Today, I have completed my Alma experience which began February 2015. Today I have been snatched and I want to make a record for my own keeping, for such an experience can never truly be conveyed to another. It is with great difficulty that I try and find the words to begin. I will just give a narrative of the events as I usually do.

Last night we watched some excellent Todd White videos on Youtube and they literally changed my life. 

Regarding the sacrament he says:

"[8:13] Isaiah says that by his stripes you are healed. First Peter 2:24 says by his stripes you were healed. So somewhere between 'you are' and 'you were', 'you is'. Does that make sense? So somewhere between there, you are healed. So Isaiah was hundreds and hundreds of years before, and Peter was years and years after. But in the midst of that is healing. Jesus paid a price for us that says that 'having believed unto righteousness, dashed by his stripes we are healed.' So believing unto righteousness being justified by faith; healing is part of this covenant. Sometimes people say well 'I don't know if I believe in healing,' yet Jesus, in Mark 2, when they had the man was lowered through the roof because they couldn't find room, so they kicked a hole in the roof, lowered this man down, four men did, lowered this paralytic guy in front of Jesus at the meeting. You know they brought him to be healed, they didn't, that's why they brought him. So Jesus looks at this guy and says take heart son your sins are forgiven. They didn't bring him to be forgiven, they weren't even thinking about that. They brought him to be healed because miracles were going on and that's why everybody was pressing. Right? And Jesus spoke with life and the Pharisees reasoned in their hearts 'Who does this man think that he is? Only God can forgive sins.' Jesus knew what they were thinking, which means that me as a Christian can know what people are thinking. That's pretty crazy. You better be ready for it because people think some weird stuff. Anyway Jesus says 'take heart son, your sins are forgiven.' He knows they're reasoning in their hearts and he goes 'Why do you reason in your hearts? Which is more important to say? Pick up your mat and walk, or your sins are forgiven? But that you should know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins, pick up your mat and walk.' And he brings them both together. So James 5:14 says 'Is any among you sick? Let them call for prayer, and the prayer of faith will save the sick. The word save, is not just save to go to heaven, the word save is a Greek word sózó [σ?ζω] It's saved, healed, delivered, protected, made whole, kept safe and sound, to do well, to be kept safe from harm. Its pregnant word. The word save in that situation specifically means heal. It says the prayer of faith will save the sick. That's like amazing. And then it says, comma, 'and if there's any sins they'll be forgiven.' So healing and forgiveness is right in there. Same covenant. [10:44] We drink the juice in communion. And the juice represents the blood of Jesus. We eat the bread...if it was just about forgiveness, and just about my sins being forgiven, then we would only drink the juice. That's it. We wouldn't need the bread. We wouldn't need the body. But there's something that happened to the body. So Jesus said drink this, this is my blood, this is my body which was broken for you but Jesus' bones were never broken, by his stripes we are healed. So communion is a healing covenant. It's forgiveness and healing, they are one in the same. And both of them were never supposed to be separated, and they're both supposed to be together."

I have been contemplating so many things; studying in my heart the anwers to the desires of my soul.  Seeking, reaching, expanding, growing - ever in the search of my Savior Jesus. Today I was particularly pondering on the different situations of prophets who spoke truth to the people where they lived.  How they labored in truth, for truth's sake, and the sake of others, to disseminate the word and how ultimately, those prophets retired for a time of healing and rest, often to come back again to their work.  But my thoughts focused on those who rested.  My first thought were of Mormon who was the Captain of the Nephites. He ceased to speak words of truth for a season. He lead his people in all ways towards truth and they would not hear.  They rejected him, at least as a truth teller and seeker, though they wanted his leadership in battle.  He grew weary.  He left and did "utterly refuse" and did "stand as an idle witness".  So many others, Alma and Amulek, Nephi when he left his brothers and separated, Elijah when he was fed by ravens and then by the widow.  So many instances.  It occurred to me that they may have gone and given themselves a time of healing and repentance, that they took of the sacrament (or performed sacrifice), and that they were literally healed in the flesh.... 

