Visions of North, South, East and West

At the temple plot in Independence, Missouri, Jesus Christ teaches Lynn Ridenhour metaphorical spiritual symbols of the South, North, East and West; says, 'Go West.'

Introduction | Vision

Introduction

By way of introduction I thought I would give a brief bio. I'm a teacher/minister by vocation; have taught in local colleges in the Kansas City metro area, am married, have one beautiful daughter, and enjoy church history for a hobby. I live in the Independence area and have a love for the restoration history that surrounds this place. I am greatly intrigued by the theme restoring the ancient church. I enjoy the gnostic elements of the gospel as well as the Jewish kaballa. The Jewishness of the Book of Mormon interests me. My favorite time period is 1820 to 1844, Joseph's life time. I have a great love for Joseph Smith.

I'm sympathetic with most restoration groups though a member of none. I have nothing against the LDS, RLDS or the Strangites, or any other group that manifests itself around Independence. I believe in keeping the majority of my theology proactive. A small group of us Book of Mormon believers meet occasionally in a rather informal setting here in Independence. Our style of worship is similar to the charismatic worship service. We allow the gifts of the spirit to function, we sing and worship, prophesy, sing and speak in tongues and believe that all God's children can be prophets. Periodic manifested healings are part of our worship. Our theme is unity of the body of Christ.

To better get to know me I include a special moment I had one evening a few years ago while visiting the temple lot in Independence. I look forward to getting acquainted with you as well.

Lynn Ridenhour

Visions of North, South, East, and West
On April 19th, 1994 9 p.m.

The Lord Manifests

On a beautiful starlit night it happened. I was majestically visited by the Lord like never before while standing on the temple site in Independence, Missouri. It had been awhile since I had visited the site. About a year. I just wanted to be there, so I drove our Pickup truck to the site, got out and started walking. The time was 9 o'clock p.m. and I was alone. Actually I wasn't expecting much when I got out of the truck. I hadn't prayed or fasted in preparation for a spiritual encounter.

But as I began walking on that beautiful grass, feeling the breezes, I couldn't resist. I asked the Lord to speak to me. After all, this was the very sight God told Joseph Smith on August 8th., 1831, where to build his temple. All of a sudden the Lord began talking to me as plain as day. As clear as he had ever spoken. I began having the most "other world" visit with God I think I've ever had. It was as though the whole atmosphere were charged with his presence. It was like this world no longer existed. I was in his. Or he came to mine and took me to his. The presence was incredible. And it lasted for some time. I'll never forget what transpired that evening.

Sequence after sequence so clear began to unfold. First, the walking up to that sacred spot and asking the Lord to speak. Then taking a few minutes to catch my "spiritual breath." Just looking around, being at peace with my surroundings. It was such a clear, starlit night and the temperature was quite comfortable, breezes were blowing in the background. I stood there and looked in all directions. And I could almost "see Joseph Smith" standing there, tall, erect, speaking to his crowd of people with dignity and power.

South

Then the Lord began to speak. Or perhaps I should say the Lord and I then entered into a conversational exchange that lasted for some time, much like two old friends who hadn't seen one another in a long time. It was as though we had a lot of catching up to do. I was looking for the actual marker, the cornerstone that Joseph had placed in the ground, but the Hedrekites (the group who had possession of the lot) had covered it up. I couldn't find it. Then the Lord took me right to the spot. He then asked me to sit down and face the South, of all things. When I sat on the grass I was looking at the RLDS auditorium. I told the Lord, "south in the scriptures means a backslidden state." He agreed and then said such a wonderful thing. "Your heart is backslidden" but there was no rebuke! No pointing a finger at my spiritual state, just love and understanding. I was moved to tears by that.

I was sitting on the grass looking south at the RLDS auditorium and the Mormon Visitors Center when the Lord continued his conversation. "The RLDS auditorium was built," he said, "upon men's carnal desires, and the Mormons' hearts were right without the Spirit." That really hit me. Of course! The RLDS movement has for the most part been built upon the leadership's carnal desires of wanting to be the successor movement of Joseph Smith. And the Mormons have tried their best to follow God void of the Spirit. It's almost a paradox. One group wants to be right but aren't and the other thinks they are but aren't.

