A Response To Today's London Terror Attack

The Office of The Prophet of The Restored Branch of Jesus Christ would like to express our deep sorrow and heartfelt sadness with the great city of London in the wake of the evil terror attack carried out in the great city of London today. We condemn those that have brought about this evil today. We extend our prayers and thanks to the emergency services who tackled today's attack with courage and urgency. We also pray for the people of London and the U.K and we call upon the Lord to heal our land and ask him to be with and comfort all those effected at this terrible time. 

Our Prophet is Not ill and Continues to Lead His Church.

It is a sign of the times that we live in The Restored Branch of Jesus Christ have to make such an announcement. However we The Restored Branch of Jesus Christ would like to set straight a massive, horrible lie being spread by members of the LDS church that our Prophet and First Elder Matthew Gill has had a mental breakdown causing him to leave his position at the head of our church. Firstly this horrible gossip is not true and those who have spread this horrible lie on the website exmormon.org have no idea what they are talking about.

This year our church had been fighting a lengthy legal battle with the LDS church and it was necessary, for a while for our Prophet to step aside from the day to day running of the church while this legal issue was being sorted. The legal issue was successfully sorted and the Prophet Matthew Gill returned to the day to day running of the church. Our Prophet has not suffered a mental breakdown as has been reported and anything that says otherwise is a lie and evil gossip.

Our prophet Matthew Gill leads the church as he has done for years and holds regular church meetings and classes and can be seen regularly at those Sunday services. He is not ill or mentally exhausted. Should anything happen to our Prophet of this nature the church would immediately let our membership know and as he is very well and leading the church as normal nothing has been needed to be said.

It would seem that once again false ideas and horrible gossip are never far from the lips of those members of the LDS church. They have tried time and time again to besmirch our Prophets Character and leadership and time and time again they have failed. This is just another example of evil, hatred and trouble making by those incapable of holding decent discussions and Christ like attitudes in their hearts.

We stress once again that the Prophet Matthew Gill is well and continues to lead the church on a daily basis.

Sunday 3rd November 2019 Sermon: The Righteous Will Have Peace

The Righteous Will Have Peace

"And the work of the righteous shall be peace and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever"

Isaiah prophesied of one of the most heralded and anticipated events in history when he said that the "Prince of peace" would come. The fulfillment of that prophesy was proclaimed by "A multitude of heavenly hosts praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace. Goodwill toward men". The disciples of Jesus knew the prophecies which said that Christ's ministry would be one of peace. The troubled condition of the world during the time of his earthly ministry must have been both disappointing and puzzling to them.

The apparent contradiction between the Lord's promises of peace and outward conditions can also be seen when the prophet Joseph Smith and his companions were imprisoned in Liberty gaol. Joseph called to the Lord saying "O God, where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place?" The Lord's response was "My son, peace be unto thy soul, thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment". However persecution did not cease and the Prophet Joseph was killed five years later.

Isaiah spoke truly when he said the Saviour would be the Prince of peace, and peace really did come to Joseph Smith. But the peace the Saviour promises is inner, not necessarily circumstantial, peace. Christ said "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid"

This promise of peace gives no assurance against hardship, tribulation, adversity, death, or war, as evidenced by Christ's statement to his disciples "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation".

The word peace has many meanings. A state of tranquility or quiet, freedom from oppressive or disquieting thoughts or emotions, harmony in personal revelation. The peace the Saviour proclaimed has many of these elements, but the focus of his promise is on the individual, the feelings of comfort, assurance, and harmony within oneself. That feeling can only come from the Lord as the result of individual obedience to the commandments. There is no other path to the peace he promises.

The peace the Saviour promises is conditional. To receive it, we must have faith, repent, receive the Holy Spirit, and strengthen our testimonies through righteous living. Although we must always strive to individually work for peace amongst our fellow men, we know that worldwide peace will ever be granted until the Saviour comes and Satan and his followers are contained. Nevertheless, in spite of adverse conditions in the world, the righteous can have peace in their hearts. Those who follow the ways of the Lord will always have peace with them.

We know that in the world today many have the feeling of uneasiness because of world conditions and events, and the lengthening shadow of evil and darkness, but the Lord has said "If ye are prepared ye shall not fear" He said that "peace I leave with you, let not your hearts be troubled, neither let it be afraid"

As the Prophet of the Restored Branch of Jesus Christ I know that you come to church seeking guidance and comfort. It is my duty to give that guidance and that comfort to you. As you come here week after week and your testimonies grow and your faith in the Lord and in me grows you will feel the inspiration and the comfort of the Lord. Don't forget my brothers and sisters that the Gospel gives purpose to our lives and through its principles and its teachings we can find happiness and comfort.

Let us remember that if we are prepared we need not fear the future, for we have the Lord's promise that he will sustain us, no matter what our circumstances. Some people, however, find it hard to accept the Lord's assurances and rid themselves of fear so they can feel peace. I proclaim to you today that our position is one of strength because it is founded on eternal truth. We need not fear the fiery darts of the adversary, nor be troubled by world conditions and events, as long as we walk in that light which a gracious father has so abundantly shed forth upon us in this final gospel dispensation we shall have peace within our hearts and peace upon our minds.

