Article 1: Tithing and the Law of Consecration by John P. Pratt
Article 2: Revelation on Tithing and Consecration translated and typed by John P. Pratt
Article 3: Proclamation by Maurício A. Berger
Article 4: The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper by João Vendemiatti
Volume 5, Article 1-August 2021 - by the First Presidency (written by John P. Pratt)
Tithing and the Law of Consecration
A new revelation was received beginning on 30 June 2021 which clarifies some important points about the law of tithing and the law of consecration as implemented in the United Order. It also emphasizes the need to immediately begin to live consecration at a higher level because the law is designed to save the saints from the catastrophes which are about to befall the world. The need to build cities of refuge before the calamities befall us is now as important as it was for Noah to build the ark before the waters of the Great Flood came.
In the days of Enoch, his people learned to live together in love. They had all things in common and there were no poor among them. They lived the celestial law of heaven and so they were prepared to go to heaven and were eventually translated some time before the Great Flood.
Noah was called upon to build an ark to save those who would listen to the warnings of the Lord. It was a huge project to build that gigantic ship. It required large sums of materials and labor and took several years to build. The Lord did not build the ark for Noah, but instead great sacrifices were required to construct that ship which would preserve humanity and animals alike.
We live in times similar to Noah, being before the coming of the second great destruction of the proud and the wicked to cleanse the earth in preparation for the glorious Millennial reign of Jesus Christ. Great destructions are predicted in the scriptures, but the Lord has promised that His saints will be preserved in holy places, cities of refuge, built by those who believe His warnings and who also desire to live the celestial law of having all things in common, with no poor among them. The Lord will not build these cities, but, like the ark, they will be built by the sacrifice and hard work of the saints.
The Lord has called Mauricio Artur Berger to be the seer in these last days to initiate the building of cities of refuge and to prepare for the founding of the city of Zion, the New Jerusalem, to be built in Jackson County, Missouri. Much money and many resources are required for these building projects. Those in the city of Enoch will return to join them. They will all rejoice together because both cities will be living the same laws and will have similar experiences to share.
This article explains some of the clarifications given in the recent revelation about both the law of tithing and the law of consecration which need to be implemented in order to build the needed cities of refuge in time to save the saints from the devastating disasters, scourges, and droughts to come.
In the days of the Prophet Joseph Smith, an attempt was made to live the United Order. It failed for various reasons, including that the people did not have sufficient love for each other, but instead were quarreling and polluting the holy ground. Because of that they were driven out of Missouri and given the law of tithing which was easier to live, and a preparatory step to living the law of consecration.
Tithing
In 1838 the Lord revealed to Joseph Smith the law of tithing for the Church contained in D&C 119 (LDS). It is an everlasting covenant and the minimum required commandment to all worthy members of the Church. That law has two distinct parts.
The first part is that, as a beginning of their tithes, all new members were to give all of their surplus to the church to be used for three purposes: (1) for the building of the temple, (2) for the laying of the foundations of Zion and priesthood, and (3) for the debts of the First Presidency (D&C 119:2). The new revelation explains that these three purposes correspond in detail to tithing paid in the days of Moses, and are indeed part of an eternal law.
This initial part of the law has apparently never been fully implemented in any of the branches of the restoration since the days of Joseph Smith, but in the new revelation the Lord explicitly states that it is indeed still to be required of all those who join this church who have never been a member of any of the branches of the latter-day restoration.
The second portion of the law of tithing is to continually “pay one-tenth of all their interest annually” (D&C 119:4). The revelation goes on to say that this is “a standing law unto them forever” and that those in Zion who fail to keep this law “shall not be found worthy to abide among you” and that if the people in Zion as a whole ignore this law, that “it shall not be a land of Zion unto you” (D&C 119:4-6).
The new revelation emphasizes the importance for all members to pay tithing. It is not optional, but it is a commandment. After quoting the commandment in Malachi to bring the tithes into the treasure house (Mal. 3:10), the Lord explains:
“It is imperative, therefore, to comprehend the essence of my will that ye might receive the full understanding of all things — One of the duties that all saints must unfailingly observe is the law upon which this promise is based, for in the celestial glory there are three heavens, or degrees, and to reach the highest, it is necessary for you to live in favor of something greater, with a corresponding surrender to what is sought in order to reach that end.” – v. 12 (emphasis added).
In 1838, immediately after that revelation was given, it was interpreted by Bishop Edward Partridge to mean that tithing should be 10% of the interest that could be earned on one's “net worth”, which was understood to mean one's liquid assets. That did not amount to very much tithing at all for most members. He gave the example of a man with the net worth of $1,000 could invest that money at a 6% annual rate to earn $60 interest. On that amount he would only pay $6 tithing for the entire year!
That small amount of tithing would not be at all oppressive to the poor, who, in many cases, would not owe any tithing at all. Moreover, this minimum amount of tithing would not be enough to build the cities of refuge which are needed. This minimum level of tithing is an eternal law among the Church. It was given to the Church only after they had failed to live the higher law of consecration. The name “tithing of surplus” is given to this law in the new revelation to distinguish it from the “tithing of Moses” which was a higher law, described in the law of Moses in the Bible, and which is the entry point for living the law of consecration. This brings us to the higher law of consecration as implemented in the United Order.
The United Order
The Sealed Book contains explicit instructions about how to implement the United Order according to the method successfully used by the Nephites after they were taught by the Savior after the Resurrection. In particular it states that the entry level to the United Order was the “tithing of Moses”:
“it was permitted to be a partial consecration of each family, beginning with the tithing required by the law of Moses, and so progressively to the amount that each agreed to give in his heart, without any resentment … began by consecrating only the tithe of all that they possessed and continually giving the tithing of all they produced” – Acts of 3 Nephites 9:2-3.
Thus, it is necessary to understand just what is the “tithing of Moses” as described in the law of Moses in the Bible. That is explained in the new revelation:
“... the law of consecration, which law is greater than the law of tithing and which begins with the law of Moses and not the law of surplus. In turn, it requires a progressive tithe of everything and not the excess surplus” – v. 7 (emphasis added).
After reviewing the scriptures about the various parts of the tithing of Moses, verse 19 of the new revelation quotes this very verse from The Sealed Book. It also explains the principle is the basis on which the “one tenth” is calculated. Instead of being one tenth only of one's interest, surplus, or excess, it is one tenth of all possessions:
“However, every member who wants to participate in the law of consecration must begin with the tithe of Moses, coming to contribute with the tithe of everything they have, as taught by my servant Mauricio. And this involves the tithe of everything, houses, cars and goods in general, or 20, 30, 40, 50, and even 100% of everything that they have, who will enter the United Order, as each one shall determine in his heart.” – v. 27.
In this scripture, the word “tithe” is synonymous with “one tenth”. Once members have joined the United Order, it is hoped that as they feel increased love for others and increased desire to build the kingdom, to relieve the suffering of the poor, and to prepare cities of refuge for the saints to survive the coming tribulation, that they will increase the percentage of their participation until they finally arrive at the 100% goal.