North

Then the Lord said "turn to the north." I'm still sitting on the grass where Joseph placed the marker. I turned and looked at the Hedrekite Church building. I asked the Lord "what about them?" He said "wicked spirits fighting for the truth." He said no more. I understood. He wasn't calling the Hedrekites wicked. He was referring to the wicked spirits, especially religious spirits, that at times motivate us to become defenders of truth. They disguise themselves. North in the scripture stands for evil and wickedness. It did make sense; the Hedrekites, like other sects, down through the years have been fighting for the truth, thinking they're preserving it. It's those religious wicked spirits at work. I commented, "Lord you don't fight for truth, you proclaim truth, don't you?" He agreed.

There's a scriptural principle here. People respond when truth is proclaimed in love. We're required to hold to it lightly and to be willing to give it away, not to own it. We don't have to protect truth or try our best to preserve it. Truth doesn't belong to us anyway. It belongs to Him. That's not what it means to contend for the faith. We're to share the truth in love and let God do the rest. Religious spirits protect, preserve, and are contentious. They're territorial.

East

Now I turned to the East and looked at the RLDS temple. "Man's monument, " the Lord said. A movement birthed and built primarily out of carnal desires will sooner or later build itself a monument, and they have. That's what the RLDS temple is, man's monument to carnal desires.

West

The Lord told me to face the West. What came next was truly enlightening, in more ways than one. I'm still sitting where Joseph placed the marker for the temple. I turned and noticed, west was the only direction man hasn't built! And it dawned on me, west is the direction the Lord always travels. Christianity has always been a westward movement. From the day of Christ's birth (wise men followed the star out of the east traveling west) to Joseph Smith's taking his movement westward, the Lord's direction has always been west.

Again, as I sat on the temple lot grass I noticed man's monuments to the south, north, and to the east. No one was going west with the Lord! At that moment I had a revelation. I looked west and saw contemporary Kansas City as it is. I saw head lights traveling to and fro in the night. I saw busy cars going everywhere. I saw life as it is in 1994 in the Center Place. "There's my ministry! There's my direction." The words almost shot out of my mouth. All these other groups were headed in their own directions, each with their own agendas, trying to preserve this or that.

As I watched life and cars ago by that evening in 1994 I said, "Lord, what shall I do?" He responded, "I will guide you one step at a time." That was it, no grand plan, no mapped-out agenda, just one step at a time. I wanted more, of course. At that moment the Lord asked me a question, "feel the wind on your neck and back?" I could feel it. It was blowing on the back of my neck. "That's like my Spirit," he said, "always behind you, always nudging you forward."

The wind was blowing from east to west. And it was blowing on me. I now knew the direction I had to take, I would head in the direction these other groups were not. I would head west. The Lord now says "Look up and count the stars." There were exactly ten. "That's my government." And at that moment I knew, I just sensed it, I had his blessing to go the spiritual direction I was going. "I'm going west, Lord," I remarked, and got up. I knew I couldn't look back, couldn't look back through restoration history to guide me. No answers there. No matter what these groups had done in the past, former accomplishments and glory wouldn't help. I was to follow the Lord one step at a time. It's the '90s.

The Lord then told me to get up. I started walking toward the west side of the Temple site. The thought occurred to me as I was walking, "I have always had just a tinge of doubt that the Lord visited this continent." And it bothered me to no end that I doubted such a thing. The Lord stopped me and said, "From now on you will never doubt that my son visited America. Take off your shoes. This is the very spot he stood on." That shook me, and was overwhelmed with emotion. I took off my shoes and immediately was taken back in time. I saw the Lord. It was more than a vision. I saw him standing in a white robe, standing exactly where I was standing, addressing hundreds of ancient Americans. What I saw literally took my breath away.

I could sense my visitation with the Lord was winding down, coming to an end. I knew now that I had been standing on holy ground. I stood there for a moment in his presence, put on my shoes, then went home. As I was driving home I had plenty to reflect upon for not expecting much to happen. That evening on April 19th., 1994, at 9 pm, I had been with God. _______

Footnote:

We must be very watchful when we share with one another our "holy moments." First, the benefit of such moments was meant for us and not others. Others may not be moved at all. The sacred moment was not meant for them, it was meant for us. Second, because our friends may not be moved, they may have the tendency to disregard the testimony, having no "witness of it." Third, because the experience was holy, we may have the tendency to be lifted up, thinking we're perhaps privileged. Both attitudes must be guarded against: the experience didn't move me, and thank you, Lord, for such an experience. I must not be as other men. Deliver us, Lord, from both attitudes.