Visions of Glory and the Last Days

VisionsOfGloryNote added 6-11-13: Greg Smith has published a much more complete review on the FAIR website. And I thought I was being a little harsh in my review here. Well, it’s good to have multiple sources to make comparisons. I hope I made it clear that I got a lot of good from the book even though I had problems with it, which I delineate below. Let the spirit be your guide.

I had not intended to write this review, but could not resist because the impression to share was so strong. I had intended to review chapter three of Passing the Heavenly Gift, but that can wait. I finished Proof of Heaven a week ago and did not feel the desire to review it as I do with this book. Proof of Heaven can stand on its own, already reviewed by many people. Visions of Glory has also been reviewed in several places, but the negative reviews are too dismissive for me.

I’m not going to say my review is negative, and I am going to recommend you read it, but I’m going to offer a few words of warning. There’s just something strange about this book that I can’t put my finger on at the moment. Maybe by the time I finish the review it will be clearer. The negative reviews on Amazon and elsewhere declare that Spencer was deceived. I’m not going to go that far. I believe Spencer was sincere when he described what he said he saw.

Visions of Glory combines two of my favorite topics – Near Death Experiences (NDEs) and the Last Days. Like several of the reviewers, I was fascinated with the first third of the book as he describes what he learned in his first two NDEs. I had little problem with what he offered and found myself nodding my head in agreement with some of his descriptions. The spirit burned in my heart as I recognized and understood that Spencer had shared some wonderful truths with us.

LDS Blogging on Last Days

I don’t doubt that Spencer did indeed experience the NDE’s as he described them. But I am just blown away by the detail in the last two thirds of the book in his third NDE. Cedar Fort’s wording on the cover that this is “one man’s astonishing account of the last days” causes me to immediately think, “Well, that’s just his interpretation.” And indeed, that’s the first warning I’m going to offer. These are just one man’s views of the Last Days. Mine are certainly different.

With John’s recent passing, Spencer, not his real name, has contributed more to John’s blog, now maintained by others. You can get a better feel for Spencer there by reading his contributions as he answers questions put to him by readers. It kind of reminds me of the early days of Denver’s blog in which he was much more interactive with his readers. Having a popular blog in the LDS community can be burdensome because so many readers are at different levels of understanding.

In any event, after reading Spencer’s book (it really is his even though John wrote it), you can interact directly with him on the Unblog. Although I found Spencer’s description of some of the events of the last days to be fascinating, my focus has been different. What I would like to ask about, he would not be able to answer. I am more interested in how the widespread destruction is caused and how to interpret the events from the Books of Revelation, Daniel, Joel and others.

Invasion of America

Those who have read essays from my early years of blogging know my interest in the books of Anthony Larson, known as the Prophecy Trilogy. In there, you’ll find a description of the pillar of fire, for example, that is radically different from what Spencer describes in his book. You’ll also find much more reference to the cosmological causes of the great destruction that is to take place before the coming of the Lord, which are barely mentioned in passing by Spencer.

Now, I hate to go “out there” but I want to make a point that there are multiple claims of how the great destruction is going to come about. Spencer notes that there are many nuclear explosions, most caused by internal radicals, not by the foreign invaders. I read that part to my wife. She said it sounds like someone watched “Jericho” or “Revolution” and had a bad dream. I must admit I have never read anyone else talking about floods in Salt Lake as one of the signs of the last days.

Are you familiar with Denise Mendenhall, daughter of LDS author Doug Mendenhall? She lives without a veil. She gave a talk at Confetti Books in Feb of 2012. I have a recording of the event. In it she relates how the Lord told her to share that he is going to cause a huge EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse) to hit the earth which will wipe out all technology based on the use of electricity and electronics, which is just about every means of modern communication and transportation.

Civilization will be Destroyed

Here’s my point. We’ve got Spencer claiming there will be a huge earthquake that will destroy most of the West Coast, cause massive flooding in Utah and precede an invasion by a large body of foreigners who take over the country. I’m not sure I understood the explanation for the flooding but I thought Spencer was describing the return of Lake Bonneville. He related that everything south of Point of the Mountain was under water as far as the eye could see. Strange.

So in addition to the huge earthquake, which is prophesied in the scriptures, without the floods, we’ve got Denise sharing that there will be a huge EMP and Anthony Larson pointing out that the great destruction of the last days will be caused by Earth’s close encounter with another celestial body. Spencer writes in his book that the earth passes by a huge planet on the journey back to God’s presence but that it has absolutely no effect on the earth or the inhabitants.

Although Spencer and Denise both claim that their visions of the end times are from the Lord, I’m going to go with what I have long held that the destruction of the last days, including the massive earthquakes, tidal waves and volcanic activity, are caused by the return of the Ten Tribes, who Joseph said were taken from the earth. This is in direct contradiction with what Spencer claims in his book – that they are living in deep caverns long hidden under the ice.

Celestial Mechanics and Time Travel

This is all conjecture and fun to think about but back to the point of this review. I offered one warning about Spencer’s book at the beginning. Here’s another: How is it possible that God could tell three different people, one of them a prophet, that the destruction of the last days will be caused by three different things: a massive earthquake, an EMP and a planet coming up alongside the earth? Could they all be correct? Well, actually I suppose they could be.

Imagine for a minute that you put aside what science teaches about celestial mechanics. Let’s assume that somehow a large planetary body could come close to the earth. Let’s further assume you accept the alternative theories of cosmology known as the Electric Universe in which plasma and electricity have greater influence than gravity, then yes, I suppose an EMP could accompany the earthquakes and other prophesied destructions found in the scriptures in rich abundance.

My apologies if my ramblings don’t make sense. I have tried to provide links to previous essays that might help if you haven’t been a regular reader of my blog. In Visions of Glory Spencer is clear that he has little to no background in technology. He marvels at the things he encounters as he becomes a translated being. I suppose his description of the portals will be the most difficult for scientifically minded people to accept. After all, he’s talking about time travel at that point.

All the Hot Mormon Topics

A few questions I am still pondering: Why such detail about the destruction in and around Salt Lake and little to none of the rest of the world? Why did they have to go to Cardston first before they went to Missouri? Why is the appearance of the Lord in the Conference Center to a select few not mentioned anywhere in prophesied events of the last days? Is the invasion of America by a foreign military a part of the events foretold in the scriptures? Why didn’t the plague kill more?

Is the book an exciting read? Yes, I couldn’t put it down. You’ll encounter plagues, earthquakes, floods, foreign invasion, changes in weather (kind of like Global Warming without the politics), changes in constellations as the earth travels through space, the return of the Ten Tribes, the long walk to Missouri, the building of the New Jerusalem, the gathering of the elect by the 144,000 and much more. But as some reviewers have written, it reads like a piece of good LDS fiction.

That is probably unkind. I don’t know Spencer. From everything I’ve read he is a kind soul. I would not have the courage to share what he has shared specifically because I know so many people would be inclined to mock. I have read the glowing reviews of others who said this is the most life-changing book they have ever read. Others have written that the Holy Ghost testified to them it is true. I’m not going to go that far. Perhaps I simply was not ready to receive it as such.

Inspiration for LDS Fiction

Some of my readers may know I am writing a trilogy of fiction based on the works of Immanuel Velikovsky and the Electric Universe cosmological views of Wal Thornhill and David Talbott. I have taken the opening chapter of Anthony Larson’s book, And the Moon Shall be Turned to Blood and have expanded it into what I hope will be an interesting and exciting story about how events could possibly happen in the very last days just prior to the return of the Lord.

My first book ends with the return of the broken off piece of earth containing the Ten Tribes. In fact, that’s the whole premise of the first book – that a planet will come close to the earth, cause huge widespread destruction and eventually position itself just above the magnetic North pole. In my second book I plan to write about life on Earth after the destruction of civilization and how we pick up the pieces. I confess I planned to write about the walk to Missouri to build up Zion.

As I read through the last two thirds of Spencer’s book I made mental notes about how I could expand this scene or that scene and incorporate it into my book. If I ever publish the first and find the anticipated satisfaction in its reception for which I hope, I’ll write about the return of the City of Enoch and again, the destructions that accompany yet another piece of Earth coming home. In my third book, I will write about what happens when the Lord does finally return.

One Man’s View

Most people don’t think about this stuff. None of us really has any material clue about how this is all going to come down, especially the timing and sequence of events. I like reading books like Visions of Glory because it gives me food for thought about how future events could possibly happen. Do I consider it a work of fiction? I’m not sure. Did the Holy Ghost reveal to me that what Spencer claimed he saw really will happen that way? I confess, no, I can’t say that.

I reiterate the point that Cedar Fort makes on the cover – this is one man’s view of things. He claims he was shown this in vision. At one point he made some reference that this may all be symbolic. At other times he was emphatic that he knew he was going to participate in these events at some future point in his life. I don’t know any translated beings but if you know Spencer in real life, maybe you should stick close to him to see if he is changed someday.

Please don’t be upset with my review if you feel I am mocking sacred things. I’m not. I have been a long-time reader of John’s blog. I have deep reverence and respect for those who have spiritual gifts that I don’t have. I suppose I am too caught up in making a living and relying on technology to do it. I spend every day working with routers, switches and wireless access points, servers, fiber-optic Internet connections and all kinds of things to keep the electrons flowing.

Technology for a Zion People

That’s why when I read in Spencer’s book how communications were cut off and yet there were some pockets of cities with electricity, I had to wonder why he claimed there would be no Internet. Wouldn’t that be one of the first things society would want restored once they had electricity? Even if it were just a small network in the local city not connected to the outside world, I am positive any civil authority would want that re-established as soon as possible.

He also mentions that the church had communications systems intact. OK, how did they do that? He never describes the fate of satellites, yet I believe in one case he noted the foreign invaders had some sort of GPS. The church relies heavily on the Internet and satellites to communicate with stakes all over the world. I realize that later on Spencer implies that they could keep in touch via their white seer stones but this is in the beginning, right after the big earthquake.

