A Dream

I posted this on facebook a couple of days ago:

Alright, well I had a three part dream in the summer of 2012.

I found myself high up in a massive, dead tree. It was bleak outside, and the tree stood in the middle of a large field. In the tree with me were a few people, meek in countenance, and humble followers of Christ. We determined that we needed to get out of the tree, but upon our attempt to climb down, we were met by a raging whore at the bottom, dressed in scarlet, who would scare us back up into the "safety" of the branches. We attempted escape a couple of times when we thought it was safe, and were unsuccessful each time.

At one point, when I couldn't see the whore at the bottom, I climbed down and stood at the base. I stood there for a second, then turned. As I turned, I found the whore standing behind me, raging and furious. I ran as fast as I could to the west, away from the tree, and as I ran, the massive, dead tree fell at my heels, close to the border of the large field.

This was the end of the first part of the dream.

I asked for the interpretation the next day and it was given to me, but I don't feel like I need to share that here.

Please study your scriptures. Study them prayerfully. Think on them day and night. There will come a time when every organization and institution will disappoint you. Some of the institutions that fail and are made low will cause a major crisis of faith. We can't attach our faith in the Lord to any man, woman, building, or organization because it will certainly disappoint us. It doesn't mean we can't serve our brothers and sisters within those institutions. It doesn't matter that they (the organizations) will fall. It is actually ok that the things which are high and lifted up will brought low(1 Nephi 22:23; 2 Nephi 12:12). This is a good thing. But your faith in Christ must not fail. No matter what happens. No matter if your best friend dies, your parents abandon you, you make so many mistakes that you think you're worthless, or your favorite institution is built on nothing but air - wait upon the Lord. Watch as His work unfolds. Wait longer than you think you can. You can wait longer than you think.

It is interesting to me how closely falsehood can look to be truth. It is a fine line we walk while down here. A narrow path. It is hard to know who to listen to when both Warren Jeffs and Enoch are known as wild men(Moses 6:38), but one is righteous forever and the other is in prison for life. It's hard when you are standing in front of a man who was supposed to be the savior of the world, but won't even save himself from the bondage of a cross. When the guy who you thought was a prophet, and would bring Zion was just murdered and no one was left to pick up the pieces. I get that. I have spent over 2,500 hours the last seven years studying history and scripture to sort these things out in my mind(and I know that's small potatoes compared to a lot of other people). I have often been confronted with difficult questions and had to wait a long time for an answer. If Adam can wait 900 years for an answer, you can wait your whole life(although I doubt you'd have to). Stop being a baby. God knows what He is doing and you can have faith in that.

Here are some things you can believe no matter what goes on around you:

- The book of Mormon was brought to us by God through Joseph Smith

- Joseph was who he said he was

- Joseph was not involved in polygamy (I don't care what "history" you have read. Go read contemporary, first-hand history, not someone else's commentary on history. The Joseph Smith Papers Project is awesome. Use it. I think the essays can safely be ignored though.)

- God is working a great work right now. Find out what He wants you to do. If you don't hear Him, wait and do good to those around you.

- We live in a day where people deny the Holy Ghost and rely on the arm of flesh(2 Nephi 28: 4, 14, 31). Don't be one of those people.

- We are the Gentiles (Book of Mormon, Title Page; D&C 109:60)

- God will speak directly to you. Don't make any person your idol.

I hate the fact that I felt the need to share this on facebook. I think it is embarrassing. I think facebook is a terrible venue for thoughts and discussion. I think that of the maybe twenty people who will read this, two will be people who I actually want to read it. And probably neither will think anything of it. I don't enjoy sharing personal things with the world. Those things, I feel, are reserved for loved ones who I know I can trust. Nevertheless, there it is.

K. Cool.