My brothers and sisters I say unto you, let us be righteous, let us bind ourselves to Christ in all things so that we may have peace within our hearts and let us wait with eager anticipation for the great and glories day of his return.

In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Sunday the 6th of October Sermon: Integrity

Integrity

Integrity involves honesty, moral soundness, and freedom from corrupting influences and evil practices

Integrity or the lack of it touches almost every facet of our lives. Everything we say, every thought and desire. As long ago as 1666, Jean Baptise Moliere, a famous French dramatist, wrote, "If everyone were clothed with integrity, if every heart were just, frank, kindly, the other virtues would be well nigh useless, since their chief purpose is to make us bear with patience the injustices of our fellows".

We can define integrity as a strict adherence to a code of behaviour. A person with integrity remains true to his beliefs in circumstances that test steadfastness to truth, purpose, responsibility, or trust. Integrity involves honesty, moral soundness and freedom from corrupting influences and evil practices. In essence, integrity is being true to what we know is right under all circumstances.

The Lord has said, "I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say, but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise" Our Heavenly Father keeps and will continue to keep the promises he makes to us. He has complete integrity. To become like him, then, we must keep our promises to Him. The highest manifestation of integrity is exhibited by those who conform their conduct to the terms of the gospel covenants and promises which they have made. Throughout the scriptures we find examples of righteous men and women who have faced all manner of adversity, even death, rather than compromise what they knew to be true. Consider the examples of Daniel, Job, The Anti-Nephi-Lehis, Linker, Zinon and even closer to our day, the prophet Joseph Smith.

After the First Vision, young Joseph tried to share his experience with some of the most learned religious people of his day. He was surprised to meet resentment and bitter persecution from those who claimed to be representatives of the very God he had seen and communicated with. Such persecution led the young man to reflect, "How very strange it was that an obscure boy, of little over fourteen years of age, should be thought a character of sufficient importance to attract the attention of the great ones of the most popular sects of the day, and in a manner to create in them a spirit of the most bitter persecution and reviling"

Joseph smith wrote that "after a person had faith in Christ, repents of his sins, and is baptised for the remission of sins and receives the Holy Ghost, which is the first Comforter, the let him continue to humble himself before God, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, and living by every word of God, and the Lord will soon say unto him, Son, thou shalt be exalted. In essence the Prophet taught that absolute integrity must precede the promise of eternal life. Our individual exhalation depends upon our proving to the Lord that we will at all hazards and under all circumstances faithfully discharge the trust he has places upon us.

Integrity requires us to make commitments to truth and honour and then develop the discipline to keep those commitments. As members of The Restored Branch of Jesus Christ we have each made commitments to the Lord to obey his commandments and follow him. It is important that we develop discipline of self so that more and more, we do not have to decide and re-decide what we will do when we are confronted with the same temptation time and time again. We only need to decide some things once. Other wise each reconsideration is risky, and each equivocation may result in error. There are some things we do, and other things we just don't do. The sooner you take such stands, the taller you will be. To develop discipline we must first decide what we will do and what we will not do. Then we must abide by these decisions.

Our world presents conflicting values and objectives. We are confronted almost daily with decisions that are not clear and that may be confusing. To develop personal integrity we must respond with exactness in all that we do. Integrity is a small word, yet an all encompassing virtue, a virtue that will help us obtain eternal glory if we learn to cultivate and nurture it.

In The Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Sermon By Sister Vicki Gill: Repentance

Repentance. Is it just saying sorry?

As children we are taught to say sorry when we have done something wrong. You bump into someone, you say sorry. You spill some paint, you say sorry. You say nasty or mean words to someone, you say sorry. You hit your brother or sister, you say sorry.

Most of the time our parents tell us to say sorry because ‘that’s what you should do’, sometimes we are told to say sorry even if we don’t mean it or don’t know why we are saying it.

Does Heavenly Father accept this way of ‘I’m sorry’ as repentance?

If we look through the scriptures it is repeated often, that to repent you must go down into the waters of baptism. Being baptised means that you have made a covenant with the lord that, you will be the best person that you can be, that you will aspire to gain entry to the highest glory in the highest kingdom. Jesus knew that this was not going to be possible unless he helped us in someway, Jesus bled in the garden of Gethsemane for the remission of our sins (Matthew 26:24) so that we may be able repent, to ‘say sorry’ for the things that we have done.

If we throw around our ‘I’m sorry’s’ the same way that we use the words ‘and’, ‘if’ and ‘but’, which are in almost every sentence that we speak, is our ‘I’m sorry’ worth the pain and suffering that Jesus went through for us, the answer is No.

