“Do As You Have Seen Me Do” - Part 1

          During the Savior’s ministry to survivors of cataclysmic events on this continent, there were two occasions when He repeats the same commandment. Once to the congregation and once to His disciples. The first time, after speaking with His disciples, Jesus turned to the body of the congregation, and gave the following instruction:

“When Jesus had said this to His disciples, He turned back to the crowd and said to them: I truthfully warn you: You must be watchful and always pray so that you won’t fall into temptation, because Satan longs to have you, so he can sift you like wheat. Therefore you must always pray to the Father in My name. And anything you ask the Father in My name that’s right, believing you will receive, it will be given to you. Pray in your families to the Father always in My name, so your wives and your children can be blessed. You must meet together often. And you must not exclude anyone from joining you when you meet together, but let them join you and don’t prohibit them from doing so; but you must pray for them and not throw them out. If they frequently join you, you must pray to the Father for them in My name. Therefore hold up your light, so it can shine to the world. I Am the light that you must hold up, what you’ve seen Me do. You see that I’ve prayed to the Father, and all of you have witnessed it. And you see I haven’t commanded any of you to leave; instead, I’ve commanded you to come to Me, so you could feel and see; you must do the same for the world. Anyone that breaks this commandment allows themselves to be led into temptation” (CofC 3 Nephi 8:8, emphasis added).

          Jesus commands them to pray for their families, their congregations, and for those who frequently join them. Prayer to the Father in the name of Jesus casts a spiritually protective net over seekers of Christ. The admonition of Jesus to Nephite survivors links strength to resist temptation with prayer. The instruction to pray is tied to our ability to overcome Satan and his temptations. Jesus admonished Peter at Gethsemane to follow the same counsel.[1] Jesus’ promise to the prayerful congregation is the Father answers all that is asked of Him in Jesus name, seeking what is right.

          Following His command to pray for one another, the congregation is instructed to “hold up your light,” with the clarification Jesus is their light. More specifically to do, “that which you have seen me do.” He then commissions them all to do the same task. “ . . . come to Me, so you could feel and see” with the admonition we are to do “. . . the same for the world.” All are to come to the Savior intending to feel His resurrected body and see His face.[2]

Christ appears to His disciples as they taught and ministered to the congregations. They shared the teachings of Jesus, bearing witness of what they had seen. The disciples gathered together, united in fasting and prayer when the Savior appeared to them. Repeating the same admonition given to the congregation with additional instructions directed precisely to them:

“I’ve given you My gospel. This is the gospel I’ve given to you, that I came into the world to do the will of My Father, because My Father sent Me. And My Father sent Me so I could be lifted up on the cross — and after I’ve been lifted up on the cross, I can bring all people to Me, so that as I’ve been lifted up by people, likewise people will be lifted up by the Father to stand before Me to be judged according to their works, whether they were good or whether they were evil. This is why I’ve been lifted up. Therefore, according to the Father’s power, I will draw everyone to Me so they can be judged according to their works. Those who repent and are baptized in My name will be fully rewarded. If they continue faithful to the end, I’ll hold them guiltless in the presence of My Father when I stand to judge the world. Those who don’t continue faithful to the end, they’re the ones who will also be cut down and thrown into the fire from which they can’t return again because of the Father’s justice. This is the message He’s given to mankind. This is why He acts consistent with the message He’s given; He doesn’t lie but fulfills all His words. No unclean thing can enter His kingdom. Therefore no one enters His rest except those who have washed their clothes in My blood because of their faith, and repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness to the end. Now this is the commandment: Repent, everyone, throughout the earth, and come to Me and be baptized in My name, so you can be sanctified by receiving the Holy Ghost, so you can stand spotless in My presence on the last day. Therefore I tell you: This is My gospel. You know what you must do in My congregation. You must do the works that you’ve seen Me do; because what you’ve seen Me do is precisely what you must also do. Therefore if you do these things, you are blessed, since you’ll be lifted up on the last day.

