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Portrait  of  me  in  1964  

 

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A  LETTER  TO  THE  YOUTH  OF  THE  WORLD      “There   is   a   great   and   glorious   purpose   in   the   march   of   the   universes   through  space.    All  of  your  mortal  struggling  is  not  in  vain.    We  are  all  part  of  an  immense  plan,  a  gigantic  enterprise,  and  it  is  the  vastness  of  the  undertaking  that  renders  it  impossible  to  see  very  much  of  it  at  any  one  time  and  during  any  one  life.    We  are  all   a   part   of   an   eternal   project  which   the  Gods  are   supervising  and  outworking.    The   whole   marvelous   and   universal   mechanism   moves   on   majestically   through  space  to  the  music  of  the  meter  of  the  infinite  thought  and  the  eternal  purpose  of  the  First  Great  Source  and  Center.”  (UB  pg.  364)    Dear  youth  of  the  world,    

There   will   be   times   in   your   high   school   and   college   careers   when   the  inevitable   question  will   be   posed   to   you,  whether   by   a   teacher   in   a   philosophy  class,  by  one  of  your  deeper-­‐thinking  friends,  or  by  yourself  in  a  quiet  moment  of  contemplation.    That  question  is:    What  is  the  meaning  of  life  and  why  am  I  here?      Well,  ponder  this  answer  and  see  if  you  can  gain  any  wisdom  from  it.    This  world  is   a   world   of   choices.     Every   choice   we   make   propels   our   life   toward   greater  happiness   or   greater   unhappiness.     It   is   simple,   throughout   your   life   you  make  choices  whose   repercussions   either   benefit   you   or  make   life  more   difficult   and  confusing  for  you.    All  of  these  choices  lumped  together  during  a  lifetime  lead  to  your  ultimate  choice:    Am  I  going  to  accept  goodness  and  live  on  in  God’s  eternal  plan  or  am  I  going  to  accept  evil  and  perish  in  the  fires  of  destruction?    This  is  your  ultimate  choice.      

Making  the  choice  to  do  God’s  will   is  the  secret  to  everlasting  life  and  the  answer  to  a  fruitful  and  fulfilling  life  here  on  Earth.    If  you  accept  this  answer  then  another  question  might  arise:    What  are  these  good  choices  I  can  make  that  are  in  sync  with  God’s  will   for  me  and  how  do   I  make   them?     I  would   like   to  give  you  some  suggestions  to  think  about.        

 

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Suggestion  #1:    Be  gracious  and   thankful.    God  has   set  up  a  grand  and  glorious  evolutionary   system   of   spiritual   progress   in   which   every   ascending  mortal   may  take  part.    And   in  this  system  He  has  generously  extended  His  grace  and  mercy.      In  The  Urantia  Book   it   says:      “…a  mercy   credit   is   established   for   the   survival  of  each  rational  creature,  a  credit  of  lavish  proportions  and  one  of  sufficient  grace  to  insure  the  survival  of  every  soul  who  really  desires  divine  citizenship.”  (UB  pg.  314)    God   has   given   us   all   the   necessary   provisions   to   succeed   through   our   eternal  journey  to  Paradise.    He  has  given  us  the  tremendous  gift  of  life,  the  freedom  to  make  choices,  a  host  of  angelic  helpers  and  mortal  companions,  and  He  has  even  given  us  a  part  of  himself  to  help  guide  us  on  our  ascent,  our  Thought  Adjuster.    We  must  be  thankful  on  a  daily  basis  for  all  of  the  amazing  gifts  bestowed  on  us  from  our  Loving  God  and  Universal  Father.    In  the  morning,  as  you  anticipate  your  day,  or  at  night  when  you  reflect  on  the  day’s  events,  try  to  offer,   in  some  way,  your  thanks  to  God  and  to  all  of  the  helpers  who  assist  you  on  your  journey.    Also,  we  must  make  every   attempt   to  be  merciful   toward   all   of  God’s   other   children  who  are   striving   toward  perfection  with  us.     Let   us  be   gracious   and  merciful   as  God  is  gracious  and  merciful  toward  us.          Suggestion  #2:    Develop  good  health  habits.    We  have  been  given  a  material  body  to  help  us  function   in  this  world.     It   is  a  strong,  resilient  and  flexible  mechanism  that  aids  us  in  manifesting  our  thoughts  and  feelings  as  well  as  in  acting  out  our  choices.    Maintaining  a  healthy,   strong  and  pure  body   is   necessary   for  us   to  be  able   to   live   productive   lives   and   to   serve   our   families,   our   communities,   our  country,  and  our  world.    I  hope  you  will  consider  putting  into  practice  some,  or  all,  of  the  following  suggestions  for  good  health  habits:      1. Eat  healthy  and  well  balanced  meals.    Try  to  include  fruits  and  vegetables  

in  your  diet  as  often  as  possible,  as  well  as  those  foods  that  contain  the  most  energy  from  the  sun.    Processed  foods,  canned  foods  and  preserved  foods  do  not  provide  your  body  with  as  much  energy  as  fresh  fruits  and  vegetables.    Keep  your  body  pure.    Stay  away  from  substances  that  can  poison  your  bodies  such  as  alcohol,  tobacco,  candy,  meat,  and  foods  that  contain  an  overabundance  of  processed  sugar.      Drink  a  lot  of  pure  water,  

 

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fruit   juices,   and   vegetable   juices   to   keep   your   body  working   efficiently  and  free  from  toxins.          

