If you have been following this blog, you know that Joy and I have been praying regularly to be shown our false beliefs (unbeliefs) and false traditions. We have been less diligent than we should have been in studying and preparing ourselves. It appears that the Lord is done waiting for us. Over the last couple of months, and more particularly over the last couple of weeks, the Lord has been “preparing our minds” to receive insights related to “keeping the commandments.”
For greater context, this journey of ours has been going on for a couple of years now. Well over a year ago we recognized in ourselves a tendency to spend much of our time broadening and refining our understanding of the doctrine and mysteries of the kingdom. Implicitly, we spent less time attempting to integrate those things into our lives. There were many small miracles/revelations along the way to help us out. More recently, I began in earnest writing a sacrament hymn. This started with a deep dive into the scriptures to understand all we could on this topic. As we prayed and fasted, it became obvious that much of what we had previously learned was wrong. Further elaboration isn’t required as prior blog posts outline most of the doctrinal details (see Musings on the Sacrament and To Be Worthy).
Towards the end of July, a final piece was provided that broke the barrier that prevented progress on the hymn: “always having [Christ’s] Spirit” may mean constantly receiving the Spirit of Christ; it may also mean that the Spirit of Christ constantly shines forth from our image and countenance, because we are starting to become like Him. With this precious jewel in hand, perspectives rapidly changed. For example, after praying for forty-some years that Heavenly Father would get on with his work and wipe evil from the earth, I changed my prayer to, “please, give us a little more time to find those who might hear.” In consequence, it was as if the host of heaven sang out, “finally, he gets it.” I’m slow. Let me point to just how slow.
I have previously been disallowed from broadly sharing this, having done so previously with a high degree of ambiguity (please see: Day 41 — Called to Repent for context). While this was shared shortly after with members of my immediate family and few else, I have now been told to post here. I describe this as if it were a vision; it was not; I was riding a motorcycle. Heavenly Father presented Himself at the close of the Saturday afternoon session of the conference. He took the microphone and quietly spoke to the congregation while he gathered twelve chairs in the grassy area before the platform. These were organized in a group of nine, a group of two, and a group of one. He explained that he would be asking twelve individuals to come forward and sit. He explained that everyone there needed to have great empathy and compassion for those who were invited forward, as he silently indicated each person who should go forward. He spent a fair amount of time making it clear in great detail that He knew every heart and that all should and could be called to task. This was repeated several times. I won’t attempt to describe the expressions on the selected individuals or everyone else once the twelve chairs were filled. You can imagine this pretty well.
Before continuing, please understand that I was well aware that I was any one, and all of those people.
Father then knelt before the nine and looking into each of their eyes at the level. In turn He said to each in love and profound meekness, and with tears in His eyes, “I love the chastity and modesty of my daughters and my sons. I beg you, I beg you, I beg you to repent.” After repeating this nine times, He then knelt before the couple. He removed their shoes and socks. While bathing their feet with His tears he explained to them that they had been “far too concerned with those things valued by this world, and that they should know better.” There was much more said, but this is sufficient. Again, He pleaded for them to repent as He wiped their feet. Finally, He knelt before the one. Again, this man’s shoes and socks were removed. To this person Father explained that he had been frankly forgiven many times, and yet he did not forgive many others, more particularly those of the LDS faith. Father explained that the man had mocked and ridiculed them for a laugh. He explained that the man’s pride was a stumbling block to others receiving truth. Again, there was much more said in this vein. The Father in a position of humility and meekness, said to the man, “I plead with you, repent of your pride, be humble, be meek, be kind, be gracious, and show love to all, even those who show you no such kindness.”
I was pretty much a wreck by the time I had witnessed this the third time. I still remember many of the faces.
So, yes, I should have “gotten it” long before now. As I said, it has been almost a year.
I was informed that I should go join the Boise fellowship to see the solar eclipse. Subsequently, I would receive a blessing. While everyone else left, I was to stay on the hill with a pad of paper and pen. I’d rather not say this, but you can only understand portions of what was recorded on the 21st and 22nd by knowing that we did not go. Instead, I followed the council of quite a few people who explained how difficult a trip it would be with the expected traffic issues, time constraints, etc. So, Joy and I went up into the mountains, specifically Idaho Point, and camped out for two days. It was spectacular and wonderful.
There I built an alter with a foundation of twelve large stones surrounding one larger stone, between which were twelve smaller stones. There we prayed.
I will record what we were told. I don’t know how much of this will be published at this time.