Write what you’ve seen and heard, but don’t write those things that are forbidden. Write the things the people do in the future, just as what’s happened has been written. Because this people will be judged from the books that have been written and will be written, everyone will learn about their works through them. The Father keeps a record of everything. Therefore the world will be judged from the books that will be written. And you should understand you’ll [Nephite disciples] be judges of this people [Lehi’s descendants and possibly repentant Gentiles], following the judgment I’ll provide to you, which will be just and true. Therefore what type of men should you be? Truly I say to you: Precisely as I Am. Now I will go to the Father. Truthfully I tell you: Anything you ask the Father in My name will be given to you. Therefore ask and you will receive; knock and it will be opened to you. Because those who ask receive; and those who knock, it will be opened to them. Now My joy is great, to the point of being completely filled with joy, because of you and this generation. Now even the Father rejoices, and the holy angels also, because of you and this generation, because none of them are lost. I want to clarify that I mean those of this generation who are currently alive. None of them are lost, and I have a fullness of joy in them. But I feel sadness for the fourth generation from you, because they will be led away captive by the accuser, just as the son of perdition was. They will sell Me for silver and gold and for things that moths destroy and thieves can break in and steal. And I’ll punish them at that time and let the violent experience violence” (CofC 3 Nephi 12:5, 13:1, emphasis added).

Disciples of Jesus are instructed differently from the congregations. With knowledge comes responsibility. As recorded in Luke,

“ . . . For unto whomever much is given, of him shall be much required. And to whom the Lord has committed much, of him men will ask the more . . .” (RE Luke 8:27).

          Before absolving ourselves of responsibility for the Savior’s instructions to His disciples, contemplate why the curtain between the disciples and the congregation is drawn back for us. Are we not being invited by Christ to be His disciples? Will we not be judged according to our knowledge of these things [instructions to both groups] as recorded in this record? Has the Restoration beginning with Joseph Smith and continuing today given us greater light to understand these things? Especially in the context of what has been written and delivered to us today? Are the modern Gentile believers invited to transition spiritually from congregants to disciples? Do these writings clarify the differences between the two?

We are uniquely qualified to understand more of the Savior’s words than any generation in modern times. More scripture is devoted to our day than at any time in modern history. We live in a day when two prophecies of the last days are in process of fulfillment. The first is the prophecy of Joseph of Egypt:

“Therefore your offspring will write, and Judah’s offspring will write. The Lord says: The things your offspring write, and the things Judah’s offspring write, will grow together in order to expose false doctrines, settle disputes, and establish peace among your offspring and bring them, in the last days, to understanding their ancestors and comprehending My covenants. The Lord said: His [Joseph Smith’s] weakness will be made strong. My work will then begin among all My people. I’ll restore you, O house of Israel” (CofC 2 Nephi 2:4, emphasis added).

The writings of Joseph and Judah’s posterity “grow together” after Joseph Smith’s earthly mission but prior to Israel’s gathering. The gathering occurs because the combination of records expose false doctrines, settle disputes, and establish peace among Joseph of Egypt’s offspring. In the last days some will come to understand covenants God made with their ancient father’s and God’s covenants generally with mankind. The restoration of knowledge and weaving together of that knowledge lays the foundation for Israel’s gathering to the Lord and fulfillment of His covenants to Israel in the last days.

          Another prophecy relating to the last days was shown to Nephi by an angel of God. In this prophetic vision, Nephi sees two records combine [records of Joseph and Judah] and a time when Lehi’s descendants, Israel, and the Gentiles are convinced of truth in the Biblical records. The convincing of these categories of people is not brought about by the records of Joseph and Judah alone, but includes “other books” in addition to those records.

