Thursday, April 18, 2013

follow thou me.


Zion and Jerusalem, April 18, 2013





Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?  follow thou me.

(New Testament | John 21:21 - 22)


Dear Samantha and family,

This is in response to you candid comment:

 



Miguel, i just read ur blog post and tho my religion is not Mormon, i did enjoy the gospel of Mosiah's teaching in his scriptures. It is true that we must repent of sins and live a fulfilling righteous life in the image of Jesus. For today's new era teaches "Our sins are forgiving, because Jesus so loved the world that He died to save us." But we must not reflect just on that statement alone. To love God, we must hate the world. We must have the faith to turn away from worldly desires and have the reflection of The Holy Spirit that lives in us
.
In a book written by John F MacArthur, Jr. "The Gospel According To Jesus" he states: Scripture encourages us to examine ourselves to determine if we are in faith (2 Corinthians 13:5) Peter wrote: Be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you" (2 Peter 1:10). It is right to examine our lives and evaluate the fruit we bear, for "each tree is known by its own fruit" (Luke 6:44).

The Bible teaches clearly that the evidence of God's work in a life is the inevitable fruit of transformed behavior (1 John 3:10). Faith that does not result in righteous living is dead and cannot save (James 2:14-17). Professing Christians utterly lacking the fruit of true righteousness will find no biblical basis for assurance they are saved (1 John 2:4)

Real salvation is not only justification. It cannot be isolated from regeneration, sanctification, and ulrimately glorification. Salvation is an ongoing process as much as it is a past event. It is the work of God through which we are "conformed to the image of His Son." (Romans 8:29, cf. Romans 13:11) Genuine assurance comes from seeing the Holy Spirit's transforming work in one's life, not from clinging to the memory of some experience.



Miguel Angel Tinoco


I am astonished and humbled by your understanding which is a rarity among many so called Christians. Certainly the spirit of GOD has lead you here to talk to me. I believe that if Christ was present he would perhaps say to you or concerning you, that he has not seen such faith among all Christians in these latter days. For most of them know bout Christ but few know him. And it is better to know God than just to know about him.

As you have said, even though we are saved by grace, faith without works is dead faith. Despite our great many blessings, and acceptance of the name and the redeeming blood of our LORD Jesu Christ, we must still strive forwards or work out our salvation with fear and trembling following the steps of Christ in the strait and narrow corridor or path until the perfect day.  Or until our regeneration from sin is complete, perhaps until or not long after the apportioned resurrection. Or as you say we must regenerate or strive for continual change until we grow up to the measure of the son of GOD and make our calling and election sure; and receive that perfect hope that when we depart this world we know that we have a claim to a complete and full redemption from our sins in the presence of GOD in the world to come.  Because perseverance or striving to perfection simply stated is eternal life. For is we want to be or have a place in the presence of GOD we must learn to be like he is and walk in all rightesouness as he did upon the earht. For the natural man in his carnal thought this is imposible, but not for him that has been endowed with the power of GOD and has the Holy Ghost as a constant companion.  For it is written in the great plan of happiness that:

For by the water ye keep the commandment; by the Spirit ye are justified, and by the blood ye are sanctified;

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, and hath all power according to wisdom, mercy, truth, justice, and judgment.

(Pearl of Great Price | Moses 6:60 - 61)

 And I am sure you agree with me that none of this which we have been speaking we can achieve without the help of the Spirit of GOD. 


I have no objection whatsoever in what you are saying because in all sincerity and without hypocrisy I walk the talk or live what I preach to the best of my ability. I have been even taken away in violence and against my will for preaching as the ancients.  With the exception that, none of that good stuff that you are saying or quoting from that great book and/or author can happen to any of us unless we enter BY the door into the strait and narrow path by fulfilling all righteousness; or by doing the very same things that Christ did.

