LDS Freedom Forum

DannyK, thank you for sharing your experiences with the rest of us!

JulesGP wrote:

Sheol27 wrote:Hearing these stories has been uplifting for sure! I realize that sharing these experiences takes courage! I hate to be a troll but I eventually would like to do a poll on the open discussions to a larger audience on who has actually SEEN something supernatural, angel, demon, vision, healing (near instant), or in other words physical evidence that changes part of ones faith to a knowledge and not just a belief....

I've been talking with some friends and I thought previously that 3 in 10 active members in our faith have SEEN something extraordinary.but everyone I ask is telling me it's more like 1/10. We are sitting at close to 3 in 10 here with angels but I consider this a more special group due to the lack of contention here in the Fullness of the Gospel Forum.....

I will probably share something later but I am tired and need to go to bed and my mind and spirit aren't in the right place right now.

Start one!! I'd love that too!

I will when I figure out how to do a poll and after this one dies down. This is a very interesting thread and I don't want to take away anything from it.

Just look under the submit button when you create a new post. If I'm remembering right, the option to create a poll is down there.

I have a couple of experiences I would like to share. I have shared them on other forums. If I have already mentioned them on LDSFF, I apologize for the repeat.

One day when I was in my tenth year I was home alone after school and was sucking on a large jawbreaker. Somehow I managed to accidently inhale the candy and found myself choking. The thought flashed through my mind that I was going to die; and I wondered if they would find the jawbreaker still lodged in my throat...or if it might dissolve and no one would know why I had died. Suddenly, a peace overcame me and I knew that I had to relax and stop gasping for air. I knew that gasping was just lodging the candy further down my throat. I backed up against some cupboards and slipped to a kneeling position on the floor. I knew that I had to breathe in very, very slowly in order to fill my lungs with as much air as possible. I bent over, and while coughing as hard as I could, I placed my fists under my rib cage and pushed. The candy was loosed and I spit it out into my hands. Then I rocked back and sat on the floor and began to shake. That was back in 1962--before the Heimlech maneuver. To this day, I have never even tried to eat another jawbreaker of any size.

Over the years I have pondered about what took place, knowing that it was angels who had spoken to my mind (though inaudibly) about what it was I needed to do. I just knew. It was quite something for such a young girl to experience.

More later.

A few possible checklist questions for another poll about experiences... What others might be added?

Seen a heavenly messenger face-to-face/in-person (appearance in glory, not concealed).
Seen a demon in-person/form, appearing as one imitating light.
Seen a demon in-person/form, appearing as a dark being, grotesque, etc.
Heard a heavenly messenger speak audibly.
Received direct, strong prompting from heavenly being that led to a specific outcome that would not seem to have explanation by other physical means.
Heard a demon speak audibly.
Received direct, strong threat from demon that affected physical movement or ability.
Experienced a waking vision with one vantage point.
Experienced a waking vision with multiple, simultaneous vantage points across space and time.
Experienced a visionary dream that was purposeful, clear, specific, and accurate in its outcomes (More than just a vivid dream).
Experienced a symbolic dream that came with a strong feeling or compelling interpretation that was purposeful, clear, specific, and accurate in its outcomes (More than just a vivid dream).
Involved in giving a blessing of healing (or otherwise) that produced miraculous, physical results.
Involved in receiving a blessing of healing (or otherwise) that produced miraculous, physical results.
Witness to a blessing of healing (or otherwise) that produced miraculous, physical results.
Experienced miraculous speaking in tongues or enhanced communication that was compelling and miraculous.

Etc...

Do dreams from heaven count? Or going to the spirit world in one's dreams? If so, the answer for me would be yes. Also, knowing someone is there who is helping, that would be a yes.

A Random Phrase wrote:Do dreams from heaven count? Or going to the spirit world in one's dreams? If so, the answer for me would be yes. Also, knowing someone is there who is helping, that would be a yes.