To join the United Order, contact the Presiding Bishop (bishopinzion@gmail.com) if you have not already joined previously. The United Order is open to all those who have been baptized by one of the restoration branches, accept The Sealed Book, Mauricio as the Lord's seer, the Church leaders, and demonstrate this by partaking of the sacrament in this Church's meetings. That is, it is not necessary to have been baptized and confirmed a member of this Church, especially in the case where one is distant from all elders, or for any other reason has not had the opportunity to officially join.
The Order of Enoch
In the revelation, the Lord refers to those who participate in the United Order at the 100% level as having entered into the “United Order of Enoch”, or simply, the “Order of Enoch”. He states that it has been known in the restoration from the beginning that the city of Zion can only be founded upon the principles of the celestial kingdom:
But behold, they have not learned to be obedient to the things which I required at their hands, but are full of all manner of evil, and do not impart of their substance, as becometh saints, to the poor and afflicted among them; And are not united according to the union required by the law of the celestial kingdom; And Zion cannot be built up unless it is by the principles of the law of the celestial kingdom; otherwise I cannot receive her unto myself. – D&C 105:3-5 (emphasis added).
Concerning finances, that means that the people are to have all things in common, with no poor among them. He emphasizes that His laws are immutable and that such has been required of all his people from the beginning, and is required to qualify for the highest level of the celestial kingdom. The Lord explains that:
“... only on condition of letting go of their possessions altogether, in order to advance the cause of Zion, is it that man exercises in his heart the highest of all gifts, that of promoting my kingdom for the benefit of his fellow men, which, in turn, qualifies them to bear my presence, just as it was among the Enochians and also among the Nephites.” – v. 17.
Consider an example of what it would mean to be at the 100% level when the system is entirely in place: imagine a Native American buffalo hunting party. The buffalo may be taken by just one member of the group, or several might have shot arrows or thrown spears. Moreover, other members might have helped head the buffalo in a certain direction to allow others to shoot it. When the buffalo is killed, it is not considered to be for one man, nor even for the group of hunters, but it is considered to be for all of the village to share. If killed by one man, he does not think he owns it, having the first choice of meat, but instead the entire buffalo is delivered to those who will prepare it to be shared according to the needs of each. Thus, in the same manner, all that is produced is for Zion, given because of the love had for each other. All prosper together.
Of course, it is expected that all contribute to producing or helping according to their abilities. The Lord has said, “Thou shalt not be idle; for he that is idle shall not eat the bread nor wear the garments of the laborer” (D&C 42:42). Again, if all love each other, then all will want to contribute what they can.
So what does it mean to be at the 100% level now? The Acts of the Three Nephites explain that in practice, they did not always give all they produced, only to then receive a portion back for themselves. It was more practical to keep for oneself what was necessary to sustain life, such as food, clothing, and shelter:
We understand that the law of Christ does not require us to sacrifice everything, it only requires us to live the basic principles of consecration in which we are required that our riches be available to the Lord, and that, while we retain some part of everything we produce in our own warehouses, yet the Lord expects us to be willing, if need be, to sacrifice our houses, lands, and estates, so that there may be a just distribution of riches. – Acts 3 Nephites 9:8.
The point was that they “consecrated” everything thing they had to the group. Moreover, they considered themselves not as owners of their property, but only as “stewards”. Remember, “the earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof” (Psa. 24:1, 1 Cor. 10:26). That is, in reality, we are only stewards of what is usually considered as being “owned”. The Order of Enoch is merely a formal recognition that we are indeed only stewards.
As for details concerning exactly what is the basis on which the 10% -100% of what one produces is calculated, the revelation states that such is up to each individual to determine according to the dictates of one's own heart (v. 27). The point is emphasized, however, that the primary foundation is the love one has for others, and the desire to alleviate their suffering, both now and when the great calamities come. The example of Ananias and Sapphira is cited, who stated publicly that they were giving all the proceeds from the sale of some land, whereas actually they were holding some back because they did not fully trust in the promises of the Lord to care for them. They both died on the spot where they lied to the Lord!
As for the poor who need to receive financial aid from the Order, that will be a matter taken up individually in each case following the pattern given in the Acts of the Three Nephites.
It is hoped that all Church members may understand the necessity of joining the United Order at the highest level at which they feel capable. It is also important to remember that the minimum for all members is to pay the tithing of surplus.
This article has only been an introduction and overview of the revelation, which has been published separately. Study it carefully because it contains several pages of detailed information about these laws, and also about both the need to participate in order to be protected from the coming calamities and also the blessings which will come from having helped build the cities of refuge.
The Lord is doing all He can to prepare us for the upcoming catastrophes, but we need to do our part by accepting His revelations and acting accordingly. May we all become of one heart and one mind and prepare ourselves and our children to actually be in the presence of the Lord.
Volume 5, Article 2-August 2021 (translated and typed by John P. Pratt)
Revelation on Tithing and Consecration
(English Translation by John P. Pratt, 6 Jul 2021)
Revelation obtained through the interpreting stones between June 30 and July 2, 2021, after a meeting of the general authorities of the Church about tithing on June 29, which debated the actual understanding of the surplus tithe described in D&C 119 (LDS) in correlation with the law of consecration, which begins with the tithe. In what follows, the will of the Lord revealed to his servant, Mauricio, through prayer and mutual consent of the general authorities who were present at the meeting.
[Translator's note: The above introduction is from Mauricio's transcription. “Ye” and “you” are always plural, “thou” and “thee” are singular. The latter only appear in verse 29, referring to Mauricio. Notes in square brackets [] are mine – JPP.]1 When I, the Lord, delivered to my servant Joseph the revelations about tithing which ye have in section 119 and 120 in the book of Doctrine and Covenants (LDS) in answer to his prayer, just as I now give you these words of mine on surplus of their possessions, I had made clear the points by which the saints should obey this law. This same pattern has been observed since the beginning of time, when I, the Lord, determined that all the children of Israel should fulfill the "ma'asser" [Hebrew מעשר for “tenth” or “tithes”] in strict observance to all its parts, making generous additions to their contributions in accordance with expansion of its properties, in parities separate from the "esser" required by God of his people from the beginning, starting with the "Terumah hama'asser" [Hebrewתְּרוּמָה חמעשר “tithe offering”] which, just as at the beginning of the restoration, was to be used by the class of bishops among my people, even before the law was given by me, the Lord, to Moses, for it is written in the epistle of Paul to the Hebrews 7:9 that even Levi, who was not yet born, paid a tithe through Abraham, so that if the law of tithing had been created for the Levitical priesthood, what need then was there for Abraham to receive tithing for Levi, if in fact there was not the same Gospel in his days?