Spencer’s book is not about technology. It’s about becoming a Zion people. That’s why it fits in so well with John’s focus on the Unblog. It takes so many of the beliefs unique to Mormonism to levels that I confess I had never dreamed. Why would the Lord reveal such detail to Spencer that he hasn’t revealed to the prophets? Or if he has, why have they chosen not to discuss it, share it and teach us about it? Spencer doesn’t claim to be a prophet, but he sure shares amazing detail.

Fiction based on Dreams?

Final warning: John relates that as Spencer shared his visions he was impressed to tell Spencer about similar visions from other members of the church in our early history. Spencer claims he had never heard of them. Yet as I read Spencer’s visions I immediately called them to mind. Am I unique in that I knew of these things when a man with three advanced degrees had never heard of them? One could make an argument that the book was written from these previous visions.

The other visions and dreams are included in the appendix. The whole idea of going to Cardston first is based on a letter from Sols Caurdisto who toured the temple before it opened in 1921. The destruction of the cities of the East Coast that Spencer related the Angel showed him could have come directly from John Taylor’s 1877 dream, also included in the appendix. The 1884 dream of the plagues and Charles Evans dream of schools in New Jerusalem appear in Spencer’s narrative.

My conclusion: This is a fantastic book, a very enjoyable read. I recommend you read it. Don’t let my worldly skepticism deter you from gleaning wonderful truths shared about how the spirit world around us operates. But when it comes to how the events of the last days are going to go down, make sure you compare what you discover with what you already know from scripture. Then ask yourself as I did, “Has the Lord ever revealed such specific detail to anyone else?”

Note: Since I mentioned my book, you may be interested in reading a few chapters. It is tentatively entitled “Red Sky.”

112 thoughts on “Visions of Glory and the Last Days”

    1. Spencer’s people have taken down the audio and edited out ANYand ALL mention of Spencer’s presence at the 2012 Unblog Family Reunion. He’s not listed amongst the names of speakers even though he was their star appearance. They’re making him recede behind the scenes and disappear quietly. I’m telling you there is some major sh** going on behind the scenes and I suspect the infamous SCMC has gotten involved in this situation. I think Spencer is back padaling and trying to save face by walking away quietly and hoping this whole controversy will go away. Dunno if it happened at the stake level or higher up but it’s clear to me “someone” has sat him down and had a little “chat” with him if you know what I mean. If someone has inside information… please do kiss and tell… enquiring minds wanna know.. Lol

      1. Your comments have no basis, or can they be verified. Your speculation is nothing but a waste of breath. You say what you want to say without any accountability. You don’t know any of what you say but say it anyway. Just because you may be right or partly right is no right to say it. How sad.

  1. I am only 100 pages into the book so far. It is a great read. I have to say, from your review, that from what I’ve read so far, we need to be careful to not read into or interpret anything that he was shown. In fact, several times already in the book, he was warned to take the information for what it was and not to try to put interpretation on it. One of these warnings came from his “Apostle friend” that he refers to many times in the book. That same advice should be the same for us. We shouldn’t try to pick apart his visions/dreams, rather we should take what he experienced and try to learn what it may mean for us. Everybody that has had last days visions all get them and relate them from their own unique filter and perspective.

    1. Wish there was a “like” button for comments. You’re right on Paul. It is interesting to compare what others report they have seen. Wish there was a central source compiled but I suppose it would be extensive and difficult to categorize: scripture accounts, prophetic visions, dreams of Apostles or General Authorities, dreams and visions of other priesthood leaders (Stake Presidents, etc), then dreams and visions of regular members like you and me. I have had several online friends send me their dreams about the last days, some of them very specific, including one that I intend to use in my book (with their permission).

      1. Yes, there are many. My in-laws just went to a fireside last Friday night where Denise Mendenhall and Kitten (a friend of the Mendenhall family) related some of their experiences (without veil) as well. They were told to share and so they did. We see so much more of this as we get close to the end times.

      2. I have felt not to share my visionary experiences because of the potential (very real) to cause confusion amongst the Saints and to damage the church’ work. I have no call to do other than bear testimony of the Restoration and Jesus Christ, and I believe that my visionary experiences have deepened the sincerity and converting power of my testimony. I speak with greater assurance than I had before because of what I know and the Spirit seems to add His assurance more readily.
        But do I know all? Do I know as much as The Lord knows? Can I say that what I know is all there is to know or even enough to prepare me? No way.
        I have seen from where I stood at the time. There is much more that I could have seen which was kept from me because I wasn’t prepared enough and because I couldn’t bring myself to ask the right questions. Other things were kept from me for good reasons which were told and made clear to me. I’m no Nephi, but in some respects I understand him quite well..
        Signs follow faith and are for the benefit of our testimonies. Detail aside, personal revelation has strengthened my testimony and my ability to share it.
        Let’s not err on the side of hubris in these matters.

    2. This is a guide or warning so to speak to help us be a little more prepared. It should be likened to us, but not written over our lives as though that will be the same for us. But, what I get out of it is the bigger picture of events that will affect many and the changes to the world and the ushering in, so to speak. But it is for Spencer, but still has a great application for us if it is true, as I think it is. Thus, I can be more spiritually prepared, or get my food supply, and know that the quake is going to hit and what is going to follow will also happen, but my course my and probably will be different.

      1. I couldn’t agree with you more. We should not take everything literally that any one says or interprets. I took this book as a warning to keep preparing every needful thing especially my own heart for the Saviors second coming. We need to be cautious and set no man up to trust in the arm of flesh. Many apostles of old saw different things that all ended up working together and being true as the Lord omnipotent saw fit. One of the best examples 0f this is the Messanic prophecies of where the Savior was born and where he came from and they were ALL accurate in one way or another and complimented each other. Our perspective is so finite and “Spencer” admits this several times. In the mouth of two or more witnesses shall all things be established and things that are in line with scripture are a second witness, as is the Book of Mormon a second witness to Christ. Let us prepare our resources and hearts not be frivolous with the time we have whatever that may be.

    3. I do know we have to be careful of these types of books/experiences, but I also know they could very well happen. My husband passed away several years ago and I prayed to know how he was and was shown. I share that in order to testify that things do happen for people, but I also know that I was supposed to share and still do some of those experiences when prompted by the spirit and then not to share when not prompted to do so. They are sacred experiences and at first I wanted to share them with everyone as a testimony of certain things. I later learned that not all people are prepared to hear such things and can hurt them more than help them…thus the reason to go by the spirit.

      I haven’t read this book yet and had a friend just tell me I should read it. I do think and KNOW that there are people with gifts of the spirit. There are several places in the scriptures that talk about them…one in Moroni 10:8 of the Book of Mormon. It was made known to me that is why I had the experiences I have had…because of a spiritual gift I was given. I do believe however, that I need to treat that gift with the utmost respect because of what it can do – both positive and negative. The adversary is always looking for ways to divert people to his side. We must be so careful as to not be caught in his trap. He will use everything in his power to drag us ‘down to hell’…..so why would he not use the second coming ‘fascination’ if you will……to do the same.

      It has become more apparent to me that we need to keep our eyes on our prophet so we are not lead astray. I have read several NDEs and in the last one I read….she too says more than once…that message was for her and to realize that as we read it. Spencer very well could have had these experiences…but many things could be symbolic and we, as readers, may not realize what those things mean…if they are for him. If he is prompted to share, then it is for a reason….and those who are meant to hear those things will know when they read it and what to do…and some will read it…simply as an entertaining book.

      Who knows but what they are to share their testimony about things that are to happen. I believe it is our responsibility to pray about this type of thing and go with what the spirit tells us. It’s so important we do that. There may be several different messages that he has for several different people. I too ask myself why isn’t the prophet sharing these things with us….but they share things with us that help us prepare and if they were to share other things they might know – it could cause panic in people, which they would not do. 🙂

      Hope this helps someone.

    4. I completely agree. It’s not a book about how the world ends. However, if we can pull a positive message out of his experience, and apply it in our lives, I believe Spencer would be pleased. I can say, my life really has been positively effected by the telling of his experiences. I’m still going to go to work tomorrow, and I’m still going to pay my water bill. The apostle Paul told his listeners of a Hell where Satan and his minions torment poke patrons with pitch forks all day long. The underlying messages that Hell is a bad place. If literal is all one wants to hear, then that doesn’t leave any room for the Spirit to whisper truth.

  2. Tim-thanks for excellent review of this popular book. I haven’t read it yet. It is on my list.
    I’ve been reading two books: The God Who Weeps by Terryl and FionaGivens and My Walk thru Heaven by Kim Rives.

    You mentioned you enjoy NDE books. My Walk thru Heaven tells about Kim’s struggle with cancer. She dies and goes into the spirit world and meets many important people. She is LDS and she provides a detailed account of seeing the Savior and being taught by Him.

    I’ll make this short so I don’t detract from your review.

    Thanks again!

    1. Awesome. Thanks Jared. I have Terryl’s book, By the Hand of Mormon. I’ve heard good things about The God Who Weeps. I hadn’t heard of My Walk Through Heaven. Thanks for the recommendation.

  3. Thanks for your review. Like you, I found the further I read the more fictional it felt. However, there are some things that made perfect sense. You mentioned the flooding. Geologists have warned that with the known faults and the effects of liquefaction, parts of the Wasatch could end up under 12 feet of water. The fountains of water are also very realistic. This actually occurred in the New Madrid Missouri earthquake of 1811. Liquefaction caused water and sand to gush out of holes in the ground, resulting in pockets of sand in the middle of farmlands today.

    When you consider the path City Creek takes, coming out of the mountains and then becoming constrained where it’s routed under the city, what Spencer described is almost inevitable.
    The water under the creek could possibly explain the liquefying of those mountains above the city and their collapse onto the houses on the bench.

    As far as the sinking south of the point of the mountain goes: we’ve been pumping water out of our aquifers for decades. Who knows what will happen when the ground shakes?

    Spencer talks about the collapse of the the dollar and our banks, but it’s not really clear where it comes on the time line. It would make more sense for this to happen before the earthquake.

    I don’t recall the EMP part in the book, but old Sol is going to eventually hiccup like he did when he set the telegraph lines alight in the 1800s. That kind of solar ejection would fry most of the electrical grid. There would still be back up generators, but most of our electronics will also be fried.