I have had angels teach me as I slept. It was amazing! There is a vast difference between a regular dream ---- and a vision, and/or being taught by an angel or other heavenly being in our sleep (in the body or out, I know not.....). Those times we are truly visited by angels would definitely count in my book - asleep or awake.

matt; I would add anyone who has had Christ speak to them. And any that have any received a revelation. and recorded it. Another, has anyone had a prophetic experience, and had it come true. Maybe with this new computer missionary push I hear about, the GAs and above will join in, and bring us all up to speed?

deep water wrote:matt; I would add anyone who has had Christ speak to them. And any that have any received a revelation. and recorded it. Another, has anyone had a prophetic experience, and had it come true. Maybe with this new computer missionary push I hear about, the GAs and above will join in, and bring us all up to speed?

I had asked a HT if he could arrange to have someone who was not a member of the Church receive a blessing while she was in the hospital. It so happened that he was picking up one of his sons from the airport and they would be close enough to the hospital to stop and give the blessing. Meanwhile, I was in my home where I was praying for this woman. I received the knowledge that she was not going to get better; that she would shortly die. My HT, OTOH, spoke with me on the phone after he and his son gave the blessing; he told me that she was going to be fine. Within a very short time she died.

Another instance: I had a dear aunt who was sick and dying who was in the hospital. The doctors felt she had several weeks. One night I felt impressed to call my cousin who lived on the east coast (my aunt and I were living on the west coast at this time). I had not actually spoken to this cousin for close to 30 years. I had to get his phone number from my parents. I told him his mother would be gone in a few days. He had airline tickets for the following week. I told him that would be too late; it was. He was not surprised; however, as he had already said his goodbyes to his mother. He felt that what happened was his own mother's spirit knew she would pass and that she had reached out to my spirit to let me know. At any rate, I knew it.

Another instance: I had been to visit yet another cousin whom I hadn't seen for about 25 years. When I saw him I knew that he was going to die soon. People thought I had a lively imagination. However, in a couple of months he started getting sick---and died within the year.

Another instance: I was at a horse show. While leaving the main event arena, I passed by a drawing being held to raise money. The prize for the drawing was a beautiful filly. I was impressed to stop and buy one single ticket--even though the tickets were priced such that buying more than one was a better use of a couple of dollars. I told the man selling the tickets that I only needed to buy one because that was going to be the winning ticket. My husband and I then flew home to So. California (the show was in Reno, NV); leaving my trainer and other friends to stay for the rest of the show. My trainer called me a few days later breathless to tell me something; he said, "you need to sit down". I said, "I won the filly." He said, "Who called you?? I wanted to be the one to tell you." I told him no one had called; but that I had been expecting his call. Unfortunately, I have never had any winning lottery numbers revealed to me!!! In fact, I don't participate in lotteries. I was surprised by the knowledge concerning the filly; so I bought the winning ticket.

Another instance: But this time, to my dismay, I didn't listen. I was told to call a friend whom I had lost contact with...someone whose whereabouts I had lost track of. I did call a mutual friend who gave me her number; but I did not follow through on the call to Donna. The next week the mutual friend called to tell me that he had just found out Donna had killed herself about two days after he had given me her phone number.

Throughout my life I have experienced "just knowing things"; and I do not recall ever being incorrect in what it was that I just knew. I could walk into a room filled with strangers and simply know things. Often strangers have been drawn to me and wind up speaking to me about the things I already knew about them. They seemed to receive comfort from me and whatever words I was impressed to speak. This always amazed my mother. She would just say that I had "a way about me". Sometimes the individual I know something about does not yet have that knowledge; it will come about later.

JulesGP wrote:

A Random Phrase wrote:Do dreams from heaven count? Or going to the spirit world in one's dreams? If so, the answer for me would be yes. Also, knowing someone is there who is helping, that would be a yes.

I have had angels teach me as I slept. It was amazing! There is a vast difference between a regular dream ---- and a vision, and/or being taught by an angel or other heavenly being in our sleep (in the body or out, I know not.....). Those times we are truly visited by angels would definitely count in my book - asleep or awake.

Most definitely, those dreams are different.

deep water wrote:matt; I would add anyone who has had Christ speak to them. And any that have any received a revelation. and recorded it. Another, has anyone had a prophetic experience, and had it come true. Maybe with this new computer missionary push I hear about, the GAs and above will join in, and bring us all up to speed?

