Preface
It is a profound event to have the scales of darkness removed from your eyes. This began in earnest for me July 2011, although the groundwork for that event was paved a few years earlier. Things I once held as “true” no longer were. The very fabric of religion that had been woven into my heart and mind was unwinding. Falsehoods where shaking and falling to the ground. They were replaced with Truth and Light. Many who go through this process choose to remain active in the LDS Church. For me this was no longer possible.
I thank my Lord and my Redeemer for His involvement. It was His doing and I will forever be grateful to Him.
The Book of Mormon is Prophecy Not History
Lehi and his son Nephi have seen our day. They, like Moroni, have seen us, the Latter-day Church, and they know our works and have written about them. Moroni summed up our dreadful condition when he asked us this question:
Lehi and his son Nephi have seen our day. They, like Moroni, have seen us, the Latter-day Church, and they know our works and have written about them. Moroni summed up our dreadful condition when he asked us this question:
"Why have ye polluted the Holy Church of God?" Mormon 8:38
The Conference Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints
Look for the similarities in these two pictures:
"And I also cast my eyes round about, and beheld, on the other side of the river of water, a great and spacious building; and it stood as it were in the air, high above the earth." 1 Nephi 8:26
Look for the similarities in these two pictures:
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| #2 |
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| #3 Do you see the river of filthy water represented? |
"It is huge, and it is constructed in such a way that nothing obstructs the view of the speaker",
Gordon B. Hinckley, fifteenth President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, reminds us that the purpose of this huge and spacious building is to "view" those who occupy the Chief Seats. This is the cornerstone to idolatry. They wish to be "seen of men."
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| Inside the Great and Spacious Conference Center - Seating for 21,000 people |
President Hinckley continues: "In 1924 Elder James E. Talmage of the Council of the Twelve wrote, “I have long seen the possible erection of a great pavilion on the north side of the Tabernacle, seating perhaps twenty thousand people or even double that number,...
"In 1940 the First Presidency and the Twelve had their architect draw up a plan of a building that would seat 19,000 and would stand where this building stands. That was 60 years ago. They thought about it, they talked about it, but finally they dropped the idea entirely.
"These statements and actions were wonderfully prophetic. We knew nothing about them. All of them have come to our attention since we began this construction."
President Hinckley confirms it has been the desire of the leadership of the LDS Church to build this large and spacious structure as early as 1924. The fact the President Hinckley knew nothing about the desires of his predecessors tells me that unseen influences were involved it its creation. This is the making of prophecy.
Lehi's Dream
Hidden in plain sight, nearly every aspect of Lehi’s dream
can be seen embodied in the LDS Conference Center. I will not address each element of Lehi's dream in this post.
Do you see the large field where Lehi was taken in vision? Do you see strange or forbidden paths represented? What about the fountain of filthy water or the river of filthiness? What about the great and spacious building itself? It is open "To All the World in Testimony" that prophecy is being fulfilled.
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| The Roof of the LDS Conference Center, Salt Lake City, Utah |
Great Multitudes Wearing Exceedingly Fine Clothing
"And it was filled with people, both old and young, both male and female; and their manner of dress was exceedingly fine..." 1 Nephi 8:27
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| Great Multitudes Leaving Conference |
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| Still Leaving |
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| People Leaving Conference - Do you see the River Next to the Road outlined with stones? |
The Fountain of Filthy Water
"And it came to pass that many were drowned in the depths of the fountain;..." 1 Nephi 8:32.
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| Fountain atop LDS Conference Center |
"And the angel spake unto me, saying: Behold the fountain of filthy water which thy father saw; yea, even the river of which he spake; and the depths thereof are the depths of hell." 1 Nephi 12:16
Many drown in the depths of this fountain. Endlessly searching the commandments of men, people suffocate and drown here. They compare the teachings of this "dead prophet" with that "living prophet" or this "70" with that "apostle". They are endlessly searching the commandments of men and are kept from the truth because they know not where to find it. Hence, they drown in the false philosophies of men mingled with scripture that have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof. Hence you are led carefully down to the "depths of hell."
Mists of Darkness
"And the mists of darkness are the temptations of the devil, which blindeth the eyes, and hardeneth the hearts of the children of men, and leadeth them away into broad roads, that they perish and are lost." 1 Nephi 12:17.