    All these things fit expected effects. Spencer said he told at least one of the Apostles what he saw, so . . . who knows? We shouldn’t try to limit what the Lord can do.

    1. Great comments Ruth. Thanks for adding to the dialog. For clarification, the EMP scenario is not from Spencer’s book. It is from a recorded talk from Denise Mendenhall, sharing what she said the Lord asked her to share about what is going to happen in the last days. I happen to agree with her. Unusual events on the sun play a large role in the storyline of my book. I also agree with your conjecture about the collapse of the economy coming before the earthquake. While I hope all this doesn’t happen in my lifetime (I’m 55), I get the impression that more and more people have serious concerns about maintaining our current economy with the amount of national debt we continue to build. Thanks again for sharing your comments about the effects of the earthquake on the Wasatch Front. I also thought about City Creek as I was reading that section.

    2. Both Gail Smith and Sarah Menet describe being shown through near death experiences Salt Lake Valley full of water at some future day. http://www.scribd.com/doc/48677447/Gayle-s-Story-One-Woman-s-Visions-of-the-End-of-Days-in-America http://www.scribd.com/doc/49269771/Sarah-Menet-s-Vision-of-the-Last-Days The two were intrigued to learn that they’d had their separate experiences long before they met each other and compared notes. While their accounts contain a number of significant differences they seem consistent with Joel 2:28 and Acts 2:17: “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:” It’s a pity to think of the local source for great women’s handbags and fine wines–the City Creek Mall–someday accessible only to scuba divers.

      Thanks for sharing your synopsis of Anthony Larson’s work, Tim. I share your enthsiam for his insigthts. When you view future earth changes being a repeat of past earth changes and for the same reason of another planet coming close to the earth you almost expect anything to happen. I like that Larson’s insights lead us to conclude that this is the power of God at work instead of it being evidence that he has forgotten us somewhere along the line.

      1. Hey Kevin,
        About the 12 feet of water: I didn’t mean to imply that Downtown Salt Lake would STAY under water. Liquefaction temporarily liquefies sediments. When the shaking stops the water drains away. What “Spencer” describes is consistent with that. The wine bottles would be only shards of glass and the handbags pretty foul, though. No great loss in my opinion.
        About God forgetting us: Never. If you’ll recall, the deal was, when we came to earth, we’d all have as much rope as we want; to do with as we want. Our decision. Earth wouldn’t be much of a learning experience if we didn’t have that.
        The natural consequences of those choices are also here. We can choose to study the scriptures, and learn to listen to the “still small voice” of the Holy Spirit. Or we can ignore it. Unfortunately, many do. That’s why so many lives today, are like a stupid soap opera or Jerry Springer: The natural consequences of bad choices—ours or somebody else’s.
        God’s always there, though, waiting to help us the second we turn to Him and ask. We have to ask Him, though. It’s our decision. Our choice.

  4. Thoughts on revelation. (And please forgive me if I’m repeating someone else–I can’t read through it all right now.) I believe that the Lord gives us what we need, when we need it. It makes complete sense to me that different people would have different visions of the last days, as the things that were revealed to each individual could have been selected so that that individual learned what God needed him/her to learn.

    Another thought: it seems to me that God will give revelation that is symbolic in nature, not detailed-nuts-and-bolts-take-it-apart-and-put-it-back-together-exactly-applicable-to-our-understanding-of-the-world kind of stuff. I know, in my own life, that when I’ve been most open to revelation and close to the Lord, the most powerful communications I’ve had through the Spirit were absolutely symbolic. To describe them sounds like something out of the Old Testament–but they are experiences that have changed my life, beautifully and irrevocably, with the knowledge they imparted. So, some of the visions & revelations about the last days could be symbolic in nature. Maybe the vision of the Ten Tribes in a cave under the ice is symbolic in a way we can only understand after they come back and tell us where they’ve been.

    And thanks for blogging. I’ve just found Latter Day Commentary, and I look forward to reading more in the future.

    1. Great thoughts Annalea. Thanks for sharing. I agree that when God communicates with man, it is often symbolic, especially in dreams. My own dreams that I felt were inspired from God follow that pattern. I took a quick peek at your blog. Good stuff. Nice to make your acquaintance.

    2. I agree with much, but I also have seen things differently still than you, and when I have been closest to the Lord I have felt and seen things as they actually are, and had it verified. The point is that we do receive what we need. But the things Spencer speaks about is spoken of much in Isaiah and Revelations and other places. I believe what he saw was real and not symbolic for the most part; especially when he speaks of events. I believe that he say what pertained mostly for him, and that others will or may have similar, but differing experiences.

  5. Thank you for this review. I just ordered the book yesterday after having bumped into John Pontius’ blog and there reading about “Spencer’s” NDE.

    Spencer’s version of what he saw occur along the Wasatch front lines up with a couple other LDS near-death-experiencers.

    Elaine Durham (“I Stand All Amazed – Love and Healing From Higher Realms” 1998) writes:

    “North America will be completely divided by a large body of water. A large part of both eastern and western shorelines will be lost. Icebergs and polar icecaps will melt significantly. America will be ravaged by earthquakes, hurricanes, fierce storms, massive fires burning huge areas of the country, explosions in some areas and the western coastline will change causing California, Oregon and Washington to become submerged. Much of the eastern coastline will be gone, though not as bad as the western. The southern half of Florida will be under water. The oceans of the entire world will rise significantly.

    The seat of power will move away from Washington, D.C. because there will be so much turmoil and warfare on the eastern side of America. America will come to the very edge of destruction because Americans have chosen to seek worldly things rather than loving or serving others, and because they refused to care for their precious natural resources, and because of their greed and selfishness. The U.S. government will lose most of its power and no longer govern completely, and lawlessness will reign on the eastern side of America as well as tremendous anarchy and crime. There will be less turmoil on the western side of America and even a certain amount of prosperity. A new seat of power will rise near present-day Kansas City. From this location, a true spiritual force will become the governing power over the whole land – a power such that emanates from Christ.

    Native Americans will be partially responsible for the peacefulness that will exist in western America. Their knowledge of how to live from the land, or how to be in harmony with it, will bring forth an abundance. Their spiritual knowledge will be taught to the people and everyone will start to learn to live in harmony with each other. Prosperity will come by becoming harmonious with nature or the natural elements upon which they depend.”

    LDS convert Sarah LaNelle Menet writing in her book “There Is No Death” saw tall buildings in New York City fall, then described how she saw commerce cease. She saw Israel attacked and a world war begin. She saw biological warfare occurring in four cities in the western USA, among them Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. She saw North America invaded and Chinese paratroopers dropping in all across the western USA. She saw a huge earthquake in the middle of the United States and saw the nation split into two land masses. She specifically saw the Wasatch front being inundated with water, from Salt Lake City south all the way to almost Cedar City.

    I have also heard other LDS suggest that the City of Enoch was located in what is today the Gulf of Mexico, and that when it returns, that body of water is displaced up into the Mississippi River, which greatly exceeds its bounds and create the gulf that separates the two land masses of America. This water sweeps across the state of Missouri, flooding and devastating it; which would bring to pass Brigham Young’s prophesy, quoted by Heber C. Kimball, that Missouri will be swept so clean of its inhabitants that, “There will not be left so much as a yellow dog to wag his tail,” when the Saints return there.

    Thanks for blogging. I look forward to reading more from you.

    1. Many of these things were prophesied by Old Testament prophets, Book of Mormon prophets, George Washington, Joseph Smith, Orson Pratt and many others. Historical prophetic writings have provided much fodder for Spencer.
      That doesn’t mean what he has said is not true, but by my observation current prophets bear testimony of the truthfulness of what previous prophets have said. They don’t blow their own bugle for money’s sake, which may be happening endemically and abundantly here.
      Good to be curious, but not good to presume too much because God has blessed us with a gift. It is still He who is God and us that are His children learning line upon line.
      I get the impression that these are but the early lessons which, if learned well and if we act judiciously with the truths we are given, will set us up for future lessons. But, like Joseph, God has to find out first whether He can trust us not to squander His gifts for personal gain before He gives us more.
      For some, these first lessons will not be followed quickly by others.

      1. Wow!! Another spouting of things unknown. I hear this too much, and your speculation becomes nothing at that point. I guess I read a different book and would have to call Spencer an out right liar to believe you or believe him, and ask Someone who knows. Did you not read his account? Did you not read that he was told it was of God by an Apostle? Yes, I know, I was not there but I believe he told the truth of that. Did you not read the he was given permission to speak of these things and that John would be led to him to get this published, and was this not told to him by an angel? Yes again, I know I was not there, but I choose to believe. Also, he says other things like this throughout. Can we not pray about these things and rely on the Spirit and not your words of wisdom? I choose to take it for what Spencer constantly tells us to take it for, and that is, that this is to him. But it also can be likened to us, and the major events can be and are known and will happen. Does it not also tell us over and over to strip ourselves of all pride and envy etc? Does it not make you want to be better and to prepare both temporally and spiritually more? I know it does me.

  6. Hey uncle Tim this is Jon who do you think his apostle friend was? I’m thinking James E Faust or Joseph B Wirthlin Or David B Haight And it sounds like he was good friends with the prophet Howard W hunter. Do you think he was a general authority? How long have you been writing on this site?

    1. Just reading the book tonight. I believe Spencer’s apostle friend was Neal Maxwell or David B. Haight, both of whom died in July of 2004, which date jibes with his stated timeline.

    2. Oh, hi Jon. Glad you found my blog. Been writing here for a little over five years. My opinion on Spencer’s apostle friend is David B. Haight. No, I don’t think Spencer was a general authority. He worked up at the U as a child and family counselor. He also worked for LDS Social Services and maybe still does.

      1. Hi, I believe that Spencer’s friend was Neal A Maxwell. I believe this because of a statement that Spencer made in the book that “his friend” made. I was listening or reading a talk in which someone quoted Neal A Maxwell and it was almost verbatim what was quoted in Spencer’s book.

