WAKING UP ZION 2 – Gentle Steps to the Fire -------- THE BOOK
📚 WAKING UP ZION: VOLUME TWO – Gentle Steps to the Fire
The Still Small Voice Before the Roar
🕊️ INTRODUCTION: For Those Just Starting to Wake Up
This one’s for the quiet ones.
For those who still love the Church… but something’s stirring inside.
For those who’ve stayed loyal… but feel a little lost.
For those who’ve done everything “right”… but still feel something’s missing.
I’m not here to tell you what to think.
I’m just here to tell you what happened to me.
Years ago, the Lord started whispering to my heart.
Not all at once. Not through a lightning bolt or angel choir.
But gently.
Firmly.
Beautifully.
I didn’t leave the Church in a blaze of anger.
I didn’t wake up one morning and renounce everything I believed.
I just started noticing things.
Little things.
Like the difference between hearing a prophet…
And hearing the Lord Himself.
Like how the Book of Mormon talks about coming unto Christ—not an organization.
Like how the Spirit kept asking questions that the Church couldn’t answer.
This book isn’t about bashing.
It’s about seeking.
It’s for those who are just beginning to wonder:
Is there more?
I believe there is.
Not somewhere out there in a new group or movement.
But right here—inside you.
The voice of the Lord is already calling.
And He’s not asking you to follow a program.
He’s asking you to follow Him.
💛 A Gentle Invitation
This book is a bridge—not a battering ram.
It doesn’t come with accusations.
Just quiet truth.
And honest stories.
And scriptures that may have always been there… but suddenly feel brand new.
You don’t have to be angry to start waking up.
You just have to be willing to feel the Spirit again.
Raw. Real. Direct.
So if you’re still holding on…
Still going to church…
Still doing your best…
But quietly wondering...
Where is the fire?
Where is the fruit?
Where is the Lord?
Then maybe, just maybe… this book is for you.
Let’s take these steps together—gently, prayerfully, and with love.
The roar will come.
But first, the whisper.
🕊️ Chapter 1: Waking Up With the Nemenhah
This one’s personal.
Maybe more than most.
I’ve told bits and pieces in other posts, but I wanted to lay it out plain.
This is how the Lord started waking me up — not all at once,
but over time.
Gently. Firmly. Beautifully.
💔 When They Took My Recommend
Years ago, when my first marriage ended,
I found myself in the stake president’s office.
I wasn’t perfect — none of us are —
but he told me something that hurt deeper than I expected:
“If she wants out, it must mean you do too.”
Then he took my temple recommend.
At the time, I thought the temple was the only place you could truly feel the Savior.
So that hit hard.
But the Lord had other plans.
Through a strange turn of events — what looked like a lost shipment —
I found myself inside the temple again.
No recommend. Just His mercy.
And I felt Him.
Arms around me.
Presence.
Peace.
That moment cracked something open.
📖 Are These Records for Real?
Later, I started hearing about these “Nemenhah Records.”
People were talking about them online.
Ancient writings.
Prophets from the Americas.
Voices preserved by Native stewards.
I was skeptical at first.
A lot of it sounded too “out there.”
Too mystical. Too much.
But I kept reading.
And something stirred.
It wasn’t just the stories —
it was the Spirit behind them.
It matched the same voice I’d felt
when the Lord comforted me in that temple —
and again in my room
when I was on my knees, broken and unsure.
🌀 The Same Voice
It didn’t contradict the Book of Mormon.
In fact, it fulfilled it in ways I’d never seen before.
It felt like a missing piece.
A long-lost journal from brothers and sisters
who had walked the same path I was trying to walk.
They talked of Zion.
Of Christ.
Of visions.
Of repentance.
Of the Holy Ghost.
Of gathering in small flocks.
Of leaving Babylon without bitterness.
Of hearing His voice for yourself.
And they didn’t yell it.
They spoke it like a song.
Like family would.
🌱 Something Began to Grow
I wasn’t planning on waking up.
I was planning on surviving.
But the Lord had other plans.
He had something better in mind than just surviving Church life.
He was calling me into life itself.
The Nemenhah weren’t the only part.
But they were part of the spark.
And maybe they will be for you too.
🔥 Chapter 2: When the Spirit Speaks Louder Than the Prophet
I didn’t want to question anything.
For most of my life, I followed the pattern I was given:
Go to church.
Pay your tithing.
Do your home teaching (or ministering now).
Listen to conference.
Trust the prophet.
It felt safe.
It felt orderly.
It felt... holy.
But something started to shift.
