About "Joseph and Judah"

Therein is an issue I've had on my mind for years. Basically we have a Mormonism going. How many other than the well-studied ones really understand what functions we are talking about, when we talk about Joseph and Judah. Tell it to a youth, he's heard it, but does he know? Tell it to the boy in our ward who said over the pulpit that Babylon is somewhere in Israel.

 

We are really talking about 

 

(1) Mormons (and gentiles) understanding the value of the Jewish/Hebraic/ancient Israelite roots of the gospel, and better understanding the meaning of the scriptures that were written in different cultural and linguistic environments. Oh, and regarding and treating with respect, not those unthoughtful simple remarks or disdain of those today who identify as "Jews". You have dealt with this in lecture, and I will tell you that Sister Lynda Needham Cherry deals with it very often, directly but gently, in her classes. This applies to temple, covenants, and festivals - the continuing significance of them to us, little understood and respected in general.

 

(2) Jews - those who have the Jewish roots, who enjoy the Jewish traditions and become alive with it on High Holy Days: perceiving and understanding the spiritual continuation into the Latter-day Gospel; the connections. How they become better Mormons (if they stick to it with gusto) because they have the "Judaic" foundation and understanding.

My wife and I were talking about Hasidim aspects a few hours ago, and I find that quite interesting. The statement that they are closer to what a truly fervent Mormon is than are the other branches or levels.

I have been building in my mind a long standing stream about the difference between going through all the motions (read the book of Joel) and having a great spirit of inspiration and love about God and all mankind (read the book of Joel). I reference that book but my point is not clear in it. I read, 16 years ago in a Messianic mag, an article about how it was saying that this group was going through the motions without the spirit; the checkboxes were checked; God was not pleased. They restored the spirit to be foremost, and God was well pleased.

May we grow to understand the full """Gospel""" from beginning to end, fully, and realize the fullness, the full value, of what we have when we REALLY put the sticks (you know them) together.

That's my passion with this organization - and in the temple. And thank you, thank you, Lynda and Marlena Tanya Muchnick-Baker for making that more clear all the time.