Jaxon Washburn

(Cont.) / End.

En Español:

(cont.)

Letter in full:

I share both here in accordance with the General Handbook guidance 38.8.20.3 regarding personal internet and social media use in order to “promote the messages of peace, hope, and joy that accompany faith in Christ.”

*Disclaimer: This message is specifically representative of the Los Angeles Stake in its regional capacity and should only be read/interpreted as such. My additional remarks here only represent my views, as expressed within the scope of my calling.

Whether with fellow church members or our friends of other worldviews/spiritual communities, we stand ready to support our immigrant siblings and fellow children of God in their hour of need.

I bear witness of this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

In my calling as Stake Interfaith Director in Los Angeles, I want to amplify and share my own commitment to my stake’s invitation and join my fervent testimony with the divine truths and calls to action shared here.

Along with a powerful testimony of the Savior, it closes with the following message:

2. To “not let ministering assignments limit your efforts and potential. God wants us to be agents to act and not be acted upon…Pray & ask God how He needs you to consecrate your time, talents, and resources, and then act upon your personal revelation.”

1. A special stake-wide fast (July 19-20th) to “seek heaven’s help, bring comfort to those in need, request the power of Jesus Christ in our lives, & help each one of us to be peacemakers and build unity,” + to give generously due to increased needs bc of the current environment.

Additionally, it includes the specific calls to action to members of the Los Angeles Stake, including:

5. Pres. Nelson’s teaching that “the gospel net is the largest net in the world. God has invited all to come unto Him, 'black and white, bond and free, male and female.' There is room for everyone. However, there is no room for prejudice, condemnation, or contention of any kind."

4. To meet contention with the antidote of charity, instead seeking after “peaceful, respectful way[s] to resolve complex issues and an enlightened way to work out disagreements."

3. A call to be peacemakers and to “build bridges of understanding instead of walls of segregation,” as fervently and frequently admonished by our prophet, President Russell M. Nelson.

2. Clear denunciation of any racist, hateful, demeaning, or uncharitable rhetoric, behavior, or attitudes towards others, whether in-person or online.

Issued in both English and Spanish (included here) to church members within the stake, its notable highlights include:

1. Affirmation of the divine identities of all of God’s Children, irrespective of their immigration status, race, national background, or political affiliation.

A MESSAGE OF HOPE

The Los Angeles, CA Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints just issued a message of unity, support, & comfort—along with a call to action & special stake-wide fast—for those currently impacted by the ongoing immigration raids and concerning political climate. 🧵

And another, this time based in Pocatello, ID: “When I was primary president we had an undocumented family refusing to go to church or scouts because they couldn’t trust people in the pews with them not to turn them in.”

Added example from another source: “My daughter serving in Houston says ICE agents were parked at the LDS Church and were arresting folks after their meeting. That is so wrong on so many levels.”

To be clear, I will always care about the basic humanity of those being broadly targeted through Trump/MAGA’s mass deportation efforts above whether or not missionaries from my faith are able to reach them.

Very disturbing development for our migrant siblings in Christ nevertheless. 😔

A friend w/ a relative currently serving a Latter-day Saint mission in Florida shared that “[they] told us today how the ICE raids are negatively affecting missionary work. People won’t open their doors for missionaries (especially elders) because they think they’re ICE agents.“

Marriage is all about compromise and compromise means that during our road trips, I get to listen to two hours-worth of podcasts on the Jeffrey Lundgren/Kirtland Temple/RLDS* murders followed by my wife listening to several hours of Christmas music.

*the second largest denomination of Mormonism

I ran into a Gnostic from Appalachia the other day who warned me about the malevolent demiurge of this world, Y’all’d’vebaoth.

New acquisition for my small (but growing!) collection of religious objects: an obsidian scrying mirror made of solid obsidian (volcanic glass) measuring ~7.5” in diameter and ~.5” in width.They have been used within Mesoamerican spiritual traditions, such as by the Maya, as a means of divination.

Certain Parsi Zoroastrian explanations for why they can’t attend the marriage or navjote ceremony of someone with mixed-faith parentage (ie. a non-Zoroastrian is involved) strike me as remarkably similar in form and argument to some Christian explanations for why they wouldn’t attend a gay wedding.

A thread on my visit to the Tenrikyo church is still to come, but one funny clarification I had to give while I was there was when my wife texted me:

“Remind me, are you visiting Tenrikyo or [Aum] *Shinrikyo* today???”

Verrry important distinction 😅

A Mormon missionary stands in a windy beach next to a sign which reads “attention: beyond this point you may encounter nude sunbathers”

As a Mormon missionary, my late-father clearly took the admonition to “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15) very seriously. ☠️

Tenrikyo church today at 10 am.

Then, will finish the LDS temple recommend interview process at 2 pm (met with my bishop already, need to meet with a member of the stake presidency now.)

Is it associated with any particular Satanic tradition?