Dream

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Brigham Young’s Vision of Joseph Smith

February 21, 2009 in Religion by Greg | 7 comments

A couple weeks ago, I came across S. Faux’s post about the law of adoption in The History of Sealings within Families. His post caught my attention because two of my Danish ancestors – who were some of the first to join the LDS Church in that country – were later “adopted” to Erastus Snow and Minerva White. Once I found that sealing record in the archives of the Family History Library, I had an intense desire to better understand this practice. Consequently, Carrie and I met with a friend of ours who shared with us material that brought greater understanding to this practice that was modified in 1894.

With that backdrop, the following is Brigham Young’s vision of Joseph Smith at Winter Quarters in 1847 as recorded by Hosea Stout:

Winter Quarters by Greg Olsen This morning there was to be a private meeting of the high Council at sun rise. About 9 o’clock I went & found only three members present so we staid awhile and come away home

In the afternoon I went to the Council house to a meeting at which Elder Henry G. Sherwood spoke after that I was around as usual At six went to a High Council as usual There was not much done of interest except some remarks of President Young which I will give in short It is in relation to a spell of sickness he had had lately.

He spoke as follows.

“Another subject which I wanted to speak of is this.

On Wednesday morning I was taken ill and it has been asked if I had a vision I was taken so suddenly sick. Just as I was getting out of my bed that I could not go out. I tried to return to the bed again, but could not even get back

As to how I felt, No one can tell how I felt, until he dies and goes through the vail and when he does that he can then tell how I felt

All that I know, is what my wife told me about it since. She said that I said, I had been where Joseph & Hyrum was.

And again that I said, it is hard coming to life again.

But I know that I went to the world of spirits; but what I saw I know not, for the vision went away from me, as a dream which you loose when you awake.

The next day I had a dream.

I dreamed that I saw Joseph sitting in a room, in the South West corner, near a bright window.

He sat in a chair, with his feet, both on the lower round.

I took him by the hand and kissed him on both cheeks, and wanted to know why we could not be together, as we once was.

He said that it was all right, that we should not be together yet.

We must be separated for a season.

I said it was hard to be separated from him.

He said, it was all right and putting his feet down on the floor.

Now all you who know, how he looks, when he used to give council, know all about, how he looked then

I told him that the Latter Day Saints was very anxious to know about the law of adoption, and the sealing powers &c and desired word of council from him.

Joseph said; do you be sure and tell the people one thing.

Do you be sure and tell the brethren that it is all important for them to keep the spirit of the Lord, To keep the quiet spirit of Jesus, and he explained how the spirit of the Lord reflected on the spirit of man and set him to pondering on any subject, and also explained how to know the spirit of the Lord from the spirit of the enemy.

He said the mind of man must be open to receive all spirits, in order to be prepared, to receive the spirit of the Lord; otherwise it might be barred so as not to receive the spirit of the Lord, which always brings peace and makes one happy and takes away every other spirit. When the small still voice speaks always receive it, and if the people will do these things, when they come up to the father, all will be as in the beginning, and every person stand as at the first.

I saw how we were organized before we took tabernacles and every man will be restored to that which he had then, and all will be satisfied. After this I turned away & saw Joseph was in the edge of the light; but where I had to go was as midnight darkness.

He said I must go back, so I went back in the darkness.

I want you all to remember my dream for I it is a vision of God and was revealed through the spirit of Joseph.”1

The Manuscript History of Brigham Young records the following account of this experience:

Joseph stepped toward me, and looking very earnestly, yet pleasantly said, “Tell the people to be humble and faithful, and be sure to keep the spirit of the Lord and it will lead them right. Be careful and not turn away the small voice; it will teach you what to do and where to go; it will yield the fruits of the kingdom. Tell the brethren to keep their hearts open to conviction, so that when the Holy Ghost comes to them, their hearts will be ready to receive it. They can tell the Spirit of the Lord from all other spirits; it will whisper peace and joy to their souls; it will take malice, hatred, strife and all evil from their hearts; and their whole desire will be to do good, bring forth righteousness and build up the kingdom of God. Tell the brethren if they will follow the spirit of the Lord they will go right. Be sure to tell the people to keep the Spirit of the Lord; and if they will, they will find themselves just as they were organized by our Father in Heaven before they came into the world. Our Father in Heaven organized the human family, but they are all disorganized and in great confusion.2

