Teaching Mission History

From Bill Kelly

April 03, 1999

A History of the Teaching Mission in Pocatello, Idaho (to 1999)

Our experience with the Teaching Mission began in the fall of 1991 when a member of the Woods Cross group moved to our area and began attending our Urantia book study group. Kathy brought with her a number of tapes of a teacher named Ham who was giving lessons to the Woods Cross group. We had heard that there were alleged contacts from Abraham and Machiventa in New Zealand as we had received copies of their transcript from a relative of one of our members.

Several of us decided to listen to the Ham lessons on tape and see what we could make of them. One member actually typed seven months of weekly lessons from tapes to further evaluate the teachings by reading hard copy. We decided to ask Thern Blackburn to speak to our UB reading group and tell us about teacher Ham and his group's experience with him. Thern complied with our request and came with his son to answer our questions. Among other things we were informed that, if we desired, we could also have a group teacher.

After this presentation our group discussed whether or not we wanted to get involved with the Teaching Mission by requesting a teacher, and it was decided that if we didn't ask, we would never know what we had missed. So we jumped into the water.

Four members of our group journeyed to Woods Cross to make our request. They were told that we already had a teacher assigned and one of our members, Debbie, was asked to be the TR. She agreed. Ham also stated that our group teacher, whose name was not given, was the scheduled speaker for the following Monday-night meeting. At our regular Sunday-morning meeting Debbie read a transmission from our new teacher. She said she would not tell us his name, even though she had heard it, until it was confirmed the next evening.

A sizeable group of us were in attendance in Woods Cross to hear our newly assigned teacher give his first lesson when Rebecca, the Woods Cross TR, began to speak She said, "I am......Daniel", and all of us looked at our Debbie. She smiled broadly with confirmation that Daniel was the name she had been hearing. It was a stunning moment!

Daniel presented his lesson on spiritual growth and outlined his role as our group teacher. After his brief introduction many questions were asked and answered by Daniel from all of those many people present. On the way home we felt as though we were flying, not driving on the freeway at all. Excitement was at a high pitch! On the following Sunday, Daniel presented his second lesson through our TR Debbie, and the Teaching Mission in Pocatello had begun. That was over seven years ago.

In the intervening years Daniel has been joined by teacher Tomas, teacher Aaron, and our assigned Melchizedek, Minearisa. We have also heard from many other teachers and celestials including Ham, Abraham, Machiventa, our own personal teachers and our universe parents, Michael and Nebadonia. For a period of several years we had a separate meeting to practice TRing with the result that many new TRs "came on line". With the graduation of Debbie to the mansion worlds, we have had shared TRing as we have continued to meet on a weekly basis.

Like the other groups in the mission, we have worked on "building our foundations.". All of us have personal teachers who assist in this process. Membership in our group has varied over the years with some being sent out to start new groups as in the case of teacher Iruka and teacher Tomas. Our transcripts have been widely distributed by snail mail and email.

One of the most pleasurable activities of the Pocatello group has been our annual Michael birthday celebration with the Woods Cross group. In the 1992 celebration we first heard from Gabriel and then he introduced Michael. This was the first time we had ever experienced the presence of the Bright and Morning Star and our Master Son. This event stands out as a highlight of our experience.

Since those early days, the presence and interaction with the celestial realm has become much more comfortable and familiar. Our lessons have dealt with group family making, personal growth and morontial living, just as they have for other groups scattered across this world. We realize that we are only a small part of the Correcting Time, and yet each of us will help to change our world one person at a time. Putting our own house in order is the necessary prerequisite.

We have had some ups and downs, and our group unity has been sorely tried. But we look back today over the distance we have covered, and we realize that our involvement with the Teaching Mission has been the practical application of the teachings of Jesus as presented in the Urantia Book. We have been, and are, a laboratory for the spiritual growth of each member. We know that the Correcting Time is real, and we rejoice to join with our brothers and sisters in bringing this planet one step at a time nearer the promised culmination of light and life.

END