Editorial by Patriarch Samuel S. Gould

This July 2025 issue of the Herald comes to you brimming full of delightful information that shows forth the dedicated labor of love, the exuberance in spiritual testimony, and the solemnity of the purifying power in the sacrament as we labor together to establish the Zionic conditions in our homes required in the solidifying of our noble feelings required in building the spiritual temple of the Lord—our hearts being knit together in the pursuit of establishing the refuge cities envisioned in the revelations of the prophets of God throughout history.  Please read and enjoy our humble words and work in this Second Invitation labor.

The article – Brothers, Fathers, Family! – by Melva A Cackler, President, International Fountain of Living Waters, is an inspiring message concerning the strength of the family unit that is so very critical to the premise of a society that illuminates the love resident within each member showing forth the fruit of the spirit as joy spills forth from member to member, from home to home, and refuge city to city for all to come and to see the work of God from our hearts, our hearths, and our spiritual presence wherever our light can shine. “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35 JST/IV). Zion is built then simply as families fulfill the true principles of the gospel of Christ with true desire and dedication as it is written: “This, therefore, was the statute of the Church of Christ concerning the administration of the law of consecration among its members – Calling each family according to their desires, to determine their stewardship” (Three Nephites 9:1).

The Testimony – One of Many Testimonies in Brazil – Elder Aaron Barlow provides a spiritual expression of the great zeal and joy in learning of the way and experiencing the true presence of the Prophet Mauricio Artur Berger who is carrying forward the mantle and mission of Joseph Smith Jr in all due diligence while laboring with the ministers in Brazil in fulfilment of the revealed word and work of God required to bring forward out of obscurity and out of darkness, the only true and living church  upon the face of the whole earth (D&C 1:30/1:5e RLDS).  This testimony gives us a glimpse of the joy in laboring to fulfill the burning desires of our hearts in this marvelous work and wonder of our day.

The Announcements – Calling of a Joshua to Superintend the Rescue of the True Sacrament Services – by Patriarch–President Samuel S. Gould emphasizes the divine call to initiate the first step in rescuing the true sacrament by first enjoining in a monthly Sacrament led by Brother Joni Batista.  He was designated as a leader over the newly formed Quorum with also the calling to take hold of the “mission of being a Joshua to this one Moses — my servant Mauricio Berger — so that, together, they advance with power and authority to guide my people to the land of promise while being subject to the command, guidance and advice of my servant, Mauricio and also my servant Samuel Gould” (06 April 2025 verse 27).

In the mission of Joshua, he would stand as a pillar of truth within the General Authorities and before the Quorum, showing forth “the good fruits that this work will produce among the sons and daughters of Zion if they are only faithful to me, the Lord” (06 April 2025, verse 64) showing forth the unified working relationship that is to be developed between the Prophet Mauricio and the growing strength of Joni Batista.  Remember when Joshua of old and Caleb stood valiantly before all Israel declaring the truth concerning the good fruits in the land of Canaan, the congregation was greatly incensed.  The congregation of Israel wept, and were agitated, and fomented a rebellion to the point they wished to overthrow and stone Moses and Aaron.  It was the stalwart defense of the prophets Moses and Aaron that Joshua and Caleb stood as pillars of truth in spiritual rigor with the congregation not to rebel against God as they pleaded wholeheartedly before all to see the vision forward to the promised parcel of the land of Canaan.

Only rebel not ye against the Lord; neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us; their defense is departed from them, and the Lord is with us; fear them not. And all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel (Numbers 14:9-10).

This mission of Joshua as a powerful defender of the faith is a remarkable mission of our present-day Joshua, represented as the strong arm of Moses, who is called to lead the new Quorum into the light of the admonition of Mormon to “doubt not, but be believing” (Mormon 9:27; 06 April 2025, verse 5). 

Know this, my beloved brothers and sisters, that every step in doubt is a step into darkness, and every step in the obedience of belief is a step into the light of God.  The previous quorum was disbanded due to the unbelief of many, whereas this present quorum will succeed because of belief in the revelation that proceeded from the mouth of God through our living Prophet Mauricio. Yes, in the days of Joseph Smith, it was the doubtful disputations that debilitated the Saints in the darkness of doubt as illustrated by the pamphlet written and distributed by David Whitmer as “An Address to All Believers” used to darken the eyes and close the ears within all restoration groups as apostacy was established throughout the First Invitation laborers.  Let us beware that we do not repeat history again in this desperate moment.  Let us take hold of the light we have been so graciously given in this very moment, knowing that we have so little time remaining to fulfill the desires of heaven by keenly following the word of the Lord from April 6, 2025.

And behold, I commanded that no man should rise up against Moses mine anointed; for they that murmured and rebelled against him, it was against me that they rose up, and not against the man Moses (06 April 2025, verse 6).

It is notable that the Joshua of old traveled up Mount Sinai with Moses to obtain the law upon the tablets engraved by the Lord (Exodus 24:13). In like manner, this Joshua of the last dispensation of the fulness of times traveled with the “one Moses” up Mount Agudo to obtain the Plates of Mormon through the hands of the Angel Moroni which contain the words of Moses of old.  Further, we find that Joshua stuck firm to Moses and remained steadfast in the service of the tabernacle (Exodus 33:11) just as Brother Joni will superintend our services under the direction of Prophet Mauricio and Patriarch Samuel.

Also, Moses revealed that there was a different spirit about Joshua in the words “that the gifts of God are but the pure sentiments derived from His name in their hearts, and for being so simple to the class of the sages of Israel, such gifts did not subsist for long in their midst, for how much they were not able to bear His presence in their feelings, but as soon as they hardened their hearts because of the precepts which they had in regard to their traditions, that it was not possible to pass on this knowledge to their children and to these future generations, but only one among so many men of the house of Israel was able to understand, yea, Joshua” (Sealed Moses 5:27).  We seek to have the names of God implanted deep within our hearts and souls as a transforming spark of the attributes of God as we climb the ladder of godliness and brotherly love (2 Peter 1:4-8).

This Joshua of old was known as a stone cutter from a physical vocation which is a precision activity, strenuous in practice, and requiring this great strength and perseverance.  In like manner, this new Joshua will use the revealed words through the prophet Mauricio, the servant of the Lord, to produce the sculptured pillars of truth holding up the structure of the spiritual temple of the Lord.

But, behold, in the last days, as in the days of Enoch, that a building of a spiritual temple should take place before the physical temple is erected among the people of Zion, in which the words of this book will help the people, to carve their hearts hardened by the traditions and precepts of men; to polish their holiness, and to mold them to the true knowledge of my gospel in order to fit like a living stone in the spiritual structure of the temple of God, and after having passed on one generation after another generation, there being no more poor people among them and being of one heart, then there is to be erected a physical temple, where I, the Lord, will descend among my people in the last days, just as it was in the days of Enoch (Sealed Moses 4:66).

The precious promise of God is for the faithful followers in these sublime words: “to these I will give power, as in the past, to preach my gospel, and to plant stakes, and to erect refuges, and to prepare the way for the glorious coming of the Son of Man” with the provision “if they are faithful, their rewards will be great; and their names will not be blotted out of the book of life, but will be remembered among the builders of Zion at the dawn of the millennium” (06 April 2025, verses 28-29).