2. Keep   yourself   safe   and   watch   out   for   dangerous   situations.     Safety   is  paramount   for   a   long,   productive   life.     Use   common   sense   to   keep  yourself   and   your   family   safe   from   the   many   dangers   that   present  themselves  on  a  regular  basis.            

3. Get  ample  rest.    Rest  is  as  important  as  the  activities  we  undertake.    The  following   is  written   in  The  Urantia  Book  about  a  group  of  angels  called  The   import   of   time.     “You   will   first   encounter   these   beings   on   the  mansion  worlds,  and  they  will  there  instruct  you  in  the  advantageous  use  of  that  which  you  call  ‘time,’  both  in  its  positive  employment,  work,  and  in  its  negative  utilization,  rest.    Both  uses  of  time  are  important.”  (UB  pg.  315)      If  rest  is  so  important  in  the  mansion  world  career  as  to  be  taught  to  us  by  angels,  then  it  must  be  important  here  on  Earth  as  well.    Why  not  make  our  lives  smoother  and  more  bearable  by  trying  to  master  the  balance  of   rest  and  activity  here  on  earth?     Take   time  out   to   recharge  your   batteries   through   ample   sleep,   rest,   meditation,   contemplation,  and   reflection.     You   might   even   include   on   a   regular   basis   a   ten   to  twenty  minute  rest  time  or  nap  in  the  afternoon  to  recharge  you  for  the  remainder  of  your  day.    Try  to  get  to  bed  early.    Studies  suggest  that  the  sleep  hours  before  midnight  are  the  most  important.    Ben  Franklin  said:    “Early  to  bed,  early  to  rise,  makes  a  man  healthy,  wealthy  and  wise.”  

 

4. Try  to  have  a  positive  outlook  on  life.    Remember,  this  life  you  are  living  constitutes  only  one  step   in  an  endless  Paradise  career.    Be  patient,   for  this  is  only  the  beginning.    Bear  in  mind  what  the  Mighty  Messenger  says  in  the  opening  quote  in  this  letter:    “All  of  your  mortal  struggling  is  not  in  vain.”    All  of  our  trials  and  tribulations  are  meant  to  enhance  our  spiritual  attainment  and  galvanize  us  for  a  grand  and  glorious  future  in  the  service  of   God.     If   you   will   just   have   faith   in   God,   do   his   will,   love   and   serve  others,  and  make  healthy  choices,  your  failings  and  disappointments  will  

 

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lead  to  ultimate  success.    Try  to  laugh  once  in  a  while  and  don’t  forget  to  laugh   at   yourself.     Take   life   seriously   but   not   too   seriously.     There   is   a  section   in   The  Urantia   Book   that   describes   the  Reversion  Directors   and  their   role   in  our  ascension  career.    Regarding  humor,  The  Urantia  Book  says:    “Humor  should  function  as  an  automatic  safety  valve  to  prevent  the  building  up  of  excessive  pressures  due  to  the  monotony  of  sustained  and  serious   self-­‐contemplation   in   association   with   the   intense   struggle   for  developmental  progress  and  noble  achievement.”  (UB  pg.  549)    

5. Don’t   deplete   your   energies   unnecessarily.     Each   person   has   a   certain  amount   of   energy   in   their   reserves   per   day   and   per   lifetime.     Physical,  emotional,  mental  and  spiritual  energy  should  be  spent  wisely,  much  like  money   in   a   budget.     If   you   spend   everything   you   have,   you   have   no  money  left.    If  you  save  a  little  bit,  you  will  have  a  cushion  in  the  event  of  an  emergency.    Learn  to  use  your  energy  wisely  and  don’t  throw  it  away  on  activities  that  deplete  your  energy,  weaken  you  or  cause  destruction  to   your   body,   mind   or   soul.     Use   common   sense   and   stay   away   from  activities   that   might   cause   temporary   harm   or   permanent   damage   to  your   physical   organism,   your   emotional   balance,   your  mental   state,   or  your  spiritual  career.  

