Traveling Together, Not Alone Letters from the Highlands-October 2009 By Anne Perry This is very early to start my October letter, in fact it is not even the end of September yet, but two reasons prompt me to begin. The first is purely practical. I shall be away from home for a great deal of October, in fact most of the time until mid November. Right now, I am in London and tomorrow I shall fly to Pamplona in northern Spain for two nights, and the day between. The following week, the first fully in October, I shall be away nearly all of it, similarly the week after. Then on October 22nd I fly to Vancouver and will be on that side of the Atlantic until mid November. The other reason is purely spiritual. Yesterday was Fast Sunday, early because of Conference. It was one of those days when absolutely everything seems to be right – even the weather. The Relief Society Lesson was about how Temple service can be so deeply restoring of the balance in life, how we remember again the fundamental beliefs and purposes of our existence, and gain strength for whatever may be needed. It was again my turn to teach Sunday School. Having been away so much, I was very nearly mistaken in which lesson it was. I read the wrong one, and commented on it to my friend and neighbour, and she put me right. But it was only by chance that I mentioned it at all. I was grateful, because I could so easily have began the wrong one, and then someone else would have had to take over. The alternative teacher (we take turns) was prepared too. Then I would have missed teaching one I found extraordinarily uplifting. It was the lesson about the people crossing the plains after having been forced out of Nauvoo, in winter, with all they possessed in wagons, or even in hand carts. The suggested lesson for us was to liken it to our lives – a journey, sometimes made in hardship, often with losses, always requiring both faith and thanksgiving. We were reminded how the saints were exhorted to sing, even dance, and rejoice when they were happy, and to pray and comfort one another when they were grieved. There was so much practical and detailed advice on those who forged a way by going before the main body. The strong and the swift should do all they can to mark a way for those who are physically less able. Is that not also true spiritually in all our lives? Should not the stronger make a path, remove the stones and boulders and fallen trees from the way for those who are slower, weaker in one way or another, or carrying a heavier load? And some planted crops they would never harvest, but left them for others. Should we not also be happy to do the same thing? I have certainly reaped and harvested much that I did not plant! Just think, for even a moment, of the wealth of the past that we all enjoy. The material things, the buildings, the roads and rails, the inventions, the creations of use and beauty. And that does not even touch the culture, the literature, the art, the music – and then the world of ideas! Most of the glory of the heart and mind has been created for us by others. How could we not wish to leave some treasure for those who walk the way after us? And there were other practical commandments. Return what you have borrowed. If you find something that does not belong to you, seek the person who lost it until you have restored it to them. Do not gossip, or speak ill of others! That’s a huge one. How easy it is to let an idle word pass, because people are listening. For a while you are the centre of attention. It only takes a thoughtless criticism of someone else’s actions, especially when you don’t know the whole story, and a person’s reputation can be spoiled. Those who crossed the plains travelled together literally, physically. They shared what they had. When someone died they buried them and grieved together. When something good happened, they would all rejoice. Sometimes today I think we travel more separately than we need to. We shouldn’t be living in each other’s pockets, or minding each other’s business, but we could be looking for the one with a broken wheel on their wagon, a lame horse, any kind of difficulty where we could help. Sometimes help is practical, but often it is only a word of kindness, appreciation, encouragement, a word of thanks, or just a listening ear. How many times on that heart-rending journey must people have felt frightened, alone, uncertain if they could possibly make it? Surely some must have had dark nights when faith was almost impossible? Is it any different for us? Do we sometimes feel as if all the other wagons are passing us and we are left behind? I know that I do. Then a light to the path can come from other people’s faith and courage. What a strength it is to know that all the rest of humanity is walking this same trail from entry into this world, with all the baggage we bring, the strengths and the weaknesses, all the way to the other end when we crash through the barrier into the light of the world beyond! We all carry weights and we never know how heavy someone else’s may be, even if it looks light to us. Try picking it up! It may be more than we can lift. We moved on then to think what might be the eternal weights we have to carry in our lives. Few of us are going to face the specific burdens our ancestors had. In the case of the descendants of those pioneers we have some idea, and can try to imagine the reality, although I doubt we come close to it. But for others it will be different. As I mentioned last month, in Britain we have recently been very specifically thinking of those who experienced war. In the case of my own parents they lived through two world wars. That, in many cases, was a hardship we can scarcely imagine, and it went on for the best part of ten years, counting both of them, and of course a depression in between. Surely that is burden enough for anyone? And those who died and were ‘buried along the way’ are too many to count, let alone the wounded and bereaved who survived. But there also was the courage and the sharing, the cheerfulness, the help, often to strangers, the faith and belief that we can succeed. In many there will also have been a faith in God, even if one very imperfectly understood. We were brave warriors in the pre-existence. We took sides in the War in Heaven and we fought with every ounce of courage and strength for what we believed. Perhaps then we ‘knew’ far more than we do now. Sometimes when we are tired, discouraged, hurting and feeling alone, we want to ‘stop the world and get off’. We can’t. There is no escape from being a son or daughter of God, and all that that means – not now, not ever. And that brings me to the happiest point of such a good Sunday. It was time for testimony. Many were given, all real declarations of belief in God – none of the bragging about family and achievements that can sometimes happen. Each was simple, modest and heartfelt. Then one young man stood up and was instantly followed by his youngest son, who clung onto him, and was lifted up into his arms. The person who came immediately after him commented on it. The young man had been away from home for a couple of days, accompanying the youth of the branch on a trip. His little boy was so pleased to see him back he couldn’t bare to be parted from him, even for those few minutes. The speaker who followed said ‘How will it be when we come home again to our Heavenly Father and are taken into His arms? Can we even imagine the joy, and the knowledge that we will not ever have to leave again? This was a few moments of human closeness, unselfishness, a father and a very small child – but what a foreshadowing of the most wonderful thing that can happen in all our existence! Welcome home! You’ve made it! You fulfilled the best in yourself! You loved others, you were brave, you were kind, you were honest, you gave of your time, your spirit. You encouraged, you helped, you were generous, you have been wise and humble. You have helped others to return home, and you have made of yourself an heir to all that is beautiful and happy and good. You were born that you might have joy! I can see in my mind that child’s face, the confidence and the love, the total trust. ‘My Daddy’s home again’. Let us travel with every good thought of heart and mind, every good act, kind word and faith that we can, until we too are ‘home again’. No Comments | Post or read comments |