Visions of North, South, East and West

[Mullenite]

At the temple plot in Independence, Missouri, Jesus Christ teaches Lynn Ridenhour metaphorical spiritual symbols of the South, North, East and West; says, 'Go West.'



Introduction

By way of introduction I thought I would give a brief bio. I'm a teacher/minister by vocation; have taught in local colleges in the Kansas City metro area, am married, have one beautiful daughter, and enjoy church history for a hobby. I live in the Independence area and have a love for the restoration history that surrounds this place. I am greatly intrigued by the theme restoring the ancient church. I enjoy the gnostic elements of the gospel as well as the Jewish kaballa. The Jewishness of the Book of Mormon interests me. My favorite time period is 1820 to 1844, Joseph's life time. I have a great love for Joseph Smith.

I'm sympathetic with most restoration groups though a member of none. I have nothing against the LDS, RLDS or the Strangites, or any other group that manifests itself around Independence. I believe in keeping the majority of my theology proactive. A small group of us Book of Mormon believers meet occasionally in a rather informal setting here in Independence. Our style of worship is similar to the charismatic worship service. We allow the gifts of the spirit to function, we sing and worship, prophesy, sing and speak in tongues and believe that all God's children can be prophets. Periodic manifested healings are part of our worship. Our theme is unity of the body of Christ.

To better get to know me I include a special moment I had one evening a few years ago while visiting the temple lot in Independence. I look forward to getting acquainted with you as well.

Lynn Ridenhour



Visions of North, South, East, and West
On April 19th, 1994 9 p.m.

The Lord Manifests

On a beautiful starlit night it happened. I was majestically visited by the Lord like never before while standing on the temple site in Independence, Missouri. It had been awhile since I had visited the site. About a year. I just wanted to be there, so I drove our Pickup truck to the site, got out and started walking. The time was 9 o'clock p.m. and I was alone. Actually I wasn't expecting much when I got out of the truck. I hadn't prayed or fasted in preparation for a spiritual encounter.

But as I began walking on that beautiful grass, feeling the breezes, I couldn't resist. I asked the Lord to speak to me. After all, this was the very sight God told Joseph Smith on August 8th., 1831, where to build his temple. All of a sudden the Lord began talking to me as plain as day. As clear as he had ever spoken. I began having the most "other world" visit with God I think I've ever had. It was as though the whole atmosphere were charged with his presence. It was like this world no longer existed. I was in his. Or he came to mine and took me to his. The presence was incredible. And it lasted for some time. I'll never forget what transpired that evening.

Sequence after sequence so clear began to unfold. First, the walking up to that sacred spot and asking the Lord to speak. Then taking a few minutes to catch my "spiritual breath." Just looking around, being at peace with my surroundings. It was such a clear, starlit night and the temperature was quite comfortable, breezes were blowing in the background. I stood there and looked in all directions. And I could almost "see Joseph Smith" standing there, tall, erect, speaking to his crowd of people with dignity and power.

South

Then the Lord began to speak. Or perhaps I should say the Lord and I then entered into a conversational exchange that lasted for some time, much like two old friends who hadn't seen one another in a long time. It was as though we had a lot of catching up to do. I was looking for the actual marker, the cornerstone that Joseph had placed in the ground, but the Hedrekites (the group who had possession of the lot) had covered it up. I couldn't find it. Then the Lord took me right to the spot. He then asked me to sit down and face the South, of all things. When I sat on the grass I was looking at the RLDS auditorium. I told the Lord, "south in the scriptures means a backslidden state." He agreed and then said such a wonderful thing. "Your heart is backslidden" but there was no rebuke! No pointing a finger at my spiritual state, just love and understanding. I was moved to tears by that.

