Maher-shalal-hash-baz

By
Miguel Angel Tinoco Rodriguez

Zion, Sunday, May 2nd 2010

Most beloved brethren that are caretakers of the Lord’s Lighthouse, prophets, pastors and principal of the chosen flock: The peace as the lord gives be with each and all of you; and much success and blessings be upon you both in your personal, professional and ecclesiastic duties and endeavors.

The motive of this letter is to make manifest a great concern that I have concerning the Lord’s storehouse. And without much preamble, I make manifest my errand unto you, not by way of commandment, but as a word of knowledge and of greetings. Perhaps you may be inclined to ask the Lord if my concern is a real concern that should be addressed or something that is of no transcendental consequence.

Thinking upon the words of our leaders ancient and modern; and the vicissitudes of life at hand, today, I was moved to ponder if I myself was prepared for the next great turmoil or tribulation that may befall upon us or our neighbor next door. I have been told and I cannot deny it; that for us as latter day saints to prepare with a year’s worth of food, things of first necessity and perhaps fuel is as essential as it was to Noah to build the ark. I have attended to this council as much as possible and thanks to it and the Lord’s providence; I was able to survive one of those floods of faith testing turmoil and tribulation, not for one year, but so far, for seven whole years. And it is by expertise that I speak hoping not to be the only one. I thank you for this great counsel and I hope one day to pay back the favor.

Despite the perilous times in which we now live and the recent and current world troubles, if a survey was to be conducted today to know who of us is ready or who is not ready to withstand the next great judgment of our God, personally or collectively, we will find out that we are not looking all that good even as latter day saints. Both inside and outside the gate I see a lot of dead people and an increase of rage and dissatisfaction among many of our own brethren when they see that the church will not be able to facilitate resolve in times of extreme crisis and/ or persecution. People expect the church to come to the rescue in times of distress, but this is unrealistic in a generalized calamity where not only a few but all at once are victims of trial and/or mischief. Three times the Lord asked peter to reaffirm his love towards him and three times the same answer was given. And so that there is no misunderstandings here are his words:

This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead. So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

(New Testament John 21:14 - 18)

The question remains brethren. Is it the end of our duty as the shepherds and the watchmen of Israel to bestow their blessings upon them, warn the flock of impending calamities; and to teach them how to guide themselves? Or, could we have done more for them? Can we look ourselves eye to eye and say to each other as the Lord often says to himself when he wept for his vineyard and said to his servant?

What could I have done more for my vineyard?

(Book of Mormon Jacob 5:41)

And behold, there are all kinds of bad fruit; and it profiteth me nothing, notwithstanding all our labor; and now it grieveth me that I should lose this tree.

(Book of Mormon Jacob 5:32)

The time of harvest is at hand. This is no mystery. The wheat and the tares are already grown up. Despite opposition, I think this is the time to know who is in the Lord’s side by raising the standard even higher by increasing the tithe of the people or the fast offerings as to get closer to live that law of consecration that we often covenant to keep every time we attend the holy temple. Many of those of us who attend the temple regularly already receive a celestial law by covenant, but most still keep a terrestrial law once we step one foot outside the Holy Temple. I am not one of them. I am a child of the kingdom; and I no longer pay tithing because I am fully consecrated unto the Lord and need not to. But I still do pay tithing of my interest and increase because someone may get offended if I do not do it. I would not be able of get or maintain a temple recommend either. But my inheritance is with the Lord’s and what I pay in any form of taxes or tribute is of what the Lord gives me for me and also for him, for he is who sustains and upholds me every moment of my life. And I wait patiently for his law, yet not in idleness.

What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers? Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.

Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.

(New Testament Matthew 17:25 - 27)

BEHOLD my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law. Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein: I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

(Old Testament Isaiah 42:1 - 7)

Seven years ago I lost my job and my only source of income and therefore the support for my family. I have not labored in my profession or occupation ever since. Yet I had plenty of reserves to last me until better times. Perhaps ten days of tribulation sounds reasonable. Even after loosing my job, and two years later, five years ago this time, I was at the high of my material progress according to my abilities and I did not know what the next step was. I had reached that so long embellished and professed American dream. I had built a palatial home like unto a temple even with as baptismal font below the ground. I had two cars in the garage, all the comforts that I needed and money with which to travel around the world. I had many friends also.

