About eleven years ago I had a plan. For about three days I designed one of the most romantic proposals known to man. I had decided that my proposal would need to provide an adequate shock. However, I was certain that Renee was already quite confident that she won me over. I would need to shake her confidence in order to provide the required shock. Therefore, step one was to act totally disinterested on the day of the proposal. Romantic, I know. Also, the proposal would have to be at the perfect place. I knew the perfect place. My Eagle Scout project site would provide the romantic backdrop to the perfect proposal. Also, it would have to be at the perfect time. Sunsets in New Mexico provided the perfect time.
So the day arrived to implement “The Plan”. I asked Renee if she would like to go to Carlsbad Caverns with me, not really caring if she said yes or no. Naturally, she said yes. The hour and a half drive was uneventful on purpose. I kept the conversation light and unmeaningful. Then, we went to the caverns. The entire time she wanted to hold my hand, but I really was not interested. In fact, I think it was becoming obvious that I really did not want to be around her. So romantic. Then, we got in the car to return home. We were running a little early so I took her on some back roads around the caverns. It was on these back roads that I could tell that her confidence was shaken. Everything was working out perfectly. Then I learned something about Renee. As I came to a stop on one of these roads, Renee got out of the car. She sat herself on a rock. Despite my pleas to get back in the car, she said, “I am not getting back in the car until you tell me what is going on!” Man, this woman is stubborn. To my shock, my perfect plan was being unraveled. So at the place and time of Renee’s choosing, I knelt on one knee and asked her to marry me. After she said yes, it took her about half a second, I started to tell her my plan. I even took her to the place where the perfect proposal was to take place. My Eagle Scout project sat in the middle of the hot desert, in a pit, next to an oil pump, among the cow pies. “You were going to propose to me here?” was her response. I knew what she was really saying was “This is the place.”
Life can be like my plan at times. Sometimes we may think we know the path, but we may not be able to foresee all the twists, turns, or challenges that may arise. In fact the only perfect plan is the plan designed by our Father in Heaven. This plan has several different names, but my favorite is the plan of happiness.
This plan was presented to us when we lived with our Father before we were born. As part of the plan, we would come to earth to receive a body and to learn to apply the atonement that Renee spoke of in our lives. Only by doing this could we become more like our Father and obtain everything that He has. After our time on earth, our spirits and mortal bodies would separate through death. Our spirits would then await the time of resurrection.
THE STING OF DEATH
Despite being part of the plan, death rarely seems to be a happy occasion. It can strike anyone at any age. Sometimes death calls upon a caring grandparent, a young mother, or a best friend. It may even remove from the home the sound of a young child’s laughter. It may leave in its wake thoughts of memories never created, times never enjoyed, and dreams never achieved.
Death first impacted my life about nine years ago, though it feels like it has only been a few weeks. I recorded in my journal,
This morning Brother Traylor called. Travis and Wendy were killed in a car accident late last night. This comes at the time I am attending my Grandpa Farrell’s memorial.
To date, I still believe this is the most devastating news I have ever received. One of the first things I did was call his phone just to hear his voice again. This is Travis, leave a message. I love you man. My thoughts turned to his dying moments and I could only imagine the love he had for his wife.
I wrote again in my journal,
My heart at times, literally hurts. I hurt.
Losing my best friend was not part of my plan. Death was not part of my plan. However, it is part of the plan of happiness. This is the plan we accepted when we lived with our Heavenly Father before we came to earth.
DEATH IS THE DOOR HOME
Elder Nelson taught of our premortal knowledge of death. He said, “but we regarded the returning home as the best part of that long-awaited trip, just as we do now. Before embarking on any journey, we like to have some assurance of a round-trip ticket. Returning from earth to life in our heavenly home requires passage through—and not around—the doors of death. We were born to die, and we die to live. (See 2 Cor. 6:9.) As seedlings of God, we barely blossom on earth; we fully flower in heaven.”
DEATH IS THE SEPARATION OF SPIRIT AND BODY
If birth is the union of the spirit to a body, then death is the separation of that spirit from the body. On the day of Travis and Wendy’s funeral I wrote,
If there is one thing that life and love testify to us, it is that this is not the end. I saw Travis and Wendy today, but it was not them. Tabernacles of flesh are nothing without the spirit.
CHRIST LOOSED THE BANDS OF DEATH
For me one of the sweetest doctrines of the gospel is that death is not the end. Amulek taught, “Now, there is a death which is called a temporal death; and the death of Christ shall loose the bands of this temporal death, that all shall be raised from this temporal death.
The spirit and the body shall be reunited again in its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper frame, even as we now are at this time…
Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost, but everything shall be restored to its perfect frame (Alma 11: 42-44).”
How is this possible? Jesus said, “Behold we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death,
And shall deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again (Matthew 20:18-19).”
Jesus would arrive in Jerusalem celebrated by those who would scorn him just a week later. They laid palms before Christ as He entered Jerusalem, but would later cry, “Let Him be crucified (Matthew 27:22).” Even Pilate asked, “What evil hath He done? But they cried out the more, Let Him be crucified.”
This was part of the plan. Jesus gave Himself to be the atoning sacrifice for all mankind. This He did willingly. In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus said, “O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, Thy will be done (Matthew 26:42).”
Even on the cross Christ had the power to save Himself. He also had the power to give His life. After suffering on the cross for hours He cried, “Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit (Luke 23:46).” Christ gave Himself for us.
His disciples felt the sting of death at this time. Even though Christ had taught them of His resurrection, their grief overwhelmed them. On the third after His death, Mary Magdalene went to the sepulcher where His body laid. There an angel of the Lord descended and declared, “He is not here: for He is risen (Matthew 28:6).”
Today we sing: He Lives! All glory to His name! He lives, my Savior, still the same. Oh sweet the joy this sentence gives: “I know that My Redeemer lives!”
CHRIST REMOVES THE STING OF DEATH
My brother gave an analogy concerning how Christ removes the sting of death. He had my brother and I hold hands. He spoke how this was symbolic of our relationship here on earth. Then he separated our hands symbolizing death. Then he spoke how our Savior is a bridge over death. He took both mine and my brothers hands in his, thus reuniting us in a single chain.
After my friends death I recorded,
“I want to hold onto everything that reminds me of them. I want to incorporate those things so it may seem that we are still connected.”
I can tell you today that our communication has been severed, but that our relationship has not. Elder Eyring quoted from Doctrine and Covenants section 130 verse 2: “And that same asociality which exists among us here will exist among us there, only it will be coupled with beternal glory, which glory we do not now enjoy.”
It took me some time after my friend’s death to gain a testimony of this principle. For years after his death I hoped that he was still alive, and hoped that I would see him again. Then, while sitting at stake conference in the Walnut Grove building the thought came to my mind that my friend was still alive. The spirit testified to me that my friend indeed does live as a spirit awaiting the resurrection. That was only possible if Christ was resurrected. If Christ had not been resurrected than death would have victory, and we would rise no more.
Joseph Smith testified of the Savior’s resurrection. “And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!
“For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father—“
TESTIMONY
1 comment:
wonderful talk!!
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