Testimonies of Hartley Stanbridge
"Over the last fifty years I have accumulated over three hours of testimony, one on one, with the Holy Spirit. Next week I will share another testimony, one a week, subject to time and circumstances." What Brother Stanbridge shared has been compiled herein.

In the mid sixties I was in the Stone Church one Sunday afternoon, at a Prayer Service. I saw a frail old man bent over with age. Using two canes to walk, come in and sit down. During the testimony portion of the service he struggled to get up. When he was as erect as his feeble body would permit, there was a terrific 'Swoosh,' and the Holy spirit filled every nook and cranny of that room.

He spoke in tongues, it was more beautiful than any music I had ever heard. My ears did not understand one word, but my bosom burned within me. The he spoke in English, admonished those present that all our words were before God, and recorded in Heaven. As he sat down there was another Swoosh and the Holy Spirit left as quickly as it came. That is the Holy Spirit in Assurance and Power. I know it. I felt it.

Now that was a Prayer Service. I have witnessed similar occurrences three times in the thirty years I lived in the center Place. And again on a Mountain top. The Scriptures tell us when times such as these come upon the earth to rejoice. Times being as they are, (Feb. 23, 2009) as I reflect on these times, sorry, I am going to rejoice.

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In my work place I found myself harassed by a new supervisor, it lasted over a period of many years. One evening some information came to my hand, and if I used that information I could rid myself of this person. I went down a dark material isle and told the Lord, “even Joseph smith wrote that he had turned his cheek until it was folly to do so any longer.” I asked the Lord would I be justified in using this opportunity.

I immediately saw before me a great tan colored wall, very high, in the center was a great iron door. A man came up to the door and opened it, it was an inch or more thick. As I looked into the opening I was shocked motionless, I was looking into Hell. I saw torment there. Greater than words could ever express. When I came to myself I recoiled In horror, turned away and fell to my knees.

I prayed the most fervent prayer of my life. I prayed that nothing I ever said or had done would put a person in that horrific place. I prayed for my adversary with heart felt determination that he would be blessed. And likewise to all.
I cannot imagine hating anyone enough to cast them into that horrible place.

There are no frivolous words in the Holy Scriptures, Pray for your enemies, bless those who despitefully use you, pray with all your heart, might, mind, and strength, that you might conduct yourself in such a way to please God.

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Just before I left for work one afternoon, I read in the scriptures that if God turned His back on His creation it would become undone. This caused me to marvel as I drove through Kansas City. The traffic became grid locked, and finally, turned the engine off and waited.

As I sat there I considered the Scripture that I had read. The Spirit fell upon me, and as I looked out of the windshield I suddenly saw, and sensed, the Power of God holding the elements together. Absolute and total. Every blade of grass had a light around it every leaf, and every tree, the elements of each held in place by the Power of God. Every living thing. A squirrel crossing over the car on a power line, every hair illumed by that same power. A lady walking down the street fully engulfed.

I looked of into the distance where they were erecting a new building, steel brightly painted, being lifted into place, suddenly shocked. The beautiful essence of God’s mighty Spirit was not in evidence. I looked more carefully around me, all that man had made was in decay, even the new steel being erected on the building. It did not have the essence of that which was on and in every living thing.

I sensed every living thing was interacting with all creation through that power. I now understood the words of the Lord, ‘Pray over your crops, your flocks, your loved ones, all that is before you, around you, dear to you.’ The Scriptures say God is in, through and around all things. It is truly so.

Language of today, I suppose it is called Karma. A man told a story of visiting a home, there was a grape vine struggling near the back door. A feeling of compassion came over him, and he spontaneously asked the Lord to bless it. That year they picked a bushel of grapes from that grape vine. The owner said God had truly Blessed it.

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While reading Isaiah one afternoon I was surprised as the passage I was reading suddenly slipped a part leaving a blank spot on the page. Some words fell in the blank spot saying “in the last days there would be smoke trails across the skies.” As I read those words the Holy Spirit engulfed me in power, and I did not feel disposed to go on with my reading.

As I basked in the Holy Spirit, it suddenly came to my mind the same passage of Isaiah was in the Book of Mormon, and I wondered what it would say in that book. I found the passage in the BOM and it too parted as in the Bible. The same words fell into the blank spot. “In the last days there would be smoke trails across the sky.” Then to my surprise the sentences parted again and some more words fell into the new blank spot.

It now read “in the last days there would be smoke trails across the sky, and there would be tall columns of smoke rising high into the sky with fervent heat so intense beneath, it would melt the elements right out of the rocks.”
I suppose I was marveling more at the experience than at the message. The next day I thought to go on with my reading and start where I had left off the day before. And the very same thing happened, one line in the Bible, two in the BOM, accompanied by the same Holy Spirit in great power.

