January 8, 2012
Okay, so I failed yet again to keep my previous blog short and sweet. Today I will do my best to keep it bearable in length.
Since today is Sunday I thought I would share a little insight about religion...and Willy Wonka!
One of my favorite movies ever is called Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, made in 1971... not to be confused with the abomination that is “Johnny Wonka” made in two thousand something. Long story short; Willy Wonka owns a chocolate factory. He promises a life time supply of chocolate to 5 lucky kids as they tour his factory. Crazy stuff happens and in the end the only one of the 5 kids that is left alive/not a blueberry is Charlie Bucket, a humble kid. After passing a test Willy Wonka says that he is going to give his chocolate factory to Charlie to run. Charlie's grandfather says “But he's only a boy!” to which Willy responds “Exactly! I had to choose a child because a child will do exactly as I say and run the factory how I specify. If I give it to an adult they will try to run it their own way and change things. It has to be a child!”
Mormonism is an interesting thing, it's a beast all its own. A catholic priest once said (and I paraphrase): “Well, as Christianity goes, it's either the Catholics or the Mormons that are right. Every single christian denomination is an offshoot of Catholicism as they protested and started their new churches except the Mormons. Either they're right or we are.” What he was referring to is the fact that the Mormon church is not a protestant sect of Christianity, implying that the Catholic church can supposedly trace its origins back to the original apostles and any church that comes afterward is just an offshoot of that church by authority. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, however, was restored. That means that Jesus Christ started his true church while he was here on earth with apostles, prophets, teachers, etc. and eventually that church was destroyed. People killed Christ, killed the apostles (Peter was crucified upside down, Paul was beheaded, some were stoned and so forth), and with the death of those priesthood leaders the church was lost in a time called apostasy. Almost two millenia after the original church fell in to apostasy God RESTORED that church again. Restored is a good word because it implies that the church was taken (after the authority was lost) and then put back exactly how it was before. God called a prophet, 12 apostles and started the same exact church again. That prophet's name was Joseph Smith. We do not worship him, we do not pray to him and we do not look to anyone but Jesus Christ for salvation. He was a prophet and coincidentally he was also 14 when he was first called to be a prophet
Today at church, one of the presiding leaders in our ward said “I know a lot of 14 years olds and I would not entrust a work so great into the hands of a 14 year old.” I completely understand his sentiment... I remember when I was 14 and I'm surprised I'm still alive today! However, that age is extremely important in considering why God would call a boy to restore his church.
Here's where Willy Wonka comes into play! People wonder why God chose a 14 year old boy and that is exactly why. God needed to restore his church on the earth and he needed it done precisely as he wanted it. God called a young prophet and gave him specifications on how to restore the gospel. An adult might have gotten a big ego or tried to run it his way...possibly to gain wealth like so many religious organizations are erected for. God chose a boy and instructed him step-by-step and that church and gospel were RESTORED. Not differently than when Jesus Christ did it but exactly how he had originally established it.
I failed again at being short and simple. Sorry... I hope this makes sense but if not please comment and let me know!
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