Several years ago I had a dream, this dream is what led me to the path I am now on; from this dream came a series of dreams and revelations about the ministry the Lord called me to.
One night the Lord gave me a vision in the form of a dream. In this dream I was at work, watching the news, everyone’s eyes were glued to the TV screen, the reporters were stating that the Garden of Eden had been found here in North America. They were talking to experts in religion, philosophy, archaeology, and more, asking: what did this mean for the world? What did it mean for America? What did it mean for religion?
Most of the people talking the loudest used this discovery to “prove” their own religions correct; Jews were outside the Garden praying, Protestants were preaching loudly, Catholics were chanting and using hand signs, some waving containers of smoke; Muslims had gathered and were praying and reading the Quran. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ missionaries in that area were talking to people, and pointing out that Joseph Smith Jr. had said that the Garden of Eden was here in America. Other world religions were represented as well, and each gave their point of view on what the Garden really was – from Shangri La to Atlantis and more.
There was a fear among many that the unholy would die if they entered the Garden, all of these religions seemed to think this spot should belong only to them and their followers. Though the Garden had been found, as of yet no one had entered.
The First In
The biggest shock came when the people, archaeologists of no particular religious affiliation, that had made the discovery finally walked in, as when they did they simply came right back out. These explorers looked just a little younger than when they went in, more refreshed and full of life. Though they had been gone but minutes, they stated they were in the Garden for years – a lifetime!
Now reporters were talking to physicists; these scientist were talking about string theory and quantum mechanics, all trying to explain what had happened. Doctors were saying that the men and women that had come out were healthy and strong.
Suddenly the push from people trying to get into the Garden was even greater as everyone wanted the “miracle food” inside that they imagined would cure their ills; some even thought they would drink from the mythical fountain of youth and live forever. There were also ideas being entertained by some that entering would purify sins and that those that came out were now somehow “holy.”
These reports went on for days; in my dream, I watched them on my breaks at work and until I went to sleep at night at home.
Journey to the Garden
After the first week, fears of economic collapse due to interest in the Garden had faded, but people all over the world were still making pilgrimages to get to the Garden of Eden. Coworkers kept asking when I was going, shocked to hear that I was waiting until my scheduled time off from work. I felt (in my dream) this was something that should happen at the right time, not just because I wanted it.
Finally that day came, I drove to Missouri and parked my car; I had to walk for miles from there, due to all the abandoned cars of the people that came before me. As I got closer to the front, I could hear people talking as they came out:
“It was really beautiful!” exclaimed one woman, “Yeah, but there wasn’t much to do,” came a response from the man with her.
“I’m getting a t-shirt, to remember the occasion,” said yet another.
Most of the responses were like this; it seemed that many wanted in, but once there they didn’t know what to do in the Garden. Besides the religiously fervent, to some this was a like an entertainment park, a cool “trick of nature,” to others a “scientific curiosity.” Yet the religious people that went in expecting to see angels or miracles came out disappointed, some were now even calling it a tourist trap.
The Survey
As I walked passed them, on my way into the Garden, a man tried to stop me from going in.
“Excuse me, I need you to fill out this survey before you enter,” he said, very politely.
“No thank you,” I said just as politely.
“I apologize for the inconvenience,” he said with the utmost courtesy, “but I can’t let you in until after you complete the survey.”
I tried to move him out of the way with my arm, but he put his hands up, asking that I not touch him. “Can’t you ask someone else?” I asked, waving my hands towards all the people walking past me.
“We are asking everyone,” he said.
I looked around and saw a few others dressed like him. They too were all asking people to stop, but everyone was just walking past them as if they couldn’t even see them. Annoyed that he was focusing on me, but understanding as no one else was listening, I went with him.
After sitting down, the man explained that people were going in freely and free of charge, but that they wanted to see what they learned while in there, among other things too lengthy to go over in this narrative. I thought this rather scientific and was suddenly a little more willing to help. After filling out the forms and listening to his advice, I again started walking towards the Garden.
Entering the Garden
As I walked in, I noticed that some of the others had found a few people to take the survey, though not many; and, the people they found seemed to be of the same mindset as myself, annoyed but understanding. I kept going and finally, I went into the Garden of Eden.
Entering the Garden, I was at once in shock and awe of the beauty. There were animals and plants there I had never seen with greens and colors so bright it was impossible not to feel happier just looking at them. The colors of the plants and fruits were so vivid, unlike anything I had ever seen before. The food was so good I felt as though I could eat forever and never feel hungry or full ever again; the wonders and awe that I saw here were too great to describe in written words. I saw many miraculous things, all pointing to the reality of God. I even saw the tree of life at the east of the Garden, guarded by Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way.
I noticed that other people didn’t seem care to talk to anyone outside the groups they had come in with; as I came in alone, it was as if I were invisible to anyone else. It was clear that some of these people had been there for many years, and out of curiosity I began to study and observe them.
Observations
I saw people baptizing and being baptized in the waters as I walked around. I saw people trying to teach the people there. Some stopped as though they thought they heard something, others walked past them without a thought. Very rarely I would see a few people had stopped and were listening to the teachers. These teachers were dressed in the same manner as the man that had stopped me before entering the garden.
There were also merchants selling trinkets, which I found odd as they were selling things that could be easily picked up off the ground. Yet people were lining up to buy these items as if there were no other means of obtaining them. Walking around, I also noticed that there were people that would destroy life in the Garden just to watch it grow again; some would cut themselves and pour water over their wounds just to see them heal. The power of the Garden was being used to entertain, not to edify or enlighten; I did not know why, but this made me very sad.
I do not know how long I was in the Garden, but after a time of watching how others were treating this miraculous and wondrous place, and exploring it extensively for myself, I felt the desire to leave. Upon leaving, the man that had stopped me before was there again with his surveys. I was feeling depressed after leaving, trying to process what I saw.
I really didn’t want to talk to him, but he insisted. I asked if I could come back later, promising that I would return, but he shook his head no. “You will forget,” he said. “We must do this now, while it is fresh in your mind.” This made sense to me, so I glumly sat down, I went over everything I saw in great detail as he wrote everything down. As my experience poured out, I felt as though the negatives I saw were draining from me, leaving me exhausted but uplifted. It transformed the experience for me.
After I was finished, he looked me in the eyes and asked, “What did you learn from this?” I pondered this for a moment and looked back at him and responded, “It doesn’t matter where you are, what matters is who you are.”
At this he smiled and my understanding of who he was transformed, I instantly recognized him as an angel of the Lord; as I understood who he was, I warmed up, being filled with the Holy Spirit. Before I could say anything else to him he responded, “That is correct, now go and tell everyone.”
With that, I awoke in my bed, being filled with the Spirit of God and desirous to share this message with the world.