Private Sacrament Meetings

fishers-of-men2

One of the quickest ways to get kicked out of the LDS Church is to participate in ordinances outside the order authorized in the Church Handbook. The Church frowns on people performing baptisms or holding Sacrament meetings without the Bishop’s permission. This restriction – this imposed control – was a contributing factor to my resignation from the Church almost a year ago.

I felt then, and still do, that not allowing someone to partake of the sacrament is anti-Christ. I had been participating in sacrament meetings that were not sanctioned by the Church. I also decided I wanted to get baptized again, a common practice in the early days of the LDS Church. Does it not strike you as odd, even evil, that an institution would forbid these ordinances of salvation?

When Christ visited the Americas in 3rd Nephi, one of the first things they did was to be baptized which, in the case of many, if not most, was a rebaptism. When one enters a new phase of life, especially spiritual life, it makes perfect sense to demonstrate that commitment through baptism. I am still amazed and disturbed the LDS Church considers this grounds for excommunication.

Spiritual Nourishment in the Community

fishers-of-men1Over the past year I have traveled great distances to be with fellow believers and share in the ordinance of the sacrament with them. Each has been a spiritual feast. Some I consider to be a highlight of my life. These sacraments in private homes and parks have fed my soul, brought peace and comfort to my heart and mind and helped me draw closer in appreciation to Christ.

This week I was blessed to participate in two such gatherings. For one I drove an hour and half after a full day at work to my old stake (LaVerne CA) to meet with friends in Claremont. We had a wonderful time in this act of fellowship talking of the gospel of Jesus Christ, hearing of each other’s welfare and supping on bread and wine blessed in remembrance of our Lord and Savior.

Today I traveled over the hill to my nearest neighbor in this new fellowship to strengthen a bond we had established nearly a year ago when we were baptized together in the Ventura harbor. We conversed for more than two hours about how things are going with this new movement, about our own efforts in coming unto Christ and what we see happening in the world around us today.

Significant Events in Sept 2015

In both these gatherings we discussed the widespread speculation that something major is going to happen next month, perhaps around the vernal equinox of September 23rd. There has been much discussion online of impending financial upset, which seems to occur every seven years. I think Rob expressed it best in Upward Thought: The World is Not Going to End in Sept 2015.

I shared this somewhere previously. It is a small sampling of interesting events next month:

1) Jade Helm 15 (7/15/15 to 9/15/2015)

2) The end of the Shemitah year on 9/13/2015 or Elul 29

3) An increase in speculation there will be a large economic down turn around this time frame

4) 9/14/2015 (Jewish New Year)

5) There will be a solar eclipse on 9/13/2015 as well

6) The fall equinox will take place on 9/23/2014

7) CERN tests taking place on 9/23 and 9/24

8) The last blood Moon of the four will occur on 9/28/2015

9) The feast of the tabernacles is also on 9/28/2015

10) Pope to Visit White House on 9/23/2015 (Day of Atonement)

He will then address Congress on 9/24/2015

And then on 9/25 he will address the UN

11) The French Foreign Minister said on 5/13/2014 standing next to John Kerry that “we have 500 days to avoid climate chaos.” (500 days from that date is 9/24/2015)

12) There seems to be a large amount of movies, songs, media and other entertainment sources that are subtly pointing to the week of 9/21 through 9/28/2015 being a very significant / interesting week.

The Lord said he placed the stars and planets in the heavens to be signs for man. I don’t begin to understand how to interpret the ordering of the heavens next month. I enjoy reading the insights of those who have studies such things for years, some who have made it their life’s work. I am enthralled by new science discoveries that seem to vindicate theories of the Electric Universe.

A Few Personal Observations

fishers-of-men3To me, these sacraments are representative of tying the knots in the net that has gathered some of the most awake and insightful people I have had the pleasure to meet, most online, and many in person at the lectures. With you, I look forward to obtaining Denver’s new book as soon as it is off the press, hopefully a little later this month. I want to read the new and expanded material.

I feel like I have come through a recent difficult period in my life, another test of many tests. It amazes me how the Lord knows exactly what weaknesses we need to overcome. Lately, my test has been in dealing with the feeling of being overwhelmed. In my current employment we have grown tremendously over the past year. I have long needed to expand my small IT department.