I admit, at first, I was not attending church regularly, neither was I engulfed wholeheartedly in sin. My heart did not depart the Lord, but it was shut to good and evil influences. I was neither hot nor cold. I was depending on my own wisdom and strength. I was very self sufficient and I felt I did not need the Lord as far as material things were concerned. I learned most of this from all of you. At that moment, I asked myself when brought to reflection by the Lord. What shall I do? What is next? Where do I go from here? What if the Lord takes away my stewardship? What shall I do? It was not fear, the feeling, which grabbed me, but a heightened sense of things.

I humbled myself and came into my senses, and got on my knees and confessed to the Lord that I was an unjust steward, yet I assured him that despite my weakness, I would not deny his name or forget him altogether in my bountiful times. I told him that I knew that people usually get nearer unto him in troubled times and not so much in times of plenty. I was not going to be so ungrateful as those. I therefore consecrated all my gain and my substance unto him as I did in bounty less times. And I also did hide some of my treasures unto the Lord, for I knew deep inside me that the thieves and wolves would soon come and not spare even me. I desired with all the breath of my heart to live in the city of Zion, where I cold live that celestial law of consecration. I was ready in almost every way for further light and knowledge. But I could not find Zion or a city whose builder was God. And it grieved me for regardless of my good intentions and efforts, my heart was not yet pure. This is what the Lord had against me. Nevertheless, I repented thoroughly, procured to seek the face of the Lord, amended my ways and made a recollection of my all debts unto the Lord; and I paid unto Gazelem all my owed tithing.

Gazelem and the church that he has organized 180 year ago, or the prophet in turn is the closest thing I have in these latter days to that Melchizedeck to whom Abraham paid tithes. Today, we are Remaliah's son’s family and he is the keeper of the Lord’s light house as Bishop David is the Keeper of the Lord’s storehouse. But during that prodigious year, 2005 President Rezin was the main keeper and in the April conference of that year, my family and I did hear with our own ears the choirs of heaven as president Rezin spoke at that general conference, even as he was speaking. I could not believe my own ears. I felt as blessed as him that waits and comes to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. I thought somewhat light minded, that my tribulations were over and that henceforth, the ride to the end of my days was to be a smooth and trouble free ride. I even made an oblation to the elders of Zion that was rejected by the church. Little I knew that I had not yet been chosen to come out the furnace of affliction. But I was not rebellious and I did incline my ear to hear the counsel of the Lord no matter how harsh and painful it did sound.

That year I can never forget, it was the two hundred year anniversary of that child of light that was born unto us that traces my thoughts all the way back to the day of Isaiah and his son Maher-shalal hash-baz. Later on, when I searched the Holy Scriptures I learned that what I had done with what the Lord had blessed me was not something to be praised for, but only my own due responsibility and duty towards God. And by so doing I barely escaped the curse of the Lord, but not the tribulations. Only my own life and the lives of my family became a treasure unto me, for it is written:

And it shall come to pass, saith the Lord of Hosts, yea, our great and true God, that whoso shall hide up treasures in the earth shall find them again no more, because of the great curse of the land, save he be a righteous man and shall hide it up unto the Lord. For I will, saith the Lord, that they shall hide up their treasures unto me; and cursed be they who hide not up their treasures unto me; for none hideth up their treasures unto me save it be the righteous; and he that hideth not up his treasures unto me, cursed is he, and also the treasure, and none shall redeem it because of the curse of the land.

(Book of Mormon Helaman 13:18 - 19)

As if I knew before hand that a great curse was coming upon the Land, I tried to warn others but I was taken as a false prophet and my mouth was shut from the very high tower of the Lord’s lighthouse. Today those shepherds of Israel that were over me and rejected me are dead and buried. The moth is eating up their carcasses. I had to send word to God to take them away like Jeremiah took away the false prophet that said that all would be well in Israel when he broke upon his shoulder the wooden joke. I did not preach anything new or revolutionary. I thought that I was only confirming the law and the testimony of what every other prophet already knew. Yet I was somewhat silenced because I did not say all is well in Zion. When will the envy of Ephraim and the vexation of Judah cease?