👂 The Spirit Doesn’t Echo Everything
There were talks that left me cold,
while scriptures lit me on fire.
There were meetings where I felt pressure,
but then prayers where I felt peace.
There were “prophetic” instructions I followed…
that led me to confusion and burnout.
But then there were promptings from the Lord
that brought me healing, clarity, and joy.
It made me stop and ask:
What voice am I really following?
📜 “Follow the Prophet” — Or Follow the Lord?
I remember when I first realized that “Follow the Prophet”
had quietly replaced “Come unto Christ.”
And here’s the strange thing:
The more I truly followed the Spirit,
the more I started feeling distant from the system.
Not angry.
Just… different.
Like I was no longer marching in step with the brass band.
🌬️ The Gentle Voice Inside
I started having dreams.
Revelations.
Scripture started opening in new ways.
I began to feel the Lord’s presence in quiet places,
away from the crowds.
He told me to love deeper.
To speak softer.
To stop chasing performance.
To trust Him.
✝️ The Answer Came Softly
The Savior never said, “Follow my prophet.”
He said:
“Come, follow me.”
– Matthew 4:19
“My sheep hear my voice.”
– John 10:27
📖 Chapter 3: The Doctrine of Christ Is Enough
For most of my life,
I thought the gospel was a big system.
A spiritual to-do list.
A never-ending checklist.
But I started to wonder...
What if He’s not at the top of the ladder?
What if He’s at the bottom—waiting for me to get off it?
(🔽 Continued next message—breaking it up so it stays copy/paste friendly)
Here’s the continuation of Waking Up Zion: Volume Two – Gentle Steps to the Fire from Chapter 3 onward:
🕊️ Enter: 2 Nephi 31
“This is the doctrine of Christ…”
– 2 Nephi 31:21
And what came next was shockingly simple:
Faith in Jesus Christ
Repentance
Baptism
Receive the Holy Ghost
Endure in that
No mention of programs or handbooks.
Just Him.
🔥 Chapter 4: 2 Nephi’s Guide to Walking with Christ
Nephi’s final words were about Christ.
Not church. Not keys. Not titles.
Just Jesus.
🧭 The Map Nephi Gave:
Believe in Christ
Repent
Be baptized
Receive the Holy Ghost
Speak with the tongue of angels
Endure in Christ
Receive eternal life
🔥 Speak With the Tongue of Angels?
Nephi says if you follow this path,
you’ll speak with power.
You’ll receive revelation.
You’ll walk in His rest.
It’s not about enduring systems.
It’s about feasting on His word and enduring in the Spirit.
🔥 Chapter 5: The Baptism of Fire Is Real
“Then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.”
– 2 Nephi 31:17
It’s not a symbol.
It’s a spiritual explosion.
The fire is when your heart changes.
You crave righteousness.
You weep for joy.
You feel clean in a way no ordinance ever made you feel before.
And yes…
You can ask for it.
And yes…
It’s real.
💞 Chapter 6: Still Loving Those in the Church
As your eyes open,
so does your heartache.
Because your loved ones may not see it yet.
But you once didn’t see it either.
So we lead with love, not lectures.
If they ever start to stir…
they’ll remember your kindness, not your argument.
And if you're still attending with someone you love,
let that love speak louder than words.
👂 Chapter 7: The Voice of the Lord Is Enough
“My sheep hear my voice…”
– John 10:27
The Spirit speaks.
To you.
For you.
No middleman required.
No title needed.
Once you hear Him…
you’ll never again settle for anything less.
🛖 Chapter 8: A Temple Without a Roof
The temple is sacred.
It’s still beautiful.
I still go.
Especially with my dear wife.
But something shifted in me.
I realized that the presence of God
wasn’t limited to a building.
I began to meet Him in the desert.
On the floor of my living room.
Under the stars.
Because the true temple is your heart.
The veil isn't hanging from a ceiling.
It's lifted when your soul is clean and your spirit is open.
👩👧 Chapter 9: The Women of Zion — With Power and Purpose
Zion can’t rise without her daughters.
The Savior walked side by side with women.
He didn’t silence them. He trusted them.
Some ancient voices have said:
“When my daughters are reduced to servitude… then shall the time be ripe.”
And haven’t we seen it?
Now, the Lord is calling His daughters forward again.
With wisdom. With fire. With healing.
And the men of Zion?
We’re not above. We’re beside.
✝️ Chapter 10: Come Unto Christ — The Invitation Still Stands
This is it.
This is the whole point of waking up.
Not to rebel.
Not to break away.