How do temptations blind your eyes? How will temptations harden your heart and lead you to parish? I suppose, more accurately, I should ask what temptations will cause you to be blind, lost and perish? There is a progression here. Blindness leads to darkness. Then you loose your way which leads to spiritual death and perishing.
Look no further than the fountain of filthy water for your answers. The mists of darkness emanate from the fountain of filthy water. Just as mists of water are produced by Niagara Falls even so are the mists of darkness produced by the fountain of filthy water.
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| Maid of the Mist approaching Niagara Falls |
The Rod of Iron
The Rod of Iron is the Word of God. It is not found on the same side of the river as the spacious building, as seen in picture #3. The Rod of Iron is next to the Tree of Life, on the opposite side of the river from the spacious building. Once you understand the nature of that building, this symbolism becomes self evident.
The Rod of Iron has dual meaning. The first is the word of God. The second is the Word of God.
The scriptures are the word of God and they are invaluable in pursuing eternal life. However, scriptures do not save you. Jesus has said:
"Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." John 5:39.
Eternal life comes through Jesus Christ and no one else. He is the Word of God.
The Rod of Iron is both Jesus Christ and His words. As for me, I will hold fast to Him and His teachings.
The philosophies of men mingled with scripture.
The humble followers of Christ have no place with this great multitude. All who enter this building are taught by their leadership to mock the humble followers of Christ. They are also taught to scorn and ridicule them. They are to be counseled, shunned, excommunicated and cast off. It's happening at this very moment with alarming frequency. Notwithstanding this, there remain many humble followers of Christ among the prideful idolaters. Jesus has said:
How will the Lord react after His followers have been cast out of the LDS Church? What will then stay His hand against it?
How is This Teaching Received?
 "And great was the multitude that did enter into that strange building. And after they did enter into that building they did point the finger of scorn at me and those that were partaking of the fruit also; but we heeded them not." 1 Nephi 8:33.  |
| 21,000 people attending a spacious session of General Conference |
The humble followers of Christ have no place with this great multitude. All who enter this building are taught by their leadership to mock the humble followers of Christ. They are also taught to scorn and ridicule them. They are to be counseled, shunned, excommunicated and cast off. It's happening at this very moment with alarming frequency. Notwithstanding this, there remain many humble followers of Christ among the prideful idolaters. Jesus has said:
"They wear stiff necks and high heads; yea, and because of pride, and wickedness, and abominations, and whoredoms, they have all gone astray save it be a few, who are the humble followers of Christ; nevertheless, they are led, that in many instances they do err because they are taught by the precepts of men." 2 Nephi 28:14.Are you a member of the LDS Church and consider yourself a humble follower of Christ? How are you being led? Do you recognize error in their teachings? What becomes of those who see error being taught and challenge it? Are they warmly received or cast out?
How will the Lord react after His followers have been cast out of the LDS Church? What will then stay His hand against it?
How is This Teaching Received?
Very Well.
"These are the words of my father: For as many as heeded them, had fallen away." 1 Nephi 8:34.
heed
verb \ˈhēd\
: to pay attention to (advice, a warning, etc.)
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| 30 foot "bigger than life" head of Thomas Monson looming overhead. Very imposing. |
Father Lehi is very specific in cautioning us about listening to people that enter that building. His warning is clear: if we listen to them we will fall away (If the LDS Church has become corrupted as Moroni says then what are you "falling away" from? That will be: Lehi's Dream, Part 2).
This counsel is obvious when you look at this picture:
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| Photo by Tom Smart, Deseret News |
Four teleprompters. No need for the Holy Spirit to guide you when you have prewritten talks of men. There is no need for that pesky "at the very moment when you need it" stuff. They write, rewrite, edit by committee, correlate, polish and time these well crafted talks... All in an effort to make you feel good.
Is a teleprompter necessary when someone speaks by the Power of the Holy Ghost ? This is evidence to me that the Holy Ghost is being denied by those who should otherwise know better, but they obviously don't.
Feeling Their Way
"And he also saw other multitudes feeling their way towards that great and spacious building." 1 Nephi 8:31
The teaching of doctrine has been supplanted by sappy stories that are designed to evoke emotion. As long as you cry, you have felt the Spirit. You go home with a "warm fuzzy" and patiently wait to have that same story taught to you again in sacrament meeting, Sunday school, Relief Society, Priesthood, Home Teaching and Stake Conference... Ad infinitum.
People feel their way to that building, or more accurately they go their to feel emotion.