Therefore, after this great year 2005, I sold pretty all the things of value that I had and begun to give as much as I reasonably could unto the poor. Charity starts at home, so I built up and furnished a new house for my aged grandma whose children could not provide a safe and stable dwelling place for her. I did many other things that I cannot mention because not all of it was good. I only kept enough to get by and to sustain my family until it was all gone. I thought that my unemployment would only last for a few months. But, despite my efforts, abilities, education and predisposition to work, I could not land a stable job to get back on my feet before things went south.

Shortly after, in those days since 2005, a three day storm with raging winds and floods came all combined and raging to destroy my home. And in the lapse of three whole years, I first lost my father, then one unborn twin child; my wife became very ill, that I almost lose her. Then I also became strangely ill. I literally fought with filthy animals that wanted to pluck my own eyes; and then lost all that I had left; but my own family. My house did not fall, for the Lord Jesus Christ is a sure foundation. He is the rock upon whom I had built my house. But we were all left temporarily homeless for six days, sick and stranded as in captivity. Six months I spend enduring in great tribulation, even without electricity in my house before it was taken from me. It was the sixth year since I lost my job. All these sixes made think, that perhaps the adversary of all righteousness was involved in all this and was raging with all is might to destroy me. I asked why me? But no answer was given. In sum, I was living in very precarious conditions with a dissatisfied and disillusioned wife and five small children that depended on me. I felt like a train of three hundred and sixty five wagons had passed over me thrice. Now, I consider my body as if it had been slain. I can only say this. I am still OK.

Yet, when I came out of the bottomless pit all sanctified, AGAIN I began to preach repentance as with a trump with more force and valor than ever before. This time I was convinced of the power of God and thought that people would believe me. I thought I was the last latter-day saints to be saved and that all will welcome my spiritual experience and my new bad. That is to say, that all will welcome me with my new mighty change of heart. I was like a soldier coming from battle presuming of my great adventure and even showing off my battle scars. After all, it was the truth that sent me to militate for him. But again, my mouth was shut, and I was forbidden to preach to this people. I even received new commandments from my bishop and stake president inasmuch that they sent me all the dogs because they could not endure sound doctrine. That is to say that they took words out of context, things got complicated; and they did send after me all the lawyers of the church as if I were some unstable maniac that would set the earth on fire. They even told me that I had devil. But I was no maniac; nor was I unstable. However, I did manage to set the world on fire. Mountains did burn, cars did crash, the winds still blow, the clouds descend, stars fell from the sky, cities were illuminated, the earth stills trembles in diverse places, volcanoes do now rage, economies do crash, peoples do rage like the troubled seas and yet there is no peace for the wicked.

But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.

(Old Testament Isaiah 57:20 - 21)

And what can I do if the fire is already kindled? Because the doctrine that I preach is not mine but of him that sent me. Be ye not troubled, my greatly beloved brethren.

I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is. And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass. Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time? Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?

(New Testament Luke 12:49 - 57)

I do not hold my troubles against anyone; it was the Lord who chose for me to pass thru the fire of affliction. But let it be known that even my own friends from church and outside the church, my family included withdrew the sustention from me during my darkest hour. Not only that, but some of them betrayed me and cast out of their synagogues and thrust me into a psychiatric hospital. I was poisoned with deadly substances that made my skin break in boils. Out of the ten, boils and blains is my favorite plague. And I was even cast into the dungeon on false witness against me for about a month. And while in prison none of my friends visited me. Peca, President Remaliah’s son, I did sent you a letter from jail, but instead of sending aid, you sent me a book. I take this opportunity to thank you for it. On that day you met with the nation’s late president. I was not looking for your post or the post of anyone of my brethren. I was full of the fury of the Lord and for this I was taken against my will. However, I was not convicted of anything nor did I plead guilty of any purported crime. Yet, I had to take deadly poison again to perform my act, my strange act and my work, my strange work. What can death do to me? My children were also temporarily taken from me; and I spend money I did not have and more than six months in a school of anger management that I did no need until I was free of all legal encumbrances. It all gave me experience. Only then, I was allowed back into the church and that came not without travail also. I was harassed, humiliated in public and despised in dishonor. And the scriptures were fulfilled in me as in days of old when Mormon was visited of the Lord and tasted of his tender mercies. And I have proof that as a result of wickedness among us, the land was cursed. I expected this persecution from the world but never from any of you.