 6. Exercise  moderately  on  a  regular  basis.    Light  exercise  on  a  regular  basis  

will  help  keep  your  body  strong,  toned  and  flexible.    Try  to  avoid  exercise  that  overstresses  the  heart,  lungs,  bones,  muscles,  and  joints.    Minimize  involvement   in   contact   sports   that   may   potentially   cause   unnecessary  destruction  to  the  body.    Exercise,  along  with  a  healthy  diet,  is  essential  for  the  optimal  functioning  of  the  body.    Exercise  can  provide  relief  from  stress,   and  when   done  with   friends   and   family,   can   result   in   fun   times  and  good  memories  that  can  last  a  lifetime.    

7. Include   fun   activities.     The   vicissitudes   of   life   can   take   their   toll   on   a  person.    Fun  activities,  either  done  alone  or  with  friends  and  loved  ones,  can  break  the  monotony  that  comes  with  our  day  to  day  struggles,  duties  

 

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and   responsibilities.   They   can   also   release   stress   and   refresh   our  perspective  on  life.    Some  fun  activities  might  include:    pursuing  hobbies,  taking   a   day   trip   or   an   extended   vacation,   taking   a   walk   in   nature,  gardening,  attending  museums  and  art  galleries,  going  to  a  movie,  eating  out   at   a   restaurant,   playing   games,   having   a   picnic,   etc.     Fun   activities,  done   with   a   friend,   family   or   loved   one   can   enhance   relationships,  strengthen  bonds  and  build  community.              

 Suggestion  #3:   Honor  the  dedication  of  your  Thought  Adjuster.    Your  Thought  Adjuster   is   a   fragment   of  God  dwelling  within   you   and  helping   you.     It   is   doing  everything  in  its  power  to  propel  you  heavenward.    This  paragraph  in  The  Urantia  Book  beautifully  sums  up  the  role  of  our  Thought  Adjuster  in  our  Paradise  ascent:    “The   Adjuster   is   an   absolute   essence   of   an   infinite   being   imprisoned  within   the  mind  of  a  finite  creature  which,  depending  on  the  choosing  of  such  a  mortal,  can  eventually   consummate   this   temporary   union   of   God   and   man   and   veritably  actualize  a  new  order  of  being  for  unending  universe  service.    The  Adjuster  is  the  divine  universe  reality  which  factualizes  the  truth  that  God   is  man’s  Father.    The  Adjuster   is  man’s   infallible   cosmic   compass,   always   and   unerringly   pointing   the  soul  Godward.”  (UB  pgs.  176-­‐1177).      Also,  your  thought  adjuster  is  relying  on  you  to  gain  personality  for  itself.    A  symbiotic  relationship  takes  place  where  one  helps  the   other.     Honor   the   dedication   of   your   Thought   Adjuster   so   both   of   you   can  succeed.    Suggestion  #4:    Be  successful   in  your  duties.    One  admonishment   in  the  Urantia  Book   is   repeated  several   times,  “Be  you  perfect,  even  as  your  Paradise  Father   is  perfect.”       Even   the   lowly  will   creatures  on  Urantia  are   required   to   share   in   the  ministry   of   the   grand   universe.    We  must   remember   that  we   are   a   part   of   the  Supreme  Being  and  that  our  individual  successes  and  accomplishments  propel  the  Supreme  Being   towards  perfection.    Even   though  our  duties  and   responsibilities  seem  small,   as   compared   to   the   things  more  exalted  beings   in   the  universe  do,  our  contributions  to  life  are  extremely  important.    With  that  in  mind,  you  should  work   hard   to   be   the   best   you   can   be   in   all   areas   of   your   life.     Try   to   get   good  

 