Conclusion
I believe the great and spacious building to be the LDS Conference Center. That building was completed October 2000. Fourteen years later (2014) the entire General Leadership of the LDS Church lost their claim to priesthood (page 7 paragraph 5). Can you pollute the Holy Church of God and retain priesthood? God wants the members of the LDS Church to recognize the Conference Center for what it is. Prophecy is now being fulfilled. Do you have eyes to see it?
I knew there was more than the church was offering. Like Lehi's family, I too stood at the headwaters and knew not where to go. Like Lehi's family, I too have listened to the words of a True Messenger.
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Excellent post, Sean, and great insights I never thought of. I specifically appreciated the "feeling their way" language. How correct you are. It's all about what you feel, not what you learn. Emotion vs. enlightenment.
ReplyDeleteEmotion vs. enlightenment... a very profound statement / observation. Thanks, Adrian!
DeleteI think it is interesting that ever since the conference center was first built, I thought it looked exactly like the "great and spacious building" described in Lehi's dream. I would joke about it, and I don't think some people appreciated my comparison (in jest of course). But little did I realize then how right I was. You have hit the nail on the head--and I saw it all along, not knowing. Thanks for the great insights.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Diana. We were visiting family in Utah about a year after the Conference Center was built. As we walked into the main hall I immediately had an uneasy feeling. I didn't understand why, but it is very obvious now.
DeleteFrom Wikipedia...
ReplyDeleteWe have this interesting statement about the Church Office Building...
n the tower itself, the southern, western, and eastern facades all feature a closely spaced vertical pinstripe pattern of cast quartzite columns flanking the narrow windows, visually reminiscent of the former World Trade Center in New York City, a contemporary structure.
That's a bit spooky, and I would dare state the question: Perhaps a bit prophetic of its future?
Gary
That is very interesting.... I think they were built about the same time, so the architecture may be the same, given the period. It is spooky... and as you say... perhaps prophetic.
DeleteMay be a repeat... not sure if the original went through.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this work, Sean. I will ask about it tonight.
Interesting timing on the dedication of the building.
I just finished Jonathan Cahn's "Mystery of the Shemitah". Very fascinating book. It had me quaking in my boots.
The twin towers were conceived of in 1945(a Shemitah year), construction began in 1966(a Shemitah year), construction was completed in 1973(a Shemitah year), and they were
knocked down in 2001(a Shemitah year). Interestingly, the Freedom Tower was opened for business on November 3rd, 2014(a Shemitah year). They had to delay the placement of the
spire on this tower for a week due to high winds. There was a solar eclipse on the day they put it up.
The Shemitah year began on September 30th, 2000, seven days before general conference. The towers fell seven days before the beginning of the new year in Sept 2001. Isaiah
seems to make tight connections between the secular leaders and the religious leaders. Interesting that "The tree of hope"(The cedar tree that replaced the Sycamore tree at
ground zero) died in the spring of 2014, about the same time the church leadership lost their Priesthood by rejecting a true servant. These seem to go hand in hand.
I think the falling of the four cranes on the CC site during the August 1999 tornado is also symbolic.
Also, an interesting thing happened at the beginning of this Shemitah year on Sept 24th, 2014. Thomas Eric Duncan walks into a Dallas hospital with Ebola symptoms. He
"announces" it to the hospital and is initially rejected(not a good sign) on the Feast of Trumpets. I can't find the exact day, but I suspect that he starts bleeding on The
Day of Atonement and to top it off he dies on the Feast of Tabernacles. He lost his tabernacle on Tabernacles. If this isn't a warning of what is coming, I would be shocked.
I can't figure out why the warning was given in Dallas. I've asked, no answer yet.
Now, I am just rambling. I start talking about dates and I can't keep quiet...
Gary
Hey Gary,
DeleteSorry for the delay... Always enjoy your comments. Very interesting timing... I don't think many people know about the tornado that hit the conference center during its construction. I watched the video of that... Very rare... the Hand of God; prelude of things to come...
As always, thanks for your comments!
And yet they were too blinded to see it. Perhaps the tornado that hit the conference center was God telling them not to build it. I hope for the sake of their souls that they see the error of their ways and ask forgiveness before it's too late. I left the Lds church and was saved by the grace and blood of Jesus. Jesus is not a way he IS THE ONLY WAY!