In order for us to fully repent and be worthy of jesus’s sacrifice we have to

• Know what we have done wrong, why we are repenting and saying I’m sorry.
• Feel sorrow, not crying or pain. Real sorrow, deep within your chest, the whisperings of the Holy Ghost or your conscience telling you that something isn’t right.
• Apologise to the person and make amends, really mean it.
• Promise that you will aim to never do it again, then and only then can you ask forgiveness from the Lord.

Heavenly Father and Jesus know that mistakes can happen over and over again which is why we have the plan of salvation so that we can repent over and over again but we do need to learn from our mistakes and make sure that we caused Jesus no more pain than was absolutely necessary.

Should we only repent for the things that other people see?

The answer is simple… No.

We should repent for everything. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ see and know everything.

What things should we repent for?

Should we just repent for the big stuff? Should we just repent for the small stuff? We should repent for everything. If you have sinned then you should repent. Jesus came to earth not for the righteous but for the sinners so that they may be able to repent and be saved.

I found this talk very difficult; repentance is very simple yet also very complex.

Exodus Chapter 20 tells of Gods 10 Comandments, we all know them, but do we live them.

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

“Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image. …

“Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. …

“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. …

“Honour thy father and thy mother. …

“Thou shalt not kill.

“Thou shalt not commit adultery.

“Thou shalt not steal.

“Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

“Thou shalt not covet.”

I can tell you now that should repent multiple times a day especially over the last one, Thou shalt not covet… oh how I covet… everyone does but I… we should learn to be happy with what we have been given, the bounties that Heavenly Father has bestowed upon us.

I know that this has not been the greatest talk you have every heard but I hope that it has been thought provoking.

I leave these words with you x

Sister Vicki Gill

Official Church Statement: Gods Laws Are Eternal

I stand before you today to address a very grave but important subject. That subject is the LGBT question and its place in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. In doing so I stand before you as the First Elder and Prophet of The Restored Branch of Jesus Christ and nothing else.

It has come to my attention that certain things transpired at a recent BYU graduation in April and then at an address by the leader of the largest group within the restoration movement LDS church who spoke at a BYU conference on the 17th of this month to young adults concerning The Laws of God in which he addressed several issues but primarily the issue of the question of LGBT rights within the LDS church. The reason I am talking to you today about this is that I and many others agree that although the LDS church is the largest group by far in the restoration it does not represent the views of the other groups within that movement.

First came the talk by a graduating student in April who stood and announced publicly, for the first time during graduation, that he is “proud to be a gay son of God.”

Like Enos in the Book of Mormon, the student said, he too battled and fought in prayer with his maker countless times while a BYU student. He said and I quote:-

“It was in these quiet moments of pain and confusion that I felt another triumph, that of coming to terms, not with who I thought I should be, but who the Lord has made me. As such, I stand before my family, friends and graduating class today to say that I am proud to be a gay son of God.”

In response to this the audience cheered and applauded the student, who said coming out to his entire college “is a phenomenal feeling, and it is a victory for me in and of itself.”

The student in question went on to share several clips of his speech on Twitter later, saying he had told his closest friends and family members he was gay but felt it was important to share it publicly for himself and the LGBTQ+ community at BYU.

Then came the talk by President Nelson on the 17th of this month in which he encouraged those young people attending to defend the Laws and Policies of the church as the same thing. He spoke about the LGBT place within the said church and that in his words "The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve have continued to seek the Lord’s guidance and to plead with him in behalf of his children...and clarifies that local church leaders should treat homosexual immorality the same as heterosexual immorality. In other words it is no longer a sin to be homosexual, Lesbian as long as within that relationship you do not commit immorality for example an immoral heterosexual act would be to commit adultery with anther partner that is not you're espoused. So it’s now LDS policy, as of President Nelson's recent talk to young adults that they will accept same sex couples as long as they are not engaging in immoral acts within that relationship. Paving the way forward for acceptance of Homosexual relationships being accepted in the LDS church. Yet further proof, if any was needed just how far out of touch with the laws of God and the restored gospel they really are. He made it very clear that this was now the policy of the church and that it was given from God because policy and law are the same thing now. This all makes sense of course if you know of the changes that they have recently made within their temple endowment when talking about marriage and espoused relationships. However in their own short past this has not been the case I cite four addresses two given by Gordon B Hinckley in 1995 and 1998 one given by Spencer W Kimball in 1977 and one given by Boyd K Packer in 2000.

There are those who would have us believe in the validity of what they choose to call same-sex marriage. Our hearts reach out to those who struggle with feelings of affinity for the same gender. We remember you before the Lord, we sympathize with you, we regard you as our brothers and our sisters. However, we cannot condone immoral practices on your part any more than we can condone immoral practices on the part of others.... “We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God (Gordon B. Hinckley 1995)

Question 2: What is your Church’s attitude toward homosexuality?

In the first place, we believe that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God. We believe that marriage may be eternal through exercise of the power of the everlasting priesthood in the house of the Lord.

People inquire about our position on those who consider themselves so-called gays and lesbians. My response is that we love them as sons and daughters of God. They may have certain inclinations which are powerful and which may be difficult to control. Most people have inclinations of one kind or another at various times. If they do not act upon these inclinations, then they can go forward as do all other members of the Church. If they violate the law of chastity and the moral standards of the Church, then they are subject to the discipline of the Church, just as others are.

