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Sunday, March 8, 2015

The Military Book of Mormon and Healing

military chaplain
I know you may not think of it now
But take this Book of Mormon with you
When __________, I testify how
You'll feel God's love and protection, too

you're confused
you feel lost
you're lonely
you're homesick
you are scared
you are hurt
you've lost hope
you're angry
you're worried
you're in need
(you're humble)
image is of an LDS Chaplain and he is hold a military size Book of Mormon which is designed to fit in the sleeve pocket of active duty uniforms. They can then carry it wherever they are.
https://www.lds.org/callings/military-relations/military-chaplains
The Book of Mormon tells of many wars and how the righteous endured through and overcame them.

Here is the story that inspired this:
We recently had Elder Jacob Gould in our ward.  He had been through infantry training as a ranger.  He was airborne trained.  He spent 15 months in Afghanistan. He is 24 years old.  Here is his story.  I was not active in the church at the time I left for training.  Brother Gallenger, who had been a Vietnam medic and also had priorly ordained me to the priesthood, gave me a pocket sized Book of Mormon.  He said, " I know you may not think of it now but in your time of need know you may pray to Him and read..."  My thought at the time was, "Yah....yah... yah..."  But, I took it.
One day I woke up early and could not go back to sleep, so I decided to read.   Had I not read that day, early in the morning, I would not have been awake for the ambush that was about to take place!
Where was he?  (He was in one of the worst valleys of Afghanistan!  127 men were sent there and only 84 came back.  He saw a lot more die as there were neighboring companies.  He sought for comfort and peace from the Book of Mormon and prayer.  When he came back he fell away in the 3 months since his return.  Seeing all that death was hard.)  After crying one day, I spent 45 minutes praying to be free of the pain and wishing to repent for I had been doing everything (turning from God) I could to chase away what I had seen. A soldier's wife of a friend (Nancy) opened up the idea of going on a mission.  I gave God this last chance to heal me of what I had been struggling with.  Nancy showed me love and patience as for a time I was very far away spiritually and doing wrong. In the end, I chose a mission and here I am and she is paying for it!
I was promised Heavenly Father will help me deal with my suffering due to Afghanistan.  Here is one way I am healing today:  It has to do with temple work. Military gear is hot, heavy, and cumbersome. It is awkward and my friend chose to not wear his helmet.  I felt an impression to tell him he really needed to wear it, but I found that "awkward" and was unsure how he would receive it.  It was my birthday.  He was shot in the head the wound was significant.  I held him in my arms.  He later was pronounced brain dead.  I had to let him go... With the help of Nancy I am working on that.  My love of the gospel failed him here but I have contacted his family and will soon do his temple work!
On one particular mission 77 men went out.  16 died.  It was my job to "pick up what was left" literally pieces... Everything was blood stained.  I told God, "I can't do this anymore!"  "Why not me next time?  I am tired!"  I looked around.  All the buildings were destroyed except for ours.  There, inside, was a little box of little New Testaments.  I opened one to  Timothy 2:3-4
 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
Those verses were about enduring hardness.  We are all called to be that soldier. Spread love. He lives. Prayer works.  Read the scriptures.  Go to church.  Do temple work.  If you do, you will be able to endure through any obstacle you may face!

We pick up the pieces 
And begin again
There's hope as one faces
Jesus our friend

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