Definitely yes on the prophetic experiences, both in dreams and while awake.

jo, that is great experiences. I have had a few "spirit" spoken manifestations, really the ones I have recognized as such are when I DID NOT listen. I seem to not really know when I am following it. Either I naturally do it most the time and so it goes unnoticed or I just don't get very many experiences. The spirit is very subtle with me.

I'm so happy to see the first option on the poll climbing to where it has! (20 as of this post). All of the top 3 for that matter.

I am still interested in hearing from the one who has remained steadfast that only GA's receive angels......

TZONE wrote:jo, that is great experiences. I have had a few "spirit" spoken manifestations, really the ones I have recognized as such are when I DID NOT listen. I seem to not really know when I am following it. Either I naturally do it most the time and so it goes unnoticed or I just don't get very many experiences. The spirit is very subtle with me.

Hi TZONE,

I was traveling shotgun one time where my dad was driving the car, and my mother was sitting in the back seat behind me. We were on a month-long trip; I had taken time off work so that I could assist in the driving as my folks were getting up in years. The routine was for my father to drive about an hour before breakfast; then resume driving until lunch. I would take over the shift after lunch. My mother did very little of the driving. She mostly would read or do cross-word puzzles when she wasn't watching the scenery. On this particular morning after breakfast, I had quickly grabbed my pillow and propped it up against the passenger-side window and had fallen asleep. Suddenly, I heard quite audibly, "J---, your father is asleep!" Instantly alarmed, I turned my head. Sure enough, traveling around 60 mph, my father was asleep at the wheel. I quickly woke him up and demanded that he take the very next exit so that I could take over the driving. Now, I had thought that it was my mother who woke me using those words. However, as we were getting off of the highway, she asked us what was going on! She had been reading and was not paying attention to what was going on in the front seat. I was the only one who heard the warning! Who knows how many lives were saved in that moment. We were on a highway with two lanes in either direction, and only a narrow median of grass separated both directions.

That was not the only audible message I have received.

More recently I have been experiencing such things as very clearly, and in very sharp sight, seeing words written in scripture which are not there just moments later; or, where I have spoken words of great insight wherein they were not first thoughts that came into my mind. Rather, it is like being a conduit for pure intelligence which gets shared for the benefit of the one(s) I am having a conversation with. Likewise, as I am writing some responses, the thoughts are not mine which I am expressing; the words just come...and I write them down. As such, wherein we have read in scripture not to worry or think on what we should speak, but that the Holy Spirit will give us what to say----this is what I am experiencing. It most certainly is not me; I am nothing (though I am still of great worth). Praise God!!

JulesGP wrote:I'm so happy to see the first option on the poll climbing to where it has! (20 as of this post). All of the top 3 for that matter.

I am still interested in hearing from the one who has remained steadfast that only GA's receive angels......

Jules,

I would guess that someone did that just to mess with us...... :p

How would anyone dare say that they have received prophecy, or revelation, or that Christ had spoken to them, on this forum. Most would mock and laugh, at anything beyond the limit of their knowledge.

deep water wrote:How would anyone dare say that they have received prophecy, or revelation, or that Christ had spoken to them, on this forum. Most would mock and laugh, at anything beyond the limit of their knowledge.

Those who have received those things and have been told to share, have. The Savior was mocked, so was Joseph Smith. So was Samuel the Lamanite. So was Lehi. So was...... etc. When you have received those things and are admonished or commanded to share, you do - regardless of earthly persecution and trials.

Yes, I've received many many angels in my life (and many of their opposites as well). Go ahead and mock or laugh. It isn't me who will be hurt by it.

I have not, to my recollection, seen or heard an angel. I have, however, seen a demon. It woke me up from a sound sleep one night. It left, but I sensed it would return, so I remained still and pretended to be asleep. I knew exactly what it was, and I knew it had no power over me unless I allowed it, so I was not afraid of it.

I was laying on my right side. The door of the room was a few feet from the foot of my bed. I sensed the entity enter the room from above the doorway a few minutes later. As soon as it was close enough to touch my shoulder, I turned my head abruptly and looked it straight in the eyes and said, out loud, "Gotcha!"

