279: ONCE A LIVING BODY OF WATER IS NOW AN EMPTY VESSEL.

 

At the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon there used to be 4 beautiful natural lakes of living water. They are named the "sister lakes": Lake Mary, Lake Phoebe, Lake Martha, and Lake Katherine. Many years ago a dam was built at Lake Mary.  Lake Mary grew in size and became a reservior instead of a natural body of living water. The level of the Lake Mary rose so high that it eventually combined with Lake Phoebe into one large lake. This large body of water was the home to rainbow trout fish and other wildlife. The water was also used for drinking water. My family loves hiking the 2 mile round trip to have lunch and feed the chipmunks on the shores of this Lake.

 

Here is a recent photo I took of the Lake Mary:

 

 Additional few photos of Lake Mary courtesy of other photographers:

 

Last weekend I have been struggling with some serious questions and needed direction in my life. I needed some answers to some difficult questions. My heart and mind were at odds with each other. I felt prompted to spend the day praying and pouring out my heart to the Lord on Friday, September 12, 2014. I need to spend some time alone and planned on hiking to a Mountain Peak that I usually hike to. Once I got into the car, I felt that I needed to hike to Lake Mary instead. I would spend the time listening and reading and praying along the shores of this beautiful lake.. (actually a man-made reservior now).

 

Once I reached the lake. I was shocked at what I saw.  The lake was gone. No water. Completely empty. The natural lake, converted into a man-made reservior, used to contain living water full of fish and wildlife was  now all dried up. Here are a few photos I took:

 

I was stunned. However, this was a profound symbolic answer from the Lord to one of my questions. I talked to another hiker who was equally shocked to see all of the water gone. He had just hiked to this lake a week ago and he said that the lake was completely full. In a short amount of time... all of the water.. I mean.. ALL of the water with the exception of a tiny remnant of water was GONE.

 

 The scripture in D&C 121:37 came to my mind.  Whenever we exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon anything the Lord has created including the souls of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man. (and the living water that used to exist is gone) 

 

Any attempt to control or use compulsion on living water will eventually become an empty vessel.