This post may seem strange to some, because of the unusual format. I was asked to give a talk before the congregation of my church on, "Preparing Ourselves Spiritually". I just couldn't think of a better reason to be spiritually prepared, than to be ready to reunite with my brother, when my time on this earth is done... This post comes with a warning... if you read through to the end, tears are likely to follow...
Feb.
22, 2015
Preparing
Ourselves Spiritually
A little over a year ago I stood by my brother’s hospital
bed and listened as he was given a blessing… not the healing blessing I had
hoped for, but a blessing of comfort and of guidance… in the blessing he was
reminded that this life is a time for us to prepare to meet God.
And so it
is…
In his talk, Spiritual
Preparedness: Start Early and Be Steady, Henry B. Eyring, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
teaches us about becoming spiritually prepared.
Quote: “Most of us have thought about how to prepare for storms. We have
seen and felt the suffering of women, men, and children, and of the aged and
the weak, caught in hurricanes, tsunamis, wars, and droughts. One reaction is
to ask, “How can I be prepared?” And there is a rush to buy and put away
whatever people think they might need for the day they might face such
calamities.
But
there is another even more important preparation we must make for tests that
are certain to come to each of us. That preparation must be started far in
advance because it takes time. What we will need then can’t be bought. It can’t
be borrowed. It doesn’t store well. And it has to have been used regularly and
recently.
What
we will need in our day of testing is a spiritual preparation. It is to have
developed faith in Jesus Christ so powerful that we can pass the test of life upon which
everything for us in eternity depends. That test is part of the purpose God had
for us in the Creation.
The
Prophet Joseph Smith gave us the Lord’s description of the test we face. Our
Heavenly Father created the world with His Son, Jesus Christ. We have these
words to tell us about the purpose of the Creation: “We will go down, for there
is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth
whereon these may dwell; And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will
do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them.” 1
So, the
great test of life is to see whether we will hearken to and obey God’s commands
in the midst of the storms of life.” End Quote.
In His talk: The Strength to Endure, Elder Richard J.
Maynes, Of the Presidency of the Seventy,
gives these words of encouragement:
Quote: “Every morning when we wake up, we face a new
day filled with the challenges of life. These challenges come in many forms:
physical challenges, financial setbacks, difficulties with relationships,
emotional trials, and even struggles with one’s faith.
Many
of the challenges we face in life can be solved and overcome; however, others
may be difficult to understand and impossible to overcome and will be with us
until we pass on to the next life. As we temporarily endure the challenges we
can solve and as we continue to endure the challenges we cannot solve, it is
important to remember that the spiritual strength we develop will help us
successfully endure all the challenges we face in life.
Brothers
and sisters, we have a loving Heavenly Father who has designed our earthly
existence so that we can individually learn the lessons we need to learn to
qualify for eternal life in His presence.
An
episode in the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith illustrates this
principle. The Prophet and several companions had been prisoners in Liberty,
Missouri, for months. While suffering in jail, the Prophet Joseph pled with the
Lord in humble prayer that the Saints might be relieved from their current suffering.
The Lord responded by teaching the Prophet Joseph, and all of us, that the
challenges we face, if successfully endured, will be for our ultimate good.
This is the Lord’s response to Joseph’s petition:
“My son, peace be unto thy soul;
thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;
“And then, if thou endure it well,
God shall exalt thee on high.”
End Quote.
Elder Maynes later goes on to say: Quote: “Our ability to
endure to the end in righteousness will be in direct proportion to the strength
of our testimony and the depth of our conversion. When our testimonies are
strong and we are truly converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ, our choices
will be inspired by the Holy Ghost, they will be Christ-centered, and they will
support our desire to endure in righteousness. If our testimonies are weak and
our conversion superficial, the risk is much greater that we will be enticed by
the false traditions of the world to make poor choices.” End Quote.
And again, from Elder Maynes, Quote:
“We need to develop spiritual stamina. We need
strong testimonies that will lead to true conversion, and as a result we will
find within ourselves the inner peace and strength needed to endure whatever
challenges we may face.
So whatever challenges you wake up to each morning,
remember—with the spiritual strength you develop, coupled with the Lord’s help,
at the end of the race you will be able to enjoy the confidence that the
Apostle Paul expressed when he said:
“For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of
my departure is at hand.
“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my
course, I have kept the faith:
“Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of
righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day.” End
Quote.
I think perhaps, the greatest
challenge we undertake while on this earth, is to experience death. Whether it
is the death of a loved one, or our own death, it can be a powerful proving
ground for the strength or our faith. We
are not born into this life with a bright recollection of our previous
spiritual home. As we grow, our awareness of ourselves is awakened. Oftentimes
we ask deep and searching questions: Why am I here? Where did I come from? What
is my purpose on this earth? What will happen to me when I die? These questions
all have answers, but they cannot be found in the wisdom of man. They can only
be found in the wisdom of God, through his prophets, the scriptures, fasting
and prayer.
