HERE HERE!

(Read one of Jan's greatest posts)
I've decided to post my response on my own blog, since I didn't want to be selfish and steal up all her comment space. (Sorry in advance, its a long read)...

Jan, you hit the nail right on the head (I'd like to hit some people right on the head sometimes...well, most of the time nowadays-and tell them to wake up!) We were just talking about this kind of stuff with Daisy the other night. Every so often she comes home with a new environmentalist seed some of her teachers have tried to plant in her brain. Useless "facts" that really spin Seth up (thanks to who he is, how he was raised, and some of what he DID learn at college, he has very strong views that definitely contradict what they're sending her home with). The other night was the last straw, so he and I sat down and clearly discussed the issue. We reviewed with her that all things were created spiritually first. Therefore if they were created spiritually, they then HAVE a spirit. Different from ours, and NOT created in the image of our Father like we were, but a spirit nonetheless. Collectively all of God's spiritual creations/elements have to go through its own temporal experience, with that comes many seasons. We, as humans, experience different seasons as we age and come closer to exaltation. Same with the earth. The earth has experienced many changes in its climate since its beginning, and will continue to do so until its exaltation. Just as God has great plans for each of us which will require great refinement, so He has for earth in order to prepare it and ultimately change it to its next state to further fulfill His Plan and its destiny. We should still be wise and take care of earth, but we need to stop trying to second-guess God down here. That's not our assignment. Our job is to respect His purposes and put our energies into what is eternally worthwhile, not waste our energies or precious time on the next fad-panic....Looking back over the earth's seasons, sure we see the little ones (spring, summer, fall, winter), but what about the fact of a past ice age?...and great floods?...and all manner of changes to the earth's surface, weather, & climate in general? Did you know there is about 300% more forest in the U.S. today than there was at the time of the pilgrims landing? As far as global warming is concerned, a volcano's eruption emits hundreds upon thousands more pollutant/"green house" gases than that of our traditional (non-hybrid) automobiles. And guess what? Volcanoes have been blowing their tops for eons and are emitting those gases through vents in the earth's crust as I type this (even below the surface of the ocean)! Also...should we really subscribe to the same mentality as the masses, when less than a 700 years ago the masses believed the world was flat?
Daisy seemed to feel OK about this all, but still a little nervous (cause how easy is it for an 11 yr to be equipped with this information which contradicts her teachers and she's always been taught to respect her teachers?) So we told her she can still respect her teachers, but just because something is taught in school doesn't mean its truth. There is a lot of good out there, but when educators have to answer to a government which is increasingly more corrupt and who are influenced by corrupt organizations & poor examples, we must morally question the teachings internally and ask Heavenly Father to direct us to what is truth. Truth equals light. Light equals the Savior. All things contrary to truth & light pale in value, and fall by the wayside.

This whole situation reminded me of an 8th grade science class I had. I was the only LDS youth in this class and the teacher had a real problem with my beliefs from the start. To compound the issue, let's face it, I'm not the most passive of personalities. When he'd throw down an evolutionary/big bang theory gauntlet, I'd pick it right up. On a daily basis this went on all year: I'd engage in his battles, not budging from my stance or shedding a tear(in front of him). Then went home crying in the afternoon. Nightly my mom & the Holy Ghost would reaffirm what I knew to be true, and I'd head back to school re-fortified for the next siege. That year was so hard on me that I chose to take a lower science track the following year so as to guarantee I wouldn't have him for a teacher.

I know truth is why we have been called here on the earth at this time, to fight for it. I also remember how exhausting it was as a youth, so many years ago. What our children are facing has got to be 3-4 times more intense today. There is a time & place for righteous disobedience/civil disobedience. There is a safe & subtle way to go about it. So, our kids need our counsel, our prayers, and a listening ear to get them through this. Teach them. Live your testimony, that they may live theirs and feel empowered by the truth & light God has given us as His children. They become great leaders as they are lead by great leaders, their parents. Stuck in my mind right now are the words from Hymn #258 "O Thou Rock of Our Salvation". Our children need us more than ever to help them tune out the booming voice of the world, and tune in the simple and still small voice of the Holy Ghost.

Society doesn't like to be told they're wrong...think about it, Sodom and Gomorrah? People hated what Noah had to say. All the prophets, including Jeremiah & Lehi, were threatened and/or killed leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem & captivity into Babylon. Abinadi & Samuel the Lamanite didn't have the LARGEST fan clubs in their day...nonetheless, truth was truth-unchanged. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was crucified because the "world" didn't like being wrong. Time and time again, "Society" has been proved wrong. Lehi's dream included the large and spacious building which represented the world. Guess what? We're IN it. We need to be sure we're not OF it, including its philosophies & distractions (both being Satan's greatest tools). Lucifer promised he would use any means he could to turn one against another so as to thwart the Great Plan of Happiness. But God is NOT a respecter of persons (D&C 1:35), especially not of Al Gore. He may love Al as his child, but what Al says (and broadcasts to millions of sheep) doesn't hold salt with Him and is not something God will bow down to. His Plan will not be stalled, detoured, or halted altogether. This is true for all who would attempt to lead others astray. Our day will be a tumultuous one, as we are living in the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times. Never give up! It all boils down to one thing, WE SURROUND THEM, and we need to be courageous, strong, bold and fear no one but our HEAVENLY FATHER. D&C 115:5 reads, "Verily I say unto you all: Arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations." We must fortify ourselves, our family members, and our homes with truth. THAT is what will protect us and see us through all the trials to come.