And there were no gifts from the Lord, and the Holy Ghost did not come upon any, because of their wickedness and unbelief. And I, being fifteen years of age and being somewhat of a sober mind, therefore I was visited of the Lord, and tasted and knew of the goodness of Jesus. And I did endeavor to preach unto this people, but my mouth was shut, and I was forbidden that I should preach unto them; for behold they had wilfully rebelled against their God; and the beloved disciples were taken away out of the land, because of their iniquity. But I did remain among them, but I was forbidden to preach unto them, because of the hardness of their hearts; and because of the hardness of their hearts the land was cursed for their sake.

(Book of Mormon Mormon 1:14 - 17)

Despite l of all peril, I personally knew that I was working my own salvation with fear and trembling; and with the help and mercy of God, somehow I had rescued my soul from the grabs of the bottomless pit. For thus it is written:

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

(New Testament Mark 8:36 - 37)

That is how I was taken from the fire of affliction and ascended triumphantly to descend no more. Today, many people still complain against me and charge me with transgression; and that I am a looser. They claim and vouchsafe that it was my fault that I lost all my possessions and that I brought upon myself all my tribulations. Yet as Job I can also lift up my brow today and say what Job himself said to those illustrious wise men that accused him of transgression.

Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will. Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand? Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him. Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears. Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified.

(Old Testament Job 13:13 - 18)

Now my brethren, I do not judge by what my ears hear, or by what my eyes see. I speak by precepts given by God to my heart, and more importantly by undeniable experience. No one can teach me these things because I know them in the flesh by my own steam. By the things that I have suffered I have learned obedience and unless I am killed I will raise up to your stature. I may not have gay manners, a desirable appearance or a real education, but I am a resolved Mormon as Samuel the Lamanite. As you do also, I am an eye witness of the truthfulness of our work from beginning to the end thereof and forever. How many of you have been into prison and numbered with the infirm and the transgressors for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ? I do no belong to any of your high quorums but, no one can deny that I have the testimony of Jesus Christ or the spirit of prophecy. I no longer have intermediaries between the Lord and me like most members of our church. I am the same as you. Perhaps you think likewise the ancient taught about Paul or like Samuel the Lamanite, that l, that I am an imposter. Yet, I keep the law of the church and the land giving to Cesar what belong to Cesar and to God what belong to God. Today, I am fine. I have sufficient for my needs perhaps until the day of reckoning. But do not have any oil to spare. I just learned that I am wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind and naked and that I still need to repent in order to buy gold tried in the fire. For the Lord told me:

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

(New Testament Revelation 3:15 - 19)

I have a proposal that may be of benefit to us all in order to prepare a little better for these perilous times. Please give heed to my counsel. And based on this you may want to ask the Lord if it is in harmony with the teachings of the church, below or above. Whatever you do and who does it, is of no concern to me, as long as I have communicated my errand. And I do not plow all day in vain. All I ask for me is that you remember me when you come before the great king and tell him that I was sold into slavery and punished unjustly.

There is a way to address material difficulties to aid us in our temporal salvation in a more assertive way than what we have hitherto been. I now do not have a house within my reach where I can store food or life bearing resources for a whole year. Blessed are those that do and can. Things are becoming slippery even for the most prudent and wisest stewards these days. The land is cursed and it will not be healed unless we repent and seek the face of our lord. Neither, can we pile up all food and all needful things in one single place as Joseph, the son of Jacob did in ancient times. We have to improve upon these life saving principles if there is a will. I am not as familiar as you are with the affairs of the church but there is still room for improvement. We can feed the whole agonizing continent in the upcoming times of peril if we put our heart to it, less the harvest is past, the summer ended and our souls are not saved. There is plenty still left to redeem Zion.

Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

(Old Testament Proverbs 29:18)

This I know. The church as an organization is a corporation of the state or of the president of the church like any other corporation of its kind, only better and more refined than any other that I know of. And I know also that the church is the business of the salvation of souls by building up the kingdom of God upon the earth by preaching the gospel, perfecting the saints and redeeming the dead. But as a people we are in Babylon running to and fro seeking a stable anchor and a safe channel. Babylon has a great control of our banks, assets and investments. We need a place of refuge and a secure location to place them or we will lose them when all things come to shovel. We do no want to be caught in the days of trouble empty handed. True or not, ponder about the implications of the following statement. This is what the people are thinking.

“Over five thousand years ago, Moses said to the children of Israel, “Pick up your shovel, mount your asses and camels, and I will lead you to the promised land.”

Nearly 75 years ago, Roosevelt said, “Lay down your shovels, sit on your asses, and light up a camel… this is the promised land.”

Now Obama has stolen your shovel, taxed your asses, raised the price of camels, and mortgaged the promised land!

It appears and it resound with tingling in our ears time and again what the Lord said when he gave to his disciples the parable of the unjust steward saying that the children of this world in their generations are wiser than the children of light. I came to judge the world with a rod of iron. I have no other standard but the words of truth as contained in the Holy Scriptures. And I apply this to me first for it fits perfectly in my own shoes. Are not we all debtors unto God? I am talking with you like no other man addressed himself to you. Know this also: I was taken away to a psychiatric hospital and to jail based on an evil report against me. I cannot recover from my great loses because of the flags that rest upon me as a result of your actions. I am disenfranchised in front of a lot of people. Yet, I was very clear when I said to you in my first epistle, that by doing what you did to me, you will unleash a sequence of events that will bring about the next apocalypses. And you believed not my words, but thought of me that I was mad. Now the world is crumbling very rapidly. But by the justice of our righteous God, the greater transgression remains with those that gave me away and trust me into prison without a proper judgment. For Jesus also said during his trial with Pilate:

Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.

(New Testament John 19:11)

Now, that makes me the note keeper, let us all reason together brethren, and please tell me how much do each of you owes to my lord? With this great bill upon our heads none of us can get into heaven until justice is served. I know I am to be given righteousness. Here is a suitable parable.

AND he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods. And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward. Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed. I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.

So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord? And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore.

And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.

And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.

He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If, therefore, ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

(New Testament Luke 16:1 - 13)

Or if you prefer, I have a more suitable parable that serves the same purpose twofold. We either use the talents the Lord has given us or negotiate with them or we lose them. What profits us to have a gift if we do not use it? I profess because I have the testimony of Jesus Christ, which is the spirit of prophecy. We do not take joy in the gift or in the giver of the gift. I take great pleasure in what I do and rejoice in the giver and I use my talents almost everyday for the benefit of all that may hear. I am a gift to you all. Use me or lose me to Mammon. Will you hide me under a bushel? I am taking bids at this time, but no one hires me and I will not hide my talents until I am hired. Because I was sitting in idleness and no one wants to hire me, the Lord came and asked me why I was not working? I told him, because no one hires me. So he hired me to write errands like a tempest of hail and a destroying storm; and as a flood of mighty waters overflowing. I am just a scribe; please do not judge me wrong for the content thereof.

For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.

After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

(New Testament Matthew 25:14 - 46)

If we wait until the Lord commands us to lift up the cornerstone to build Zion, the New Jerusalem will never be built. We have to first want to live a celestial law, pray for it as if we need it tomorrow and put it into our hearts to do these things, but not in haste, so that when the command comes from the Lord’s mouth, we do not vacillate, murmur and complain and run in all direction as a confounded people as did the children of Israel in ancient times under the hand of Moses. I do not trust in peeping wizards, mediums, witches, numerologists, commercial and political analysts, stock prognosticators, wise men, worldly taught scholars that walk in the sparks of their own fire, speculators or prognosticators, for I have heard from the Lord of consumption over the whole earth. I have put my trust in god and on no flesh and my guide is the law and the testimony. Despite all the commotions around me. The Lord is my only fear and my dread.

Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in JerUSAlem. Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves.

Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.

Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.

From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report. For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it. For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.

Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.

Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech. Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground? When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the rie in their place?

