1003. There are a great many people who say to themselves that they could not believe such claims unless they themselves were allowed to enter Heaven, and then see the things that exist there, or speak with the dead who have risen again. Well, I am able to testify that for a period of eight months now, by the pure mercy and grace of the Messiah, I have been associating with those who are in heaven just as I do with acquaintances here on earth. This has gone on almost uninterruptedly, to the point not only of experiencing this, but also of being instructed by them by actual proofs and accompanying discussions, so that it has been absolutely corroborated to me. For this reason, I wish to share these seemingly so miraculous experiences, so as to strengthen belief in regard to me - one who has been in heaven for so long, while at the same time on earth among friends. Specifically, this lasted from April, 1745, to the 29th of January, i.e. the 9th of February, 1746 new calendar, except for the one month that elapsed when I was on the journey to Sweden, arriving on the 19th of August, old calendar. [Die, Dead] [See in WE 1004-30 the rest of the explanation of Gen. 30:39.]

1144.* "And the angel of God said to me in the dream, Jacob, and I said, Behold me!" [Gen. 31:] verse 11. It is apparent that these things had indeed been seen in a dream, but that it was not a true dream such as occurs in sleep, is clear from what he says above, that at the time when the flocks were conceiving, he raised his eyes, and saw in a dream. So he first raised his eyes, then he saw in a dream. True** dreams are described in a different way. Here, a dream means the kind of visions that take place at a time of wakefulness, when the mind is withdrawn from outer sensations and passion. At such a time, the mind, left alone to itself, sees everything displayed to it as if before the eyes. Such dreams as these are elsewhere called visions, and they occur in full daytime, when a person is wide awake. One really sees mentally the symbolic displays themselves, not as thought sees, but as external sight does, outside of itself. It is clear that such visions existed in the earliest Church, especially with these patriarchs, and indeed, in full wakefulness. They are portrayals of the Messiah Himself and the things that must come to pass. I can affirm that such displays do occur, even in the daytime, and in fact, so vividly that one may see the spirits themselves and many things that take place in heaven. This has often happened to me, and at the same time, angels spoke with me. This was also the case in the earliest Church among the patriarchs. Heaven and earth were joined together so closely that those who were in the heavens spoke with those on earth, and the reverse, and thus portrayed symbolically those things which would come to pass. This is how revelations took place at that time.*** * Paragraph 1144 is included here because it is mentioned in 9 and 10. ** The original has "visa," where "vera" seems to have been intended. *** In the original this paragraph was emphasized by the word "Obs." written twice in the margin.