The other night I had a very unusual dream. Every few months I have dreams involving various ancient and modern prophets and apostles. Since I have been having dreams involving various Church figures for most of my teen age and adult life I don't really get to excited about them any more. I enjoy dreaming in technocolor since my conversations and the scenery are so vivid. My wife and a few of my children don't dream at all particularly not with the ability to talk with the characters. I have tried to analysis my dreams but some times I can't figure them out other than the fact I have them. Every now and then they come true. I think it is part of having believing blood.
One time I actually wanted to meet Joseph and Hyrum and another time I wanted to know where a Church history site was located because I was writing a paper about it. Both happened and I solved a historical riddle. I like to share my dreams on my blog more out of the fact I believe people need to realize that even minor characters like myself or Joe Mormon can walk with the Savior and other luminaries in the Church and I know it drives a few high ranking figures crazy. It causes me to remember the hand of God is over even the least in the kingdom of God. Years ago when I did the research for Latter-day Visions of the Savior that was subsequently published by Don Cannon in the Ensign I learned that it is not that uncommon for the general lay member to have such occurrences. I should have shared my experiences with Brother Cannon but I know he would think me a kook as my being featured on trash can or snarked prove.
In the scriptures in D&C 107: 19 it talks about communing with the church of the first born: 19 To have the privilege of receiving the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, to have the heavens opened unto them, to commune with the general assembly and church of the Firstborn, and to enjoy the communion and presence of God the Father, and Jesus the mediator of the new covenant.
I dreamt that I was in conversation with Elder L. Tom Perry. In the dream we were discussing some problems that he had encountered while going out speaking as a General Authority. He said that many times church authorities cut his time when speaking in their congregation due to overloading the stake or regional meetings with too many speakers. I told him that wasn't an uncommon occurrence. I told him my former mission president M. Russell Ballard had expressed the same thing to me when I had visited him a couple of times once many years ago when he was a member of the Seventy and once back in the late 1980s when he was a member of the Council of the Twelve. Elder Perry and I also discussed a few other issues he was concerned with.
I always liked the man due to the fact his daughter Gay was in my BYU 130th Ward. I figured he he produced a person of her caliber he must be alright. She talked about him to me and how kind and nice he was. She told me about the death of her mother and how he had to look out for her. She was my home evening sister. My first week after my mission she came to my dorm on a Sunday with her roommate and introduced herself. She was very attractive with blond hair and cornflake eyes. She was also prone to blushing since she had a light complexion and her cheeks went from a natural pink to a bright red.
She was a bit on the shy side but she had a pixie kind of humor. Sometimes she was self conscious so I tried to see if I could get her out of her shell by challenging her from time to time. I caught her eyes twinkling many times when I or my roommates at DT would say something ridiculous. If I had been two inches taller or she two inches shorter I would have dated her seriously. I remember going out with her a couple of times but she was self-conscious because of our difference in height. I always made it point to visit her in the Harold B. Lee Library where she hung out on the fourth floor and studied. I tried to talk with her at least once every few weeks. One time she told me she wanted to marry someone just like her dad. I knew I wasn't nothing like him since he was a happy kind of a person and I came from a very dysfunctional family.
I was very disappointed when she married some MBA type guy. He was a nice enough guy but he was overly assertive; I guess it goes with being a business type. I didn't think he worship the ground she walked on like I did but I could see she was in love. Since her father was a business executive I could see her attraction even if I thought I was better looking. Maybe it was good she married him because she was on the shy side and he notched up her self-confidence. I hope he didn't drive her crazy over the past twenty years like I have my own wife. I felt bad that I didn't take a shot at her when she was single but those are the breaks. I thought there was plenty of time but he snatched her up. I guess I wasn't factoring in the fact she was a GA's daughter. I used to see the couple sitting in the Marriott Center with Elder Perry who was a fanatical Cougar fan enjoying the basketball games. In my opinion he was very lucky since she was a very sweet woman and hope they had a large family and made a ton of money. I will have to see if he went on to great Church assignments and positions. I hope he was just like her dad.
5 comments:
Gosh, DH, you've never told me I have "cornflake eyes!"
I guess that was a Freudian slip I meant cornflower. And your eyes are green like the ocean on a cloudy day or like a shamrock on St. Patrick's day.
Dr. B,
I recall a comment about dreams from Nephi's psalm found in 2 Nephi, Chapter 4:
"Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me knowledge by visions in the nighttime."
What are visions of the night other than dreams? I feel that many today do not recognize that some dreams are from God. I have found them typically to be highly symbolic and have used prayer and pondering to derive the meaning. Sometimes that understanding won't come, those I don't bother with.
Good luck with your visions of the night.
Joe
Joe:
I appreciated your remarks. Acts 2:17 has always been of interest to me since I believe it shows how the spirit is manifesting itself in us. The scripture states: 17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.
In the Puritan society in America they entered in to a covenant which was known as benevolent indifference. Benevolent indifference is the opposite of what it sounds like. The concept which not many could live beyond the earliest generation of adherents was that the Holy Spirit manifested itself through works of benevolence such as prophesying, speaking in tongue, giving our earthly gain to help the poor, the widows and those in need, healing the sick etc. They didn't do the works for recognition but the works came as a manifestation of the spirit.
As the spirit works in us we do good things. We sacrifice everything for the building of the kingdom of God in essence we are like the lilies of the field. As we seek first for the kingdom of God the spirit leads us from one act of grace to another in what we are doing hence the term benevolent indifference.
I liked what you had to say about dreams it was a meaningful comment.
Your comment about the manifestation of the spirit among the Puritans reminded me of a similar concept in the Book of Mormon. After King Benjamin finished speaking to the multitude, the following is recorded (Mos. 4:2-3):
“And they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust of the earth. And they all cried aloud with one voice, saying: O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified; for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven and earth, and all things; who shall come down among the children of men.
And it came to pass that after they had spoken these words the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ who should come, according to the words which king Benjamin had spoken unto them.”
This manifestation of the spirit is what I would consider the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost given they received a remission of their sins. The chapter goes on the talk of the great love and joy these people were able to experience through this event.
King Benjamin then goes on to discuss, starting in verse 11 and going through end of the chapter, what they must do to ‘retain’ a remission of their sins. Among other things, it touched on humility, prayer, and faith but then goes on to include caring for the children and the needy.
I find it interesting that the people on King Benjamin also entered into a covenant (Mosiah 5:3) to serve God in obedience. A covenant that was prompted by the manifestation of the Holy Spirit and what brought them to be called the ‘children of Christ’ through this spiritual rebirth.
Perhaps the Puritans were on to something…
Joe
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