We want to help these people, to strengthen them, to assist them with their problems and to help them with their difficulties. But we cannot stand idle if they indulge in immoral activity, if they try to uphold and defend and live in a so-called same-sex marriage situation. To permit such would be to make light of the very serious and sacred foundation of God-sanctioned marriage and its very purpose, the rearing of families. (Gordon B. Hinckley 1998)

The growing permissiveness in modern society gravely concerns us. Certainly our Heavenly Father is distressed with the increasing inroads among his children of such insidious sins as adultery and fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism.... God will not be mocked. His laws are immutable. Homosexuality is an ugly sin, but because of its prevalence, the need to warn the uninitiated, and the desire to help those who may already be involved with it, it must be brought into the open.

It is the sin of the ages. It was present in Israel’s wandering as well as after and before. It was tolerated by the Greeks. It was prevalent in decaying Rome. The ancient cities of Sodom and Gomorrah are symbols of wretched wickedness more especially related to this perversion, as the incident of Lot’s visitors indicates. We do not hesitate to tell the world that the cure for these evils is not in surrender.

“But let us emphasize that right and wrong, righteousness and sin, are not dependent upon man’s interpretations, conventions and attitudes. Social acceptance does not change the status of an act, making wrong into right. If all the people in the world were to accept homosexuality, … the practice would still be a deep, dark sin.” (The Miracle of Forgiveness, Bookcraft, p. 79.) (Spencer W. Kimball 1977)

With some few, there is the temptation which seems nearly overpowering for man to be attracted to man or woman to woman. The scriptures plainly condemn those who “dishonour their own bodies between themselves … ; men with men working that which is unseemly” (Rom. 1:24, 27) or “women [who] change the natural use into that which is against nature” (Rom. 1:26).

If you choose that course, the fountains of life may dry up. You will not experience the combination of love and struggle, the pain and pleasure, the disappointment and sacrifice, that love which, blended together in parenthood, exalts a man or a woman and leads to that fullness of joy spoken of in the scriptures. Do not experiment; do not let anyone of either gender touch your body to awaken passions that can flame beyond control. It begins as an innocent curiosity, Satan influences your thoughts, and it becomes a pattern, a habit, which may imprison you in an addiction, to the sorrow and disappointment of those who love. Pressure is put upon legislatures to legalize unnatural conduct. They can never make right that which is forbidden in the laws of God. Sometimes we are asked why we do not recognize this conduct as a diverse and acceptable lifestyle. This we cannot do. We did not make the laws; they were made in heaven “before the foundation of the world” We are servants only. (Boyd K. Packer 2000)

What can be said? These men profess to be Apostles of God, they profess to stand in his name and to receive revelation from him, but the God they serve is not the God of scripture he is not the God of the early church under direction from the prophet Joseph Smith. Their God can and does change his mind and direction as and when the wind blows. The LDS church has fallen. It has fallen for Satan and his lies and what was true for them yesterday is not true for them today, what was law for them yesterday is not law for them anymore. They swing with the wind blowing to and fro and the buffeting's and lies of Satan have them truly in his grasp.

Let me be clear. The new view of the laws of God as espoused by the LDS church and its leadership do not represent the views of other restoration churches, indeed they do not represent the views of this church. We may read the same books of scripture in regards to the Book of Mormon etc but we have a completely different understanding of sin and LGBT sin and the danger it poses to the institute of marriage and the family. The scriptures are very clear on this point. Let me share just a few with you so that you are in no doubt what the Lord and saviour and our Father in Heaven really believe on this issue. First in The Book of Jeraneck we read the story of the wicked King Rendonaneck and it says in chapter 13: 14

14. And he loved the company of men also and the men would

shower him with great gifts in exchange for title and land and unnatural carnal pleasure.

Rom 1:21-27 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God; neither were they thankful, but became vain in their imaginations; and their foolish hearts were darkened.

22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.

24 Wherefore, God also gave them up to uncleanness, through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves,

25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

26 For this cause, God gave them up unto vile affections; for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature;

27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another--men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.

In Leviticus we read in chapter 18:22

22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind; it is abomination.

Again in Leviticus in chapter 20:13 we read.

13 If a man also lie with mankind as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination;

In the first book of Corinthenians we read from chapter 6:9-10

9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God.

and finally in the first book of Timothy we read chapter 1:8-10

8 But we know that the law is good if a man use it lawfully,

9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for men-stealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine

My brothers and sisters the scriptures are clear. Very clear! LGBT have no place in Gods kingdom unless they repent and leave the road of sin. No church policy, no matter the church or its size can overturn the laws of God. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. God does not change his mind about sin and immorality just because the world does. We are not of the world, but are of God. To do what the LDS church have done recently is wrong and they are in error on this as they are on other important things.

