles to fulfill our professional, legal, and moral obligations that we committed ourselves to when we made our commitment to God. There are battles going on all around us. The battles in our homes, in our church, in our nation and in our world are only a few. Take a look at the following: 1. The battle for our Children and their Future. 2. The battle to preserve Our Freedom. 3. The battle for Zion. 4. The battle for my soul and yours. 5. The battle to preserve our God Given Constitution of this Great Land of America. Our history is full of battles. I will name only a few. 1. WW-I, WW-2, Kosovo, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Granada, Pork Chop Hill, Bataan, Corregidor, Mid Way, the Battle of the Bulge and the list goes on. 2. War between the North and South, The Texas War of Independence with Mexico, The Indian Wars, The War with England when our nation was founded. What about the Battle Cry within the Church The past, the present and the future. Let us take a look. I know that your walk with Jesus is not an easy walk. People may tell you that a walk with Jesus is easy; however, I do not believe this to be true. You are chosen and blessed. You are God s instrument and how you respond determines many things within your life and the life in the church. In this battle that you are engage, you will have to decide your place in this battle. You will have to determine if you will assist in this battle of the Kingdom or if you are leaving the battle for other selfish reasons. Your decision will determine your place in the Kingdom. Or if you do not overcome the struggles in the battle you may become one of the foolish virgins. You may be locked out. You are called unto his kingdom and glory. 1 Thessalonians 2:12. Our decisions to enter the battle must be now, today. The sand in the hour glass is running out. The call may come today and our opportunity to engage in the battle will be over. There is a Super Natural War being fought for the Soul of America and You. At the End of the War there will be a WINNER AND LOSER. To the winner will go the Souls of our Children, and Grand Children, etc? You already know that the struggle is between Good and Evil Christ and Antichrist. It pits god s Word against secular humanism. The Battle Lines Have Been Drawn. You are in this battle like it or not. In our scripture at the start of this discussion we were told to put on the Whole Armor of God. Because of the Great Love that God has for his children he gave his Son and those who believe on him should not perish, but have everlasting life. So
5 here today we ask ourselves the question what will we see after the battle. We are given the following answer. Revelation 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a New Earth; for the First Heaven and the First Earth were Passed Away; and I John saw the holy city, the New Jerusalem coming down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying. Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be anymore pain; for the former things are passed away. You and I will be making some hard decisions today. We will decide who the winner of this struggle for our souls will be. I know that God is the answer for happiness and a future in his Kingdom. It is my prayer is that when this life is finished on this earth we will be able to say what the Apostle Paul said in II Timothy 4:6-8. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. Arthur Allen High Priest, Marlin, Texas Branch Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints May 18, 2008 FROM THE MAY ISSUE OF THE NEWS BRIEFS MAJOR PROPERTY PURCHASE JUST COMPLETED: From the official reordering of the Remnant Church on April 6, 2000, to the acquisition of the 26 acres of property known as the Gathering Place on January 2002, to the filling of the Quorums, Orders, and Councils of the Church, the Lord has certainly blessed this people. The Gathering Place now presents itself with a very attractive Worship Center, a nearly completed Conference Center for our General Conferences and attractive landscaping. It still holds potential for further development, when needed. All this is from the generous giving of the Remnant Saints, not only in sacrifice offerings, but in consecration of their time, talents and energy. At the announcement of the purchase of the Gathering Place the following was stated in the News Briefs of January 2002: With profound feelings of gratitude to the Lord our God whose benevolent hand has been extended once again in loving kindness, and to the faithful Saints of His Remnant Church whose dedication and generous response has made it possible to seize an opportunity unknown and thought impossible but a few weeks ago, we make this report. It begins by offering as detailed information as is available at this time of writing. Hopefully, it will arouse the same feelings of gratitude in your hearts as it has in those who were first made aware of a further potential step towards Zionic development With a further expression of this same enthusiastic gratitude, the First Presidency is pleased to announce another blessing from God a fulfillment of the command to purchase land in Jackson County. After consultation with the First Presidency and the unanimous support of the Board of Appropriations, the Presiding Bishopric has contracted to purchase a tract of land in Eastern Jackson County. This has been done even as events in the world around us further degenerate along the lines that our latter-day scriptures have repeatedly forewarned over approximately the past 175 years. The recent difficult financial times which have shaken commodity and stock markets throughout the world now make it imperative to move Church Storehouse funds into a safe investment of tangible property. How soon you, my Saints, have forgotten counsel given not so long ago regarding economic adversity, political unrest, decline in morality, and natural calamities. These things have now come to pass and are with you. Heed again this counsel and make the required preparation for the much tribulation to come in the days ahead. D&C R- 152:5 These world conditions dictate that the Saints begin making physical preparations toward supplying our future food needs, with intention to build up the Kingdom of God on earth. In order to properly handle the tax implications, purchase of the property will be accomplished by using appropriate corporations established in cooperation with consecrated members of the Church, for these developmental purposes (See GCR 907, April 19, 1930.) At this time we can share the following thoughts and reflective statements which will assist in bringing this important transaction into proper perspective: 1. This acreage is currently under contract to be farmed this growing season, which enterprise will generate income to defray part of the purchase expenses. We should honor this contract by not intruding upon the land until after all the seasonal harvests are complete.