“Then I saw my brothers’ descendants [descendants of Laman and Lemuel] and the book of the Lamb of God [Bible], which had come from the Jews, and that it came from the Gentiles to my brothers’ descendants. After it had come to them, I saw other books that came by the Lamb’s power from the Gentiles to them — these convinced the Gentiles and my brothers’ descendants, and also the Jews [Israel] who were scattered throughout the earth, that the records of the prophets and the Lamb’s Twelve witnesses are true. Then the Angel told me: The last records that you’ve seen among the Gentiles will confirm the truth of the first ones — which come from the Lamb’s Twelve witnesses — and will reveal the clear and valuable things which have been removed from them and reveal to all people of every tribe and language that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father and Savior of the world and that all people must come to Him or they cannot be saved. And according to the words of the Lamb they must come to Him. And the Lamb’s words will be revealed in the records of your descendants [Lehi’s descendants] as well as in the records of the Lamb’s Twelve witnesses [New Testament]. So they’ll both be witnesses together, because there’s one God and one Shepherd over the whole earth. At a future time, He’ll reveal Himself to all nations, both to the Jews and to the Gentiles. And after He has revealed Himself to the Jews and to the Gentiles, He’ll then appear to the Gentiles and to the Jews. The last will be first and the first will be last” (CofC 1 Nephi 3:24, emphasis added).

 What Are the “Other Books” in the Last Days?

          The Old and New Testaments were carried to the America’s by Gentiles fleeing religious persecution. Joseph Smith brought to light a portion of the record of Joseph of Egypt’s people as well as two additional groups.

          In the course of restoring knowledge by revelation to Joseph Smith, divine providence brought to light additional scripture, the Doctrine and Covenants with the Lectures on Faith and Pearl of Great Price.

          Because the Book of Mormon revealed many “plain and precious truth’s” were removed from the Bible, Joseph Smith translated the Bible. In that translation and the Book of Mormon many additional truths were restored.

          During the ministry of Joseph Smith many doctrines relating to the beginning of time were revealed. Unfortunately Joseph Smith’s life was taken before his work was complete. His and Hyrum’s martyrdom marked a rejection of Joseph’s teachings regarding the Savior. From that time his teachings have been revised and redacted to the point only a shadow remains. In its wake, the records brought to light by Joseph Smith have undergone changes that diluted and redacted Joseph’s revelations.

          In Nephi’s last days vision, the last sentence of the prior quote records:

“. . . At a future time, He’ll reveal Himself to all nations, both to the Jews and to the Gentiles. And after He has revealed Himself to the Jews and to the Gentiles, He’ll then appear to the Gentiles and to the Jews. The last will be first and the first will be last.” (Ibid)    

Joseph Smith’s ministry began the process of the Lord revealing Himself to the Gentiles in the latter-days. What began with Joseph Smith was cut short before it was completed. According to the prophecy of Joseph of Egypt, Joseph Smith’s earthly ministry would begin in weakness but made strong prior to Israel’s gathering.

“ . . . The Lord said: His [Joseph Smith] weakness will be made strong. My work will then [when Joseph Smith is made strong] begin among all My people. I’ll restore you, O house of Israel” (CofC 2 Nephi 2:4, emphasis added).

When would Joseph Smith’s weakness be made strong? When the Lord’s work begins among “All My people.” When Israel is restored in the last days.

          The first [Israel] shall be last and the last [Gentiles] shall be first prophecy began with Moses, ended when John the Baptist rested the kingdom from the Jews and delivered it to Jesus.[3] Following the crucifixion of Jesus and the Jews rejection of Him as Christ, the offer of covenant withdrew from Israel and was taken to the Gentiles.[4]

          In the last days, the kingdom delivered to the Gentiles by Joseph Smith is “wrested” from the Gentile believers in the same manner it was removed from the Jews. As Jesus closed the Lord’s offer of covenant to the Jews, so will the offer of covenant be lost to all but a few true believers among the Gentiles. Those believers accept a messenger sent by Christ to reveal His words[5], first to the Gentiles and then to Israel. Thereafter, only those who repent and return to Christ through the work of His servants stand when God’s wrath is poured out upon the wicked and unrepentant.

          What began with Joseph Smith resumes through the efforts of a latter-day spokesman the Lord provides for Joseph. Through the spokesman, the teachings of Joseph Smith are restored and reaffirmed.

