I find dreams fascinating, especially after studying the scriptures and the power of symbolism and underlying meanings. I don’t remember my dreams often, but there are a few profound dreams I’ve had recently where I awakened while having them and they seem to have meaning. They seem to have a message from God for me.

Dream 1: The Undercover Agent

This dream was some kind of Underground Railroad experience. In this dream, I was trying to rescue children who were subject to slave trafficking, and my wife seemed to be the bad guy. She was opposing the efforts and seemed to be aiding the bad guys in this child trafficking endeavor. But then, in the end, she was actually on our side the entire time. She was an undercover agent and was helping us, but couldn’t tell us and we didn’t know it.

I relate this to my wife’s falling away from the Church. Her losing her testimony and desiring divorce has caused much strain and trial on our family. But because of it, my testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ and His atoning power has been strengthened to unparalleled levels. I felt the power of His Atonement so powerfully that I have no doubts of His ability to lift us and ease our burdens.

At the time I had this dream, my oldest son was serving a mission. He was near the end of his mission and was, quite frankly, kind of burned out and unmotivated. Then he received a letter from his Mom telling him that she no longer believed in the LDS Church. He was devastated. A short time later he received a letter from me where I bore the renewed testimony I had received in our Savior, and he rededicated himself to the work. He ended his mission giving it his all and being strengthened by the power of enduring trials. The last part of his mission was powerful for him and he grew in ways that he likely would not have if it were not from his mothers falling away.

My two teenage sons have also strengthened their faith in Jesus Christ as they have realized that they needed to find out and know for themselves. They couldn’t rely on Mom’s testimony, as she no longer had one. My 15-year-old has matured in so many ways and, for the first time in his life, bore his testimony in Church last Sunday. He is so much more obedient and tries to be a peacemaker in our home. Our boys prayers are so much more thoughtful and sincere as they fully believe to be communing with our eternal Father in Heaven.

While I absolutely wish that my wife had never lost her faith, while our lives would have been so much easier, perhaps, under the eternal understanding of our loving Father in Heaven, this loss has strengthened the testimony of the rest of my family and forced them to anchor their foundation on Jesus Christ. In spiritual ways we are stronger than ever.

And hopefully, one day, she will come back. Hopefully one day she will once again desire to be on the covenant path and united to rescue eternal souls.

Dream 2: The Burning Cruise Ship

In this dream, my family was on a cruise ship. It was at port, and I got off it. Then I wasn’t allowed to get back on because it was too late and the ship was about to set off to its next destination. Then it caught fire, and I was desperately trying to get back on so I could save my family.

I tried stacking ladders on top of each other to climb on, and it didn’t work. I tried other things and was getting no results. There was panic and chaos as I desperately wanted to save my family.

And then, somehow, the family was off the ship, and there was relief and peace. A family friend had helped them off the ship.

I don’t know the meaning of this dream, but it seems to be telling me that my efforts to try to keep my family together during this time, when my wife has left the Church and wants a divorce, will not be enough on their own. I can try and try, but ultimately it will be an outside force that enables us to be together.

I really hope that means, in this earthly life, that a family friend will indeed be able to help comfort and persuade my wife to choose marriage. But perhaps this message is merely eternal, a message about the role of the Savior. Through the Savior and our Heavenly Father’s divine plan, we will be able to be together forever as families.

Dream 3: House on Fire, Don’t Forget the Precious Things

My third vivid dream also involved a fire. In it, my house, which ended up being my boyhood home once I was trying to escape, was on fire. I escaped the flames and went to the safety of the street, where I ran into my father.

He asked if I had remembered to get the “precious things” out of the burning house. I told him that I had forgotten about them.

He told me that every night he always set the precious things where they would be accessible and easy to take out in case of an emergency like the fire. I remembered the precious things and where he had placed them. I felt bad that I had forgotten to get them. I don’t remember what all of the precious things were, but among them was a wedding ring, the symbol of eternity and marriage.

I thought that I had blown it. I had neglected to get the precious things out of the burning house, and that it was now too late to return to the house engulfed in flames. There were no firefighters in sight, and the house would soon be completely consumed by the fire.

But then I looked up again, and the firefighters had come and almost instantly extinguished the fire. Damage was done to the house, but I was still able to recover the precious things for my father.

I can’t say that I know for sure the meaning of the dream or what the outcome will be, but it seems to be telling me of the sacredness and importance of eternal sealings. It seems to be a reminder to not forget to “lay out” the precious things each night.

In my life right now it appears that my marriage is over, and that the fire of the adversary will engulf my family and prevent it from being eternal. But through God’s atoning love there will still be a way for me to recover those precious things as he will put out the fire.

I wish I knew when or how or what it means exactly, but for now, I will simply have faith that God’s plan is great that he understands more than we do and that we just need to have faith and trust Him.