The scriptures are clear! Clear and so is our God on this matter. I stand before you today to express grave concern at the direction the LDS church are taking. They are misleading people and changing the Laws of God because it best suits their new policy direction. They do not speak for me, for you or our restoration movement. They are in direct conflict with the written law and the laws of God. I wish to express my testimony to you at this time that the LGBT movement is in direct conflict with God and his Law and any man or women who indulges in their wicked acts is in direct conflict with God. We love all our brothers and sisters the world over, but love does not mean that we support them in acts of sin. It is our Job to bring people unto God on Gods terms not their own. The world lieth in sin and the day fast approaches when we will have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy. The LDS church are choosing the easy road because it is broad and wide, but that road leads to destruction. I am not prophesying the destruction of the LDS church, but I am talking to its members directly. I say unto you at this time that this road your church is on is not right and it is wrong and in error. I am reaching out to you now. If you feel lost and abandoned by this new direction and you can not reconcile the changes that have been made come and talk with us and let us see if we cannot bring you back on to the road of God and the restoration. The Gospel is here in its fullness, we have it, we will not jeopardise it just because of social habits or pressures. We are here for you and we know that we can bring you closer to God and His Gospel by accepting his Laws and infinite and unchanging. I pray we will all make the right choice and stand with God no matter what. Amen.

Commit Ourselves to Searching the Scriptures

For centuries the Bible has been regarded as the only word of God. The members of The Restored Branch of Jesus Christ also look upon The Book of Mormon, The Book of Jeraneck and The Doctrine and Covenants as the word of God. Our range of scripture thus becomes larger than that of any other Latter Day or Restoration Group and people.

In various ages the Lord has commanded His people to read and study the scriptures. Jesus Christ told the Jewish rulers to "Search the scriptures" 

(IVB John 5:40). In our own time the Lord has said "Study my word which hath gone forth among the children of men, and also study my word which shall come forth among the children of men or that which is now translating" (D&C 11:10). Clearly the word "which shall come forth" refers to our new added scriptures and to the prophets of the past, as well as those living now.

As a guide for living, the scriptures are unsurpassed. They are intimate, personal, and they touch the innermost life as well as our daily relationships and our attitudes towards God. They also form basis of the civil and religious laws governing many groups. The Ten Commandments is the foundation of secular government in many civilised countries. In these times there is a special need for a sure guide to righteous living, and this we can find in the scriptures.

The power of the scriptures is shown by the influence they have in moulding the lives of men and women and nations and ages. The change that the Saviours life and teachings work in people's thoughts and acts is a continuing miracle.

To be a good member of this church requires not only prayer and righteous living, but also study. Ideals and information are of little or no use unless we express them in our personal behaviour and human relationships.

Some people know the scriptures only in a vague, indefinite way, depending on what they hear in religious meetings or church. That is not enough. One must read and discover for him or herself the truths that they contain. The custom of scripture reading in the family should be an everyday part of life. Time can be found to do this if we have the will to do so.

For myself I turn to the scriptures daily to give my life the balance it must have. Here I find the eternal verities in which I can build a useful and expanding life. The scriptures are like a quite rock-girdled Island in the midst of a wild flood. The Inspired Version of The Bible, The Book of Mormon, The Book of Jeraneck and the Doctrine and Covenants contain the words of eternal life unto this generation and they will rise in judgement against those who reject them. Truly the holy scriptures have been given by the Lord for our Instruction. The scriptures cannot achieve their purpose to guide us throughout our lives unless we study them and carry out their teachings into action. In searching the scriptures we shall find the way to the abundant life promised us by God. Remember my brothers and sisters that unless we read the scriptures daily, our testimonies will grow thinner, our spirituality will not increase in any depth. I fear that many of us rush about from day to day taking for granted the Holy Scriptures given to us by the Lord. We scramble to honour appointments with doctors, lawyers and businessmen. Yet we think nothing of postponing interviews with the Lord, we do this by postponing our study of the scriptures.

I pray that we may mind time to study our cherished scriptures, that they may give light unto our lives and show us the way in which we must live and be governed. Cherish what we have been given I pray. For I testify we shall not be added unto unless we have cherished and used what we have now got. Love the scriptures and in doing so love the Lord and he will indeed open unto you the windows of heaven.

In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Loss of A Wonderful Sister

It is with a sad heart that the church announce the death of our beloved Sister Annette Barber. Sister Annette left this mortal probation and graduated on the 5th of August 2019. Sister Annette's funeral service was held on the 23rd of August 2019. The service was attended by her wonderful family and many friends. The Prophet was asked to speak and the spirit of love and devotion for our dear Sister was evident. Our love and prayers are with her Husband Brother Peter Barber and her children and family and we pray that the Lord brings them peace and comfort.