  7. Pingback: Near Death Experiences and Me « Latter-day Commentary

  8. The Lost Ten Tribes are not on a separate planet or celestial body. There is zero evidence for that, and nothing scriptural or what our prophets have said could remotely be interpreted as such. Please don’t turn your theory into fact.

    1. Hi Blake. Rather than pointing to several excellent arguments for the theory, including scriptures and quotes from modern prophets, the same story could be written using the City of Enoch as the inhabitants of the returning planet. The project goes on. Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment. Oh, what the heck. You can read what I wrote about this five years ago and join the discussion there: https://www.latterdaycommentary.com/2008/03/02/just-where-exactly-are-the-lost-ten-tribes/. There is more here: https://www.latterdaycommentary.com/2008/02/29/and-the-stars-shall-fall-from-heaven/ and from another site:
      http://mormonmonsters.blogspot.com/2009/09/ten-tribes-live-on-another-planet.html

      1. Interesting stuff. A friend of Joseph Smith said that the prophet told him where the lost tribes were, describing it as a cauldron shaped depression in the earth at the pole, and that John the Revelator is with them. I found it in that old software that had all the scriptures and LDS works back in the 90s. Remember that? It was the first online version that came out, I think. Anyway there’s a great deal of evidence suggesting that there’s a major anomaly at the north pole. Satellites don’t fly directly over it. Planes avoid it. The military seems to be hiding something up there. I think there’s a hole up there shrouded in fog, and that’s what Admiral Byrd stumble onto during his expedition The Earth may be hollow. Granted my theory is as wild as yours, but I think Spencer’s on to something and wouldn’t dismiss his vision just because he doesn’t mention anything that supports World in Collision. I’ve always been a fan of Velikovsky and of the Wallac/Thornhill plasma theory. I just don’t think God needs to uplift the tribes to another planet (not that He couldn’t do it). There’s plenty of real estate inside the earth. 🙂 That said, I’d love to read your book when it comes out. I’ve started and stopped a novel so many times it hurts! So I can appreciate what you’re attempting. Good luck.

  9. When you say “How is it possible that God could tell three different people, one of them a prophet, that the destruction of the last days will be caused by three different things …” Which one are you referring to as a prophet… Anthony Larson, Denise Mendenhall, or Spencer? Maybe I’m misreading something or missing a detail.

    Regarding these questions: “Why would the Lord reveal such detail to Spencer that he hasn’t revealed to the prophets? Or if he has, why have they chosen not to discuss it, share it and teach us about it?” … I wonder if the prophets/apostles know a lot more and experience a lot more than they are allowed to tell us. As I was pondering correlation the other day I thought that perhaps the Church can only govern such a large body of souls through correlation. And related to that is perhaps that the Lord expects us to accept correlation, yet individually transcend it. If correlation (even to the extent that the prophet’s words are mostly correlated) is truly Christ’s mandate and inspired for the current body of Saints, is it possible that things beyond correlation are meant to be spread through unofficial yet inspired sources? Do we not have the gift of the Holy Ghost (and subsequently gifts of the Spirit) to distinguish between such things so that we don’t have to rely solely on the prophet for every detail?

    As one example of how the Church leadership may be constrained in the details they provide for us, McConkie stated on the 1978 priesthood revelation that they “felt something akin to what happened on the day of Pentecost and at the Kirtland Temple,” and although he mentions the “voice of God” and the “power of the Spirit,” there isn’t really a lot of detail provided compared to the events in the Kirtland Temple. His description actually feels very constrained, correlated, and could be read by most members as a spiritual experience not too different from the revelations common among members who are comfortable with the whisperings of the Spirt. Yet, I think if you read between the lines, he is hinting at much more happening.

    1. I just LOVE this book. FYI Ceder Fork has finally made it available on Kindle. My paper back is dog eared and underlined. Each time I reread it I’m finding things I didn’t see before, and it all makes better sense. Information about the book appeared here shortly after I made a specific prayer asking to know more about what’s coming. Both members & non-members seem to be picking up on a generalized feeling that something’s in the works
      We all have access to the scriptures’ repeated warnings about wars, earthquakes, and plagues, etc, and that the earth will be changed. Spencer appears to have been given a window into a possible scenario that he may take part in. It doesn’t mean what he experienced will be experienced by other members—especially those outside the Wasatch front Salt Lake area. The liquefaction related flooding and geysers have already been predicted by geologists when the inevitable earthquake eventually strikes the Salt Lake area. We are geologically overdue for one.
      Spencer gave a textbook description of small pox in his germ warfare section. Weaponized small pox has been around for decades in Russia, Europe & the U.S. Nothing new there, except after 9-11 my brother -in-law took part in a small pox project. He volunteered to be vaccinated and then he regularly donated blood from which they extracted antibodies. Injectable frozen antibodies could be life saving to key governmental individuals. However, in protracted multiple waves of the disease, as described by Spencer, these would eventually run out. Genetically modified strains of the disease could also render our country’s vaccination stores and antibodies worthless.
      It’s important to remember the brethren receive revelation for the Church as a whole. They’ve already told us to store water & food, and stand ready to help those who need our help. The main thing I’ve taken from the book is the importance for each of us to prayerfully learn to turn to the Holy Spirit for not only end time things, but in our daily lives each day.

      1. Great comments Ruth. Thanks for sharing. It adds a lot, especially the part about being prepared.

        Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson p.265 has a quote that reads “For years we have been counseled to have on hand a year’s supply of food. Yet there are some today who will not start storing until the church comes out with a detailed monthly home storage program. Now, suppose that never happens. We still cannot say we have not been warned.

        Should the Lord decide at this time to cleanse the church-and the need for that cleansing seems to be increasing-a famine in this land of one year’s duration could wipe out a large percentage of slothful members, including some ward and stake officers. Yet we cannot say we have not been warned. (God, Family, Country,p.383)

  10. Response to Matthew: The prophet is Joseph Smith. I think the Lord was very clear in the scriptures about how our world would be visited by terrible calamities. He has warned us over and over but so many just don’t get it or believe it.

    Here are links to some previous essays, most written four or five years ago, in which I expound upon the idea that the destruction of the Last Days will be caused by the approach of a planet to the earth.

    And the Moon Shall Turn to Blood

    Just Where Exactly Are the Lost Ten Tribes

    Forgotten Signs of the Last Days

    It Came From Behind the Sun

    The Day of the Lord Will Come Quickly

    When Prophets Need to Know

    The Electric Universe – Fact or Fiction

    Armageddon on Earth and in Heaven

    Prophets, Scholars and Burning Hail

    I’ll respond to your other comments in a separate reply. Thanks for adding to the dialog, Matthew.

    1. Hi,

      My name is Robert F. Kleiner, located in Calgary Alberta and LDS.

      When I started out reading the book I was enthused, but after arriving at the middle, I knew it is all wishful thinking and money making from gullible Mormons.

      Here is my reasoning:

      1. Beautiful angel: No reason to float over a dead person horizontally. This is not God like.

      2. God’s soft hair on his arm. Even if that is true, God would never allow this cheesy detail to distract from eternal truth.

      3. The visitation at the house where the prophet prayed. He first climbed up the stairs, had to open the door and then on the way out walked through the door.

      4. And many other inconsistencies.

      Sincerely,

      Robert F. Kleiner
      (403) 536-1156

      1. 1. I taught a very intelligent and very well known man on my mission that could not believe the BOM was true simply because he felt that God would never command anyone to kill another person (1 Nephi chapter 4 – Nephi killed Laban at the Lord’s command) he felt that this was “not god like”.

        2. As far as “cheesy detail” goes: the detail was what Spencer picked up on from HIS PERSPECTIVE not from gods. And your statement “god would never allow…..” How would you (or anyone) even begin to know what god will and will not allow? And under what circumstances?

        3. God did NOT wright this book and it was not translated by his power. He gave an experience to someone and they used their own judgement and perspective (right or wrong). Why is that concept so difficult for some people to understand?

        If you read my patriarchal blessing you would not understand the depth of meanings the same way that I do. You may even call it “cheesy” and me “gullible” for believing it even though my experience while receiving it told me that it was absolutely 100% from my heavenly father.

  11. I appreciated the review about the book. I have read the book myself and having my own revelations about it, reading the book gave more insight to what I have seen. But my reason for replying is not what I found the book but on the comment done on the review here. I grew up in a country where there was a constant war and everytime there was an attack, the water and electricity will be cut off and they would be turn for an hour or so once a week but never in the same zone. Food will quickly spoil or wouldn’t be enough. And when you news came out that someone was giving out water, you don’t care if bullets are flying by your head, you run and pay for whatever water you can carry.

    Yet when I read that internet should be priority to establish where little resources are found? I just find it naive if you think this to be a priority, for internet and anything electronic becomes the last thing in your mind. If you think electronic matters that much once you get a bit of electricity then your priorities are screwed up.

    “That’s why when I read in Spencer’s book how communications were cut off and yet there were some pockets of cities with electricity, I had to wonder why he claimed there would be no Internet. Wouldn’t that be one of the first things society would want restored once they had electricity? Even if it were just a small network in the local city not connected to the outside world, I am positive any civil authority would want that re-established as soon as possible.”

    1. Hi Nina,

      Thank you for your comment. Your added information about conditions in war was insightful. I especially appreciated your comments about the loss of water and electricity being so critical. I agree with your point that for individual survival, obtaining water would be a highest priority. I do not wish to take anything away from your passionate defense of what is most important.

      I confess I was thinking more from a city administrator’s point of view. I was not considering the Internet as a source of entertainment, but as a critical piece of infrastructure equally as important as electricity. The Internet was designed specifically with the effects of war in mind. The robust routing structure provides for a mesh environment where cities are interconnected with multiple other cities, be they large metropolitan areas or down to even the smallest of communities.

      Almost every municipality I know of depends on the Internet for communications. The flow of email or other messages is now and would remain one of the highest priorities of any civic or government organization, right after water, food and electricity. Our government has numerous contingency plans for ensuring they can communicate, even in the event of an EMP. Facilities that are deep underground have been designed specifically to withstand nuclear blasts or EMPs.

