Fetching My Pail of Water
Today was Katie's funeral. It was beautiful. Full of hope and memories, faith and renewal. I came home thinking about how fast my emotional well is drained these days, and how the funeral of my dear cousin filled it to overflowing. Funerals are places where heaven congregates with earth.
Though there was one moment, a small fraction of time, where I did look around at the attentive audience and thought to myself What are we doing on this earth? Here we all are just trying to make sense of this experience. Some of us are hoping for ideals, feeling faith in the afterlife. Some of us have no sense of our position and wonder if it is really sandwiched between a pre and post earth life. And about how much of our daily activity really gets us closer to where we want to be? Does Heaven laugh at our ignorance?
But then I remembered the concept of prophets. Many religions believe in the calling of prophets by God in ancient times. We Latter Day Saints believe God still calls prophets today. The very purpose of a prophet is to tell people God's will. In return, it is entirely up to the people to accept this message or not. The message usually shared is the answer to my initial question, What are we doing on this earth?
According to the prophets--both who have lived in ancient times and our prophet today-- the answer is love. To learn how to love, to accept love and feel love. Somewhere in all that experience of charity there is clarity. Our path is made even brighter. We know what to do and how to do it. I know this and yet, I have so much to learn. Everyday I see a little more of the importance of this life . . . this mortal-wrinkly-smelly-painful earth life.
And I am happy knowing that Steph will have a second chance at it.
If you would like to join us Latter-day Saint women around the world in a little inspiration and filling-of-our-wells we'd love to invite you to our General Relief Society Meeting this Saturday evening. It is always uplifting and encouraging. My sisters and I usually go together with our mom. Read more about it here.
Though there was one moment, a small fraction of time, where I did look around at the attentive audience and thought to myself What are we doing on this earth? Here we all are just trying to make sense of this experience. Some of us are hoping for ideals, feeling faith in the afterlife. Some of us have no sense of our position and wonder if it is really sandwiched between a pre and post earth life. And about how much of our daily activity really gets us closer to where we want to be? Does Heaven laugh at our ignorance?
But then I remembered the concept of prophets. Many religions believe in the calling of prophets by God in ancient times. We Latter Day Saints believe God still calls prophets today. The very purpose of a prophet is to tell people God's will. In return, it is entirely up to the people to accept this message or not. The message usually shared is the answer to my initial question, What are we doing on this earth?
According to the prophets--both who have lived in ancient times and our prophet today-- the answer is love. To learn how to love, to accept love and feel love. Somewhere in all that experience of charity there is clarity. Our path is made even brighter. We know what to do and how to do it. I know this and yet, I have so much to learn. Everyday I see a little more of the importance of this life . . . this mortal-wrinkly-smelly-painful earth life.
And I am happy knowing that Steph will have a second chance at it.
If you would like to join us Latter-day Saint women around the world in a little inspiration and filling-of-our-wells we'd love to invite you to our General Relief Society Meeting this Saturday evening. It is always uplifting and encouraging. My sisters and I usually go together with our mom. Read more about it here.