By now, I'm sure, you've realized that what you stole from me has little to no worldly value. Of course, you might get a few hundred dollars for the DVDs, iPod, jacket and bag you took, but my scriptures, my journal, my family history research that were in that bag can have little value to anyone but me and my posterity. Well, maybe that's not exactly true.
What if you opened my scriptures and saw the notes in the margins? Could you feel how much I wanted to be a better mother by all the notes I made regarding parenting? For instance, near Alma 56:48 "And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saving: We do not doubt our mothers knew it." I had written in the margins something like "There is no substitute for a righteous mother." What if you read all the verses I had highlighted and underlined and cross-referenced? Hopefully, you'd learn how much I valued things like prayer, fasting, family, covenants, and the Savior, Jesus Christ. I imagine you would be able to feel my love of God and man by studying what I have studied. If you did read them, have you begun to see their real value?
Perhaps you've flipped through the pages of my journal and read about my trials and the pains of the last year or so of my life. If you did, I'm sure you would have also read about my faith in Christ and His infinite atonement. Did you read how Heavenly Father comforted me when my husband was away for year or about the time my son spray painted my house and I learned a powerful spiritual lesson about forgiveness? Have you read about the manifestation of God's hands in my life? Like when my husband was blessed with a job that perfectly met our needs. Did you read the entry where I poured my heart out in gratitude for God's love and for the siblings I have been blessed with in this life, how they are a source of strength and inspiration for me? Did you read my notes from General Conference and Stake Conference in which I detailed the words of prophets and apostles? Did you learn about my patriarchal blessing and how it gives me guidance? Did you read of my mundane life and see the miracles that I have seen? Have you begun to see just how valuable the pages you hold truly are?
Were you curious when you opened my green folder and found family history paperwork? Did you get out a magnifying class so you could decipher the tiny print on my nine-generation fan chart? Did you feel the Spirit of Elijah as you sorted and sifted through index-sized cards with names and dates and ordinances recorded on them? Did you wonder what it was and what it meant? If I had the chance, I would explain it to you. If I could, I'd tell you how important families are to Heavenly Father's plan. How He intends for all his children (of which we are) to have access to the saving ordinances of the Gospel, baptism and the laying on of hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost. I would tell you about the sealing power given to the prophet Elijah and how it has been restored to the Earth and how families can be sealed to one another and to God for time and all eternity. I would tell you how that very night you stole those precious documents from me, I had been in the Dallas Temple, the House of the Lord, engaged in God's work and helping to free my ancestors. I would tell you how strong the Spirit was, how thin the veil. I would bear testimony of the Plan of Salvation, of temple ordinances and forever families. I wouldn't let you leave my company without bearing witness to you that Christ is God's Son and our Savior. That The Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-day Saints is His church, His Gospel, His doctrine, His priesthood restored to the Earth. And I would invite you to come unto Christ and feel of His perfect love.
Whatever desperation or evil plot drove you to steal from me, I hope that you do open those scriptures and that God softens and opens your heart, that your life may be blessed by my misfortune. For although I am heart-sick at the loss of my irreplaceable precious personal belongings, "Nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted. My God hath been my support; he hath led my through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep. He has filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh." (2 Nephi 4:19-21) He is with me in this circumstance too and has spoken great peace and comfort to my heart.
May God bless and keep you too. May you feel of His love and may your path be made bright by His Holy light.
Sincerely,
The Woman Who Will Go On Having Faith in Christ
p.s. If you'd like to learn more about family history work, please visit LDS.org
What if you opened my scriptures and saw the notes in the margins? Could you feel how much I wanted to be a better mother by all the notes I made regarding parenting? For instance, near Alma 56:48 "And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saving: We do not doubt our mothers knew it." I had written in the margins something like "There is no substitute for a righteous mother." What if you read all the verses I had highlighted and underlined and cross-referenced? Hopefully, you'd learn how much I valued things like prayer, fasting, family, covenants, and the Savior, Jesus Christ. I imagine you would be able to feel my love of God and man by studying what I have studied. If you did read them, have you begun to see their real value?
Perhaps you've flipped through the pages of my journal and read about my trials and the pains of the last year or so of my life. If you did, I'm sure you would have also read about my faith in Christ and His infinite atonement. Did you read how Heavenly Father comforted me when my husband was away for year or about the time my son spray painted my house and I learned a powerful spiritual lesson about forgiveness? Have you read about the manifestation of God's hands in my life? Like when my husband was blessed with a job that perfectly met our needs. Did you read the entry where I poured my heart out in gratitude for God's love and for the siblings I have been blessed with in this life, how they are a source of strength and inspiration for me? Did you read my notes from General Conference and Stake Conference in which I detailed the words of prophets and apostles? Did you learn about my patriarchal blessing and how it gives me guidance? Did you read of my mundane life and see the miracles that I have seen? Have you begun to see just how valuable the pages you hold truly are?
Were you curious when you opened my green folder and found family history paperwork? Did you get out a magnifying class so you could decipher the tiny print on my nine-generation fan chart? Did you feel the Spirit of Elijah as you sorted and sifted through index-sized cards with names and dates and ordinances recorded on them? Did you wonder what it was and what it meant? If I had the chance, I would explain it to you. If I could, I'd tell you how important families are to Heavenly Father's plan. How He intends for all his children (of which we are) to have access to the saving ordinances of the Gospel, baptism and the laying on of hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost. I would tell you about the sealing power given to the prophet Elijah and how it has been restored to the Earth and how families can be sealed to one another and to God for time and all eternity. I would tell you how that very night you stole those precious documents from me, I had been in the Dallas Temple, the House of the Lord, engaged in God's work and helping to free my ancestors. I would tell you how strong the Spirit was, how thin the veil. I would bear testimony of the Plan of Salvation, of temple ordinances and forever families. I wouldn't let you leave my company without bearing witness to you that Christ is God's Son and our Savior. That The Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-day Saints is His church, His Gospel, His doctrine, His priesthood restored to the Earth. And I would invite you to come unto Christ and feel of His perfect love.
Whatever desperation or evil plot drove you to steal from me, I hope that you do open those scriptures and that God softens and opens your heart, that your life may be blessed by my misfortune. For although I am heart-sick at the loss of my irreplaceable precious personal belongings, "Nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted. My God hath been my support; he hath led my through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep. He has filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh." (2 Nephi 4:19-21) He is with me in this circumstance too and has spoken great peace and comfort to my heart.
May God bless and keep you too. May you feel of His love and may your path be made bright by His Holy light.
Sincerely,
The Woman Who Will Go On Having Faith in Christ
p.s. If you'd like to learn more about family history work, please visit LDS.org
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