      The events that Spencer described as he flew across America support your observation. On page 116 we read, “All the utilities were in chaos. People tried to keep the necessities of life running, but they were sporadic and mostly offline. There were blackouts everywhere, some of them lasting many months. Almost all water was not fit to drink because of acts of war against this country. People suffered everywhere.” However, this was the initial scene at the beginning.

      Remember, Spencer’s vision of the earthquake, the war and the associated destruction took place in the fall. Again we find support for your position on page 124, “…all communication was down…those…away on assignment were cut off by the collapse of communication worldwide.” He then describes his trek across the country on foot the next spring, where he describes finding some pockets of electricity. They visited some places “where basic utilities had been restored.”

      “The smaller towns were succeeding more quickly at reestablishing law and order than the bigger cities (p 159). I interpret order to include communication facilities such as the Internet. On page 160, it is now the fall, nearly a year after the initial devastation when they passed into Montana where we read, “There was an economy of sorts working there, and some basic utilities had been restored.” He probably means electricity, water and sewer. Why not the Internet?

      Most people don’t have a good understanding of what exactly the Internet is. Simply put, it is a collection of networks, interconnected through multiple points. If one city gets electricity going, I am certain those who run that city will want to be able to communicate. Thus, I made my point about getting their local network going as a high priority. This is long after electricity, water and food distribution are working. It simply makes sense to support law and order in a community.

      When they arrived in Cardston, the entire “city was lit by electricity, with streetlights and lights in tents and trailers… There were hospitals, school, cafeterias, and every other needed service and facility.” They had done such a good job that he says he didn’t recall a single power flicker or failure. To me, that means communications – in other words, at least a metropolitan area network.

      I apologize that my choice of wording caused you to feel that I was being naïve when it came to reestablishing the Internet. I assure you that would also be the furthest thing from my mind when I am thirsty or starving. Water and food come first, then safety in shelter. However, if I were in a position to help get communications going again, I would lend my skills and assist the local city and government officials in repairing the Internet. Communication is also critical to survival.

      Remember, Spencer never claimed to have any technical expertise. He is a family counselor. He would not think about these things. This happens to be how I make my living and have spent my life – ensuring that the electrons flow. The Internet is what makes that happen on a large scale. Once some of the cities had their local networks going, they would want to connect to nearby cities and then finally across the country and around the world. I know I would want that.

      But thanks again for reminding us all of our highest priorities in a disaster – insuring water, food and safety for our families. It’s so sad to realize so many will be killed and of those remaining, so many will die such horrible deaths because of the lawlessness and the terrible conditions in some parts of the world. It will be a terrible thing to witness and I for one, hope and pray that my mission on earth is completed before this comes to pass either as Spencer has described or in similar scenes witnessed by others in dream and vision.

      1. Regarding the internet; You are forgetting that the re-establishing of the internet would be the last thing the invading Eurasian/UN Powers-That- Be would want. A functioning internet would permit communications which would allow the spread of information about what their true goals were, and facilitate an organized resistance to them. The internet relies on remote servers, and cable & phone lines, as well as electricity, and is very vulnerable to both cyber attack and low tech attack.

        What Spencer described sounds like a very well organized, and preplanned attack—not just taking advantage of a natural disaster. Military research is going on, both in the US & abroad, regarding the use of focused, powerful, ultra low frequency waves, that can create vibrations deep in the underlying rock strata. These subsonic vibrations can trigger earthquakes in areas where earthquake faults are already building up pressure to move.

        As I recall, these invading troops were also pre-vaccinated and well prepared for the smallpox-like germ warfare, Spencer described. Smallpox can be easily weaponized for air dispersal from aircraft because it can survive for a very long time outside a human host. This method of dispersal would result in massive numbers of people getting deathly sick—all at the same time. The usual Center for Disease Control methods for managing a natural disease outbreak would be useless. The incubation period for smallpox is long (7 – 17 days) and its initial symptoms flu-like. This means NY, DC, and most of the Eastern seaboard would already be infected before anyone knew what was happening. There would be no time for vaccinations. Air dispersal would also contaminate rivers and lakes, and open municipal water supplies. This is consistent with what was described in the book.

      2. You are right about that Ruth – a full Internet experience would require remote servers, working long-distance phone / data lines, and of course electricity. I guess what I was feeling when I wrote my review that where some civilization has been reestablished, especially as Spencer described the state of Cardston, that local network facilities would be in place. Thus, my explanation of what the Internet really is – a collection of networks. Today we use remote servers for hosting but there’s nothing that prevents us from using local servers. So again, technologically speaking, setting up network communications is feasible & desirable.

        However, and more importantly, you are also correct in that the new “powers that be” – the invading armies, would indeed be opposed to a re-establishment of communications by the conquered nation. It seems strange to write this, even to contemplate such a scenario, because it invokes feelings of disbelief. How could such a once-powerful nation be rendered so impotent by a smaller invading force? The resources of the U.S. must have been already decimated by political in-fighting and then by the targeted attacks of the weaponized germ warfare. Again, an awful thought to contemplate. How could we allow such a thing? I think the answer is obvious – and you and Spencer are right – our nation will become weak and vulnerable. Sad.

        1. Unfortunately, our nation is already in much more dire straights than many understand. Spencer mentioned in passing that the dollar had collapsed before the earthquake struck. Our leaders and financiers are desperately trying to shore up the US dollar, which is loosing it’s privileged position as the world’s trading currency. Few understand the importance of maintaining this position, but in the last two weeks there has been a run on physical gold and silver around the world—at the same time our financial leaders are using naked shorts to plunge gold and silver futures contract prices, and ETF prices for paper precious metals.

          Unfortunately, it isn’t working.

          It’s only succeeded in making already jumpy investors flee paper “gold” and rush to buy real coins and bars. There are no more silver coins (1 oz. Canadian Maple Leaves & American Eagles) available in many parts of our country, and no gold coins available in some foreign countries. A week ago our local coin and bullion dealer in Salt Lake had to post a sign explaining that they couldn’t get any more silver coins, because everyone was sold out around the country.

          Trust me, this is not good. This only happens when significant numbers of people are losing faith in the value of their fiat paper currency— in this case, the US Dollar.

          So far the Fed has succeeded in keeping this out of the press, and they are working hard to contain the problem. If Spencer is right however, their best efforts will eventually fail.

  12. As one who has met Spencer and knows something of his character, let me simply add my first hand account that he is a humble, intelligent, and Christ-like man. When he speaks, he says the Savior’s name with incredible love and familiarity. May I encourage those reading this review to open their hearts to hear what The Lord would have them learn from Visions of Glory. Soft hearts will hear.

    1. Thank you Kev. I sincerely appreciate that someone has come forth to vouch for Spencer. As I read the book I also got a feel for the man, that he was sincere, humble and would not lie or tell stories to satisfy any pride or desire for recognition. I tried in my review to simply point out that his experiences in his dreams, visions and NDEs may have been symbolic for him and not necessarily reflect future events that will come to pass. But then, we should all ask the Lord for help in understanding what we must do to be prepared for events such as these, which the scriptures do prophesy will indeed come to pass, whether they happen exactly as Spencer has related or not. Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment.

    1. Hi Jake. That’s a good recommendation from the reviews I’ve read. Although I don’t read much fiction, I’ve ordered it and am going to be reading it. Thanks for adding to the conversation here. For those who haven’t read it, here’s the publisher’s blurb: “New York Times best selling author William R. Forstchen now brings us a story which can be all too terrifyingly real…a story in which one man struggles to save his family and his small North Carolina town after America loses a war, in one second, a war that will send America back to the Dark Ages…

      A war based upon a weapon, an Electro Magnetic Pulse (EMP). A weapon that may already be in the hands of our enemies. Months before publication, One Second After has already been cited on the floor of Congress as a book all Americans should read, a book already being discussed in the corridors of the Pentagon as a truly realistic look at a weapon and its awesome power to destroy the entire United States, literally within one second. It is a weapon that the Wall Street Journal warns could shatter America. In the tradition of On the Beach, Fail Safe and Testament, this book, set in a typical American town, is a dire warning of what might be our future…and our end.”

      Source: http://www.amazon.com/One-Second-After-William-Forstchen/dp/0765356864

  13. Thanks for the blog.

    As someone who wants to write about the last days, the lost tribes, and to fictionalize spiritual things, I know how it can be difficult to read a book like Visions of Glory, and hear a person’s account that may not jive with what you’ve concluded yourself. There are people who think that Spencer’s account is fiction because of the race of people coming from the north, living under ground. For 20 years, I’ve known that there’s an anomaly in the North Pole hiding something, so to have a group of people living there, even as Joseph Smith claimed (from a second-hand source), it’s expected that the tribes would be hidden there–at least some of them. Surely, there are many mysteries of this world that we aren’t privy to.

    There’s nothing in Visions of Glory that contradicts doctrine, and, in fact, most of it validates what a lot of us already suspect to be true.

    I also do not believe that a prophet or General Authority would ever be asked by God to describe events like Spencer does. It’s not their mandate to broadcast such visions officially and formally. There are things GAs can say, and things they cannot say. The latter list is longer. They may warn of an impending disaster (I don’t expect them to), but their main role is to administer the ordinances, help perfect the living and dead, and help the poor. Any GA who spoke the way Spencer does would harm and embarrass the church. God would, however, use other worthy men to get some messages across. There’s a difference between a GA and a prophet. Lehi was a prophet and not a GA. “In a general sense a prophet is anyone who has a testimony of Jesus Christ by the Holy Ghost.” (Bible dictionary.)

    Also, Spencer didn’t say that everything south of the Point of the Mountain was flooded. He described a large sinkhole south of SLC but “miles before the Point of the Mountain.” And in another area of the book, he claims that Utah Valley (presumably Utah County) experiences some flooding from Utah Lake, but it’s no worse than SLC, and it definitely isn’t all under water.

    Spencer sounds genuine (although politically naive, like most Mormons.) He got his message out exactly as you’d expect from someone telling the truth. He doesn’t go off into political intrigue or speculate much. He relates only what happened to him, and interprets what those things that he experienced mean for him. Just because he doesn’t speak of an EMP doesn’t mean we won’t experience one. He carefully avoids territory he shouldn’t go to, unlike a lot of other NDE accounts. For example, Sarah Menet sounds like she had a believable experience, but she undermines herself by trying to over interpret, attach dates, tie current events and people to her experience, explain every secret combination. That’s futile.

