Mosiah 18:9 - Yea, and are willing to mourn with those
that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as a witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be
redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection that ye may have eternal life
It has been an intense week. With so much happening and so quickly, there is so much I want to share but there's not always enough time to do so.
As I edited this "message of the week" video for my Happy Lady series on my HappyMarriages channel, several thoughts came to my mind after I had uploaded it. Last night, while watching the headlines the Spirit said to me, "Look up the meaning for the name Harvey". So, I pulled up the name and here is what I learned:
Name: Harvey
Origin: Scottish-Gaelic. Meaning: Carnage worthy, warrior, eager for battle.
Yes, I would agree that this storm is carnage worthy. The name is appropriate. Just what battle is this storm fighting? I wanted to know more from the Spirit. It was then I was reminded of the all the hate news that had dominated the headlines days prior. The race wars that appeared to be going strong according to the news. As I looked at the images on my TV screen, I saw black, white, Hispanic, and Asian races all coming together in love. Love was winning! It was now love that was dominating the national headlines. I was led to this article that said it best!
"You don’t need to wait for a devastating disaster to love. You don’t need to wait until your neighbors are drowning to reach across the color, religious, nationality, political boundaries. This world is suffering a different kind of storm, one far more dangerous than Harvey–a storm of hatred. Let’s refuse to let it break us."
God sent this storm to cleanse our nation of hatred. To turn our hearts towards Him. To love our neighbors as we love ourselves.
Shortly before going to bed last night, I was led by the Spirit to the words of an evangelist who said that the Lord told him beginning in 2017 through the year 2021, the Lord would pour out an abundance of spiritual gifts upon His children. He spoke of what he terms the "global harvest" and that this outpouring from God would create a fire that would help gather in souls to come to know their Savior.
He said the Lord showed him Acts 2:17-21 to confirm his message. Notice the numbers of the scripture: 2017-2021. 17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: 18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: 19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: 21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
I was touched by the Spirit upon reading this, after having had the experiences I shared in my video below. We truly are living in marvelous and wondrous times. Let us continue to pray for our nation, for this world, and for our local communities and families. Prayer and love will be the most powerful weapons in this Last Days battle. God bless!
I've had some incredible experiences today. Many times over the last few weeks, I have seen beautiful gems of the Spirit shared in private groups or blogs. It seems to be happening more often than usual and the experiences more profound. The spirit of these messages are always positive, encouraging, comforting, and hopeful. Many group members comment and share similar experiences and people begin to realize they are not so alone in their learning.
On the other side of it, there have also been people who join the conversation with a spirit of fear and contention. They accuse others of being deceived or misled. They tear apart the beauty of the message with condescending words and use scriptures and quotes to support their accusations. What was meant to be special is shredded and trampled on. This is the wisdom behind why we are counseled not to cast our pearls.
I am reminded of the wheat and the tares. Truly I see it happening today within the Church. There are many who are having beautiful supernatural experiences and profound personal revelation while developing new spiritual gifts and trying to understand them, and it's bringing them closer to the Lord. And then there are many that are fearful of this and consider these gifts, experiences, and personal revelations false. The accusers have a logical thinking process, seeking facts and evidence from scripture, apostles, and prophets. The ones having the beautiful experiences are being taught by and receiving their validation through the Spirit. Because it adds to what they already know and doesn't take away from the gospel - they cherish it. Their light has been increased. The other group believes if a prophet didn't teach it - it can't be truth. They have put God in a box.
I've been the recipient of such accusations, many times for what I share on my blog. The comments are very unkind and usually anonymous. The commenter will usually begin by telling me they have an authoritative position in the church, or that they are an expert in a particular field, or teach at a local university and that I am way off base. Often times the comments will have curse words in them and vulgar language, mixed with very unkind judgement, name calling, and accusations about my own salvation. Its difficult for me to believe this would come from a member of my own church especially someone of authority. Because I have seen it happening to others - I do know that often times unfortunately it is from members of the church who believe they are on the straight and narrow but truly they are serving the adversary with their unkind words and accusations.They bring with them a spirit of contention, doubt, fear, and division.
The Spirit has always told me to never respond to these comments and to delete them. They sabotage the true Spirit of the message. My posts are written from a place of love and light. This blog is no place for dark words and contention. As I have deleted these comments and not responded, they eventually go away. I have learned that people respond with anger when they have fear. If a shared truth exposes a hidden fear from within, they attack. Satan knows our weaknesses and our fears and he plays on those for his own purposes.
Having said that, after pondering on this today, the Spirit led me to two links that I am so happy to share, and was not even searching for. Often times before I even get the chance to ask in prayer, the Spirit knows my heart and will bring the answers to me shortly after having the thought. The Spirit told me to go to my saved folder in facebook and told me there was a link I had saved last week that I needed to finally read. I couldn't even remember what it was, but did as prompted. Here is the link, and I was blown away when I read the article. I felt the Spirit so strong from head to toe.
Scott R. Braithwaite
In the article, Scott R. Braithwaite, an associate psychology professor at Brigham Young University, discussed the psychological component to crises of faith in a BYU Education Week presentation on Monday, August 21. He expounded the stages of faith described by James Fowler, who was a Methodist minister and theology professor at Emory University.
“These stages of faith I think are helpful because they help us to realize that there’s not just one way to have faith,” Braithwaite said.
Most people, according to Braithwaite, remain throughout their lives in Fowler’s stage three faith, which is a synthetic-conventional faith characterized by conformity to authority, a strong cultural element to religious life, an “us versus the world” perspective, and ignoring any conflicts with one’s beliefs due to the fear of threat from inconsistencies.
“Stage three faith I think opens you up to being the most vulnerable to a faith crisis because it establishes a set of expectations that are impossible to achieve,” Braithwaite said. “They live in a world that’s binary: it’s black and white, where the Church is all good and couldn’t possibly do anything not good, and the world is wicked and bad.”
Here is a diagram of James Fowler's model.
After reading this article, a few minutes later while doing the dishes, the Spirit told me to listen to a video or podcast to help pass the time. I was led to a podcast link and heard the Spirit say, "There is a podcast on here just for you. Click on the one that feels right."
I scrolled down and found one that mentioned two missionaries who served in Ireland. My brother served in Ireland and so I had an interest. I clicked on the podcast and began to do the dishes. Right away the man in the podcast interview began to talk about everything I had been pondering this morning. I could not believe it! Again I felt such strong validation from the Spirit from head to toe. It was beautiful! He used an analogy of spiritual training wheels vs. a mountain bike. Until we take off our training wheels we can't go places that are just for mountain bikes. He mentioned how many rely on being spoon fed the gospel. They only know Jesus through the testimonies of prophets and apostles. Then there are those who come to know Jesus through a very personal and real relationship. They go places only their mountain bike can take them. They are never the same again.
Here is that podcast if you'd like to listen.
The Spirit then told me to reach out to someone today who would have further words to share with me. I wanted to call my sister, but the Spirit told me that instead I needed to contact this other person who I only know through facebook. I messaged this friend and her words were,
"If one chooses to limit themselves they can only grow as far as that limit. One can't mountain bike easily with training wheels."
I felt the Spirit from head to toe again and I laughed. I shared with her the link to the podcast that the Spirit had shared with me about the same analogy of training wheels and mountain bikes and she said,
" Love how the Spirit speaks in witnesses of two or more...I honestly have never heard this phrase or said it before today - wow! I guess this was something you needed to hear."
I believe that the Lord is trying to get all of us to release our training wheels and trust Him that we will not fall off the bike by doing so - but instead ride to incredible places that free our soul! He is trying to prepare His people for their roles in these last days, and it's difficult to do for those who are stuck in a box. We put limits on ourselves, on the gospel, and on God. By doing so, we limit our spiritual progress and we limit opportunities He has for us to grow. I believe we will see these experiences among members continue to increase. Spiritual gifts will increase and magnify, as will dreams, visions, and personal revelation. The Lord is preparing us for our roles in building up His Kingdom. When we're ready - He will use us!
A couple of weeks ago, I was on the treadmill watching a new episode of one of my favorite shows. It's an evangelical Christian show, and I love that the host of the show often interviews people who have had miraculous experiences that changed their lives profoundly.
On this particular episode, the guest began talking about being a Mormon. I thought to myself, "Wow! The host is interviewing a Mormon. This is awesome!" Then as she continued, she began to say that she was brought into Mormonism by a step father during her rebellious teenage years. She wasn't happy to be on board and was in a dark place making bad choices. Long story short, she came to know the Lord through another church and because that experience changed her and pulled her out of her dark place she was now on a mission to share.
I began to think about how we are all at different places in our lives. We are all at different levels of learning and understanding. We are on different journeys but we all have the same destination which is our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows what resonates with us and how we best learn. We all have different learning styles, different perspectives and different experiences we have been through that has shaped the way we think. This is why we should never judge other people's paths and we should never allow other people's paths or choices create doubt upon our own decisions and where the Spirit has led us.
The Lord will reach us however He can. He will lead us to people who resonate with us, and speak our language. He will lead us to whatever we are ready for and will never force upon us, knowledge that we are not ready to learn, understand, or accept. It's line upon line. A little light here, a little light there until our light gradually increases, and we are ready for more.
I had love and compassion for this woman as I truly believe she felt she was doing her very best. As the interview progressed, she began to talk about how Mormon's are deceived and are not Christian and will not be saved. She said that we teach our members to avoid Christians and not talk to them (That defeats the mission of the Church). She had created brochures and presentations on why Mormonism was wrong. I truly feel that from what she shared, she did not take make the effort to wholeheartedly study out the gospel or ponder it while attending off and on the LDS church in her teenage years. Her heart wasn't in it and she was in a dark place - but nonetheless I respected her beliefs and experiences.
At this point in the video, I felt a desire to share the truth. It did sadden me to hear what is so precious to me, spoken of this way. I have written posts earlier this year about beautiful stories of evangelical Christians who joined the LDS church because they saw and felt Christ in the members. Our church belongs to Jesus Christ. It is His Church not ours. We take on Christ's name and strive to be like Him. We are very much Christian in every way. I felt that so many would watch this video and take her opinions as truth. I couldn't be passive, or silent. I needed to share my perspective.
When I found the video in YouTube, I scrolled down through the comments. There were so many negative comments about Mormons being evil and of the devil. And so many statements that just were not true. There was one lone woman who was not a Mormon but stood up for the LDS church regardless and pointed out that we are good people who work hard to serve the Lord. That made me smile, and I thought, "Yes. We need to support and defend each other more often. We should never speak falsehoods or make unkind comments about other churches and their members - and have an us vs. them mentality. Instead of making invested efforts to prove other religions are 'wrong' as this woman had done, we should focus on what is 'right' about them and their members & communities, and how they are doing the best they can to serve the Lord, the best way they know how. We should take that energy and serve. We need to unite not divide."
If we truly are serving the Lord, doing His will, and have a personal relationship with Him, we would only feel inspired to serve, love, uplift, and share, with no other motives other than pure charity. If our motives are to show someone they are wrong, or to make them feel ashamed of their beliefs, or to make them fear that they have been deceived or have not been saved, then we need to re-evaluate those motives - they are not pure.
