I am intrigued about the Scale of Time mentioned in Iohanni's account:
If you ever have had doubts about President Kimball being a Prophet of God, this testimony of Iohanni should lay that to rest. I would say the same thing about President Nelson, though I lack anecdotal backing for him that this event provides:
Pres. Kimball went on to say that I should take with me my genealogy to Tonga and teach even the Royal family, and bring the Scale of Time to show them how short the time is for them to go to the temple and redeem their dead. Before we left the prophet told us that two days after arriving in Tonga I would be visited by Christ and he would let me know of my mission to the Tongan people.
We went to Provo for missionary training and eventually arrived in Tonga. In the training center we were very popular and every time there was a break missionaries came into our room and wanted to hear more and more of what I had to say.
But today I want to let all my family know what happened to me. From here I will explain to you why I was sick, but in reality I was not sick. Rather it was the vision that I saw with my eyes that caused me to feel like that. It was during the night that I saw the vision before I retired to bed.
There were two personages that stood inside our living room. Their feet did touch the ground and I didn’t know where they came from. They said to me, “Stand up, we have come to take you with us and would like you to see the dwelling place of the Lord.” I took a deep breath and we were on our way. We went on a very speedy trip. I was frightened and thought they were going to destroy my life. As we traveled we passed many planets and other celestial bodies. I asked them where they were taking me, and they told me to where the Lord resides.
I was taken to a place unknown to me. I didn’t understand where we were. In a short time I heard the thunder and saw lightning and rain. It looked like we were facing the west as the sun went down-then it was all dark. At that time it seemed to me like 8:00 p.m. but it was after midnight when I was getting ready to retire. We saw the light, though it was raining and saw the lightning hit and then saw another lightning hit, and one of the men said, “See, in a few moments you will see a vision from the heavens and the appearance of Christ in his glory.” Everything was so light and beautiful and shining. While I was standing there I felt the rain, the lightning hit me and the darkness disappeared and everything was light. That light never disappeared. Then I saw the rainbow and the rainbow encircled the light and there was no end of the brightness-brighter than noonday sun.
Then the voice spoke to me and asked if I understood about the rainbow. I said, “Yes, that was the covenant that was made between Noah and Father in Heaven that he would never again destroy the earth by water.”
Then the voice said, “Iohani, have you repented enough?” Then the voice spoke of this world, “Have all mankind repented enough? Indeed it is true, I will not destroy this earth again by water, but I will destroy it with fire if they will not come unto me.” Then I saw the light circle around the rainbow. He told me to look and see what was written. What I saw was:
THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
written in gold. Again the voice spoke to me, “See.” The writing was full of lights and very brilliant. I heard a voice speaking from that light saying, “Iohani, go and call repentance unto your people. Call them to repent and to repent and to repent. Go and call everyone that lives on these islands to repent and repent and repent. The time is so short that they must repent and repent and repent. Let the people know that you will meet in this life know that the time is so short that they must repent and come unto Christ. You must go and call repentant unto your people in Tonga, including the royal house of Taufa’ahau Tupou IV, Mata’aho and the Crown Prince Tupou To’a. The Lord told me that a few months after Salote and I touch the American soil, a destruction will come to Tonga-not to destroy them completely, but as a warning to let them know that he, Jesus Christ, rules on earth and in the heavens. I was sent to Tonga by God so I could be an instrument or a mouthpiece for him so I could cry repentance unto my people and if they hardened their hearts to the words of God, and repented not of their iniquities, a tidal wave would come to their beaches and it would cause damage to their crops and plantations. Some of their homes, power lines, and trees, would be uprooted. Floods would come to some places. Rocks and coral would be tossed like feathers in the air. But this problem will only come if they fail to hearken to voice of his servants and repent not. I was filled with the Spirit of the Lord and I started my mission where Christ told me to begin at Ha’atafu in the western district, then all the way up to Niutoua in the eastern district. “In my anger I will send destruction to them because they have not listened to my servants nor repented of their iniquities. Because they will not listen to my voice, they will destroyed and no one will be left.” In his loud voice Christ spoke and said to me that I must go and teach them, to speak to them with kindness but not hurt them and for them to repent.. No one will live when I send my destruction upon the islands of the sea, even those who are not members of the Church that have not listened to my servants will be destroyed. Christ spoke to me and used the word repentance 16 times.
This was shown to me at the very first part of our mission. After He spoke to me the light disappeared, and I stood there alone. I was confused, not knowing what was going on, and again wondering where this light came from. From where He was speaking to me it was about 30 or 40 feet away. Again the light came back only about 2 minutes after it disappeared, and again I heard the voice speaking to me. This second time it was louder. Christ stood behind me cupping my ear and spoke to me, “Go and speak to the people and tell them I am Jesus Christ-and have sent you to those who live on this island and those you meet in your daily work. Call them quickly to repent because I am coming soon to destroy this world and no one will be left behind-they will all be destroyed.” Also, for the third time he again spoke the same thing to me. “Go to them and call them to repentance. I am coming to this world to destroy it if they do not repent and repent and repent and wait no more, for I will come to punish them-those that will not keep my word nor abide by the scriptures.”