    I don’t think God tells or shows different people different things. We interpret what he says differently, and then fail to adequately explain them. 🙂

  14. Tim hit it right on the nail when he said that he couldn’t help but get the feeling something’s a little “off” about this book but what that was exactly he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. BUT we have! To find out what is really happening here with this book and to learn all the facts surrounding it please go to http://unblogvisionsofglory.wordpress.com/ We have investigated the truth surrounding this book and uncovered the material that will not be disclosed on any other review site. For example, we were the first to bring to light an audio recording of “Spencer” making a HUGE disclaimer at the end of his live presentation at the author’s home in front of other church members wherein he said, “None of these things have to happen the way I have described them” and then with emphasis in his voice repeated it again, “NONE OF IT!”. So we ask you the reader, why this huge disclaimer and why all the hedging? When you go to our blog to learn all the facts that we’ve uncovered you’ll see why their hedging. Incidentally, as soon as Spencer’s people found out we had exposed the audio recording wide open with our analysis they immediately broke the link to the audio file so no one could access it anymore on the internet. Don’t delay! go their now to learn the truth. Thanks for reading.

    1. Nick, your evaluation of Spencer’s book on your website is weak. You need something more concrete if you think you can expose that book.

      Bizarre tone and narration? VoG’s greatest strength is its narration (even if it’s false).

      Anonymity? Spencer has no choice but to be anonymous, or his life would be ruined by pestering members and attackers.

      Doctrine? I’ve seen nothing in VoG that runs contrary to doctrine, and anyone who deeply understands our doctrine agrees with me.

      Authority? Who do you expect to receive visions like he did? Our GAs? One mention of an earthquake from a GA would cause mass panic.

      You’re trying to shoot VoG down based on your own mortal assumptions and shaky analysis. Please think twice unless you have proof that Spencer is a fraud. That’s what people would be interested in knowing. Spencer’s book boils down to his word against others, and against yours. Unless you’ve been to the other side of the veil and can speak with some authority, factually, I think you’re going to embarrass yourself.

  15. Tim, you are going to be in trouble in California. Denver will be at risk in Salt lake. BYU will be gone. Not sure how I will be in Houston. When the great earthquake splits the Mississippi and the land masses arise in the Gulf, will Houston get tsunamied?

  16. Pingback: In the Tops of the Mountains | Latter-day Commentary

  17. I read this book in December. Super interesting. I wasn’t sure about all the details, but I came away with a renewed commitment to seek and learn to live by the Spirit.

  18. I have seen the end of this world. I dreamt I was standing on a huge mountain. I saw hundreds of artillery guns lined up. then I went over the top and saw millions of soldiers just waiting. I was 8 years old when I had this dream. I have no doubt heavenly father loves us, or that prophecy isn’t just for the prophet himself. no one has just one gift whle here.

  19. I agree with the review on FAIR as well as with others who support this book. There are aspects, through prayerful questions, which feel right and others which would contradict how our Savior has shown He works.
    In regards to your comment on the flood following the massive earthquake: Spencer said in his book that he looked upon Utah County as appearing to be in tact and not as harmed (no water). I understood it to be Sandy/Draper, UT area that had fallen 50 ft & consequently flooded becoming a lake/pond (a few miles from the point of the mountain as we followed along the foot of the mountain coming from SL). As one who has worked in the Utah State Comprehensive Emergency Management Division/Dept. of Public Safety (now Homeland Security) along side geological specialists, it has been determined a moderate-level earthquake (not even a catastrophic one like Spencer had seen) would cause the ground East of the Great Salt Lake to fall approximately 18 inches resulting in flooding Salt Lake City, North Salt Lake, etc. Spencer also spoke of receding waters, so I don’t personally understand it to be a return of Lake Bonneville.

    1. Ah, good stuff. So glad you added your comment. Thanks Jan. For this California boy, this helps so much. Yeah, so many people hit me up with private emails about Lake Bonneville that I threw that out. That’s really neat what you shared given your background. Many thanks. – Tim

  20. First of all, I find it funny so many commenters think that they can logically make sense of these things and the events preceding the Second Coming, and how they cannot mentally or cognitively reconcile events to what they currently understand to the power of God and the ability he has to transform so much of this earth for his purposes. It is a matter if faith and humility. Arrogance as well, I suppose.

    I finished the book last night. My take away was a bit different as I was super motivated to ensure that I was worthy to be called up to participate in this great time. It lit a spiritual fire inside of me to remove pride from my heart, forgive others, and let the Atonement work on healing my heart and refining my soul. I loved Spencer’s description of he power of faith, and putting all of our trust in God. Although many of us think we do, I learned for myself this was false. I still rely too much on my own reasoning and logic in matters that could be aided by the Spirit.

    I belive the message of the book to be one spititual and motivational in nature and less to do with the political and economic events surrounding these coming perilous times. People that read and receive it through spiritual eyes might get super excited about this coming phenomenal period of time, and make personal preparations to have te faith necessary and to be worthy of being called upon to aid in this great work. The book left me excited, energized, motivated for personal transformation, and with a deep desire to be a positive part of what is coming. Yay, Zion!!! 🙂

    1. Yes! That’s how I took it too. Of course there were a few parts that I wasn’t sure about, but that doesn’t mean you throw it all out. This book reminded me that there’s so much more for us – our faith has so far to go. It helped me recommit to do better at following the Spirit and being in the place I need to be to help out.

      1. Agreed. I think we have to remember that the book and Spencer’s interpretation of the experiences, images, symbols, etc. are what he understood at the point the book was published. I have learned from experience that I am still learning and coming to a new understanding of my own spiritual experiences. Many times the messages sent are multi-dimensional and continue to reveal their meanings as we progress spiritually or as we need it.

    2. Janelle, I agree with you.

      If you have not read The Triumph of Zion, written by John M. Pontius before he met Spencer, I highly recommend it. If you can get past the spelling and grammatical errors which the publisher failed to correct, it is an amazing book. For me, it was the strongest call to Zion I have ever read.

  21. A friend of mine recommended that I read “Visions of Glory”. From the beginning, I felt an uneasiness, a malaise, if you will. I get the overall feeling that “Spencer” thinks of himself as special and I question a lot of the details he includes of the end of times and his out of body experiences. I just don’t feel the Spirit.

  22. In order to understand a book like “Visions of Glory” one has to open their mind and heart to receive added knowledge. You don’t have to take everything literal. It is the spirit of what is being taught that is important. Also, verification of what the book is teaching can easily be done by checking out the scriptures. A novel thought, I guess, but many of you naysayers may be surprised and learn something. Linney

  23. A couple points came to mind as I read your review. You say that you’ve never heard anyone else talk about Salt Lake flooding. I read one NDE book that said this too. I’ve read a lot NDE books over the years. I believe it was in one that the author had committed suicide then came back. The author, who was female, also mentioned nuclear attacks in big cities such as Boston, Las Vegas, etc.

    It’s been a while since I read Visions of Glory, but I was under the impression that only one of the lost ten tribes comes from below the earths surface, not all ten. I’ll have to go back and check that out.

    You also mention the Savior appearing to a select few at the Conference. I know that the Doctrine and Covenants mentions that Christ will appear three times before the second coming. Once in the Old Jerusalem, once in the New Jerusalem and once at Adam-ondi-Ahman. The church’s website says that the Lord will appear “several” times before the second coming. Maybe Salt Lake is one of the those times. https://www.lds.org/manual/doctrines-of-the-gospel-student-manual/chapter-36-the-lords-second-coming?lang=eng

    I did enjoy reading your review.

  24. This book is a good book ONLY if looked at as PURELY FICTION. As for those who say it is prophetic, I say this book is all bullcrap. Spencer and all those like unto him are false prophets. There are only 15 men on the earth who can receive revelation pertaining to the masses, and those are the First Presidency and Quorum of the 12 Apostles. The average human cannot receive revelation for or involving anyone other than himself/herself or his/her family. Get a reality check, those of you who are LDS and actually believe this crap. Any fool who is deceived by this false prophet needs to repent and follow the Standard Works (Book of Mormon, Bible, D&C, Pearl of Great Price) and the revelations of living and true prophets. Educate yourselves. Stay away from these types of books and people. For example, Brian Mitchell, the animal who kidnapped Elizabeth Smart, claimed to receive revelation from God for the masses, and look where it landed him. This type of stuff invokes cultism. If you are going to treat this book as purely fiction, then keep it. If you treat this book as prophetic, then you need to take this book and burn it before you go apostate.

    1. Mike,
      A few thoughts: In the book, John Pontius closes by stating that these visions were for Spencer and best serve their purpose for anyone reading the book to discover for themselves their role in bringing forth the Latter-day Zion. So the book does not claim to be doctrine or prophecy for anyone except for Spencer.

      Second point, no where in the standard works or from words from the Brethren does it say that God only talks to the Brethren to his disciples. In fact, I think any serious student of the scriptures and of modern prophets will find the opposite is true. God is eager and willing to reveal all things to those ready to receive them. If you simply wait for the brethren to tell you revelations to guide your daily step, you are walking in darkness at noon day. Indeed – the very teachings they proffer suggest we are all to seek the Lord’s face and have Him reveal to us His will.

      Third point: nothing in Visions of Glory goes against what modern prophets or the standard works say. In fact, the visions Spencer saw align beautifully.

      I continue to be amazed at the virulent response some have to a man who received beautiful visions and then was allowed by the Lord to share them. We should, as a people who claim to embrace modern revelation and truth from any source, welcome this truth with open arms. Those who do are finding great light and truth.

      1. I don’t think VoG was a revelation officially intended for the church. And, most revelation in history–the big stuff–were given to men who were not general authorities of any church. The Brethren receive it for the church administratively, to be sure, but you’re nuts if you think God is going to tell the Brethren something that will cause a panic. They exist to administer the church, the gospel, redeem the dead, and preach how we can live Christlike lives. When Tribulation hits the fan, I expect the GAs to be as shocked as the rest of us. But thanks to them, we will be prepared for heavenly assistance through the trial. Any other outlook on this, I think, is a narrow-minded or ignorant one.

