A Witness of Him

Okay, so, someday the order in which I have been telling my story will hopefully make more sense when seen in the bigger picture I am painting. For now – I’m going to jump ahead a couple years to January 2024. Right now my intention is not to tell my story chronologically, but rather to share various experiences with angels and visions to give a general idea of the different ways in which I have experienced them. Angels come not only as beings whose hands you can shake, nor even as messengers of Satan whose hands you can’t shake. There are reasons Joseph said some “won’t move” (D&C 129), and reasons Nephi proclaimed, “Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost,” (2 Nephi 32:3) and man may speak with the, “Tongue of angels.” (2 Nephi 32:2.) In my sharing of various experiences we will touch on the different ways and means God the Father has shown me His children can speak to men in order to teach of Him (or, in the case of Satan’s messengers or Satan himself, ways in which spirits can communicate in an attempt to confuse). While I’m sure my list is not comprehensive, it is most certainly varied and may serve to expand your understanding of conversing with heaven. Faith grows as we learn more of Father and His ways, specifically as Father confirms (through the power of the Holy Ghost), that what you are hearing and learning is of Him – is His truth. That expansion of faith in all who will read and take it to Father is my goal and deepest desire. I will tell you in advance that some of what I will share will only be believed with His confirmation – some, I believe, will test your faith. Each test is a means of strengthening. Keep that in mind. As always, I am not the teacher – Father and Son are, I am, but a witness of Them. Take my witness to Them, let Them confirm, and expound.

This next experience took place when my husband and 5 of our children and I had gone down to St. George to celebrate the New year and get out of the snow. My husband and I were in the habit of attending the temple a few times a week. Even though we were out of town I still wanted to attend an endowment session at least once. My now 16 year old son had also really wanted to do baptisms that week, so we planned an evening to make both possible, and my husband and I took my son and his girlfriend (who had come down to spend a couple days with us) to the St. George temple. (Side note: That temple is breathtaking. Kudos to the interior designers of that renovation, it is stunning.)

In the endowment session I am in the habit of bowing my head and pondering over covenants or some other doctrine. Generally, I say a prayer in the beginning and ask Father to guide my thoughts to things He would have me learn (and I would suggest this to anyone, it can be quite enlightening when He takes over – and sometimes even surprising in the details He will guide you to). During this session I had said my usual prayer but my head was not bowed, instead I was studying the murals on the walls (I paint murals). A few minutes into the session I saw a figure standing above me and I looked up to see Joseph Smith smiling at me – and my brother who had passed in 2016 standing behind him. There was an empty seat next to mine and Joseph took it (yes – I thought for a second, “But this is the girls side!”), my brother stood halfway into the aisle and halfway behind Joseph’s chair. Joseph continued smiling and put his hand over mine while pointing out something that was taking place in the movie (he was instructing me to ponder on it). By this time I had been in the presence of angels dozens of times, and I was used to them always taking my hand. It wasn’t until recently though that it dawned on me that in this way they were witnessing they were from God the Father – because as Joseph said if you can shake their hand, they are from Him. Honestly, when they appeared in a setting where I was the only one who could see them, especially in the temple, the thought to ask to shake their hand had never crossed my mind. I looked at these experiences more as visions because, well, I was the only one experiencing it. But in taking my hand, I believe they were confirming over and over that they were present with me and sent from God the Father (I say “were” but it continues still today).

Joseph sat with me the whole of the session that takes place in the Telestial Kingdom. At one point my mind was taken away and I was shown 2 paths available to my husband and I, one that lead to continuing to serve the Lord, and one that lead to an empty life where we grew old without spending our life in His service (the lesson was to learn to work more closely as one in His service). It was a wonderful session throughout which I was overwhelmed with joy. Towards the end in the first room, Joseph again took my hand, and looking straight into my eyes, said, “You will get through this, it will be alright.”

The fall previous to this trip (2023), I had become extremely ill and had, had to spend time in the hospital where I was put on a bunch of medication to address an unknown cause to my symptoms. It had been a hard few months, but I had felt at this point – in January – that we were on the downhill slide and things were returning to normal. I did not know things were going to get much worse before they got better – and this is what Joseph was talking about (an experience I will go into more detail about later on). My heart stopped just a little when he said it, and I asked him what was coming that I would need to hear such a message. He told me he was not there to give me that answer, simply to give me that message. I had looked to my brother asking if he would tell me (conversations which are not audible but rather seem to take place heart to heart – as if our feelings express our intent). He simply grinned at me, which made me think it couldn’t be that bad (it was worse than bad). Joseph and my brother left before we walked into the symbolic “Terrestrial Kingdom”, and I sat pondering the implications of the simple message.

