The Third Floor

As I was getting on the elevator on the first floor this morning at the temple, I shared the ride with one of our older temple workers, a man in his mid to late eighties, who graciously ushered me on first and then asked if I was going up or down. I said I was going up and he said that he was going down, but that he felt he was almost ready to go to the third floor.

I looked at him thinking he was a little confused, and I said, "But the second floor is as high as our temple goes." He lifted his stooped shoulders a little higher and grinned up at me with his beautiful wrinkled face and chuckled, "Well, I'm aiming for much higher, but I suppose I'll have to start on the third floor!"

I laughed with him as I got his joke, and I've thought about his comment most of today. This wonderful righteous man really is ready to go "to the third floor" anytime the Lord calls him home! I thought about "going home" today as I helped with the funeral luncheon for my neighbor's mother who peacefully slipped away Tuesday night. She was a darling little woman with ahlziemer's, who my neighbor and dear friend lovingly brought to her home, and tenderly cared for with such love these last few years.

Debbie posted this on her facebook page: "My mom woke up yesterday evening and we had a delightful time talking to her about all the people she was seeing who had come to "take her home.". She didn't want to be in her jammies with all of them here so we got her all dressed and combed her hair, etc."

Another time when the doorbell rang, her Mom said, "Oh good, maybe they are here to take me home," and she wanted Debbie to help her pack her bags. I thought about Sister Pierce today and smiled to think she wasn't just put on an elevator, but was lovingly escorted to the "third floor" by so many people that love her!

"And it shall come to pass that those that die in me shall not taste of death, for it shall be sweet unto them." D&C 42:46

Le Shanah Haba-ah b, Hadash Yerushalayim

Over forty years ago I first learned of the New Jerusalem in seminary. For some reason my interest was instant, and I wanted to know everything I could find out about that promised city. My heart just swelled with longing to be there — to be part of that future righteous gathering of saints. I thought my heart would burst when I read Moses 7:62-64 " . . . and righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood to gather out mine elect from the four quarters of the earth, unto a place which I shall prepare, an Holy City, that my people may gird up their loins, and be looking forth for the time of my coming; for there shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion, a New Jerusalem. And the Lord said unto Enoch; Then shalt thou and all thy city meet them there, and we will receive them into our bosom, and they shall see us; and we will fall upon their necks, and they shall fall upon our necks, and we will kiss each other; And there shall be mine abode, and it shall be Zion, which shall come forth out of all the creations which I have made; and for the space of a thousand years the earth shall rest."

At that time in my young life I longed for such peace, because my home-life was filled with contention and strife. I longed to love and be loved. How I longed to be there when the holy city of Enoch comes down from heaven and is joined with the New Jerusalem and for a thousand years the Lord will reign and peace will be on the earth! To be in a place where children will grow up without sin unto salvation and there will be no poor among us. Every few years this desire just starts to well up in my heart, and it's here again this year! About thirty years ago I heard the phrase "Next Year In Jerusalem" and immediately I adopted it. When we moved from Denver twenty-two years ago I longed to go east to Missouri, but I had to turn my face to the west. After we'd moved, for several years until it became faded and curled, I had a note on my bathroom mirror that said, "Next Year In Jerusalem!"

After reading scriptures in the temple last Friday, that phrase started playing in my head again, and I got the most unreasonable, but strong desire to know what it is in Hebrew. I researched and found the Hebrew phrase: Le shanah haba-a b,Yerushalayim or Next Year in Jerusalem. At the Jews yearly passover feast, they fill their glasses with wine, with one for the prophet Elijah with his empty chair, and for the last two millennia, at the end of the feast they raise their glasses and repeat together "Next year in Jerusalem!" All during their long dispersion in the world they spoke these words with the passionate longing to go back home to their holy city. Now that Jews are once again in Jerusalem, they speak these words with longing for the prophet Elijah and their Messiah to come! It's with that same longing that I added "hadash" or "new" to the phrase and lately it's been like a mantra to me — Le shanah haba-a b, hadash Yerushalayim, as I give thanks that the prophet Elijah has already come and as I long for the Savior Jesus Christ to come again!

And so I pray — "Next Year In New Jerusalem!"

Peace Is Coming

A Few Times I've Seen "His" Image

Last week I was at DSW shoe store and noticed a tiny beautiful grey haired lady. We smiled as we passed each other and I had to turn around and watch her for a moment. Then as I was trying on a pair of shoes she startled me by giving her opinion of them. We struck up a conversation and I commented on her delightful accent. She was born and raised in England, but moved to Salt Lake in the 70's after joining the church. I wish I'd had a camera to capture "Ettie's" sweet face. This little woman in her eighties goes about doing good. After hearing of the divorces of some of the royal family in England, Ettie actually wrote a letter of encouragement to the Queen, telling her that under her difficult circumstances, Ettie believed she had been a good mother. The Queen of England graciously wrote back expressing appreciation for the encouragement. I could imagine gracious little Ettie being comfortable around the Queen and equally comfortable in the most humble shack. She made ME feel so wonderful, I walked out of that store feeling like a queen myself!