So, here is the comment I made:
I love ______ and I never miss an episode. I was saddened when I watched this episode and the guest spoke of Mormons as not being Christian. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (AKA Mormon) Jesus Christ is the center of my life. He and the Father are all I worship. Everything I do, I do it in His name and for Him. I have had the most beautiful supernatural experiences with Jesus and with Heaven which is why I'm a fan of this show. I can relate! Jesus is in my heart and the very core of who I am. The Spirit is my constant companion and my personal teacher. I enjoy the most beautiful spiritual gifts that I use daily to bless everyone. I have never been taught by anyone in my church to avoid Christians of other churches, that's the opposite of what Christ taught. That's not the gospel we practice as believers and followers of Christ. I have so many friends and family members of other religions & faiths and I love them just as much as my fellow church members. I am sorry this woman's experience was different. The gospel of Jesus Christ that I have studied my entire life has brought me closer to God and helped me become an amazing mother, wife, leader, and friend. I live to serve and love others. I feel so blessed, charitable, and loved. I have been a part of and witnessed healing miracles of biblical magnitude. I have participated in creative miracles. I've had beautiful encounters with the Holy Spirit daily and beautiful pictures of the Savior all over my home. I have been born of the Spirit and I feel so blessed - I will never be the same. It hurt my heart to hear Mormons spoken of this way. I believe that God has a plan for everyone. Every plan is tailored just for that person and what they need. We all came here to learn what we needed to and to help others whom God needs us to help. God leads us each to where He needs us to be. We all have a purpose and we all have great value in His Kingdom. Wherever you are right now is exactly where God needs you to be. Your imperfect life is perfect in Gods eyes because He knows the plan. Where the Lord leads me, may be different than where He leads you but it doesn't mean either of us is lost or misled. If Jesus truly is our Shepard and we truly believe in Him as our personal Savior and the only way to salvation and we do all that we can to be like Him and love like Him, that's what matters most. I could never judge any of Gods children and determine whether or not they belong to Christ based on what church they belong to. Your relationship with Christ is very personal and between you and Him. Wherever the Spirit has led you to be right now, is where you should be and that's why it feels so right and so good. We all have the same destination but a different journey and plan for getting there and that's what's so beautiful about Gods mysterious ways. If I had a judging heart I would not be able to experience such beautiful experiences as I have - that have really built my testimony and foundation on Christ. My open heart and mind leads me to many spiritual giants of many different faiths who I believe all have something valuable to offer. I wish my brothers and sisters in Christ could be more compassionate towards and accepting of my faith. I wish we could join together on what we have in common. We could accomplish so much good! I wrote this message from my heart and send love and prayers to everyone out there! ❤️❤️
...Different faiths naturally have doctrinal differences but it's my hope that we can steer away from our differences, debates, arguments, and comparisons and focus on what we have in common which is our undeniable love for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We all seek to follow Him and try our best to be like Him. God is so very proud of each of us through all our differences, mistakes, and weaknesses. Only He knows what's truly in our hearts. We are all doing our very best with what the Spirit has taught us and God knows that and delights in our genuine desires. It's my prayer that we can begin to see ourselves and all of God's children the way that He sees us and through that we can have nothing but unconditional love for each other, a desire to serve one another, be friends with one another, and unite on our common foundation of Christ. We are children of the Most High God and that makes us all brothers and sisters - and that's pretty awesome!! ❤️❤️
For an entire week, no one commented on my comment, or liked it, or disliked it. It stood on it's own and I think it made a powerful point. Since then, one person has commented and thanked me for opening my heart and asked me to consider reading this woman's book. I didn't reply, but I will say that I haven't felt impressed by the Spirit to read it, nor to share her name in this post. I don't wish to slander her character in any way, nor lead other people to feel the need to speak against her, so I will keep that information quiet, it's not what's important.
The purpose of sharing this experience is to bring awareness that this is another tactic that Satan is using to divide our country and the children of God. When we are busy squabbling with others over politics, religion, world views, and even squabbling with others within our own church over doctrine and personal beliefs, we are helping out the Adversary. He wants us to forget what has been prophesied by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Doctrine and Covenants 27:13-14
13 Unto whom I have committed the keys of my kingdom, and a dispensation of the gospel for the last times; and for the fulness of times, in the which I will gather together in gone all things, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth;
14 And also with all those whom my Father hath given me out of the world.
Doctrine and Covenants 101:22,28
22 Behold, it is my will, that all they who call on my name, and worship me according to mine everlasting gospel, should gather together, and stand in holy places;
28 And in that day Satan shall not have power to tempt any man.
Matthew (JST) 1:27
27 And now I show unto you a parable. Behold, wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together; so likewise shall mine elect be gathered from the four quarters of the earth.
John 11:52
52 And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.
Mark 13:27
27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.
In reference to the Kingdom of God and what it truly means for everyone on the earth - Brigham Young taught,
"The Kingdom we are talking about, preaching about and trying to build up is the Kingdom of God on the earth, not in the starry heavens, nor in the sun. We are trying to establish the Kingdom of God on the earth to which really and properly everything that pertains to men—their feelings, their faith, their affections, their desires, and every act of their lives—belong, that they may be ruled by it spiritually and temporally (DBY, 339)."
"When the Kingdom of God is fully set up and established on the face of the earth, and takes the preeminence over all other nations and kingdoms, it will protect the people in the enjoyment of all their rights, no matter what they believe, what they profess, or what they worship (DBY, 440)."
Evangelical, Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, Jehovah Witness, Episcopalian, Pentecostal, Protestant, Mormon, etc. if our hearts are in Jesus, we are all on the Lord's team. Doctrinal differences aside, we all believe Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. Together we make up the children of God. We are brothers and sisters. As Moroni tells us, God gives gifts unto all of His children, not just members of a particular church. These gifts are used to bless and benefit all. On this earth, it is the Lord's Kingdom against Satan's Kindom - there are no other teams to be on. When we try to be like Christ, and serve like Him, love like Him, we become His hands on this earth. We truly are on the same team and He uses all of us for His different purposes. He is gathering us all together into one fold. Let's not forget that. We should be rejoicing in this!
"We should all follow the gospel teachings to love our neighbor and avoid contention. Followers of Christ should be examples of civility. We should love all people, be good listeners, and show concern for their sincere beliefs. Though we may disagree, we should not be disagreeable. Our stands and communications on controversial topics should not be contentious. We should be wise in explaining and pursuing our positions and in exercising our influence. In doing so, we ask that others not be offended by our sincere religious beliefs and the free exercise of our religion. We encourage all of us to practice the Savior’s Golden Rule: “Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them” (Matthew 7:12)."
Perry Stone
Lastly, I came across an interview with Evangelist author and minister Perry Stone. He shared some visions he had of the last days that are very similar to many Latter-day Saint visions I have heard. I found it very genuine and humbling when he counseled the viewers in part 2 of the interview,
"Don't fall out with people who differ from you. Try to understand, 'why do they believe that?'...you have to show love even in unlovable times, when people are not returning love back...Jesus said they are going to know you by the love you show one another. So we've got to start treating each other better."
Furthermore I found it fascinating when he said,
"I believe there is a remnant church that is going to come together. There will be baptists in it, there will be Methodists in it, there will be Spirit filled Catholics, there will be Pentecostals, Charismatic, Episcopalians, and they are going to be truth seekers and truth lovers. They are going to love the Word so much, that you're going to see them together in meetings and conferences, going together, and praying together, and meeting together, and God is going to pull a fragmented bride together and he's going to come at with what is His true bride without wrinkle or blemish."
Brigham Young
I believe this to be a big part of the gathering, as the righteous from all over the world will gather together. Brigham Young said,
“By and by the Jews will be gathered to the land of their fathers, and the ten tribes, who wandered into the north, will be gathered home, and the blood of Ephraim, the second son of Joseph, who was sold into Egypt, which is to be found in every kingdom and nation under heaven, will be gathered from among the Gentiles, and the Gentiles who will receive and adhere to the principles of the Gospel will be adopted and initiated into the family of Father Abraham, and Jesus will reign over his own and Satan will reign over his own” (Brigham Young, Discourses of Brigham Young, 121–22).
Spencer W Kimball
Spencer W. Kimball said,
"This gathering shall continue until the righteous are assembled in the congregations of the Saints in the nations of the world." (Spencer W. Kimball, The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, 438–39).
In Nephi 1:14 we learn that there are only two teams: the Church of the Lamb of God and the church of the devil. The Saints of God in all nations are persecuted by the great and abominable church (the devil). Here is a great podcast on the Church of the Lamb, by LDS institute instructor Mike Stroud.
According to the LDS Bible Dictionary, the word saint is a translation of a Greek word also rendered “holy,” the fundamental idea being that of consecration or separation for a sacred purpose; but since what was set apart for God must be without blemish, the word came to mean “free from blemish,” whether physical or moral.
We know that during the Millennium, good and just members of many religions will be living upon the Earth. It will be Zion on the Earth. Leading up to that time, as the earth gets more wicked, I believe many people of different faiths will come together as there is strength in numbers. It will no longer be this church vs. that church but instead a united stance of righteousness vs. evil.
It is my hope and prayer that we can set not just our theological differences aside but all of our differences aside, and do our best to love all of our brothers and sisters. By doing so we will become pure in heart, the very definition of Zion, and will further prepare the earth to be ready to receive our Savior. I say this in Jesus' name amen.
It certainly has been an incredible week! In my own personal life I have been experiencing a flood of dreams - one each night since the 13th of August. Each dream has been personally prophetic and as I have shared them with my husband and wrote them down in my journal along with interpretations, we have watched as each one has come to pass.
The last two nights my dreams were of a larger nature - meaning I don't feel they were just personal messages for me. With permission from the Spirit, I'll do my best to share what I can.
Before I share my dreams, I first want to say that I feel changes happening in my own life. Over this last week I feel like I have been immersed in an advanced level of personal tutoring from the Spirit. It's like I was dipping my toe in the water and admiring how beautiful the water is, and then suddenly got pushed in and quickly learned to swim. Once I was able to keep my head afloat I began to enjoy the pool and it felt natural to be in the water.
Now, I'd like to talk about the incredible eclipse on Monday. I checked my daughter our of school because the best part of the eclipse was happening during her lunch period, and I wasn't sure if the teacher would show her class. The night before I did a special family home evening lesson with my kids and shared with them some spiritual insight about the significance of this eclipse. To prepare, I decided to do a spiritual fast on Sunday which I feel truly helped open up my eyes and ears to more whispers from the Spirit.
In the morning, I ran to the store and grabbed a bunch of moon and sun themed items for our eclipse picnic. I had planned to take my youngest two to the park where we would watch the eclipse and have lunch together. I'll never forget when I first put the glasses on and looked up. I felt emotional as I saw that first part of the moon covering up the sun. I tried to imagine if this was just a tiny bit of what the Nephites felt when they witnessed the signs in their day. My kids as young as they are, very much enjoyed the eclipse and were in awe the entire time. I knew this was a day they would always remember and tell their children about.
As I looked around at all the strangers in the park, with their glasses on looking up at the sky, I noticed how different we all were. People of different ages, ethnicity, and cultures all "gathered together" and looking UP. It was the most beautiful thing to witness! Cars came in lines into the park, as people on their lunch breaks gathered with fellow employees to witness this Heavenly phenomenon. There were motorcycle bikers, millennials, elderly grandparents and their grand kids, young moms on play dates with their little ones, families with both parents and their kids, and people who came alone. Everyone was gathered together admiring this grand spectacle in the sky. I heard in my mind, "Look Up to God and live."
This is the brilliance of the Lord. He uses events such as this to get His children to look up to where He is. Even in that short moment, I know all of those people at that park felt something. I could tell by the smiles on their faces and the things they spoke as they smiled and stood in awe. It was like a reverent hush followed by celebration.
My kids and I went around and shared our glasses with those we could tell came without. It was so incredible to see them go from looking through a cereal box to seeing the "bigger picture". One grandmother said, "Wow! We were really missing out. This looks so much better than through our box. This is magnificent. Thank you!"
For me that statement had a profound meaning. I thought of all the people on the earth who see God through a narrow lens and perspective. They are afraid to step outside of their "box".When they finally experience Him through the fullness of the gospel - everything they thought they knew about Him changes. They see "the bigger picture" and it's beautiful!
Later, I decided to search "Look to God and Live" on lds.organd found several incredible conference talks and Ensign articles with that name - including an amazing talk by Elder Holland and President Monson which I have pasted below (I highly recommend reading them as they go along with the topic of this post).
Remembering that it was president Monson's birthday, and that for his birthday wishes he asked the members of the Church to find someone and serve them on his birthday, I smiled as I realized we were doing just that by sharing our glasses. This beautiful video of people in down down Salt Lake watching the eclipse outside and singing Happy Birthday to President Monson when they noticed him watching the eclipse from his window, was very touching.
When the eclipse had ended, and life seemed back to normal I continued to ponder about it. I felt that changes would begin to happen to me, and many others who are seeking the Lord each day. Even those who are not seeking the Lord, would experience changes in their life that would lead them to seek Him. As I pondered on this I began to feel a not so pleasant change happening in my body. I began to feel sick and the Spirit told me that junk food I indulged on at our eclipse picnic gave the Adversary permission to wreak havoc on my body.
At first, I didn't understand. I hardly ever buy or eat junk food, but when I do eat it I never feel sick - not like this. I knew it wasn't food poisoning because I've had that before and know what it's like. Also, no one in my family had it, and we all ate the same food. Based on the symptoms I knew it was what is know as Gut Flora Overgrowth - something I have had before after indulging during Thanksgiving.
During the past couple weeks I had lost 8 pounds, as the Spirit prompted me to start getting my physical health in order. The day I got the prompting, I immediately changed my eating habits and as well as my diet and began losing weight. The Spirit told me that this new era was ushering in changes and restoration for everyone on the earth. As I restored my body back to a healthier me, it would go through changes that would make it extremely sensitive to what I'll call "Telestial foods". These are foods that are more chemical than actual food. I felt the Spirit tell me that High Fructose Corns Syrup was worst of the worst for me personally. It was the common and dominant ingredient in everything I ate at our picnic, and my body wanted it out. The old me could tolerate these foods - but the new me is changing. I feel that as I seek God and become closer to Him and His glory, my physical body will experience changes that will no longer tolerate things of a Telestial light. This wasn't just foods - but music, TV, movies etc. - all of it! Even if the music & movies have all the bad language deleted, or bad scenes edited out, there's still a dark vibe attached to them. As crazy as that might sound, it made perfect sense to my spirit and I heard the Lord say, "It is easy for me to come to you, but for you to come up higher and be where I Am, you must go through change. You must be sanctified and purified of all that is Telestial within you. You have asked for this, and I am answering."
That was right. I had been asking and praying to be further sanctified as I have been seeking the Lord. I couldn't help but feel grateful that this was happening to me. Through my own agency (choice of foods) I had given the enemy permission to attack me physically (not to mention we didn't bless our food at the picnic), however - God was going to use this torment for my benefit. Let me just say, all evening and into the morning I went though a painful cleansing. The pain was so severe in my abdomen that it felt like being in labor without an epidural - like knives to my abdomen. I heard "birth pains" in my mind and was reminded of my previous post. I knew there was significance to these "birth pains" coming right at the end of the eclipse. In the darkest hour of my pain, I cried out to the Lord for deliverance and He came and took that pain away.
The symptoms lingered but the severe pain was gone. I felt He was teaching me something and I was listening. By morning the symptoms were still there and I felt sad as I had promised to take my son to Lagoon (our local amusement park) that day. It was the last weekday that Lagoon would be open for the season and I wanted to have a special day with him while the other kids were in school.
After I got the older kids off to school, I had the thought that with God, I was bigger than my enemy. Why did I assume that the enemy was in control? That was a lie. I knew that my faith could overpower him. With that reminder, I got up out of my bed and began to call upon the Lord in prayer. I thanked him for the illness and what it had taught me, and then told Him that I was ready to be healed. I then thanked Him for healing me and allowing my plans to not be spoiled by the Adversary. As I got dressed and loaded up the car I heard a voice say, "Are you crazy? You're still sick! It's a hot summer day, you're already dehydrated, and your going to ride on rides? This isn't going to be pretty."
I recognized that voice and I commanded it to leave in the Lord's name. And just like that I got in the car exercising full faith that all would be well. Demonstrating my faith that I was already healed, my son and I spent the entire day at Lagoon. He made me go on all the dizzy rides, and never once did I regret it. I felt hydrated and energized and we had a wonderful time! When I came home, I found that my body naturally wanted a very healthy dinner.
Over the past year, I have realized that I have grown sensitive to chemical smells. I have always had a sensitive nose and can pick up on scents when no one else can, but this was different. I found suddenly that body sprays, soaps, cleaning products and candles all gave me headaches. Even my favorite products, I could no longer tolerate. Even back then, I felt I was going through a physical change.
Then this morning when I woke up, I felt the Spirit say, "Early to rise". I knew I wasn't tired and had the energy to get up, but because of habits I decided to lay in bed a little longer. Twenty minutes later I had a headache from sleeping too long. That headache has lingered all day as a reminder that I shouldn't sleep longer than needed. I heard the Spirit say,
"Through these changes, your body won't require as much sleep."
As I've continued to ponder on these changes, the Lord has sent little confirmations here and there to remind me that I'm on the right path. In fact, yesterday a video popped up in my facebook feed and I felt prompted to watch it. The presentation in the video was titled, "Anticipating the Restoration of all Things." Over the past year, many in the evangelical Christian community have been saying that we are entering a time of the restoration of all things. A restoration of the fullness. As Latter-day Saints we understand this period very well, and we know that there is still so much that has yet to be restored. I have written about this before and it's a topic I love to study. It has crossed my mind many times that this new era signaled by August 21st and September 23rd could mean preparing to receive the sealed portion - everything that the Brother of Jared saw. Wouldn't this be amazing!
So, as I watched this video and heard this man (Anthony Stephen) confirm all that I have been pondering - I felt it was a gift from the Lord. I highly recommend that you watch this video. I believe it is from a recent LDS conference called "Preparing A People", and is a must see! I loved that he added that the 12 stars above the woman's head in Revelation 12 represents the 12 tribes of Israel and that Jesus is the Lion of Judah. He suggests the possibility of this new era ushering in the return of the lost tribes. Click on the blue button to access the video.
This same day I had the thought to type in "Christian Indian Prophet" on YouTube, it was such a random thought but when I did it, this video popped up. This man confirmed what I had shared in a previous post, that these coming years would be a grace period for the unrepentant. This was so random but it was nice to have a confirmation. Because my husband is a green card holder I loved that part of the video and had my husband listen. Interestingly, this man prophesied prior to the 2016 election that Trump would be America's next president. He said:
"He will be used to clean and purify the nation. As hard as he is, he has been prepared for this. As Cyrus was used to discipline Israel, and then to restore Israel, likewise trump will be used in the U.S. He will be God's mouth and hand for this nation."
Now, back to my dreams. The night of the eclipse I had a dream in which I saw a gray sky with a black crescent moon and a star. It didn't look like a real moon and star but a graphic design. It looked just like the image I created below. Black symbolizes death and endings and I felt the dream tell me that this image would come to an end. When I woke up, I did not understand what the image was. It felt familiar as though I had seen it before. Gray skies symbolize sadness and coming trouble. I knew that this image was going to experience trouble and sadness. It was very strange to me. I wondered if it was some type of constellation with an additional meaning. After I took the kids to school, I had the feeling I may have seen this symbol on a flag. Maybe it represented a country or a nation? So I Googled it and sure enough it was a religion! Many countries where this religion is dominant use this symbol in their flag. Could the dream mean an end to the dark, violent, extreme groups connected to this religion?
Image in my dream
Then I had the thought come into my mind that a follower of my blog a few days prior had emailed me a PowerPoint by Val Brinkerhoff, that he suggested I check out. He said it was similar to my post on the eclipse. It also again confirmed many of the points I had shared. However, it wasn't until I came across this slide that I felt confirmations from head to toe. It confirmed what I felt the interpretation of my dream was about. But strangely, it was tied in with the verse in Revelation 12 and the alignment on September 23rd.
1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: 2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
When I saw the image on this slide, I saw a moon under her feet and it looked just like the moon in my dream. However the scripture on this slide references horns. To me, the woman in this image has the crown of stars, and the moon under her feet. As I read on in the slide I saw that Val also made the connection. The moon is under the man child's feet. Here is a screenshot from my phone.
Now on to last night's dream. I had a dream I was at a restaurant and the owners and employees were Asian, Middle Eastern and Indian. They were serving Asian and Middle Eastern food. While there they saw that I had a pack of gum and confiscated it, telling me that gum was forbidden in their culture and restaurant. It was offensive to them. When they saw how sad I was that they had taken my gum, they told me that if I desired, I could purchase it back a stick at a time for 25 cents each over a period of time. The pack of gum had originally cost me a $1.00. When I went to pay for my meal, it took 15-20 minutes for them to process my debit card. Later, I became angry about what had happened. Why should I pay 25 cents per stick of gum when I could just go buy another pack? Then I thought, why should I buy another pack when they stole what was rightfully mine? I decided I would walk back into the restaurant and boldly claim my gum, which I did.
If you remember from my last dream about gum, I realized that the "sticks" represented scripture and the pack as a whole is the scriptures. I believe the dream revealed how Christianity and scripture has been confiscated from many Eastern countries. It is forbidden. To many, it is even offensive. My debit card represented something of great value "the gospel", it was slow to "process" on their machine. The "process" of getting the gospel into these countries has seemed slow but things are about to change. As many of God's children in these countries discover that Jesus is their Savior, they will boldly begin to claim what has been stolen from them.
This is currently being fulfilled, as many in the Middle East are having visions of Jesus Christ and accepting Him as their Savior. There are many videos on YouTube that share many testimonies of this phenomenon, however this is one of my favorites!
Now the numbers in my dream are significant and represent something personal for me. 100 represents initiating a spiritual course of advancement, and the challenges that are likely to come up during this voyage. By having faith in God, all obstacles can be overcome. The path will be directed by Divine forces and information will flow through a sixth sense (the Spirit). The number 25 represents that life transformations will happen in astonishing ways and we must have faith in Divine forces. Whatever happens will be for your benefit, and angels will be by your side in times of turmoil.
Now, you just can't make this stuff up! If you Google the meaning of the number 100 and 25 that is exactly what comes up. The Spirit confirmed the truth of it to me, and that not only will this be my experience with wonderful changes expected on my path, but the experience of many of God's children on the earth who are also seeking the Lord.
Simply put, these glorious signs we are witnessing are confirmations from the Lord of the incredible changes that are coming among the children of God and the earth itself. Things are going to get really amazing, very soon. If we can lean on the Lord through our birth pains - He will change us into something incredible. As we are born again of the Spirit, we realize just how much value our trials and pains bore for us. We will have much gratitude for them and give thanks to the Lord for how perfect His plan truly is for us!
Last night as I began a fast, I pondered and prayed that I might be even more in tune with the Lord and aligned with His will. This morning I woke to the most interesting dream which was rich with scriptural symbolism. As I woke, I heard words speaking and music playing while my eyes were opened. The music and words came when I opened my eyes and I quietly listened and thought about their meaning. The house was still quiet and my family was just about to wake up.
The words and song tied into the message of the dream and as I pondered on this all morning in my prayer closet, I was led to a scripture, Revelation 19:9 9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
When I read the scripture I knew that the dream was connected to this scripture. While reading it, I remembered once studying the beautiful symbolism of a Jewish wedding and how it perfectly coincides with the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. While pondering, I found this article from Meridian Magazine that covered the message of my dream beautifully. I wanted to share this article with you, and hope you enjoy it as much as I did. One thing I wanted to add to the title of my post - "Don't forget to RSVP" :)
When I taught Revelation chapter 19 in early morning Seminary, I gave each student two envelopes, each with an invitation to dinner. They were to choose between the Marriage Supper of the Lamb or The Supper of Our Great God, because both dinners were on the same day.
Since they didn’t have anymore information to go on, they guessed. Those who chose the Marriage Supper found they truly were invited to dinner, while those who chose the Supper of Our Great God, found that instead of an invitation to dinner, they were dinner! [vs. 17-18] The Lord said, “Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb”[Rev. 19:9]. It is to this supper that the righteous are invited.
Jesus Christ has used the metaphor of marriage to describe His relationship with the Church, or those who are His faithful followers. When the Pharisees asked Jesus why His disciples didn’t fast, He replied, “Can the children of the bridechamber fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast” [Mark 2:19].
John the Baptist understood this relationship when he testified, “I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice” [ John 3:28-29].
Paul likewise said, “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church” [Ephesians 5:23]. In speaking to the Corinthians, he said, “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ” [2 Cor. 11:2].
It is very insightful to understand marriage customs of the ancient church to more fully comprehend Christ’s role as the Bridegroom and our role as the Bride. Many prophets from Isaiah to John the Revelator to Joseph Smith described the second coming of Jesus Christ as a marriage of the bride to the bridegroom – and as we look at these ancient marriage customs, one can see the reason Jesus Christ used this metaphor of marriage. The paragraphs denoted by the asterisks (*) represent the scriptural application of each custom to Christ and ourselves.
1. Anciently, Jewish marriages were arranged by the young couple’s respective fathers, who were obligated to see to it that their children be married [Mendell Lewittes, Jewish Marriage: Rabbinic Tradition, Legend, and Custom, p. 19]. For example, Jeremiah charged the exiles in Babylon, “Take wives for your sons and give your daughters to men”[Jer. 29:6]. The parents could also employ a trusted agent to find the bride as Abraham commissioned his servant to find a wife for Isaac [Genesis 24:2-4]. *Jesus Christ was chosen to be our Savior by the Father. Jesus stated, “The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king [the Father], which made a marriage for his son [Jesus Christ], and sent forth his servants [the Apostles and missionaries] to call them that were bidden to the wedding” [Matt. 22:2]. He also said, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” [John 6:37]. The Holy Spirit also acts as an agent of the Father to find the bride. “Hearken, and lo, a voice as of one sent down from on high.whose voice is unto men – Prepare ye the way of the Lord, prepare ye the supper of the Lamb, make ready for the Bridegroom” [Doc. & Cov. 65:1, 3].
2. Though it was not essential, the bride’s consent was at times asked for. “Then they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man? And she said, ‘I will go'” [Genesis 24:58] *We have the freedom to choose. “Yea, a supper of the house of the Lord, well prepared, unto which all nations shall be invited. First the rich and the learned, the wise and the noble; and after that.the poor, the lame, and the blind, and the deaf, come in unto the marriage of the Lamb” [Doc. & Cov. 58:9-11]. “Wherefore, men are free . to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men .” [2 Nephi 2:28].
3. There was a bridal payment, called the mohar. The mohar was a payment from the groom to the bride’s father. In Genesis 24:53, Abraham’s servant, Eliezar, gives precious things to Laban, who is acting in the place of Rebekah’s father. In Genesis 29, Jacob works seven years for Rachel.
* Jesus Christ paid the ultimate price for us, the bride. “For ye are bought with a price” [1 Cor. 6:20]. “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with … silver and gold … but with the precious blood of Christ” [1 Peter 1:18-19] Jesus Christ “so loved the world that he gave his own life” [Doc. & Cov. 34:3].
4. There were also gifts, known as mattan, in which the groom gave gifts to his future bride. *Moroni wrote about spiritual gifts such as the working of miracles, prophesy, tongues, wisdom and said that “. every good gift cometh of Christ” [Moroni 10:18]. “Seek ye earnestly the best gifts . for they are given for the benefit of those who love me.” [Doc. & Cov. 46:8-9]. The resurrection of our bodies is also a gift through Jesus Christ.
5. There were also gifts to the bride by her father. These were termed shiluhim and carry the same idea as the traditional dowry. * “God will give liberally to him that asketh.” [ 2 Nephi 4:35] “.how much more shall Father in heaven give good things to them that ask him.” [Matt. 7:11]. “He that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost.” [2 Nephi 31:12]. Eternal life is the greatest gifts of God [Doc & Cov. 14:7].
6. Jewish marriages were legally formalized by a written marriage contract called a ketubah, that stated the bride price, the promises of the groom and the rights of the bride. [Louis M. Epstein, The Jewish Marriage Contract, p. 78]
*”Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel . not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers . which they brake, although I was an husband unto them .” [Jeremiah 31:31-32]. This new covenant is the new and everlasting covenant of the restored Gospel. “I have sent mine everlasting covenant into the world, to be a light to the world, and to be a standard for my people, and . to be a messenger before my face to prepare the way before me” [Doc. & Cov. 45:9] This marriage contract, or ketubah, can be likened to the covenants we make with the Lord at baptism and our temple covenants. The temple covenants can teach us how to have an eternal marriage with our spouse and also teach us how to be the covenant bride of Christ.
7. The betrothal, or engagement, was as binding as marriage. Sexual relations were forbidden until after the actual nuptials. At some point in Jewish history, the tradition of the “cup of acceptance” was established.
Once the terms of the ketubah [marriage contract] had been specified, and the father of the bride had agreed to them, the prospective bridegroom would pour a cup of wine for the prospective bride. If she agreed to the match, she would drink from the cup, indicating her acceptance [Richard Booker, Here Comes the Bride, p. 5]. In this manner, the covenant was sealed, and the couple was considered to be betrothed.
* “And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the new testament [covenant], which is shed for as many as shall believe on my name .” [Matt. 26:27-28] As we partake of the Sacrament, we accept Jesus as our Savior and the gifts He offers us and renew our covenant to be faithful to Him.
8. The betrothal period typically lasted one full year, commencing with the sealing of the covenant and ending with the nuptials themselves. For the groom, the betrothal period was one of preparation. The groom would depart, returning to his father’s house to prepare the bridal chamber [the huppah]. Sometimes this would require actually adding on a room to the father’s house. After the addition was complete, it would have to be decorated appropriately to be suitable for the bride. The groom’s father was the one to decide when the bridal chamber was ready for the bride. [Zola Levitt, A Christian Love Story, p. 15-17]. *Just prior to His death, Jesus told his apostles, “In my Father’s house are many mansions .I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” [John 14:2-3]. Like Enos, Christ will tell the righteous, “Come unto me, ye blessed, there is a place prepared for you in the mansions of my Father” [Enos 1:27].
9. The betrothal was, for the bride, a time of purification and anticipation. The time of the betrothal was typically one year, adequate time to demonstrate the purity of the bride by showing that she was not pregnant.
* “. therefore this life became a probationary state; a time to prepare to meet God .” {Alma 12:24] In this mortal life, we have all sinned and have been “unfaithful” to Christ at times. The prophets testified of Israel’s unfaithfulness by using the metaphor of an unfaithful betrothed wife. “Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you” [Jeremiah 3:14]. In chapter 16 of Ezekiel, the Lord describes Israel as a child of neglect, raised in filthiness, upon whom the Lord had compassion. He cleansed her, loved her and clothed her with fine linen and silk and jewels. “But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot..and pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by and multiplied thy whoredoms . as a wife that committeth adultery, which taketh strangers instead of her husband!” [vs. 15,25,32]. Hosea also uses the same metaphor to describe unfaithful Israel who finally comes to her senses and says, “I will go an return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now” [Hosea 2:7]. The ever faithful Lord response to repentant Israel is, “Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her, and I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope, and she shall sing there as in the days of her youth . and it shall be at that day saith the Lord, that thou shalt call me Ishi [my husband]; and shalt call me no more Baali [my master] . and I will betroth thee unto me forever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness” [Hosea 2:14-16, 19].
10. The Bride was also required to undergo a ritual Mikveh, or purifying bath.
*Baptism certainly fits this symbolism. Ephesians 5:25-27 states, ” .Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”
11. She also wore a veil whenever she stepped out of her house to indicate that she was “out of circulation”, that she was set apart for marriage to a particular man [Levitt, p. 4] and helped to remind her to be faithful. Rachel veiled herself upon her betrothal to Isaac. [Gen. 24:65]
*As we enter into temple covenants, we are set apart and wear the symbols of our covenants as a veil and a reminder to be faithful to the Lord. We are promised if we are faithful and humble ourselves before God, “the veil shall be rent and you shall see me and know that I am .” [Doc. & Cov. 76:10].
12. When the father of the groom deemed that the bridal chamber was ready, he would give his approval for the groom to claim his bride. *In regards to the second coming of Jesus Christ, Matthew records in chapter 24:36, “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.”
13. The arrival of the groom at the bride’s house signaled his intention of “taking her to wife”. Typically this would occur at night. The groom and his attendants would make their way by torch light through the dark streets of the town to the house of the ride. The groom’s party would announce their arrival with a shout “Behold, the bridegroom cometh!”, and possibly, the blowing of the shofar, the traditional trumpet made from a ram’s horn [Booker, p. 9].
* “And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him” [Matt. 25:6]. The Lord calls and invites us with many “trumps” which include the missionaries, the voices of natural disasters and by offerings of the riches of eternal life [Doc. & Cov. 43:25]. In the parable of the ten virgins as recorded in Matthew chapter 25, the bridegroom tarried. “In that day . men’s hearts shall fail them, and they shall say that Christ delayeth his coming until the end of the earth” [Doc.& Cov. 45:26]. Peter explains about the delay, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” [2 Peter 3:9]. In Revelation 8-10 and Doctrine and Covenants 88:94-110, there are seven angels which sound seven trumps preceeding the Millenium. “The seven angels are the preparing and finishing of his work, in the beginning of the seventh thousand years – the preparing of the way before the time of his coming” [Doc. & Cov. 77:12A].
14. Having claimed the bride, the party would return to the bridal chamber, where the nuptials themselves would begin. The groom and the bride would be elaborately clothed and would be treated like a king and a queen [Ralph Gower, The New Manners and Customs of the Bible Times, p.
66].
* “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord . for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels” [Isaiah 61:10]. “.They shall receive a crown in the mansions of my Father, which I have prepared for them” [Doc. & Cov. 59:2]. An angel came to John the Revelator and said, “Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife . And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” [Rev. 21:9, 2]
15. They would also share a cup of wine [Tim Warner, The Last Trumpet, Jewish Wedding Customs & the Rapture, 1998].
*To Joseph Smith, the Lord said “.for the hour cometh that I will drink of the fruit of the vine with you on the earth . and also with all those whom thy Father hath given me out of the world” [Doc. & Cov. 27:5, 14].
16. Then the bride and groom would return to the house of the groom’s father, where the huppah had been prepared. The tradition of the huppah is one which has changed and evolved significantly over time, and is still in use in a modern form in Jewish weddings. Today, the huppah is a canopy held up by four poles, under which the bride and groom stand during the wedding ceremony. The bride and groom would enter the huppah, where they would spend a week in privacy together. It is to this practice that Laban probably referred when he instructed Jacob, with regard to Leah, to “complete her week” [Gen. 29:27]. Then they would emerge as husband and wife.
*This period of togetherness could be symbolic of the Millenium, “For I will reveal myself from heaven with power and great glory . and dwell in righteousness with men on earth a thousand years” [ Doc. & Cov. 29:11] “Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders . let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet (Hebrew translation is wedding chamber)” [Joel 2:16]. And I, John, saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them, and be their God” [Rev. 21:2-3].
17. Meanwhile, the guests would be enjoying a sumptuous feast, while waiting for the bride and groom to rejoin them in public celebration. Following the feast, the couple would live together as one.
*”Yea, a supper of the house of the Lord, well prepared, unto which all nations shall be invited . unto the marriage of the Lamb and partake of the supper of the Lord” [Doc. & Cov. 58:9, 11]. “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb” [Rev. 19:6-9].
We, as members of the Church, are the Bride and need to spend this probationary period preparing and sanctifying ourselves for the Great Day of the Lord. Joseph Smith, at the dedication of the Kirtland Temple, prayed that the Church would come forth out of the wilderness of darkness and shine forth fair as the moon, clear as the sun and be adorned as a bride for that day when Christ shall unveil the heavens [Doc. & Cov. 109:73-74]. Wherefore, be faithful, praying always, having your lamps trimmed and burning, and oil with you, that you may be ready at the coming of the Bridegroom – for behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, that I come quickly” [Doc. & Cov. 33:17-18]. “Wherefore, prepare ye for the coming of the Bridegroom; go ye, go ye out to meet him” {Doc. & Cov. 133:19].
On August 9th, I shared a video on my blog with the message of the week. At 9:49 into the video I shared an experience that happened a few weeks ago about some items my mom found on the side of the road, and the interpretation of that experience. Yesterday, while editing the video that I filmed (of that very moment when my mom showed me the items) for the family vlog, I heard my mom say in reference to the gold balloon and my daughter turning it into a costume, "She should be an Egyptian Pharaoh". Then she held up the ear of corn. You can see this at 20:09 into the family vlog episode. When I caught this in the video and again saw the ear of corn, immediately the Spirit spoke to me "the Pharaoh's dream".
Did his dream contain corn? - I wondered. I had thought it was grain. Then I could hear the scripture reciting in my mind... and yes, it was corn. So I turned to Genesis 41: 4 ...So Pharaoh awoke. 5 And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good. 6 And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them. 7 And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream.
I had not made this connection until yesterday. That experience and interpretation, has a dual meaning! I never realized that that experience could have anything to do with eclipse. In fact, when I made that video, I hadn't yet researched the eclipse or written my post. Now looking back, it's another confirmation for me about the seven year period that this eclipse ushers in. I had mentioned in my post that I felt it would be a time of great prosperity for those "with ears to hear"and a possible grace period for the unrepentant. This would be followed by an additional seven year period of what I'll call "birth pains".
We learn from Revelation 2:21-22 that the Lord gives the unrepentant a grace period.
21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. 22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
In my video I said that the items my mom found were symbolic of prosperity and the beginning of a new era for those with "ears to hear". These two messages are absolutely tied together! I continue to hear in various dream expert and scientific circles that the September 23rd alignment in addition to the August 21st eclipse indicates an "age change" of how we have lived the past 2,000 years and a "new way" is coming into birth or existence.
What Does This Mean?
We can learn from the scriptures the patterns in which the Lord uses to teach us.
Joseph was given 7 years of plenty to prepare for the 7 year famine. He stored up 20% of all of Egypt’s abundant harvest for 7 years against the 7 years of prophesied famine.
Noah was warned to prepare food and enter the ark 7 days before the flood began.
Rahab was warned prior to the 7 day battle of Jericho (in which the children of Israel would compass the city 7 times) to make plans to save her family. Some sources say she was warned 7 days prior to the battle (I have not been able to yet verify that). The prevalence of the number seven however, in the Lord’s dealing with Jericho’s defense is significant. Throughout the law of Moses, seven was used numerous times to signify the covenant.
Again, we see a 7 year cycle beginning Monday with the eclipse and repeating in 2024. Though these scriptures speak of temporal preparations, I'd like to focus on spiritual preparations.
In Joshua 3:5 in preparation to take Jericho, Joshua tells the people to sanctify themselves and the Lord will do wonders among them the following day.
5 And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the Lord will do wonders among you.
Just like with Moses, the waters rose up out of the way so that the people could pass through to Jericho. 16 That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.
At Jericho the walls collapsed and they were able to take the city. Later, the Lord tells the people to sanctify themselves again - after losing a battle to the people of Ai. After doing this, they are victorious and are able to take the city of Ai. 13 Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the Lord God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you. We can learn from this that when we sanctify ourselves, the Lord can show us BIG miracles!
I found it interesting that after studying Jericho all afternoon, my son came home from piano lessons and showed me a new song his teacher gave to him to learn called, "Jericho". Coincidences, confirmations, whatever you'd like to call them - they mean very little if you don't have ears to hear.
Here's a great suggestion that I offer in preparation for Monday. The eclipse signifies so much on the horizon, and I believe that as we witness it, the Spirit may speak some things to our heart. This weekend would be a great time to reflect on the kind of person you really want to be. Monday could be a time to start over - a personal reset. This weekend would also be a great time to visit the temple and reflect on messages that the Spirit may have for you personally. It would be a great opportunity to fast for big changes. Even a fast of gratitude would do wonders. If you have been praying for big changes such as with world issues, family issues, personal struggles etc. this would be a great time to put forth your faith and in great prayer and fasting, give it your all! Spend some quiet time searching and studying out your scriptures. See where the Spirit guides you - and then just be still.
Wow! I did not anticipate that my eclipse article would generate as much traffic as it did. Within 48 hours it has received 6,000 views. As of today there are 10,000. I give all credit and glory to the Lord for all that I was led to share. There are so many comments that I have seen circulating from different post shares, messaging, etc. that I wanted to post here but can't seem to keep track. With all the comments and messages coming in, I'm doing my best to answer them all in a timely manner and I have so many other Spirit pressing topics that I have been wanting to write about on my blog so I will do the best I can to give part 2 my very best efforts (with what the Spirit has been sharing with me) and then respond in the comments section below for further dialogue, thoughts, and questions.
I appreciate all the kind comments and support of my blog - it really has increased my testimony of what the Spirit has been teaching me, and has reminded me of how awesome the Latter Day Saint community is. You all are truly a blessing with your thoughts, ideas, words of wisdom, and pearls that you have shared. Thank you!
First, I would like to share what comments I was able to save that I feel will add great value to part 2 of this topic, then I will get into additional gems that the Spirit has shown me, and from there I will share my own personal thoughts and opinions.
Comments
Probably the most intriguing comment that came in (on a facebook post), was a shared experience that really touched me and for some reason I have not since been able to find it, the commenter may have deleted it. It was from a woman who said she had just sold her home and was moving to Missouri. She and her family had just gone out that day to look at the land they had purchased. While there, she had a special experience in which a spirit visited her who had been a part of the mobs that persecuted and killed the saints in that area so many years ago. He was seeking forgiveness and apologized for what he had done on their land. She forgave him and assisted him in his healing and moving on. After this experience had happened she came across my article on the eclipse and received some special confirmations from the spirit of the sacredness of that area. I appreciated her sharing this pearl.
Another commenter shared, "This weekend is also the Perseid meteor shower. It happens every year at this time. However, this year there are many more "shooting stars" than ever before in recorded history. The gibbus moon made it difficult to see, (as did the cloud cover in Utah) but, they happened. I've been thinking a lot about these three Heavenly signs in this 6 week period of time for quite awhile. It is definitely significant and a sign of the times. The meteor shower makes it appear that stars are falling from the sky. But what hit me just yesterday is that these falling stars appear to originate from the constellation Persius. He is a likeness of Christ. He holds Medusa's head, who is a likeness of Satan, showing that He ultimately triumphs over the devil. I haven't finished your blog, so I'm not sure if you mentioned this. But, where X marks the spot, looking at the earth it crosses in Missouri, but looking up to the stars it crosses over Medusa..."
...followed by another commenter: "I just had the same thought occur to me this week and was telling my husband about it tonight - that the meteor shower comes from Perseus, and is even named after that constellation. My mind connected the dots to that constellation being a symbol of Christ and the meteor shower's origin being symbolic as well. Very cool to see when others are having the same thoughts at the same time."
This comment came in from a Jewish convert: Very interesting. As a Jewish convert to the Church, and having lived in Israel over a long period of time, your "Jewishisms" are pretty good. I disagree, however, with the idea that Kolob may refer to the word "dog" and therefore the dog star. Since Kolob is written in English, it's impossible to know which "K" sound the word uses in Hebrew. There are several. But the first syllable is probably 'kol' which means 'all' or 'fullness.' The B in Hebrew is soft without a dot in the middle and becomes 'V.' With a dot in the center of the bet, it becomes the hard B. The 'ob' sound in Kolob is probably 'av,' which means father. Kobob probably means "Fullness of the Father," not celeb, which means dog.
More About Kolob
Several Mormon authors have attempted to situate Kolob within modern astronomy. Skousen speculated that Kolob is a star at the Galactic Center, Sagittarius A*, of our own Galaxy. This view also had the support of several former general authorities of the LDS Church, including J. Reuben Clark and George Reynolds (with Janne M. Sjödahl). In the mid-19th century, early efforts to find a single "central sun" in the galaxy resulted in failure.
Another Mormon author has hypothesized that Kolob exists outside the Milky Way Galaxy at a place called the "metagalactic center", and that this galaxy and other galaxies rotate around it. Within mainstream astronomy, the idea of a metagalactic center was once assumed, but has been abandoned because on large scales, the expanding universe has no gravitational center.
Another Mormon author has speculated that Kolob is Polaris.
Polaris
As I looked into Polaris (the North Star), I discovered it was used by sailors and journey men who navigated by the Heavenly Host. This is where it starts to get interesting with the star Polaris. Some of the names that were given to Polaris were "The Pathway", "Gate of Heaven", or like the Chinese called it “The Great Imperial Ruler of Heaven”. The star Polaris is located in Ursa Minor Constellation. The Kabbalists associate URSA MINOR with the Hebrew letter Tau. The Tau is the 22nd last letter of the Hebrew Alphabet and is associated with the Alpha and The Omega, The Beginning and The End.
J.R. Church from Prophecy in the news wrote, “Long before the constellation became a bear, it was pictured as a sheepfold. It represents heaven, the place where the Great Shepherd keeps His sheep”. He also writes that, “There is a star in the constellation called Kochab, meaning “waiting for the coming;” another star, Alkaid, means “the assembled;” and yet another, Alpherkdain, means “the redeemed assembly.” So Ursa Minor tells a story of a “redeemed assembly” who are “waiting for the coming” of The Great Imperial Ruler of Heaven.
Astronomers have discovered that Polaris, the North Star, is getting brighter. They say the star has suddenly reversed two decades of dimming. It is expanding at more than 100 times the rate they expected – and no one is sure why.
A team led by Scott Engle of Villanova University in Pennsylvania recalibrated historic measurements of Polaris by Ptolemy in 137 C.E., the Persian astronomer Al-Sufi in 964 C.E., and others. They investigated the fluctuations of the star over the course of several years, combing through historical records and utilising the Hubble Space Telescope. The team found that Polaris is 2.5 times brighter today than in Ptolemy’s time, which they say is a remarkable rate.
The single star we see as Polaris, which actually consists of a main star and two smaller companion stars in a triple star system, is a variable star. Interesting that 3 stars represents one!
Sirius
The title of the brightest star in the Earth's night sky happens to belong to Sirius. It is easy to spot because three prominent Belt stars in the constellation Orion (three stars in a short, straight row) always point to it. Also known as the "Dog Star", reflecting its prominence in its constellation, Canis Major (Greater Dog). The heliacal rising of Sirius marked the flooding of the Nile in Ancient Egypt and the "dog days" of summer for the ancient Greeks, while to the Polynesians in the Southern Hemisphere, the star marked winter and was an important reference for their navigation around the Pacific Ocean.
In Dogon (an African tribe) mythology, they believe god (Nommos) came from a planet in that system. The Nommo divided his body among men to feed them; that is why it is also said that as the universe "had drunk of his body," the Nommo also made men drink. He gave all his life principles to human beings."They also believe, the Nommo was crucified and resurrected and in the future will again visit the Earth.
A few years ago I remember coming across an interesting passage in a book. I wanted to cite the book but after tirelessly searching for two days, I have not been able to find any trace of it online or in my library. I have read many scanned, archived journals and diaries of the early saints that have not yet been transcribed into searchable text and wonder if I might have found it there. If this rings a bell and someone can shed some light on where this reference can be sited, please, please, comment below.
As I remember, it was a story of a family of early saints who had taken the prophet Joseph in for refuge one night. They served him dinner and gave him a place to sleep. To thank them for their hospitality he offered to discuss with them anything that might be on their minds or hearts regarding the mysteries of God. The husband and wife asked to know where God dwells. Joseph walked out to the front porch and pointed up at the night sky and said, "Do you see the brightest star in the sky right there?" They nodded in which he replied, "Do you see that star right next to it?" They nodded and he replied, "That's the place where God dwells."
I quoted this to the best of my memory, but would feel much more confident sharing it by having the actual source to verify. Take it with a grain of salt, however I found it interesting this afternoon when I came across this fact - the star next to Sirius is a lovely star cluster called Messier 41 or M41. This cluster lies about four degrees almost exactly south of Sirius. It is sometimes also called the Little Beehive, after the other famous Beehive star cluster (M44), also an open cluster, in the constellation Cancer. I thought of the State of Utah - also known as the Beehive state, and had to chuckle.
If Kolob is the closest star to the throne of God, and if the above statement is accurate, it's possible that Sirius could be Kolob. It's certainly fascinating to consider all the possibilities. For more information on astronomy and prophecy fulfillment - you might really enjoy this post I wrote in 2015 titled, A Modern Sign in the Heavens. I wrote it right after witnessing in the night sky an incredible prophecy fulfillment of the Savior's return.
Additional Christian Prophecies
A few commenters have expressed their anger towards Trump and believe he is a punishment or curse for America. I thought the following prophecies might help shed some light on what I believe to be Trump's role in these last days.
Later, I received an email and a second comment about connections to the Eagle prophecy, from the book of Esdras in the Apocrypha. I have read the Apocrypha a couple years ago after feeling a prompting to do so when reading Doctrine and Covenants 91
1 Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you concerning the Apocrypha—There are many things contained therein that are true, and it is mostly translated correctly; 2 There are many things contained therein that are not true, which are interpolations by the hands of men. 3 Verily, I say unto you, that it is not needful that the Apocrypha should be translated. 4 Therefore, whoso readeth it, let him understand, for the Spirit manifesteth truth; 5 And whoso is enlightened by the Spirit shall obtain benefit therefrom; 6 And whoso receiveth not by the Spirit, cannot be benefited. Therefore it is not needful that it should be translated. Amen.
A book was referenced, A Remnant Shall Return by Michael Rush as a suggested read from an LDS perspective on this prophecy. I had planned to read this book earlier in the year but have not yet found the time. I'd love to hear thoughts from anyone who has read it. From what I have gathered, it suggests that Barack Obama may be the last president to serve a full term in office. Michael's theory contradicts a prophecy I heard last year from a non-LDS woman (Kat Kerr) who had prophesied along with many others beginning in 2016 that Trump would be the next president of the United States. She even prophesied exactly how it would happen and the prophecy was fulfilled down to every detail just as she had said.
Kat Kerr
During the Presidential Inaugural Prayer Breakfast this year, Kat was asked to pray for and declare over President Trump, Vice President Pence and their families. She took the mic and boldly began to declare God's plans for the next 8 years of Trump's life and God's plans for Pence as President following Trump for an 8 additional years of Justice, Liberty & Freedom for America. A very bold statement indeed.
Kat Kerr is very bold in her speaking style and not what most people are used to - and therefore may not be your cup of tea per se, but I didn't want to leave anything off the table that could add to this topic. The story behind why she has pink hair is a must hear. Keep in mind that because she is not LDS, her theology differs from Mormon Theology. However, she emphasizes many times the importance of not persecuting other religions as she teaches they all have a purpose in God's Kingdom.
For the last several years she prophesied this message as the Lord's words. " I will not curse nor judge America but I will judge and remove the current Administration that is leading America Into Darkness. America is a Christian nation because I have made America a Light & a Gift to the nations. It belongs to Me!! I will put someone in office who will establish justice freedom and liberty for America and the people of America and my people who have been crying out to Me, to heal their land."
On March 5th 2016 (my birthday) she said, "The next American President will be a Strong leader who is an 'All - American boy' who will be 'All for America' and is passionate about it! He is already a Leader of Leaders" "He will not befriend America's enemies nor will he fear them, but will help Ameica's longtime Friends and he will restore a strong military base to protect and defend". "Over the next couple days, God will continue to share about the next President and what type of team will develop in the next administration and how important they will be to His plans for America and the next generation and beyond. This is the Father's time to be seen and heard through the Believers and those who will become Believers, so lay down your opinions, stop blasting the candidates and PRAY that God has His way above all else. On earth as it is in Heaven is already here, do not let your flesh interefere and miss being a part of tremendous restoration and Blessings! PS. I will still love you even if you decide against God's choice, but I am irrevocably on His team as His Love for me has totally won me!"
"P.S.S. The Father just said, "Stop fighting about it and agree that His Will, His way be done. You may have your own opinions, but do not allow them to turn into wrath. You will be quite surprised who the Presidential nominee picks for his running mate (a most unexpected pair); and they will 'balance' what areas they both need help in. Together they will be unbeatable and make a loud sound, because I have chosen them and I know what they are now and what they will become."
"May all who read have their spiritual eyes and ears open to hear what the Father and the Spirit and the Son is saying and doing to answer the cries of their hearts!!" "God told me He would NEVER allow another to take the presidency away from Trump and that some who try to attack Trump may be 'removed' permanently!"
On March 6th 2016 she said, "The one who will sit in the White House as President is in big business and because of that he already has within him the ability to change the status quo for business and will restore many Made In America businesses and create new opportunities in the marketplace to cause American made products to flourish. Hope for a bright future will explode into creativity and new inventions and many in the world will begin to change their opinion of this great Country founded by Me to be a Light to the Nations" "As I have stated in the past; those countries who have financially benefited for years from their own products (sometimes poor in quality and made from questionable materials) being continually sold in America, will in this new season be running to purchase Made in America products and putting millions of dollars back into this country! The economy in America will prosper greatly and will do so for generations to come because of the wise decisions made through the next administration.
I have purposely timed the birth on earth of many (in this country and other countries) who now know Me and Love my Son, that I will prosper openly and will excel in Business, Government, Society, Education and Arts & Entertainment (rated for family enjoyment) before the eyes of the world. They will become examples of living the Truth without compromise and will be sought out for their wisdom by many. Do not resist what I have chosen for this Age and do not think it is time to escape but rejoice that you are living in the time when My manifest presence and Spirit will touch ALL flesh. Will you be willing to carry the Glory (without spot or wrinkle) or will you hide from it. How changed will America be? The day is coming when it will be popular to be a Believer or the friend of a Believer because the Nations will be drawn to the Light in them, because I say so and when you think you know more than Me, tell Me! Stop fighting, for My eyes are on you all!"
And on March 7th 2016, "He will make quick decisions for what is best for America as far as justice and freedom are concerned. He will overturn any unjust self-made laws (forced by the current administration) that have hurt the American people by loss of hope, choice or hindered or stripped away their rights to live in peace and happiness including worshiping My Son, as did their ancestors for generations. What was once considered sacred has now become a crime and treated as such. It should not be so, for I have marked this Land as Mine and many have died for the opportunity to protect and defend this Land but even they have been directly scoffed at, belittled and even harmed through decisions of the current administration." "Those who enter into this Land with intent to kill or destroy, will be dealt with harshly by the next President instead of being excused or helped. He will be a man of action so do not expect any boring days once he takes office! He does not fear man or their threats nor is he influenced by the liberal media of today. No matter how they attempt to insult or abuse his statements, I will cause him to lead far out in front. He will be recognized (even by other nations) as a strong leader and cause the return of honor to the title of President. He is far from perfect and many would not choose him but I do not choose the qualified; I qualify the chosen. He will make a wise choice for his running mate and will encourage them to have a voice." "I do not always explain My choices and even though I have done so this time, some of My very own will harshly disagree and strike out against Me. It will be like tiny pebbles throwing themselves against a Great Mountain, but still I have chosen him to win. You have desperately prayed for help to change this nation and I Am answering those prayers with My choice for President and the one he chooses as Vice Presient. My Spirit will speak to them and even if they do not always know it is Me, they will not reject it as others have. He will change in time. If I could love you before you knew Me; then I too can love him. I see him through My eyes, not yours and even though he may not be fully mine yet, the devil fears greatly what he will do for Me and for this nation! I AM HOLY and I have been from the Beginning to the End and from the End to the Beginning and I created it all. You may choose whom you want but My vote also counts!" May the anointing from His words consume you and break any yoke of darkness that you may be free to Live and not just exist!"
On March 9th 2016 she said, "Before I share what the Father's final comments are, I want to make you aware of some things to declare over; "1 The liberal media is so terrified of this man as he is like no other candidate who will expose many things not only in the governmnt but in biased media. They were not expecting what he has already delivered so far and they are plotting together against him to flood FB and youtube with ridiculous stories and lies about him. You will see them coming from everywhere very soon as they want to stop him. He cannot be bought because he does not need their buyout schemes nor their approval." "2 He does not need anyone's money and he is not about to throw his away in order to secure 'safe passage' in Washington. He is very dangerous against the devil's plans because the people have already chosen him too and it is because God's hand is upon him. None of the elite can wrap their heads around this avalanche of support from the everyday masses. They will not figure it out because they will not consider that Heaven is involved." "3 Remember that there is another still to be included as half the team; the future Vice President (the unexpected one) who will balance the new President. Declare over both the new President and the other half of his team. It will be a surprise for me too as God is not saying any names right now. Let us also pray over all the leadership in Washington DC as well as those who run the political machines of our day, that they will al extend favor (without knowing why) to God's choice for President and pray that the Body of Christ lay down their differences and come together for God's will to be done (especially when all other competitors have left the race)." THE FATHER SAID TODAY, March 9, 2016: " Although I will win him to Me in time, I have not chosen this man to be your Apostle, your Prophet, your Pastor, your Teacher nor your Evangelist; I have chosen him to be your President - Donald Trump will WIN."
She continued,
"On God's own Timeline in His Throne Room, there is a mark that says "Kingdom Age" and therefore change MUST happen because it is now His time and no longer man's time to decide if God really exists or not. Do you know that even the secular world wants change in America? It is a good thing, because God has already started change even though some of His own do not see it as His hand moving on their behalf."
I remember in the summer of 2016 we were in Germany visiting my in-laws and my mother-in-law began to ask what I thought about the election and the candidates. When I told her that I knew without a doubt that Donald Trump would win because it was God's will, she was speechless. I had heard this from so many prophetic voices & leaders in the Christian world, and I had felt the peaceful truth of it.
According to Kat, God was going to vote in this election, and it would be His will that would trump. I felt confirmation of her words. The night of the election when the states were lit up in blue and things were looking to swing the other way - that's when God voted. Suddenly the map turned red and every media outlet was flabbergasted. They said it was either a miracle or rigged. According to Kat, God rigged the election by voting. His will was done. Kim Clement
Kim Clement is a native of South Africa and has made several prophesies regarding America that have come to pass. Again, another person whose speaking style may not be what you are used to nor would you expect (he prophesies to music). But again, I feel his prophesies may add some value to this topic.
In 2013, he prophesied the Dow Jones Industrial Average would climb to 20,000 (it was, at the time, on a "winning streak" and had reached a record high of 14,447.29). It happened.
In 2014, more than a year before President Donald Trump announced his candidacy, Clement prophesied that a future leader of America would come forth and "restore the fortunes in this nation because of his brilliance." The president is now working hard to "Make America Great Again."
In the same prophecy, Clement also shared:
"California, you are dying because of a drought. Watch My sign, watch the sign of rain for I told you there would be severe wind from above and all the states that are affected by this severe weather have been set up for a shaking of My Spirit and an outpouring of My Spirit. California, I am looking at you."
California's drought has since been turned around to the point that dams were nearly bursting.
Recently footage from 2005 has surfaced on YouTube of Kim Clement prophesying of Donald Trump's presidency. The following is an excerpt from his Donald Trump prophesies of 2014 he made prior to Donald Trump entering the election.
"This man will throttle the enemies of Israel.This man will throttle the enemies of the west. And there are highly embarrassing moments that are about to occur for many, many, politicians in this nation. There will be a shaking among the democrats in the upcoming election, but unsettling for the republicans. For God said, 'I Am dissatisfied with what emerges from both parties...they will shout 'impeach', 'impeach' they say - but Nay." "...This new one shall arise as my David that I have set aside for this nation. A man of prayer. A man of choice words."
Here is footage of a 2014 prophecy that shortly followed. Kim passed away November 22, 2016 just after seeing his prophesies fulfilled.
"Trump shall become a trumpet, says the Lord. Trump shall become a trumpet. I will raise up the Trump to become a trumpet." "It shall come to pass that the man that I place in the Highest Office shall go in whispering my name. But God said, when he enters into the office he will be shouting out by the power of the Spirit." "For I shall fill him with my Spirit and he shall go into office and there will be a praying man in the highest seat in your land." "There will be a praying president not a religious one. For, I will fool the people says the Lord. I will fool the people, yes I will. God says, the one that is chosen shall go in and they shall say, 'He has hot blood'." "For the Spirit of God says, 'Yes he may have hot blood, but he will bring the walls of protection on this country in a greater way and the economy of this country shall change rapidly, says the Lord of Hosts." "Listen to the word of the Lord. God says, I will put at your helm for two terms, a president that will pray, but he will not be a praying president when he starts." "I will put him in office and then I will baptize him with the Holy Spirit and My Power says the Lord of Hosts."
There have been many others who have prophesied of these similar events. What I have enjoyed most about listening to them is that they are all positive focused. They all speak of hope and so much good that is coming for the believers of God and His Church (the body of Christ). They mention that those in the body of Christ who fight against God's choice, are in reality fighting against God.
Cyrus
Many have made the comparison of Trump with Cyrus, Nebuchadnezzar, David, and Saul of Tarsus. All who at one point errored or were not men of God but nonetheless chosen by God to carry out his purposes.
"Cyrus was anointed by God to restore the Jewish people from captivity and to rebuild Jerusalem after Nebuchadnezzar, as a vessel of divine judgment, was called by God to send the Jewish people into exile and to destroy Jerusalem." "Two pagan kings, one raised up to bring judgment and the other raised up to bring restoration." "Could Donald Trump, then, be a modern-day Cyrus? Could it be that Trump, like Cyrus, clearly does not know the Lord in a real and personal way but could still be used by God to accomplish His purposes?"
My Dream
Sunday evening I had a dream that I was holding a pack of gum (Trident or Orbit by the color and packaging). There were people standing all around me who wanted a piece. I happily reached into the pack and I noticed each stick of gum had numbers on them. I was awakened at 5:45 am by an unknown phone call on my husband's phone. I pondered the dream and believe the sticks represented a stick of knowledge or scripture. I was to give out these scriptures for others to "chew on". In the Bible, scrolls, scripture, and records, were referred to as "sticks". "Trident" represents three and there were three scripture books. "Orbit" reminds me of the topic of this post (the eclipse). In the morning I wrote down the numbers and was led by the Spirit to these books and scriptures. When I saw them I was in awe. The Spirit confirmed to me that I was to share these in part 2 of this post. So here we go!
The Spirit told me to count 545 pages (5:45 am) into my triple combination (BOM, D&C, POGP). This is where the first scripture began. The numbers on this stick of gum were 1:3
3 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.
(This is what I mentioned in my eclipse post part 1. That this is the time when the rebellious of heart will be exposed and held accountable for their crimes and/or abominations. Many people in power, politics, the media, and high places will be exposed for rather embarrassing actions and choices. Spoken on the housetops represents satellite and WiFi - I believe we receive the news of their actions on our TVs, phones and devices. It will be shared all over social media. They will feel much sorrow, regret, and embarrassment. The Lord allows this because He loves them. Humility is the path back to Him.)
4 And the voice of warning shall be unto all people, by the mouths of my disciples, whom I have chosen in these last days.
(Listen to those who have prophetic voices and are shouting out these warnings. They are chosen for this calling - to warn the people and call for repentance. The Lord chooses many disciples because He has many different sheep in different folds. We are all being gathered in together and eventually will join one fold.) 8 And verily I say unto you, that they who go forth, bearing these tidings unto the inhabitants of the earth, to them is power given to seal both on earth and in heaven, the unbelieving and rebellious; 9 Yea, verily, to seal them up unto the day when the wrath of God shall be poured out upon the wicked without measure— 10 Unto the day when the Lord shall come to recompense unto every man according to his work, and measure to every man according to the measure which he has measured to his fellow man. 11 Wherefore the voice of the Lord is unto the ends of the earth, that all that will hear may hear:
(Because of YouTube and social media, the voice of the Lord is being heard unto all ends of the earth.) 12 Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come, for the Lord is nigh;
(Preparing for the Millennium) 13 And the anger of the Lord is kindled, and his sword is bathed in heaven, and it shall fall upon the inhabitants of the earth. 14 And the arm of the Lord shall be revealed; and the day cometh that they who will not hear the voice of the Lord, neither the voice of his servants, neither give heed to the words of the prophets and apostles, shall be cut off from among the people; 15 For they have strayed from mine ordinances, and have broken mine everlasting covenant;
(Apostasy of early Christian Church, apostasy of individuals today, and Apostasy of Israel.) 16 They seek not the Lord to establish his righteousness, but every man walketh in his own way, and after the image of his own god, whose image is in the likeness of the world, and whose substance is that of an idol, which waxeth old and shall perish in Babylon, even Babylon the great, which shall fall. 17 Wherefore, I the Lord, knowing the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth, called upon my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and spake unto him from heaven, and gave him commandments; 18 And also gave commandments to others, that they should proclaim these things unto the world; and all this that it might be fulfilled, which was written by the prophets—
(the Lord not only commanded Joseph Smith to proclaim these things the world and within the Church, but He commanded others, of other folds to proclaim repentance as well.)
19 The weak things of the world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones, that man should not counsel his fellow man, neither trust in the arm of flesh.
(Sin and transgression will bring people of high places and positions to their knees. We will even see this happen within the Church. So much, that the world will lose their trust in man and begin to seek out God and put their trust in Him.) 20 But that every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world; 21 That faith also might increase in the earth; 22 That mine everlasting covenant might be established; 23 That the fulness of my gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the world, and before kings and rulers. 24 Behold, I am God and have spoken it; these commandments are of me, and were given unto my servants in their weakness, after the manner of their language, that they might come to understanding. 27 And inasmuch as they sinned they might be chastened, that they might repent;
(The chastening is an act of love and a blessing. We shouldn't point fingers and ridicule but open our arms in love and welcome the repentant back into the fold.)
28 And inasmuch as they were humble they might be made strong, and blessed from on high, and receive knowledge from time to time. 31 For I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance; 32 Nevertheless, he that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven; 33 And he that repents not, from him shall be taken even the light which he has received; for my Spirit shall not always strive with man, saith the Lord of Hosts.
(Part of the baptismal covenant we renew every Sunday during the sacrament. By repenting and turning to the Lord and His Atonement, we are promised to always have His Spirit with us.) 34 And again, verily I say unto you, O inhabitants of the earth: I the Lord am willing to make these things known unto all flesh;
35 For I am no respecter of persons, and will that all men shall know that the day speedily cometh; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand, when peace shall be taken from the earth, and the devil shall have power over his own dominion.
(God can choose and use anyone to fulfill His purposes. Often people we would never expect. He is no respecter of persons. If the day was "nigh at hand" in 1831 when Millennial peace ends and Satan is loosed, then think how soon the day must be when the Lord returns to the earth.) 36 And also the Lord shall have power over his saints, and shall reign in their midst, and shall come down in judgment upon Idumea, or the world.
(Final Judgement) 37 Search these commandments, for they are true and faithful, and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled. 38 What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.
39 For behold, and lo, the Lord is God, and the Spirit beareth record, and the record is true, and the truth abideth forever and ever. Amen.
17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
(In the following verses Peter gives us the formula for how to overcome sin, and reminds us in these last days to minister through the Spirit and give all glory to God.) 7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. 9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging. 10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 3) Abraham 3:2-16
(The Lord clearly wanted to reference Kolob in this post. Again, I am in awe.) 2 And I saw the stars, that they were very great, and that one of them was nearest unto the throne of God; and there were many great ones which were near unto it; 3 And the Lord said unto me: These are the governing ones; and the name of the great one is Kolob, because it is near unto me, for I am the Lord thy God: I have set this one to govern all those which belong to the same order as that upon which thou standest.
(I see Kolob also as symbolic of the Savior. He is nearest to the throne of God as He sits at His right hand. He will govern all those who belong to the Kingdom of God. Jesus and Lucifer were both referred to as morning stars in the Bible. John the Baptist is called a "bright morning star" in Eastern Orthodox Church hymnnology. A “bright morning star” is a star that outshines all the others. Satan, as perhaps the most beautiful creation of God, probably the most powerful of all the angels, was a bright morning star. Jesus, as God incarnate, the Lord of the universe, is THE bright and morning star. Jesus is the most holy and powerful “light” in all the universe. Morning star, is also a name for the star Sirius, which appears in the sky just before sunrise during the Dog Days. These stars govern.) 4 And the Lord said unto me, by the Urim and Thummim, that Kolob was after the manner of the Lord, according to its times and seasons in the revolutions thereof; that one revolution was a day unto the Lord, after his manner of reckoning, it being one thousand years according to the time appointed unto that whereon thou standest. This is the reckoning of the Lord’s time, according to the reckoning of Kolob.
(1,000 years is a day unto the Lord) 5 And the Lord said unto me: The planet which is the lesser light, lesser than that which is to rule the day, even the night, is above or greater than that upon which thou standest in point of reckoning, for it moveth in order more slow; this is in order because it standeth above the earth upon which thou standest, therefore the reckoning of its time is not so many as to its number of days, and of months, and of years.
(Abraham learned that there are other governing stars located nearer to Kolob and that they rotate more slowly, or “longer,” than many other stars (but not more slowly than Kolob).