“The Lord also told me: I’ll give your [Joseph of Egypt’s] descendants also a prophet [Joseph Smith] and make a spokesman [last days servant] for him. I’ll inspire the one [Joseph Smith, the prophet] to write the record of your descendants to bless your offspring. And that spokesman [spokesman for Joseph Smith, last days servant] will declare that record [when Joseph Smith is made strong and Israel is gathered]. The words he’ll [Joseph Smith] write will be the words that, in My wisdom, I consider important for your [Joseph of Egypt’s] offspring to read. It will be as if your descendants called out to them from the dust, because I know their faith. They’ll call out the need for repentance from the dust for their brothers and sisters many generations after they’ve died. Their words will go forth in a way that is a direct, clear message [Covenant of Christ]. Because of their [those in the dust] faith, their words will go from Me to their brothers and sisters who are your offspring. I’ll make the simplicity of their words result in strong faith as they learn about the covenant I made with your fathers” (CofC 2 Nephi 2:6, emphasis added).

The words Joseph Smith wrote in weakness are made strong when the “spokesman” from the loins of Joseph of Egypt declares them. Lehi declares to his son, Joseph the spokesman will be among his people in the last days.

“Now, my son Joseph, this is how my forefather prophesied. Therefore you are blessed because of this covenant, since your descendants won’t be destroyed, because they’ll listen to the words of the book. And one powerful among them will rise up and do much good in what he says and does, acting as an instrument in God’s hands with great faith to accomplish wonderful results in God’s sight, to bring a significant restoration for the house of Israel including your brothers’ descendants . . .” (CofC 2 Nephi 2:7). 

In addition to declaring what Joseph Smith wrote, the “spokesman” for Joseph Smith strengthens the teachings of Joseph Smith by completing what Joseph Smith began. The servant of God resumes what Joseph Smith began by expounding the teachings of Joseph Smith. The “spokesman” restores what has been altered by those claiming to bear Joseph’s authority by adding to the library of “other books,” expounding on Joseph Smith’s revelations and bringing new revelation to light.

          Under the Lord’s direction, ten talks were given throughout the Mormon corridor explaining doctrines introduced by Joseph Smith but lost through mists of darkness generated by unauthorized and uninspired commentators claiming to honor Joseph Smith’s legacy. The depth of content in these talks transcend anything spoken of since Joseph Smith was taken from this earth.

          The Joseph Smith Translation was restored to its rightful place in the canon of scripture. Lectures on Faith was returned to the Doctrine & Covenants to fulfill the role of expounding doctrines associated with Joseph Smith’s revelations.

          Under the inspiration and providence of the Almighty, several groups of volunteers, initially unknown to one another, began a volunteer effort to return the Restoration scriptures to the original text from Joseph Smith’s hand. Upon completion of their efforts the Restoration Edition was completed. The contemporary version of the scriptures contain the Old Covenants [Inspired version Old Testament and the record of Moses from the Pearl of Great Price], Inspired version New Covenants [New Testament], joined with the Book of Mormon. Teachings & Commandments [Lectures on Faith and the Doctrine & Covenants with redactions of revelations added by others than Joseph Smith. Also, revelations given to the “spokesman” by the Lord. This record contains the Book of Abraham from the Pearl of Great Price, the Testimony of Saint John [chapters from John the Beloved’s record promised by the Lord to Joseph Smith, D&C 93:18]. The servant has been faithful and the Lord kept His promise.] These books were presented to the Lord and accepted by Him through an answer to prayer with their acknowledged imperfections.[6]

          In addition to the “other books” the spokesman has authored a substantial library of books testifying of Christ and inviting all to come unto Him and become living witnesses of His life and resurrection. Included in these writings are personal testimonies to all mankind the Savior is available to all and no one is turned away.

          A book that should be of great interest to modern Gentiles is the Covenant of Christ. At the Lord’s direction, the Book of Mormon has been introduced in modern English so contemporary Gentiles have greater interpretive clarity. With that clarity comes greater responsibility. The Covenant of Christ is a prophetic milestone in that it removes any excuse for ignoring difficult content in the original Book of Mormon. Like the Restoration Edition of the scriptures, the Covenant of Christ was presented to the Lord and accepted by revelation from Him. Unexpectedly, the Lord gave a new name to those accepting this modern English version of the Book of Mormon.[7] Going forward the Lord gave them the name of “Covenant Christians.” With this covenant status extending protection from the Lord is a warning He intends to correct His covenant people when they err. Up until this time the Lord has taught us with precepts. Going forward He intends to chasten us through “sad experiences” when we stray from His directions. As previously stated, where much is given, much is required.