It's countenance changed. Instead of maintaining its menacing appearance, it looked startled, surprised, and terrified. It immediately retreated back into the corner from which it had emerged, above the bedroom door. It never bothered me again. That was about three years ago.

As for angels, I have not seen them with my eyes, but I have seen the results of their intervention and their labors. When I was stationed at Cavalier Air Force Station in North Dakota, I was bringing my wife back from a temple trip to the Bismarck, ND temple, about a six hour drive. It was early spring, which is basically still winter in North Dakota. I was divining a 1967 Oldsmobile Cutlass that had seen better days. I lost a bearing in the right front wheel on the freeway, halfway home. It was a weekend. There was nothing for miles. We had no cell phone. The only option I felt I had was to use the priesthood and keep driving.

Now, this was not intermittent bearing noise. The bearing had already gone. The wheel was riding on what was left of the bearing race and the spindle. I could feel the wheel wobble. The brake drum was starting to weigh down on the brake shoes, and I could feel the car pulling toward the right. The grinding was severe.

After much faith, the grinding noise disappeared completely, the dragging of the brake ceased, and the car continued smoothly. All the while, I visualized as much of it as I could comprehend, and there was no doubt in my mind that an angel was bearing up (no pun intended) the weight of the car off that disintegrated wheel bearing, just enough to let the car keep moving.

I also know that angels will not do for us what we can and should do for ourselves. As soon as I got to the town of Petersburg, ND, a few blocks from the house of a family I home taught, the angel let go. The severe grinding returned and the brake drum weighed down on the shoes to the point of making the car undriveable. I stopped, walked the short distance to the home of the family I knew. They were not home. However, within a few minutes, they returned home to find me at their door. They graciously helped me with a tow the rest of the way to Cavalier, ND.

During the following week, after having my car repaired, I asked the mechanic to let me keep whatever remnants of the wheel bearing assembly were left. He handed me a fistful of crumbled metal shrapnel and told me I was lucky the spindle had not sheared off, which would have caused the entire wheel assembly to detach completely from the vehicle. Danger of accident aside, North Dakota winters are nothing to take lightly.

I knew none of this had anything to do with luck.

So, for anyone out there who might think God does not work miracles and angels do not minister to us, I have personal experience, after the trial of my faith, to know of a certainty that God does work miracles and angels do minister to mortals. And the opposition is real, as well.

ilyan wrote:I have not, to my recollection, seen or heard an angel. I have, however, seen a demon. It woke me up from a sound sleep one night. It left, but I sensed it would return, so I remained still and pretended to be asleep. I knew exactly what it was, and I knew it had no power over me unless I allowed it, so I was not afraid of it.

I was laying on my right side. The door of the room was a few feet from the foot of my bed. I sensed the entity enter the room from above the doorway a few minutes later. As soon as it was close enough to touch my shoulder, I turned my head abruptly and looked it straight in the eyes and said, out loud, "Gotcha!"

It's countenance changed. Instead of maintaining its menacing appearance, it looked startled, surprised, and terrified. It immediately retreated back into the corner from which it had emerged, above the bedroom door. It never bothered me again. That was about three years ago.

As for angels, I have not seen them with my eyes, but I have seen the results of their intervention and their labors. When I was stationed at Cavalier Air Force Station in North Dakota, I was bringing my wife back from a temple trip to the Bismarck, ND temple, about a six hour drive. It was early spring, which is basically still winter in North Dakota. I was divining a 1967 Oldsmobile Cutlass that had seen better days. I lost a bearing in the right front wheel on the freeway, halfway home. It was a weekend. There was nothing for miles. We had no cell phone. The only option I felt I had was to use the priesthood and keep driving.

Now, this was not intermittent bearing noise. The bearing had already gone. The wheel was riding on what was left of the bearing race and the spindle. I could feel the wheel wobble. The brake drum was starting to weigh down on the brake shoes, and I could feel the car pulling toward the right. The grinding was severe.

After much faith, the grinding noise disappeared completely, the dragging of the brake ceased, and the car continued smoothly. All the while, I visualized as much of it as I could comprehend, and there was no doubt in my mind that an angel was bearing up (no pun intended) the weight of the car off that disintegrated wheel bearing, just enough to let the car keep moving.

