Multiple Mortalities – Patriarch Samuel Gould

15 de April de 2024

One evening in 2019, I was deeply moved in prayerfully considering the Eternal Round in all humility as mentioned in D&C 3:1-2 and John the Baptist or Elias as treated in the Mark 9:3, 9-11 account found in the Joseph Smith translation of the King James Bible. Having been taught the elements of the Eternal Round by my father and mother in my formative and adult years, I wished to know the truth of the teaching as a pure desire arose in my heart. That night I had the following vision in the early morning hours.

  1. In the vision I was sitting before a fire that burned seemingly without fuel giving me comfort and peace and harmony of spirit. I heard a sound to my right and saw standing a personage of very large stature as if waiting for the right moment to move forward. As the time came, he began to move and I recognized him as Joseph Smith Jr who when he began to move, he was carrying a very small person perched upon his right shoulder. I immediately recognized this person as Mauricio Artur Berger in the flesh, yet Joseph Smith visage was in a spiritual form. There was a profound joy and peace in my heart as they approached upon my left. Then Joseph stopped when he arrived at my right, and as I looked upon them, Joseph reached up and gently lifted the little person of Mauricio, and placed him upon the earth before the flame of fire I was setting before.
  1. As Mauricio’s feet touched the ground he immediately began to grow spurts of maturity and height as the spiritual image of Joseph Smith Jr began to flow and dissipate as it were into the person of Mauricio in his stages of rapid development and growth. The taller and more mature in stature Mauricio grew, the less of Joseph Smith remained to my view until the full image of Joseph Smith was found in the person of Mauricio. The image of Joseph Smith was only visible in the person of Mauricio Berger and as I looked upon them as a single living soul, I was conversing with Mauricio.
  1. Mauricio then momentarily stopped speaking with me as he faced and looked to the heavens and began conversing with the celestial, in great intensity of heart, might, mind, and spirit. Then with his up lifted arms, the heavens began to open as the pure light of God began to descend, slowly at first and then in greater intensity. This light enveloped my understanding, knowledge, vision, and mission in packets of intelligence as I also began to stand up. As I arose at the side of Brother Mauricio, we began to travel to the right on a journey that I could not fully comprehend as the vision ended.

I shared this dream with Brother Mauricio in the presence of Jose Chavez and Gary Metzer immediately following the Multiple Mortalities presentation by Brother John Pratt at the 2019 Conference. On 8 April 2024, I shared this vision again in the presence of the brethren traveling from Palhoça to Agudo, in that I felt the April 6, 2024, Passover Supper and School of the Prophets, was the fulfilment of paragraph 2 of the vision. This is where Mauricio stood complete in the full person and stature of Joseph Smith Jr.

Earlier when yet in Agudo, Mauricio had shared with some of us that the Lord had revealed to him some time earlier that on a Saturday, April 6, he would pass away from us. We knew that this Saturday was April 6, 2024, and wondered if this would be that very day that was given to Mauricio. As I petitioned the Lord on this matter, I was given the understanding that even Elisha was able to walk with Elijah for 7 years before his departure in a flaming chariot. I expressed this heartfelt concern to Mauricio and how I felt that I needed this time with him as Elisha was given. He acknowledged that burning need mine and said, it is possible for you to receive the training you desire (D&C 124:95).

On our return trip to Agudo, Brother Mauricio shared with us that the person Mauricio was no more as of April 6, 2024, and only Joseph Smith Jr. remained to finish his work. At this moment I understood that the night vision was fulfilled in the single image was all that was remaining, Joseph Smith Jr. Now, it is with great expectations that the time that Joseph (Mauricio) would call to the heavenlies, and the light of God would descend to prepare the work forward in accordance with the petition made to God. That even though, I am not sure what the details of the Journey, yet we will walk together on that Journey, if I remain faithful to my calling going forward. Patriarch Samuel S. Gould