Wednesday, September 24, 2014

My Son's Dream

My kids have been having some incredible dreams this year. Just out of the blue my six-year-old daughter told me the other day that the night before she had a dream about Jesus. She said that in the dream someone came and knocked on our door. We answered it and they told us that Jesus was here and that we needed to go to the mountains to be with him.

She said that we packed up bread and water into our car and headed towards the mountains. We were very happy.

A week later to the day, my eight-year-old son had a dream that he shared with me.

In the dream he was shown the number 2014. He then saw that all of us including our extended family had traveled to Germany for vacation. Suddenly there were terrible storms everywhere and it became too dangerous and we had to leave.

He was then shown the number 2015 and saw that we had all traveled to California for vacation. Again, the same thing happened. Storms everywhere and it became to dangerous and we had to leave.

He was then shown the number 2016. We had traveled to Mexico for vacation and the exact same thing happened.

At that time he saw a large old book open up. It opened up to a page and in very fancy old script handwriting read,

It is time.

He then woke up to a crack of thunder and his alarm clock went off.

He asked me what it might mean. I felt that the vacations represented different regions of the world that would become unsafe. The years were a timeline. It started with Europe, then the West Coast and lastly Mexico. Unsafe could mean many different things such as natural disasters, disease, war and violence.

"It is time", could possibly mean it is time for the gathering to places of safety. It could also mean the time of Armageddon. Lastly, it could mean the building of the New Jerusalem or even the return of the Savior. I do not know for sure - but what I do know is that it was significant. I believe the clap of thunder and the alarm was significant to wake up my son and imprint the importance of what he was just shown.

These things should not be a surprise - our prophets and apostles both anciently and today have warned us of these events. I believe that the Lord is letting us know that time is very short. In just a couple years something very significant will happen and we must be prepared (spiritually and physically). This is a time to build up our faith and put our trust in the Lord. We need to strengthen our testimony, become more in tune with the Spirit and seek personal revelation daily. We must be the best people that we can be. Though great evils and destruction are sweeping the Earth we are also on the verge of great miracles.

Hold fast to the gospel, increase your prayer and strengthen your faith. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ amen.

Monday, September 15, 2014

Ogden Temple Open House

My husband and I had the wonderful opportunity to volunteer at the open house for the Ogden temple. We got a babysitter and headed to the prayer meeting prior to our shift. It was such an awesome feeling to be in a room full of wonderful brothers and sisters from my stake - all together to serve at the temple.

My husband and I were chosen to serve on the third floor of the temple which meant we would get to spend time in the Celestial room. I was humbled for this chance. Our only job was to smile at the thousands of people passing through. Not difficult for me but for my husband smiling doesn't come natural - some people say it's because he's German ;) He really amazed me when I witnessed him smiling for over four hours. I guess you can't help it when you are in the temple.

As the people passed us by, it was so incredible to see all different walks of life (different ethnicity, races, religion, tattoos, piercings,) going through the temple. Yes, different walks of life but all children of God. It was powerful to see them feel the sweet spirit that dwells in the temple walls.

I first stood at the top of the stairs and I was the first face they saw as they reached the third floor - tired and exhausted from all those steps. I beamed a smile their way and most couldn't help but smile right back. A large painting of the Savior at His second coming was at the top of the stairs. As they gazed their eyes on the painting while taking a small break to catch their breath, the last six steps didn't seem as difficult to reach the top.

It reminded me of life. As we climb up the steps in our life it can be so exhausting - but when we stop to catch our breath and draw near to the Savior, we regain the strength we need to keep on going. I also envisioned the people coming up the stairs as weary spirits who just passed through the veil and are heading towards the light in "the tunnel". I thought to myself how awesome it would be, to be an angel greeting these weary spirits at the entrance into Spirit Paradise. Beaming a smile at them and letting them know they had made it.

When my turn came to stand in the Celestial Room - I was so happy that I forgot about how bad my legs hurt from standing. There was such a reverence and everyone could feel it. There were many people who were blind that passed through. Though they couldn't see the room in all it's beauty - they could feel it. It was amazing to watch. But the best part was seeing the face expressions change on people's faces as they came from the hallway and entered into the room. Their eyes became so big and some became emotional. There is a spirit about that room that just can't be ignored. Very powerful.

I enjoyed that rare opportunity of being in the Lord's house with all of His children.

I know the temple truly is the Lord's House and He dwells there. Temple ordinances are saving ordinances that binds families together for all eternity. I feel so blessed knowing that we have a Father in Heaven who loves us so much that He made a way for us to all be together with Him again. His love is real and He hears and answers our prayers. I say this in the Savior's name - Jesus Christ - amen.