DeleteI do believe Lehi and Nephi have seen our day. I love reading Nephi's writings.
ReplyDeleteThe vision of the tree of life was not a prophecy, however. There were many of their prophecies that were recorded in the Book of Mormon. However, the vision of the tree of life was not presented as a prophecy. It was was symbolic and applied to their time as well as to our time. Actually, Lehi himself applied it to him and his family, pointing out that he invited his wife and sons to come and partake of the fruit. Laman and Lemuel didn't come. There were others who did come and partake, some of whom were driven away, being ashamed because of those that were scoffing at them from the great and spacious building.
There is one key element of the great and spacious building that you have left out. "...and they were in the attitude of mocking and pointing their fingers towards those who had come at and were partaking of the fruit." If you have ever attended the LDS general conference you would know that this description of the great and spacious building is nothing even close to what happens in the Conference Center. Quite the opposite. It is about worshiping God, contemplating the great gift of His Son and the joy of the gospel. It is about helping others and striving to come closer to God. That has been my experience for many years of participating in the LDS general conference. And I have never seen anything even remotely close to scoffing or mocking the humble followers of Christ. They have taught that His gospel and His hand of mercy are extended to us all and that we should come unto Christ and partake of His love and His grace and His goodness.
Kindly,
Matthew Cuff
Matthew, it's symbolism. The mocking isn't done at the CC but it's done by LDS who scoff at people who claim to have been spoken to or visited by Christ (partaken of the fruit).
DeleteMathew, you are exactly right. The great and spacious building of Lehi's dream is the world. It is not a real building and is absolutely, positively, truly NOT the conference center in Salt Lake City.
DeleteChrist runs his earthly kingdom. His prophets, seers, and revelators are called by the power of God. The instruction, warnings, sustainings, testifying, singing, and love that regularly eminate from the conference center invites all to come unto Christ and, by necessity, flee Babylon. The building's inhabitants neither point nor mock. They humbly worship and make tremendous sacrifices to turn their hearts and the hearts of others to the Tree of Life, our Savior and his gospel. The edifice and its goings on focus on Christ and invite all to join his true and only earthly kingdom, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which prepares for his eternal kingdom.
Judge the very purpose of this gathering place by the fruits of its Saints and the presiding leaders who dedicate all to the meek and lowly of heart.
Stay faithful and true. Love God and all men. Even prove God according to his own invitation and attend His Annual and semi-annual General conferences. Feel the still, small voice. Worship aside others seeking to keep their covenants. Become renewed from the words of the Lords own mouthpieces.
Thank God for the beautiful building that is so, due to its inhabitants and much less than its architecture.
Then, " choose he this day whom you will serve. " May the Lord bless and confirm his truths and mercifully correct his sheep who stray,
Ed McConkie, Sr.
Sean, you said, "Is a teleprompter necessary when someone speaks by the Power of the Holy Ghost ? This is evidence to me that the Holy Ghost is being denied by those who should otherwise know better, but they obviously don't."
ReplyDeleteI've never liked a teleprompter. I've always thought the GC talks were more powerful and vastly more spiritual when given without a teleprompter.
Your statement rings true. Out of fear of getting away from a prepared speech, or more likely out of fear of what might be uttered spontaneously by one of the speakers, teleprompters have been mandated. Obviously the Holy Ghost can't speak through a speaker "on the spot" if he/she is required to read the teleprompter. So yes, the HG is being denied.
Sure, the HG can help write the original talk, but what if the HG directs new words or altered words at the time the speech is given? Can't happen. Thus the HG is being denied.
Makes me think of the time Ezra Taft Benson got away from the script in 1972 and recommended None Dare Call It A Conspiracy. Prompted by the HG no doubt and predictably edited from the official transcript too.
Hey Underdog2! I didn't know that about Benson's talk. Thanks for sharing that.
DeleteThank you for your comments too!
Sean, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Joe. It's because of An Enemy Hath Done This by E.T. Benson and books like None Dare Call It Conspiracy that I read back in the early 1990's, within a few years of me joining the church as an adult, that I became "awakened" (think Ether 8).
DeleteIt had always perplexed me why Ether 8 (and identical warnings throughout the entire BoM) has not been preached over the pulpit really since the 1960's, and lastly by E.T. Benson. The question has always been in my mind, "Could the Brethren be deceived?"