2 With this, I, the Lord, likewise re-established the "Terumah hama'asser" in the days of Moses, which corresponds to the tithe of the tithe, just as it is written to this day in the book of Numbers 18:28 [this “tithe of the tithe” is called the “heave offering” in the KJV], in order to collect a tenth part of every tithe for the sustenance of Moses and Aaron. As it was restored by me, the Lord, this same law for Joseph and Hyrum in the intricacies of the restoration, as it is written in section 119:2, in which I, the Lord, stipulate the reasons for tithing, to repeat: For the building of mine house, and for laying the foundation of Zion, and for the priesthood, so that all Israel might have their inheritance in the law of consecration and every son of the elect nation would have his stewardship in portions of land, cattle and crops, or in the fighting ranks of the army of the Lord, but in the case of Moses and Aaron, and the bishops of the linear descent of Levi, these could never undertake in any other office in addition to exercising their priestly duties for the benefit of the saints and, even with permission, through my guidance, for my servant Joseph to undertake for the benefit of the city of Nauvoo the business he held in the red brick house and in the political exercise he carried out on behalf of his people, his income came only from his ministerial duties, as the rest of his stipends parallel to his role as prophet, president of the church, were destined for the bishop's storehouse, as a consecrated tithe on his part.
3 In turn, because it is a perpetual decree, as described in the book of Numbers 18:23, it was that I, the Lord, required my servant Robert Cackler, as presiding bishop, to know about the revelation I gave to my servant Mauricio on October 5, 2020 which concerns this subject, in which, as I outlined in the April 2021 revelation, it is the stewardship that I, the Lord, stipulated for my chosen servant, from where his support comes and that of his family, and also, that he may rise, in order to effect his ministry among the children of men, for behold, his stewardship and calling requires that he have tranquility in relation to his finances, so that he might travel among the nations to proclaim my word among the saints throughout the world to the ends of the earth. For it is the bishop's duty to see to it that he never lacks for anything, and the same shall apply to him who, in the near future, I, the Lord, will reveal to you, shall take the place of Hyrum in the presidency of my church, with my servant Mauricio, when my servant Joseph Fredrick Smith will leave this life for eternity.
4 The second tithe to be observed by my people is the "Ma'asser rishon" [ראשון ,מעשר “first tithe”], which consists of an annual tithe intended for a future construction or repairs to the Temple, just as it was in ancient Israel and which is also stipulated by me, the Lord, in section 119:2 of the Doctrine and Covenants (LDS).
5 Third, the "Ma'asser sheni" tithe [מעשר שני “second tithe”], which consists of one tenth given by the people, of all their possessions acquired in the previous five years, for the purpose of laying the foundation of Zion and its stakes and, furthermore, to cover the debts incurred in building my Kingdom among the children of men, as you can also read their restitution in section 119:2 of the Doctrine and Covenants (LDS).
6 Observe ye therefore, and ye shall see that this revelation in section 119 of the Doctrine and Covenants, showed from the beginning of the restoration the same pattern, and served for the building of my house, the laying of the foundation of Zion, and for the priesthood, which corresponded to the sustenance of my servants, Joseph and Hyrum Smith, as presidents of my church, and in addition, to cover debts incurred in Kirtland for the construction of the temple and aggravated by the economic depression that soon befell the entire country of the United States of America.
7 These are the tithes, "ma'asser", required by my law from the beginning of all time, which all leaders, authorities and members who enter into the Eternal and Immutable Covenant of Consecration must strictly observe, as stipulated by me, in the revelation given to Joseph Smith Jr, of surplus goods, which I have never described as a minor law and which would be a permanent law, given as "the beginning of the tithing of my people", to serve as a model for the members of the second invitation who will never enter into the law of consecration, which law is greater than the law of tithing and which begins with the law of Moses and not the law of surplus. In turn, it requires a progressive tithe of everything and not the excess surplus, just as it was before Moses outlined the statutes of the law of consecration among the people of the Covenant.
8 Hearken ye therefore, o ye who embark in the service of God in this, the eleventh hour of the laborers of my vineyard, to the voice of Him who from the beginning tells the end, for behold, I am Jesus Christ your redeemer, and again I say unto you the truth in relation to your question about the law of surplus in relation to the law of consecration, for behold, the difference is found in the account I left you in the meridian of time, of that poor widow whom I, the Lord, saw put in the box of contributions more than all the others who were there. Since, in a modern analogy, I could say the same about my servant Robert and my servant Melva Cackler, just as it was in the early days of the restoration with John and Sally Canfield, since, as with that widow, they gave all they had for their security in old age, in consecration to me, the Lord, while everyone else gave what was left, their surplus.
9 Behold the difference between those who give me their partial compared to those who give me their total. Which one of these seems to you worthy to be a partaker of a celestial law?
10 Behold, because I am not talking to you about values in relation to the law of consecration, versus correct percentage of the law of the tithe of surplus, because the etymology of the word “consecrate” is from the words "con sangrare", which literally refers you to a personal sacrifice, just as it was with that widow in the meridian of time and the Cackler family, who know what I am talking about. But as for those who give to me their tithes out of their surplus, whose desire to establish my kingdom among the children of men does not impute to them a total surrender, then how can I accept them into the United Order of Enoch if they are not willing to make a total sacrifice in their surrender of the heart?
11 Behold, verily I say unto you, that woman did what she did, trusting fully in the promise which in times of old I revealed to the children of Israel through Malachi the Prophet: “Bring ye all the tithes into the treasure house and prove me, the Lord, and see for thyself if I will not open the windows of heaven, and pour over you such a blessing, that it will be so plentiful, beyond what you can gather.” [c.f. Mal. 3:10.]
12 It is imperative, therefore, to comprehend the essence of my will that ye might receive the full understanding of all things — One of the duties that all saints must unfailingly observe is the law upon which this promise is based, for in the celestial glory there are three heavens, or degrees, and to reach the highest, it is necessary for you to live in favor of something greater, with a corresponding surrender to what is sought in order to reach that end.
13 Remember ye the history of Ananias and Sapphira [Acts 5:1-11] amidst the efforts of mine apostles to establish in their day the law of consecration. That procedure had nothing to do with the law of surplus, however, they lost their lives for committing to give everything, and even so, they held back for fear of being left with nothing, disregarding my promises.
14 Certainly the law of the tithe of surplus seems to be a provision of love, but it was given from the beginning because of the weakness of my people to let go of their goods in order to promote my kingdom in past dispensations and which was again instituted in the restoration, because my people were not able to experience a greater law, whose tendency ye inheritors of all the churches of the restoration is so strong in your precepts that ye will certainly suffer if, when the great calamities come upon you, ye shall not have enough to protect yourselves in the places of refuge, like Noah's ark in the last days, and which my servant Mauricio announces to you that ye must build.
15 Behold, it is understandable to me, how difficult it is to bring a little higher portion to your precepts because of your traditions and to establish in this generation that receives it, all that the Father requires of you at this moment. However, know ye the perception that ye are in a completely different juncture than that which existed before I came in the meridian of time to any people on the face of the Earth, besides the Enochians, who, because they had consecrated all for the cause of Zion, were able to bear my presence among them, and that not even Moses, through my laws given him in the wilderness, were able to bear my presence, for "the people had not yet consecrated all things in a United Order, just as the people of Enoch did in former times”, as the translation of the Sealed Book of Moses 17:4 reveals to you.