Searching
for knowledge and understanding is part of our nature. We are born with a
natural curiosity and a yearning to know. This curiosity and yearning, when
denied or suppressed, can lead to confusion, bitterness, even anger. Our
natural yearning to know the answers to the questions in our lives can lead us
to a knowledge that is so powerful, it can transform our souls!
Some,
may not have a desire to know the answers to the great questions of life. They
may assume that no one can know, and therefore, it is futile to ask. For them,
it is enough, simply to live, to experience life; a certain knowledge may not
be a prerequisite of happiness for them. But for every person that will ever
live, the questions surrounding death will eventually arise. Without knowledge
of God’s eternal plan, death can seem like a terrible ending. Not knowing
whether you will see your loved ones again can fill a person with the most
exquisite pain. Such pain may seem unending and completely overwhelming. A
person who lacks a testimony of God’s plan of Happiness, may feel as if death
is a terrible event, the worst sort of punishment one could ever endure.
I
testify to all, that death is part of God’s plan of Happiness for each of his
spirit children. In order to pass from this life, into our eternal life, we
must experience death. Naturally, our bodies being all we’ve known since our
birth, death can seem like a scary thing. We may experience anxiety and
sometimes pain, as our earthly bodies prepare to part with our spiritual being.
But we need not fear. We need not suffer the anguish of the unknown. We can
know all we need to know in order to pass from this life in peace.
As
mortals we are notoriously bad at goodbyes. As part of God’s plan, we quickly
become attached to our loved ones on this earth, and often find it frightening,
even unthinkable, that we should be parted from them. Any parting is often met
with tears, just as meeting again is often a tearful occasion as well. Death
can feel so very final. The emotional scars of being parted in such a way are
often deep and painful. We may find it difficult to imagine our life without
the one we have lost. We yearn to see them, to hold them in our embrace, to see
their smile, hear their laugh, feel their presence in our life. Their departure
from this world may leave an empty place at our table, in our home, in our
heart…
Grieving
for our lost loved ones is natural and acceptable. Even Jesus wept when faced
with the death of loved ones. He knew our anguish. He felt our pain. He knew,
beyond a shadow of a doubt, that God IS real, that death is a part of God’s
great plan of Happiness and that death is only a temporary parting, but still
he wept!
I
testify to all who live, that death is only a temporary parting, for those who
love God. We need not suffer fear, anxiety, or debilitating grief as we
experience the final act of life. We can feel God’s love during that tender,
sacred time, when our spirit finally departs this life, to return to our Father
In Heaven. We can be comforted by the knowledge that God loves all of his sons
and daughters and waits for them with great joy as they return to him when
their life on this earth is done.
When
you are faced with death, or with any of life’s great challenges, take heart!
God is with you. He loves you more than you can know! He has prepared a way for
you to return to him and to see all of your loved ones again. That
reunification will be a joyous occasion! Imagine the tears of joy as you
embrace your loved ones again!! Imagine that reunion, taking place in the
presence of our all-powerful, all-knowing, loving Father in Heaven! Such joy
you will never know, until that moment!
I
pray that each of you will prepare yourselves spiritually, to be ready for your
great reunion with your loved ones in the presence of God. I pray that you will
take comfort in knowing the answers to the great questions of life, as you
search for them, and find them, through the whisperings of the spirit, as you
search the scriptures, fast, ponder, pray, and study the teachings of the
prophets.
Where
there is faith, there is no fear. So fear not, and be comforted. For God will
never forsake you. He will never abandon you. He will always be there, quietly
waiting for you to ask, for you to search for the answers to the great
questions of life; waiting… for you to seek him.
Being spiritually prepared allowed my
dear brother to enter into his eternal rest without fear, and being spiritually
prepared allowed me to stand beside him as he went, knowing, without a doubt,
that he was going to a wonderful place, lovingly prepared for him, by our
Father In Heaven.
Being spiritually prepared helped me
to accept God’s will in a way that I had never done before. To release my will
and accept his will with humility. This allowed me to maintain my relationship
with my brother, even from beyond the veil.
Brothers and Sisters, I am filled
with gratitude for the experiences in my life that have shaped who I am,
building me up, breaking me down, and building me up again, until even I can see the changes taking shape!
I know that God can see in me, more
light, more worth, and more potential, than I could ever dream! I know that he
sees that great light, worth and potential in each of you, as well!
Never give up! Always look to God,
even in the midst of your most trying times! And he will build you up! Trust in
him, as he breaks you down, and builds you up again!
Seek his will in your life and do
everything you can to be spiritually prepared.
As you do, even you, will begin to see the changes taking place.
God loves you. Every single one.
Of this I testify,
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