I was sitting on the grass looking south at the RLDS auditorium and the Mormon Visitors Center when the Lord continued his conversation. "The RLDS auditorium was built," he said, "upon men's carnal desires, and the Mormons' hearts were right without the Spirit." That really hit me. Of course! The RLDS movement has for the most part been built upon the leadership's carnal desires of wanting to be the successor movement of Joseph Smith. And the Mormons have tried their best to follow God void of the Spirit. It's almost a paradox. One group wants to be right but aren't and the other thinks they are but aren't.

North

Then the Lord said "turn to the north." I'm still sitting on the grass where Joseph placed the marker. I turned and looked at the Hedrekite Church building. I asked the Lord "what about them?" He said "wicked spirits fighting for the truth." He said no more. I understood. He wasn't calling the Hedrekites wicked. He was referring to the wicked spirits, especially religious spirits, that at times motivate us to become defenders of truth. They disguise themselves. North in the scripture stands for evil and wickedness. It did make sense; the Hedrekites, like other sects, down through the years have been fighting for the truth, thinking they're preserving it. It's those religious wicked spirits at work. I commented, "Lord you don't fight for truth, you proclaim truth, don't you?" He agreed.

There's a scriptural principle here. People respond when truth is proclaimed in love. We're required to hold to it lightly and to be willing to give it away, not to own it. We don't have to protect truth or try our best to preserve it. Truth doesn't belong to us anyway. It belongs to Him. That's not what it means to contend for the faith. We're to share the truth in love and let God do the rest. Religious spirits protect, preserve, and are contentious. They're territorial.

East

Now I turned to the East and looked at the RLDS temple. "Man's monument, " the Lord said. A movement birthed and built primarily out of carnal desires will sooner or later build itself a monument, and they have. That's what the RLDS temple is, man's monument to carnal desires.

West

The Lord told me to face the West. What came next was truly enlightening, in more ways than one. I'm still sitting where Joseph placed the marker for the temple. I turned and noticed, west was the only direction man hasn't built! And it dawned on me, west is the direction the Lord always travels. Christianity has always been a westward movement. From the day of Christ's birth (wise men followed the star out of the east traveling west) to Joseph Smith's taking his movement westward, the Lord's direction has always been west.

Again, as I sat on the temple lot grass I noticed man's monuments to the south, north, and to the east. No one was going west with the Lord! At that moment I had a revelation. I looked west and saw contemporary Kansas City as it is. I saw head lights traveling to and fro in the night. I saw busy cars going everywhere. I saw life as it is in 1994 in the Center Place. "There's my ministry! There's my direction." The words almost shot out of my mouth. All these other groups were headed in their own directions, each with their own agendas, trying to preserve this or that.

As I watched life and cars ago by that evening in 1994 I said, "Lord, what shall I do?" He responded, "I will guide you one step at a time." That was it, no grand plan, no mapped-out agenda, just one step at a time. I wanted more, of course. At that moment the Lord asked me a question, "feel the wind on your neck and back?" I could feel it. It was blowing on the back of my neck. "That's like my Spirit," he said, "always behind you, always nudging you forward."

The wind was blowing from east to west. And it was blowing on me. I now knew the direction I had to take, I would head in the direction these other groups were not. I would head west. The Lord now says "Look up and count the stars." There were exactly ten. "That's my government." And at that moment I knew, I just sensed it, I had his blessing to go the spiritual direction I was going. "I'm going west, Lord," I remarked, and got up. I knew I couldn't look back, couldn't look back through restoration history to guide me. No answers there. No matter what these groups had done in the past, former accomplishments and glory wouldn't help. I was to follow the Lord one step at a time. It's the '90s.

The Lord then told me to get up. I started walking toward the west side of the Temple site. The thought occurred to me as I was walking, "I have always had just a tinge of doubt that the Lord visited this continent." And it bothered me to no end that I doubted such a thing. The Lord stopped me and said, "From now on you will never doubt that my son visited America. Take off your shoes. This is the very spot he stood on." That shook me, and was overwhelmed with emotion. I took off my shoes and immediately was taken back in time. I saw the Lord. It was more than a vision. I saw him standing in a white robe, standing exactly where I was standing, addressing hundreds of ancient Americans. What I saw literally took my breath away.

