Good people everywhere are waking up to the fact that evil is on the rise across the globe, including in our very own backyard. There are people with money and power who have joined in a secret combination to destroy our way of life. The need has never been greater for good Christians everywhere to rise up as “Defenders of the Faith.” We can no longer sit in silence and watch the world and people we love crumble around us.

I’ve been doing A LOT of soul searching lately. Part of it was sprung by my parents cleaning out an old storage unit with boxes and bins full of my old memorabilia, journals and photos. Jess & I went through everything this weekend and it was like my entire life flashed before my eyes. It was eye opening to see how the Lord has prepared me for this very moment in time.

In going back through everything I saw how the Lord has been guiding me in each phase of my life. I saw my early years reared in a loving home, my high school days full of growth and accomplishment and then into the mission where I learned to teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ in Spanish but most importantly, how to love. Then came the post mission adjustment to real life where I endured heartbreaking trials in school, athletics and dating. I struggled as a single adult with the pull of worldly pursuits including a lust addiction that almost destroyed me. I didn’t believe I would ever be married in the temple. A long repentance/recovery and some angelic ministry and miracles brought me back to the light and filled my soul with true love instead of lust. I was lucky enough to marry one of those ministering angels who is my best friend and love of my life. We have been married over 5 years with two kids and have been “adulting” as they call it. We are finding the trials of professional debt, family stress and establishing a career as small business owners very challenging in these times. But after looking back on it all now in reflection I see what the Lord has done for me and what he has molded me into. It fills me with so much joy and gratitude to know that He cares about me and has been with me the entire time. His love was not conditional. My life has been far from perfect but through all of it I’ve come to know the Savior. My relationship with Him is after all what matters most. The Lord in the Book of Mormon said to the prophet Nephi, “…wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the promised land land and ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led.” (1 Nephi 17:13). I feel like in this moment I am in a good place and can say that I know that the Lord has led me where I am.

I feel like I’ve arrived at some sort of a significant destination. Like climbing a mountain I am now at a certain vantage point or crossroads in my life where I can see the past present and future all at once. Looking back I can see how far I’ve come. On a date tonight with my wife Jessica I told her that I feel like I’m right where I am supposed to be. She is also right where she is supposed to be. We were always meant to be together. How special is that? There is no one that could take her place. She is such an ideal companion for me with a powerful natural inclination for the spiritual and the divine. We passed by the temple we were married at in Gilbert. We made sacred promises to each other. And now here we are only 7.5 years after meeting each other in this lifetime and feeling more in love than ever.

For our date I insisted we go listen to a presentation by my close friend and my cousin once removed, Rod Meldrum who founded the website Bookofmormonevidence.org. He is a researcher into concrete archaeological evidence for the Book of Mormon events happening right here in the United States of America. He collaborates with many others and together they have created a massive wave of undeniable truths which are solidifying the testimonies of believing members. The focus is on the scriptures and the words of modern prophets in regards to the “Promise Land” that God saved and set apart for a land of liberty and safety. From this land he would be able to share His word with all the world. This land God set aside is the United States of America. Some of the recent physical findings Rod and his colleagues have uncovered include numerous earthworks uncovered in the heartland of America that prove the existence of a vast civilization and advanced society whose history was buried. The timeline of their rise and fall matches precisely when the Nephite culture existed in the Book of Mormon (approx 600 BC to 400 AD). The Book of Mormon is the anchor to my faith as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Either it is true or it is an enormous lie, it can’t be both.

I know I drive my wife crazy because we drove 55 minutes and listened to a 4 and a half hour long presentation. Deep down though I don’t think she thinks I am too crazy. In fact she also believes in the Book of Mormon and that it all happened right here in the USA. I have researched enough for myself and prayed and felt very strongly that all of this evidence is true. It has solidified my testimony to the point of it being unbreakable. It isn’t really “faith” or “belief” anymore but has become knowledge. Armed with this knowledge I feel I can go out into a trouble world and better defend the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I also feel I am better prepared for the trying days that are ahead. As we drove home I looked at the face shield hanging from the dashboard and I told my wife that I just have a feeling the COVID Pandemic is not going away. Remember just two weeks to slow the spread? Life will never be going back to how it once was no matter how badly we want it to. Now is the time for true members of the church to step up and go to battle. Who will join in the defense of all that we hold dear? Will we rise against evil and secret combinations to protect our families? We need many who are willing to be modern day Captain Moroni’s. Moroni wrote, “In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children.” Alma 46:12.

This post is a call for myself and men and women everywhere, who lead their families, to join the front lines in the fight against the evil of our day and be defenders of the faith. Our families, livelihood and very existence are under attack. Are we awake? Does the political polarization of society, pandemic, lockdowns, riots and contested election concern you at all as to where we are headed? This is just the beginning and it is not going to ever be entirely back to normal my friends. So now is the time to get our lives and our homes in order and prepare everyday as if the Savior was coming tomorrow. We must be ready to meet our Maker. Most important is to keep the commandments of God and love one another.

So where are we now in the present? We must avoid the common pitfalls of men of our day and rise up to be men of God. What are these pitfalls? We are too easily led off course with our ego thinking we are wise in the ways of the world and ignoring God’s counsels. We follow our own paths of self promotion and feed our massive egos. We focus too much on our career at the expense of our wives and children who need us. We may provide financially but we also need to be preparing our families for disaster with storable food and water which will be far more valuable for the future. Another pitfall is that we let lust into our hearts and get distracted from the love Heavenly Father wants us to feel in a committed relationship. We live in a pornographic society where we have a constant feed of immodesty and lust at our fingertips. The world engages in moral decline and the Saints are not innocent either, especially in thoughts. Will we let ourselves become or remain addicted to this evil? If we allow it in our hearts we will be destroyed. There is a way out. There is hope and healing on the other side but it is a long hard road. Are we willing to get or stay clean at any cost? Another threat to our spirit is the way we approach our physical health. At times we don’t exercise, we stay up too late and consume foods that are harmful. We push aside the Lord’s code of health in the Word of Wisdom and at what expense? We will need all the physical strength and mental clarity we can muster for what lies ahead.

And what does lie ahead? Do we know what is to come? Do we realize the destiny of the United States of America and this world? Yes we do. This was all foretold by prophets long ago who saw our day. The signs are all around us. We know who wins in the end. The Constitution will endure through trial into eternity. The United States will birth the Kingdom of God and Zion including the New Jerusalem built on this continent in Missouri and the Savior himself will return and the wicked will be destroyed. Good will ultimately triumph over evil. So what do we have to fear?

It is time we all unite as defenders of the faith…As lovers of truth. One definition of truth is knowledge of things as they really are…the past, the present and the future all wrapped up in one. As I am writing this I know what I am saying is true. I’ve discussed my past, the present state of the world and what is to come in the future. It is all right here before my eyes. All I can do is drop to my knees in gratitude for all that God has revealed and be thankful. Let us stand with the Savior. Let us be “Defenders of the Faith.”

Please feel free to share with friends and family! We all need each other during this time.