I was still thinking of this message when the four of us left the temple. I hadn’t had a chance yet to tell my husband. In the car my son said something kind of cool had happened to him that he wanted to tell us, and that it was sacred so he asked if we wouldn’t mind giving him our full attention. My husband was driving the car and only half paying attention so he kept making jokes about random things. After not being able to get his attention, my son said he’d tell us another time. I said that was fine, but that I wanted to share what had happened to me. I related that Joseph had come and sat next to me in the endowment. I said he had given me a simple message with absolutely no explanation, I repeated to my son and his girlfriend (who was very aware these experiences were taking place in our home) that Joseph had said, “You will get through this, it will be alright.” My son’s girlfriends eyes went wide and she turned towards my son and said,

“You have to tell them now.” My son, somewhat frustrated because he was obviously hoping to share it in a more sacred setting, went on to say,

“Well, I was standing in the dressing room (after baptisms) and I just happened to be all alone. I heard someone calling my name. I’m not going to say Who it was, but He came around the corner of the dressing room and told me the same thing, He said, ‘You will get through this, it will be alright.’”

A second witness. This has happened several times throughout these experiences. Not in this same way, although sometimes it is – but often I will be taught something and shortly after I will be led to some obscure book by an apostle a 100 years ago, and find the same teaching in his writings that I have been taught by angels or through the Holy Ghost (when pondering the words of the angels). The Lord loves second and third witnesses, and He uses them to confirm His teachings all the time. Not only was it a second witness however, it was also a testament from the Father of things my son and I had experienced previously – a testament that would prove to be much needed in the coming days.

This is the second experience in which I have related the inclusion of my son. What he learned (and all that was required of him) are sacred and his experiences alone to tell. I am his mother and a witness that truly the words of Joel in Joel 2:28-29 are and have come to pass (also repeated by Peter in Acts 2),

28 ¶ And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

Our youth are incredible. I will continue to share his involvement while keeping sacred what he has learned.

So why share this experience? Did Joseph say something profound for all to learn from? No, and it wouldn’t be my place to share if he had (keys and authority and all that essential stuff). I share because angels appear in the temple, in various ways, and to that fact I am a witness. I share because I am laying a foundation of the different means in which we can communicate with heaven, that I will later use in the telling of my story. I share to expand your faith and understanding before the telling of those tales.

And I share, because I am a witness that the heavens are open, that angels are speaking to men, that Christ IS upon the earth, and that His servants are preparing the way for His return and appearance to all men. I share because we have a beloved Prophet who lives, who is an Elias, who is preparing the way for the Savior – and because I feel that testimony is important for all the faithful. We will experience miracles, all that President Nelson has taught and Prophesied is and will continue to come true. My hope is to normalize some of these Biblical and Scriptural experiences so that when they come (metaphorically) knocking on your door – you will be prepared to open and experience all that Father has in store for you. For YOU, no matter who you are or where you are.

The Savior revealed Himself first to the women at the well, who had, had 5 husbands. Not because she was perfect already, but because of the tool she could be for Him. I find I relate to her in more than one way. I am severely imperfect. The Lord is molding me into His tool through my experiences, He did not come to me because I was already molded. I believe a part of the reason He came to me, is simply so I could tell you He’s come. Because He knew I would.

To be His witness, that is my greatest and first purpose. I hope you will continue to follow along. I believe in my next post I will simply share with you non-doctrinal or prophetic stories that Joseph has shared with me. I have enjoyed them and through them getting to know our beloved Prophet better (he could be a stinker… I was going to say “when he was young” but I don’t think I will – he still can be).

Brother’s and Sisters (my children are already aware), we will be amongst the million who will know Brother Joseph. Prepare yourself by the strengthening of your faith. Pray. In every hour and every minute of every day, keep your mind turned towards God. Great things are coming. Great things have come.

This is my witness and it is true.

Until next time,

Jennica (or Mom)