She reminded me of an old man I met in China in 2006 when Ron and I were privileged to visit Beijing and Xian on a company convention. We were in Beijing, rushing as a large group through Jingshan Park down a covered walkway, when I passed this old man riding slowly on a curious, oversized tricycle. He smiled up at me and I immediately felt wonder—I felt loved. I felt a safe, warm, electric connection and I wondered who he was. I stopped to take his picture and then he held my hand and patted it and looked into my soul with his wise old beautiful, light filled eyes! This all happened within moments and then Ron was there pulling me away—away from a timeless place, far removed from the bustle and noise—to rejoin our group before we became separated. I felt the glow for hours.

These rare and memorable encounters remind me of a quote from C.S. Lewis: "There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts civilization—these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a knit. But it is immortals with whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit—immortal horrors or everlasting splendors . . . your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses. It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship . . . ~C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory, (1949)

These encounters also remind me of Alma 5:14: "And now behold, I ask of you my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God. Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?"

A few times in my life I have truly seen "His" image!

Life Is A Blessing

Ron and I watched a movie tonight (in between trick or treaters) about a Dr. who went to Calcutta, India to escape his life. He'd lost a young patient and intended never to practice medicine again. While there his wallet was stolen and he was stranded for three weeks waiting for a new passport and funds. Of course he ended up befriending the local people and helping out the local medical clinic whose Dr. had left, and in the process found he had never been happier.

I was so moved by the poverty and hardship of the people's lives and amazed by the cruelty and inhumanity of some people. Lately I've been thinking about how corrupt almost all of this world's societies have been. Most people that have ever lived, have been enslaved by wicked, power hungry, selfish and brutal men; only a few times in the history of the world have there been perfect and happy societies. It makes me so sad. I've wondered how Heavenly Father can stand the grief.

While watching the movie I nearly cried as I wondered why some people were born into such poverty and hardship, but then, I had the most distinct and amazing thought that their circumstances are NOT a punishment but a blessing.

"A blessing?" I questioned in wonder.

I received an immediate and again distinct answer, "Yes — for all that experience will be "but a moment" and will serve them well through all of eternity.

Amazing! Our Heavenly Father truly loves His children as He watches over them, comforts them, weeps with them and rejoices over their triumphs! Truly ALL things will work together for our good if we but love the Lord. I feel better tonight — about the world. There are bullies here, but most people are humble and good, and even the bullies are loved by their Heavenly Father and are learning wonderful lessons. Again I am comforted that one day "every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ!"

Utopia/Zion

Almost thirty years ago when we lived in Denver, Brother Daniel Ludlow taught a class that I took. I can't remember much about it except that he said something that has stuck with me through the years. He said that if you want to know what will soon come to pass in the Lord's Kingdom, then listen carefully to what the adversary is about. For instance, before Joseph Smith had the first vision, there was a religious revival going on which was confusing and divisive. Before the blacks received the priesthood the world was stirred up over the civil rights movement. He said in essence that satan gets there first to distort people's thinking and to try and thwart the Lord's plan---to present a counterfeit if you will.

Today we are hearing a great divide in our nation and the world. It really is the war in heaven still raging. I just heard a commentator on the radio accuse a liberal caller of wanting a Utopia that will never work because she didn't believe in freedom. To want the government to redistribute everyones money by taking from the rich and giving to the poor will destroy incentive and take away everyone's prosperity (I agree). Satan uses many truths to present one distortion, such as gross inequality in the world is wrong (with which I also agree) but then he presents a false plan to equalize the problem. However, the reason the "Utopia" of the adversary will never work is one word---force---satan's counterfeit for Zion. Sir Winston Churchill said, "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery."

The Lord's plan WILL work because when people choose to work together for the good of everyone in their community there really will be "no poor among us" and we will be happy like the Nephites after the coming of Christ! I have heard it stated that it takes a MORAL people to have a representative government like we in the United States are blessed to have (which almost everyone agrees is certainly hanging by a thread) but a Zion government will take nothing less than a people with pure hearts and perfectly righteous minds, united as one!

I haven't thought of Brother Ludlow's comment for years, but this morning it came into my mind as I realized how much of this stuff we've been hearing. We've just been blessed to hear again the Lord's plan of happiness for His children during Conference! Our Bishop said this last Sunday, that he prayed for Zion in our ward and that we should strive for it in our families and that we CAN create in within ourselves, right here, right now! How exciting! I really do believe that the time is coming (oh please let it be soon) that we will ALL live in peace and prosperity together in Zion!

Grandma Rose

I don't know, maybe I'm obsessed with flowers. I can't seem to drink in enough of their beauty! Usually by this time of year though I'm tired of the garden, it's hot and I just maintain without the enthusiasm of early spring! But because I'm entertaining my daughter and her new husband next week, and inviting a few of our friends into our yard to celebrate with them, I've been continually working in the yard. I actually laid a bit of sod today! As I was trimming the roses I cut a few old ones to throw away, when I noticed how beautiful the older roses really are. At closer glance, though they are starting to wilt, they have a kind of beauty so different than the new healthy buds and the flowers in their perfect prime. They are softer somehow and they seem to open themselves up so wide, as though accepting the world, accepting their place in time, and inviting anyone willing, to listen to their wisdom, and bask in their serenity. They made me want to snuggle into their soft fragile bosom and find respite from the cares and demands of the world---soft, sweet, lovely Grandma Roses!