          The “other books” the Lord has given us thus far enable those who feast upon the words of Christ to sift meaning from Restored pages of the Lord’s latter-day work. With the assistance of these revelations we can more fully understand the trove of knowledge the Lord has revealed in preparation for Israel’s gathering.

[1] “And he went forward a little and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto you; take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done. And he comes and finds them sleeping, and says unto Peter, Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. And they said unto him, The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak” (RE Mark 7:11, emphasis added).

[2] “That which is of God is light, and he that receives light and continues in God receives more light, and that light grows brighter and brighter until the perfect day . . . And I am the good shepherd, and the day comes that you shall hear my voice, and see me, and know that I am. Watch, therefore, that you may be ready. Even so, Amen” (RE T&C 36:4 & 8, emphasis added).

“And again, truly I say unto you that it is your privilege, and a promise I give unto you that have been ordained unto the ministry, that inasmuch as you strip yourselves from jealousies and fears, and humble yourselves before me, for you are not sufficiently humble, the veil shall be rent and you shall see me and know that I Am, not with the carnal, neither natural mind, but with the spiritual. . . .” (RE T&C 56:3, emphasis added).

“Truly thus says the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who forsakes their sins, and comes unto me, and calls on my name, and obeys my voice, and keeps all my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am . . .” (RE T&C 93:1, emphasis added).

[3] “Therefore, he took Moses out of their midst, and the Holy Priesthood also. And the lesser priesthood continued, which priesthood holds the key of the ministering of angels, and the preparatory gospel, which gospel is the gospel of repentance, and of baptism, and the remission of sins, and the law of carnal commandments, which the Lord in his wrath caused to continue with the house of Aaron, among the children of Israel, until John [the Baptist], whom God raised up, being filled with the holy ghost from his mother’s womb. For he was baptized while he was yet in his childhood, and was ordained by the angel of God at the time he was eight days old unto this power: to overthrow the kingdom of the Jews, and to make straight the way of the Lord before the face of his people, to prepare them for the coming of the Lord, in whose hand is given all power” (RE T&C 82:14, emphasis added).

[4] “Christ, in the days of His flesh, proposed to make a covenant with them [Judah], but they rejected Him and His proposals, and in consequence thereof, they were broken off, and no covenant was made with them at that time. But their unbelief has not rendered the promise of God of none effect: no, for there was another day limited in David, which was the day of His power; and then His people, Israel, should be a willing people;—and He would write His law in their hearts, and print it in their thoughts; their sins and their iniquities He would remember no more” (Smith Jr., Joseph. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith (p. 13, emphasis added). Deseret Book Company. Kindle Edition.

[5] “Then the lord of the vineyard sent his servant [singular], and the servant went and did as the lord had commanded him and brought a few other servants. And the lord of the vineyard told them: Get started and work hard in the vineyard. This is the last time I’ll tend my vineyard — the end is near and the harvest is coming quickly. If you work hard with me, you’ll have joy in the fruit that I’ll harvest for myself at the end of the growing season.

Then the servants went ahead and worked hard, and the lord of the vineyard also worked with them. And they [servants] obeyed the lord of the vineyard’s direction in all things. And original fruit again grew in the vineyard, and the original branches began to grow and produce abundantly, and the wild branches began to be cut off and thrown away. And they [servants] kept the root and the top equal based on their strength. This is how they worked with all diligence according to the lord of the vineyard’s commandments, until the bad had been thrown out of the vineyard and the lord had saved the good for himself, so the trees had again produced the original fruit. And they became like one body [Israel gathers]  and the fruit was equally good; and the lord of the vineyard had saved the original fruit for himself, which was most valuable to him from the beginning(CofC Jacob 3:26-27, emphasis added).

[6] “Therefore, in answer to your petition:

The records you have gathered as scriptures yet lack many of my words, have errors throughout, and contain things that are not of me, because the records you used in your labors have not been maintained nor guarded against the cunning plans of false brethren who have been deceived by Satan.