Sister Annette was an active member of The Restored Branch of Jesus Christ from the moment she found us and started to work for the advancement of the cause. Sister Annette was called to stand as the church Historian and record keeper, a job she did extremely well in up to the day she died. Sister Annette was also a member of the Aaronic Priesthood holding the office of Priest, which allowed her to administer the sacred Sacrament, a responsibility she took very seriously. Sister Annette also took part in the bringing forth of new scripture standing as a witness to the validity of the record she held and saw and also as a transcriber. Without the hard work and effort of Sister Annette in writing down and copying many notes The Book of Rayaneck would have taken so much longer to come forth. This was a work which Annette enjoyed very much and a work which inspired here to greater height's and understanding of the eternal Gospel.

Sister Annette will be much missed by all of us. She was a tower of strength and a faithful and active member of the branch and its works. We will all miss her deeply. 

New Name New Era

With effect immediately the church has changed its name to The Restored Branch of Jesus Christ and as of today Matthew P. Gill will be stepping back in to his role as First Elder of the church. We hope that you will continue to support the church through this change and continue to help us spread the message of the restored gospel.

Sundays Sermons

For me, the Gospel of John is the book that brings me closer to God. I like the fact that Jesus’ dialogue is so pronounced in this Gospel and that we learn the essential teachings in this book. In John we read the statements of Christ that affirm his unique place as “the only begotten Son of God” and the unique relationship Jesus had as “the Christ.” We learn of God’s love, poured out through Jesus, “that all who believe in him would not perish, but have everlasting life” (3:16).

We have the “I am” statements, which intimated that unique relationship with the Father and the whole household of believers: I am… the Bread of Life, the Light of the world, the Door, the Good Shepherd, the Resurrection and the Life, the Way, the Truth, the Life, the Vine. All of these statements angered the religious leaders, who realized that Jesus was proclaiming a unique relationship with the Father–and an eternal one, at that. And the one that underlined that was when Jesus said that “Abraham looked forward to his coming…and saw it.” Incensed, the leaders pointed out that Jesus wasn’t even 50 years old and claimed to have seen Abraham!

And Jesus’ response: “Before Abraham was, I Am.” Their anger was justified–for if Jesus was incorrect, then he truly spoke blasphemy: for the official name of God, YaHWeH, is literally rendered, “I Am.” John is such a powerful book and one that should be used to bring people to understand who Jesus was and what his life and death and resurrection was all about. For me, the book that brings me closest to God is that which the closest disciple wrote about the only-begotten Son of God. As the disciple and author wrote: “These things have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, and that by believing you may have life in his name. "And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise.” ETHER 12:27 "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them."   3RD NEPHI1:13

Regeneration

This is a subject which has called the attention of all Christendom, from the first to the last of all the sects on earth. Some have supposed the “new birth” to be a change of heart. Others that it is to be converted. While others make a distinction between conversion and the new birth; that to be converted or change our principles is one thing, and to be born again is another. But, first, I would, in order to understand the subject, ask, what is regeneration? What is it to be generated? To be generated is to be begotten and brought forth into the world. To be regenerated is to be begotten the second time. Hence arose the question with Nicodemus when Jesus said to him, except a man be born again he cannot enter the kingdom of God, hw can a man be born again when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb?” This appeared to be marvellous in the eyes of a ruler of the Jews, but Jesus solves the problem, that as man was born of woman in order to come into this world, even so man must be born of the water and the spirit in order to get into the kingdom of God.

We read in the first chaps. of John, that as many as received Christ, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor the will of man, but of God. By this it appears that they had power to become the sons of God, by receiving Christ and being born of God; that is, of the water and the spirit, upon the same principle that one by being born of woman becomes the son of man. We find also in Matthew. Christ promises to his twelve Apostles that they should sit upon twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel, because they had followed him in the regeneration. But, says one, this regeneration was the regeneration of the heart, a regeneration from sin. Then, according to this, Christ must have been a sinner, and been regenerated from sin; otherwise his disciples could not have followed him, for they could not have followed him in travelling where Christ had not been. But in this regeneration of water they could have followed, for as he went down into the water, even so they could go down into the water and come out again, and thus not only have their hearts regenerated, but also their whole bodies and spirits. But, says the objector, if Christ meant that a man should be buried in the water and come forth out of it in order to be born of the water, how is it that a man is born of the spirit? I answer, upon the very same principle that he is born of water, that is, to be enveloped in the spirit and come forth out of it. Christ says, the wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth; so is every one that is born of the spirit.. We read in of Acts concerning the Apostles receiving the Holy Ghost, “they were all with one accord in one place, and suddenly there came a sound from heaven as the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting, and they were filled with the Holy Ghost.

By this we learn that the Holy Ghost comes like a breeze of the wind; that as the wind comes upon us and passes off again, we cannot tell from whence it comes, neither do we know where it goes, yet we feel the refreshing. We breathe the air, which seems pure, and our bodies are enveloped in the same. And, to use the ancient mode of expression, we would say we were born of the wind. So it is with the Holy Ghost. When the Apostles received it, it not only filled them, but all the house where they were, so that not only the Apostles, but the whole number who were with them were not only filled with the Holy Ghost, but baptized with it. Hence we discover the truth and propriety of the Saviour's saying, “except a man be born of the water and the spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.” By passing through these two elements, if we may call spirit an element, we enter the kingdom of God, or his church, and until we have passed through both we are not born of God. Therefore, although we might have been born of water, we are not sons of God. For, says Paul, except we have the spirit of Christ, we are none of his. Consequently it takes both the water and spirit for the door into Christ’s church, and also to make a perfect baptism. Hence, says Paul, ‘there is one Lord, one faith, and one baptism.’

