My Testimony This is a testimony of my struggles and insights which I have experienced since April, 1984. I have always put my trust in the Lord, Jesus Christ, and have always believed in Him. I was baptized at the age of eight into the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I have loved to study and read the scriptures since I was eighteen years of age. The "mysteries of the kingdom" have always fascinated me and caused me to believe the word of God. I continue to marvel at the greatness of his eternal plan. Whenever I have sought wisdom, he has been there to give me insight and understanding. The "still small voice" has on many occasions answered my prayers and whispered reassurance in my ear. I have an undying testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and the restoration of Christ's church out of the wilderness by the prophet and seer, Joseph Smith Jr. My concerns actually began as I read and listened to ministers in the church who seemed to set aside some of the teachings which are quite clear in the scriptures. I was even shocked as I read the Position Papers which was written by leaders of the church. I thought at the time and even remarked to my parents that it looked like Satan had written them. I tried to stay loyal to the leadership of the church because I felt that even though some were leaning away from Christ that surely this would be corrected in time. As the years rolled along I noticed different people and even some complete congregations who were completely at opposing sides to the gospel as Jesus taught it. This caused me much mental pain and yet I expected God to sift these individuals from the church or cause them to repent. I supposed that Zion would somehow just happen without any pain or suffering, and surely no conflict within the church. I now realize that God knew how it would have to be, and that it was not intended to develop in that manner. In the 1970's and 1980's I became increasingly aware that things were moving toward a more liberal stance within the church, but I continued to believe my previous philosophy and preached the gospel as found in the three standard books of the church. When I read the Presidential Papers I again became alarmed. The series of books known as: Restoration Studies I, II, III & IV brought more of the church leaders beliefs out in the open. I often wondered and still wonder how they could stay with the church with such non-restoration beliefs, or even non-christian beliefs. It is truly a sad thing that the leadership had such shallow testimonies or none at all. I heard from many that the scriptures were really not relevant for our day. I read where the latest president of the church stated that the church doesn't necessarily stand or fall on the divinity of the Book of Mormon. This bothered me greatly because I knew that if the Book of Mormon was not what we claim it to be then we have no right to exist as a church. The entire church would be built on a lie. In the February, 1984 "Herald" I read an editorial by the First Presidency which gave the same reasoning for changing scriptures as what Brigham Young gave for polygamy. Basically they were saying that if the prophet says something that doesn't agree with scripture then we should disregard the past and listen to the voice of today. Brigham Young called it "Living Oracles." Wallace B. Smith called it "Disjunctive Revelation."
We are told in the scriptures to read and study or else we will be deceived. I was also told in my patriarchal blessing to read and study and when clearness eludes me I would be able to glean from the scriptures hidden truths. I believe that he has fulfilled that promise to me as I have studied, and made it a matter of prayer. There were times when I even began to doubt the divinity of the Reorganization and studied church history to find out if perhaps another faction of the Restoration movement could possibly be the true Church of Jesus Christ. I was at the point in my mind that I would accept whatever the Lord told me. If he told me that the Mormon Church was correct, then I would follow. If he told me that the Church of Christ, Temple Lot was correct, then I would follow. Whatever I was to hear from God, I was prepared to make a change and follow. My main testimony came when I had a dream which seemed very clear and vivid to my mind. This occurred in the fall of 1984. In my dream, I saw a building which looked like a small church or one-room school building. The end of the building was open so that I could see within it. The stage in front was very low and had a few men gathered on it. Above that scene, in very large letters, was the inscription--"beloit Wisconsin." No other dream or experience in my life was more vivid or more real as this was. The Spirit of God filled my breast and was overjoyed that the Lord had looked down upon an unworthy servant as myself, and answered my prayer in such a simple, yet powerful way. My faith was again lifted as I gained the knowledge that the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was the continuation of the true Church of Jesus Christ. The Lord could have shown me Salt Lake City if the Mormon Church was the true Church of Jesus Christ, but He didn t. The Lord could have shown me the Church of Christ, Temple Lot if it was the true Church of Jesus Christ, but He didn t. The Lord could have shown me the Catholic Church if it was the true Church of Jesus Christ, but He didn t. The Lord could have shown me any of the protestant churches if any one of them was the ture Church of Jesus Christ, but He didn t. I still, however, felt frustration and a sense of loss over what was happening within the Reorganized church. I continued to pray and began studying more than ever. As I studied I began to have my eyes opened to many things that I had overlooked in the scriptures throughout previous years. I now have a joy and understanding that reassures me and causes me to trust in God as to how things will occur in order for the Kindgom of God to be redeemed here on earth. In the spring of 1986 my interpretation of the dream was enlarged. I finally realized that the Lord was trying to tell me more than just that the Reorganization was of him. I began reading for the first time what actually took place at Beloit, Wisconsin. I found that the branch of the church there in Beloit had been begun by Jason Briggs, who had been baptized in Potosi Wisconsin in 1841 by William Clark. Jason had been ordained within the year and had taken the gospel to his home in Beloit. He had raised a branch of approximately twenty-five members. In the years that followed the death of Joseph Smith Jr. the branch tried to follow various leaders, but eventually renounced them all. In Vol. 3 of Church History we find a portion of the experience that happened to Jason Briggs: "While pondering in my heart the situation of the church, on the 18th day of November, 1851, on the prairie, about three miles northwest of Beloit, Wisconsin, the Spirit of the Lord came upon me, and the visions of truth opened to my mind, and the Spirit of the Lord said unto