I also know that angels will not do for us what we can and should do for ourselves. As soon as I got to the town of Petersburg, ND, a few blocks from the house of a family I home taught, the angel let go. The severe grinding returned and the brake drum weighed down on the shoes to the point of making the car undriveable. I stopped, walked the short distance to the home of the family I knew. They were not home. However, within a few minutes, they returned home to find me at their door. They graciously helped me with a tow the rest of the way to Cavalier, ND.

During the following week, after having my car repaired, I asked the mechanic to let me keep whatever remnants of the wheel bearing assembly were left. He handed me a fistful of crumbled metal shrapnel and told me I was lucky the spindle had not sheared off, which would have caused the entire wheel assembly to detach completely from the vehicle. Danger of accident aside, North Dakota winters are nothing to take lightly.

I knew none of this had anything to do with luck.

So, for anyone out there who might think God does not work miracles and angels do not minister to us, I have personal experience, after the trial of my faith, to know of a certainty that God does work miracles and angels do minister to mortals. And the opposition is real, as well.

Awesome. Thank you for sharing, ilyan.

ilyan wrote:I have not, to my recollection, seen or heard an angel. I have, however, seen a demon. It woke me up from a sound sleep one night. It left, but I sensed it would return, so I remained still and pretended to be asleep. I knew exactly what it was, and I knew it had no power over me unless I allowed it, so I was not afraid of it.

I was laying on my right side. The door of the room was a few feet from the foot of my bed. I sensed the entity enter the room from above the doorway a few minutes later. As soon as it was close enough to touch my shoulder, I turned my head abruptly and looked it straight in the eyes and said, out loud, "Gotcha!"

It's countenance changed. Instead of maintaining its menacing appearance, it looked startled, surprised, and terrified. It immediately retreated back into the corner from which it had emerged, above the bedroom door. It never bothered me again. That was about three years ago.

As for angels, I have not seen them with my eyes, but I have seen the results of their intervention and their labors. When I was stationed at Cavalier Air Force Station in North Dakota, I was bringing my wife back from a temple trip to the Bismarck, ND temple, about a six hour drive. It was early spring, which is basically still winter in North Dakota. I was divining a 1967 Oldsmobile Cutlass that had seen better days. I lost a bearing in the right front wheel on the freeway, halfway home. It was a weekend. There was nothing for miles. We had no cell phone. The only option I felt I had was to use the priesthood and keep driving.

Now, this was not intermittent bearing noise. The bearing had already gone. The wheel was riding on what was left of the bearing race and the spindle. I could feel the wheel wobble. The brake drum was starting to weigh down on the brake shoes, and I could feel the car pulling toward the right. The grinding was severe.

After much faith, the grinding noise disappeared completely, the dragging of the brake ceased, and the car continued smoothly. All the while, I visualized as much of it as I could comprehend, and there was no doubt in my mind that an angel was bearing up (no pun intended) the weight of the car off that disintegrated wheel bearing, just enough to let the car keep moving.

I also know that angels will not do for us what we can and should do for ourselves. As soon as I got to the town of Petersburg, ND, a few blocks from the house of a family I home taught, the angel let go. The severe grinding returned and the brake drum weighed down on the shoes to the point of making the car undriveable. I stopped, walked the short distance to the home of the family I knew. They were not home. However, within a few minutes, they returned home to find me at their door. They graciously helped me with a tow the rest of the way to Cavalier, ND.

During the following week, after having my car repaired, I asked the mechanic to let me keep whatever remnants of the wheel bearing assembly were left. He handed me a fistful of crumbled metal shrapnel and told me I was lucky the spindle had not sheared off, which would have caused the entire wheel assembly to detach completely from the vehicle. Danger of accident aside, North Dakota winters are nothing to take lightly.

I knew none of this had anything to do with luck.

So, for anyone out there who might think God does not work miracles and angels do not minister to us, I have personal experience, after the trial of my faith, to know of a certainty that God does work miracles and angels do minister to mortals. And the opposition is real, as well.

I loved those experiences!!!! I have never had someones demon experience make me laugh!!!! I mean that with all respect and love. You have a great personality..... I need to have an attitude like that more!

