In priesthood meeting on Sunday, we discussed the unusual vision of Robert Mason, an acquaintance of Wilford Woodruff . In 1830, three years before President Woodruff learned about and joined the Church, Robert Mason shared his prophetic experience that foretold of the coming of the Restoration, and his story had a profound effect upon President Woodruff.
After reviewing this story, several members of our small group shared related experiences from their missions in which investigators had been miraculously prepared for the coming of the missionaries with detailed visions or dreams. Two of them included dreams in which the investigator saw the missionary who would bring the Gospel to them and recognized that person at their door. I, too, have been impressed over the years with some of the marvelous ways in which the Lord has prepared a few people to receive the Gospel, though for the majority it seems that somewhat less dramatic spiritual experiences through prayer and study are sufficient.
The unusual miracles, like the vision of Robert Mason, should be treasured and pondered, though we must not demand them or expect them as a matter of course. But how thankful I am for those rare but marvelous moments experienced by some in the Church when dramatic and powerful guidance from above is given.
And for you cynics, call me crazy, but I do believe in the reality of heavenly gifts and miracles, rare as they may be.
I don’t think these miracles are at all rare, Jeff. Mormons talk about stuff like that all the time.
I did a story on near death experiences and religion once and we are the only ones who openly and unapologetically discuss and celebrate them.
I’m a believer.
The fact that we beleive in modern revelation helps us to accept many of these visions are true.
My mother-in-law has the book “I Stand All Amazed” about Elaine Durham’s near death experience. She learned some aspects of the gospel while on the other side and accepted the gospel years after she returned when two missionaries came to her door.
While I was on my mission, I participated in a baptism where the woman and daughter being baptized had dreamed about the two Elders who knocked on their door the next day, and recognized them accordingly.
Before first meeting the missionaries, my mother had an elaborate dream of a religious group who wore ‘aprons’ and curious head dresses. The dream also left the impression of a quite urgency and rustling of fabric as clothing was donned.
The gospel is true.
As my companion and I walked past a bench in Bucay Ecuador, an elderly man sitting there pointed to us, and said in a squeaky old person’s voice to the man next to him “Those guys are angels!”
My companion made a dismissive gesture and said something like “crazy ol’ coot.” I responded “Well, he’s right, ya know.”
We taught and baptized him.
I went out with our spanish-speaking missionaries on Sunday night. We taught a lady from Honduras who had read 3 Nephi and Moroni 10 in the Book of Mormon. When asked if she had prayed to know if it was true, she mentioned having had a dream in which she saw a large tree, behind which was a bright light. Underneath the tree were “some white people, just like you guys” and near the tree was a river of water. The Elders were floored.
Some of you might say, “She must’ve read that part already,” but I felt the Spirit when she said it. I believe her. And I couldn’t help but think to my own mission in South America, when it seemed A LOT of people had dreams/visions in response to their prayers. I think instinctively we have our own way of having our prayers answered, but no matter what way it is, the point is, God does answer them
In writing this post, I had forgotten that my father had a similar experience in his mission. His written story gives the name and location of the sister who was baptized and remained faithful until her death recently. This sister was delighted to meet my father and his compansion, for she had had a dream about them bringing her the Gospel and she recognized them. But she said she was a little confused, for in the dream, they were not dressed in the suits she saw them in. They were dressed in white. “That’s OK,” they explained. “You’ll see us in white soon enough.”
I don’t know if I have permission to share the name of the person right now, so I’ll check later and see if I can post the full story. It’s a great one.
There are many modern miracles still occurring in the spreading of the Gospel around the earth.
At 4:54 AM, January 25, 2006, Mormanity said… In writing this post, I had forgotten that my father had a similar experience in his mission.
(To sarcastically mimic the detractors of Joseph Smith…)
There ya go changing your story. Man, how can we believe anything you say from now on?
My grandfather, Charles Johnson, wrote this in his family history. A book could be written on all stories such as these.
My father was very much opposed to all forms of religion, while my mother had a great faith and was very devout and sought her Father in Heaven for guidance in all things, and he blessed her greatly by revealing many things for her benefit, for instance, she being in a strange land, her children all being very sick she having neither experience, nor help from others, prayed to God for knowledge of what to do, in answer she was informed of the herbs and roots of forest and garden and how to use them, and in obedience to this counsel she soon had her family well again and she became quite proficient in the use of natures remedies. Some of the incidents of her life were very remarkable, for instance, at a denominational camp meeting she could not understand the ministers who spoke in English, she prayed for the gift of understanding and received it instantly, and a little later in this same meeting she bore her testimony in the English language to the astonishment of her children and all that knew her. She then prayed that she might retain this gift and her prayer was answered from that day on, and ever after made good use of her gifts by testifying of the goodness of God to all where opportunity offered. At another revival Methodist meeting where there had been much shouting and long and loud praying in which she had taken an active part, returning home late, we (I accompanied mother to the meeting, I was then about 13 years old) were gathered around her for prayers before retiring and she led in prayer. She began thus: “I wonder what it is between thee and us oh Lord, that our prayers are not answered?” (She had been led to say these words without her own volition). A voice answered her that our prayers were like unto the priests of Baal. Mother then prayed for light as to what to do. The answer was given unto her in a dream, wherein she saw two men come up to our home from the highway and she was told that these men would teach her what to do and that we should listen and obey their message. Shortly thereafter, I saw two strangers coming to our house and I called mother to the window. As soon as she saw them she recognized them as the men of her dream and made them welcome. They were elders Joseph R. Murdock of Charleston, Utah and D. E. Harris of Utah. They were LDS missionaries. They were fed and given a room for all the time of their labors in our neighborhood. Mother, my brothers Julius, William and myself listened carefully to their teachings and finally were baptized and confirmed by them the 9th of May 1881.