Thoughts on Zion

 I've been reading the 10 lectures again. Today, I was reading near the beginning of lecture 10. In it, Denver mentioned that the BofM is more prophecy than history, and that God works according to patterns - and the pattern is that the people will divide into family and friend groups before Christ comes. 

 Before the Lord's appearance to the Nephites, society broke down into tribes consisting of family and friends. Immediately before the Lord's return we should expect something similar.

This makes sense to me, and makes me think that there won't initially be a Zion. 

Initially, after the collapse of governments, there will be groups of people living in communities and trying to survive that way. Then, later, the communities will start to war with each other and, after that, Zion will be established by those who don't want to fight the marauders or others - 

So we might be jumping the gun to think that Zion can be created by us while we are still a country so organized that we can buy and sell land, get building permits, and so on. It may very well be that none of those things will exist when God decides there are people he is ready to gather to a place that will become a city of peace called Zion.

 It could be that once God decides there are people he can move to Zion, things will happen quite quickly. Maybe even within a year - but since God usually takes his sweet time, I can't really believe I can guess any kind of timeline.

 

In case you're interested, here is more of the quote:

 Therefore, part of the preparation by God's house for coming social chaos is likely to include some preliminary preparations by families and friends to fellowship with one another in local gatherings, perhaps completely apart from control by the LDS hierarchy. Only by independently functioning can they hope to prepare for social chaos prophesied to accompany Zion and precede the Lord's return. There will also be indigenous, prophet-led people coming through God's assistance to Zion.

(Page 281 in my book called Teachings of Denver Snuffer, Volume 2)

 

Secret Acts Revealed, Iniquities spoken upon the housetops

 . . .  all things which are hid must be revealed upon the house-tops

Book of Mormon | Mormon 5:8

And the rebellious shall be pierced with much sorrow; for their iniquities shall be spoken upon the housetops, and their secret acts shall be revealed.

Doctrine and Covenants | Section 1:3

 

Today I watched an overwhelming documentary about the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. I had heard theories similar to some of what was in the documentary, but some of it I had not heard. I was blown away.

The man is thorough. He is convincing. He does not hate the LDS Church, but he puts truth above their threats.

This was at the very end of the documentary:

I won't give away spoilers, as I know there are people who don't like them. I will say, though, that I believe this man is part of the prophecy given in the scriptures I quoted at the beginning of this post.

The documentary is here (parental warning: there are blood and realistic wounds here. Also there are images of fake skulls filled with red liquid being blown apart):

Who Killed Joseph Smith - Vimeo

Jesus' Love for Me, for You

 The love of Jesus is deep and powerful. It encompasses us, draws us in, and changes us - but only if we are willing to be changed.

How can we not love someone who loves us so powerfully and so thoroughly even though he knows our worst defects and our hidden darkness?

How can we not love someone who has pulled us out of hell and into love, peace, and power (real power, not the fake stuff so rampant today. That isn't real power because devils are controlling them).

There is no way to glory in Jesus enough. His love is real. It isn't this weird "acceptance" and insanity the world has going around today, like a rampant disease. It's real. It's powerful. And if we accept it and turn to him, then our love for him increases and our appreciation of him is boundless, for how can you be pulled out of fear, terror, depression, anxiety, and so on and not have the deepest love and appreciation for him who pulled you out and filled you with his love and peace?

 

To quote part of a song:

I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me
Confused at the grace that, so fully, He proffers me.

 I marvel that He would descend from His throne, divine
To rescue a soul so rebellious and proud as mine
That He should extend His great love unto such as I
Sufficient to own, to redeem, and to justify

 

 If you have watched The Chosen series, most of the videos below will make more sense, even though I think the message can be received even if one has never watched it.

 These videos move me to tears. The sobbing kind. Perhaps it is because I have had such darkness inside and such fear, depression, and anxiety coursing through my soul for decades (which things I still fight) that I thoroughly identify with the poor souls depicted in these videos. The spiritually and emotionally maimed and wounded. The lost. Those that hell overcame - until Christ entered the picture.

 

 

 Minute 2:34 to the end of that video above. I have no words.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3 Wild White Horses

 When I first started going to Denver Snuffer's lectures (the 10-lecture circuit in 2013-14), the people going did things like baptize each other and take the sacrament with wine instead of water.

During the first lecture, I was living in Mesa, AZ. After the first lecture, a friend (Daryl) baptized me in the Salt River. Across the river were 3 white wild horses, peacefully grazing. After the baptism, we had the sacrament.

It was the first time I'd ever had a drink of alcohol - and it was nasty! I was encouraged to partake of the bread and wine freely, and did have two cups of wine (we drank out of disposable plastic cups).

At every lecture, from the 2nd through the last, I was aware of people partaking of the sacrament (as much bread and wine as you cared to have) and baptizing each other. I, also, partook of the sacrament with them.

At the 10th lecture, Denver inferred that the Lord wanted us baptized, but to use the words in the scriptures ("having authority") instead of "having been commissioned." Believing that to be the word of the Lord, I sought baptism at the hands of another friend (Troy). I went into the experience open to something awesome, sort of along the lines of what I had experienced when I was 8 years of age.

My spiritual antenna was open and searching. After the baptism, I felt clean. That was it. I tried not to feel let down.

Apparently, a lot of people felt let down and complained to Denver. He wrote a blog post wherein he mentioned that one of the results of baptism could be a greater understanding of scriptures. I realized that was happening to me. I was understanding even Isaiah so much more. I'd read it and think that it was so plain, why hadn't I caught that before?

As I ponder on the first rebaptism, it occurs to me that God was rewarding my faith. I was doing something that could have gotten me kicked out of my Church. And I had been adamantly against drinking any alcohol (even wondering why it was okay to take Nyquil. I did use it as a teenager, but wondered if I was disobeying the Word of Wisdom by doing so, even though the LDS Church had no problem with it for medicinal purposes), but wanted to partake of the scriptural sacrament.

I have pondered many times on the horses, and this is my present understanding:

Wild - No man or woman has tamed them. They are beyond the control of mere humans.

White - Purity, holiness

Three - The Godhead

Grazing peacefully - God accepted the baptism

Horses - Strength. Power. Beauty. Grace.

So, I am left to conclude that while God did bless the second rebaptism (peace, greater understanding of scriptures), it was the first one that got me into the gate again. Unlike when I was a child, I had more access to truth and understanding (as a child, I was baptized by fire and the Holy Ghost when I came up out of the water, but because I had been taught the lie that the Holy Ghost could only come after men had declared, "Receive the Holy Ghost," and knew nothing about the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, it was a precious opportunity greatly misunderstood, and lost) - and hearing, for the first time in my life, a true messenger from God, opened up the path to freedom from relying on any man.

When it finally sunk in that I did not need to obey any man (or woman), but only God, not only did shackles fall off my soul, but I felt incredible freedom.

If Gentiles crave a strongman I am left to conclude that I cannot be a Gentile because, once I realized I was free and that God approved, I desired a strongman/woman about as much as I desire to eat vomit. Nada. And prior to that, I did not desire one, but had been taught I had to have one (a man who speaks to God for me, and if he and I disagree on what God tells me, I am-by default-the one who is wrong). Talk about hell and misery! Obeying men's views of what God demands of you! I find God to be much more forgiving and understanding than humans of any age or sex.

I will take my 3 wild white horses and others can keep their human masters.