Tower overlooking the Grand Canyon. Picture taken on our Family Christmas Vacation 2015.
We are studying "The Family-A Proclamation to the World" in my Pathway religion class. What an amazing document. Heavenly Father wants us to know what really matters. Sometimes personal revelation is enough, but at other times He will make his will known to us through his prophets. The family is central to our Heavenly Father's plan of happiness. There is nothing more important. He wanted us as individuals and the entire world to know. The principles found in the Proclamation will bless the lives of every family and individual. Few are blessed to live in the "ideal" family situation, but anyone can choose to abide by its precepts. The proclamation give us a “pattern of happiness.”
I have begun to realize that Heavenly Father gave us the Proclamation all those years ago so that we could be well prepared for the world we live into today. For me, it was nice to hear and read back in 1995, the message seemed simple and resonated with my heart. Now it is an essential part of my life that I hold sacred.
Recently, Hannah and I were doing early morning seminary together and we studied Ezekiel. My testimony of prophets has been strengthened through the Proclamation. In Ezekiel 3:17 we read "Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me." Here we are taught about the watchman that gives us warnings. He has the advantage of seeing what is coming from a distance. President Hinckley and the council of 12 Apostles were those watchmen who saw our day and what was coming. Through revelation they knew that we would need the protection that the Proclamation provides as we apply it's principles. We needed a testimony of it's truthfulness to prepare us for today. Heavenly Father knew we would need clear instruction so that we wouldn't be confused and led astray. I believe that if the Proclamation would have been given now instead of then it would be like looking for your life preserver after the boat has already sunk. It might have come too late to save ourselves.
In his address from 2007, "The Watchman on the Tower" Earl C. Tingey shares the parable of the watchman on the tower found in D & C 101:44-54
Elder Tingey goes on to say "However, the servants, in the process of performing their work, became slothful, discounted the instructions from the nobleman, and fell asleep. Then the enemy came and destroyed the olive trees." There was no watchman on the tower to protect them.
He further shares "In the Holy Land (and I have personally seen them) are remnants or remains of ancient towers—round structures built of rock, like lighthouses near the sea. The purpose of these towers was to provide a structure or facility where the watchman might look out upon the land and see the enemy before he came and destroyed the olive trees.
"Then what might be analogous to the tower today? The tower is a symbolic point of elevation where we may see the enemy before others do. I think today’s towers might be revelation, prophets, inspired scriptures, and, certainly, the temple. Revelation from living prophets permits us to see more clearly in a clouded world. Our modern scriptures—the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price—help us understand the Bible more fully. As compared to the world, all of these are opportunities to receive elevated instructions in a troubled world."
He offers five suggestions on how we can protect our families today.
"First: Listen to and follow the prophets and apostles. They will warn you of impending dangers.
"Second: Be grateful the Church has provided towers. Revelation from on high is for our benefit, especially modern-day revelation received through living prophets.
"Third: Keep the standards.
"Fourth: Believe that you are like an olive tree of old; that is, you are precious. You are a member of the restored Church. Do you truly realize the great blessing that has come into your life to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?
"Fifth: Remember the responsibility of being a faithful servant. In the parable the servants began to second-guess. They wondered if the nobleman really had need of a tower. They thought that maybe it was such a time of peace that there was no need to build the tower and protect the olive trees.
They began to be at variance one with another. They became slothful. They hearkened not unto the commandments of their Lord, and they fell asleep. They were wrong.
We must be certain that we, as servants, humble, ordinary members of the Church—parents, youth, children, leaders, and teachers—not fall asleep in performing tasks assigned to us from the Lord.
I believe if we are faithful servants, we will truly see the enemy come before he can destroy our families."
I am grateful for a living prophet and his guidance. I am grateful for others who serve as watchmen in my life to warn and protect me and my family.
I have begun to realize that Heavenly Father gave us the Proclamation all those years ago so that we could be well prepared for the world we live into today. For me, it was nice to hear and read back in 1995, the message seemed simple and resonated with my heart. Now it is an essential part of my life that I hold sacred.
