Dear Gramps,
Many times throughout my life I have had many dreams. I have had a very troubled life. I was baptized at age 8. I quit going to church around 15-16. My life’s path got progressively darker after that. One dream that I still remember crystal clear was about walking around in near darkness looking for something I couldn’t find. (I didn’t know what I was looking for either) When I came across this most beautiful personage inside a pillar of white light. I remember feeling such Love emanating from this being. She then thrust her hand out into the darkness. She then told me to take her hand and follow her into the light. I remember being so scared of the unknown. She said everything would be alright, but still I couldn’t seem to make myself take her hand. Then I woke up trembling in fear, thinking what have I done. I tried to go back to sleep to find her and take her hand to no avail. I have not seen her since. My question is, was this the Lord attempting to get me back to the right path, could it have been my lack of faith or my shame that stopped me from taking her hand? I have always had this fear of the unknown. Or is this just some silly dream? Please tell me what you can.
Paul, from Stillwater, New York

Dear Paul,
You ask my opinion on the interpretation of your dream. I can give you my interpretation, but I must add that it is the interpretation of just a person with no particular qualities that would give him any credentials for such a task. So if I express an opinion, you must recognize that it is not authoritative in any sense, and represents no more than the opinion of one private person. I am in no way a Daniel of the Old Testament. So, let me see I can fit your dream into a logical scenario.
You are a baptized member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which is the kingdom of God on the earth. The Lord knows your every thought and deed. He loves you very much and desires with an aching heart that you would come back to him. Here is a parable of the Savior expressing that very fact—

What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance (Luke 15:4,7).

When the Lord has sent angels to reveal information to men, the angels normally appear surrounded by or in a column of brilliant white light. Here is an example that is recorded in Joseph Smith–History, 1:30,32—
While I was thus in the act of calling upon God, I discovered a light appearing in my room, which continued to increase until the room was lighter than at noonday, when immediately a personage appeared at my bedside, standing in the air, for his feet did not touch the floor….The room was exceedingly light, but not so very bright as immediately around his person. When I first looked upon him, I was afraid; but the fear soon left me.

Your walking about in the darkness looking for something that you didn’t know what it was, represents your searching for a way back into the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This most beautiful manifestation inside a pillar of white light in your dream represents an angel of Lord sent to bring you back into the kingdom. The love you felt in her presence was the love of God for you. Her telling you to take her hand was a manifestation of the Lord’s desire to lead you back into the kingdom.
Now that you have heard the interpretation of this dream you will react in one of two ways–you will feel a confidence and comfort that this is what the dream means, or you will have a feeling of indifference to it. If you feel indifferent to it, search for another interpretation. If you have a warm and confident feeling regarding this interpretation, that would be another manifestation from the Lord that He desires you to return. Now you may proceed as if you were taking the angel’s hand with a feeling of confidence rather than fear. Remember Joseph Smith’s statement?–When I first looked upon him, I was afraid; but the fear soon left me. The thing to do in this case is to find the missionaries of the Mormon Church and ask them to teach you the gospel and introduce you to the fellowship of the saints. The fear of this unknown will leave you and you will find the love of the Lord and the acceptance of his people in your life.
Gramps