WOULD YOU EVER DRINK FROM DIRTY DITCH WATER?

James Stoddard had a way of calling things out which caused you to have to make a decision usually instantly on the spot! It was his sense of humor—a sarcastic side of him that I found amusing and grew fond of throughout the years as I enjoyed playing off of it.

However, the first time he used sarcasm with me to call out my idols and our family worldly behaviors were when he asked me a question straight up “Do you like to drink from spring water, or do you like irrigation ditch water?” 

I didn’t quite understand this quizzing as it seemed pretty simple—so I gave a quick response “well.. um, spring water!” 

Waiting to see why he asked such an obvious question, he responded now soberly how the Prophet Joseph taught “spring water from the mountain tastes best.” 

“Yes,” I said, “and your point is . . . ?” I didn’t understand where he was going with this. 

He went on to say that “this applies to our family and homes when we are teaching them the Gospel or educating our children. Our homes should reflect pure sources. Our movies, books, literature, and so forth should only be of the very best.” He said that I should stop giving my family ditch water, as I was making them sick.” He said, “if I wanted to reach my family that was going astray, then I needed to purge those things esteemed filthy according to scripture.”

There was no arguing. He was dead-on right., I was speechless as it was true, and I was humbled. That began the first of many, many purges as we began to align our home up to scriptures, holiness, and “purity.”

We went through every book we owned and used compiled questions to analyze our books/ and movies. We ended up hauling out three garbage bags of books to burn and movies to break on our first purge. It was fun, and oh how I enjoyed the spirit that came in immediately. 

THREE KINGDOMS

He continued later that there are three kingdoms that exist here, and whatever Kingdom I desired, should be sought-after now. What would be for the Celestial Kingdom in the movies, music, foods, amusements, books, etc.,? What were the rules, and laws for parenting, family, liberty, health, education, worship, holidays, and so forth? I love challenges so the hunt for these principles and the purge of any “ditch” type items in the home began. This is when I was introduced to the FAQ page -a compilation of prophetic teachings on different subjects.

WE TOOK ACTION

We went through every book we owned and used compiled questions to analyze our books/movies. If there was anything that was kept because we did not know, we left it as a viewpoint of opposition and to make sure those books had their own shelf and were not to be used to study truth from but to discern with.

We ended up hauling out three garbage bags of books to burn and movies to break on our first purge. It was fun, and oh how I enjoyed the spirit that came in immediately. It was as if these items held an evil spot in our home, and once removed the spirit could come in. It was a night and day difference.

I had thought about how often “traditions” get passed down even in books/movies from our extended family libraries. We think because it was on grandma’s shelf, then it must be okay not realizing how so many of our books are really anti-christ material where the gospel is taught according to the author but not how Christ taught it.

I will be forever grateful for the lesson of “spring water versus irrigation ditch water” and the valuable teaching it played in my home in rescuing some children and changing hearts!

QUESTIONS

• Does it portray the breaking of the law of chastity as being evil and causing heartache, sorrow, depression, and bitter consequences?
• Does it teach about men and women sacrificing for others in service and practicing great and simple deeds of benevolence?
• Are the heroes and heroines about striving to change and become better with all their heart, might mind, and strength?
• Are righteous and sacred works ever ridiculed or made fun of?
• Are Christian principles such as freedom and liberty upheld?
• How are families and children portrayed? How are marriage and families portrayed? Are large families promoted or ridiculed? Are children respectful to their parents and authority?
• Is breaking the law and living a carefree life glamorized?
• Are Christian virtues shown to be the one true path to happiness, or are they looked upon as out of date or even mocked?
• Does the “Christian” books portray a causal, buddy-type relationship with Christ.
• Does it show fear of God?
• Are the roles of men and women portrayed correctly?
• Are the heroes/heroines involved in witchcraft, sorcery, wizardry, or connection with spirits? (Remember there is NO such thing as good magic)
• Is evolution taught?
Is good sung as good, and evil portrayed as evil?
• Is reincarnation taught?
• Is New Age thinking taught?