Did anybody hear or have anything to say in your 4 July testimony meeting about the Declaration of Independence, or about the signers and others who played significant roles in the establishing of the United States of America?   I took is as a great opportunity to awaken some people a bit more to the greatness of the Declaration of Independence and the men who signed it and the others who played significant roles in establishing the United States, and our duty to honour and befriend the US Constitution.   I did just that as a visitor in Heber, AZ, and included the April 1898 General Conference testimony of President Wilford Woodruff about the Founders appearing to him in the St. Geoprge Temple and demanding that their tempel ordinance work be done for them.    As I finished, the bishop thanked me.


The following poem was written by a member of our stake and read at the annual 3-ward 4 July celebration on Monday morning.

Dear Father, bless our nation
In this most periled time.
Protect us from the dangers
Of corruption, greed and crime.

Bless our leaders who hearken not to Thee
That their days in office be short lived,
And be replaced by men of God
Wholl return our freedoms, once perceived.

May the Senate and the House
Both be purged of evil men.
May the Lobbyists be tempered
And our hope restored again.

May the Patriots of our nation
Be brave and take a stand,
And stamp out this wicked onslaught
And vote out each purchased man.

May we return to basic values
And put God above us all,
And pray to Thee for guidance
To redeem us from this fall.


Another friend wrote:

"Ours was amazing. We actually had a program instead of a testimony meeting. There was a reenactment of the "mysterious" person that encouraged the signers to step up, and then talks on what the founders sacrificed and the secret combinations that threaten us today."


Yet another wrote:

"Last Sunday, I bore my testimony of the Savior and the Book of Mormon -- and quoted Benjamin Franklin ("A Republic... IF you can keep it) and from Ether 2. My emphasis was that this is a chosen land IF the inhabitants will serve the God of this land, which is Jesus Christ."


Another interesting response:

  "I also bore my testimony again.  It was the only one on the subject of patriotism.  Not even the bishop would do it, as in years past my bishops haven't done so.  The bishop did read a statement by our stake presidency that we should not get political in church, or contentious.  But - on that special day - he didn't let the other shoe drop - that of the words of the stake presidency at our recent stake conference a few weeks ago, that "we should play the role of citizens and become involved in the political process; and that we should teach proper govt. principles and civics in our families."
    "I suppose our stake presidency did this because of the alarming situations in Az.  But our bishop has only addressed it with a negative "what-not-to-do" whenever he rarely mentions the subject.
    "I bore testimony to that advice from stake conference, and that the Lord has provided a way thru an organization personally instigated by Pres. David O. McKay thru a righteous elder in the Church (Cleon Skousen) for us to learn those correct principles.
    "As usual, no one asked me later what that organization is (www.nccs.net), and what another one is - privately recommended by another prophet (Benson), which is The John Birch Society (www.jbs.org).  This last one is where we learn of the program of the modern "Insiders" (theworld-wide secret combination), and how to fight it - as Moroni suggested. 
    "I don't understand the seemingly complete stupor of lethargy of the average LDS in the area of citizenship.  I hate to think what it portends as to personal apostasy and the parable of the wheat and tares.  These people are an amazing study."