What I Believe: If I Had a Million Dollars

...well, really if only I had $180 minimum, I would purchase a 16x20" print of this painting, "Into the Light" by Lehi Sanchez!

If you've been reading lately, than obviously you'll notice that Lehi's dream has been on my mind a lot lately.  But for good reason as there is SO much meaning to it.  So many symbols that are extremely relevant in life today.

What I believe is that every single word of 1 Nephi 8 and 1 Nephi 11 was documented for us now.

Every time I read those passages of scripture, and every time I see a depiction of the Tree I FEEL it.  Everywhere.  Deep inside, my heart leaps & quivers.  I feel warmth radiate from within, trying to burst out.  There is no possible way I could ever deny the truth of Lehi & Nephi's accounts.  I KNOW  they are true.  Every part of the dream is relevant, as well as imperative for us to recognize in our own lives.

Each vital element is as follows:

• The Iron Rod represents the word of God.  We must cling to it in order to arrive at the most desirable destination (which is God's presence).  
• The Great & Spacious Building is real, we face it every single day; it represents those influences in the world that mock faithful followers of Christ who are striving one step at a time to continue on the strait & narrow path back to our Heavenly Father.  It's the outside world.... society which has cast high morals and standards aside for being "too old fashioned."  This building represents all of the voices claiming that what has been right is now wrong, and what has been wrong is now right.
• The Mist is also real, as it is the temptations that Satan attempts to enslave us with...the little things that we rationalize away & justify in our minds....we must remember that little temptations lead to bigger temptations.  The Mist represents the sneaky gateway sins that will eventually lead us astray if we give them audience in our lives.
• The Tree which is "precious above all" represents the love of God, which is Jesus Christ- His Only Begotten in the Flesh.  Remember "For God so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten..."(John 3:16)?  Christ IS Heavenly Father's love for us; His gift to us - Eternal Life via His most obedient child.  He loves US enough to send His Son, for our benefit.  Makes beautiful sense doesn't it?  And why would He send His beloved Son for US?  Because we too are beloved to Him, as we are also his children... He is our Heavenly Father!  Just last week in our Fast & Testimony meeting there was a wonderful comment shared by a young man.  He said, "I KNOW I am a child of God.  I don't have to wonder.  If I were to look back on my spiritual pedigree chart, there --only one step back-- is my Heavenly Father!"  When this young man said that, my heart was again trembling, as the Holy Spirit bore witness how very true the young man's words are.  Profound.  Absolutely took my breath away!
• The Fruit of the Tree is our portion that is offered to us.  Are we offered the entire tree?  The answer is: YES and NO and YES.  How so, you're wondering?  Well, YES, we are offered the invitation to come and partake of the fruit of the tree....our portion of what Christ has done for Heavenly Father's children... our Eternal Salvation + plenty of doses of the Atonement.  So, NO, really the Fruit is a small sampling of the fullness (the fullness = the Tree).  However, YES, it is also a promise of potential.  All that Christ has, we too can obtain if we use our fruit wisely.  Just as a gardener is given seeds, if they are used correctly and proper care is given to those seeds, they will produce a tree of their own!  Eventually that tree will mature enough to bear fruit of its own as well.  Therefore, perhaps the details of our experiences are different from those of the Savior's, however this is how we have been extended the opportunity to inherit the same blessings He has inherited as an obedient, valiant child of God, himself.  Suddenly, with the assistance of the fruit that Christ is offering us and our proper application of it, the outlook for our SALVATION can blossom further into EXALTATION!

So there you have it.
What I believe.
More than that, this is what I KNOW.


If you'd like to know more about Lehi & Nephi's dream, read for yourself in 1 Nephi 8 and 1 Nephi 11... if you haven't a Book of Mormon in which to find these passages, you can obtain your OWN copy of the Book of Mormon by clicking here.  (No pressure, and no obligations of any kind.)  The references can also be found in the online Book of Mormon found at LDS.org...and if you have any questions, just ask me!  I don't know everything, but I do know many things...and I do know where to find answers for you.  :)


Happy reading!  ::hugs::