I love being a mentor to those new to the IT field. Tech support is not an easy task. It can be a high-stress job with unrelenting demands from individuals who need help solving their technical issues. They don’t care how many other people are in the queue or how many projects you have to put aside to address their needs. It makes me wonder how God responds to our constant pleas.

Traveling to Minister to One Another

This will be a short post as it is late Sunday evening. I hope my life will get back to normal now that I have another individual on my team to share the burden. As I have discussed the needs of our growing company, my boss and I discussed the idea for a team of seven. It will be a few years before we get there, all dependent on growth. There’s something about a group of seven…

Because we are spread out so far here in Southern California, I have decided I need to make a greater effort to visit those who have been baptized or who have joined in our online efforts to share what we know to the fulfillment of prophecy happening right before our eyes. We know we are looked upon as outcasts and apostate by members of the LDS Church. I’m okay with that.

I consider the small groups here in Southern California to be small churches. In some cases it is only one of a family. If we include Northern California, we add a few more complete families. Interestingly, I count seven small groups in California right now. I admire those of you who are participating in groups there in Utah, Idaho and Arizona. God bless these churches as we grow.

11 thoughts on “Private Sacrament Meetings”

  1. It has been a very difficult, challenging year for me, too, Tim, since we were rebaptized together in the Pacific ocean nearly a year ago. In many respects, my wife and children think I’m crazy! For the most part, they have chosen not to “follow” me. (No doubt LDS Church leaders are ecstatic to hear that!) But my wife and children have not seen what I have seen. They have not learned what I have learned. They see only me — and my flaws and failings. Lehi was likewise held in derision by his family members. Since September 21, 2014, the Lord has brought to my attention — more than at any other time in my life — my own weaknesses, failings, and flaws…and is helping me overcome them. I have been given new and very challenging objectives to work toward. My relationship with my wife and children has been shaken to the very core. We are now in a life or death struggle. Either I will obey the Lord’s instructions given to me (to our blessing) or ignore them (to our peril). Lehi’s family dwelt seven more years in the wilderness, learning to obey and rely upon the Lord, before they were conducted to the promised land. I hope my family endures a similar journey through this wilderness and crosses the mighty deep in safety. I pray we reach the Promised Land together with our family intact.

  2. Tim, I have been involved with Skype sacrament a time or two. It was strange the first time I saw it done. I was Skyping into a fellowship meeting in Utah with a few others. They had bread and wine out and the prayer came through and blessed that bread and wine. It felt right to me–why not? The next time I Skyped in, I brought my own bread and wine to receive of the blessing. I’ve also blessed the sacrament at this point for others Skyping in to receive of my blessing of the emblems.

    You may want to try this out since your fellowship opportunities are far and wide.

  3. Tim, and Will, thank you both for all you have done in the cause of the Restoration.
    Thank you for your sacrifices.
    I miss seeing you brothers.
    James Russell Uhl

  4. Godfearing servant

    It amazing to see what people do to ignore what they have been taught by the Holy Ghost and then choose to ordained themselves in an apostasy ordinance.

    1. Interesting comment, Godfearing servant. If I were interested at all (anymore) in polemics (which I’m not), I would invite you to elaborate. But sufficient is the day unto the evil thereof. I have far more important matters to attend to now than to engage in a dispute between souls claiming “I, I am the Lord’s”.

      For the Lord has shown me my weakness. He has weighed me in the balance…and, to my astonishment…I am found wanting. I am grateful He has showed me now, that I might have time to repent.

      Else all is lost.

  5. Tim, how do you reconcile not allowing one to participate in the sacrament as anti-christ and the guidance the Lord gave in D&C 46:4 that if any have trespassed, let him not partake until he makes reconciliation.

  6. I have found no way to reconcile Denver Snuffer’s theology (teachings and practices) with all the scriptures that he himself espouses – Book of Mormon, Doctrine & Covenants, Pearl of Great Price – pertaining to priesthood, divine authority, keys, ordinances like baptism and sacrament, organization of a church, etc. For example, I see no way to reconcile his recommended practice of administering the sacrament by anyone, or performing baptism by anyone, priesthood ordination by men having to be sustained by 7 women (including wife if married). These are brand new innovations. In order to accept them, one would have to accept that he, Denver Snuffer, has been given a new dispensation of divine authorization to teach such. He claims they came directly from Jesus Christ. That is the real question. My search, as well as others I’m acquainted with, has produced the definite answer “No” to that. Others, like Tim, feel quite sure they’ve received a resounding “Yes.” So there you go – like all the world we have plenty more instances of contradictory spiritual experience or interpretation. It makes me wonder if the reality is we all have fairly different paths to tread and things to learn (different curricula, if you will) in this life. I’m aware some scriptures make it sound like there is only one straight and narrow way, but there’s divergent opinions on that as well. Log probably has it all figured out. 🙂

