Cover image by Karen Foster.
My mother’s parents, Lottie Corless and Gordon S. Brewerton, lived directly across the street from the Cardston, Alberta Canada Temple and the Stake Center. Their beautiful front door and porch faced the temple grounds. This front door opened into a sunny and lovely little sitting room where Grandma had a finely crafted small table and matching mirror, along with her most special china figurines and a small couch. This was not to be confused with the adjoining living room, that had the fireplace, Grandma’s upholstered sofa, matching chairs and the piano. I don’t remember ever sitting in the sitting room or using the front door.
When I was old enough to enter the Temple for my own Endowment, I remember the elegant simplicity of the entrance into the Temple, and it all feeling a lot like Grandma’s front sitting room.
Grandpa served as a Stake President for many years. In those days of the Church (the late 40’s and 50’s), Apostles and General Authorities came often for Stake Conferences and stayed with them. The harsh Canadian winters and frequent snowstorms, along with the less convenient travel methods that we have now, meant that more than once, these Apostles and leaders got snowed in and stayed for quite a bit longer than scheduled right there at their home. Those were cherished times!
Grandpa died in 1959, when he was only 59, still serving as the Stake President. We visited each summer for many years after his death. As a little girl during those visits, I remember a feeling of great reverence for the front door and the little sitting room. I was sure (and still am) that that was where these men, called of God, had entered and left the house during their stays. Perhaps they had even relaxed or napped a bit or studied the scriptures in this special room.
As for me and the rest of the family? I don’t think I ever remember actually using the front door or sitting in the sitting room. The back door, off the driveway with the carpeted steps leading up to the kitchen and bedrooms, was the one we always used when we visited. It was the one my mother and her sister, my Auntie Kay, used in their growing up years throughout the 20’s and the Great Depression there in Cardston. (They built this precious home in the early 20’s and Grandma lived there until her death 1981, at which time it was sold to some Temple workers.)
Grandma and Grandpa never travelled and received only basic educations. There were no exceptional credentials. They lived simple, honest lives right there in Cardston, running the local movie theatre for their livelihood. Both of them died while still living in that home, with Grandma running the movie theatre right into the mid-70’s, serving in the Church and Cardston Temple. I doubt they ever used that front door for anything but occasional parties and for the General Authorities visits.
Though now dead for many years, through the comings and goings of that simple back door, have come their remarkably large posterity: two daughters, 11 grandchildren, and well over 50 great grandchildren. Now there is an ever-growing number of great-great-grandchildren, almost too many to count without a lot of effort. Most of this posterity are fully active in the Church. There are too many missions, Temple marriages, dedicated service in Church callings large and small to count in that ever-expanding posterity. There is reason for eternal rejoicing indeed.
How often is that the story of our lives? Though there may be a few heralded events that arrive through grand front doors, the common events of daily living and the experiences that make up a life evolve pretty much from rather unremarkable comings and goings through the unheralded, good old back door.
In the Book of Mormon, Alma shares his “back door” perspective on the Liahona.
Though he, of course, did not have the experience of traveling in the wilderness guided by the Liahona, he knew well from his wicked youth, the darkness of being off-track and living without the blessings of the Lord.
Hear what he says to his son Helaman: “There cannot any man work after the manner so curious a workmanship as the Liahona. And behold, it was prepared to show unto our fathers the course which they should travel in the wilderness.
And it did work for them according to their faith in God; therefore, if they had faith to believe that God could cause that those spindles should point the way they should go, behold it was done! Therefore they had this miracle, and also many other miracles wrought by the power of God, day by day.
Nevertheless, because those miracles were worked by small means (back doors?) it did show unto them marvelous works. They were slothful, and forgot to exercise their faith and diligence and then those marvelous works ceased, and they did not progress in their journey,
Therefore, they tarried in the wilderness, or did not travel a direct course, and were afflicted with hunger and thirst because of their transgressions …
Oh, my son, do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way; for so was it with our fathers, for so was it prepared for them, that if they would look they might live; even so it is with us The way is prepared, and if we will look, we may live forever. (Alma 39:46)
In a most remarkable way, our bodies are similar to the Liahona; curious and miraculous in both workmanship and function, they operate each and every day on very simple principles of faith, diligence and obedience. Take for example, our feet!
The organs of our bodies have their sensory points at the bottom of our feet. The nerves that connect to these organs terminate here. Is this not incredible?!
This diagram shows the acupressure points and the organs that are affected when pressure is applied. In other words, simply by walking these organs are massaged and blessed! Talk about a back door miracle!
(I know this to be true from personal experience: When our daughter Emily had jaw surgery and could not breathe through her mouth because her jaws were wired shut, I massaged the point for the sinus and nasal passages, and watched her breathing capacity increase. It’s easy to get a book at the library or do a search online that will show you these techniques.)
Though winter is coming and the weather may not be great for walking outdoors, there is ample opportunity to be up and doing, whether it’s walking the mall, or in place in front of the TV with a Leslie Sanson DVD or a good movie. For us, even as in Alma ‘s counsel to Helaman: the way is prepared! There is simply no easier or better way to exercise than to walk!
In fact, in the book I quote often, “How Not To Die” by Dr. Michael Greger, walking actively each and every day is a key chemical and literal message to our brains that life is good, that we are alive and want to continue living.
Let’s spend a minute and personalize Alma ‘s counsel while we tie on our shoes and just step out the back door to get walking!
“Oh, _______________________________ put in your own name in the blank) do not let be slothful because of the easiness of the way; for so was it with our fathers, for so was it prepared for them, that if they would look they might live; even so it is with us The way is prepared, and if we will look, we may live forever.” ( Alma 37:46)
Hooray for back door Liahona miracles! Let’s put them to use for a healthier, happier winter!
Carolyn Allen is the Author of 60 Seconds to Weight Loss Success, One Minute Inspirations to Change Your Thinking, Your Weight and Your Life. She has been providing mental and spiritual approaches for weight loss success both online and in the Washington, DC community since 1999 presenting for Weight Watchers, First Class, Fairfax County Adult Education and other community groups. She and her husband, Bob, are happy empty-nesters and grandparents in Sandy, Utah where they center their online business for Meridian’s amazing herbal detox. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE
