Let me say at the outset, this paper is abbreviated from what it could have been. That said, I’ve entered dangerous territory by exceeding my wife’s allotment of pages by a fair margin. I apologize to both her and you if it tries your patience and annoys you by its length. I couldn’t stop the voice in my head from speaking.
In a vision the Lord shared with Abraham, the prophet was shown the pre-mortality of man. The Lord instructs Abraham in how the universe is ordered in “reckoning” and “set time.”
After showing Abraham the planets and stars, the Lord explained to him a principle applying to both stars, planets, and “intelligence” from which mankind was formed.
“And it was in the night time when the Lord spoke these words unto me: I will multiply you, and your seed after you, like unto these [stars and planets]; and if you can count the number of sands, so shall be the number of your seeds. And the Lord said unto me, Abraham, I show these things unto you, before you go into Egypt, that you may declare all these words. 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 you have seen because it is nearest unto me. Now if there be two things, one above the other, and the moon be above the earth, then it may be that a planet or a star may exist above it. (And there is nothing that the Lord, your God, shall take in his heart to do but what he will do it.) Nevertheless, he made the greater star as, also, if there be two spirits and one shall be more intelligent than the other, yet these two spirits — notwithstanding one is more intelligent than the other — yet they have no beginning (they existed before), they shall have no end (they shall exist after), for they are gnolaum, or eternal. And the Lord said unto me, These two facts do exist — that there are two spirits, one being more intelligent than the other; there shall be another more intelligent than they. I am the Lord, your God; I am more intelligent than they all. The Lord, your God, sent his angel to deliver you from the hands of the priest of Elkkener. I dwell in the midst of them all. I now therefore have come down unto you [condescended] to deliver unto you the works which my hands have made, wherein my wisdom excels them all; for I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath, in all wisdom and prudence, over all the intelligences your eyes have seen from the beginning. I came down in the beginning in the midst of all the intelligences you have seen” (RE T&C 145, Abraham 5:4, emphasis added).
Repeatedly the Lord emphasizes, “If two things exist, and there be one above the other, there shall be greater things above them.” As this applies to stars and planets, it applies to intelligences in pre-mortality and mortality. From a practical application in mortality, there are diverse levels of intelligence. Where there is a multiplicity of people, there are varying levels of intelligence among them. All are valued to the Lord because all are eternal.[1] Everyone born into this world is to be “added upon” by their experiences. They are eternal and have the ability to endlessly expand their intelligence through experiences. Because their potential is endless, God devotes His existence to nurturing their growth because they have the ability to increase to become as He is.[2]
It was mentioned in part 1 we have experienced many cycles of existence prior to this cycle. In each we have been added upon. All enter this world with talents and gifts given us by God.[3] Not from His personal preference as individuals. Rather, the gifts or a lack thereof are given to tailor our mortal experience toward developing areas He knows we need to advance. Some were noble and great before birth. Some are “those” who were in a less advanced state of progression. It is not a horse race where all press to be first to reach the finish line. It is like golf, where we patiently compete against ourselves, fine tuning our stance and swing as we learn to gauge what is necessary to get closer to the cup to sink the putt.
The game of mortality the Lord organized is more complex and counterintuitive than golf. Golf involves focus, patience, concentration on self-improvement and self-confidence. Life involves the Lord giving us weakness[4] to cultivate humility and reliance on His guidance. Our self- improvement in modern society is frequently measured in the acquisition of material wealth and elevated status as measures of success. In the economy of God success is measured by our sacrifices to lift mankind. The pattern given us by the Savior was to give our lives for our enemies and our friends. That is the gold standard in God’s economy.
“This is my commandment: That you love one another as I have loved you. No man loves more than when he is willing to sacrifice his life to save his friends. You are my friends if you do whatever I communicate to you. Beginning now, I will no longer call you my servants because a servant does not share his Lord’s life. But I make you my friends because every thing I received from my Father I have shared and will yet share with you. You did not choose me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should progress and become fruitful, that your fruit [immortality and eternal life of man, posterity] will testify on your behalf forever, that whatever I direct you to seek from my Father you will be able to obtain. I have taught these things to you to enable you to share my love among one another” (RE T&C 171, Testimony of Saint John 10:19, emphasis added).
The Savior, as the “Walker in the Path,”[5] set the example of sacrificing His life for the benefit of mankind and to submit to the Father’s will. Following the Lord’s resurrection the Savior prepared Peter to follow His example in a similar manner.
“ . . . In the name of Father Ahman I tell you, when you were progressing [added upon, first estate], you dressed yourself, and went where you chose to go; but as you approach the end of the path [added upon, second estate], you will have to let others stretch out your hands and likewise nail you, even if you plead to have the bitter cup removed. This He said to foretell the sacrificial death that is required for endless glory. And then He added, You must follow after me” (RE T&C 171, Testimony of Saint John 12:20, emphasis added.
For us to achieve “endless glory,” a sacrificial death is “required.” That wasn’t required of everyone in this cycle, but may be in future cycles if you decide to follow the Savior and Father’s path. That decision is a function of progressing to a level where you desire to follow Their course. One thing is certain. It will not be required until it becomes your earnest desire to make the sacrifice. It will never be by compulsion.[6]
This leads me to my reason for adding part 2 to the subject of condescension. An earlier paper called, “A Veil, Not a Wall,” there is a story about a young 15 year old boy with autism that robbed him of his ability to speak. The following is his story:
“Lauren [my daughter] has a friend whose eldest son has an extreme case of autism. He is now fifteen years old and has never spoken to his parents and siblings until now. Recently their son was introduced to an alphabetic chart at his school by teachers and a therapist. He points to letters and spells words and sentences. Initially, he only did this at school but recently began communicating with his mother through this medium.
The young man was crying at school and was sad. When asked why, he said,
“I was sad. Grandma [recently deceased] loves us and kissed me today. Kissed me every day since she died. Mom, I love you so much right now. Tons. Enjoy my talking. You might not know I enjoy talking. I talk so much. I just sometimes enjoy my alone time. Living to enjoy talking today to you. I sometimes try to not do spelling. Today I needed to talk to you. You took so long to talk to me. My key to talk is gone not yet, so talk to me. You so nice. Mom I love you. I am not dead. I enjoy talking to you.
Dad I love you. Today changed my life. Please spell with me. You mom so nice to us. Eat everything today so you won’t be hungry tomorrow. Haha.
Mom I am not lost. Not right now. Just no key to talk. I miss grandma. I need her. I need so many kisses.
The mother then asked her son, “Where did grandma kiss you today?” “Nose.”
A short time later he was spelling with his family and said the following:
“. . . without any prompting he shared his testimony of Christ with us and I wanted to share it with you. 'I talked to Jesus today. I talk to Him every day. I love Him. He is my Savior Redeemer very much. I testify that He lives’ (A Veil, Not a Wall blogpost, Scott Roderick, February 21, 2024, emphasis added).
For fifteen years this young man was trapped in his body, unable to communicate. By all outward appearances it would seem he was unaware of his surroundings and his loved ones. With the visible exception of mood swings.
When this young man was given tools to communicate, he became a fountain of information. His insights teach us that when someone has an infirmity impairing their ability to communicate, the Lord provides associations with those from the other side of the veil.
Since writing this paper, others have come forward to share additional gifts God provides to compensate for physical and mental disabilities. Advances in technology and additional evidence of these gifts has come to light. Conversing with those who have no natural voice but vast, often superior gifts and understanding informs us of associations beyond the veil. They affirm our faith in Christ and a loving God. It opens the possibility those who suffer these things may be from among the noble and great sent to try and teach us sacrifice. Perhaps listening and accepting what they say is preparation for us to participate in advanced communication here and beyond the veil.
The subject to be addressed is controversial because those who share these experiences are told to disbelieve their experience of being “added upon.” The scientific and academic communities reject the experiences of the families and threaten therapists working with them.
I am not a professional in this field, nor do I have personal experience. I am aware of autistic children who are non-speaking. My intrigue with this subject is rooted in what is being said by these young people.[7] It resonates with me because of familiarity with the scriptures and the belief we are in a prophetically profound time. The prophet Enoch recorded a vision wherein he asked the Lord when He would return again to earth.
“ . . . And the day shall come that the earth shall rest. But before that day, the heavens shall be darkened, and a veil of darkness shall cover the earth; and the heavens shall shake, and also the earth. And great tribulations shall be among the children of men, but my people will I preserve. And righteousness will I send down out of Heaven. Truth will I send forth out of the earth to bear testimony of my Only Begotten, his resurrection from the dead, yea, and also the resurrection of all men. And righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out my own elect from the four quarters of the earth unto a place which I shall prepare, a holy city, that my people may gird up their loins and be looking forth for the time of my coming. For there shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion, a New Jerusalem . . .” (RE Genesis 4:23, emphasis added).
Enoch was shown a time when “righteousness” was to be sent from Heaven and “Truth” the Lord sends from the earth. Righteousness is sent from Heaven because some on earth repent, becoming righteous and access and gain control of the “powers of Heaven.”[8] What has been a puzzle to me was truth coming from the earth. There are two sources where truth may come from the earth. Ancient records are often produced through excavations and revelations from Heaven. It is also true that man was created from the dust of the earth and the Lord may use children to instruct us as “righteousness and truth” sweep the earth as a flood. The nature of a flood is to begin with a trickle, expanding until the flow is sufficient to burst whatever holds it back. It begins with a drop.
It is often noted that the Lord’s Nephite ministry is a pattern or type for the Second Coming of the Savior. If that is true, perhaps one relevant detail from the account is overlooked. The order of events following the Savior’s ministry to the Nephites included the Lord gathering the children to Him. They were the first to experience an association with Heaven.
“Then He commanded for their little children to be brought. So they brought their little children and sat them down on the ground around Him, and Jesus stood in the middle of them; and the crowd made room until they had all been brought to Him. When they were all brought and Jesus stood in the middle of them, He commanded the crowd to kneel on the ground. When they had knelt on the ground, Jesus groaned to Himself and said: Father, the wickedness of the people of the house of Israel troubles Me. After He said this, He also knelt on the ground. And He prayed to the Father, and what He prayed can’t be written. Those that heard Him testified about it; and they testified to the following: The eye has never seen and the ear has never heard such great and awe-inspiring things we saw and heard Jesus speak to the Father. And no tongue can speak, neither can anyone write, neither can people’s hearts conceive such great and astonishing things as we both saw and heard Jesus speak. No one can conceive of the joy that filled our souls when we heard Him pray to the Father for us.
When Jesus finished praying to the Father, He got up. But the crowd’s joy overwhelmed them. Jesus told them to stand back up; and they got up from the ground. Then He told them: Blessed are you because of your faith. Now My joy is complete. When He had said these words, He wept; and the crowd testified of it. Then He took their little children, one by one, and blessed them and prayed to the Father for them. When He had done this, He again wept. He told the crowd: Notice your little ones. As they looked at them, their eyes were drawn up to heaven; and they saw the heavens open, and they saw angels descending from heaven as if they descended in a pillar of fire [Spirit of Elijah]. And they descended and surrounded the little ones, who then were also surrounded by fire, and the angels ministered to them. And the crowd saw, heard, and testified. They know their record is true, because all of them saw and heard, everyone for themselves. In total, there were about 2,500 people, who consisted of men, women, and children” (CofC, 3 Nephi 8:4-5, emphasis added).
Most have not seen the Savior and heard Him pray for these autistic children or see a pillar of fire descend upon them. But they see Him. They speak to Him. Until now, they have been unable to share what they have seen and heard. What they know has begun trickling out but is rapidly becoming a flood. The dam of information is breaking. Children are acquiring knowledge and demonstrating skills in ways unheard of in our society. We use terms like handicapped, impaired, etc. In reality what is revealed exposes our ignorance by mislabeling these children who are given gifts transcending our natural abilities. They view us as handicapped because of our inability to do what they do. Unfortunately, our ignorance and absence of accurate introspection may be the greatest obstacle they face.
Blessed to receive the continuation of the Restoration beginning with Joseph Smith, seeing its renewed vigor should set aside our reliance on the arm of flesh. Consider the words of these children against the measure the Lord gave to Lehi and us. The word of God.
Until recently Joe Rogan’s Podcast was the most popular podcast in the world. Recently a new podcast exceeded Joe’s called “The Telepathy Tapes” recording experiences of non-speaking autistic children and what they are saying and doing. I recommend you listen to the content with a keen ear for the words they use. Those familiar with scriptures of the Restoration find their verbiage of keen interest. What follows are a few observations I’ve drawn from listening to the content.
“Amelia”
Among the gifts God gives these young people are psychic abilities. Non-verbal blind children and others see through their mother’s eyes, read the minds of others discerning what their thinking and feeling. There is a broad spectrum of abilities but one of the more amazing is the ability to communicate telepathically. One extraordinary example is a ten year girl named Amelia. She is non-verbal but has a device that allows her to type what she is thinking and the device speaks what she types. Amelia was asked by her mother if she knows what Mommy is thinking to which Amelia replied, “Yes.”
An aid in her class knew Amelia wanted to watch a movie and reached for the aids laptop. The aid asked Amelia if she knew her password to open the computer. Amelia said “yes” and the aid told her to go ahead. Amelia was able to open the computer having never had access to it before.
Using a device that translated her thoughts into words allowed Amelia to publicly share her talents and thoughts. Among her gifts was an ability to speak Spanish, Portuguese and Hebrew. When asked how she acquired these abilities she responded with answers like:
“At night God or God’s taught me, or I always knew it. When asked if she meant at birth, Amelia said, “before.” She also demonstrated an ability to read “hiero” or hieroglyphics, pictures. In the example of Hebrew she said “rabbi.”
Amelia demonstrated the ability to communicate with people who passed from this life. Her mother asked if we knew any of them and she said, “yes.” Amelia’s father was close to his sister, Lori who passed away from cancer. She mentioned Lori by name. Her mother showed Amelia a picture when Lori was near the end of her life. Amelia didn’t recognize Lori. Then her mother showed her a picture of Lori when she was in good health and Amelia acknowledged that was the Lori she speaks with. Amelia mentioned others to her family she had no relationship with, but received messages directed to the living.
“Talking on the Hill”
The Telepathy Tapes drew attention to the gifts of non-speaking children with autism. It has raised consciousness among the public about the diverse gifts demonstrated among these children. Public acceptance of the gifts demonstrated by them has an impact on the level of knowledge they may acquire. The limitations of tapping out or typing responses is exasperating for them. One woman interviewed likened it to sucking an elephant through a straw. All of these gifts concentrated in a place with extreme limitations of expression are exhausting and frustrating. Consequently, children like Amelia communicate with one another telepathically at a place referred to as “the hill.”
The hill functions like a social media platform for “non-speakers.” There are no geographical boundaries. The children communicate with one another telepathically on diverse subjects with a depth of knowledge exceeding what is known in academics. On the hill, their limitations are removed and they speak globally without the obstacles of language.
Amelia speaks with other children in Denmark and Canada on subjects like time travel. Amelia wants to attend Harvard and study genetics so she can assist other non-speaking autistic children. Their greatest frustrations and obstacles are those imposed by regular speakers assuming they are incompetent and not to be believed. They know telepathically when they are believed or not. According to Amelia, when they are believed it increases their ability to gain knowledge in a universal repository inaccessible to us generally.
Many aware of the spiritual gifts of these children are confronted by a wall of skepticism from the academic and medical communities. In effect they are told to ignore what they see and experience. Regrettably, much of the skepticism is because it is unimaginable to consider they have been neglected and repressed for so long. For administrators removed from the challenges of these children and their families, I suspect budgetary demands also play a role.
“Why Are These Children In a Discussion of Condescension?”
While listening to the episodes of “The Telepathy Tapes,” I’m struck by the language used in describing what they experience away from what we consider reality. As a student of the scriptures of the Restoration and teachings of Joseph Smith, I cannot help but notice similarities in the terms and explanations. Of particular interest is the question of “Why is this coming to light now and does the emergence of this knowledge have prophetic implications for us?”
While some are content debating the merits of an academic, scientific approach validated by peer review, my interest is in similarities in verbiage. Scripture is given to mankind as a tool to verify truth. In the last days, in the midst of spiritual darkness, a key to discerning truth is using scripture to identify and validate concepts. Most of these children in the “Telepathy Tapes” are raised in homes expressing modest religious values. Yet, the children express religious ideas far beyond their familial traditions. What follows are examples of concepts validated by teachings of the Restoration.
From my limited exposure to “The Telepathy Tapes,” I offer the following points standing out to me:
· Amelia was asked how she learned different languages and read hieroglyphics. She had essentially four responses.
1- “God taught me.”
“The first principles of man are self-existent with God. God himself, finding he was in the midst of spirits and glory, because he was more intelligent, saw proper to institute laws whereby the rest could have a privilege to advance like himself. The relationship we have with God places us in a situation to advance in knowledge. He has power to institute laws to instruct the weaker intelligences, that they may be exalted with himself, so that they might have one glory upon another, and all that knowledge, power, glory, and intelligence, which is requisite in order to save them in the world of spirits” (TPJS. p.354, emphasis added).
“God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens! That is the great secret. If the veil were rent today, and the great God who holds this world in its orbit, and who upholds all worlds and all things by his power, was to make himself visible,-I say, if you were to see him today, you would see him like a man in form-like yourselves in all the person, image, and very form as a man; for Adam was created in the very fashion, image and likeness of God, and received instruction from, and walked, talked and conversed with him, as one man talks and communes with another. (TPJS., p.345).
2- “The God’s taught me.”
“In the beginning, the head of the Gods called a council of the Gods; and they came together and concocted a plan to create the world and people it. When we begin to learn this way, we begin to learn the only true God, and what kind of a being we have got to worship. Having a knowledge of God, we begin to know how to approach him, and how to ask so as to receive an answer. When we understand the character of God, and know how to come to him, he begins to unfold the heavens to us, and to tell us all about it. When we are ready to come to him, he is ready to come to us” (Smith Jr., Joseph. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith (p. 400, emphasis added). Deseret Book Company. Kindle Edition.
3- With regard to Hebrew, the “Rabbi.”
“Means acknowledged teacher.” (A Glossary of Gospel Terms, second addition, Rabbi, p.266, emphasis added).
4- “I knew it before.” Question: “When you were born?’ Answer: “Before birth.”
“Moses 6:61 says, “Therefore it is given to abide in you; the record of heaven; the Comforter; the peaceable things of immortal glory; the truth of all things; that which quickeneth all things, which maketh alive all things; that which knoweth all things…” [This definition of the Holy Ghost is the same definition found in Lectures. The “record of heaven” can be in you because you came from God’s presence and knew Him, the Son, the noble and great, and participated there in choosing to follow God.] Joseph Smith said in Nauvoo, “I am learned, and know more than all the world put together. The Holy Ghost does, anyhow, and He is within me, and comprehends more than all the world: and I will associate myself with Him. He was referring to “the record of heaven,” the peaceable things: “…that which knoweth all things, and hath all power according to wisdom, mercy, truth, justice, and judgment.” The second paragraph of Lecture Fifth declares all of us can possess the same mind, and the third paragraph says we may become one. The only way it can happen is for us all to obtain the mind of God. When that happens differences melt away” (Snuffer, Denver. Preserving the Restoration, p.72, emphasis added, Mill Creek Press).
“How on Earth can the Record of Heaven and the truth of all things be embedded in you [pointing to audience members]? You are walking around with that in you! And think about that for a moment: how on Earth can it be that you possess something that reaches back into “the truth of all things”? Well, before you got here, you lived somewhere else in something that is called a “first estate.” It’s called the first estate because it was “before this one.” It may not have been your first estate: It may have been your 100th; it may have been your 10,000th; it may have been your 100,000th. But as to here, it was first—before here. How much went into that beforehand? It’s not important; we aren’t told about that. It’s not included in the Scriptures, and it’s anyone’s guess. However, ...the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was, and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones” (Understanding Your Soul Part 2, Denver Snuffer Jr., p.3, emphasis added).
· Suzy Miller, Speech Therapist and author
Went to a daycare to observe a four year old, non-verbal autistic boy. She noticed a body of light following the boy around. Suzy closed her eyes and could still see the light. As she wondered what the body of light near the boy was, the voice of a young boy entered her mind and said: “That’s my light body. You’re here to put it into my body.” Suzy was able to communicate with the boy telepathically. She asked him if she could share how they communicate with his mother and the child responded, “No, she’s not ready yet, but she will be.”
“ . . . And that which does not edify is not of God, and is darkness. That which is of God is light, and he that receives light and continues in God receives more light, and that light grows brighter and brighter until the perfect day” (RE T&C 36:4, emphasis added).
· Another young man Houston- Question: “What happens when you receive prophetic information?”
Open vision: “I am conscious and see with my eyes events that soon happen. Everything is happening simultaneously and the Angel draws something out and shows it to me. Then it happens shortly after.”
“The great Jehovah contemplated the whole of the events connected with the earth, pertaining to the plan of salvation, before it rolled into existence, or ever the “morning stars [sons of God] sung together for joy, the past, the present and the future, were, and are with him one eternal now . . .” (Times and Seasons, Joseph Smith, p.760, emphasis added).
“Now there’s necessarily a period of time between the time of death and the time of the resurrection. Now I wanted to know about what becomes of the spirits of mankind from this time of death to the time appointed for the resurrection. Now whether there’s more than one time appointed for people to rise, it doesn’t matter, because everyone doesn’t die at once, and that doesn’t matter. Everything is as one day with God, and time is only measured to mankind. Therefore there’s a time appointed to people when they will rise from the dead; and there’s a period of time between the time of death and the resurrection” (CofC, Alma 19:5, emphasis added).
“So my father, when he was alone, prayed to the Lord with his whole heart for his people.[9] As he prayed to the Lord, a pillar of fire descended and rested on a rock in front of him, and he saw and heard many things. What he saw and heard made him shake and tremble. Afterward, he returned to his house in Jerusalem and collapsed on his bed, overwhelmed by the Spirit and what he had seen. While overwhelmed by the Spirit, he was carried away in a vision. He saw the heavens open, and he thought he saw God sitting on His throne, surrounded by numberless rings of angels engaged in singing and praising Him. He also saw a person descending from heaven who was brighter than the midday sun. He then saw twelve others following Him, and they were brighter than the stars in the sky. They came down to the earth. The first one came and stood in front of my father and gave him a book and told him to read. As he read, he was filled with the Spirit of the Lord. He read: Woe, woe to Jerusalem, because I’ve seen your abominations! My father continued to read about Jerusalem; that it would be destroyed along with its inhabitants, many would be killed by the sword and many would be captured and taken to Babylon. After my father read and saw many great and surprising things, he cried out to the Lord: O Lord God Almighty, You’ve done such great and awe-inspiring things! Your throne is high in the heavens, and Your power, goodness, and mercy are over everyone living on earth. And because You are merciful, You won’t let those who come to You be lost. This is an example of how my father praised God. He rejoiced and his heart was full because of what the Lord showed him” (CofC, 1 Nephi 1:3, emphasis added).
“My dear people, remember how awful it is to transgress against that holy God and how awful it is to yield to the temptations of that crafty one. Remember, to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life eternal. My dear people, listen carefully to my words and remember the greatness of the Holy One of Israel. Don’t claim I’ve spoken harshly against you. Because if you do, you’ll reject the truth, since I’ve spoken your Maker’s words. I know the truth is blunt about all uncleanliness, but the righteous aren’t afraid of it, because they love the truth and aren’t shaken. Then, my dear people, come to the Lord, the Holy One. Remember that His paths are righteousness. The way for man is narrow, but it lies in a straight course before him. And the gatekeeper is the Holy One of Israel, and He doesn’t use any servant there. There’s no other way except through the gate, and He can’t be deceived since His name is the Lord God. He’ll open to whoever knocks. And the worldly, the educated, and those who are rich, who are inflated with pride because of their knowledge, education, and wealth — they’re the ones He looks down upon. And unless they abandon these things and consider themselves fools before God, and come down in the depths of humility, He won’t allow them through the gate. Real wisdom and real understanding will be hidden from them forever, and shared only with the holy ones to give them joy” (CofC, 2 Nephi 6:11, emphasis added).
Closed vision: “This happens when my eyes are closed and incorporates metaphors and symbols to instruct me”
“If the poem “Arcadia” contains things that puzzle you, then you ought to see whether you can search them out and make sense of it. The Egyptian religion, so far as we can reconstruct it at this late date, was filled with symbols and figures that represented ideas, doctrines, principles and truths. They were not so ignorant as to think these symbols were real beasts or hybrids, but used pictographic representations to communicate ideas.
The Jews were influenced by Egypt, so much so that many of the Psalms are actually found as earlier compositions in Egypt. Moses was raised in Egypt, the Book of Mormon was written in Reformed Egyptian, and the Book of Abraham has Egyptian facsimiles. Therefore I concluded it altogether appropriate to use Egyptian symbology to honor the late Dr. John Franklin Hall III” (John Hall blogpost, Denver Snuffer Jr., March 25, 2023, emphasis added)
Denver Snuffer Jr. Interview
“Steve Pynaker: Okay, so I'm really curious—because it's almost like you have a reverse encounter that people don't normally have with Jesus. In other words, you almost had like an encounter with Jesus of the book of Revelation—right?… Denver Snuffer Jr.: Yes.
Steve Pynaker: …at the first encounter, and then your further encounters are almost like you're being taught by the Savior, like He would have been doing His earthly ministry.
Denver Snuffer Jr.: Right.
Steve Pynaker: And so, you have this opportunity to engage in conversation with Him. Do you… Are there times when He gives you a hug? Do you hug Him? Do you embrace Him? Do you feel Him? Have you had a chance to feel the prints, His handprints? And how tangential of an experience is this?
Denver Snuffer Jr.: Okay. I've told this to a few people; I guess there's no reason not to just tell it and have it out there. Well, the answer is, “Yes” to your questions. But let me talk to you about a singular intimate moment, okay? Almost everything… While the Lord doesn't convey in communication in a way that vibrates the air, it's a higher form of communication that is abundantly more clear. It conveys thought itself, clarity itself, understanding itself, and it's left to you… You comprehend it, but it's left to you—if you want to—to convert it into English; it's left to you to explain it in words. It is bigger than and more inclusive than the words themselves. And so, it's not necessarily accurate to say, “Okay, He said this to me.” He conveyed this to me, and I'm telling you what it was that got conveyed. So, understand that. And then second of all, there came this moment where, in a series of what I would call educational encounters—I had been tutored; I had been taught; I had been shown; I had experienced; I had witnessed things that helped me get my hands around things—there came this moment when, in the presence of the Lord, He reached out His hand, and He touched my eyes.
Steve Pynaker: Okay!
Denver Snuffer Jr.: And when He touched my eyes… There are phrases in the Scriptures that… For example, Lehi says, “He saw and heard much.” In the Pearl of Great Price, book of Moses, Moses encounters the Lord, and he describes it as having seen “the ends of the Earth and all the things that went on from the beginning to the end.” And it's just a summary statement. Paul describes it as “seeing and hearing unspeakable things.” And so, understand that Scriptures bear testimony of such things being shown. They don't give you, necessarily, an adequate preparation so that in encountering it, you can say, “Yeah, yeah, that's exactly what happened!” What happened: He touches my eyes, and everything (past, present, future) in a—the only word I can think of is—a cacophony. It's just vast, without beginning and end. It is a vast assortment. And it is not arranged chronologically. It is… The prophecies of Isaiah, as he's parsing through, he will grab an event that occurred before his time, he will prophesy about things occurring in his time, and he will mix in things that will happen in the future in the same verse/in the same paragraph/in the same thought. And so, what Isaiah did—and Nephi copied the Isaiah prophecy and adopted it as his own—what Isaiah and Nephi did was to organize (what they got their hands around) thematically, so that the chronology is not anchored… We live in a linear world; it is unanchored from that. It is past, present, and future amalgamated into a singular statement. And so, the Lord, touching my eyes, this is happening, and to me… I mean, I live the kind of life that every other human lives—it's linear. I used to be 9 years old, and then I was 10; and I used to be 30, and then I'm 31; my life happens chronologically. And when I think about my life, I look back upon my life, and it's always organized linearly and chronologically—and this stuff is not. And I mean, I, literally, I… This sounds so stupid, I literally said to the Lord, “I can't take this in. You have to use words.”
Steve Pynaker: Okay.
Denver Snuffer Jr.: I mean, it's like I'm talking to a child: “You have to use your words,” you know? “I can't take it in.” I mean, I'm protesting. “This is too much for a human to try and organize. I cannot take this in. You really have to TALK to me; you have to TELL me. This needs to be, like, the way you've communicated… It needs to go back to that.” And the Lord responded to that. I mean, I'm in the midst of having this all unfold, but He still responded to that. And understand: I'm going to take and put into English words the reaction of the Lord to my protest. And if I were putting them into English words—the nearest I can come to what His response was—was, “Yeah, I get that a lot…
Denver Snuffer Jr.: Here is what that led me, then, to understand—and I believe this to be very, very important. I believe that when the Lord invests that into someone and exposes them to that, that the person to whom that has been given can either walk away, leave it alone, and say, “That's extraordinary! Someday on the other side of the veil, when I'm not confined to this body of dust, it'll be neat to live in an environment where that is possible.” And that's it. But my read of the Scriptures tells me that there HAVE been those—and among them are Isaiah, on the one hand, as a clear example; Ezekiel, John the Revelator, Nephi—there are those who have prayerfully gone back to draw upon that and to try to parse it apart and to try to comprehend and to prayerfully take what had been bestowed and to turn it into something other than a cacophony and to turn it into comprehension. And I believe that when Joseph Smith wrote his letter (when he was in exile in that September 1843 time period . . . I believe that when Joseph wrote that letter and described the events of the Restoration and all of the visitations that he had received, he was attempting to convey to us his way of parsing it out and trying to dispense it in a way that allowed others to try and get their hands around [indecipherable] . . . ” (Mormon Book Review Interview with Denver Snuffer Jr. Transcript, pp. 12-15, July 8, 2022, emphasis added).
Angel downloads information you don’t know.
“While I was thus in the act of calling upon God, I discovered a light appearing in the room which continued to increase until the room was lighter than at noonday, when immediately a personage appeared at my bedside, standing in the air, for his feet did not touch the floor. He had on a loose robe of most exquisite whiteness. It was a whiteness beyond anything earthly I had ever seen, nor do I believe that any earthly thing could be made to appear so exceedingly white and brilliant. His hands were naked, and his arms also, a little above the wrists. So also were his feet naked, as were his legs a little above the ankles. His head and neck were also bare. I could discover that he had no other clothing on but this robe, as it was open so that I could see into his bosom. Not only was his robe exceedingly white, but his whole person was glorious beyond description and his countenance truly like lightning. The room was exceedingly light, but not so very bright as immediately around his person. When I first looked upon him I was afraid, but the fear soon left me.
He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me and that his name was Nephi, that God had a work for me to do, and that my name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people. He said there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent and the source from whence they sprang. He also said that the fullness of the everlasting gospel was contained in it as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants; also, that there were two stones in silver bows — and these stones, fastened to a breastplate, constituted what is called the Urim and Thummim — deposited with the plates, and the possession and use of these stones was what constituted seers in ancient or former times, and that God had prepared them for the purpose of translating the book.
After telling me these things he commenced quoting the prophecies of the Old Testament. He first quoted part of the third chapter of Malachi [Mal. 1:6–8], and he quoted also the fourth or last chapter of the same prophecy [Mal. 1:9–11], though with a little variation from the way it reads in our Bibles. Instead of quoting the first verse as reads in our books, he quoted it thus: For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea and all that do wickedly, shall burn as stubble; for they that cometh shall burn them, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. And again he quoted the fifth verse thus: Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood by the hand of Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. He also quoted the next verse differently: And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers; if it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming. In addition to these he quoted the eleventh chapter of Isaiah [Isaiah 5:3-5], saying that it was about to be fulfilled. He quoted also the third chapter of Acts, twenty-second and twenty-third verses [Acts 2:3], precisely as they stand in our New Testament. He said that that prophet was Christ, but the day had not yet come when they who would not hear his voice should be cut off from among the people, but soon would come. He also quoted the second chapter of Joel from the twenty-eighth to the last verse [Joel 1:12]. He also said that this was not yet fulfilled, but was soon to be. And he further stated the fullness of the gentiles was soon to come in. He quoted many other passages of scripture and offered many explanations which cannot be mentioned here.
Again he told me that when I got those plates of which he had spoken (for the time that they should be obtained was not yet fulfilled) I should not show them to any person, neither the breastplate with the Urim and Thummim; only to those to whom I should be commanded to show them. If I did I should be destroyed. While he was conversing with me about the plates, the vision was opened to my mind that I could see the place where the plates were deposited, and that so clearly and distinctly that I knew the place again when I visited it . . .” (RE T&C 1, Joseph Smith History Part 3 (September 1823, emphasis added).
· Becky, a woman with a traumatic brain injury.
During surgery she passed away for several minutes and was revived. After this experience the veil into Heaven remained open to her and she was frequently visited by her great uncle, formerly a police investigator. She was not close to him but he is the person who brought others to her with messages. When her uncle appears he takes out his pocket watch. If he has it open, the person with him will pass within twenty four hours.
Her uncle appeared with John Paul, a six foot eight, three hundred pound non-verbal young man. Her uncle had his watch out but it was not open. She saw them for a week prior to John Paul’s passing. Under normal circumstances the person with Becky’s uncle would deliver a message. John Paul had no message until after his passing.
Thereafter, John Paul told Becky he passed with no pain and there was nothing his parents could do to prevent it. He did not drown. His last day on earth he explained everyone was where they were supposed to be for his passing.
When John Paul’s parents found him in the hot tub, Libby’s [John Paul’s mother] uncle who passed in 1941 and was a cattle rancher was present trying to give them strength to lift John Paul out. When Libby lay beside John Paul on the ground, Becky said she had generations of relatives surrounding them trying to comfort her. They still are with you trying to give you comfort and love. She said she saw Libby’s Dad and step Dad try to comfort her. They came to “gather” John Paul and had been present the week prior. They were waiting for the right time. Libby said in the week prior she had taken video of John Paul in the hot tub and he kept looking up and then looking at Libby. She knew he was seeing someone but didn’t ask him. Becky said John Paul could see his two grandfathers.
Becky said that in Heaven, John Paul appears to be ten feet tall and represents children in Heaven who did not have a voice on earth. Becky explained that John Paul is “right here.” As if it was only a different dimension in the same place. “He’s always with you.”
At John Paul’s funeral, all of the non-speakers were typing the same thing. “You can’t believe how many angels are here right now.” Zahari, a non-verbal friend wrote to his mother what a joyous reunion there was in Heaven with JP’s arrival. “The [Angels] were everywhere.”
“I [Joseph Smith] anointed him [Judge Adams] to the patriarchal power-to receive the keys of knowledge and power, by revelation to himself. He has had revelations concerning his departure, and has gone to a more important work. When men are prepared, they are better off to go hence. Brother Adams has gone to open up a more effectual door for the dead. The spirits of the just are exalted to a greater and more glorious work; hence they are blessed in their departure to the world of spirits. Enveloped in flaming fire, they are not far from us, and know and understand our thoughts, feelings, and motions, and are often pained therewith” (TPJS., p.326, emphasis added).
· John Paul’s girlfriend, Lilly, says she speaks to him each day.
When asked what she believes she says, “I believe our souls are eternal, and we will never die. Each of us has a purpose on this earth and a purpose when we pass on. “Everyone you love, you take that love on with you when you pass on to fulfill your purpose there eternally.”
“If men and women will receive what is offered now, they will be added upon for ever and ever. In other words, each person moves up the ladder by his or her heed and diligence in this cycle of creation. As they do, they will have so much the advantage in the next cycle. They can choose to move upward and be added upon or choose to remain as they are, worlds without end. Now is part of eternity. Though mortal, man lives in eternity and ought to take this opportunity seriously. The scriptures speak of things that happened before the foundation of the world (1 Peter 1:4; Testimony of John 9:20; T&C 138:19) or in the first place (Mosiah 1:9; Alma 9:10) or from the foundation of the world (Matthew 7:8; T&C 138:19; Revelation 6:11). These statements make it clear that what went on before “this creation” did matter and do affect mankind now. In the same way, what is accepted in this life by one’s heed and diligence affects what comes after. This current course of life has been ordained by God and is one eternal round (LOF 3:15; T&C 2:1; JSH 10:2). Even if one has proven before, he must prove himself again, now. God has been at this a long time. Christ has been involved in many repeated cycles of creation. God’s great work has been going through cycles of creation, fall, redemption, judgment, and re-creation for ever. It is endless. Many unnumbered worlds have been, now are, and will yet be. This is a continual, endless cycle, worlds without end. “Ever notice how the pre-earth and the Millennium seem alike? Ever wonder what worlds without end means? Ever considered how God’s work never ends, and yet it has definite increments separating one cycle from the next? God’s works are endless. We are His greatest work. He intends to give us immortality and eventual eternal life. How long it will require depends on how long it takes us to become like the prototype of the saved man.” (A Glossary of Gospel Terms, second edition, Worlds Without End, pp.370-371, emphasis added).
“Now, verily I say unto you that through the redemption which is made for you is brought to pass the resurrection from the dead. And the spirit and the body is the soul of man, and the resurrection from the dead is the redemption of the soul, and the redemption of the soul is through him who quickens all things, in whose bosom it is decreed that the poor and the meek of the earth shall inherit it. Therefore, it must needs be sanctified from all unrighteousness, that it may be prepared for the Celestial glory, for after it has filled the measure of its creation, it shall be crowned with glory, even with the presence of God the Father, that bodies who are of the Celestial Kingdom may possess it for ever and ever. For, for this intent was it made and created, and for this intent are they sanctified” (RE T&C 86:2, emphasis added).
· Asher [a young boy in England]. Visits places in the Heavens called “the realms” where he can find information on any subject.
“Then I [Enos] got old. And 179 years had passed since our father Lehi left Jerusalem. I realized I would soon die. God’s power influenced me to preach and prophesy to this people and declare the word according to the truth that is in Christ — and I’ve testified my whole life. This mattered more to me than worldly things. I soon go to the place of my rest, to join my Redeemer — and I know I’ll rest in Him. I rejoice in the day when my mortal body will become immortal and stand before Him. Then I’ll see His face with pleasure, and He’ll say: Come to Me, Blessed one; there are places prepared for you in My Father’s realms. Amen” (CofC, Enos 1:7, emphasis added).
“Do not allow your heart to be troubled. You are devoted to God and are also devoted to me. In the journey through my Father’s realms are many stages with temporary abodes. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare an abode for your upward journey. And when I arise, I will prepare places for you, but I will be your companion again and visit each of you, so that where I travel, you may journey to also. And the path I follow upward you know, and the way of ascent you also know. Thomas said to him, Lord, we don’t know where you are going; how can we know the way? You have not told us. Jesus said to him, I am the way, the record of the truth, and the means for Eternal lives, worlds without end: no man comes to the Throne of the Father without me. If you follow me, you will come to the
Father’s Throne through me and will thereafter be like him forever” (RE T&C 171, Testimony of Saint John 10:9, emphasis added).
