Editorial by Patriarch Samuel S. Gould

It is a joy for me to invite all to enjoy this May Issue of the Herald of the Second Invitation. 

Sister Carla C Batista’s insightful article comes as we are approaching the Mother’s Day celebrations, wherein we renew our remembrance and honor in the divine position of motherhood and its truly indispensable contribution in the life and society of the Second Invitation.  In reading this article, I was touched by the indispensable roles of the mothers in our story surrounding Moses as recorded in the Sealed Book from the Plates of Mormon.

It happened, therefore, on account of my birth, that Satan stirred Pharaoh’s heart, to put an end to all the newborn boys among the children of the Hebrews. – On this occasion I was concealed by my mother Jochebed for a period of three months, and afterwards I was placed in a papyrus ark among the reeds on the bank of the Nile, where I was found by the daughter of Pharaoh, who became my foster mother (Sealed Moses 13:3).

Brother Joni Batista’s witness delivers a most fascinating testimony of celestial events that filled the hearts and souls of the dedicated covenant workers near Mount Agudo in the midst of the great challenge in missionary outreach and construction labors in that mission field. This testimony is reminiscent of the account that Moses gave concerning the burning bush account from the Sealed Book from the Plates of Mormon.

As she landed about me, a soft light descended from the sky, while that strong light who stood above me, was slowly disappearing. Suddenly, the light that came down, the presence of the Lord, remained in the rays of light, as if it were burning the bush that was in front of me, doing separation between me and the Lord. – I perceived as if a fire were enveloping the bush, but, behold, its leaves and branches did not burn as I stared at this event (Sealed Moses 14:7).

The Parable of the Traveler

On our pilgrim walk before the Lord, seeking his sanctifying hand upon our labors in the Second Invitation, we struggle diligently to carve out of our hearts the precepts and traditions of mankind. As we dispel the shroud that darkens and clouds our minds, let us reflect upon the Parable of the Traveler.

But if my disciples shall stand in holy places, they shall not be moved by their faith; but, among the wicked, men shall lift up their voices and curse the work of God and die… for when the light begins to shine, that is, when my people go back to see what is written in this ancient record that was revealed to you from the sealed plates of Mormon, behold, it shall be for them like the parable of the traveler, who on leaving before dawn cannot see anything on his way because of the darkness, until the sun rises on the horizon and, as it appears, begins to eliminate the shadows that obscure your vision until the sun reaches its fulness in the sky, when there will be no more shadows in the traveler’s path. So it is with the arrival of the fulness of my gospel among the children of men; only those who do not want to see the light that shines on them will remain in darkness (RDSI 6:9-10).

Recently, the voice of the Lord came to us through the Prophet Mauricio Artur Berger in anticipation of our prayerful contemplation of our current behavior in the high and holy callings to stand as pillars in support of the truth and guardians of his words. This humble soul-searching personal evaluation was to properly develop within us the commensurate broken heart wherein we have broken the heart of Jesus Christ and, therefore, we needed to present the requisite contrite spirit in truly penitent vessels before the throne of God prior to the partaking of the Pascal Lamb in the Passover Sacrament service. In reflection of the solemnity of that day, and the sacredness of that hour, let us take the refreshment of the peace and spiritual strength we have received, to walk uprightly and in accordance with the admonition given by the voice of the Lord. Yes, let us show forth the true fruits of repentance as we endeavor to go forward in renewed dedication in taking to heart the revelations given to direct our path forward with vigor and strength as the Lord expects from us, keenly listening to the words of the living Prophet Mauricio as he leads us forward into the full light of God.  This is required if we are to partake of the promises of God that call for our purification and sanctification in the holy places of the cities of refuge so that we may be purified even as He is pure.  So let us “Repent, therefore, and bring forth fruit meet for repentance (Matthew 3:35 IV or 3:8 KJV), and dedicate our lives to the journey divinely set before us as is our reasonable service to God.

I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice–holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God is.

For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith” (Romans 12:1-3).

We currently walk shrouded in darkness and disorder that comes from the infection of the precepts and traditions we still hold in our hearts, groping and stumbling around on the first floor of our dwelling place like a blind man seeking to find the sufficient spiritual sustenance and doing so in a light-minded and light-hearted manner seeking to rise up to a higher plane to fully access the blessings and callings promised to us in the revelations.  Yet God has a plan for the light of his countenance to shine upon those who are faithful to his words as given in the Books from the Plates of Mormon, and the former revelations that we have received from the Prophets of the Lord (see D&C 84:54-58).

Therefore, let us be fully aware of the faithful and sober manner of our walk out of the shadow of the precepts and traditions of men and into the divine providence given through the light imparted from heaven through our living Prophet Mauricio; for it is imperative to our journey as a traveler of this path required for the spiritual development of the Apostles and Prophets (Ephesians 2:20) in this Second Invitation.

He who receiveth you, receiveth me; and he who receiveth me, receiveth him who sent me (Matthew 10:35 IV or 10:40 KJV).

We should not be content with how we view ourselves or how our fellow laborers view us in the work of the Lord as we climb this hill of understanding and mystery, but we should passionately desire to know how God really perceives us and our labors. It is the carnal man that selects the path that looks beneficial in his private view, but the selection is the way of death (Proverbs 14:12) from the pride and vanity we exercise that darkly arise from ego.  Yet, we know “that every feeling that persuades men to do good among their brethren, and impels them to love, it proceeds from the hand of God” and “every sentiment which is opposed to these, though seeming to be beneficial, proceeds from evil” (Acts of the Three Nephites 6:12-13).  Perhaps, each one of us should muster the humility, faith, and courage to take the time to ask the Lord that we may really, truly know how God sees us as we travel in the light given of the Lord. 

Therefore, be careful not to fall into the traps of the devil and be entangled in his fishing net, for the sentiments derived from his gifts tend to be similar to divine feelings, while deceiving the earthly man with such persuasion, to the point of men qualify the bad as good and the good with bad.

But, behold, Jesus Christ did not leave us completely forsaken when he departed, but sent us the Holy Spirit, who is given to us by the gift of the Holy Spirit, after baptism, by the laying on of the hands of those who possess the due authority so that we may distinguish good from evil and have a perfect discernment to separate the darkness from the light that fills our hearts, and thus choose to follow the path of clarity through the teachings of his gospel.

Therefore, I beseech you, brethren and friends, that together with us remain gathered in the Church of Christ as one body and diligently seek to distinguish between the darkness of the devil and the light of Christ in his way of feeling and put aside all that is detrimental to their way of life (Acts of the Three Nephites 6:14-16).

Let this Parable of the Traveler instill within us the precious desire to see the light of the Lord’s countenance shine upon us in a perfect day as we follow the words of the living prophet of the Lord.

We have, therefore, a more sure knowledge of the word of prophecy, to which word of prophecy ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light which shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn and the daystar arise in your hearts, knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scriptures is given of any private will of man (2 Peter 1:19-20).