16 To those, the Sealed Book of Moses 5:26 clearly teaches you that, Moses clearly taught them in the wilderness about these same principles that had raised the Enochians to Heaven, and he diligently sought to sanctify the nation of Israel in its entirety, purifying their hearts in such a way that their feelings were as pure as possible, that they might take upon them the name of God and the grace and power of the priesthood among their descendants; and thus to be able to obtain and live the law of consecration in its fulness, with the purpose of becoming equal to the people of Enoch, in a PERFECT United Order.
17 Understand therefore, that lack of correct feelings towards the law of consecration inhibits the power of the priesthood in its fulness among the children of men, because only on condition of letting go of their possessions altogether, in order to advance the cause of Zion, is it that man exercises in his heart the highest of all gifts, that of promoting my kingdom for the benefit of his fellow men, which, in turn, qualifies them to bear my presence, just as it was among the Enochians and also among the Nephites.
18 Consequently, because they did not comply with these same principles that I made known to my Servant Joseph Smith Junior, I decreed what you have today to be section 84:23-29, 52-58 (LDS).
19 However, since these previous revelations do not fit your present condition, as they were given to others who existed before you and, as a result of the people of the Covenant having lightly treated the greater law that I again bring among the workers of my vineyard, in this the eleventh hour before the harvest, it is required of you to separate those who pay me the tithe of surplus, as members of my church, from those who, as the text of Acts of the Three Nephites 9:3 reveals to you, "began by consecrating only the tithe of all they possessed and continually giving the tithing of all they produced throughout their lives; coming over time, to increase their consecration, until many did it in its fulness; but, each one, in their due time and understanding and giving only the amount they had pledged to give, whether it was all they had produced, or only half of it, or even a third, nothing was imposed on them; but all who had the desire to participate were accepted into the Order".
20 The truth is this, that my people, in all dispensations, as it is written in the Acts of the Three Nephites 8:4, have always understood that the day would come when they would have to implement that greater law which was given to Enoch, and then revealed to his descendants, just as when Moses in the wilderness clearly taught that same law to the covenant people, when he said, "let every man consecrate himself, and also his son and his brother, that God may give him a blessing this day, but behold that there was a dispute among the people, because of their possessions and the gold they had already allotted for Aaron's calf: for this calf with all its gold was to be thrown away at the order of Moses, but for clinging to that corrupt condition of ambition in their hearts, that very day, Moses was shown that they were more zealous for the riches of the world than for the sacred covenants made between them and their God."
21 If, therefore, ye leave aside the directions of my servant Mauricio and the revelations which are given to him by my word, where then will your faith be supported? Ye have nothing without him, and without his understanding of all that he was taught by angels who visited him from heaven, ye could never build Zion and a place of rescue to guard you when sudden desolation comes.
22 If ye disregard him, just as my servant Joseph was disregarded by the authorities of my church in the early days of the restoration, then ye shall fall, just as all who have tried before without guidance from Heaven, through the prophet of God. For behold, the hour is fast approaching when the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall be tinged with blood, the stars shall fall and the heavens and the earth shall sway to and fro, and none of your possessions, which will be held back by you for your personal security, will be of any value to your salvation when this day comes. That is why I, the Lord, revealed to you at the November 2020 conference that as soon as the foundations of the Earth will be shaken, there will be no safe place to flee to, except in Zion and her dwelling places, which is why I have encouraged you to erect the United Order, like Noah's ark saving you in the last days.
23 If this does not happen because of your refusal to heed the voice of my prophet because of your precepts and traditions as to the least ye intend to give as a tithe to build up my Zion, and ye are not sanctified and gathered in the places of refuge revealed by the Lord, then ye shall suffer together with humanity all the calamities foretold by me, Jesus Christ, despite the testimony you may have of this so highly elevated work of the Second Invitation, my words described in section 101:7-8 (LDS) shall be fulfilled in you; for it will not be possible for you to bear it; and I will not be able to save you, because God, my Father and your Father, has announced to you beforehand, through his prophet, that it will not be possible to reestablish my work in all nations, tribes, tongues, and peoples, and raise up places of refuge required for the salvation of the Saints in these last days with only your tithe of surplus.
24 Therefore, ye must consider that the righteous will be lost in the midst of future tribulations if the authorities of my church, which ye are, have disregarded the understanding of my prophet and also, by retaining with yourselves the resources that are left over in your coffers, which could have built the foundations of Zion, for your own profit.
25 If a man demonstrates that he is honored in his business, and, as with Ananias and Sapphira, he retains the leftover resources of his income, behold, before the calamities of the nations overcome them, the powers of the enemy will come upon him, and like the plague of locusts foretold by Malachi the Prophet will come upon you, which devourer will consume all their resources, and, by fraud and deception, takes him prisoner from his money, a desolating disease will come upon his house and will despoil him of his accumulated goods, because he did not cooperate in this period, which becomes primordial, to build the foundations of Zion and its stakes.
26 Do not permit your hands to refuse to give what ye should to build my Kingdom and fulfill its justice among the children of men, while ye are able to do it; but when your possessions abound, cease to withhold it for yourselves. For though I, the Lord, require of you one portion out of ten, who would not give all their goods to feed the poor among my people, and would not cast their gold and silver to the four winds, to go to the place where find the communion of saints for the building of Zion and its places of refuge?
27 It is, therefore, established by my revealed word that the law of surplus, rightly taught by my servant John Pratt, that the same is to be perpetual and the beginning of the tithe for my people, which every new member must fulfill. However, every member who wants to participate in the law of consecration must begin with the tithe of Moses, coming to contribute with the tithe of everything they have, as taught by my servant Mauricio. And this involves the tithe of everything, houses, cars and goods in general, or 20, 30, 40, 50, and even 100% of everything that they have, who will enter the United Order, as each one shall determine in his heart.
28 If ye can live according to these principles, how great and glorious will be your reward in the heavenly realm, because the world ye know, with its luxury and its monetary system, is destined to dissolve quickly, which is why I decreed in former times that that which is bound on earth by my prophet, president of my church among the children of men, by his word I will bind it in heaven. Thus, what my servant Mauricio Artur Berger binds on earth in these last days, by virtue of the keys which were conferred to him in the priesthood of Melchizedek, will be, without fail, bound in heaven, and that power and authority are the seal that I said I would put upon one faithful and prudent steward in my house in the last days.
29 Therefore, persevere in thy way and in the instructions that have been given thee, and with this my priesthood will remain with thee; for their limits are determined and they cannot be exceeded by the precepts of men.