6 And the Lord said unto me: Now, Abraham, these two facts exist, behold thine eyes see it; it is given unto thee to know the times of reckoning, and the set time, yea, the set time of the earth upon which thou standest, and the set time of the greater light which is set to rule the day, and the set time of the lesser light which is set to rule the night. 7 Now the set time of the lesser light is a longer time as to its reckoning than the reckoning of the time of the earth upon which thou standest. 8 And where these two facts exist, there shall be another fact above them, that is, there shall be another planet whose reckoning of time shall be longer still; 9 And thus there shall be the reckoning of the time of one planet above another, until thou come nigh unto Kolob, which Kolob is after the reckoning of the Lord’s time; which Kolob is set nigh unto the throne of God, to govern all those planets which belong to the same order as that upon which thou standest. 10 And it is given unto thee to know the set time of all the stars that are set to give light, until thou come near unto the throne of God. 11 Thus I, Abraham, talked with the Lord, face to face, as one man talketh with another; and he told me of the works which his hands had made; 12 And he said unto me: My son, my son (and his hand was stretched out), behold I will show you all these. And he put his hand upon mine eyes, and I saw those things which his hands had made, which were many; and they multiplied before mine eyes, and I could not see the end thereof. 13 And he said unto me: This is Shinehah, which is the sun. And he said unto me: Kokob, which is star. And he said unto me: Olea, which is the moon. And he said unto me: Kokaubeam, which signifies stars, or all the great lights, which were in the firmament of heaven. 14 And it was in the night time when the Lord spake these words unto me: I will multiply thee, and thy seed after thee, like unto these; and if thou canst count the number of sands, so shall be the number of thy seeds. 15 And the Lord said unto me: Abraham, I show these things unto thee before ye go into Egypt, that ye may declare all these words.
(Abraham was to declare what he learned to Egypt) 16 If two things exist, and there be one above the other, there shall be greater things above them; therefore Kolob is the greatest of all the Kokaubeam that thou hast seen, because it is nearest unto me. ("Kokaubeam" is a transliteration of the Hebrew "כּוֹכָבִים" [c.f., Gen. 15:5]) as meaning "all the great lights, which were in the firmament of heaven").
Joseph Fielding Smith wrote: “The Lord made known to him [Abraham] the following facts: That Kolob is the first creation, and is nearest to the celestial, or the residence of God. It is the first in government, the last pertaining to the measurement of time. This measurement is according to celestial time. One day in Kolob is equal to a thousand years according to the measurement of this earth, which by the Egyptians was called Jah-oh-eh. Oliblish, so called by the Egyptians, stands next to Kolob in the grand governing creation near the celestial, or place where God resides. This great star is also a governing star and is equal to Kolob in its revolutions and in its measuring of time. Other grand governing stars were also revealed to Abraham” (Man: His Origin and Destiny [1954], 461).
Abraham learned that it is not size that makes one star or planet greater than another, but rather its proximity to Kolob. So it is with the children of God – their greatness and glory will depend upon their proximity to the Creator, Jesus Christ, who is “nearest unto the throne of God,” “the great one,” “the first creation,” and is “set to govern all those which belong to the same order.” The great star, Kolob, is a symbol of Jesus Christ. After the Spirit told me that Kolob does symbolize Jesus, He sent me to this reference for a confirmation (The Pearl of Great Price Student Manual, p. 37.
Not Only did the Lord tell me Abraham Chapter 3 but He told me facsimile #3.
Abraham is reasoning upon the principles of Astronomy, in the king’s court. The Spirit confirmed to me that the Lord is pleased when we seek to learn and understand these principles.
A Little More About This Eclipse
Today I made the connection that this year's 2017 total solar eclipse will be the 17th total solar eclipse in America since 1776. Just had to add that to the mix.
A couple of commenters wanted more detail about what made this eclipse so unique. The total eclipse of 1918 started south of Japan, went across the Pacific Ocean, and then across the United States. From what I understand, this 2017 eclipse and the 2024 eclipse stretch across the entire North American Continent - coast to coast. The total eclipse of 1776 was exclusive to the North American continent but only wrapped around it and did not touch any other region which made it one of a kind - that is until now. The 2017 and 2024 eclipses which are only 7 years apart only cover North America like 1776 but also like 1918 go from coast to coast. What's funny is they mirror back to back which makes the X. There is no other total solar eclipse that came after 1776 that would have crossed over North America exclusively. All of the following eclipses would have touched other regions or possibly their totality path came no where near the 1776 path to even cross it. That's what makes this pair so rare. Here are two map links for 1776 and 1918.
1776
1918
The Coming 7 Years
Now I'd like to share my opinion about the coming seven years. I truly believe that there is so much GOOD that is already happening and on the horizon. All of the videos on YouTube with the apocalyptic undertones and back ground music, cause me to feel that so many are missing the point and the bigger picture here. My focus is not on the judgments or destruction of the wicked, my focus is on all the incredible prophetic promises and blessings that are soon to unfold. If you're on the Lord's team, then that's where your focus should truly be as well.
A Message for All of Us
A few years ago, I had an interesting encounter with the Spirit. For many years I was a huge fan of talk radio and news. I would begin each morning by listening to my favorite conservative talk show hosts, then call friends and family to fill them in on the latest and add my own two cents, and then spend the last minutes before going to bed re-visiting the headlines and passing along links to friends and family members with messages like, "Did you hear about this?" or "Can you believe it?"
One day the Spirit showed me just how much valuable time I was wasting by doing this. It was a tough blow when I realized that by spending my efforts and energies spreading negative headlines, I was actually being a very helpful tool for the Adversary rather than the Lord. No matter how repulsed I was by world events, political actions and correlating conspiracies, by spreading my negative feelings and reactions I was aiding Satan's army. In my mind I was simply "informing" my family, however anger and fear stirred up more anger and fear, and soon it was difficult to find room for love and peace. Though I kept this doom and gloom perspective on the down-low from the rest of the world, it showed through so many areas of my life. The Spirit didn't hesitate to tell me that if I continued to listen to these talk show hosts and media outlets, He was not going to stick around, and I could miss out on the plans the Lord had for me.
Quickly, I obeyed and went cold turkey. With all the distractions and loud voices now gone, the Spirit was able to teach me. The Lord said, "Look to Me for your news. My news is good, and will fill your cup. Look for Me and you will find me. Listen for my voice and you will hear Me. My message and my news will bring peace to your soul."
I realized that Satan used the media to spread fear and anger for all sides, which is why I felt so drained and depleted at the end of the day. Feelings of, "it's hopeless", "things are only going to get worse", "the world is so wicked", "people are deceived and cruel", "the end is near", and on and on, were not coming from the Lord and were not benefiting me in any way. Through all of this negative thinking and feeling, I had forgotten how to dream because I didn't see the point. I stopped imagining, hoping, and believing in a bright future for my family and I, because what was the use? I used all my energy to prepare temporally for impending doom. The day I stopped dreaming and hoping, was the day I stopped living and enjoying my life. There were no more family vacations in the plans because I felt I had to save every penny for extreme apocalyptic preparedness. If I did make plans, I would hear, "Are you sure you want to visit there? That's an earthquake zone." or "There have been some terrorist attacks there. You're safer just staying put." My life was being ruled by fear.
The Lord had other plans for me. He wanted me to be living a life of faith. He wanted me to live in the present because that's where He was. The future was uncertain and unknown, but the present was His presence. The Lord said to me, "You know the final outcome. Where is your faith? If you believe, show it by the way you live your life. Live your life for Me."
I realized that as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints I was representing the Lord. Was I representing Him accurately? No, I was not. I was representing the spirit of fear whom I served.
That experience was a real eye opener and from the day forward I never looked back. I kept my eye straight ahead on the Lord. I began to dream again, set goals, and achieve them. I purchased beautiful things for my home and yard. We went on lovely trips and vacations - all while remaining valiant in our faith and staying close to the Lord. As I began to live this way, the Lord came through for me. He was true to His word. He showed me the good news in every moment of every day. I began to hear His voice more than I ever had before. His messages became more clear. My spiritual gifts began to be magnified and I felt immersed in all the good and beauty that Heaven had to offer.
My spiritual eyes were opened and I could see so much good in the world. I began to see others the way that He sees them. I began to understand His mysterious workings and could recognize His will. With this came so much peace and gratitude. I no longer relied on Sunday meetings only for my spiritual food, I was being fed three-course-meals every day of the week. In fact, instead of the mentality of, "What am I getting out of this Sunday lesson, or calling", it was "What can I contribute to this Sunday lesson or calling? How can I serve? Who can I uplift?"
The "what's in it for me" attitude that many members of the Church fall victim to, can really hinder one's testimony and spiritual progress. It can cause a person to start looking for reasons to not go to church, serve, or contribute. It can cause a person to look for flaws in others and focus on those flaws as justification for personal negative feelings and choices. Being on the Lord's team means giving up the "What's in it for me?" attitude. It constitutes of everything in Mosiah 27.
25 And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters; 26 And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.
Yes, I was a baptized member of the Church. Yes, I attended every meeting faithfully. Yes, I did my visiting teaching 100% every month, paid my tithing and attended the temple regularly - but none of that mattered without being born again of the Spirit. Righteous conviction and actions weren't enough - I needed my heart in the right place. I needed God in my heart at all times. My motives needed to be pure. I needed that mighty change of heart spoken of in Alma 5:12-14 12 And according to his faith there was a mighty change wrought in his heart. Behold I say unto you that this is all true. 13 And behold, he preached the word unto your fathers, and a mighty change was also wrought in their hearts, and they humbled themselves and put their trust in the true and living God. And behold, they were faithful until the end; therefore they were saved. 14 And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?
I believe that the meaning in verse 13 is what Born Again Christians are referring to when they ask other faiths, "Have you been saved?" I truly don't believe it's meant to be offensive though many take it that way. They simply want to know if you've accepted Christ into your heart in a way that you no more have the desire to ever do evil as was the case of King Benjamin's people in Mosiah 5:2 "...the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually."
It's a pressing and constant desire to do good and love unconditionally - without judgement. A life changing alteration in which a person will never be the same. They have become something new in the Lord - and it's difficult, nearly impossible to go back. Often those who have had Near Death Experiences can attest to this.
A few days ago, in my email, I came across a recent article from one of the talk show hosts I used to listen to. It was a segment form his radio show that had aired earlier that day. In the segment he mentioned how at the end of the day he had been feeling so drained and tired. He had been drained by world events, politics, and life in general - so much that he returned home late each evening just wanting to go to bed. He expressed the sorrow he felt for not being able to spend time with his family and give them the attention they needed. Instead, he mentioned how they would fight. He felt angry and annoyed with them and he recognized it wasn't good.
This talk show host has suffered many health problems and fatigue during his career. His career is based on negative news. Negative news and fear makes money - it builds ratings. It was evident in this man's life and I felt the Spirit was showing me how different my life might be had I continued on that path.
Anger and fear form when a person feels they do not have control. Remember it's Satan's plan to control. But when it comes to God's Kingdom, let us remember that God is the one who sits on the throne. He has this world in the palm of His hand! Because of that I have complete faith and trust in Him, and I demonstrate that trust by choosing to feel peace each day, and living my life always hoping for the best.
It's my hope and prayer that all of us can can "shoot for the stars" (pun intended) and claim the blessings that the Lord has in store for us. These coming years may very well be a grace period for the unrepentant and a time in which the repentant will prosper spiritually, physically, and temporally. Righteous prosperity speeds up the growth of God's Kingdom. As Israel gathers, let us all do our part by extending charity in a way that this world has never seen. Let's brighten our lamps, hold our chin high, continue to dream big, and keep our eye single to the Lord. May we be greatly blessed by doing so!
Yes, I would agree that this storm is carnage worthy. The name is appropriate. Just what battle is this storm fighting? I wanted to know more from the Spirit. It was then I was reminded of the all the hate news that had dominated the headlines days prior. The race wars that appeared to be going strong according to the news. As I looked at the images on my TV screen, I saw black, white, Hispanic, and Asian races all coming together in love. Love was winning! It was now love that was dominating the national headlines. I was led to this article that said it best!