“You must speak even to those missionaries you are serving with-that are working daily with you-call them to repentance also. I am Jesus Christ, who called for you to call them to repentance. Command the missionaries not to be ashamed or fear but to preach repentance also. Most of them will hate you and won’t believe what you say to them, but you must let them know that they must repent or they will be destroyed.”
He urged me to go and speak to the missionaries, not tomorrow, but right now.” Then the light disappeared again. At that moment I still stood there. Then the lightening came again and hit me right under my feet and started to work its way up through all my body like a ball of fire starting from my feet. I could see myself standing and the power that came from that light was like an electric shock. It first affected my flesh and entered my bones. I immediately felt the pain in my whole body with that power inside. I looked at my hands and my whole body was illuminated. I felt that I was going to faint-with the heat and the strong power. Even my eyes. I was like the sun standing there. My body was changed.
I almost fell to the ground, but the angels held me up and said, “Iohani, you have the same power with which the Lord created the whole earth with and same power will stand firm for you when you meet the Savior. The Lord called me from the side, “Iohani.” I turned and Christ put his arms around me and hugged me and kissed me and told me how much He really loved me and wanted to introduce me to his father Elohim. Then He took my and introduced me to Elohim in the place where they dwell. It was more beautiful. The place was full of light and was clear like crystal and pure and holy. It was a beauty that I cannot explain, but I felt a warmth and spirit of love in that place. He kissed me and hugged me and told me, “I wish that all my children on the earth would do the same as you have been doing in giving your time, your talent, your faith and sharing your love with others.” And again he embraced me, hugged and kissed me, and Jesus did the same to me. Jesus Christ and Elohim laid their hands on my head and ordained me to my calling. After that they hugged me again.
Immediately I heard someone speak behind me with his mouth to my ear. “I tell you right now, go and speak to your people. You don’t have much time to call your people to repentance. Those who haven’t received the gospel must come unto Christ and be baptized. There will be many diseases and people will die from them and destruction will come to them. Don’t hesitate, but straight way talk to the missionaries, they must call the people to repentance also.”
Christ spoke again in my ear and said, “Iohani, look behind you and see what’s going on.” I slowly turned my head to see what was behind me. I looked at my own hands and body and it was full of electric power and I saw thousands and thousands of people behind me. The understanding that I had was that they were not members of the Church and they were full of evil-all kinds of evil, and had not yet repented. Again the voice spoke into my ear. “Iohani, turn around and continue to preach to these people. Go to these people behind you and call them to repentance. Speak to them like right now.”
When I was told to do that I obeyed the voice. I turned around, walked straight at them, and as I started to speak to them, it was like my whole body was in a flame of light. I didn’t know where I was standing, but lit it was daytime. As soon as I started to speak, the people started to fall to the ground. Some started to cover their faces. They couldn’t withstand the power that came from me. Some fell on their back on the floor, some didn’t want to look at the light and turned their heads away. When I spoke to them, it looked like the people were wilting. Some were sitting against some boards and when I spoke, they fell to the floor. Some of them fell from the wall they had been sitting on. That’s how powerful the spirit was. Again they tried to hide their faces of fall on their stomach. They were even falling from the houses. Some on their knees. The people were beginning to get frightened-you could tell by their eyes. As I was talking I told them to repent-then Christ told me to speak out louder-three times. Repent, be baptized, and come to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints so you can have eternal life. I did as I was told. Christ said, “Iohani, speak up louder.” Again for the second time I began to speak to them very loudly with all my strength. The third time Christ spoke again to me and said, “LOUDER.” Be obedient to the Lord or your life will be taken. Some didn’t have clothes, some had torn clothes, and were very frightened. I don’t know how many people were there, but many thousands.
When I was told by Christ to tell them to repent-I raised my hand and brought it down firmly and told them to repent. “Say it louder and louder,” I was instructed. I called them to repentance with all my power and the Lord was very pleased with me.”
When I was returned back to my home I wanted to wake up Salote to tell her, but the spirit said it was not the right time. I wanted her to massage my back because the pain was still in my body, my bones, my flesh, my muscles and I needed a massage. But she slept on and didn’t hear me call for help.
I crawled to the bathroom and buried myself in the cool water to get some relief, but it was no comfort. My body was on fire, especially my bones and my flesh was in pain. Again I ran the shower over my heard, but nothing helped. I said a prayer and asked it it would be alright to relate the story to my wife, but the spirit told me not now. I suffered that day and throughout the next night until morning. I couldn’t even move my hands.