30 Amen.
Volume 5, Article 3-August 2021-(Written by Maurício A. Berger)
Proclamation
1 The revelation of the Lord that was given to me from March 19 to 27 of this year 2020 shows that we are entering a period of great tribulation, like never before seen on earth. —http://thesealedbookofficial.org/index.php/revelation-received-from-march-19-to-27-2020/
2 A wise observer of the events that surround us will know for himself that we are entering one of the darkest periods in the history of mankind, if not the darkest, since it involves all the nations of the world of humanity. — D&C 101:11 LDS
3 If I could give advice to Latter-day Saints, I would say that this is the time when all the ramifications of Mormonism must “put aside their differences” and come together for their conjunct salvation, because the prophecy of the times of the Gentiles has arrived and with it a desolating sickness (D&C 45: 30-31 LDS), this being the principle of the pains of affliction that will succeed all the inhabited Earth. — See verse 4 in the Revelation
4 But since my voice does not reach all Latter day Saints because of the barrier imposed by their leaders in their hearts, I will communicate without barriers with those who believe in the divinity of the Sealed Book, translated from the plates of Mormon by the power and gift of God, for, behold, the days are approaching when there will be peace and tranquility only among those who are called to hold the meeting of the Lord's elect and who hear His voice and do not harden their hearts, because the Father decreed that they will be gathered in unto one place to prepare the hearts of His people, for them to be ready in all things when the tribulations and desolations are sent on the wicked upon all the face of the Earth (D&C 29: 7-8 LDS). And behold, the time is little that the saints have in order to prepare themselves for what is to come. However, as revealed by the Lord in D&C 31:30 LDS: “if ye are prepared ye shall not fear”.
5 Since the revelation mentions that as soon as the disease recedes we should use wisdom, because as soon as it comes back accompanied with a financial setback, a great tribulation will come upon us. We therefore have to take the appropriate measures to prepare ourselves as soon as possible, so as not to be caught off guard when the effects arising of this disease that now sweeps all nations of the Earth will reach all of humanity. — See in the Revelation, the verses 4 and 17
6 In its turn, taking into account the words of Jesus in Matthew 24: 21-22, do not be fooled into thinking that it will be a great and powerful religious organization that will save you in these times of tribulation, but reflect in His words, that say; “except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened”.
7 He says “, there should no flesh be saved”, thus showing how terrible these days will be that will come upon us in the future, yet He gives hope to those who will listen and follow the directions of His elect.
8 Therefore, brothers, sisters and friends who sympathize with this work that God has dignified to erect in these last days for the salvation of all those who believe in it, use wisdom and unite now, in this moment that this disease has come upon us as a warning sign, in order to fulfill the original purpose of the restoration, before the Earth is hurt and the consummation of the plagues decreed upon it in the great tribulation falls upon the world of humanity.
9 Let us put ourselves in a unity of heart and purpose to work with all our strength and effort to save our posterity and to gather the saints of God as coming from His original purpose, in communities where we, saints of the Second Invitation, being “moved by a higher cause, in which brother watches over brother and the church of God watches over all his members, may we show ourselves true disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ and be worthy representatives of his name among a corrupted and misrepresented world.” — Acts of the three Nephites 10: 1
10 Having clarified this, I wish to call upon those who believe in me to commit themselves to the Lord in initiating the longed-for “United Order”, to obtain the necessary conditions to endure the times of great tribulations that were revealed to us by the Lord, to let us not be counted among those who D&C 1: 7-8 LDS says: “They were slow to hearken unto the voice of the Lord their God; therefore, the Lord their God is slow to hearken unto their prayers, to answer them in the day of their trouble. In the day of their peace they esteemed lightly my counsel; but, in the day of their trouble, of necessity they feel after me.” — Compare with the Revelation, verse 18
11 Here, then, is what the Lord requires of us at this moment, that we fulfill the words of Jesus in the Sealed Book, since the angel Moroni showed me and also the three witnesses, that we would do Alma's work in this second invitation. Such work is clearly outlined for us in Acts of the Three Nephites 13: 2-5 "so that the words of Mosiah may serve as a reference to my people in the fulness of times".
12 Thus, as transcribed in the sealed book, “the book of Mosiah makes it clear that Alma (who prefigures Mauricio in the fullness of times) initiated the Order of Enoch again among the people of the Church of Christ, in his day, when he ordered its members to share their goods, each according to their means. And that, he told them by order of God; because he (Maurício) received revelation from him; and so they walked right before God, listening to their prophet, helping each other, both materially and spiritually, according to their needs.
13 And it came to pass that, after some time (of them mutually helping each other), Alma and his people were pushed into the desert, just as my people in the fullness of times, will also be taken to the desert - where God the Father will prove the quality of your faith in these words (which concerns the United Order Covenant), with the purpose of transforming, purifying and preparing his people to obtain their inheritance at the end of days. — D&C 101:12-18 LDS
14 But, afterwards they came to a very beautiful and pleasant land, a land of pure waters, which had been 'prepared in advance to receive them'; and as soon as they arrived on this land and pitched their tents, they ‘immediately started’ to cultivate the soil and build buildings, to be an industrious and hardworking people ”.
15 Well, brothers, sisters and friends who are reading this call, behold, a wise reader, by reading it with perspicacity and close attention, will know for himself, through events that surround us now, what foreshadows the abominable thing of which Jesus spoke in the context of Matthew 24:15, that I must, like Alma, immediately begin preparations to establish the “United Order” and build an independent and self-sufficient community among the saints of the second invitation, so that there is 'a place prepared beforehand to receive them' when we are then pushed into the desert, as described in the record of Acts of the Three Nephites 13: 5.
16 On the other hand, I say to you, that in addition to doing a concise reading of these things that I write to you in order to know for yourselves, through the events that surround us, that these words of mine are coherent and true, I invite you to meditate on this in your hearts and I urge you, like Moroni indicated, to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of his son, Jesus Christ, if these things are not true, and just as we are promised in the text of Moroni 10: 4 LDS, I assure you that you will no longer know only by your intellect, but you will also know by the power of the Holy Spirit that will pour out in your hearts confirming to you the truth of my words.
17 Below is the plan outlined to begin the preparations for this gigantic project — See Alma 37: 6-8 LDS
18 First it is necessary, according to the statute of the Church of Christ outlined to us in the text of Acts of the Three Nephites, chapter 9, verse 1, with regard to the administration of the law of consecration among its members - “Call each family according to their desires” and determine their stewardship. — What I am doing now with you through this email.
19 And now, brothers, sisters and friends, allow me to suggest for your consideration that you pay attention not only to the invitation that is being proposed here in this call to the saints, but to the purpose that is being carefully and wisely established by the direction of the heavens, that our brothers and sisters in the faith and those who sympathize with the message of the Sealed Book, which are spread across different nations at this time, understand the spirit of coalition in this message that comes to you addressed by me, Maurício Berger, through this mail, because there will be a time when we will all be pushed into the desert, which, symbolically, represents a place without resources to live, however, if we are prepared, like the people of Alma, there will be places previously organized to serve us as refuge and protection, in which God will give us peace, security and tranquility, while the whole world will be groaning with its pains.
