"America is great because she is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.” 1
Latter-Day Saints are encouraged to be good citizens in whichever country we are found. "We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law." 12 Though Latter-Day Saints are encouraged to be politically involved, the LDS church is very careful never to imply support for any particular candidate. We are expected to participate appropriately in government processes and to support and defend our freedoms, "to stand fast in this liberty wherewith ye have been made free."Mosiah23:13
We are taught to diligently search for men who are honest wise and good to lead our country; and we are taught to pray for our elected leaders and treat them with dignity and respect (even the ones we didn't vote for).
I am sure we all have considered how blessed we are to live in America, especially as there is so much of war and turmoil about us. Latter-Day Saints believe that America has a special history and destiny. God led Columbus to America. 1 Ne.13 God “established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom [He] raised up" and "delivered [the country] by the power of God out of the hands of all other nations." D&C 101:80 1 Ne.13:19 It is a land of liberty where men are free to live the teachings of Jesus Christ and to proclaim his truths, and we are promised that it will remain so. In a time when many fear the future, I take great comfort in the words of the Lord concerning our great nation:
But behold...the Gentiles shall be blessed upon the land. And this land shall be a land of liberty unto the Gentiles, and there shall be no kings upon the land, who shall raise up unto the Gentiles. And I will fortify this land against all other nations. It is a choice land... above all other lands. 2 Ne. 10:10-12,19
Around 600 B.C Lehi prophesied regarding America: that there shall none come into this land save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord. Wherefore, this land is consecrated unto him whom he shall bring. And if it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them; wherefore, they shall never be brought down into captivity; if so, it shall be because of iniquity; for if iniquity shall abound cursed shall be the land for their sakes, but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever. 2Ne.1:6-7
The Lord told the brother of Jared (who was brought here with his family from the tower of Babel), that whoso should possess this land of promise, from that time henceforth and forever, should serve him, the true and only God... and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall serve God.... For behold, this is a land which is choice above all other lands... And it is not until the fulness of iniquity among the children of the land, that they are swept off. Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ. Ether 2:8-10,12
It is no accident that the United States is the great nation that it is, nor that it was founded by people who loved God. America is the bastion of religious freedom. It is here that the New Jerusalem, will be established. God gave us this land and our freedoms in it. We have the duty to live righteously and do what is in our power to protect our country and to create and sustain good laws. We have the assurance that as we do this we will have God on our side.
This is a land that is blessed by God and through which all nations of the earth will be blessed. America should not only be an example of freedom and liberty to the world, but an example of goodness. There are many forces trying to destroy liberty and turn the people away from that which is good, but there is no need to fear, "for they that be with us are more than they that be with them." 2 Kings 6:16 God will be with us. God is the author of our liberty.
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