me, 'Verily, verily, saith the Lord, even Jesus Christ, unto his servant, Jason W. Briggs, concerning the church: Behold, I have not cast off my people; neither have I changed in regard to Zion. Yea, verily, my people shall be redeemed, and my law shall be kept which I revealed unto my servant, Joseph Smith Jr., for I am God and not man, and who is he that shall turn me from my purpose, or destroy whom I would preserve? Wolves have entered into the flock, and who shall deliver them? Where is he that giveth his life for the flock? Behold, I will judge those who call themselves shepherds, and have preyed upon the flock of my pastures Therefore, let the elders whom I have ordained by the hand of my servant Joseph, or by the hand of those ordained by him, resist not this authority, nor faint in the discharge of duty, which is to preach my gospel as revealed in the record of the Jews, and the Book of Mormon, and the Book of Doctrine and Covenants; History of the Church, Vol.3, pp. 200-201 As my studies continued I found that Elder Zenos Gurley wrote to Elder Jason Briggs, saying: "We have received evidence of your revelation." Church History tells us the continuation of what transpired: "After some correspondence and consultation it was agreed to hold a conference in Neward branch at Beloit, Wisconsin, in June, 1852. At the time appointed, quite a number of the saints assembled." I will not go into lengthy detail as to all the points agreed upon, but I will mention a few points: "Resolved, that we believe that the Church of Christ, organized on the sixth day of April, A.D. 1830, exists as on that day wherever six or more saints are organized according to the pattern in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants... The position taken by this conference was, it must be seen, an anomalous (abnormal) one. All similar assemblages or bodies convened and acted under the call of a leader or head; but this acknowledged none. Theirs were the results of a professed head. This was a preceding, or preparatory to an expected head; and the epithet (a term used to characterize the nature of a person or thing) of being a 'headless body' was freely cast at the brethren. Yet to them was visible the tokens of divine care, which, like the cloud of the size 'of a mans hand' to the ancient prophet, confirmed their faith, that what had been promised would surely be fulfilled in 'the due time of the Lord.' And they were determined to wait and prepare for that 'time.' There was no intention at this time of organizing a new church, but these men were acting as members and officers of the original church, regulating and setting in order the church, according to the law as they understood it, and in harmony with instruction given to them." History of the Church Vol. 3, pp. 209-211 I believe what I saw in my dream was this gathering in 1852. What is so special about it is that they were gathering and organizing as independent branches recognizing the apostasy of the leaders of the institutional church which had gone to Utah. I believe this dream answered my prayers and helped me to realize that the church now exists as it did for those eight years prior to the time when young Joseph Smith III became president of the church and united the people. That day in 1852 is a type and shadow or a representation for those of us living today. The church now exists with the faithful. Those who choose to follow the false apostles and false prophet will find that they have no more authority than those who followed the false apostles and false prophet during the days following the death of Joseph Smith Jr. If that small group in Beloit, Wisconsin had authority from God to continue his church, then the faithful
remnant today have that same authority. The faithful remnant would be those who refuse to follow false leaders and those who seek after their own personal ambitions. Joseph Smith III stated: "It is a well-known and long established principle in law, both ecclesiastic and secular, that where a church, or a number of believers have become members of a recognized body, having a name and a confession of belief, and rules of organization and procedure, no change can be made in confession of faith, or rules of procedure, by which those rules and principles of faith are denied, reversed, changed, or abandoned, against the wish, knowledge, and consent of the membership. And if any number, few or many, choose to retain the faith and practices at first obtained and under which they became members of such body, those persons thus remaining true to the original faith are, and of right ought to be held to be the original body, or church. This is good law and is plain common sense. It agrees with the revelation of God to the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, given in May, 1829: 'And now, behold whosoever is of my church, and endureth of my church to the end, him will I establish on my Rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against him.' Sec.3:17" The History of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Vol. 5, p. 356 The prophets have foretold of these days that we are now living in. We have been warned that the last days will be a wicked and terrible time. Spiritually it will be a time when people will deny the words of the past prophets and apostles, and look towards those who speak of the new age where sin is never spoken. The history of our forefathers is now proclaimed by many within the institutional church to just be stories and fables. They proclaim that these accounts found in the scriptures are not true accounts, but are only found in the scriptures to teach a lesson. They even distort the accounts, changing the miraculous events into something that can be scientifically explained. Those things that cannot be explained are tossed aside as fables. The sad thing in this is that we don't have to look any further than within the walls of the institutional RLDS church. They have "a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof. If only those who still remain within the institutional RLDS church would only read those publications written by the institutional leaders they would find out for themselves, but too many don't want to seek truth. When light comes it becomes easy to discern who is destroying the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that those who follow false prophets and sincere but foolish leaders will sooner or later seek the truth or be lost to the world. My prayer is that when they do desire to know truth, that those who are remaining faithful to the true gospel will open their doors to them so that all who desire to worship the Christ may do so with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. I along with many others, continue to wait upon the Lord, for his coming has been prophesied to be during a period of spiritual darkness. We are now living during the time of his coming. May all who have a desire to repent and seek truth, even as Joseph Smith Jr. did when he knelt in the grove, turn to the Lord and study his word. I know the Lord will give more light and truth, but at all times he will remain unchangeable. That which is required of
the faithful is to endure to the end. We must be a prepared people continually watching for our Lord's return. Phillip Aaron Eldred 924 E. Snider, Springfield, Missouri 65803 417-833-0274