There is so much to be gleaned from these wonderful children. Listening to their experiences is both faith promoting and deeply reflective of how blind we are when we contemplate what we’ve received in relation to what God offers.[10]
As one who believes we are in the waning days of this earth’s existence, I can’t help but reflect on the question, “Why are we now learning of these things?” “What are we to learn?” “Is it a sign of the times?”
Could it be the growing abundance of wickedness manifest in this world is leading to the necessity of the Lord countering evil with greater truth? As we consider what is “normal” anticipating God to reveal His hand in defeating Satan, perhaps the Lord begins as He did with the Nephites, with their children [see CofC, 3 Nephi 8:4-5].
Perhaps the knowledge now coming to light is in answer to a servants prayer that the Lord make His voice louder so those who receive the “Covenant of Christ” will hear the Lord’s voice loudly and clear:
Prayer for those who have accepted the “Covenant of Christ” book.
“. . . I would ask that you would pour out upon them your Spirit to increase the light by which they view the events in this dispensation, the challenges that they face in life, the choices that they have to make. Let the light of your countenance illuminate the decisions that they make. As they have responded to your voice and witnessed unto you by their acceptance of your covenant of Christ that they hear you I ask that your voice get louder, that it increase in clarity, that the understanding of these people increase, that they have your blessing, your guidance, your voice to be with, guide and always accompany them. We face peril at this point and understanding, heeding, and recognizing your voice is essential to survival throughout the coming days and trials. I ask, in your name, that you bless the people that have heard your voice to this point that it become louder, clearer, and that their understanding increase always. I ask that you bless them as a covenant people that they may rise up to face the things that are put before everyone of us through our daily life and that we be gathered and become in fact your covenant people, obedient, giving heed unto your voice recognizing it is you that they serve and no one else and I ask this in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, Amen.
[1] “Here, then, is eternal life—to know the only wise and true God; and you have got to learn how to be Gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all Gods have done before you, namely, by going from one small degree to another, and from a small capacity to a great one; from grace to grace, from exaltation to exaltation, until you attain to the resurrection of the dead, and are able to dwell in everlasting burnings, and to sit in glory, as do those who sit enthroned in everlasting power. And I want you to know that God, in the last days, while certain individuals are proclaiming his name, is not trifling with you or me” (Smith Jr., Joseph. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith (p. 397, emphasis added). Deseret Book Company. Kindle Editio
[2] “And it came to pass that Moses spoke unto the Lord, saying, Be merciful unto your servant, O God, and tell me concerning this earth and the inhabitants thereof, and also the heavens; and then your servant will be content. And the Lord God spoke unto Moses of the heavens, saying, These are many and they cannot be numbered unto man, but they are numbered unto me for they are mine. And as one earth shall pass away, and the heavens thereof, even so shall another come. And there is no end to my works, neither my words. For behold, this is my work and my glory: to bring to pass the immortality and the eternal life of man . . .” (RE Genesis 1:7, emphasis added).
[3] See RE T&C 32:4-7, RE 1 Corinthians 1:47-50, CofC Moroni
[4] “When I had said this, the Lord told me: Fools mock, but they will mourn. And My grace is sufficient for the meek, so that they won’t find an excuse in your weaknesses. If people come to Me, I’ll show them their weaknesses. I give people weaknesses so they can be humble. And My grace is sufficient for all people who humble themselves before Me. If they humble themselves before Me and have faith in Me, then I’ll make weak things become strong for them. I’ll show the Gentiles their weaknesses. I’ll show them that faith, hope, and charity lead to Me, the Source of all righteousness” (CofC, Ether 5:5, emphasis added).
[5] “Now, therefore, know that Jesus is the Messiah, the Walker in the Path who has proven for evermore that Father Ahman sent Him into the world to prove His Father’s path” (RE T&C 171, Testimony of Saint John 12:21, emphasis added).
[6] “No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood; only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned, by kindness and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul; without hypocrisy and without guile; reproving betimes with sharpness when moved upon by the holy ghost, and then showing forth afterward an increase of love toward him whom you have reproved (lest he esteem you to be his enemy), that he may know that your faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death; your bowels also being full of charity toward all men, and to the household of faith; and virtue garnish your thoughts unceasingly. Then shall your confidence wax strong in the presence of God, and the doctrines of the Priesthood shall distill upon your soul as the dews from heaven. The holy ghost shall be your constant companion, and your scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth, and your dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto you for ever and ever” (RE T&C 139:6, emphasis added).
[7] “And now as I explained about faith: faith doesn’t mean having a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if you have faith, you hope for things beforehand, which you haven’t yet received. Now I tell you and want you to remember that God is merciful to everyone who believes in His name. Therefore, in the first place, He wants you to believe based on His message. Now He delivers His message using angels who teach men. Not only men but women as well, and even little children learn things that astonish the wise and the well-educated” (CoC, Alma 16:26, emphasis added).
[8] “ . . . Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen, and why are they not chosen? Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men, that they do not learn this one lesson — that the rights of the Priesthood are inseparably connected with the Powers of Heaven and that the Powers of Heaven cannot be controlled nor handled, only upon the principles of righteousness . . .” (RE T&C 139:5, emphasis added).
[9] “ . . . For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord — thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall you call upon me, and you shall go and pray unto me, and I will listen unto you. And you shall seek me and find me when you shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, says the Lord . . .” (RE Jeremiah 11:1, emphasis added).
[10] “Jesus said, I am here in the world to prove who is righteous and who is not. Those who have been blinded by falsehoods I can teach them to see, and for those claiming they see clearly, I will leave them in their blindness. And some of the leaders who were nearby overheard him say this, and asked him, Are we blind also? Jesus said to them, If you were blind, you would not have sinned. But because you claim, We see, therefore your sins remain” (RE T&C 171, Testimony of Saint John 7:8, emphasis added).
Scott Roderick
1/15/25\