20 Those from North and South America, and from countries far from Europe, will be established among the Saints of Brazil, at points we will call stakes of Zion, in communities, just as it was in the early days of restoration, which we will organize in safe places, far from cities and, therefore, be calm to overcome the years of tribulation that will come upon cities in general. However, with the use of “5G technology” that is at the doors of this new decade, we will build, not only some communities where some saints will live in peace and togetherness, but we will be, as initially described in the Herald of the Second Invitation, Vol 1, Article 2 – June 2019, verse 34, we will start true academic centers, whose main objective will be to establish appropriate physical structures to capture and disseminate the widest knowledge that may exist in the areas that support the development of the human intellect, in which the best books will be taught , whose teaching body extracted from these books, will include all areas of knowledge that allow us to evolve as citizens of Zion, which will allow us to prepare for the future generations of Zion and its stakes, the best citizens that the new era will encompass, before God prepares a way for us to return to the central stake in Zion, Jackson County, Missouri, for, as it is written, “Zion shall not be moved out of her place, notwithstanding her children are scattered. They that remain, and are pure in heart, shall return, and come to their inheritances, they and their children, with songs of everlasting joy, to build up the waste places of Zion” (D&C 101:17-18 LDS). — To access the Herald of the Second Invitation just click on the link below:
21 Therefore, my dear brothers, sisters and friends of the Zion Project, so that we can be ready and qualified to overcome these calamity days that mercilessly will fall on humanity, we must first of all be willing to participate in this project as if it were the construction of Noah's ark, in order to serve as an instrument for our salvation and for our families, when then these days and their calamities will be alleviated because of God's chosen ones. - Matthew 24: 21-22
22 May the circumstances in which we find ourselves now serve to awaken in our spirits a sacred sense of commitment to our Heavenly Father's purposes in relation to his work on earth and above all, a solemn responsibility for all our brothers and sisters, and that, therefore, nothing makes you think in a negative way, with "grumbling in your midst, just as it happened in the days of Moses, because we cannot conceive in our way of thinking, a more effective way to assign these portions to these people, from according to their families and according to their yearnings and needs when these calamities come upon us, if not through an Order previously organized according to the direction of the heavens". — Acts of the Three Nephites 9:13
23 However, I want to remind you that “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house...” — Hebrews 11: 7
24 And that, likewise, God "spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly". — 2 Peter 2: 5
25 With that in mind, let us not think in quantity, for if God consented to end up as a whole world in the days of the flood preserving only eight people, why should we think that would He now preserve the entire human race that treats His counsel lightly?
26 At first, what I propose to you, should not be seen as an iron yoke that compels you to participate in the “Sacred Order” program. Rather, it must be seen as a strong bond of love and unity, in order to promote now, while there is still time, a joint effort ere the world is filled with confusion and iniquity, so that we can be safe, by whose plan, which had previously been designed by the heavens, fully protects us in these days of misfortunes and distress that will surely befall humanity. — Acts of the Three Nephites 13: 4
27 As all saints in the second invitation are aware, tithing is the principle of faith in the lesser law, given to the people of Israel as a preparatory gospel for a Heavenly law (D&C 84:26 LDS) which can only exist among the people of the covenant through consecration (as was the Lord's original purpose, Ex. 32:29; Acts 2: 44–45; 4 Ne. 1: 3), and “except for the principles of the law of the heavenly kingdom”, as described in D&C 105: 5 LDS, “Zion cannot be built”.
28 We therefore call on the people of this second invitation, to begin immediately the consecration, even if partial of each family, as taught in Acts of the 3 Nephites 9: 2-3 which says: “ a partial consecration of each family, beginning with the tithing required by the law of Moses, and so progressively to the amount that each agreed to give in his heart, without any resentment, as was understood by the Order of Celestial law. Nevertheless, many who began by dedicating only the tithe of everything they owned and continually delivering the tithe of everything they produced over the course of their lives, began over time to increase their consecration, until many did it in its fullness, but each, in due time and understanding, and, giving only the amount that they undertook to give of all they had and produced, or only half of it, or even a third, they were imposed nothing; but everyone who had the desire to participate was accepted into the Order, according to their wishes and needs. ” And those who cannot even offer tithing, but have the desire in their hearts, start with as much as you can, until you can live the minimum required by the Celestial Law.
29 In view of this, those who cannot even offer tithing, but have the desire to participate in their hearts, should start with as much as they can offer until they can live the minimum required by the Celestial Law. But once you have committed yourself to this sacred ordinance, I advise you never to back down from your decision, since your consecration will not happen with a single gesture or a few moments when you have decided to make personal sacrifices to obtain a heavenly blessing. In that case, if you are not willing to enter into an eternal covenant with God, I suggest following what the book of Ecclesiastes 4: 4-6 says, because the Consecration, unlike anything presented to us by the preparatory gospel, is an eternal covenant, by whose process, we must have a continuous and constant attitude in relation to everything we set out to offer to God to promote The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth.
30 I know that many are ready, just as it was revealed to me by the Father, to commit themselves in some way to this Celestial law, in order to promote His work on Earth. However, it is important to emphasize once again that, once the covenant is accepted, it cannot be broken! So, it is wise for families to get together before committing to the amount they wish to allocate to this "so noble cause" that will be the United Order, without a feeling of coercion or resentment in your hearts in relation to this perpetual agreement, and thus, be able to enjoy the protection that will be in the stakes of Zion, in which communities of the United Order will start building with these resources.
31 Therefore, to those wishing to participate, send me an email separate from this, to this new email address created for that purpose: elderberger@protonmail.com, stating where they live, name of family members, amount to be allocated and from which month the same will be provided monthly to the Sião Project, so that the High Council can keep a joint record of the amounts collected with the other members who are spread around the world in order to be able to start the planning and schedule the execution of the task according to this information. — After receiving your e-mail with the necessary information, I will inform you how to proceed with the deposit of the same.
32 The churches that we know about of the restoration have never been able to successfully implement the United Order, because they always gave the impression to their members that the wealthiest would be leveled in a humble condition with the less affluent. However, I want to emphasize that whenever the scriptures refer to people who, like society, have learned to live a law of consecration to its fullest, they have become a prosperous and not impoverished people, a people whose nature is rich and abundant for all, since we read in 4 Nephi 1: 3 LDS “that there were no poor among them”. Now, if there was no poor, it is because everyone, in a way, was rich with what they had. — So, in the end, nobody loses, but everyone equally wins.
33 Our belief will increase and multiply our resources, since it will expand and bring together the remnants of the restorationist churches around us, an expansion that we can already see with each conference that takes place and, thus, redeem the hearts of the sons and daughters of Zion through a United Order, just as it was in the days of Enoch, which will induce all who sincerely follow its principles, previously established in the Sealed Book, to cultivate first, justice and equity in their hearts and, in the background, to plow and cultivate the land and produce wheat, rice, fruits and vegetables; build breeding sites and obtain meat, wool, eggs, milk and its derivatives, and fish obtained from rivers and the sea in order to extract our livelihood from the land, since this will be our main means of community subsistence, even if some of the brothers and sisters remain in the cities, employed in their own undertakings, which will also be created according to their aptitudes by the "United Order", all however, making use of these elements cultivated in nature, according to your desires and needs.
34 It is our duty to be active and diligent in organizing the preparations to erect this Sacred Order and to soon have at our fingertips everything we can to sustain ourselves, including, we will have to send elders to work on the slopes of the rivers that descend from the mountains in order to collect riches hidden on its banks according to the knowledge we now have and the wisdom we can obtain from heaven through our faithfulness to God, the Eternal Father.