Sources:

  1. Brooks, Jaunita, ed. On the Mormon Frontier: The Diary of Hosea Stout, 1844 – 1861. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1982. 237-239.↩
  2. “Brigham Young’s vision of Joseph Smith”. Manuscript History of Brigham Young. 1847. 56.↩

Dream Interpretations

January 15, 2009 in Religion by Greg | 1 comment

Yesterday, I had an opportunity to meet with my sister who told me about a dream she recently had. At the time, the interpretation of the dream seemed apparent since it was related to some books she had just purchased online. Today, she is flying back to China where her husband works for a large multinational company.

As I reflected on our conversation, it reminded me of this extract of a talk by Wilford Woodruff about the purpose of dreams and visions. Although the gift of the interpretation of dreams is not specifically listed as a gift of the spirit in 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 or D&C 46:10-26, it appears that Joseph’s interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream was a gift from God (see Genesis 41:1-45).

Here is what President Woodruff taught concerning the purpose of dreams and visions:

Then, again, there are visions. Paul, you know, on one occasion was caught up to the third heaven and saw things that were not lawful to utter. He did not know whether he was in the body or out of the body. That was a vision. When Joseph Smith, however, was visited by Moroni and the Apostles, it was not particularly a vision which he had; he talked with them face to face.

The Resurrection and The Empty Tomb by David Begley Now, I will refer to a thing that took place with me in Tennessee. I was in Tennessee in the year 1835, and while at the house of Abraham O. Smoot, I received a letter from Brothers Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, requesting me to stay there, and stating that I would lose no blessing by doing so. Of course, I was satisfied. I went into a little room and sat down upon a small sofa. I was all by myself and the room was dark; and while I rejoiced in this letter and the promise made to me, I became wrapped in vision. I was like Paul; I did not know whether I was in the body or out of the body. A personage appeared to me and showed me the great scenes that should take place in the last days. One scene after another passed before me. I saw the sun darkened; I saw the moon become as blood; I saw the stars fall from heaven; I saw seven golden lamps set in the heavens, representing the various dispensations of God to man–a sign that would appear before the coming of Christ. I saw the resurrection of the dead. In the first resurrection those that came forth from their graves seemed to be all dressed alike, but in the second resurrection they were as diverse in their dress as this congregation is before me to-day, and if I had been an artist I could have painted the whole scene as it was impressed upon my mind, more indelibly fixed than anything I had ever seen with the natural eye. What does this mean? It was a testimony of the resurrection of the dead. I had a testimony. I believe in the resurrection of the dead, and I know it is a true principle. Thus we may have dreams about things of great importance, and dreams of no importance at all. The Lord warned Joseph in a dream to take the young child Jesus and his mother into Egypt, and thus he was saved from the wrath of Herod. Hence there are a great many things taught us in dreams that are true, and if a man has the spirit of God he can tell the difference between what is from the Lord and what is not. And I want to say to my brethren and sisters, that whenever you have a dream that you feel is from the Lord, pay attention to it. When I was in the City of London on one occasion, with Brother George A. Smith, I dreamt that my wife came to me and told me that our first child had died. I believed my dream, and in the morning while at breakfast, I felt somewhat sad. Brother George A. noticed this and I told him my dream. Next morning’s post brought me a letter from my wife, conveying the intelligence of the death of my child. It may be asked what use there was in such a thing. I don’t know that there was much use in it except to prepare my mind for the news of the death of my child. But what I wanted to say in regard to these matters is, that the Lord does communicate some things of importance to the children of men by means of visions and dreams as well as by the records of divine truth. And what is it all for? It is to teach us a principle. We may never see anything take place exactly as we see it in a dream or a vision, yet it is intended to teach us a principle. My dream gave me a strong testimony of the resurrection. I am satisfied, always have been, in regard to the resurrection. I rejoice in it. The way was opened unto us by the blood of the Son of God.1