I have a brother in law that performed a WAY CRAZY exorcism! It is really, really difficult for him to talk about. I'm going to ask him if I can copy it out of his journal next time I go down to Southern Utah and possible share it with you guys.

Ok here goes. I'm really really nervous sharing this experience but I feel compelled to and because I love my Savior and want you all to understand better His love for us. This will be the 2nd time in my life that I have shared this. Before I get to that it would be better for you to know me a little better and understand my progression and my growth in the gospel.

I have a father who is a very strong man. He is nearing 60 years old and still bench presses 400 pounds! His lower body is even stronger. His strength in that area is in the range of those people on the world strongest men competition. As a teenager I suppose that I lacked wisdom. I thought it was a good idea if I tried to take my old man on. (This wasn't anything with actual punching or kicking but wrestling with pain holds) He would take me down to the ground and basically torture me. Sometimes for long periods of time. He would grab my hands and smash or twist my fingers in very painful ways. He would put all his weight on me and drive his elbow into my ribs. I could barely breath through most of it. He would get his knuckles and rub my ribs with his massive hands. All this would stop if I would just admit to him that I was a wuss. I was very prideful and never ever said that. I endured and I would pick these fights almost daily.

One thing I learned was how to channel my pain. (Not in a good way) During these times, where I was tramped by a much larger person I would clench my fists and let the pain turn into anger. Thus I could handle the pain and keep returning for more. There were times where I would be trapped like this for a half hour or so. To me at this point in my life that's how I understood pain. I saw it as something like you feel it and let the incredible Hulk come out to help you deal with it. Now I see things differently.

Later on in my life, one night I was praying for forgiveness of my sins and a short vision opened up. It was nighttime in the vision and I saw the Savior in Garden of Gethsemane. I did not see His face. I saw it at a different angle. What I remember most were His hands. I remember seeing the tremendous pain that He was in through His hands. I lack the words to describe this but needless to say it was more intense than what you would see even in some of the church films that show this scene but left me in wonder and confused. Seeing someone deal with pain like that was unexpected. He was going through excruciating pain and His hands were in a much different state/ position than my hands been when I had felt that pain from my father. I didn't fully understand it at that time.

A few months ago a friend from the forum sent me a book called, "The Fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ". I felt that if someone went out of their way to give me a gift that I had to take it seriously and I would read a couple of pages at a time and ponder them and repeat so that I understood all of it that I could. I then read a few pages before I went into this sports store in Casper, WY. I did this all in my truck outside the store.

I had prayed previously to know whether God was mindful of me individually or whether the atonement covered me just because Jesus died for everyone and I was included as part of that deal? At that time I had felt insecure about me and if God even had time for me personally. I received a very powerful witness at that moment that God was very mindful of me personally and loved me individually. It was such a powerful witness that I have at very few times in my life lost control of my strength and my emotions to that degree. I had to wait awhile before I even went into that store and I wore sunglasses into the store when I eventually went in.

Soon after I was driving down the road and I was drawing near Independence Rock and Martin's Cove. These are special pioneer historic sites. Martin's Cove is a very special place to me. I baptized my oldest son there in the Sweetwater River.

As I was driving on this highway drawing close to the sites and being in this area where many people sacrificed and where I consider it to be sacred ground the spirit came upon me and taught me more about my vision and confirmed to me that it was indeed a vision and not my imagination. At this moment I actually was afraid of losing control and possibly crashing but the vehicle stayed straight.

I was taught by the spirit that His hands were different from my hands when I had been in pain. Mine were full of anger but His hands were different because they were full of LOVE! That He, Christ is a being of LOVE and that was His motivation in suffering for us. I apologize that I am only a man and that I cannot describe for you in more detail of what I saw. I don't have the words for it. I lack the ability.

I do however leave you with my testimony of Christ. I testify that I know that Christ loves us and that He suffered for us. I have seen it or at least part of it. I know that he loves us individually and even sometimes weeps for us in our moments of sorrow or trials. He weeps when we stumble and are in pain for our own mistakes. I testify that He was resurrected and He is alive today.

Sheol27 wrote:Ok here goes. I'm really really nervous sharing this experience but I feel compelled to and because I love my Savior and want you all to understand better His love for us. This will be the 2nd time in my life that I have shared this. Before I get to that it would be better for you to know me a little better and understand my progression and my growth in the gospel.