 And what did Jesus Christ do? If we examine the testimony of his witnesses, the apostles, even though he was sinless, he showed obedience and humility to the Father by coming to a legal, worthy and authorized representative of the Kingdom of God.  In other words he entered by the door. Now, if the son of God being sinless had need of those sacred and saving ordinances of the gospel, such as Baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost under those in authority, how much more need do we sinners have need to be washed of our sins thru a proper baptism as a testimony to GOD that we are willing to keeps his commentated and endure until the end. And if we are sincere, he will give us not only spontaneously, but as a divine right to be bestowed upon us the gift of the Holy Ghost by the lying of hands to be our constant companion. 

The trick in this life is that we are liable to be deceived by the doctrines nd men who are mere charlatans. They lack authority from GOD and no matter how much they have read the Bible they will not get it that way. In this and all endeavors that the undertak they blaspheme. For a prophet trully said:


Spencer W. Kimball (12th LDS President)

"This is the only true church ...This is not a church. This is the Church of Jesus Christ. There are churches of men all over the land and they have great cathedrals, synagogues, and other houses of worship running into the hundreds of millions of dollars. They are churches of men. They teach the doctrines of men, combined with the philosophies and ethics and other ideas and ideals that men have partly developed and partly found in sacred places and interpreted for themselves" (Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, pg.421).



"Presumptuous and blasphemous are they who purport to baptize, bless, marry, or perform other sacraments in the name of the Lord while in fact lacking the specific authorization" (The Miracle of Forgiveness, pg.55).

And no one receives this particualr authorization just by reading the Bible no matter how pure are his motives.
 
And if not so, where do we go to find the truth, or find a truly worthy, legal and authorized representative of Jesus Christ to receive these vital blessings?  For instance, I cannot go legally into another country or kigdom unless I enter by their door and have a valid passport and fulfill all other pertinent requirements. Likewise is the with kingdom of God on earth and in heaven. We need to receive these saving ordinances of the gospel by someone who is PARTICULARLY ATHORIZED BY JESUS CHRIST.


Our when we receive these saving ordinances by those under proper authority, our names have to be written both on earth and recorded in heaven, for this there have to be witnesses that need to be present,  to attest by seeing and hearing to attest to the truth, or that he who perform the baptism is truly ordained of GOD and that the ordinance thereof was performed properly by immersion and not by aspersion, so that it is recorded by the spirit of GOD as valid. And when we die, and are brought up to heaven and the books are open our names are found.  This is plainly made manifest in the scripure that says:

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire.  This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

(New Testament | Revelation 20:12 - 15)
 

But if we go to a preacher that got his license or authority in a university thru learning and education or a degree; or in the seven eleven like many charismatic charlatans that call themselves pastors or preachers of our day, whom God has not chosen and whom he has not called or particularly authorized, we are going to be very disappointed when we die when we are not in the place where we had expected to be.  There is wisdom in this. Because it is written that the house of GOD is a house of order and not of a house of confusion. Paul said that there is one Body or Church, one God, one Faith and one Baptism and we see in the world countless churches and GOD cannot be the author of such great confusion unless we deny the written truth that attest to these facts. For Peter and Paul and other prophets have also said:


Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

(New Testament | Acts 2:37 - 39)


There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

(New Testament | Ephesians 4:4 - 5)


Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

(New Testament | Acts 19:4 - 6)


And the first fruits of repentance is baptism; and baptism cometh by faith unto the fulfilling the commandments; and the fulfilling the commandments bringeth remission of sins; And the remission of sins bringeth meekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer, until the end shall come, when all the saints shall dwell with God.

(Book of Mormon | Moroni 8:25 - 26)

And now, if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by water, to fulfil all righteousness, O then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water! And now, I would ask of you, my beloved brethren, wherein the Lamb of God did fulfil all righteousness in being baptized by water? Know ye not that he was holy?  But notwithstanding he being holy, he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments. Wherefore, after he was baptized with water the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove.