Salote woke up and thought I had the flu so went after some aspirin. While Salote was out two sister missionaries walked into our missionary home to see if they could have breakfast with us. I crawled to the kitchen, cooked them a pot of rice. While they were eating Salote arrived with two Elders to administer to me. After the blessing I felt a little relief, but not much. I still had that pain and my body was so hot, and especially all the joints. I never experienced sharp pain like that my whole life. It began with my toes, all the say to the top of my head. There was no part of my body that was not in pain. I felt like I was inside a furnace of fire-the pain in my body was tremendous.
I started to get up and try to sit down, but couldn’t discover a way to relieve the pain and heat from my body. Salote went after some more aspirin. I took it but no relief. Again she went after the same Elders to administer to me again. While they were blessing me I was taken away somewhere and don’t know how long I was gone, but during that time the Savior again saw me. After I returned I was able to explain to my wife and the two sister missionaries what had happened to me.
The same day, the Lord spoke to me and said, “Why are you waiting? You need to go now because I have ordained you as my mouthpiece. Get up and go now.” Though I had almost no strength in my legs and they were very shaky, I was determined to go to Ha’atafu where I was directed to go first and take Salote with me. “You are not to turn away from what you are to say to the people. When they do not what I say, there will be tidal waves, there will be bad storms, and the water from the ocean will destroy their plantation, and will come over the beaches. It will be a testimony to them that I am Jesus Christ who have sent you, and you will be my mouthpiece to your people. I am the one who created this earth and everything therein.”
I was filled with the spirit of our Father in Heaven and no one could stop me. I could speak to the people with power and ask them to come unto Christ and repent and be baptized. I spoke to the people at Ha’atafu and as I spoke to the people I was full of the spirit and started to prophesy many things that would come to their life they didn’t change and come unto Christ. The spirit of Christ was within me that day. I felt a great love for the Savior. And the love in my heart for my Tongan people caused my heart to ache because they hardened their hearts and I bore testimony and prophesied many things that some of the old prophets had told them in the scriptures. I preached to them Joseph Smith and authority was given to him and all the keys in the last dispensation of time. He was truly a prophet of God. They must listen to the missionaries and repent and be baptized and come unto Christ and join his church, if they really want to have eternal life. If they don’t they will be destroyed.
And I did the same from Ha’atafu all the way to the next town and the next village Kanokupolu.
As I returned home in the evening a van from mission headquarters arrived to take us to a missionary meeting. When we arrived at the meeting I was very ill and they took me anyway and as I got there I fainted. They rushed me to the doctor at Vaiola Hospital thinking I had a heart attack. The severe heat had never left my body and my whole body was like a furnace of fire. The doctor couldn’t find anything wrong with me except my body was heated and they couldn’t get rid of the heat. I was told I must go back to Te’ekiu and run a cold shower on my head and body. Again the Savior came and spoke to me. I must go again on to the next town and was told not to fear for my life for I would be protected. Many people will hate you and many will call you names, but angels will protect you. At this time also, he reminded me that angels have heard the prayers of your forefathers and want their work done in the temple. For I was to include calling those people to bring their names to the temple and get their work done. Those forefathers had died before the gospel was brought to the islands. Lastly, when you preach to them they will swear at you, they will call you all kinds of names and hate you for telling them the truth, but don’t give up but continue on preaching.
The next day I almost died again. We went out again and continued on to the next village. My body was full of the spirit of our Father in Heaven. I couldn’t imagine all the words that filled my mind and my spirit-words to be used when I spoke to these people. And when I said those, I heard voices back from them saying, “You are a liar, you stop spreading lies.” I expressed to them my love and the love of our Savior to them and bore them my testimony. I felt like I was going to die again. Especially my joints and bones were killing me.
Again the missionaries arrived in their van to check up on me. They had a welfare meeting we needed to attend in Nuku’alofa. Again I fell down and passed out. They took me again to Vaiola Hospital. I couldn’t get rid of the pain. I asked my mission President Hopoate and another Elder to give me a blessing. After that they thought I had the flu, which was prevalent in Tonga at that time. I stayed in the shower all night, but didn’t get any relief. I got up very early and went to Kanokupolu and started to preach to the people. The people were mean to me again over there. We walked to Kolovai. The same treatment.
Not my words, but from the Lord that spoke in my ear. Repent. Also He says that He will punish those in His house first before He punishes others. If the destruction comes to the house of the Lord, what about your house? Are you ready to receive the Lord when he comes? Have you repented enough? What He has told me is that He will completely destroy this whole world by fire and not to be slow about repenting because it will come to your house before it goes to others. Especially to my own family at home.
I am your father speaking to you. You can come unto Christ. I am very concerned about you. Are you ready to change your life? Don’t wait any longer. The Lord won’t speak any lies to me. It is the truth. We must change our lives for the better. I’m doing this because of my love and concern for you because I want to make sure that you will be protected and hope that you’ll be obedient. The voice of warning is from Christ.
No comments:
Post a Comment