I have a father who is a very strong man. He is nearing 60 years old and still bench presses 400 pounds! His lower body is even stronger. His strength in that area is in the range of those people on the world strongest men competition. As a teenager I suppose that I lacked wisdom. I thought it was a good idea if I tried to take my old man on. (This wasn't anything with actual punching or kicking but wrestling with pain holds) He would take me down to the ground and basically torture me. Sometimes for long periods of time. He would grab my hands and smash or twist my fingers in very painful ways. He would put all his weight on me and drive his elbow into my ribs. I could barely breath through most of it. He would get his knuckles and rub my ribs with his massive hands. All this would stop if I would just admit to him that I was a wuss. I was very prideful and never ever said that. I endured and I would pick these fights almost daily.

One thing I learned was how to channel my pain. (Not in a good way) During these times, where I was tramped by a much larger person I would clench my fists and let the pain turn into anger. Thus I could handle the pain and keep returning for more. There were times where I would be trapped like this for a half hour or so. To me at this point in my life that's how I understood pain. I saw it as something like you feel it and let the incredible Hulk come out to help you deal with it. Now I see things differently.

Later on in my life, one night I was praying for forgiveness of my sins and a short vision opened up. It was nighttime in the vision and I saw the Savior in Garden of Gethsemane. I did not see His face. I saw it at a different angle. What I remember most were His hands. I remember seeing the tremendous pain that He was in through His hands. I lack the words to describe this but needless to say it was more intense than what you would see even in some of the church films that show this scene but left me in wonder and confused. Seeing someone deal with pain like that was unexpected. He was going through excruciating pain and His hands were in a much different state/ position than my hands been when I had felt that pain from my father. I didn't fully understand it at that time.

A few months ago a friend from the forum sent me a book called, "The Fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ". I felt that if someone went out of their way to give me a gift that I had to take it seriously and I would read a couple of pages at a time and ponder them and repeat so that I understood all of it that I could. I then read a few pages before I went into this sports store in Casper, WY. I did this all in my truck outside the store.

I had prayed previously to know whether God was mindful of me individually or whether the atonement covered me just because Jesus died for everyone and I was included as part of that deal? At that time I had felt insecure about me and if God even had time for me personally. I received a very powerful witness at that moment that God was very mindful of me personally and loved me individually. It was such a powerful witness that I have at very few times in my life lost control of my strength and my emotions to that degree. I had to wait awhile before I even went into that store and I wore sunglasses into the store when I eventually went in.

Soon after I was driving down the road and I was drawing near Independence Rock and Martin's Cove. These are special pioneer historic sites. Martin's Cove is a very special place to me. I baptized my oldest son there in the Sweetwater River.

As I was driving on this highway drawing close to the sites and being in this area where many people sacrificed and where I consider it to be sacred ground the spirit came upon me and taught me more about my vision and confirmed to me that it was indeed a vision and not my imagination. At this moment I actually was afraid of losing control and possibly crashing but the vehicle stayed straight.

I was taught by the spirit that His hands were different from my hands when I had been in pain. Mine were full of anger but His hands were different because they were full of LOVE! That He, Christ is a being of LOVE and that was His motivation in suffering for us. I apologize that I am only a man and that I cannot describe for you in more detail of what I saw. I don't have the words for it. I lack the ability.

I do however leave you with my testimony of Christ. I testify that I know that Christ loves us and that He suffered for us. I have seen it or at least part of it. I know that he loves us individually and even sometimes weeps for us in our moments of sorrow or trials. He weeps when we stumble and are in pain for our own mistakes. I testify that He was resurrected and He is alive today.

Gosh, Sheol27!

Thank you so very much for sharing this. Your words were just fine; the Spirit spoke what you thought you could not express. Indeed, Christ is a being of Love!

Amen to your words!

Love,

jo

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They almost always come in dreams and visions except for one incident. Always in the dream/vision I am told something that I did not know which is later verified by experience to be true. I think that is so that I will know that they are true messengers. All of them have been relatives. All but one have come in connection with the temple or temple work.