And even on the third day I received the same experience in power. On the fourth day I had some errands to do, I left myself a lot of time between errands so found myself with twenty minutes to wait between appointments. I thought to lay myself across the front seat of my car and rest for the moment. As I looked I through the windshield I saw con trails covering the whole sky, possibly fifty or more. I began to think if I were alive in the days of Isaiah, and was told to report what I was seeing, not having the vocabulary of today, I would have reported that which I was looking at as smoke trails.

The Holy Spirit immediately bore witness confirming the thought. So it is, “in the last days there would be smoke trails across the sky, and there would be tall columns of smoke rising high into the sky with fervent heat so intense it would melt the elements right out of the rocks.” You will remember this testimony, every time you see a con/smoke trail across the sky, every time you see on TV, rockets, jets, and bombs exploding.

I later learned the military was having maneuvers over Kansas City that day. When carnally minded men brush off the thought these are truly the last days, I have to think if they only knew. None of us was offered more than three score and ten. The end of our days, or the end of this dispensation of time. Which comes first hardly matters if we are prepared.

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Where in the whole world would you think testimony would be more welcome than amongst Christians, and especially the RLDS who profess, truly, their church was initiated through Revelation. Testimonies that confirm and were given to strengthen and support that belief. Would they be welcome? Not so!

They are welcome only as long as it is what these people want to hear. As long as no changes in our life style are represented or required. This attitude has stunted God’s purposes in our own personal hopes and times.

"It takes courage to tell the truth, but more courage to listen." (Winston Churchill)

I came home around three o’clock in the afternoon feeling very sad about the condition of Christ’s Church. It seemed to me I was being forced to witness its downfall. I sat in my living room until ten thirty at night, no lights, no TV, just sitting, reflecting. I began to get up and make myself ready for bed when I found a heavenly messenger standing before me.

We went off to the West, we traveled through ink black darkness. I sensed we were going over cities and towns, highway with cars, but there was no light showing from below or above. We traveled a great distance until off in the distance I saw a little light. It was so welcome, I desired to go there. We stopped in front of the light, it looked like a cane stuck in the ground with a little dim light about the size of a tennis ball balanced on top. It stood approximately five feet high.

Out of the darkness a man came and stood by the light, he bent over and pulled the light to his cheek and he smiled. He had a flat topped hat with a wide brim, his jacket had over stuffed shoulders, the jacket extended below his knees. A silver chain came from under his jacket and looped down to his shoes and back up. When he saw me look at the chain, he pulled on it and held it near the light. There was a gold key on the end which he spun so it passed the light and glittered. His smile broadened.

I asked the messenger, “what is this?” He replied, “this represents the Lord’s priesthood. They have the key to the kingdom of Heaven. They will not use it. Nor will they let anyone else use it.”

The Heavenly Messenger took me off again into a Westerly direction until we came to a great building. I could not tell how tall it was because of the darkness. The main floor was well lit and I saw a Ball was going on. There was a promenade or patio all around the building, and there was glass doors and windows. I could clearly see inside.
The men were in tuxedos and the ladies had long gowns, every one was dressed immaculately. The music was nice. Soon a glass door opened and a couple came out an enjoyed the fresh air. One turned to the other, and with a sigh said ‘we must go back.’ The other answered and said yes, ‘we must go back.’ Every couple that came out for their breath of fresh air said the same thing. “We must go back.”

After a time a man came out of the darkness, he was dressed in animal skins and had a slain lamb hanging over one arm. He came into the perimeter of the light, laid the lamb down on the grass, and as it touched to grass it was cooked.
He lifted his hands to his mouth and shouted, “Oh ye inhabitants of the earth, come, come, I have a feast for you, come, come.” All the glass doors opened, all the people came out on the patio and looked. He again invited them to come and feast on the lamb.

The people were reluctant to go on the grass, it might spoil the polish on their shoes or spoil their clothes. Finally two men went and sat in the grass next to the man in animal skins. They pulled the fur apart and reached in and took of the lamb. Two ladies thought they would go and take of the lamb. They would not sit down on the grass. One reached in and pulled out some meat and saw a hair on it and threw it down in disgust and returned to the patio. The other took some meat and took a bite and some juice fell on her dress, she too got angry and returned to the patio.

Some of the men on the patio desired to be leaders amongst the people. They carefully studied the attitude of the people and when they saw the reluctance of the people to go on the grass they shouted in a loud voice, “come back into the building and we will prepare a feast you can truly eat.” All the people went back into the building except those two and the man in animal skins.

After a time the music began to get louder and faster, so loud and fast it was no longer enjoyable. Soon the music was unbearable, loud and sounded without any purpose except to be hurtful. Those who would be the leaders of the people, to divert them from the noise called the people back out onto the patio.