  25. Well said Kevin. I feel like there’s a bit too much black and white thinking, perhaps especially among Mormons. Right or wrong, all or nothing, black or white….”all bullcrap”? – he shared his personal visions the best he could put them into words, that’s all. We can actually feel the Spirit more, in all the subtleties, when we look and listen for truth wherever we find it, realizing that there’s always more to learn and more to understand. Rather than indignantly huffing about that someone has violated your understanding of something.

    John and Spencer both made it very clear, multiple times, that this is not a revelation for the church and I don’t know why people keep acting like they said it was, especially if they read the book. I’m sure a lot of people have had visions but don’t share them, because they aren’t directed to, or maybe because they don’t want to deal with all this. I’ve said it before, but VOG was a kind of wake-up call for me, and it inspired me to recommit to learning to live by the Spirit. A book can most certainly be helpful to some, and not to others.

    1. Amen to you and Kevin, goodfighter. It’s understandable but odd to see so many lash out at VoG. If we had all knowledge and understanding it would be one thing but to chant ‘no more’ with today’s level of ignorance and confusion is a sign we’re ignorant and confused. Are they hoping that Article of Faith #9 manifests by osmosis? Are they hoping to deduce greater spiritual insights using the power of their minds alone? I personally have enjoyed the book and have recommended it to several friends.

      As always, thanks, Tim, for alerting us to this book whether you go along with it or not.

  26. I have a generalized approach to books like this.

    16 For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.

    17 But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him.

    Of course, this is the two extremes. There is at least one more category, because some things neither invite to do good, nor persuade to believe in Christ, nor the opposite of these. Those are the things which be of men.

    Unfortunately, I did not see anything in the book which taught how to come unto Christ, neither therefore did it invite to do good (Moroni 10:25), neither did it teach the right way (2 Nephi 25:29).

    Neither did it persuade men to do evil and believe not in Christ, neither deny him and serve not God.

    I was impressed by certain aspects of this book. It would take a person who was well-versed much that has been written on the apocryphal accounts of visions of the last days, from the days of Joseph on upwards, to craft this tale. Yet I wondered why, (to take one detail as an example) the returning Savior would be dressed as in that painting commonly found in church foyers, with a white robe and red sash, rather than garbed completely in red (D&C 133:46, 51).

    This book seemed to me to be, for the most part, spiritual voyeurism; even if the account were true, it brings none to Christ, but rather seems calculated to appeal to our hunger for the visions and blessings of old to return, and angels descending upon the earth; it seems less a testament to what it portrays, and more a sign of our spiritual starvation.

    Your mileage may vary.

  27. Spencer is doing fine. There no conspiracy theory. He is a very private individual. He doesn’t want to be the center of attention. His desire is to share what he saw and bring people to the real center, our Savior.
    Thanks

  28. George Angerbauer

    The tone and rationale of those defending the book, unfortunately, underscore the well-founded warning against it on fairmormon by Gregory Smith, which others have referenced here (including Tim). So subtle can half-truths be portrayed, even when the original intent may be genuine yet misapplied.

  29. watchingthesignsofthetimes

    I agree with tim’s assessment of the book so far as I haven’t finished it yet. I was only made aware of the books existence this past saturday when my aunt told me about it and let my borrow her copy. I have a hard time with his sharing what he saw in the way it is portrayed I also think it doesn’t always seem to fit with prophecy, some of it seemed like he confused wish dreams with visions (I mean no disrespect). However, I need to say that people do have visions. I myself had a vision last year of a last day event while reading jeremiah 3: 18. I will not share what I was shown because it is personal but I recorded it in my journal I have never shared it with anyone. This exact same event was described in this book word for word what I wrote in my journal except he breezed over it with hardly a mention as if it wasn’t that important. I don’t know why I saw what I saw, I guess I feel it was the holy ghost helping me to understand a particular scripture. I do know it was the middle of the afternoon and I was reading scriptures not taking a nap I was fully awake. It was a strange sensation to suddenly see something that couldn’t possibly be in my living room. I also had a angelic guide through out this vision but he never spoke to me nor I to him. I think I knew who he was but again that Is personal. Don’t know why I feel the need to say anything at all but I just feel people need to know that sometimes if it is father in heavens will we can have visions.

  30. My problem with this book is that it mentions an awful lot of the same information I’ve read in other NDE’s. All the previous NDE’s stood by themselves and really didn’t fringe on other NDE’s that had been told. Spencer’s experiences sound like most of them came from other NDE’s he might have read. I went through the contents of this book and wrote next to the chapters the name of the person who wrote the original version of that NDE, and there’s a lot of names written next to chapters. Betty Eadie, Sarah Menet (who talks about the flooding in Utah), Betty Freeman, George Richie, are some names I wrote there. I realize NDE’s may be similar but not this similar. I even read back in the early 90’s of a woman’s idea of the 12 tribes being under the earth similar to Chapter 9.

  31. I have not read all the comments here, but a lot of them. I find it most interesting not one of them addresses Spencer’s supposed “translation” as if it is an every day occurrence.

    I have been in the presence of a couple or three self proclaimed translated beings and I can tell you, they were about as translated as I am.

    As for me, I have yet to read this book, it is on order and out of stock at the moment. I look forward to reading and expect to find much good in it, but I’ll bet buck against a donut there is a whole bunch of… in there. Like one person commented, I suspect it was written with a financial end in mind based upon so many thirsty folks looking for some spiritual food that is not coming from where it should.

    But then why should it come from there? Most folks are like the Children of Israel, wanting Moses to go up and commune with the Lord because they did not want anything to do with Him.

    I don’t see much coming out of SLC and have not for a good long time. I suspect a lot of it is because what they tell us is totally ignored for the most part. Folks will not even do the basics, but are looking for some one big thing that will make them think they are spiritual giants.

    The leaders cannot even get a small percentage of the Church to get their food storage and that has been ragged on since Brigham was an investigator. If they won’t even do that why should they be worthy of anything more spiritual?

    And so we get …

    Thanks Tim for the blog and all the great information and insights you give us. I hope things go well with your new career search.

  32. I have never had that much difficulty finishing a book. It contained more blasphemy than anything I have ever read. The first few chapters of the book while he was truly telling “Spencer’s” near death experience had truth in it. After telling all he could about his experience the author started making things up. He took whatever he had read or heard about the last days and made up extravagant stories around those events. The author got so into his character that he attempted to make himself (through his character) more important than the 12. Again please don’t promote or encourage anyone to read this book.

    Thanks,
    George

  33. Mileage will vary, sure. But I am absolutely baffled at all the negative comments. This book changed my life. I am more dedicated to the Lord and His returning than I have ever been after reading this.

    I don’t think everything is going to happen word for word as it’s told–of course not (this book is not Scripture), but it most certainly filled me with the Spirit. I’ve pondered and prayed about things in it many times and my soul fills with the desire to be better and bring more to Christ.

    You don’t have to love this book, no. Everyone has a right to their opinion. But those saying it’s of the devil and can’t possibly bring anyone to Christ… well, I think they’ve all missed out on something wonderful. They’ve missed out on a chance to have their souls and their mortal lives improved upon. I think the naysayers really need to quit focusing so much on everything being exactly right or not. It really doesn’t matter.

    In the end, this book brought me closer to my Savior. I’ve since bought an electronic copy to have with me for reference. (Not to reference it as “Scripture”, but to reference certain things in it so I can better research them thru the official works of the Church.)

    I very strongly urge those who have dismissed this book offhand to read it without your preconceptions. There were a couple things that made my eyebrow raise as I read. So, I researched the topics and found NONE that go against what we already know as Truth.

    This book may not be intended as a vision for the Church (and it shouldn’t be), but it most certainly will bring you the Spirit if you allow it to.

    1. Thanks Jason,
      I spoke with Spencer last week and express to him all the good that his experience brought to many people. He worries that some individuals have not understood the message. And the message is very simple, trust in the Lord, keep your covenants and that the only way to Zion is be 100% dependent upon His Grace. We all need to leave behind the things of the world and through deeds of the heart be purified and cleansed from this Telestial world. As we do so, we’ll become more like Him. Spencer always tells me that I need to see myself and others as the Savior sees us, with kindness, unconditional love and hope.
      Thanks again.

      1. You’re very welcome, Fabio.

        I just can’t fathom people thinking VoG has ill intentions! The book has a simple point and message: To put the Lord first, trust in Him for all things no matter how dire it may seem, and bring souls to Christ with love.

        How can anyone dispute that as being “evil”? From their fruits we shall know them, right? And VoG does nothing but promote Christ. I don’t get how anyone has a problem with that–whether this is a complete work of fiction or not.

        While it’s true the Scriptures are absolutely vital to our understanding, it’s also wonderful to have a book–though not Scripture–put things in a perspective that’s easy to understand and sings to my soul.

        Please send Spencer and Mr. Pontius my thanks. They’ve both helped me so much! They have my eternal gratitude.

        1. I will Jason. Pontius passed away a few months ago. I never met him personally. Spencer on the other hand has become a great friend and mentor. He is sweet, humble, pure, clean, full of knowledge and ALWAYS praising the Father and the Son. A true Zion men of God.
          Keep up.
          Fabio

        2. I had no idea Mr. Pontius had passed on. So sad to hear, but thanks for letting me know.

          I would love to meet “Spencer”. I’m sure many others would too, so I understand that probably won’t happen. But if it means anything, I would never divulge his true identity even under threat of pain or death!

          I would just want to talk to him (briefly) so I could thank him in person.

          But, running into you online is the next best thing! I’d greatly appreciate it if you let him know how grateful I am. He helped correct the course of my life! Have a great weekend, Fabio!

      2. Fabio, please do us a favor and beg Spencer to let us know what year the EQ is going to hit. There’s no way he does not know this information, based on the extensive details of what he describes. Anyone who associated with foreign troops and people in that time, to that extent, would have at least have some idea how far into the future this occurs. Those of us who love the book and believe Spencer are ready to hear more. Thanks.

