Temple Dream

*Meant to post this several weeks ago.  I recorded this on June 23, 2014.

Last night I had a dream that Burke and I were headed to the Logan  temple to join my family for an endowment session.  We were running a little late (as usual!) and as we started to walk quickly up the hill to the temple we could see crowds of people gathered around, trying to force their way into the temple and persecuting the saints who were going in.  Many of the people in the crowds were members who had left the church and they mocked with more vehemence than any of the other onlookers.  A news crew were busily getting footage of the crowd slandering the church and the silent saints who were quickly entering the temple.  Those going into the temple were trying hard to ignore them, but it made me feel so sad and frustrated to hear their lies and see the anger and hate in their eyes towards us.  One young man in particular, a handsome college student, pointed me out (I was massively pregnant in the dream…and in real life!) and began to make fun of the “fat one” going in.  I turned to him and said calmly, “My, that is exceptionally rude.” (Which kind of cracked me up when I woke up because I know I wouldn't be that calm in real life.)  He just laughed with a group of well dressed and equally handsome young men who joined in crudely mocking us. 

When we finally got inside the temple lobby, I was shocked to find a huge winding line of endowed members waiting patiently to get in.  A temple worker was weeping as she told me that there was no way we would be able to get into a session for hours as there were so many saints at the temple.  She said that the temple had stood for over a hundred years, but this was the busiest it had ever been.  She said the faithful members of the church were coming every day to the temple to seek refuge from their persecutors and to strengthen their faith.  Everywhere I looked, the people were smiling and serene.  Even though the crowds raged outside, you couldn’t hear a word of it inside the temple.  It was quiet and peaceful and although Burke and I missed the session with the family, we were so proud of the dedicated members, we didn’t mind waiting just to soak in the overwhelming spirit that was there.

When I woke up this morning, I felt that this had been a significant dream.  The persecution towards church members (and any who are “conservative”) has seemed to be increasing dramatically lately and the scene from my dream didn’t seem that far-fetched.  I recognized in my dream an encouragement to attend the temple often, to keep the commandments, to stay calm in the face of adversity and the burdens placed on us will be made light. 

After I made Daphne breakfast and ate a few bites myself, I opened up the scriptures to where we had last left off.  We were on the last chapter of 1 Nephi, Chapter 22, and I was surprised by how applicable the chapter was to the things I had seen in the dream.  It talked about how in the last days the people will harden their hearts against Jesus Christ, but that the Lord will bring about his gospel and in the end all those who fight against the church will "fall into the very pit they dug to ensnare the people of the Lord".  Nephi reminds us that IF we live righteously and follow the words of the prophet, we have no need to fear.

This was a good reminder to me as I have indeed felt an element of worry and heaviness over the last few months as I've thought about the rising persecution towards the church (and Christians/people with firm morals in general) and the great flood of people leaving the church.  It has made me feel so sad for them as I have an unshakable testimony of the truth of this gospel and am pained that they have not discovered that truth for themselves.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is absolutely and irrefutably true.  I know that following our living prophet brings nothing but peace, security and joy.

This chapter in Nephi brought me great comfort, because it reminded me that this downward spiral is all part of the plan.  Things will continue to get "worse", but they will also continue to get better because the gospel will be preached in every land and to every people before our Savior comes again.  I believe the things I saw in my dream - that if we hold fast to our temple covenants and stay focused on the things we know to be true, all the noise and distractions of a warring world will fade away as we are encircled in the light and protection of our Savior.

Elder Holland's talk ("The Cost and Blessings of Discipleship") at General Conference this year really struck me.  It was as if he was saying, "If you haven't felt persecuted yet, BUCKLE UP, because you soon will."  How right he was and is!  Although his prophecies of the hardships to come can be daunting, I find great comfort in his closing words:

"Friends, especially my young friends, take heart. Pure Christlike love flowing from true righteousness can change the world. I testify that the true and living gospel of Jesus Christ is on the earth and you are members of His true and living Church, trying to share it.....

Be strong. Live the gospel faithfully even if others around you don’t live it at all. Defend your beliefs with courtesy and with compassion, but defend them. A long history of inspired voices, including those you will hear in this conference and the voice you just heard in the person of President Thomas S. Monson, point you toward the path of Christian discipleship. It is a strait path, and it is a narrow path without a great deal of latitude at some points, but it can be thrillingly and successfully traveled, “with … steadfastness in Christ, … a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men.” In courageously pursuing such a course, you will forge unshakable faith, you will find safety against ill winds that blow, even shafts in the whirlwind, and you will feel the rock-like strength of our Redeemer, upon whom if you build your unflagging discipleship, you cannot fall."

I want it known that I know this church is true.  I will follow our living prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, not blindly, but with confidence built upon faith and prayers and personal sacred experiences that have testified to me again and again that he speaks for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  I love my Savior and I feel strongly that His second coming is fast approaching.  I love The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for the way it constantly helps me to feel close to God, to improve my imperfect self and to help others along their path as well.  I feel nothing but extreme fulfillment and happiness as my role as a woman in the church and have never once felt "less than" any man or woman in the church.  I place my temple covenants as the highest blessing and responsibility of my life.  I know that our Heavenly Father wants all of us to gain our own testimony of these things, to enter his holy temple and to live our lives in accordance with his law.  I know that if I remain faithful all my days on this earth, the reward will be the indescribable joy of being brought into the presence of Jesus Christ and my Heavenly Father with my Burkie, our children and the rest of our family forever.  No, I do not fully understand every last shred of doctrine, scripture or policy in the church, but I believe the things I do understand far outweigh my questions.  I choose to (as Elder Uchtdorf suggested) "doubt my doubts" and instead focus on the things that further strengthen my faith and relationship with God.  I have found this to be a happiness promoting way to live.  And that is what the gospel of Jesus Christ has brought me overall.  True happiness.