But to return to Him.
The Church may shift.
Prophets may fall short.
Programs may fade.
But the Savior’s voice?
It still calls.
It still heals.
It still says: Come unto me.
You don’t need a certificate.
You don’t need a quorum.
You don’t need a stamped approval.
Just…
Come.
🙏 Final Testimony: I Know His Voice
“This Path Has Cost Me — But He’s Worth It”
I never set out to write books like this.
I wasn’t trying to cause a stir or change anyone’s mind.
I just wanted to find the Savior again —
not through systems, but through Spirit.
And somewhere along the way… I found Him.
Or maybe… He found me.
He met me in the desert.
In my pain.
In my repentance.
In my silence.
And He spoke.
Not through a bishop.
Not through a conference.
But to me.
I still love the Church.
I still love the people.
And I still sit on a pew next to someone I love very much.
But I’ve come to know this:
Jesus Christ is enough.
He speaks.
He sanctifies.
He leads.
And He lives.
I’ve felt His fire.
I’ve wept in His light.
I’ve seen Him restore what I thought was lost forever.
And now I walk with Him —
outside the system,
but never outside His grace.
If you’re reading this…
and something inside you has stirred…
Follow it.
Not me.
Not a movement.
Follow Him.
He is still calling.
And His invitation still stands.
📜 Appendix: Scriptures for the Awakening Soul
These are the verses that opened the door and kept me walking.
🔥 The Doctrine of Christ
2 Nephi 31–32 – Faith, repentance, baptism, Holy Ghost, endure.
Alma 7:14–16 – Come into the fold through repentance and baptism.
🕊️ Hearing His Voice
John 10:27 – “My sheep hear my voice…”
D&C 88:63 – “Draw near unto me, and I will draw near unto you.”
3 Nephi 11:5–7 – The multitude hears the voice, one by one.
🔥 Baptism of Fire
2 Nephi 31:17 – Remission of sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.
3 Nephi 9:20 – Offer a broken heart and contrite spirit; the Lord will baptize with fire.
🛖 You Are the Temple
1 Corinthians 3:16 – You are the temple of God.
Acts 7:48 – God doesn’t dwell in temples made with hands.
Alma 34:36 – The Lord dwells in righteous hearts.
👩👧 Women in Zion
Proverbs 31 – A woman of strength and wisdom.
Luke 10:38–42 – Mary sat at Jesus’ feet to learn, and He honored her choice.
Isaiah 61 – He will give beauty for ashes, and women will be rebuilders of desolation.
📖 Additional Witnesses from the Nemenhah Records
For Those Who Feel the Spirit and Want to Go Deeper
These sacred writings were preserved for this generation.
They don’t ask for loyalty — just honesty.
And they carry the same Spirit that burns in the Book of Mormon.
🔥 The Baptism of Fire
“It is not enough to be immersed in water. The Peacemaker shall immerse you in fire and Spirit also. And this is the true cleansing.”
– Shi-Tugohah, ch. 4
“They were sanctified by the fire of the Holy Ghost, and they stood before the Lord in their weakness and were made strong.”
– Tsi Muhayl II, ch. 5
🕊️ Hearing His Voice
“The Word of the Lord shall come upon you, not through a man, but through His Spirit. And you shall know it, for it shall be as a song in your heart.”
– T’zi Shohnnyaw, ch. 14
“He speaks to all His children, if they will but still themselves and listen.”
– Hahgohtl, ch. 3
👩👧 Daughters of Zion
“When my daughters are reduced to servitude… then shall the time be ripe. But I shall raise them again, and their voice shall be heard in the councils of Zion.”
– Tsi Muhayl II, ch. 8
“The Mothers of the People stood in the circle, and the voice of the Lord did fall upon them. And they governed the gathering in love and righteousness.”
– Tsihmlayi, ch. 3
🛖 Zion Without Walls
“The place where He dwells is not built of stone, nor does it carry the mark of men. It is built of peace, of charity, of oneness, and of light.”
– Mohrhohnahyah, ch. 4
“They built no great temples, for the Lord came unto them without it. And their gatherings were sanctified by the Spirit and by love.”
– Tsihohnayah Ahkehkthihm, ch. 13
✝️ Coming Unto Christ Personally
“He shall come to you as He came to me — in brightness and in gentleness, not because I was chosen by men, but because my heart was broken and my spirit was made low.”
– Enohem, ch. 5
“Seek not the approval of men, but walk with the Peacemaker in all things. For He alone shall be your Teacher.”
– Ohuhgohuh, ch. 7
Comments