And again, it showeth unto the children of men the straitness of the path, and the narrowness of the gate, by which they should enter, he having set the example before them. And he said unto the children of men: Follow thou me.  Wherefore, my beloved brethren, can we follow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father? And the Father said: Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son. And also, the voice of the Son came unto me, saying: He that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost, like unto me; wherefore, follow me, and do the things which ye have seen me do.


Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism—yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel. But, behold, my beloved brethren, thus came the voice of the Son unto me, saying: After ye have repented of your sins, and witnessed unto the Father that ye are willing to keep my commandments, by the baptism of water, and have received the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost, and can speak with a new tongue, yea, even with the tongue of angels, and after this should deny me, it would have been better for you that ye had not known me. And I heard a voice from the Father, saying: Yea, the words of my Beloved are true and faithful.  He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. And now, my beloved brethren, I know by this that unless a man shall endure to the end, in following the example of the Son of the living God, he cannot be saved.

Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter.  For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost. And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive.

And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done?  Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save. Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men.  Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life. And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God.  And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end.  Amen.

(Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 31:5 - 21)



Now Samantha, these are the great news of peace that we bring unto the world.  We guarantee that we have the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Bible and in the Book of Mormon and that we have the authority of God to direct and conduct its saving ordinances.  The gospel is simple and if fits in one small sentence or paragraph.

The gospel is fist Faith in Jesus Christ and no one else, Second Repentance, thirds Baptism for immersion for the remission of sins and fourth the bestowal of the gift of the Holy Ghost by the lying of hands under those in authority. And if we persevere in truth and faithful obedience to the end, we will inherit Eternal life.  This is how the LORD put in the Book of Mormon.

Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day.

(Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 27:20)

Verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do; for that which ye have seen me do even that shall ye do; Therefore, if ye do these things blessed are ye, for ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

(Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 27:21 - 22)


We attest not only with words but with deeds that the gospel was not on the earth in its fullness and that it was restored in the latter days by a true prophet of GOD and his companions who were personally ordained by resurrected beings or angels sent from God who are known unto the world that were particularly chosen by Jesus Christ, such as John the Baptist, AND also Peter, James and John, see, John 15: 16

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

(New Testament | John 15:16)


I, Miguel,  can trace my authority and my generations to the priesthood to the very hands of Jesus Christ thru these Holy Men. I have been ministered by angels myself. But beyond that I can show you and you have seen that I, a man of low degree can write in a language that is not my first by the power of the holy Ghost to touch the very center of your soul. You can be the Judge of that but what you have seen me write in these very few days and the passion and zeal that I exhibit in this endeavor is not of an ordinary man, but that of a man of GOD in his errand.


Now, once these procedures were obtained from heaven, the LORD commanded his prophets to restore or organize the church of Jesus Christ in these latter days with all the saving ordinances thereof to help all that will receive it, persevere to the end of our lives. And ever since the Gospel has been preached, the saints have been perfected and the dead have been redeemed.   We invite you and your loved ones to join the ranks in the armies of the LORD.

www.lds.org
Ironically the willfully blind say that we are not Christians, and we are the only church upon the face of the earth that carries the very name of Jesus Christ in bold and bright letters.  We either know what we are saying or we are the greatest deceit in the whole world. Those who have heard about us call us Mormons because we have in addition to the Holy Bible other Holy Scriptures such as the Book of Mormon which is another testament of Jesus Christ. The word Mormon itself means More Good. In other words, the Book of Mormon is the Book of the More Good. And who is the More Good Man of all that have ever existed, but Jesus the Christ. It is his testament written by another tribe of the house of Israel other than the Jews of whom we received the bible. It is another witness unto the world that Jesus is the Christ. He, the LORD visited my fathers in the ancient Americas after his crucifixion, resurrection and ascension in the land of Jerusalem; and taught them his gospel in all simplicity and purity as he did with the Jews in Jerusalem. And he commanded the righteous among my fathers to write it and to preserve their records for future generations.  And it was preserved despite many wars, degeneration of their society and destruction among them until my fathers were utterly destroyed by their brethren; and only a mixture of them remained in their midst of their brethren whom I am part. The LORD preserved the root thereof of the branch of my people for me to and others like me to be born and be able to testify with power and authority from God of the truthfulness of these things.