Monday, September 8, 2014

Faith to Be Healed and Casting Out Satan

Doctrine and Covenants 35:9

And whoso shall ask it in my name in faith, they shall cast out devils; they shall heal the sick; they shall cause the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak, and the lame to walk.

This journey that I have been on to unfolding the mysteries of the Kingdom has led to a beautiful experience. Because of some very real and personal experiences with faith, healing and revelation that I have had - when someone comes to me and tells me they are suffering in some way I can't help but leap forward and share with them a message of hope and what I have found out for myself.

Last week I got news that my brother was very ill and had been in the ER. My brother and I aren't that close and we only talk on the phone once in a great while. I gave him a call to see what the matter was and to find out his condition. He told me that he had been so sick and had such a high fever that he was admitted to the ER. He had had several tests ran on him with no results yet. I didn't recognize his voice. He sounded like a dying toad - very deep and croaky. He had been prescribed some very powerful pain medication to ease his discomfort. He sounded exhausted, fatigued and hopeless.

I knew that he didn't have to suffer like this - the solution was so simple but not always easy. I wanted to tell him this but a part of me was hesitant because he's my older brother and he doesn't always welcome advice, especially when it's not asked for. I couldn't keep quiet though - not after what I had learned over the past month. So I told him.

"Cam, if you have the faith to be healed you can be healed" I started to tell him. I then told him about some incredible women I have recently met who have the gift of healing. I told him that their faith is so great - whenever they call upon the Lord for a miracle, He gives them one. Whether it be a prayer, a priesthood blessing or a plea of desperation - the Lord can heal you if it's His will and if you believe that He can.

I like to believe that it's usually His will to heal you. The Lord needs us to be whole so that we can better serve Him. Sometimes He allows us to experience pain and suffering so that we learn to call upon Him and trust Him. It pleases Him to answer our prayers and grant us our righteous desires.

As I began to share this message with my brother he listened but seemed a little doubtful. He asked some questions and then I told him I would pray for him and if he didn't get better soon to let me know and I would exert my own faith or ask for help from those I know who have this gift.

Sunday morning I was getting ready for church and my phone rang - it was my brother. I didn't have time to take a call but answered anyways.

"Hey Lindsey hows it going?" he asked in a very chipper voice.

"Good," I replied "You sure sound a lot better."

"That's because I am" he said. "Do you have a minute? I'd like to share something with you."

I told him I had a few minutes. He then began to tell me what had happened to him. He told me that he had gone to our cousin's wedding reception the night before and was so sick he had to pull over on the way there and on the way back. He had missed so much work already and it didn't seem like he was getting any better. When he got home that night his wife called their home teacher to ask for a priesthood blessing. The home teacher came over and gave the blessing. Before he left he told my brother that he felt prompted to share a story with him about one of the past prophets who had suffered from an ear infection as a boy and had the faith to be healed. He then told my brother that if he had the faith he could be healed.

When my brother went to bed he was still feeling very sick. He pondered on what I had said and what his home teacher had said and he decided he would try his faith. He said a prayer in his bed asking Heavenly Father to heal him especially of the hiccups and heart burn he'd been suffering from for four days. After the prayer he waited - but nothing had changed - he was still sick.

The thought then came to him that he needed to get on his knees and pour out his heart in sincerity this time. So, this he did. He began to talk to the Lord as though he were in his room. "Lord, I have been so sick for so long. I know you have the power to heal me. I've missed so much work and I can't do this any longer. Please heal me." Then he did something interesting...he thanked the Lord for his sickness.

He continued on and on pouring out his heart and soul and "crying" unto the Lord. When he finished he got back into bed and realized his hiccups had stopped. He waited and waited and...they were really gone. Doubt began to creep in as he thought if he waited a little longer they would surely come back. Then he realized this was Satan trying to ruin his faith. So he cast Satan out and then peacefully fell asleep.

When he woke up he felt 100 percent better. He had been healed! Immediately he got down on his knees and thanked the Lord.Then he called me.

As he told me this story he sobbed and took several moments of silence where he couldn't speak at all. He had been so touched by the Spirit and had tripled his testimony in just a few short hours. I was so happy for him and I told him that this is what I was talking about when I told him that if he had the faith he could be healed. It's so easy for the Lord to heal us - the hard part is for us to really believe that he wants to or is going to.

I had recently learned that thanking the Lord for you afflictions pleases the Lord and in return He will bless you for doing so. I was so happy that my brother had done this. I told him that because he had this experience he would soon have people put in his path who would benefit from his testimony about this experience. The more knowledge we gain and the more our testimony grows, the Lord uses us as tools to help others. He puts us in situations and gives us opportunities to share what we know.

