In a nutshell, Elisha claims no affiliation or connection with the LDS Church or the Book of Mormon. Rather, his mission and calling are specific to building Christ's island kingdom and restoring those people to their covenant relationship with Him through the Aklatan. This second witness is reported by someone who posts under the name captmoroni1981, and it gives an account of the LDS Church's take on the Aklatan--unofficially and off the record.
In spite of all the anonymity within the story, in the relating his experience, captmoroni definitely seems much more straightforward and declarative in his testimony and outwardly deferential than I am or probably would be in this situation. But I think it speaks to his sincerity or at least that which he'd like to portray.
Part 1 (HERE): meeting with his bishop
Part 2 (HERE): meeting with a seventy
We can get into the reasons behind this non-relationship between the Aklatan and the LDS Church in the comments, but I think there's an echo of Gamaliel and the Apostles (Acts 5) in all of this. As the great Pharisee defended Peter and the Apostles from execution by the Sanhedrin, he argued:
Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God. (Acts 5: 38-39)Joseph Smith also prophesied:
The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.If the Aklatan is part of God's truth, and Elisha's calling is part of God's work, these previous statements represent good counsel.
Gamaliel's counsel definitely works here. I can see the difficulty in trying to balance between what the Spirit whispers to our hearts, and the counsel of our leaders. I hope that ultimately, "if it be the work of God" that we as a Church do not fight against it.
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of thoughts and reasons that come to mind as to why we should seek truth wherever we can find it, but I like Joseph Smith's simple suggestion from Article of Faith 13:
Delete"If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things."
From what I've found in the LDS forums, the popular stance concerning the Aklatan seems to be "if it doesn't come from the prophet, it's not scripture."
ReplyDeleteI don't know about that. Ironically enough, I could find no scriptural evidence to support this thought pattern. If the Aklatan is truly scripture and we reject it because it doesn't come from the source we insist it must come from, we are no better than the Gentiles Nephi and the Lord condemn for crying "A bible! We have got a bible and there can be no more bible!"
Amen
DeleteI (well Nephi) went off on that here:
Deletehttp://hiddentolight.blogspot.com/2014/07/i-bring-forth-my-word-upon-all-nations.html
I'll be talking about the Times of the Gentiles later, but the Lord taught that as the Gentiles reject His Gospel in the last days, it will be taken from them and given back to Israel. We cry "All is well in Zion" as we are blinded by pride in our chosen-ness. That didn't work out too well for Jerusalem.
I very much enjoyed the conversations that were with the bishop and the member of the seventy. I can see the great growth in the Philippines with 7 temples either built, started, or announced. One even to break ground tomorrow. I think we need to understand that there are two gatherings to occur, one of the Gentiles and the second the gathering of Isreal. The Gentiles, mainly of the tribe of Ephraim and the rest of the lost the tribes of Isreal. I believe that Elisha's mission and purpose is to Gather within his boundary the tribe of Levi.
ReplyDeleteI am sure we will see more of this happening or is happening and we are not aware of it yet. Why would there be people already storing up materials to build a temple in Jerusalem? This is not the LDS people.
I am also sure that as we go into the tribulations that separate the two gatherings we will see people in America start to gather in groups who have things in common (culture). And in some ways you already see them in certain areas of cities. (Not only in the USA but Canada also. Sometimes we forget about all of America both North and South. And all the countries within those continents.) Because it is more comfortable to them. We will all be trying to keep safe and share in the same understandings.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints will be under a new name when Jesus the Lord and King reigns upon the Earth because it will be a new time/day. Probably, "The Church of the Firstborn". As referred to several times in the scriptures. These tribes as they 're-establish through the belief taught by their fathers will then be ready to Gather and help establish the Kingdom not only in The New Jerusalem but in Jerusalem also. We are seeing and hearing of the gathering as we live. It is wonderful to just know of the Aklatan and how special it is in this purpose. I truly love that it not only is another testament of Christ and helps to be another witness to the Book of Mormon but it is beautiful to read and shows the love Jesus has for all his people.