The leaders wanted the people to go and seize those who were eating of the lamb and bring them into the building, but the people were reluctant to walk on the grass. This angered the leaders and they became furious. I saw murder build up in the hearts of those who would be the leaders and I began to tremble.

Suddenly I saw a light begin to pierce the darkness from above, it swirled around and a white cloud like form appeared. It opened and I heard the voice of the Father. He said, “Ye who have been faithful, come ye, enter into my rest.”

I had never been in the presence of such power, every particle of my being wanted to fall prostrate on the ground, but my mind said ‘I want to see, I want to see.’ I saw the man in animal skins and the two who ate of the lamb ascend into the opening in the heavens. The opening closed. The would be leaders of the people laughed almost insanely, trying to make people think it was a non-event.

The vision ended. Only two, only two, and the man in animal skins, only two.

In the last few years I have attended various denominations, the music I heard in them, drums steel guitars, trumpets was equal to that which I heard in the great building just before the heavens opened. The music I hear on TV during the commercials, during travelogues, designed to penetrate the carnal self, call to the carnal man, to disturb the peace and tranquil souls. To motivate by use of demonic and continual insistence. Calling the Carnal man, come, come, this way, this way. No rest needed. We have eye candy, knowledge, more, more, things you have not seen or felt. No discipline required. Come back into the building, now, hurry, hurry. Be free, do what every you want except speak of God.

Compare the music of our day, impressed upon us continually. Compare it to the words of an inspired spiritual hymn, designed to draw men to the Holy Spirit. The words of the Hymn, “A calm and gentle quiet reins to night, there is not a frown upon a single brow, each heart is filled with strange delight, as peace spreads gently over us now.”

Be still Oh man! Listen to the gentle Spirit!

There is no space where there is no Dominion. Where there is dominion there are laws to agreeably exist in that space. Where laws are done away, chaos exists.

Each of us has been given power to rule, to rule our own lives. Power to search for those things that please us……… Or please our Heavenly Father. They are not always the same. Sometimes we have to leave the building and walk across the grass.

I remember a time I screamed at God saying, “What have you done to me, what have you done? If I respond to what you have shown me I will not have a friend in this entire land.” God graciously responded by giving me another testimony.

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In 2008 sitting in front of my computer a soul offered some history of Joseph Smith that I had never heard before. It seemed strange, but did not appear too controversial to me. My stomach however, tightened. It was of such a subtle presentation, if my stomach had not responded I would have missed it.

I thought if what I see here is true I will have to change some of my thoughts about Joseph Smith. As I turned away from my computer, my thought was to take it to the Lord in prayer. I never got a chance to say a word.

Suddenly before me I was shown the soul of Joseph Smith in such a way as only the Lord could do. I cannot say that Joseph Smith never committed a sin, never omitted some work he was called to do, or he was always perfect.

I can say, and do say, as I was shown, God had cleansed that mans every sin. I was shown a soul of such clean and Holy nature that I felt unclean in his presence. Truly, Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God. I do believe he stands triumphantly and continually in Gods presence.

In the late 1970’s on the way home from a prayer meeting I found myself asking what is wrong with me. I realize I do not have a rich voice. I do not add too those things the Lord has shown me. I report them accurately. The Lord has chastised me several time for being reluctant to give those testimonies. They seem to arouse anger and bitterness in those listening.

Some things at times seem politically insensitive, socially challenging. Especially testimony that indicate change. No problem for the meek and humble. I do not perceives myself desiring high office, or notoriety. I am not running for any special position. Of myself, many times, I would, and have, turned on my heal and walked away because of the insensitivity present. The Lord spoke, saying, “are you not yet ready?”

As I drove home I asked myself, I wonder what I am missing. What do people feel, what do they see, what is it that I do not understand?

The next Sunday at church I heard a Spiritual sermon. I do not know what others heard, but I heard a wondrous sermon. Half way through the sermon I found myself getting very angry and very jealous. My feelings were so intense it was all I could do to sit there. I wondered why that man could say the things he said, while if said them, I was given hard stares and rebukes?

I thought what is the matter with me, this is not me? I heard a man in Chilliwack British Columbia had the Spirit. I drove 2000 miles one way, to meet him and found it was well worth the trip. So why should I be angry at this Spiritual feast? This is not me!

Then I remembered the thought I had on the way home from the prayer meeting Wed. evening. I said OK Lord, I got it! Those intense feelings immediately normalized, and I spent the rest of that Sunday rejoicing and remembering the great sermon I had heard.

The Scriptures say those things given of the Holy Spirit are as Holy as that which is written in Scriptures.
Woe unto those who mindlessly trifle with the things of God because of their uncontrolled personal feelings, and their reluctance to accept change.

When you win your argument, there is no change. Look out your window. Do you see Zion?

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