I hope this has been of some enlightenment for you. I say these words in Jesus Name Amen.

 

Sundays Sermons: Home is A Refuge & My Son

Home the refuge in the storm.

Ever since our first Parents came into this world with  it's Pitfalls & danger's, man has sought a place of security where he could live unmolested.  His desire for protection from the hot son (they did have it in those days), or the cold wind, the maraud animals,  has caused man to use his talents & inventiveness, until to-day we have the wonderful dwellings of this age. 

 

Not for us the cave with it's dripping roof & hard & often dusty floor, where if it was left for a long while one hunted for food, it stood a good chance of being occupied by animals, brought there by the remains of the last meal eaten there.  Nevertheless, it gave man in this age, the comfort of limited security & led by his inventiveness, to the construction of more habitable structures designed  better for the elements. Whilst the danger of wild animals no longer exist for us in this modern age, the longing for security and a place where all  things begin & end, still is a great force in our lives.  I am reminded of the Cratchit family in, Christmas Carol although       they  were relatively poor.  One feels the glow of warmth that rest's over it, & an assurance of the well-being of the family. We are led to think, “would that all of our homes could posses it's   virtues and enjoy it's blessings. But we remember that this is a description of a London home in

bleak London in 1843, over 100 & odd years ago!  This was a time when the simple virtues, characterised most homes, and when the gaining of material things beyond the ordinary needs of  life did not fill the lives of the family members as it does today. Tremendous changes have taken place in the world during these past 100 odd years ago.

 

Much that was sacred & traditional seems to have gone out, and new & different patterns of living and other interests of family members have taken over.  The physical aspects of the home are demanding more & more attention.  The traditional roles of the mother as the home -maker the father as the bread winner have almost gone. In many of the homes to-day the father & mother are both wage earners & both house - keepers, deemed necessary to meet the social & economic conditions. 

 

Children are being called upon to assume new responsibilities as compared with the things, children did in the past generations. All too many children now have too much unsupervised time, lacking in careful parental planning & firm wise guidance and direction.   The social activities we see or know about in the Cratchets home, have largely been taken outside of the home. The fulfilment of these divine purposes is not dependent upon things within our homes which yield to change, but rather to the simple constant virtues which need no alteration  because they are founded on eternal truths.

 

A few of the more important of these virtues........  A home founded on eternal marriage. 

The Father holding the priest-hood, by divine decree the head of the household, The Mother the home maker. Some one once said:  “A home is a roof over a good woman”. Another said: “A hundred men may make an encampment, but it takes one woman to make a home. Where the home is ruled according to the word of God, angels might be asked to stay and they would not find themselves out of their element.  Love must abide in a good home – whether it be the cave dwelling of our ancestors, the simple crotchets home, or the sophisticated home of today. Discipline too, discipline founded on righteous principles – no home without discipline can be a truly good home.

 

Loyalty:  Unity, & a willingness to share in the home responsibilities. Unity is one of the foundations stones of strength, & the strength of a nation depends on the strength of it's homes. Fortunate are the occupants of a home where the gospel is lived and taught, where there is complete love & harmony, where it is expressed  in word & deed by the Father & the Mother, the Mother to the Father, & they to the children ( and of course, the Father to the Mother – he slips .)  And the children to one to to another.  To hear “please”, “Thank you ”, “I love you”, “I love your hair,” “I like your dress,”  “ your talk was very good today” “I was very proud of you today.”

 

As with the early man, the cave provided the best ground on which to meet the animal adversaries, affording as it did the situation where he had only the entrance to guard, his back being protected for him by the cave .  So in to - days complex society, home becomes the haven that we fly to naturally. As little children, it's home & Mother we fly to when we come to grief in tackling that world and it's problems, to  receive the  sympathy, direction & encouragement to try again. To try to master riding our bikes when it's easier to fall of than to stay on. To go back to school again when bullies pick on our deficiencies and impediments, to ridicule & deride us.  As grown ups, it's to the family we take our mistakes, our reverses in business, and here we receive ( or should receive) the encouragement to pick up the pieces & the strength to go out and succeed. In closing, may I read this saying. 

 

“Home is not merely four square walls

Though hung with pictures and gilded,

Home is where the affection calls

Filled with shrines the heart has built,

Home is not merely roof and room

It needs something to endear it,

Home is where the heart  can bloom,

Where there is some kind heart to cheer it,

What is home without none to meet,

None to welcome, none to greet us,?

Home is sweet and only sweet

Where there is one we love to meet us.

