There are at least three stages in the process of restoring knowledge, or, in other words, three ways in which the Lord manifests Himself:
WORD
The first stage is to receive it. This comes by means of obedience to "commandments," or holding to the "iron rod." Progress down this road is sure and strait, and it will lead to the Tree of Life. However, as one being compelled to move forward, the word becomes a rod of smiting. A person must follow the Law to the letter and subdue the sin which is in them, or else they will be overcome with shame and guilt at their own wretchedness. It is a constant process of cleansing and falling, and the individual ever pleading to God to shut the gates of hell continuously.
POWER
It is possible that a man receives something without understanding what it is that he has received. The second stage is to comprehend it. Time and careful and solemn and ponderous thoughts are required to untangle what has been received in order to comprehend what has been given. One must organize and set into proper order the things of God (comprehend the ordinances), and it will mean a lot of frustration along the way. Yet, as hope turns to belief (with plenty of patience), the fruit will eventually grow and ripen. Meaning, God can do much more individually and collectively than ever possibly thought.
VERY DEED
After believing and experimenting upon the word, a person accepts that loving God with all their heart, might, mind and strength is sufficient to receive the Lord's grace. They are then "free" to pursue the righteous desire of their heart, which will be to be to bring all others to Christ, even and especially the most vile and wretched.
.............................
There have been many signs that have been given by God, that He was about to do something new, from the time of the death of Joseph Smith until today. But he was taken from us at the incipient stage, because all that he was sent here to do was to lay the ground work, to lay the beginning, to come as an Elias. What will you do when He sets His hand again, the second time?
THE VISION
This experience occurred while vacationing in California:
I dreamed that we were on the beach of Lake Tahoe. We tossed out some bait and started catching crawdads. There was nothing significant about the dream, although it’s the first one I have had about crawdads that I can recall. I remember walking from the shore up to my knees or so and throwing some string into the water with some pieces of meat attached to it. The crawdad grabbed onto the bait and I slowly lured it in. I probably would have forgotten all about it, except for what happened the next day (in real life, not the dream).
The following afternoon, as it happened, we were on the beach of Lake Tahoe. I was lying down, looking up to the sky with my spouse when I watched an osprey, carrying a fish, being chased by a bald eagle. They flew over us for a couple of minutes, and as the eagle drew near the water bird, it dropped what it was carrying into the lake below. The two birds then flew off in different directions opposite of each other (both changing course). IMMEDIATELY after this happened, my son yelled to me, “Hey… it’s a little lobster!” We went over to see, and there at his feet was a crawdad! We pulled it out and played with it a bit, then set it free.
CHORUS:
Oh, for a muse of fire that would ascend
The brightest heaven of invention!
And let us, ciphers to this great account,
On your imaginary forces work.
_______________________________________________________________
THE LOWLY sooty crayfish
Rests on his belly in the mud;
Although he seems so firm to us
He is merely flesh and blood.
Shell and blood is weak and frail,
Susceptible to nervous shock;
While the soaring osprey can never fail
For it nests upon a rock.
The crawdad’s feeble steps may err
In compassing material ends,
While the raptor is the sky's affair,
Dancing with his lofty friends.
At singing time the mudbug’s voice
Betrays inflections wild and odd,
But every day we hear rejoice
From The Bird, at being one with God.
The digger's claws cannot come down
To a sweet and swimming meal;
But flesh of salmon and of brown
Reward the eagle's zeal.
The osprey snatched his gilded feast
And rushed to hear friends rave.
But in his haste the fish released
Plunging to a watery cave.
I saw the sooty crayfish fly
Ascending from Washoe's Pond,
And quiring angels round him cry
Praises from the Great Beyond.
Blood of the Lamb shall wash him clean
And him shall heavenly arms enfold,
Among the saints he shall be seen
Reading from the prize of gold.
He shall be washed as white as snow,
By all the martyr’d virgins kist,
While the osprey still remains below
Feigning hold of treasure missed.
The water bird, though humbled now
Is not forgotten with the thrall.
For cherished are the Father's works-
All His creatures great and small.
_______________________________________________________________
CHORUS:
Great is the art,
Great be the manners of the bard!
He shall not his brain encumber
With the coil of rhythm and number,
But, leaving rule and pale forethought,
He shall aye climb
For his rhyme:
Pass in, pass in, the angels say,
In to the upper doors;
Nor count compartments of the floors,
But mount to Paradise
By the stairway of surprise.
Blameless master of the games,
King of sport that never shames;
He shall daily joy dispense
Hid in song's sweet influence.
Things more cheerly live and go,
What time the subtle mind
Plays aloud the tune whereto
Their pulses beat,
And march their feet,
And their members are combined.
VIGNETTES
Bleed Red
If I Ever Lose My Faith
Styx: Sail Away