I could sense my visitation with the Lord was winding down, coming to an end. I knew now that I had been standing on holy ground. I stood there for a moment in his presence, put on my shoes, then went home. As I was driving home I had plenty to reflect upon for not expecting much to happen. That evening on April 19th., 1994, at 9 pm, I had been with God. _______

[Original_Intent]

An interesting story. I felt absolutely zero spiritually while reading it.

I'm not saying it wasn't true, but it either wasn't true, was not meant to be shared, or was not meant to be shared with me. Or I wasn't ready for whatever I was supposed to learn from it.

[pjbrownie]

He is such an interesting individual. I've been reading about him lately. I can believe that he has a special calling to bridge the gap so to speak. It's interesting that in his vision what God says about the Mormons and his interpretation are a little far apart.

It'll be interesting to see what he does with himself.

[M249Gunner]

He is such an interesting individual. I've been reading about him lately. I can believe that he has a special calling to bridge the gap so to speak. It's interesting that in his vision what God says about the Mormons and his interpretation are a little far apart.

It'll be interesting to see what he does with himself.

He sounds like a goofbag. If he had looked a little farther west, he would have seen the Lord's church had already gone there.

[serenitylala]

An interesting story. I felt absolutely zero spiritually while reading it.

I'm not saying it wasn't true, but it either wasn't true, was not meant to be shared, or was not meant to be shared with me. Or I wasn't ready for whatever I was supposed to learn from it.

I, the same, felt no spirit from it.

[pjbrownie]

He is such an interesting individual. I've been reading about him lately. I can believe that he has a special calling to bridge the gap so to speak. It's interesting that in his vision what God says about the Mormons and his interpretation are a little far apart.

It'll be interesting to see what he does with himself.

He sounds like a goofbag. If he had looked a little farther west, he would have seen the Lord's church had already gone there.

LOL. Did you know what he says God says to him about us and how he interpreted it. God says we are following the truth, but he interprets his own vision as that they don't. Not that it was God he was talking to, but regardless.

[kathyn]

Sorry, but I'm not buying that as a vision from God.

[oneClimbs]

Yes, I believe it was Brigham who first saw that West was the way to go. Maybe the Lord was telling him to go to join the Saints in Utah.

[notjamesbond003.5]

Lynn Ridenhour was a convert a while back but didn't last long in the Church.
He apostatized after a short time.
He felt that his Bishop wasn't inspired because one of his first callings was that of being a Primary Teacher, and thought that calling was beneath him.

He left shortly thereafter but still believes the BofM to be the Word of God.
njb

[M249Gunner]

Wow, that guy was foolish. Primary teacher is the best calling in the church! Though I keep hoping my ward or stake would implement a shooting sports program and I would happily fill the calling of shooting sports director. I did that at scout camp one summer.

[pritchet1]

Go far enough west and drop into the Pacific. Maybe he can get another vision and get rebaptized.

Gospel is not a hobby.

[durangout]

Mullenite:

I'm curious as to what your motivation was for posting this? Or in other words what's your point?

[ChildWise]

He is such an interesting individual. I've been reading about him lately. I can believe that he has a special calling to bridge the gap so to speak. It's interesting that in his vision what God says about the Mormons and his interpretation are a little far apart.

It'll be interesting to see what he does with himself.

Temples (you and I) establish 'Circles of Quiet' (not with Webs and moniters), build more Abbeys, less Temples.


(quote "...) It's about presence. It's about leaning into the covenant. It's about first things being first. It's about going home. It's about carrying the treasure chest of God, all the way, without touching it (2 Sm 6).

Jesus was the first one to lean in and carry the presence past the temple (Mt 4:5-6), through the cross, all the way home. Jesus Christ, our ever present help in trouble (Ps 46:1), is the only one who knows the way home. His incense guides people, cities, and nations (2 Cor 2:15-17) by the nose, back into heaven's kitchen, the heart of our eternal home...." Clairvaux Manifesto, bottom of page 62

[pritchet1]

Nonsense.