The records of the Old Covenants, given from Adam until Moses and from Moses to my forerunner John, were written in holiness and contained light and truth, but the records you have received have not transmitted that which was first written in holiness, nor are they as many as the records on the plates of brass; and the plates of brass also do not contain all my words. Nevertheless, the records in the form you have of the Old Covenants, given from Adam until Moses and from Moses to John, are of great worth and can serve my purposes, and are acceptable for this time.

The records of my apostles containing my New Covenants were to contain the fullness of my gospel, but during the formation of the great and abominable church, many parts were discarded and other parts were altered. False brethren who did not fear me intended to corrupt and to pervert the right way, to blind the eyes and harden the hearts of others, in order to obtain power and authority over them.

Conspiracies have corrupted the records, beginning among the Jews, and again following the time of my apostles, and yet again following the time of Joseph and Hyrum. As you have labored with the records you have witnessed the alterations and insertions, and your effort to recover them pleases me and is of great worth. You may remove the brackets from your record, as I accept your clarifications, and you are permitted to proceed to the end with your plan to update language to select a current vocabulary, but take care not to change meaning — and if you cannot resolve the meaning, either petition me again or retain the former words. Nevertheless, you labor with an incomplete text.

I desire to heal you from an awful state of blindness so that you may see clearly my will, to do it. I promised to bring unto you much of my gospel through the Book of Mormon and to provide you with the means to obtain a fullness of my gospel, and I have done this; yet you refuse to receive the truth, even when it is given unto you in plainness. How can you who pursue the truth yet remain unable to behold your own weakness before me . . .  The Book of Mormon is to convince the gentiles, and a remnant of Lehi, and the Jews, of the truth of the words of my ancient prophets and apostles, with all the records agreeing that I am the Lamb of God, the Son of the Father, and I was sent into the world to do the will of the Father, and I am the Savior of the world. All must come unto me or they cannot be saved. And how do men come unto me? It is by faith, repentance, and baptism, which bring the holy ghost, to then show you all things you must know. If the gentiles, unto whom the Book of Mormon was given, had hearkened unto the holy ghost, they would have come unto me in Hyrum and Joseph’s day. But they did not hearken, and would not allow me to abide with them in word, and in power, and in very deed . . . I, the Lord, say to you, with these additions, what you have gathered as scriptures are acceptable to me for this time and contain many plain and precious things. Nevertheless, whoso is enlightened by the spirit shall obtain the greater benefit, because you need not think they contain all my words nor that more will not be given, for there are many things yet to be restored unto my people. It is ordained that some things are only to be given to people who are mine and cannot otherwise be given to mankind on earth. You do not yet understand the glory to be revealed unto my covenant people.

And now I will accept what you have produced and you need not labor further to recover my words, but to complete your labors as you have agreed. You have inquired about the details, including punctuation, and what I say unto one I say unto all: I have given to you my doctrine, and have also revealed teachings, commandments, precepts, and principles to guide you, and it is not meet that I command you in all things — reason together and apply what I have given you, and it will be enough

. . .” (RE T&C 157:11-16, 21-22, 44-45, emphasis added).

[7] “After learning that the Lord intends to accomplish His work through our group, or at least a remnant that includes some from our group, I was then told that the Lord has given us a name. When the Lord names His people He then commits to work with them, for there is no reason for Him to name what He intends to abandon. Even if the people reject Him, for at least three and four generations the Lord will reach out to recover them. Only when they have altogether gone too far astray will He then end His work with the people He has named, to choose and work with another people. Therefore, the fact He has now named us holds great significance. This is what the Lord has declared: This is what you shall say to the people: “I give to you a name to distinguish you from others, and you shall call one another by this name: ‘Covenant Christians’ because you have and hold a covenant with me that make you my followers deserving of my protection. But my protection does not only defend, but also corrects, reproves, disciplines and guides you along that you may be mine indeed” (God’s Covenant People, Denver Snuffer Jr., p.28, emphasis added).

Scott Roderick

6/28/25

Do As You Have Seen Me Do.pdf

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