I have doubted so many times the Brethren's mantle (esp Hinckley and Monson since they spend virtually ZERO time advocating Liberty (or preaching against the devil's onslaught of tyranny THROUGH the god of state in their personal ministry), and had always forced myself to not think that way, because I was programmed that 'to entertain doubts of being led astray by the Brethren' was unbecoming a LDS.
Through the years since, I've been vigilant and skeptical, but wanting to believe we were led by true prophets, and I've ALWAYS believed that the Lord would at some time begin to call leaders who understood the prophecies of the BoM, and would begin to preach them. Because my experience in Kentucky, where I'm from, is that NONE of the leaders (area authorities, stake presidents, bishops) that I have personally known have been awake to the dire warnings of the BoM "to awaken to our awful situation".
Furthermore, having read the BoM over 50 times now, and having been baptized by fire 26 years ago (which I've learned at least in my neck of the vineyard is a very rare experience), I have known by the Spirit and really, to me, it is PLAIN PROPHECY in the BoM that we should expect a "Samuel the Lamanite" type of voice in the latter days.
I've been looking for such a man of God to stand on wall (the Internet could not provide a better platform and makes that wall Samuel stood on look abysmally ineffective by comparison). I've been waiting. I have often wondered if it would be a foreigner. I've assumed it would be a LDS. I wasn't sure if he would be accepted by the Church Authorities, but have believed the "great division" would be about WHO is speaking the truth, where some GA's would side with this new Samuel the Lamanite, and others would reject his message (as the Nephites did).
I didn't think that the story of Abinadi would be so exact in its prophesy by TYPE. So far, Denver Snuffer is the perfect latter-day parallel to Abinadi. I just discovered him weeks ago.
I'm saddened that I was ensnared quite a bit by the idol worship of priestcraft-practicing men who set themselves up as a light and who cry all is well in Zion. I'm saddened that no modern-day "Alma" has appeared. I expect one to appear! Surely this is a true prophesy I am uttering on your blog?! I feel the Spirit as I wrote that last sentence.
I confess though, I'm a novice at understanding the Spirit. A voice didn't just speak to me, but I WAS overcome with feelings of the Spirit as I thought "There will be a modern-day Alma", one who accepts the words of Denver and who IS a General Authority.
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DeleteThen the battle will become really visible and the prophecy in 1 Nephi 14 will be closer to fulfillment when He said, "I will work a great and a marvelous work among the children of men; a work which shall be everlasting, either on the one hand or on the other—either to the convincing of them unto peace and life eternal, or unto the deliverance of them to the hardness of their hearts and the blindness of their minds unto their being brought down into captivity, and also into destruction, both temporally and spiritually, according to the captivity of the devil, of which I have spoken."
I believe that "...the Father [will] work a work, which shall be a great and a marvelous work among [us Mormons -- the Gentiles]; and there shall be among them those who will not believe it, although a man shall declare it unto them." It seems to be that man may be Denver Snuffer. I've been looking for this prophecy to be fulfilled. Perhaps it is him? He quotes that scripture in his 10th talk but doesn't claim its him. He's being humble, or he's leaving that to us to determine. Or as he says, time will tell.
Note the phrase "great and marvelous". Mormon connects to two prophecies. And these specific adjectives are used throughout the BoM. They are purposefully used, and they are pointing to our day, in my humble opinion.
I'm grateful that somebody cared enough to let me know about Denver Snuffer. The Spirit has been witnessing to me that he has delivered a true message from Jesus Christ. He was commissioned to do so. The Spirit bears witness to me now as I write this.
And I can say that the fruit of Denver's testimony, just as Joseph Smith's testimony affected me, is that of persuading me to seek the Christ, to go to Him directly, as I did early on in my Mormon career. That's THE major change in my life at this moment. I'm once again humbly seeking to know the Lord, humbly seeking an audience, humbly looking forward with an eye of faith that the Father and Son will make their abode with me.
I'm grateful for your blog. I've read everything in it. I just discovered www.totheremnant and am reading it with profit.
I've listened to Denver's 10 talks. I just finished them up a couple weeks ago, and then discovered your blog. I've ordered his books.
"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that are still publishing peace!" Thank you for your blog and testimony.
It appears that the Lord is calling missionaries again, and they may very well be bloggers, as the Internet affords a way to reach the maximum number of people. Who would have thought it? Perhaps some will be called to spread the word in more traditional ways. We shall see.
Perhaps we'll meet some day.
Joe