Recently, Hannah and I were doing early morning seminary together and we studied Ezekiel. My testimony of prophets has been strengthened through the Proclamation. In Ezekiel 3:17 we read "Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me." Here we are taught about the watchman that gives us warnings. He has the advantage of seeing what is coming from a distance. President Hinckley and the council of 12 Apostles were those watchmen who saw our day and what was coming. Through revelation they knew that we would need the protection that the Proclamation provides as we apply it's principles. We needed a testimony of it's truthfulness to prepare us for today. Heavenly Father knew we would need clear instruction so that we wouldn't be confused and led astray. I believe that if the Proclamation would have been given now instead of then it would be like looking for your life preserver after the boat has already sunk. It might have come too late to save ourselves.
In his address from 2007, "The Watchman on the Tower" Earl C. Tingey shares the parable of the watchman on the tower found in D & C 101:44-54
A certain nobleman had a spot of land, very choice; and he said
unto his servants:
Go ye unto my vineyard, even upon this very choice
piece of land, and plant twelve olive-trees;
And set watchmen round about them, and build a tower, that one may
overlook the land round about, to be a watchman upon the tower, that
mine olive-trees may not be broken down when the enemy shall come to
spoil and take upon themselves the fruit of my vineyard.
Now, the servants of the nobleman went and did as their lord
commanded them, and planted the olive-trees, and built a hedge round
about, and set watchmen, and began to build a tower.
And while they were yet laying the foundation thereof, they began
to say among themselves:
And what need hath my lord of this tower?
And consulted for a long time, saying among themselves: What need hath my lord of this tower, seeing this is a time of peace?
Might not this money be given to the exchangers? For there is no need of these things.
And while they were at variance one with another they became very
slothful, and they hearkened not unto the commandments of their lord.
And the enemy came by night, and broke down the hedge; and the
servants of the nobleman arose and were affrighted, and fled; and the
enemy destroyed their works, and broke down the olive trees.
Now, behold, the nobleman, the lord of the vineyard, called upon
his servants, and said unto them, Why! what is the cause of this great
evil?
Ought ye not to have done even as I commanded you, and—after ye
had planted the vineyard, and built the hedge round about, and set
watchmen upon the walls thereof—built the tower also, and set a watchman
upon the tower, and watched for my vineyard, and not have fallen
asleep, lest the enemy should come upon you?
And behold, the watchman upon the tower would have seen the enemy
while he was yet afar off; and then ye could have made ready and kept
the enemy from breaking down the hedge thereof, and saved my vineyard
from the hands of the destroyer.
Elder Tingey goes on to say "However, the servants, in the process of performing their work, became slothful, discounted the instructions from the nobleman, and fell asleep. Then the enemy came and destroyed the olive trees." There was no watchman on the tower to protect them.
He further shares "In the Holy Land (and I have personally seen them) are remnants or remains of ancient towers—round structures built of rock, like lighthouses near the sea. The purpose of these towers was to provide a structure or facility where the watchman might look out upon the land and see the enemy before he came and destroyed the olive trees.
"Then what might be analogous to the tower today? The tower is a symbolic point of elevation where we may see the enemy before others do. I think today’s towers might be revelation, prophets, inspired scriptures, and, certainly, the temple. Revelation from living prophets permits us to see more clearly in a clouded world. Our modern scriptures—the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price—help us understand the Bible more fully. As compared to the world, all of these are opportunities to receive elevated instructions in a troubled world."
He offers five suggestions on how we can protect our families today.
"First: Listen to and follow the prophets and apostles. They will warn you of impending dangers.
"Second: Be grateful the Church has provided towers. Revelation from on high is for our benefit, especially modern-day revelation received through living prophets.
"Third: Keep the standards.
"Fourth: Believe that you are like an olive tree of old; that is, you are precious. You are a member of the restored Church. Do you truly realize the great blessing that has come into your life to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?
"Fifth: Remember the responsibility of being a faithful servant. In the parable the servants began to second-guess. They wondered if the nobleman really had need of a tower. They thought that maybe it was such a time of peace that there was no need to build the tower and protect the olive trees.
They began to be at variance one with another. They became slothful. They hearkened not unto the commandments of their Lord, and they fell asleep. They were wrong.
We must be certain that we, as servants, humble, ordinary members of the Church—parents, youth, children, leaders, and teachers—not fall asleep in performing tasks assigned to us from the Lord.
I believe if we are faithful servants, we will truly see the enemy come before he can destroy our families."
I am grateful for a living prophet and his guidance. I am grateful for others who serve as watchmen in my life to warn and protect me and my family.
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