A Dream with a Message

Most of the dreams I have, I forget, or if I do remember them, they make no sense.

Well, the night of July 21, 2015, I had a dream I will never forget. The power of the Holy Ghost was so overwhelming, that it consumed my thoughts and heart during the dream, and after I awoke.

That particular night, I dreamt about Joseph Smith:

A large group of church members were at gathered at church because a play was going to be done about the Prophet Joseph Smith.

The setting of the dream was in modern times with modern conveniences.

There were so many people, that not everyone could fit to view the play. I, and a group of other people, had to sit in a classroom and listen to the play. I was actually quite content with that, because that room was actually where the actors’ offstage was located.

I remember being so excited to see the man playing Joseph Smith. After one scene, a mob scene, the actors ran into the classroom.

I was so happy to meet him. Somehow, this man looked exactly like the actor from the Joseph Smith movie.

For the rest of my dream, though, he was no longer an actor, but the real Joseph Smith.

I remember sitting at his feet and speaking to him. I talked to him about my favorite part of the gospel (In real life, the evening I had my dream, the missionaries were in my home and asked my husband and I to answer that very question). I told him it was the Holy Ghost because he testifies of truth, and because he can provide us with spiritual power to be able to testify of the truthfulness of the gospel and to do missionary work.

The Prophet Joseph told me that I was missing something important, and that I needed to focus on Jesus Christ.

He walked away then. I felt crushed and a little mad, since he didn’t offer any other explanation.

Soon, everyone in the building heard many loud noises and screams. We found out that a real mob had come to find Joseph and kill him. The mob was going around to every room searching for him. The mob finally came to our classroom. A woman in the mob yelled angrily that she could tell one of us was hiding something, and she pointed right to my son, Casey.

He fearfully said he had to go to the bathroom. I stood up with him, and took him there. The mob didn’t stop us.

We were so scared. I wondered where Joseph was, and if he was okay. I was crying a lot, and praying with my son.

I don’t know if the mob left, or if they just went elsewhere, but I soon saw Joseph again.I sat at his feet, tears streaming down my face. He stayed very calm, and asked me how I keep Heavenly Father fresh in my mind.

I told him that I pray to Him, and also that I often ponder on the Plan of Salvation. He was pleased with my answers. I don’t remember what else I said, but the thought stayed with me of how important it is to always keep Heavenly Father in my mind.

I felt so happy in Joseph’s presence. He told me that he would be okay, and that the mob would not hurt him.

He had felt that this would happen, so long before he had come that night, a plan was formulated on how to hide him. A master carpenter had changed a large wooden cabinet into a wall, so Joseph could hide behind it as long as was necessary. Nobody would ever think to look behind a wall for him.

He was prepared to stay in there as long as needed, and there were members who would have brought him food, water, and clothes.

I felt a deep, abiding love for the man in my dream – a respect, a reverence and an admiration I cannot describe.

When I awoke, I felt that the Holy Ghost had testified to me in my dream that Joseph Smith was a true prophet. He also had given me a small taste of the horror the early Saints went through as angry, hateful mobs – armed to kill – invaded their homes and lives.

I am grateful for this dream. The tears flowed during the dream, and as I wrote my memories of it. I already knew that Joseph Smith was a prophet. I have known that for a long time. Now, though, I feel like I know him, and I have received counsel from him that he would have told me had I lived when he did.

“The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it.” – President Joseph Smith, Jr.