THE BOOK OF MORMON




And we now have the records of my fathers again by the gift and power of God and not of any mortal man. It was given to Joseph Smith by one of my fathers who came as a resurrected being. His name is Moroni. And all those who read it and pray about it in faith to God in the name of Christ will know if it is true and not the works of deceitful men, and if they ask in faith not wavering, they will receive a testimony from heaven that it is true.  And then they can come speedily and assuredly and without fear to receive their saving ordinances and blessing of the everlasting gospel of our savior and redeemer from the only true church of GOD upon the face of the whole world as I have done. I invite you and every member of your lovely family and kindred to ponder about these things; and I invite you to investigate these claims by asking our missionaries and/or by visiting our church in your vicinity. I promise that if you do, your life will change forever and your family will be happier than ever before. You will discover many great and wonderful things about you and your loved ones that you will never knew or will ever know in any other church or place. Things that will increase your faith and your capacity to love and serve others and to become a true witness of Christ in all things, in all places and at all times. And of this I solemnly testify as one having authority in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Attentively Yours from an unworthy servant in the hands of Christ

Miguel Angel Tinoco Rodriguez



P. S.  I know I have written many things and that there are mistakes in my letters, but I judge that you can understand that. I suggest you print this material and keep it with you for your records and remembrance, for the things that I have said above have been recorded in heaven and in the last day, when we are presented before the bar of GOD, he will show you that I spoke the truth and that I was commissioned by him to preach in this manner. Not many have the confidence that I claim or have and this boldness I received from the Holy ghost by the power of GOD. I will try to edit and correct my words, for I record all things and I do nothing in secret. I publish them for the benefit of all, peradventure you will not read them and reject them, some others may benefit from these things, for the work of GOD must go on and the words that come out of his mouth do not return unto him empty or performing that which he intended. This is my errand, have a great and blessed day and keep a watchful eye for the coming storms. Miguel Angel Tinoco

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.



Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

(
New Testament | Revelation 3:20)

Zion and Jerusalem, April 16, 2013

Peace be unto you.

I AM Miguel, but I have taken upon me the name of Christ with full purpose of heart:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:  for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.


(New Testament | Romans 1:16)

And this is the covenant I made and continually renew to be a witness of GOD in all places, in all things, at all time and even unto death. And then I did what Christ did and was baptized into his kingdom as he was by someone with proper authority.

And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another's burdens, that they may be light; Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as 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— Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?

(Book of Mormon | Mosiah 18:8 - 10)

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism—yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel. But, behold, my beloved brethren, thus came the voice of the Son unto me, saying: After ye have repented of your sins, and witnessed unto the Father that ye are willing to keep my commandments, by the baptism of water, and have received the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost, and can speak with a new tongue, yea, even with the tongue of angels, and after this should deny me, it would have been better for you that ye had not known me. And I heard a voice from the Father, saying: Yea, the words of my Beloved are true and faithful.  He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.

And now, my beloved brethren, I know by this that unless a man shall endure to the end, in following the example of the Son of the living God, he cannot be saved. Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter.  For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost. And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive.

And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done?  Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save. Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men.  Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life. And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God.  And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end.  Amen.

(Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 31:13 - 21)


Have they not read the scriptures, which say ye must take upon you the name of Christ, which is my name?  For by this name shall ye be called at the last day; And whoso taketh upon him my name, and endureth to the end, the same shall be saved at the last day. Therefore, whatsoever ye shall do, ye shall do it in my name; therefore ye shall call the church in my name; and ye shall call upon the Father in my name that he will bless the church for my sake. And how be it my church save it be called in my name?  For if a church be called in Moses' name then it be Moses' church; or if it be called in the name of a man then it be the church of a man; but if it be called in my name then it is my church, if it so be that they are built upon my gospel.

