Joyful Wells | Sharing Cups of Water

Throughout the record of scripture, there is a chilling pattern that appears again and again: when evil men rise to power, they do more than enforce policy—they control perception. They don’t just govern—they silence, punish, and deceive. And when they do, the cost is always the same: liberty is lost, righteousness is hunted, and the people are left to suffer under the weight of twisted truth. These are not just ancient cautionary tales. They are relevant warnings for modern application—divine instruction for recognizing tyranny in every age, including our own. From the hands of men like Mao, Stalin, and Hitler to their 21st-century peers, the blueprint of oppression hasn’t changed. What has changed is how willing we are to see it. Pharaoh of Egypt  The Pharaoh of Moses' day didn’t merely enslave the Hebrews—he sought to control the narrative of how they were perceived . He painted the children of Israel as a threat: "Now there arose up a new king over Egypt who knew not J...

To know the name of God is more than speaking syllables — it’s to understand His character. In the Hebrew mind, a name wasn’t just a label. It revealed nature. Authority. Intent. So when the scriptures say to do something in His name, it means to act how He would act. To step into a moment, a relationship, or a trial as if He Himself were stepping in. To bear the name of Christ is not a casual thing. It is to take on His reputation. His mercy. His courage. His patience. His justice. His truth. Moses asked to know God’s name, and the Lord passed by him and declared it: “ The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin, and that will by no means clear the rebellious, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and upon the children’s children unto the third and to the fourth generation. ” (Exodus 18:6). That is His name. So when we bless in His name, f...

The Lord is doing a marvelous work and a wonder in our day. Though the world grows ever more complicated, the invitation from Heaven remains profoundly simple: “Repent... and come to Me and be baptized in My name, so you can be sanctified by receiving the Holy Ghost, so you can stand spotless in My presence” (see 3 Nephi 12:13 CE). In this quiet but powerful invitation lies the very heartbeat of the Restoration. And not just a restoration—but the Restoration of all things. We who have received the Lord’s covenant in this dispensation—whether recently awakened or long committed—must constantly ask:  Am I still soft toward Heaven?  Do I hear His voice when He speaks?   The Restoration has never been about building institutions. It is a return to relationship —between God and His people. A Call to Renew through Repentance Repentance is not an event; it is a humble process. It is learning to see ourselves clearly in the light of Christ, and then turning again to Him, ...

There is a yearning in many hearts today—a desire to return to the simplicity and purity of Christ’s original teachings taught in Eden. We look around and see so many forms, institutions, and hierarchies that sometimes it’s hard to see the plain beauty of the gospel stick out. In my own experience, and among those seeking a deeper restoration, the call has become clear: Christ is inviting us back to a simple, enduring Christianity through covenant. What God is doing through Denver as the restoration rolls on has never stopped being built on the foundation of simple Christianity. Though new challenges may become more complex, the Lord continues to emphasize humility, love, and the heart of His teachings as the basis for every new step He asks of us. This is what I mean by simple. Not Hierarchy, But Humble Fellowship From the beginning, Jesus taught that in His kingdom, greatness is found in serving, not ruling over others. “ You know that the princes of the gentiles exercise domini...

Joseph often talked about preparation - whether it was to prepare for the world to come, or to prepare to have the veil rent in the temple, or to meet God when you die. The supposition is that in this world we all have a lot to work on and so we must prepare. We need to be tried like gold.  Here’s a good quote from Joseph about this:  “ Whatever principle of intelligence we attain to in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection.  And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much more the advantage in the world to come .” I think this statement can be equally applied to our situation, right now, that the better we prepare ourselves to gather the more advantage we’ll have when it’s time. We must qualify beforehand. Said another way:  Whatever principle of intelligence [and charity] we attain to [before we gather], it will [carry] with us in the [gathering].  And if a...