  34. I thoroughly loved this book and all the information it contained. My wife and I were wondering about the fact that Spencer lived to experience the final days including Zion. That would mean that he is still living – is that right? How old is Spencer right now.

    thanks,
    Julian Boswell

        1. I contend he’s 64.

          Born 1950
          First NDE 1983 age 33
          Tahiti 1995 age 45
          2014 age 64

          I guess it’s better just to ask him, though. 🙂

          If he’s 62, I’d put the EQ between 2020 – 2025

        2. Fabio Sagebin

          On my second interview (2014) with him he asked my age, which I answered 55, de said, I am 62.
          So, this was his words.
          He has much more information that he’ll not divulge. I respect and only ask questions inspired by the HG.
          The purpose of the book is to inspire each one of us to:
          1. Keep our covenants
          2. Trust completely in Heavenly Father, and in Jesus Christ
          3. Learn that in our personal journey towards Zion we need to let ALL Telestial things behind and become a Zion person.
          4. We are not alone. Angels, good and evils ones are here to help and to destroy us.
          5. We made promises, before we were born, we need to keep them.
          6. Follow the Brethren.
          7. Go to the Temple and be holy.

  35. Friends, I read where many people believe the Holy Ghost testified to them about the truth of this book. My wife and started reading this book together, becoming more and more uncomfortable with the content at every reading. We both agreed to put the book down and we both were assured by the Holy Ghost that this book is not anything an LDS person should be reading. Get back to your scriptures and the uplifting writings of your General Authorities.

    1. Bruce, perhaps the book benefits only certain people who need to read it, or already suspected what it claims. I know people who don’t like the book for all the wrong reasons (usually because it contradicts their personal interpretation of doctrine, and therefore it can’t be a true book, because they don’t want their doctrine shaken).

      So they play the HG card.

      It isn’t fair to play the HG card either for or against the book. Joseph Smith said that if he told us all he knew of the Kingdom of God, even the members would rise up and kill him. People rose up and killed Christ. I think VoG is too much for some people, and others can’t get enough, and it’s exactly what the are ready to hear. Either way, it is impossible to reliably state that Spencer is lying about his experience. Until someone else has had their own vision of the earthquake and of how Zion unfolds, and can contradict him based on what they saw, this is the most reliable contemporary account we have. Yes, it isn’t gospel, per se, but it brings people toward Christ, toward the Brethren, and toward Zion. TMI isn’t a bad thing for everyone. 🙂

      1. Thank you for that rebuttal Blake – I totally agree and feel the same way. My wife and I are reading the book and have had no inspiration that we should put the book down and walk away. We feel very good reading VoG and it has inspired us to get ready for the last days and increase our Temple attendance. If the book was written to lead us astray – it certainly isn’t working!

      2. I’m with you, Julian, in giving Blake a big thumb’s up here. As long as we believe we understand everything we effectively cut ourselves off from further light and knowledge. God values epistemic humility so highly because the teachable are the only ones he can, well, teach. Do we accept Article of Faith #9 or not?

  36. I’m working on Visions of Glory and appreciate the review. I was wondering what your take would be on it, especially knowing you read Snuffer’s,Rock’s and Larson’s work. As I’m finishing up VoG, I’m wondering how to juxtapose it with Snuffer’s work, especially when VoG is very much seemingly entrenched in the beliefs that the status quo is right on. I found the beginning very personally inspiring, and my husband is even enjoying it (which is great!). I’m relying more on the Spirit to make sense of the future events.

    I’m also curious – after reading the Billy Fingers (?) NDE book, do you ever wonder why people of different faiths experience such different NDE experiences, which seem to be continuances of their faith?

    Thanks again for the post! Love reading these!

  37. Just read Visions of Glory and came across this site. While I don’t have time at the moment to read all of these comments thoroughly, I would like to comment about the skepticism expressed regarding the flooding mentioned in this book.

    Revelation 12: 14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

    15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.

    16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.

    The woman being the Church, this makes sense. An earthquake releases the groundwater which is under pressure, floods the vicinity, and another earthquake causes it to drain.

    Also, I have read a couple of other visions where people were shown the flooding of Salt Lake that affects the temple, and that it is renovated afterwards. Apparently, there is even a story going around that there is a mark in the SL Temple that shows the height to which the prophesied flooding will come. Had never heard that before, so I will have to try to find some more information about that.

  38. The problem with the book and the “vision” is it does not harmonize with the scriptures. I think all the contributors to this blog believe in the revealed word of God found in the scriptures. If so, it is good to consider what the scriptures say about the idea of massive destruction and invasions and other such nonsense. The end of the world will be mostly undetected by mankind. The idea of massive destruction and death comes from misunderstandings about Armageddon as found in the Bible. Most people think Armageddon is foretelling world-wide destruction. It is not. It is dealing with the people in Judea in their battle with Gog and Magog. The rest of the world will not be aware that great prophecies are being fulfilled and certainly not that the end is near. The construct that there will be worldwide destruction and death probably comes from Satan, as he does not want man prepared for the Second Coming of Christ. If everyone believed that the time preceding Christ’s coming will be fraught with such terrible events, everyone will be lulled into complacency as they will not be considering the end until it is too late. This widely held view of Armageddon is a lie and the scriptures below prove it.

    Matthew 24:38-39
    38-For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark,
    39-And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

    Luke 17:26-30
    26-And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
    27-They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
    28- Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
    29- But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
    30- Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed

    1 Thessalonians 5:2-3
    2-For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
    3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

    2 Peter 3:3-4
    3-Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
    4-And saying, where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

    These wonderful scriptures clearly say that pretty much everyone will be unprepared and not fully realizing that the events foretold in the scriptures do not include massive destruction and death, except in Judea. According to this revealed word, people will go about their daily business as if nothing is going to happen. And how does a thief in the night come? Does he come with great noise and destruction or does he come quietly and undetected? Read 1 Thessalonians above again. Remember, when in doubt, trust the scriptures.

    I have written extensively on this time preceding the Second Coming of Christ in a book, How the World Really Ends, from Abraham to Armageddon. Massive destruction and death will not happen except in Judea. There will be massive destruction and death when Christ literally returns in glory and the wicked will burn and the face of the earth will change. Anyone that says there will be massive destruction, death, floods and invasions preceding Christ’s coming is directly contradicting the truth found in the scriptures in the Bible. There are many prophecies coming true today and many will be revealed in the future, but, you must trust the scriptures and not man’s word or his dreams or visions. If the prophet said he had a vision of this time, him I would believe and count it as scripture. I cannot refute all the book alleges in such a blog as this because there are so many problems with this supposed “vision of glory”. There are just too many problems with the book and the ideas it purports. Trust the scriptures.

  39. There’s so many facets of understanding from the Lord for us that we do not have a complete understanding of all his “mysterious ways”. Let’s be careful not to dismiss things just because it is not according to our understanding.

  40. The Lord says that his ways are not our ways and he works in Mysterious ways. His understanding is different than our understanding. I think we look and judge by our own understanding but there are many facets of understanding when it comes to the Lord. We need to be careful not to judge what we think we “know” and how we think it will all come about. There are so many possibilities.

  41. Danielle Davis

    Has anyone read the Julie Rowe books? I have never posted on any of these forums, but the main thing for me in seeking knowledge and personal revelation is in my own relationship and prayers to Heavenly Father. Ask and it shall be given, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you. For me it is about spiritually being in tune enough to receive answers. I know that through small things great things can be brought to pass. I have knelt and prayed for answers, and they have been coming.

    16 For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.

    17 But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him.

  42. My wife and I both read this book and found it to be a positive experience and faith promoting overall despite a thing or two we may lack in understanding. I am reminded of a scripture to which points to any faithful member that the Lord chooses to share His secrets with in these last days. Refer to D&C 76 : 7-10.
    Prophecy is a spiritual gift promised to all as Paul taught to the Corinthians(1 Cor. 14). It is one to be coveted. I wonder about the 144,000 high priests chosen in the future, if they will each have this gift of prophecy. Then their are the two witnesses chosen to go unto the Jews in these last days. Will they come from the rank and file of the membership of the church? Time and events will reveal all unclarified prophecy to those of us who live to see its fulfillment.

  43. Steven Arthur Sr.

    For those of you who remember Sterling McMurrin…his comment on the 2nd coming was “it’s always been eminent and always been coming”….this was my attitude until I became a reader and student of NDE’s..and other escatological visionaries….when we take “Spencer” in “Visions”…Julie Rowe, Dannion Brinkley,Edgar Cayce,Michel de Nostradame, Sarah Menet, Sols Cardisto, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruf, Charles D.Evans,Jonathan Cahn, William Branham…and I could go on for at least 20 more… now compare these subjective testimonies with scholarly works of Avraham Gileadi and Val Brinkerhoff….yes we have had warnings enough…thus he that hath ears to hear or eyes to read let him/her do so…yes like Julie Rowe tells it ..”The Time is Now!!

  44. the quiet thief in the night analogy is interesting and a thought I had not supposed(I know the thief in the night phrase….but need quietness to pull it off)….while I am not claiming support for this book…I will say the scriptures also speak of wars and rumors of wars and other such terrible events appearing before the second coming, and indeed if it is like the days of noah, it is reasonable to assume the planet is filled with all manner of wars, whoredoms, raping, thieving, etc. to that end the earth will be extremely noisy and the inverse could be true….rather than needing absolute silence to come as a thief in the night perhaps Christ comes a thief in the night amidst great noise.

    For instance if you are at a party all night of 1000 people, it will be so loud and noisy and so full of distractions the odds that you notice a thief sneaking in to steal something would be exceptionally low. For the thief could cloak himself easily in the noise and the large crowd….So Christ, the thief in the night, could easily sneak in with no effort on His part and no one would notice Him. In such a setting He could even walk up to and talk to you and you wouldnt know because its a large party.

    so being quiet is not the only way to be a thief. a thief can and does excell with a large noisy crowd to cloak His appearance and movements.

  45. Pingback: Thoughts on the End of the World – Latter-day Commentary – Last Days – Signs of the Times

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