Verily I say unto you, that ye are built upon my gospel; therefore ye shall call whatsoever things ye do call, in my name; therefore if ye call upon the Father, for the church, if it be in my name the Father will hear you; And if it so be that the church is built upon my gospel then will the Father show forth his own works in it. But if it be not built upon my gospel, and is built upon the works of men, or upon the works of the devil, verily I say unto you they have joy in their works for a season, and by and by the end cometh, and they are hewn down and cast into the fire, from whence there is no return.  For their works do follow them, for it is because of their works that they are hewn down; therefore remember the things that I have told you.

Behold I have given unto you my gospel, and this is the gospel which I have given unto you—that I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me. And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me, that as I have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil— And for this cause have I been lifted up; therefore, according to the power of the Father I will draw all men unto me, that they may be judged according to their works. And it shall come to pass, that whoso repenteth and is baptized in my name shall be filled; and if he endureth to the end, behold, him will I hold guiltless before my Father at that day when I shall stand to judge the world. And he that endureth not unto the end, the same is he that is also hewn down and cast into the fire, from whence they can no more return, because of the justice of the Father.

And this is the word which he hath given unto the children of men.  And for this cause he fulfilleth the words which he hath given, and he lieth not, but fulfilleth all his words. And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end.

Now this is the commandment:

Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do; for that which ye have seen me do even that shall ye do; Therefore, if ye do these things blessed are ye, for ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

(Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 27:5 - 22)

I have preached you the truth and the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ in all simplicity. And these things I say humbly and lowly with unbound charity for your everlasting profit. And I do it as one having authority in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Attentively yours from an unworthy servant in the hands of Christ

Miguel Ángel Tinoco ROD-TREE-JESSE

Saturday, April 13, 2013

One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!

Zion and Jerusalem,  April 13, 2013

One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!

(Pearl of Great Price | JS-History 1:17)


 

Approaching the First Vision Saga

By Stephen C. Taysom
Art by Galen Smith



This is a wonderful article. I could not read it all in fear of losing the heavenly impressions to comment that I am feeling right now as I write. But I will read it after I record my testimony. And I record that as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, I never knew that there were more accounts of the first Vision of Joseph Smith other than the one we find in our scriptures. I have heard of them, but until know I had not contemplated them in their factual context. I do not like the descriptions the apostates, the ungodly and the faithless give concerning this issue saying that there are several versions of the first vision instigating doubt and deceit from the brethren and the church to keep us blind folded.  I do not doubt because where doubt is the spirit of God is not. I know that there is only one single and official version of the first which has been canonized.  And the various accounts of the same that may not necessarily agree in all things are all part of it for they came from the same source. And even so, there are many more versions or translations of the Holy Bible and despite its  correctness no one disputes that it is untrue. I hope one day with the aid of GOD we get the First Vision of Joseph Smith perfect. On that day, we will learn by the gift an dpower of GOD that we were kind of omitted from it until we receive our own persona; testimony of the first vision and ask God were where we on that particular day. That is indeed a real challenge and a stumbling block for the faithless.

When I prayed about it for a confirmation of faith or to know about the truthfulness of the first vision, and I did it as a mere formality for the spirit had time and again witnessed it in me, way before I knew that I had to ask for a confirmation; I received the impression that I was there also.  But I was timid for the longest time until today to admit it or to testify of it openly to avoid scorn and fear to give the wrong impression. And I have kept this testimony to myself as a very personal gem of my faith. And God is my witness.  When Joseph Smith received the fist vision, I Miguel Angel was there. I just did not know what last name I would have until I was born. And who can dispute it?

