On Calling and Election

Restored post

Thursday, August 18, 2011

I got this idea from unblogmysoul. It was mentioned there that one could possibly have one’s calling and election made sure, and not realize it. That's the idea I got there.

Joseph Smith said that once God had proven a person, proven that s/he would serve God at all costs, then that person would have his/her calling and election made sure. What I am beginning to understand is that this does not mean the person needs to have rocks in his/her pockets to keep him/her from disappearing from the earth. 1

An interesting insight comes from Nephi. He saw Christ. His calling and election were made sure. Yet read what he says in 2 Nephi 4. In verses 17 through 19, he is lamenting his wickedness, his weakness of the flesh. To have one’s calling and election made sure is not to become perfect. It is simply to prove to God (and perhaps to one’s self) that one is willing to serve God no matter the cost.

Let’s take these three things: calling and election, translation, the second comforter. They are not the same thing. They are three separate things, and they may happen years apart. They also do not necessarily happen in an LDS temple. 2

Calling and election. I knew someone who had a crisis of faith larger that s/he had ever had. This person was at a crossroads. “Shall I leave the church? Shall I stop believing in God?” This crisis of faith was so large, that it seemed like all was futile, all was false. Personal revelation, God, the church’s teachings about God and revelation. It was all a big joke. After much thinking, this person came to the conclusion that no other organization had as much truth as the LDS church. This person also came to the conclusion that the only alternative to God was the devil, and s/he would never willingly go that way. S/he decided that, even if God was all of the negative things that s/he felt at the moment, there was no one else. S/he would be on His side, no matter the cost, even if s/he ended up in hell, s/he would go there kicking and screaming, determined to hold onto God as hard as s/he could. The crisis was huge. The decision was huge. It fits the description of being willing to serve God at all costs. Yet, this person is in no way perfect, is in no way in danger of being lifted off this earth because of being too perfect. I believe that this person passed the test.

Then there’s the second comforter. I don’t really know if that should be capitalized or not. Is it really a proper noun? Or a descriptive noun?

The unblog site mentions another test before one receives the second comforter. One is more likely to recognize this for what it is. I had always thought there was only one test - to see if one would serve God at all costs. Apparently, there is another. This one is where God asks you to do something that doesn’t make sense to you. Scriptural examples would be Abraham’s test, Joseph Smith being told to take another wife (and his wife another husband), Nephi killing Laban. I can’t think of any others, but I am sure there are many examples; we may not have them written in our histories/scriptures, though.

I seriously doubt that God would tell us to kill anyone today. I actually have no idea what kind of test this would be. It seems to me that it’s another “will you do anything I command?” which, I suppose it could be argued, is a bit different from, “will you serve me at any cost?”.

Anyway, receiving the second comforter is apparently not only to see Jesus Christ, but to touch him. This is the fulfillment, the reality of what one does in the temple. The temple is the practice. Seeing Christ is the reality. There are people who have gone into the temples, and shared sacred things, things they promised God they would not share. The result of this is that God will not share anything else with them. The real thing is kept hidden from them, because they have shown God that they cannot be trusted with sacred things, hence, they have disqualified themselves from having a personal audience with Christ in this life. And they probably won’t be very comfortable being around him when they finally do get the chance to see him. They’ll want to hide, according to the scriptures. They’ll want to cease existing.

According to my studies, when one sees Christ, he offers them a gift. See an example of this in the scriptures: the twelve apostles in the old world, the twelve disciples in the new world. Solomon was offered a gift (he chose wisdom). The word “endowment” means “gift”. At this point, Christ is offering you anything you want, so I understand. Some people choose to be translated (Moses, Elijah, John, three unnamed Nephites, Alma, etc.) and some choose something else.

To be translated, is to have one’s body changed: 3 Ne 28:37-40 – “But behold, since I wrote, I have inquired of the Lord, and he hath made it manifest unto me that there must needs be a change wrought upon their bodies, or else it needs be that they must taste of death; Therefore, that they might not taste of death there was a change wrought upon their bodies, that they might not suffer pain nor sorrow save it were for the sins of the world. Now this change was not equal to that which shall take place at the last day; but there was a change wrought upon them, insomuch that Satan could have no power over them, that he could not tempt them; and they were sanctified in the flesh, that they were holy, and that the powers of the earth could not hold them. And in this state they were to remain until the judgment day of Christ; and at that day they were to receive a greater change, and to be received into the kingdom of the Father to go no more out, but to dwell with God eternally in the heavens.”

My understanding is that, next, Christ requests that the person do something for him, some work. Having never experienced this, I do not know. It is my opinion, though, that if one chooses translation it is because one wants to continue serving God.

The unblog site connects seeing Jesus with becoming a Zion person, someone able to live in a Zion society. It seems that the DS blog says the same thing, just not as plainly. We cannot build Zion unless our hearts are changed to the point that we are able to receive the second comforter, the proper noun of which is Jesus Christ.

I cannot do this subject justice. You’ll need to go to the two websites I mention below, in footnote 2. They have references galore. They are not teaching some new and strange doctrine.

1 This has reference to a false belief among latter-day saints, that if one reaches a point of translation/guarantee of eternal life, one is automatically removed from the earth, being too perfect to stay here. Those who believe this conveniently ignore the fact that John the Beloved/Revelator stayed, and so did the three Nephite disciples. I don’t think they ignore this on purpose. I am finding out that, just like Denver Snuffer and others point out, the truth hides in plain sight.

2 If you want “proofs”, I would recommend you go to Denver Snuffer's blog and do a search for these three things. At this time, he has a list of labels on the left side that you can peruse. On the right, is a list of dates that can be clicked on (click on the little arrows), to see the title of the entries in each month. Also go to unblog my soul and do a search for these things. These two men have not only spent years researching these things, but they have some personal experiences to give credence to their words.