35 In this way, the Lord, our God, will bless us greatly when the harvest arrives, and we have storage silos to preserve our grains and preserve the wheat until, as it happened in ancient times, after the seven years of scarcity that passed in the days of Joseph of Egypt, there are resources among us to welcome those who are not part of our religion, but who will come to us in search of peace and security.
36 We have to do that, brothers and sisters, and now I am specifically addressing the saints in this second invitation, we have to start expanding the frontiers of Zion right away and to have enough resources to create a printing shop, which according to Moroni is the principle of the "United Order", with the purpose of publishing flyers and books and sending missionaries to preach the Gospel and caring for and preparing persons in order to live in communities. Little by little, we will have some places of refuge to enter, and there we will receive the blessings of heaven, and all this will only be possible through the obedience that we now employ to the law of consecration.
37 Finally, I leave here my words transcribed in the Herald of the Second Invitation Volume 1, Article 2 - June 2019, Verses 43 and 44, which says: “Brothers and sisters and friends, sympathizers of this work that begins among us, do not allow your hearts to be afflicted because of our humble condition compared to the greatness of the churches of the restoration that surround us. The Lord prophesied that we would be like a hut in the midst of a garden of cucumbers surrounded by great and sumptuous temples, but that in due time the little one will become a strong nation (Isaiah 1:8, 60:22). So do not grieve your heart for joining something so small and seemingly insignificant at this point in the history of the restoration, for Jehovah's heavenly organization assures us that there are more who are with us than with them.
They, the angels of God, have always wanted us humans to know this - that they are among us and that those who understand the message of this second invitation prefigures the separation of the wheat and tares. Who will not want to participate in such a noble cause? And you, on which side do you want to be?”
P.S. - Brothers and sisters, let us strive to build this symbolic Noah's Ark, first for the benefit of our loved ones as well as all the families that have embraced our faith and, lastly, all those we can help jointly. Remember the pioneers of the restoration and how much they sacrificed to see what we will do, through knowledge that was revealed to us with the Sealed Book. For this reason, our union must be stronger than theirs, so that the legacy we will leave for future generations will never be undone by our lack of commitment. I pass this call on to all who believe in the fulness of the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and I authorize in advance that this letter be read and transmitted to all brothers, sisters and supporters of the second invitation, to whom this email does not reach.
Your brother and unworthy servant and co-helper of our Lord Jesus Christ,
MAURÍCIO ARTUR BERGER
Volume 5, Article 4-August 2021 (Written by João Vendemiatti)
The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper
Students of the School of Prophets at the initial level have already learned about the different symbolisms that represent the sacramental emblems, being the bread, the body of Christ, that is, the Church and the promises they communicate in baptism to love us, to comfort those who fill with comfort, weep with those who weep and serve as witnesses for Christ everywhere. The blood represents Christ's unconditional love and our path to purifying our feelings through unconditional love and other thoughts derived from God's name. And this is the first preparation, which I call Intellectual Preparation, that is, the knowledge of the meaning of the emblems, rituals, and symbolism of the ordinance.
Students who are at level 2 of the school will have this class as a continuation of the curricular course. The importance of the topic is mandatory and, expressing the desire of our beloved prophet who would like a sacrament meeting to be better understood by members of the Second Invitation, we decided that it would be very timely to hold this special class for all members so that they could understand the magnitude of the ordinance of the sacrament.
First, we must understand the situation of earthly humanity in relation to Heaven: SBM 4:46
“46 And it came to pass that the God of heaven looked upon the remnant of the people, and wept; and Enoch testified of it, saying, How canst thou weep, being holy and eternal forever and ever? If it were possible for man to count the particles of the Earth, yes, of millions of Earths like this, it would not even be the beginning of the number of your creations; and the veil of oblivion is still drawn, and yet art thou merciful and kind to us, the children of man, coming to take Zion for thy own bosom; and mercy shines before your face with tears in your eyes through what I am seeing; and there will be no end to your compassion, just as there is no end to your reign. How can you cry?”
How can you cry? Why did God cry? Let's think about this question for a moment. Enoch was amazed that a Being as powerful, eternal, and loving as God could be crying for miserable creatures.
The answer comes in sequence:
“47 The Lord said to Enoch, Look at these thy brethren; they are the work of my own hands; and I gave them their knowledge the day I created them; and in the Garden of Eden I gave man their agency, and I also commanded that they should love one another and that they should choose Me their Father; but behold, they have no affection for me, their Creator, and they hate their own kind without any reason. How then can I, the Lord, show them the realms of other abodes and the existence of other worlds? Constantly the fire of my indignation is kindled against them, and in my burning displeasure I will send a flood upon the earth; to wash away the filth which man has wrought against his brother, and to erase, forever, from the face of the earth his dealings with the children of God and their descendants; and the secret combinations of the Maan Order.
49 But behold, Satan shall be his father; and the other feelings derived from the anguish, which are the fruits of the spirit proceeding from the evil one, will be its destiny; which is shed upon the children of men for their attachment to sentiments opposed to the true gifts derived from the Holy Spirit of God, and all heaven shall weep over them, yea, all the work of my hands.”
Do you understand brothers and sisters? We are impregnated with bad feelings from the Maan Order. We are in spiritual misery and we can see this everywhere we look, including within ourselves.
Although the Father is unconditional Love, the Father is also justice. Mankind's ill feelings must ascend to heaven and cause horror. Look at the headlines, look at the prejudice, homophobia, racism, sexism, disbelief, ingratitude, pride, in addition to the lack of empathy, love and compassion that permeates humanity. And if not for the chosen few, all humanity would be destroyed.
Humanity should be wiped off the Earth, as the Father himself says. You, me, your mother, your child, everyone you love and hold dear, should all be destroyed because of the wickedness of our own hearts.
But there was a person who begged the Father, who purposed himself to come to this planet and redeem all those who would listen to him:
54 And my Only Begotten begged before my face; therefore, He suffers for the sins of the world, since they repent the day my Chosen One returns to me; and, until that day, they will be in a probationary process of constant opposition in all things. Wherefore, therefore, I, God, weep continually for the children of man; and the heavens shall weep, yea, and all the work of mine hands groan for deliverance, because of the sin of Adam; because he brought with him a curse on the earth and its fruits.
Jesus paid the highest price in the universe for us so that we could be redeemed. So that justice could be satisfied and mercy could be applied. And this makes us understand one of Christ's roles, that of being our Advocate with the Father:
In D&C 45 Jesus mentions a petition he personally made to the Father on our behalf:
3 Hear him that is the advocate with the Father, who is pleading your cause before him—
4 Saying, Father, behold the sufferings and death of him who did not sin, in whom thou didst rejoice; behold the blood of thy Son that was shed, the blood of him that thou gavest that thou mightst be glorified;
5 Therefore, Father, spare these my brethren who believe in my name, that they may come to me and have eternal life.
Jesus is literally saying that the Father's patience with humanity has already been exhausted or is very close to it and that by Him, He would have already destroyed everything. But Jesus, for the merits he won on the cross, intercedes for us and asks us to be spared.
