🌄 🌊 New Witnesses Rising — Day 5 📖 The Aklatan (Philippine Plates)
🌊 New Witnesses Rising — Day 5
👉 From the very beginning, Joseph taught that “one of the grand fundamental principles of Mormonism is to receive truth, let it come from whence it may.” (TPJS 313). The Articles of Faith declare the same: “if there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report, we seek after these things” (AoF 13). That means when new light appears, our job isn’t to fear it—but to test it by the Spirit. The Holy Ghost will confirm if it comes from the Lord, and that is the only test that matters.
📖 The Aklatan (Philippine Plates)
So far in this series, we’ve looked at Melchizedek’s covenant, heard the menorah light of our Ancient Grandmothers, and walked with Moses into the higher law of Jeshurun.
Today, we travel far from Jerusalem — across the ocean, to the islands of the sea.
🌴 What Is the Aklatan?
The word Aklatan means “The Book” in Tagalog. It comes from records said to be engraved on copper plates in the Philippines, translated in the early 2000s by a man named Timothy (Timothy of the Remnant).
The book itself is made up of several smaller records, written by prophets of the remnant in the islands. It tells their story of migration, covenant, wars, and the appearance of Christ among them.
✨ A Taste of What’s Inside
1. Other Sheep of the Fold
The Aklatan directly claims to be part of Christ’s visit to “other sheep” beyond the Nephites and Jerusalem:
“And the Lord came unto us also, for He said, ‘Other sheep I have which are not of this fold. Them also must I bring, and they shall hear my voice.’”
That connects directly to Christ’s words in the Book of Mormon:
“And verily, verily, I say unto you that I have other sheep, which are not of this land, neither of the land of Jerusalem, neither in any parts of that land round about whither I have been to minister.”
— 3 Nephi 16:1
📌 The Philippines is literally the “isles of the sea” spoken of by Nephi (2 Nephi 29:7).
2. Prophecy of a Rising Remnant
The record speaks of the remnant in the islands rising in the last days to fulfill their covenant:
“And the seed of the righteous shall rise again, though they be scattered upon the seas, and the Lord shall remember them, and gather them in His day.”
This mirrors Isaiah’s prophecy:
“He shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.”
— Isaiah 11:12
And the Nemenhah say the same:
“He shall gather His people also from the isles of the sea, and from the east lands, and they shall be one with us in Zion.”
3. Christ Appears in the Islands
The most stirring part of the Aklatan is its claim that Christ Himself ministered in the Philippines after His resurrection:
“And He stood upon the mount, and His countenance was as the sun, and the people fell at His feet. And He said, ‘Be one fold and one shepherd, even as the Father and I are one.’”
Compare that with the Nephite account:
“And it came to pass that Jesus spake unto them, and commanded them that they should be one; and that there should be no disputations among them.”
— 3 Nephi 11:28
📌 Two separate lands, one Shepherd, the same message.
🌎 Why This Matters Now
The Book of Mormon itself prophesied that God would speak to “all nations of the earth” and that their records would come forth in the last days (2 Nephi 29).
The Aklatan is one of those witnesses. It broadens the stage. Zion isn’t just America and Jerusalem. It’s the islands. It’s the world.
👂 Want to Read It?
👉 If you’re truly hungry for the Aklatan (Philippine Plates), you can probably track it down with a little searching online. If you can’t find it, leave a comment and we’ll figure out a way to connect.
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🔑 Final Thought
The Aklatan shows us that Christ’s fold is far larger than we ever imagined. His voice reached the Nephites, the Jews, and also the isles of the sea. And now, their record is reaching us.
Tomorrow we’ll look at another: The Book of Nations — the testament of Jimnah-Asher, a record of migrations and promises to the scattered tribes of Israel.
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