The same thing happened when the LORD atoned for our sins. I wanted to know how the LORD did it and how to better comprehend the mystery of godliness. Since the apostles had fallen asleep and could not witness the integral mechanisms of grave event, I asked the LORD who was there to record his agony. I asked GOD to give me a testimony; and he told me that it is written that an angel was there to give him comfort and to strengthen him.  And I received the same impression that I was there also as in the first vision of Joseph Smith. Butt hat is not all.  I even had a vivid dream in the day of the crucifixion of our LORD Jesus Christ as he approached Golgotha. Before I saw him, I saw the mountain and the skulls and fleshless bones piled up in a shallow cave or so. I did not know where I was. Then I turned my back and I saw the back side of a centurion in front of me as they dressed in those days. And suddenly I realized that it was not my time. Then, I saw a bruised, thirsty and tired man fall into the floor. And I immediately recognized that it was the LORD Jesus Christ.  I was so shocked to see my LORD on the floor that I lowered my self between the open feet of the centurion at rest and asked the LORD in great alarm what was happening to him.  He did not reply to me but extended his hand between the feet of the centurion and grabbed my hand in a very particular grip just as the fighters in a wresting contest do when they are on the floor and cannot get up, they extend the hand to another fighter to continue fighting in his place.  

Now that I read this article, since Joseph Smith mentioned that he perceived that he may have seen angess in addition to the Father and the Son, I felt a spur of joy. And therefore I presume that I was there too, and I assume that I was not the only one. Maybe every one of us who were born in later generations; and have received a true testimony of the first vision were there too. Who knows but we may all have piled up on top of the Gods as spiritual angels?  I do not now about others, but I would not have wanted to miss such a glorious event that in mortality would become a pillar of my faith in GOD.

This is why it is called the First Vision and since there was one; there must have been many others, one of which that I know of, was witnessed not only by him but by others in the Kirtland Temple when the keys of the priesthood where conferred.  And also when they saw him in heaven like the Apostle, Stephen when Joseph Smith said, this is the testimony, last of all which we give of him.  And IF I were given license to prophesy, if not to speculate, I would say that, whether visible or not, the LORD was very much present and up close each and every time Joseph Smith received a revelation as recorded in the book of Doctrine and Covenants today.   

So, if the ungodly and the faithless who oppose us think that there are only seven or twelve accounts and/or versions about Joseph Might Seeing anf communing with God and angels, they are short of the mark. We do not yet know the versions of the prophets and apostles when they saw it centuries or even millenniums before it actually took place from the beginning of the World. I know Adam, Enoch, Mahonry Moriamcumer or the Brother of Jared and Moses, Just to name a few were shown all things. These important events are no secret or local in nature, but universal in nature. To five you all a truhful hint, the knowledge of the first vision of Joseph Smith as well as of the ominous death inflicted upon Joseph Smith and the patriarch Hyrum, and the persecution of all the pioneer saints, which I cannot leave behind, were published in other worlds; and people pthere put their hands in their mouth in shock and awe for the wickedness of the so called Biblically Historical Christian World and the thugs who perpetrated these woeful crimes.  

The Gospel is one, which is Faith in Jesus Christ, Repentance, and Baptism of Immersion for the remission of sin and gift of the Holy Ghost by the lying of hands under those in authority. What we find in Matthew, John, Luke, Peter, Paul; in The Book of Mormon and elsewhere are just different accounts of their personal ministry or testimony of the very same power of God unto salvation. If peradventure, we would not have the account of any of them and ONLY one book of the New Testament of the Bible, had remained intact, or if we did not have the Bible at all and we only had to rely solely on the book of Mormon or even the Doctrine and covenant, we would be no less saved than we are today because the true gosple and the doctrine of the Father; and of the Son; and of the Holy ghost is one and the same.

This may sound unchristian and even umbiblical or hateful to many, but I do not know or understand why all the fuss from our critics, the apostates, the faithless and the ungodly about our faith, when anyone can fit the ENTIRE gospel of Jesus Christ in one single commandment, sentence and verse which says:

Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day.

(Book of Mormon | 3 Nephi 27:20)

Of this I solemnly testify in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Attentively your from an unworthy servant in the hands of Christ.