Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd

Much is said nowadays concerning The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  The Mormon Eagle knows "it is better to represent ourselves than to be represented by others", but nevertheless, others sometimes (mis)represent Mormonism, whether through ignorance, apathy, or willful disobedience of God's laws.  Hymn number 221, second verse, states:

Dear to the heart of the Shepherd,
Dear are the lambs of his fold;
Some from the pastures are straying,
Hungry and helpless and cold.
See, the Good Shepherd is seeking,
Seeking the lambs that are lost,
Bringing them in with rejoicing,
Saved at such infinite cost.
(Hymn #221, "Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd")

Indeed, it is a solemn and saddening thought of the Latter-day Saints who have fallen away through either outright apostasy, inactivity, or transgression.  To all those who stand aloof from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Eagle implores all to come back.  The Church stands with open arms to receive all those poor, lost, sad, angry, or wandering Saints who once cherished the life of a Mormon.  Indeed, saith the Isaiah of God's mercy, "For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still" (Isaiah 9:12).  Also the Shepherd saith upon conditions of repentance, "For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.  In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer" (Isaiah 54:7-8).

The Redeemer of the world, even Jesus Christ the Son of God, has atoned for your sins.  But this Atonement will only be efficacious upon those who obey the laws of God, which are only found within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  The Mormon Eagle humbly warns that those who die in their sins cannot live with God, nor with their families, in the Celestial Kingdom.  Only those faithful Latter-day Saints, those who have taken upon themselves the name of Jesus Christ, taken up His cross and despised the shame of it, can ever hope to enter the Celestial Kingdom and attain the status of a God.

May all those lost and wayward Latter-day Saints, whether they are still members or former Mormons, come back into The Church of Jesus Christ, and partake at the table of the Lord of His bounteous blessings and infinite Atonement.  Then, and only then, will the power of the Lord, as obtained only in the House of he Lord, rest upon you and cause you to exclaim, as does the Hymn, "praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!"  The Lord is waiting, and will be with the sincere son or daughter of God during the upward, rocky journey back to the Sheepfold.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.