My brother agreed with me and said now that he's had this experience he wants to share it with others. I was so happy!

Alma 14:26

And Alma cried, saying: How long shall we suffer these great afflictions, O Lord? O Lord, give us strength according to our faith which is in Christ, even unto deliverance. And they broke the cords with which they were bound; and when the people saw this, they began to flee, for the fear of destruction had come upon them.

This is how I have felt over the past month. I have learned that sometimes we need to cast out Satan several times a day. Fear, doubt, anxiety and all negative thoughts come form him. This will always interfere with our faith and our ability to communicate with the Spirit. Also, we need to thank the Lord in our moments of affliction no matter how hard it may be to do so. This shows him that we recognize his will and that we know that he knows what's best for us.

Doctrine and Covenants 122:7

And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.

 Lastly, we need to thank him again when our prayer has been answered. Remember the story of the 10 lepers.

I truly believe that our faith will be tried again and again until we are refined into the people the Lord needs us to be for these last days. Be grateful for your trials because you are being refined into something very special. As the end times become more difficult we will need to rely on our own faith to harness the miracles we read about in the scriptures. The Lord is preparing us now.

I say this in the name of Jesus Christ amen. 

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

The Mysteries of the Kingdom

August was such a busy month for me. Sorry about being MIA. Do you ever feel like you you have so many things you need and want to get done but so little time in the day? This has been my obstacle all summer. Now that that kids are back in school I'm hoping to get a better handle on my list of things to do. This blog is definitely on that list.

Some AMAZING things have happened to me this summer. What's mentioned in the these scriptures below has happened to me!

Doctrine and Covenants 76:7 

And to them will I reveal all mysteries, yea, all the hidden mysteries of my kingdom from days of old, and for ages to come, will I make known unto them the good pleasure of my will concerning all things pertaining to my kingdom.

Doctrine and Covenants 6:11

And if thou wilt inquire, thou shalt know mysteries which are great and marvelous; therefore thou shalt exercise thy gift, that thou mayest find out mysteries, that thou mayest bring many to the knowledge of the truth, yea, convince them of the error of their ways.

I can't go in to detail today but as I continue posting, I'll share a little more each time. I will say that there is so much knowledge that we don't have but if we genuinely ask with righteous desires it will be given to us. I have had so much personal revelation about "mysteries of the kingdom" revealed to me that I became mentally and physically exhausted last month. It's so much to comprehend and once you have the knowledge you have on obligation to apply it and be held accountable for it.

I know that there is a time and place for everything. I was not ready for this knowledge until recently. I have shared it with others and have found that some were ready to hear it and have embraced it and sought out for more and others did not seem to understand or have any desire to hear more. They were not ready.

I was reminded about the scripture,

Mathew 7:6

Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

and...

Doctrine and Covenants 41:6

For it is not meet that the things which belong to the children of the kingdom should be given to them that are not worthy, or to dogs, or the pearls to be cast before swine.

I truly believe that we are all at different levels of spiritual learning. Some of us are seekers of the truth and we receive revelation daily (knock and it shall be opened, ask and ye shall receive) and others don't yet have that desire to seek out further truth and knowledge...and that's okay.

But I testify from personal experience that when you are ready to hear truth it is delicious to the soul! It's a euphoric feeling and it burns inside of you. Just like Alma says below,

Alma 32:28

Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.

Because of what I know and have been learning, my purpose and mission in this life has become more clear and more important. I am working and strengthening my gifts to better help do my part in building the Kingdom of God. Sentences in my patriarchal blessing are now clear to me and I am seeing wonderous miracles come to pass.

I love the gospel of Jesus Christ. His power is real and His atonement it real. Our Father in Heaven's love for us is endless. Until we truly believe in His power and how it can bless our lives, our faith will not be enough to see those miracles happen in our lives. This is what Moroni spoke about when he said,

Moroni 7:37

Behold I say unto you, Nay; for it is by faith that miracles are wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men; wherefore, if these things have ceased wo be unto the children of men, for it is because of unbelief, and all is vain.

WE can have these amazing miracles happen in our lives on a DAILY basis, just like in the days of the ancient prophets if we start believing again. If we exercise our faith.

That is all I can say for now. I ask that you pray about this. Get yourself in a position to desire to increase your faith and to have a closer relationship with your Heavenly Father and the Savior. With what lies ahead in these last days, it will be our faith that sustains us. It's so important that we get ourselves prepared.

I testify of this in the name of Jesus Christ amen.