  7. Jesef has hit it on the head right there: the Great Teacher leads us all through individually tailored curricula. I’ve known that deep down since I can remember, in spite of my own path from age 14-18 going down an atheist-leaning agnostic path. 🙂

    A 3-hour story in 30 seconds: I was born of goodly, non-religious, Christian-ish parents. At 14, I began to critically examine what appeared to be a universal assumption by the world that there is a God. Wended my way, briefly and intuitively touching the surface of a variety of religions worldwide. High school best friend was LDS, missionary discussions in freshman year of college, baptized 4 1/2 months after first church meeting I attended, age 18.

    4 years later, on my own mission in the Manchester, England area, it never fazed me much when people weren’t ready for baptism or weren’t even ready to talk to us. I knew it wasn’t about me, or about having a “successful” mission in terms of baptisms. It was about where people were at, and how God wanted to use me to help, no matter whether Apollos had watered, or I was sowing, or seeing the harvest. In a mission where most people are “fortunate” to see just one person baptized, 14 of the people I worked with got baptized either while I was there (over half did), or they got baptized after I (or they) left the area.

    It wasn’t my doing, though… this is one of those “bragging on God” stories that demonstrates the miracles and blessings He’s gracious enough to give when you ask Him to use you to do it. I wasn’t personally very emotionally attached to individual outcomes – I just wanted to be onstage helping Him move stuff around during His show. Best seat in the house.

    He has something different in mind for everybody, and He uses different sets of instructions to different people according to where they’re at in learning.

    I look at the Official Church today, and I see lots of Children of Moses leavened by a very few who really “get it”. The main body has actually gotten too big to move at the the same acceleration that this world needs to adequately prepare for Yeshua’s official comeback. It makes perfect sense to me that He’d sow some seeds on the side… idea occurs that perhaps this remnant might be some of the “hunters” sent to gather in a world that’s already been pretty well sifted and picked-over.

    Many of the more aware have already figured out that where 2 stars (or Priesthoods) differ in glory, you can also expect a 3rd one higher yet. My husband is… um, a visionary man. Let’s just say that when you give the handshake test, D&C 129 doesn’t mention that you’re going to get asked, “What is that?” And let’s just say that the proper full name of the highest Priesthood comes to his memory as “The Highest Priesthood after the Order of the Hand of God: the Creative Power of the Universe”.

    There can, in my mind, be no arguing that there are things that need to happen in this world that the larger body of Saints just isn’t ready for. The overly-regimented rules like not getting baptized more than once smack of Law of Moses and Pharisee action, preparatory things to avoid confusing the weakest of those “who are or can be called Saints”.

    I don’t know how many printings or updates Duane Crowther’s book “Prophecy” might have gone through, but I have a 9th printing, 1964 copy. If anyone is interested in an obscure reference to the Highest Priesthood (assuming no one else here has spotted it yet), I refer to p. 96 in footnote #36 (Chapter 6), where it details the way Joseph Smith labeled the “24 sections or buildings which will each serve a certain part of the Church’s priesthood leadership.” Some of these are designated with the name of Aaron, others with the name of Melchizedek, and others with the name of… God Himself: simply “the Holy Evangelical House, for the High Priesthood of the Holy Order of God.”

    That reference is so heavily obscured as to make it obvious to me that some people are meant to look at my assertion, shake their heads because I’m clearly nuts, and move on in the path Christ meant them to stay on for now. And thus, I judge not, neither am I offended – if they’re following where Christ is leading them, and I’m following where He leads me, then it’s all copacetic.

  8. I dunno… maybe everyone is busy digging their hobbit holes so they’ll be ready to “bug in” when the meteorite hits, or when the particle accelerator or the Alaskan ELF generator blow up the Titans’ crystal cages in the Pit… or… I can’t remember all the disasters that are “supposed” to show up this month.

    Maybe I shouldn’t be trying to remember… maybe I should be focused on digging my own hobbit hole 🙂

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