Love of God vs. Dark & Dreary

 We’ve become accustomed to see and feel what righteousness looks and feels like. Lehi was also accustomed to those things and therefore, followed the man in white until he finally realized he was being led into a dark and dreary waste.

Here’s the account:

“And it came to pass that I saw a man, and he was dressed in a white robe; and he came and stood before me.

6 And it came to pass that he spake unto me, and bade me follow him.

7 And it came to pass that as I followed him I beheld myself that I was in a dark and dreary waste.

8 And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies.

9 And it came to pass after I had prayed unto the Lord I beheld a large and spacious field.

10 And it came to pass that I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy.

That tree and its fruit represented the love of God (1 Nephi 11). He was enveloped in the love of God after turning away from following the man dressed in white and instead sought the Lord through prayer.

We live in a day when the word of God is dispensed throughout the world. The history of the church has landed in the hands of the people (see Joseph Smith Papers). It’s much like the time in world history when the Latin Bible was translated into German and later English. The people had to listen to the priest because they couldn’t read Latin. While reading the Bible for themselves, the people started to recognize their priest hadn’t always interpreted the word of God correctly. In fact, they had passed down false beliefs and false traditions. These traditions had taken hold of the religious landscape. 

There were many courageous, faithful people who risked their lives to share the word of God with those around them, to get the translated texts to the people in their own language so they could follow God according to the dictates of their conscience. They were called heretics, apostates and many were burned at the stake, exiled or banished from their places of worship. 

When the church of their day started losing control they resorted to extreme measures. Today we see the same reactions. Much is being brought to light. 

The church focuses on following the current leadership over the scriptures (https://youtu.be/ovZz9yn4oBg)  This is much like following the man in white in Lehi’s dream. They continually urge the membership to trust in the prophets (who a prophet is would be a great discussion for a later time), instead of focusing on the Lord. They use the prophet as synonymous with the Lord. The teaching is subtle but a shift of focus from the Lord to any man in white will lead to a dark and dreary waste. 

Let’s consider how Joseph Smith felt about following a prophet, even a true prophet. He said,

"Prest. J. Smith rose, read the 14th Chap. of Ezekiel— said the Lord had declar’d by the prophet that the people should each one stand for himself and depend on no man or men in that state of corruption of the Jewish church— that righteous persons could only deliver their own souls— app[l]ied it to the present state of the church of Latter-Day Saints— said if the people departed from the Lord, they must fall— that they were depending on the prophet hence were darkened in their minds from neglect of themselves—"

https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/minutes-and-discourse-26-may-1842/2

Now compare this to what the Nelsons and Bednars shared in their recent European conference (https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/president-nelson-europe-devotional-january-2022).

Now go to any teaching from the church about receiving revelation. There is a heavy focus on leadership as the final say. 

I believe in Jesus Christ and I know if we follow Him, we will be blessed. We should accept a 30 day challenge to put exclamation points behind His words, not those of leaders of any church or organization. Traditions of thought are hard to break. Faith to follow Jesus Christ at all costs will yield dividends, the love of God, peace and eternal life. Dark and dreary waste doesn’t light a candle to these blessings.