(Old Testament Isaiah 28:14 - 25)

Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner. And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:

(New Testament 1 Peter 2:6 - 9)

The scripture face cannot be plainer, for no consumption has yet devoured the whole earth. Therefore, as a result of these great warnings, we can be still and know that the Lord is God and that we need not to fear, but only if we are prepared. It is an abomination and contrary to the order of heaven that our storehouse is mingled with the storehouse of Babylon whose bands have been made strong and which fall is imminent.

What I have said unto you must needs be, that all men may be left without excuse; That wise men and rulers may hear and know that which they have never considered; That I may proceed to bring to pass my act, my strange act, and perform my work, my strange work, that men may discern between the righteous and the wicked, saith your God. And again, I say unto you, it is contrary to my commandment and my will that my servant Sidney Gilbert should sell my storehouse, which I have appointed unto my people, into the hands of mine enemies. Let not that which I have appointed be polluted by mine enemies, by the consent of those who call themselves after my name; For this is a very sore and grievous sin against me, and against my people, in consequence of those things which I have decreed and which are soon to befall the nations.

(Doctrine and Covenants Section 101:93 - 98)

For verily I say unto you, the time has come, and is now at hand; and behold, and lo, it must needs be that there be an organization of my people, in regulating and establishing the affairs of the storehouse for the poor of my people, both in this place and in the land of Zion— For a permanent and everlasting establishment and order unto my church, to advance the cause, which ye have espoused, to the salvation of man, and to the glory of your Father who is in heaven, that you may be equal in the bonds of heavenly things; yea, and earthly things also, for the obtaining of heavenly things. For if ye are not equal in earthly things ye cannot be equal in obtaining heavenly things; For if you will that I give unto you a place in the celestial world, you must prepare yourselves by doing the things which I have commanded you and required of you.

(Doctrine and Covenants Section 78:3 - 7)

Now, if we are wise and prudent it will be of great benefit for all that we give heed to these words, for it is expedient that we organize ourselves. We need to establish an auxiliary non secular organization for this purpose in the same way that the Church is organized. Yet an organization that is more decentralized that can exist like cooperatives with our without the church in case the enemy comes and attempts to disband us as a people, so that we as latter day saints may re-group and re-edify ourselves back into he faith regardless of where we live in the world so that without having to wait extended times for the church’s directives this is so we can differentiate from our spiritual and our temporal duties.

We know that communists and socialists; and pretty much all world governments these days want to intervene and deep their spoon in the bowl of most if not all corporations. And if they could, they would infiltrate and disband those corporations that teach other but their corrupt principles. Not only that, but we cannot give Mammon any room to take advantage over us lest they destroy us.

In other words, we should make what the Lord would call the corporation of my servant the BRANCH to administer the temporal affairs of the people of the church and those who desire to join us. A non compulsory organization not directly run by the church, yet under the priesthood, but legally established by able men chosen by the church, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. This is so that we can learn, apply or practice our own professions and to develop our own industry. A place of employment for many as diverse as they can be where we can compete the way the Lord intended instead of being subservient to the world; and where we can gather, save or hide our treasures unto the Lord until the time he requires it for the building up of the cities of Zion. I envision a grid of independent places or organizations of all sizes, yet not regional or global in nature, but conforming with their localities lawfully, not owned by our enemies where we can buy and sell unpolluted stocks and build an everlasting inheritance in preparation to live a full life and law of consecration. A place where the rich and the poor are agreeable and not able to contribute more or less that what the Lord expected of the Saints when first they tried to establish Zion.

This way, as we strive for these things we can save sufficient resources for at least three months and the rest we invest in our own industry where we also have a place of accountability where all things extra with which the Lord blesses are held equally and transferable anywhere we desire to dwell. This is a good time for us to buy land and other commodities of first necessity unless we want to pay for it with blood. This is why we should make cooperatives so individuals that cannot own property by the standards of the world can have a better hope not only in this word, but in the world to come. Even Jeremiah in the eve of the first destruction of Jerusalem bought a lot for himself so that he had legal claim to a perpetual inheritance in a better time. Lehi, also, he left his first inheritance but he never sold it. So he has a double portion, one in the old Promised Land and one in the new.

