3rd St Promenade

Last Saturday Jono and I drove up to the 3rd St Promenade in Santa Monica. My sister, Danielle, and her son, Connor, met us there and we walked up and down looking in shops and watching the street performers. We got to the mall at the end of the street and bought some snacks at Wetzels Pretzels.

Danielle and Connor

This guy was pretty funny and talented.

For a dollar I got to shake the monkeys hand.

How could I pass that up?

On our way back to our cars we passed a group of people so we stopped to see what was going on. It was a group of people discussing religion...well arguing rather, over the concept of there being one God. A crowd quickly gathered to listen to what was being said. We heard many different religion's beliefs over the matter as well as scientific data. We were listening to only a small group of people. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to be surrounded by it and unsure of who was right and wrong.

While I was listening my thoughts turned to Joseph Smith.

I thought about the passage in Joseph Smith History and I tried to think what it would have been like to live during that time.

"Indeed, the whole district of country seemed affected by it, and great multitudes united themselves to the different religious parties, which created no small stir and division amongst the people, some crying, "Lo, here!" and others, "Lo, there!" Some were contending for the Methodist faith, some for the Presbyterian, and some for the Baptist."

"....For a scene of great confusion and bad feeling ensued--priest contending against priest, and convert against convert; so that all their good feelings one for another, if they ever had any, were entirely lost in a strife of words and a contest about opinions."

"During this time of great excitement my mind was called up to serious reflection and great uneasiness...but so great were the confusion and strife among the different denominations, that it was impossible for a person young as I was, and so unacquainted with men and things, to come to any certain conclusion who was right and who was wrong."

"In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself: What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right; or, are they all wrong together? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it?"--JSH 1: 5-10

After reading James 1:5 Joseph prayed and God and Jesus Christ appeared to him. He received his answer that none of the churches were true and that he had a great work to do.

How grateful I am to be a beneficiary of the blessings of the restored gospel on the earth. I am grateful Joseph Smith had the faith to pray and the courage to act.

I am glad I have the gospel in my life and that I know it is true.