Sources:

  1. Woodruff, Wilford. Journal of Discourses. 22:333.↩

Lay Up Grain for Seven Years

December 1, 2008 in Emergency Preparedness by Greg | 9 comments

Lay up grain for seven years was mentioned in a talk given by Heber C. Kimball in 1857. A number of years ago, Gordon B. Hinckley1 spoke to the general body of the priesthood and told us:

Now, brethren, I should like to talk to the older men, hoping that there will be some lesson for the younger men as well. I wish to speak to you about temporal matters. As a backdrop for what I wish to say, I read to you a few verses from the 41st chapter of Genesis.

Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, dreamed dreams which greatly troubled him. The wise men of his court could not give an interpretation. Joseph was then brought before him:

Joseph, the Butler and the Baker by Alexander Ivanov “Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river: And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fatfleshed and well favoured; and they fed in a meadow: And, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill favoured and leanfleshed . . . . And the lean and the ill favoured kine did eat up the first seven fat kine: . . . And I saw in my dream … seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good: And, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them: And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears: . . . And Joseph said unto Pharaoh . . . God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one . . . What God is about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh. Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt: And there shall arise after them seven years of famine . . . . And God will shortly bring it to pass” (Genesis 41:17–20, 22–26, 28–30, 32).

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  1. Gordon B. Hinckley served as the 15th President and prophet, seer and revelator of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from March 12, 1995 until his death on January 27, 2008, at the age of 97.↩

Saint-Simon and Charlemagne

November 16, 2008 in Government by Greg | No comments

While in prison, Henri de Saint-Simon - a French utopian socialist1 – was visited in a dream by Charlemagne.2 I thought it of interest that the man who many believe to be one of the modern founders of socialist thought and “social science”3 claimed to have been visited by one of his ancestors in a dream. Saint-Simon wrote:
Henri de Saint-Simon

During the cruelest period of the Revolution, and during a night of my imprisonment at Luxembourg, Charlemagne appeared to me and said: “Since the world began no family has enjoyed the honor to produce both a hero and philosopher of first rank. This honor was reserved for my house. My son, your successes as a philosopher will equal mine as a soldier and a statesman.”4

Sources:

  1. “Claude Henri de Rouvroy, comte de Saint-Simon”. Wikipedia. 16 November 2008.↩
  2. “Charlemagne”. Wikipedia. 16 November 2008.↩
  3. “Claude Henri de Rouvroy, comte de Saint-Simon“. History of Economic Thought. 16 November 2008; see also “The Utopian Socialists: Robert Owen and Saint-Simon“. The History Guide. 16 November 2008.↩
  4. Heilbroner, Robert L. The Worldly Philosophers. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1999. 118. Google Book Search. 16 November 2008.↩

The Gift of Spiritual Experiences

October 21, 2008 in Religion by Greg | 2 comments

The Gift of Spiritual Experiences is an excerpt from a book entitled Mine Errand from the Lord: Quotations and Teachings from Boyd K. Packer on Meridian Magazine. I personally appreciate the timeliness of this wise counsel:

The Gift of Spiritual Experiences by Boyd K. PackerIt is not wise to continually talk of unusual spiritual experiences. They are to be guarded with care and shared only when the Spirit itself prompts you to use them to the blessing of others. I am ever mindful of Alma ’s words:

It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless they are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart only according to the portion of his word which he doth grant unto the children of men, according to the heed and diligence which they give unto him. (Alma 12:9).

I heard President Marion G. Romney once counsel mission presidents and their wives in Geneva, “I do not tell all I know; I have never told my wife all I know, for I found out that if I talked too lightly of sacred things, thereafter the Lord would not trust me.” (82–04, p. 53)

I have learned that strong, impressive spiritual experiences do not come to us very frequently. And when they do, they are generally for our own edification, instruction, or correction. Unless we are called by proper authority to do so, they do not position us to counsel or to correct others. (82–04, p. 53)

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