6 2. Planning has also begun to establish agricultural Stewardships, which will assume specific farming duties in the future, to be made available to our qualified members. 3. This acquisition will initiate tangible preparations for the continued gathering of the scattered Saints. 4. This land will also meet the criteria for the future establishment of Community in Eastern Jackson County, as called for initially in instructions received over a century ago, and divinely reiterated in recent revelations. This newly-purchased land consists of almost 200 contiguous acres and is topographically suitable to both farming for food production and for future layout of a gathered community. It is entirely within Jackson County, and accessible to utility connections and nearby markets by main roads. This important step portrays our united desire to heed the Lord s commandment to purchase land in Zion for the purpose of laying a foundation for his Kingdom. We are reminded of our past admonitions when we read: Therefore, a commandment I give unto all the churches, that they shall continue to gather together unto the places which I have appointed;...let not your gathering be in haste, nor by flight; but let all things be prepared before you; D&C 98:9d-e (December 1833)...and they shall be appointed to purchase the lands, and to make a commencement, to lay the foundation of the city; and then ye shall begin to be gathered with your families, every man according to his family, according to his circumstances, and as is appointed to him by the presidency and the bishop of the church, according to the laws and commandments, which ye have received, and which ye shall hereafter receive. Even so. Amen. D&C 48:2c-d (March 1831)...to fulfill that which I have commanded concerning the purchasing of all the lands in Jackson County, that can be purchased, and in the adjoining counties round about; for it is my will that these lands be purchased, and after they are purchased that my Saints should possess them according to the laws of consecration which I have given; D&C 102:8b (June 1834) 3 a. Anticipation of community building now lies before you, and steps to that end must be taken with care and thoughtful deliberation. The gathering of my people will soon come by direction from the First Presidency, but preparation by the Bishopric for implementation must be in place. b. Reliance on continued revelatory guidance and the faithful labors of those who have been chosen to lead my people will bring to a more clear understanding the role of community in the unfolding of my Zion. D&C R-149:3 (April 2005) 6 a. As an ensign to the world and a demonstration that man can live together in peace and harmony with his neighbor, exercising stewardships, utilizing inheritances, and not being unduly influenced by Babylon, it is necessary to provide for close community living. To that end, as it has been revealed previously at the Kirtland Assembly of 2004, preparation for a community of my people should be developed utilizing land in Eastern Jackson County. b. Let harmony and good will prevail, not only among those who are called to community planning, but among all the Church members alike as the foundation of that Zionic endeavor, so long hoped for, unfolds. D&C R-150:6a,b (October 2005) b. Even though wars and rumors of wars, political unrest, and moral decay are all around you, be not discouraged for lo, I am with you to the end. My work will not be frustrated, and be assured you are among those chosen to bring to pass my Kingdom in these last days. D&C R-151:5b (October 2006) NEEDED: A MATURING REMNANT PEOPLE READY TO ASSUME THE ZIONIC RESPONSIBILITIES DEMANDED BY OUR TIMES! Ours is the privilege, as well as the awesome responsibility, to respond in a manner appropriate to the mounting challenges of our day and times. These many admonitions, only barely summarized above and along with the continuing divine guidance given in our recent revelations, simply do not allow us to delay our obedience any longer. As scripturally predicted, spiritual Babylon is crumbling before our very eyes and will soon fall. Where there is no vision, the people perish; but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. (Prov. 29:18) We encourage the membership and their families to prepare their homes, both spiritually and temporally, for the difficult times of trial as Babylon continues to fall and Zion continues to unfold before us.