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grades   in   school,   be   a   good   brother   or   sister,   be   a   good   son   or   daughter,   be   a  kind,  merciful   and   loving   parent,   excel   at   your   profession,   etc.       God   has  many  more   duties   than   we   can   imagine.     Let   us   run   our   lives   as   masterfully   and  smoothly  as  God  runs  this  immense  universe.    Suggestion  #5:    Try  to  be  a  community  leader  and  a  good  example  for  others.    Be  a  good  example  for  your  peers,  children  and  even  adults  who  need  to  learn  from  a  kind,  compassionate,  moral,  intelligent  and  wise  role  model.    Try  to  be  a  strong  yet   loving  person  who  is  gracious  and  merciful.    Try  to  express  the  most  exalted  character  attributes  which  can  be  found  all  throughout  the  papers  in  The  Urantia  Book.    In  your  home,  church,  school,  job,  etc.,  strive  to  be  the  leader  that  people  respect   and   aspire   to   be   like.     Be   a   model   of   community   service,   charity   and  helpfulness  toward  others   less  fortunate  that  you.    Keep  pure  and  moral  even  if  others  around  you  are  becoming  more  and  more  material.        Suggestion  #6:    Treat  others  who  are  on  the  journey  with  love  and  respect.      Treat   everyone   as   a   loving  brother   or   sister  who   is   also  on   their   ascent   toward  Paradise   perfection.       The  Urantia   Book  mentions   that   this   is   not   an   egocentric  universe.     There   are   so   many   beings   and   types   of   beings   in   God’s   great   and  glorious   kingdom   that   are   striving   like   you   to   attain   spiritual   perfection   while  fulfilling  their  universe  ministries.    Try  to  make  things  easier  for  your  brothers  and  sisters  on  the  journey  instead  of  creating  hardships  and  obstacles  for  others.      Try  to   take   into   account   the   afformentioned   concept   of   the   Supreme   Being   as   you  continue  to  develop  your  personal  philosophy.    Humans,  along  with  the  myriads  of   other   beings   in   the   grand   universe,   are   all   individuals   who   collectively  contribute   to   the  evolution  of   the  Supreme  Being.    We  are  all  a  brotherhood   in  the  universe  of   our   Loving   Father   in   Paradise.     This   concept   of   brotherhood,   as  regards   the   relationship   of   the   part   to   the   whole,   is   expressed   in   The   Urantia  Book:    “The  good  effort  of  each  man  benefits  all  men;  the  error  or  evil  of  each  man  augments  the  tribulation  of  all  men.    As  moves  the  part,  so  moves  the  whole.    As  the  progress  of  the  whole,  so  the  progress  of  the  part.”    (UB  pg.  138)          

 

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Suggestion   #7:     Engage   in   continuous   spiritual   study.     The   Urantia   Book   is   an  excellent   book   to   study.     It   provides   the   student   with   studies   in   religion,  philosophy,   science,   ethics,   and   morality,   as   well   as   the   development   of   our  mortal  and  divine  character.    It  gives  us  an  outline  of  the  ascension  career  of  the  mortal  and  of  all  the  universe  personalities  who  either  assist  us  on  the  way  or  are  pursuing  their  own  careers.    You  should  also  read  other  books  and  other  materials  on   subjects   such   as:     philosophy,   science,   history,   sociology,   self-­‐improvement,  etc.    These  and  other  supplemental  studies  can  help  broaden  your  understanding  of  life  here  on  earth  and  help  shed  more  light  on  your  study  of  The  Urantia  Book.    Spiritual   discussions   are   important   to   gain   new   and   deeper   perspectives   of   our  own  philosophies  and   ideals.    Teaching  others  through  speaking  and  writing  can  aid  in  enhancing  our  understanding  of  our  own  spirituality  as  well  as  sharing  with  others  exalted  ideas  about  God  and  doing  His  will.  

 My  goal   in  writing  this   letter  has  been  twofold.    First,   I  wanted  to  provide  

you  with  some  thoughts   to  help  you  understand   the   importance  of  doing  God’s  will  for  your  own  spiritual  career  and  the  advancement  of  your  brethren.    Second,  I   wanted   to   present   to   you   some   ideas   to   assist   you   in   formulating   and  establishing   lifestyle   patterns   of   good   behavior   and   good   habits   whose  implementation  can  help  you  to  make  good  life  choices.    As  you  implement  your  personal  philosophy  and  make  your  good  choices,  I  believe  these  suggestions  for  an  enhanced  lifestyle,  that  I  have  presented  in  a  basic  form,    can  make  help  make  your  life  on  Earth  easier  and  more  fulfilling  while  you  fulfill  your  eternal  purpose  of  doing  God’s  will  here  on  Earth.    

You  are  the  hope  and  future  of  humanity.    You  have  incredible  tools  at  your  disposal   for   creating   a  wonderful   future   for   yourselves   and  others.     You  have   a  loving  Father  in  Paradise,  a  loving  Local  Universe  Father,  (Michael  of  Nebadon),    a  loving  Local  Universe  Mother  (the  Universe  Mother  Spirit),  spiritual  helpers  on  all  levels   assisting   you,   a   Thought   Adjuster   guiding   your  way,   and   you   have   loving  friends  and  family.    You  also  have  a  strong  and  able  physical,  emotional,  mental  and  spiritual  mechanism  to  utilize  in  your  study  and  ministry.    How  great  it  would  be  if  each  one  of  you  could  use  these  resources  to  be  a  leader  in  your  community,  a   shining   role   model   of   strength   and   compassion,   an   intelligent   and   wise  

 

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contributer,   and   a   champion   of   morality   and   purity.     You   are   that   special  ascending  mortal  who  has  the  power  to  be  instrumental  in  propelling  yourself  and  our   world   onward   and   upward   toward   that   great   future   of   Supreme   Paradise  Glory.    May  you  be  a  light  to  the  world.    I  wish  you  good  luck  and  blessings  on  your  journey.