There is no substitute for a home -

it's foundation is as ancient as the

world, and it has been the work of God,

from the earliest times.  From Abraham

sprang two ancient races.”

 

In The Name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Sister Alyson Gill

 

My son

 

My son, my servant, mine anointed, and my friend are terms the Lord uses in referring to Joseph Smith. And the Lord commanded, “Behold, there shall be a record kept among you; and in it thou shalt be called a seer, a translator, a prophet, an apostle of Jesus Christ, an elder of the church through the will of God the Father, and the grace of your Lord Jesus Christ.”

 

Born in Sharon, Vermont, December 23, 1805, Joseph Smith, Jr., was only thirty-eight years old when martyred at Carthage, Illinois, on June 27, 1844. But in his relatively brief life on earth he served as the Lord’s agent, receiving visitations from God the Father and Jesus Christ themselves, and from many other heavenly messengers.

Through him, gospel truths, the holy priesthood, and the administrative kingdom were again restored to earth for the benefit of all mankind and in initial preparation for the upcoming millennial reign of Jesus Christ. With unfailing care, “Brother Joseph” guided thousands of new entrants into succeeding growth epochs, until at last the infant Church stood on strong legs of understanding and faith.

“And I have sent forth the fulness of my gospel by the hand of my servant Joseph; and in weakness have I blessed him; And I have given unto him the keys of the mystery of those things which have been sealed, even things which were from the foundation of the world, and the things which shall come from this time until the time of my coming

And it has been as the Lord said, “The ends of the earth shall inquire after thy name, and fools shall have thee in derision, and hell shall rage against thee; While the pure in heart, and the wise, and the noble, and the virtuous, shall seek counsel, and authority, and blessings constantly from under thy hand.”

 

Following the visits of the angel Moroni to young Joseph and his acquisition of the plates, Joseph commenced the difficult assignment of translation. One can but imagine the dedication, the devotion, and the labor required to translate in fewer than 90 days this record of over 500 pages covering a period of 2,600 years. I love the words Oliver Cowdery used to describe the time he spent assisting Joseph with the translation of the Book of Mormon: “These were days never to be forgotten—to sit under the sound of a voice dictated by the inspiration of heaven, awakened the utmost gratitude of this bosom!” 4 The Prophet Joseph Smith taught us diligence—by example.

 1. An angel came to Joseph Smith,

And from the ground he took

A sacred record hidden there,

A precious, holy book.

2. It tells of people long ago,

Led by the Lord’s own hand,

Who left their homes and crossed the sea

To reach a favored land.

3. The Nephites and the Lamanites,

And all who came to dwell,

Had peace when they obeyed the Lord,

The sacred records tell.

4. And now I’ll read the sacred book,

And then I’ll understand

That Heav’nly Father loves us all

In each and ev’ry land.

With regard to josephs character probably the most damning is the inference and forthright accusations that he lived an immoral life pertaining to polygamy, this was and still is a complete lie and fabrication spread by Brigham Young and other false prophets to lead man astray and blacken Josephs name.

For the last three years I have a record of all my acts and proceedings, for I have kept several good, faithful, and efficient clerks in constant employ; they have accompanied me everywhere, and carefully kept my history, and they have written down what I have done, where I have been, and what I have said; therefore my enemies cannot charge me with any day, time, or place, but what I have written testimony to prove my actions; and my enemies cannot prove anything against me. (LDS History of the Church 6:409)

Unfortunately, Joseph's carefully laid plans to prove his innocence were thwarted by Brigham Young and his followers—for they took Joseph's papers with them to Utah and kept them from the public.

There are a number of references in the Inspired Version of the Bible and the Doctrine and Covenants which condemn polygamy, and none which command it to be practiced—but the most scathing denunciation of polygamy in Joseph's writings is found in the Book of Jacob in the Book of Mormon. There the Lord gives an inspired message through His Nephite prophet, Jacob, more than three pages in length, which definitely forbids polygamy. It prophetically warns the Nephites that if they do not choose the Lord as their commander, they will choose to do otherwise—the otherwise being that they would degenerate into the sinful practice of polygamy.

It is important to review the circumstances under which the Prophet Jacob received this divine revelation forbidding polygamy. Years earlier, under God's direction, Jacob's older brother, Nephi, had directed the Nephites in building a temple. After Nephi's death, Jacob became the prophet-leader. The Lord commanded Jacob to go into the temple where the Nephites would be at worship, and bring to them a revelation condemning polygamy. In that revelation Jacob gave a stern condemnation of that dogma—and since Joseph Smith published the Book of Mormon and proclaimed that it contained the fullness of the gospel, the Lord's denouncement of polygamy through Jacob is also Joseph's testimony against that false doctrine. Jacob declared:

the people of Nephi ... began to grow hard in their hearts, and indulge themselves somewhat in wicked practices, such as like unto David of old, desiring many wives and concubines, and also Solomon, his son.... Wherefore, I, Jacob, gave unto them these words as I taught them in the temple, having firstly obtained mine errand from the Lord

I close in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Elder Philip A. Gill