A Mormon Poem
plainly
we people
we sins and blessings
covenant
in the waters of sacrifice
god and gain
inseparably intertwined
consecrate our cause
our good name only
an occasional martyr
to implicit willingness
young man rich man later man
die unexpectedly
wonder plentifully
provide the matter
a certain man
costs but little
one mite in the eternal scales
bulging granaries occasion
our prophets
young man good man nameless saint
think perfectly
expect sometimes
live to sacrifice angels
Poet’s Notes:
This erasure poem utilizes words and phrases taken from the written text of Elder Bruce R. McConkie’s April 1975 General Conference address: Obedience, Consecration, and Sacrifice. The poem should be read as an original piece rather than an abridgement of Elder McConkie’s sermon. This is the sixth poem in a series. You can try another here: McConkie Erasure: April 1974. Reactions are welcome in the comment section.
The featured image of the Angel Moroni is from Pixabay.
Wheat & Tares 
I read this expecting it just to be words removed from their original context and used to say the opposite of what McConkie meant. I was wrong. It has a beauty of it’s own. Thank you.
To my mind, this recalls more recent events.
December, 2009: “to care for the poor and needy” added as 4th mission of the church.
April 2018 Church President Russell M Nelson tells saints in Nairobi that paying tithing will break generations of poverty.
December 2019: Ensign Peak whistleblower reveals $100,000,000,000+ church portfolio.
If Jesus walked among us, he might tell us a parable about Lazarus and the rich church.
Thank you, Jake.
Notes:
One initiative*, treating a demonstrated need for nutrition and education for a select number of mostly lds children in Ecuador and Guatemala. Extrapolation welcome.
The lds owned EPA fund is greater than Harvard’s and Bill and Melinda Gates’ Foundations combined.
* https://bycommonconsent.com/2011/01/27/approaching-zion-solving-the-problem-of-malnutrition/
Quote:
”Out of the assessed children, how many were found to be malnourished and qualified for the Liahona Children’s Foundation program?
More than we planned on. About 25% of the 4000 kids 4000 or so children screened were chronically malnourished (>95% LDS). Worldwide, there are 50 million death annually, and 5 million (10%) of those death are due to childhood malnutrition. And while only 10% of malnourished child die; the remaining 90% suffer lifelong cognitive and physical defects that significantly and severely reduce their earning potential as adults, leading to a cycle in which their reduced future earnings lead to their own children being malnourished as well. We estimate 80,000 active LDS children suffer from chronic malnutrition, and about 900 die from malnutrition every year. A similar number of active LDS children are unable to attend elementary school secondary to lack of funding.”
Thank you Sasso. Your comment is very timely.
Nora Ray, thank you for sharing your reaction. Very appreciated.
Sasso, I agree with Roger. The information you cite provides a relevant direction to go from either Elder McConkie’s address or the erasure poem. Here is a Deseret News piece covering President Nelson’s Nairobi remarks: https://www.deseret.com/2018/4/16/20643748/dowry-is-not-the-lord-s-way-in-kenya-lds-president-nelson-says-tithing-breaks-poverty-cycle
Thank you, Roger Hansen, your words mean a lot to me.
Thank you, Jake C. I read the whole Deseret News article, and many of the comments it received.
The thought provoking comments pointed out several aspects. This from Chueyjsmmies was representative:
“I looked up Mormon Humanitarian efforts and I applaud any effort to alleviate suffering.
“Yet, I do not see much evidence of a long term commitment by the LDS Church to build hospitals, schools, businesses or industries. Like Church sponsored commercial enterprises: Lee’s Ferry, the railroads, sugar mills, Deseret News.
“Any LDS Hospitals in Africa? Any similar schools like Snow College? Is there a Deseret Ranch in Africa? City Creek Mall in Africa?
“Does the Church bring African members over to SLC and train them to run small businesses? Community projects? Engineering? Is the architect for the temple at least from the country and community it will be built?
“Did Payson really need a temple? Was it worth the millions of dollars that could have been spent in Africa to save 30 minutes of driving to Provo?
“Saying you“know” the power of tithing, great! Majority of us know the power of steady income, hot water, sanitation, electricity, medical care, government safety nets too—makes it easier to donate funds.”
Oh, and a couple more pointing out, first, the wrongness of expecting impoverished people to pay 10%; second, the condescendingness of going into a country, and criticizing their cultural traditions; and third, following their counsel would remove significant amounts of money from their local economy, and direct it to an American church.
This was in 2018, before the Ensign Peak Advieors’ whistleblower.