[ChildWise]

Nonsense.

Like the lion-one hanging here
to the left of your hat
Nonsensical sensible
Preach-it pritchet
Bigheaded cat
InBox OutBox
& Spam Trash Splat

Freedom Forum, Freedom Forum on the Wall
Who's the Fairest of Them All
Why The One who Hangs
Dripping Red and Blue

Sheepman Catman
Both Reveals
The Fairest of the Fairest
Humble Hung Guru.

So Bend the Knee
Or Pride Stand Tall
Either Way
Fall Fall Fall

Mullenite, is not center of all Four Corners due to be like these young coffee plants in my yard some meters from the head Political corner in a certain country where Center Stars like David's hold all together without earthly political borders........ as battles between sharp pointed '300'Spartans and foes rage on Van Morrison....... where One nation under God is void of laws due to Temple tummies full of principles?

[ChildWise]

Mullenite:

I'm curious as to what your motivation was for posting this? Or in other words what's your point?

Does the wooden horse gift have point wielding cats within or seeds of prayer and work ?

[pritchet1]

ChildWise;

Thanks for playing, but you are not performing by forum rules. And it would appear that the text you present in this thread is not based on established full-gospel principles.

[durangout]

Mullenite:

I'm curious as to what your motivation was for posting this? Or in other words what's your point?

Does the wooden horse gift have point wielding cats within or seeds of prayer and work ?[/quote

My falult, I'm sure, for being so dense but I have no idea what you just said. Anyway IMO the above "experience" is complete bunk and I wonder why an LDS person would pass this onto other LDS persons.

[pritchet1]

Based on the postings by ChildWise, it would appear that this individual is not LDS.

http://www.ldsfreedomforum.com/search.p ... 2&sr=posts

[serenitylala]

Wow, I love symbolism, but I have no idea what is being said. I think Isaiah and the Book of Revelation are much easier to understand than this thread.

[ChildWise]

ChildWise;

Thanks for playing, but you are not performing by forum rules. And it would appear that the text you present in this thread is not based on established full-gospel principles.

Hi Pritchet,

Playing and dead serious all on one card.

¿What rule/s did I trangess?

¿ What text do you think appears contra ´established´ ´full gospel´ principles

[ChildWise]

Wow, I love symbolism, but I have no idea what is being said. I think Isaiah and the Book of Revelation are much easier to understand than this thread.

He who has an ear is/will be meant to hear.

¿ What symbolism do you find troubelsome serenitylala?

´Sheepman is like THE innocent lamb sacrificed in my/your stead (Jesus)

´Catman´ is like Lion of Trible of Judah if you will, Jesus Christ, One and the same.

[ChildWise]

Mullenite:

I'm curious as to what your motivation was for posting this? Or in other words what's your point?

Does the wooden horse gift have point wielding cats within or seeds of prayer and work ?[/quote

My falult, I'm sure, for being so dense but I have no idea what you just said. Anyway IMO the above "experience" is complete bunk and I wonder why an LDS person would pass this onto other LDS persons.

Your avatar suggests that you are familiar with Spartan history. Did you not watch the Movie AD300 or was it 300AD?

[ChildWise]

Based on the postings by ChildWise, it would appear that this individual is not LDS.

http://www.ldsfreedomforum.com/search.p ... 2&sr=posts

[size=150 Late Day Stamping not required for ´maximun agency´ which is not the driving motivation for works....Love is.´

But do consider / study meditate around on the painting for it comes from Heaven.

& click on ´ Love Came Down´ link below[/size]

[durangout]

Your avatar suggests that you are familiar with Spartan history. Did you not watch the Movie AD300 or was it 300AD?[/quote]
Familiar with Spartan history? No; Just thought the movie 300 was great. Yet again, I have no idea what you're getting at. Plealse help a poor lowbrow such as myself and explain your point.