I want everyone to close their eyes, let's do a mental exercise, I want you to imagine the person you love the most. I want all of us, just for a minute, to understand a little about the mind of God.
I want you, right now, to think about the person you love the most in this world, be it your child, your wife, your mother, your grandmother who raised you, be it your brother or sister, aunt or cousin. Think about how grateful you are for this person, think about all the good things they did for you, all the happy times you had and how much love and dedication there is in this relationship.
Now imagine you are with this person at a dinner party, you are reunited with them and many other people you love. Think about the happiness of this moment, the harmony that everyone is feeling. Now I want you to visualize that this person you love is having the last meal of their life with you. In a few minutes she will have to choose to be killed in place of the other members of her family. You don't want it, you suffer from this revelation, but there's nothing you can do to stop it, the wheel of fate has already turned, her death is already decreed and this is the last meal of the person you love the most and the last Her act was the demonstration of unconditional love for you and other family members. She will die because of you and in your place.
As an act of remembrance, you, from time to time, have a family dinner, remembering what this person has done for the whole family. The love she showed. Her suffering, her death, the absence of the presence of your son, your mother, your father, the person you thought about. When making the “toast” in memory of that person, one of the family members is laughing out loud, is watching football on television, another is arguing with his girlfriend in the bedroom. Another is typing on his cell phone. And when you do, only you are focused on remembering the sacrifice and loss of your loved one. What would your reaction be?
This is the feeling of the Father, who gave his beloved son to suffer for us, but we treat the remembrance of this occasion only as a mechanical ceremony.
This act of remembering cannot be mechanical, the death of the person you miss must be something to remember, the gratitude that you are alive, that the rest of the family is alive.
Respect, reverence for the act that the person did out of love for you and your family, must be observed.
This is the first point to understand the sacrament, the pain and love involved in the act of Christ and the reverence and respect we should show ourselves at this time.
Is Jesus acting as an advocate, pleading our cause and how we give thanks? We celebrate the sacrament to show the Father our gratitude for the Savior, and to show the Savior that we love him for what he has done to us.
This is the most sacred moment that happens in the whole world, there, at that moment, we are at the table with our brother, friend, lawyer and savior, Jesus Christ. Remembering with him, the last meal that Jesus had with his friends, just before giving his life for all of us.
This is the preparation we must have in our feelings before the meeting and during the ceremony. This preparation must begin even before the ceremony, just as we would have in our hearts even before dinner to remember the loved one, throughout that day, the memory of their act for us.
This is what I call Emotional Preparation or Feeling Preparation.
Another necessary preparation is Physical Preparation. We must prepare all the environment that will be used, clean the house, leave the table or stand where the emblems will rest during the ceremony clean and tidy, clean clothes and everything else that would be in our house, clothing and appearance if we were celebrating the memory of the loved one we thought of earlier.
Let's imagine now, if this memory dinner for the loved one we lost, were held at a relative's house. And arriving there, the house was dirty, everyone going about their business and few caring about the celebration of that memory. At the appointed time, everyone sits at the table, eats and each one goes home, like an ordinary day. Yes, there will be a feeling of sadness in us, as that act is already being treated as something unimportant, mechanical. Proper preparation begins in our hearts, but it must also be extended around us, to our surroundings, to create the favorable climate that the solemnity deserves. I'm not talking about expensive clothes, expensive utensils, or an expensive table, but a clean table, a clean, tidy house, and a pleasant environment in which to receive our Savior's visit in our home, in our sacramental supper.
Now that we understand a little more about emotional and physical preparation, we need to understand Spiritual Preparation. Spiritual Preparation is the joining of all previous preparations plus the elevated feelings of God's name in our hearts. As already taught, the sacrament is a sacred time, celebrated with family (the body of Christ) and with people who are there who love us, even if they are unfamiliar (those who are sincerely seeking the kingdom). Let's not call for a solemn action like this, foes, people who don't care, curious people, people who won't respect the solemnity. As it is also necessary that family members themselves seek to value the memory of that person who left. The same is true of sacrament meeting. In it we must remember that we must immediately cease criticizing our brother, seeing their bad things, but seeking to empathize, extolling their best features, we must do what we can to help our brother and sister. The person who gave his life for the family, did not do it for the faults of each one, but an unconditional love for the best in each member of the family. No more gossip, no more thinking badly of a brother because he managed to change cars, because he got a better job, because he achieved some blessing. Enough of thinking badly about each other. Just as a family must stick together and rejoice with each other, despite each one's faults. A marriage does not survive if the spouses frequently complain about each other, if they find each other lacking, if they speak ill of each other to others. We must be quick to forgive ourselves, to help us. As long as we are badmouthing each other and harboring bad feelings for each other, we are desecrating the ceremony and memory of the One who gave his life for us.
Thus, we will be able to participate in the ceremony in remembrance of the act of Christ.
We now need to understand the consequences of performing the sacramental ordinance of the Last Supper correctly. Without it, we will not have access to the power of God. And observing this is important to all who want to access the powers of heaven.
The Father told Joseph Smith this: D&C Section 84:19-21
19 And that higher priesthood administers the gospel and holds the key to the mysteries of the kingdom, yea, the key to the knowledge of God.
20 Therefore, in its ordinances the power of divinity is manifested.
21 And without its ordinances and the authority of the priesthood, the power of the deity is not manifested to men in the flesh;
And specifically about the Sabbath and the Lord’s Supper, the Sealed Book says in Acts 3 Nephites 12:24:
24 O people of my church, you with whom My name will be lifted up, yea, as an ensign among the nations in the fullness of time, once and for all, you must understand that the relationship between the seventh day and the people of God is the core of all the truth of my gospel from before the foundation of the world until its end and which is perpetually intertwined with the sacrament of the Holy Supper which I instituted among my apostles before I left Jerusalem.
This is a warning for us. So that we understand once and for all the heart of the Gospel of Christ. And so we can lift up the Father's name as a standard to the nations. This means that we must be the example of unconditional love for all nations, abounding in us the good feelings that are the derivations of the name of God.
We know from the Sealed Book that the name of God is invoked through Unconditional Love and the heightened feelings that flow from that love. This ordinance is the key to invoking the powers of Heaven, performing miracles, healings, transgressing the laws of the world, for everything is subject to the power of God.
My plea is that from now on, covenant members may, once and for all, observe all these preparations, understand and live these principles in our hearts, to truly be purified and counted as true worshipers of Christ and no longer as mere ceremonialists.
So, as Father appointed Patriarch, I will promise that by performing the sacrament correctly, you will have in abundance the power of God to break through all the barriers of the physical world and nothing will be impossible for you as the powers of Heaven, the Holy Spirit of God will be abundant in us, the Body of Christ, and we will then be able to climb the steps to be a people of one heart and mind, and thus we will be able to walk with God again. And this promise I make to you in the name of Jesus Christ, the only begotten son of the Father, who made this sacrifice of unconditional love and acts as our advocate with the Father. Amen.
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