PUNISHMENT BY DEATH

A few months ago I had a powerful dream. In this dream, I was looking at a dead tree, with other similar-looking trees in the background reaching for miles. Death was everywhere and there was no sound to break up the eeriness that lay in the red valley. This tree I stood in front of was no taller than I was, as it had no chance to reach its potential. It was brown with not a single leaf to it, and all its branches were barren and had perished with no evidence of any form of life that had taken shelter from it for a very long time. This tree along with all of the trees represented those of our dead culture, with destroyed spirits from sin, including pornography. There is no nourishment from a dead tree, as it bears no fruit. There is nothing to sustain life. Sin pays those who serve it by punishing them with death, with branches of posterity in utter destruction— providing no protection.

FRAMED BY GOD

While dreaming I asked, “what I should do?” I was answered by giving me the assignment to take very large gold rectangular picture frames and hang them on a small tree and on every tree I saw. I asked, “what did the frames mean?” The frame represented the teachings of Joseph Smith revealed by God when he outlined and framed a House of Order in Doctrine and Covenants 109. This section of scriptures shows how to heal the barren soul of dead branches. I then did as was told and as I placed the frames upon the trees one by one life returned.

Lying within this “small and simple” text, I believe the Lord in His mercy revealed powerful principles to heal broken families, bring individuals into the presence of God, and arm families against the adversary.

D&C 109:6-11 Instructions for how to build a home

D&C 109:12-21 Finished product, what it looks like

D&C 109:22-37 Promises & Protection

All I was to do was hang these large wooden frames on the trees and nothing else — that God would do the rest.

A SYMBOLISM OF HOW GOD WORKS WITH US

The frame represented the symbol God uses when working with his people. This symbol is found all over the LDS temples and is in the form of a concentric square.

The pattern in working with His people goes as follows:

You enter through the outer box which represents a desire (box 1). Then God will give you the assignment to complete (box 2) after which you will have to return and report to Him (Box 3). Then if done right you will enter His presence through Jesus Christ (box 4).

In Doctrine and Covenants 109 you will find this pattern — a pattern to prepare for the Savior, develop the love needed to help one another, and have an abundance of the spirit is all found in these verses, and they are an answer to healing our homes, even pornography can be overcome using this section of scriptures.

Let me show you the 4 steps in the scriptures.

ONLY NEED TO HAVE A DESIRE

7 And as all have not faith,

The Savior says you do not even have to have faith to be healed, only a desire. In the Old Testament, a beautiful miracle occurred when a father brought his demon-possessed son to the Son of God.  The boy had been tormented since he was a child.  His parents were distraught.  Once their son had been nearly drowned, another time he was almost burnt alive. Together, this broken father and mother cried out, “Have compassion on us and help us!”

The Savior’s response was simple, “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.”

Every one of us will face these types of dilemmas, difficult decisions, and baffling problems.  What are we going to do?  Are we going to turn to the world’s ways or the Lords? Do you believe He can heal you and those you love? Do you believe your spouse or child can break the bonds of pornography that have captivated them for so long?

The father of the possessed child immediately gasped out with tears streaming down his face: “Lord, I believe; help thou my unbelief.”

Are we humble enough to accept the real answer and step forward? Are we willing to let go of programs and check charts and use scriptures instead as the answer? The father of the possessed son made his decision. He decided to put aside his own will and his own desires to follow the Lord’s instructions to heal his family. He laid everything on the altar to follow the Lord’s way.

ASSIGNMENT (THE LORD’S WAY)

…seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best ^abooks words of wisdom, seek learning even by study and also by faith;

8 Organize yourselves; ^aprepare every needful thing, and establish a house, even a ^bhouse of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of ^corder, a ^dhouse of God;

9 That your ^aincomings may be in the name of the Lord, that your outgoings may be in the name of the Lord, that all your salutations may be in the name of the Lord, with uplifted hands unto the Most High—

10 And now, Holy Father, we ask thee to assist us, thy people, with thy grace, in calling our ^asolemn assembly, that it may be done to thine honor and to thy divine acceptance;

11 And in a manner that we may be found worthy, in thy sight, to secure a fulfilment of the ^apromises which thou hast made unto us, thy people, in the revelations given unto us;

12 That thy ^aglory may rest down upon thy people, and upon this thy house, which we now dedicate to thee, that it may be sanctified and consecrated to be holy, and that thy holy presence may be continually in this house;

13 And that all people who shall enter upon the threshold of the Lord’s house may feel thy power, and feel constrained to acknowledge that thou hast sanctified it, and that it is thy house, a ^aplace of thy holiness.

14 And do thou grant, Holy Father, that all those who shall worship in this house may be taught words of wisdom out of the best ^abooks, and that they may seek learning even by study, and also by faith, as thou hast said;

15 And that they may grow up in thee, and receive a fulness of the Holy Ghost, and be organized according to thy laws, and be prepared to obtain every needful thing;

16 And that this house may be a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of glory and of God, even thy house;

17 That all the incomings of thy people, into this house, may be in the name of the Lord;

18 That all their outgoings from this house may be in the name of the Lord;

19 And that all their salutations may be in the name of the Lord, with holy hands, uplifted to the Most High;

20 And that no ^aunclean thing shall be permitted to come into thy house to ^bpollute it;

21 And when thy people ^atransgress, any of them, they may speedily repent and return unto thee, and find favor in thy sight, and be restored to the blessings which thou hast ordained to be poured out upon those who shall ^breverence thee in thy house.

RETURN AND REPORT

77 O Lord God Almighty, hear us in these our petitions, and answer us from heaven, thy holy habitation, where thou sittest enthroned, with ^aglory, honor, power, majesty, might, dominion, truth, justice, judgment, mercy, and an infinity of fulness, from everlasting to everlasting.

78 O hear, O hear, O hear us, O Lord! And answer these petitions, and accept the ^adedication of this house unto thee, the ^bwork of our hands, which we have built unto thy name;

ENTER HIS PRESENCE

79 And also this church, to put upon it thy ^aname. And help us by the power of thy Spirit, that we may ^bmingle our voices with those bright, shining ^cseraphs around thy throne, with acclamations of ^dpraise, singing Hosanna to God and the ^eLamb!

80 And let these, thine ^aanointed ones, be clothed with salvation, and thy saints ^bshout aloud for joy. Amen, and Amen.

CORRECT TRUTH PASSED DOWN

As you know I always love learning how the Gospel of Jesus Christ can be used in difficult times. I believe if we learn it and live it well, then there will be more faith-promoting stories and testimonies of His deliverance to pass down to our children and grandchildren —our posterity! I believe this was an answer to how I could nourish the tree correctly and restore life back into the barren branches of my family, as it can be for you too.