And thou hast said unto me, O Lord GOD, Buy thee the field for money, and take witnesses; for the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.

(Old Testament Jeremiah 32:25)

Nonetheless, like Lehi, if today, under heaven, I or any of us were command of God; by desire or need, to travel or to move to a promised land, we would not be able to take with us our treasures or assets unless they are as mobile as my family and I are. Enoch and his people were translated with all their possessions. Melchizedeck did not go to the place of Zion empty handed either. But he fled to heaven with the tithes that he had received from Abraham, so he and his people could buy an everlasting inheritance there. Abraham, as Adam and Noah, who looked for God and his righteousness diligently until he found him, inherited the right of the first born man; and he was made Lord of the whole earth as the first man and he inherited the land after Mechi for him as his posterity after him. So did Joseph Smith and the saints of his time. They may not be here, but they have legal claim of an inheritance in the place of Zion. I am not exempt. I bought a lot for a perpetual inheritance which I fully paid; and built me a house. The house I may have lost but the Lot is still mine, in this life and I the life to come, for it was taken from me unjustly.

It is not of me to say whether I am right or wrong. But this I know of a surety that even if I were half wrong, we are still not looking very good in the eyes of God as far as preparedness it is concerned. If we do not obtain these things with the worth of money, when money is of no worth all we will have left to buy a place for an inheritance will be blood.

For, behold, verily I say unto you, the Lord willeth that the disciples and the children of men should open their hearts, even to purchase this whole region of country, as soon as time will permit. Behold, here is wisdom. Let them do this lest they receive none inheritance, save it be by the shedding of blood.

(Doctrine and Covenants Section 58:52 - 53)

And if you do not believe the words above, believe the ones below for I have many fathers like the son of man and I am a descendant of Isaiah and he and his children are for sings and wonders to Israel from the lord of Hosts, Oh, Immanuel. And by this you may know that in a very short time the Lord can strip away the wealth of Babylon the same way it did happen to the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria before the Diasporas. This is why this document is titled Maher-shalal-hash-baz. Perhaps this is the sign for when the prophet came into the prophetess, she may have conceived and from this time forth until the child is born and has knowledge or is able to say my father and my mother, the riches of this whole nation or even Babylon may be stripped away. The wealth or economy of this great nation hangs as a trampoline of stone in the side of a great mountain. A couple of years ago, a big chunk of rock fell by its own weight, but the grater chunk of stone still remains hanging like a trampoline on the side of the mountain. I myself have seen it. A very small tremor of the earth or a great wind can make it fall to rise no more.

MOREOVER, the word of the Lord said unto me: Take thee a great roll, and write in it with a man’s pen, concerning Maher-shalal-hash-baz. And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah. And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived and bare a son. Then said the Lord to me: Call his name, Maher-shalal-hash-baz.

For behold, the child shall not have knowledge to cry, My father, and my mother, before the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the king of Assyria.

The Lord spake also unto me again, saying: Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah’s son; Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria and all his glory; and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks. And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.

Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear all ye of far countries; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces. Take counsel together, and it shall come to naught; speak the word, and it shall not stand; for God is with us.

For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying: Say ye not, A confederacy, to all to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.

Sanctify the Lord of Hosts himself, and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling, and for a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and a snare to the inhabitants of JerUSAlem. And many among them shall stumble and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken. Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples. And I will wait upon the Lord, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him. Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of Hosts, which dwelleth in Mount Zion.

And when they shall say unto you: Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep and mutter—should not a people seek unto their God for the living to hear from the dead? To the law and to the testimony; and if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. And they shall pass through it hardly bestead and hungry; and it shall come to pass that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward. And they shall look unto the earth and behold trouble, and darkness, dimness of anguish, and shall be driven to darkness. (Book of Mormon 2 Nephi 18:1-22)

He who has eyes, let him understand.

I have told you time and again what will shortly come to pass, I say these things not of myself, but as the Lord has said, he shall also fulfill. And l do it with and in solemnity for the honor and glory of God in the Holy name of his Son, Immanuel, even Jesus Christ Amen.

Miguel-angel-tinoco-rodriguez