In the search for my Savior Jesus, I found Him today in the symbolism of the sacrament.

" ....that the eyes of the people might be opened to see and know of the goodness and glory of God." (Mosiah 27:22). God, that My eyes may be opened. God, that I may see. God, that I may know of Your goodness and glory forever and ever Amen!!!!

I went out to exercise with these things on my heart. Exercise is my time to think and talk with God, walking lap after lap and working through whatever ails me. Through what Todd White spoke of last night regarding the communion, or the sacrament, where the juice is the blood of Christ that forgives sin and bread is the body of Christ that heals physically, whether it is easier to say "thy sins be forgiven or arise and walk" it is the same. As I reached for my barbells to lift weights and counted, one ... two ... three... I was overcome with understanding that wracked my very soul. I began to sob uncontrolablly.  What was happening?  I simply didn't know but I allowed myself to go with it and release whatever was inside.  My sobs grew harder, louder.  I got up and walked out of the garage to the end of the driveway off by the creek in some shady trees.  "God", I could barely choke out an utterable sound, "I thank You". This utterance of gratitude compelled more tears and I knew I would be unable to gain composure anytime soon. I started to walk toward the creek, deeper in the woody area, for more privacy. "Jesus," I once again spoke aloud, "I thank You!"

Here are just a few of the thoughts that overwhelmed me as I felt the love of God engulf my very being:

  • John 14-16 Christ, on the very eve of His own betrayal, trial and murder, thought of his friends, those who The Father hath given Him. He said that He tells them these things that they may not be offended.  Showing to me Christ does not, and I believe we cannot, sepearate truth from ourselves, and when others reject truth they do reject us, because they reject Christ.  Every minute of every day was a service rendered, by Christ, in behalf of me. Thank you Jesus!
  • God, the Eternal Father has given me the gift of His Beloved Son, His Only Begotten. Thank you God!
  • "I have repented of my sins, and have been redeemed of the Lord; behold I am born of the Spirit. And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters; And thus they become new creatures". (Mosiah 27:24-26)

I went down to the gulf of bitter despair and was lost, but I have repented of my sins and been born of the Spirit. I offered the Lord a broken heart and a contrite spirit1 and He accepted my offering.

"...and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God. I say unto you, unless this be the case, they must be cast off; and this I know, because I was like to be cast off. Nevertheless, after wading through much tribulation, repenting nigh unto death, the Lord in mercy hath seen fit to snatch me out of an everlasting burning, and I am born of God.

"My soul hath been redeemed from the gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity. I was in the darkest abyss; but now I behold the marvelous light of God. My soul was racked with eternal torment; but I am snatched, and my soul is pained no more. I rejected my Redeemer, and denied that which had been spoken of by our fathers; but now that they may foresee that he will come, and that he remembereth every creature of his creating, he will make himself manifest unto all." (Mosiah 27:26-30)

This literally just happened to me and the Lord has made himself manifest unto me. He has not revealed Himself to me and I have not seen Him in the flesh, face to face, but I have seen Him on the cross. I have seen the torment of His agony and His death and I have rejoiced in Him and cried out "Praise Jesus!!! Thank you Jesus!!!!  Thank you God!!!" I sat down by the creek just sobbing for somewhere close to 30 minutes. I cried out to God and Jesus in gratitutde of heart. I prayed for another 25 minutes at least. Although honestly time stood still and I have no account for length but know I was engaged for around an hour. I accepted Christ as my personal Savior, recognizing the symbolic significance of this as I take the sacrament and accept His blood and body into mine. I put everything on the altar of God and made the most embarrassingly small sacrifice of everything to Him, to Them. 

I have been snatched. I have been bought and redeemed by Jesus. I have been born of the Spirit, spiritually begotten by Jesus. God, I plead with You, in Your infinite mercy, just as You have given Christ those 12 apostles who served with Him while in the flesh, please give me unto Jesus.

 

Notes

1. Article: Baptism of Fire and the Holy Ghost (Part 1 of 6)